...
Kuzan really did seem to have come just to soak in the hot spring, to ease the fatigue of his travels—or perhaps to observe the current state of the Straw Hat crew.
Water droplets slid down his body, covered in burn scars. The "calf" formed from condensed ice, connecting to his severed limb and emitting a faint chill, supported him steadily as he stood.
He didn't look back at the four Straw Hats, who were on high alert. He simply draped the bath towel over his shoulders and walked toward the changing room outside the hot spring.
His figure soon vanished into the rising steam.
In the hot spring, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Brook exchanged glances.
"He… just left like that?" Sanji stared at Kuzan's departing back, full of caution in his eyes.
"Something's off!"
Zoro furrowed his brows tightly: "This guy showed up way too conveniently, and… it feels like he had something to say."
"Yohohoho, I may not fully understand, but the aura on that man… it's very complicated."
Brook shook his skeletal head. Though he had never dealt with him personally, he could still sense from the man's presence whether he was good or bad.
Luffy wiped the water from his face, his expression turning serious: "Let's follow him! I have a feeling he knows something about that crusher old man!"
The four quickly got up, hastily wiped themselves down, wrapped the towels around themselves, and followed after him.
Outside the changing room, Kuzan had already put on his bath towel and was leaning back in a chair, as if waiting for them.
Seeing the four Straw Hats emerge dripping wet and somewhat tense, the corner of his mouth seemed to lift slightly.
Luffy strode right up to Kuzan and asked bluntly, without beating around the bush: "Hey, why did you fight Sakazuki? Weren't you comrades?"
The question was so innocently direct that even Zoro and Sanji nearby couldn't help twitching at the corners of their mouths.
But Kuzan didn't seem surprised. He raised an eyebrow, looking into Luffy's clear eyes, and replied calmly: "That question of yours… really has Garp-san's style."
Though he didn't feel offended, Kuzan still sidestepped it. "However, the reason for that fight… is very complicated.
And talking about it now doesn't mean much anymore. Sakazuki and I both made our choices and bore the consequences."
Kuzan paused for a moment, then stood up from the bench: "Let's get dressed first. Talking in bath towels isn't exactly formal."
They quickly changed back into their clothes. Kuzan led the way, walking slowly along a small path toward the coast.
The four Straw Hats silently followed behind him. The sea breeze blew, carrying the salty, damp scent and the faint sound of distant waves.
"Straw Hat Kid, and the rest of you…"
Kuzan's voice drifted back with the wind, sounding almost like he was talking to himself—or perhaps posing a question to them: "Have you ever thought about this: Did 'ONE PIECE' come first in this world, or did 'pirates'?"
The question came out of nowhere, carrying a philosophical, contemplative weight.
Luffy blinked, clearly not fully grasping the deeper meaning.
Zoro and Sanji frowned, sinking into thought. Brook tilted his head: "ONE PIECE? You mean the great treasure on Laugh Tale? Pirates have existed since ancient times, right?"
Kuzan didn't wait for their answers—or perhaps he didn't expect a standard one.
He kept walking forward, narrating calmly: "Different standpoints lead to different views.
To the World Government and many ordinary people, it was Gol D. Roger's final words before his death that ignited the flames of the 'Great Pirate Era,' sending countless people out to sea to become pirates in pursuit of that phantom called 'ONE PIECE.'
Pirates emerged in massive numbers as a calamity because of 'ONE PIECE.'"
As he spoke, Kuzan suddenly shifted tone, his voice growing somewhat heavier: "But for Teacher Zephyr… his answer is the exact opposite."
The attention of the four Straw Hats was immediately captured.
"Teacher Zephyr believes…"
Kuzan stopped walking, turned to face them, his eyes carrying a complex emotion: "In this world, 'ONE PIECE' came first."
"Huh?" Luffy looked utterly confused.
"His reasoning is…"
Seeing Luffy's bewilderment, Kuzan patiently explained: "Because Roger reached Laugh Tale, learned of 'ONE PIECE's' existence, and made it public before his death—that's what gave birth to this mad pursuit of treasure…
Leading to the Great Pirate Era full of tragedy and chaos. Pirates slaughter each other, plunder, and destroy in their fight for 'ONE PIECE,' causing countless people to lose their homes, loved ones, peace, and happiness."
His gaze swept over Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, his expression growing somewhat complicated: "You've traveled this far—you've probably seen plenty of people crying because of pirates, right?"
Zoro and Sanji fell silent.
They had indeed seen it—even personally defeated many pirates who caused such tragedies.
