Chapter 43 : Millennium Dragon

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When the Marine soldiers saw Ikki descending from the sky, they quickly raised their rifles and aimed at him.

In response, Ikki pulled out a private Marine appointment letter, holding it up as he spoke confidently. "Hold your fire! I am Admiral Ikki, appointed under the authority of the private Marine corps."

The major in charge stepped forward, took the letter, and inspected it. The official Marine Headquarters seal was unmistakable. Recognizing its legitimacy, he hesitated—any group influential enough to have a bounty rescinded was not one to provoke lightly.

Lowering his weapon, the major signaled his men to do the same before handing the letter back to Ikki. "Understood, Admiral Ikki. Have you, by any chance, seen a young girl?"

Ikki immediately shook his head. "No, I haven't. My crew and I are on a mission assigned by Vice Admiral Garp, so we won't be lingering here. Now, if you'll excuse me."

The major saluted, acknowledging Ikki's rank, and watched as Ikki leaped back toward the Going Merry.

Nearby, Eric, a mercenary, scowled. "Hey! Major, are you just going to let them go? Shouldn't you search their ship? How will you explain this to Commodore Nelson?"

Though Eric worked as a mercenary, he was deeply interested in securing the fabled Millennium Dragon Bone, rumored to grant eternal life. To him, Apis was the key, and his instincts screamed that she was aboard the pirate ship.

The major shook his head firmly. "Even if the girl is aboard, I dare not act. A revoked 30-million-Berry bounty speaks volumes about their connections. I'd rather face punishment from Commodore Nelson than risk offending someone with that kind of influence."

With that, he gave the order to return to their ship and set sail, prepared to report the situation and accept any consequences.

Back aboard the Going Merry, Ikki used the small light to return everyone to their normal size. Luffy's bloated stomach from his earlier feast shrank down with the rest of his body, leaving him feeling oddly empty.

"Wha—! I was so full a moment ago!" Luffy groaned, clutching his stomach.

Ikki chuckled. "That's the catch. When you're small, you get the joy of eating, but it doesn't actually fill you up."

Luffy pouted but brightened quickly. "Still... eating all that meat was fun!"

Changing the topic, Ikki explained what had happened with the Marines. "There was a warship earlier, chasing after Apis. It seems they're determined to capture her."

Everyone turned to look at Apis. She fidgeted nervously under their stares before blurting, "I-I don't know why they're after me! I just escaped from the Marines before..."

Her awkward response only deepened their suspicions that she was hiding something. Still, having promised to escort her home, no one pressed further. After all, abandoning her wasn't the Straw Hats' style.

Their philosophy was clear: trouble was inevitable, and they wouldn't shy away from it.

As tension hung in the air, Nami pointed toward an island in the distance. "We're here—Warship Island."

Everyone gathered on deck, gazing at the landmass shaped remarkably like a colossal warship.

As the Going Merry neared the shore, they noticed a group of villagers waiting, weapons drawn, looking both nervous and determined.

Luffy grinned. "Wow, they're all here to greet us!"

"Idiot," Nami snapped, rolling her eyes. "They're ready to fight us, not welcome us!"

To avoid escalating the situation, Ikki suggested Apis go ahead and explain. Hesitant at first, she disembarked and reassured the villagers. Once they understood the Straw Hats meant no harm, they lowered their weapons.

The crew followed Apis to her grandfather's house, where the old man warmly thanked them. "I'll prepare my special steamed buns as a token of gratitude for bringing Apis back safely."

Luffy's eyes sparkled at the mention of food. "Special steamed buns?! I can't wait!"

As they waited, the old man began sharing stories, and the crew listened intently.

Meanwhile, aboard the Marine flagship, the major and Eric returned to Admiral Nelson and relayed the events, ready to face the consequences of their decisions.

Commodore Nelson sat on his towering chair, a mountain of muscle and fat, with a small folding fan in his hand. His tiny, piggish eyes narrowed as he listened to the major's report.

"If you can't handle something this simple, what good are you?" Nelson sneered. "If you knew the other party had connections, you should have acted as if you didn't! Arrest the girl first, then deal with the fallout later."

The major's face drained of color, and he bowed his head in silence, unable to muster a reply.

Nelson waved dismissively. "Enough! All ships, prepare to set sail for Warship Island!"

His plan was straightforward. If the girl came from Warship Island, the villagers there might know something about the Thousand-Year Dragon.

As for encountering the Straw Hats? He scoffed. What else could be done? If they got in the way, they'd be eliminated. A thirty-million-Berry pirate was hardly untouchable. If questioned about the revoked bounty, he'd feign ignorance.

Under Nelson's command, a fleet of warships cut through the waves, heading toward Warship Island with overwhelming force.

Meanwhile, on the Going Merry…

Outside, Ikki practiced his boxing technique, sweat glistening as he sharpened his moves. Inside, the rest of the crew was slumped over, drowsy from the old man's endless stories.

Suddenly, Ikki caught sight of Apis sneaking into the kitchen. She stuffed a bag full of the freshly made steamed buns and darted off toward the mountains of Warship Island. Suspicious, Ikki started to follow her.

Before he could react further, Luffy stumbled after her, drawn by the aroma of the buns. His nose twitched like a bloodhound's as he sleepwalked toward the scent. With a sigh, Ikki followed Luffy, and behind him came Nami, her curiosity piqued.

The group trailed Apis to a cave high up in the mountain. Inside, a massive creature lay curled up—a Thousand-Year Dragon, its body fragile and weathered with age, clearly nearing the end of its life.

When Apis noticed her pursuers, she instinctively moved to shield the dragon. But Luffy didn't even glance at it. Instead, he honed in on the bag of buns. Without hesitation, he tore into them, eating like a starved animal.

Apis's face turned red with anger. "Luffy! Those buns were for him!"

Her shout jolted Luffy awake mid-bite. Blinking groggily, he looked around. "Huh? Where am I?" He glanced down at the half-eaten bun in his hand, then up at the massive dragon. His eyes widened. "Whoa! What is that? So cool!"

Ignoring Apis's protests, Luffy dashed over to the dragon. He patted its enormous flank, his face lighting up with childlike wonder. "It's alive! That's amazing! Where did you come from, big guy?"

The Thousand-Year Dragon lifted its heavy eyelids, meeting Luffy's gaze with a sorrowful expression. For a moment, the room seemed to go still. Luffy's grin softened, and his voice lowered. "I get it. You want to go home, don't you?"

Apis stared in shock. "You… you can understand Lord Long?"

Luffy scratched his head. "Not really. I just kinda… felt it."

Ikki folded his arms, nodding knowingly. "That's Luffy's gift—the ability to hear the voices of all things."

Luffy turned to the dragon again, patting it gently. "Don't worry, we'll help you get back to your home."

Ikki, however, tilted his head and squinted at the creature. "A dragon? It looks more like a big, scruffy bird to me."

"He is Ryu! A Thousand-Year Dragon!" Apis insisted fiercely. 

"They want the Thousand-Year Dragon Bone," she revealed. "They say it can create the Elixir of Immortality…"

Nami's eyes widened, calculating the potential value of such a rare item. "An elixir of life? From this old, rundown dragon?" she muttered under her breath. "That could be worth a fortune…"

Before she could dwell on the thought, a faint flash of light came from her pocket. The Poké Ball she'd picked up earlier popped open, and Kodak, the mischievous creature inside, materialized out of nowhere. It began striking ridiculous poses, drawing everyone's attention.