The sea was calm that morning. The sun shimmered over the gentle waves, and schools of fish darted beneath the surface, undisturbed.
Then, something unnatural began to happen.
From the horizon, the ocean started to shimmer with a crystalline sheen. In an instant, a long path of solid ice began forming atop the water, stretching forward in a smooth, glistening trail. It crackled softly as it spread, freezing the sea in a narrow line.
At the back of the path, a wooden sledge zipped across the ice, gliding effortlessly over the surface. Onboard sat Kaya and Mikita, their eyes wide with wonder as the wind whipped through their hair, laughter slipping from their lips.
Behind the sledge, Zino was skating at full speed, one hand on the back of the sledge, the other outstretched to keep balance. His feet effortlessly skimmed across the ice, his body glowing faintly with the power of his Ice-Snow Element. As he moved, the sea in front of him froze in real-time, creating an endless road of shimmering ice for them to follow.
Just a while ago, disaster had struck—their borrowed ship had sunk not long after leaving Winter Island. But instead of panicking, Zino had stepped up with a grin.
"No problem," he had said, clapping his hands. "I've got a backup plan."
And now here they were, riding across the sea, on a hand-crafted sled built from salvaged ship parts, cruising faster than any sailboat thanks to Zino's frozen creation.
"This is actually amazing!" Mikita shouted over the wind, her hair flying behind her.
Kaya nodded, eyes sparkling. "I take back everything I said about you being a snow-eating weirdo!"
Zino smirked. "You're welcome!"
They whizzed across the frozen ocean, the sound of the sledge gliding over ice like music to their ears. Occasionally, dolphins leapt out from the sides, playfully racing alongside them, their sleek bodies casting glittering trails of water as they splashed beside the icy path.
"I feel like I'm in a dream," Kaya said, looking at the endless blue sky above and the white road beneath them.
"Who needs a ship when you've got Zino's Ice Road Express?" Mikita chuckled, gripping the sides of the sledge as they took a smooth turn across the curve of the path.
"Just don't blame me if we hit a wave wrong and flip," Zino joked from behind, laughing.
It was dangerous, yes. Wildly unconventional—definitely. But in that moment, with the sea glittering around them and dolphins dancing at their side, it was a journey none of them would ever forget.
While speeding forward on the ice path, Zino still have time to check on his Status.
[STATUS]
*Name:* Monkey D. Zino
*Age:* 17
Pirate Group: Orca Pirate
Ship: Silent Orca
Crews: Alvida, Zoro, Nami, Kaya, Ussop, Sanji, Gin, Nojiko, Miria, Hibari, Binko, Kruz, Stev, Chloris, Moris.
Devil Fruit Ability: Nomu Nomu no Mi (Swallow Swallow Fruit)
- Primary Power: Ability to swallow and control elemental substances.
- Current Limitation: Can only control one element at a time.
- Unawakened Power: Grants transformation into the currently swallowed element (Vary according to the owned elements.)
Swallowed Elements:
1. Air - Stage 2 (Level 67)
- Techniques: Hokoken (Roaring Fist), Hokokyaku (Roaring Kick).
2. Medicine – Stage 1 (Level 29)
3. Smoke - Stage 1 (Level 21)
4. Ice - Stage 1 (Level 43)
- Technique: Hokuteiken (North Emperor Fist).
Skills:
- Rokushiki Techniques: Soru, Geppo, Shigan, Rankyaku, Tekkai, Kami-e.
Advanced Skills:
1. Observation Haki - Stage 1 (Level 5)
2. Armament Haki - Unawakened
3. Conquerors Haki - Half Awakened
Unique Skill:
1. Nomu Touch
- Harden and touch the body of a logia user, whose body element has been swallowed by the host.
- List of logia users under Nomu Touch: Smoker.
Looking at his updated system status, a surprised expression formed on his face. There are many new information now added in his status.
"So… I'm now officially declared a pirate, huh?" Zino muttered, staring at the glowing screen in front of him. "Got a ship, got a crew… Wait—huh? Who the heck are these people?!"
Screeeeech!
"Buh!"
"Gah!"
The ice trail groaned as Zino came to a sudden halt, digging his heels into the frozen path. The jarring stop sent Kaya and Mikita flying forward off the sled like ragdolls.
