Hand-Drawn Map, Drawing a Supreme Grade Blade

Abandoned dock, eastern shipyard.

The White Shell slowly pulled alongside the shore. Beside it was an even smaller cargo ship.

"Hey, are you guys alright?"

Glen appeared on the cargo ship's deck, vigorously waving his arms.

Behind him, dozens of children poked their heads out of the cabin.

On the White Shell's deck, Alice quickly walked to the railing.

Only after confirming that Lin Nuo and the others were all still standing there, safe and sound, did she let out a sigh of relief, a warm smile blooming across her lips.

By the dock, Lin Nuo stood face-to-face with Roy.

"I'll ask you one last time."

Lin Nuo looked into Roy's eyes. "You're not coming with us, are you?"

"That's right. I just saved one group of people, but I know another group will come along soon."

"...The Resistance Group's mission isn't over yet."

Lin Nuo fell silent for two seconds.

"I could also go back and send that gang flying like it hit a speed bump."

Roy froze for a moment, then smiled even more broadly.

"Heh... Thanks."

"But even if this gang is gone, another one might emerge later."

"And you won't stay in the West Blue forever, right?"

His gaze turned toward the White Shell and the sea.

"So, I'm staying here."

"With the power this fruit gave me, I'll defeat them in my own way."

"Just give me a little more time."

Lin Nuo watched him for a while.

"Alright. Then I'll wait for you on the Grand Line."

"If you can't make it happen someday—I'll come reclaim this fruit."

Unlike last night, there wasn't the slightest trace of panic on Roy's face now.

"Of course! If I don't accomplish anything—"

"Then come reclaim this fruit whenever you want!"

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Then they extended their hands and bumped fists.

"Let's go!" Lin Nuo turned around and waved to the others behind him.

Ivankov, Ginny, Kuma, and Moria followed in turn.

They crossed the pier and boarded the White Shell by its gangplank.

Alice held out a hand from the deck and pulled Ginny aboard.

Ivankov made an exaggerated leap as he boarded, nearly falling flat on his face before Moria's shadow steadied him.

Lin Nuo came last.

He reached the gangplank and looked back.

Roy was still standing on the dock, seeing him off.

"Raise anchor—!"

The White Shell's sails slowly rose. The sea wind filled them, and the ship gradually backed away from the pier.

The small cargo ship beside it set sail at the same time, heading in the opposite direction.

Slowly sailing away.

Moria stood at the White Shell's stern, watching Roy board the cargo ship.

The two stared at each other across a narrow stretch of sea.

"Hey—!!"

Ivankov's voice suddenly exploded behind Moria.

"From now on, this is my new base, Ginny! Hee-haw!!"

The purple afro-haired boy spread his arms and spun around on the White Shell's deck.

Meanwhile, the pink-haired girl slowly walked around the deck, examining the ship's structure from all sides.

"Alright, everyone." Lin Nuo clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Let's have a quick meeting."

"A meeting?" Ivankov's face fell. "How about we rest first?"

"Brother Lin Nuo," Ginny chimed in softly, "could we at least eat first?"

Lin Nuo looked at their dust-covered faces and laughed.

"Alright, alright, let's change that." He raised one finger.

"After the meeting, we'll have a feast! To celebrate our successful reunion, to celebrate our new companions, and to celebrate the fact that we're still alive!"

"Ooh, ooh, ooh—!!!"

"A feast—!!!"

Ivankov and Ginny instantly came back to life. With their arms around each other's shoulders, they began doing high-kick dances on the spot.

"Alice, you come too."

"Huh?" Alice froze. "Me too? But what about steering the ship..."

"It's fine. You need to rest too."

Lin Nuo looked toward Moria.

While waiting for the ship earlier, he had already heard Moria briefly explain how he had obtained the fruit.

"Now that you've got such a useful fruit, you should play around with it more."

Moria curled his lip.

The shadow beneath his feet suddenly spread outward.

Then, a completely black figure with the exact same outline as Moria emerged from the ground.

"Doppelman."

After the shadow clone took shape, it casually walked over to the helm and took the wheel from Alice.

The shadow never got tired, never lost focus, and could perfectly carry out its original body's commands.

Alice and Teach, who had been following at her feet, both stared in amazement.

Then everyone followed Lin Nuo below deck and entered the main cabin.

Lin Nuo took several sheets of blank paper and a charcoal pencil from a drawer, spread them across the table, and began sketching.

Moria leaned over and took a look.

"Looks like you're only good at fighting. You don't have a single artistic bone in your body."

"Get lost. I'm only drawing a simple map. Why does it need to look nice?"

