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(..)
Somewhere in a sea-covered world.
[East Blue Region]
A wooden house stood quietly, its windows glowing warmly against the night.
A story was being told that day—a story that had progressed far, a tale passed down for years. It had been transformed into books, folklore, folk plays, and countless other forms of storytelling and entertainment.
And now, once again, an old man was telling his grandchildren the continuation of that story.
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"That day, our hero, Monkey D. Luffy, was asked a question by the eight-hundred-year-old giant."
A gentle voice sounded as three shilloutes came into view.
The fire crackled softly as the narrator's voice slowed, dancing shadows flickering across the wooden walls.
"A question? At that time?" a boy's voice interrupted."Wasn't he in danger? Is the giant robot going to die?"
"Grandpa! What happened next?" a girl asked impatiently, leaning forward.
An old man with sharp yet gentle features sat before the fireplace. His voice carried the weight of years as he told the tale of a boy who once set out to sea. The two children listened with unwavering focus, their eyes shining with curiosity.
"Hohoho… patience, my children," the old man chuckled."I will get to that part."
He cleared his throat and continued.
"The giant asked our hero's name," the old man said, his voice steady.
"And our hero answered—his name, and the dream he carried within his heart."
"Then what happened?!" the children asked together.
The old man's expression hardened.
"The giant robot pulled out a knot and loosened it," he said slowly.
"At that moment… a brilliant, overwhelming red Haki burst forth, covering the entire sky."
The flames flickered violently.
"Vice-Admirals collapsed under its pressure. Even our heroes felt their knees weaken. That Haki alone was enough to drive away the five villains."
"What about Brother Luffy?" the girl asked anxiously.
"Did they escape with the giant brothers?"
The old man smiled and gently patted her head.
"Worry not, little one. With the help of the Haki of legend—Joy Boy's Haki—they escaped safely.""And at last, our heroes set sail toward their next destination… Elbaf."
"Grandpa… who is Joy Boy?"
The old man stiffened.
For a brief moment, even the fire seemed to fall silent.
"I don't know," the old man replied at last.
"He is a man of legend. What became of him… is a taboo."
The boy stared into the flames, dissatisfaction written across his face.
"Boo… this story is boring," he muttered.
Just then—
*clack*
"Ah? Father, you're telling that story again?"
A woman entered the room, placing folded clothes in the corner.
"Oh! Lina, welcome home," the old man greeted the blonde woman warmly.
The girl ran up to her.
"Mother! Mother! I want to become a kind person like Brother Luffy!"
The woman lifted her gently, smiling.
"Hmm… I'm sure you will."
She set the girl down and headed toward the kitchen.
"Oh… we're out of incense herbs," she muttered, resting a hand on her chin.
Meanwhile, the boy tugged at the old man's sleeve.
"Grandpa… do you really not know anything about Joy Boy?"
The old man's face clouded with a troubled expression.
"I'm sorry, little one. This old man truly doesn't know.""Ask me about someone else."
"Waaah! No! I like Joy Boy!""I only want to know about him!"
The boy pouted deeply.
"I'm not interested in this story anymore."
"'Lin'! Come here!" his mother called.
The boy hurried over.
"Can you gather herbs before sunset?"
Without another word, the boy stood, brushed off his clothes, and left the house.
Yet the fire of curiosity about Joy Boy continued to burn within him.
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🌿 -FOREST TRANSITION- 🌲
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"Grandpa's stories are getting boring," the boy muttered as he walked along the dirt road leading toward the forest.
His village lay in the East Blue, eight hundred years after the Great War—
after the annihilation of the Celestial Nobles,
after the downfall of the great evil,
and after the world finally found ways to counter the great flooding.
The boy entered the forest.
The air within was calm and refreshing, carrying the scent of damp earth and crushed leaves. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, scattering golden patches across the ground.
Time seemed to slow.
The boy moved forward, hopping across scattered rocks, leaping over shallow streams, and carefully crossing old log bridges worn smooth by age. Birds chirped in the distance, yet the deeper he walked, the quieter the forest became.
Eventually, he reached a clearing filled with tall grass and old, cut tree trunks—signs that someone had been here before.
As he bent down to gather a bundle of herbs, he noticed movement nearby.
An old man stood there, hunched and calm, picking herbs with slow, deliberate motions. His clothes and presence felt strangely out of place… yet natural.
The boy hesitated.
The old man began to walk away.
Curiosity tugged at the boy's heart, and he followed.
The old man would stop from time to time, and the boy would hide behind tree trunks, peeking cautiously. The man never turned around, yet it felt as though he knew he was being followed.
They walked deeper into the forest until a wooden cabin appeared among the trees.
The boy crept closer and peeked through a window.
Suddenly—
The old man glanced directly at him… and smiled.
"Looking for something?"
The boy shivered as a voice sounded right behind him.
He spun around in panic.
"H-Herbs! That's right! I'm here for herbs!"
The old man chuckled softly.
"Then take some."
"Hey, old man!" the boy blurted out.
"Give me herbs quickly! I need to go home so I can ask my grandpa about Joy Boy again!"
The old man fell silent.
His white-and-black robe swayed gently as his face sank into shadow.
"Old man?" the boy asked nervously."Are you feeling unwell? You look… complicated."
Then—
"Would you like to hear what happened to Joy Boy?"
The boy froze.
Slowly, he turned. A strange sense of excitement rushed through him.
"…You know?" he shouted, eyes sparkling.
The old man entered the cabin and returned with a piece of paper. He tore it carefully and handed it to the boy.
"Old man, what's this?"
"Fufu… It's called a Vivre Card," he said softly."Follow it… and meet me here tomorrow."
The boy blinked.
"H-Hey—where did you go?!"
The cabin was gone.
So was the old man.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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Have a nice day ;)