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"A hero who has defeated several major pirates, huh? Seems like the East Blue has unleashed quite the formidable individual..."
The middle-aged man in a black cloak stood atop a high tower, the gentle breeze causing the newspaper in his hands to flutter slightly.
His presence merged seamlessly with the environment, making it nearly imperceptible.
If any World Government or high-ranking Navy officials were present, they would sweat profusely upon recognition.
Because the man with the slipper-print tattoo on his face was none other than Monkey D. Dragon—the leader of the Revolutionary Army seeking to overthrow the rule of the Celestial Dragons and the most wanted criminal in the world, son of the Navy hero, Garp.
"As the World Conference is about to begin and I heard that the Celestial Dragons would visit the Goa Kingdom, I made a special trip to the East Blue. I didn't expect to witness such a spectacle."
Dragon adjusted the cloak over his head as the wind blew it aside, a commanding smile creeping across his face.
Apart from appreciating Zyhark's power in his battle against the Arlong Pirates, he admired even more the courage Zyhark showed in fighting for justice and standing firm against a Shichibukai.
Such a newcomer was sure to stir up great waves on the high seas in the future.
Hmm?
In the execution square, Aqua, holding the giant bird egg, seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up toward the high tower where Dragon had been standing.
Unfortunately, it was empty, with only the windmill at the top slowly turning.
Not a person, not even a bird, was in sight.
"Is it my imagination? I felt like someone was there..."
Aqua muttered softly, pondered for a few seconds, and upon realizing it was a brain-straining issue, she immediately gave up on thinking further.
At the center of the square, the dispersing smoke quickly condensed into a white cloak of justice.
As the Cliff-Edge Sword exploded, Smoker, sensing something was amiss, instantly vaporized his body, successfully avoiding the devastating blast.
"So, this is what it means to be very dangerous to stay by Arlong's side!"
Smoker watched Zyhark's retreating back with a grim expression.
The situation had escalated to the worst possible scenario.
Maybe he should try to rescue the fish-men?
Glancing at the charred fish scattered all over the ground, Smoker covered his face with his hand and immediately abandoned this immature thought.
Thankfully, at least the residents hadn't seen Zyhark personally kill Arlong, and there was still room to maneuver.
Thinking this, Smoker turned and shouted to the Marines converging from all directions: "There has been a very rare volcanic eruption in Loguetown, causing injuries to dozens of passing fish-men."
"Everyone! Immediately direct the residents to evacuate the execution square, seal all exits, and only reopen them after confirming safety!"
Although the Marines were unclear about what had actually happened, they dutifully followed their superior's orders, turning to start evacuating the onlookers.
In fact, without their deliberate direction, the ordinary residents, hearing about a volcanic eruption from Colonel Smoker, fled the area in panic.
As the residents dispersed, news of a volcanic eruption at the execution square quickly spread throughout Loguetown.
While Smoker was issuing orders, Zyhark had already reached Aqua.
"Zyhark, let's leave quickly, this place could erupt at any moment, and it would be terrible if it harmed this child!"
Aqua clutched the giant bird egg tightly, speaking in a flustered tone.
How could you, who watched the whole battle, so naively believe Smoker's words? Is that how a normal volcano behaves!
Zyhark couldn't help but internally mock the Goddess's simple thought processes.
"Don't worry, Aqua, that was an ability I obtained after making a wish to Meowth."
"Eh?"
Aqua paused, took a few seconds to process, and then realized, "So the commotion on the sea surface last night was also your doing?!"
"..."
Zyhark, used to such reactions, then turned to the bird egg wrapped securely in Aqua's Goddess Robes.
"I didn't have time to ask earlier, but why are you holding such a strange egg?"
"I found it at a stall on the street!"
Aqua gently touched the bird egg, a motherly smile glowing on her face.
"Found it? How much did it cost?" Zyhark asked curiously.
"Two million Berries, and you gave me the money yourself, Zyhark. You've forgotten already? Your memory isn't so great."
Aqua narrowed her eyes, her characteristic scornful smirk on display.
Then...
Thump!
She promptly received a knock on the forehead.
"This broken egg is worth at most a hundred thousand Berries. You spent two million. Who's the one with water in their brain—me or you?!"
