"It's been a whole year since I left home. Let me sort it out. You are now known as the world's number one swordsman, with a bounty of 3.276 billion berries, right?"
"Yeah."
"The so-called Emperor of the Sea seems to be very, very powerful. The entire Marine Headquarters plus the Seven Warlords of the Sea are only able to barely maintain a balance with you?"
"Yeah."
"In addition to Kuina and Robin, there is a new beautiful girl named Bonnie on your ship?"
"Well... huh? Nami was talking nonsense to you on the phone, that girl is still a child! Mom, you are talking so much, what do you want to express?"
"What do you think!"
At the dining table, Bellmère twisted Shano's ear hard and said angrily:
"You are already nineteen years old, that is, the twentieth year, and twenty-one in lunar age. Now you have a successful career and are surrounded by beautiful companions of the right age, but you are still alone. What do you think I want to express?"
Shano's eyes twitched.
So you rushed back to Kokoyasi from Shimotsuki Village overnight specifically to urge marriage!
There's no such thing as a virtual age in Kokoyasi Village. Did you spend too much time at Isshin Dojo and pick up the bad habits of Wano Country?
He hated virtual age the most!
"Why are you so eager to become a grandmother when you're not even forty?"
Shano grabbed the honey-grilled spareribs in front of him and took a big bite.
"Hmm, delicious... By the way, did you come back on your own this time, or did Koshiro send someone to bring you back?"
The best way to coax your mother is to let her words go in one ear and out the other while changing the subject.
Sure enough.
Bell-mère's attention immediately shifted. He exhaled a puff of smoke and sighed,
"I sailed back on my own. A child at the dojo is seriously ill, and I've been helping take care of him for days. Now that I'm gone, Koshiro's job is naturally up to him; he's tied up."
"Otherwise, he'd love to come along and see you. Besides, he asked me to tell you that those two brats, Sanji and Zoro, officially set sail at the beginning of the year."
"Really?"
Shano was a little surprised.
If I remember correctly, they're only sixteen, right?
Ace and Luffy were seventeen when they set sail, and these two even went even earlier.
It seems Kuina's fame with him over the past year or so has really galvanized the brats.
I wonder if they'll work together or go their separate ways, competing separately.
If Zoro had been sailing on his own...
well, maybe he'd get lost and drift straight to Raftel.
"I'm looking forward to seeing them in the New World in the future."
Shano laughed heartily, picked up the corn soup in front of him and drank it all in one gulp, then rubbed his round belly with satisfaction. "It's delicious, a taste I haven't felt in a long time."
"Don't give me that,"
Bellmère said unhappily, flicking off the ash from his cigarette. "With that old man Zeff following you, do you still need this bite of food?"
"It's so sour."
Shano curled his lips. "How can it be the same? No matter how great a celebrity chef is, he can't compare to the taste of home."
"Really?"
Bellmère snorted, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
Just assume that what this little guy said is sincere.
She put out the cigarette, stood up and cleaned up the dishes:
"Okay, stop flattering me, go take a shower and change your clothes. You were so drunk last night and went to bed directly. You stink. What a shame."
"There's no rush for that, let's talk about business first."
Shano helped clean up the dishes: "I guess Nami informed you on the phone as soon as I left the house. After so many days, what have you thought about it? Do you want to go to the new world with me?"
"Huh?"
Bellmère paused, looked up at Shano in surprise: "I thought Nami was teasing me, are you serious?"
"Of course."
Shano picked up the dishes, and when he passed by Bellmère, he turned his head and laughed, "I'm over there now, but I already have two territories, and there will be more in the future. You can live wherever you want."
"If you get bored and miss the three of us, come to my boat and stay wherever you want. I didn't take you with me before, and forced you to leave your homeland, because I was afraid of getting you into trouble."
He blinked. "Things are different now. No one in this world can hurt my dear mother anymore."
"You're so arrogant!"
Bellemeier kicked him angrily. "Stop washing the dishes and brush your teeth first!"
Shano put his right hand to his mouth, blew on it, and smelled it... It really stank of alcohol.
"Oh."
The Sea Emperor immediately put down his bowl, took out his toothbrush, and squeezed toothpaste.
"Oh, leaving the East China Sea and seeing the world outside?"
Bellemere was lying on the windowsill, holding her chin with one hand, looking at the lush orange trees in the yard, and smiled slightly:
"Over the years, my biggest wish has been to watch you, Nami, and Nokiko grow up safely, and then save a lot of money. Now that you are all living well and have saved enough money, I think I can really settle down and pursue my dreams."
"Pursue dreams? I support you with all my heart!"
Shano gurgled and spit out a mouthful of white foam, and turned back happily, "So, you agreed?"
"Well, the luggage was brought back from Shimotsuki Village and hasn't been unpacked yet, so there is no need to pack it."
Bellemere is a frank and cheerful person. Since she has made a decision, she will not hide it. She giggled and said,
"After you finish washing the dishes, we can set off directly!"
She sat back at the dining table, took out a pen and paper, and began to write something.
