For a moment.
A large central area of the dock was cleared out.
The Sunset smoothly berthed alongside the pier.
The civilians and sailors who had returned to land immediately dispersed, searching for passenger ships to take them home.
As for the remaining slaves whose homelands had been destroyed, they decided to settle down here first, as previously planned.
They would make further arrangements once they had saved up some money.
One slave, visibly more emotional than the others, clutched the railing with rough hands, his eyes reddening as he gazed toward the town.
Xiano remembered him.
His name seemed to be Pike, nearly forty years old—the oldest among the slaves Xiano had rescued.
"What's the matter?" Xiano asked, leaning against the ship's railing with a smile.
"It's the City of Gourmet!"
Pike wiped the corners of his eyes, unable to hold back his joy. "Sir! My luck is truly incredible! So this is your next stop? I worked here for over a decade!"
Oh?
Xiano was surprised. That really was quite a coincidence.
The other slave men also exclaimed excitedly:
"Eh? What a coincidence, Pike~!"
"Haha, so we're on your old turf! Guess we'll be relying on you from now on!"
"Don't worry! I used to be a porter here for years—I know plenty of old acquaintances! I'll help everyone find work in no time!" Pike laughed heartily.
"Has it been a long time since you last returned?" Xiano asked again.
"Yes, sir. A full six or seven years."
Pike sighed. "Over a decade ago, I found a child by the docks. We relied on each other and settled down here."
"Later, when he grew up and could support himself as a porter with his strength, I missed my parents and left to return to my hometown. It's been so long—I wonder how he's doing now."
"So you even get to reunite with family."
Another burly man slung an arm around Pike's neck and shook him vigorously. "I'm so envious, Pike!"
"It's all thanks to Sir Xiano! Otherwise, I'd never have made it back here."
"Of course, haha!"
After roughhousing and joking around with Pike for a while, the men thanked Xiano and the others profusely once more.
Only then did they reluctantly bid farewell.
"Hehe."
Nami leaned on the railing, watching the group's retreating figures with a grin. "Helping them start new lives... feels really good, doesn't it?"
"Yeah."
Xiano ruffled her hair and smiled. "Come on, let's go ashore too. Time to explore this island."
Like Zeff, he was deeply curious about how this City of Gourmet had regained its prosperity.
Now, it was time to find out.
...
At the northwesternmost corner of the dock, in a residential area on the outskirts of town.
Pike came to a halt, staring blankly at the house before him.
The mottled wooden walls and the faded blue-painted door frame were plain and worn, the only peculiarity being that both the ceiling and the door had been modified to stand much taller than the surrounding houses.
Now, this familiar yet unfamiliar little cabin stood silent under the sunlight, unchanged as ever.
Pike strained to tiptoe, his rough palm brushing over the crooked notches carved above the door frame.
These were the marks left from measuring that foolish kid's height years ago, scratched into the wood with a blade.
That kid had been nearly two meters tall when he was found, and by his mid-teens, he'd already reached five or six meters.
In the blink of an eye, so much time had passed. Who knew how tall he was now?
Pike's nose tingled with emotion, but then he grinned wide, pushing open the old wooden door he hadn't touched in years and throwing his arms wide with a booming laugh:
"Hey, Jack! Where are you, you brat? Your old man's back!!!"
...
Meanwhile.
At the heart of the City of Cuisine.
Here stood four observation towers, the highest points on the entire island.
Xiano led his companions up one of these towers, gazing into the distance toward another dock on the island's northern side.
"I see."
His eyes flickered with realization as he pieced together the reason for this city's revival.
Compared to the bustling southern docks, the northern one had few passenger ships moored.
Instead, it was dominated by a massive station platform.
Just then, the group heard the long blast of a steam whistle. With a deep "woo-woo," a colossal, dark-green iron beast exhaled plumes of steam as it slowly pulled into the station.
"Is that… the Sea Train?!"
Nami was stunned at first, but as someone who had read countless books on navigation, she quickly understood:
"No wonder this island has come back to life—it was chosen as a pilot city for the Sea Train."
"The Sea Train technology was still in its experimental phase five or six years ago. I never expected it to have reached here already."
Smoker squinted through the smoke of his cigar:
"For once, the World Government actually did something right. Warships patrol the rail line irregularly, keeping Pirates in check, and the steady flow of trade goods…"
"That's why this place has become the City of Cuisine again."
Xiano nodded, then shook his head slightly with a sigh. "It's just a shame the father of the Sea Train never got to see this."
