7 AM, the sun had already risen.
Yet thick grayish-white fog still shrouded Kuraigana Island.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Jack, drenched in sweat, sprinted through the forest with his massive frame, each step causing the ground to tremble.
He had just finished his morning training and was heading back to the castle for breakfast with the others.
Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and paused mid-step.
"ROAR!"
An ear-splitting bellow erupted from the side as an enormous black shadow charged through the dense fog!
King Baboon!
Gripping a massive broadsword strikingly similar to Hawkeye's Black Blade Night, it bared its fangs with indignant fury and swung the blade straight at Jack's back!
"Still haven't learned your lesson, eh?"
Jack grinned, standing his ground as he raised his right arm to let the sharp edge strike him.
CLANG!!!
The metallic ring echoed as King Baboon's sword was violently deflected.
Only a faint white mark remained on Jack's arm, which quickly faded away.
"Didn't expect that, did you?"
Jack turned around and proudly thumped his chest. "Even in this form without transforming into a mammoth, attacks at your level can't touch me anymore!"
His arms, chest, and entire body were now coated in a deep black sheen of Armament Haki, thick as ink.
"Aside from Internal Destruction—which is tricky and I'm still getting the hang of—I've mastered all three techniques: infusion, hardening, and emission! You might as well go all out!"
"ROAR?!"
You've learned this too?
King Baboon's eyes flashed with surprise.
But it quickly regained composure, roaring as it swung its sword again!
This time, its strikes were fiercer, faster, and—most notably—its blade now gleamed with the same dark Haki.
Of course, it knew Armament Haki too!
Yet—
Swish!
Jack's figure blurred momentarily, and the sword sliced through empty air.
"Looking the wrong way, dumbass! Over here!"
Jack's voice taunted from the side as he dodged with agility belying his massive frame.
"GRRRR!!!"
Enraged, King Baboon unleashed a flurry of frenzied slashes, its assault like a storm.
But Jack seemed to predict every move, effortlessly weaving through the attacks, occasionally blocking with Armament Haki before countering with punches.
"Hah, this is great!"
Jack grew more exhilarated—his two months of grueling training were finally paying off!
Back when he first fought this giant baboon, he couldn't even fight back unless he transformed into his mammoth form.
But now...
Having mastered Two-Color Haki and significantly improved his Martial Arts, even in his weakest human form, he could toy with King Baboon like a monkey!
Their battle raged on for a long time, unnoticed, until daylight fully broke across the sky.
Jack emerged completely unscathed, while King Baboon was left battered and bruised, nearly in tears as it finally realized that this seemingly foolish human before it was no longer the same as before.
If it tried to flee, Jack would use Shave, suddenly appearing in front of it with a swift whoosh.
If it tried to fight, Jack would act like a child, his playful mood making him in no hurry to end things, instead endlessly toying with it…
What torture!
Just then, a low, serene, and mature woman's voice suddenly rang out from above:
"Haven't you had enough fun, Jack?"
The next instant.
Pink petals swirled on the ground as a gigantic human hand abruptly sprouted, instantly coated in a deep black hue, and slapped King Baboon with tremendous force.
"Myriad Colors: Great Tree: SPANK!"
Boom!
King Baboon, utterly defenseless, shrieked as it was sent soaring high into the sky, turning into a shooting star on the horizon.
Meanwhile, above, a slender figure with wings sprouting from her back descended gracefully.
The moment her feet touched the ground, the wings—composed of countless hands—dissipated with a rustle.
"Big Sis Robin," Jack scratched his head sheepishly. "Y-you came?"
"What do you think?"
Robin gave him a sidelong glance. "Breakfast was ready half an hour ago, but not everyone showed up. We thought something dangerous had happened. So I came to check—only to find someone playing with monkeys like a three-year-old."
"Huh? It's been half an hour already?!"
Horrified that he had kept his seniors waiting for so long, Jack immediately broke into a frantic sprint. "I'll head back right away! Thanks for the reminder, Big Sis!"
Watching Jack's retreating figure, Robin pinched her chin thoughtfully.
"So his Haki and Martial Arts have already reached this level… What enviable talent."
She had been completely left behind.
A memory from two months ago flashed through her mind—
"Hey, Robin."
That evening, during dinner, the black-haired boy sitting across from her—his cheeks stuffed full—suddenly looked up:
"Do you want to learn Haki too? While I'm teaching Jack every day, I can give you some pointers as well."
