"Da da—
"What is that?"
"How is that possible? A flying ship?"
"Isn't that too much? It's flying in the sky!"
"Gulp! The pirate flag on it… That's Big Mom's Jolly Roger!"
"Run! The pirates are coming!"
"Huh? They're heading straight for the King's Plateau!"
"Damn it, are they after King Riku?"
"No, King Riku already left two days ago to visit the neighboring Prodence Kingdom. He was invited by King Elizabello II!"
A massive ship soared through the sky.
It didn't stop at Dressrosa's port.
Under the shocked gazes of countless Dressrosa citizens, it flew right over the city, passing over building after building.
It reached the King's Plateau.
Guards and maids panicked, unsure of what was happening.
But one person remained calm—Violet.
She stood there, making an upside-down "OK" gesture, using her Glare-Glare Fruit ability to see into the distance. She had already recognized who was coming. Instead of fear, she felt pleasantly surprised.
Because standing on the ship...
She saw someone she knew well—Finley.
And beside him stood the silver-haired boy she could never forget.
His silver hair flowed in the wind, his luxurious robe swayed slightly, and his handsome yet distant face remained as striking as ever.
He looked like a prince from a painting, too mesmerizing to look away from.
Scarlett, Cyrus, and the others widened their eyes as they gazed up at the massive ship.
"Wilhelm... big brother…"
Down below, a little girl eagerly waved her hands.
"Haha, what a passionate little girl," Smoothie chuckled.
She turned to Wilhelm, who stood expressionless. "Aren't you going down?"
"No. It's too soon…"
His silver hair fluttered as he remained calm, showing no intention of landing.
Standing at the front of the ship, he looked down at the small figure waving below. He noticed the sweat on the man's face and the long sword resting beside him.
"She still hasn't reached my expectations."
Cyrus and the others felt both stunned and relieved…
Scarlett and Violet, however, felt a wave of disappointment.
"Da—da—"
The giant ship didn't stop.
It flew over the palace, leaving Dressrosa behind as it continued toward the second half of the New World.
"Was it just a dream after all…?"
Scarlett had rushed to get ready—she wanted to change into a beautiful dress, fix her makeup, and greet the silver-haired boy properly. She wanted to thank him for last time.
But now…
The happiness on her face froze.
Her heart, soaring with excitement just moments ago, suddenly dropped.
"Wilhelm… big brother…"
On the training grounds, the young girl watched as the ship disappeared into the distance, never stopping.
Violet kept waving, her small hands rough and covered in scars from months of intense training. But suddenly, she froze.
The excitement and anticipation on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by disappointment.
"Are you really not willing to stay… even for a little while?" she murmured, biting her lip lightly.
Her large, dark eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and the rims of her eyes turned red.
"Princess Viola…"
Cyrus, standing beside her, didn't know how to comfort her.
Just then—
Whoosh!
A small booklet suddenly appeared in front of Violet, falling from above.
Thanks to her months of relentless training, she was no longer the fragile, pampered princess of the past. Her body moved instinctively, and she caught it without hesitation.
"This is…" Cyrus was startled.
But despite feeling hurt and disappointed, Violet immediately recognized what it was. Her heart skipped a beat.
"This must be from Wilhelm! Only he could do something like this!"
She quickly flipped it open. Inside, a few short sentences were written:
"Stop wasting time practicing swordsmanship. You don't have talent for it."
She blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned. Then, as she turned the pages, her eyes widened.
"Wood Style?"
"Six Powers? I think I've heard of this before..."
Cyrus, still surprised, spoke up. "I've heard that only high-ranking Marines—officers and elite soldiers—are trained in this advanced combat style."
"Really?"
Violet, who had just been bluntly told she had no talent for the sword, was momentarily shaken… but then, excitement filled her heart.
She looked toward the sky. The ark was getting smaller and smaller as it moved away.
Clutching the booklet tightly, she shouted, "Wilhelm! I won't let you down!"
Aboard the Ark Maxim
After giving Violet the training guide for Six Powers and Haki, Wilhelm lost interest in her.
His gaze shifted toward the training ground below.
Under Strong's supervision, the three Hancock sisters, Gild Tesoro, and Tanuki Pato were all drenched in sweat, gritting their teeth as they pushed themselves through intense training.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
Without warning, Wilhelm's figure flickered.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared on the training ground.
With a single powerful kick, Boa Hancock was sent flying.
"Ah—!"
"...!"
"Wilhelm!"
"Master Wilhelm!"
Everyone froze in shock.
Boa Hancock crashed over ten meters away, slamming into the wall of the leisure area. She coughed up blood, pain evident on her face.
Shiryu of the Rain, Kuro the Feathered Serpent, Pato the Tanuki, Gild Tesoro, and Smoothie…
All of them were stunned. They didn't understand what had just happened.
Hancock's younger sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold, had their expressions change drastically.
"Big Sis!" they cried out, about to rush to her side.
"Stay out of this!" Wilhelm's cold gaze locked onto them.
A wave of invisible force spread out in an instant.
Both Sandersonia and Marigold's eyes rolled back, and they collapsed, unconscious.
Wilhelm waved his hand, signaling Smoothie, Shiryu, and the others not to interfere.
He then turned his gaze back to Hancock, who lay on the ground, curled up in pain, blood on her lips.
His expression remained indifferent.
"Boa Hancock… is this all you're capable of?"
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You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04