Asuka Island.
"Don't the people on this island have anything else to talk about?" Mikita tapped her fingers on the table, her gaze sweeping over the villagers chatting in groups outside the window. "From the moment we entered the port until now, eight out of ten sentences have been about the 'Seven Star Sword'."
As she spoke, Mikita picked up a cherry and popped it into her mouth, mumbling vaguely: "They say it's the most beautiful legendary sword on the Grand Line, with glowing star patterns embedded on the blade. They make it sound so real... Aren't you curious?"
Ryan paused while cutting his fish, the silver fork pressing against the fishbone.
After leaving Sky Island, they had landed on the sea surface and followed the Log Pose to Asuka Island. Of course, he knew exactly what the Seven Star Sword was - that cursed holy sword that appeared in the movie.
"If you're curious, we can just go take a look," Ryan said, putting a piece of fish into his mouth. As his Adam's apple moved, a flicker of interest passed through his eyes.
A cursed holy sword - that sounded quite interesting!
"So it's not just a legend?" Mikita spat the cherry pit onto her plate, raising an eyebrow. "Where would we look? We can't just wander around the island aimlessly, can we?"
"Let's eat first." Ryan smiled without answering, simply gesturing with his chin toward Mikita's plate. "After we finish eating, just follow me."
The Seven Star Sword was in Saga's possession - that childhood friend of Zoro's who was currently serving at the Marine Dojo on the island. As long as they went there, they would naturally get to see it.
Daz Bones, BABE, and Zala exchanged glances full of confusion, but didn't ask any further questions.
After eating and drinking their fill, Ryan and his group got up and left the restaurant. They casually asked a street vendor for directions to the Marine Dojo and had no trouble finding it.
The guard at the dojo entrance was standing at attention with his hands behind his back. As the group approached and he was about to question them, Mikita had already stepped forward, planting her hands on her hips and shouting: "Look carefully! This is Lord Ryan of the Seven Warlords! Take us to see your supervisor immediately!"
"Se-Seven Warlords?!" The guard's face instantly changed color. After clearly seeing Ryan's face, he hastily straightened his back, sweat beading on his forehead.
The reputation of the newly appointed Seven Warlord had already spread across the seas. Low-level soldiers like him wouldn't dare show any disrespect. He hurriedly made a "please" gesture, his voice trembling: "P-please follow me!"
Passing through the training ground, they saw Duma standing by the wooden posts, watching the soldiers practice. Their sword movements carried an indescribable stiffness.
Hearing the commotion, Duma turned around, his military sword clinking lightly at his waist. Upon seeing the visitors, he instinctively straightened his back. But when he clearly heard the words "Seven Warlords," his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, a flicker of suppressed emotion passing through his eyes.
"So it's the Seven Warlord," Duma said in the Marine's characteristic rigid tone, not particularly warm. "Instructor Saga has gone out. I'm afraid you'll have to wait."
Ryan's gaze swept over the soldiers whose movements were becoming increasingly stiff, finally settling on Duma's tense profile. "Where did he go?"
"The instructor's whereabouts..." Duma paused, his hand unconsciously resting on his sword hilt, knuckles turning slightly white. "According to regulations, I shouldn't disclose that. If you have business, perhaps I could relay a message for you?"
"Regulations?" Mikita scoffed. "When a Seven Warlord wants to see a Marine instructor, do we still need to follow your stupid regulations?"
Duma's expression darkened but he didn't lash out, his tone hardening further: "Instructor Saga is occupied with important matters and cannot receive guests at the moment. Please leave."
"Important matters?" Ryan suddenly chuckled, his fingertips lightly tapping the sword sheath at his waist. "Wouldn't happen to involve searching for that girl named Maya, would it?"
"What do you mean by that?" Duma's pupils sharply contracted as he looked up at Ryan.
"Nothing much." Ryan took half a step forward, his shadow falling over Duma. "I just need you to lead me to Saga."
