Night fell, and the waves were restless.
Inside the cabin, Kyle lay sprawled on his hammock, his face still bearing a few faint bruises and his body wrapped in bandages, but the corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled upwards.
In his dream, he stood atop a palace built of gold, holding a black-gold naginata, its blade shimmering with "wave" patterns.
Ahead, a dense Marine fleet awaited, with the Admiral at its head looking at him with a solemn expression. He merely swung his blade, and the entire sea ripped apart like cloth, massive waves surged, and the fleet was annihilated. Countless treasures and beautiful women surged towards him as he sat on a golden throne, accepting the kneeling allegiance of countless strong individuals…
"Kekekekeke…"
A strange and arrogant cackle escaped Kyle's throat, sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet cabin.
Rayleigh, who was leaning against the door wiping his sword, paused, then helplessly raised a hand to his forehead. This kid couldn't even rest peacefully in his dreams. He quietly exited the cabin, leaving this space for the dreamer, Kyle.
On the deck, moonlight was like water, spilling onto the shimmering sea, reflecting specks of silver.
Roger sat alone at the bow, leaning against the figurehead, taking a big gulp of rum.
"Did he bother you?" Roger didn't turn around, his voice laced with amusement.
"Not really," Rayleigh walked over and sat beside him, placing his sword on his lap, "just some kid cackling non-stop."
"Kuhahaha! His dream must be very interesting!" Roger took another swig of wine, then turned to look at Rayleigh, "Speaking of which, you saw that blow this afternoon, right?"
"Mhm." Rayleigh pushed up his glasses, "Good idea, and the timing was well-grasped."
"More than just good!" Roger's eyes shone astonishingly, and he pinched his index finger and thumb together, "That power already made me feel a tiny bit of threat! About this much! Kuhahaha!"
Upon hearing this, Rayleigh's gaze behind his lenses deepened. He pondered for a moment, then spoke: "It's not just power. Roger, have you noticed that Kyle's performance in the later stages of this month's 'Loving Feeding' training has been a bit off?"
"Oh?" Roger became interested, "What's off?"
"At first, he relied on his eyes and ears, on his body's instinctive reactions. But for the past week," Rayleigh recalled the evening's scene, a hint of inquiry in his tone, "his evasive movements have become increasingly unbelievable. Several times, the wooden planks I threw and the fish you threw from behind him arrived almost simultaneously, but he always managed to dodge in the most extreme, most energy-efficient way. Could it be…"
After listening, Roger's smile faded slightly. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh, bursting into thunderous laughter.
"Kuhahahahaha! So that's it! Observation Haki, huh."
Of course, he had noticed it too. It was just that he didn't like to analyze things like Rayleigh; he trusted his instincts more.
In Kyle, he felt a budding aura, a nascent form of power that could briefly predict the future.
"That kid, he's probably still in the dark himself," Rayleigh looked in the direction of the cabin, a playful curve on his lips.
"It's more fun when he doesn't know! Kuhahaha!" Roger drained the last sip of wine from the bottle and casually tossed the empty bottle into the sea, splashing a small wave.
He stood up, spreading his arms to the sea breeze, as if to embrace this starry ocean.
Rayleigh looked at his eternally over-energetic Captain and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
He adjusted his glasses, his gaze once again cast towards the deep night sky, and murmured with emotion:
"Truly… we picked up an incredible monster."
"Kuhahahahaha!"
Roger's unrestrained laughter echoed far across the silent sea, startling a few circling seabirds.
Thump—!
A dull thud came from the cabin; Kyle had fallen from his bed, then began to grumble,
"Damn Captain! What's so funny?! My dream was at a crucial moment, you jerk!"
"Kuhahahahaha!"
...
My name is Kyle, and I am a student.
False Master Tutoring: Rayleigh — misleading students.
True Master Tutoring: Ku-Hahaha — one hit, flowing cherry; two hits, Haki coating; three hits, Fruit Awakening; Four Emperors in no time!
This was how fans in Kyle's past life memories evaluated it, but now it seems not entirely correct; at least the young Rayleigh is a good teacher now.
Should be, probably, maybe… cough cough!
