William, Marigold, Koala, Kuina, Zoro, and the Shimotsuki family stepped through the shimmering portal and emerged before the grand palace of Valoria. The sun bathed the white-gold architecture in a warm glow, and a soft breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers from the surrounding gardens.
They were greeted by Trafalgar Law, Bepo, and a young Shandian warrior, Wiper, who stood confidently with his arms crossed. Despite his serious expression, Wyper's eyes lit up upon seeing William.
"Welcome back." Law said with a respectful nod.
William grinned. "Hey, Law. How's the training going?"
Law stood straighter. "I can walk normally now and do light workouts, even with the seastone cuffs."
William nodded approvingly. "Good. At this rate, you might be able to take them off in a year or so. Keep at it."
He turned to Wyper and smiled. "And you, Wyper?"
The Shandian warrior bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, I'm doing well. Thank you for the Polar Bear Zoan Fruit. It's a powerful gift."
"Good." William replied, his tone encouraging. He then looked at Bepo. "What about you, Bepo? Have you gained better control over your Sulong form?"
Bepo's ears drooped slightly. "I can manage it for three minutes now. Sorry."
William chuckled and placed a reassuring hand on Bepo's shoulder. "Three minutes is progress, but you've got to push harder. I know you can do it."
"I will. Sorry." Bepo replied, his determination evident despite his constant apologies.
Zoro stepped forward, his brows furrowed as he stared at Bepo. "What are you?"
Bepo blinked. "I'm a mink. Sorry."
Zoro tilted his head. "I see. But why do you keep apologizing?"
"Sorry." Bepo muttered again, looking away awkwardly.
Before Zoro could press further, Fisher Tiger, Jinbei, and Hatchan approached. Koala's face lit up as she ran to Tiger, throwing herself into his arms.
"Dad! I missed you!" Koala exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Tiger chuckled warmly as he lifted her up. "How was your trip, little one?"
"It was fun!" Koala replied, grinning.
William's gaze shifted to Tiger. "Oh, Tiger, did you finally take off the seastone bracelets?"
Tiger grinned. "Yes. Now I'm focusing on mastering my Haki and Demon Fruit abilities."
"Good." William said. "And you, Jinbe?"
Jinbe's chest puffed up proudly. "I've mastered advanced Armament Haki, sir."
"Impressive." William said before looking at Hatchan. "What about you, Hatchan?"
Hatchan scratched his head sheepishly. "I've learned both types of Haki."
At that moment, Hancock appeared, her commanding presence immediately drawing everyone's attention. Her gaze locked onto Hatchan, and she smirked. "Hey, stupid octopus, go make me some takoyaki. I'm craving it, and you'd better hurry, or I'll turn you into takoyaki."
Hatchan paled. "Y-Yes, Hancock-sama!" he stammered before running off.
Hancock then turned to William. "Oh, if it isn't my dear husband."
William tried to hug her, but she stepped back, crossing her arms. "Don't touch me. I don't like you right now."
"What? What did I do?" William asked, genuinely confused.
Shakky approached with a knowing smile. "Don't worry about it, William. It's just a pregnancy thing. She'll like you again in a few days."
William sighed in relief. "I see. Well, Hancock, if you give birth to a boy, I'm going to whoop his ass. The stupid kid isn't even born yet, and he's already made you hate me."
Rayleigh's hearty laugh echoed across the courtyard. "You deserve that, you stupid brat. Look at my kid. They don't hate me."
Rayleigh reached out to touch Shakky's belly, but she swatted his hand away. "You'd better stay back, husband. I don't hate you right now, but I can't stand your smell."
Marigold laughed. "Hancock, Shakky, let's go inside. I bought a lot of baby things in Loguetown."
The women headed into the palace, leaving the men behind. William turned to Law. "Law, take Master Koushirou to Gan Fall. Have him show the master around our kingdom."
Law nodded and led Koushirou and his wife away. Meanwhile, Kuina and Zoro approached Rayleigh.
"Are you really stronger than Mihawk in swordsmanship?" Zoro asked bluntly.
Rayleigh raised an eyebrow and turned to William. "Who is this rude little guy?"
William grinned mischievously. "They're the students I worked so hard to find for you. You're welcome, old man. Goodbye!"
Before Rayleigh could respond, William dashed away, laughing. Rayleigh shouted after him. "Come back here, you stupid brat! Who said I was looking for students?"
With William gone, Rayleigh sighed and looked at Tiger. "How about you train these two?"
Tiger shook his head. "Sorry, Rayleigh-san. I don't use a sword, and I'm busy training myself and my daughter."
Rayleigh glanced at Jinbei, who quickly excused himself. "Oh, I just remembered I have something to do. See you later, teacher."
Left alone with Kuina and Zoro, Rayleigh sighed heavily. "Alright, follow me. But if you can't pass my test, I'm not teaching you."
---
A few days later, Koushirou approached William. "Sir, I've decided to stay and teach here. By the way, can my daughter and Zoro attend school?"
William's face lit up with a welcoming smile. "Welcome to Valoria, Koushirou. As for Kuina and Zoro, of course they should go to school. At least two days a week. And tell them if they don't learn anything, I'll stop their training."
William then turned to Gan Fall. "Gan Fall, arrange a nice house for Master Koushirou and his family so he can teach our soldiers in peace. Master Koushirou, I'll open a portal for you to return to Shimotsuki Village and pack. Tomorrow, I'll open it again to help you move."
The next morning, William helped Koushirou and his family settle into their new home in Valoria. As they finished unpacking, Koushirou approached William. "Sir, someone I know wants to talk to you."
"Who?" William asked curiously.
"His name is Dragon. He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army."
William's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I see. Give me his contact information, and I'll talk to him."
Later, William went to Shakky for advice. "Shakky, what do you know about the Revolutionary Army and this Dragon guy?"
Shakky leaned back. "Dragon is strong and shares the same goals as us. The only question is whether he'd be willing to become part of Valoria and become our partner."
William smiled. "I'll talk to him and see where it goes."