"Wahhh!"
THUMP!
Both girls landed face-first onto the icy track with a dull smack, their bodies sprawled out awkwardly on the cold surface.
Zino winced. "Oops."
Kaya slowly lifted her head, one eye shut, a small trickle of blood leaking from her nose. "Zino… what was that for?"
"Dammit. Are you trying to kill us?!" Mikita snapped as she turned around, her cheeks red with both impact and fury.
"A-Ah… sorry! I misstepped!" Zino raised both hands apologetically, awkward sweat running down his face.
Realizing his blunder, he deactivated his Ice element and instead switched to Medicine. A soft green glow enveloped his palms as he rushed forward, kneeling beside the girls.
"Hang on—don't move. I'll fix this."
A few moments later, their bruises faded, the swelling eased, and Kaya's nosebleed stopped. The girls sat up, still glaring, but visibly less in pain.
"You better not do that again," Kaya muttered.
Zino gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah, yeah. I owe you lunch."
"Damn right you do," Mikita added with a sigh.
Deciding to take a break, Zino activated his Ice element again, extending and widening the ice path into a broad, circular platform in the middle of the ocean. He then molded the surface into a cozy igloo dome, large enough for the three of them. Inside, he crafted a few chairs and a table from pure, clear ice.
With a flourish, he opened his System Storage and retrieved warm food, steam rising from freshly prepared bento boxes and a kettle of tea.
The trio sat down together inside the icy shelter, the sunlight filtering through the translucent walls with a calming glow. The wind outside was cut off, replaced by a cool stillness.
"Not bad," Mikita said, munching on a rice ball. "This igloo's warmer than I thought."
"It's kind of cozy," Kaya agreed, sipping tea.
As they ate, Zino pulled his Status screen back up, still bothered by the mystery names on his crew list.
"Alright… who are you four?" he muttered to himself, scrolling through the list. "I don't remember recruiting you. Are you ghosts? Did the System glitch? Or… did I accidentally adopt more weirdos without noticing?"
He tapped each name, trying to bring up more details, but the information was minimal, just names.
"Hey Zino, are you spacing out again?" Mikita said, waving a hand in front of him.
"Hm? Oh. Just… mysterious feelings. I think we're haunted."
"Let's hope they're useful ghosts," Kaya chuckled softly.
Zino leaned back, scratching his head, glancing at the list of crews. "Well, if they're on the list, I guess they're part of the family now. Whether I like it or not."
With their bellies full and the warmth of laughter still lingering in the air, Zino, Kaya, and Mikita rested inside the igloo for about an hour. The sea outside remained calm, only the sound of waves occasionally splashing against the edges of the icy platform.
Eventually, Zino stood up and stretched. "Alright, break time's over. Let's keep moving."
"Already?" Mikita groaned.
Kaya yawned, rubbing her eyes. "We better keep going before it gets too late."
Zino nodded and resumed creating the ice path, reforming the sled with a light stomp of his foot. With the girls seated, he launched forward once more, skating along the ice trail at high speed. The wind whooshed past them as the sun dipped lower into the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet.
They had covered an impressive distance in just a few hours—Zino's speed and his Ice Element made for surprisingly efficient travel.
Just as dusk began to settle, Kaya leaned forward. "It's getting dark. Maybe we should stop for the night?"
Zino glanced up at the sky, then nodded. "Yeah, good idea. We'll find a good spot to—"
"Wait… what's that?" Mikita pointed ahead.
On the horizon, the silhouette of a ship rocked gently on the waves.
"A pirate ship?" Kaya asked, eyes narrowing.
"Can't tell," Zino said. "Let's go check it out."
"Wait, maybe we shouldn't—" Kaya started, but it was already too late.
Zino had shifted course, steering the sled straight toward the unknown vessel. As they got closer, familiar shapes began to form on the deck.
"Huh? It's them?" Zino blinked in surprise.
"Zino!" Kaya shouted. "It's Sanji! Alvida-nee! Nojiko-nee!"
