The next morning, Ling woke earlier than usual.
Today, he was going to Mt. Colubo.
He sat up, stretched his arms above his head, and climbed out of bed. After washing himself and changing into clean clothes, he gathered the few things he intended to bring and packed them into a small bag.
From now on, the mountain would become his new home. Foosha Village wasn't going anywhere, and Ling still planned to return from time to time to visit Makino, Woop Slap, Gyoru, and the others, but most of his days would be spent on Mt. Colubo.
One of the first things he needed to do was find somewhere suitable to live.
As Ling tied the bag shut, his thoughts drifted toward what awaited him there. Luffy should still be spending most of his days chasing after Ace, and the incident involving Porchemy should be coming soon.
He paused.
'I'll figure it out when I get there.'
Ling picked up the bag and had barely taken two steps toward the door when shouting echoed from somewhere outside.
At first, the voices were faint, but another shout quickly followed, louder than the first. Several people seemed to be yelling at once, disturbing the usual calm of the morning.
Ling frowned.
'What happened?'
He left the room and found Woop Slap already standing near the front entrance. Makino had apparently arrived only moments earlier with breakfast, and both of them were looking toward the village.
"Mayor?"
Woop Slap's expression was unusually grim.
"Something's happening near the docks."
Ling's stomach tightened.
"Gyoru?"
Woop Slap didn't answer quickly enough.
Ling was already moving.
"Ling!"
Makino hurried after him as he pushed through the door.
The normally peaceful village had become strangely restless. Several villagers were hurrying toward the docks while others stood outside their homes, trying to understand what was happening.
Ling followed the growing crowd, his pace quickening with every step until a frightened voice carried over the commotion.
"Please! Let him go!"
Ling's expression changed.
'Chicken.'
He pushed through the gathered villagers and immediately spotted Gyoru.
The fisherman was down on one knee beside his stall, one side of his face swollen while a man behind him twisted a hand into the back of his shirt. A short sword hovered dangerously close to his neck.
Several meters away, Chicken struggled against two villagers holding her back, tears running down her face.
"Gyoru!"
The fisherman lifted his head, his eyes widening when he saw Ling.
The man holding him turned as well.
He was of average height and build, with a dark beard beneath a wide-brimmed hat and a worn red shirt hanging loosely over his upper body. Broken crates and overturned baskets surrounded the stall, with several fish scattered across the dirt.
The hurried whispers around Ling quickly filled in what had happened. The man had arrived that morning demanding food and money. Gyoru had refused, the argument had turned violent, and now the fisherman was being held at swordpoint in front of half the village.
Makino caught up and placed a hand gently but firmly on Ling's shoulder.
"Ling."
He glanced at her.
Her usual smile was gone.
"Please don't do anything reckless. He's armed."
Ling didn't answer.
Woop Slap stepped through the crowd a moment later.
"That's enough!" the mayor shouted. "Put the weapon down."
The bandit glanced toward him.
"Stay back."
Woop Slap's expression hardened.
"Whatever you're after, threatening one of my villagers isn't going to help you."
The man laughed.
"Your fisherman should've thought about that before deciding to be difficult."
Gyoru gave him an irritated look.
"You tried taking half my stall."
The bandit's eyebrow twitched.
"And you're still talking."
Chicken covered her mouth as the sword shifted closer.
Ling kept his eyes on the blade. His heartbeat had already begun to accelerate, but he forced himself to stay where he was and watched the man's stance instead, paying attention to his weapon and where his gaze moved whenever Woop Slap spoke.
The bandit didn't look particularly impressive, but he was still an armed adult.
Ling was ten years old and had never been in a real fight.
Then Gyoru looked toward him.
"Ling?"
Their eyes met.
The bandit's attention followed Gyoru's gaze until he noticed the boy standing among the villagers. He looked Ling over from head to toe before an amused laugh escaped him.
"What? A kid?"
Ling said nothing.
The man's lips curled.
"Go home before you get hurt."
He looked away.
Gyoru moved immediately.
The fisherman twisted and drove his elbow backward, catching the bandit by surprise. His grip loosened around Gyoru's shirt, and the sword jerked away from the fisherman's neck.
Ling sprinted forward.
"Ling!"
Makino's voice followed behind him as the bandit's head snapped around.
Before the man could properly recover, Ling lowered his shoulder and crashed into his side, knocking him several steps away from Gyoru.
"Gyoru, move!"
The fisherman stumbled toward the crowd, where several villagers grabbed him and pulled him the rest of the way while Chicken hurried to his side.
Ling barely saw them reach safety before the bandit regained his balance.
"You little brat!"
His face twisted with fury as he stepped forward and swung.
The blade came much faster than Ling expected.
'One second.'
The sword was sweeping toward him.
Then the swing had already finished.
The bandit's arm hung extended to the side while the blade cut through empty air.
His eyes widened.
"What the—?"
Ling had reappeared almost directly beside him.
The bandit reacted faster this time, twisting around and swinging again. Ling threw himself backward as the blade swept past his chest, close enough for him to feel the air move against his clothes.
His heel slipped against the dirt, forcing him to throw one foot back to catch his balance.
