BASH! BASH! BASH!!!
"Gomu Gomu no—!"
BASH BASH BASH BASH BASH BASH BASH!!!!!
"GATLING!!"
Luffy's rubber fists moved like a machine gun, each punch landing with devastating force against Smoker's now-vulnerable form. The Marine Captain, stripped of his Logia intangibility by my Seastone bullet, could do nothing but take every single impact.
CRASH!
The final blow sent Smoker flying across the street like a ragdoll, his body smashing through the wall of a building in an explosion of brick and mortar. The impact was so violent that the entire structure shuddered, and I could hear the groaning of stressed timber as part of the roof collapsed.
'This is what overconfidence gets you,' I thought grimly, watching the man who moments before had seemed untouchable get pummeled like a training dummy.
'Complete reliance on one singular ability, no matter how powerful, is just asking for someone to find the weakness.'
CLANG-CLANG!
Something metallic hit the wet cobblestones near my feet with a distinctive ring. Through the falling rain and settling dust, I could see Smoker's jitte—that Seastone-tipped weapon he'd been so confident would give him the advantage.
'Ironic. The very weapon designed to neutralize Devil Fruit users, and he never got the chance to use it properly.'
I kept my flintlock trained on the hole where Smoker had disappeared, my finger still resting on the trigger. The Seastone bullet was doing its job—I could feel through my Mantra that his aura was weak, flickering like a candle in a hurricane, but still present.
"Is he down?" Sanji asked, approaching cautiously through the rain. Water dripped from his soaked hair, and his usually pristine suit was thoroughly disheveled.
"Yeah! Did we win?"
Luffy bounded over with his typical enthusiasm, completely unbothered by the destruction we'd just caused.
I extended my senses through the rubble, feeling for any sign of movement or consciousness from our fallen opponent. Smoker's presence was a whisper—alive, but thoroughly incapacitated.
"Positive," I replied, not lowering my weapon. "He's alive but not getting up anytime soon."
'Smoker can thank whatever forces govern this world for small mercies.'
"He was really hard to deal with," Sanji commented, lighting a new cigarette with practiced ease despite the downpour. "And then suddenly, he wasn't."
'Exactly the problem. He was relying too heavily on his Devil Fruit ability.'
I couldn't help but agree completely. Smoker had been so accustomed to his Logia invincibility that he'd never really developed a proper tactic for when that advantage was stripped away.
The moment I negated his smoke powers, he'd been reduced to a regular human fighting three opponents with supernatural abilities.
'Though we completely walloped him,' I mused, stepping closer to retrieve the fallen jitte. 'We made sure that even if he had more tricks up his sleeve, he didn't have time to use them.'
The weapon felt strange in my hands—heavier than it looked, with an aura that seemed almost visible to me coming from it.
'It is another reminder that I can't get complacent in this world,' I reminded myself, sliding the jitte into my Dimensional Bag for safekeeping.
'Smoker was so confident in his ability that he couldn't imagine being taken down like this. The same overconfidence could be my downfall if I'm not careful.'
The memory of nearly dying at the hands of those fishmen flashed through my mind unbidden. Back then, I'd been blind and overconfident about my sword, and the arrogance had nearly cost me everything, twice.
'Stealing the Seastone from the base was the best idea I had when I reached this island.'
Just one card, one bullet, flipped the whole battle in our favor in the matter of a second. Without it, who knows how hard this battle would have been?
'One ability, no matter how useful, is never enough. I need to stay sharp, stay adaptable, and update my arsenal continuously, or I'll end up like Captain Smoker here—or like the me who almost drowned two years ago.'
The difference was that we'd been minding our own business and even running away when Smoker decided to interfere.
We hadn't left him to die, despite his trying to arrest us. There was something to be said for maintaining moral boundaries, even in a world where might often made right.
"Hachiman!" Luffy's voice cut through my brooding. "What did you do to make him tangible like that? That was amazing!"
"It's a trick I'll tell you about later," I replied, scanning the area for any sign of approaching Marines. "But we need to go now. We have to get to the docks as soon as possible."
The storm was intensifying, turning the already treacherous streets into rivers of water. Every second we delayed was another second for reinforcements to arrive, another chance for our escape route to be cut off.
But as I turned to lead us toward the harbor, something caught my eye that made me stop dead in my tracks.
Smoker's motorbike.
The huge wheeled motorbike sat abandoned in the street, rain drumming against its unusual surfaces. The machine that had allowed him to chase us through Loguetown's winding streets at high speed.
