Starting with two Kamui, they raised the flag of rebellion in One Piece.

It was around one o'clock in the afternoon.

Looking at the somewhat familiar cargo ship in front of him, and the sailors coming and going on board, Li Mingyuan couldn't help but sigh.

"I see, is that how it is?"

It was said that the ship would set sail the day after tomorrow, but he couldn't just board it directly then. He would definitely come over in advance to check the situation. However, Li Mingyuan did not expect that the ship the captain was talking about was the stolen cargo ship he had seen that morning.

I was deliberately trying to avoid getting involved, but now they're actually coming to me.

This is probably what is meant by a karmic entanglement.

"And it just so happens to be this ship..."

Unlike his cursory glance in the morning when he showed no interest, Li Mingyuan began to scrutinize the cargo ship in front of him with careful eyes once again.

Even a casual glance in the morning would have made him realize that this cargo ship was the largest among the surrounding ships. Now, upon closer inspection, Li Mingyuan discovered that this cargo ship exceeded the specifications of many nearby vessels.

Besides being a size larger than the surrounding cargo ships, this ship also had a lot of steel plates securing it, and many gun barrels were exposed along the sides of the hull. Clearly, there were quite a few cannons prepared inside the ship. Ordinary pirates probably wouldn't be able to hijack this cargo ship.

If we're talking about which ship in the port near the village is most likely to be qualified to pass through the Alon Paradise route, then indeed, apart from this ship, it seems that no other ship is likely to be.

I just don't know what this ship is planning to do at Alon Amusement Park.

Didn't they just lose their goods?

Instead of properly thinking about how to handle the aftermath, why start sailing again immediately?

"...They wouldn't be so foolish as to try and make a deal with that fishman, Arlong, who treats humans as an inferior race, to try and patch up their economic deficit, would they?"

"That's unlikely."

Li Mingyuan shook his head with a wry smile.

Even if someone is extremely anxious, there shouldn't be such an idiot among them.

I guess I'm overthinking it.

Arlong's intense hatred for humanity is among the most prominent, even in a world like One Piece where everyone is driven by strong emotions. For a human to make a deal with Arlong, they would need to have a genuine conflict of interest, like the original Marine branch captain, Rat. Anyone who overestimates their abilities and tries to get close is unlikely to end up being torn to pieces.

But should I get on the ship or not?

Thinking back to what happened this morning, Li Mingyuan had a bad feeling and instinctively felt that nothing good was coming.

At this moment, he continued to observe the expressions of the crew members on the ship.

Unlike in the morning, the atmosphere on the ship is more tense now. Every crew member seems to be on edge, as if they might draw their machetes at the slightest disturbance. To be honest, it looks quite intimidating.

According to the village chief, the cargo ship is simply there to gather manpower, prioritizing strength.

Ultimately, it's a cargo ship. Perhaps it wanted to trade with the islands near Arlong Paradise, but was afraid of being attacked by fishmen, so it wanted to increase its firepower? Or perhaps it had just been robbed, and the captain wanted to increase manpower and strengthen the guard, which is not impossible.

However, this was quite different from what Li Mingyuan had initially expected—that he would simply hitch a ride along the way and enjoy a leisurely voyage as a guest. Once on board, in addition to potentially acting as a henchman, he would also have to do the work of a sailor.

"Never mind, let's go up and ask about the situation first."

"If all else fails, I'll just have to pay for a boat myself and go to Alon Amusement Park."

Li Mingyuan stopped thinking about it.

He straightened the new clothes he had bought during the day, trying to project an air of composure, and then strode toward the cargo ship.

When Li Mingyuan reached a short distance from the cargo ship, he could see that there were many people gathered around chatting, and some people would stop the sailors who were walking onto the ship from time to time to ask about the recruitment situation.

Li Mingyuan listened casually from the side and felt that the conditions were quite good. For an ordinary sailor, this trip would be more than ten times the normal salary, which was a rare opportunity. Logically speaking, many people should be tempted to get on the ship.

