Not long after—
A figure shot out from the castle.
It was Shiryu of the Rain.
In his right hand, he carried a cloth-wrapped bundle—inside, a mummified body.
At his waist, besides his famous sword Raiu, there was now an extra blade.
And on his shoulder—
A small girl, no older than five or six, lay unconscious.
Her soft voice mumbled weakly—
"Cloud~~~ Cloud~~~ I am Somersault Cloud~~~"
In mid-air, the anthropomorphic Somersault Cloud floated down happily, singing a little tune.
"How'd it go?"
Shiryu of the Rain grinned, biting down on his cigar.
He looked at Feathered Serpent Kur, who held Gecko Moria by the leg with one hand. Moria's massive body was limp—whether he was alive or dead was unclear.
"Yehahaha~ It took a little effort…"
Kur casually tossed Moria onto the Somersault Cloud and dusted himself off.
Licking his lips, he spoke in a dark tone—
"But we'll need to slap some Seastone cuffs on him. Otherwise, with that weird ability of his, he might just slip away the moment he wakes up."
"Eh? That kid—she's an ability user too?"
Kur's eyes landed on the unconscious little girl Shiryu was carrying.
"Don't worry," Shiryu exhaled a puff of smoke. "I came prepared. Brought a few Seastone cuffs before setting out."
He chuckled.
"If Master Wilhelm hadn't warned me in advance about those weird Devil Fruit users, I might've fallen right into this brat's trap!"
"The Paramecia-type Ghost Fruit—what a strange ability."
It allowed the user's soul to leave their body. Completely absurd.
He was lucky.
Wilhelm had drilled it into him—
Never underestimate an enemy just because they look weak.
Even the most harmless-looking foe could be dangerous.
A single moment of carelessness—one touch—could mean the end.
"Brush!"
Suddenly—
Shiryu's eyes widened in shock.
Kur seemed to sense something.
His entire body moved—
His right hand lashed out like lightning!
"AHHH—!"
A sharp scream tore through the air.
A thin, transparent figure slowly materialized.
Before he could react—
Feathered Serpent Kur's massive hand clamped tightly around his neck.
Without mercy—
BAM!
He slammed the figure into the ground.
The earth cracked, and debris scattered.
A pitiful scream rang out.
The figure—still untransformed—was Absalom, one of Gecko Moria's subordinates. He had yet to undergo his beast-related modifications.
Blood gushed from his mouth. His eyes bulged in terror.
"Huh?" Shiryu raised an eyebrow.
His gaze landed on the bloodied figure in Kur's grasp—completely invisible just moments ago.
"Yehahaha~ Snakes don't rely on sight alone to hunt their prey…"
Kur grinned wickedly.
His snake-like, eerie eyes locked onto Absalom.
The trembling man could barely breathe.
Kur sneered. "You may be invisible, but your body heat gives you away."
"Tch… Invisibility, huh?"
Shiryu kicked the battered Absalom, his cigar shifting between his lips.
"The legendary Clear-Clear Fruit… What an ability. Every man's dream, huh?"
Early Morning – Clear Skies
After four to five days of sailing—
A massive ark glided steadily across the ocean.
During the journey, Wilhelm personally used his stored electricity to keep the ark fully charged, ensuring they had enough power to reach their destination.
Finally—
They arrived in Totto Land.
Standing at the edge of the ship, Wilhelm gazed at the restless waves.
His face remained calm, unreadable.
He muttered to himself—
"Laugh Tale?"
His eyes darkened.
"What a big joke…"
A smirk crept onto Wilhelm's otherwise stern face.
"Joy Boy… Ridiculous fatalism."
Over the past few days, he had learned the truth about the final island, Laugh Tale.
Not from legends.
Not from myths.
But directly from Miyamoto Musashi, the man who inherited the memories of Kozuki Oden.
Yet Wilhelm—Charlotte Wilhelm—would never place his faith in prophecies or destiny.
He had his own ambitions. His own goals.
No fate, no god, no future revelation would ever shake him.
He would carve his own path—step by step—relying on nothing but his talent, wisdom, strength, and will.
And he would rise to the pinnacle, ascending to the ultimate throne of power.
Not as some foretold messiah.
Not as a symbol.
But as the world's strongest—a being truly above all!
Cotton Candy Rain
"Eh?!"
Pato, Yamato, and Shinobu gasped in wonder.
Above them, the sky rained soft, sugary cotton candy.
"Is this… really candy?!"
"Wow! So sweet, so soft—it's amazing!"
"Beaver hee hee~ This place is crazy!"
A dreamlike scene unfolded before them, as if they had stepped into a fairy tale.
Only Miyamoto Musashi remained unfazed.
After all, Kozuki Oden's memories had already shown him too many wonders.
This?
This was just another chapter in a long list of bizarre experiences.
Arrival at Juice Island – Totto Land
Finally, their voyage came to an end.
The massive ark docked at Juice Island, deep within the waters of Totto Land.
The moment Wilhelm stepped ashore—
"Master Wilhelm!~"
"Welcome home!"
A cheer erupted.
BIG MOM Pirates and Homies gathered in excitement, celebrating his return.
At the forefront stood a towering figure—
Katakuri.
Tall, composed, half of his face hidden behind his scarf.
Beside him stood the three Smoothie sisters.
Katakuri's sharp gaze swept across the newcomers, finally locking onto Wilhelm.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Wilhelm… It's really you."
Though he masked it well, Wilhelm could sense his brother's astonishment.
Katakuri had been stationed at Totto Land's center, preparing for the looming Marine assault.
Yet Wilhelm's urgent summons had pulled him here.
And what did he find?
Not just Wilhelm.
Not just Shiryu of the Rain and Feathered Serpent Kur.
But another monster—a man of immense power.
And Wilhelm had brought him home.
------------------
You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04