Ivankov also leaned over, staring at the shapes on the paper.

"Lin Nuo, is this blob you drew... a rain cloud? Or cotton candy?"

"It's an island! An island!" Lin Nuo snapped.

He heavily marked a dot on the far right side of the paper.

"Here." Lin Nuo circled the dot with his charcoal pencil.

"This is our next ultimate destination: the New World, the latter half of the Grand Line."

Alice said, "The New World... Lin Nuo, what are you planning to do there?"

"I have people to find and things to take over there." As Lin Nuo spoke, his gaze sharpened.

"However, before entering the Grand Line, we need to solve the route issue first."

His charcoal pencil moved across the paper, drawing a dotted line leftward from the area representing the West Blue.

"According to the map the mayor gave us, the shortest route from the West Blue directly into the Grand Line is through the Calm Belt."

"But there's no wind in the Calm Belt. The White Shell relies on wind power, and besides..."

"That place is a nest for Sea Kings. With our current strength, we could definitely fight them, but sailing would become extremely troublesome."

Everyone fell into thought.

Kuma slowly spoke. "So we need to take a detour?"

"That's right."

Lin Nuo's charcoal pencil continued leftward, drawing a mountain range that stretched across the paper.

"We'll go by the Red Line, pass through Reverse Mountain and Twin Cape, then enter Whiskey Peak, the starting point of the Grand Line's first half."

"Reverse Mountain's currents are fierce, but the White Shell should be able to hold steady with its size."

"At Twin Cape, we can also find a way to recharge the Log Pose."

"Then we'll make a brief stop at Whiskey Peak for supplies and information before officially entering Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line."

"That sounds like a very complete plan." Alice nodded. "But Lin Nuo, this thing you drew..."

She pointed to a cloud-shaped symbol on the map, far from the main route.

"What does this cloud mean?"

Lin Nuo's gaze fell upon it.

"There."

"Is Sky Island—Shandora."

"Sky Island?!" Ivankov was the first to jump up. "Do islands that float in the sky really exist?"

"They do." Lin Nuo answered with certainty. "And I need to retrieve something from there."

He looked at everyone.

"Besides the ancient Poneglyphs, there's also an especially precious treasure there."

"The Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit, located amid the thunderstorms."

The cabin fell silent.

"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit?! It sounds incredibly powerful!" Stars shone in Ivankov's eyes.

"Of course it is."

"In some respects, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is even stronger than my Phoenix Fruit."

"It can turn its user into an element, control lightning, launch precise attacks across extreme distances, and use electrical waves for Mantra."

"It's an all-around top-tier ability."

Ivankov pursed his lips, his expression visibly growing more serious.

"However," Lin Nuo changed the subject, "this is only a rough route plan for now."

"I don't know what we'll encounter along the way."

It was thirty-eight years earlier now. Some fruits that only appeared in later generations might already have been eaten by someone.

Some islands only discovered in later generations might still be sealed off.

And then there was the pursuit of Imu and the World Government.

"If you're afraid, it's not too late to get off the ship now." Lin Nuo's gaze swept over everyone.

"Hehe, I won't blame you."

Silence—

"Ha, what nonsense."

Ivankov was the first to slap the table. "I crawled out of a hell like God Valley."

"What could possibly be scarier than that?"

"I-I'm not afraid either!" Ginny puffed out her small chest. "I'll find a way to grow stronger. I won't hold everyone back anymore."

Kuma nodded, making his meaning clear.

Moria snorted with his arms crossed. "I haven't fully developed the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's abilities yet."

"I have quite a bit of sailing experience. I can still be useful." Alice smiled.

Two-year-old Teach crawled out from beneath the table, poking out his little head.

"I'm hungry. When are we having the feast?"

Everyone froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

As Lin Nuo watched them, the tightly drawn string in his heart gradually loosened.

"Alright." He tossed the charcoal pencil onto the table.

"Then that's it. Meeting adjourned!"

He raised an arm and shouted.

"Let's have a feast—!!!"

"Whooo—!!!"

Cheers seemed to lift the cabin roof away.

Noisy, chaotic, and brimming with life.

Lin Nuo watched it all, the smile on his lips deepening.

However.

Amid the jubilant atmosphere—

A notification suddenly appeared before his eyes without warning.

A screen of light unfolded before him, lines of text appearing one after another:

[Third choice unlock directive received]

[Activating basic system functions...]

[Automatically claiming basic function unlock gift pack...]

[Claim successful]

[Drawing a weapon from the Supreme Grade Blade series for the host...]

[Drawing...]

Lin Nuo: "???"