Sunset bled into night, skies blanketed thick.
No storm signs, but dread gnawed.
Nami, Pose in hand, sensed the shift—air's weight alien to East Blue.
Book-lore: freak weather brewing?
"This vibe... Bad. Straight on? Rethink."
"Nami-san—issue?"
Vivi nearby; Nami seized: Grand Line native, Whiskey Peak trek—sailing savvy.
Tense: "Vivi—cyclones real? No warning?"
"Yes. Ship-killer whims. Strikes unseen."
"No one's specifics then..."
Vivi puzzled; Nami eyed Luffy's back—prow-perched, forward-fixed.
"Luffy—halt! Detour! Bad feeling—"
"Ships sighted! Gasperde's mark!"
Usopp's mast-call cut her—deck froze.
"Not one. No Salamander!"
Tension spiked, panic veiled.
Luffy deck-down, mast-up: "Usopp—what gives? Not his?"
"Mark's his. But four Navy-lookers incoming! All same sigil!"
"Ambush. Sneaky bastard."
Sanji's mutter clicked: Gasperde's ploy.
Fakes bypassed? Fleet greets. Simple, stymieing.
Merry vs. four: Outgunned.
Nami scowled—unignorable pack. Weather tickled too—wrong timing.
Luffy geared fight; Nami countered—captain-swayer supreme.
"Not now, Luffy. Weather's turning—something's coming. Dodge or hull suffers."
"What's up?"
"Silk—feel it? Wind's off."
Luffy paused; eyes on Silk—grim, horizon-staring.
"Yeah... That way. Massive wind clump."
"Right—Silk-chan senses via power."
"Silk says? Abnormal weather near."
"Cyclone?"
"Dunno, but stay? No. Reroute. Pose guides true."
Nami's surety stunned Vivi.
Cyclone: Unpredictable scourge. Grand Line rite—unavoidable. Pre-sense? Freakish.
Crew trusted casual; impossible norm.
Strong Luffy; odd Nami too.
Vivi, Igaram—awed.
Unaware, debate rolled.
Foes closed. Time thin.
Sanji synthesized: "Nami's call—detour. But tails catch quick. Back-turn escape? Late."
"But—"
"Blitz 'em, then veer. Time race now. Slip? Unknown doom."
To Luffy's watch: "Best play?"
"Yeah! Battle stations, lads!"
Cheers echoed.
Foes neared—urgent.
Sanji halted Luffy's bow-rush, turned him.
"Hold. We handle solo."
"Huh? Why?"
"Captain? Anchor sometimes. Watch from rear—enough."
Luffy blinked; Sanji ordered crisp.
"Usopp—cannons. Nami—course. Vivi-chan—helm."
"Y-Yes."
"Silk-chan—block shots?"
"Yeah, got it."
"Nami—close pre-pullout. Zoro and I clean."
"You two? Alone?"
Swift roles; intent clear—doubt rippled.
Nami balked; Luffy griped.
"Wait—me too!"
"Told ya—sit. Captains don't frontline casual."
"Ehh? Just wait?"
"Command's that. Trust crew."
"Do—boring though."
Blunt; Sanji wry.
Belief sans hand-on? Boredom. No general fit, but loyal—priceless.
Sanji waved emphasis.
Luffy arms-crossed, nodded reluctant.
"Leave it. Quick end."
"Mm—yours."
Go; crew mobilized.
Time scarce.
Foes bridged fast—cannon hum buzzed. Merry caught their clamor.
Sea battle thrill—long absent.
Posts taken, tension laced thrill.
Four ironclads: No cakewalk.
Air steady—calm masks.
Clash neared.
Heavy prowl: Imposing. Past foes? Milder.
Merry buzzed as hulls loomed.
"Leftmost target. Usopp—don't miss."
"Piece o' cake! My shots—dead-on!"
"Tch, support and cocky."
"Sanji-kun—board fine, no heroics. Back quick."
"Yessir, Nami-san! Worryin' me?"
"Yeah yeah—go."
Cool head, bright banter—Sanji's ease steadied all.
Distance shrank.
Foes fired first.
Thunder rolled; shells swarmed straight.
Direct? Merry crumples.
Silk reacted: Blade out, horizontal slash. Wind-blade launched—invisible gale warped barrage paths.
"Kamui Tachi!"
Gusts parried.
Foes faltered—next volley lagged. Split-second: Tide-turner.
Usopp seized: "Now! Igaram, Karoo—full barrage!"
"Yes!"
"Qua!"