The designer of the Sea Train was none other than Franky's mentor, the world's greatest shipwright, Tom.
This master craftsman, who brought prosperity to Water 7 and its neighboring cities, had even used his achievement in building the Sea Train to atone for his past sin of constructing ships for the Pirate King Roger.
Yet, because he possessed the blueprints for Pluton, he was framed by the government's intelligence chief, Spandam, who pinned the crime of attacking the judicial ship on him. In the end, Tom was taken to Enies Lobby and executed.
A true tragedy.
"Let's go. Time to head down."
Xiano said.
Now that they understood the reason behind the island's revival, there was no point lingering on the tower.
The group followed him down the stairs, preparing to split up and explore the island's attractions.
Robin wanted to visit the city's culinary museum, Zeff needed to restock ingredients, Smoker had to replenish his cigars, and Nami and Nojiko were eager to feast their way through the food district…
In short, everyone had their own agenda.
However, just as they were about to split up, a hearty laugh suddenly rang out from the street opposite.
"Hey, what's going on? Had me searching all over the place, Captain Xiano! So you're here after all!"
The speaker was a towering red-haired man nearly three meters tall, wearing a captain's hat and draped in a crimson cloak, with two serrated cutlasses hanging at his waist.
Hands in his pockets, he laughed boisterously as he strode forward with an arrogant gait reminiscent of a certain flamingo.
Behind him marched an imposing entourage of over a hundred men, each radiating a fierce and intimidating aura.
"Halt."
Kuina stepped forward, drawing Wado Ichimonji with a swift motion, blocking their path with an impassive expression. "State your business."
"Whoa there, no need to be so scary, little Kuina! We're all friends here!"
The red-haired man only grinned wider, dramatically raising his arms to show he meant no harm. With a cheerful tone, he continued:
"Alright, folks, let me introduce myself properly. I'm 'Bloodsaw' Jax! Bounty of 112 million Berries, commanding a fleet of over a thousand men. Among the rookie Captains who entered the Grand Line this year, I'm the brightest of the Supernovas!"
"Though of course, that pales in comparison to you, Captain Xiano."
He turned his gaze to Xiano. "With a bounty of one billion Berries even before setting foot in the New World, you're practically my childhood idol! When my boys told me you'd arrived on this island, I dropped everything and rushed right over!"
"Judging by your tone..."
Smoker adjusted his cigar, raising an eyebrow. "You're here to pledge allegiance to our boss?"
"Exactly, Sir Smoker!"
Jax flashed a grin, revealing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth. "I've come with nothing but absolute sincerity to join your ranks!"
"Boys!"
With a sweeping gesture, his underlings promptly hauled out over a dozen large chests, slamming them onto the ground and flipping the lids open.
—Inside were mountains of gold, silver, and treasures, glittering brilliantly under the sunlight.
"..."
Predictable. Nami stifled a bored yawn and subtly tugged at Nojiko's sleeve, trying to drag her off to explore the restaurants. But Nojiko shushed her with a finger to her lips—she wanted to stay and watch the show unfold!
"This is everything I've amassed since leaving the West Sea and entering the Grand Line!"
Unaware of their exchange, Jax thumped his chest with grand bravado.
"Just say the word, Captain Xiano, and allow me to join your crew! From this day forward, my life is yours! My fleet, my officers, every scrap of treasure I've plundered—all of it is yours to command!"
Now that's what you call sincerity!
As fellow Pirates, he refused to believe Xiano wouldn't be tempted.
As for why he'd go to such lengths to seek an alliance...
Simple.
Even a Supernova needs a powerful backer!
He was preparing to head to Sabaody Archipelago, and after coating his ship, he'd sail straight into the New World.
But in that perilous realm, he knew he couldn't survive alone.
Today, by sheer luck, he'd stumbled upon this golden opportunity—how could he let it slip away?
In the entire first half of the Grand Line, this was the mightiest leg to cling to—bar none.
Following him, he could quickly become a figure who shakes the New World, just like Kuina or Smoker.
Even if the other party were defeated and subdued by the Four Emperors after entering the New World, they would likely be immediately promoted to the level of second or third-in-command.
And he, as an old-timer on the ship, would see his status rise accordingly!
"Why is this guy grinning like an idiot?" Nami whispered to Nojiko beside her, watching the red-haired man drooling with a foolish smile.
"Probably lost in some fantasy again."
Nojiko shrugged and turned to Xiano. "Bro, what do you say?"
