Life in Drum Kingdom was as placid as its eternally frozen weather. The snowstorms came and went, but the distant mountains remained unchanged. Thanks to Dalton's governance, however, the citizens felt a growing sense of hope as order was restored to their lives.
In Keste Town, Ryuuto finally met Chopper. The small reindeer was helping Dr. Kureha treat patients, a look of pure happiness on his face.
"Ryuuto, thank you for defeating Wapol!" Chopper said with sincere gratitude, bowing deeply.
"Don't worry about it. It was the right thing to do," Ryuuto replied with a casual wave.
"Thank you so much! Thank you, Ryuuto!" Chopper, feeling his heartfelt gratitude wasn't getting through, turned bright red and thanked him again.
"Hahahaha! I hear you. Thanks, Chopper. You're pretty cute!" Ryuuto laughed, unable to resist ruffling the fur on Chopper's head.
It felt surprisingly soft.
Nearby, Dr. Kureha watched the two of them with a wide smile. After a brief conversation, Ryuuto bid farewell to Chopper and the doctor.
The stars and the sea were a young man's destiny.
The day of Ryuuto's departure was fast approaching.
In the words of his system, there were still countless people in this world waiting to be saved.
In Ryuuto's own words, if you were going to be reborn into the world of One Piece, you had to see the view from the top. Setting sail was inevitable.
After asking Dalton to find him a small, seaworthy boat, Ryuuto began his preparations, gathering food, fresh water, and nautical charts. He even acquired a fine-looking sword.
A sword was, first and foremost, a weapon. Secondly, it looked cool.
Fortunately, Ryuuto was now a celebrity on Drum Island. With everyone eager to help, he assembled his supplies with ease.
The nautical charts were the most crucial item; getting lost on the vast, open ocean was the greatest danger of all.
Even after studying the chart for half a day with the help of the person who'd provided it, Ryuuto couldn't gauge the distance to the next island. Once at sea, he would have to rely on the bits of knowledge he'd picked up online in his past life. He could only hope it would be enough.
His ideal destination was Alabasta, the closest island to Drum Kingdom. To that end, Ryuuto made sure to pack an extra supply of food and water.
In the blink of an eye, the day of his departure arrived.
Dalton had prepared a five-meter-long sampan for him. Its keel was pieced together from ordinary oak, and the hull carried the mixed scent of pine resin and salt. Oars rested on both sides of the gunwale, and a single mast with a lateen sail provided its main propulsion.
Ryuuto stowed his food and water below deck, fastened the long, steel-forged sword to his waist, and stood on the shore to wave goodbye to Eve.
"Eve, you should go back now!"
"Ryuuto, you have to come back alive!" the girl cried, tears welling in her eyes. To her, setting sail meant courting death.
"I will. I promise," Ryuuto replied, his voice firm, not wanting to see the kind-hearted girl weep.
Under Eve's reluctant gaze, Ryuuto boarded the small boat and set off.
...
The sea punishes all who challenge it with arrogance.
Ryuuto was no exception.
The previous day, he had set sail full of confidence, navigating by the sun's position. His destination was Alabasta, and if his course was true, he should have arrived in no time.
But on the Grand Line, direction and charts were the least reliable things one could have. Ryuuto knew this, but there wasn't a single Log Pose to be found on the entire island of Drum. He would have to leave it all to fate.
One moment, Ryuuto was enjoying the sea breeze and the beautiful ocean scenery; the next, the sea had revealed its terrifying true face.
Violent waves surged, and the sky-high swells crashed over him. With his novice sailing skills, it took only moments for his small boat to be swallowed by the storm.
He clung desperately to the vessel, managing to avoid being thrown into the churning water.
Suddenly, a deafening peal of thunder echoed across the sky, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated everything.
BOOM!
Ryuuto blacked out. In the fading moments of consciousness, he thought he heard a faint voice cry, "Thunder, aid me!"
When the seas had calmed once more, Ryuuto slowly opened his eyes. He found that the storm had washed him ashore near a small island.
Without a second thought for where he was, he quickly paddled his boat to land.
After securing the vessel, Ryuuto stepped onto the island. Soaked to the bone, his most urgent need was to find shelter and a set of dry clothes.
This was a terrible start.
As he walked along a dry country path, each step he took left a muddy footprint from the water dripping off his clothes.
Following the path toward the island's center, he soon came upon a dense grove of tangerine trees.
A gentle breeze rustled the long, slender leaves, making them ripple like a verdant ocean. Dotted among the branches were small white blossoms, like seashells peeking through the waves.
A pleasant, indescribable fragrance filled the air.
A few steps farther, he came across a tall, blue-haired girl with a red bandana. She was carrying a woven basket, looking as if she had just finished her work for the day and was heading home.
"Nojiko?" Ryuuto murmured in surprise. Wasn't this Nojiko from Cocoyasi Village?
How did I end up in the East Blue? he wondered. Could it have something to do with that faint cry he'd heard, "Thunder, aid me!"? With no answers, Ryuuto could only push the questions to the back of his mind.
"Hmm?" Nojiko clutched her basket, observing the drenched man before her with caution. He knew her name, yet she had no memory of ever seeing him before.
"Hello," Ryuuto said with a sincere expression. "My name is Ryuuto. I'm from Drum Island. I was caught in a storm at sea and ended up here by chance."
"Hello. I'm Nojiko," she replied politely, still sizing him up.
"I need a place to stay and some dry clothes," Ryuuto explained. "Of course, I'm willing to pay."
And so, with Nojiko's help, Ryuuto was soon led to the center of Cocoyasi Village, where he found lodging in Genzo's home.
The next morning, Ryuuto awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside his window and the distant calls of villagers.
Taking in the island's unique atmosphere, Ryuuto couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of the One Piece world. Islands that weren't far from each other could have completely different climates and landscapes. Drum Island was blanketed in perpetual snow and freezing cold, while Cocoyasi Village was blessed with pleasant, sunny weather and the sweet scent of tangerines.
His gaze was drawn to a large pinwheel in the distance, and his thoughts began to wander.
This had to be the work of fate. Maybe heaven itself knew that his aimless sailing wasn't going to work and had decided to deliver a navigator straight to him, he thought wryly.
After getting to know Nojiko better, Ryuuto claimed to be out of money and offered to work in exchange for his keep. She agreed, giving him a job helping out in her tangerine grove during the day.
And so, the days passed peacefully.