Duma's hand tightened. He knew Saga had gone to question Maya about the Treasure Jewel's whereabouts, and he vaguely sensed something was wrong with how obsessed the instructor had become with that sword lately. But the word "loyalty" burned through his doubts like a brand. He couldn't let outsiders interfere, and he certainly couldn't allow a Seven Warlord to meddle in Instructor Saga's affairs.
"I must refuse." Duma gripped his sword hilt, his voice low. "Please leave the dojo immediately, or I'll report this as 'unauthorized entry into a military facility.'"
Ryan studied Duma's tense posture and found it amusing. This reaction all but confirmed Saga's whereabouts. After giving the defiant Duma another glance, he didn't press further but turned sideways and jerked his chin toward Daz Bones and the others behind him. "Let's go."
The group turned and left the dojo. The moment they stepped through the gate, Mikita couldn't help complaining: "These Marines have no sense of propriety. Do they really think the Seven Warlords are just for show?"
Ryan sneered, glancing back at the soldiers still drilling mechanically in the dojo. "Just a bunch of puppets on strings. Why bother with them?"
"Puppets on strings? What does that mean, Captain?" Mikita blinked, catching up to him. "And how did you know about this 'Maya' girl? Who is she?"
"A secret." Ryan kept walking, well aware that those entangled with the Seven Star Sword's curse had their minds controlled. There was no point explaining further. Duma's reaction had just confirmed that Saga had indeed gone to find Maya.
Mikita pouted, full of questions but saying nothing more as she quickened her pace to keep up. "So where are we going?"
Ryan fell silent for a moment. Although Maya's village was also on Asuka Island, it was some distance from the Marine Dojo. In the original story, the Straw Hat Pirates had taken a boat around. Going on foot would take too long. He stopped and turned to Daz Bones and the other three. "You stay here."
"Huh?" Mikita raised an eyebrow. "Captain, are you going alone?"
"Yes." Ryan nodded, his gaze settling on Daz Bones. "Rest in town and stock up on supplies for the voyage. Wait for my return."
Daz Bones acknowledged with a nod. Babe and Zala remained silent, already accustomed to Ryan's ways.
"Fine, fine," Mikita rolled her eyes and muttered, "It's not like it matters anyway. The Captain can just turn into a dragon and fly over there in no time."
Before she finished speaking, pale golden Flame Clouds already swirled at Ryan's feet. The next moment, the dull cracking of expanding bones echoed like distant thunder as his body, covered in peach-colored Scales, stretched and swelled at an astonishing rate. Within seconds, he had transformed into a nearly hundred-meter-long Giant Dragon.
When the dragon raised its head, its golden Vertical Pupils were larger than wagon wheels, sweeping over the ground with innate authority.
Ryan gently swayed his Dragon Tail, and the Flame Cloud beneath his claws suddenly churned, lifting his massive Dragon Body as he began to spiral upward. The fierce wind he stirred rustled the trees along the roadside and sent gravel on the ground flying everywhere.
"Still terrifying every time I see it..." Mikita took half a step back but couldn't help tilting her head to stare at the circling Giant Dragon.
Ignoring Mikita's teasing, Ryan gradually accelerated his spiraling motion. His peach-colored Dragon Body traced smooth arcs in the air, his massive form shooting skyward like an arrow released from a bow. The Flame Cloud beneath his Dragon Claws trailed a long streak, shrinking in an instant to a red dot at the horizon before vanishing beyond the cloud line.
"Probably rushing off to meet that girl Maya," Mikita clicked her tongue, gazing in the direction Ryan had disappeared.
"Let's go, we need to buy supplies in town first," Daz Bones withdrew his gaze and raised a hand to signal the others to follow. He glanced toward the dojo training ground, where soldiers continued mechanically swinging their swords, their movements as stiff as wind-up puppets. His eyes darkened.
Just as the captain said—they're like puppets on strings.
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