"Haki?" Robin tilted her head with an amused smile.
"Yeah! Don't you think your Devil Fruit development path is… just a tiny bit off?"
The boy grinned. "Too flashy! Though it does look cool… But in my opinion, improving your Haki and Martial Arts would make your attacks more straightforward and powerful!"
"The Flower-Flower Fruit lets you sprout fists anywhere within sight. For example—imagine if someone like Garp had your ability. What would happen?"
The Navy's Mr. Garp, eating the Flower-Flower Fruit?
"…My, that does sound terrifying."
"Right?! The Flower-Flower Fruit is actually super compatible with Martial Arts and fist techniques! I can teach you all of that. Once you master it, even if the World Government sends people to corner you—even CP0—you could knock them all out with just a few punches!"
"Of course, it's up to you. No pressure if you don't want to learn. You're an archaeologist, not a frontline fighter anyway! The rest of us can handle the heavy lifting!"
"Exactly, exactly! Don't worry, Sister Robin, as your crewmate, I'll protect you!" A tangerine-haired girl immediately raised her hand.
"Tch, with those amateur skills of yours? Give it up, Nami. Sister Robin is much stronger than you. Once we enter the New World, any random person proficient in Haki could knock you out with a few punches," Nojiko retorted.
"Waaah! Damn it! We're both Logia users, it's not like you're that much stronger than me, Nojiko!"
"Only about ten thousand times higher bounty than you, not much stronger at all. I've already mastered Armament Haki, and I'm working hard on Observation Haki now."
"Fine, leave the rest, but why did you have to mention the bounty? Ugh... Damn it, I should've practiced martial arts when I was younger. Big bro, include me in your training sessions from now on. I want to start learning Haki too!"
"The intention is commendable."
Xiano glanced at her and mercilessly added, "But with your pitiful physique, you're hardly qualified, right? If you want to get stronger, you'll have to start with the most basic martial arts training first."
The entire crew burst into laughter.
Snap!
The memory flashback ended, bringing his thoughts back to the present.
As if infected by that laughter, a faint smile also appeared on Robin's lips. She raised her head to look into the distance, where a castle loomed faintly in the mist.
Yes, even the usually lazy Nami had expressed her determination to train and grow stronger.
How could she fall behind? Naturally inspired, she had started training in martial arts and Haki under Xiano's guidance since that day.
And now...
Although she still hadn't made much progress with Observation Haki,
She had already mastered two of the most practical Six Styles techniques—"Shave" and "Moon Walk." As for Armament Haki, she had learned both the coating and hardening techniques.
Combined with the unique aspects of her Hana Hana no Mi abilities, her combat prowess had significantly improved.
However, there was still a considerable gap compared to Jack.
This simple-minded boy seemed to have poured all his talent into martial arts-related skills, making him the fastest-growing member in terms of strength.
Among the current crew members, apart from Vice-Captain Kuina, almost no one could be completely confident of defeating Jack in a one-on-one fight.
"Keep pushing forward."
Robin wasn't discouraged. No matter what, if they were to enter the New World now, at least she wouldn't be the one holding everyone back.
Whoosh!
Estimating that Jack must be nearly there by now, she sprouted two wings from her back and flew toward the castle.
...
When Jack arrived at the castle's main gate, a familiar figure was sitting cross-legged on the open-air balcony of the second floor.
—Kuina, Vice-Captain of the Falling Stars Adventure Crew.
The young Master Swordsman sat in meditation, with Wado Ichimonji resting horizontally across her knees. The morning breeze ruffled the strands of hair on her forehead, yet failed to distract her in the slightest.
"..."
Jack immediately grew nervous, a drop of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
Apart from Boss Xiano, the person he revered most was this Vice-Captain.
Sister Kuina was usually stern and unsmiling, and her swordsmanship was unfathomably profound. Over the past two months, even though he had made rapid progress...
Every time the crew members sparred with each other, he would still be effortlessly defeated by Kuina.
Her swift and fierce sword style had reached perfection—a single slash seemed capable of cutting through anything, and even his mammoth form couldn't withstand more than a few strikes.
Jack had been too scared to spar with Kuina lately, still haunted by the psychological trauma.
"Oh no, is she angry now..."
Jack gulped, slowing his steps as he tiptoed toward the door, careful not to disturb the figure on the second floor.
However—
"Jack."
A cold voice came from above.
