Chapter 115: I Was Snatched by a Dragon!

As time passed, the resources that could be squeezed from the crowd dwindled, gradually approaching nothing.

Seeing this, Gao Wen stopped, casually snatching a small boat less than ten meters long from the harbor and loading all the treasure into it.

Splash—!

Gold coins, gems, and antiques clattered together, flashing with blinding brilliance even under the night sky.

The nobles watched this scene, each wearing an expression of heartache, yet powerless before the giant beast before them.

They could only mutter threats in their hearts, adopting the posture of a loser unwilling to accept defeat.

Gao Wen paid this no mind; after confirming not a single copper coin remained, he cradled the treasure-laden small boat in his two front claws.

Just as Gao Wen intended to be a good person to the end and scour the harbor of pirates as well, the sound of whistles reached his ears.

Wooo—!

Gao Wen turned his head to gaze at the distant sea, where several warships suddenly appeared on the water's surface.

What truly made Gao Wen hold his breath, however, was the purple-haired figure standing on the deck.

"Though he isn't wearing the Destroyer, his face of sixty or seventy years old belies a physique far stronger than ordinary men, and a spirit that, while far inferior to Hawk Eyes, remains extremely formidable."

"No mistake!"

"Former Navy Admiral Zephyr."

"It is still too early to face that guy, and besides..."

Gao Wen looked down at the treasure-laden small boat, nodded in satisfaction:

"This trip has earned enough profit!"

The words fell to the ground.

Gao Wen's wings on his back flapped, lifting him into the air; under the moonlight, he gradually flew farther away, disappearing from everyone's sight.

In the distance.

On the sea surface.

Several warships, running at full power, sped toward Loguetown.

Zephyr stood at the bow, his face showing anxiety, and said:

"That rebellious brat Smoker is still so impulsive!"

Several days ago, he had received intelligence that Smoker had been defeated by Hanafusa in the East Blue.

In an instant, he became frantic, ignoring his own injuries and the Destroyer, hastily mobilized troops, and plunged headlong into the East Blue.

After all, in his eyes, Smoker was one of the few students with hope of shouldering true justice in the future.

Zephyr naturally paid immense attention to Smoker.

The three Admirals of the current Navy Headquarters, though also students personally trained by him, each possessed character flaws.

Akainu held firm convictions and had the resolve and power to carry them out, but his actions were overly radical, even to the point of being unscrupulous.

Entrusting the Navy's future to him might not be a good thing.

By contrast, Aokiji was the other extreme; while verbally chanting a lazy justice, he was essentially lost, or rather, uncertain about the Navy's will.

As for Kizaru... better not to mention him.

"Teacher Zephyr, the sky!"

"Look at the sky!"

On the lookout tower.

Came Binz's urgent voice.

Zephyr raised his head and saw a crimson dragon, its size comparable to a warship, sweep overhead.

Entirely crimson, with four legs and two wings, covered in scales, it was identical to the dragons of legend.

So much so that the elite Marines from Headquarters on the deck momentarily forgot to speak, their lips slightly parted, staring out at the crimson dragon as it flew away.

Zephyr's gaze, however, darkened slightly:

"A Devil Fruit user?"

"Such an exaggerated size and strange form... Zoan-type Mythical Zoan?!"

"A Devil Fruit user like this actually appearing in the East Blue?"

"Subsequent operations might be troublesome."

Zephyr frowned slightly, murmuring to himself.

The crimson dragon flew far away, disappearing over the distant horizon.

Zephyr turned his head to look at the harbor; the instant he saw the harbor's tragic state, his pupils suddenly contracted:

"Almost the entire harbor structure has been destroyed; the one capable of such a feat is likely just that Devil Fruit user."

"Damn it!"

"Increase speed! Quickly!"

A few minutes later.

The fleet led by Zephyr slowly entered the harbor.

He ignored the East Blue nobles wailing around him; after leaving the task of rescuing civilians to the Marines behind him, he directly boarded the damaged warship in the harbor.

East Blue Navy Ship 052.

Zephyr remembered this ship's number; it was Smoker's exclusive warship.

Seeing the residual bloodstains on the deck and a broken Sea Prism Stone jitte, Zephyr's heart grew even more urgent.

He even personally entered the cabin to search.

Finally, when Zephyr saw the dying Smoker in the temporary cell of the warship, he only then managed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"I gave you that intelligence so you would be careful and not engage him in combat!"

"Are you just rushing to your death like this?"

While scolding, Zephyr personally rescued Smoker from the cell; the latter's face was deathly pale, his body long since at its limit, yet his mouth remained terrifyingly stubborn:

"I am a Marine!"

"How can a Marine watch pirates enter the waters under their jurisdiction? That guy is far more dangerous than the Knight Gao Wen!"

In Zephyr's mind, the giant dragon from before came to him for no reason, and he couldn't help but ask:

"The Knight Gao Wen shouldn't be a Devil Fruit user, right?!"

Smoker froze:

"He wasn't when we fought twice before, was he?"

