Zoro turned his head slowly toward Robin. His single open eye narrowed as he fixed a hard stare on her face, arms remaining folded tightly across his chest.
A massive shadow suddenly darkened the sky overhead. The crew's heads snapped upward in unison.
A large galleon ship plunged straight down from the clouds, sails tattered and flapping wildly, hull creaking loudly as it accelerated through the air.
It struck the sea surface directly in front of the Going Merry with a thunderous crash. Water erupted upward in a towering column, white foam exploding outward in all directions. Massive waves rolled out from the impact point, the largest surging forward.
The Going Merry lurched backward violently. The deck tilted sharply. Crew members stumbled and grabbed railings or masts for balance. Water sprayed across the deck in heavy sheets, soaking clothes and faces. The ship rocked side to side with heavy creaks from the wood, sails billowing backward as the vessel steadied against the receding swells.
The fallen galleon bobbed heavily in the churning water ahead, half-submerged, debris floating around its broken hull.
"AAAAA GGGHH HHHHH!"
The crew's voices rose in overlapping screams that cut through the crashing waves, bodies sliding across the tilted deck as hands gripped railings and ropes tightly.
Zoro and Lei shouted together. "HOLD TIGHT ONTO THE SHIP!" Zoro's arms flexed as he braced against the mast, feet planted wide. Lei's hands clamped onto the nearest railing, ponytail whipping sideways in the wind.
A human skeleton dropped from the fallen galleon, bones rattling as it landed directly in front of Usopp with a clatter on the wet planks.
Usopp's eyes bulged. He leapt backward. "GAHHH!" His scream echoed sharply over the deck.
The massive waves subsided gradually. The Going Merry leveled out with slower rocks, water dripping from the sails and railings as the sea calmed.
Nami lifted her wrist, staring at the Log Pose strapped there. Her face paled. "THE LOG POSE… IT'S BROKEN!" She turned the device in her hand, needle frozen in place.
"IT'S STUCK POINTING UP!"
Robin stepped forward, eyes narrowing as she examined the Pose from a distance. She spoke quickly. "…No, you are mistaken. There must be another island nearby."
She paused, head tilting back as she directed her gaze straight upward at the clear blue sky. Her voice rose. "THAT MEANS THE LOG POSE IS LOCKED TO A SKY ISLAND!!!"
A large ship sailed into view from beyond the bobbing wreckage of the fallen galleon, cutting steadily through the settling waves.
The entire front of the ship formed a massive gorilla figurehead, painted bright orange with thick fur textures carved into the wood. The ape's head protruded forward, mouth open wide to show white teeth, eyes circled in large white rings staring ahead. Thick arms extended along the bow sides, hands open with fingers spread.
On a raised platform near the bow, a large orangutan sat upright on a barrel. It held two shiny cymbals, one in each hand, crashing them together repeatedly with forceful slaps. The loud metallic clangs rang out in a steady, repeating rhythm that echoed across the water.
The ship's sails filled with wind, marked with a grinning monkey jolly roger flapping at the top. Crew members lined the deck, waving arms and shouting as the vessel drew closer to the Going Merry.
Masira stood at the bow, tall and broad with wild orange hair tied back under a bandana, his bare chest heaving as he leaned forward over the railing. His eyes locked on Nami standing on the Merry's deck. His gaze softened immediately, pupils shaping into large hearts that spun slowly as his mouth fell open in a wide, dazed grin.
Lei walked across the Going Merry's deck toward Nami, steps even and unhurried, hands relaxed at his sides. A small smile remained on his face as his ponytail shifted lightly with each movement.
Masira's body stiffened abruptly. His heart-shaped eyes snapped wide open, returning to normal circles. He froze in place, hands gripping the railing tighter until knuckles whitened. His head turned sideways slowly, then jerked fully toward Lei. His mouth opened and closed once before words burst out.
"HEY! IS HE DEAD?!"
Lei continued walking forward, smile unchanged, posture loose as he reached Nami's side and stopped.
Masira's arms began shaking visibly. Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead and rolled down his face. His knees bent slightly, body lowering as his wide eyes stayed fixed on Lei. His chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths.
A visible shiver ran through his shoulders and down his back, making his orange hair bristle slightly at the ends. He swallowed hard, throat bobbing, and took one involuntary step backward on his own deck, boots scraping against the wood.