However, according to Li Mingyuan's observation, most of the people around him were just asking questions. When the cargo ship mentioned that they might pass through the area near Along Paradise, many villagers immediately waved their hands and retreated back to the crowd of onlookers without looking back.

Compared to that little bit of money, it seems that Ah Long's intimidation power is stronger.

"Perhaps it's because the island is close to the naval base? Or is it because the island's economy is good, and merchant ships frequently travel between the islands? It seems like news of the wanted criminals spreads quite widely in the area; it's the same with the bandit Dick, and it's the same with Arlong."

Li Mingyuan thought to himself.

If that's the case, things seem simpler.

With a light cough, Li Mingyuan strode forward, heading towards the sailors.

"Excuse me, I heard we're short-staffed here?"

The sailor, who seemed a little annoyed by the questions he was being asked, said without turning his head, "This route will pass by Arlong Paradise. If you're scared, don't ask about the treatment."

"That doesn't matter, it's fine even if we don't get paid."

"I just wanted to ask... your flight route does indeed pass by Aaron's Paradise, right?"

A soft voice came from behind the sailor.

"Um?"

Sensing something was wrong, the sailor turned around abruptly and looked behind him.

At that moment, a man with his hands in his pockets and exuding a different kind of aura stood before them.

He wore a dark overcoat with a high collar, the long hem fluttering in the sea breeze. He wore black trousers and exquisite leather boots. Underneath the open overcoat, besides a white shirt, one could see a striking silver necklace around his neck, with a strange, leaf-shaped, openwork silver badge hanging below it.

At first glance, there is a sense of oppression that is completely different from others.

The sailor instinctively shuddered.

Looking at the man before him, with his deep yet calm eyes, he realized that this was not a situation he could handle; he had to call the captain.

"Um, that!"

The sailor stiffened his neck, forced a smile, and stammered, "I'll go back and inform the captain first, and I'll be right back. Can you wait here for a moment?"

"Whatever, just hurry up."

"good!!"

At Li Mingyuan's calm words, the sailor straightened up instantly and shouted back. Then, as if he had been granted a pardon, he turned around and ran frantically towards the deck.

Even from the shore, one could hear the sailors' urgent calls for the captain echoing from the ship.

Li Mingyuan stood quietly on the shore with his hands in his pockets, showing no sign of impatience. He just looked at the blue waves of the distant sea and listened to the whispers of the sailors nearby, feeling that it was a bit noisy.

Compared to the sailors who were making a fuss, some of the villagers on the shore, even though they had changed into comfortable clothes, still seemed to remember his face, the one they had drunk with before, and would occasionally smile and wave to him.

It's true what they say: clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse.

He had just brushed past these sailors this morning, but they seemed to have left no impression on him. Now, he was being treated like a completely different person simply because he had changed out of his old, faded clothes.

"Although I dressed up specially for this outfit."

Li Mingyuan looked at the clothes he was wearing.

After having breakfast, he wandered around the streets for a long time, replenishing various tools and supplies he might need for his voyage. He also tidied his hair and clothes.

Although he wasn't someone who cared much about appearance, considering that he might meet Nami later, Li Mingyuan still wanted to tidy up his appearance a bit, at least to leave a good impression on her and make it easier to invite her to join his team.

Besides, it's not good to always be dressed in tattered clothes.

Now that he's cleaned up and looks presentable, he's comfortable to wear, so why not?

After Li Mingyuan waited casually for about two minutes, he heard several footsteps coming from the ladder connecting the ship to the port. One of them sounded particularly heavy, as if it was someone carrying an extra barbell.

Li Mingyuan turned around and saw that it was the burly man he had seen spying on earlier that morning, who was now walking towards him.

"Are you here?"

Li Mingyuan's gaze swept over the burly man in front of him with a subtle expression.

Compared to the other crew members, the burly man in front of him was almost a miniature giant.

His height was most likely around 2.5 meters, more than a head taller than those around him, and his body was covered in muscles. Although it was far from comparable to the terrifying size of the bandit Dick, whom he had recently killed, it was still quite a difference compared to his own height of only 1.85 meters. He looked like a dwarf in comparison.

at the same time.

