The Grand Line is always full of danger, so every night the Straw Hat crew sends one person to keep watch.
Incidentally, Sanji, that lovesick cook, successfully argued on the grounds that "sufficient sleep is the key for ladies to maintain their beautiful looks," exempting the two great beauties, Nami and Robin, from night watch duty.
And tonight, the turn for the night watch fell to Sherlock.
Sitting cross-legged on the Going Merry's mast, Sherlock looked up at the sky, which was just beginning to brighten. His expression was exceptionally focused, as if he were concentrating on sensing something.
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... seven distinct life auras. Based on their positions, it's Luffy and the others. Honestly, what exactly is this strange ability?)
Sherlock withdrew his perception and pushed up his glasses with a look of confusion.
Ever since he first took Yinsangmona, Sherlock had inexplicably awakened a very interesting ability: perception.
Although the range of his perception wasn't as exaggerated as when he was on the drug, after these past few days of intentional and unintentional training, Sherlock's perception range could already cover the entire Going Merry.
Within this range, no living object could escape Sherlock's perception. Moreover, when combined with the Chuanyingjing, this ability became extremely practical, as if he had opened a "Third Eye."
Besides perception, Sherlock's intuition had also become stronger.
Like right now—although he didn't know why—Sherlock had a terrible premonition, as if something bad was about to happen to him.
(Speaking of which, Robin seems to be secretly investigating me lately. Is that woman looking to cause trouble for me?)
Thinking of that intellectual beauty who had been quietly reading books these past few days, Sherlock narrowed his eyes slightly. After pondering for a moment, he revealed a relieved expression.
(Forget it. I'll find a chance to have a good talk with her later. As a survivor of Ohara, she should know some useful intelligence.)
At that moment, Sherlock looked into the distance and was pleasantly surprised to find the faint outline of a small island appearing on the calm sea.
"Hey! Everyone, wake up! I found an island!"
A few hours later, the Going Merry docked at a peculiarly shaped small island. This was also the first island the Straw Hats had encountered after Alabasta.
"Ahahaha, we're finally on a new island again!" The idiot captain jumped down from the Going Merry, running back and forth on the beach in high spirits. His extremely excited appearance was like a wild dog off its leash frolicking about, causing his companions to shake their heads.
"Really, you're getting too excited, Luffy." The navigator sighed, then shaded her eyes with her hand, looking at the pocket-sized island before them. Her eyes lit up. "What a cute little island. I've decided; I'm going to draw a sea chart of this island."
"It looks like a deserted island..." Robin murmured softly. Then, she glanced at the Sorcerer sleeping soundly on the deck chair, a virtually imperceptible glint flashing through her beautiful blue and black eyes.
"We left Alabasta too in a hurry back then. This time, we need to properly restock our food and fill the fridge to the brim!" Blowing a smoke ring, Sanji looked at the dense primeval jungle not far away and grinned. "There must be plenty of delicious ingredients in there."
"I just wonder if there are any powerful beasts in that jungle." Zoro tightened his grip on the three swords at his waist, eager to try them out. It seemed the long voyage had bored the green-haired swordsman; he urgently needed a hearty battle!
"Beasts..." x2
Hearing this, Usopp and Chopper were instantly terrified, their hair standing on end. They hurriedly hid behind the green-haired swordsman, breaking out in cold sweat.
"Alright everyone, I'm going to assign your tasks now!" Nami, who had somehow equipped a set of surveying tools, issued orders to the others:
"Sanji, I'm going to survey the data of this island. You protect me."
"Yes, Nami-san!!! Your brave knight will protect you forever!" The lovesick cook's body twisted as if he had no bones.
"Zoro, Usopp, Chopper, you three go collect food on the island."
"Hey, Nami!" Zoro curled his lip with a look of reluctance. "Why should we listen to your orders? You're not the captain."
"Uh-huh." Usopp and Chopper nodded in unison.
"Oh? Do you think there is a 'Captain' on this ship capable of giving orders?"
Nami pointed at the beach with dark lines on her face. Everyone looked in the direction she pointed, only to discover with surprise that the rubber idiot who was frolicking on the beach just a moment ago had vanished.
Based on everyone's understanding of Luffy, that idiot had definitely run off into the primeval jungle alone to adventure.
"Also, because of the night watch, Sherlock is catching up on sleep now, so he won't wake up for a while."
Nami pointed to the Sorcerer sleeping soundly on the deck chair nearby and said plainly, "So, other than me, who else can give orders right now?"
"..." Zoro remained silent, wearing a pained expression that said, 'What she says makes so much sense, I'm speechless.'
"Zoro, I, Captain Usopp, am leaving my protection to you later!" The long-nosed brother streamed tears.
"Mmh, leaving it to you, Zoro." The little reindeer hugged Zoro's trouser leg tightly, speaking pitifully.
Ignoring the green-haired swordsman surrounded by the Cowardly Duo, the navigator sighed, then looked at the enchanting woman beside her.