Sure enough, it was Sanji's group—Sanji, Alvida, Nojiko, Karoo the duck, and a sheepish-looking Stev. Their ship was barely moving, being rowed manually with makeshift paddles. The mast was half-destroyed, the sail completely gone. Burn marks and blackened wood told the story of a recent explosion.
"Kaya-chaaaan! Miss Mikitaaa!" Sanji called dramatically, hearts practically shooting from his eyes as he waved.
Alvida gave them a welcoming smile, while Nojiko waved calmly. Karoo flapped his wings and quacked excitedly.
Zino pulled up beside the ship, skating a loop and forming an ice expansion near it.
"What happened to you guys?" Zino asked, eyeing the damaged sail.
Sanji's joyful expression turned into a twitching frown. Without a word, he pointed an accusatory finger at Stev, who was crouched behind a barrel, trying to look invisible.
"It was *him*," Sanji growled. "He said he wanted to demonstrate his latest invention. Next thing we know—*boom!*—there goes the sail. We've been stuck paddling ever since."
Alvida crossed her arms and glared at Stev. "He called it a propulsion test. More like a fireworks show…"
Stev let out a nervous chuckle, sweat pouring down his face. "T-The math was right… I think."
Nojiko sighed, placing a gentle hand on her forehead. "We should've just left him with the village."
Zino laughed. "At least you're all alive. Lucky for you, our ship sank, so we're improvising with ice."
"You're what?" Sanji blinked.
"Long story," Mikita replied, waving it off.
Zino turned to the horizon, the last traces of daylight fading into the sea. "Well, looks like we'll be traveling together again."
Sanji gave a half-hearted smile and shot a glare toward Stev, who was still crouched behind a barrel. "Fine by me… Just keep him away from anything flammable."
The others laughed at Sanji's pointed remark, while Stev scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin, clearly embarrassed but too used to his own chaos to argue.
"It's getting dark," Zino said, looking at the dimming sky. "Let's rest here for the night."
He stepped forward onto the ice and placed his hand down, channeling his Ice Element. A moment later, the frozen sea expanded into a wide, flat platform. With swift movements, he shaped a larger igloo than before—tall and round with a few ice benches and a chimney-like hole at the top for ventilation.
"Whoa… That's incredible!" Stev's eyes lit up as he stepped onto the ice, marveling at the igloo's smooth design. "You made this in seconds?"
"It really is amazing," Nojiko added, touching the icy walls in awe. "Looks solid too."
Alvida raised an eyebrow. "Tell me something… Since when did he start using ice powers?"
Kaya exchanged glances with Mikita before answering. "Um… since we arrived at the Winter Island."
Mikita folded her arms, nodding. "Yeah, and ever since then, he turned into a snow glutton. He was swallowing snow like his life depended on it."
Sanji blinked. "Wait, what?"
"It's true," Kaya sighed. "He literally spent the whole night rolling in snow, eating it like it was a delicacy."
"If we hadn't dragged him out, I swear he'd still be there," Mikita muttered. "Probably building snow forts and calling himself Snow King or something."
The crew looked between them and then at Zino—who had just finished smoothing the last icy curve of the igloo roof—then collectively sweatdropped.
"You guys sure he's okay in the head?" Alvida muttered.
"I mean… he did build us an ice mansion in the middle of the sea," Sanji replied. "Gotta give him points for that."
Zino dusted his hands off and turned around with a grin. "Alright! Ice palace complete! This is our home for the night."
Later that night, warm lanterns were placed around the inside of the igloo, casting a soft orange glow over the room. The crew sat together in a circle, steam rising from freshly prepared dishes.
Sanji had taken charge of cooking, his expert hands creating a simple yet hearty meal. The ingredients came directly from Zino, who had stored all the Winter Island supplies in his System Storage.
"Glad I saved those root vegetables," Zino said, pulling out some preserved meats and fruits. "Never know when you'll need a dinner party in the middle of the ocean."
"Dinner party?" Sanji scoffed, stirring a pot. "This is survival, not some winter resort."
"Still tastes like a resort meal," Nojiko smiled as she took a bite.
As laughter and stories filled the igloo, the cold night outside felt far away. Surrounded by friends, food, and an unnatural amount of frozen architecture, the strange group of pirates found comfort in the most unlikely of places—on a floating ice expansion in the middle of the sea.