Chapter Thirty: The Path Ahead for the Grizzly

On his way to the pier, Carmiel couldn’t help but recall that girl. When she learned of his eight hundred million bounty, a flicker of hatred flashed in her eyes—Carmiel saw it clearly. Though she quickly suppressed it and acted as though nothing had happened, he could still discern through her gaze that she must have once been harmed by pirates. He was no saint, not someone who would help every person he met. Still, that girl’s tavern was quite decent, and since it was close to the Marine branch, pirates wouldn’t dare cause trouble there.

Shaking his head, he thought, why should I worry about her? She’s just a passerby.

Ah, perhaps it’s because of Robin. After being together for so many years, he still wasn’t used to being apart. Whenever he thought of Robin’s gentle manner, Carmiel couldn’t help but smile. The Robin he knew now was vastly different from the one in the original story. Though she appeared cheerful back then, it was all an act. Now, Robin was truly happy. And then there was Hancock—she already possessed the Conqueror’s Haki. Carmiel wondered if she had inherited the title of Empress yet. She should be formidable by now, even if only a few months had passed. With Robin by her side, her training was likely progressing smoothly. The memory of that once-shy little girl sent a chill down his spine. He was no lover of young girls—he’d wait at least another three years before seeking them out. He could already imagine Robin teasing him for having such tastes, which would be most embarrassing.

Not long after, the pirate ship appeared in the near distance. Carmiel decided it would be best to let them chart their own course. He could offer advice, but he couldn’t coddle them. He had originally intended to recommend them to Shanks, but thought better of it. They each pursued their own dreams—he shouldn’t take that away from them. Though he didn’t know whether they would live or die, at least they would have made the effort.

Stepping onto the deck, Carmiel noticed that night had fully fallen and the crew was already asleep. Only Jolia sat at the rail, gazing at the starlit sky, lost in thought.

Carmiel walked over and joined him, sitting on the rail. With a flicker of violet light in his hand, a pack of cigarettes appeared. He tossed one to Jolia, who caught it deftly. Suddenly, a slender stream of violet light, less than a centimeter wide, appeared before Jolia, radiating an intense heat. Startled, yet knowing Carmiel—the "Violet Emperor," the man who could single-handedly challenge all three Navy Admirals—he wasn’t too surprised. Lighting the cigarette, Jolia took a drag, exhaled several smoke rings, and asked curiously, "Mr. Carmiel, is there something you need?"

Carmiel lit his own cigarette, blew a few smoke rings, and smiled faintly. "Jolia, what are you thinking about?"

Jolia glanced at the moon, shrouded and half-hidden behind the clouds, his eyes reflecting confusion and helplessness. "I don’t know what to do next. Before nightfall, I bought some things from the carrier bird—wanted posters and the latest newspapers. After reading them carefully, it hit me—this New World is incredibly complex, with countless tangled powers. Small pirate crews like ours stand no chance of survival. If we press on, we’ll eventually be wiped out by another crew. Lately, the battles in the New World have only gotten fiercer. If we rush in now, we’ll probably vanish from these seas soon enough. But having come this far, I can’t resign myself to turning back. My crew likely feels the same. Mr. Carmiel, as captain of this ship, I don’t know what I should do."

Carmiel’s eyes betrayed a hint of admiration. Clearly, Jolia was no fool. Though his realization came a bit late, it wasn’t too late—there was still hope. "Jolia, I was originally planning to help you in the New World, but after careful thought, I realized that wouldn’t do. If you’re always under my protection, you’ll never grow. So I’ve decided to leave. What do you think?" Carmiel smiled at Jolia, waiting to see his response.

Jolia was a bit surprised but nodded firmly. "Mr. Carmiel, you’ve already helped us so much—crossing the Red Line and getting us here. If we still relied on you, that would be our failing. Besides, if you want to leave, we couldn’t stop you anyway." He couldn’t help but joke a little at the end. They all admired Carmiel’s strength, but there was no envy—everyone has their own fate, and there’s no forcing such things.

Carmiel shook his head slightly. Back on Earth, he’d been an ordinary man, unable to even find steady work. His death had been somewhat strange, too. He knew what kind of person he was—how he’d accrued so much merit was a mystery even to him. He sometimes wondered about it, but that old fellow, Hongjun, wasn’t someone you met just because you wished to.

"Heh, it’s good that you think that way. Let me give you something—work hard," he said. Before Jolia could react, Carmiel pressed his finger to Jolia’s forehead. Jolia’s expression contorted with pain as he clutched his head and fell to his knees on the deck. Carmiel glanced at him but paid no further attention; he knew the pain would pass. He sat at the rail, quietly smoking.

Half an hour later, Jolia slowly stood up, trembling with excitement at the powerful new knowledge now in his mind.

"This is a cultivation technique. If you master it, you can reach Whitebeard's level, perhaps even surpass him. I suggest you and your crew find an uninhabited island to train. When you feel strong enough, then return to the world. By then, you should have a place in the New World," Carmiel said calmly, smiling at Jolia. It was a basic innate cultivation method—if someone reached the peak, they could attain the Golden Core realm. Beyond that, there was nothing more. Carmiel didn’t want to go too far; it was best not to disrupt the balance of this world. Even though Robin was already extremely powerful, she was, after all, his wife. Hancock’s strength would continue to grow as well, but it would be just the two of them. He had nothing to worry about.

Jolia was at a loss for words. "Mr. Carmiel, thank you, truly. If you ever need anything from us in the future, we’ll be at your command." He could offer nothing else, hoping only that one day he might be of help to Carmiel.

Carmiel smiled slightly and, after a moment’s thought, said, "The New World is very dangerous right now. You should find a place to train. Only come out when you’re truly strong. The great pirates of the New World are about to choose a few top leaders among themselves. I plan to participate as well, and the Navy is sure to react—likely in force. In a few years…" He left the rest unsaid, smiling at the astonished Jolia. Carmiel could only apologize silently in his heart; there was no way Jolia could ever find the One Piece. He’d just have to accept that.

Jolia was deeply shocked by Carmiel’s words. Though he didn’t know where Carmiel got his information, he committed it to memory.

Carmiel found himself looking forward to the future even more.

The next morning, Carmiel rose early. Although he didn’t need sleep to stay energetic, decades of habit were hard to break. Besides, sleeping was pleasant—he could dream of Robin and Hancock, and even dream of Hancock growing up and being with Robin… (Long live censorship!)

Watching the rising sun, he felt as if it heralded a bright future for the Grizzly Pirates.

Without saying goodbye to Jolia, Carmiel gazed seriously at the pirate flag fluttering high above, then teleported away. In the next instant, he appeared thousands of meters above the sea. His spiritual awareness expanded, swiftly covering thousands of kilometers. He frowned, having discovered something interesting.

"It seems I’d better wait a bit before leaving. Otherwise, who knows if they’ll even survive this ordeal."

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