After the Sea Kings delivered everyone to a secluded bay off Loguetown, they quietly departed. As they parted, the enormous sea turtle murmured to Allen, "Child of the Torch Dragon, remember: dragons will meet in the end, but not all dragons head in the same direction."
Those words left Allen deep in thought. Dragons meeting dragons? Did it mean other members of the D. Clan? Or...
As they set foot in Loguetown, the weight of history washed over them. This was where Gol D. Roger had been born and died, known as the "Town of the Beginning and the End." The streets bustled with pirates, merchants, civilians, Marines... all kinds of people mingled, creating a peculiar scene of prosperity.
"Let's find somewhere to stay first." Allen lowered his hat brim and warily surveyed his surroundings. He fully extended his Observation Haki, sensing the movements around him.
Dadan and the mountain bandits looked somewhat nervous; a town of this scale was far too unfamiliar to them. The three brothers looked around curiously, especially Luffy, who had no resistance to the aroma coming from a roadside butcher's shop.
"Meat! I want meat!" Luffy's eyes had already turned into the shape of meat.
Allen sighed helplessly and took out some Beli. "Ace, take Luffy to buy something to eat. Sabo, since you have trouble walking, go find an inn with Dadan and the others first. I'll ask around for information."
They split up. Allen walked down the street alone, the Ark Core vibrating faintly against his chest as though sensing something. Following its guidance, he arrived at the town square-the place where Roger had been executed.
The Execution Platform still stood there, as though recounting the legend of the past. Many tourists and pirates took commemorative photos beneath it, and some even imitated Roger's pose before his death.
Allen stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, feeling the place's distinctive atmosphere. The Power of Zhulong circulated on its own, and he seemed to hear echoes of history-Roger's laughter before his death, the crowd's cries, and... something deeper.
"Residual energy of the same frequency detected... analyzing..." The Ark Core transmitted a message. "Energy signature: conqueror... 87% similarity to the inheritor..."
Conqueror? Something stirred in Allen's mind. Could Roger have possessed Conqueror's Haki too? And this residual energy hadn't completely dissipated after twenty years. That showed just how powerful it was.
While he pondered, a familiar presence suddenly entered his sensing range! Powerful, wild, carrying a dragon's might...
Allen whipped his head around and saw a tall figure gazing up at the Execution Platform from the other end of the square. The man had short, dark-green hair, a red square-patterned tattoo beneath his left eye, a dark-green coat, and an enormous sword on his back.
Roronoa Zoro! The future World's Greatest Swordsman! But why was he here? At this point in time, shouldn't he still have been wandering the East Blue?
What surprised Allen even more was that Zoro seemed lost. He was frowning at a nautical chart, muttering, "Damn it, where the hell is the dojo..."
Allen couldn't help chuckling. Sure enough, that terrible sense of direction had been with him since childhood.
Just then, another powerful presence caught Allen's attention! It was so well concealed that it was almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person's, but it couldn't escape his enhanced Observation Haki.
It belonged to a tall, hooded man standing in the shadows at the edge of the square, also looking at the Execution Platform. When Allen sensed him, the man seemed to notice and turned his head slightly in Allen's direction.
The instant their eyes met, Allen's heart gave a violent jolt! Those eyes... sharp as a hawk's, as though they could see through everything!
Then something even more shocking happened-the Ark Core began vibrating violently! "Warning: Uranus Imitation System energy signature detected! Target identity: World Government direct affiliate, Shichibukai, Dracule Mihawk!"
Dracule Mihawk?! Why was he in Loguetown?!
Mihawk seemed to take an interest in Allen and slowly approached him. Every step carried an invisible pressure. Ordinary civilians instinctively cleared a path, though they couldn't say why.
Allen's entire body tensed, and the Power of Zhulong began circulating on its own. He could feel it-Mihawk was coming for him!
Just as Mihawk came within ten meters of Allen, something unexpected happened!
"Hey! Moss Head! There you are!"
A familiar voice rang out. Luffy and Ace ran around the street corner with armfuls of food, clearly having just finished shopping. Seeing Allen, they waved excitedly. "Allen! We bought loads of meat!"
Mihawk's attention was instantly drawn to them. When his gaze fell on Ace, his pupils contracted slightly. "This presence... Roger's..."
Luffy surprised him even more. As Luffy approached, Mihawk's black blade, Yoru, actually began trembling faintly!
"Conqueror's Haki... such pure qualities of a king..." Mihawk murmured, his gaze shifting among the three. "And this one..." He looked at Allen. "Such peculiar fluctuations of power... the East Blue truly is full of hidden talents."
Just then, Zoro also noticed the unusual situation. When he saw Yoru on Mihawk's back, his eyes lit up. "What a sword!"
Mihawk glanced indifferently at Zoro. "Young man, you have a good eye to recognize this sword."
Zoro grinned, baring a beastlike smile. "I'm the man who's going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman! Of course I recognize it!"
That statement genuinely interested Mihawk. "Oh? Quite an ambition." He looked at the three swords at Zoro's waist. "Three-Sword Style? Interesting."
