The moment the Merry docked at the port of Rainbase, before the mooring ropes were even fully secured, a figure eagerly launched himself ashore.
"Meat!!! Restaurants!"
"I can smell it!!!"
Luffy's voice still echoed in everyone's ears, but his straw-hatted figure had already become a small black dot in the distance, quickly disappearing into the town.
On the deck, Nami held her forehead and let out a helpless sigh:
"Honestly... whatever, I just hope he doesn't cause too much trouble."
Zoro crossed his arms, wearing an expression that said he'd known exactly what Luffy would do. "That idiot is definitely going to stir up some trouble. We shouldn't just wait around here. Let's all find somewhere to fill our stomachs first, then figure out what to do next."
"Good idea! I'm starving too!" Usopp chimed in, rubbing his growling stomach, then turned to the silent Giyu. "Giyu! Want to come with us!!"
Giyu's gaze swept over the drought-stricken town surrounding the port without even looking at the other person, simply shaking his head. "I want to walk alone and see this city."
"Oh, alright."
Watching Giyu nimbly jump off the ship and head toward the town alone, Usopp crouched down, leaned close to Chopper's ear, and whispered, "See? This guy, always trying to act so cool."
But Chopper looked up at Giyu's tall, solitary figure, his eyes sparkling with admiration:
"So...! So cool!!"
Usopp looked like he was about to cry. He slapped Chopper's hat: "That's not the point!!! Sigh~ Let's go find something to eat too!"
...…
Giyu entered the bustling district of Rainbase.
The sunlight beat down more fiercely on the land, the air thick with dust and the scent of dryness.
On both sides of the street, vendors' cries were listless, and many of the people passing by didn't look well, their eyes lacking luster.
He raised his hand and glanced at the white bandage wrapped around his left arm.
This was Zoro's idea back on the Merry. After encountering Mr.2, he had all the crew members tie this identifying bandage on their left arms to distinguish real comrades.
Just then, a slight commotion in the crowd ahead caught his attention. Several people were gathered there, looking toward another street and discussing something they'd just heard.
"Did you hear? A man wearing an orange cowboy hat just passed out while eating in there!"
"No, I heard he might be dead? He's been lying there motionless for a long time!"
"Really? Let's go check it out!"
Giyu didn't linger long, not because he didn't intend to gather more information about the city, but because almost simultaneously, a feeling of being watched quietly crept up his spine.
Someone was following him.
He didn't turn around or change his pace, merely letting his gaze rest on an inconspicuous intersection ahead before naturally turning into it.
It was a narrow alley filled with discarded wooden crates, where sunlight was cut off by the high walls.
The footsteps behind him hesitated for a moment, then followed him in.
The person tailing Giyu was a thin man with shifty eyes, dressed in ordinary clothes. He peered around cautiously, only to discover that his target, who had been right in front of him moments before, had vanished.
"Where is he?" he muttered with his head lowered, his face full of confusion. He had clearly seen the guy turn in here just moments ago.
How could there be no trace of him? Could I be seeing things?
The next second, a cold blade gently rested on his shoulder.
Giyu, who had been followed, had already emerged from the shadows beside the stalker. Holding his blade with his single arm, his eyes were calm and unreadable. Giyu knew.
Once they set foot on this island, they could no longer let their guard down. This was the base of that organization, and no matter where they went, there would surely be their informants.
The thin man's body instantly stiffened. He didn't dare move a muscle, and cold sweat drenched his back.
"Who sent you?"
"P-please don't kill me! Spare me, swordsman!!" The man's voice trembled uncontrollably. He didn't dare turn around, speaking only to the empty air before him:
"I... I was just following orders from above!! I have an elderly mother and young children, please don't kill me!! It was Ms. All Sunday! She specifically instructed me!"
"As soon as the Straw Hat Pirates come ashore, if there's a man wearing a differently colored haori among them, I should give this to him."
As he spoke, he immediately pulled out a folded letter from his trouser pocket, trembling as he handed it backward to Giyu.
The envelope was ordinary kraft paper with no markings and no strange smell.
Giyu moved his blade away, sheathed his Nichirin Blade, and took the letter from the other man.
Without saying a word.
The man scrambled desperately toward the alley entrance, tripping over a wooden crate along the way, but he paid it no mind as he continued rushing toward the light, disappearing in a sorry state outside the alley.
Only then did Giyu lower his gaze and take out the letter inside. The handwriting was elegant and unique:
[Igaram is in Alabasta's old town. Someone will tell you where when the time comes.]
[Come alone.]
[Otherwise, you know what will happen.]
Just as he was still pondering the other party's intentions, a louder commotion came from the direction of the bustling market he had just passed through, mixed with a familiar shout.
"Oh no, oh no! I'm gonna get caught!!!"
It was Luffy.
Giyu's eyes sharpened. He instantly stored the letter, tightened his grip on the sword hilt at his waist, and flashed out of the alley like a gust of wind, looking toward the direction of the noise.
At the end of the street, their captain, who only ever thought about eating, was running desperately, twisting nimbly through the crowd.
Chasing closely behind him was a silver-haired man wearing the Marines' justice jacket, a cigar smoking in his mouth. It was their familiar opponent, Captain Smoker from Loguetown.
He actually chased us all the way here from Loguetown...
This won't do. Luffy will be caught by that guy.
That smoke ability is troublesome, but... I have to act now!
Just as Smoker's arms turned into white smoke and rushed toward Luffy, preparing to capture him with that familiar move once again.
Boom!
A wall of blazing flames suddenly erupted from the ground, separating Smoker from Luffy.
The scorching heat waves rolled and spread, and even Giyu standing in the distance could feel the hot wind against his face, the dry air feeling as if it was about to ignite.
Amid the flickering flames, a figure slowly materialized. He wore an orange cowboy hat, his bare upper body showing well-defined muscles, with a few freckles dotting his cheeks, and a bright, warm smile on his face.
He stood with his back to the raging flames and the livid-faced Smoker behind them, as if neither the Marines nor the fire wall existed.
"Long time no see, Luffy," he spoke, his voice carrying a brotherly warmth.
"Ace!!!"