Zoro and Luffy traveled for the next week, hoping for some sign of a new island. Along the way, they both swam alongside Levi, and Zoro still wondered how Luffy had managed to tame a sea monster. However, being who he was, he finally decided it didn't matter that much and would probably ask when he felt like it.
The two future crewmates swam alongside the sea monster whenever they had the energy, and when they didn't, they rested in the boat. They ate when they needed to, but tried to conserve as much as possible, not knowing how much longer their voyage would last. It was quite an achievement, considering who the future captain was.
At first, Zoro had no idea why Luffy insisted on swimming with the sea monster the way he did, but upon reflection, the answer wasn't so hard to find. Endurance. Once he understood, he accepted the supposed "training" and decided to swim with him. However, there was a problem... Compared to Luffy, he was slow. Really slow. It pained him to admit it, but watching Luffy in the water was something otherworldly. It almost made him think he might be half-fish.
The first time Zoro tried swimming with his future captain and his sea monster, he not only struggled to keep up, but he was physically unable to do it. They had to go back for him because Luffy, the idiot he was, didn't even realize the swordsman had fallen behind. Eventually, they devised a system so he could actually train instead of having to be retrieved every two minutes. When Luffy swam, he rested or ate in the boat, and vice versa.
When Zoro was in the water, Levi swam much more slowly so his master's friend could keep up. It was obvious who the monster preferred to swim with, much to the chagrin of a certain Verdet. The sea beast liked to swim fast, and his master could swim fast too. Not as fast as him, but fast enough to be fun.
Although Zoro's assumption about the nature of "training" was partially correct, it was still missing a crucial aspect, and that aspect was all Luffy could think about as he swam. Yes, stamina was fundamental. But the reason for developing it was what drove the young man. While training with Shanks so many years ago, what Shanks instilled in Luffy most was that using Armament Haki didn't come without a price.
Using Armament Haki not only required a certain amount of concentration, but it also consumed energy. By increasing stamina, the user could extend their usage time. If their stamina was ever depleted through excessive use of Armament Haki, it would not only be physically exhausting, leaving most barely able to walk, but it would also prevent them from using it again for a period of time. The length of that period, again, depended on the individual. It could range from ten minutes to the rest of the day if the person was fully developed.
In summary, while increased stamina didn't enhance the power of Armament Haki, it did extend the duration of its use before the body became exhausted. Therefore, Luffy swam...
And he swam…
And he swam…
And he swam…
And then I swam a little further…
Luffy could swim at full speed for up to an hour, but he wanted more. He wanted to swim between islands if necessary! He wanted to swim forever! So he always swam with all his might, and when he got tired, he switched sides with Zoro.
Each time they switched places, Luffy resolved to swim longer than the last time he'd been in the water, and although he didn't always succeed, the amount of time he could swim steadily increased. Just thinking about what he could do when he became a pirate filled him with excitement! Maybe he could even swim all the way to the Grand Line! Well, he couldn't leave Zoro or anyone else from his crew behind, so that was impossible, but it would still be amazing...
The two future crewmates ate in cordial silence during one of the few moments they both had to rest. A week had passed! Surely there was an island nearby!
"Zoro…".
"Zoro…".
"Zor-".
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" shouted the swordsman in annoyance.
"I'm bored ..."
"I really decided to follow the biggest idiot ," Zoro thought. He took a deep breath and tried to reply calmly, "Luffy, I can't make an island appear out of thin air. Stop bothering me so I can eat in peace." To be fair, he was already a little irritated about having forgotten to load alcohol onto the ship before setting sail, and Luffy's constant nagging wasn't improving his mood. "Listen, I'm sure Levi knows where he's taking us, so trust your friend and, suddenly, we'll be on dry land," he promised.
At this, Luffy seemed to perk up. After all, Zoro was right. He just had to trust his friend. Levi hadn't led him astray so far, and he trusted he wouldn't in the future.
The two finished their meal in cordial silence, while Zoro gazed thoughtfully at the other ship's inhabitant. Ever since their first fight, he couldn't get that black substance that appeared on Luffy's shoulder and knuckles out of his mind. What exactly was it? He, too, had a sea monster under his command, and although he insisted they were friends, there had to be something more, right? Who on earth could simply be friends with a sea monster? Having already decided to ask about the sea monster later, Zoro was able to almost completely ignore it.
However, a part of him couldn't help but feel curious about the metal that had appeared on his future captain's shoulder and fist. It didn't just look like metal; it definitely looked like metal. It could have been a Devil Fruit, but even if one existed that made what Luffy did possible, they were supposed to negate the ability to swim, and Luffy certainly knew how to swim. Besides, he considered them a myth anyway, so that option seemed remote. With curiosity getting the better of him, the older boy asked, "Well, Luffy, most of the time I try not to interfere in other people's business, but I can't stop thinking about our first 'training'."
Luffy's head perked up when Zoro started and nodded for him to continue, remaining unusually quiet.
When we first trained, every time I touched you with any of my swords, it almost felt like I was trying to cut metal, and then there was that black substance at the end, when you threw me into several trees and a rock. He paused to see if Luffy would say anything, but when he didn't, he decided to continue: "At first I thought it might be a Devil Fruit, but I'm pretty sure they're a myth, so that may be..."
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