The next day,
On the vast and boundless ocean, the blue waves stretched for miles, and the sunlight, like scattered gold, sprinkled upon the azure sea.
The massive pluto battleship was cutting through the waves.
This time, it did not tear open the portal to another dimension, but instead chose the most traditional and steadfast way, feeling the rise and fall of each wave with its sturdy keel, its bow slicing through the white spray, leaving a long, gradually dissipating wake behind it.
On the deck, the atmosphere was exceptionally relaxed and pleasant.
"Indeed, this is how true sailing should be!" Luffy exclaimed loudly, a brilliant smile on his face, as he stood with one foot on the bow, arms spread wide as if to embrace the entire ocean.
Constantly traversing through those bizarre Door-Door Spaces, though covering vast distances in an instant, felt as if an invisible barrier separated them from the real world, losing that intimate touch with the sea and missing countless unexpected sceneries and encounters along the way.
"To feel the wind, to bask in the sun, and to discover islands popping up from who knows where at any time! This is adventure!"
"Agreed."
Zoro leaned against the ship's rail, still resting with his eyes closed, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.
Compared to that monochromatic, silent alternate dimension, he clearly preferred to train to the sound of real ocean waves.
Nami enjoyed the gentle sea breeze caressing her hair, nodding contentedly: "Moreover, sailing normally on the sea allows for more accurate charting and recording of every inch of the waters we truly traverse."
"Yohohoho~ Most importantly, we'll encounter more unknown ladies~~!" Brook played his violin, cheerful notes dancing in the sea breeze.
It was out of this longing and nostalgia for the true joy of seafaring that the Straw Hat Pirates, after some discussion, reached a unanimous decision:
Unless faced with immediate danger or the need for extreme speed, they would always sail the Grand Line in the true form of this pluto battleship.
Just at this relaxed and pleasant moment—
Boom!
A deafening explosion suddenly ripped through the calm sea!
A thick column of water shot up from not far from the pluto battleship's side, the violently exploding seawater drenching the deck like a downpour.
"Enemy attack!"
Usopp, standing on the crow's nest, shrieked the warning with a tearful voice, almost jumping down in fright.
The previously relaxed atmosphere instantly tensed like a bowstring!
On the sea surface around the pluto battleship, like sharks smelling blood, several pirate ships flying different skull flags emerged from all directions.
Though far less massive than the Pluton, they were extremely fast, flexibly circling in, their decks crowded with pirates brandishing swords and guns, their faces ferocious.
"Hahahaha! That's the legendary Pluton!"
"Steal it! With it, the entire Grand Line will be ours!"
"Fire! Don't let them escape!"
Greedy and frenzied shouts faintly carried on the sea breeze, and more cannonballs whistled through the sky, landing around the Pluton, blasting up surging walls of water, but the ship remained as steady as a mountain, without the slightest tremor.
"Tsk," Zoro instantly opened his eyes, his hand already on the hilt of wado ichimonji, his face showing not fear, but excited battle intent,
"Just when I was starting to get bored, someone comes knocking to help us stretch our muscles?"
Sanji stomped out his cigarette, his sharp gaze sweeping over the approaching ships: "Looks like today's ingredients will include some more unruly rotten fish and shrimp."
Luffy pressed down his Straw Hat, his brilliant smile replaced by the serious expression of a Little Captain: "Everyone—prepare for battle! Send them all flying!"
Nami quickly assessed the situation, her brows furrowed: "A total of five pirate ships, all small, unheard-of gangs! It seems the allure of the Pluton is simply too great!"
A sudden encounter battle erupted in this previously tranquil sea area!
Just at this critical moment,
Usopp nervously adjusted his sniper scope, his voice clearly urgent: "There are too many of them! How about… how about we just hit them hard with the Pluton's main cannon! One shot would surely clear them out!"
His suggestion, however, was immediately rejected by Roen.
Roen slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the shouting pirate ships, without the slightest tension in his eyes, but rather a detached calm, as if looking down on ants.
"Completely worthless." His voice was calm but undeniable, "Using the Pluton's power against these small fry is the greatest waste. Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?"
No sooner had his voice fallen than Robin, standing nearby, elegantly clasped her hands and softly added, stating an objective fact:
"That's right. One main cannon blast from the Pluton is powerful enough to tear apart the sea, but the cost is that it will instantly drain most of our stored special energy."
She said, glancing with slight worry at Nami, who was nervously calculating something. "This would leave Nami, as the primary energy conductor, weak for an entire day. And…"
She paused, attracting everyone's attention, "More importantly, depleted energy means we would lose the power for continuous sailing. At that point, to avoid becoming a sitting duck, our only option would be to immediately enter the Door-Door Space to hide until the energy slowly recovers. Our recently decided journey, enjoying this great sea, would then have to be prematurely interrupted."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately showed understanding and solemn expressions.
The thought of Nami being weakened and their hard-won sunny voyage reverting to traversing that monotonous alternate dimension made everyone abandon the idea of using the ultimate weapon.
"Super—understood!"
Franky suddenly struck his classic pose, his steel arms clanging, shouting like a bell, "Then let's use our own strength! Let them see the might of the Straw Hat Pirates! Let's fight!"
The moment Franky's words fell, two figures, like arrows from a bowstring, shot out first from the pluto battleship!
"Three-Sword Style · Oni Giri!"
Zoro's figure swirled like a whirlwind into the nearest pirate ship, wado ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu carving cold arcs of light,
Accompanied by the grating clang of metal, the pirates' weapons snapped, and they were sent flying by the fierce sword qi, screaming as they fell into the sea.
Almost simultaneously,
Sanji's figure spun elegantly in the air, carrying scorching fury, his toes precisely striking the chins of different enemies.
"Neck Meat! Back Meat! Chest Meat!"
....
The journey continues right now for our Jade Dragons! 🐉
For just $6/month, you can step into the advanced chapters and never face a cliffhanger again. Gain instant access to 50+ chapters immediately, support the story you love, and help decide its course.
🔗 Become a Jade Dragon:
https://patreon.com/J_Dragon