Alarm bells rang in Allen's mind. History was veering off course right before his eyes! Zoro and Mihawk were meeting far too early!
I have to get this under control! Allen stepped forward, placing himself in front of the three. "Mr. Mihawk, we mean no harm."
Mihawk's gaze returned to Allen. "You know me? Interesting." His hand rested on Yoru's hilt. "Let me see what makes you so special."
A terrifying aura erupted! It wasn't Conqueror's Haki, but the sheer pressure of a master swordsman! The surrounding civilians retreated in terror, leaving an empty space around them!
Allen felt immense pressure, and the Power of Zhulong automatically resisted it! Golden slit pupils flashed briefly in his eyes!
Surprise flickered in Mihawk's eyes. "Zoan? No... something more unusual." His interest deepened. "Make your move, young man. Let me see your mettle."
Allen knew this fight was unavoidable. He took a deep breath, and the Power of Zhulong began circulating. "Ace, take Luffy and Zoro back."
Ace said anxiously, "Allen! He's strong!"
"I know," Allen said calmly. "That's exactly why I can't back down."
Mihawk nodded approvingly. "Good resolve. Then... let's begin."
Without warning, Mihawk lightly swung Yoru! An invisible slash tore through the air, moving impossibly fast!
"Torch Dragon Domain: Light Refraction!" Allen pushed his ability to its limit. The light before him warped, deflecting the slash's trajectory. It skimmed past him and sliced through a building behind him, leaving a smooth cut!
"Manipulating light?" Mihawk raised an eyebrow. "A rare ability." He swung again, this time sending three slashes from different angles!
Golden light blazed in Allen's eyes as Future Sight revealed the slashes' trajectories! His body dodged at unbelievable angles while he rapidly closed in on Mihawk!
"Close combat? Brave." Mihawk casually parried Allen's attacks, as though instructing a junior. "But your technique is too immature."
Indeed, despite the Power of Zhulong and his experience with simulated training, Allen's swordsmanship looked immature before the World's Greatest Swordsman. After several exchanges, he already bore multiple wounds.
But Allen didn't back down. With every exchange, he learned and adapted to Mihawk's rhythm. Combining the Power of Zhulong with Observation Haki allowed him to just barely keep up with Mihawk's speed.
What surprised Mihawk most was that Allen's ability seemed to be evolving during the fight! His control over light and darkness grew increasingly refined, even beginning to affect Mihawk's visual judgment!
"Interesting! Very interesting!" Mihawk laughed heartily. This was one of the few moments when he felt genuine pleasure. "Young man, give me your name!"
"Portgas D. Allen!"
The D. Clan? Understanding flashed in Mihawk's eyes. No wonder he had such potential.
Just then, Luffy suddenly shouted, "Allen! Catch!" He threw his straw hat over!
Allen caught the straw hat instinctively. The instant he touched it, something changed!
The straw hat seemed to resonate with the Ark Core! A fragment of memory flooded Allen's mind-
Red-Haired Shanks... Roger entrusting the straw hat to him... then a far more ancient scene... a similar straw hat sitting on the head of a ruler of an Ancient Kingdom...
"Token of a king detected... beginning analysis..." The Ark Core worked frantically. "41% match with the Uranus System... suspected key fragment..."
Key fragment? Allen was deeply shaken. Could this straw hat be connected to the Ancient Weapons?
Mihawk also sensed something unusual about the straw hat, and his gaze deepened. "It seems today's surprises never end."
He stopped holding back and became truly serious! A black sheen spread across Yoru's blade as Haki coiled around it!
"Be careful, young man. What comes next is a true slash."
Allen sensed mortal danger! There was absolutely no way he could withstand this strike!
At that critical instant, a voice suddenly rang out:
"Stop, Mihawk. Getting serious against children is beneath you."
Everyone turned to see a red-haired man emerge from the crowd. He wore a black cloak, carried a sword at his waist, and had three scars over his left eye. Most striking of all-he was missing his left arm!
Shanks! Red-Haired Shanks!
Mihawk sheathed his sword, seemingly unsurprised. "Shanks. Here to join the fun too?"
Shanks smiled and walked between them. "Just passing through. But I saw something interesting, so I watched for a while." He looked at Allen, his gaze lingering especially on the straw hat. "That straw hat... could you give it back to my little friend?"
Allen handed the straw hat back to Luffy. Luffy threw himself at Shanks. "Shanks! Your arm!"
Shanks ruffled Luffy's hair. "It's fine, just a little injury. And this is..." He looked at Allen, his gaze deep.
"Portgas D. Allen," Allen introduced himself again. "Ace and Luffy's older cousin."
Surprise flashed in Shanks's eyes, followed by understanding. "I see. No wonder you have that presence." He looked at Mihawk. "Well? The young people these days are something, aren't they?"
Mihawk nodded. "The tide of the age is about to rise. These young people will ride its waves."
The two exchanged a smile, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
Shanks suddenly turned serious. "Allen, could we speak alone?"
