Setting Out! First Stop Loguetown

Setting Out! First Stop Loguetown

"I hear you're a pretty idle fellow who likes wandering around the world?"

Lei En looked at the still-panting Mihawk and threw out that unfinished question.

Mihawk paused, clutching his chest as he straightened up and nodded.

"As a swordsman, traveling everywhere to seek out strong fighters is my cultivation."

"Fine, remember this then."

Lei En snapped his fingers, his tone carrying an unrefusable dominance.

"If you happen to run into a green-headed guy with three swords, or a straw-hatted rubber idiot in the future, remember to go easy on them. Those are all my reserved 'toys'."

Even though Mihawk was completely bewildered by what he heard, he still solemnly agreed.

Afterward, he dragged his severely injured body onto that coffin-like small boat, and amidst a flood of shock and new sword insights, slowly sailed away from this coastline.

Watching Hawkeye leave, Lei En stretched lazily.

"As for the powerhouses in East Blue, it looks like I've practically plucked them clean."

Time flew like a white horse passing a gap, and another two years blinked by.

Sea Circle Calendar 1503.

Lei En was eight years old.

Early on this morning, the port of Shimotsuki Village was extraordinarily bustling.

A brand-new, exquisitely crafted small two-masted sailboat was docked at the shore, with no emblem painted on its sails yet.

"Lord Lei En, all the supplies have been loaded up. We can set sail at any time."

A crisp, pleasant voice rang out behind Lei En.

The speaker was a young girl wearing a form-fitting blue training uniform.

She wore neat short hair, with that famous blade Wado Ichimonji tucked into her waist. Her posture was upright, and her gaze revealed a tenacity and sharpness far surpassing her peers.

She was none other than Kuina, who was already beginning to take on the demeanor of a female master swordsman.

Over the past two years, under Lei En's devilish training and the remolding of the Marrow-Washing Pill, Kuina's strength had advanced in leaps and bounds.

Not only had she thoroughly overcome the disadvantage of her gender, but her attainments in swordsmanship had even left the disciples of her father Koushiro far behind.

As for her now, she was practically completely submissive to Lei En, acting entirely like a fiercely loyal, personal sword attendant.

"Mm, well done."

Lei En nodded in satisfaction. Having grown quite a bit taller now and wearing a crisp black martial suit with Yubashiri hanging at his waist, he already looked somewhat like a little adult.

"Lei En, Kuina..."

Shimotsuki Koushiro stood on the pier, pushing up his glasses as he looked with complicated eyes at these two monstrous children.

"The ocean is dangerous, the two of you... must take care."

Though extremely reluctant to part with his daughter, Koushiro knew that the tiny puddle of Shimotsuki Village could no longer trap these two true dragons.

Especially Lei En, whose very existence was a miracle that broke all conventions.

"Don't worry, old man. Anyone capable of hurting us probably hasn't been born yet."

Lei En waved a hand, walking onto the deck full of confidence.

Kuina bowed deeply to her father, then turned without hesitation and followed in Lei En's footsteps.

"Hoisted sails, set sail!"

At Lei En's command, the sailboat caught the full wind, slowly pulling away from the port and heading toward the vast ocean.

Standing at the bow and feeling the sea breeze blowing against his face, Lei En took a deep breath.

"After lingering in Shimotsuki Village for three years, I can finally go out and get some fresh air."

The system's check-in missions hadn't refreshed in a while, and Lei En knew he had to trigger new plot points.

"Lord Lei En, where is our first stop?" Kuina asked respectfully while steering the helm.

Lei En touched his chin, a trace of nostalgia flashing in his eyes.

"Let's head back to Loguetown for a stroll first. After all, it's my 'place of origin', and by the way, I can stock up on some local specialties for the voyage."

A few days later.

The sailboat successfully arrived at the "Town of the Beginning and the End"—Loguetown.

The moment they docked, Lei En keenly sensed that the atmosphere in this town was wrong.

The riots sparked by Roger's death three years ago had not only failed to subside, but with the opening of the Great Age of Piracy, they had grown even more intense.

The streets were filled with blade-wielding, vicious-looking pirates, as well as bounty hunters with grim eyes who were constantly searching for prey.

The air was reeking with the scent of gunpowder and blood.

Even in broad daylight, ordinary civilians kept their doors tightly shut and dared not linger on the streets.

"This lousy place, public order is getting worse and worse."

Lei En shoved his hands into his pockets, swaggering down the street with Kuina in tow.

A few drunk pirates saw the priceless famous blade in Kuina's hand, and their eyes instantly lit up as they grinned and surrounded them.

"Yo, little sister, it's not good to run around carrying such a dangerous toy. How about letting uncle keep it for you?"

A pockmarked pirate reached out, attempting to grab Kuina's blade.

Kuina didn't even lift her eyelids, let alone draw her sword.

"Bang!"

She directly raised a foot, carrying a fierce gale, and kicked viciously right at the pockmarked pirate's chin.

Accompanied by a crisp sound of fracturing bone, that unlucky bastard flew straight backward, smashing through the window of a tavern and leaving his fate unknown.

Seeing this, the remaining pirates had half their drunkenness scared out of them, scrambling away in panic.

"Well done, you've got about thirty percent of my flair." Lei En praised without a shred of stinginess.

"Thank you for the praise, Milord. They were just small fry." Kuina lowered her head slightly, her tone calm, though the upturned corners of her mouth betrayed her minor pride.

The two of them walked into a tavern that looked reasonably clean, preparing to settle their lunch.

The tavern was bustling with noise, various walks of life mixed together, and the clamor was deafening.

Lei En found a corner seat and sat down, ordering a large portion of seafood fried rice.

Just as he was devouring his meal, the loud discussion of a few bounty hunters at the neighboring table caught his attention.

"Did you hear? That guy called Dadi really took a tumble this time."

A one-eyed man gulped down a mouthful of cheap ale, his face full of schadenfreude.

"Dadi? You mean the one they call 'the sharpshooter who brings his kid along'?" Another companion asked in surprise.

"Who else!"

The one-eyed man lowered his voice, but the excited tone still reached Lei En's ears.

"That guy used to be a ruthless character in the Marines, and his marksmanship was terrifyingly accurate."

"What a pity, he took off his military uniform and became a bounty hunter, and having to drag along a dependent daughter meant his skills had long grown dull."

"I heard he provoked the notorious 'Viper' Pirates of East Blue this time, and the other side put up a high bounty for his head."

The one-eyed man sneered, tapping the table with his finger.

"Right now, the 'Viper' people have completely surrounded the slum area, putting out the word that before sunset today, they must see the corpses of Dadi and that little girl!"

Hearing this, Lei En stopped the spoon he was using to shovel rice and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

He turned his head to look at Kuina, a black-bellied smile hooking the corner of his mouth.

"Kuina, are you full?"

Kuina immediately lowered her chopsticks and gripped the hilt of her blade: "Full, Milord."

"Very well."

Lei En stood up, tossing a gold coin onto the table as a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.

"Let's go, we're heading to the slums for a stroll. Since we just set sail, the ship is short on a handyman who understands navigation anyway, and isn't this little underling delivering himself right to our door?"