After some twists and turns, Ash and the crew finally set sail once more. Their next destination, according to the log pose Ash had purchased, was Fish-Man Island, a journey that required crossing the treacherous Devil's Triangle.
Youki, perched on the railing, asked Ash curiously, "Why didn't you just get a log pose for Sabaody Archipelago directly?"
Ash sighed lightly, reclining on the deck. "Sabaody Archipelago is made up of islands formed by the roots of the mangrove trees. It's not a normal island, so it doesn't register on a log pose."
With the log pose in hand, Ash ensured their journey toward Fish-Man Island wouldn't be delayed, and the crew wouldn't lose their way in the hazardous waters of the Devil's Triangle.
Onboard, Ash noticed the storage ring on Kirk's finger but showed no surprise. It was expected; out of the current crew, only the two of them possessed spatial abilities, and it would be strange not to make use of them.
Besides, how could a chef travel without storing food?
Cheerfully, Ash transferred all the kitchen utensils and spare ingredients into Kirk's ring, then took out several portions of specially preserved water-water meat for Youki and the Kirk siblings as a treat.
Youki's eyes lit up as he dug in, but Kirk frowned. "Devouring everything like that is a waste of God's gifts," he scolded before revealing an array of Water Seven specialties—water-water meat, water-water cabbage, and other delights—from his ring.
"Oh! Water-water cabbage? We've never seen this before," Ash exclaimed in surprise.
Kirk smirked. "You've been too focused on the meat. Cooking this properly will make it even better."
The perilous Grand Line felt like a leisurely spring outing for the crew. After a day of sailing, aided by Youki's mastery of wind and water abilities, the ship approached the Devil's Triangle.
"Ash, there's heavy fog ahead!" Youki called from the crow's nest, alert.
Ash, stretched out on a deck chair, waved casually. "Looks like we've reached the Devil's Triangle. Good work, Brother Youki."
Youki laughed, shoving a piece of water-water meat into his mouth. "No problem. Training my Devil Fruit abilities and enjoying an endless supply of food—what more could I ask for? If Pini and the others saw this, they'd be green with envy."
Ash reluctantly folded his chair into his storage ring and stood, raising a hand. "Everyone, we're entering the Devil's Triangle. Stay alert."
"You're the one who's been the least active all trip!" Kirk teased, stepping out of the cabin with a tray of drinks.
Ash laughed. "Is this your latest creation, Kirk?"
"It's Saff's new recipe. Try it," Kirk replied.
Ash eagerly downed a cup. "Delicious! Tastes like orange. Saff, my gourd's nearly empty!"
Pini, peeking from the kitchen, grinned. "I'll make more, don't worry."
Kirk scowled. "Are you an alcoholic? You've barely been at sea a few days and finished it all!"
Ash shrugged, mimicking a stoic stance. "It's just fruit wine."
Kirk snapped. "Fruit wine is still wine! And you're only thirteen!"
Ash's face grew serious. "Psychologically, I'm twenty-eight."
Kirk's expression hardened. "A twenty-eight-year-old wouldn't act this childish. And what does your psychological age have to do with being thirteen physically?"
Tsuki chimed in, "Exactly. I'm thirteen, and my grandfather still rations my fruit wine."
Ash squinted. "Tsuki, your Devil Fruit powers… gone."
The boy's eyes widened. "Bro Ash, I was wrong, please don't!"
The crew burst into laughter.
Suddenly, dense fog enveloped the ship.
"This fog is thick," Ash muttered. "The Devil's Triangle lives up to its name."
"Youki, why are you recording with the Den Den Mushi?"
"The scenery is strange. I'll show everyone when we return!"
"But… it's just fog," Kirk noted.
Youki smiled. "Exactly. Heavy fog counts as scenery."
The next day, after a full day lost in the fog, Kirk asked, "Are we going to keep drifting aimlessly like this?"
Ash lazily retrieved the Fish-Man Island log pose. "We've been following the pointer, so no risk of being truly lost. We'll cross to the other side of the Devil's Triangle first. If we don't encounter one of our targets, we'll shift a few nautical miles and return. We have log poses for Water Seven and Fish-Man Island, so there's no danger."
"You really have patience," Kirk muttered.
Ash grinned. "Might as well be doing something. We still have at least a month before our appointment with Grandma Tsuru."
"Fine, you're the captain, so we'll follow your lead," Kirk said.
Ash's eyes gleamed. "Then I want water-water meat, dessert, and that Volcano Wine we had last time!"
Kirk groaned. "No! We just finished lunch."
Ash pouted. "And yet you said I'm the captain…"
Youki raised his hand to stop the bickering. "Quiet!"
"What is it?" Ash asked.
"There's singing," Youki said, smiling.
"!!!"
"...Yohohoho, Yohohoho, Yohohoho, Yohohoho..."
"Binks' Sake! Looks like we found them!"
"Shut up," muttered Kirk and Youki.
The song carried over the deck, the melody cheerful yet tinged with the nostalgia of pirate life. Ash sipped his fruit wine and laughed. "It's a good song. The melody's nice, though the lyrics… starting next verse, they make less sense."
The crew rolled their eyes as the interlude ended, and the singing resumed:
"Binks' Sake, delivered to your side.
We pirates cleave through the waves..."
Ash muttered, "Cleaving the waves? More like cleaving heads of ordinary folks…"
Youki and Kirk stayed silent.
The song continued, echoing over the foggy seas, and Ash couldn't help but smile at the cheerful defiance of pirates, even amidst peril.
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