Chapter Sixty-Three: Speed Like Lightning!

The sun remained dazzling, and Camus gazed at the humanoid mech before him, speechless for a long time.

This mech was primarily black, with key joints highlighted in gold. It stood about twenty meters tall, and the wings on its back were especially striking—their colors contrasted with the black, featuring a silver framework and red trim. The head was adorned with a V-shaped antenna. No matter how you looked at it, the only word to describe this mech was "magnificent."

Camus was deeply moved as he looked at it. Wasn’t it almost identical to the one piloted by the so-called “Chicken God” in that anime from his previous life, “Gundam Seed”? The resemblance was uncanny.

He shook his head slightly, tossing irrelevant thoughts from his mind. Camus extended his spiritual sense and meticulously scanned the “Freedom” unit. Slowly, his expression grew strange—there wasn’t a drop of energy inside the mech. How was it supposed to function? He couldn’t even open the cockpit. Wasn’t this just a giant lump of scrap metal?

Resigned, Camus waved his left hand, stowing the mech into his ring. He lit a cigarette, looked up at the blue sky, and began to contemplate seriously.

This mech had obviously been buried underground for centuries, yet it was still as pristine as new. Its armor must be incredibly resilient. Even in its time, no matter how advanced technology had become, it couldn’t have reached such heights. Mechs like this could easily dominate a small planet, yet this nation vanished into the river of history. It seemed unlikely the downfall was related to the mech. The odds of this machine being an outsider were high. But where did it come from?

Not wanting to ponder further, Camus used his spiritual sense to locate Robin. With a teleportation, he vanished into the vast desert, leaving not a single trace behind...

...

After watching the Straw Hats’ exploits in Alabasta, Camus and Robin departed. Meanwhile, Robin’s mother boarded the Straw Hat ship. Camus and Robin discussed at length whether Olvia should join the Straw Hats. After a thorough conversation about future plans and precautions—mainly advising Olvia not to stand out too much, so Luffy and his crew could hone their skills—Camus and Robin returned to Amazon Lily.

Both Ice Phoenix and Hancock were quite annoyed with the two for constantly coming and going. Camus was helpless; when the Straw Hats headed to Skypiea and infiltrated a Navy base, he brought Ice Phoenix along. On Skypiea, he didn’t interfere with Luffy’s crew, simply introducing Ice Phoenix and Robin’s mother, allowing Olvia to laugh heartily at Camus. Having Robin, yet still seeking others—Camus was mortified. In truth, Olvia had long known about Camus’s affairs. The title of Emperor had spread a decade prior, and the World Government had published numerous reports on him, mentioning all the women at his side. It was common knowledge. Olvia only had minor misgivings—her daughter’s man harbored affections for other women. Naturally, this irked her a bit. Yet, recalling Camus’s achievements—a powerful, young, and handsome man—it was inevitable he’d attract women. Moreover, Olvia knew Robin was Camus’s true love, so she let it go.

Later, when the Straw Hats plummeted into the Navy base from Skypiea, Camus manipulated things slightly, causing the crew great hardship. Ultimately, they escaped unscathed, thanks in part to Olvia’s secret assistance, leaving behind a heap of ruins for the Navy.

...

For the journey to Water Seven, Camus brought Hancock. Robin’s mother did not experience the events of the original story, and Enies Lobby remained intact. Yet, the Merry was completely destroyed, leaving the Straw Hats heartbroken.

After deciding to build a new ship, Luffy personally sent Merry to paradise. At that moment, Camus and Hancock appeared, rescuing the ship spirit—the little Merry sprite—before everyone’s astonished eyes, and embedding it within the new Thousand Sunny. This thrilled Luffy and the crew; they could continue sailing with Merry. Though it wasn’t the original, Merry’s soul remained—perhaps the best possible outcome.

During the days of shipbuilding, Camus rigorously trained the Straw Hats. Luffy’s Gear, Zoro’s Demon Slash, Sanji’s Devil Wind Kick—all were put to use. Hancock’s presence caused Sanji to become wildly excited; upon seeing her, he somehow produced a bouquet of roses and tried to approach her, only to be kicked skyward by Camus, eliciting hearty laughter from the crew. The only girl, Nami, was deeply curious about Camus, not knowing who he was and resorting to asking others. Upon learning Camus was the most notorious pirate in the New World, she kept her distance, fearing he’d steal her scant treasures.

On the day the ship was completed, that rascal Garp arrived, leading the pink-haired Koby straight to where Luffy and Camus were staying.

Upon seeing Luffy, the grandfather and grandson bonded warmly, causing the surrounding Navy soldiers to sweat nervously. But their greatest terror was Camus’s appearance.

As Camus descended from upstairs, Garp was regaling everyone with tales of his grand family, unable to avoid mentioning Dragon. During those ten years on Amazon Lily, Camus had met Dragon once. The moment Dragon saw Camus, he bolted without hesitation—after all, Camus was a force capable of annihilating Marine Headquarters. What good could come from such a visit? Wasn’t it to wipe him out? After a cordial exchange, Camus left, only advising Dragon’s Revolutionary Army to steer clear of the Calm Belt. If Camus ever found revolutionaries near Amazon Lily, they wouldn’t live to see another day.

When Camus walked downstairs, Garp’s cigar dropped to the floor. Though he knew Camus had recently returned and fought Hawkeye in East Blue, Garp never expected his grandson would be associated with Camus. Luffy’s friendship with Shanks had already frustrated Garp; now, this connection with the “God of Death”—how could the great naval hero, Vice Admiral Garp, not be astonished?

But astonishment aside, the two greeted each other amiably, patting each other’s shoulders. When Garp introduced Camus to the Navy soldiers below, the scene was striking—their jaws collectively hit the ground.

This left the soldiers uneasy. Was their great naval hero about to defect and become a pirate? When Garp, full of excitement, landed several Haki-infused punches on Luffy before departing, the soldiers finally relaxed. If Garp truly defected, they might as well follow him and become pirates, too.

...

Enough! The plot is advancing at a good pace!