Everyone scattered in panic like headless flies, dropping whatever they had been doing. The once-bustling streets were emptied in an instant—not even a ghost in sight—plunged into a deathly silence.
After all, Wano Country was still under its policy of isolation. Information there was severely cut off.
Just like in the original story, even the Whitebeard Pirates only learned of Kozuki Oden's death several years after the fact.
Tenma's battle with Kaido hadn't yet spread to this stretch of the seas, and his bounty in the outside world was still an outdated figure from over half a year ago.
"Tsk tsk, this kind of spectacle really does live up to the title of Flying Admiral,"
Lafitte said with a sigh as he stood by the railing, looking down at the panicked masses below, scurrying about like ants.
"This should be our last stop in the West Blue. Normally, when I'm out and about, I rarely make such a big show," Tenma said calmly.
"Is that because it's troublesome?" Lafitte asked curiously.
"Mostly to save effort. I don't like being stared at everywhere I go—it interferes with getting things done. Besides, going out is supposed to be fun. What's enjoyable about watching a bunch of people scared out of their wits?"
After explaining, Tenma curled his lips into a slightly mischievous smile.
"Of course, if it's for some other purpose, I wouldn't mind lifting the entire island into the air and letting them get a good look at my methods."
"I see. I think I understand the Admiral's way of thinking a little better now."
Nearby, Robin's hand trembled slightly as she turned a page of her book. She pretended she hadn't heard anything.
This wasn't the monster-infested New World.
Even a pirate with a four-hundred-million bounty was an emperor-like existence in the first half of the Grand Line—let alone in the Four Blues, often called the beginner's village.
The flying ship didn't even need to land. Just hovering overhead, the pressure it brought was no less terrifying than a natural disaster.
"You already know what kind of person Hogback is. Go—bring him up here," Tenma ordered.
Lafitte nodded in understanding.
He leapt over the railing. A pair of massive white wings unfurled from his back, and like an elegant white bird, he glided straight toward the clinic at the center of the town below.
Inside the clinic, Hogback was scrambling to bolt doors and windows, cursing his rotten luck under his breath.
He'd been about to close a big deal today, but the Flying Admiral's arrival had ruined everything. Survival came first.
Just then, a light, airy voice suddenly sounded in the room.
"So this is the famed and illustrious genius surgeon, Dr. Hogback?"
Hogback jumped in fright and spun around.
At some point, a strangely dressed man had appeared, sitting atop the desk in his office.
The man wore a faint smile. His skin was pale to the point of sickness, a black top hat perched on his head. He twirled a cane in his hand, purple-red lipstick on his lips, his entire presence exuding a bizarre and sinister charm.
"W–Who are you?!" Hogback stumbled back a step in terror.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lafitte."
Lafitte elegantly removed his hat and bowed like a gentleman.
"This unannounced visit is to convey an invitation from Admiral Tenma."
As he spoke, his gaze—sharp as if it could see through one's heart—locked onto Hogback.
"Are you interested in serving Lord Tenma?"
"Serving him?"
Hogback froze for a moment, then forced a laugh as if he'd heard a joke.
"So all this fuss was for me? My medical skills actually caught the eye of the Flying Admiral?"
"That, I can't say for certain," Lafitte replied, idly playing with his cane.
"But without a doubt, being noticed by the Admiral means you possess exceptional talent in some regard."
Hogback spread his hands exaggeratedly.
"To receive such praise—how flattering. But I'm a well-known physician in the West Blue. There are many patients here who can't do without me."
Complete nonsense, of course.
He had no desire to become a pirate's lackey. Still, since the other side valued his medical expertise, Hogback figured he might have leverage to name his price.
"Your personality has already been seen through by our Admiral."
Lafitte's lips curved into a mocking smile.
"On the surface, you're a respected, benevolent doctor. In truth, you're a money-grubbing hypocrite driven by greed. Am I wrong?"
Hogback's smile instantly stiffened.
He had believed those dark thoughts were perfectly concealed.
"It seems you're not denying it."
Lafitte's smile grew even more eerie.
"As long as you pledge loyalty to Admiral Tenma, the wealth he promises you will far exceed the meager sums you scheme for as a doctor."
"And let me give you a little insider information—Admiral Tenma's true identity is that of a powerful nation's ruler."
Hogback's eyes flickered.
If Tenma had activated Observation Haki at that moment, he would have clearly sensed the thunderous pounding of Hogback's heart—an overwhelming, irresistible craving for money.
Just as Tenma had anticipated, once Lafitte brought Hogback aboard, the money-obsessed doctor fell completely.
Tenma wasted no words. On the spot, he activated his ability, transforming a small gold bean into a massive gold ingot as tall as Hogback himself.
Bathed in that dazzling golden light, Hogback—already on the verge of temptation—immediately dropped to his knees, swearing to devote every ounce of his talent to Lord Tenma.
