At Rayleigh's enthusiastic invitation, Lucas Moore reluctantly followed him into a tavern.
Looking at the bartender wiping down the counter, Lucas fell silent.
Unbelievable.
Of all places, Rayleigh had brought him back to the exact tavern where he'd bought rum before…
"You again, kid " the bartender started to say, but his gaze was quickly drawn to the hooded man walking in beside Lucas.
Rayleigh pulled back his hood and smiled. "It's been a while, old friend."
The bartender froze. "Wait… are you… Rayleigh? I thought you hadn't been to Loguetown in years!"
"Five years, to be exact," Rayleigh said, settling himself at the bar with Lucas.
The bartender quickly poured him a glass of rum, his eyes slightly misty. "So… you're here because of that day, right?"
Rayleigh downed the rum in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and smiled. "That's right. Roger's death anniversary is coming up. I came to pay my respects."
"Should you really be saying that out loud?" the bartender asked nervously, glancing at Lucas.
Rayleigh waved it off. "It's fine. I trust this kid."
"You two know each other?" the bartender asked in surprise.
Rayleigh glanced at Lucas and chuckled. "This is our first time meeting, technically. But I trust Red-Haired's instincts. He's never wrong about people."
Lucas gave him a blank stare. "...So, am I just here to watch you drink?"
Rayleigh blinked, then laughed heartily. "Hah! Bartender, bring more drinks put everything on my tab!"
"Alright," the bartender nodded, quickly lining up several bottles on the bar.
Side by side, the old man and the young swordsman started drinking straight from the bottle, relishing the moment.
By midday, the tavern remained eerily empty.
Rayleigh looked around curiously. "We've been drinking for hours. Why hasn't anyone else come in?"
The bartender gave a dismissive wave. "Business has been terrible ever since Roger died. I think it's the tavern's name no one in town wants to drink here anymore. Only a few pirates who admire Roger drop by now and then. But ever since a Navy officer named Smoker was stationed here, even the pirates stopped coming."
His tone dimmed as he finished.
Rayleigh stared at him for a long moment.
Then suddenly burst into laughter.
He reached out to pat Lucas on the shoulder, but before his hand could land, Lucas subtly shifted to the side and dodged it.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Rayleigh's eyes before he retracted his hand and smiled. "Got any plans this afternoon, kid?"
Lucas gave him a look of quiet exasperation and shook his head.
"Then how about going hunting with me?" Rayleigh grinned.
Lucas narrowed his eyes. Hunting? What kind of scheme was this guy cooking up now?
Still… if it could trigger a progress task for the system, why not?
Without overthinking it, Lucas nodded. "Sure."
Rayleigh turned to the bartender. "I'll settle the bill tonight."
"No need," the bartender quickly waved him off. "How could I charge you? This one's on me."
"I insist," Rayleigh said, already rising from his stool. "Let's go, Lucas."
"Mm." Lucas nodded calmly, hopping down from the high stool and following Rayleigh out of the tavern.
The two walked together into Loguetown's busiest street, weaving through the bustling crowd.
Rayleigh looked around at the throngs of people and smiled. "Loguetown is the last stop before the Grand Line. I'm guessing you're heading there next?"
Lucas replied with a neutral "Mm."
Rayleigh went on, "I met Shanks right at the Grand Line's entrance. Back then, he wouldn't stop praising you. Honestly, I thought he was exaggerating, but now... it seems I was wrong. You might be more gifted than I imagined."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "?"
What was this guy even talking about?
Rayleigh chuckled and continued, "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were different. That wooden sword you carry tells me you're a swordsman. A truly great swordsman needs more than just skill he needs a calm, unshakable heart. In all my years, I've met many warriors and crossed swords with more than a few. But very few had that stillness. You, though… you're the youngest I've ever seen with the potential to become a true sword master."
Lucas gave him a flat look. "And?"
Rayleigh laughed. "Shanks said you've awakened all three types of Haki, and that your mastery is already impressive. If that's true, then you really are a little monster."
Lucas sighed. "So what's your point?"
Rayleigh smiled softly. "I can tell you're someone who values freedom. A traveler's path suits you. But the future is always uncertain. Who you meet, what you'll face no one can predict that. Staying true to yourself, and living the life you want, no matter what… that's rare. I hope you can do it."
Lucas was beginning to regret agreeing to this "hunting" trip.
Seeing Lucas's expression grow more speechless by the second, Rayleigh burst out laughing. "Hah! Guess I rambled too much. Alright then, how about a contest, Lucas? Let's see who can capture the most bounty hunters within two hours. If you win, I'll do one thing for you anything. If I win, all I ask is that you buy me a nice drink. Deal?"
Lucas blinked. Either way, he wouldn't lose anything.
So… what was Rayleigh's goal in all this?
He didn't get it.
Still, it didn't seem like a trap. At worst, it was just a waste of time.
And honestly, Lucas was broke again.
Turning in a few wanted criminals to the Navy for a reward sounded like a fast way to earn some money.
With that thought, he gave a small nod. "Deal."
Rayleigh flashed a toothy grin. "Then let's set the timer two hours. After that, we'll meet back here and compare notes."
"Alright."
"Then let's begin!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Rayleigh vanished with a blur.
Lucas's eyes flickered.
So fast.
He couldn't even track Rayleigh's movement.
So this was the famed Dark King.
Truly worthy of the title.
Alright. In that case… time to get serious too.
Lucas immediately sped off to find some wanted posters.
Then, with the help of his Observation Haki, he began hunting targets with precision and efficiency.
Within an hour, he had already taken down five bounty heads.
Just as he locked onto a sixth target and prepared to strike
A massive explosion echoed from the direction of the port.
---------------------------------------
Want more chapters?
Help us reach 50 Power Stones and an extra chapter will be released as a thank you for your support.
If you're enjoying the story and want to see more, consider leaving a review or comment. Your feedback means a lot and helps the story grow.
Thank you for reading and supporting!