'Wait a minute. That thing is powered by his Devil Fruit ability, right? Smoke provides propulsion through some kind of mechanical system. But if the Barbossa sword can control things and move them directly…'
"Why are we stopping?" Sanji asked, following my gaze to the motorbike. "You just said we needed to move fast."
"Hang on," I muttered, an idea taking shape in my mind. "Just give me a second."
'This is either going to be brilliant or a spectacular waste of time.'
I approached the motorbike cautiously, drawing the Barbossa sword again from its sheath. The blade hummed with that familiar supernatural power as I extended my control toward the unusual vehicle.
The response was immediate and magnificent. The sword's power flowed into the motorbike like water finding its level, and I felt that same sense of connection I experienced when controlling a ship.
The machine was mine to command, as responsive as any vessel under the influence of this sword.
'I'll be damned. It actually works.'
"Oi, what are you guys doing?" Zoro's voice called from behind us. I turned to see him approaching, his white shirt soaked with rain and his expression questioning.
'Perfect timing, as usual. At least his terrible sense of direction means he probably took the most direct route possible to find us.'
"Why are you still here?" he continued, water dripping from his green hair. "Shouldn't we be heading to the docks?"
I strapped the Barbossa sword with its sheath to the motorbike's handlebars, securing it so I could maintain control while riding. The weapon fit perfectly like an extra handle, as if it had been designed with this purpose in mind.
'Or maybe this world just has a sense of dramatic convenience that makes sure cool things work exactly the way they should.'
"We are heading to the docks," I replied, testing my connection to the bike's systems. "We're just going to get there a lot faster than we originally planned."
"You can actually ride this thing?" Sanji asked, eyeing the motorbike with obvious skepticism.
"AWESOME! You can control that too?! That's so cool!" Luffy, predictably, had stars in his eyes.
'At least someone appreciates the potential here.' Though knowing Luffy, his appreciation is going to become problematic very quickly.
"Get on," I ordered, not wanting to waste any more time. "All of you. We'll cover more ground this way than we would running through the streets."
Luffy immediately leaped onto the foldable seat behind me, his rubber hands on my shoulders.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged glances, clearly still uncertain about this plan, but climbed onto the side fenders anyway.
Zoro positioned himself on the left fender with practiced balance, his swords arranged to avoid interfering with the bike's movement. Sanji took the right side, somehow managing to look cool even while clinging to a stolen Marine vehicle.
'Four people on a motorbike designed for one and a passenger. In the middle of a rainstorm. While being chased by Marines. This is…not going to end well…doesn't it…'
"This is really going to work?" Zoro asked, gripping the side of the bike's seat with white knuckles.
"We're about to find out," I replied, using the power of the Barbossa sword to control the motorbike's propulsion system.
VROOOOM!
The motorbike lurched forward, responding to my mental commands transmitted through the Barbossa sword.
The movement was jerky at first—I was still figuring out how to control it—but gradually smoothed out as I got the feel for it.
"Whoa," Luffy breathed, his excitement building as we picked up speed. "It actually works!"
"Yes, but…This is it?" Sanji muttered, clearly unimpressed by our sedate pace. "We could walk faster than this."
The initial reaction from my passengers was lukewarm because I was being cautious with our speed.
But as my confidence with the controls grew, I began to push the vehicle harder.
VROOOOOOOOM!
We shot forward like a bullet, the motorcycle responding to my will with breathtaking acceleration. The wind whipped through our clothes and hair, turning the falling rain into stinging needles against our faces.
"WOOOOHOOOO!" Luffy shouted with pure joy, his laughter carrying over the engine's roar. (Or turbine in this case)
"Now we're talking!" Sanji called out, his earlier skepticism replaced by amazement. "Incredible!"
"We can reach the docks in minutes at this speed!"
Even Zoro seemed impressed, though he limited his approval to a satisfied grunt and a tighter grip on his swords.
'This is actually working better than I hoped. At this rate, we'll be at the harbor before the Marines can organize a proper response.'
But of course, Luffy couldn't leave well enough alone.
"Oi! Hachiman! Let me try it!" he demanded, his rubber arms reaching for the handlebars. "Come on, let me drive!"
"No," I replied flatly, maintaining my focus on steering through the narrow streets.
"Why not? I want to try! A Captain should get to try the cool stuff!"
'A captain should also have enough sense not to experiment with unfamiliar vehicles in the middle of a high-speed chase, but apparently, that concept is beyond your rubber-enhanced brain.'
"I'm still learning to control this thing, and you have the impulse control of a caffeinated squirrel."
"I do not!" he protested, immediately proving my point by trying to climb into my seat like some kind of rubber monkey.
'Of all the times to have a tantrum...'
"Oi! Sit still," I ordered, trying to maintain control as our captain writhed around behind me like an oversized child.
