"You knew all along, didn't you?"
After leaving the weapon shop, Zoro—now once again carrying three swords—asked that question quietly.
When they had gone in, Ren said he'd get him two good blades, and indeed, when they came out, that promise had been fulfilled.
But the process… felt far too coincidental.
Ren didn't even look surprised.
"You guessed?"
Ren loosened his hand and walked beside Nami, pulling out the Eye Bone from the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum.
Chester, cloaked by the Invisibility Cloak, waited obediently at the door.
Whatever they bought next could simply be stored in Chester's mouth—after all, it had nine slots.
The soft poof-poof sound of its steps followed them from behind.
Ren gripped the Eye Bone and smiled. "Devil Fruit powers—best not to talk about too much."
When in doubt, just blame it on a Devil Fruit ability. It wasn't like anyone could tell the difference anymore, and his so-called powers had already produced plenty of miraculous examples.At that moment—
"I see."
Zoro nodded, as if he wanted to say more but didn't know how to begin.
"Big sis!"
That was when Nami spotted Nojiko returning from her scouting trip.
She was the only member of Ren's crew who could freely move around a Marine-controlled town without drawing attention.
Naturally, she had gone to gather intel nearby.
And she brought back useful news: since Smoker was stationed in Loguetown, the place was generally quite safe.
Most Marines were garrisoned near the harbor, while only a few small squads patrolled the streets.
Many pirates had blended in too, so long as they weren't infamous enough to be recognized by civilians.
So, moving around Loguetown wasn't particularly dangerous.
"Got it. Then let's stay near the market area for now," Ren said, waving dismissively. "I'll collect some information—time to start preparing for what comes next."
He casually disbanded the group.
In truth, only Nami and Nojiko would roam freely—Zoro would almost certainly stick close to him.
As long as they didn't stray too far, they could regroup quickly if trouble arose.
"Yay! Come on, sis! I saw a clothing shop earlier—"
Nami grabbed Nojiko's arm and dashed away, eyes sparkling with excitement. Compared to the small islands they'd visited before, Loguetown was practically a city of luxury.
She was itching to shop.
"Isn't that risky? It's still a Marine-controlled town," Zoro muttered as he watched the sisters disappear.
"It's fine. We'll stay nearby."
Ren found a small beverage shop close to where Nami and Nojiko were and took a seat outside.
He ordered two chilled drinks, sitting across from Zoro under the shade.
"You looked like you wanted to say something earlier," Ren said first. "It's been about three months, hasn't it?"
"Yeah… almost three months."
Zoro's gaze turned distant. Time really had passed quickly.
It had been over two months since Ren had saved him at sea.
At the start, they agreed—three months of protection, and their debts would be settled.
But Zoro knew his life wasn't worth so little. From Cuckoo Island to the Fish-Man incident, through every battle in between—he hadn't taken a share of any loot.
To him, that was his way of repaying what he owed.
Otherwise, even if Ren treated it as "three months and done," Zoro himself wouldn't be able to leave with a clear conscience.
The problem was…
He owed more and more with each passing day.The Thunder Breathing Technique, the Flowing Flame, the sword Raichi, that coin that saved his life, and now—Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri.
Not to mention the Haki training.
He owed too much to ever repay.
Swordsmanship guidance? Haki mentorship? Even the Haki manual itself came from Ren.
And the Thunder Breathing Technique… Zoro knew exactly how valuable that was.
His feelings toward Ren had grown complicated—too much debt to repay, and the three-month promise nearly due.
Leaving now would go against his principles.
So, instead, he asked:
"I still can't see it clearly. What exactly is it that you're trying to do?"
His blunt question surprised Ren for a moment.
Then, Ren grew thoughtful.
It was a question that had always lingered—never deeply examined.
What did he want?
He'd long claimed to be a "good guy," but his actions were anything but.
What kind of "good guy" preemptively strikes first and leaves streets—no, half of Loguetown—strewn with corpses?
His Killing Intent had already reached the level of an Evil Spirit.
But was he a villain?
No… not exactly.
He'd wiped out the Bloodhand Gang in Bok Village for a stranger's sake.
He'd slain Arlong's crew in Cocoyasi Village and destroyed the Shell Company on Mys Island.
