East Blue, Cocoyashi Village.
The afterglow of the sunset falls on the small house, dyeing the courtyard a warm orange-red.
Ken pushes his bicycle past the gate, the little windmill on top spinning with a whirring sound. He turns his head and looks nostalgically at the empty house.
It's been over half a month since Belle-Mere moved away. I wonder if she's happy now?
She should be happy, right?
After all, that woman laughed heartily before leaving, saying she'd been working hard for over ten years in the tangerine orchard and finally could go off on a vacation to relax.
"Sigh..."
Ken sighs, is just about to turn away, when he suddenly hears footsteps behind him.
"Excuse me."
Two men in black suits and sunglasses stand at the door, holding a file, with polite yet distant smiles on their faces.
"May I ask, are you Mr. Ken?"
Ken is taken aback, sizing them up: "Who are you?"
"I am a member of World Government CP3, here on orders to investigate some matters." The man on the left nods slightly, "Regarding Shano."
Shano?
Just as Belle-Mere predicted!
No, to be precise, this was Shano's idea from the phone call.
That kid truly has foresight. Just as his bounty ascended to around five hundred million Belly, he immediately had Belle-Mere move away, as for exactly where, not even he knows.
At that time, he didn't take it seriously.
Thinking the World Government and the Navy wouldn't stoop so low as to trouble a retired old marine in the countryside.
But now...
Ken's pupils slightly contract, but soon return to calm. He snorts coldly, his tone suddenly becoming angry:
"That ungrateful little brat? Why are you looking for him?!"
"Oh?" The CP3 member on the left raises an eyebrow, "Seems like you don't have a good impression of him?"
"Not just bad!"
Ken stomps his foot, gritting his teeth, "That ingrate, after our village raised him for years, what did he do? As soon as he came of age, he went to sea and became a pirate, killed so many Marines who uphold justice! He's utterly disgraced Cocoyashi Village!"
His voice grows louder, even attracting the attention of several nearby villagers.
"Exactly! That bastard!"
"Should've kicked him out of the village back then!"
"Knew for years he wasn't good, he demolished all the hills on the island, now come spring we have nowhere to enjoy the greenery!"
"Indeed, even when he was young, he caused trouble everywhere, the big white dog at the village entrance almost got eaten by him!"
The villagers gather around, all angrily denouncing Shano's crimes, each filled with righteous indignation as if they wanted to strangle him with their own hands.
A big white dog barks angrily twice, evidently hating Shano as well.
The CP3 member squints slightly, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces.
"You all hate him, huh?"
"Hate? Of course, hate!"
Ken shouts angrily, "That guy corrupted the two good girls Nami and Nojiko, even Belle-Mere couldn't stand the village's disdain and left, that bastard, best never come back, or I'll be the first to break his legs!"
"Yes! Break his legs!"
"Make him never dare return to East Blue!"
The villagers are incensed, some even waving hoes, as if ready to fight.
The two suited men exchange a glance, finally nod, "We understand, thank you for your cooperation."
Ten minutes later.
The two appear on the small road in the countryside outside the village, under the coconut trees, dialing their superior's phone.
"... All inquiries complete, sir, Shano's foster mother has moved away, whereabouts unknown, the two sisters have been taken by Shano, and the island's villagers are all extremely hostile towards Shano."
"Which means, the whole Cocoyashi Village has nothing we can use or threaten Shano with anymore."
"Understood, we're preparing to return to the team."
Meanwhile, at Ken's house.
The villagers gather in the living room, listening to Ken's recap.
"Those two have left."
Ken's gaze sweeps across the room:
"But we can't let our guard down in the future, this was just on the surface. Who knows what's lurking in the shadows?"
"Like disguising as ordinary merchants or passing travelers to probe and gather information, everyone remember, in front of outsiders, we stick to the original plan."
"Got it, Ken, don't worry!"
"Humph, trying to disguise? Those dogs framing Shano can't hide their stink!"
......
Shimotsuki Village, Isshin Dojo.
Outside, the cicadas chirp, in the summer season, the wind chimes under the dojo's eaves ring constantly in the evening breeze.
"Meal time!"
A hearty voice comes from the kitchen, the children in the dojo cheer excitedly, dropping their bamboo swords and rushing to the dining hall.
Zoro and Sanji, those two little brats, lead the charge at the front, jostling to see who can enter the door first.
"Green Algae Head! Don't block the way!"
"Curly Eyebrow! You should be the one to move!"
The two wrestle at the door, the noise grows louder, and just then—
"Hey, you two little punks!"
Belle-Mere walks out, cigarette in mouth, grabbing each of their ears, "Already half-grown lads and still making a fuss at meal times like kids? Looks like today's training isn't enough!"