Time flew by.
Day turned to night, and night to day.
In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
Early morning.
The sun rose slowly from the horizon, casting golden light across the world. Warmth spread with it, dissolving the faint morning mist that lingered in the air.
The villagers of Foosha Village were already busy, starting another day of simple but lively work. The port bustled with voices, laughter, and the sounds of labor.
And there—at the docks—
A massive Navy warship lay anchored.
The sea breeze swept across its sails, waves splashing against the stone pier with crisp, melodic notes, like nature's music.
High above the mast, a white flag fluttered proudly—the seagull emblem of the Marines. Justice. Fairness. Order. It was their eternal symbol.
On the pier, dozens of Marines in uniform hurried about, hauling crates and supplies onto the ship. Their shouts echoed in rhythm with their steps.
"Careful with that one! It's Vice Admiral Garp's order—if you damage it, you'll be fish food before the day is over!"
"That one too, gently!"
"Move quickly! The ship departs soon!"
The whole port was alive with urgency.
At the center of it, Bogard barked orders, sweat rolling down his forehead as he directed the busy sailors.
Meanwhile, atop the deck, the highest-ranking officer—Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp—lounged comfortably on a sun chair. A glass of juice in hand, he looked as if none of this concerned him.
Nearby, Kai leaned against the railing, silently watching the flurry of activity. His gaze then shifted to Garp, who was reclining without a care in the world.
It was Garp who broke the silence first.
"Kai, brat," he said lazily, "you've really made quite the ruckus these past few days. Old man like me didn't expect you to stir so much trouble before leaving Foosha Village."
Indeed—
In just the past three days, Kai had wiped out every bandit group near the village.
Seven or eight gangs, each dozens strong—gone without a trace. Slaughtered to the last man.
The few that remained had fled deep into the mountains, hiding in fear, too terrified to step foot outside.
Wherever Kai walked, bandits vanished.
He had become a nightmare that stalked them all.
Over a thousand lives had ended in those short days.
To Garp, even as a hardened veteran, it was terrifying. He couldn't help but worry—was this boy, his grandson, becoming addicted to killing?
"As a Marine, how can he slaughter so mercilessly…" Garp thought with a heavy heart.
Yet… the fact that Kai only killed criminals—the vile, the ruthless, the irredeemable—gave him some relief.
"As long as he never turns that blade toward the innocent," Garp muttered, "then maybe… maybe it's fine."
But even as he mused, pride swelled in his chest.
This boy's strength was growing at a monstrous pace. In the East Blue, Kai already stood among the strongest.
"A hundred-year genius," Garp thought, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Worthy of being my grandson!"
Word of Kai's deeds had already spread across the sea.
A nameless hero who despised bandits had appeared, wiping them out wherever they lurked.
The rumor spread like wildfire, and countless would-be criminals suddenly abandoned the thought of joining such gangs.
The bandits who remained? They trembled in their caves, praying never to meet the boy with the eyes of a tyrant.
"Old man," Kai said at last, turning toward Garp. "Isn't this what you wanted? I just did what you've always wished to do."
Garp chuckled dryly. "So you saw through me, brat. True enough… I've wanted to clean them out for years. But bandits are like flies in a sewer—you swat one, and another crawls out. Unless you burn the nest itself, they'll never end. That's why I stopped bothering long ago."
Kai's eyes glinted thoughtfully but he didn't answer.
"Enough talk," Garp waved a hand. "Go say your farewells to Ace. You won't be seeing him for quite some time."
With a sidelong glance at the port, Garp smirked. "That kid used to hate your guts. Yet look at him now—can't even hide his reluctance to see you leave."
At the docks, the villagers had gathered to send them off.
Ace stood there too, beside Makino, who cradled baby Luffy in her arms.
Makino, still young, shone with a gentle beauty. Her presence, soft and warm, made the rowdy scene feel almost serene. In her arms, little Luffy flailed and babbled happily, oblivious to the moment's weight.
Ace's eyes, however, were fixed firmly on the ship—on Kai standing atop the deck.
Around them, the villagers spoke with fondness:
"Kai, go make us proud at Marineford!"
"Don't let anyone push you around, child!"
"He's grown so fast… time really flies."
Their voices carried warmth.
Even from afar, Dadan and her bandits could be seen, too embarrassed to join the crowd, yet unwilling not to see the boy off.
Kai's lips curved upward as he took in the sight of his people, their love, their trust. For the first time in days, the killing aura around him seemed to soften.
Suddenly—
Ace clenched his fists and shouted, his voice cracking from the effort:
"Kai, you bastard—"
"I swear, one day, I'll catch up to you! You'd better wait for me!"
His words echoed across the port.
But then, after a long pause—
Ace bit his lip, face flushed red, and shouted again, louder than before:
"Big Brother!"
The cry rang out, shaking the air, bouncing back from every wall and wave.
The villagers smiled knowingly.
"Finally," one of them chuckled. "That stubborn boy finally admitted it."
On the deck, Kai's grin widened. His eyes softened as he looked at Ace.
Ace… that one word you've given me today—
From this moment on, I will protect you.
No matter what fate writes, no matter what sins you bear, I will keep you alive.
You will not die young.
I'll guard your life with mine, little brother.
From this day forth… you are my brother.
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