Prelude to Departure on Prolos Island

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Prolos Island, located in the northern part of the East Sea, is a small island.

The warm currents from the eastern seas converge here, resulting in a perpetually humid and sweltering climate. Over countless years, the entire island has become covered in dense tropical rainforests. Only the coastal areas, after being cleared, have seen gradual settlement, and after decades, a small town of modest scale has formed.

Though sparsely populated, the island is far from obscure. In fact, it is widely known across the East Sea, and almost everyone has heard of Prolos Island.

The reason lies in the true master of the island, Prolos—a renowned and shrewd ship merchant, widely regarded as the best in the East Sea.

The Prolos family, founded by him, leveraged their immense wealth to purchase the entire island from the government. They recruited numerous shipbuilding craftsmen, including some master-level experts with notable reputations, to work for them.

Over time, with a solid foundation and meticulous management by the Prolos family, numerous shipyards were built near the town. These shipyards continuously produced various types of ships to fulfill orders from across the East Sea.

Even the naval branches of the East Sea, though they wouldn't commission large warships here, placed numerous orders each year for smaller vessels, such as lifeboats.

In the shipbuilding industry and its related supply chains, the Prolos family is an undisputed leader in the East Sea. It's no wonder that they are so well-known.

Of course, this fame doesn't extend to Shanuo, who has spent three years in a remote small town and remains blissfully ignorant of such matters.

At this moment, Shanuo is walking along the main street of the town with the crew of the Tado Pirate Group.

He is positioned toward the edge of the group, with Biggie on his right, enthusiastically recounting the tales of the Prolos family. Shanuo listens passively, occasionally responding, finding it just enough to stave off boredom.

Only upon arriving on the island did Shanuo learn that Zeff's Baratie restaurant hadn't officially opened yet. The ship that would house the restaurant had been handed over to the Prolos shipyard for construction a month earlier. It should now be almost complete. Their group had docked at the port to retrieve the ship.

In retrospect, it made sense. Shanuo vividly recalled that the Baratie restaurant in the original story featured a massive ship with many functional enhancements requiring advanced shipbuilding techniques. No wonder Zeff had specifically ordered it from Prolos Island.

Looking to his left, Shanuo saw that most of the pirates, including Captain Tado, were walking with them, along with the young Sanji trailing behind. In total, there were about a dozen of them. A few crew members had stayed behind to guard the pirate ship and had not come ashore.

As for Zeff, he had already gone ahead to the shipyard. According to the old man, he could handle retrieving the ship alone, and there was no need for Shanuo and the others to worry. Their purpose in coming ashore was simply to buy food and fresh water to replenish their supplies.

And to visit the tavern to purchase fine wine for a grand farewell feast.

Yes, their arrival at Prolos Island marked the day of separation for Shanuo, Sanji, and the Tado crew.

Shanuo and Sanji would board the newly constructed ship and head to the sea area Zeff had chosen to establish the Baratie restaurant.

According to the original plan, the Tado Pirate Group would continue northward, bypassing Loguetown and heading for Reverse Mountain to officially enter the Grand Line!

"The Grand Line, huh…"

Shanuo's gaze swept over the crew walking beside him. He could see a hint of excitement on their faces, and their spirits seemed higher than usual. He couldn't help but feel a bit envious.

Well, he still had to stay at the Baratie restaurant for a few years.

Although Shanuo yearned to explore the magnificent Grand Line, he had to admit that his current strength was inadequate, and Zeff would never allow him to set sail at such a young age. Reluctantly, he shelved the idea.

He needed to focus on improving his abilities first.

After all, like Yasuo in the jungle or mid-lane, he had to reach Level 6 before he could step out and carry the game, right?

…

The Jack Tavern was located in the busiest part of town. Known for its wide variety of alcohol at reasonable prices, it always did brisk business.

During peak hours, the place was so packed that newcomers often couldn't squeeze in. They had to wait outside until someone left before they could push through the saloon doors.

On this sunny autumn day, with clear skies overhead, a steady stream of traders had arrived over the past few days. By early afternoon, a crowd was already gathering at the entrance of Jack Tavern. Among them were local drunkards as well as travelers drawn by the tavern's reputation.

The locals were mostly ordinary civilians, but the travelers were a mixed bag of merchants, nobles, pirates, and all sorts of characters. However, in this town governed by the Prolos family, most were here for the shipyard, and no one paid much attention to these differences.

Near the saloon doors stood two rough-looking young men with knife scars on their faces, huddled at the back of the crowd, speaking in low voices.

Unlike the others, they didn't appear anxious to enter the tavern. Instead, they kept their eyes on the entrance, watching the comings and goings with a sharp focus. It was clear they were waiting for someone.

One after another, people pushed open the doors to enter or exit. Each time, the two men glanced at them but quickly looked away in disappointment upon seeing unfamiliar faces.

Finally.

After waiting for a full twenty minutes, the saloon doors swung open again. This time, a group of more than a dozen people emerged, carrying barrels of wine and packages. Laughing and joking, they briefly discussed something before heading south toward the port.

"Hmm?"

The two men perked up, their expressions changing noticeably. This time, there was no disappointment, only a sharp intensity in their gaze as they followed the group's backs until they disappeared around a corner.

"It's him—'Butcher Blade' Tado, with a bounty of ten million berries…"

The thinner man narrowed his eyes, smirking coldly. "What a small world. After a year, we run into them again here."

"Yeah. Can't tell if they're unlucky or we're lucky," his heavier companion sneered, a flash of malice in his eyes. "Either way, now that we've crossed paths, these bastards won't leave Prolos Island alive…"