He'd killed Buggy and annihilated most of the Buggy Pirates on Quint Island, then wiped out the Krieg Pirates' subordinates on Gerven Island.
Finally, at the Baratie, he killed Don Krieg himself—ending the reign of terror that had plagued the East Blue for years.
All his victims had been scum—pirates and villains. He hadn't harmed innocents. If anything, he'd helped many.
And yet…
He wasn't a Marine or an enforcer of "justice." If he couldn't win, he wouldn't risk his life for strangers.
He was simply—
Ren paused mid-thought, lost in contemplation.
Zoro didn't interrupt. He just waited quietly, knowing Ren's answer would come from instinct—from his core belief, the principle guiding every decision he made.
After a long silence, Ren finally spoke.
"I suppose… I want to change things."
"Change?"
Zoro blinked.
If he meant changing his circumstances, hadn't he already done that?
"You know," Ren said, smiling faintly, "I really love this world—the adventure, the sky, the sea, the battles, the beauty. All of it."
He chuckled. "Hell, I've even fantasized about building a harem someday—what man hasn't?"
"But what I don't like," his tone darkened, "is this world's underlying logic. It's completely different from what I'm used to. It's like moving into someone else's house—everything feels wrong, uncomfortable, even repulsive.
"Here, the weak are like grass—harvested, exploited, and burned for fuel."
His crimson eyes gleamed coldly. "It makes my skin crawl."
"This happens to everyone, I guess," he continued softly. "Most people are dissatisfied with life, but they adapt. Because this world's rules were made by the strong. The weak can only obey… or be crushed… or flee and become pirates."
Ren's smile returned—sharp and dangerous. "But I'm arrogant enough to think I'm strong too. Maybe not yet—but one day, as long as I don't die, I'll stand at the top."
"You mean…" Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly in realization.
"It's simple," Ren said, his grin widening. "The weak adapt to their environment. The strong change it."
"If the rules of this world are made by the strong," he said calmly, "then why shouldn't I be the one standing above all, writing those rules myself?
"What I want… is to reshape this world into one that I can live in comfortably."
"That's my reason for moving forward. A simple one, really."
Simple?It was an astonishing ambition.
Because he found the world uncomfortable… he would change it—force it to adapt to him.
Who else could have such an audacious dream?
"Do you already have a plan?" Zoro asked quietly.
"A bit. But there's no point saying it yet. Grand speeches without power behind them are just jokes. I'm not invincible—not yet."
Ren shrugged. "First comes strength. On my path to the peak, I'll find my formula for victory. My heart will guide me—toward what I love, what I hate… and what I wish to destroy completely."
"I see… so that's your ambition." Zoro exhaled, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It suits you perfectly."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "So, why ask?"
"I'm not sure yet," Zoro admitted plainly.
"Then tell me when you figure it out."
Ren stood, picked up his drink, and walked toward the boutique where Nami and Nojiko were.
Nami waved eagerly from inside.
As soon as he entered, the sisters approached with a set of men's clothes.
"What's this?" Ren asked.
"Buying you new clothes! You've been wearing the same two outfits forever," Nami scolded. "It's time for a change."
"Come on, hurry—it looks like it's going to rain soon."
Ren had never bought clothes before; everything he owned had come from random draws and loot.
Nothing matched, nothing fit right, and "fashionable" wasn't even on the list. He only swapped between two sets based on whatever was least damaged that day.
Zoro was no better—typical men.
But to Nami, it was unbearable. After exchanging glances with Nojiko, she decided to fix that.
They picked the colors and styles; Ren was reduced to a mannequin on a stool—moving only when told to try something on.
He looked like a puppet, helpless and resigned.
He didn't really care—so long as the clothes didn't fall apart mid-fight and leave him naked.
But Nami clearly did.
After nearly half an hour of fussing, they settled on three outfits.
Nami started bargaining furiously, while Nojiko carried their purchases.
Ren leaned lazily against the doorway, bored—until a News Coo fluttered down from the sky.
It wore a white cap with a black brim, a red satchel hanging from its neck, and the corner of a paper peeking out.
Two bold words were visible—
Extra Edition!
(End of Chapter)