The sky was clear as a mirror, blue skies and white clouds woven together into a picture.
A gentle breeze stirred the leaves, and warm sunlight filtered through them, dappling the ground.
Inside the room...
"So our next destination is the New World?"
Usopp suddenly caught on. "That means...! We've sailed halfway around the Grand Line since setting out from the East Blue!"
Luffy immediately stretched his head right up to Lina's face and shouted excitedly,
"Doesn't that mean I'm almost the Pirate King?!"
Hearing that, everyone else turned to look, especially Zoro, Sanji, and Nami.
They had all set out together from the East Blue, crossing Reverse Mountain to enter the Grand Line. Back then, they'd known almost nothing about it.
All they knew was that Roger had been the first to circumnavigate the world and become the Pirate King.
They hadn't expected to have nearly finished half of it by now.
"You're still a long way off, Luffy."
Bonk!
Lina flicked Luffy on the forehead and chuckled.
"Once the papers report this Enies Lobby incident, we'll definitely become famous in the first half of the Grand Line.
"But in the second half, that's just something to brag about a little. The New World is a sea crowded with powerful people."
Lina paused and glanced around at everyone.
"All the pirates who are vying to reach the top of the world gather there. With our strength right now, we've only earned a ticket into the New World."
"Though I don't know what kind of sea it is, but..."
Zoro raised Wado Ichimonji in front of him. Thinking of Hawk Eyes, he said gravely,
"We're still a long way from being as strong as those people."
"Even those vice admirals at Enies Lobby nearly left me powerless."
Sanji's expression turned