A week later, in the first half of the Grand Line, the sky was clear for miles.
The White Gull lay quietly at anchor on the sea. A gentle sea breeze stirred little waves that lapped against its sides with a pleasant sound.
On deck, Lipo leaned over the railing, her fluffy rabbit ears swaying gently in the breeze.
She held a carrot, taking a bite now and then as she gazed curiously into the distance.
"Gern, has this guy still not had his fill?" Lipo turned toward Gern, who was reclining in a deck chair, then glanced at the figure sitting atop the warship's mast.
"Is beating up little pirates worth a few million really that much fun? Hmph!" Lipo took a fierce bite of her carrot.
"Oh, come on! He just got out to sea. Everything's still new to him. That's how it goes!" Gern lazily rolled over, the Black Blade: Eight Desolations leaning beside his chair.
"Besides, I asked Tesoro. Pirates show up pretty often in these waters, so we should..."
Before he could finish, Tesoro called from the lookout, "Pirate ship spotted at ten o'clock!"
Almost at that same instant, a streak of blue lightning shot from the mast!
"Hahahaha! Finally!" Enel appeared at the top of the mast in a flash.
The Golden Staff rested on his shoulder, his long earlobes fluttering in the wind, and excitement gleamed in his eyes.
In the distance, a medium-sized pirate ship sailed slowly toward them.
A skull emblem adorned its sail, while a dozen or so pirates shouted and waved their weapons on deck.
Judging by the ship's size and flag, it was just a small pirate crew with a bounty of a few million.
"Hey! Look over there!" A lookout aboard the pirate ship suddenly pointed at