The cymbal clangs from the orangutan continued behind him, but Masira's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides repeatedly.
Masira's grip tightened further on the railing, knuckles turning white as his fingers dug into the wood. His wide eyes stayed locked on Lei standing calmly beside Nami. Sweat poured down his face in thick streams, dripping from his chin onto the deck. His legs shook harder, knees buckling until he dropped into a low crouch. A loud gulp echoed from his throat. His orange hair stood on end at the roots. He stumbled backward, boots scraping loudly across his own deck, arms flailing for balance as he turned sharply.
Masira bolted toward the rear of his ship. His crew members scattered out of his path, eyes widening as he shoved past them. He leapt over barrels and ropes, feet pounding heavily. "RETREAT! FULL RETREAT!" His voice cracked high as he screamed the order, hands waving frantically overhead. The orangutan dropped its cymbals with a clanging crash and scrambled after him. Crew members rushed to cut the mooring ropes, knives slashing quickly. The monkey ship lurched away from the Going Merry, sails catching wind abruptly as it veered sharply starboard, hull groaning while it sped off into the distance, shrinking rapidly against the horizon.
Luffy blinked repeatedly, head tilting as he watched the fleeing ship. His mouth hung open. "Eh? Why are they running away?"
Nami's hands flew to her hips. Her eyebrows shot up. "They just… left? After all that noise?"
Usopp peeked out from behind Zoro, finger still extended but now shaking less. His eyes darted between the empty water and Lei. "Did… did we scare them off? Without doing anything?"
Zoro uncrossed his arms slowly. He turned his head toward Lei, one eyebrow raised. A short huff escaped his mouth.
Sanji's cigarette dropped from his lips, landing on the deck with a small sizzle. He stared at the vanished ship, then at Lei.
Robin covered her mouth with one hand, eyes curving as she smiled wider.
Chopper climbed down from the railing where he had been watching. He trotted over to the group, small hooves tapping on the wood. He stopped near Lei and looked up at the crew. "It's because of Lei! Animals can feel heartbeats really well—I can hear them as a doctor and as a reindeer."
He pointed one hoof toward the direction Masira had fled. "That big monkey guy probably heard Lei's heartbeat. It's always super steady and slow, like a clock ticking the same way no matter what. Even in big waves or fights, it doesn't speed up or slow down. It never panics."
Chopper pressed his hooves together, eyes shining. "To animals, that feels safe. Like nothing can shake it. But if you're a wild monkey seeing something that relaxed in the middle of the dangerous ocean… your instincts scream that it's either dead, or it's the strongest thing around—the one that doesn't need to worry about anything else."
He hopped closer to Lei's leg, leaning against it. "For me, it's comforting. When I stand next to Lei, his heartbeat makes everything feel protected. Like a big shield around us. That's why that guy ran—he felt the apex predator staring back, but I just feel safe!"
Luffy's grin widened. He slapped Lei on the back with a loud thump. "Shishishi! Lei scared them off without moving! Cool!"
Nami crossed her arms, glancing at Lei sideways. Usopp nodded rapidly, mouth opening and closing. Zoro grunted once, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. Sanji picked up his cigarette, eyes narrowing thoughtfully toward Lei. Robin's smile deepened as she watched the group.
Robin tilted her head slightly toward Chopper. Her fingers rested lightly under her chin. A playful smile curved her lips as her eyes shifted to Lei. "Oh my. A heartbeat so perfectly controlled it sends wild animals fleeing in terror. How delightfully dangerous. I always suspected there was something… predatory lurking beneath that calm exterior."
She paused, voice lowering with teasing amusement. "It's almost unfair. Making a man like Masira run without even drawing your sword. You really are full of scary surprises, aren't you?"
Nami kept her arms crossed. She glanced at Lei again, eyebrows drawn together. "Handy or not, that's still creepy. Scaring off an entire crew just by standing there? Fine, it's useful. But don't expect me to get used to it overnight."
Zoro pushed off the railing. He uncrossed his arms and gave a short grunt. His gaze lingered on Lei for a moment before he spoke. "Not bad. That kind of control… it's the mark of someone who's always got things handled. Luffy's lucky to have a guy like you watching his back. Hell, we all are. Steady as a rock, even when everything's going to shit. Like the big brother keeping the idiots in line."
He glanced at the crew. His mouth twitched into a faint smirk. "Don't let it go to your head, though."