Guided unerringly by the Log Pose, the Going Merry sailed through the skies, its unique mode of travel granting them a breathtaking, panoramic view of the sea below. Finally, their destination came into view: a massive, sprawling landmass blanketed in an impossibly dense, vibrant green canopy. The air itself felt different here—thicker, heavier, and filled with the raw, untamed scent of earth and primordial life.
"So this is Little Garden?" Nami mused, leaning on the ship's railing alongside the other women as they looked down upon the colossal island.
"It's nothing but jungle down there! There must be wild beasts everywhere!" Kaya noted, a slight tremor in her voice.
"Of course there are! Didn't you hear those roars a minute ago?" Tashigi replied, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her Wado Ichimonji.
"Captain... I'm scared!" Makino added, though her smile was more nervous than truly fearful.
Leo, tuning out the chorus of feminine commentary, guided the Merry to a secluded, sheltered cove along the coastline, landing it gently amidst a chorus of creaking wood and settling ropes.
No sooner had the ship come to rest than a deep, guttural roar, the kind that vibrated through the very ground, erupted from the depths of the jungle, as if to confirm Nami's statement.
"Leo, this place seems really dangerous!" Vivi said, immediately latching onto Leo's arm, her large, dark eyes scanning the imposing tree line with apprehension.
"It certainly sounds terrifying," Kaya agreed, nodding fervently. In just the few moments they'd been still, she'd already identified the distinct cries of seven or eight different large creatures.
"Well, we're here now. Might as well go explore," Leo said, looking at the varied expressions of trepidation on his crew's faces.
"Finally, a new island! It'll be good to breathe some fresh air that doesn't smell like salt and clouds," Nami declared, stretching her arms above her head in a way that perfectly accentuated her figure. This was not the timid girl from the East Blue anymore. If anything down there bothered her, she'd just call down a lightning bolt on its head.
Tashigi, gripping her white sword, looked equally eager. "I'd like to find some of those beasts to practice my swordsmanship on."
Kaya, Makino, Nojiko, and Carmen, however, shook their heads in unison, their movements synchronized like a well-rehearsed dance.
"Captain, you go on ahead. We'll stay here and guard the ship."
"Yeah, Leo, you have fun now!"
"..."
The four women made it abundantly clear that the safety and comfort of the Going Merry suited them just fine.
"Alright, suit yourselves," Leo conceded. With a few casual gestures, he summoned thick walls of densely compressed cloud, erecting a formidable barrier around the entire ship. The safety of his crew was, and always would be, his top priority.
"Nami, Tashigi, you two stick together. Be careful," he instructed. While the island's wildlife likely posed no real threat to the lightning-wielding navigator or the Haki-trained swordswoman, it never hurt to be cautious.
"Vivi, Miss Valentine, you're with me."
Miss Valentine visibly started. "M-me? Are you sure?" she asked, uncertainty coloring her voice.
"Miss Valentine, relax. You're part of the crew now," Leo said, offering his right arm.
A genuine smile, the first they'd seen from her, broke across her face. She stepped forward and confidently linked her arm with his.
"I was getting a little stir-crazy on the ship anyway," Vivi admitted, smiling up at Leo as she took his other arm. "And being next to you, Leo, feels incredibly safe."
With Vivi on his left and Miss Valentine on his right, Leo led the way, the trio disappearing into the dark, verdant mouth of the jungle.
"It's just like the legends describe..." Vivi mused aloud as they walked, her scholarly curiosity overcoming her initial fear. She observed the gargantuan ferns and strange, colorful fungi with wide-eyed wonder.
"I've always read that the islands of the Grand Line are incredibly isolated. Over centuries, they develop their own unique cultures and ecosystems. Some islands are rich in resources, densely populated, and technologically advanced. Others, like this Primordial Island, remain frozen in time, unchanged for thousands of years."
"You're so knowledgeable, Vivi," Leo said, giving her a fond look and ruffling her blue hair.
Vivi blushed, ducking her head slightly. "Oh, I'm not really... I've just heard stories, that's all."
Miss Valentine chuckled softly. "Don't be so modest, Vivi. You are a princess, after all."
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the jungle, the local wildlife was having a very bad day.
Tashigi, seeking to hone her skills, had quickly found suitable opponents: a pride of massive Saber-toothed Tigers. Without a hint of fear, the Wado Ichimonji flashed from its scabbard, and she charged into their midst, a whirlwind of precise, Haki-inflicted strikes. The air filled with snarls and the sharp shing of her blade.
Nami, on the other hand, was just bored. Life on the Merry consisted of two things: intense 'training' with Leo and actual Haki training. She was itching for some novelty. Lately, she'd been developing new applications for her control over lightning, clouds, and wind, and a herd of unsuspecting, thunder-lizard-looking creatures seemed like perfect test subjects. A miniature, crackling storm began to form in her outstretched palm as she eyed her targets with a mischievous grin.
Back with Leo's group, the walk was a tour through a living fossil record. They encountered beasts of all shapes and sizes, many of which should have been extinct millions of years ago. Tyrannosaurs, the Saber-tooths Tashigi was battling, long-necked Thunder Lizards, and giant, flat spiders were just a few of the inhabitants.
Leo now fully understood why this island was uninhabited by humans. Beyond the obvious threat of the massive predators, the undergrowth teemed with smaller, more insidious dangers: spiders with brightly colored abdomens, scorpions the size of dogs, and bullet ants that looked capable of taking down a mammoth. A single bite from any of them would be a one-way ticket to agony.
To top it all off, several volcanoes smoked ominously on the horizon, and the constant, distant CLANG! CLANG! of metal on metal suggested the two giant captains, Brogy and Dorry, were at it again, their eternal duel triggered by every volcanic eruption.
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion, much closer than the previous ones, rocked the ground beneath their feet. Vivi and Miss Valentine jumped, clinging tighter to Leo's arms.
"What was that?!" Vivi gasped, her eyes wide.
"Just a volcano," Leo said calmly, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Nothing to worry about."
Vivi nodded, her grip on his arm tightening further. Miss Valentine mirrored the action, pressing closer to his side.
"Now," Leo said, his voice dropping to a more focused tone as he subtly expanded his Observation Haki, sensing two familiar, albeit faint, auras amidst the chaotic life forces of the jungle. "Let's go say hello to a couple of... acquaintances."
"Acquaintances?" Miss Valentine looked around the primeval wilderness, her face a picture of confusion.
A slow, knowing smile spread across Leo's face. "Mr. 3 and Miss Golden Week."
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T/N :
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