(Blue_Dragoon and Declide) Wasuke was not able to teach Yuji Haki as he fell sick before he could start the Haki training. As for how and what actually happened to him, I'll mention that in the later part of the Story.
(edwardDbadh) I wanted to deviate from the initial story line, that is why I removed Carou from my part of the story.
(Benka) Okay my mate, I get it that you are obsessed with Pudding. Chill out.
(Nuckzy) Yeah, sorry but no fem Croco.
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I have finished writing Chapter 66 and finally reached Alabasta. From here on, Yuji is going get some special treatment, Gege special.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA...cough cough...
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Thought of the day:
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
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Attendance Please:
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The sun rose slowly over the endless sea of the Grand Line, painting the sky in shades of gold and rose. The water, wild and rough throughout the night, now lay calm and gleaming like liquid copper. Cutting through it was the Going Merry, her sheep's head prow bobbing gently with the waves.
Luffy lay sprawled across Merry's head like a discarded puppet. His limbs hung loosely, his mouth wide open, and a thin line of drool caught the morning light. His snores mingled with the creaking of the ship's timbers.
On the main deck, the air crackled with movement. Zoro, shirtless, blindfolded, and drenched in sweat, dodged and weaved through a storm of punches. Yuji pressed forward, his fists slicing through the air.
"Your left side's getting lazy," Yuji said, stopping a punch just short of Zoro's ribs.
"Or maybe you're just becoming predictable," Zoro muttered, smirking beneath the blindfold.
High up in the crow's nest, Usopp was hunched over. Metal casings and gunpowder were scattered around him. He paused, squinted at a bullet prototype through his goggles, then nodded and carefully tucked it into a leather pouch as if it were something precious.
In the galley, Sanji moved gracefully like a dancer, dressed in his three-piece suit. A cigarette trailed smoke as he flipped a pan with one hand and whisked a bowl with the other. The aroma of butter and fresh herbs wafted through the ship.
On the upper rear deck, beneath the shade of Nami's tangerine trees, Vivi stood alone. The sea breeze tugged at her blue hair and the hem of her dress, but she seemed unaware. Her fingers moved back and forth over the gemstone of her necklace, as if tracing a memory only she could feel.
Soft footsteps ascended the stairs behind her.
"Coffee?"
Vivi turned to see Nami standing there, holding two steaming mugs. Her expression was gentle yet watchful.
"Thank you." Vivi took the mug, feeling the warmth seep into her palms, grounding her.
For a moment, neither spoke. They simply sipped their coffee and let the quiet settle around them. The only sounds were the water lapping against the hull and the distant cries of seabirds.
Nami tilted her head, her eyes catching the shimmer at Vivi's throat. "I like your necklace. What kind of stone is it?"
Vivi blinked, pulled from her thoughts. A small, shy smile touched her lips. "To be honest… even I don't know."
"Huh? How come?"
Vivi looked down at the gemstone. "This necklace has been passed down through my family for generations. Before my mother gave it to me, she told me it's true meaning. It's not just jewelry; it's the last remnant of our great ancestor, the first King of Alabasta. He made this necklace as a gift for his younger sister, Queen Lily."
She paused, her fingers tightening around the stone. "In our kingdom's royal archives, it is written that those who wore this necklace could feel his presence, as if he is still watching over us, guiding us, protecting us. Even after death, his spirit remains bound to our bloodline."
Nami was silent for a long moment. "That's… that's really something, Vivi."
Vivi nodded, but her smile had faded into something more somber. She stared out at the sea.
Nami frowned. "What is it? What are you thinking about?"
Vivi sighed. "I was thinking… if our great ancestor is truly watching over us, he must be very sad or even disappointed, seeing what has become of his home."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Nami set down her mug and placed a firm, steady hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Then maybe that's exactly why you're here. If what you told me is true, if he really is watching, then he's the one who guided you to this path. To us." Her eyes met Vivi's, fierce and bright. "Don't hesitate. Don't look back. There's a whole world waiting ahead of you, and you're not walking it alone. Believe in yourself, Vivi. That's the first step to saving everything you love."
A single tear traced down Vivi's cheek, and she did not wipe it away.
"Yeah…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Yeah."
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A few hours later—
"OI! LAND HO!"
Usopp's voice echoed from the crow's nest, and suddenly the deck came alive.
Everyone gathered at the railing, their eyes fixed on the dark shape emerging from the horizon.
"No mistake about it!" Nami confirmed, checking the Log Pose on her wrist. The needle trembled, then locked onto the distant landmass. "After Cactus Island, that's our next stop."
"THERE IT IS! OUR SECOND ISLAND ON THE GRAND LINE!" Luffy exclaimed as he launched himself onto Merry's head, arms stretched wide as if he could embrace the entire horizon.
