A Harbor Forever

East Blue · Dawn Island

The night was as dark as ink, and a gentle sea breeze was blowing.

Roy appeared silently in the woods outside Dawn Village, carrying in his hand the already unconscious Daifuku.

He impatiently tossed his massive body into a dark cave, clapped his hands as if he had casually disposed of a piece of insignificant trash.

The next instant, his figure appeared in front of that familiar wooden door.

That was the warmest place in his memory—home.

Roy gazed at the slightly worn yet still cozy door, his chest heaving slightly. He took a deep breath before gently knocking.

"Knock knock--"

"Squeak--"

The wooden door slowly opened, and a slightly hunched but still energetic figure appeared in the doorway.

Airin looked up and saw that familiar face. She froze for a moment, then her eyes reddened and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Little Yi..."

"I'm home, Mom."

Roy spoke softly, his voice so gentle it seemed to melt the night.

The next moment, Airin lunged forward and hugged him tightly, gently pounding his arms with her fists, her sobs tinged with anger:

"You brat! You've been gone for two years without a word! Do you know how worried we were about you?!"

Footsteps sounded inside the house, and Rock came out as well.

Seeing his son at the door, he was taken aback at first, then put on a stern face and said in a deliberately harsh voice, "You brat! You still know how to come back?!"

You're always causing trouble and making your mom worry!

However, his slightly trembling hands and reddened eyes completely betrayed the excitement in his heart.

Roy smiled and lowered his head, "Dad, Mom, I'm home."

Inside, under the warm Flame, Roy laid out the specialties he had packed from Baratie one by one on the table.

"This is Baratie's signature Barbecue, and fish fillet soup... both are still hot."

The aroma instantly filled the air.

Airin wiped away her tears, muttering, "You came back, fine, but you even brought food... really..."

But her hands were busy, and she immediately went to get bowls and chopsticks.

Rock snorted, pretending not to care, but his eyes were already secretly fixed on the plate of golden-brown Barbecue.

"You're not so bad, you still have some conscience!"

The family of three finally sat down around the table.

Airin kept piling food onto Roy's plate, almost filling it to the brim, her eyes filled with undisguised heartache.

Roy smiled and picked up a piece of tender fish, placing it in his mother's bowl. "Mom, you should eat too."

The atmosphere at the dinner table was warm and lively. It wasn't until halfway through the meal that Airin finally couldn't help but ask softly:

"Xiao Yi... where have you been these past two years? Why haven't we heard a thing?"

Roy paused, then smiled. "I was on some special missions that needed to be kept secret, so I can't contact you."

"But it's very safe, there's no danger. Look at me, I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

As he spoke, he deliberately concealed his sharp aura, appearing as if he were just an ordinary young man returning from a business trip.

Rock glanced at him sideways and sneered, "You better be! If you dare come back injured, I'll beat you up!"

But the worry in her eyes had long since turned into warmth.

Airin clasped her hands together, her smile tinged with tears, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright... Your safe return is the most important thing."

After saying that, she placed the largest piece of Barbecue into Roy's bowl.

Roy told some interesting stories, making Airin laugh until she cried, and even Rock, who had been keeping a straight face, couldn't help but smile slightly.

Outside the window, the Milky Way glitters, and a gentle sea breeze blows.

At this moment, Vice Admiral Roy, a veteran of countless battles and a fearsome figure on the high seas, is not a "monster" or a "nightmare," but simply a child who has weathered many storms and is finally returning home.

Looking at his parents' warm smiles, Roy felt a sense of peace.

"No matter where I go... this will always be my safe haven."

After dinner, the living room was filled with the aroma of tea and the lingering warmth.

The glow of the oil lamp illuminated the wooden walls, and the air was filled with a peaceful tranquility.

Roy leaned back lazily on the sofa, listening to his parents' soft murmurs, as if the past two years of wandering and struggle had been left behind.

When he heard that Ace and Luffy had recently returned with Nami and Nojiko, a smile crept into his eyes.

He casually asked, "What do you think of those two girls?"

Airin's eyes immediately lit up, she put down her teacup, and her whole demeanor brightened:

"Nami such a beautiful and intelligent girl! She's efficient and capable; she's clearly a good homemaker!"

Rock nodded in agreement, a smile playing on his lips, "Nojiko gentle and sensible, and her cooking skills are quite good."

Last time she was here, she even made a lot of snacks for your mom...

"Those two brats are really lucky!"

Roy couldn't help but burst into laughter, adding with a touch of pride, "Of course! They're both famously beautiful female officers at Marine Headquarters."

"Her suitors could line up from Marine Headquarters all the way to Sabaody Archipelago!"

The two elderly people stared wide-eyed in unison, Airin hurriedly slammed her hand on the table, her voice filled with anxiety:

"That won't do! We can't let them get away with this! We need to get Ace and Luffy hold on tight!"

Rock frowned and muttered angrily, "These two blockheads... all they know is fighting and eating meat, they're completely clueless when it comes to relationships!"

"Roy, you're their older brother, you need to teach them a lesson about this!"

Roy was about to nod when Rock suddenly changed his tone, glaring at him and saying, "Hmph! You have the nerve to talk about others?! What about yourself?!"

"You're over thirty and still don't have a boyfriend! How can a single guy like me teach others?!"

Airin immediately joined the Battlefield, grabbing Roy's hand with a worried expression, her words even more rapid than before:

"Little Yi, it's not that Mom's pressuring you, but look, Ace and Luffy have both brought girls back, and you, as the eldest brother, haven't even shown up!"

"Are you too busy with work? Why don't you just take a break and find a partner?"

Rock chimed in, "Exactly! It's always battles or missions! Look at Old John's grandson next door, he's old enough to run errands!"

Despite being sandwiched between his parents, Roy didn't show any impatience; he simply listened quietly with a smile.

He quietly refilled the tea for the two elders, watching their anxious expressions with tenderness in his eyes.

"This kind of nagging... it's been so long since I've had it."

He reached out and gently patted his mother's hand, smiling reassuringly, "Mom, don't worry. I just haven't met the right person yet."

Then, he looked up at the starry sky outside the window, his voice calm. "The New World now... is not peaceful."

Let's talk about it after everything settles down.

Rock and Airin exchanged a glance, sighed, and didn't press the matter further. They knew that their son carried a weight on his shoulders that others couldn't imagine.

Airin simply hugged Roy gently and whispered, "No matter what... you must be safe."

"Find someone who can take care of you as soon as possible... then Mom can rest easy."

Roy paused for a moment, then reached out to hug him back, nodding with a smile:

"Good."

As night deepened, the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

At this moment, the lieutenant Vice Admiral, who commands respect across the world, is not a "monster" on the Battlefield, but simply the big child who worries his parents.