Kyle, having clung to Roger and Rayleigh's coattails, felt no shame about being a "powerful second-generation." Now he felt incredibly strong. (Tactical lean back)
Kyle eagerly hoped that some blind pirates would try to rob them, so he could properly test the results of his training. However, the ship they were on was so dilapidated that even if pirates came, they would have to shed tears and give them a hundred Berries.
No time to mourn the broken ship; next up are Roger and Rayleigh, who are like Emperor-level lieutenants right from the starter village!
Pirate henchman: This is a high-level game.
Who understands, my family? The novice village monsters encountered heroes returning victorious from defeating the Demon Lord; they aren't even salty anymore.
Bang—!
Roger's simple and unadorned supreme punch interrupted Kyle's wild thoughts, and a visible bump swelled on his head.
"Damn Captain! What are you doing?!"
Wuwuwu, I'm going to report you for child abuse!
"Kuhahaha! Come chase me!" Roger laughed carelessly and ran off.
Kyle's eyes were practically spitting fire; he immediately got up and chased after him, the big and small figures running wildly around the cabin.
Watching the two childish figures chasing each other on the ship, Rayleigh helplessly rubbed his forehead, feeling a wave of exhaustion and a sense of gloom about the future.
…
Voyaging is eternal romance, but also long solitude.
Kyle had concluded this a week ago, staring blankly at the unchanging dividing line between the sea and the sky.
Adventure? Encounters? Non-existent.
The life of a pirate is always simple, unadorned, and boring.
Since leaving that nameless island, they had been drifting at sea for almost two months.
Aside from the occasional Sea Kings trying to treat their broken ship as an after-dinner dessert, only to be put to sleep by Roger's single sword strike, life was as bland as plain water.
"Ah! Ocean, you're all water!" Kyle felt like he was about to grow mushrooms.
He sat cross-legged at the bow, idly extending a finger.
The air in front of his fingertip vibrated slightly, and a wisp of breeze appeared out of nowhere, swirling around the canvas on the mast, then playfully messing up Rayleigh's golden hair on his forehead.
Rayleigh looked up, giving him a "if you cause trouble again, you won't get dinner tonight" look from above his book.
The mischievous Kyle laughed awkwardly, then sullenly withdrew his hand.
For the past month, besides hellish physical training, he had spent most of his time practicing precise control over the Boba Fruit.
For example, this little trick he named [Breeze at Dawn] was created by controlling subtle air vibrations to create airflow. In the Calm Belt, he could even double as a fan for the sails.
Of course, more often, he was Roger's human air conditioner.
"Little Kyle! Over here, over here! A bit cooler!" Roger lay sprawled on the deck like a sun-dried salted fish, holding a large roasted meat leg.
Kyle rolled his eyes and reluctantly waved his hand in Roger's direction, and a refreshing cool breeze blew over.
This was his current daily life on the ship.
Under Roger and Rayleigh's devilish training, his body visibly grew stronger and tougher.
His strength, speed, and endurance were far beyond what they once were. His use of the Boba Fruit also became increasingly proficient; he was no longer the greenhorn who only knew one move, [Shock Punch].
He could feel himself constantly getting stronger, but he always lacked an outlet for it.
Kyle was like a blade that had been tempered but had yet to be sharpened, eagerly yearning for a hearty battle to test his edge.
Dipping beans, satisfying!
Daily sparring with Roger? That wasn't a battle; that was a one-sided beating.
"Ah—I'm so bored!" Kyle cried out to the sky, then flopped onto the deck, "Anything would be good! Marines! Pirates! Even a meteor!"
"Kuhahaha! The kid's got a lot of energy!" Roger finished the last bite of meat, casually tossing the bone into the sea, then stood up with a swift movement, "Want to have another 'Loving Feeding' training session?"
Kyle instantly jolted up from the ground, looking warily at Roger and Rayleigh, who had put down his book at some point.
"No! Absolutely not!" He now dreaded the sight of sea fish and barrels; that damn Roger's supreme sea fish especially targeted his backside.
Just then, Rayleigh, who had been reading nearby, suddenly spoke.
"You two," his voice was calm, "we have guests."
"Huh?" Roger and Kyle looked up simultaneously.
"Northeast, three o'clock position, a three-masted ship is heading our way," Rayleigh put down his book, "It's moving fast, and the flag indicates pirates."