Chapter Text
Chapter 13 — The Blue Crystal Castle
The battle between Roronoa Zoro and Sung Hyunwoo had finally come to an end.
Not because either of them had won.
But because both had become too exhausted to continue.
They stood several meters apart in the middle of the kingdom's main street, both breathing heavily.
Zoro rested one hand against her knee, three swords hanging at her waist.
Hyunwoo was leaning against his own sword, his black hair falling messily across his forehead.
For several seconds, neither said anything.
Then—
"You're still an idiot," Hyunwoo muttered.
Zoro's eye twitched.
"You want another round?"
Hyunwoo immediately straightened.
"No."
"Good."
"Because I'd win."
Zoro's eyebrow jumped.
"Say that again."
"No."
The Straw Hats stared at them.
Then Luffy burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHA! They're just like Zoro and Sanji!"
Sanji's eyebrow twitched.
"Don't compare me to that bastard."
Zoro immediately turned around.
"Who are you calling a bastard, Curly Brow?"
"You!"
"You're the one who started it!"
"YOU started it!"
Hyunwoo looked between them.
"...So this is what you've been doing all these years?"
Zoro pointed at Sanji.
"Unfortunately."
Sanji pointed at Zoro.
"Unfortunately."
They glared at each other.
Hyunwoo sighed.
"Some things really never change."
A soft laugh interrupted them.
The blonde, feminine-looking man stepped forward.
His golden hair caught the sunlight as his fox-like smile appeared.
"Well, now that the two children have finished destroying half the street..."
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed gracefully.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all."
The Straw Hats looked at him.
"I am Yeon, the king's personal physician."
Chopper's eyes immediately sparkled.
"A DOCTOR?!"
Yeon's smile widened.
"And you must be the famous doctor who travels with the Straw Hat Pirates."
Chopper froze.
"You know about me?!"
"Of course."
Chopper immediately puffed up proudly.
"Well... I suppose that's understandable."
His tail began wagging.
Usopp whispered to Nami.
"He's already been conquered."
Nami nodded.
"Completely."
Yeon then gestured toward Hyunwoo.
"And this annoying man is..."
Hyunwoo glared.
"Choose your next words carefully."
"The King of Haneul."
The entire crew froze.
Luffy's mouth dropped open.
"YOU'RE THE KING?!"
Hyunwoo sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Yeon chuckled.
"And I suppose I should mention that Eun-hyuk is currently serving as His Majesty's right-hand man."
The red-haired, muscular man nodded calmly.
"Eun-hyuk."
He gave the crew a respectful bow.
Unlike Hyunwoo and Yeon, Eun-hyuk looked like someone who had absolutely no intention of getting involved in whatever nonsense was happening between the king and Zoro.
Zoro looked at him.
"Still babysitting him?"
Eun-hyuk sighed.
"Every day."
Hyunwoo frowned.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing."
Hyunwoo eventually turned toward the crew.
"Come. You have travelled a long way."
He gestured toward the enormous blue palace in the distance.
"You will stay at the castle."
Luffy's eyes immediately sparkled.
"CASTLE?!"
"There's food, right?"
Sanji smacked him on the head.
"Of course that's your first concern."
Zoro stretched her arms.
"Fine."
She started walking.
Hyunwoo walked beside her.
"Still carrying those three swords?"
Zoro glanced at him.
"Still carrying one?"
Hyunwoo smirked.
"One is enough."
Zoro scoffed.
"Show-off."
"Jealous?"
"Of you?"
She laughed.
"Don't make me sick."
Behind them, Sanji's cigarette almost fell from his mouth.
He stared at the two.
Again.
Too close.
Too comfortable.
Too familiar.
And worst of all—
Zoro was smiling.
Not her usual smirk.
Not the annoyed expression she wore whenever Sanji irritated her.
It was a softer smile.
A smile that belonged to someone who had known another person for a very long time.
Luffy was experiencing something similar.
He puffed his cheeks.
"Zoro is walking with him again..."
Nami noticed.
"Oh?"
Luffy crossed his arms.
"I don't like it."
Usopp leaned toward Robin.
"Captain's jealous."
Robin smiled.
"It appears so."
The walk through Haneul became even more surprising.
The kingdom was unlike anything the Straw Hats had encountered before.
Tall blue crystal pillars grew naturally from the ground, forming part of the streets and buildings.
Some crystals were transparent enough to see through.
Others glowed faintly from within.
Water flowed through narrow channels carved between the roads, reflecting the blue light and making the entire city look as though it had been built beneath the ocean.
The buildings were elegant but practical.
White stone walls were decorated with blue crystal windows.
Bridges connected different sections of the city.
Flower gardens surrounded homes.
And everywhere they looked, people were smiling.
But what truly shocked the crew was what happened whenever Zoro walked past.
A woman carrying a basket stopped.
She immediately bowed.
"Welcome home, Lady Zoro."
Zoro scratched the back of her head.
"Hey."
A group of men passing by stopped and saluted.
"Lady Roronoa!"
Zoro raised her hand awkwardly.
"Relax."
Children ran toward her.
"Zoro!"
"You're back!"
"Did you become stronger?"
"Did you find the treasure?"
"Are you staying?"
Zoro laughed.
"One question at a time!"
Sanji's jaw slowly dropped.
He looked around.
"What the hell..."
Nami was equally stunned.
"They all know Zoro?"
Robin's smile grew.
"It seems she has quite a history here."
Even Franky looked impressed.
"This is SUPER unexpected!"
