Farewells · Separate Paths

The sky over Mary Geoise was completely bright.

The golden sunrise that had just bathed the sea in its light faded, turning into a blinding white light. The stone steps of the harbor were covered with a thin layer of dust, gleaming in the sunlight. The smoke and stench of gunpowder had completely dissipated, leaving only the salty sea breeze, carrying bits of gravel and dust that drifted everywhere.

Powerful figures from all walks of life set off one after another, and the great war to overthrow the Celestial Dragons' rule finally came to an end. The heroes are about to embark on their own paths.

Whitebeard was the first person to prepare to board the ship.

The broad shoulders carried the Naginata, its blade angled backward, the tip protruding from the shoulder. Marco quickly stepped forward, wanting to take the weapon and share the weight, but Whitebeard refused with a raised hand. He gritted his teeth and climbed the gangway of the Moby Dick step by step. The old wound on his shoulder still ached faintly, and his steps were a little slower than usual. He paused briefly at the top of the stairs to catch his breath before stepping into the cabin, his figure disappearing behind the half-open wooden door.

Marco stood at the top of the gangway, gazing at the Lin Yuan on the shore, his expression calm and undisturbed.

"My Pops asked me to pass on a message: our Whitebeard Pirates will send a representative to the Void Federation's council on time. He is severely injured and needs a long period of rest; he will not be going to sea anytime soon."

"Is his shoulder injury serious?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Jozu has prepared healing ointment, but the bandages haven't been changed at all, and the wound keeps tearing open." Marco shook his head slightly, said nothing more, turned and walked into the cabin, slamming the door shut.

The next second, the huge sails billowed in the wind with a whoosh. The Moby Dick slowly turned its bow, left the port berth, and sailed steadily towards the open sea, neither accelerating nor slowing down. The stern carved a white wake, the thin line stretching further and further until it was finally broken up by the layers of waves and disappeared into the vast ocean.

Two

Rayleigh was all alone, without any companions or warships.

He stood quietly on the harbor embankment, watching the Moby Dick sail further and further away. The sea breeze blew his full head of silver hair wildly, the strands flying everywhere before settling back onto his shoulders. He didn't move for a long time, as if he had been standing there for ages.

Lin Yuan walked slowly to his side, with Roger's sword slung across his waist.

Rayleigh glanced at the sword out of the corner of his eye, his tone wistful. "This sword accompanied Roger for half his life, and no one but him had ever been able to touch it. The fact that you carry it with you now is enough to show that he truly approves of you."

Lin Yuan pursed his lips and didn't reply.

Rayleigh stopped dwelling on the matter of the sword, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly spoke, relaying his old friend's last words.

"Roger specifically instructed me before he left to pass on his message to you. He said, 'You have completed the path that Joy Boy spent his entire life failing to walk.'"

He gazed at the boundless sea, never turning to look at Lin Yuan, his voice low and deep.

He urged you not to stop, not to fulfill his unfinished wish, but for your own sake, to continue your journey towards a more distant sea.

"I've remembered it well," Lin Yuan replied in a deep voice.

Rayleigh nodded slightly, turned around and strolled towards the other side of the harbor, his steps leisurely and relaxed, showing no sign of urgency. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned half of his face to the side.

"The Roger Pirates will not join the Void Federation as a whole fleet. But if the Federation faces a crisis, you can come to me at any time; you know where I am hiding."

"I see."

After saying this, Rayleigh continued walking away. As he reached the stone steps leading to the foot of the Red Line, the morning light stretched his shadow long. He didn't look back; his silver hair swayed gently in the sea breeze as he walked along the winding path until he was swallowed up by the sunlight at a corner and disappeared completely.

Three

The third person to set off was Kaido.

He didn't need a boat to cross the sea. The Iron Club slammed heavily on the stone ground, sending up a ring of gravel. He squinted at the surging sea and spoke in a gruff voice.

"I will personally return to Wano Country to oversee the Seastone mines. The Seastone trade prices we've set will remain unchanged; we will not arbitrarily raise prices. If any other forces dare to covet Wano Country's mines, I will personally resolve all the trouble; no one else needs to interfere."

"The Void Federation will not interfere in the internal disputes of any territory," Lin Yuan said.

Kaido grinned, his signature loud laugh echoing across the shore, "Oh ho ho! That's a very satisfying thing to say."

He turned to leave, heading towards the foot of the Red Line Mountains. After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped and, without turning back, shouted, "Bullet, want to come with me?"

Bullet was standing on a tall rock, his right arm wrapped in a brand new bandage. The wound had stopped bleeding, and no bloodstains were visible. Only the layers of fabric wrinkled, bearing witness to the wounds left by the battle.

"I'm returning to Hachinosu to defend the base."

"Alright, then you can continue on your way."

Kaido said no more and walked slowly forward. The sunlight stretched his shadow long and thin. With his Iron Club on his shoulder, he walked step by step toward the mountain path, his figure slowly shrinking until it disappeared into the distance.

