𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽| 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 1

The men walked around the village, searching for a place to settle down for the day. After a long journey through the seas, Johnny and Yosaku's stomachs rumbled aggressively as they dragged their feet across the dirt and followed behind Zoro. Their trails left behind gusts of earth and rocks in their wake. As the sun blazed down on them, both trailed behind their source of income, dragging their feet, shoulders slumped forward. Their tongue sticking out from the sun's heat, sweat dripping from their brow. The atmosphere filled with the thoughts of a potential meal.

Sunken eyes with dark circles, Yosaku tried keeping up with his comrades in front of him. Though he had shorts on and a long jacket, sweat dripped from his brow to his chin; this sullied the red headband, exposing his bold head to the scorching sun. Blinded by the haze of the heat, everything that surrounded him seemed hazy. As a result, his eyelids kept fluttering closed from dizziness. "I'm starving," Yosaku mumbled, his words drowsy.

His partner Johnny could only groan in agreement. Though his shades shielded his eyes from the blazing sun, his body was like an oven. Johnny's short raven hair drowned in sweat, while his blue vest was laced on his waist didn't help subdue the heat he felt all over his body. The flare of the flame above seeped through his jet-coloured T-shirt, chestnut pants, and sword strapped to his waist. Like Yosaku, his ebony shoes left traces of his trail that soon dispersed into the earth.

Despite the rumble erupting from his stomach, the group leader Zoro focused on the road ahead. His eyes glared from underneath his bandana in search of an area that didn't have just bushes and trees while glazes of sweat emitted from his skin. His dress was simple, a white shirt, green pants and green boots; he also felt the sun's fury.

They travelled through the seas for a while, hunting down pirates to receive compensation for their next meal. That's how it has been for a time since they met. However, each of their goals differs from one another. Well, more like Zoro had a goal while the other two tagged along to get their next meal. One island at a time in search of the one who held the title of the greatest swordsman.

A title that Zoro yearned to obtain. A title that he dreamed of. A title that he thirsted after; he was ready to reach his ambition by any means necessary.

Yosaku and Johnny had ambitions that lay in protection. Just like the defenders of their village in their childhood, they wanted to raise their swords to safeguard the weak.

They kept going, strolling under the glare of the sun. Their stomachs roared like a hungry lions, ready to pounce on their meal. Their saliva was their only solace; their tongues savoured it to maintain the sanity of their lack of food. The air was fragranced with the earth's dirt that trampled beneath their feet.

Moments later, they strolled beneath a large and tall pole, its golden letters screaming Gastonia on a blue plaque at the top. As they continued on their journey, under the haze of the sun, a tall tower came within their sight, they passed it, and seconds later, their nose twitched. A pleasing aroma erected their spirits.

Despite the haze of the sun, the street bustled with numerous people either in shops or trying to barge on an excellent deal on products. Shouts of shop owners trying to get attention from potential customers. Children's laughter filled the air as they chased after one another, smiling from ear to ear through the crowded streets.

From a whiff of his nose, Yosaku's mind blanked out from the aroma of a seasoned dish. His head twisted toward the smell, opening his nostrils nice and wide to inhale the alluring aroma. His mind was plagued with various types of food. Beef dipped and drizzled with sauce, slurping noodles. Drool dripped from the corner of his lips while his eyes drooped, a slight blush appearing from the smell. That alone made his stomach roar like a lion. Unable to hold in his temptation, his feet accelerated towards the source.