Goat Island.
The peaceful rustling of the wind swept over the grassy hills and quiet shores of the island, interrupted only by the gentle chirping of birds and distant crashing waves. Hidden between the scattered trees and grazing goats, a boy in a straw hat cautiously peeked out from behind a small stone wall.
Luffy scanned his surroundings carefully. No signs of movement. The coast was clear.
Grinning mischievously, he tiptoed toward a dense bush nestled near the edge of a cliff. He reached into the thicket and pulled out a small wooden boat that he had hidden there some times ago. With effort, he dragged it along the grassy path toward the beach, the bottom of the boat scraping lightly against the dirt.
As the boat hit the water, it bobbed gently, catching some small tide.
"Fshuu… That was close," Luffy muttered under his breath, wiping sweat from his brow. "Luckily, Gramps is away… and none of his marine guys are around. Otherwise, I'd never be able to sneak off like this."
Just a few days ago, Vice Admiral Garp had unexpectedly returned to Goat Island and found his troublesome grandson lounging around, living carefree as ever. Naturally, Garp's first words weren't greetings, but a command.
"Join the Marines, Luffy!"
But as always, Luffy refused. And this time, he didn't just say no—he shouted it with conviction.
"I'm gonna be a pirate! No, not just a pirate—the *Pirate King*!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Garp's face turned red with fury. As punishment, he confined Luffy to the island, hoping some "quiet time" would knock some sense into the boy. Unfortunately, Garp underestimated how slippery his grandson could be.
Now, with Garp out on a temporary patrol and his right-hand man nowhere in sight, Luffy seized the chance to escape.
"Time to set sail again!" Luffy declared proudly, hopping into the boat. With a few strong rows, the small ship pushed away from shore and caught the rhythm of the current. The straw-hatted boy laughed as the island slowly faded behind him. "The sea's calling me again!"
From behind a tall tree near the edge of the forest, a sharp-eyed man in a long coat watched silently.
Bogart, Garp's trusted assistant, hadn't been fooled for a second by Luffy's suspicious behavior over the past day. He had followed the boy discreetly, arms crossed as he observed Luffy's predictable attempt at escape.
After making sure the boat was well out of earshot, Bogart pulled out a small Den Den Mushi from his coat and dialed.
The snail phone blinked awake. "Garp-san," he said calmly, "your grandson just left the island. Headed out to sea."
A grumpy voice crackled on the other end. "Tch. That insolent brat… Always going against this old man's will." There was a long sigh. "Let him go. For now."
"Understood."
Bogart ended the call and put the Den Den Mushi away. He looked once more at the horizon, where the small figure of Luffy's boat bobbed farther and farther into the ocean.
"Let's see how far you go this time, Luffy."
With that, he turned around and made his way back toward the heart of the island, leaving the coast behind, and the goats that continues to graze peacefully.
...
Back on Organ Island.
At this time, Zino had just completed a full sweep of the island. Using *Geppo*, he soared through the air, hopping from the sky like stepping on invisible platforms, giving himself a wide and unobstructed view of the entire area. From above, the lush greenery, scattered houses, and winding paths of Organ Island were all laid out like a map.
He carefully scanned every corner—the forests, the cliffs, the town ruins—but nowhere did he see any traces of Buggy's crew. There were no familiar clown-themed sails, no garish red noses, and no chaotic noise. Not even a single pirate flag fluttered on the sea's horizon.
"Looks like they really escaped," Zino muttered to himself, letting out a quiet sigh. He lowered himself slowly with Geppo until he landed lightly on the ground near the dock.
As he returned, he found Mayor Boodle and a few villagers still hard at work. Tools clanked, and the sound of scrubbing filled the air. A group of helpful townsfolk, including Hagan, were gathered around an old ship that now looked far more impressive than it had earlier in the day.
"Ah, Zino! Perfect timing," Mayor Boodle called out when he noticed him approaching. His sleeves were rolled up, his hands dusty with cleaning residue, but there was a satisfied look on his face. "We've just about finished up the cleaning and small repairs. Come have a look."
Zino stepped forward, eyes scanning the ship with interest.
Now that the dust and cobwebs had been cleared away, the vessel's full appearance came to light—and it was quite a sight. The hull was painted sleek black, with a clean white stripe running along its lower sides, closely resembling the body of a killer whale. It had a wide, sturdy build that looked stable even in rough waters, and its curved bow gave it a fierce, almost predatory look. Though it had sails instead of fins, and lacked the tail of the creature it was modeled after, the resemblance was unmistakable.
"This is... seriously cool," Zino said, walking around it slowly, admiring its design. "Looks fast, sturdy, and stylish. You've got a great ship here, Mayor."
Boodle beamed with pride. "I'm glad you think so. I built this ship back in my younger days when I used to go out fishing far from the island. Named it *Silent Orca* for how it could glide through the sea with barely a sound."
Zino nodded in approval, placing a hand on the hull. "It's got character. And after all the work you've done on it today, it looks like it's ready to sail again."
"Well, it could still use a bit of tuning here and there," Hagan added from nearby, wiping his forehead with a cloth. "But it's sea-worthy now."
Zino gave them a thankful smile. "Appreciate all your help. With our old ship gone, this will really save our journey."
"You've done us a favor by driving those pirates out. It's only right we return the favor," said Boodle.
