Time Travel: Age of Discovery

"Take care of yourself, the road ahead is long."

After Zefa finished speaking, his figure gradually walked away, leaving Teya alone in the port, standing alone.

Thea's thoughts were filled with Roy's. From the moment he saved the O'Hara refugee boat, he'd believed there was hope, a quiet simmering of hope. But Roy's departure, now a parting, had caught him completely by surprise. Here and then, they'd shared their aspirations for the future, but now, Thea was left alone, looking up at the sky, whispering, "How cruel is the sea?"

......

There was a crackling sound, and inside the Admiral's residence, sawdust and broken teacups littered the floor. Sora sat in a chair, his face impassive, facing the raging Zephyr, remaining silent. After all, a disciple's murder was a matter that no one could quell.

"Even though he died on the battlefield, Roy was still insulted by the Celestial Dragons. Do you know how I felt at that time?" Zefa gritted his teeth, his emotions out of control, and faced Kong.

Sora allowed Zephyr to vent without stopping him, while Garp remained silent. Sora had already sent the navy to search the nearby waters, but the search was fruitless, and Roy's sacrifice was almost confirmed.

Seeing Zefa slow down a bit, Kong asked, "Has Teya behaved in any unusual way since he learned about this?"

"No." Zefa sighed and shook his head. "He stood at the dock yesterday and didn't return until nightfall."

As Sora had anticipated, no one could have foreseen this situation. Escorting the "Sky Gold" was supposed to be the safest mission, and even if the pirates coveted it, they would have weighed the pros and cons. But something went awry. To this day, the enemy's identity remains unknown, leaving Sora with a deep headache.

Suddenly, Garp said, "Roy has been stationed in the Sabaody Archipelago for a long time. Could it be the work of the pirates we fought in the past?"

Hearing this, Zefa's anger rekindled, and he glared and growled, "Pirates, all of you should be cut into pieces!"

The door creaked open. Everyone turned to see Teya entering. While his expression wasn't downcast, a hint of melancholy was hard to conceal. Seeing this, everyone was stunned, speechless.

Teya ignored everyone and said calmly, "Roy... please tell me where he fought his last battle."

"Tiya, you..."

"I'm fine, I just wanted to check it out."

Kong sighed deeply upon hearing this, and only after he told Teya the location and details of the battle did he breathe a sigh of relief. Zefa was right; pouring out one's heart's desires was truly comforting.

Thea remained calm, smiling and thanking him. He pulled a pack of tobacco from his pocket, clumsily taking out a cigarette and placing it in his mouth. He lit it and inhaled, only to choke and cough uncontrollably. Seeing this, no one interrupted. Karp simply smiled wryly and shook his head.

"I'll be away for a moment. If you need anything, use the communicator."

Teya took another puff, the cigarette butt flickered, he exhaled a puff of smoke, and turned and left.

After Teya left, no one spoke for a long time. They would rather see Teya cry than see this scene and worry about her. At this moment, they were powerless to do anything.

"Let the kid be quiet for a minute. When did he start smoking?"

"Because of Roy..."

Zefa sighed and left.

......

Teya, cigarette in hand, walked slowly toward the harbor. Along the way, someone tried to talk to him, but was dissuaded by others. Although Teya's initial grief had faded, a sense of resentment remained.

"Are there some things that cannot be changed after all? If this is fate."

Teja stubbed out his cigarette. He wasn't a good smoker; the smoke barely entered his lungs, merely passing between his lips before being exhaled. And this pack of cigarettes wasn't his.

On his way home last night, Toya ran into Akainu. He was in a bad mood and saw Akainu, thinking that he was going to challenge him again, and he became irritated.

"Okay, if you challenge me again this time, I'll definitely put you in the hospital."

However, to Toya's surprise, Akainu was not here to challenge him.

"I heard about Roy and was surprised too. I'm here to... comfort you. Don't be too sad."

Akainu's clumsy words of comfort left Toya stunned, yet also somewhat relieved. He knew someone still cared about him, so he couldn't let himself get depressed.

"Thank you."

Akainu forced a smile, and Toya's mood brightened slightly. The two of them had no deep hatred, merely differing positions, both members of the navy. While they hadn't yet made peace, their relationship was no longer tense.

Seeing Toya safe and sound, Akainu bids farewell. Seeing Toya grabbing a cigarette, Akainu asks for one too. Akainu is taken aback, as he had the impression Toya never smoked. Without giving it a second thought, he takes out a cigarette and offers it to Toya. Then, he grabs Toya's hand and places the entire pack of cigarettes into his palm.

"I'm not used to this cigarette, please accept it."

After saying that, Akainu turned and left. Teya looked at his back, cigarette box in hand, and couldn't help but smile.

"He owns a magma fruit and carries fire with him. What a fusty fellow. But thanks a lot."

When Teya regained consciousness, he found himself at the dock. A young officer approached.

"Vice Admiral Teya, Marshal Kong has ordered a warship to take you to your destination."

"Thank you for your hard work. Let's go."

The warship slowly left the harbor, but this was the last time Teya had wanted to go out to sea. He wished none of this had happened. The wind started to blow.

Teya pulled a bottle of wine from his waist and stared at it for a long time. This was Zefa's favorite, and Roy's favorite as well.

On the way back, Teya bought it specially, intending to share it with Roy, but now...

Putting away the wine, Teya stood at the bow, facing the wind. Some things might fade from memory, but Teya knew that in the years to come, he would be accompanied by alcohol and cigarettes, a reminder of his unfulfilled promise, and a motivation to persevere in this world until his dream came to an end.

The waves surged and hit the sides of the ship.

Therefore, it is said that if men at sea do not drink, they will miss out on many pleasures.

In a trance, Thea seemed to see Roy, who was drunk and flushed in the tavern, handing him a cigarette.

"Want one?"