"He wasn't? Good, that's good..."

Zephyr inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, while Smoker's heart rose at that very moment:

"What happened?"

"Loguetown is suspected to have been attacked by a Mythical Zoan type; the entire port was shattered. The Hanafuza gang, who originally stole you away, is now missing, and we are currently investigating the situation."

Zephyr explained:

"However."

"That guy is an Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user with extremely tenacious vitality; he won't be easily—"

"Teacher Zephyr!"

A series of urgent calls, coming from far and drawing near, suppressed all of Zephyr's following words.

He looked up to see Binz walking in hurriedly; the latter's face was extremely solemn, and he said in a deep voice:

"It has been confirmed that Hanafuza is dead. The one who struck was that red dragon, suspected to be a Devil Fruit user transformation, that we just saw, and..."

Binz swallowed a mouthful of saliva before continuing:

"According to the surrounding survivors, that guy not only killed Hanafuza but also looted the surrounding nobles clean."

Zephyr instinctively asked:

"What about the commoners?"

"The strange thing is, he didn't lay a hand on the commoners at all."

Binz's tone carried confusion:

"There were even commoners present who offered him money, and he didn't take it. The key is that nobles present heard with their own ears him claiming to be the Knight Gao Wen."

Zephyr froze slightly and instinctively shook his head, saying:

"How could a pirate specifically spare commoners? Bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and inflicting violence on the weak, is their style."

"No!"

Smoker shook his head, saying with a complex tone:

"If it is the Knight Gao Wen I know, he would really do such a thing; or rather, this is that man's style."

Zephyr looked down at Smoker, his eyes surprised as he said:

"To think a pirate could earn the approval of someone like you?"

"Who approved of him?!"

Smoker gritted his teeth:

"Although I am very unwilling to admit it, after several consecutive fights, I can feel that that guy is an absolute outlier among pirates."

"This might also be related to his past origins."

"The reason he is called a Knight is not because of his appearance or anything, but because he was once truly a knight of the Goa Kingdom."

"Due to fate and circumstances, he fell into becoming a pirate."

"..."

Zephyr froze, and a hint of mockery appeared in his gaze toward Smoker:

"You already know this much, yet you still say you don't approve of him?!"

"I..."

Smoker simply closed his eyes:

"Say whatever you want..."

"Hmph, hearing you say that, I actually have a bit of interest in this guy."

Zephyr's lips curled as he said lightly:

"But, no matter what he was in the past, you must remember he is a pirate!"

"You don't need to tell me."

Smoker's expression did not change:

"I have my own way of doing things and my own approved justice; the Marines absolutely should not be like this now!"

Zephyr said lightly:

"Then let us old folks see just how far you can go!"

While the three were speaking, the ship's doctor accompanying them soon walked in, briefly treated Smoker's injuries, and then carried him out.

Zephyr watched their backs, his gaze gradually cooling:

"The Knight Gao Wen's original combat power already surpassed Smoker's; he also ate a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, and it is even the dragon that stands at the peak of Mythical Zoans in legend."

"The East Blue, no, perhaps even the Grand Line will be in turmoil because of that guy's existence."

"Of course, the premise is that you must pass my test."

Around Loguetown.

Above the sea surface.

The Red Dragon roared through the sky, scattering the birds filling the heavens and causing the sea beasts beneath the waves to instinctively dive into the deepest depths of the ocean.

Mira sat on Gao Wen's back, her hands tightly clutching two spikes, yet her face bore an excitement unlike anything she had ever known.

"So fast!"

"So fast!"

"Hahahaha~~~!"

A string of silver-like laughter spread through the air.

Mira never dreamed that her childhood dream would be realized so easily.

Not until Gao Wen slowly landed on a desolate island did she feel that the experiences of these two days were like a dream.

"Mr. Gao Wen, I... I... I actually rode on a dragon's back? This is something I dreamed of since I was a child!"

Still not fully recovered from her shock, Mira's horse-like face turned bright red, her eyes sparkling like two gems.

It was at this moment.

Gao Wen finally realized that the young girl before him was far more beautiful than he had initially thought.

He spoke:

"Your childhood dream has come true; now it is time to pursue your current dreams. I recall you said you like to sing, correct?"

"Then go."

Looking at the young girl before him.

Gao Wen involuntarily recalled the scene in Loguetown earlier, where Mira had come to save him amidst the cannon fire, and a warmth grew in his heart.

Helping her realize her childhood dream could be considered a form of repayment.

After all, in this world, leaving him with too much wealth would bring him no benefit.

Once it attracted the attention of the thugs around Loguetown, or even the pirates, it would not be a good thing; instead, it would become a calamity.

"Mm!"

Mira nodded heavily:

"I certainly will. One day, you will see me on stage."

"Even... just now while flying in the sky, a melody suddenly appeared in my mind."

"That will absolutely be the most beautiful song!"

A smile curled at the corner of Gao Wen's lips:

"Good!"

"I await that day!"

"Now, we must return!"

(End of this chapter)