Jack froze, slowly raising his head to meet Kuina's calm, unreadable eyes.
"V-Vice Captain Kuina..." He forced a dry laugh. "Good morning, haha..."
"During this intensive training period, everyone's meals and schedules are strictly regulated. Violators will be punished accordingly—that was the agreement from the start. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Kuina's tone was indifferent.
"No..." Jack hung his head dejectedly.
"You're thirty minutes late. Today's training will be doubled, and you must finish before bedtime. Additionally, you'll be responsible for all cleaning duties for the next two days."
That's it...? Nothing more?
Jack immediately grinned from ear to ear. This level of punishment was completely bearable!
"Given you already had some foundation in Armament Haki before arriving on the island, reaching this level isn't surprising to me."
Kuina glanced at him before continuing, "I didn't expect, however, that after just over ten days without sparring, your Observation Haki has also become quite proficient. That King Baboon's swordsmanship is exceptionally skilled, yet you predicted all its attacks—none could land on you."
"Heh, you flatter me..."
Jack puffed up a bit at the praise before suddenly realizing something. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at Kuina. "Huh? Big Sis Robin hasn't returned yet, right? How did you know... Wait, Observation Haki?!"
"Of course."
Kuina's expression remained unreadable. "My Observation Haki isn't as strong as Lord Xiano's—he can easily cover an entire city like Water 7. But a small place like Kuraigana Island? Any movement here is easily detectable."
So humble, Vice Captain Kuina!
From such a distance, she could still roughly grasp the battle deep in the forest.
Her mastery of Observation Haki was terrifying—far beyond his own!
The brief swell of pride in Jack's heart immediately deflated as he looked at Kuina with renewed awe.
The young Master Swordsman gracefully rose, vaulted over the railing, and landed on the balcony before gently pushing open the castle doors.
"Come inside. Lord Xiano contacted me via Den Den Mushi last night with some instructions. I'll hold a meeting during breakfast to relay them to everyone."
"Yes, Vice Captain!"
Soon after.
Robin also returned, and all crew members lined up along both sides of the long table. Everyone was present—except for the figure who should have been seated at the head.
"Vice Captain," Jack couldn't help but ask, "you mentioned Boss Xiano contacted you through the Den Den Mushi? Is he still in seclusion underwater?"
Counting from the day they landed on Kuraigana Island, the crew had been in intensive training for exactly 70 days.
For the first 40 days, Boss Xiano had stayed on the island like the rest of them, eating, sleeping, and training alongside the crew while sparing two hours daily to instruct them.
But for the last 30 days—exactly one month ago—Boss Xiano seemed to have perfected several new techniques and shifted his focus to enhancing his physique.
Ordinary environments could no longer provide enough pressure.
So Boss Xiano simply took that Poneglyph along with ample fresh water and dry provisions, diving down to the nearly ten-thousand-meter depths of the ocean floor, where he ate, slept, and trained without surfacing.
He entrusted Kuina with overseeing and guiding the crew's training in his absence.
This way, he could temper his body under the immense pressure of the deep sea while also having the freedom to unleash his full strength without restraint in an undisturbed environment.
But staying in seclusion for an entire month? That was terrifying just to think about.
Living in perpetual darkness at such crushing depths—even Jack, a Fish-man, shuddered at the idea. He wouldn't last a day down there.
"Mhm."
Kuina sat in the seat closest to the empty captain's chair, picking up her knife and fork as she sliced into a fried fish cutlet.
"But it's almost over. Lord Xiano estimated he'd emerge tomorrow. That means, at the latest, we'll be leaving this island by sunset tomorrow. That's why I called this meeting."
She turned to Nami. "The Log Pose is fully charged, right?"
"Yep! It's been ready for a while, Kuina-nee," Nami grinned, raising her slender wrist to show off the glass orb strapped to it. "It filled up about ten days ago."
Compared to seventy days ago, her body now bore the subtle marks of disciplined training. Though she wasn't yet qualified to train in Haki, she had put serious effort into Martial Arts.
Her overall physical abilities had improved significantly, and among the Six Styles, she had already mastered Shave and Moon Walk.
"Good."
Kuina nodded before shifting her gaze to the right. "Smoker."
"So we really are setting off in the next few days. My instincts were right, huh?"
Smoker, who had nearly finished eating, casually set down Iceberg's notebook and leisurely lit two cigars. "I get what you're saying. Don't worry—I did a full inspection of the Sunset yesterday."
