If You Plan to Stand Against the World, Please Take Us with You!

The southern waters of Master Port, Grand Line.

On an unnamed deserted island, a new little fishing village was being built.

Surprisingly, few of the villagers were young and able-bodied. Most were elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, with injuries covering their bodies or missing limbs.

As the only young laborer in the new village,

Alan was walking through the small forest outside the village with a short axe in hand. Three Slice Clones followed closely behind him.

His face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes shone with hope for a new life.

He had already built homes for his grandfather and fellow villagers, and the few small boats they had left could also serve as fishing boats. Although the village currently lacked labor, their years of experience as fishermen were enough to help them survive.

Ordinary people like them in this world always possessed such powerful Life Force. Even with only a glimmer of hope, they could stubbornly stay alive.

"You seem to be doing pretty well."

But just as he was preparing to search for suitable wood, the sudden voice made his heart tremble.

"Who!?"

He tightened his grip on the axe handle, and the clones immediately turned toward the direction of the voice.

But in the next moment, the wariness in his eyes turned into delight.

A man in a long robe and wearing a Rooster Mask was sitting with one leg crossed on a huge rock not far away.

Naturally, Alan could never forget that mask.

"Lord Rooster, you—you came!?"

He cried out in delight.

"What kind of question is that? Weren't you the one who told me this island's coordinates?"

Rooster chuckled. "Still, it's quite impressive that you managed to find this place. The Sea Charts don't even record this barren little island."

"That's right. Only our village knows about this island. Our previous island was to the north, and we would occasionally stop here when we went farther out to sea to fish."

Alan spoke softly.

Yes.

An unnamed island of this size, with no potential for development, no products, no supplies, and absolutely no value.

Even countries like the Kingdom of Nysmal had no interest in recording it. Pirates and the navy had no interest in it either, and no ordinary ships would stop here.

Only penniless coastal fishermen like them would know that such islands existed.

"That's right."

Rooster nodded at his words.

Then he looked at Alan. "You did a great job with the matter I entrusted to you. You really helped me out."

He had already noticed that Alan's face was slightly pale.

The reason was not difficult to guess. In order to fulfill Rooster's request, he had sacrificed a Slice Clone and detonated it together with a merchant ship from the Kingdom of Nysmal.

On top of that, another clone was currently in Impel Down.

Although it was not the entirety of the damage, when a clone died, the original body would suffer some injury. The original body could also sense part of the pain experienced by the clone.

"No, I only made a negligible contribution."

Alan shook his head.

His eyes were exceptionally bright. "On the contrary, Lord Rooster, what you've done is truly unbelievable!"

"Hmm?"

Rooster was stunned, then asked in surprise, "You know what I did?"

"Of course!"

Alan nodded vigorously. "On the way to this island with my grandfather and the others, I stationed a Slice Clone on each of two islands along the way."

He scratched his head. "I originally did that so we could receive an early warning if anyone came after us. But I never expected to hear about what happened to you by such a coincidence."

His expression was extremely excited.

Clearly, after everything that had happened, he already hated the Kingdom of Nysmal, the navy, and even the World Government to the bone.

So when he learned that Rooster had stolen the Kingdom of Nysmal's Celestial Gold, he felt nothing but joy and excitement.

After seeing the news on the front page, he truly realized that his previous assessment of Rooster had not been high enough.

Rooster was not merely an ordinary powerhouse. He was a top-tier powerhouse capable of easily defeating naval admirals and commanders. Alan had seen the photographs in the newspaper—the devastated state of the navy's four bases and the nearly complete alteration of the Arashi Great Forest's landscape had left him so shocked that he could not even speak.

"I see."

Rooster nodded when he heard this.

But beneath the mask, Luo Yi could not help sighing again. This kid named Alan was truly smart and cautious.

"By the way, Lord Rooster, you came here this time because..."

Alan asked curiously.

"Nothing much. I just came to check on your situation, and while I was here..."

As Rooster spoke, he pointed beneath his feet.

Only then did Alan notice that there were several packages beneath the huge rock where Rooster was sitting.

The packages were similar in color to the rock, and he had been too shocked earlier to notice them.

"They contain food, water, tools, medical supplies, and some other necessities for survival."

Rooster chuckled. "I thought you might be able to use them."

Alan was stunned when he heard that.

Then delighted surprise naturally flashed through his eyes.

"Thank you, Lord Rooster. I—I really don't know how to thank you."

Rooster waved his hand.

Even Big Sis, who was practically a child who had never grown up, knew that there was still honor among pirates. Naturally, Luo Yi was the same.

Besides, after what had happened last time, he had gained a decent understanding of Alan's character and considered him trustworthy.

But at that moment—

"Um... Lord Rooster..."

Alan swallowed, looking extremely hesitant.

Then he gritted his teeth and said, "Lord Rooster, could you stay for a while?"

"...Hmm?"

Rooster looked at him in confusion.

Alan then blurted out, "If possible, I—I want to join the Twelve Zodiacs too!"

"But I know I'm not qualified because I'm too weak. That's why I want to become stronger!"

"I'm willing to do anything to become stronger!"

His eyes held a resolve and determination that should not have existed in someone his age.

Looking into his eyes, Rooster understood his thoughts. "Because of your sister?"

Of course, he had not forgotten Alan's younger sister, Keli—a girl who had been bought by the Celestial Dragons.

"Yes!"

Alan nodded firmly and clenched his fists.

"I've asked Uncle Mandy to look after my grandfather for me. He's a good man. I have to go to the Sabaody Archipelago and search for Keli's whereabouts."

"But I'm too weak."

His fingernails nearly dug into his flesh.

Yes—even after eating a Devil Fruit and gaining an ability, he was still too weak.

And he knew very well that with his strength, he had no chance of saving his sister.

So he wanted to become stronger, no matter the cost.

"As expected."

Rooster was not surprised when he heard this.

Beneath the mask, Luo Yi began to ponder.

In the end, he reached a conclusion—it seemed like it really could work.

Alan was a trustworthy person, and as a Slice-Slice Fruit Ability User, he truly possessed considerable potential.

Moreover, as someone who had once been in the navy, Luo Yi naturally knew that the navy and the World Government had been pursuing Rooster with extreme fervor lately.

So even without Alan, he had planned to have Rooster hide somewhere and lie low for a while, avoiding any appearances in the short term. Although it was only a clone, once it was lost, it was gone for good.

This island fit his requirements for laying low very well.

And most importantly—

"The Sabaody Archipelago's human auction house? It sounds like there's a lot of money there."

With that thought, Luo Yi naturally made his decision.

"I can stay here and train you."

"As for joining the organization—if you become strong enough, I can submit an application for you."

"However..."

He looked at Alan, his words taking on a calm, measured tone.

"Are you really sure? I'm a wanted criminal. If you stand with me, you'll be standing against the entire world!"

Alan smiled when he heard this.

"Actually, I already asked everyone about that."

As he spoke, he gripped the axe more tightly.

He could not forget the scene of the slaves wailing bitterly aboard the small boats on the night they left Master Port.

He could not forget the inhuman abuse everyone in the village had described from the time they had spent as slaves.

The pain of losing their loved ones, their limbs being broken, the smell of blood, the girls' cries—

They could not forget any of it, and they never would.

"We're only ordinary people. On our own, we don't have the power to change anything, nor can we take revenge."

He looked at Rooster.

"But Lord Rooster—we're all willing to believe in you. If you plan to stand against the world, please take us with you."