After brushing his teeth, Shano returned to the table to clear the dishes. Noticing this, he casually asked,
"What are you writing?"
"Dream travel list!"
Bell-mère snapped his fingers. "The Ten Thousand Kingdoms of Totland, the Giant Kingdom of Elbaf, Dressrosa, the Kingdom of Love and Passion and Fairies... These are all places I've wanted to visit for a long time. I can visit them one by one later. Hmm... But the place I want to go most has to be this... I can't seem to get there on my own. It seems I need your help to make it happen."
"Where?"
Shano came closer and looked down. It couldn't be Marinford, could it?
That place was indeed special.
Bellmère had been a sailor, and Marinford might be the holy land she had always dreamed of. However, she was not qualified in terms of qualifications, strength, and military achievements, so as an ordinary marine, she was not eligible to enter.
If it were him who came forward, Zhan Guo would probably be quite respectful.
For example, urgently recalling the three admirals, gathering 50,000 elite soldiers, etc.
"Huh?" Shano was stunned when he saw the line that Bellmère's pen was pointing to. "Red Earth Continent?"
"Yes!"
Bellmère raised his head excitedly, his eyes flashing with anticipation. "I heard that standing on the top of the Red Earth Continent, you can see the scenery of the whole world, the four seas, the doldrums... everything is in sight. I once went to Rogue Town with my superiors for an exchange in my early years. After seeing the towering Red Earth Continent in the distance, I couldn't forget it. I have always wanted to climb up and take a look!"
That's it?
Shano scratched his head, feeling a bit amused and helpless. "Bell-mère, your dream is too naive, isn't it? It's just the Red Earth Continent. I can take you there right now."
"Really?"
Bell-mère's eyes lit up, but then a hint of worry
returned. "That's territory directly controlled by the World Government. With your current status, isn't it..." "Don't worry, the Red Earth Continent is huge. Aside from that haunted place called the Holy Land of Mary Joa, which is a bit risky, I can still go to and leave the rest
of the country whenever I want." He'd just find a spot near Upside Down Mountain, closest to Cocoa West Village. It wouldn't take long to make the trip.
"Let's go, Bell-mère, let's go!"
"What's the rush? I haven't finished my list yet. Go, go, wash the dishes first."
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot..."
...
That morning.
After a brief farewell to Uncle Ajian, Manba, and the others, Shano left Cocoa West Village with Bell-mère.
The two sped off on their hoverbikes, heading straight for Upside Down Mountain.
"That's great."
Ajian stood at the dock, looking at their backs with envy.
Bellemere is really lucky, it would be great if he could have such a promising son.
What was he thinking about... He scratched his head, and felt something was wrong. He took off his patrol hat and was stunned.
Eh?
Where is my little windmill?
...
"We're almost there, Bellemere, do you see it!"
Two days and two nights later, with the sound of the hoverbike's engine, the outline of the red earth continent gradually became clear in the field of vision.
The towering mountain walls stretch for thousands of miles, as far as the eye can see, like the backbone of the world, reaching straight into the sky.
Bellemere stuck his head out from the back seat of the motorcycle, looked up, his pupils dilated slightly, and his breathing slowed down unconsciously.
"It's... spectacular."
She murmured softly, a hint of trance in her voice.
"Go up and see it, it's even more spectacular."
Shano, perched on a rock, unbend his motorcycle, and after tucking it into his capsule, held out his hand, palm facing upward. "Come on, hold on to me."
Bell-mère hesitated for a moment, then tightened his fingers slightly and grasped his hand. "Just... just fly up like this?"
"Almost there,"
Shano laughed heartily, stomping his foot suddenly—
"Takeoff!"
A wave of air erupted beneath his feet, and the two of them instantly soared into the sky like an arrow from a bow.
"Wow!!!"
Bell-mère was so frightened that tears and snot flowed. She instinctively clenched her adopted son's arm. The wind whistled in her ears, and the weightlessness made her heart pound...
But soon,
the scene before her captivated her.
It was dusk, and clouds passed by them. Sunlight penetrated the mist, tinting the rocky walls of the red earth continent a crimson gold.
The islands and ocean below were rapidly shrinking, becoming fragments of green, embedded in the boundless blue.
"This..."
Belle-mère's breath hitched slightly, staring blankly at the unprecedented scenery.
Shano began to slow down, carrying her steadily to the top of the Red Earth Continent.
Whoosh...
The wind rushed in from all directions, ruffling her hair. Belle-mère stood stunned at the edge, a thousand-foot cliff at her feet, the vast expanse of the Grand Route before her.
Where the sea and sky met, it felt like the end of the world.
She was silent for a long, long time, then wiped her eyes, smiled, turned her head, looked at the vigorous young man before her, and whispered,
"That's wonderful, Shano."
She had once had a difficult life. She lost her parents at a young age and nearly starved to death in her own home.
The kind people in the village cared about her and raised her, but her temper often infuriated her, and they called her a naughty fool.
"Bellemère! You stole all the coconuts at the village entrance again, didn't you?"
"Hey, Bellemère! You bastard! I spent the whole day fishing in the barrel, and you let them all go!"
