After several weeks of long voyage, the Going Merry finally approached the coastline of Loguetown under the morning sun.
The sea breeze caressed their faces, and on the deck, everyone who was training had already grown accustomed to their daily routine.
Kai, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were all busy with their respective body-strengthening exercises, sweat dripping down their muscular lines onto the deck, leaving damp marks.
"Hey, Kai, look at Sanji!" Zoro said, glancing at Sanji who was training, while continuing his own body-strengthening exercises.
"Hmm?" Kai looked up, then nodded, "Good progress, his muscle definition is much clearer, and he's quite a bit more robust."
Sanji proudly tossed his hair, a smile on his face, "Of course! I'm the hardest working man on this ship! Body-strengthening exercises are nothing to me."
Luffy bounced over, his face full of envy:
"Sanji, you're almost catching up to our height, aren't you? If you keep growing, I'll have to look up to you!"
Sanji, who had just finished his body-strengthening exercises, was not only much more robust than before, with clear muscle definition,
but his height had also shot up by more than ten centimeters, and he was quickly catching up to Kai, Zoro, and Luffy.
"Looking up to me? Not quite," Sanji's lips curved into a slight, proud smile, "But don't you guys get too jealous, haha!"
Nami walked over, hands on her hips, and stared at Sanji for a while.
"You've really changed a lot! But if I could also practice these body-strengthening exercises, would I also grow taller?"
A flicker of anticipation crossed her eyes, but she quickly looked down at her own figure, "But, it wouldn't look good if I had too many muscles."
Kai walked over and patted Nami's shoulder:
"Don't worry, once you meet the entry requirements for the body-strengthening exercises, I'll adjust the training method according to your physique. I won't let you turn into a muscle-bound woman."
Usopp leaned in, saying seriously, "Nami, do you know? I'll reach the minimum standard for the body-strengthening exercises very soon!"
Although they had witnessed Kai, Luffy, and Zoro's height and physique change in a short period when they first started training with the body-strengthening exercises,
it still amazed Usopp and Nami, and also motivated them to exercise more actively.
They aimed to reach the minimum threshold for the body-strengthening exercises as soon as possible, to experience a second growth spurt for their bodies.
"Look!" Suddenly, Zoro pointed into the distance, "The outline of the island is visible!"
"That's Loguetown!" Nami put down her map and looked up to confirm their location.
As the Going Merry slowly docked at Loguetown's pier, everyone had already organized their gear and was ready to go ashore.
The weather today was unusually good, the sky was clear blue, and a few seagulls circled overhead, occasionally letting out crisp calls.
The vendors along the coast were busy setting up their stalls, their shouts rising and falling.
"Loguetown, it really is a big place." Sanji looked around, his eyes sparkling slightly, "There must be a market selling fresh ingredients!"
Nami nodded, "I heard the market here is very famous."
"That's great! I'm going to buy some top-quality beef and fish to make a meal that will amaze everyone!" Sanji rubbed his hands excitedly.
Kai stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd on the pier:
"I need to see if there are any suitable weapons, preferably a long-handled weapon that feels good to use and can withstand Conqueror's Haki coating."
"Long-handled weapon?" Luffy looked curious, "I still think using my fists is the most comfortable!"
Kai shook his head, "Currently, the strength of my body is not enough to withstand too high intensity of Conqueror's Haki coating. If I had a suitable weapon, I could exert even greater power!"
"I want to see the execution platform! The place where Pirate King Roger stood! I really want to see it!" Luffy shouted excitedly.
Zoro held Wado Ichimonji, a faint smile on his face, "Then I want to buy two good swords. It doesn't make sense for a Three-Sword Style user to always use only one sword."
"I'm going to the tool shop," Usopp scratched his head, "to replenish the ship's tools and parts. I always feel like we don't have enough."
"Then I'll go explore the town properly," Nami calculated on her fingers, "but let's agree first, don't go over budget!"
Nami handed out money to everyone, not forgetting to remind them not to spend it carelessly.
Luffy, however, didn't care at all, taking the money and stuffing it directly into his pocket, "Nami, don't be so stingy!"
"I'm going to buy the best swords!" Zoro waved the money in his hand and walked towards the town without looking back.
Sanji, on the other hand, carefully put away his share, "Don't worry, Miss Nami, I'll use this money to buy the highest quality ingredients."
Nami sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead, "If you waste money, you won't get any next time!"
"Got it!" everyone replied in unison.
After agreeing to meet back at the Going Merry's docking spot, the group quickly dispersed, each heading towards their own goal.
Kai walked alone through the streets of Loguetown, the crowds bustling, and the vendors' shouts rising and falling.
The aroma of meat wafted from the restaurants along the street, tempting passersby to slow down and peek inside.
"It's really lively," Kai thought, seeing such a bustling street for the first time.
On both sides of the street, various shops stood side by side. There were clothes shops, jewelry shops, and even people carving small wooden sculptures on the spot, attracting many passersby to stop and watch.
Kai wasn't interested in browsing these; his gaze was fixed on the huge weapon shop ahead.
Two long spears stood upright at the entrance of the weapon shop, one on the left and one on the right, their tips gleaming coldly in the sunlight, looking quite imposing.
"I hope I can find a suitable weapon here." Kai pushed open the door and walked in, his eyes scanning the dazzling array of weapons in the shop.
Long swords, greatswords, daggers, bows, and crossbows; the walls were covered with all sorts of weapons.
Kai walked to the long-handled weapons section, picked out a spear, and tried its feel.
"Too light." He frowned, then picked up a halberd, swung it a few times, and felt the material was mediocre, clearly unable to withstand the power of Conqueror's Haki coating.
"Boss." Kai picked up a long spear and turned to ask:
"Do you have any slightly heavier, sturdier long-handled weapons here? These all lack substance."
The shop owner, a lean middle-aged man, came over and said with a wide smile:
"My dear customer, our shop is the most comprehensive weapon shop in all of Loguetown! This long spear is made from the best steel, it's very sturdy!"
Kai tightened his grip on the spear, and the next second, the shaft snapped in half with a crack. He turned to look at the owner, "That's it?"
The smile on the owner's face froze for a moment, then quickly reappeared:
"Ah, customer, you see, perhaps this batch of goods really has some flaws. I have others, would you like to take another look?"
Next, Kai tried several spears, halberds, and lances, but each weapon disappointed him.
Either the material was too brittle, or the weight was too light, completely unworthy of his strength.
He put the last halberd he tried back on the rack, shook his head, and turned to leave the weapon shop.
"Forget it, I'll figure something out later." Kai walked out of the shop, looking at the bustling crowd on the street, and took a deep breath.
When he returned to the Going Merry, the ship was still very quiet; it seemed the others hadn't returned yet.
Kai stood on the deck, gazing at the distant sea, but a vague sense of unease lingered in his heart.
"It's this feeling again..." He closed his eyes, and a scene suddenly appeared in his mind.
A powerful old man, dressed in a Marine uniform, his entire presence like a towering mountain, suffocating those around him.
A single blow could shatter a small mountain!
Kai's eyes snapped open. He vaguely had an answer, but the appearance of that figure still made him feel immense pressure.
This Marine old man was extremely powerful, giving Kai a feeling of being unmatched.
And his mental will was telling him that if he defeated him, his Conqueror's Haki would experience explosive growth.
He looked at his hands, clenching his fists, "It seems like a tough opponent..."
Sure enough, in Kai's line of sight, a massive warship sailed closer, its sail emblazoned with the iconic Marine symbol of "Justice" and its bow adorned with a giant dog head sculpture.