"Let me try it! You Cheap!"
"You…"
'HUH—?!?!'
The words died in my throat as my Mantra suddenly screamed danger.
Not the immediate, visceral threat of attacking Marines, but something far more ominous. A presence so powerful it made the air itself seem to thicken.
'What the hell...?'
I looked in the direction my supernatural senses were pointing, my blood running cold at what I saw.
Standing on a rooftop overlooking our path was a figure in a dark green cloak.
The wind and rain whipped around him, but he stood motionless, unaffected by the storm. Most of his face was hidden in shadow, but I could see enough to make out a clear smile and the distinctive tribal tattoo covering the left side of his face.
'Oh, you've got to be kidding me.'
There was only one person in this world who matched that description, only one individual whose presence could radiate such overwhelming power that it made my skin crawl from blocks away.
The most wanted man in the entire world…
Leader of the Revolutionary Army…
And quite possibly the most dangerous individual on the entire planet…
The Dragon of Revolution!
'What the absolute hell is he doing here?!'
'And why is he watching us?!'
Luffy noticed my sudden tension and followed my gaze to the cloaked figure.
"What's going on?" he asked, his playful demeanor shifting to curiosity. "Who's that guy?"
I didn't answer immediately, instead increasing the motorcycle's speed with urgent intensity.
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!
'It is perhaps my memory that is playing games on me, but I remember seeing this guy in the Manga here, I don't know what his intention is, but whatever Dragon's interest in us might be, I had no desire to find out firsthand.'
"Whoa!" Sanji shouted as we suddenly accelerated. "What's happening?"
"Who is that person?" Zoro added, his hand instinctively moving to his sword hilts.
"A dangerous guy," I replied tersely, not taking my eyes off the road ahead. "We need to get out of here."
'And fast. I have no idea what the most wanted criminal in the world wants with us, but I'm not sticking around to ask.'
"Dangerous? How dangerous?" Luffy pressed, still looking back at the mysterious figure.
"VERY!!" I replied, using the Barbossa sword's power to manipulate the air around us, forcing it into the motorbike's intake system to increase our speed even further.
As we approached the harbor district, the first signs of organized pursuit began to appear. Marine patrols had positioned themselves at strategic intersections, their formation suggesting they were expecting us to come this way.
'First Smoker, then Dragon, and now Marines blockade!!'
"Captain Smoker's bike!" one of the Marines shouted as we came into view. "The pirates stole Captain Smoker's bike!"
"HALT!" shouted a Marine sergeant, stepping into our path with his rifle raised. "Stop that vehicle immediately!"
The patrol moved to block our path, rifles raised and ready. Their positioning was professional—they'd cut off the direct route to the docks and were prepared to force us into a longer, more dangerous detour.
'Tsk! Time for a more direct approach.'
I reached into my Dimensional Bag with my free hand, withdrawing three flintlocks. With a quick move with my Stand, I transformed them into copies of my custom pistol—though I limited each to only two types of ammunition for simplicity.
"Here," I called out, tossing the weapons to my crewmates. "Shoot at any group that tries to block our way."
"Ooh! What does it do?" Luffy caught his pistol with obvious delight, immediately beginning to examine it with the fascination of a child given a new toy.
"Point and shoot," I replied, loading a Mini Bazooka Round into my own weapon's chamber. "Rotate the side wheel to use the second ammunition type—Mini Bazooka Rounds."
'Let's see how the Marines handle being on the receiving end of superior firepower for once.'
"REALLY?" Luffy's eyes literally sparkled with excitement. "That's so cool!"
Sanji examined his weapon with professional interest while Zoro simply held his with resigned acceptance.
The Marine patrol ahead of us had finished their formation, creating a wall of rifles and bodies designed to stop our escape. Their commander raised his hand, shouting orders I couldn't hear over the turbine noise.
"Shoot back!" I called out, raising my own pistol as we bore down on the blockade.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Four gunshots rang out simultaneously, our weapons speaking in unison as we opened fire on the Marine formation.
KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM!
The Mini Bazooka Rounds hit like artillery shells, each explosion throwing Marines in different directions as their neat formation dissolved into chaos.
Smoke and debris filled the air as the road ahead suddenly became clear of obstacles.
'Like being shot with several bazookas at once. Which, technically, they were.'
WHOOOOOOOSHH!!!
We roared through the gap in their lines, the motorcycle's speed carrying us past the stunned and scattered Marines before they could react.
"WOOOHOOO!" Luffy shouted with pure joy, waving his pistol in the air like a trophy. "This is the best day ever!"
'Yes, Yes, starting a war with the local Marines is peak entertainment for you.'
