Chaotic Weather

Moonlight spoke calmly.

"Hmm?"

At those words, everyone fell silent.

That was right. Once they had boarded the ship, they had accepted Luffy's invitation. Luffy was their captain, so why shouldn't they trust him? Why had they willingly left their homes to sail out to sea with him? Why? As they recalled every moment since meeting Luffy, they suddenly all smiled.

"Luffy invited me aboard. I set out to become a great Warrior of the Sea. Since that's the case, I believe in my choice—and even more, in the captain I acknowledge!"

Usopp laughed, his eyes shining with unprecedented brilliance.

"Although this guy saved me from Arlong and gave me my freedom, that isn't why I came aboard. The real reason I joined was because I believed that sailing with him would let me fulfill my own dream!"

Nami smiled as well, a faint smile lingering on her lips as she remembered the past.

"Phew!"

Sanji blew out a long ring of smoke.

"When the old man told him to take me away, he refused. He said Sanji wasn't willing. Later, I came aboard of my own free will. For All Blue, of course—and now, for Miss Nami too. But most importantly, so Luffy can become the Pirate King. That's why I left the old man."

Sanji smiled too.

The three sat down as well, quietly watching Luffy battle Abu. They believed in Luffy.

The five sat side by side, watching the battered Luffy with smiles on their faces.

At that moment, the morning sun rose, spilling golden radiance across the sea and making the entire ocean glitter. The golden light fell over the five of them, and everything was so harmonious.

"These people..."

Mr. 9 trembled, nearly dropping the twin batons in his hands. It was the first time he had ever seen people like this.

Especially that kind of trust—it was something an assassin like him had never experienced.

"Are they pirates? Are there really pirates like this in the world?"

Miss Wednesday stared blankly at them. Having spent so long among Baroque Works, she had seen plenty of deceit, scheming, and brutal slaughter between pirates. Pirates like these were truly something she had never seen before! Bang!

At that moment, Luffy and Laboon crashed into each other again. But this time, after being flung away, Luffy landed on a rocky wall. He looked at Laboon and shouted, "Hey, listen up! My name is Luffy, and I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King! I know about what happened to you. I'm leaving this place now, and you've seen what I can do, right? I'll bring back the people you're waiting for. But before that, you need to stay here obediently. Got it?"

Laboon froze, staring blankly at the man who had just fought him so fiercely.

"Luffy!"

"That guy!"

"So that's it!"

"Hehe!"

"..."

Hearing that, Nami and the others all laughed.

Sure enough, Luffy was still Luffy. He had not disappointed them!

"..."

Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9, meanwhile, stared at Luffy wide-eyed, their faces full of disbelief. This was absolutely not what they had expected.

Big brother, you fought him for so long just to tell him how strong you are?

"Hehe."

At that moment, Crocus emerged from somewhere, looking at Luffy with a smile.

"Alright, did you get that? Then remember me well—and this mark too. This is our Pirate Flag. Listen up, I'll be back soon. When you see this kind of Pirate Flag again, I'll have brought back the people you're waiting for."

Seeing Laboon calm down, Luffy picked up a brush and painted the Straw Hat Crew's Pirate Flag onto Laboon's cracked head.

"Ah..."

Laboon cried out again, but this time, he did not ram into the Red Line. He was afraid of damaging the mark! Clearly, he already believed Luffy!

"Alright, Moonlight, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Usopp, let's go!"

Luffy looked at the five of them.

"Yes, Captain!"

The five nodded, boarded the Going Merry, and sailed away.

Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 hurried aboard as well.

"Believe in them, Laboon. I have a feeling they'll definitely succeed."

Watching them depart, Crocus looked at Laboon and smiled.

"Ah..."

Laboon nodded, calmer than ever before. He kept watching Luffy and the others until they vanished from sight.

"Is this the Grand Line? It's so beautiful!"

By then, Luffy and the others had left Twin Capes and were heading toward the next island indicated by the Log Pose.

Looking out at the boundless, unprecedentedly blue sea, Nami said excitedly.

"It really is. Even the sea on the Grand Line is different."

Usopp nodded excitedly and looked around.

Sanji was cooking, Zoro was sleeping, Luffy sat at the bow, and Moonlight kept practicing his swordsmanship.

Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 were boredly watching the sea from the cabin.

No one had restrained them, but surrounded by the vast ocean, they had no way to leave anyway.

"That cloud is strange..."

Nami was excitedly looking around when she suddenly spotted a cloud flying over from the horizon.

At first, she paid it no mind, but then her expression turned stunned. "No way, how is this possible?!"

She was utterly shocked, but by then, the cloud had already arrived.

Snowflakes began drifting down one after another. In the blink of an eye, heavy snow filled the air, turning the sea for miles around into a world of ice and snow!

"It's snowing?"

Usopp looked curiously at the snowflake that had landed in his hand.

"That can't be right. What month is it now? How could it possibly snow?"

Sanji came out carrying a plate. Seeing the snowflakes falling from the sky, he became puzzled.

"Wow, it's snowing! It's snowing!"

Luffy grew excited. He did not care what month it was; he just thought it was fun.

"It really is snowing. Is this the Grand Line's ever-changing weather?"

Moonlight paused for a moment, then continued swinging his sword.

He had to keep getting stronger!

"What an unbelievable sea."

Nami sighed.

But when she looked up, she saw another cloud flying over.

Before long, it began raining as well, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling!

"This... this..."

Now they were all shocked.

Rain, thunder, lightning, and snow were appearing at the same time?

This weather was far too chaotic!

"Hehe, what's there to be so surprised about? The Grand Line is just like this."

Seeing their astonished expressions, Mr. 9 mocked them.

"That's right. On this route, no matter what happens, there's nothing to be surprised about. You don't need to worry either. As long as you have this, your direction will be clear. Follow the currents, and you'll reach the next island without fail."

Miss Wednesday pointed at her Log Pose and smiled.

"That's right, we have the Log Pose. There's nothing to worry about."

Hearing that, Nami finally let out a sigh of relief.