While Zino and Mayor Boodle continued discussing the ship, the rest of the crew returned. Alvida, Zoro, and Nami were carrying bags filled with supplies—food, water, rope, tools, and other essentials. As they approached the dock and caught sight of the ship, all three of them slowed their steps, their eyes widening in surprise.
"Wait... is this the same ship that was covered in spiderwebs earlier?" Alvida blinked in disbelief. "It looked like a ghost ship this morning!"
"I'll admit, it cleaned up way better than I expected," Zoro said, as he studied the vessel. "The black paint and that curve... it almost looks like a real whale."
"I love it!" Nami grinned. She hurried forward, nearly dropping one of her bags. "Hey, Mayor! Can we get on board and check it out?"
"Of course," Boodle replied with a chuckle. "After all, the Silent Orca now belongs to you."
"Wait, seriously?" Nami's eyes lit up, but she quickly narrowed them suspiciously. "Is there some kind of condition? How much do we owe you?"
The mayor shook his head with a warm smile. "No payment needed. Consider it a gift—from the people of this island. You helped us chase off Buggy and his crew. That's something none of us had the power to do. If there's any condition at all..."
Everyone leaned in a bit.
"...just take good care of her," Boodle finished. "That ship's been with me for years. She's not perfect, but she's reliable. I'd rather see her used by good people than rot away in the dock."
Zino gave a respectful nod. "We'll take care of it, old man. Promise."
With that, the crew eagerly boarded the Silent Orca. Boodle followed them up and offered a full tour, explaining the layout and features of the ship.
Though the outside was sleek and whale-like, the inside had its own rustic charm. The lower deck had enough space for food storage, extra supplies, and even a small area that could be converted into sleeping quarters. There was a basic kitchen, a central area for meetings or meals, and a raised deck with the steering mechanism and lookout post.
But the most unique part of the ship was something Boodle proudly revealed after leading them to a deeper chamber below the deck.
"Now this," Boodle said, patting the wooden wall, "is what I call the *Wave Breaker*."
He opened a door, revealing a small chamber fitted with several large, cycle-like machines aligned side by side. These odd mechanisms were connected to a system of paddles attached to the sides of the ship, hidden just below water level.
"These are manual paddlers," Boodle explained. "Even if there's no wind, a few strong folks can come down here, hop on one of these, and pedal. That'll drive the paddles outside and move the ship forward—faster than rowing by hand."
"It's like a giant bike for the sea," Zino muttered, eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"This is genius," Alvida added, inspecting one of the pedaling systems. "You could escape a calm zone with this."
"Or sneak up on a target without sails flapping," said Nami, already calculating the strategic advantage.
All the crews are able to see the advantages of this Wave Breaker. This also added a unique features to this ship, which now belong to them.
"Thank you again, Mayor. You really helped us out by giving us this ship," Zino said with a grateful nod. "Now we can sail the seas once more."
"No need to thank me," Boodle replied with a smile, waving his hand. "I already said it, it's repayment for chasing off those Clown Pirates. Speaking of the Clown Pirates… Zino, did you finish scouting the island?"
Zino gave a short nod. "Yeah, but I didn't spot any of their members—or any ship flying Buggy's flag. If I had to guess, they've already fled the island."
"I see…" Boodle sighed in partial relief, though a trace of worry lingered in his eyes. "Let's hope they don't come back."
"Well, just in case they do, I brought something for you and the townspeople," Zino said.
He stepped away briefly, then returned holding several weapons—seemingly pulled out of thin air. He laid them on the ground before Boodle, revealing swords, rifles, and even a compact cannon. But what caught the mayor's attention were a few strange, round, red-black spheres.
"These," Zino said, holding one up, "are called Muggy Balls."
Boodle leaned in, brows furrowed. "What are they?"
"They're highly explosive cannonballs. One of these is what destroyed our previous ship in a single blast," Zino explained. "They're Buggy's custom weapons. I confiscated them before he escaped."
Boodle's eyes widened in shock. "That blast… So it was these things that caused it?"
Zino nodded. "Exactly. They're no joke. If any pirate dares to return and threaten this town again, you can use these to sink their ship before they even dock."
The mayor carefully accepted the cannon and the Muggy Balls, his expression now filled with appreciation and determination. For the first time in a long while, he felt that he had something capable of defending the people under his care.
"Thank you, Zino," he said sincerely, bowing his head toward the group. "You've given us more than just hope—you've given us a real means to protect ourselves."
Zino gave a small smile. "We're happy to help."
Then Boodle straightened up, rubbing his hands together with a smile. "Now, I have a small request of my own. As a token of our gratitude… I'd like to invite you all to a party at my house. Nothing fancy, just some food and drinks to celebrate your efforts."
Zoro's eyes perked up at the word "party." "Wait… Do you have booze?"
Boodle chuckled. "Of course."
"And good food?"
"I'd say it's pretty tasty."
"Well then," Zoro grinned. "We're definitely in."
Nami laughed lightly. "You had him at 'booze.'"
Alvida also smiled. "Sounds like a good way to wrap up the day."
Boodle beamed at their acceptance. "Great! Then follow me. My home isn't far from here."
And with that, the mayor turned and began leading the way toward his residence, and the crews of the renewed ship, Silent Orca followed behind, full of expectations for the coming party.