But our celebration was premature. Another patrol had positioned itself further down the road, this one larger and better prepared than the first.
"Again!" I called out, and once more our weapons spoke in deadly harmony.
KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM!
The second blockade vanished in smoke and explosions, clearing our path with devastating efficiency.
And again.
KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM!
And again.
KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM!
'At this rate, we're going to blast a highway straight to the docks.'
Unlike my companions, whose copied pistols had multiple rounds of each ammunition type, my original weapon required manual reloading after each shot.
The trade-off was worth it—my pistol could handle three different types of special ammunition instead of just two—but it meant I was constantly cycling through my supply.
"This thing is really convenient!" Sanji commented, admiring his weapon between shots.
"And really fun!" Luffy added with enthusiasm that was both infectious and slightly concerning.
Even Zoro seemed grudgingly impressed. "Yeah, can't deny it's very effective."
'At least they appreciate quality craftsmanship when they see it.'
"Good thing you like them," I replied, navigating around a crater we'd created moments earlier. "They're yours to keep now."
"Really? Sweet! I wasn't planning on giving it back anyway!" Luffy's face lit up like a sunrise.
'Of course you weren't. I'll have to make sure you don't get any more of the explosive rounds.' The last thing this world needs is Luffy with unlimited access to portable artillery.
Sanji nodded approvingly, clearly seeing the practical applications of having a ranged weapon just in case.
"I will pass. I'm more of a sword person. Don't really need this." Zoro, however, looked less certain.
"That's fine," I told him, steering around another group of confused Marines. "Just keep it on you, even if you don't use it. You're already carrying three swords anyway—what's one more weapon?"
He examined the pistol for a moment, weighing it in his hand like he was evaluating its balance against his blades.
"Whatever," he finally said, tucking it into his belt with the resigned air of someone accepting an unwanted but possibly useful gift.
'Progress. Getting Zoro to admit that non-sword weapons might have value is like getting Luffy to turn down food—theoretically possible but practically miraculous.'
One final patrol had positioned itself directly in front of the docks, their formation more desperate than professional. They knew this was their last chance to stop us before we reached our ship.
"Last group!" I called out. "Let's get this over with!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM! KABOOOM!
The explosion was spectacular even by our recent standards, sending Marines diving for cover as smoke and debris filled the air. Through the chaos, I could see the waves of the sea rocking because of the storm.
We burst through the smoke like a cannonball shot from the barrel, the motorbike carrying us onto the cobblestone of the harbor.
"Can you see the Going Merry anywhere?" I called out over the turbine's roar, scanning the harbor for familiar sails.
"There!" Zoro pointed toward the open water beyond the docks. "I can see it... I think."
I followed his gaze and felt my blood run cold. What I saw wasn't exactly what I'd been hoping for.
'Oh, for the love of—why can't anything ever be simple?'
The Going Merry was indeed visible in the choppy waters beyond the harbor, but she wasn't waiting peacefully for our return.
Instead, our ship was engaged in what appeared to be a running battle with no fewer than five Marine vessels, their cannons flashing as they pursued our crew across the storm-tossed sea.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of cannon fire echoed across the water, punctuated by the splash of missed shots and some strange midair explosions.
"That's definitely our ship," I said grimly, watching the familiar silhouette dodge between enemy fire with surprising agility.
'At least the duo on board knows what they're doing. Though I have to wonder how they managed to attract this much attention in the time we were gone.'
"Okay," I announced, making a decision that probably qualified as insane even by our crew's standards.
"Hold tight."
VROOOOM!
"W-Wait! What are you going to—" Sanji began, but I didn't wait for him to finish the question.
I gunned the motorbike's turbine and aimed directly at the end of the pier, feeling the Barbossa sword's power flow through the vehicle's frame as we approached what most people would consider a very solid barrier between land and sea.
'Time to test a theory. If this thing responds to the sword like a ship, then maybe...'
WHOOOOSH!
The motorbike launched off the end of the dock like a stone from a slingshot, all four of us sailing through the air in a graceful arc that would have been beautiful if it weren't completely terrifying.
SPLASH!
We hit the water with tremendous force, spray erupting around us as the motorcycle made contact with the choppy surface.
For a moment, I thought we were going to sink like a stone and end up swimming through a storm while being shot at by Marines.
But instead of disappearing beneath the waves, the motorbike bobbed to the surface like a cork, its oversized wheels acting as impromptu flotation devices.
The whole vehicle sat on the water as if it had been designed for exactly this purpose.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Sanji screamed, his voice cracking with shock.
"IT FLOATS!" Luffy shouted with delighted amazement. "IT ACTUALLY FLOATS!"
