Chapter 48: Practice in Advance
Brook was bursting with joy. He wanted to run, sing, and play the violin all at once—letting every street and alley in the kingdom hear the sound of his newfound freedom.
But just as he took off—
Crack!
"My bones!"
Brook yelped in pain, clutching his ribs and staggering to the wall for support, moving with great difficulty. Still, despite the agony, he didn't regret a thing. Roy's fury had passed, and the outcome couldn't have been better.
If Brook hadn't been sent flying by Roy's sword and left half broken, he might have gone back just to thank him.
After all, he'd spent years wondering how to resign from the royal guard without being rejected by the king.
Roy had given him the perfect excuse.
"Arigato," Brook whispered weakly.
...
Meanwhile, Roy's irritation had completely faded.
He would never allow another man to see Toki's body. If anyone was going to look, it would only ever be him.
Brook had gotten what he deserved—a single sword strike to cool Roy's temper—and that was that.
Still, Roy wasn't about to forget it anytime soon. In fact, whenever he met Brook again in the future—or any of his crewmates—he planned to show them Brook's embarrassing "dark history."
He was serious about both killing and humiliating his enemies. Even when his anger was gone, his bad taste always lingered.
He even planned to revisit the timeline later, during the era of the Straw Hat Pirates, just to show Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Chopper, Robin, Nami, and the others Brook's unforgettable moment.
Maybe he'd even hand out copies.
With a crew like that, laughter would never end aboard the ship.
"Let's go," Roy said with a grin, holding Amatsuki Toki's hand. "Let's enjoy the scenery of the Flower Kingdom, then head to Ohara. It's time to leave the West Sea."
Toki smiled gently and rubbed his small hand between hers like an affectionate sister. "So, where is this hometown you're trying to find?"
"Hmm…"
Roy's expression dimmed. This time, it wasn't an act.
Whenever he had free time, he searched through documents, comparing ancient and modern place names. The historical Poneglyphs contained ancient text, but they were written in the language of that Great Kingdom—one Roy couldn't read.
He had lived in another kingdom during that same ancient era and could understand a different old tongue. So, he kept cross-referencing maps and records, hoping to find the island where the old man who raised him once lived.
But the world had changed drastically over the centuries. When their ship reached the supposed location, there was nothing left—no island, no ruins, just endless sea.
He had searched the area several times and even questioned locals across the West Sea. No one had ever heard of such a place.
"It's gone," Roy said quietly. "Maybe it sank beneath the waves."
"I see…" Toki murmured, frowning slightly. How long must an island exist before it's swallowed by the sea?
She was lucky—when she'd come to this era, her own homeland had still been intact.
"But didn't you once say," she whispered, "wherever I am, there's home?"
Toki smiled softly, pulling Roy into a warm embrace. "Sister will always be your family."
Roy nodded against her chest. "When I grow up, I'll marry you, Sister, and we'll start our own family."
Toki blinked in surprise. "Won't you mind me being old by then?"
"I don't mind!" he said without hesitation.
"Liar," she said with a helpless laugh. "When that time comes, you won't like me anymore."
Toki sighed softly. Forget it. I'll leave that problem to the future. She gently patted his head and smiled. Let him be.
[Intimacy with Amatsuki Toki +8!]
Roy's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait—does that mean the affection's starting to skyrocket?"
The intimacy notifications kept ringing.
[Intimacy with Amatsuki Toki +5!]
"It's still going up?! Come on!"
Roy glanced at her with surprise and excitement. The intimacy score had reached 230—just 30 points away from 260.
[Intimacy with Amatsuki Toki +3!]
Another increase!
He quickly used the chance to strengthen his Appearance Card, trying to steady his racing heart.
[Superb Appearance (Purple) 90%]
Just as he finished upgrading the card, the familiar sound returned—
[Intimacy with Amatsuki Toki +1!]
His heart nearly leaped from his chest.
Their bond had grown steadily over the months—through laughter, danger, and countless days spent side by side. The connection between them now felt real, not just part of the system.
Roy boldly guessed that 260 might be the line between friendship and love. Below that, they were close companions—but once it crossed over… they would be lovers.
Come on! Just a little more!
When I'm older, I'll make her mine!
...
West Sea, 122nd Marine Branch.
Inside the office, a Vice Admiral held a Den Den Mushi in his hand, speaking into the receiver.
"I understand. I'll depart immediately and keep an eye on him," the Vice Admiral said firmly.
"Good. I'll send a team over right away," came the reply from Marine Headquarters. "I didn't expect him to head for the West Sea."
"Any updates?"
"Yes. Not long ago, the giant swordsman Redding destroyed a Mafia base to avenge Harold Roy. And just recently, a royal guard captain from the Kingdom of Annecy tried to harass the girl with him—but the boy threatened to have Elbaf annihilate the entire kingdom."
"What!?"
The voice on the other end exploded in alarm. "Has that child gone rogue already?!"
"No, wait—listen first!" the Vice Admiral said hurriedly.
"Baka! Say it all at once! You scared me half to death!" the other voice shouted, as the Den Den Mushi mimicked him wiping sweat from its brow.
"It's fine," the Vice Admiral continued, suppressing a laugh. "Turns out Roy was only bluffing. He was teasing the guard captain—Brook, I think his name was. Then he left peacefully, saying he wanted to give him a 'gift.'"
There was silence for a moment, then laughter on the other side.
"That sounds like him… Still kindhearted, just mischievous. A good kid with a bad sense of humor."
"Exactly," the Vice Admiral said with a chuckle. "He's not dangerous—just unpredictable."
Both officers relaxed a little. As long as Roy's spirit remained good, there was still hope of guiding him properly in the future.
But where was he now?
At that moment, Roy was asleep—peacefully nestled in Toki's arms.
To him, being a sailor wasn't about fighting or treasure. It was about traveling with girls, enjoying peace, and building a warm little family at sea.
...
One day later.
At dawn, a golden sun rose over the horizon. The giant pirate ship—dragged by three massive serpents—glided gracefully toward the shore of the Flower Kingdom.
Roy stood at the bow beside Toki, holding her hand as the sea breeze brushed their faces.
He felt lighter than ever, happiness swelling inside him.
The intimacy score was nearing 260 now, and Toki no longer mentioned their age difference. She let him hold her hand without resistance.
She claimed it was nothing more than a gesture between a foster sister and brother—
But to Roy, this was clearly… a rehearsal.
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