'Too close.'
The bandit immediately lunged after him.
Ling retreated while keeping his eyes on the man's shoulders and sword arm. The difference in reach became obvious almost immediately. Whenever the bandit stepped forward, Ling had to give ground just to stay outside the blade.
"Stop running!"
Ling almost laughed.
'Right. I'll stand still for you.'
The sword came again.
Ling shifted aside, but the blade was already closing the distance.
'One second.'
When Ling returned, the swing had already finished.
The bandit's body was still turning, leaving his side exposed. Ling stepped in and drove a fist into his ribs.
Thud!
The man grunted and staggered half a step while pain immediately throbbed through Ling's fingers.
'That hurt.'
The bandit recovered almost at once and whipped the sword back toward him. Ling jumped away as the blade cut through the space between them, drawing startled shouts from the villagers behind him.
"Did he just disappear?"
"What happened?"
"That kid—"
Ling ignored them.
The bandit charged again with the sword raised. His attacks were wide and angry, but Ling had already learned how little that mattered when the person making them was bigger, stronger, and carrying a blade.
The next attack came from his right.
Ling shifted left.
At the last moment, the man's shoulder turned and the blade followed Ling's movement.
Ling's eyes widened.
'He adjusted.'
He twisted backward as the sword passed narrowly in front of him, then stepped inside the man's reach and drove a punch into his stomach.
The bandit folded slightly. Ling followed with another strike toward his ribs, but the man's free hand shot forward and grabbed the front of his shirt.
The sudden pull jerked Ling forward.
'Bad.'
He twisted and tried to break free, but the difference in strength made the attempt almost useless.
"You think you're funny?!"
The bandit dragged him closer and raised the sword.
Ling saw the blade coming.
'One second.'
The man's fist closed around empty air, throwing his balance forward. When Ling returned, the sword had already passed through the space where he'd been.
Ling drove a fist into the man's exposed ribs, then followed immediately with another. The bandit staggered sideways and spun around with a furious swing, but Ling ducked beneath it and struck him in the stomach.
The man stumbled backward, his heel catching one of the overturned baskets beside Gyoru's stall.
"What—"
He crashed onto his back, and the sword slipped from his fingers before skidding across the dirt.
Ling stepped forward and kicked it farther away.
The villagers rushed in immediately. Two fishermen grabbed the man's arms before he could rise, while another forced him back down as he struggled beneath them.
"Get off me!"
Nobody did.
Woop Slap pushed through the crowd carrying a length of rope.
"Tie his hands."
Within moments, the bandit's wrists were secured behind his back.
Ling remained nearby, his chest rising and falling rapidly while a faint tremor ran through his fingers. The entire fight couldn't have lasted more than a minute, yet the bandit had repeatedly forced him backward, adjusted his attacks, caught him once, and made Ling react faster than he could comfortably think.
His gaze shifted toward the sword lying in the dirt.
'That would've been bad.'
Training had made his body stronger, but it hadn't taught him how to control a fight.
More importantly, the openings created by his Devil Fruit hadn't lasted long. Even when he disappeared past an attack and returned beside the bandit, his own movement hadn't been fast enough to stop the man from recovering.
Ling looked down at his hands.
'I'm too slow.'
That thought brought back a group of techniques he had seen throughout One Piece, used by Cipher Pol agents and certain Marines.
'Rokushiki...'
"Ling!"
Makino reached him a moment later and immediately crouched in front of him, gently taking hold of his arms as she looked him over.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
Her eyes moved over his face, shoulders, and clothes.
"Are you sure?"
Ling nodded.
"Really."
Makino released a quiet breath.
"Good."
Her hands remained on his shoulders for another moment before she pulled him into a brief hug.
Ling stiffened slightly in surprise.
"Please don't scare me like that."
"...Sorry."
Makino let him go.
"You helped Gyoru, and I'm glad he's safe. But you could've been hurt too."
"I know."
She studied his face for a moment before gently brushing some dirt from his shoulder.
"That's all I'm asking you to remember."
Woop Slap approached from behind her and adjusted his glasses, his gaze moving from Ling to the restrained bandit.
"You handled yourself better than I expected."
Ling straightened slightly.
"But that doesn't mean what you did was smart."
His shoulders dropped again.
Woop Slap looked directly at him.
"That man wasn't especially strong. If he had been faster, more experienced, or simply luckier, things could have gone differently."
Ling nodded.
"I know."
Woop Slap remained quiet for a moment before glancing toward the villagers gathered around the docks.
"There's one more thing, Ling."
Ling looked at him.
"Hm?"
"Your ability."
Ling paused.
Woop Slap adjusted his glasses.
"Don't worry about the villagers. Everyone here saw enough to know something unusual happened, but they've agreed to keep it a secret for you."
Ling blinked.
Then he scratched the side of his head.
"Oh."
He had been so focused on the fight that he'd completely forgotten about everyone watching.
"Right... I forgot about that."
Woop Slap sighed.
"Of course you did."
Ling gave an awkward smile.
"Tell them thank you for me."
The mayor gave a small nod.
"I will."
