Hearing Ace's words, Makino brought over a bag filled with bills, each worth 10,000 berries.
"We can set sail now!" Ace said excitedly.
"Let's see what else Yeyin-nii wrote first," Sabo suggested, feeling equally thrilled. This meant he could soon escape and be free from the aristocrats of the Goa Kingdom. But he was sure that Yeyin-nii's letter had more than just money to offer.
Ace nodded and reopened the note.
"East Blue, I'll be coming soon. When I arrive, don't be weak! If I return to Foosha Village and don't find you there, I'll hunt you down all over the world!
—Yeyin."
After reading, the trio clenched their fists with determination. Yeyin was only three years older than Ace, which meant that the now Captain-ranked Yeyin would soon come to see them.
"We can't lose!" Ace thought, his face hardening with resolve. They were three brothers with dreams of becoming pirates and conquering the seas. But first, they needed to make sure they wouldn't be beaten by their big brother again. The memory of their first encounter when Yeyin left them with bruised heads was still fresh.
With the exception of the cheerful Luffy clutching the bag of berries with a blissful smile, both Ace and Sabo were set on growing stronger.
---
Back to Yeyin's side.
Ten days later, Yeyin and his crew arrived at Ohara. As the area was under the control of the World Government, the arrival of marines didn't stir any panic. In fact, due to a recent attack by Dragon, their presence brought an odd sense of relief.
The locals initially wanted to throw a welcoming party for them, but as soon as Yeyin stepped ashore, he got excited and immediately began scavenging for items. Hina, familiar with his habits, arranged for accommodations with the local officials.
"That Dragon guy really knows how to cause trouble!" Yeyin said, smiling while picking up various discarded items.
[Ding! Found a damaged book, gained 30 mental strength]
[Ding! Found a fragmented historical document, gained 1 historical fragment (50 fragments needed to restore one historical document), gained 50 mental strength.]
During Dragon's attack, some books and scholars were taken, and a few of the books were damaged in the process, creating a wealth of items for Yeyin to scavenge. After all, the people of Ohara weren't going to let him just take things without a fight.
Yeyin soon finished cleaning the area and accumulated ten historical fragments. He was convinced these fragments held pieces of the mysterious Void Century's history, though he wasn't yet able to combine them.
When Yeyin returned and heard about a planned feast, he was elated—not because he enjoyed social events, but because where there was a party, there would be plenty of trash to pick up!
With that thought, he eagerly pulled Hina along to the local officials to request a celebration. To her embarrassment, Hina watched as Yeyin enthusiastically made the request, which the officials gladly approved.
Just that morning, Hina had politely declined the idea of a feast, making the situation even more awkward for her!
(End of Chapter)