Triple fire; pre-aimed shells hammered true.
No dodge for rattled prey.
Pierce, blasts—lead ship rocked.
One hit, but opener solid. Foes gawked—hesitant.
Exploit: Sanji's cue—Merry swung wide.
Lead lone; Merry flanked left, blind-siding right-pair via lead-shield.
Cannon-shy; stalled.
Merry closed isolated left—second volley. Igaram-Karoo-Usopp blitz pre-calm—ambush nailed.
Shells thudded; hull heaved.
Screams wailed—deeper dent.
Gap yawned; Merry glided near.
"Boarding? Merry pulls instant. Nami's lead."
"You?"
"Style points."
Foes lagged; no counter for adjacent.
Sanji-Zoro vaulted rails, arced high—landed overlooking.
Crew gaped skyward, uncomprehending—Zoro's drop? No arms.
Mid-air draw: Dual blades, dive.
Touchdown: Slashed cluster—blood arced, men crumpled.
Realization late; gore mid-deck.
Shock froze most.
Zoro spun whirlwind—blade-storm halted reactors.
"Hah!"
"Gyaah?!"
"Wh-what the—sudden...!"
Panic armed them—tips Zoro-ward.
Sanji touched: "Sudden? You struck first."
"Another! Duo—waste 'em!"
"Come on—try."
Sanji blurred: Cheek-kick floored one, chain-crash dominoed rear.
Leapt cluster; no reaction—face-stomps toppled helpless.
Dozen-plus scattered.
Halted: Zoro matched count.
Surrounded? Casual chat.
"Time's tight. Nami awaits."
"Fool. No sweat."
"Minute?"
"Nah—ten seconds."
"You pricks—mock us?!"
Duo dawn: Rallied roar.
Sanji smirked; Zoro scowled.
Merry circled sans pair.
Their ship? Done. Three left—two pristine. Scheme?
Nami's wheel—sans Kir, Sanji: Her call.
Win: Press foe-fluster.
Merry eyed struggling turners.
"Usopp! Next—now!"
"Yo! Fire!"
Boom spread; shells struck—debris splashed.
Advantage held.
Luffy, idle arms-cross: Grinned wide—crew pride swelled.
Shuraiya: "Time for this? Slack—Gasperde slips."
"Know. Rear chase? Pain."
"Tch—hassle..."
"Easy. Crew's gold."
Shuraiya averted irked; glared foes fierce.
Rage raw—unlike curt norm. Visceral hate.
Not these ships.
Obvious: Gasperde.
No hesitate: Luffy probed.
"Why hunt Gasperde?"
"Huh?"
"Race for us—no loss. You? Diff'rent. No pirate."
"None o' yours."
"Is. My ship."
"Hn. No spill."
Glare met full.
"Why rush? Ain't lost."
"Told ya—goal. Can't slip now."
"Hm. Got it."
Cannon cracked—foe shell wind-swept, splash high. Fight heated mid-talk.
Luffy cool.
Casual sea-muse: "My crew don't live that."
"...What?"
"Dunno details—don't care. But you ain't them."
Shuraiya frowned doubt; Luffy wheeled, grinned curt.
"Chose forward. No stops left."
"You... Know shit."
Bared teeth snarl—core stung.
Self-worth smeared; fury boiled. Glare lethal—murder clear.
Luffy? Breeze.
"Actin' all-knowin'—clueless ass."
"Yeah—clueless. You spill zilch."
"Fine— this: Pirates? No mercy. That's it."
Hush; battle din drummed.
Barrages. Screams, roars. Cheers too.
Merry foes shifted tides.
Sans notice: Sanji-Zoro seized helm—rammed foe with captured ironclad. Side-hit undefended—wails peaked.
Crash: Hulls ground; panic swelled.
Zoro leapt, slashed chaos—disarray deepened.
Planned.
Sanji ditched wheel, prow-kick vault—boarded foe.
Verdict: Straw win.
Numbers? Experience, grit trumped—no sweat. Ambushees wrecked in rout.
Next: Goal isle. Merry surged.
But delay—ambush, squall—late arrival fact.
Gasperde's stall: Not vain.
Unknowing, Merry's catch odds sank—crew grasped.
Captain? No quit.
Forward sworn—deaf to nays.
Post-fray deck buzzed tasks—sail frenzy.
Aim: End. Win. Three mil Berry.
Beyond Gasperde grudge.
Nami's prize-lust flared; synced captain's bellow.
Goal distant; time tight.
Thinned field: Endgame loomed.
--------------------------
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