The next morning.
The sky had only just begun to lighten. The streets were sparsely populated, giving them a rather desolate air.
"Come visit us often, okay? They'd be delighted to see you both."
At the shop entrance, the older woman waved goodbye with great enthusiasm.
"Ugh..."
"I'm exhausted~~."
The old man and the young man both had dark circles under their eyes.
"Those massages really did the trick."
Rayleigh straightened his back and stretched his arms out in a long, leisurely yawn. The breath he exhaled immediately turned to frosty mist. "Phew... Are you leaving today?"
"Yeah. I'm going to buy an Eternal Pose for Visseria, then head out."
Lina took a deep breath, rubbed her face, and let it out in a long sigh. "I need to buy some food for the trip, too. I'll leave Luffy to you."
"You can count on me."
Rayleigh patted him on the shoulder and smiled. "I won't let him leave until he learns to use Conqueror's Haki coating. Make sure you practice what your big bro taught you last night over these next two years."
Lina: "..."
His character was getting a little skewed. It probably wasn't my fault. Whatever.
"I still need to stop by the nautical supply store. I'll get going."
Lina threw on his cloak, waved, and headed off. "See you in two years, if fate allows."
Rayleigh chuckled softly. "In such a hurry to see your little girlfriend? You're still too young."
Just wait till you get back. She'll skin you alive. Lina rolled his eyes at him in his mind.
The air was cold, and with no one else on the entire street, the place felt desolate.
This was Peninsula 60 of the Sabaody Archipelago, where the Marines had established a base. Several warships slowly pulled