Brook leaned closer to Zoro.
"Miss Zoro, I believe you failed to mention that you were practically royalty here."
"I wasn't."
Hyunwoo immediately interrupted.
"She was."
Zoro glared.
"Don't."
Hyunwoo smiled.
"Fine."
A little boy suddenly grabbed Zoro's hand.
"Are you going to fight the king again?"
Zoro's face darkened.
Hyunwoo laughed.
"Probably."
"HYUNWOO!"
The boy giggled and ran away.
The Straw Hats burst into laughter.
Sanji covered his face.
"She's going to fit right in here."
Eventually, the castle came into view.
It was enormous.
The central tower rose high above the city, surrounded by several smaller towers.
Blue crystals grew along the outer walls like frozen waterfalls.
Sunlight passed through them, casting brilliant blue patterns across the courtyard.
The main entrance was enormous.
Two guards stood on either side.
The moment they saw Hyunwoo, they bowed.
"Your Majesty."
Hyunwoo nodded.
Then he looked toward Zoro.
"You remember the entrance?"
Zoro looked at the doors.
"Unfortunately."
"Still hate it?"
"Still too fancy."
Hyunwoo smiled.
"Some things never change."
Inside the castle was even more beautiful.
The walls were made from polished white stone, while blue crystals formed arches along the ceiling.
Large chandeliers hung overhead, each one containing hundreds of tiny crystals that shimmered like stars.
The floors were polished enough to reflect everyone's feet.
Robin slowly looked around.
"This place is incredible."
Nami's eyes sparkled.
"How much do you think these crystals are worth?"
Zoro immediately sighed.
"Nami..."
"What?"
"Don't."
"I was only curious."
Usopp whispered.
"She's already calculating the resale value."
Nami smiled innocently.
"Perhaps."
Franky pressed his hands against the walls.
"These materials are incredible!"
Brook looked up.
"I wonder how much a chandelier like this weighs."
Chopper was too busy following Yeon around.
"So, how many patients do you usually treat?"
Yeon smiled.
"Perhaps we should discuss that over tea."
"YES!"
Sanji looked at them.
"Chopper found another person to talk medicine with."
The maids eventually arrived.
"Your rooms have been prepared."
They led the Straw Hats through the castle.
Each room was spacious.
Far more spacious than anything they expected.
Luffy immediately jumped onto his bed.
"SO SOFT!"
Nami opened the curtains.
A breathtaking view of Haneul stretched below.
Robin quietly admired the architecture.
Franky inspected everything.
Brook tested the bed.
Usopp immediately claimed the largest chair.
Sanji, meanwhile, noticed something.
"Wait."
He looked toward the staircase.
"Where's Zoro's room?"
One of the maids smiled.
"Lady Roronoa's room is on the level above."
Sanji's eye twitched.
"The level above?"
"Yes."
"Near the king?"
"Yes."
Luffy stopped bouncing.
"WHAT?!"
Zoro, already halfway up the stairs, looked back.
"What?"
"WHY DO YOU GET A ROOM UP THERE?!"
Zoro shrugged.
"I've stayed there before."
Luffy puffed his cheeks.
"I don't like it!"
Zoro laughed.
"You're such a brat."
Luffy pointed at Hyunwoo.
"HE'S STEALING YOU!"
Hyunwoo, who had been standing nearby, blinked.
"Stealing?"
Zoro covered her face.
"Don't encourage him."
Sanji stepped forward.
"And why exactly does she get a room closer to the king?"
Hyunwoo looked at him.
"Because she has been staying here since before you met her."
Sanji paused.
"...I don't like that answer."
"I wasn't asking for your approval."
Zoro snorted.
"HAHA!"
Sanji immediately turned toward her.
"Don't laugh, moss-head!"
"I'm not moss-head anymore!"
"You'll always be moss-head!"
"Come say that closer!"
"Gladly!"
A maid quietly stepped between them.
"Please don't fight in the castle."
Both stopped.
"...Fine."
After everyone had settled in, a familiar maid approached Zoro.
She bowed.
"Lady Roronoa."
Zoro recognized her immediately.
"You're still here?"
The maid smiled.
"Someone has to keep His Majesty from destroying the dining hall."
From behind them, Hyunwoo called out.
"I heard that."
The maid smiled innocently.
"I meant nothing, Your Majesty."
Zoro laughed.
The maid turned toward the crew.
"His Majesty has prepared dinner for all of you."
Luffy's eyes became enormous.
"DINNER?!"
Sanji immediately grabbed him by the back of his shirt.
"Don't embarrass us."
"I'M NOT!"
"You were about to sprint toward the dining hall."
"I WAS WALKING FAST!"
Before they could leave, another butler approached.
"If you have some time before dinner, His Majesty has also given permission for the guests to explore the castle."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
"A castle tour?" Nami asked.
"Yes."
Zoro sighed.
"I've already seen everything."
The butler smiled.
"Then perhaps you would like to guide them."
Zoro stared at him.
"...Me?"
"Who better?"
Zoro looked at the crew.
Then at the enormous castle.
Then back at the butler.
"Fine."
She sighed.
"But don't blame me if they break something."
Luffy immediately raised his hand.
"I won't!"
Everyone stared at him.
"...Probably."
Zoro groaned.
"Let's get this over with."
She began walking.
The Straw Hats followed.
And somewhere behind them, Hyunwoo quietly smiled.
Because for the first time in years—
Haneul's halls were filled with laughter again.
And Zoro was home.