"The arrival of the ocean currents follows a pattern—long periods followed by short ones. This cycle has remained unchanged for centuries. If my calculations are correct, the next current will arrive today or tomorrow!"
"After five years of enduring this charade with the villagers, I've finally reached this moment. If everything goes as planned, I swear I'll live freely from now on, never again bowing to anyone's whims."
Yasa lowered his head, a sinister smile twisting his handsome face. His eyes glinted with unparalleled ambition.
Three fishing boats rested on the distant beach, each manned by two or three crew members. Their fishing gear lay ready for use.
Once Yasa boarded, they raised their sails and hauled up the anchors, setting course for the open sea with the wind at their backs.
"Yasa, you'll hand over half your catch today," said Uncle Sam, the burly man missing a tooth. His smile was wide and toothy. "The village's food stores are running low."
Pirate raids were common in this village, with food and fruits often being purchased by the raiders.
As descendants of pirates, Uncle Sam and his crew truly lived up to their bloodline—greedy and selfish to the core.
But this meant nothing to Yasa. He'd always believed in the principle of equivalent exchange—every sacrifice deserved its reward. He'd invested five years of his life and sacrificed his fishing harvest to obtain news of the ocean currents from these greedy villagers.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. In Yasa's eyes, there was no better deal than this.
If he didn't need anything from them, he'd have punched Uncle Sam's face and knocked out the old man's remaining teeth.
"Fine... I can't eat it all anyway. I don't care how much you take!" Yasa forced a bright smile, suppressing his violent impulses.
"Almost there. Once I get that fruit, I'll never have to bow to anyone again!"
The three fishing boats raced toward the deep sea with the wind at their backs. Uncle Sam's muscular arm hurled a massive net into the ocean.
The display of raw strength made Yasa's heart race, his eyes twitching involuntarily. He'd long suspected this toothless old man with weathered skin wasn't an ordinary person—even Yasa himself couldn't match that level of power.
This was one of the reasons he could keep his violent impulses in check.
The Pirate World truly hid dragons and tigers among its islands—many formidable experts concealed their identities, living peacefully on remote shores.
In the Sea Circle Era 1493, the New World churned with rising tides of change. At the very pinnacle of maritime dominance stood only three figures:
The Flying Pirates' captain, Golden Lion Shiki, commander of the Golden Lion Pirate Fleet—the Flying Pirate.
Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Whitebeard Edward Newgate.
Captain of the Roger Pirates, Gol D. Roger!
Others like the Lone Red, also known as the Crimson Earl Balorick Redfield (a game character personally designed by Oda), ranked slightly lower. Though Redfield's strength was peerless, he lacked his own independent power structure.
These were the supreme rulers of the great oceans. The Four Emperors of later eras had yet to coalesce. Red-Haired Shanks hadn't yet joined Roger's crew. Beast Kaido and Big Mom might have already made their debuts, but Yasa had heard no whispers of them.
The Marines' Admiral Kong, Vice Admiral Iron Fist Garp, and Admirals Buddha Sengoku and Zefa stood at the peak of their power. Behind them loomed monstrous successors like Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan.
In such an extraordinary era, far surpassing future times, if Yasa didn't take part, he'd be betraying all the transmigrators who came before and after. Better to just die and spare himself a life of uselessness.
"Counting the days, Roger's illness must have flared up by now. We'll probably hear about his withdrawal from the New World soon." Yasa gazed at the pleasant weather, feeling quite cheerful.
"Dad, something's off about the sea level!" Kurta, Uncle Sam's son and a man of similar imposing stature, suddenly shouted.
"Oh?" Yasa's eyes lit up at this news. He silently thought, "Could the current be coming? Was my calculation correct after all?"
"What's wrong?" Uncle Sam's expression turned serious immediately. He had complete faith in his son's sailing skills.
"Look, the wind's blowing from the island, and the sky's clear with no weather changes. But the sea's surging from another direction—the fishing boats can't move forward!" Kurta said anxiously.
"What? Could a massive current be approaching?" Uncle Sam was startled. As a native of Jaya Island, he naturally understood currents very well.
"Quick! Tell them to turn back to the island—don't go out to sea!"
"Yes, Dad!" Kurta responded, rushing to the bow. He bellowed at the two nearby fishing boats, "The current's coming! Turn back to the island, now!"
The villagers on the other boats didn't hesitate. They immediately furled their sails, grabbed their oars, and rowed frantically toward shore.
No one had ever survived under the sea current. They weren't ready to die, so they feared it deeply.
"Yasa, what are you standing there for? Start rowing! Do you want to die in the ocean?" Uncle Sam saw Yasa standing motionless with a smile on his face, and he couldn't help but get angry.
Yasa ignored him. Facing the sea, he stretched his arms wide. The ocean wind blew his long black hair even more wildly, his expression full of excitement.
He had waited five years for this current. How could he go back now? Either die or soar high—those were his only choices.
"Uncle Sam! We can't go back now. Look over there—the pirate ship is after us!"
"What?" Uncle Sam followed Yasa's gaze and saw a pirate ship at least ten times larger than their fishing vessel racing against the wind toward them.
The deck teemed with armed men, each brandishing long blades and wearing ferocious expressions.
At this rate, the pirate ship would reach them in less than a minute.
Given pirates' greed, encountering any vessel at sea without attempting to plunder it would be unthinkable.
After all, true adventurers like Luffy who bore the pirate name were rare in the vast oceans. Yasa doubted they'd ever meet such a person.
"Endure," Yasa murmured. "If we can last until the current changes, it'll all be worth it."
"Damn it! Pirates at a time like this!" Uncle Sam and Kurta clenched their fists, having abandoned any hope of escape.
"This old man's no ordinary sailor!" Yasa smiled, studying Uncle Sam's weathered face.
Who among common folk wouldn't panic at the sight of pirates? Yet here stood a man calmly preparing to fight. Who would believe he was anything but extraordinary?