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The wind was calm that morning.
The sea, for once, was still.
Rael leaned over the side of the ship, watching the waves drift by. The salty air brushed against his face as the soft creak of the wood and the distant cries of seagulls filled the silence. Kaya sat at the helm, a map in hand, eyes scanning the next route.
They'd been sailing for almost a day now.
Kaya broke the silence first.
"Rael… does it bother you?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "What?"
"Having a bounty. Being hunted."
He paused, considering.
"It doesn't bother me. But it bothers the people around me. I've been dealing with things like this long before the World Government decided to stick a number to my head."
Kaya nodded slowly, folding the map on her lap. "You don't talk much about your past."
"That's because there's nothing worth saying," Rael muttered. "Just pain, betrayal, and... survival."
The silence returned, heavier this time. Kaya didn't push further.
By late afternoon, land came into view. Not a massive island, but not a speck either. Trees lined the shoreline, and a small town could be seen in the distance—barely visible through the mist curling along the coast.
As the ship drifted into the harbor, the dockhands didn't greet them. No one rushed to tie their ropes or yell directions. The workers stood still, whispering among themselves.
Rael stepped off first.
People stared.
Some recognized him from the wanted posters. Others just saw a stranger with an intimidating presence.
A woman tugged her child behind her. Two men at a nearby tavern stopped drinking mid-sip.
Kaya stepped down behind Rael and stuck close, clutching her satchel.
This was becoming routine.
They stopped at a local tavern for food. The place was quiet, the barkeep cautious.
"New in town?" the man asked, sliding a bowl of stew across the counter.
Rael gave a curt nod. "Just passing through."
"You sure picked a tense place to stop. Lot of pirate activity lately. And rumors say the East Blue's getting... noisy."
Rael lifted a brow. "Noisy?"
The barkeep leaned in a little. "Word is, someone's stirring up chaos. Hitting marine posts, sinking pirate ships, moving like a ghost. Some say it's a rogue agent. Others say it's some monster let loose."
Rael just sipped his drink.
Kaya glanced at him.
She knew what he was thinking.
They spent the night in a quiet inn at the edge of town. Rael barely slept. He stood by the window for hours, watching the sea, letting the wind brush against his face.
He could feel it.
The world was moving again.
His presence had tipped the balance.
By morning, he heard the knock.
Three quick raps.
A pause.
Then two more.
Rael opened the door without hesitation.
A man in ragged clothes stood outside. Thin, sunburned, but alert. He wasn't a fighter—but he was fast. A scout.
"You the guy with the 60 million on your head?" the man asked, eyes darting around.
Rael didn't answer.
"I've got info. Word is, there's a marine captain stationed near Loguetown sniffing around, looking for someone like you. Got a file thick with reports and orders from above. They're calling you the 'Heir of Destruction.' Said you're not from this world."
Rael didn't flinch. "So they're starting to guess."
"Some are more than guessing. A few... believe."
Rael handed him a pouch of coins. "You didn't see me. Got it?"
The man nodded and ran off.
Kaya was waiting at the pier, her bag packed.
"They're coming," Rael said, his voice calm.
Kaya tightened her grip on the bag. "Then we leave."
Rael stepped aboard the ship.
The world may have labeled him a threat.
But he was just getting started.
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