Bullet leaped off the rocks with steady steps, his injured right arm hanging naturally at his side, the edges of the bandage fluttering gently in the sea breeze.

When are you leaving for Hachinosu?

"I will set off only after everyone has left the port."

"Then I'll wait for you in the shadows of the dock." Bullet didn't press further, turned and walked into the shadows on the shore, waiting quietly.

Four

Among the last few powerful individuals to depart, the Big Mom was second to last.

The Homies Army had completely vanished. Lightning and Prometheus turned into tiny specks of light and dust, like icing sugar scattered by the sea breeze, leaving no trace. Charlotte Katakuri followed closely behind Big Mom, her scarf covering most of her face, her clothes covered in dust, but her back remained straight, maintaining her regal bearing.

"Well..." Charlotte Linlin looked up at the ruined city of Mary Geoise and sighed, "Will anyone ever set foot on this summit of the Red Line again?"

"People will naturally come." Lin Yuan gazed at the ruined Royal City, "However, this will no longer be a cage for the Celestial Dragons' pleasure."

Who will be the new visitor?

Merchants from all corners of the world, wandering travelers, and ordinary people yearning for a peaceful life. One day, Mary Geoise will become just another ordinary, unremarkable harbor.

The Big Mom didn't press the matter further. She turned and walked towards the giant pirate ship anchored in the open sea. After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped.

"I will send family members to participate in the Federal Parliament. But if anyone dares to go to Whole Cake Island and start a war, I will not stand idly by and will deal with them entirely on my own."

"Each territory enjoys autonomy, and the federal government is only responsible for mediating maritime disputes and will not intervene in private conflicts."

"That would be perfect."

The Big Mom stepped onto the ship, and Katakuri followed. Before boarding, he turned back and gave Lin Yuan a deep look, remaining silent, before quickly catching up with his captain.

With sails billowing high, the ship changed course and sailed towards Whole Cake Island, cutting through the waves. The deck was covered with countless knife marks and dents from the battle that had just taken place. The large ship sailed further and further away, eventually shrinking into an insignificant black dot on the horizon, completely merging into the horizon.

Five

Rocks and the Golden Lion embarked on their journey home together.

Without uttering a single word or parting farewell, Rocks strode down the stone steps and headed straight for his black warship. The Golden Lion hovered in mid-air, its feet never touching the ground, maintaining a distance of about ten paces from Rocks.

The two walked along the embankment without stopping. Rocks stepped onto the gangway and paused briefly as he boarded the ship. He turned his head and looked across the harbor at the bare flagpole atop Mary Geoise — the Celestial Dragons' flag had long been broken and discarded. After a moment, he looked away and silently went into the cabin.

The Golden Lion hovered above the stern of the ship, reluctant to enter the cabin. He gazed for a long time at the ruined Royal City below, watching the once-lofty city crumble in the morning light, before finally turning his gaze away.

Two large ships sailed away from the harbor one after the other, their two tracks drawing an angle on the sea as they headed in two completely opposite directions. Soon, both ships became tiny dots on the sea and disappeared into the dazzling sunlight.

The bustling port became deserted in the blink of an eye.

The sea breeze howled, and waves crashed against the stone steps again and again. Only the sounds of the wind and the waves echoed between heaven and earth. Lin Yuan stood alone on the embankment, gazing at the empty sea, and remained silent for a long time.

He turned around, about to head to Hachinosu, when he unexpectedly caught a glimpse of a figure on the reef.

Rayleigh was still there, his back to the harbor, facing the boundless sea, his silver-white hair gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Lin Yuan stopped three steps behind him, his sword hanging silently at his waist.

Rayleigh didn't turn around; his voice drifted over on the sea breeze.

Roger once said, "You don't have to tread the same path he walked. But the path he couldn't finish in his lifetime is yours to continue."

Lin Yuan remained silent, his fingertips gently gripping the sword hilt.

"You're not going to stop halfway, are you?" Rayleigh asked again.

"Absolutely not."

Having received a reply, Rayleigh slowly turned around and continued along the rocky path towards the foot of the Red Line. The sunlight lengthened his shadow, which fell on the rocks, gradually fading until it finally disappeared into the sea breeze.

Six

The vast port fell completely silent.

The rising sun broke free from the sea, its rays spreading across the entire embankment. The tide washed away the scattered pebbles, smoothing over the scars left by war. The shackles of the old era were shattered, and heroes scattered to pursue their own ideals. Some protected their families, some carved out their own territories, and some established themselves in their own domains.

Lin Yuan gripped the sword at his waist, his gaze fixed on the boundless sea deep within the New World.

With each hero embarking on their own path, the road ahead is long and arduous; a new chapter for the Void Federation has only just begun.

He started walking towards the dock, preparing to open the door and return to the Hachinosu base camp.

(End of Chapter 123)