The Great Voyage: The Props Master on the Straw Hat Ship

As Luffy looked ahead, the outline of the island gradually came into view...

Is it even more desolate than expected?

After everyone had moored the Merry and stepped ashore, they looked around at their surroundings.

The desolate and dilapidated scenery is on full display.

Usopp also started walking forward.

"Such a desolate island shouldn't have anyone... but there really is someone?!"

He paused, looking at the tall figure standing on the broad plain.

The man was wearing a white suit vest and a dark blue shirt, with a dark green eye mask on his face, and stood there quietly with his hands in his pockets.

"Who is this person?"

Luffy leaned closer, somewhat curious. "Or is he a sculpture?"

"No, he's breathing, he should be human, but..."

Even from this distance, everyone could still see the drool dripping from his mouth.

And that faint snoring sound~

"They must be asleep."

Chopper went over and examined it, then made his judgment.

"That person is..."

However, when Robin arrived at the scene following the crowd, he saw that tall and imposing figure.

The figure, unseen for twenty years, should have felt unfamiliar, but because of the incredibly deep impression he had of that time, the image deeply imprinted in his mind, he couldn't help but recall that burning day and the person in front of him.

pat~

Robin staggered and looked like he was about to fall to the ground.

Just then, a pair of strong hands supported her arm, helping her regain her balance.

"First mate..."

Robin looked up at the man in front of him, whose expression remained calm and unchanged, with a smile always playing on his lips.

"Do not worry."

Link gently patted her shoulder. "I'm here for you."

With just that one sentence and Link's increasingly serious gaze, Robin knew that Link had guessed the identity of the person in front of him.

After all, with Link's seemingly broader knowledge and intelligence, it would be strange if he didn't know, right?

"Link..."

Robin watched as Link walked past her and headed forward.

She touched the spot on her shoulder where Link had patted her earlier, and felt a warmth and comfort in it.

"Well……"

The arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates seemed to have woken up this tall guy.

He pursed his lips and then wiped them with his hand.

"This is... a tanuki?"

The tall man, who was over three meters tall, removed his blindfold and gave Chopper, who was barely taller than his calves, a strange look.

Chopper: "...I'm a reindeer, look, these are antlers!!"

It seems that this is the only thing that can really make Chopper angry.

Who are you?!

Luffy picked his nose and asked casually.

"He is a navy officer."

The tall figure in front of them did not answer; instead, Link's voice came from behind them.

"This man is named Kuzan, and he adheres to the principle of 'lazy justice'."

Link stepped forward and explained the man's background.

"The Navy?!"

Upon hearing this sensitive profession, the group immediately became wary and looked at the man named Kuzan.

"【Lazy Justice】, huh? That does suit his appearance quite well..."

Sanji, a cigarette dangling from his lips, slowly furrowed his brow. "I feel like I've heard the name Kuzan somewhere before."

[Thank you so much to '上善若水' for this incredible donation again and again!!!]

I'm curious about the highest combat power of 190!! So in the end, we still have to rely on Link, right?

"Kuzan is his real name, but this man is best known for his position and code name."

Link said softly, enunciating each word clearly:

"The highest combat force under the World Government, Admiral Aokiji Kuzan of the Marine Headquarters."

"Top combat power?!"

"A Navy Admiral?!"

Upon hearing these two titles, everyone immediately became agitated.

"Sure enough, I knew I'd heard that name somewhere before!"

Sanji, who clearly understood what an admiral meant, instantly became serious.

Usopp's long nose twitched as he exclaimed in surprise.

Why would someone like him come here?!

Usopp shouted in utter bewilderment, "Go find those great pirates with bounties of hundreds of millions!!"

"Anyway, just disappear quickly..."

As he finished speaking, Usopp's own voice gradually faded away.

Because~

It seems they have two notorious pirates on their ship with bounties exceeding 100 million Berries.

Moreover, the total bounty is approaching 500 million Berries.

