"Amazing!" Usopp's shout rang out, his eyes wide, almost popping out of their sockets.
His hands waved excitedly, his face practically overflowing with admiration. "Luffy, how did you do that move just now?"
But Usopp's excitement was quickly replaced by another emotion.
His fists slowly clenched, a sense of urgency flashing in his eyes.
Every battle, he felt like he was a burden. He had to change, he had to become stronger.
Exercising his body and reaching the cultivation threshold of the Body Tempering Technique as soon as possible was his most pressing goal.
Just as the atmosphere eased slightly, Zoro's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a sneaky figure moving quietly between the shadows of the trees.
A little girl, holding a paintbrush, was hiding to the side, sketching and drawing.
"Stop!" Zoro growled, his voice like thunder, instantly intimidating the figure.
The little girl's body stiffened, her paintbrush fell to the ground, her legs went weak, and she directly knelt down.
She looked up at Zoro's oppressive gaze, trembling as she waved her hands repeatedly: "Spare me! Spare me!"
"Miss Goldenweek..." Vivi whispered, recognizing the girl. Her voice held a hint of tension and alertness.
"She's Mr.3's partner," Vivi said quickly, her eyes fixed on the little girl.
The little girl showed no intention of resisting; her body trembled slightly, her head bowed, not daring to look directly at everyone.
Her hand secretly reached for her paintbrush, but under Zoro's stern gaze, her movement instantly stopped. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead.
"I was just... carrying out a mission... please spare me." The little girl's voice trembled, growing softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.
Zoro's hand slowly rested on his sword hilt, his gaze full of deterrence.
He walked step by step towards the little girl, each step like a boulder pressing on her heart, making her breathless.
Kai raised his hand, shaking his head slightly, signaling Zoro to stop.
"She's just a child." Kai's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
Zoro stopped, staring coldly at the little girl, but ultimately did not draw his sword.
"Leave here." Roux, standing nearby, looked at the little girl, his voice low and calm,
"Take Mr.3 and get off this island together."
The little girl breathed a sigh of relief, nodding repeatedly. She helped the fallen Mr.3 up and dragged him step by step into the shadows of the forest.
Suddenly, Kai's gaze flashed. He turned around, looking at Miss Goldenweek's figure, who was about to disappear into the forest.
"Hand over Alabasta's Eternal Pose." Kai's voice was concise, with a hint of pressure.
There was no threat, but it left no room for refutation.
Miss Goldenweek's body stiffened slightly; at that moment, it was as if she was frozen.
She lowered her head and silently took out the important item that Mr. O had sent from Mr.3's pocket—the Eternal Pose—and threw it to Kai without hesitation.
The Pose traced an arc in the air, quietly landing in Kai's palm.
Without extra words, without any extra movements, Miss Goldenweek turned around.
She helped the still unconscious Mr.3 up and silently disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Kai did not pursue, his gaze lingering slightly on the edge of the now-vanished forest, his deep eyes seemingly contemplating something, but he quickly withdrew his sight.
"The Eternal Pose is in hand." Kai handed the Eternal Pose to Nami, his gaze calm and firm, as if all of this was within his expectations.
At this moment, Sanji's figure appeared before Brogy and Dorry.
"Bang—"
Sanji kicked out fiercely, accurately hitting the cage. With a loud "Boom!" the restraints of the wax cage instantly shattered.
Wax fragments flew through the air, scattering like falling snowflakes.
Dorry and Brogy's limbs finally regained their freedom; their eyes showed gratitude and shock.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Dorry bowed deeply, and Brogy followed suit, clasping his hands together, his tone solemn.
Sanji shrugged, a dismissive smile playing on his lips, as if none of this was worth his effort to say anything about.
The two giants waved at them, signaling farewell.
Kai stood to the side, watching calmly, with no strong emotional fluctuations in his heart.
For him, helping these giants was just a brief encounter.
The going merry slowly sailed out from the coast of Small Garden, its hull gently swaying with the waves.
Ahead, two giants stood on the shore, like ancient guardians, silently watching the group depart.
"Remember, always keep moving forward." Brogy's voice was steady and powerful, like a majestic rock, deep yet full of strength.
"Don't look back." Dorry continued, his tone gentle, yet also possessing an undeniable firmness.
The two giants stood there, their gaze silently following the going merry's journey.
Just then, the sea surface suddenly began to undulate, as if something was violently thrashing beneath the water.
The waves surged, and a huge sense of oppression filled the air, as if the sea itself was roaring.
Nami's eyes suddenly widened, her hands gripping the railing at the bow of the ship, a look of terror flashing in her eyes.
She abruptly turned her head, looking at Vivi and Usopp behind her, her voice almost trembling: "Wh-what's going on?"
Vivi's face also turned pale, her hand gripping the railing unconsciously tightening, her voice clearly tense: "It can't be, such big waves..."
Usopp's eyes were wider than usual, his mouth gaping open, unconsciously muttering: "Wh-what is that thing?"
Just then, the sea surface suddenly exploded, and a giant goldfish, as large as an island, leaped out from under the water, opening its enormous mouth and lunging straight for the going merry.
The size of its mouth was enough to swallow a large ship, its scales shimmering in the sunlight, reflecting dazzling light.
The goldfish's eyes were as dark as an abyss, revealing a cold, incredibly menacing presence.
The going merry's hull, in front of that goldfish, was like an ant being targeted by a giant beast, utterly helpless.
The goldfish's body was so massive it could almost cover the entire sea area, water splashing everywhere, and a blast of air rushing towards them.
Nami, Vivi, Usopp, and Karoo's eyes almost popped out, their bodies trembling, almost screaming aloud.
"Wh-what is this monster?" Nami's voice trembled, the smile gone from her lips, replaced only by immense fear.
Vivi was speechless, only able to cling tightly to the ship's railing, her forehead already covered in cold sweat.
She had never seen such a gigantic creature; the oppressive feeling almost made her unable to breathe.
Usopp collapsed onto the deck, his eyes bulging out, his heart filled with endless fear.
That was no ordinary sea beast; it was almost an island-like existence.
His mind was blank, completely unable to think.
However, amidst this almost suffocating fear, Zoro's figure stood out.