"Considering his attitude isn't too bad, let's just tell him to scram." Xiano shook his head slightly, not bothering to engage further. "Let's go, we've got things to do."
"Mm." Nojiko nodded, unsurprised.
She was about to step forward and shoo the man away when Agin, who had been silent until now, finally couldn't hold back. Sniffing the air, he padded over to the red-haired man and stared at the cloth bag hanging from his waist, letting out a low growl.
Huh?
What's up with this dog?
Jax was momentarily stunned by Agin's actions and instinctively took half a step back. But he quickly forced a smile and looked pleadingly at Xiano.
"Boss Xiano, your pet's quite fierce, huh…"
Before he could finish, Agin suddenly lunged, biting down on the bulging cloth bag and tearing it off with a sharp yank.
Rip—
The bag split open, and several neatly severed heads of young girls rolled onto the ground, their lifeless eyes staring blankly at the sky.
"!!!"
The crowd of locals who had gathered to watch the commotion erupted in shock.
"Wait, that's Ellie!"
"And Annie and Eve…"
"They're all girls who worked at the tavern down the mountain! How could this…?"
Xiano, who had been about to leave, paused at the sight, his expression instantly turning icy.
"Hey, bad dog! What the hell are you doing?!"
Jax flustered, bending down to pick up the heads one by one while scolding, "These are my freshly collected treasures, meant to be enjoyed, not eaten! If you're hungry, don't worry—once I join your crew, I'll feed you all the roasted meat you want every day…"
"Kuina."
Xiano's voice was emotionless.
"Yes, sir."
The calm voice of the Master Swordsman girl responded.
The moment she spoke—
Swish!
A flash of blinding white sword light cut through the air, and Jax's muttering abruptly stopped.
He stared dumbly downward at the thin red line suddenly appearing across his neck—and at Kuina, who had already sheathed her sword as if nothing had happened.
"So fast…"
Those were Jax's final thoughts.
Thud!
The notorious Pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million Berry collapsed straight into a pool of his own blood, the splatter staining the treasure chest behind him.
Kuina's figure reappeared, not even glancing at the corpse on the ground. She coolly slid Wado Ichimonji back into its sheath and quietly returned to her place behind Xiano.
"Boss!!!"
"How could this happen?!"
"We came here to pledge our loyalty, Boss Xiano! We're on your side!"
The underlings screamed in terror, instantly thrown into chaos. Some of the more loyal veterans, tears in their eyes, drew their swords, ready to avenge Jax.
How annoying.
Xiano frowned slightly and willed a fraction of his Conqueror's Haki to leak out.
Hum!
An invisible wave of pressure swept through, and like wheat being harvested, the hundreds of pirates collapsed in unison, their eyes rolling back as they fell to the ground.
The street fell silent.
"Do me a favor—return these girls'... to their families."
Xiano sighed as he looked at the severed heads of the young women on the ground, speaking to the surrounding local residents.
"Y-yes, sir!"
A few brave residents quickly stepped forward, carefully wrapping the heads in cloth, their eyes filled with grief and indignation.
"As for these pirates..."
Xiano glanced at the unconscious subordinates of Jax lying on the ground.
"You can deal with them. The Navy's warships come to this island regularly with the Sea Train, right? You can hand them over then."
"Thank you, Lord Xiano!" The residents wept with gratitude.
This Jax, relying on his formidable strength and unafraid of the patrol warships that might arrive at any moment, had run rampant on the island with his subordinates for two days, with no one daring to oppose him.
Now, he had finally received the punishment he deserved!
What was this?
Evil reaping its own retribution?
A few teenagers whispered among themselves, "Huh, so there are good people among pirates too."
"I can hear you, brats."
Xiano shot them a glance.
"Waaah!" The boys immediately burst into terrified tears, clinging to each other.
"No need to be afraid. Let me make this clear—I have never been, nor will I ever be, a pirate."
Xiano said coolly, "Speaking of which, there are still quite a few pirates lingering on this island, aren't there? You can spread the word for me. While I'm on this island, they'd better behave. If they dare to harm civilians again, they'll end up like Jax."
"Also, tell those fools not to bother trying to join me. Weaklings who can't even defeat my crew members aren't worth my time."
With those words, he left the street with his companions.
Watching their retreating figures, some couldn't help but glance at the dozen or so open treasure chests.
If all that wealth were converted into cash, it would surely be worth hundreds of millions of Berries, right?
