"My name is Gaimon."
"Do you have any idea how miserable it is to be stuck in this box and live alone on this isolated island for twenty years?!"
As mentioned previously, Baiyun and Luffy met a strange man stuck inside a box on the isolated island. After he introduced himself, they learned his name was Gaimon.
Baiyun admitted that while he knew of the person, he couldn't recall the name... "What?! He survived alone on this island for twenty years!"
Nami looked shocked.
As for Luffy... well, he's Luffy.
"He looks like an idiot."
Baiyun nodded in agreement. Although he genuinely felt pity for the man, he did indeed look like an idiot.
"You bastards! I'll kill you!!!"
Gaimon yelled, calling them two heartless scoundrels.
"Sigh. In over twenty years, my hair and beard have become so thick, my eyebrows have even grown together."
Gaimon sighed. It would be a lie to say he hadn't been lonely for twenty years, and now that he had finally met Luffy and the others, some things just came spilling out.
Luffy, with a quick movement, flashed next to Gaimon, placing his foot on the edge of the box and grabbing Gaimon's head with both hands, trying to pull him out.
It was done out of good intentions, but Gaimon was in so much pain he almost cried.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!!"
"Stop it! Stop it right now!!"
Gaimon screamed.
Unable to pull him out, Luffy gave up.
"He's stuck in there way too tight."
Gaimon sighed in relief. "Hah! In twenty years, my bones have fused with the box. Don't try to pull me out! If the box goes, I go with it."
"Speaking of which, how did you end up on this island?"
Nami asked.
"You said you were pirates?"
Gaimon replied with what may or may not have been an answer.
"Yes, and we have another crewmate watching the ship."
Baiyun nodded and replied.
"Pirates, huh."
"I used to be a pirate too. I really miss those days—searching for treasure on the high seas without a care in the world. It was exhilarating."
"Do you have a treasure map?"
Gaimon assumed Luffy had also set sail for treasure, so he asked if he had a map.
"I have a map of the Grand Line."
"I'm going to find the 'ONE PIECE'."
Luffy stated his goal plainly.
Gaimon was just as shocked as anyone else who heard that.
Luffy showed the sea chart to Gaimon.
"Which one is the 'Grand Line'?"
"Huh? You don't know, old man?"
"Because I can't read maps at all, hahaha."
"Hahaha, I see!"
Nami and Baiyun shook their heads. Was this really something two pirates should be admitting?
Nami stepped forward, took the map, and explained the layout of the pirate world to the two of them.
"There are two ocean worlds in this world."
"The continent that divides the sea in two is called the Red Line."
"The sea route that starts from its town and circles the world perpendicular to the Red Line is called the 'Grand Line'."
"I see."
After Nami finished explaining, Luffy exclaimed thoughtfully. Baiyun had every reason to suspect Luffy hadn't understood a thing.
Gaimon, being an older pirate, was technically their senior, though perhaps not a role model.
He mentioned that he had previously seen people return from the Grand Line, and they were all utterly defeated, looking like they had lost their souls.
He warned Luffy and the others not to underestimate the Grand Line, as it was known as the Pirates' Graveyard.
But Luffy remained optimistic, believing that problems existed only to be solved, and they would always find a way... 'So, back to the point,' Baiyun interjected, 'what does any of this have to do with you staying on this island, old man?'
Baiyun brought the conversation back on track.
"It has everything to do with it."
"Twenty years ago, I was a pirate, and my crew and I arrived on this island."
"We searched for three days but couldn't find any treasure. Just as we were leaving, I noticed a small hill we hadn't explored, so I told my crewmates to wait on the ship for me."
"I struggled to climb up, and sure enough, there were five treasure chests at the top."
"But fate intervened, and I slipped, falling down and getting completely stuck in the box at the bottom. When I woke up, my crewmates had already left."
Gaimon recounted his story, unsure if he was unlucky or fortunate.
He hadn't died falling off the hill, but being stuck in a box for twenty years... Nami, with her sharp nose for money, immediately suggested they help Gaimon retrieve the chests.
Once at the bottom of the hill, Luffy and Baiyun used the power of the Gum-Gum Fruit to stretch their arms and instantly get to the top.
Baiyun had already remembered what this situation was.
Looking at the five chests, he remained still, standing at the edge of the cliff.
Luffy excitedly opened the boxes, one by one. His excitement was gradually worn away with each empty chest, but he still walked to the cliff edge, smiling.
"There are treasure chests, five of them! Hahaha."
Luffy shouted, laughing.
Gaimon and Nami excitedly urged him to throw the chests down, but Luffy unexpectedly refused.
"I won't!"
"What?! What do you mean, Luffy! Baiyun, control him!"
Nami yelled. The treasure was right there; there was no reason not to bring it down.
Meanwhile, tears streamed down Gaimon's face.
"Just as I thought."
"You two youngsters are good people."
"I had suspected it, but I just didn't want to admit it."
"Those five chests... they're empty, aren't they!!"
As he shouted that last sentence, Gaimon was completely overwhelmed with tears.
...
A/N: The journey continues! If you're eager to read far ahead and support this story, consider joining the Eternal Phoenix community. You can find me on Patreon by searching for "Eternal_Phoenix".
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