"That's... unexpected." Even Zoro looked impressed, though he tried to hide it behind his still-needing-training stoic expression.
'I had a feeling it could do this when I felt how the sword responded to it—like it recognized the thing as both a land and sea vehicle. But experiencing it firsthand is something else entirely.'
I gunned the turbine again, feeling the unique sensation of controlling a motorcycle that was now functioning as the world's most unusual speedboat.
The vehicle responded beautifully, cutting through the waves with surprising style as we accelerated toward the ongoing naval battle.
'This thing is more useful than I thought. A motorcycle that can function as a boat? That's the kind of versatility that could come in handy more often than I care to admit.'
As we drew closer to the action, the details of the Going Merry's upgrades became visible, and I had to admit the shipwrights had done impressive work.
"Would you look at that," Sanji breathed, his eyes wide with appreciation.
The ship's hull was now covered in what looked like a lamb's wool-like carving that covered the entire side of the vessel. It gave the Going Merry an almost comical appearance, but I could see the practical benefits immediately.
'Stylish new armoring. It might look ridiculous, but if it can take cannon impacts, I'm not complaining about the extra aesthetics.'
But the real transformation was in the ship's offensive capabilities. Where before we'd had non-existent firepower, the Going Merry now bristled with cannons like a proper warship.
"Eight cannons on this side alone," I counted aloud, noting the four mounted on the bow and stern railings, plus four more emerging from gun ports in the hull itself.
'That's more firepower than some Marine vessels carry. We might actually stand a chance in a real naval engagement now.'
Above the rudder, three more cannons were actively engaging the pursuing Marines, their muzzle flashes visible even through the storm as someone on board returned fire with professional efficiency.
"It actually looks like a pirate ship now," Luffy observed with obvious delight.
'A transformation from pleasure craft to warship in the space of a few hours. The shipwrights of Loguetown know their business.'
We pulled alongside the Going Merry, and my crewmates immediately abandoned ship—or in this case, abandoned motorcycle—leaping onto the deck with the easy confidence of people who'd done this sort of thing before.
'Of course, they'd ignore the perfectly good ladder the shipwrights installed. Why use convenient boarding equipment when you can just jump around like acrobats?'
I stored Smoker's motorbike in my Dimensional Bag—it had served us well, and might prove useful again—before making my own leap to the familiar deck of our ship.
The moment I was on deck, I felt the presence of the Going Merry giving her own brand of welcome.
[Welcome Back!]
The voice clearly had a happy tone to it that made me question my sanity for a moment.
But when you stay in this world for a prolonged time, you learn not to question a lot of things—for the sake of your sanity, of course.
"Yeah…I am back…your upgrades…went well, I see…" I don't know what exactly to say to her, I just used whatever was in my mind, which still came out very awkward.
'I would usually curse my social awkwardness in situations like these. But there are no situations like these, situations where you have to talk to a ship, so I think it would be a pass.
The happy giggle of a child was the response that I got, but that was quickly drowned by the higher sounds of what was going on around me.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of cannon fire was much louder now that we were on board, and I could see exactly what was happening.
Nami stood at the newly upgraded helm wheel, her orange hair whipping in the storm wind as she shouted orders with the authority of someone born to command at sea.
"Zoro! Sanji-kun! Adjust the main sail!" she called out, pointing toward the complex rigging that had been modified during our absence.
"Luffy! More gunpowder and cannonballs to Usopp at the stern!"
"Hachiman! Take the helm from me!"
'Organized chaos. At least someone kept their head while we were gone.'
I moved to the wheel, feeling the familiar sensation of the Barbossa sword's power flowing through the ship's frame as I took control.
The connection was immediate and reassuring, the Going Merry was still the same vessel that was very cooperative.
But as I looked toward the stern to assess our tactical situation, what I saw made me question everything I thought I knew about our supposedly Cowardly Sniper.
'The hell…'
BANG! BOOM! RELOAD!
Usopp stood behind the three stern cannons like a one-man artillery battery, his movements so fluid and precise they seemed choreographed.
With one smooth motion, he would reload three cannonballs.
With the second, he would reload three cartridges of gunpowder.
With the third, he aims and fires three cannons, all at the same time.
'Is...Is this the same lying kid who tells stories about non-existent adventures? Because what I'm watching looks suspiciously like actual competence.'
But it wasn't just the speed of his reloading that impressed me—it was what he was doing with those shots.
BOOM! CRACK!
Instead of simply firing at the enemy ships, Usopp was intercepting their cannonballs in mid-air, timing his shots so perfectly that our rounds collided with theirs before they could reach us.
