Soon after Kaoru Tsubasa withdrew the virtual training space, Kaido and the others returned to their original locations.
Although they had spent what felt like two full years inside that realm, in the real world, not even two days had passed—perhaps even less.
"Alright, let's keep sailing!"
Luffy leaned back in his captain's chair, raising his hand with his usual grin.
Kaoru and the rest stood behind him, smiling as the Thousand Sunny—or rather, the Merry—continued along the Grand Line.
As the ship drifted forward through the shimmering blue waters, an unusual island appeared on the horizon—its jagged peaks shaped like cactus spines.
"Whoa! What's that?!" Luffy shouted, his eyes practically sparkling.
"Cactus?" Usopp blinked, leaning over the railing.
"That should be Cactus Island," Nami said, shading her eyes.
"Cactus Island? Sounds awesome!"
Before anyone could stop him, Luffy launched himself into the air with a Rubber Rocket, soaring toward the island.
The crew collectively sighed and palmed their faces—at this point, they were far too used to Luffy's impulsive behavior.
Kaoru simply watched him fly off, amused. After all, Luffy had trained on Onigashima for two years; recklessness was second nature by now.
In the original records of their world, Luffy had trained surrounded by fierce beasts—but inside Kaoru's virtual space, only Kaido and his allies existed. Every day had been a brutal repetition of battle and discipline.
Whiskey Peak.
"Who are you?!"
A group of armed locals pointed their weapons at the figure who had just crash-landed in front of them.
This time, Luffy hadn't smashed into a building—he'd landed face-first in the dirt.
The townspeople, who had planned to lure pirates ashore to rob them blind, froze in confusion.
Then Luffy stood up, dusted himself off, and grinned. "Me? I'm Luffy! A pirate!"
"Pirate? Really? So you're a hero pirate?" one of them said.
Their tone flipped instantly—cheers erupted, weapons were lowered, and a feast was quickly prepared.
Luffy blinked in confusion, but when he saw the mountains of meat they brought out, he forgot all about questions and dove right in.
Before long, the Merry docked at Whiskey Peak.
When the crew disembarked, they found Luffy already at the center of a feast, laughing and eating as though he'd lived there for years.
"You're Luffy's crew, right?" a villager asked.
"Ah, yeah—we're his companions," Usopp said, puffing up proudly.
"Really? So you're all heroic pirates too? Welcome to Whiskey Peak!"
"Heroic pirates?" Nami echoed, frowning slightly.
The villager quickly explained their "customs."
Pfft—
Kaoru Tsubasa couldn't help laughing out loud.
A town that welcomed pirates? The idea was absurd.
"What's so funny?" the villager asked, puzzled.
"Ahem. I just remembered something amusing," Kaoru said, hiding his smirk.
The villager didn't press further. After all, new pirates like them usually didn't know much about the Grand Line's dangers.
In truth, if Zoro hadn't been seasoned by his years at sea, the original Straw Hat crew might have met their end right here.
Soon, the Straw Hat Pirates joined the so-called celebration, eating and drinking without restraint.
Sanji, naturally, was surrounded by women—arms around him on both sides, his flirtatious laughter echoing across the hall.
Kaoru merely chuckled, sipping sake and tearing into grilled meat nearby. As someone who still remembered the discipline of his past life, he didn't indulge in the same way.
Zoro drank beside him, occasionally throwing insults at Sanji—calling him a "flirty kappa" between gulps of ale.
Usopp was off entertaining the locals, boasting about his heroic exploits—though, to be fair, half of them weren't lies anymore.
After several rounds of drinks, most of the guests collapsed, completely drunk.
Even Zoro, after two years of harsh training, couldn't hold his liquor tonight.
"Why aren't you drunk?" Kaoru asked the woman beside him.
Bloodthirsty, the spirit bound to his blade, crossed her arms. "I'm not human. How could I get drunk?"
Fair enough. A weapon spirit wasn't affected by alcohol—after all, who'd ever heard of a sword getting tipsy?
"Then I'll leave the rest to you," Kaoru said, glancing toward the townsfolk who were now quietly drawing weapons, thinking the Straw Hats asleep.
"These ones aren't even worth dirtying my hands on."
"Simple," Bloodthirsty replied, her tone calm but cold.
She had felt something wrong from the moment they landed. In a world ruled by pirates, no true village would ever welcome them so warmly.
And now, observing more closely, she realized those "cactus spines" towering over the island were actually tombstones.
"Be gentle with the blue-haired woman and the man with curly hair," Kaoru added softly, his eyes glinting. "They're not enemies."
Among the disguised bounty hunters, he had recognized Nefertari Vivi and Igaram.
"I see," Bloodthirsty murmured. "Though… that woman looks strangely familiar."
With a light step, she leapt down into the street, materializing in her physical form—an ethereal woman with the aura of a blade.
"Sorry," she said politely, her tone sharp as steel. "My friends are tired. I'd appreciate it if you let them rest a little longer."
"Humph! Another fool! There'll be one more grave on Cactus Island tonight!" shouted Igaram, his curly wig bobbing as he pointed.
At his command, the bounty hunters charged forward.
"Humph."
Bloodthirsty's eyes flashed scarlet. A wave of pressure exploded from her body, knocking the entire group unconscious in an instant.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
Of course, per Kaoru's instructions, she spared Vivi and Igaram.
"…Conqueror's Haki?" Kaoru whispered in surprise from above.
That shouldn't have been possible. Bloodthirsty wasn't even native to this world—how could she possess Haki?
"Simple enough, right?" she said lightly, glancing back with a faint smile.
In that moment, Kaoru noticed something—her face. Her stance. Her voice.
"You… You're Kuina, aren't you?" he asked softly.
The resemblance was uncanny.
The woman froze. Her blade slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor.
"I… I'm…"
Her body trembled violently, clutching her head as if in agony.
"I am the Demon Blade—Bloodthirsty!" she screamed. "No… no, I'm Gu—"
Before she could finish, her form shattered into light, scattering into the air as she returned to her sword form—leaving Kaoru Tsubasa standing there, silent under the pale moonlight of Cactus Island.