One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 94

"Warring States, don't underestimate her. Although she's kept a low profile these past few years, I've had people keeping a close eye on her every move. Her current strength... hmph, even in the New World, she'd be enough to go toe-to-toe with those monsters!"

He paused, then added, "Moreover, although she has been sailing the seas these past few years, I haven't heard of any atrocities such as indiscriminately killing innocent people or plundering civilians. Her goal seems to have always been pure—to challenge the strong and hone her swordsmanship. If it weren't for those useless people in the East China Sea branch back then... sigh!"

Garp's tone was filled with undisguised regret and a hint of annoyance. Kuina was a promising talent he had once highly regarded and was eager to recruit into the Navy, but she was forced to become a pirate.

No... I should say that Luffy, Ace, Sabo, Kuina, and Robin are all people he has high hopes for, so they shouldn't have anything to do with pirates!

His ideal scenario was for his whole family to be together in the navy!

I beat them up whenever I feel like it... cough cough, and train my grandchildren to enhance their combat capabilities and prepare them for various harsh survival environments.

Since it's impossible to get Kuina to wear a Navy uniform now, using her status as a Shichibukai to "encircle" her and bring her into a controllable order, thus preventing her from completely turning against the Navy, is, in Garp's view, a "roundabout" way to achieve his goal.

Kuina's swordsmanship talent and temperament, if left to drift at sea, could very well become another difficult problem to deal with in the future.

Sengoku, observing Garp's serious expression, fell into deep thought. He knew Garp; though the old man was usually unreliable, his judgment of people was extremely sharp. His high regard for Kuina, even believing she had the potential to rival the Yonko's subordinates, was probably not unfounded.

With one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea positions vacant and the World Government pressing for their recruitment, it would indeed be a good option to recruit a pirate who is strong enough but not extremely vicious.

More importantly... this might be a way to appease Garp, his old comrade-in-arms, and make up for his regret at not being able to bring Kuina into the Navy.

After a moment's consideration, Sengoku finally nodded, took out a blank appointment document stamped with the World Government's seal from the drawer, and handed it to Garp.

“Alright, here's the document. But Garp, you need to understand that recruiting a Shichibukai is no joke. If Kuina doesn't accept it, or accepts it but then disobeys, then…”

"Don't worry, Sengoku!" Garp grabbed the document, his face breaking into a carefree smile, but his eyes were unusually determined. "That girl, leave her to me! No matter what, I have to make sure she gets that position!"

He took the documents, turned around, and strode out of the marshal's office, already planning where to "bump into" his niece Dadan, whom he hadn't seen for several years and who had grown up to be someone he could care about.

Sengoku watched Garp's departing figure, shook his head helplessly, and turned his gaze back to the mountain of documents piled on the table.

The situation at sea is becoming increasingly complex. These young and reckless faces, driven solely by enthusiasm to set sail, are constantly emerging on the Grand Line. It's truly unknown where they will end up.

Meanwhile, far away in the Twin Straits, Kuina, who had just finished wiping away the purple clouds and was preparing for her evening practice, suddenly felt a chill, as if she had been targeted by something troublesome and impossible to shake off.

She frowned slightly, gazing towards the seas of the Grand Line, and a barely perceptible hum emanated from the Purple Cloud within its sheath.

Donghai, Cocoa West Village.

The setting sun bathed the orange grove in a warm golden glow, filling the air with the sweet, distinctive aroma of citrus. Bellemere was busy in her own orange grove, carrying a bucket of water, fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, but her expression was one of contentment.

Nokiko stood by the clothesline in front of the house, reaching down the clothes that had been drying all day. The sea breeze ruffled her short, sky-blue hair, bringing with it the scent of the distant ocean.

Everything seemed peaceful and beautiful.

"Belmere! Nojiko! I'm back!"

A vibrant, slightly weary but mostly excited voice came from the path in the distance.

Chapter 112 Nami's Family of Three

Nami appeared at the end of the path, looking travel-worn, carrying a bulging, heavy backpack.

Her fair skin glowed with a healthy sheen in the sunset, her short orange hair was a little messy and had a few sea salt crystals on it, but her big chestnut eyes were surprisingly bright, full of the satisfaction of "the trip was worthwhile".

