The sea was calm and bright as the Gale sailed steadily onward.
Everyone on board was enjoying this rare moment of peace. A lazy breeze drifted across the deck, carrying with it a sense of ease.
Leno lounged beneath a sunshade with a newspaper, while Nami and Nojiko trimmed the orange trees.
Yamato was pestering Carmen to cook the fish she had just caught. Chopper and Kaya took advantage of the good weather to lay out their gathered herbs to dry.
Robin tended to her flowers with a spray bottle, though her eyes drifted—again and again—toward the figure resting beneath the sunshade.
Ever since that incident, she had been ignoring Leno for a while.
Now she wondered if she had left him hanging long enough, and whether she should give him a little treat.
Mikita, newly aboard, had already adapted quickly. She now approached Leno with a tray of freshly brewed tea.
"Captain, your tea."
"Mm, thanks."
Leno glanced up and thanked her casually, but that small gesture left Mikita startled and delighted.
"N-no, it's nothing! This is my job!"
She never expected the captain himself to talk to her. Shock mixed with a secret happiness.
Maybe… maybe she really was starting to fit in here. Steeling herself with the thought, she quietly retreated.
"Hm? A new Warlord of the Sea? Even that muscle-brained Weevil's made it out this early?"
"Oh well~ wonder who the other pick will be. Doesn't matter."
Leno curled his lip in disdain. He knew those five geezers' tricks all too well. Their talk about maintaining 'peace' was nothing but a façade.
In the end, it was all about balancing power to secure their own positions.
They weren't bothering him these days anyway, so he couldn't be bothered to care.
He tossed the newspaper aside and closed his eyes, resuming his habitual deck-lazing.
Vivi stepped out from her cabin and froze at the sight before her.
This… was nothing like what she imagined!
Shouldn't the crew, under the captain's leadership, be undertaking some serious task to ensure a safe voyage?
Shouldn't they be vigilant at all times, monitoring the waves and weather?
Yet here—people were watering plants, fishing, lounging… the captain himself was leading the charge in taking a nap! Was this really normal?
Where was the tension, the alertness a voyage demanded? This felt more like a pleasure cruise.
Nami passed by just then, and Vivi hurriedly called out:
"Miss Nami, um… is it really okay for everyone to be like this?"
"Here~" Nami tossed her an orange before smiling. "It's fine. This is how we usually are when nothing's happening."
"In the Captain's words, of course, a trip around the world should be as comfortable as possible. Be happy and cheerful, and don't always think of suffering when you don't have to."
She patted Vivi's shoulder reassuringly. "Relax a little. If you do, you'll notice lots of wonderful things."
Vivi looked from Nami's blissful smile to the rest of the relaxed crew.
Her mind wavered—and without realizing it, a small smile crept onto her lips.
Just then, Yamato—who had run off to the bow to fish—suddenly shouted in excitement.
"Hey! Everyone! There's an island ahead!"
In an instant, the peaceful atmosphere exploded into lively chatter. People rushed to the bow, peering into the distance.
"It's true!"
"Finally, an island! I was getting so bored!"
"Is that our next destination?"
Voices overlapped in excitement. A new island meant a new adventure.
And Vivi once again stood there stunned. A moment ago they were nearly lifeless, and now everyone was overflowing with energy as if someone flipped a switch!
No one had time to notice the bewildered princess; all eyes were fixed eagerly on the island ahead.
Nami eventually made the call.
"Up ahead is our second stop on the Grand Line—Little Garden! Everyone get ready!"
A chorus of cheers followed.
As the ship approached, the island's scenery gradually came into view.
The vegetation was incredibly dense, the shrubs towering overhead. A primal, wild atmosphere washed over them.
Yamato leaned over the railing with glowing eyes.
"So this is Little Garden? I can feel the adventure!"
"What's little about this? It's huge! Why such a weird name?"
Olga shrank closer to Leno as she stared at the shadowy jungle.
Leno gave her a mysterious smile.
"You'll understand soon enough why it's called Little Garden. For the ones who named it… it really is like a small garden."
"What?! You're being cryptic again, you big idiot! Just say it!"
Nami instantly sensed that Leno knew something about this island—but as always, he refused to say.
The moment they entered a narrow waterway leading inland, a cacophony burst into their ears.
Then, everyone saw countless gigantic birds and animals frantically fleeing on both sides of the waterway.
However, before they could react, a gust of wind, carrying wood and shattered stones, swept toward them.
A deafening metallic clang resounded, rattling their eardrums.
Leno stepped forward to the bow, his sword Huangquan instantly unsheathed. With a powerful downward slash, he cleanly cut the incoming gust of wind in half, preventing the ship from being affected.
"Talk about bad timing. Didn't think they'd be fighting at a moment like this."
"Hey! Dummy! What are you muttering about? What's going on with this island?!"
Still shaken, Nami stormed to his side, demanding an explanation.
Leno glanced at her, then at the crew's wide, curious eyes. He sighed.
"Fine. I wanted you all to experience it yourselves… telling you now spoils the fun."
"But given the situation, I'll just lift the ship. You can see for yourselves."
He activated his power, and the Gale shot upward into the sky.
The metallic clashes grew sharper and clearer. When the crew finally saw what was happening in the distance, they fell speechless in shock.
"G-g-g… GIANTS?!!"
"..."