-January 20, 1518
-Sleepy Valley Town.
The moment Sephiroth's boots touched the wooden pier, the stench of rotting fish scales hit him on the salty, damp sea breeze.
Looking at the harbor cobbled together from wooden shacks and sheet-metal houses, he couldn't help thinking... Hopefully, this really is "Sleepy Valley Town" this time.
The pier was small and mostly wooden. Even the nails in its planks had been driven in unevenly, giving it a rather makeshift look.
Crates, scaffolding, paint buckets, discarded signs, and other clutter were piled all over the pier.
There weren't many people coming and going. At first glance, most seemed to be craftsmen or possible pirates. Fishermen made up only a small proportion.
This involved the mythical zoan Vampire Fruit, and the search was taking place in the New World, no less.
For that reason, Sephiroth's subordinates had never dared search openly. They could only investigate discreetly, at a much slower pace.
In his previous life, Sephiroth had only heard about the original game, Unlimited World Red. He had never played it.
All he knew was that the place was in the New World, was called "Sleepy Valley Town," and had ancient ruins. He knew nothing else.
They had already found four towns that met those three conditions. To be safe, Sephiroth had personally checked every one. None had been the right place.
-Hopefully, this is the one.
Sephiroth headed toward the pier's main entrance.
A craftsman moving goods on the pier glanced at Sephiroth as he passed, but showed no particular reaction.
Partly, that was because this settlement had only been founded by immigrants a few years ago.
The other reason was that Sephiroth was dressed inconspicuously.
He wore an ordinary beige adventurer's outfit, neither new nor particularly worn, with a gray cloak over it.