ONE PIECE: Lone Sails

The Next Day

Noah Manor, Training Ground

Noah moved through the Six Styles with precision, his body adapting to the newly acquired techniques. The rhythmic thud of his strikes against a wooden dummy echoed across the orchard when a flurry of footsteps interrupted his focus.

Lilith approached, a bamboo basket tucked under her arm. "Brother Noah, here's today's newspaper."

"Thanks, just set it aside," he replied, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Uncle Joseph said he won't be back for lunch. He's organizing shelves at the hardware store."

"Got it."

The hardware store was a key part of Noah's recent trip to Rogue Town. While he trusted his uncle's fishing skills, Joseph had little to occupy him at the manor. During his visit, Noah had purchased a substantial haul—hardware, small machine tools, and quantities of iron and copper—and gifted them to Joseph, who opened a store near the town's pier. Profit wasn't the goal; keeping Joseph engaged was. More crucially, the store provided a legitimate front for the manor's workshops, justifying the procurement of raw materials like steel and copper.

The World Government, despite its lax stance on pirates, maintained tight economic oversight. Within the CP organization, a division likely tracked sensitive materials—steel and copper among them. Over the past year, Noah had imported over fifty tons of steel by selling sea beasts, using it to craft submarines, ship components, and covertly forged weapons. Continued purchases risked drawing CP scrutiny, so the hardware store, doubling as a ship repair service, offered a plausible cover.

Noah had drilled the manor's residents on this narrative: if questioned, they were to claim the steel was for crafting farm tools, hardware, kitchenware, and ship parts. To further minimize risk, he sealed sensitive equipment and finished products in cards, retrieving them only when necessary. At this stage, with their strength still growing, avoiding attention from external forces was paramount.

After an hour of training, Noah paused to rest, reaching for the newspaper. The headline of the World Economic News blared across the front page: [Shocking! The Pirate Admiral's Beast Army…]

Morgans had evidently verified the Golden Lion's location in the past few days, infiltrating Vilmeio Island for a scoop. Big news indeed, Noah thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. To risk offending the Golden Lion for a story—Morgans' fearlessness is something else.

Yet, this development had little direct bearing on Noah. Even if the Golden Lion traced the leak to Rogue Town, identifying the source in a bustling trade hub teeming with diverse players would be near impossible. This was precisely why Noah had chosen Rogue Town over Starfish Island for the transaction—its openness shielded him, while Starfish's isolation could have exposed him.

Meanwhile

The Grand Line, Paradise—Marine Headquarters, Marinford

In the General Staff Office, Vice Admiral Tsuru, fresh from a mission in the North Blue, had barely settled in when Lieutenant Colonel Kong Ming, head of the Intelligence Section, entered with urgency.

"Advisor Tsuru, we have critical intel," he said, handing her a folder.

Tsuru opened it, her eyes narrowing as she read. "The Golden Lion… hiding in the Calm Belt. Kong Ming, do we have a Log Pose for Vilmeio Island in reserve?"

"Yes," Kong Ming replied promptly. "I checked with logistics—three Log Poses for Vilmeio are available in the pointer storage room, ready for retrieval."

"Retrieve them immediately. I'll brief the Fleet Admiral."

"Yes, ma'am."

Minutes later, Tsuru strode into the Fleet Admiral's office, knocking briskly before entering. Fleet Admiral Kong looked up from his desk. "Tsuru, what's the urgency?"

"It's the Golden Lion," she said, placing the folder before him. "Morgans has published intel on his whereabouts. We need to act—I suspect the Five Elders will call any moment."

As if on cue, the black Den Den Mushi on Kong's desk rang—the Five Elders' private line. He answered swiftly. "This is Kong."

"You've seen the report on the Golden Lion?" a stern voice inquired.

"Yes, I just received it."

"Deploy Porusalino. Have him destroy Vilmeio Island and assess the Golden Lion's condition."

"Understood."

The call ended abruptly. Kong met Tsuru's gaze, noting her foresight. "Handle this," he instructed.

"Leave it to me," she replied with a nod.

Soon, a golden streak blazed from Marinford's port as Rear Admiral Borsalino—Kizaru—set out. Clutching a Log Pose for Vilmeio, he reached the Calm Belt on the East China Sea side in under thirty minutes, using Moonwalk to hover midair.

His expression grew serious as he surveyed the scene. A single island floated nearby, its surface scarred and pockmarked, as if gnawed by some monstrous force. "Transferred already? How troublesome…"

Suddenly, his Observation Haki flared, and he shifted into light, darting left. A massive torrent of seawater crashed down from above, narrowly missing him. Halting his movement, Kizaru raised his hands. "Yasakani no Magatama!"

A barrage of dense light projectiles erupted, colliding with a flurry of slashing waves from the Golden Lion. Boom, boom, boom… The air thundered with the clash.

The Golden Lion descended, cigar clenched between his teeth, his cold gaze fixed on Kizaru. "Not bad for a little monkey."

"Kowaii ne… so stressful," Kizaru drawled, his tone languid despite the tension.

In an instant, he vanished in a flash of light, while the Golden Lion summoned a dozen water-formed lions from the sea below. The battle escalated—sky-rending slashes met explosive light barrages in a fierce exchange.

After over thirty minutes, the Golden Lion, sensing Kizaru's stalling tactics, hurled the ravaged Vilmeio Island at him, then retreated in the opposite direction. Kizaru dodged the massive projectile, weaving through the air, but by the time he evaded it, the Golden Lion was gone.

Though he hadn't destroyed a biological research base, Kizaru gleaned valuable insight: the Golden Lion's Haki had waned significantly. At his peak, the pirate would have overwhelmed Kizaru in minutes—no amount of courage would have kept him fighting solo for half an hour.

As the island crashed into the Calm Belt, stirring a frenzy of Sea Kings, Kizaru adjusted his collar and dialed Tsuru via the Den Den Mushi on his wrist. He relayed the encounter, and Tsuru, anticipating the outcome, ordered his return to headquarters.

This mission had been a probe and a warning, not a decisive strike. Tsuru knew the Golden Lion's cunning; without deploying three Admiral-level combatants, capturing him was improbable if he chose to flee. For now, the Marines had rattled his cage—and gained a measure of his weakened state.

Back on Starfish Island, Noah set the newspaper aside, his mind already shifting to the next steps. Morgans' boldness had set events in motion, but Noah's focus remained on his own path: building strength, safeguarding his people, and preparing for the challenges ahead. The world was stirring, and he intended to be ready when it called.