As the sun set in the west and the moon rose above the treetops, the residents of Twin Swallow Island gradually returned home, winding down after a long day.
"Yo, Weiss, you're back!"
"Good evening, Uncle Ang. How was your fishing trip today?" Weiss replied as he walked through the town's main street, returning greetings from familiar faces.
"Hey, Little Weiss! I've got a big fish here—just caught it today. Take it home for dinner!" Without waiting for a response, Uncle Ang tossed over a massive fish.
Weiss glanced at the hefty, two-meter-long fish and didn't hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, his sword flashed out, pierced through the fish's mouth, and slid through half its body. He hoisted it easily onto his shoulder.
"Thanks, Uncle Ang. I was just wondering what to eat tonight."
Uncle Ang laughed heartily. "No need to thank me. If it weren't for you, who knows how many times this island would've been raided by pirates."
As Weiss walked off with the fish, Ang began packing up his stall. Truthfully, he'd been waiting just for Weiss to return before closing shop.
No one on the island was clueless—they all knew the reason Twin Swallow Island had remained untouched by pirates for so many years was entirely thanks to Weiss. At one point, the townspeople tried to offer him money as compensation, but he refused.
...
...
So now, whenever there was something tasty, someone would always save a portion for him.
Following the main street, the scent of salty sea clung to the fish as Weiss made his way home—a modest two-story house nestled on the back hillside.
It had originally been just a small hut, but while Weiss had been away training, the villagers quietly built the house. Everyone in town contributed—some with money, others with labor. In just one day, they completed the home.
When Weiss returned and saw the building, he was stunned, convinced at first that he'd come to the wrong place. Only after hearing the truth did he accept it, though not before slaying a Sea King to host a grand feast in celebration.
The house had two floors: the first with the kitchen and living room, and the second reserved for sleeping.
Weiss opened the door, raising an eyebrow as he glanced briefly toward the upper floor. The kitchen was a mess. He tossed the fish aside without care, grabbed a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, poured himself a glass, and collapsed onto the sofa.
All his years of effort were for this—peace, stability, and safety. As things stood, aside from the occasional visit from Garp, Dragon, or that unpredictable swordsman Koushirou—Weiss was the strongest man in the entire East Blue.
...
"The strongest in the East Blue? Not like that means much."
Meanwhile, upstairs, a young man named Kadun was secretly peeking through the crack in the door, watching Weiss on the couch.
After struggling to swim ashore, Kadun avoided the port for fear of encountering the famed swordsman. He tried landing elsewhere—only to find the entire island surrounded by sheer cliffs. In the end, his fear of the swordsman was no match for his fear of plummeting down a hundred-meter cliff.
He chose a spot and climbed. It took him all afternoon, and by sunset, he finally reached the top. He found a house far from the town, gorged himself on food and drink, only for the homeowner to return unexpectedly.
Now he was torn—should he kill the man in front of him?
He'd never killed anyone before. But he no longer wanted to be a pirate. Maybe he'd joined willingly the first time, but not the second. And judging from the lavish home in the hills, this person was probably someone important in town.
If he killed him and got caught, he'd have to flee across the seas again.
He didn't want that life anymore—always on the run, never knowing if he'd see tomorrow.
While Kadun was still hesitating, he looked back at the sofa—and froze. Weiss was gone.
Just as he was about to move, he felt a blade press coldly against his neck.
"Don't move."
The voice was calm. Kadun instinctively raised both hands.
"I'm not moving! I'm not moving! Big bro, you don't move either! If you move, it's really gonna hurt!" Kadun half-knelt before Weiss, cold sweat dripping from his face.
The sword's chill and the faint scent of seawater on the blade made his heart race. Even in the summer heat, a shiver ran down his spine straight to his brain.
One wrong move from this man, and he was dead.
"Pirate?" Weiss asked, eyes cold. He didn't recognize this man.
There weren't many people on Twin Swallow Island, and Weiss had seen nearly all of them at least once or twice.
Then he remembered the broken pirate ship he'd destroyed today… Weiss's gaze sharpened, and his sword pressed harder, cutting Kadun's skin slightly. A thin line of blood stained the blade.