Allen hesitated briefly, then nodded.
They went to a quiet bar. Shanks ordered two drinks and got straight to the point. "Do you know what that straw hat means?"
Allen answered cautiously, "I only know it's connected to Roger."
"More than that." Shanks lowered his voice. "It's a key. A key to Laugh Tale, and also to... a much older secret."
He stared into Allen's eyes. "I can feel a similar presence in you. Older, and more... dangerous."
Allen was shaken. Red-Hair's intuition was far too sharp!
Shanks continued, "A new era is coming, but the darkness before dawn is the most dangerous. The World Government has already begun moving. They're searching for something... or rather, they're afraid of something."
He took a sip of his drink. "Be careful of CP0. They've been unusually active in the East Blue lately. They seem to be searching for clues about the Ancient Weapons."
Allen asked tentatively, "How much do you know about the Ancient Weapons?"
Shanks gave a mysterious smile. "Enough to know that's not a power to meddle with lightly. But for someone who's been chosen..." He gave Allen a meaningful look. "Perhaps that's another matter."
As they talked, the bar door was pushed open, and a figure stumbled in. "Shanks! I heard you were here... huh?"
The newcomer froze upon seeing Allen. Allen froze too.
She was a young woman of about twenty, with long, dark hair and sharp eyes. What shocked Allen most was her appearance-she bore a seventy-percent resemblance to the Portgas D. Rouge in his memories!
The woman looked at Allen, her eyes filled with disbelief. "This presence... impossible..."
Shanks introduced them. "Makino, this is Allen. Allen, this is Makino, the bar owner and a friend of mine."
Makino? Allen remembered. She was the owner of the bar in Foosha Village, someone who had once looked after Luffy. But why was she...
Makino hurried over to Allen, her voice trembling. "You... is your surname Portgas?"
Allen nodded. "Portgas D. Allen."
Makino's eyes instantly reddened. "Aunt Rouge's... child?"
Allen was shocked. "You knew Rouge?"
"She's my aunt!" Makino said excitedly. "My father is Aunt Rouge's younger brother! That means we're cousins!"
Another member of the Portgas family?! Allen was utterly stunned. The original story had never mentioned any connection between Makino and the Portgas family!
Shanks looked surprised too. "Wait, Makino, you never said..."
Makino wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "It's a family secret. After Aunt married Roger, my father hid his identity and came to the East Blue to protect us... I thought I was the only one left in the Portgas family..."
She gripped Allen's hand tightly. "Tell me, Aunt..."
Allen fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "Aunt Rouge died in childbirth while protecting Ace."
Tears streamed down Makino's face. "So it was true... Father said Aunt had the gentlest and strongest heart in the world..."
Shanks patted Makino's shoulder to comfort her, then said to Allen, "It seems fate bringing you together wasn't a coincidence."
Just then, the bar door was pushed open again, and a Marine soldier rushed in in a panic. "Mr. Shanks! Terrible news! A large number of Marine warships have appeared at the harbor! Leading them is... Admiral Akainu!"
Akainu?! He had actually come in person!
Shanks's expression sharpened. "Looks like we'll have to end our conversation early." He looked at Allen. "Take the children out the back door. Makino knows a safe route."
Makino nodded. "Follow me!"
Allen hurriedly asked, "What about you?"
Shanks grinned, releasing a faint trace of Conqueror's Haki. "We have our ways. Remember, Allen, with greater power comes greater responsibility. Don't let power blind you."
After leaving the bar, Makino took Allen to quickly regroup with the others, then led them out of town through a hidden tunnel.
The tunnel opened onto a secluded bay, where a medium-sized sailboat was moored. Makino said, "This is the boat my father left behind. Hurry and go. Akainu's targets must be you."
Before they parted, Makino pressed an Eternal Pose into Allen's hand. "It points to Amazon Lily. There are old friends of the Portgas family there. Perhaps they can help."
She hugged Allen tightly once more. "Take care, little cousin. The Portgas bloodline can't afford to lose anyone else."
The sailboat sailed away from Loguetown. From the deck, they could still see thick smoke rising from the harbor and hear faint sounds of battle.
Ace asked worriedly, "Shanks and the others will be all right, won't they?"
Allen gazed into the distance. "He's one of the Four Emperors. He knows what he's doing. Right now, we need to worry about ourselves."
He took out the Eternal Pose Makino had given him. Amazon Lily... There was another Ark Core there, along with old friends of the Portgas family.
More importantly, according to the Ark Core's information, Amazon Lily seemed to conceal another secret concerning the Ancient Weapons.
Their new destination was set.
Allen looked at his three younger brothers and gave a resolute smile. "Next, we're going to the Land of Women. Be prepared. The women there... aren't easy to deal with."
The sailboat headed into the distance, and Loguetown's smoke gradually disappeared from view.
But Allen knew this pursuit was far from over. Akainu's appearance meant the World Government had raised their capture to its highest priority.
The road ahead would surely be even more perilous.