Chapter 105: Grassland Training – Brutal Sparring & Robin's Breakthrough
Dawn barely broke, the sky just beginning to show pale light. Sanji yawned as he crawled out of his sleeping bag to prepare breakfast—only to find Sol's bag already empty.
"This guy wakes up ridiculously early…" Sanji rubbed his sleepy eyes and was about to light a cigarette when—
Splash!
A massive crash shattered the morning calm. A huge wave exploded beside the Merry, jolting the still-sleeping crew awake.
"What the hell?!" Luffy poked his bedhead out of his sleeping bag. The others rubbed their eyes and grumbled: "So bright…" "Way too early…"
Sol emerged from the sea shirtless, water droplets rolling off his skin, a three-meter-long exotic deep-sea fish slung over his shoulder. Sunlight hit its scales, refracting brilliant gold-red light.
"Whoa! Isn't this the legendary golden tuna grouper?!" Sanji's chef soul ignited instantly. His eyes sparkled as he rushed over. "This deep-sea delicacy is practically impossible to catch!"
Sol tossed the still-thrashing fish onto the grass, shook water from his hair, and grinned: "This thing was sly. I chased it underwater for almost half an hour."
"What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your faces!" Nami's roar came from the Merry. The next second, a row of sleepy figures appeared along the railing, each mechanically brushing their teeth, foam flying everywhere.
By the time Sol finished showering and changed into clean clothes, Sanji had magically prepared a full fish banquet: steamed fish belly, pan-fried fillets, fish bone broth… The tantalizing aroma made everyone's stomachs growl.
"I'm digging in!" Luffy reached out eagerly with his fork—only to get smacked on the back of the hand by Sanji's ladle. "Ladies first!"
Under the rising sun, fierce winds swept across the grassland. Sol rolled his shoulders and crooked a finger at the three: "Let's begin. Consider it post-breakfast digestion."
Luffy grinned wide, legs stomping hard: "Gear Second!" His skin instantly flushed red, steam rising around him. "Here I come, Sol!" An Armament Haki-coated fist shot forward like a cannonball: "Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"
Sol didn't even blink. He casually caught the incoming fist. Before Luffy could react, Sol yanked him forward. Bang! A knee wrapped in Armament Haki slammed into Luffy's stomach, sending him flying like a sandbag.
"Urk!" Luffy dry-heaved mid-air, tumbling several times before barely landing. He wiped his mouth, eyes blazing even brighter: "You're seriously strong, Sol!"
"No solo fights!" Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance and activated Shave simultaneously. Swish! They appeared on either side of Sol in an instant. Sanji's "Leg Meat" swept low at Sol's legs; Zoro's "Three Sword Style – Demon Slash" sealed the upper angle. Their coordination was flawless.
Just as the attacks were about to connect, a violent tornado erupted beneath Sol's feet: "Sky Dragon's Gale!"
"Damn it!" Both men lost control of their bodies. Zoro tried to adjust with Moon Step—but Sol had already vanished like a phantom and reappeared above them. A wind-wreathed claw slashed down mercilessly: "Sky Dragon's Fang Break!"
BOOM! The two crashed into the ground like meteors, kicking up clouds of dust.
Sol landed lightly, looking at the three battered figures with a slight smirk: "What's wrong? This is what you meant by 'we're not the same as before'?"
"Don't underestimate us!" Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji leaped up from the dust, eyes burning with defiance. They regrouped and charged from three different directions in a ferocious assault.
"What? Didn't eat enough at breakfast?" Sol parried casually while taunting. He easily dodged Zoro's slash: "Too slow, moss-head." A reverse elbow strike knocked Sanji back: "Your legwork's improved, but still far from enough." Finally he caught Luffy's Rocket barehanded: "Good power, but terrible aim."
The three were provoked into fury; their attacks grew even fiercer. Fists, blades, and kicks wove a net of violence—but Sol moved like he was strolling through a garden, both arms coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, blocking their storm of blows effortlessly.
Just as their assault reached its peak, Sol's eyes flashed. He suddenly shifted from defense to offense—precisely grabbing Sanji's sweeping right leg. His arm muscles bulged: "Spin for me!"
"What?!" Before Sanji could react, he was swung like a human windmill. Zoro and Luffy couldn't dodge in time and were slammed by the spinning Sanji. The three rolled across the ground like bowling pins—legs tangled, swords jammed, utterly disheveled.
"Get up!" Zoro struggled to draw his sword—but sunlight was suddenly blocked by a dark shadow.
Sol descended from above like a descending god, right fist wrapped in flowing cherry-red Armament Haki; the air itself trembled before the punch.
"Sky Breaker!"
The fist hadn't even landed when the sonic boom roared. A terrifying shockwave crashed down like a meteor, slamming all three deep into the earth.
In an instant, dozens of meters of ground collapsed; spiderweb cracks spread wildly; the rising dust formed a small mushroom cloud.
When the dust settled, Sol landed lightly on Moon Step and looked at the unconscious trio in the crater, shaking his head helplessly: "Still too green…" He jumped into the pit and pulled them out one by one like carrots, dragging them back toward camp.
Nami wiped sweat from her forehead as she watched Sol haul back three "corpses." She couldn't help but comment: "You guys finished way too fast, didn't you?"
Sol tossed Luffy and the others into the shade like sandbags: "I got a little serious. They'll probably sleep until dinner." He turned toward the training field, his gaze quickly drawn to Robin.
In the distance, Robin—uncharacteristically without a book—was fully focused on practicing Finger Pistol.
"Finger Pistol!" Robin thrust her index finger at a tree trunk again. Her knuckle was already raw and bleeding, yet she refused to stop. Blood left mottled marks on the bark, but she didn't even flinch.
Sol walked over silently: "Try it on me."
Robin paused for a moment, then her eyes sharpened. Her finger shot toward Sol's chest like an arrow.
Sol casually raised a hand to block and shook his head: "Too slow. The key to Finger Pistol is speed, precision, and ruthlessness."
He demonstrated by extending his index finger: "You have to concentrate all your body's power into one point—like this!"
Swish! A sharp sound cut the air. Sol's finger left an afterimage; a distant tree trunk was pierced clean through, a perfect hole front to back.
"Remember—it's not about poking with your finger. It's about turning your finger into a bullet." Sol relaxed his stance. "Your Flower-Flower Fruit actually pairs perfectly with this move. Imagine suddenly appearing with an attack from a place the enemy would never expect…"
Robin nodded thoughtfully, a spark of understanding in her eyes. She assumed the stance again—this time her gaze was sharp as a blade. When her fingertip thrust out, the air rang with a faint explosive crack.
Sol smiled with satisfaction: "That's the feeling. But…" He suddenly took Robin's wrist, looking at her bloodied fingertips. "Training should have limits. Let me heal you first."
Robin only then noticed her injuries and gave a slightly embarrassed smile: "Thank you."
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