You Really Disappointed Me

North Blue, Minion Island.

Great flakes of snow swirled down from the sky.

Two figures, one tall and one short, trudged through the deep snow toward the town ahead.

"Don't worry, Luo!"

"I got word that they're trading a Devil Fruit here. It's bound to help with your illness."

The tall figure spoke with a grin.

"Tch. All your efforts are wasted."

"I won't live much longer anyway."

The smaller figure spoke casually.

"Damn it! I'm trying this hard, and you dare give up hope?"

The tall man flew into a rage and smacked the child beside him on the head.

"Ow!"

The child clutched his head and glared at him.

A few steps later, the child suddenly asked in a serious voice, "Hey, Rosinante. Stealing their fruit has to be dangerous, right?"

"Don't worry. I've got this!"

"Just hide when the time comes, Luo!"

"Leave everything else to me. You know, I once went through hellish training under the world's strongest Marine!"

Rosinante gave him a thumbs-up and grinned confidently.

"There you go again!"

"The world's strongest Marine? Hellish training?"

"I'm not falling for those tall tales!"

Luo muttered disdainfully.

The world's strongest Marine?

Could he be stronger than Doflamingo?

That man was the most formidable person Luo had ever seen.

"It's not a tall tale!"

"If you ever get the chance to meet him, his strength will leave you stunned!"

Rosinante spoke with awe.

Nearly ten years had passed, yet memories of those days still stirred a thousand emotions in him.

His only regret was that, when he had left, his youthful guilt had kept him from saying a proper goodbye.

"Once this mission is over, I'll report to Superior Officer Xia Le."

"He wouldn't turn me away, would he?"

Rosinante muttered to himself.

Imagining their reunion after