Giyu sat in the chair beside Nami's bed, his gaze fixed out the window.
In just one day, the scenery outside had completely transformed.
The warm sea breeze and dazzling sunlight had been replaced by a cold wind, with countless tiny white snowflakes drifting down from the sky, silently settling on the Merry and forming a thin layer on the windowpane.
This sea... truly is unpredictable.
He thought quietly to himself. The temperature had dropped sharply, and even he had changed into a thicker dark coat, while the others were also bundled up in winter clothing.
The room was quiet, with only the sound of Nami's slightly labored breathing and the soft whispers of Sanji and Vivi.
Watching her brows furrowed in pain, Giyu remained silent for a moment before pulling out a slightly worn notebook and pen from his coat.
He had found this earlier on the Merry. Usopp told him it was one of the gifts left behind by the ship's previous owner, a girl named Kaya.
He hadn't known what to write before, but now, an idea suddenly came to him.
If... if he could record this incredible sea journey, then perhaps... if he ever had the chance to return, he could show it to Tanjiro and Mr. Urokodaki.
He opened the notebook, pen tip hovering over the blank page, trying to find the words to describe this noisy yet warm ship, and this vast, boundless sea.
However, before he could write the first word!
Boom!!
The entire Merry suddenly shook violently without warning.
"Hmph!" Giyu reacted instantly, his left hand immediately bracing against the wall to steady himself.
"What's happening?" Vivi cried out from nearby, shielding Nami.
Then Sanji raised his voice, shouting angrily toward the deck: "Hey! You guys outside! Steady the helm! Miss Nami is still sick! If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you!"
The shaking continued.
"I'll go check outside," Sanji said, pulling open the door and preparing to rush to the deck.
"I'm coming too."
Sanji glanced at Giyu, seeming to want to say his injuries hadn't healed yet, but ultimately just nodded: "The situation doesn't seem right."
The two of them rushed out one after another, pushing through the cabin door and emerging onto the snow-swept deck.
Snowflakes blew against their faces, visibility was low. On the deck, Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp stood ready for battle. Dozens of unfamiliar soldiers in uniform uniforms, armed with rifles, had actually climbed onto the Merry's railing!
Their gun barrels were aimed directly at the Straw Hat Pirates!
"Hey! What's going on?" Sanji immediately shouted, his sharp eyes scanning the soldiers as he lit a cigarette.
"Sanji! Giyu! Perfect timing!"
Luffy pressed down on his straw hat to prevent it from blowing away, his tone remarkably calm: "We're under attack! A really big ship crashed into us!"
Following Luffy's pointing finger, Giyu saw an enormous black shadow pressed right against the Merry, bringing with it an overwhelming sense of pressure.
It was this collision that had caused the violent shaking earlier.
Just then, a figure accompanied by comical footsteps jumped from the enemy ship onto the Merry's railing, then landed clumsily.
This was a portly man with purple hair, most notable for his enormous mouth that took up nearly half his face.
He held a long iron sword in his hand, crunching on it as if it were a snack, chewing with evident relish.
"Hmm?"
Wapol chewed on the metal while his small eyes scanned the few people on the deck, his voice slightly muffled. "Just this few people?"
His attitude was utterly arrogant. "I'll ask first."
Then, continuing to chew on the weapon, he said, "We're looking for the way back to the Drum Kingdom! Do you have a Log Pose or an Eternal Pose?"
Nearby, Sanji lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and replied warily, "We don't have one, and we've never heard of that country."
Giyu's gaze swept over the soldiers' gun barrels before finally settling on this strange, fat man.
He was more concerned with another question and spoke directly: "That country you mentioned… does it have doctors?"
"Doctors?" Wapol seemed amused by the question, stopping his chewing and grinning widely.
"What? Is someone on your ship sick? Hahaha!" He laughed without a trace of sympathy. "If you have a Log Pose, I might be in a good mood and make an exception to let you board my ship, offer some treasures to the great King Wapol, and then, as an exception, give you a check-up."
"Oh!! Doctors!!" Luffy's eyes lit up immediately, completely ignoring the other conditions. He pointed urgently toward the cabin. "Do you have doctors on your ship? Someone on our ship needs a doctor right now! Really needs one!"
Seeing Luffy's excited and naive reaction, greed flickered in Wapol's small eyes. "Oh? Want a doctor? Simple! Hand over all the treasures on your ship! I'll be merciful and give you a chance!"
With that, he considered the negotiation over—or perhaps he simply didn't care about their response.
He opened his exaggeratedly large mouth and took a huge bite out of the Merry's railing!
