Chapter 40: Assist from the Snake
The three massive snakes flicked their tongues, glaring daggers at Roy.
"What are you staring at? Keep glaring and I'll roast you!"
Pandora floated into view, blazing like a miniature sun. The fiery orb expanded instantly, igniting the sky in a sea of flames that shimmered over the Calm Belt. The air itself trembled under his heat as he glared down at the serpents.
The snakes looked up in horror. Above them, the fiery presence eclipsed the sun. Then they looked at Redding, his giant weapon in hand, and finally at Roy—small, fearless, and clenching his tiny fist with a grin.
The serpents deflated instantly.
It was the most unfair combination imaginable—giants, a blazing demon sun, and a battle-hardened child. Against that lineup, even monsters bowed their heads.
"How about you become my mounts? You just have to let me ride you for the next hundred years," Roy said mischievously, smiling like an impish little devil.
A hundred years?
The snakes blinked in confusion, but then nodded without hesitation.
"Fine. It's settled then! I'll give you names," Roy said proudly. He pointed at each of them in turn. "You'll be Aonami, Shirahime, and Sumimaru."
The serpents had objections—but none dared speak them.
Pandora shrank back down from his blazing form, returning to his usual size as a small, floating sun beside Roy. He stared at the boy, amused.
Even when he was naming things randomly, Roy somehow made it sound official.
But Pandora knew what was really going on. The green and white snakes got normal names… while the black one—Sumimaru—was clearly being mocked.
The black snake's scales darkened further, and it glared murderously at Roy.
Goddamn little coal ball!
Roy smirked, perfectly aware of the insult he'd just handed out.
"Let's go." Roy patted Redding's hand. The giant smiled, lowering him gently onto the deck before turning back to the three massive serpents.
Under the combined threat of Redding's weapon, Roy's fists, and Pandora's flames, the three snakes had no choice but to behave.
They munched silently on the corpses of the fallen Sea Kings, their massive jaws churning as shadows flickered beneath the water. No new Sea Kings dared to approach.
One of the giants sliced off a chunk of Sea King meat with his enormous blade and tossed it onto the ship for later.
Meanwhile, Roy and Amatsuki Toki began preparing for their daily training.
"Are we heading straight to the West Blue next?" Toki asked, glancing at the serpents.
She actually wanted to ask whether the snakes could carry them all the way up the waterfall to Wano Country—but she stopped herself. She'd promised to wait.
Roy smiled. "That's right, Sister. Wouldn't it be nice to travel the rest of the world before heading to Wano?"
Toki nodded softly, her lips curving in a faint smile.
In this vast world, time was never a problem. Even though she was older than him, Roy knew he could fix that someday. Once he found Pure Gold, she would stay young and radiant forever.
Just like his promise to the snakes—one hundred years was nothing to him.
"Alright," Toki said gently, walking back into the cabin to retrieve their swords.
They practiced on the deck together, the soft clashing of blades mingling with the sound of waves.
After the serpents finished eating, they heeded the giants' commands and began moving, their colossal bodies cutting through the still waters of the Calm Belt.
There were two Calm Belts on either side of the New World—one leading to the North Blue, the other to the West Blue. Their destination lay west.
Normally, any ship crossing the Calm Belt would be torn apart by Sea Kings. But with these three monstrous serpents pulling them, no creature dared to attack.
As the day passed and training ended, Toki stretched, gazing at the golden-red sunset spreading across the tranquil sea.
"Sister Toki, come here! It's fun sitting here!" Roy shouted from the bow.
"Stop messing around…" Toki said, though her tone was soft, her eyes warm.
Roy grinned. He was standing not on the ship, but on Aonami's massive forehead. The view was breathtaking—far higher than the bow and far grander.
"Come on, I'm not lying! The scenery's amazing!" he called out, waving her over.
Toki sighed, amused, then stepped forward. Roy reached down and helped her climb onto the serpent's head.
To her, Roy still felt like a younger brother—stubborn, curious, and full of mischief. But as she looked at him, she couldn't help but see the spark of joy in his eyes—the kind only a child could carry.
The green serpent lifted its head higher, rising above the ship. The two of them ascended into the sky, surrounded by sea breeze and the fading warmth of sunset.
Toki looked down—and froze. The ship below looked tiny now.
Her breath quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm so Roy wouldn't notice.
"Look," Roy said, pointing out to the horizon. "You can see everything from here. The whole sea, glowing gold."
The Calm Belt stretched out endlessly, bathed in sunlight.
"It's beautiful…" Toki murmured softly.
But the moment didn't last. In the distance, several Sea Kings erupted from the ocean, battling one another in a violent display. Shadows shifted beneath the surface, and a colossal creature nearly a thousand meters long lay half-submerged, surrounded by smaller beasts circling it like worshippers.
Toki's lips twitched slightly. Beautiful? Yes. But also terrifying.
"The wind's picking up. Are you cold, Sister?" Roy asked.
"It's not cold," she replied, shaking her head.
Roy smiled faintly.
The serpents continued forward. The black one hissed twice, flicking its tongue irritably. The green serpent turned its head in confusion and hissed back.
Then, without warning, the green serpent tilted its head slightly—its scales slick and smooth. Toki's footing slipped, and she let out a startled cry as she nearly fell.
Roy reacted instantly, wrapping one arm around her waist and grabbing a scale with his other hand to steady them both. The serpent froze in place, trembling under the boy's strength.
"Aonami," Pandora said coldly, his voice laced with quiet menace. "If you're tired of living, I can arrange that."
The fiery orb floated before the serpent's snout, burning brighter than ever.
Though his body was flame, his tone was icy.
The green serpent went rigid, glaring furiously at the black serpent as if to say, This is your fault!
"I'm fine," Toki said, patting Roy's hand, though her trembling chest betrayed her nerves.
"I'll hold on tighter next time," Roy said, smiling softly. "I promised I'd protect you."
He didn't let go, his arm firm around her waist as he gently patted Aonami's head.
The serpent shuddered, then tilted its head slightly again.
Toki tensed immediately, clutching Roy's hand for balance.
Roy grinned. Good job, Aonami.
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