Zoro dug his pinky into his ear with a long-suffering sigh. "Do you have to yell every time we see an island?"
But Luffy was already lost in his own excitement, completely oblivious to anything that wasn't adventure.
"You'd have better luck talking to a brick," Yuji said with a wry grin.
Vivi stepped forward, her expression tightening. "We need to be careful. I can't stop thinking about what Miss All Sunday said."
Usopp dropped down from the crow's nest with an exaggerated flourish. "Worry not, Princess! The great warrior Usopp never lowers his guard."
"Yeah, Vivi-chan," Sanji chimed in, throwing an arm around Usopp's shoulders. "With this guy's eagle eyes, no one's sneaking up on us. Right, Usopp?"
Usopp puffed out his chest and buffed his nails against his overalls. "Exactly. You're all safe under my watch."
Nami shook her head, but a fond smile tugged at her lips. "These two idiots..."
The Merry glided into a narrow river mouth, and the jungle swallowed it whole. The air changed instantly, thicker, wetter, humming with the drone of unseen insects and the rustle of ancient leaves.
"Okay, what's this island called again?" Usopp asked, craning his neck to take in the towering ferns.
"Little Garden," Vivi said quietly.
Zoro snorted. "What an irony!!"
And then—
ROARRRRR!
The roar shook the air, rattled the planks beneath their feet, and vibrated within their chests.
Nami stumbled backward, her face paling. "Wha—what was that?!"
A massive shadow swept over them, swallowing the sun.
They looked up.
And up.
A creature with leathery wings and a spear-like beak soared overhead, its silhouette cutting across the sky.
Nami and Vivi gasped in surprise.
"It's—"
"IT'S A FLYING DINO!" Luffy screamed, his eyes literally turning into stars.
Usopp grabbed the railing, his whole-body trembling with excitement. His eyes sparkled with the same wild wonder as his captain's. "A dinosaur… a living dinosaur… this is… THIS IS SO COOL!"
"I KNOW, RIGHT?!"
Luffy and Usopp locked arms and began spinning in a chaotic victory dance, singing a nonsensical song about dinosaurs.
"THAT'S NOT YOU SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT, YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOTS!" Nami shouted, her shark-like teeth bared and a vein throbbing on her temple.
Their noise must have caught the creature's attention. The pterodactyl screeched, tucked its wings, and dove toward the Merry with the speed of a falling star.
Nami and Vivi froze in place.
Yuji's hands rose, crimson already beading along his fingertips, but Zoro and Sanji moved first.
They launched themselves skyward in perfect sync. Zoro's blade, Yubashiri, sang through the air, slicing a silver arc across the beast's wing. At the same moment, Sanji twisted midair and drove his heel into the back of the dinosaur's neck.
BOOM!
The pterodactyl crashed onto the riverbank, sending a spray of mud and water into the air. By the time the dust settled, both men were already landing on the deck, Zoro flicking blood from his sword, Sanji brushing an invisible speck from his blazer.
"Light work," they muttered in unison.
Then their eyes met.
Narrowed.
"You know, I could have taken it down without your help," Zoro said flatly.
Sanji's eyebrow twitched. "Oh yeah? Well, I landed the first hit, so you're welcome."
"I think you hit your head on something. Look at that slash mark, I landed first."
"Is that so?" Sanji stepped forward.
"It is so," Zoro stepped forward as well.
They stared at each other without blinking.
Then Sanji's lips curled into a smirk. "You know what? Let's make a bet. This island is clearly prehistoric, which means it's crawling with dinosaurs. And I've never cooked one before." He pulled out a fresh cigarette and lit it. "Whoever hunts the bigger dinosaur is the strongest, after Luffy and Yuji, obviously."
A slow, dangerous grin spread across Zoro's face. "You're on. Get ready to lose, ero-cook."
"We'll see about that, Marimo."
WHAM! WHAM!
Two fists slammed down onto their skulls from above.
"THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR SOME STUPID CHALLENGE, YOU MORONS!" Nami stood over them, steam practically hissing from her ears. The two warriors lay face down on the deck, with comically swollen lumps rising from their heads.
Luffy and Usopp burst into laughter, until a single glare from their navigator turned them into statues.
Vivi watched with a smile that was half amused, half terrified. 'What in the world have I gotten myself into?'
Yuji sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze drifting toward the dark jungle surrounding them. 'I should keep an eye on Nami to make sure she doesn't get bitten by anything.'
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Ten minutes later—
Luffy bounced on his heels, a lunchbox clutched in one hand, his entire body buzzing with barely contained energy. "I'M GONNA EXPLORE EVERY INCH OF THIS ISLAND!"
"Please don't," muttered Nami.
Vivi followed him onto the shore, casting one last glance back at the ship before the jungle swallowed them both.
