Please, Save My Companion

"Nami, can you tell which direction we should go?"

Out at sea, Moonlight carried Nami on his back as he raced onward, trying to find a nearby island. But on the vast ocean, and on the Grand Line at that, how could it be easy?

Though the Log Pose pointed clearly in one direction, all he could see was endless sea. He could not help feeling uneasy.

"The direction is right. Just keep going."

Nami forced her eyes open, glanced at the Log Pose, and spoke weakly.

"Alright."

Moonlight nodded. He unleashed Dragon Ascent Slash again and continued moving in the direction indicated by the Log Pose.

Afterimages flashed, storms surged, and he moved at incredible speed!

Wherever he passed, the sea churned violently, with huge waves crashing against the shore.

"What was that?"

"Gasp, seriously? Am I dreaming?"

"Was that... someone running across the sea?"

"No way!"

In a certain stretch of sea, just as Moonlight sped through, an enormous sailing ship suddenly rolled up from beneath the ocean.

The sea roiled and surged as four gigantic iron wheels turned with a rumble, carrying the ship smoothly across the water as though it were flat ground! It was actually a large submarine assault sailing ship.

Countless soldiers aboard rubbed their eyes as they stared in the direction Moonlight had vanished, wondering if they had seen wrong.

They had actually seen a man running across the sea!

How could something so absurd possibly exist in this world?

"No, you didn't see wrong. Someone really was running across the sea, and he was carrying a woman on his back!"

At that moment, a strange man on deck with a bow slung over his back, exceptionally long arms, and lips shaped like waves stared in the direction Moonlight had gone. A sharp gleam flashed through his eyes as he stared in astonishment.

He was an archer, and his eyesight was sharper than most. In that instant, he had seen everything clearly.

"King World, we spotted a man running across the sea. What should we do? Should we capture him?"

Beside him, another man with an afro and a thick beard around his mouth had seen it as well. He quickly turned and bowed as he reported to a fat, ugly man standing nearby, whose mouth was enormous and whose chin was connected to a cylindrical tin plate.

"You two idiots, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? How could anyone run across the sea? Hurry up and submerge! Wait for passing ships—I must obtain the Eternal Pose pointing to Drum Kingdom!"

The man with the tin plate flew into a rage. How could he possibly believe such a thing? Running on the sea—did they think he was a Sea King?

He immediately ordered the ship to dive back down.

"Yes."

Though the two men were full of doubts, they did not dare question their king's command and hurriedly ordered the ship to remain hidden.

This group was none other than World and his men. Using the Iron King's unique diving capabilities, they lay in ambush for passing ships in order to find an Eternal Pose to Drum Kingdom.

The sea currents had been abnormal just now, and they had thought a ship was passing by, so they surfaced. They had not expected to hear such nonsense, and they could not help becoming furious.

"The sea currents just now seemed to have fluctuated strangely, but there's no time to worry about that. Observation Haki!"

Meanwhile, as Moonlight moved at high speed, he activated Observation Haki, hoping to sense something.

He soon detected unusual fluctuations in the waters he had left behind, but he had no time to turn back. He continued racing forward.

This went on for two full days and nights. It was now the third day since Nami had fallen ill, and her condition was growing increasingly dire.

Moonlight had been following the Log Pose the entire time, but on this endless ocean, who knew where the next island would be?

Worse still, Moonlight had been training with his sword desperately for the past three days. Now, running across the sea with someone on his back had added to his burden. No matter how great his stamina was, after pushing his body this hard, he was nearing his limit.

If he could not find an island soon, he and Nami might both be buried beneath the sea! "Damn it, has my body reached its limit?"

Moonlight muttered as he felt his body gradually grow heavier.

At the same time, the system's voice rang out.

Ding! Dragon Ascent Slash has advanced to lv4!

Ding! Observation Haki has advanced to lv5!

After moving nonstop for three days and two nights, Dragon Ascent Slash and Observation Haki had leveled up!

His speed immediately increased, and the storms he kicked up became even fiercer, one after another like miniature hurricanes.

The sensing range of his Observation Haki doubled at once, enough to cover an island the size of Little Garden, and he could see far more clearly as well.

"I found it! Over there!"

With lv5 Observation Haki, Moonlight immediately discovered an island ten miles ahead of them. There were also many people on it.

Without hesitation, he sped toward the island with Nami.

"Not good, the sea is churning violently. Is a storm coming?"

"It shouldn't be. With weather like this, there shouldn't be any wind!"

"The sea is unpredictable. Watch out for the storm!"

"Captain Dalton, what is that?"

"Gasp!"

At that moment, on either side of a snow-covered island, many villagers hid behind the mountains with weapons in hand, guarding against something.

Suddenly, the sea ahead began to churn violently, as though a storm were bearing down on them.

The villagers were startled and hurriedly asked a towering, bull-like man among them.

He was Dalton, captain of their Guard Squad and the strongest man in the village. He led them in protecting the village.

He was their leader!

Just then, the storm drew near, and everyone saw it clearly! They all sucked in sharp breaths! There was no storm at all—it was a man dressed in black, carrying a woman on his back as he ran across the sea!

It was Moonlight and Nami.

They had finally found an island!

"Who are you people?"

Though he was utterly shocked, Dalton was worthy of being their leader. He forcibly calmed himself, stared at Moonlight with full vigilance, and shouted his question.

"Moonlight, Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. May I ask—"

At the sight of the island, Moonlight was overjoyed and hurriedly began to speak.

But the moment he opened his mouth, everyone around him changed expression and shouted at him! "Pirates! They're pirates!"

"Get out of here, pirate, or we'll take your life!"

They raised their guns, and some even fired immediately, clearly hating pirates to the bone.

Not wanting Nami to be hurt, Moonlight dodged again and again. But Nami had already lost consciousness, and panic filled him. The third day was almost over—if Nami did not receive treatment, her life might truly be in danger!

But he had come seeking medical help. If he attacked these people and delayed things, what then? Ignoring everything else, he gritted his teeth, held Nami in his arms, let the bullets pierce his body, and abruptly dropped to his knees before everyone!

"I mean no harm, and I have no other intentions. I'm only begging you, please save my companion. She's seriously ill and needs a doctor!"

"I'm begging you!"

"Please, save her!"