"Ling!"
Chicken's voice interrupted them.
He turned and barely had time to react before she wrapped both arms around him.
"Thank you."
Her voice shook slightly.
"Thank you so much."
Ling stiffened for a moment before awkwardly patting her back.
Nearby, Gyoru sat against the side of his stall while one of the villagers held a damp cloth against his swollen cheek. Once Chicken released him, Ling quickly walked over.
"Gyoru."
The fisherman looked up at him, relief immediately crossing his face.
"You alright, kid?"
Ling nodded.
"I'm fine. Are you?"
"Just bruised."
Ling exhaled quietly.
"Good."
Gyoru watched him for another moment before smiling.
"Thank you, Ling."
Ling paused.
"You don't have to thank me."
"I think I do."
Gyoru reached over and gave his shoulder a gentle pat.
"You helped me when I was in trouble. I won't forget that."
Ling smiled slightly.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
"So am I."
Gyoru looked him over.
"You've gotten quicker."
Ling glanced toward the tied-up bandit.
"Still not quick enough."
Gyoru nodded.
"Then you know what you need to work on."
Ling looked back at him.
"Yeah."
"Just don't rush yourself trying to get there."
Gyoru smiled.
"You've got plenty of time to improve."
Ling nodded.
"I will."
---
By the time everything around the docks had settled down, the morning had already moved on. The restrained bandit had been placed under watch while the villagers decided what to do with him, and Chicken had taken Gyoru home to rest.
Ling returned to Woop Slap's house with Makino and the mayor. The small bag he had prepared earlier was still sitting exactly where he'd left it.
Makino noticed it immediately.
"Were you planning to go somewhere?"
Ling stopped.
'Right.'
He hadn't actually told them yet.
"I was planning to move to Mt. Colubo today."
Makino stared at him for a moment.
"Today?"
Ling nodded.
"I was going to leave after breakfast."
Her gaze returned to the bag.
"You've already decided?"
"I have."
"I can't learn everything I need by staying in the village."
Makino remained quiet for a moment.
"I know."
Ling looked at her.
She folded her hands loosely in front of her.
"I just wish the place you'd chosen wasn't a mountain full of wild animals and bandits."
"When you say it like that..."
A small smile touched her face.
"Is there a better way to say it?"
Ling thought about it.
"...Probably not."
From the table came the faint rustling of a newspaper. Woop Slap lowered it with a sigh.
"He's going eventually."
Makino looked toward him.
Woop Slap adjusted his glasses.
"He already made up his mind."
"I know."
The mayor turned toward Ling.
"If you see something you can't handle, leave."
Ling nodded.
"I will."
"If you get lost, don't wander deeper trying to prove you can find your way back."
"I won't."
Makino stepped closer and gently adjusted the collar of Ling's shirt.
"And come back to the village regularly."
Ling looked up at her.
"I was already planning to."
"I know. I'm reminding you anyway."
Her voice remained soft.
"If you're hurt, come back. If you're hungry, come back. And if you simply feel like coming home for a while, you don't need a reason."
Ling was quiet for a moment before smiling.
"I will."
Makino returned the smile and turned toward the kitchen.
"Wait here. I made something for you."
A short while later, she returned carrying a wrapped bundle of food and placed it carefully in Ling's hands.
"Lunch."
Ling looked down at it.
"For me?"
"Of course."
She smiled gently.
"You'll probably forget to eat if you get too focused on whatever you're doing up there."
Ling opened his mouth to object, then closed it again.
"...Thank you, Sister Makino."
"You're welcome."
Something seemed to occur to her.
"Oh, and Ling?"
"Hm?"
"If you happen to see a noisy little boy wearing a straw hat..."
"Luffy?"
Makino blinked.
Ling froze for half a beat.
'Ah.'
She tilted her head.
"You know Luffy?"
Ling glanced toward Woop Slap.
The mayor slowly lowered his newspaper.
"No, I didn't tell him."
Ling stared at him.
'Traitor.'
"I've heard people mention him around the village."
Makino studied him for another moment before accepting the answer with a small smile.
"Well, if you see him, tell him to come back and visit once in a while."
Ling nodded.
"I will."
"And tell him we're doing fine."
"Got it."
Makino reached out and rested a hand lightly on top of his head.
"Take care of yourself."
This time, Ling didn't joke.
"I will."
---
Not long afterward, Ling stood at the edge of Foosha Village with the bag over one shoulder and Makino's wrapped lunch in hand.
Behind him lay the docks, Party's Bar, Woop Slap's house, and the people who had taken him in after he washed ashore.
Ahead stood Mt. Colubo.
It was no longer a distant wall of green rising beyond the village. The forest now stretched directly in front of him, its trees packed tightly enough that the path disappeared into shadow only a short distance beyond the edge. Branches shifted in the breeze while birds called from somewhere deeper inside.
Ling looked into the trees.
Somewhere in that enormous forest were Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, along with everything else the original story had never shown him.
Ling stepped forward.
The sounds of Foosha Village gradually faded behind him as the forest swallowed the trail ahead.
A small smile appeared on his face.
'Let's see what's waiting for me.'