"As for Robin, you..."
"I'll stay and watch the ship." Robin smiled gracefully at the orange-haired girl.
"Ah, okay, Robin, you stay and watch the ship." Nami agreed without thinking too much. She really didn't know what to say to this mature, charming older sister.
After Nami and the others left the Going Merry and walked far away, the small ship instantly quieted down.
White clouds dotted the sky, the sea and sky were the same color; it was another rare, beautiful day.
Quiet, peaceful.
Robin looked at the suddenly empty deck, the corners of her mouth curving into a beautiful arc.
"Now, it's just the two of us left, Sherlock."
"..." The response to Robin was Sherlock's extremely steady breathing.
Seeing this, Robin's smile became even more brilliant.
However, while the Straw Hats were enjoying their leisurely daily life...
The center of world power, the Holy Land—Mariejois. In a luxuriously decorated conference room, a very serious meeting was about to take place.
Er, although the topic was quite serious, the people attending the meeting were really a bit...
"Hey! What are you doing?!" A Marine officer, suddenly choked by his companion's powerful hands, shouted in shock and anger. "Are you crazy? Let go!"
"No, it's not me, I can't control my body..." The other Marine officer cried out in panic, while the force in his hands actually increased.
"Enough, Doflamingo..." An old, yet very kind female voice spoke.
The speaker was an old lady wearing a Marine uniform. The expression on her wrinkled old face was calm and composed, and the large Marine coat highlighted the elder's thin, gaunt frame.
However, despite that frail body that looked like it would fall with a touch, no one present dared to underestimate her.
Marine Headquarters "Great Staff Officer"—Vice Admiral Tsuru.
"...They are all good children, let them go." Vice Admiral Tsuru's tone was very calm, sounding like she was scolding naughty children rather than a great pirate with a bounty of 340 million Berries!
"Fufufufu, good children? I really can't stand you, Vice Admiral Tsuru."
This was a tall man with blond hair, sunglasses, a pink feather coat, and red cropped trousers. He was dressed quite like a non-mainstream hipster.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea: Heavenly Yaksha—Donquixote Doflamingo.
At this moment, he was sitting carelessly on the balcony railing, legs crossed, back hunched, neck craned, looking utterly wicked. His left hand's five fingers were moving nimbly, as if manipulating something.
"Since that's the case, let's hurry up and start the meeting. I'm bored to death." Cracking his neck, Doflamingo's eyes behind the sunglasses looked at the still-calm Vice Admiral Tsuru.
"If it weren't connected to that 'Little Partner' of mine, I wouldn't have come to such a boring meeting."
Mentioning his "Little Partner," the Heavenly Yaksha instantly revealed a bizarre smile bordering on morbid. He seemed to flip a switch, radiating an extremely maniacal aura that shocked the nearby Marines, causing their faces to change drastically as they gulped in unison.
However, even with Doflamingo's aura being so terrifying, the tall man closest to him, built like a bear, remained calmly seated on the soft sofa, quietly reading the Bible in his hands.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Tyrant—Bartholomew Kuma.
"My, my, my, this is really..." The Heavenly Yaksha's fingers flicked lightly.
Swish! Swish! Two Marines, inexplicably controlled, stiffly drew the long swords at their waists and raised them high above their heads.
"No... Don't!"
"Stop it! Doflamingo!"
"...This is too boring!"
Just as the two long swords were about to chop down, a deep, majestic male voice rang out from outside.
"That is enough, Doflamingo!"
A tall Marine with a long braided beard walked steadily into the conference room. His hardened face was full of solemnity, and his piercing eyes behind black rimmed glasses were slightly narrowed, commanding respect without anger.
What was somewhat comical was the seagull perched atop his Marine cap, and the cute little goat beside him, known as one of the "Three Great Unsolved Mysteries of the Marines."
The current Fleet Admiral of the Marines: Sengoku the Buddha.
"I didn't convene this roundtable meeting for you to fight! You trash of the sea!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku grunted lightly, then walked to his own seat and sat down.
"Fufufu, how imposing, Fleet Admiral Sengoku." Doflamingo released his Devil Fruit ability and jumped off the balcony railing. At the same time, Kuma closed his Bible and stood up...
The meeting was about to begin.
Too lazy to bother with a certain sea hooligan sitting carelessly on the conference table, Fleet Admiral Sengoku quickly scanned everyone, his wise eyes narrowing:
"Only two out of the six Warlords showed up? Let's start the meeting. Waiting any longer won't bring..."
Just then, the door to the conference room opened again, and two figures walked in unhurriedly.
"!!!!" Everyone present was stunned by these two Warlords who had suddenly arrived.
"Oh? The two most unexpected people actually came!"
Donquixote sat cross-legged on the conference table, looking at the two people slowly walking into the room. His mind suddenly recalled rumors he had accidentally heard in the New World.
(Fufufu, my Little Partner, you surely can't imagine what kind of "good deeds" your older sister did during those years she acted as [God]...)
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