Landing on Baratty

After a brief day of rest.

The Moya Adventure Group's small fleet set sail, four adventure ships, uniform in color and flag, slowly pulling away from the nameless island.

Why not search for Woonan's golden treasure?

That was because Moya did not want to waste time, "painfully" telling Nami and Buggy the truth.

Amidst their wails, Moya decisively decided to continue the voyage.

The fleet grew day by day. Four ships, over one hundred and fifty people.

After training, during a break.

"Next, we are heading to the floating restaurant Baratie. If we're lucky, we might just run into a big shot!" Moya announced to the group.

"What kind of big shot?" Nami asked curiously.

Kaya and Rika also wore expressions of inquiry, and Buggy and the others pricked up their ears, wanting to hear which big shot in the East Blue was worth mentioning.

"The world's greatest swordsman, one of the Shichibukai, nicknamed 'Hawkeye', Dracule Mihawk," Moya said softly.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Although Nami and the others hadn't heard of Hawkeye, the title of "world's greatest swordsman" was enough to stun them.

"Um, Captain, why are we going to look for Hawkeye? Someone that terrifying isn't someone we can afford to cross!"

Buggy, who only had memories from his teenage years, said with a tremor.

"Yeah, Moya, why are we going to Baratie to find him! It's too dangerous, I don't want to go!" Nami exclaimed frantically.

"I say, Buggy, what are you afraid of! You aren't afraid of slashes, and besides, Hawkeye is a good friend of Red-Haired Shanks, and you are an old friend of Shanks.

So, for the sake of Red-Haired, Hawkeye won't hurt you!" Moya said.

"What did you say? Who is Shanks! Why do I feel like this name has ruined my dream of finding treasure?" Buggy looked confused.

Ah, almost forgot, Buggy had lost his memories.

"Buggy, you just need to remember that Red-Haired Shanks was your good brother when you were young."

"Alright, Captain."

"Moya, then who is Red-Haired Shanks? To be friends with the world's greatest swordsman, he must be very powerful, right?"

Nami continued to act like a curious child.

"Speaking of Red-Haired Shanks, he should be even a bit stronger than Hawkeye."

Moya said solemnly, and the surrounding atmosphere suddenly tightened.

"Of course, in terms of pure swordsmanship, they might be evenly matched." Moya paused, keeping them in suspense.

"Stronger than Hawkeye? Buggy, your good brother is truly amazing!" Nami looked at Buggy with sparkling eyes.

Buggy's face flushed red, and he turned his head away with a "humph." It seemed that being overshadowed by a good brother he couldn't quite remember made him feel inexplicably annoyed!

He was also shocked as to why this good brother he couldn't remember was so strong, and how he had made such a great name for himself so quickly.

The crew members were also shocked that Buggy knew such a big shot.

"Then what kind of big shot is Red-Haired Shanks? Big Brother Moya," Rika asked in a milky voice.

Everyone looked at Moya, all wearing expectant, curious expressions.

"You all know the Grand Line, known as the graveyard of pirates, right?" Everyone nodded...

"And the second half of the Grand Line is called the 'New World,' where the pirates are all incredibly fierce.

Shanks is one of the four pirate emperors who rule over the New World—the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks!"

After Moya finished speaking, he wore an envious expression, but at the same time, he hoped to reach that position one day.

It was a bit like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang witnessing the grand and magnificent scene of Qin Shi Huang's eastern inspection.

"I can take his place!"

"A real man should be like this!"

The crowd was shocked beyond measure, while Buggy looked as if he had swallowed a fly; upon hearing the name Shanks, his face involuntarily showed extreme displeasure.

"Buggy, I didn't expect your good brother to be so powerful. We'll have to rely on him in the future; maybe he'll give us a rich treasure!"

Nami wore a greedy expression.

"Humph, I don't want to see him at all!" Buggy said indignantly.

Nami grabbed Buggy by the neck and said dangerously.

"Buggy, any treasure we get will be split fifty-fifty, right!!"

Buggy broke into a cold sweat. This woman of the captain's was even crazier about treasure than he was! Intimidated by Moya, he had no choice but to say.

"If there's treasure, fifty-fifty, absolutely a fifty-fifty split!"

After the shock, the fleet continued to sail.

Moya was busy modifying El Drago's memories, leaving the other lackeys to be disciplined by the adventure group; Moya didn't want to waste time on small fry.

He was also carefully sliding out the memory of him being the captain, making sure not to scramble the rest of his mind.

El Drago was now transformed into a rough-hewn young man who had just set sail after eating a Devil Fruit.

Moya offered El Drago some guidance, claiming that he had encountered the shipwrecked El Drago at sea and saved him, while noting that El Drago seemed to have lost some of his memories.

Grateful for Moya's life-saving grace, El Drago decided on the spot to join the Moya Adventure Group.

Moya also spoke frankly, stating that he recognized El Drago's Devil Fruit and was willing to help him develop its abilities, sharing many techniques and training methods with him.

These methods were all things Moya had stolen from El Drago's own memories.

This left El Drago deeply moved, and he exclaimed how wonderful his captain was.

Meanwhile, the swordsman Golass was being treated as a test subject by Kaya, enduring inhuman treatment and suffering immensely.

The next day, in the ship's main hall.

Moya, at the head of the table, scanned the room with a touch of pride, feeling that his crew was finally starting to take shape, and spoke up.

"From now on, El Drago is our crewmate, and his position will be gunner. Golass will serve as the swordsman squad leader. Let bygones be bygones; from here on out, we are one big group!"

"That's great! Captain, we've gained another powerhouse!"

Dis shouted happily. Everyone had witnessed El Drago's strength, and Dis felt proud to see the adventure group growing larger and larger!

"Then let's continue the banquet!" Moya said happily.

Everyone ate and drank joyfully, and El Drago, his memories rewritten, began to slowly integrate into the Moya Adventure Group along with the rest of the crew.

Afterward, in addition to his own training, Moya used his knowledge to advise Buggy and El Drago on Devil Fruit development, helping them find more accurate directions for their growth.

Furthermore, the squad leaders on the ship were now allowed to practice Kuro's Silent Step, as well as the swordsmanship training Moya had compiled from Zoro's memories.

Moya also allowed his officers—Nami, Buggy, and El Drago—to begin basic Haki training.

Even Rika and Rim began training along with everyone else, and to everyone's surprise, even Richie the Lion was practicing.

"The Baratie is here!!"

Nami, perched atop the mast with a telescope, shouted happily as she looked ahead.

Having met a big shot like Hawkeye through Buggy's connections, Nami felt it was highly 'profitable'; even if they didn't get treasure, they could at least gain a form of protection!

"Do you see any damaged pirate ships near the Baratie?" Moya asked.

"Damaged pirate ships? Let me see... it looks like there are!" Nami replied.

"Then full speed toward the Baratie. We're going up to eat! I hope we can gain something from this." Moya chuckled softly.

"Yay! The captain is treating us!"

With four ships—the Yanhuang 1-2-3 and the Number Four, which had been converted from El Drago's ship—there were over a hundred people; it looked like Moya was about to spend a fortune.

The Moya Adventure Group's small fleet rapidly approached the Baratie.

At the same time, they saw more and more wreckage, splintered wood, and even quite a few floating corpses.

The real pirate world was truly terrifying.