CHAPTER 75: Journey to the East Blue: The Island of Dragons

"The first emperor has appeared."

"But it's within expectations."

Mio murmured while reading the newspaper, a thoughtful glint flashing in his eyes.

It was no surprise that Whitebeard was the first of the future Four Emperors to ascend to that throne. After all, he was currently in his prime, with strength at its peak. His Devil Fruit was fully developed, and even Kaido and Big Mom couldn't match him at this stage. Red-Haired Shanks, while full of potential, still had a long way to go before reaching Whitebeard's level, though he was already a powerful figure in the New World.

It would likely take Shanks another year or two to claim an emperor's title.

Right now, very few people on the seas could rival Whitebeard.

However, with Whitebeard becoming the first Emperor, the sea would naturally become turbulent. Every ambitious pirate in the New World would be eager to ascend and claim the title of Emperor for themselves.

And in the New World, ambition was never in short supply.

Many powerful and ruthless pirates roamed those waters. As a result, the next few years would usher in a chaotic era until all Four Emperors were established. Only under the balance of power between them would the world enjoy a semblance of peace.

Shaking the newspaper in his hand, Mio smirked with anticipation.

He hadn't expected Whitebeard to take the position so soon, but it didn't matter. He still had time to grow stronger and expand his power.

"The World Government must have foreseen the rise of future emperors too," Mio murmured. "With their vision, it's only natural. They might even attempt to secretly interfere in these affairs. But realistically speaking, that's difficult to achieve. The Seven Warlords system must've already been put into motion by now."

After all, the Shichibukai—Seven Warlords of the Sea—were created as a stabilizing force.

They were meant to help the Marines balance the influence of the Four Emperors.

However, the power gap between the Warlords and the Emperors was vast.

Shaking his head, Mio put down the newspaper and unfolded a map with a slightly helpless look in his eyes. "It's Gunkanjima… I didn't expect it to be in the East Blue. Looks like we'll have to take a bit of a detour."

He had initially thought Gunkanjima was located in the Grand Line, but after thorough investigation, he learned that it was actually in the East Blue. Though it was far, it was still a destination he couldn't ignore.

After all, it was the only known place where dragons existed.

The East Blue might be the weakest of the Four Seas, but it had birthed several world-shaking figures. Mio couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.

Just like Luffy in the original timeline, Mio also wanted to visit Loguetown—the place where Gol D. Roger was executed, and where the Great Pirate Era truly began.

"We probably won't run into anyone powerful in the East Blue, right?" Mio scratched his head lazily, stretched his body, and lay down on the deck under the warm sun. "Let's treat this like a leisure trip."

Given the current strength of the pirates and navy in the East Blue, none could pose a real threat to them.

Calling it a leisure trip wasn't far off.

As the sails billowed in the wind, the ship began to head toward the Calm Belt. Returning to the Four Seas meant passing through it, but with Hanba around, it was an easy journey. The sea monster could carry them through the Calm Belt effortlessly.

Time passed quietly.

With Hanba propelling the ship, Mio and his crew arrived in the East Blue within three days.

Compared to the Grand Line's erratic and unpredictable weather, the East Blue was peaceful and sunlit—almost idyllic.

The ship moved calmly across the sea as Hanba's massive form swam beneath the surface, carefully avoiding any disturbance.

On the deck, Warwick was training Hei Yan in Haki and the Six Powers of the Navy. Nearby, Erica taught Robin how to sense and use Haki. Lilith was sitting quietly, reading a book to study on her own. She preferred learning Haki through theoretical knowledge first before actual practice.

"This direction should be right."

Mio looked toward the horizon, then gave a command. "Hanba, seven o'clock, straight ahead."

"Hanba knows." A muffled voice responded from below the water, and the ship picked up speed as Hanba swam faster.

Gunkanjima—also known as Battleship Island—was somewhat famous in the East Blue. Not because of its military power or inhabitants, but due to an old legend.

It was said that the bones of a Millennium Dragon could be used to create medicine that grants immortality.

Most people now dismissed it as a fairy tale.

After four days of sailing, the island finally came into view. From a distance, it did resemble a massive warship floating on the sea. But Mio wasn't interested in the island itself.

Instead, he ordered the ship to stop nearby and turned to Hanba. "Dive down and check if there's an island beneath the sea. Look around thoroughly."

"An island?" Hanba repeated, then nodded. "Hanba understands, master. Leave it to me."

With that, Hanba dived beneath the waves.

Hei Yan, still sweating from his recent sparring session with Warwick, walked over and asked, "Master, are we searching for that island?"

"Ah, yes," Mio replied with a grin. "The Dragon Island—the home and resting place of the Millennium Dragons. It only appears once every thousand years, when dragons from all over the world return."

"There are real dragons in this world?" Hei Yan asked, wide-eyed.

"Of course," Mio said confidently. "Though I'm not sure how powerful they are. The Millennium Dragon in the original story wasn't particularly strong, but Wano Country's legendary swordsman, Ryuma, once killed a dragon. If that was a different species, then there might be even stronger dragons out there."

"There should be one trapped on this island too," Mio added. Based on the old lore, the dragon had likely been stuck inside a cavern on the island for many years.

Before Hei Yan could reply, he suddenly tensed up, his eyes narrowing as he gazed into the distance. "Master… a navy ship is approaching."

Mio followed his gaze and spotted the silhouette of a Marine warship on the horizon. He remained calm and waved his hand. "Drive them away."

But Hei Yan frowned and stepped forward. "Master, we should kill them."

"Oh? Why?" Mio asked, intrigued by the suggestion.

Hei Yan explained calmly, "We're pirates—and you have a high bounty. If the navy identifies us and escapes, they'll report it. Stronger Marines will come next time. If we eliminate them now, we can keep our presence here hidden and return to the Grand Line quietly after we're done."

Mio nodded thoughtfully. Hei Yan's thinking was sound—ruthless but logical.

"Alright," Mio said. "I'll leave it to you."

"Thank you, Master." A red gleam shone in Hei Yan's eyes. He stepped forward and suddenly soared into the sky.

He was using Geppo—the Moon Step—one of the Navy's Six Styles.

And with that, he rushed toward the warship to eliminate all threats.