Thus, whether driven by greed for wealth, a desire for safety, longing for family, or passion for battle, Tenma's journey through the West Blue could be said to have paid off handsomely.
The peerless surgeon Hogback.
The perfect administrator Robin.
The immensely promising Lafitte.
And Perona, with her powerful crowd-control support abilities.
Every one of them would become an indispensable piece in his future grand design.
It could be said that the tide of destiny was already slowly being clenched in Tenma's grasp.
Although Tenma hadn't gone out of his way to meet every famous figure from the West Blue in the original story—
Such as Capone "Gang" Bege, who would later unify the West Blue underworld, or the Happo Navy of the Kano Country—
Bege rose slowly through gang power anyway. Aside from a somewhat interesting Devil Fruit, his personal strength in the original story wasn't particularly outstanding. Tenma felt he could afford to wait and observe.
After all, he would have plenty of opportunities to sail the seas in the future—and in a few years, there would still be a great beauty named Gion waiting for him to claim.
As for the Happo Navy, Tenma had no interest in them for the time being.
Thus, with Hogback secured, this journey through the West Blue came to a perfect conclusion.
After leaving their final stop in the West Blue, the massive flying ship, under Tenma's control, spent over a month on a long voyage before finally arriving once more at the towering Red Line, piercing the clouds.
Once they crossed this boundary dividing the world, Tenma's next destination awaited—
The East Blue.
As the symbolic gateway to the Grand Line, the Red Line's most defining feature was its sheer height.
By the time the ship reached halfway up the mountain, thick clouds were already flowing beneath their feet.
"Wow! It's incredible! So this is the legendary Red Line!"
Perona floated in the air using her Devil Fruit powers, following beside Tenma as she marveled at the sight.
"Yes. This is the wall of the world."
Tenma gazed into the distance, a confident smile tugging at his lips.
At the edge of their vision, the familiar deep-blue waves had long since vanished.
In their place lay layers upon layers of cloud seas piled like mountains—beautiful, yet carrying a deathly sense of desolation.
Gale-force winds howled past their ears, bringing with them the biting chill unique to high altitudes.
Robin brushed aside her wind-tossed hair and sighed softly.
"Legend has it that in ancient times, this Red Line once nurtured thriving life."
Yamato shaded her eyes with her hands, squinting as she searched around.
"Seriously? At this altitude, where even the oxygen's thin, I don't see so much as a passing bird."
Robin smiled faintly.
"On the Red Line above the clouds, there are ancient legends about 'gods.' It's said they were the ones who first brought fire to the seas."
Floating with a parasol, Perona covered her mouth and let out her signature laugh.
"Horo horo~ Robin, you're not seriously treating fairy tales meant for kids as real history, are you?"
Robin's expression remained calm.
"I never confuse history with stories. And besides, many fairy tales are adaptations of events that truly happened."
Though she looked unbothered, that was only because the other party was just a ghost construct created by Tenma. Otherwise, she'd already have used the Hana Hana Fruit to tickle that girl's feet into submission.
After spending so much time together, while everyone still held respect for their imposing captain, the girls themselves had long since grown close, becoming inseparable confidantes.
Standing at the bow, Tenma spoke in a deep voice,
"That legend isn't groundless. In the past, a race regarded as 'gods' truly lived here—the Lunarians."
The sea breeze fluttered his coat as he continued,
"They could ignite inextinguishable flames upon their bodies. The so-called 'bringing fire to the seas' originates from them."
He turned his gaze to Yamato.
"And the reason I say they're almost extinct is because I've personally seen a surviving member. Yamato—you've seen him too. You know him very well."
Yamato pointed at her own nose, blinking in confusion.
"I've seen him too? Who?"
She closed her eyes, familiar faces flashing through her mind like scenes from a film reel.
Someone familiar… someone who could produce flames… someone she saw often.
Yamato's eyes flew open as the answer burst out of her mouth.
"Don't tell me—it's Uncle King?!"
Seeing Tenma nod, Yamato grabbed her head in shock, her eyes nearly popping out.
"That guy who wraps himself up all the time and wears that weird mask… he's a descendant of the 'gods'?!"
Perona and Robin leaned in with curiosity.
"Uncle King? Is he from Wano?"
Yamato waved her finger.
"Nope. Uncle King works for that bastard of a father of mine."
"Father?!"
That single word instantly caught both Perona's and Robin's attention.
They had always assumed Yamato was alone in the world. They hadn't expected her father to be alive—let alone someone important.
Yamato scratched the back of her head, belatedly realizing something.
"Ah! Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever told you about my background."
Maria Fang walked over with a gentle smile and affectionately patted Yamato's head.
"Yamato's father is none other than the world-famous Kaido of the Beasts."
Compared to Perona, who was still frozen in shock, Robin's face instantly went pale.
"You mean the great pirate with a bounty of over 1.4 billion Beli?"
"F–Fourteen hundred million?!"