"So…"
Kuzan's voice gradually grew solemn: "Teacher Zephyr's ultimate goal isn't just hunting down some pirate or venting personal hatred.
His aim is to destroy 'ONE PIECE' and put an end to the 'Great Pirate Era' that Roger began."
"What?!"
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji exclaimed in unison, even Brook letting out a surprised sound.
Destroy ONE PIECE? End the Great Pirate Era?
That one-armed old man with the Seastone mechanical arm harbored such a massive, so… fundamentally extreme ambition?
This went far beyond ordinary revenge or ideological conflict—it was a direct threat to shake the interests of countless people across the seas.
"Why… why would he do that?"
Luffy couldn't help asking, his face full of disbelief.
To him, "ONE PIECE" and the dream of becoming Pirate King were sacred and pure—he couldn't comprehend someone wanting to destroy it.
"The reasons are complicated…"
Kuzan didn't delve into Zephyr's past traumas, simply saying: "He lost too much, saw too many tragedies born from pirates and this era. He believes that as long as the ultimate goal of 'ONE PIECE' exists…
The chaos and suffering of the Great Pirate Era will never truly end.
Only by completely erasing that root cause can the world return to order, so the innocent no longer shed tears."
Unknowingly, they had reached the coastline.
Before them stretched the vast blue sea, waves rising and falling, seagulls circling. The sea was both the starting point of dreams and the stage for countless conflicts and tragedies.
Kuzan faced the ocean, his back to the four Straw Hats, and tossed the question out again—this time directly to Luffy: "Straw Hat Kid, what's your answer? To you, did 'ONE PIECE' come first, or did 'pirates'? Or rather…"
He turned his head slightly, glancing at Luffy: "Does the dream come before the person? When a pirate's voyage in pursuit of their dream…
Inevitably causes others to lose their happiness and loved ones, causing tears—how do you view your own dream then?"
This question was heavier than any attack from a powerful enemy.
It struck straight at the potential contradictions and ethical dilemmas behind a pirate's identity and pursuit of dreams.
Luffy froze. He furrowed his brows tightly, thinking hard.
Zoro, Sanji, and Brook all turned to look at their captain.
The sea wind tousled Luffy's hair.
A few seconds later, he raised his head. His eyes were still clear, but now carried a seriousness that hadn't been there before.
"I…" He started to speak.
But Kuzan raised a hand to stop him, turned around, and showed a faint, enigmatic smile:
"No need to tell me the answer right now. You have your journey—you'll find the answer that belongs to you. I just… passed on Teacher Zephyr's question to you."
After a pause, Kuzan continued: "I'm no longer with the Marines, but Teacher Zephyr was once my instructor, someone I respect.
I'll watch his future, see where his path leads. As for what should be done… I don't know either."
His gaze settled on Luffy again, lingering for a moment. In that look was expectation, scrutiny, and a trace of complex emotion.
"But you'll still go fight him, right? For your crew, and for… something else."
Luffy nodded firmly: "Yeah! That crusher old man's subordinate hurt my crew! I'm definitely gonna send him flying!"
Kuzan didn't seem surprised by this answer. He gave a light nod: "Then… let me observe your answer slowly through your battle."
With that, he didn't linger or say goodbye. He just casually waved his hand and strolled leisurely along the coastline in the opposite direction from where the Sunny was moored.
His figure looked somewhat lonely against the open coast, yet carried a sense of freedom after shedding heavy burdens.
The four Straw Hats stood in place, watching Kuzan's silhouette grow smaller until it disappeared around the bend.
The sea breeze continued to blow, carrying the salty scent and the faint sound of distant waves.
Zoro broke the silence: "What a… troublesome question."
Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and took a deep drag: "Dreams and reality… huh?"
Brook: "Yohohoho, I may not fully get it, but it feels like a really profound topic!"
Luffy clenched his fist, staring firmly in the direction Kuzan had vanished, then looked out at the vast sea and murmured to himself: "ONE PIECE… pirates… dreams…"
The viewers in God Valley also fell into brief contemplation because of this exchange between Kuzan and Luffy.
The grandeur and extremism of Zephyr's goal exceeded many people's imaginations.
And the answer Luffy would give, along with his future clash with Zephyr, stirred the emotions of many.
Especially Garp, Sengoku, and the others—their feelings were extraordinarily complicated.
Kuzan's ambiguous stance and understanding made the future situation even harder to predict.
With Kuzan's departure, the light screen's scene switched once more, signaling that the Straw Hats' mission to find and challenge Zephyr was entering a new phase.
...