One Piece: Honey Badger Speedruns the World

Was that really money? Or a stone my brother picked up? Or...?

"Brother... please stop talking."

Mia sniffed, fighting back tears as she interrupted him.

"What's wrong?"

Goss stopped, looking puzzled. "Are you unhappy?"

"I'm happy... I'm happy."

Mia forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and gently touched Goss's forehead, as if she were comforting a sick child.

"My brother is the best! He's a genius! We'll live in a big house someday..."

But the next second, her small hands gripped Goss's collar tightly, her voice tinged with pleading:

"But brother, let's have the big meal another time, okay?"

"We can stay in the villa later. Now, we need to take care of something important."

"Is this serious business?" Goss was taken aback.

"Um."

Mia jumped off Goss's shoulder and grabbed his big hand tightly.

"Sister Fei Li Si arranged an appointment for us with a very important person, but they are only available during lunchtime."

"As long as you can get him to nod, you can get a job in the logistics department of the Knights-Errant."

"Logistics Department?" Goss was both amused and exasperated.

"Mia, I really don't need to go..."

"We absolutely have to go!"

Mia suddenly raised her voice, and tears finally streamed down her face.

"Brother, can you stop being so stubborn? I know you want to be a warrior, a hero, but being a hero in your dreams won't fill your stomach!"

She clutched the small cloth bag tightly in her hand—it contained the money she had received from returning the necklace, which she intended to use to bribe that important figure.

"I know you look down on sweeping and carrying things, and think it's shameful. But brother, we have to survive first!"

"The logistics department is tiring, but at least it's safe and we get food! I don't want to see you come back covered in injuries again, and I don't want to hear you say these...these nonsense anymore."

Seeing his sister's tearful face, yet her desperate attempts to pull him back to reality, Goss fell silent.

He got it.

In Mia's eyes, the powerful Goss did not exist.

She only saw a pathetic creature, crushed by reality, who began to numb himself with lies.

No matter how much you explain at this point, even if you slap the villa key in her face, she'll still think it was stolen.

"call……"

Goss breathed a sigh of relief, knelt down, and gently wiped away Mia's tears.

"Okay, I won't say anything more."

Goss's eyes softened considerably: "I'll do whatever you say. Go for the interview, go to the logistics department."

"Really?" Mia looked at him, sobbing.

"Really." Goss nodded.

"I'll go wherever you arrange it."

Mia then stopped crying and smiled, quickly wiping away her tears. She pulled Goss towards the edge of the forest, saying, "Let's hurry! We can't be late! Sister Fizz said that important person has a bad temper, so we need to go early."

"By the way, bro."

Mia gave earnest instructions as she walked.

"The person we're going to meet is called Lund. I heard he's a master of the Knights of the Road, and used to be Lily's boyfriend."

When you meet them later, you must be very polite. Don't talk back, and don't say anything like you're a genius, understand?

"Lund?"

Upon hearing the name, Goss paused, his expression becoming incredibly complex.

"Why is it him again?"

"What do you mean by 'again'?" Mia didn't understand.

"It's nothing."

Goss glanced at Mia's nervous little face and then remembered Lund's promise to have a competition after get off work.

It turned out to be the case.

A meaningful smile appeared on Goss's lips. He stopped resisting and instead quickened his pace.

"Let's go, Mia. Don't keep that important person waiting."

Outside the training ground of the Knights of the Three Kingdoms.

This is an open red clay field, with boulders and broken wooden stakes scattered around it for strength training.

Scarlett was pacing anxiously in the shade of the tree. She kept glancing at her pocket watch, her brow furrowed.

Lund didn't have much time for her; if that expert arrived first, the matter would be completely ruined.

"She's here! Sister Scarlet Raccoon!"

Mia's voice came from afar.

Fei Li Si breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to adopt a lecturing posture of disappointment and frustration, but when she saw the figure approaching, the expression on her face instantly froze.

The monkey Mia was leading wasn't the skinny, withered, and muddy monkey from yesterday, but a...moving iron tower?

