After causing such an embarrassing incident with their unauthorized investigation, Conan and Ai felt too ashamed to remain in Daigo's world any longer. Within a few days, they said their goodbyes to Po and Yang Chan and returned to their respective universes through the Gate.
Po and Yang Chan stayed in the Ultraman world for several more weeks, enjoying the peaceful modern life and Yang Chan's fascination with contemporary technology. When they finally returned to the Bamboo Staff, the time differential meant they had barely been away from the ship at all—one of the Gate's more convenient quirks.
After sailing the open seas for several days, the Bamboo Staff finally approached a familiar coastline. Windmill Village came into view—the first stop Gustave and his companions had made in the One Piece world, and what had truly become their second home.
"There's a large ship approaching the harbor," one customer remarked to his companion in Makino's tavern. "Think it could be pirates?"
"Doesn't look like it," his friend replied, squinting toward the water. "Look at that flag—what kind of pirate would fly a cat's head? That's not exactly intimidating."
"Cat's head flag?" Makino's ears perked up at those words.
As far as she knew, only one group had ever used such an unusual banner—the owners of the long-empty restaurant across the village. Gustave, Po, and Tom had been gone for over half a year, nearly a year now. If she hadn't occasionally seen news articles mentioning "the panda of the Bamboo Staff crew," she might have worried something terrible had happened to them.
Heart racing with hope, Makino hurried outside and shaded her eyes against the afternoon sun. Sure enough, the approaching vessel flew Tom's distinctive cat-head flag, and she could make out the familiar silhouette of their custom ship.
"Gustave! Luffy! Ace! Po! Tom!" she called out, waving both arms enthusiastically.
Gustave's head immediately appeared over the ship's railing, his face breaking into a wide grin when he spotted her. "Makino! We're back!"
"Makino!" Luffy and Ace both popped up beside him, practically bouncing with excitement. Luffy especially seemed overjoyed—during the years Garp had left him in Windmill Village, Makino had essentially been his second mother, feeding him and keeping him out of trouble before Gustave arrived.
Po's large form appeared at the railing as well, giving his characteristic gentle wave, while Tom performed an elaborate theatrical bow that nearly sent his hat flying into the water.
Watching the familiar faces of her dear friends, Makino felt tears prick her eyes. She'd first met them at their lowest point—Gustave seriously injured, Po battered, and Tom covered in dust and debris from their crash landing. The bonds forged in those difficult early days had only grown stronger over time, and no amount of separation could diminish the warmth she felt seeing them again.
The moment the ship touched the dock, Luffy launched himself over the railing with his typical impatience.
"Luffy!" Makino exclaimed, studying the boy with amazement. "You've grown so much! You're nearly up to my waist now!"
"Of course I have!" Luffy declared proudly, puffing out his chest. "I'm going to be the greatest hero ever! How can I protect everyone if I'm not strong enough?"
Despite all the adventures and training Gustave had put him through, Luffy had never forgotten that original dream. The stories of heroic knights and noble warriors that Gustave had told him during those first months had taken deep root in his young mind.
"Makino," Gustave called as he and the others finished securing the ship and gathered their belongings.
"It's so good to see you again!" Makino beamed, her smile radiant with genuine joy.
"Likewise," Gustave replied warmly. "We've missed this place."
"I see you've made some new friends," Makino observed, noticing several unfamiliar faces among the group.
"We've been blessed with wonderful companions during our travels," Gustave said, his voice carrying a note of deep respect. "Allow me to introduce my master, Master Li Er, or you can call him the Moral Lord, and this lovely child is Yang Chan. This young man is Chu Zihang, a gifted student who's been training with us."
Makino greeted each newcomer with her characteristic warmth, though she couldn't help but notice the almost otherworldly presence of the elderly man Gustave had called his master.
As they walked toward the original Bamboo Staff Bistro, Makino fell into step beside Gustave. "I've been cleaning the place regularly since you left," she said. "I knew you'd come back eventually, and I wanted everything to be ready for you."