Just as Li Mingyuan was sizing up the burly man, the burly man was also sizing up Li Mingyuan, only more obviously.

"On the surface, he doesn't seem particularly special... but he has a very sharp aura about him."

"Is this guy a pirate? Or a Marine? Why does he suddenly want to board my ship?"

The burly man hesitated slightly.

However, just as the burly man was hesitating, he inadvertently met Li Mingyuan's gaze.

In an instant, he shuddered!

After exchanging for the Mangekyou Sharingan, Li Mingyuan not only had his appearance optimized by the Uchiha bloodline, but his chakra, a power refined from a mixture of spiritual and physical energy, would enhance his temperament in every aspect, from essence to spirit.

With the cold chakra unique to the Uchiha clan, even without activating the Sharingan, his eyes alone could make wild beasts tremble.

"...You don't need payment for the sailor's report? You don't care even if it passes by Aaron's Paradise?"

The burly man stared at Li Mingyuan and said in a deep voice, "Then what do you want to do on my ship?"

"Just think of it as hiring a free bodyguard."

"It's quite a coincidence that I'm also planning to pass by an island near Alon Paradise. However, as you can see, not many people dare to go near Alon Paradise, so I'm looking for a boat that can give me a ride along the way."

Li Mingyuan said, "How about it? I don't think it's a bad thing."

"A guard?"

The burly man pondered, his brows furrowed as he looked at Li Mingyuan.

After a moment, as if he had thought about it, he nodded slightly to Li Mingyuan.

"Alright, since that's the case, I have no reason to refuse."

"I will take care of your regular meals, and you will eat the same food as the crew. You can usually just stay in your own cabin, but if my ship encounters pirates or other situations, you must take action."

The burly man said with a serious expression, "On this vast ocean, the only thing we can rely on is this ship in front of us. Even if we wanted to desert, there would be nowhere to escape. Once the ship sinks, you will die too. Remember this."

"The departure time is the morning after tomorrow."

"If you change your mind and don't come, the ship will just sail away, that's all."

Having said that, the burly man said no more.

After giving a few instructions to the sailors beside him, he turned back, climbed the ladder, and returned to the ship.

Nobody noticed.

Shortly after the burly man turned his head, a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Although it was only a short conversation, Li Mingyuan made him feel as if he were in the same room with a volcano about to erupt. The inexplicable and intense sense of danger almost made his scalp tingle.

After listening to the burly man's explanation, Li Mingyuan felt there was nothing wrong with it.

So, while thinking that the matter was probably settled, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gradually calmed the chakra he had refined.

"It went surprisingly smoothly."

Watching the captain's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Li Mingyuan thought with a slight sense of relief, "I originally thought there would be more twists and turns."

Having just witnessed the captain's outburst and emotional outburst that morning, and based on his stereotypical view of mindless, zero-frame-of-action brutes in the One Piece world, he was prepared to fight at the slightest provocation. However, to his complete surprise, the burly man was surprisingly easy to talk to.

Well, it might be related to the fact that he received a thug for no reason without having to pay him.

Even those of unknown origin were forced onto the ship.

In short, regardless of what the captain was thinking, Li Mingyuan was already extremely grateful that there was a boat to take him to Ah Long Paradise. After all, according to Li Mingyuan's original plan, he might have had to spend some money out of his own pocket to hitch a ride or something.

There's not much to say now. The fact that the boat issue has been resolved smoothly means that he's not far from reaching Alon Paradise.

Li Mingyuan strolled along the harbor, his back to the still noisy cargo ships, gradually moving away from the crowd.

With a relaxed and cheerful mood, Li Mingyuan finally stopped near the beach.

Gazing at the vast ocean before me.

"In that case, my voyage will officially begin."

A slight smile played on his lips as he muttered to himself.

Leaving here marks the official start of the first step in my journey.

The man ran towards the sea.

In this world called One Piece, is there anything more romantic than this?