"Big bro! I've reformed, I swear! I'm never going back to piracy! I've never hurt anyone! I don't even have a bounty!"
"I was just a grunt!"
Feeling the pressure of the sword not letting up, Kadun gave up all hope. He plopped down on the floor and started wailing.
"Why am I so unlucky?! I boarded a ship from Loguetown, entered the Grand Line, and boom! One sword slash—entire ship gone!"
"I was the only survivor!"
"I managed to crawl back to Loguetown. Stayed one day. Just one day! Got kidnapped by pirates again!"
"And in just a week! A week! Another sword slash—another ship gone!"
"I'm cursed, I swear!"
Weiss raised an eyebrow, sensing no lies in the man's story using Observation Haki. He withdrew his sword and slid his hands into his pockets, staring up at the ceiling.
Unlucky? he thought. The whole ship was annihilated twice, and you're the only one who survived both times. You call that unlucky?
Someone this weak surviving such disasters—it could only be luck. What else? Was he trying to be some kind of low-budget Luffy?
Weiss frowned. "Quit crying. Cry again and I'll kill you."
"Really?" Kadun immediately shut up, sniffling.
Weiss watched him go from sobbing to silent like flipping a switch. If not for the snot streaming down the guy's face, he would've doubted his Haki was working right.
"Damn anime logic. Why are dramatic tears everywhere these days…"
As Weiss turned to go downstairs, Kadun hurried after him.
"Thank you for sparing me, Big Bro! You're my savior! My second father! Whatever you say, I'll do it!"
"You say east, I won't even look west! You say drink wine, I won't touch water! Whatever Big Bro says is law—"
"Then kill yourself," Weiss said flatly, turning his head.
"Uh…"
Kadun scratched his head and instinctively shut up, giving an awkward smile as he followed him downstairs.
"Clean the kitchen you wrecked. Then get out."
Weiss bent down to pick up the fish, but Kadun rushed over, snatching it away. "No way I'd let Big Bro do that himself! I got this!"
Disgusted, Weiss wiped his hand and barked, "Get out! Get out right now!"
He regretted it. He should've just killed the guy like he did every other pirate. Why had he hesitated? Why bother reading him with Haki? He should've just cut him down!
Damn it!
"Yes, Big Bro! I'll leave now! I'll never show my face again!" Kadun lit up and bolted out. He was going to get on a ship and disappear.
Actually, forget tomorrow—he'd build a boat and leave tonight. He was a navigator, after all!
As Weiss faded from view, Kadun felt freedom within reach. The sea was vast. Surely there was some peaceful corner where no crazy swordsman would press blades to throats at the drop of a hat.
But just as he was escaping, a faint shing reached his ears.
A blinding slash of white light brushed past his left arm. A high-pitched ringing filled his ears, wind blew his hair, and a lock drifted down to the ground.
Bathed in soft moonlight, the slash soared into the sky—beautiful and dazzling, yet impossibly powerful.
BOOM!
Even in the night, Kadun saw it. Clouds split apart, shattered by the force of the strike, exposing the full moon that now illuminated the quiet town below.
From within the town, as the thunderous boom echoed through the air, the residents muttered to themselves:
"Sounds like Weiss is cutting up pirates again…" Then they simply went back to their drinks.
The wind rustled through the mountain forest, sweeping away the heavy heat of summer. The sound of leaves brushing against each other echoed in the air—a reminder that he was still alive. Kadun struggled to turn his head. His eyes widened, and for a brief moment, a flash of fear passed through his heart.
"The greatsword master from earlier today... is this very person!"
Weiss looked at Kadun, who had just turned to face him, and after a moment of silence, spoke calmly:
"I think if you go back down the mountain now, you'll disturb the townsfolk. They've always treated me well. Just make do up here for the night. Tomorrow, come out to sea with me—I'll take you off this island."
"Oh, and clean the fish properly. Then tidy up the kitchen too."
With those words, Weiss rested his hand on the sword hilt, turned around, and went back inside the house.
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