Inside the cabin, Roy finished the food Stella had prepared. The energy it gave him brought some color back to his pale face.
He moved his body around. Though his injuries still hurt a little, the wounds had begun to scab over. He believed they would heal completely in a few days.
"Where are we now?" Roy pushed his plate aside and looked at Rayleigh.
Rayleigh was leaning against the doorframe, watching Tesoro train. "In another half a day, the ship will pass a small island called Maple Leaf Island. There's a supply town there. If you want to leave, you can disembark and rest there."
To tell the truth, Rayleigh had intended to invite Roy to join the Roger Pirates, but he had thought it over and given up on the idea. Judging by Roy's actions along the way, the kid probably had a clear goal of his own.
"I understand. Thank you for taking care of us these past few days, Mr. Rayleigh," Roy said sincerely. If Rayleigh hadn't stepped in to help, they would probably have had a hard time escaping Sengoku and Kizaru's pursuit.
Rayleigh waved a hand and gave him a meaningful look. "It was no trouble. But kid, your name is resounding across the seas now. A bounty of 200 million is like a lighthouse in the dark; it'll attract the attention of countless pirates and bounty hunters looking to make a name for themselves. You'll need to be careful from here on."
Roy's lips curled upward. There wasn't a trace of fear in his eyes; instead, they gleamed with excitement. "I couldn't ask for more. I was just short of a few whetstones to test my new power on."
Before long, the ship slowly approached a rather prosperous-looking island.
All kinds of ships were moored in the harbor, including quite a few flying fearsome pirate flags. It was a typical lawless supply island where pirates and merchants mingled.
The ship docked.
"All right, this is where you get off." Rayleigh drained the last of the wine from his bottle and casually tossed the empty bottle into the sea. "I should go find Roger and the others. I've been away so long, those guys must be getting worried."
Roy led Tesoro and Stella down the gangplank and solemnly thanked Rayleigh again. "Mr. Rayleigh, I can't thank you enough. I'll always remember what you've done for us."
"Hahaha, kid, stay alive and grow stronger. I believe we'll definitely meet again on the seas someday."
Rayleigh laughed heartily and waved. "Well then, goodbye, you interesting kids! Have a smooth voyage!"
Without waiting for Roy and the others to respond, he untied the mooring lines and steered the sailboat slowly out of the harbor. Before long, it disappeared over the horizon.
Watching Rayleigh leave, Tesoro said with some emotion, "What a strong, free-spirited guy."
Stella nodded too, her eyes full of gratitude.
Roy looked away and took a deep breath of the island's mixed air. "Let's go. First, we'll find somewhere to stay, restock our supplies, and ask around for news while we're at it."
The three set foot on the island. Though Roy was young, his height of nearly 1.8 meters and the aura he unconsciously exuded after awakening Conqueror's Haki made people wary of underestimating him.
Tesoro's face was still injured, but after what he had experienced over the past few days, his gaze was much more resolute than before. Stella followed quietly at Roy's side, looking curiously around the unfamiliar place.
They made their way down the noisy street, looking for an inn and shops. Roy quietly spread out his Observation Haki, gathering information from his surroundings.
Most of it was inconsequential chatter, haggling, and the voices of pirates boasting about their "great exploits."
But just as they passed a rowdy tavern-
"Crash!"
The tavern door was flung open, and a drunken, burly pirate with a scar on his face staggered out, nearly running into Roy, who was walking in front.
"Hey! Kid, get out of the way!" The scar-faced pirate steadied himself and shouted at Roy, his breath reeking of alcohol.
Several of his companions laughed and crowded around as well, eyeing Roy and the other two with ill intent. When they saw the pretty Stella in particular, a lecherous gleam appeared in their eyes.
Tesoro immediately tensed and stepped directly in front of Stella.
Roy merely glanced at the scar-faced pirate and spoke calmly. "You ran into me. Apologize, then get lost."
"Huh?"
The scar-faced pirate pointed at his own nose. "You want me to apologize? Do you know who I am? I'm a battle captain of the Giant Axe Pirates! I've got a bounty of eight million Beli! You dare talk to me like that, kid?"
Seeing this, the passersby hurriedly moved out of the way, afraid of getting caught up in it. Some whispered among themselves:
"They're from the Giant Axe Pirates. Those guys are bad news."
"That blond kid's in trouble. With such a beautiful girl beside him, he's bound to draw their attention."
"He doesn't look very old. Probably some young noble who ran away from home and doesn't know his place."
Faced with the pirate's shouting and the sympathetic looks around him, Roy instead showed a hint of an amused smile.
He had been worried he wouldn't find a chance to test his skills and give Tesoro and Stella another lesson at the same time: on these seas, backing down and showing restraint would only make pirates more brazen.
"Eight million Beli?" Roy chuckled softly. "Where did this... small fry come from?"
He raised his head, his gaze suddenly turning sharp as an invisible pressure spread out from him.
Although he hadn't unleashed his Conqueror's Haki at full strength, the might of that top-tier Haki still sobered the drunken pirates somewhat in an instant and sent a tremor through their hearts.
"I'm in a good mood right now, so I'll give you one last chance. Get lost."
The scar-faced pirate was clearly intimidated by Roy's aura, but the alcohol and his long-ingrained arrogance made him suppress his unease. When he heard his companions' jeers in particular, he could no longer keep his head.
"Kid! You're asking for death!" the scar-faced pirate roared, swinging a fist as big as a cooking pot straight at Roy's face!
Tesoro cried out, "Boss, watch out!"
Stella covered her mouth too.
Yet Roy didn't move in the face of that powerful blow. He simply raised his index finger.
The next second, under everyone's astonished gazes, the scar-faced pirate's forward charge came to a halt as though he had hit an invisible wall. His massive fist stopped dead less than ten centimeters from the tip of Roy's nose, unable to advance another inch!
"Huh?!" The scar-faced pirate's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. He felt as though something invisible had tightly wrapped around his fist and pinned it in place. No matter how hard he strained, he couldn't break free.
A cold smile curved Roy's lips as he gently pointed his index finger forward.
"Bang!"
A tremendous invisible force erupted. The scar-faced pirate's muscular body was sent flying backward as though struck by a charging rhinoceros. He smashed through the tavern's wooden wall, drawing cries of alarm from inside.
Silence!
Deathly silence!!
The vicious grins froze on the faces of the remaining Giant Axe Pirates. They sobered up instantly, cold sweat soaking their backs.
They stared at Roy, who stood where he was, their eyes filled with fear.
Roy swept his gaze over them, his tone still indifferent. "Anyone else want to try?"
The pirates backed away in fright, shouting things like "Monster!" Then they fled the street without looking back, leaving even their scar-faced captain lying in the tavern.
Roy looked away and turned to Tesoro and Stella, who were still somewhat stunned. He smiled. "Did you see that? This is power. In this world, it's the best pass you can have."
Tesoro nodded firmly, the desire to grow stronger burning in his eyes. Stella, too, looked thoughtful.
"Let's go," Roy said, turning and continuing on his way. "Let's find somewhere to stay. Our adventure has only just begun."