It was like watching someone play three-dimensional chess at superhuman speed.
'He's not just defending and attacking simultaneously—he's doing it in the middle of a storm, on a moving ship, while calculating trajectory, wind speed, and timing for six different variables at once.'
When the cannons weren't enough, he would smoothly transition to his slingshot, using the Mini Bazooka Rounds I'd given him to intercept projectiles that were too small or too close for the larger weapons to handle.
'I'm starting to question whether those rounds I gave him were actually enough to last this long. How much ammunition has he been burning through?'
Luffy came running up with an armload of cannonballs, his face bright with excitement at being in the middle of a sea battle.
"This is so cool!" he shouted over the noise. "Can I shoot one too?"
"Use the one on the right!" Usopp called back without taking his eyes off his targets.
Then he turned to me with desperate urgency.
"Hachiman! Do something! We can't keep this up forever!"
'Huh?'
"What do you want me to do? I'm already controlling the ship," I replied, making a minute adjustment to our course to avoid an incoming salvo.
"Then increase the speed or something!" he shot back, already reloading his next round.
'Increase the speed. Right. Because outrunning five Marine vessels in a storm while they're actively shooting at us is just a minor tactical adjustment.'
"Wait!" Nami's voice cut through the chaos as Zoro and Sanji worked at something in the rigging above us.
"The sail isn't ready yet!"
I could see them adjusting the yard—the horizontal pole that held the sail—but their configuration looked wrong to my admittedly limited knowledge of sailing.
'What are they doing up there? That angle doesn't look like any sailing technique I've ever seen.'
"Do something about the ships at our tail!" Usopp shouted, desperation creeping into his voice.
"Or they're going to destroy the Going Merry at this rate!"
I sighed and pointed the Barbossa sword toward the pursuing Marines, feeling its power reach out across the choppy water.
'Five ships. At this distance, with the storm interfering... but maybe I can at least slow them down.'
The connection was there, but weak—controlling multiple ships simultaneously at this range was like trying to juggle while riding a unicycle.
'Well, if I can just delay them for a few minutes, give us time to get whatever Nami has planned working...'
But before I could even attempt to interfere with their navigation, something happened that defied every law of nature, probability, and common sense I thought governed this world.
FLASH! CRACK! KABOOM!!!!!
Lightning!
Lightning split the sky like the natural disaster they are, but this wasn't the normal electrical discharge of a thunderstorm!
These were massive bolts of unnatural green lightning, crackling with supernatural power as they descended from the heavens like the wrath of God!
CRASH! SPLINTER! BOOM!
Each bolt struck one of the pursuing Marine vessels with accuracy, turning wood and metal into splinters and scrap in seconds!
The ships didn't just take damage—they were utterly annihilated, reduced to floating debris in the space between one heartbeat and the next.
'What... in the absolute... hell...'
We all stood in stunned silence, watching pieces of what had moments before been five fully armed warships bob in the stormy water like toys scattered by a petulant child.
The sudden quiet—broken only by the wind and rain—felt almost oppressive after the constant noise of battle.
I became aware that everyone was staring at me with expressions that mixed awe, apprehension, and what might have been fear.
"Hey, it wasn't me," I said firmly, shaking my head to emphasize the point.
"Really?" Luffy asked, his voice carrying that particular tone of someone who really wants to believe something amazing about their relatives.
"You really didn't do that?" Sanji added, his cigarette hanging forgotten from his lips.
'What kind of monster do these people think I am?' Yes, I have supernatural abilities, but I'm not a walking natural disaster.
"Oi! What kind of monster do you think I am?" I asked, genuinely offended by the implication.
"Well," Nami began hesitantly, "You can control things with your mind..."
"Pull out cannons from your cloak," Usopp added.
"Stop bullets with magic," Sanji contributed.
"Cut flying buildings with golden lighting," Zoro concluded.
"Eat a lot!" Luffy declared finally, with all the seriousness in the world.
"""""You Eat More!!!!!"""""
"Eh?" A collective response was out at our Captain's literally worst example he can pull, much to his unexplainable surprise.
'Luffy's comment aside, when they put it like that, I can see how they might have drawn certain conclusions about the scope of my abilities.'
"Those were nothing compared to this scale," I protested. "This is divine intervention-level destruction. I'm magical, not omnipotent."
Though I have to admit, part of me is flattered they think I'm capable of calling down lightning strikes on command. Terrible for my attempts to maintain a low profile, but oddly reassuring about their confidence in my abilities.
To avoid further discussion of my apparently miracle-calling reputation, I changed the subject to more immediate concerns.
"Is the sail ready?" I asked.
