The chest he had eagerly anticipated for 20 years was empty.
The crushing disappointment was enough to break anyone.
Yet, through the passage of time, Gaimon had suspected that the chest might be empty, but he hadn't wanted to believe it.
As soon as he cried out, animals began flooding out of the forest, gathering around him and calling out, as if telling Gaimon that these 20 years hadn't been in vain, that he was not a joke, but their "god."
Gaimon stood frozen, staring at the animals.
In the beginning, he had come to protect the forest and the rare animals on the island, harboring the thought that he couldn't get the chest, and no one else could either.
Unknowingly, 20 years had passed. Looking at these animals, Gaimon seemed to understand. The true treasure wasn't necessarily the five "Schrödinger's chests," but his experience itself, and the rare animals that had survived under his protection, treating him as their "god."
"Compared to these chests, I think these rare animals are more like treasures. Your treasures, Uncle Gaimon."
Kaito Sakamoto stood on the edge of the hill, his arms crossed, looking down at Gaimon surrounded by a sea of animals.
Luffy immediately plopped down, swinging his legs in the air. "Hahahaha."
"Kaito's right, Uncle! Don't get too down! Didn't you wait 20 years, only to wait for me?"
"If we hadn't come, you might've had to wait 30 or even 40 years."
"You might never have seen us at all."
"You waited all this time and found us. Now it's time to go look for the grand treasure! Come with us, set sail!"
Luffy made the invitation, unconcerned with age or gender, only whether the person had the "spirit" to join them.
"Wait… you're inviting me? Straw Hat kid…"
Gaimon couldn't quite believe it. A pirate's invitation after 20 years… It really made him feel how fast time passed.
"Have you really decided, Uncle? To stay on this island?"
The scene shifted, and the group was back by the sea. Zoro was still sleeping.
Nami was untying the ropes, while Kaito turned to Gaimon, who had rejected Luffy's offer.
"Hmm, thanks for the invitation. I've decided to stay as the Guardian of the Forest."
"After 20 years, I've grown fond of these animals. Long-haired kid, you're right. After all this time, these rare animals that I've protected are my true treasure."
"I'll stay here and continue protecting them."
"Huh, it's strange. No chest, and I'm not upset at all. In fact, I feel lighter."
Uncle Gaimon was a carefree man. If he were 20 years younger, he'd surely be a great companion to Luffy and the others.
With the sea breeze in his face, Gaimon looked cool and carefree, but Luffy's comment broke his composure.
"Hahaha, Uncle, you're also a rare animal!"
"I'll kill you!!"
Gaimon's hair stood on end as he bared his teeth and shouted.
"What a shame, Uncle, you're so funny and witty."
"Yeah, what a pity, the journey of the sea is no place for pets."
Kaito responded, and Gaimon found it a bit odd.
Gaimon: ….
"I mean these animals. I was planning to keep them, but it seems nature is a better fit for them than a ship."
Kaito quickly clarified. Although he, like Luffy, had thought of Gaimon as a rare "animal," he wouldn't dare say it so directly.
"Hahaha."
"Alright, let's set sail. If we wait any longer, it'll get dark."
"You'll definitely find great companions!"
"You're going to find ONE PIECE and buy the whole world, right, Straw Hat kid?"
"I will."
"Goodbye."
After bidding farewell to Gaimon, Luffy and Kaito set off on their journey once more.
The two small boats slowly drifted away, with Gaimon and his animals standing on the shore to see them off.
The animals behind Gaimon suddenly bowed in unison toward Kaito and the others.
The bow came out of nowhere, and it wasn't clear who it was for.
"Grr~"
"I'm so hungry!!!"
In these past days at sea, Luffy had said nothing more than the words "so hungry."
"We can't help it. Even if there are fish, we can't cook them on these tiny boats."
"Didn't Uncle Gaimon give us a lot of fruit? You can eat some to tide you over."
Kaito was fishing, and with so little space on the small boat, there was nothing else to do but fish.
"Hmm, I think Kaito's right."
"Are we really going to enter the Grand Line like this?"
"That's a pirate graveyard! We're relying on these two tiny boats, it's a bit too risky for an adventure."
"Hmm, there's a small town to the south from here. Let's go there and see if we can get a big ship."
Nami pulled out a sea chart and suggested.
"I have no objections."
Kaito replied, of course, he had no objections. They couldn't miss the Merry Go.
Zoro, still doing push-ups, didn't respond.
"Alright!! Meat! Meat! Meat!!"
Luffy's focus was on the meat in the town, not the ship.