Perona screamed, her already large eyes bulging so much they looked ready to pop out of their sockets.
Lafitte, having just finished his morning training, wiped his sweat as he stepped out of the training hall, clearly having overheard the shocking number.
"Sounds like I just heard some truly earth-shattering news."
Only Hogback, fully absorbed in his medical research, remained shut away in his room, deaf to the outside world.
Perona was still struggling to process the revelation.
"That's more than three times Lord Tenma's bounty! You actually have such a terrifying father?!"
Maria Fang carefully pulled out a treasured Den Den Mushi from her bosom.
"Even if his bounty is higher, in terms of strength, our lord is no weaker than Kaido. Wano Country was wrested back from Kaido by Lord Tenma himself."
She proudly presented the Den Den Mushi.
"I went through a lot of connections and spent a fortune to get this. It contains footage of Lord Tenma's peak battle with Kaido."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone except Tenma crowded around her.
Even Tenma himself hadn't expected Maria Fang to still have this kind of "black history" footage originally meant for propaganda.
As the projection lit up on the wall, lightning flashed across the screen, two demonic figures colliding in a world-shattering clash.
"My god… I never imagined battles on this level of destruction. The world of the strong is beyond anything I imagined."
"Lord Tenma is so handsome! So powerful!"
Gasps of awe erupted repeatedly from the crowd, clearly overwhelmed by the crushing sense of power spilling from the screen.
Tenma looked at their admiring gazes, realizing that Maria Fang's unintentional act had once again elevated his image in the eyes of the newcomers to an entirely new level.
Robin stared intently at the battle footage, her understanding of top-tier combat completely rewritten, her awe for Tenma deepening even further.
By the time everyone recovered from the spectacle, the ship had already crossed the towering mountain range.
As it plunged through the thick cloud layers at high speed, an endless expanse of blue finally appeared before them.
Yamato leaned over the railing, poking her head out curiously.
"So this is the East Blue? Doesn't feel much different from the West Blue."
Maria Fang covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"Well, of course. The Four Blues all look pretty similar. The truly strange seas are all within the Grand Line."
Though the scenery was unremarkable, to Tenma, this sea held the deepest memories.
Loguetown. Cocoyasi Village. Foosha Village.
This was where all the stories of the original work began.
Because Reverse Mountain was close to the Red Line, it didn't take long before the heavily guarded gateway to the Grand Line—Loguetown—came into view.
Though it was the holy land where the Pirate King had been executed, Tenma had little interest.
After briefly resupplying and indulging the crew's curiosity about the execution platform, the ship only stayed for a few hours before setting sail again.
Holding the latest sea chart he'd just bought, Tenma directed the ship toward the Kingdom of Oykot.
Though the East Blue was known as the weakest sea and a symbol of peace, it hadn't been peaceful in recent years.
Influenced by the Pirate King's execution at Loguetown, countless desperadoes had flooded into the East Blue, causing a sharp rise in pirate activity.
The Kingdom of Oykot was one of the victims.
No longer a member of the World Government, the country had suffered constant pirate harassment in recent years and was already on the brink of collapse.
Especially this year, when the long-suffering citizens finally erupted into open conflict with the pirates, plunging the entire nation into a hell of war.
This was information Tenma had read not long ago in a newspaper delivered by a News Coo.
Knowing the plot well, he naturally understood what this meant. Since he was already in the East Blue, making a detour to this war-torn country was only natural.
Because it had failed to pay the Heavenly Tribute, the World Government deliberately used it as a negative example. Naval reinforcements were nowhere to be seen.
By the time Tenma's fleet arrived, the flames of war had already spread across most of the country. Everywhere he looked were shattered walls and ruins.
The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Even if the Navy eventually came to clean things up, the country was essentially finished—destined to degenerate into nothing more than an ordinary village island.
Beneath the ruins, countless war orphans cried in despair.
Tenma paid no attention to anything else. He pushed his Observation Haki to its limits, sweeping the land like a radar.
Finally, in the third town that had been leveled by artillery fire, he sensed his target beneath a collapsed corner of a wall.
It was a small girl with short blue hair, tightly clutching an orange-haired infant still wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Tenma focused his gaze, confirming that the orange-haired baby was the Nami he was looking for.
And the blue-haired girl, glaring at him warily like a cub protecting its kin, was naturally Nojiko.
For these two children, clinging to each other amid the flames of war, Tenma's appearance was both unexpected and salvational. With little trouble, he brought them back aboard the ship.
Seeing Tenma return from a trip with two filthy little girls in tow, everyone on board was rather surprised.
Though they hadn't been together long, someone as perceptive as Lafitte had already figured Tenma out.
Their Admiral seemed to have a certain… "raising habit," particularly fond of collecting children with potential.
Whether it was Maria Fang and Yamato from Wano, or Perona and Robin from the West Blue, all of them had displayed remarkable talent from a very young age.
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