Chapter 84: Setting Sail for the Grand Line (First Update)

Smoker’s inner conflict was something Roland understood well, so he didn’t press him. Possessing a sense of justice was never a bad thing, but if that justice became too tranquil, it could also become a burden. If he were in Smoker’s position, Roland doubted he could have done any better. The role of a base commander was never an easy one.

As night fell, Roland stood on the deck, gazing out at the pitch-black sea. The resupply had been completed earlier that afternoon, and barring any surprises, they would set sail for the Grand Line the next day. Although he had lived on the Grand Line for the past ten years, for reasons he couldn’t name, he still found himself looking forward to tomorrow’s journey.

“Tomorrow, we’ll be leaving the East Blue, won’t we?”

Nami appeared beside him at some point, resting her face in her hand, her gaze fixed on the dark sea just as his was.

“Yes and no,” Roland replied with a smile. “Tomorrow, we’re only leaving Loguetown. We still have a ways to go before we leave the East Blue behind.”

“When I was little, Bell-mère always told me she’d been a bit of a delinquent in her youth, and later joined the Navy just to prove herself,” Nami reminisced. “But once she actually became a sailor, she fell in love with the profession and never regretted it, not even once. I think that if she hadn’t met Nojiko and me, she probably would have set out for the Grand Line herself and become a Marine at headquarters.”

“Now you’ve taken her place and become a Marine yourself. She’d be proud of you,” Roland said with a smile.

“Roland, what do you think the Grand Line is really like? What kind of magic does it have that draws the whole world in?” Nami asked suddenly.

“I suppose… it’s just like that. Maybe there are more challenges and more opportunities than in the East Blue, and that’s what draws so many there,” Roland answered after a moment’s thought, his words intentionally vague.

Truth be told, Roland himself wasn’t entirely sure what made the Grand Line different from the East Blue. Perhaps even Oda, the world’s creator, hadn’t figured it out. In his design, whoever could sail all the way around the Grand Line and reach Raftel would become King of the Pirates—hence, so many were drawn to that sea.

The lights in the training room shone brightly. Koby, whose height and bearing had changed thanks to his training, looked earnestly at Zoro, pleading, “Mr. Zoro, I know this is a lot to ask, but please, will you train with me every night?”

“Miss Nami is our navigator, so she doesn’t need to be that strong. But I dream of becoming a Marine, a Marine who upholds justice, so I want to get stronger. Mr. Roland’s training plan is good, but it’s too slow. I can’t keep up with you all at this pace.”

“I joined the Navy on special approval too. I don’t want to fall too far behind you all. We’re heading to the Grand Line soon, and I don’t want to hold everyone back,” he finished.

Zoro didn’t refuse. He fixed Koby with a serious look, and after a long pause, finally said, “It’ll be tough. If you tell me to stop, I won’t. Do you understand?”

“I won’t quit, Zoro-san!”

Meanwhile, on the far side of the sea, at the coast of Syrup Village, a small boat gently docked. A young man in a red vest and straw hat staggered off, drained and weary, and headed toward the lights on the island. This was Luffy, who had escaped thanks to Garp’s leniency.

“Meat… meat… I need meat…” Luffy groaned as he walked. He hadn’t eaten for days, and barely had the strength to speak.

He hadn’t gone far before Usopp blocked his path. Ever since the incident with Kuro, Usopp had been vigilant about strangers on the island. Whenever someone unknown appeared, he’d be the first to stand in their way. If it was a ruthless pirate like Kuro, he might not be able to fight them off, but he could at least warn the villagers.

“Who are you?” Usopp demanded.

Luffy managed to lift his head and look at Usopp.

“I am Usopp, leader of the pirate crew that rules this village! If you try anything, my eighty million underlings won’t let you get away with it!” Usopp announced, lying through his teeth with the utmost seriousness.

“Wow, that’s amazing—” Luffy exclaimed, then immediately drooped again, too hungry to keep up the act.

“Hey, are you all right? You look pretty odd,” Usopp asked, concerned.

“Meat… I need meat,” Luffy groaned.

“All right, come with me,” Usopp said, grabbing Luffy and hurrying him back to his own home. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he didn’t think this straw-hatted guy was anything like Kuro.

After eating his fill, Luffy’s strength returned. He thanked Usopp and then asked with curiosity, “Hello, I’m Luffy, the man who’ll become King of the Pirates. Your father is Yasopp, right? A crewman of Shanks.”

“You—you know Red-Haired Shanks?” Usopp exclaimed, excited.

“Of course! This hat was left to me by Shanks himself. I promised him I’d wear it and meet him again on the Grand Line,” Luffy replied, taking off the straw hat and speaking with great seriousness.

“Hey, Luffy, have you ever met my dad on Shanks’s ship…?” Usopp pressed, eager for any news of his father. And so, the two spent the night in deep conversation about Shanks and Yasopp. By the time they yawned and drifted off to sleep, dawn had already arrived.

Back in Loguetown, at the dock, Roland stood on deck, smiling at the newly erected flagpoles. It seemed Smoker had accepted his suggestion, intending to hang the pirate corpses as a warning.

“I thought about it all night,” Smoker said, appearing with a squad of marines at Roland’s side, watching as the bodies were hoisted up. “Perhaps allowing pirates to land could benefit Loguetown’s economy. But letting them spend their stolen riches freely only encourages their ways. The economy can be supplemented elsewhere, but this age of rampant piracy must end.”

“In troubled times, harsh measures are necessary. As long as piracy doesn’t run wild, with the treasure of the sea at our backs, economic growth will surely follow,” Roland replied earnestly. “With no pirates pillaging, more merchants will brave the seas, trading far and wide, and the world will flourish.”

“When do you set out?” Smoker asked suddenly.

“We leave immediately. I’m looking forward to seeing Navy Headquarters myself,” Roland answered.

“Then take care. Our navy will cross the Calm Belt straight to the Grand Line. Let the naval navigator guide you—our men are more experienced. Once you arrive at headquarters, I hope you’ll take the chance to get to know Admiral Kuzan. Although your brand of justice may appeal to the hawkish Sakazuki, I think you’ll get along better with Kuzan,” Smoker advised.

“Sakazuki and Kuzan, got it,” Roland nodded.

A silence fell between them. As the sun rose and the marines returned to their posts, Roland bid Smoker farewell, and the warship slowly pulled away from the dock.

“Set sail! To the Grand Line!”