Crunch! Gnash, gnash.
The sound of splintering wood was unsettling! He was chewing on the Merry's hull as if it were a biscuit!
"The flavor… not bad… this ship…" he commented between chews, treating the Merry as nothing more than a dish to be sampled.
"You… what are you doing, you bastard!!!" Usopp's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight, letting out a heart-wrenching scream. This was his beloved ship!
"Stop! Stop right now!"
The soldiers beside Usopp immediately raised their rifles, aiming at him. "Do not disturb Lord Wapol's meal!"
"You… what are you doing to the Merry!!!" Luffy shouted instantly, his rubber arm stretching back rapidly, ready to charge and punch this ship-eating jerk into oblivion!
The situation descended into chaos in an instant!
Giyu's left hand had already gripped the hilt of his Nichirin Blade, his breathing technique subconsciously activating as he assessed the unfolding battle and prepared to intervene.
However, just as he was about to draw his sword, the Wado Ichimonji was placed horizontally in front of him, blocking his draw.
Giyu turned slightly surprised to look at Zoro beside him.
Zoro didn't look back, his gaze still fixed on the chaotic scene ahead and the fat man still gnawing on the ship. He simply said, "With your breathing right now, using that kind of technique isn't convenient, is it?"
He paused, his tone firm. "Leave it to us."
Giyu looked at Zoro's steady profile, sensing his confidence. He didn't respond, then slowly released his grip on the sword.
Zoro stared at Wapol, slowly exhaled, and actually closed his eyes amidst the snowstorm, as if quietly sensing something.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was firmly locked on his opponent.
"I'll use you to test my skills..." Zoro murmured softly, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "Let's see what my slashes have become now..."
He pushed off powerfully with his feet, sending snow flying!
"Ox Bell!"
His speed was so fast that only an afterimage remained on the ship! He struck Wapol's abdomen with tremendous force!
"Urgh!"
Wapol, who had been focused on chewing the ship, never expected this sudden, swift attack. He only felt a sharp, heavy force pierce through him, and intense pain immediately followed. His exaggerated mouth gaped open as he let out a pained scream, frozen in place unable to move!
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
"Huh?" Luffy paused, retracting his fist as he looked at Zoro maintaining his attacking stance. He tilted his head with a surprised expression. "Zoro, your feeling... has changed?"
Zoro stood up straight, slung his sword back over his shoulder, and raised an eyebrow. "What nonsense are you talking about? But..." He glanced around at the soldiers who were panicking because their king had been defeated.
"There are too many people. The mixed aura of these small fries feels different from back then in Little Garden."
"It's just a feeling! Hehe!" Although Luffy didn't completely understand, that didn't stop him from being happy.
He immediately seized the precious opportunity while Wapol was stunned, his two rubber arms stretching back infinitely to their limit!
"Gomu Gomu!!"
"Rocket Launcher!!!"
His arms contracted and rebounded with terrifying force, two giant rubber palms joining together to deliver a solid blow to Wapol's stomach!
"WAAAAAAHHHH—!!!"
Wapol let out a long scream as his body was instantly sent flying off the ground, like a giant purple ball tracing a parabolic arc across the wide sea before disappearing into the snowstorm.
The other soldiers on the ship stared dumbfounded, their jaws nearly hitting the deck.
"W-Wapol-sama!!!?"
The leader, who looked like an archer, showed a mix of shock and anger after his initial astonishment. He glared viciously at the Straw Hat Pirates, especially Zoro and Luffy, and said:
"You... you... how dare you... You'll definitely regret this!!"
But he clearly knew that without Wapol present, they were no match. He immediately called to his subordinates: "Quick! Retreat! We need to find Wapol-sama!"
The soldiers scrambled back to their large ship, which quickly turned and fled in panic toward the direction where Wapol had disappeared, soon vanishing into the snowstorm as well.
Peace temporarily returned to the Merry, with only the sound of the wind and...
"AAAAAAHHHH! Damn it AAAAAAHHHH!" Usopp threw himself at the ship's railing where Wapol had taken a huge bite, looking at the gaps one after another as he let out a heartbroken wail.
"That damn bastard! How could he bite the Merry like this! Unforgivable!"
Giyu walked over, examined the damaged area, then looked at Usopp's furious expression. After a moment of silence, he spoke up: "I'll help with the repairs too."
Usopp turned to him with tear-filled eyes: "Aah! You're so good, Giyu!! But... what about your injuries? And you're running a fever, right?"
Giyu shook his head, his tone flat: "Just some simple carpentry work. It's fine."
