Shimotsuki Village, Isshin Dojo
Kuina stood silently in the courtyard of the dojo, her hand gripping Wado Ichimonji, the treasured sword left to her by her late father.
She stared at the fresh bounty poster in her hand, the wind rustling it slightly, and a determined gleam flashed in her eyes.
"Rin… just wait for me! I'll catch up to you I'll keep growing stronger!" she whispered, clutching the blade tighter.
———
Somewhere in East Blue
Since the Pandora Pirates' bounty posters had been circulated by the World Government, the East Blue had erupted with chatter news of a new pirate captain with a 50 million Berry bounty spread like wildfire.
Bounty hunters, desperate for fame and reward, came in droves to challenge him.
But none succeeded.
Each attempt ended the same swift defeat.
Right now, Rin stood at the bow of the ship, lost in deep thought.
"Should I head for the Grand Line?" he wondered inwardly.
The call of the Grand Line the sea of legends and monsters was strong.
But then he remembered his promise to Kuina.
He had vowed to wait. Would leaving now feel like a betrayal?
His heart wavered.
Yet…
Rin understood something very clearly now—if he remained in East Blue, his growth would slow down.
He had already bested pirates, bounty hunters, and Marines stationed in the weakest sea.
Without powerful opponents or life-and-death battles, how could he continue evolving?
After several long minutes, Rin clenched his fist.
His gaze sharpened with resolve.
"I'll write a letter to Kuina I believe she'll understand."
Without delay, he rushed into the cabin and began writing.
Nearly an hour later, he stepped out, sealing the envelope.
"Casa, set course for Rogue Town!" Rin shouted.
Casa, who had been flipping through a navigational logbook, looked up, puzzled.
"Rogue Town? I thought we were staying here a while longer. Weren't you waiting for someone?"
"Change of plans." Rin shook his head. "If we linger here, we'll stagnate. Our next leap in strength lies on the Grand Line."
"Alright." Casa nodded without hesitation. "You're the captain."
With a swift command, the ship adjusted its heading toward Rogue Town, the famous place where Gol D. Roger was both born and executed, known as the town where the East Blue ends and the Grand Line begins.
Rin held the envelope tight in his hand.
"Once we reach Rogue Town, I'll send this to Shimotsuki Village."
As Kuina's determined face surfaced in his memory, Rin shook his head slightly, dispelling his hesitation.
"Train."
He murmured the word and moved to the deck under the midday sun, sitting cross-legged.
Time to strengthen himself.
He activated the Ghost Qi within his body an ominous power he had cultivated through recent battles and countless deaths delivered by his blade.
True to his expectations, he sensed that the ghost qi had grown massively.
He visualized it—it was now a dark mass the size of a banquet table.
"With this much ghost qi… maybe I can manifest a ghost qi domain?" Rin muttered.
The concept was similar to an illusion field—ghost qi could distort perception, instilling fear, causing hallucinations, and shaking the opponent's will.
Even a hardened mind could be disrupted, even if briefly.
And so—he decided to try.
But first, a new name.
Rin raised his right hand and clenched his fist.
"Pandora Field."
Boom!
An audible burst echoed out.
A wave of sinister, purple-black aura radiated from Rin's body, flooding the entire ship like a thick fog.
In seconds, the vessel was engulfed in his malevolent domain—Pandora Field was born.
But it only lasted a moment.
Rin quickly withdrew it, not wanting to harm or unsettle his crew.
Still, the eruption did not go unnoticed.
Casa and Artoria rushed out of their quarters.
"Captain! What was that just now?"
"That aura… it felt evil." Artoria narrowed her eyes, her senses alert.
"Relax," Rin grinned. "It's just my new power. I activated it briefly, then dispelled it."
"Whew, I thought we were under attack," Casa chuckled, heading back to his room with his book.
"Captain, keep going—I'll be in my cabin," Artoria smiled gently and departed as well.
"Alright." Rin gave a small nod.
Once they left, Rin resumed his meditation.
He shifted his focus now to the Cosmic Fruit, the mysterious Devil Fruit he had eaten.
He still couldn't fully access its central powers, but he sensed untapped abilities—he just had to unlock them.
Then—
A sudden sensation jolted him.
His body… felt lighter.
Weightless.
His eyes snapped open.
"This sensation…"
His body felt as though it could float—gravity no longer held him the same way.
Then—a flash of memory.
Rin clutched his head as a wave of insight struck him.
Something had clicked—something fundamental.
He dug deeper into his thoughts… and then it came to him.
"That's it!"
His eyes sparkled.
"Gravity! That's what I felt!"
The realization exploded in his mind.
The Cosmic Fruit didn't just represent empty space. It embodied all forces within the cosmos—gravity included.
Even if he couldn't yet generate celestial bodies or manipulate time-space, he could tap into one of the universe's essential laws.
"There's no 'cosmos' without gravity. That explains the sensation just now. If I can feel it—then I can use it."
Excitement surged through him.
"I can control gravity!"
Breathing rapidly with exhilaration, Rin stood up slowly.
He had just taken another step toward becoming a true power in the sea.
And with this, the Pandora Pirates would soon set foot into the Grand Line…
A new chapter was about to begin.
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