After knocking Tashigi unconscious, Gojo slowly turned his gaze toward the remaining Marine soldiers who had surrounded him from all directions, their weapons raised and trembling in their hands. Some gripped rifles with tense fingers hovering near the trigger, while others held swords tightly, blades angled toward him, clearly prepared to attack at the slightest provocation.
Gojo calmly raised one hand, palm open, his expression relaxed and almost casual, as if the situation posed no threat to him at all.
"No need to worry," he said lightly. "I'm not here to do anything bad—to your captain or to anyone else, okay?" His tone was reassuring, yet carried an unmistakable authority that made the soldiers hesitate. "Go and take care of your captain. And whatever post she's in, make sure she gets proper treatment."
He paused for a moment, then added, "I'll just buy a few of my supplies and leave as soon as possible."
As he finished speaking, Gojo's eyes shifted toward a distant rooftop. High above, standing atop a building, was a mysterious figure wrapped in a dark green cloak, its hood shadowing most of the face. If not for the Six Eyes, Gojo knew that even his Observation Haki alone might not have been enough to notice that presence so clearly. The Haki coming from that man was heavy—oppressive even.
Gojo muttered under his breath, "A very strong person…"
Before he could focus any further, the green-cloaked man vanished without warning, disappearing as if he had never been there at all.
Only then did Gojo feel a subtle sense of relief wash over him. He wasn't sure he could defeat that man. No—if he was being honest with himself, he knew he would definitely lose. That individual was on an entirely different level. Thankfully, it seemed he had not been the target.
With that thought lingering in his mind, Gojo turned away and calmly left the area, leaving the Marines behind to tend to their fallen captain and the unconscious second-in-command, Tashigi.
…
Gojo moved through the streets of Loguetown at an unhurried pace, stopping by different shops to gather the supplies he would need for the journey ahead. It didn't take him long. Within half an hour or so, he had already purchased everything necessary to survive the early stretch of the Grand Line—at least its initial and relatively calmer stages.
The items themselves were nothing extraordinary. Basic necessities such as preserved food, water, and other daily essentials filled his bag. However, among them was the single most important item for any traveller daring enough to enter the Grand Line—a Log Pose. Without it, proper navigation was practically impossible.
Of course, with his modern knowledge of directions, the position of the sun, and even the North Star, it wasn't as if Gojo would be completely helpless at sea. But knowledge alone wouldn't be enough. He didn't even possess a proper map of this world, and without a Log Pose to guide him from island to island, he would simply end up drifting endlessly across unpredictable waters—something even he wasn't foolish enough to attempt.
Once he finished buying everything he needed, Gojo adjusted the bag in his hand and made his way toward the port. The sound of waves and the distant cries of seagulls grew louder with each step. Just as he was about to reach the docks, his path was suddenly blocked by a small group of people.
Gojo came to a halt.
Standing before him were none other than the Straw Hat Pirates.
Holding the bag of supplies casually in one hand while keeping the other tucked into his pocket, Gojo tilted his head slightly and asked in a relaxed tone,
"Do you need something?"
At that moment, Nami stepped forward. Unlike her usual sharp and guarded demeanour, her expression was sincere. She bowed slightly toward Gojo and said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude,
"Thank you very much for liberating my village from the terror of the Arlong Pirates. I am very grateful."
As soon as Gojo heard that, he replied casually, "Oh, so you're from Cocoyashi Village, I presume? Nami—the younger sister of Nojiko, right? She told me about you." He waved his hand lightly, dismissing the matter. "There's no need to thank me or anything. I was just doing my job as a pirate hunter. I hunted him for his bounty—it's not like I'm some kind of hero. So you don't have to treat me like one. I did all of that simply for money."
Nami listened carefully, but her expression didn't change. Shaking her head slightly, she said, "Still, I am very grateful that you dealt with the Arlong Pirates."
Gojo merely nodded. He had no intention of letting the conversation spiral further into gratitude and praise, so he ended it there with a simple acknowledgment.
At that moment, Luffy finally stepped forward. Unlike his usual carefree demeanor, he bowed slightly toward Gojo and said earnestly, "As the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, I also want to thank you for helping our navigator."
Gojo gave another brief nod. "Very well. I don't think there's anything else for us to talk about," he said calmly. "I should get going. I want to reach the Grand Line today, if possible, so I'm in a bit of a hurry."
The Straw Hat crew nodded and stepped aside, clearing the path. Without another word, Gojo began walking toward his ship at the port.
Just as he was about to board, a voice came from behind him.
It was Roronoa Zoro.
"What exactly is this Haki," Zoro asked, his tone serious, "that you used to injure Captain Smoker of the Marines?"
Gojo turned toward Roronoa Zoro and spoke calmly, his voice steady and confident.
"Haki is nothing more than the power of will," he said. "You're a swordsman, right? And I can tell—you haven't yet reached the realm where you can truly feel the breath of all things."
Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened.
"When you reach that realm," Gojo continued, "you'll understand what it really means. If you wish to cut something, you'll be able to cut anything. And if you wish to cut nothing, then even with the sharpest sword in your hands, you won't slice a single sheet of paper. That understanding itself is an application of willpower."
Gojo shifted slightly, his tone turning more instructive. "The most basic application of that willpower is coating it onto your body or your weapon. When you do that, your attack strength increases dramatically. And if you're able to coat your body with that willpower, you can resist—and even bypass—Devil Fruit abilities. That's how I was able to hit Smoker, despite him being a Logia user."
After finishing his explanation, Gojo turned away and boarded his ship. Just before stepping fully onto the deck, he glanced back at Zoro and added, "Keep this in mind—you'll get one true chance to feel that willpower naturally as you train. The moment you reach the realm of the breath of all things in your swordsmanship… that will be the moment you finally sense your own will. And once you do, you'll be able to use Haki."
Zoro immediately bowed deeply toward Gojo. "Thank you very much for teaching me," he said with sincere respect.
Gojo nodded in response. Without another word, he lifted the anchor, unfurled the sails, and soon his ship began to move, slowly drifting away from the port.
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