Meteor

The group came to a grassy field together, and Roger looked at Vegapunk curiously.

"Is what you said true? Is there really a once-in-a-century meteor shower tonight?"

"Hmph!" Vegapunk looked disdainfully at the illiterate man before him. "You illiterate fool, you may not believe me, but you should believe in science."

"Big Head, he doesn't believe you, but I do." Garp immediately chimed in from the side. He involved himself in anything that could give Roger a hard time.

"You think you're not illiterate?" Vegapunk showed no mercy with his words, especially not to Garp, who had even called him Big Head.

Roger burst into laughter and slapped Garp on the shoulder with one hand. "Looks like we're about the same. Your time at the Marine academy was wasted."

"Alright, alright, stop arguing, you two." Milim's little fists struck both of them in the back.

If no one stopped them, they might start fighting again.

Milim then moved close to Vegapunk, her wide eyes full of curiosity as she asked, "Vegapunk, when will the meteor shower arrive? I've never seen one before."

"It's still early. It probably won't come until at least midnight." Vegapunk took out his telescope, along with some recording equipment that looked incredibly high-tech.

Roger and Garp, the two fools, also crowded over with their eyes wide open, only for Vegapunk to shove their heads away in disgust.

Even at a time like this, the three workaholics—Charlotte Lingling, El, and Ruka—had not forgotten to continue handling work.

"Have you gotten in touch with them?"

El nodded and handed the document in his hand to Lingling. "The Tree of Knowledge has already responded. They're more than willing to share knowledge with anyone who thirsts for it."

"Moreover, many of their scholars are willing to come teach at the schools in Many Countries and spread knowledge."

"Sigh!" Charlotte Lingling's expression was somewhat complicated. She had originally thought they would have to pay some price to obtain knowledge.

But she had not expected the scholars of the Tree of Knowledge to truly be genuine scholars.

"In that case, leave it all to you. Oh, and when you go to the Tree of Knowledge, clear out the pirates there."

"Consider it our insignificant repayment."

"Understood!"

Charlotte Lingling's stern expression vanished, replaced by a smile. "Alright, work is over now!"

El returned her smile.

Though they eagerly anticipated the brilliant and beautiful meteor shower, waiting was often boring.

Garp and Roger had already exhausted themselves from arguing. At some point, Rayleigh had moved over beside Shakki, while the other crew members lay on the grass with their arms behind their heads.

Milim lay on her side with her head on Gloriosa's lap, staring at the darkening sky as her gaze gradually lost focus.

As her field of vision grew darker and darker, Milim eventually fell asleep.

Gloriosa stroked Milim's soft hair, her eyes brimming with incomparable love and tenderness.

"Hey! Milim, wake up! The meteor shower is coming." Amid call after call, Milim opened her hazy eyes from her grogginess.

The first thing she saw was Gloriosa calling to her. Once she had adjusted, Milim raised her head and looked toward the sky.

Following Gloriosa's gaze, Milim looked up at the pitch-black sky, where hundreds of meteors trailing yellow light streaked across the horizon.

They illuminated the entire dark sky.

The magnificent sight drew the attention of countless people across the sea. Countless people, in different places and facing different directions, watched the same scene.

"So beautiful! I really want to see if I can knock them all down." Milim murmured, her eyes seeming to reflect the meteors' radiance as they sparkled brilliantly.

"This sea is as magnificent as ever." Lingling chuckled, as though she had finally let something go.

Gloriosa lowered her head, her eyes filled only with Milim. Compared to those so-called meteors, she felt that Milim before her was clearly far more beautiful.

Roger and Garp lay on the grass, looking up at the meteors streaking through the sky.

Roger sighed emotionally. "I never thought there would come a day when I'd watch a meteor shower here with you."

"I never thought so either. Today really has been fun." Garp chuckled, then turned to Roger. "Next time, I won't hold back. I'll definitely catch you, because I'm a Marine!"

"What I represent is just...ice!"

"Justice." As the last two words grew softer and softer, Garp lowered his eyelids, seemingly lost in thought.

"Heh." Roger laughed, saying nothing. He simply continued quietly watching the meteors above, thinking with emotion, You really can meet all kinds of people on the sea. And this vast ocean is large enough to contain everyone's wishes.

"You seem a little different from your companions." Shakki held a cigarette between her lips, her eyes glancing toward Rayleigh, who sat beside her.

Rayleigh quietly took a sip of wine. "Different? Perhaps."

"But it was precisely because everyone had their own edges and dreams that we came together on that ship, for that journey."

"I merely traveled alongside everyone, giving it my all as we headed toward the seas that Roger pointed us to."

"Haha!" Shakki laughed twice. Looking at Rayleigh, she teased, "Looks like you really are the only educated man in the Roger Pirates. Even the way you speak is different."

Rayleigh drank from his bottle, his tone casual and faintly self-mocking. "Going to school for a few years hardly makes me educated."

"What truly taught me were the winds and waves at sea, the words of my companions, and the countless skies I saw while following that guy Roger—those were the most real 'lessons.'"

Seeing Rayleigh's philosophical yet uninhibited demeanor, Shakki's heartbeat quickened slightly, and she gazed at him even more deeply.

Rayleigh was stunned for half a second by her stare. The corners of his lips curled up, and his usual steadiness faded from his eyes, replaced by a touch of languid gentleness. "Miss Shakki, staring at me like that... do you want to hear the story of our voyage?"

Rayleigh handled Shakki's gaze with perfect composure, like a flawless gentleman. Rather than making her feel awkward, he smoothly steered the conversation elsewhere.

The smile in Shakki's eyes grew brighter. "Alright. I really do want to hear your story."

Watching the scene unfold, Gloriosa wore a faint smile. "I told you. No Empress can escape the curse of love."

"Shakki, your heart skipped a beat!"

The last few meteors fell in scattered streaks, their trails growing shorter and dimmer, as though they had exhausted all their strength.

When the final glimmer melted into the night, the clamorous starry sky fell completely silent. Only the evening breeze drifted past, as if gently placing a final period on this fleeting cosmic feast.

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