Memories rose in fragments.
Bit by bit, they flooded Rono's heart, leaving his emotions tangled.
For a brief moment, an image surfaced in his mind — Sasuke leaving Konoha in the dead of night, bidding farewell to Sakura before being taken away by the Sound Four.
Back then, Sasuke hadn't said goodbye to Naruto or Kakashi.
He had left quietly, while no one was paying attention.
Was his heart the same as mine is now?
But the thought lasted only a second.
Hatred replaced it.
Anger swallowed everything else.
Without saying goodbye to anyone, Rono left the village where he had lived for ten years.
He stepped into the sea without hesitation.
His goal was clear.
Grow stronger.
Then do everything in his power to kill the Celestial Dragons.
No—
Slaughter them.
Make those beasts feel the same terror of death they had inflicted upon others.
As long as he could find strong individuals, he could acquire powerful rewards.
And right now, the strongest pirate crew sailing the seas—
Was undoubtedly the Rocks Pirates.
Rono remembered that Rocks D. Xebec's ultimate target was also the Celestial Dragons.
And the crew itself was filled with monsters.
Whitebeard.Golden Lion Shiki.Charlotte Linlin.Captain John.Wang Zhi.Silver Axe.
Future legends of the sea.
If he stood among them, his growth would be explosive.
With that decision made, Rono pushed his vessel toward the Grand Line.
The Current Era
The sea had not yet become the Great Pirate Era that followed Roger's death.
Pirates were not everywhere.
The East Blue was relatively calm.
Even the pirates who existed were minor figures.
Their strength barely surpassed that of ordinary civilians.
Most of them weren't even worth placing a bounty on.
Rono encountered two pirate crews in succession.
From neither group did he obtain any attributes or meaningful abilities.
With a casual release of Conqueror's Haki, he knocked both crews unconscious.
After looting all the Beli aboard their ships, he departed, satisfied.
Supplies
Back on his ship, he assessed his stores.
"Fresh water's running low."
He had been at sea for nearly a week.
Food and water were nearly depleted.
He decided to dock at the nearest inhabited island and replenish supplies.
Fortunately, looting the pirate crews had provided him with sufficient funds.
He anchored at a small island port and stepped ashore.
After resupplying, he filled every room on his ship — except his bedroom — entirely with fresh water barrels.
Since he was sailing alone, the unused cabins served no purpose.
Better to maximize storage.
Time was precious.
He refused to waste it stopping frequently for water.
An Unexpected Visitor
"Hey! Is this your ship? That's a fine vessel you've got!"
As Rono finished filling the last room, an unfamiliar voice echoed from the deck.
His body reacted instantly.
Conqueror's Haki stirred within him.
Revenge from those pirates?
He opened the door, prepared to strike first—
Then froze.
The man standing on his deck—
Straw hat.
Bright grin.
Simple clothes.
A patched travel bag slung over his shoulder.
There was no mistaking him.
This was—
Gol D. Roger.
The man who would one day become Pirate King.
The man who would ignite the Great Pirate Era.
According to the timeline, Roger had only recently set sail.
Alone.
Without a single crew member.
"You're Roger?" Rono asked, steadying himself.
Roger blinked.
"Eh? You know my name? Am I already famous?"
He laughed, clearly pleased.
"By the way, what's your name?"
"I'm Rono."
Rono had only stopped to resupply.
And yet—
He had encountered the future Pirate King.
As he looked at Roger, his eyes gleamed.
Like a starving man staring at a feast.
The future Pirate King stood right in front of him.
If he could acquire something from Roger—
That would be an extraordinary gain.
"Rono, huh? That's great!"
Roger grinned.
"Don't you think it's fate that we met here?"
"How about it?"
"Want to turn this world upside down with me?"
That line…
It sounded familiar.
Wasn't that how he invited Rayleigh?