...........
The simple repair work continued for some time. Giyu was more than capable of handling tasks like steadying planks and passing tools, and his involvement significantly reduced Usopp's complaints.
During dinner, Sanji specially prepared hot soup and food for everyone. Except for his occasional trips to the deck to check their course, everyone gathered in the relatively warm dining room, though the atmosphere remained somewhat heavy.
Soon, everyone spontaneously gathered in Nami's room.
She seemed slightly more conscious, struggling to stay awake to listen to the conversation, but her face remained flushed and she appeared very weak.
Luffy sat cross-legged on the floor, puffing his cheeks angrily: "Damn it! That bastard's ship today seemed to have a doctor! We almost could've cured your sickness, Nami!"
Nami gave a weak smile, her voice hoarse: "I just heard... from Vivi... that guy was bad, right? And he did such terrible things to Merry..."
She coughed lightly a few times before continuing: "I'll be fine... we can just find a doctor at the next island..."
Luffy slapped his hands together, his eyes sparkling as if he'd thought of a brilliant idea: "I know! Let's find a ship doctor on that island! Let's get an amazing ship doctor to join us! Then when you get sick again, Nami, or anyone gets hurt, we won't have to worry!"
Seeing his energetic expression, Nami's weak smile gained a trace of genuine warmth.
She nodded slightly: "Mm... okay... that's a good idea... but... I need to sleep now... rest a bit..."
As she spoke, she lay down and fell into a deep sleep once more.
Zoro watched the scene, arms crossed, and sighed silently. He turned toward the door: "I'm going outside to train."
Pausing at the doorway, he glanced back at Giyu who stood quietly nearby: "Giyu, you holding up? Want to come out and talk?"
Talk?
Giyu blinked in surprise. He glanced at the sleeping Nami and the others gathered around her - Vivi, Usopp, and Luffy - then nodded and followed Zoro out of the room.
The two reached the deck.
The snow seemed to have lightened somewhat. Sanji leaned against the ship's rail, watching the direction indicated by the Log Pose, the cigarette in his mouth glowing with a faint red light.
Zoro didn't look at Giyu, instead gazing at the dark sea in the distance. Suddenly he spoke: "Today, when dealing with that guy..."
He seemed to be searching for the right words. "I felt... something different about myself now."
Giyu recalled Zoro's swift and precise strike, then nodded:
"Indeed. Compared to when I first met you in Loguetown, I can feel you've improved by leaps and bounds."
"That's the truth," Giyu thought to himself. Compared to the wild yet unrefined aura Zoro had when they first met in Loguetown, his growth speed was astonishingly fast.
"Really?"
Zoro turned his head to look at Giyu, his eyes filled with seriousness. "My dream is to become the world's greatest swordsman."
His gaze sharpened, like three unsheathed blades. "Giyu, you'll also be one of the opponents I must surpass on this path."
Sanji, who had been checking their course nearby, couldn't help but turn around upon hearing this, saying with disdain: "Hey, moss-head, are you insane? His injuries haven't fully healed yet, and his fever hasn't broken. Why are you challenging him now? Is your brain completely made of muscle?"
A visible vein immediately bulged on Zoro's forehead as he angrily retorted: "What I say is none of your damn business!! You looking for a fight, bastard?!"
"Bring it on! You think I'm afraid of you?!"
Just as the two were about to start wrestling on the deck again, Giyu paid no attention to their bickering.
His thoughts seemed to have drifted far away.
He recalled their first battle at Loguetown's harbor - back then, Zoro wielded his sword with wild, violent ferocity, completely different from the restrained yet precise sharpness he possessed now.
Giyu unconsciously touched the hilt of the Nichirin Blade at his waist as he gazed into the distance.
In these seas, there would be more and more powerful opponents. If he remained at his current level, it would be far from enough to protect them...
Giyu lifted his head to look at the sky. The thick clouds parted slightly, revealing a full moon.
He suddenly spoke, his voice calm, interrupting what would have been their who-knows-how-many-th fight about to start beside him:
"The moon is really full tonight."
Zoro and Sanji, who were just about to start wrestling, froze simultaneously, their movements suspended mid-air. Following Giyu's gaze, they also instinctively looked up at the night sky.
The full moon hung quietly, radiating its brilliance. They gazed at the moon in silence for a moment.
Finally, Zoro responded in a low voice, his tone returning to its usual steadiness:
"Yeah... it is."
Sanji also lit another cigarette, took a drag, and slowly exhaled the smoke without saying another word.
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!