A few greedy individuals felt tempted, but they were immediately slapped on the head by the respected elders and scolded harshly:
"Idiots! Do you have a death wish, thinking of such things?"
"Lord Xiano may seem approachable, but if you touch his spoils and anger him, his wrath is something our town can't bear!"
Oh, right!
Remembering what had just happened to Jax, those with greedy intentions broke out in a cold sweat. Under the scornful gazes of the other residents, they finally came to their senses.
"What should we do then?"
"Lord Xiano's ship is docked at the southern pier, isn't it? Let's all pitch in and help Lord Xiano carry these chests onto the deck."
"Understood!"
Soon, the residents organized themselves, carefully lifting the treasure chests and forming a long procession toward the southern pier.
...
In the ordinary wooden house at the northwest corner of the pier.
"Old man?!"
The burly young man lying on the bed suddenly sat up, the heavy wooden bed groaning under his weight.
Rubbing his eyes, he stared at the familiar figure standing in the doorway, backlit by the light. His face first showed disbelief, then erupted into wild joy.
"Is it really you, old man?!"
Jack practically leaped out of bed, his massive eight-meter-tall frame causing the floor to tremble violently.
His face was full of urgency as he rushed toward Pike in three quick strides, instinctively wanting to hug him like he did as a child—only to suddenly realize at the last moment and slam on the brakes.
—Now, his strength and weight far surpassed what they used to be. If he really crashed into Pike, he might have to say goodbye to his long-lost father all over again.
He crouched down instead, grinning foolishly as he waited for Pike to come closer before spreading his arms for a proper embrace.
"You stinky brat, you've grown so big!"
Pike laughed heartily, raising a hand to give Jack's sturdy arm a playful slap—but then he suddenly noticed.
The young man's exposed, sinewy arms were wrapped in thick bandages. A closer look at his face revealed bruises and swelling—clear signs of a recent beating.
"Who did you fight this time? Those gangsters from the east docks?"
Pike's fingers traced the bruises with a mix of anger and concern. "Those bastards… after all these years, they're getting active again? Still holding onto old grudges and picking on you?"
"Unforgivable!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He grabbed a shovel from behind the door. "Wait here, Jack. Your old man's gonna go settle this for you!"
"It wasn't them, Dad."
Jack quickly stopped him. "Uh… actually, I'm a Devil Fruit Ability User now. With the strength of an Adult Fish-Man, even if all those guys from back then—no, even if everyone on this island teamed up—they wouldn't stand a chance against me..."
"Huh?"
Pike was stunned. "A Devil Fruit? Aren't those things worth a fortune? Where did you—"
"It's a long story, Dad. Sit down, have some water, and I'll explain."
Jack guided Pike to the wooden table, pouring him a cup of hot tea before continuing:
"Where should I start… Well, about two months ago, I was hauling cargo at the docks when I spotted this weird fruit floating in from a distance. I was hungry at the time, so I just washed it and ate it..."
"Took one bite and nearly spat it out—it was disgustingly bitter."
Jack scratched his head, flashing an honest grin.
"But it still took effect. That day when I was taking a bath, I felt uncomfortable all over. I went out to the seaside for some air, and as I was walking, I tripped over a rock and fell. I thought to brace myself with my hands to avoid hitting my head, but somehow I turned into a huge mammoth..."
"So, a Zoan-type ability?" Pike was stunned.
"Yeah, I only found out later."
Jack nodded. "Anyway, later on, a Warlord of the Sea named Hanafuda came to our island to resupply. He happened to see me in my mammoth form and seemed really interested. He practically dragged me onto his ship to become his subordinate."
"A Warlord of the Sea? But that's still a Pirate, isn't it? How could you join them?"
Pike was visibly displeased.
"I had no choice, old man. Hanafuda's crew was full of useless tightwads, but he treated me well enough, so I stuck with him for a while."
Jack chuckled.
"Then why are you back now?" Pike frowned. "And who gave you those injuries?"
"These injuries?"
Jack glanced down. "Got bitten by fish. I fell into the sea and drifted for ages, almost didn't make it. Thought I was done for, but then a Sea King started chasing and biting me. Didn't kill me, though—just pushed me into shallow waters. When I woke up, I'd already drifted near this island."
Pike was dumbfounded. "You damn brat... you've got some serious luck!"
"Tell me about it!"
Jack laughed heartily. "But old man, I'm completely free now. That day, I was with Captain Hanafuda when we got into a fight with some guy name
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