Fate

"What is it..."

Rayleigh could not help asking. The change in his emotions was so great that some of the crew members nearby with powerful Observation Haki noticed something was off with their vice captain. Unfortunately, they could not hear a thing.

"The first is Pure Gold. It's said to be a very special metal that can extend a person's lifespan, created by humans several hundred years ago."

"The second is the Heal-Heal Fruit among the Devil Fruits. Legend says it has the power to heal everything."

"The third is the Op-Op Fruit among the Devil Fruits. I hear it can grant humans the power of eternal life. Since it can grant immortality, I imagine curing illness and saving lives should be possible too."

At that moment, both Rayleigh and Roger could barely control the excitement in their hearts.

The two of them could be considered widely experienced and well-informed. Of these three things, they had heard of some, while others were completely unknown to them.

But before this, even the ones they had heard of were things they had only treated as legends. They had never truly believed in them.

That was also because, after Roger discovered he was suffering from a terminal illness, the time life had left him was truly too short. He could clearly feel that his body was getting worse by the day, and he was unwilling to waste time on such vague, illusory things. He had a far more important mission.

But now, when such certain words came from Ye Mu's mouth, both of their minds trembled.

"Then do you know where they are?" Rayleigh asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"I'm not clear on the specifics either. I can only give you some clues. Legend says Pure Gold is in the stomach of a fish called the lantern fish. This fish is enormous, large enough to swallow an island in one bite, and it also loves gold very much. But where that fish is, I don't know. As for the Heal-Heal Fruit, you can go take a look among the Tontatta, but whether it's there or not, I'm not sure either. As for the Op-Op Fruit, it should have been hidden away by the World Government, but that's just hearsay on my part. Maybe it's already ended up outside by now."

After saying that, Ye Mu drained a cup of apple juice and spoke.

"That's all I know..."

To be honest, Ye Mu had only recalled these things from what little memory he had. Although the information was very crude, to Rayleigh and Roger, who had been in despair for a long time, it let them see hope.

But they did not say much. After all, the matter of Roger being ill was something that absolutely could not be known.

"I'll have people keep an eye out."

Roger could disregard everything, but Rayleigh, as vice captain, could not. He had already made up his mind to do everything he could to find these three things.

"Thank you, Rayleigh. But there's no need to take it too much to heart. As they say, if I gain it, it is my fortune; if I lose it, it is my fate. We have a more important mission right now..."

After Roger finished speaking, he looked at the child before him, who was shrouded in mystery from head to toe.

At that moment, he had already confirmed certain thoughts in his heart, and he suddenly asked with some curiosity.

"Young Ye Mu, do you believe in fate?"

Ye Mu's answer was also extremely simple.

"I'm only willing to believe in the fate I like!"

Of course, that was the literary way of putting it. In cruder terms, it was:

I fucking transmigrated, and you want to talk to me about fate? Pah!!!

No matter what Ye Mu was thinking at that moment, right then, Roger and Rayleigh truly valued Ye Mu very highly.

This could be seen from the appreciative look Rayleigh gave Ye Mu. Rayleigh even could not help extending an invitation to Ye Mu.

No matter how Ye Mu had learned these things, if they could bring Ye Mu onto the ship, would that not increase their chances of finding those three things?

"Young Ye Mu, are you interested in joining our Roger Pirates?"

Naturally, Ye Mu shook his head. This made Rayleigh ask in some confusion.

"What, young Ye Mu? Are you not interested in Laugh Tale?"

"Of course not. It's just that compared to going with you, I think it'd be more interesting to go there myself."

"Hahahahahaha!"

This answer did not exceed their expectations, and because of that, the two of them appreciated Ye Mu even more. They ended up talking more as well.

Roger also asked, "From the looks of it, young Ye Mu and young Enel don't seem to be people of Sky Island."

"Mm. Five years ago, like you, I was brought to this island by the Knock Up Stream. As for Enel, he's lived on this island since he was little. Maybe he's the same as me, just earlier than I was."

"I see. Then, young Ye Mu, have you never tried to find your family?"

Ye Mu shook his head.

"I've forgotten all my memories from before. All I had on me was one piece of clothing and a ruby. Even if I wanted to look, I wouldn't know where to start..."

This moved both Roger and Rayleigh somewhat. They had not expected Ye Mu to have such a background.

Roger thought for a moment and said, "Can I take a look at the clothing and gem you mentioned? Maybe I've seen them somewhere before."

"Sure. But to be honest, I'm not very interested in where I came from before. What I care about most right now is Haki training..."

Seeing the topic shift back to Haki, Roger and Rayleigh both laughed happily.

At that moment, Rayleigh saw that the banquet was already drawing to an end. After thinking for a moment, he stood up and said, "In that case, how about we start now? Roger, you don't mind me taking your position as teacher, do you?"

Seeing this, Roger burst into loud laughter.

"Of course I don't mind."

As he spoke, afraid that Ye Mu might think otherwise, he said to Ye Mu, "Although I'm the captain, when it comes to teaching Haki, Rayleigh is more suited than I am. As a teacher, I'm truly a complete failure... Hahahaha..."

Ye Mu, of course, had no problem with that. After all, the future Pirate King's Haki had all been taught by Rayleigh.

Seeing Ye Mu nod in agreement, Rayleigh also sounded rather pleased as he said, "Come with me. Everyone's just about done eating anyway, so we'll make this a little entertainment for the banquet."

As he spoke, Rayleigh walked to the very center of the banquet. Everyone noticed it, and they all watched the two of them with some curiosity.

At that moment, Roger suddenly stood up as well and called out names one by one.

"Shanks, Buggy, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi... listen carefully to what comes next. You don't get many chances to have Vice Captain Rayleigh personally teach Haki..."

The people Roger called out were all apprentice crew members on the ship. After hearing Roger's words, they instantly focused their attention.

Only then did the others realize what Rayleigh was about to do.

Though many of them had already mastered Haki, Rayleigh's use of Haki was the finest among everyone present apart from Roger himself. Even Kozuki Oden from Wano Country, who had mastered Ryuo, was somewhat inferior to him. So they turned their gazes over as well.

Ye Mu also shouted Enel's name.

Hearing Ye Mu call him, Enel, who had long been prepared, instantly crackled with lightning all over his body. The alcohol in him was broken down in an instant, leaving him completely sober.

That left the people around them somewhat dumbfounded.

"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit can actually be used like that too...?"

Roger also said with a curious laugh.

At this point, seeing that everyone's attention had been drawn over, Rayleigh finally looked at Ye Mu and began his instruction.

"In that case, let's begin, young Ye Mu..."