Half a day later~
"Old Man Chrysanthemum, goodbye!" Luffy stood aboard the Going Merry, waving and shouting to Crocus on the shore. Then he turned to Laboon.
"Laboon, I'll come back to see you after I've sailed around the world! Until then, don't you dare smash off the painting on your head!"
"Moo~" Laboon replied with a reluctant cry.
Slowly, the Going Merry sailed into the distance as the man and the whale watched it go.
Watching the distant Going Merry, Crocus murmured, "Roger, I've seen someone just like you again!"
"Looks like the world won't be peaceful from now on..."
Half a day later, aboard the Going Merry...
By now, a huge pile of snow had accumulated on the ship.
"What's with the weather on the Grand Line? It was sunny and pleasant just a moment ago, and now there's heavy snow!" Nami said, shivering in her sweater.
Then she looked down and saw Usopp and Luffy competing to build snowmen. Naturally, Usopp won; his snowman was who knew how much better than Luffy's.
Even Xia Chen, watching from the side, couldn't help offering a few words of praise for Usopp's snowman. It really was good!
Then Xia Chen casually picked up his coffee and took a sip. Honestly, drinking a warm cup of coffee in this weather felt wonderfully comfortable.
Next, his gaze shifted to the two people above.
"Hey, you two! Get over here and shovel snow! What are you standing around for?"
"Huh? Lord Mr. 1, do we have to work too?"
"Obviously! Why should we take you to Whiskey Peak if you don't work? Get moving!"
Mr. 9 wanted to say more, but at Vivi's signal beside him, he finally shut his mouth. The two obediently began shoveling snow.
Seeing them like this, a faint smile appeared on Xia Chen's lips.
"Looks like I can't keep up this identity much longer~"
"Xia Chen, there's a huge iceberg up ahead! What do we do?"
While Xia Chen was still thinking, Sanji's voice came from the bow.
Xia Chen slowly stood and strolled toward the bow. Then he leaped onto the ram's head at the front.
Looking at the enormous iceberg ahead, he said leisurely, "Now, if you run into a situation like this while sailing, it's very easy to handle!"
"Watch me demonstrate!"
With that, Xia Chen raised his leg slightly, then his right leg swept past like a swift, windborne blade.
An enormous slash shot out, hurtling toward the iceberg ahead.
The slash swiftly passed through the iceberg without a sound.
A few breaths later, the iceberg began splitting down the middle and collapsing to either side. The cut surfaces in the center were as smooth as mirrors.
"All done! Job finished!"
Xia Chen returned to his stool, slowly picked up his coffee, and took a small sip.
"Mmm~ Nice~"
Xia Chen looked utterly calm, but everyone else's eyes had gone wide.
‼(•'╻'• )꒳ᵒ꒳ᵎᵎᵎ
Where did that enormous iceberg go? How did it disappear just like that?
Are you sure we can learn from a demonstration like that? You think that highly of us?
Of everyone there, only Zoro's eyes were shining. After all, he was the only one who would be able to unleash slashes in the future; none of the others used slashing attacks.
Vivi's and Mr. 9's legs were trembling nonstop. Was strength that could stand against natural disasters really something a human could possess?
"Hey, what are you two standing around for? No slacking!" Xia Chen glared at them.
"Yes!!!"
One day later~
An island covered in enormous cacti appeared ahead of the Going Merry. This was the destination of Xia Chen and the others' journey-Whiskey Peak.
"Looks like we'll get to enjoy some good food tonight!" A faint smile appeared on Xia Chen's lips.
But before that...
"Xia Chen, why did you tie those two up with rope and put them in the cabin?"
Luffy asked curiously, while the others also looked at him in confusion.
"You'll find out tomorrow!" A meaningful smile appeared on Xia Chen's face. His attention, however, was on the voice that had just sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Successfully checked in at Whiskey Peak Island. Obtained Flying Nimbus!]
"Flying Nimbus?" A look of surprise appeared on Xia Chen's face. This was the first time he had received something from checking in that didn't improve his strength.
At that thought, he examined the Flying Nimbus's attributes.
[Flying Nimbus: A golden cloud with a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per second (the system reserves all rights of interpretation).]
"Hmm..."
Although Xia Chen didn't know how fast covering 108,000 li in a single somersault would be, it probably wouldn't be such a precise, round figure.
No wonder it had added that the system reserved all rights of interpretation. So this Flying Nimbus wasn't "authentic"!
Still, Xia Chen couldn't be bothered to worry about that.
A hundred kilometers per second was already more than enough for him, okay?
Even Kizaru might not be that fast. Although Kizaru had the Glint-Glint Fruit, his speed definitely hadn't reached the speed of light. Otherwise, what could anyone else even do?
Who could react to a speed of 300,000 kilometers per second?
Xia Chen was quite satisfied with this reward. Although it hadn't improved his strength, that didn't matter. His current strength was already enough to handle the vast majority of situations.
Instead, this Flying Nimbus now gave him the urge to play around, though he restrained himself for the moment.
It would be a joke if he accidentally shot too far away and couldn't find his way back.
It looked like he would have to add something else to his collection besides treasure from now on.
Eternal Log Poses!
As long as he had Eternal Log Poses, Xia Chen could travel between all the islands in the world. And he could do it so fast that it would hardly take any time at all!
Closing the system panel, Xia Chen turned his gaze to the thick fog around them. Through his Observation Haki, he knew everything around him like the back of his hand.
However, he didn't intend to disrupt the plot's progression. Otherwise, there would have been no need to tie Vivi and the other one up.
What was wrong with enjoying a big meal for free?
Besides, barring any surprises, he would get to watch a good show tonight. That was what interested him most!
With that thought, Xia Chen quietly watched his surroundings, waiting for events to unfold.
As the fog gradually dispersed, the scenery around them came into view.
"Whoa~"
"Welcome, welcome!"
Countless people surrounded their ship, looking extremely welcoming.
"Oh-ho~ Do the people here all welcome pirates?" A happy smile appeared on Luffy's face.
Usopp was also blowing hearts nonstop.
"So pirates are this popular here!"
"Ladies!" Sanji kept wriggling his body as he watched the women onshore waving to him.
Apart from Xia Chen, only Zoro and Nami seemed a little puzzled by the scene. Their expressions remained calm, but inwardly, they grew wary.
Once the ship had come to a complete stop, everyone disembarked. Just then, a middle-aged man with long, curly hair walked toward them...