As Koa left the Oro Jackson behind, he stood silently for a while, watching the ship slowly disappear over the horizon. Once it was completely out of sight, he took a deep breath and turned his attention to the sky above.
With a simple gesture, Koa commanded his floating island—his personal sanctuary that had followed him invisibly for years—to descend. The island began its gradual descent, and as it came into view, Koa deactivated the invisibility that cloaked it. Before him floated the island he had long ago shaped with his own hands: a massive landmass with a sturdy wooden cabin resting at its center, weathered slightly by time, yet still as strong as the day he built it.
Floating this island had become second nature to him. The weight, the size—it no longer strained him. His body, hardened through countless battles and years of intense training, had fully adapted. His Haki, his will, and his strength were all working in unison to keep this impossible feat stable.
Stepping into the cabin, Koa was met by the comforting scent of old wood and adventure. Lining the walls and corners were crates, barrels, and treasure chests—each filled with loot gathered over the years. Some were plundered from rogue pirates, others were gifted by grateful villages, and many came from the daring exploits he shared with the Roger Pirates. Each chest told a story. Each piece of gold was a memory.
Koa walked over to a small table near the cabin's center and pulled out a rolled-up map and a compass. He laid them flat, his eyes scanning the inked seas with purpose. He already knew where his next journey would begin.
There was someone he wanted to find. Someone he believed would be a perfect addition to the crew he intended to build. A powerful individual with the right potential—and, just as importantly, the right heart.
"South Blue," he muttered to himself with a small smile.
With that, Koa adjusted the island's course. The wind began to shift. His floating island slowly turned, gliding through the sky as it set a course for the North Blue.
A new chapter was beginning. The pirate with the white hair, trained by legends and armed with knowledge, strength, and a future full of possibilities, was about to form a crew of his own.
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As days passed, Koa finally arrived in the South Blue. He spent his time island-hopping, restocking supplies, talking to locals, and asking around about anyone with peculiar abilities. He was searching for someone, but without specific details on their age or location, it was like trying to find a single ship in the Grand Line without a Log Pose.
"Thank you for your time," Koa said politely, nodding to a vendor who had just finished answering his questions. The vendor smiled warmly in return.
Just as Koa was about to turn and leave, a kid bumped into him. In an instant, the child slipped Koa's treasure pouch from his side and took off running. Koa, sensing the movement with his Observation Haki, quickly reached out and grabbed the kid by the collar, lifting him off the ground with ease.
"Where do you think you're going, brat?" Koa asked, narrowing his eyes. The kid couldn't have been more than eight or nine, but he was quick—shockingly skilled at pickpocketing for someone so young. Koa vaguely recognized him, but brushed it off. Over the past six years of traveling, he had seen dozens of people with uncanny resemblances to familiar faces—Luffy lookalikes, Sanji doppelgängers, even someone who resembled Zoro. He chalked it up to a coincidence and didn't think much of it.
The boy froze, clearly panicking. It was the first time he had been caught red-handed.
"If you need money or food, just ask. I'll give you something," Koa said, loosening his grip. "But don't steal from people, especially those who might not have much. What if you robbed someone who needed that money to survive?"
Koa pulled out a small handful of gold coins from his purse and held them out to the kid.
"Here. Take it. Eat something. I know you'll probably go back to stealing when it runs out, but at least spare some folks today, alright?"
The boy stared at the coins, confused and wary. He took them slowly, eyes flicking between Koa and the shining gold.
"Why are you giving this to me?" he asked, his voice filled with suspicion. No stranger had ever shown him kindness without a catch.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Koa shrugged. "Just eat. Live. That's all. Enjoy while you can."
With that, Koa turned and walked away, heading deeper into the island to explore. Unbeknownst to him, though not really, as his Observation Haki kept tabs on everything, the kid started following him, determined to at least warn or help Koa if any of the local gangs tried to mess with him.
'He's still following me? No killing intent though… I really thought he'd try to rob me again,' Koa mused, amused as he walked into the forest. He decided to let it play out, continuing until they reached the heart of the woods.
Then, without turning around, he spoke.
"Why are you following me? What are you doing?"
The kid, thinking he had been stealthy, jumped slightly in surprise. "Who said I was following you? I came out here to look for fruit, see? Like this one here." He motioned to a strangely patterned fruit lying on the ground—immediately recognizable to Koa as a Devil Fruit, though he wasn't sure of its abilities.
"I'll just eat it and leave," the boy added quickly, acting innocent.
Before Koa could stop him, the kid took a bite of the fruit, and instantly gagged.
"BLEGH, WHAT KIND OF FRUIT IS THIS?! It tastes like garbage!"
The boy began coughing violently, his eyes watering. As he clutched his stomach, Koa watched in silence. The boy's hair suddenly began to shift color, turning a vibrant green. Koa stared. The change, the fruit, the face—it all clicked now.
'No way...'
"Oi, kid. What's your name?" Koa asked, stepping closer.
Still wiping his mouth and trying to spit out the taste, the boy groaned and answered between coughs.
"Aramaki."
A slow smile spread across Koa's face.