One Piece: Waves of Destiny

Above the vast sea, newspaper gulls flew freely across the sky, carrying freshly printed news to every corner of the world.

Not long after the Buster Call had ended, Morgans, the president of the World Economy News Paper, immediately prepared a new headline after receiving the sensational news. The Navy's reputation? That was of no concern to him. For Morgans, only one thing mattered: big news!

Alongside the breaking news about the mysterious Roja, he had two other scoops that were bound to send shockwaves across the seas.

The sea was already in an uproar.

The first piece of news: Roja, the man who had single-handedly obliterated a Buster Call fleet with one strike, now had a bounty of an astronomical three billion berries. This was only his second bounty. The world was now truly aware of his power, as wiping out a Buster Call fleet with a single attack was a feat unheard of.

The second news rocked the seas even further: the infamous Golden Lion Shiki had escaped from Impel Down, the inescapable prison fortress. This marked the first successful escape in its decades-long history.

Both incidents struck a severe blow to the World Government and the Navy, leaving them humiliated. Their prestige had been tarnished, and their desperate attempts to restore it only stirred chaos across the sea.

West Blue – O'Hara, Tree of Knowledge

It had been a day since Roya arrived in O'Hara. He sat calmly under the great Tree of Knowledge, holding little Robin in his lap, a freshly delivered newspaper in hand. His eyes scanned the articles until they stopped on the news of the Golden Lion's escape.

Just then, a distinct electronic voice echoed in his mind:

[Ding! Mission issued: Travel to Vilmeio. Reward: A random talisman of the Twelve Zodiac Signs. Time limit: five days.]

Roya's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. If his memory served him right, Shiki had made his way to Vilmeio after escaping Impel Down. The Golden Lion sought to use the IQ plant, a resource that could drive animals into a berserk state, to rebuild his forces and reclaim dominance over the seas.

Robin noticed the shift in Roya's demeanor and asked softly, "Big brother Roja, is something wrong?"

The corners of Roja's mouth lifted into a reassuring smile as he replied, "Robin, I have some matters to attend to. I'll need to leave O'Hara for a little while."

Nearby, Olvia, Robin's mother, overheard and stepped closer. Concern etched her features. "Roja, where are you heading? Do you need assistance?"

Roja gently placed Robin aside and turned to Olvia. "Do you know of a place called Vilmeio?"

"Vilmeio?" Olvia repeated, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. Then her eyes brightened. "Yes! I visited Vilmeio once during my travels to study Poneglyphs. Although I don't have a permanent Log Pose for it, I remember the route well. The villagers there are incredibly kind."

She stepped toward a desk and began sketching a simple sea chart. "Wait here for a moment. I'll draw you a map. It should help."

As Olvia worked, Robin clung to Roja's cloak, tears welling up in her eyes. "Big brother Roja, will you come back? When will you return?"

Roja knelt to her level, his voice gentle but firm. "I'll only be gone for a short while, Robin. If you promise to work hard and train your Devil Fruit powers, when you're older, you can set sail and come find me. Then, we'll explore the wonders of the sea together."

Robin wiped her tears and looked at him with hope. "You promise?"

"I promise."

"Then let's make a pinky swear!" Robin extended her small hand.

Roja hooked his little finger with hers, their thumbs pressed together in a promise. Robin declared, "No breaking this promise for a hundred years!"

Roja chuckled. "No breaking it."

Moments later, Olvia handed him the completed chart. "Roja, you'll always be welcome here in O'Hara."

He nodded in acknowledgment and left the Tree of Knowledge. As he made his way to the island's outskirts, a crowd of O'Hara's inhabitants followed him in silence, their eyes filled with gratitude. Roja had saved them all. To them, he was nothing short of a savior.

Roja stopped and turned to face the crowd. Though he was confident the Navy wouldn't attack O'Hara again anytime soon, he wasn't one to leave things to chance. Steeling his resolve, he clasped his hands together and formed seals.

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"

Roja slammed his hands into the ground. The roots of the Tree of Knowledge began to grow, thickening and intertwining to form an enormous natural wall around the entire island. Only a few entrances and exits remained, making O'Hara a nearly impenetrable fortress.

Satisfied, Roja boarded his ship and set sail toward Vilmeio.

Three Days Later – On the Open Sea

A dog-headed warship flanked by two standard Navy vessels sailed swiftly. On the deck of the flagship stood Vice Admiral Garp, a towering, muscular figure whose piercing gaze seemed to scan the horizon.

His voice rumbled with determination. "So, the Golden Lion cut off his legs and escaped Impel Down... He must've planned this long in advance."

A nearby Navy officer saluted and reported, "Vice Admiral Garp, intelligence suggests the Golden Lion is heading toward an island called Vilmeio."

Garp grinned. "Vilmeio, huh? Looks like we're on the right track. Full speed ahead! We're putting that troublemaker back in his cage!"

"Aye, sir!"

Just then, the ship's navigator approached. "Vice Admiral, we've spotted an unidentified ship ahead. It bears no pirate flag, but there's a cloaked figure standing on deck."

Garp's brow furrowed. He'd heard rumors of a mysterious cloaked man causing trouble for the Navy lately. If this figure was the same person, then fate had conveniently delivered him another mission.

"Change course," Garp commanded. "We're paying him a visit."