Zyhark ranted furiously at Aqua.
Despite anticipating it, he still underestimated the Goddess's ability to squander money.
"How could it be so cheap? I clearly saw the vendor extend two fingers!" Aqua, rubbing her head, argued earnestly.
"…Could it be possible that they meant twenty thousand, two hundred thousand Berries?" Zyhark suggested the real price.
"Eh? Ahh?!" Aqua, belatedly realizing the mistake, her aqua-blue eyes widened.
"Damn old man, that scoundrel of a vendor even dared to swindle a goddess!"
She rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront the egg seller.
Zyhark, his face lined with frustration, pulled her back: "By now, that guy has long disappeared. Where do you expect to find him?"
"Since it's bought, let's have steamed eggs tonight."
At this, Aqua immediately became protective, clutching the giant egg tightly: "No, no! I want to hatch this child!"
Knowing the Goddess's nature well, Zyhark couldn't help but chuckle.
Steaming the egg was just a scare tactic; he was also curious to see what kind of creature would hatch from this two-million-Berry oddity.
As they spoke, King and Meowth, who had followed later, arrived.
"Mr. Zyhark, Miss Aqua, are you alright?"
Even in a concerned greeting, King's formidable face showed little change.
"Damn smoky guy, told you to wait for me, and then you just drove off!" Meowth, armed with a new model flintlock, clenched his fists in annoyance, eyeing Smoker not far away.
"It's nothing; just dealt with some seafood that bites back," Zyhark said casually.
Looking down, he noticed King holding a machine with a display and controls.
Did he really manage to buy a gaming console from the pirate world?
"What's that?" Zyhark pointed at the device in King's hand.
"Found it in a toy store, said to be a fighting game based on the popular comic 'Sea Warrior Sora' from the North Blue."
King held up the gaming console, his voice grave, "I tried it out, and although it's just basic pixel art, the gameplay is quite solid."
"That's definitely a product of the North Blue, isn't it? No wonder, being the town closest to the Grand Line, they even have this kind of stuff," Zyhark remarked.
The exchange of information between the four seas of the pirate world was actually very limited.
For instance, the East Blue was mostly in a primitive development stage, while the North Blue, at this time, already had robots, powered ships, and other advanced technology.
Among these, the most representative was the technological power controlled by Germa 66.
Speaking of which, the technology tree in the pirate world was extremely skewed.
Some pirates were still using the most basic flintlock pistols, while others had access to laser beams and even more advanced technology.
And yet, these two extremes could still engage in battles that were evenly matched!
Of course, now he'd have to consider what Meowth might create in the future...
"New game? Come on, King, let's have a match right now!"
Hearing about the new game, Aqua was ready to challenge King, having completely forgotten her earlier vow never to play games with him again.
"Aqua, I know you're looking for a beating, but can you look at the situation first? We'll talk about games back on the ship," Zyhark slowly said.
"What do you mean looking for a beating, Zyhark? I am a noble goddess capable of anything! In a completely new field, even if the opponent is King, I can't even imagine myself losing, so let's decide the winner now, King!"
"Maybe it's better to have steamed eggs tonight."
"I'm very sorry, Zyhark-sama, for causing unnecessary trouble!"
...
After a brief greeting with Smoker, Zyhark and the others left the execution square.
Watching their carefree departure, Smoker's mouth twitched as he took several deep puffs of his cigar to calm his nerves.
Only when his aide spoke up, did the distressed Smoker sigh heavily and start dealing with the mess left by the Arlong Pirates.
What choice did he have, after all? Mr. Garp had made a point of it, and the man was a justice-minded hero from the East Blue.
With the swift action of the Loguetown Marines, the disturbance caused by the battle in the execution square was quickly quelled.
As life returned to normal, residents began discussing the powerful "volcanic eruption," with some speculating it was the residual anger of the Pirate King Roger, others thinking it was just a natural geological event.
Of course, some also thought it was the handiwork of King from the Sea Restaurant Endless Dream.
Opinions varied wildly, becoming more outrageous as they spread.
After Zyhark and his party finished resupplying the restaurant, they returned to their ship, docked at the port.
While Smoker was busy with other matters, pirate ships bearing their flags set sail from the port.