Such an amount does seem to have a slight possibility of attracting the attention of a naval admiral...

"Or perhaps the World Government has taken notice of Luffy's Devil Fruit ability, so they specifically sent people to deal with us?!"

Nami, who was standing next to her, also thought of a possibility.

They had just been discussing how the World Government, determined to obtain the Human-Human Fruit (Mythical Zoan Type: Nikka Mode), would definitely take action.

Could it be that the arrival of the Navy Admirals is part of a World Government operation?!

Sending a great general to deal with them is giving them far too much credit!

Nami, whose imagination ran a little too far, was trembling slightly there.

20. "Devil Fruit ability? Specifically targeting you?"

Aokiji was somewhat confused and looked at them with a puzzled expression:

What are you talking about?

"I didn't come here on any orders. I just came out for a walk because the weather was nice."

He spoke slowly and deliberately in a languid voice, waving his hand at Zoro and Sanji, who were glaring at him menacingly.

"Alright, alright, stop being so aggressive, buddy~"

He slowly bent down. "Excuse me, I was a little tired from standing."

Then he lay down on the ground at an angle, resting his head on his arm.

"So why were you sleeping standing up?!"

A group of people looked at Aokiji speechlessly, then all turned to look at Link.

"Is this guy really a Marine Admiral?"

"Hello?"

Aokiji said with some dissatisfaction, "How can you judge a person so easily based on their appearance? That statement is somewhat pointed."

He was referring both to himself and to Robin, who remained silent behind the crowd.

"I'll be frank with you, I'm not here to arrest you, you can rest assured about that."

His gaze gradually shifted to Robin at the very back, and his expression became increasingly serious:

"After the Alabasta incident, Nico Robin disappeared. I'm just here to check on her, haha."

Suddenly, he yawned again.

"...This guy really does have a lazy and listless look."

"However, his disregard for everyone makes him a great general in a certain sense."

Usopp and Sanji both tilted their heads.

Although Aokiji's performance drew constant criticism from them, it also gradually dispelled their initial wariness and apprehension about facing a general.

"So, you came here for Robin?!"

Luffy was quite annoyed, rubbing his arm, "We can't just hand Robin over without saying a word!!"

"She's our partner. If you try anything to harm her, I'll beat you to a pulp, you idiot!!"

As he spoke, he actually tried to hit Aokiji.

"Rubber, rubber..."

"Hey Luffy, if you act so rashly, it'll be seen as provocation!!"

Sanji and Usopp quickly stopped him.

"Hmm... his impulsive manner does indeed have the charm of his grandfather in his youth."

As beads of sweat dripped down Aokiji's forehead, speechless at Luffy's antics, he became even more certain of his assessment.

How can someone have the surname "Monkey" and also include the special letter "D"?

Although Aokiji wasn't entirely clear on the true history, he had at least reached the rank of Marine Admiral, a position considered the pinnacle of combat power in the world. He must have some knowledge of the secrets unknown to others.

This made him realize that the straw-hatted boy in front of him was indeed related to someone he respected.

"Shalala?"

Just as Aokiji was about to reiterate his stance...

Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound coming from the dense forest behind them.

A group of people dressed in tattered clothes and with sallow and emaciated faces emerged from the woods.

"Are you from the Navy?!"

The blond man at the head of the group, ignoring the mud on his face, almost had tears in his eyes as he said:

"If you had said you were from the Navy earlier, we would have come out much sooner!!"

Even if they didn't come out, everyone present, who were all proficient in Observation Haki, had already sensed their presence.

"You must be passengers who drifted to this island from a ship you encountered?"

Aokiji looked at the group of people and spoke slowly and lazily.

"Reports indicate that a cruise ship went missing in the vicinity about a month ago."

However, as he spoke, he also glanced at Luffy and his crew.

They discovered that none of them seemed surprised at the appearance of the deceased passengers.

This means that Luffy and his crew already knew about this group's existence.