"Huh? Bellemère! You said you were going to the navy, but how could that be possible? Hahahaha, the navy is a very strict place, how could they accept a mischievous brat like you!"
The scolding was always laced with helpless laughter. The adults shook their heads and stuffed freshly baked bread into her hands.
She had thought she would live like this forever, stumbling up and growing old in confusion.
Until she actually became a navy, truly fought for justice in her heart, and adopted those two poor little girls and the black-haired brat on that desperate battlefield in the torrential rain.
Suddenly, someone needed her to be a "reliable adult."
She frantically began to learn how to cook mushy porridge, clumsily mend torn socks, and worked herself to the bone in the orange orchard...
all to feed three hungry little fools who, in turn, had given her life.
And now,
more than a decade had passed...
The little kid who once needed her careful care had grown into a man the whole world looked up to, and today, he was standing at the top of the world with her.
"That's wonderful, Shano,"
Bellemeier muttered, gazing at the sunset in the distance.
Shano smiled, but said nothing.
He simply stood beside her, handed her two red bean buns, and then devoured them himself, quietly watching the sea with her.
After an unknown amount of time,
Shano finally spoke:
"Let's watch a little longer. Once the sun sets, we'll set off again."
"Okay."
Actually, Shano hadn't wanted to waste any more time on the journey.
So, on his way here, he'd let the bear activate its power to fling him over, and on his return to the New World, he planned to teleport directly back using the Teleportation Scepter.
Two thousand points per person, four thousand for two, wasn't cheap, but it would save him at least two weeks of travel, something Shano could afford now.
But now, he'd changed his mind. He
'd just ride along the edge of the Calm Belt back to the New World.
As boys grow older, isn't it natural for them to spend more time with their mothers?
...
The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long, golden-red streak across the ocean. Shano and Bellmère sat on the top of the Red Earth Continent, watching the last rays of sunlight sink below the horizon.
"Time to go."
Shano stretched and turned to look at his mother. "The journey ahead might be a bit thrilling. Are you ready?"
Bell-mère slurred, stuffed the last bite of his red bean bun into his mouth, and dusted the crumbs off his hands.
"Don't look down on me, little brat! I want excitement! Back when I took you three kids boating in a storm, you were so scared you clung to my waist!"
"Who remembers that?"
Shano laughed heartily, pulling the hoverbike from the capsule and snapping his fingers.
"Hold on tight."
Shano mounted the bike, and Bell-mère swiftly jumped onto the back.
The engine roared, and the bike took off, sprinting off the cliff and hurtling down the Red Earth Continent's rock face.
Bell-mère's scream echoed with the sound—
"Ahhhhh, little brat, this can't go on!"
...
An hour later.
The hoverbike was gliding steadily through the doldrums, and Bell-mère's cheeks puffed out, crossing his arms in anger.
Ahead of her, Shano rode his motorcycle with a look of grievance. His ears were red from being pulled, and the three large bumps on his head were still swollen and emitting a shimmering smoke.
Women, what double-faced creatures!
Even my mother was the same.
Along the way, from time to time, terrifyingly large sea kings would appear from either side, noticing the speeding motorcycle and charging towards it with menacing force.
But as soon as they got close, they suddenly stiffened, and the next moment, as if frightened, they turned and fled in panic.
"These big guys are quite understanding."
Bell-mère raised an eyebrow. "Could they have read the newspaper and know about your status as the Emperor of the Sea?"
"It's the Conqueror's Haki..."
Shano sighed. "By the way, Mom, you have it too, right?"
"Me? How could that be possible!"
"
Then how could you hit me so hard? Even the Admirals and the Seven Warlords of the Sea would hardly be able to do that, you know\... huh?"
Shano's motorcycle screeched to a halt. He looked up in surprise, looking ahead. "
Speak of the Seven Warlords, are they here already?
" "What's wrong?" Bell-mère curiously poked his head out, following Shano's gaze.
At the end of his sight, a large, uniquely shaped pirate ship was slowly moving along.
Two giant snakes pulled the ship at its prow. Its red and black hull was accented by vermilion sails, emblazoned with the Nine-Skull Snake symbol.
The buildings above and the figures standing by the railings exuded a strong Amazonian rainforest atmosphere.
"They're all girls?"
Bellemere noticed the biggest difference at first sight, and said with some surprise, "There are hundreds of people on the deck, but it seems there isn't a single man?"
She was very surprised, and the female warriors on the ship were also surprised at this moment.
"Look, there's a man!"
"Where? Really, and he's super handsome!"
"What is he riding? It looks a bit like a white horse, it looks so strange..."
Amid the chattering, a cold and arrogant voice suddenly sounded from behind:
"Why did you stop suddenly? What are you arguing about?"
"Your Majesty!"
The female warriors immediately stopped their actions and respectfully made way.
A tall figure appeared on the deck.
Her long black hair fell like a waterfall, and her beautiful face was filled with innate arrogance. She wore a close-fitting red robe, and her slender legs were wearing high heels. She came to the railing, looking down at them with a cold and condescending look.