Goss wore a dark green cloak, his bare upper body muscles bulging like rocks, his broad shoulders blocking the sunlight behind him and casting a large shadow.

Beneath that head of short, silver-white hair were a pair of calm, deep eyes.

"this……"

Scarlet Fox's eyes widened, and she even took a step back in a moment of disarray.

"Is that Goss?!"

She looked him up and down several times, her gaze finally settling on Goss's feet and shoulders.

They weren't on stilts? Or were they using something as a cushion?

"Mia, what's going on?"

Fei Lisi lowered her voice, her tone filled with shock.

"How...how did he become like this? Did he take hormones? Or is he swollen from poisoning?"

In her mind, there was no such thing as growing taller and stronger overnight.

The only explanation is that it's fake.

"I don't know either……"

Mia made a face, tiptoed closer to Scarlett's ear, and whispered something.

"Sister, don't ask. Brother is too traumatized, he might... he might have bought one of those muscle suits and height-increasing shoes to wear underneath."

And this outfit, he got it from who-knows-where...

"Nonsense!"

Scarlet Lily was so angry she almost fainted.

Wearing a costume? Here for an interview at the Knights of the Galaxy?

"Goss! Are you crazy?"

Fei Lisi pointed at the well-made uniform on Goss and scolded him in a low voice.

"Do you think this is child's play? Dressed like this to see Lund? Are you trying to embarrass yourself enough, or do you want Lund to throw you out like a clown?"

"Take it off right now! Before Lund comes out, throw away all that stuffing and insoles you had in there!"

Goss was not angry in the face of Faith's accusations.

He merely glanced at her indifferently and straightened his cloak, which had been ruffled by the wind: "The clothes are real, and so am I."

"You're still being stubborn—"

Just as Scarlett was about to get angry, the training ground gate suddenly opened.

"Time is up."

A deep, oppressive voice came from behind.

Lund, dressed in a white training uniform with thick bandages wrapped around his hands, strode out.

His eyes were sharp as knives, and he exuded a menacing aura that kept strangers at bay.

Clearly, he was ready for battle and was in a state of extreme excitement.

Upon seeing Lund emerge, Faith immediately adopted a fawning smile, but also became even more nervous.

She was afraid that Lund would fly into a rage if he saw Goss dressed as a clown.

"Lund! I brought that... person."

Mia trembled with fear, clutching Goss's hand tightly, and stammered, "Lord Lund... Lord Lund! This is my brother! Please, please give him a chance. He'll do anything, even sweep the toilets, as long as he can get into the logistics department!"

However, Lund seemed not to hear what they were saying at all.

From the moment he stepped out the door, his gaze bypassed Phyllis and Mia, fixing fixedly on Goss, who was standing at the very back.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Goss smiled slightly and nodded gently at Lund.

The flame in Lund's eyes was instantly ignited.

"Um, Lund..." Scarlett was still trying to introduce him.

"Alright, shut up."

Lund interrupted Scarlett with some impatience, without even glancing at her, as if swatting away a noisy fly.

"Lord Lund..." Mia wanted to plead.

But Lund's tall figure brushed right past them.

The strong wind it generated made Fei Lisi's cheeks sting.

She turned around in surprise, only to find that Lund's gaze hadn't lingered on them for even a second.

From the moment it stepped out the door, the tiger's gaze was fixed on Goss, who was standing at the very back.

Fei Lisi's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no! Lund is angry!

It must have been because Goss was wearing a fake costume from the Knights of Fame that angered him.

Lund hates people who cheat and lie. This time, Goss might not only be cleaning toilets, but he'll probably be thrown out!

"Goss! Apologize! Apologize now!" Scarlett shouted anxiously.

However, the next second.

What happened completely blew up the minds of Faith and Mia.

The usually arrogant Lund suddenly stopped when he was three meters away from Goss.

He did not get angry, nor did he scold.

Instead, he slowly raised his bandaged hands, making a salute that the martial arts group only used when facing opponents of equal strength.

"call……"

Lund exhaled a breath of hot white air, his muscles tense, and he was so excited that he even trembled slightly.

Lund grinned, his voice hoarse with excitement:

"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Goss."