These rookie pirates, lurking in Loguetown and full of ambition, were setting off for the Grand Line.
Zyhark had no interest in dealing with these pirates who didn't even have bounties; once they entered the Grand Line, they would truly understand the meaning of terror and despair.
Although the battle with the Arlong Pirates had been one-sided, the continuous output of Haki and high-intensity combat, topped with the final Cliff-Edge Sword, had drained most of his strength.
Relaxing his body unavoidably brought on a feeling of fatigue.
After a quick bath, Zyhark poured himself a glass of iced cola to revive himself and sat at the restaurant's front counter to reflect on the battle's lessons.
Nearby, on the sofa, Meowth and King sat side by side, their controllers clicking frantically as they engaged in an intense game battle.
Being an exceptionally capable Pokémon, Meowth managed to last ten seconds against King!
As for the Goddess who had been the loudest at the start, fully convinced she wouldn't face defeat...
At this moment, she was hugging her knees, her head buried deep in them, squatting alone in a corner of the restaurant, wallowing in her emotions.
Yes, even in a brand new game, she was still utterly defeated by King, tumbling and throwing a tantrum on the floor.
"Meow! How can he be so strong? No, let's go again! This time I'll choose Stealth Black to fight you, Meow!!"
Watching the defeat screen pop up, Meowth's competitive spirit was fully ignited.
Since it was a fighting game named after "Sea Warrior Sora," naturally, characters like the protagonist Sora, the antagonist Spark Red, Poison Pink, Stealth Black, and others appeared in the game.
"Alright then."
King emotionlessly selected "Poison Pink" for the battle, his fingers lightly resting on the controller.
Having gauged Meowth's level of gameplay, he finally unleashed his ultimate taunting skill!
Minutes later, Meowth slowly put down the controller, his spirit defeated, and walked over to sit beside Aqua, adopting the same emo posture.
Couldn't even beat Meowth? Was King really that unbeatable?
Observing the corner where one man, one god, and one cat sat, Zyhark, having rested, suddenly felt a surge of interest.
Because of various issues, from the time King boarded the ship, he had never played games with him.
Thinking of his current physical reflexes, far superior to before, and possessing Observation Haki—a near cheat-like advantage in the gaming world—
Zyhark put down his iced cola, rose slowly and confidently, and sat next to King.
"I'm quite interested in this game, how about I play with you, King?"
He was somewhat eager, wanting to see the expression on King's face after being KO'd.
That would definitely be quite a spectacle!
"Are you my opponent, Mr. Zyhark? Need some time to familiarize with the controls?"
"No need, I've got a pretty good grasp just watching you guys play."
"Then, please."
Seeing Zyhark as his opponent, King, calm and composed, instinctively straightened up and entered serious mode.
Even Aqua and Meowth, who had been sulking, raised their heads, their eyes filled with anticipation for this "ultimate showdown."
With the character selection complete, their first in-game clash began!
Half an hour later.
Without any suspense, a new member was added to the emo corner of the restaurant.
From afar, the trio—man, god, and cat—looked surprisingly harmonious.
Why? Why couldn't he win even with full Observation Haki and maxed-out controls?
After experiencing it firsthand, Zyhark deeply understood the despair felt by Aqua and Meowth.
No wonder even the bald-headed tyrant had been thrashed; King was an invincible presence in the realm of arcade fighting games...
Having recovered from their self-imposed isolation, the trio tactfully avoided any mention of the new game.
Zyhark returned to the front counter to continue sipping tea and reading the paper, Aqua tenderly cared for the giant bird egg housed in a birdcage; Meowth sat on the floor, disassembling the flintlock gun given by the weapon shop owner, studying its internal structure.
The lonely King, on the other hand, put down the gaming console and started his daily 25kg weight training.
The noisy restaurant once again returned to its usual harmony.
Time swiftly passed in these leisurely moments.
Until the afternoon, when Smoker arrived at the door with the tallied bounty of the Krieg Pirate Crew, bringing a relaxed air and good news.
"Zyhark! After interrogating the surviving fish-men, we can almost confirm that the Arlong Pirates have separated from the Fish-man Pirate Crew!"
(End of Chapter)