He had long mastered Two-Color Haki, though his time in East Blue had dulled his skills. Over the past two months, daily training had helped him regain his edge.
The rest of his free time had been spent studying the shipwright notes Iceberg left him.
Now, after more than two months, he had transformed from a half-baked amateur into a fully reliable shipwright.
THUD!
A fist smashed into his skull.
"OWOWOWOWOW!!!" Smoker clutched the three massive lumps swelling on his head, tears nearly springing to his eyes as he whirled around furiously. "What the hell, Nojiko?!"
"What do you think?! No smoking at the table—did you forget?!" Nojiko snarled, baring her teeth.
It was just a reflex—he hadn't meant anything by it. Unable to argue, Smoker obediently stubbed out the cigars, though he couldn't help but sulk at the sheer brutality of the strike.
That punch had been way too heavy—like getting hit by a damn tyrannosaurus. Her fist technique and raw strength had clearly improved even more during this time.
And now she had even awakened Observation Haki, on top of her increasingly refined Snow-Snow Fruit abilities. At this point, he wasn't even sure who'd win if they fought…
"Old Man Zeff at least knows how to kick me without breaking bones..."
Smoker muttered to himself, then suddenly realized something. He looked at the empty seat beside him and raised his head in confusion. "Huh? Where's Old Man Zeff? He was just here a moment ago."
"Probably went to the kitchen to get strawberry milk for Nuomici," Nami shrugged.
"Oh..." Smoker nodded, then suddenly widened his eyes. "For who?"
Nuomici?
Shouldn't it be for Agin?
Since when did that little furball start liking strawberry milk?
"See, you've been too absorbed in your books lately. You didn't even notice Nuomici evolved again," came the old man's voice.
Zeff carried a large bowl of strawberry milk and placed it under the stool at the end. Behind him followed a small white dog wearing a golden collar.
[Image]
As soon as the milk bowl was set down, the white dog excitedly barked "Woof!" and pounced on it, drinking eagerly.
"This is Nuomici?!!!"
Smoker's jaw dropped. "Evolved again... Wait, can it evolve from a cat into a dog?"
"Pretty amazing, right?"
Nami crouched down and patted Salamon's head. "Anyway, it's adorable no matter what. Maybe it'll evolve into all kinds of species in the future—maybe even something human-like!"
"Human? No way."
Smoker was speechless at Nami's imagination. He studied the little dog thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "So now we have two dogs on board who like strawberry milk..."
Thud!
Before he could finish, he was sent flying and slammed hard against the wall.
Agin had appeared behind his chair at some point, retracting his claws with a displeased expression.
Two dogs?!
I'm the Wolf King, a wolf, damn it!
"Oww... Since when did you hit this hard?!" Smoker grimaced in pain as he struggled to get up. Just as he was about to say something else, Kuina suddenly pushed her chair back and stood, her expression grave as she looked toward the distant sky.
"What's wrong, Kuina?" Nami asked quickly, noticing her reaction.
"Something... is heading this way. And it's fast."
"It's getting closer—directly toward this island!"
Kuina's face was icy as her right hand rested on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji. She was the first to rush out, and after a brief moment of hesitation, the others quickly followed
In the distant sky, a dark figure was approaching at an incredible speed. It was vaguely discernible as a massive individual, arms crossed over his chest as if protecting something.
Before anyone could get a clear look, the figure arced through the air and crashed heavily onto the open ground in front of the castle, kicking up a cloud of dust.
BOOM—!
The ground trembled. As the dust settled, the crowd finally got a clear view of the newcomer.
It was a burly man wearing a Bear-Eared Hat, his body covered in deep slashing wounds that dripped blood incessantly.
He seemed to have long lost consciousness, lying motionless on the ground without a sound. Cradled in his arms was a small figure dressed in emerald-green robes.
"P-please, I beg you!"
Seeing the onlookers, the little girl raised her tear-streaked face, voice trembling. "Whoever you are... can you please help save Mr. Bear? That demon... that demon is almost—"
Before she could finish, an eerie laughter suddenly rang out from the sky.
"Fufufufufu... You ran quite fast, big guy!"
A pink Feather Coat fluttered dramatically in the wind as Doflamingo descended from the sky, stepping on transparent Strings. His lips curled into a wild grin:
"Too bad. With the Strings I've already tied to you, there's no way you could escape my tracking. This place... will be your grave!"