Zoro and Sanji also vanished into the forest; the air still charged with their fierce competitive spirit.
That left Nami, Usopp, and Yuji aboard the Merry.
Nami stayed because the island terrified her. Usopp remained to guard the ship. Yuji stayed because Nami had grabbed his sleeve, looked up at him with her sharp brown eyes, and said, "You're not going anywhere."
So, here he was.
He leaned against the railing, watching her work at the small table she had set up on the deck. Her pen moved in precise strokes across the chart paper, mapping the coastline.
"Hey, man," Usopp sidled up beside him, a worn notebook clutched to his chest. "Can you help me with something?"
Yuji turned and asked, "What is it?"
Usopp flipped open the notebook, revealing diagrams and sketches of bullets, dozens of them, shaped in ways Yuji recognized from his original world.
'Holy shit.'
.22 LR, 9mm Parabellum, a powerful Magnum round, and for the sniper rifle, .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum, and… no way, .50 BMG: the anti-material round capable of punching a hole through an engine block.
Yuji looked at Usopp, then back at the diagrams, and then back at Usopp again.
"Dude, this is genius! Did you come up with these by yourself?"
Usopp's face broke into a bashful grin. He rubbed the back of his neck, "Hehehe… yeah. I kept thinking, a normal round bullet only has so much piercing power. But if I reshape the casing, adjust the gunpowder load, and hollow out the tip just right…" He traced a finger along one of the more complex diagrams. "These could punch through armor like it's paper. Even steel plate."
Yuji nodded slowly, genuinely impressed. "You're right. But… how are you going to make these? Bullets require precision, casting, casing, and the right materials. Do you know how much work goes into even one of them?"
Usopp's grin turned sly. "Oh, I know. That's why I've got a plan. After we save Vivi's kingdom, I'll ask her to connect me with Alabasta's best blacksmith. Consider it my reward."
Yuji rubbed his chin, a grin forming. "That's… actually a solid plan."
"I know, right?"
Just then—
The Going Merry lurched violently, its timbers groaning. Usopp grabbed the railing, his notebook nearly flying from his hands. "What the—?! What's happening?!"
Yuji looked down at the river. The water, calm and glassy moments before, now rippled with deep ripples.
'Could it be...?'
THUMP.
The sound came from the jungle, distant, yet unmistakable.
THUMP. THUMP.
Trees snapped like twigs, and the ground itself seemed to tremble.
Nami bolted across the deck and threw herself against Yuji's side, her arms wrapping around him with desperate strength. "WAAAAH! What is that?! Is it a dinosaur?!"
Usopp spun toward the shore, both pistols drawn, his goggles glinting in the dappled light. "Something's coming. Something big."
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
Closer now. The jungle canopy shuddered as birds erupted from the treetops in panicked clouds.
Nami buried her face against Yuji's chest, her whole-body trembling. Usopp's knuckles whitened around his pistols, but his aim never wavered.
And Yuji... Yuji felt his heart hammering, but not from fear. It was from excitement: pure, unfiltered, childlike excitement.
'This is it. I'm about to see one, a real giant.'
The massive hand that parted the trees was weathered and calloused, each finger as thick as a ship's mast. It pushed aside hundred-foot trees as if they were stalks of wheat. Then, the rest of the being stepped into view.
He was colossal, a mountain given flesh. His beard was wild, his eyes ancient and kind, and when he smiled, it was like the sun breaking through the clouds.
He looked down at the ship, at the three tiny figures staring up at him, and his voice rolled out like distant thunder.
"Well! Sorry for the sudden intrusion, little friends." He scratched his bearded chin, a strangely sheepish gesture for someone his size. "But do you kind folks have any ale? I'm quite thirsty."
Yuji and Usopp, moving in perfect sync, slowly raised their arms and pointed toward the upper deck, where barrels were stacked in neat rows.
The giant followed their gesture, and his eyes lit up like a child spotting candy. "Oho! May I?"
"S-Sure," Usopp stammered.
"Oh, thank you kindly!"
He reached down with surprising care and plucked two barrels between his thumb and forefinger; they looked like thimbles in his grip. With a casual press of his thumb, he broke both casks open and tilted them back, draining them in a single gulp.
"Ahhhh~!" He tossed the empty barrels aside and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was quite a drink!"
He looked down at them again, and something shifted in his expression, a warmth and gratitude that seemed too gentle for a being of his size.
"You know, before I came this way, I was about to cook a meal. But the smell of your fine ale drew me here, and I believe in repaying kindness with kindness." He squatted down; the movement alone sent ripples across the river and brought his face closer to their level. His eyes sparkled with a grandfatherly warmth.
"So, what do you say, little friends? Let's have a hearty breakfast!"
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See you in next chapter...