Bellemere straightened up, looking at her daughter who hadn't been seen for several days, and sighed with a mixture of heartache and helplessness: "You child, you've run off again without a word! And how many days this time?"

Nami ran over with a grin, slamming her heavy backpack down on the ground like a prize, and dusting it off: "It hasn't been long! This time we went to Shells Town, the currents and reefs there are so interesting!"

As she spoke, she eagerly opened her backpack and carefully took out thick rolls of hand-drawn nautical charts.

The nautical charts are made of special waterproof paper, with intricate coastlines, isobaths, ocean current arrows, reef markers, wind roses, and other markings drawn with extremely fine strokes. They are also covered with various data and observation notes.

"Look, look, this is a detailed map I drew of the southeastern waters of Shells Town. There's a hidden warm current here; if used properly, it can save a lot of sailing time! And here, this seemingly calm sea is actually full of coral reefs; large ships simply can't pass through..."

Nami excitedly pointed to the details on the nautical chart, explaining them eloquently, her whole being seemingly radiant. For her, every voyage for surveying and mapping, every refinement of her chart, was an unparalleled source of joy and accomplishment.

Noki took the last piece of clothing, walked over and looked at the dozens of thick rolls of sea charts on the ground, then at her sister's flushed face from excitement, and couldn't help but facepalm:

"Nami... the nautical charts you've brought back from your recent voyages have almost filled our room."

Bellemere looked at the nautical charts on the ground, which embodied her daughter's hard work and sweat, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She was proud of Nami's talent and perseverance; in Cocoyasi Village, and even in the entire East Blue, it was probably impossible to find another girl who could draw such accurate and detailed nautical charts.

On the other hand, Nami's frequent solo voyages, often lasting for several days at a time, made her, as a mother, very worried.

Although the East Blue is relatively calm, the weather at sea is unpredictable, not to mention the occasional appearance of pirates. Every time Nami goes to sea, Bellemere's heart is in her throat, and she can only relax when Nami returns safely.

Fortunately, Nami doesn't go out to sea alone; she always brings MooMoo, the dugong, with her.

“Nami,” Bellemere knelt down, gently stroking the sea charts, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable firmness:

“I know you love sailing and enjoy drawing nautical charts. But you can’t keep piling up so many nautical charts at home. Our house is practically turning into your ‘chart warehouse’.”

Nami's excitement subsided slightly, and she stuck out her tongue somewhat sheepishly: "I'm sorry, Bellemere, I'll be more careful next time..."

"It's not something to be mindful of next time."

Bellemere shook her head, as if she had made up her mind. She stood up and glanced at the small patch of land next to her house, where there had been plans to expand the orange processing plant.

“I’ve made up my mind,” Bellemere said, patting the dirt off her hands. “Right next to the house, I’ll have someone build a bigger one.”

Nami and Nojiko were both stunned.

"Build a house?" Nami blinked.

“Yes.” Bellemere looked at Nami with gentle eyes. “It’s a special place to store your nautical charts, and it can also serve as your studio for studying navigation and drawing nautical charts. That way, you won’t have to fill your room to the brim, and you’ll have a space that truly belongs to you.”

Nami stared blankly at Bellemere, then glanced at Nojiko beside her, who was smiling in agreement. A surge of warmth instantly welled up in her heart, washing away the fatigue from days of sailing. Her eyes reddened slightly, and she suddenly rushed forward and hugged Bellemere.

"Belmel! Thank you! You're the best!"

Her voice was choked with emotion, but more than anything, it was filled with indescribable joy and gratitude.

Bellemere gently patted Nami's back, smiling helplessly yet affectionately, "Silly child. But it's a deal, now that you have a studio, you need to be more careful when you go out to sea, and don't make us worry like this anymore."

"Yes! I promise!" Nami nodded vigorously, her face beaming with happiness.

She couldn't wait to start imagining what her own nautical chart studio would look like. She wanted to build a huge workbench where all the nautical charts could be laid out, and the walls would be covered with maps of the East China Sea and even the world's seas...

Perhaps, one day in the future, she will actually be able to draw a map of the entire world?

As the sun completely sank below the horizon and night fell, the lights of Cocoaxi Village lit up one by one.