"Almost!" Nami called back, her attention focused on Zoro and Sanji's work in the rigging.
I watched as they finished adjusting the main sail's yard, angling it roughly forty-five degrees off its normal position to match the configuration of the rear sail.
The whole arrangement looked like it should either tear the mast down or send us spinning in circles.
'That doesn't look right. I know I'm not a sailing expert, but that configuration looks like it defies several basic principles of wind dynamics.'
"Is this okay?" I asked, gesturing at the odd sail arrangement.
Nami turned to me with a proud smile that suggested she'd just solved one of the great mysteries of the universe.
"Yes! Like this, we can use wind power much more efficiently now that the ship has more balancing weight," she began, "You see, by angling the yards at forty-five degrees instead of keeping them perpendicular to the mast, we create a differential pressure system across the sail surface."
She gestured animatedly at the modified rigging, her voice picking up speed as she warmed to the topic.
"The increased armoring adds mass to our hull, which lowers our displacement coefficient, but more importantly, it lowers our center of gravity. This means we can handle much more aggressive sail configurations without risking capsizing under wind load."
Nami pointed to where the sails caught the wind at their new angle.
"The angled yards create an air pressure propelling effect—the wind accelerates as it passes over the curved sail surface, creating low pressure on the leeward side while maintaining high pressure on the windward side. But here's the clever part: by matching the angle of both the main sail and the rear sail, we're creating turbulent flow across the entire sail plan."
She moved her hands to demonstrate the airflow patterns she was describing.
"The angular momentum generated by the wind hitting the sails at this angle creates a rotational force vector that actually pulls us forward more efficiently than traditional square-rigged configurations. It's similar to how a dinghy's fore-and-aft rig works, but we're applying those principles to square sails through geometric manipulation."
Her voice grew more excited as she continued.
"The added weight distribution and the sail modifications mean we can handle the increased lateral forces without excessive heel. The new armored hull isn't just armor—it's also affecting our hull's hydrodynamics by creating a smoother water flow along our waterline, reducing drag coefficient."
Nami gestured toward the water rushing past the hull.
"And because we've got more cannons now, the weight is distributed along our length rather than concentrated amidships, which improves our longitudinal stability. This lets us carry more sail area without compromising our ability to maneuver in heavy weather."
She paused to take a breath, then continued with even more technical detail.
"The key is the relationship between apparent wind angle, true wind speed, and our course relative to the wind direction. By optimizing our sail trim for maximum lift-to-drag ratio while accounting for the increased mass and altered center of effort, we can achieve significantly higher hull speeds across a broader range of wind conditions."
'Sorcery. She's speaking in technical sailing sorcery that might as well be ancient runes for all the sense it makes to me.'
I had some navigation knowledge—enough to get from point A to point B without getting everyone killed—but Nami's explanation was like listening to someone describe advanced mathematics in a foreign language.
Looking around at my crewmates, I could see from their stupid expressions and gaping mouths that I wasn't alone in my confusion. Even Zoro, who'd helped set up the rigging, looked like he was trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
Then Luffy turned to me with the expectant expression of someone who'd just been handed a complicated manual and told to explain it to others.
"Hachiman Explain!" he said, as if this were a perfectly reasonable request.
'Why am I the one responsible for translating technical knowledge for this muscle-brained crew? And more importantly, why am I being included in the muscle-brained category just because what I understood from this black magic is exactly as much as the rest of them?'
But someone had to say something, and apparently that someone was me.
"When we make the sail like that," I said, pointing at the modified rigging, "good stuff happens. Now we can sail faster."
'The most technical explanation I'm capable of giving, considering I understood approximately none of what Nami just said.'
""""Ohhhhh!""""
The effect was immediate and universal. All four of my crewmates made the classic fist-hitting-palm gesture and voiced their understanding in perfect harmony.
"So, it is the good stuff, huh. Man, good stuff is amazing!"
Luffy's face lit up with that expression of wonder he got whenever someone explained something that seemed impossibly complex but turned out to have a simple result.
"Nami-swan is so brilliant! Her navigational genius knows no bounds!" Sanji immediately switched into lovestruck mode.
Usopp puffed out his chest and declared, "I understood that from the beginning!" which fooled absolutely nobody.
Zoro pretended not to care about the explanation, but his slightly relieved expression suggested he was just as confused as the rest of us had been.
'At least I'm not the only one who felt lost during that technical lecture. Though I'm still not entirely comfortable being lumped in with the muscle-brained contingent of this crew.'
"Get ready," I announced, raising the Barbossa sword to channel more wind into our modified sails. "We're about to see if this actually works."