"Thank you, Makino," Gustave said softly. "That means more to us than you know."
"Don't be silly," she laughed. "We're family, aren't we?"
When they opened the restaurant's doors, everything was exactly as they'd left it. The tables were dust-free, the kitchen equipment gleamed, and even the small personal touches they'd added over the months were perfectly preserved.
To properly thank Makino for her thoughtfulness, Gustave decided they needed a celebration worthy of the occasion. With so many people to feed and such a joyous reunion to mark, only one option seemed appropriate.
"We're having a barbecue party tonight!" he announced. "Right here on the ship, just like old times!"
As the sun began to set, Makino closed her tavern early and loaded several crates of her finest homemade wines and spirits onto a small cart. It had been their tradition from the beginning—Gustave's crew provided the food, and Makino supplied the drinks. The arrangement had always worked beautifully.
When she arrived at the Bamboo Staff, Gustave and the others had already laid out an impressive array of ingredients. Living by the sea meant an abundance of fresh seafood: whole fish ready for grilling, giant prawns still glistening with ocean water, sweet crabs with their claws bound, plump oysters and scallops on ice, and even several tentacles from a massive squid Po had caught that afternoon.
The selection wasn't limited to seafood, however. Thick cuts of marbled beef and strips of pork belly promised rich, smoky flavors. Gustave had also prepared several types of offal—large and small intestines, along with rice-stuffed casings that would crisp beautifully over the flames.
For balance and to cleanse the palate, he'd arranged an assortment of vegetables: fresh lettuce leaves for wrapping the grilled meat, aromatic leeks that would caramelize perfectly, and his special acquisition from Chu Zihang's world—emerald melons that resembled zucchini but had a unique crisp texture and subtle sweetness that made them ideal for cutting through rich barbecue flavors.
"Light the charcoal, boys!" Gustave called to Ace and Luffy, and the evening's festivities officially began.
The first piece of pork belly hit the grill with a satisfying sizzle, fat beginning to render and drip onto the coals below. The aroma that rose with the smoke was intoxicating—a perfect blend of meat, char, and that indefinable essence that made barbecue so irresistible.
As the party reached its peak, Tom produced his guitar and began playing, his melodic voice carrying familiar songs across the water. The scene was achingly similar to their early days in Windmill Village, though Makino couldn't help but notice the absence of Uta's bright voice harmonizing with the music.
"The Red Hair Pirates left just two days before you arrived," Makino mentioned during a quiet moment. "Shanks asked me to give you his regards if you returned while they were gone."
"We seem destined to just miss each other," Gustave chuckled. "Perhaps next time."
The next morning brought a return to routine, but with new additions. As dawn broke over the village, Gustave had already selected a massive boulder from the shoreline and positioned it near their training area.
"Chu Zihang," he called, "your real training now. I want you to carry this rock and run the length of the beach. This is how Po and I started our strength training."
The young dragon slayer approached the enormous stone with determination, though his eyes widened slightly at its size. Unlike Ace and Luffy, who were still growing and needed age-appropriate exercises, Chu Zihang could handle the intensive training that had forged Gustave and Po into powerhouses.
"What about you two?" Chu Zihang asked, noticing that Gustave and Po were setting up comfortable deck chairs in the sand.
"We're supervising," Gustave said with a grin. "At our current level, this kind of basic training won't help us improve. Our growth now comes from combat experience and personal enlightenment, not lifting heavy objects."
And so began a new daily routine that would soon become familiar to the villagers of Windmill Village. Each morning, they would see Chu Zihang struggling along the shoreline with his massive burden, while Ace and Luffy performed their own age-appropriate exercises nearby. Gustave and Po reclined in their chairs like benevolent instructors, occasionally calling out encouragement or corrections. Yang Chan, meanwhile, cheered enthusiastically for all three trainees, her bright voice carrying across the beach like a personal cheering section.