"This is the legendary island… Zunesha. Zou!"
Staring at the massive elephant before him, Roldy's expression turned complicated.
It was well known that Mink and Giant blood flowed within his veins. And the homeland of the Mink Tribe—
Was Zou.
"My father's homeland… and the homeland I've never seen."
Perhaps even Roldy himself hadn't realized how long it had been since he last showed such an expression.
As he continued to grow stronger, he gradually reclaimed his beast-like instincts. But in doing so, he had also forgotten many things.
Yet when the word home surfaced in his mind, countless familiar faces he once cared about resurfaced with it.
"Big Brother? Are you… alright?"
Sheen sensed something off about Roldy's mood and carefully stepped forward to ask.
"I'm fine. Just remembering the past."
The past would eventually fade like drifting smoke. Worth remembering—but not now.
Roldy lifted his head toward Zunesha, towering into the clouds. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"A place this legendary? There's no way Roger's crew would miss it. According to the intelligence we gathered, there's a high chance those bastards are already on Zunesha's back."
His deduction was absolutely correct.
The Roger Pirates were indeed on Zou at this very moment.
However, unlike Roldy, they did not possess his outrageous means of ascent. The question of how to climb Zunesha had been a serious challenge for them.
"Sheen! In a moment, you—"
After giving Sheen brief instructions, Roldy shot into the sky.
The Giant blood within him surged violently, and his body expanded to over ten meters tall.
Meanwhile, Sheen dove into the sea.
On the vast ocean, Fish-Men were the true kings.
"Fish-Man Karate Secret Art!"
The sea currents gathered wildly in Sheen's hands.
"Ocean Current Over-the-Shoulder Throw… Water Dragon!"
The ocean current was given life. Thousands of tons of seawater surged skyward, forming a vivid water dragon that lifted the pirate ship's hull and propelled it toward Zunesha's back—over 30,000 meters above sea level.
The force was astonishing. The torrent alone carried the ship several thousand meters into the sky.
This was Sheen's absolute limit. Achieving this without destroying his own body was already an incredible feat.
But it still wasn't enough.
After completing this move, Sheen swam upward within the water dragon like a streaking sea serpent. Once he landed steadily on the deck, he shouted into the sky—
"Big Brother!"
Roldy moved.
And what he did next could only be described as insane.
He flew beneath the ship and braced it against his broad shoulders.
With his innate monstrous strength amplified sixty-sixfold by the Mo-Mo no Mi, even a mountain resting on his shoulders would not have stopped him.
Carrying the entire pirate ship on his shoulders, relying solely on his overwhelming physical power, he stepped through the air using Geppo (Six Powers) and launched himself toward the sky—toward 35,000 meters above sea level.
He paid no mind to the terrified screams of the pirates aboard.
The mad ascent continued for what felt like an eternity—
Until land entered Roldy's field of vision.
How could one describe this wondrous place?
Endless green stretched before his eyes—lush and vibrant like a primeval forest. Even the air felt sweet.
For a moment, Roldy was entranced.
Without realizing it, he accelerated slightly.
Reaching the harbor, he gently set the ship down and stepped onto the land of Zou for the very first time.
He tested the ground cautiously. When his feet truly touched the soil, he felt a strange warmth from the land beneath him—
As if it were welcoming a child home.
"What a beautiful place…"
Sheen, who had lived his entire life in the ocean, had never seen such magnificent natural scenery. He stood beside Roldy, marveling in awe.
The pirates aboard staggered down, dizzy from the ascent.
But once their vision cleared, they too were struck speechless by the breathtaking landscape.
"Yes… it's beautiful."
Roldy's gaze shifted toward the distant shore.
"But some things stain this beauty."
There, docked nearby, was a ship of unmistakable shape.
The Oro Jackson.
"...Tch."
Roldy's irritation was evident.
"Let's go, Sheen. This time, we'll kill every last one of those bastards."
Without hesitation, Roldy removed the beads from his wrist and hurled them toward the Roger Pirates' ship.
Under the sixty-sixfold amplification of the Mo-Mo no Mi, the string of beads expanded midair like falling meteors.
Even though the Oro Jackson was built from the legendary Adam Wood, it could not withstand such impact.
The ship trembled violently.
Thirty percent of the hull suffered severe structural damage, and many other sections were affected. It was clear—
The ship could no longer continue its voyage.
Roldy had cut off their retreat.
He would bury his enemies in his homeland.
His crew marched deeper into Zou in force.
Meanwhile, the Roger Pirates remained completely unaware.
They stood inside a massive ancient tree shaped like a whale.
Before them rested a red stone slab carved with mysterious characters—
A Road Poneglyph.
It was said that by gathering all four, one could reach the final island—
Laugh Tale.
The Roger Pirates were overflowing with excitement.
The stone before them was the final one.
They already possessed the other three.
And now—
They had Kozuki Oden, who could read the Poneglyphs.
It was as if the mist concealing the final island was slowly beginning to part.
"We're finally going to reach that place."
Roger's eyes shone with hope.
But in the next moment, he began coughing violently.
When he pulled the handkerchief away from his mouth, faint red stains could be seen upon it.
"I can't wait for that day."
His time was short.
Yet he felt no fear.
Compared to his own life—
He cared far more about the final voyage.
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