During this period, Rayleigh had witnessed Luffy's potential — his raw talent, spirit, and relentless drive. Rayleigh understood that with such talent and hard work, Luffy could eventually reach the ranks of the world's strongest. Of course, it was only a matter of time.
Moreover, Rayleigh had discovered something else — that Luffy possessed the qualities of a king, the rare Conqueror's disposition that appears in only one person out of a million. Deep within Luffy slept an unawakened Conqueror's Haki, a dormant force waiting to be released.
This surprised Rayleigh, though in hindsight, it made sense — after all, Luffy's father was no ordinary man. It was only natural that Luffy would inherit such power. That latent Haki had been awakened by Rayleigh's guidance a month earlier. Though Luffy was still far from mastering it, Rayleigh believed that with time, he would learn to fully control his Conqueror's Haki — as well as the other two forms, Observation Haki and Armament Haki.
In Luffy, Rayleigh could also see glimpses of Roger's younger self. He understood that he must teach Luffy at all costs — because right now, Luffy's strength was still far too weak. Entering the New World as he was now would be suicide; he'd be nothing more than cannon fodder.
The New World was a sea ruled by monsters.
But after reading the latest newspaper, Rayleigh fell silent. Sitting on a large rock by the coast, he lit a cigarette, the wrinkles on his face tightening as his expression grew solemn.
"That news… Luffy must not see it yet," he muttered. "I'll tell him after his training is complete. It's too cruel for him right now. Even Garp might not be able to accept it. I just hope Luffy can make the most of this time…"
"That monster has been far too active lately… His power is overwhelming. Even two years from now, after all this training, Luffy won't be able to take on someone like that. He might need ten years — or even more — to grow strong enough, even with his exceptional potential."
"When the time comes, I'll warn him — stay far away from that monster until you have the power to fight him."
Rayleigh exhaled a thin stream of smoke, his gaze deep and uneasy.
"What's that monster planning next? This world is becoming more and more unfair…"
Meanwhile, deep in the primeval forest, Luffy was battling enormous beasts. A black cloth covered his eyes — part of Rayleigh's training method to sharpen his Observation Haki, the ability to sense intent, movement, and presence.
Suddenly, a massive serpent whipped its tail, sending Luffy flying hundreds of meters. The impact shattered part of a cliff.
"Damn it! I'll beat you monsters!"
"I need to get stronger — stronger than anyone!"
"I'll avenge Sabo and Ace!"
"I'll become the Pirate King!"
The fire of his resolve burned brighter than ever as Luffy charged once more into the heart of the beast-filled jungle.
But how could he know that his father, Dragon, was already dead — killed by Elior, the same man who had slain Ace and Sabo? What would happen if Luffy found out?
Elior certainly wanted him to know. That cruel sense of amusement of his couldn't resist it.
Now, Elior had captured Robin. There was no longer any chance for her to return to the Straw Hat Pirates. But even if they were to meet again one day… would Robin still feel anything for them?
That day, Elior took Robin to see the three Road Poneglyphs he had collected. When Robin saw them, she was utterly stunned.
To think that someone could possess even one of these stones was terrifying — but Elior had three. He even hinted that he would soon obtain the last one. Robin was beyond shocked.
When she began deciphering the ancient text, Elior used his own ability — the supreme level of Observation Haki, the "Voice of All Things" — to confirm her translation. When he compared the results, everything matched perfectly.
Robin was amazed. Could Elior really understand the Poneglyphs himself? When she asked, Elior only smiled and said it was "the highest level of Haki — the ability to hear the voice of the stones themselves."
Robin was shaken, unable to comprehend the extent of such power.
After being teased and toyed with by Elior countless times, Robin no longer knew what she truly felt for him. Her hatred and anger were blurring into something else — something she refused to name. Part of her even looked forward to their moments together.
After all, Elior was the only man who had ever truly broken into her inner world, shattering her defenses, leaving a mark deep in her heart and soul. The impact he had on her was enormous — terrifying, yet undeniable.
Still, she knew better than anyone what she was to him: a tool, a plaything.
At least the other women in the mansion treated her kindly.
But Robin had come to accept one thing — she would never return to the Straw Hats. Escaping Elior's grasp was impossible. And deep down, in a place she refused to admit, she no longer wanted to.
Elior's appetite, however, was endless. After thoroughly "consuming" Robin, he began to consider whether he should also capture Nami — not for pleasure, but simply as a maid.
That alone would be enough to drive Luffy mad with rage.
What would Luffy do if he learned that both Robin and Nami had fallen into the hands of his greatest enemy?
Then again, Nami's navigation skills had even caught the attention of the old Golden Lion. Elior thought that when the time came to reach Laugh Tale, he might indeed need someone with such extraordinary navigation ability — because from what he'd deciphered from the Road Poneglyphs, reaching the final island would not be easy. The seas ahead would be more dangerous than anything imaginable.
At this very moment, Nami was on the Weatheria, studying meteorology with the elderly weather scientists. She had no idea that a devil had already set his eyes on her — or that Robin had already been captured by the same man.
A day later, Garp finally arrived at the shattered island of Baltigo — the former headquarters of the Revolutionary Army. He had come to confirm the tragic news of his son's death.