The warm orange light shone through the windows, outlining the home in a cozy and peaceful way.

Nami helped Nojiko bring the clothes that had been drying inside, and then she and Bellemere prepared a sumptuous dinner together.

At this time of year, Manatee Moo Moo always appears precisely on time for mealtime, and its food is already prepared in the yard.

The family sat around the table, listening to Nami recount the interesting things that happened during their sea surveying trip...

—How did they use ocean currents to sink the mindless pirate ships to the bottom of the sea, and how did they predict a short-lived storm by observing the clouds and wind direction and find shelter in time?

Bellemere and Nojiko listened, feeling both nervous and that this was Nami's true nature.

They knew that Nami's talent and resourcefulness at sea had far exceeded their imagination.

No wonder Liu Jiu demanded that Nami be forbidden from setting foot on the Grand Line before she turns 18; her talent is off the charts, she's just too young…

After dinner, Nami returned to her room, which was almost entirely filled with nautical charts and various navigational instruments.

She carefully categorized the new nautical charts she brought back and compared and corrected them with the old nautical charts she had drawn before.

Under the lamplight, her figure, bent over her work, appeared exceptionally focused, with only the scratching of the pen tip on the paper and the occasional sound of turning the pages of a thick nautical logbook.

Once the last new sea chart was properly stored away, Nami breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her slightly sore wrists.

Her gaze unconsciously fell on a small box she had carefully kept in the corner of the desk.

She reached out and gently opened the box.

Inside lay a white piece of paper, its texture peculiar, as if it possessed a life of its own, moving extremely slowly in a fixed direction.

This is a life card.

It was left to her by Kuina, Robin, Sabo, and... Uncle Liu Jiu.

Nami extended her fingertip and carefully touched the Vivre Card.

It was as if I could sense the life force of those four people in the distance.

Her gaze drifted involuntarily to the boundless night sky outside the window, and her thoughts flew far away with the sea breeze.

"Kuina, Robin, Sabo, and Uncle..."

She murmured softly, her voice filled with deep longing and a hint of barely perceptible resentment, "Where did you all go? You're so cunning... You said you'd come back to me after you finished your business, but it's been so long..."

Chapter 113 Ace's Studies

East China Sea, Mount Gorbo.

A secluded cabin in the mountains, surrounded by a meticulously tended flowerbed, exudes tranquility and warmth.

This is Portgas D. Rouge's home.

Since her son became the bandit king, she has rarely interfered in Ace's affairs and has moved out to live alone.

The warm afternoon sunlight streamed through the window lattice and fell on the clean wooden floor.

Rouge, the mother who, in the original anime, carried Ace for twenty months with astonishing willpower, now has a rosy complexion, gentle yet vibrant eyes, and is sitting on a chair by the window, holding a cup of floral tea.

In this timeline subtly altered by Liu Jiu, she lives a healthy life, enjoying peaceful moments with her son Ace and Luffy.

"Aunt Luju! Aunt Luju!"

Accompanied by a series of loud shouts and the thud of little leather boots on the wooden planks, Luffy, with messy black hair and wearing a straw hat, rushed in like a small cannonball, waving a crumpled newspaper in his hand.

"We got the newspaper! Quick, see if there's any news about Saab!"

Immediately afterwards, Ace also walked in.

Compared to three years ago, he had grown considerably taller, and the untamed spirit between his brows remained, but when he looked at his mother, there was a hint of barely perceptible tenderness in his eyes. He handed Lu Jiu the relatively flat newspaper he had taken from Dadan.

"Mom, thank you for your help." Ace's voice sounded more composed than Luffy's recklessness.

Rouge smiled as she took the newspaper and pulled the two boys to sit down beside her. She first stroked Luffy's soft hair, then looked at Ace with eyes full of affection.

"Okay, let Auntie take a look." She unfolded the newspaper, her eyes quickly scanning the front page headlines of the economic news.

Luffy eagerly craned his neck, even though he couldn't understand the dense text, he still tried to open his eyes wide, as if that would allow him to see Sabo's name.

"What did they say? Is Sabo mentioned? Has he become a super powerful pirate? Is he eating meat properly? How much is his bounty?"

Although Ace didn't speak, his tightly pursed lips and focused gaze betrayed his concern.