I increased the wind speed gradually, feeling the ship respond to the enhanced airflow. The modified sail configuration caught the wind with surprising efficiency, and suddenly we were cutting through the water faster than I'd ever felt the Going Merry move before.
'Either Nami is a sailing genius, or we're about to discover why shipwrights don't normally configure sails this way.'
But the ship held together beautifully, her reinforced hull cutting through the storm-tossed waves with newfound confidence as we accelerated toward our destination.
Hours passed in a blur of wind, rain, and gradually building excitement. The storm that had seemed so threatening during our escape from Loguetown now felt like nature's way of speeding us toward our destiny.
When the lighthouse on Reverse Mountain finally came into view through the sheets of rain, the reaction from my crewmates was immediate and intense.
"There it is!" Luffy shouted, pointing at the distant beacon with trembling excitement. "The entrance to the Grand Line!"
"We actually made it," Sanji breathed, his voice mixing amazement with what might have been relief.
"About time," Zoro grunted, but I could see the satisfaction in his expression.
"I can't believe we're really here," Nami whispered, her navigational instruments forgotten as she stared at the legendary mountain.
"Is it okay to enter the Grand Line in the middle of a storm?"
Only Usopp seemed less than thrilled about our approaching destination, his face pale as he contemplated what lay beyond that lighthouse.
But his apprehension was completely ignored by everyone else, swept aside by the infectious excitement of finally reaching the threshold of the Grand Line.
Sanji disappeared for a moment, returning with a wooden barrel that he set down in the center of the deck with ceremonial precision.
"This calls for a celebration," he announced, his voice carrying the weight of ritual.
'A barrel ceremony. I've heard of these—pirates' traditional way of marking significant moments.'
Though I have to admit, choosing to do it in the middle of a storm while approaching the most dangerous waters in the world has a certain dramatic flair.
Sanji placed his leg on top of the barrel with theatrical flair, his voice carrying clearly over the wind as he declared,
"I will find the All Blue!"
Luffy immediately joined him, his leg stretching to reach the barrel as he shouted with absolute conviction,
"I will be the Pirate King!"
Zoro was next, his expression was his characteristic evil smile despite the ridiculous ceremony.
"I will become the world's greatest swordsman!"
Nami added her leg to the pile, her voice steady and determined.
"I will draw a map of the entire world!"
'My turn. The most awkward moment of any group activity—when the antisocial loner has to participate in team bonding exercises. But what do I declare?'
That I want to find a way home?
That I'm only here because I need the One Piece to activate my portal?
'That would rather undermine the whole team spirit aspect of this ceremony.'
I stepped forward and placed my foot on the barrel alongside theirs, meeting their expectant gazes with as much conviction as I could manage.
"I will find the One Piece!"
Those words were declared aloud.
'I will return to my family again. I will find a way back to the world where I belong, where people I care about are waiting for me.'
And those were kept inside.
The weight of that unspoken oath settled in my chest like a stone, heavy with all the implications I couldn't share with my crewmates. They thought I was declaring loyalty to Luffy's dream, and in a way I was – but my ultimate goal remained my own.
Usopp, not wanting to be left out despite his obvious nervousness, added his leg to the growing pile and declared with as much confidence as he could muster,
"I will aa…I will become The Brave Warrior of The Sea!"
For a moment, we all stood there in the rain, six legs balanced on a wooden barrel, six dreams declared to the storm and the sea.
Then, in perfect synchronization, we raised our legs and brought them down together.
CRASH!
The poor barrel exploded into splinters, sending wooden fragments flying in all directions as our combined force reduced it to kindling.
"Off we go," we shouted in unison, our voices carrying across the water toward the lighthouse that marked the beginning of our greatest adventure, "to the Grand Line!"
'And there it is. The moment when six people with impossible dreams officially committed themselves to sailing into the most dangerous waters in the world.'
As I looked around at my crewmates—at Luffy's infectious enthusiasm, Zoro's quiet determination, Nami's calculating excitement, Sanji's romantic fervor, and even Usopp's terrified courage—I couldn't help but feel that we might actually have a chance.
'We're either about to make history, or we're about to become a very interesting footnote in someone else's story. Either way, it's going to be…one hell of a ride.'
The lighthouse beam swept across our ship like a blessing as we sailed toward Reverse Mountain, six pirates with impossible dreams heading into the unknown together.
'Home. I'm coming home, one way or another.'
But first, we had a world to go through.
…
The Second Arc.
My Path Back Home Is Grand, As Expected!
The First East Blue Saga, Completed.
…
A/N: Sorry for the wait, it was really a massive Chapter.
Anyway, we are finally entering the Grand Line.
Thank you all for reading until now!!
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