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Chapter 83: Thunder and Rain! Come and Collect the Rainwater! (4k)
Chapter 83: Thunder and Rain! Come and Collect the Rainwater! (4k)
After half a month...
Above the vast ocean, a giant cloud loomed, from which thunderbolts periodically flashed, accompanied by raging winds and torrential rain.
Amidst the clouds and the sea,
"There's a seagull? It's huge!"
Paru exclaimed in astonishment at the sight of an enormous seagull being swept in.
Bang!
A hammer struck Paru's head, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"I'll teach you to fly into the storm with the seagulls! Get your ass up and furl the sails!"
Renitia shouted at Paru before turning to the other pirates and adding, "Pick up the pace, you bunch of slackers! I'm offering you the chance to catch some sea beasts for a delicious meal, so stop slacking off! Aojin! Stop running around or you'll revert to being a black-skinned monkey!"
The people on the deck scurried back and forth, tending to the ropes and sails, maneuvering the rudder, and coordinating with the people in the control room. They were all busy ensuring the smooth operation of the ship.
Out of their entire crew, only fewer than three hundred people were still capable of physical activity. The rest were still bedridden from their severe injuries. With such a limited number of active crew members, they could only manage a third of the usual Death Star standard. This meant they could barely maintain control of the ship. If they were still in the East Sea, it wouldn't be much of an issue, but in the Grand Line, their shortage of manpower put them at a significant disadvantage.
"That's enough, Reti,"
At that moment, a voice rang out from the second-floor balcony. Lily stood there, her golden hair billowing in the wild wind as she raised her head to gaze at the sky. "Things have returned to normal."
Speaking thus, she walked into the captain's room, followed by Renitia.
Inside the captain's room, Sag lay sprawled in his seat, his legs propped up on the table while one of his hands tapped rhythmically on the armrest. He was humming an old tune—'Bink's Sake'—but upon seeing the two women enter, he offered them a smile and asked, "How about we get ourselves an entertainment troupe? It'd be nice to have some singers and dancers performing for us. There's quite a bit of space on this ship, so we should be able to make some arrangements for that, right, Reti?"
"We'll make it work!" Renitia exclaimed. "But speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be the captain? Isn't it a bit much to not lift a finger for any of this?"
"Being a captain is all about overseeing the big picture and making plans. What else are you lot here for?" Sag replied with a laugh.
Just then, Maryka arrived, carrying a platter of food. "Here, Reti. Have some of these strawberries that you love so much."
"Yay!"
Renitia's eyes lit up at the sight of the strawberry cake, and she eagerly took the platter from Maryka before plopping down on the sofa in front of the desk to indulge in her treat.
"Thanks,"
Lily also took the sweets from Maryka and sat down on the other side of the room. "Sag, we've been sailing for over half a month now, and according to the markings on the sea chart, we should be nearing our destination soon."
Ever since their battle with the naval fleet half a month ago, they had been sailing in the direction indicated by the Eternal Pointer.
However, in the Grand Line, dangers lurked not only on the islands but also on the seas themselves—or at least, that was the case for them.
Not long after they set sail, they encountered a superstorm, the likes of which they would never have faced back in the East Sea. The violent winds buffeted their ship from side to side, but fortunately, the Death Star's propulsion system proved effective enough to stabilize their vessel, sparing Renitia from having to intervene.
But just as they rode out that superstorm, an extreme snowfall set in, nearly freezing over the entire ocean surface. By the time their crew finished putting on thick clothing and shoveling snow off the deck, the weather abruptly shifted again, this time bringing sweltering heat that left them drenched in sweat.
The highly variable climate demanded constant vigilance to react to changes in a timely manner.
And indeed, Lily had learned this lesson the hard way. Her intense focus on observing the weather had caused her to neglect their heading, and it was only after half a day that she realized their course was completely opposite to the direction indicated by the Eternal Pointer. She had been forced to order a change in course to correct their path.
As a result of that incident, she had also handed over the other five Eternal Pointers that pointed toward Alabasta to crew members in the control room, instructing them to keep a close eye on the pointers to avoid a recurrence of that mistake.
Having tasted the bitterness of that experience, she now understood that the Grand Line was indeed not a place where common sense applied.
At first, she had attributed their troubles to Sag's bad luck,
but it wasn't entirely inaccurate to do so. She couldn't speak for other types of weather, but when it came to storms...
Lily continued, "Your storms have returned to their usual intensity, which suggests that we've entered the tropical desert climate of Alabasta."
"What do you mean 'my storms'?"
Sag, who had been about to pick up the specially concocted cocktail that Maryka had set down, gave a slight twitch of his eye at Lily's words. "The Grand Line is already a bizarre place with its wildly changing climate, and that's hardly something I'm responsible for. I may be a bit unlucky, but don't make it sound like storms are my doing."
"Hmm? But wouldn't it be so cool if it were? Something like the Child of Storms... It'd be a perfect way to constantly test the ships I build!" Renitia piped up, looking up from her treat.
"Wipe your mouth! It's covered in cream!" Sag retorted in annoyance.
Lily neither agreed nor disagreed with Sag's statement.
There were islands along their route, but they showed no signs of habitation, and with the injured still aboard, they chose not to linger, opting to continue their journey instead.
Aside from the unpredictable climate, Sag's storms were also a formidable force during their travels. It wasn't that they never saw the sun, but clear skies were a rare sight compared to the frequent overcast conditions.
As they approached an island, the intensity of the storm would lessen, and Lily, who had been preoccupied, gradually became aware of this pattern.
Each island, along with its surrounding waters, possessed a fixed season. Once they entered a particular island's territory, the climate would stabilize, a stark contrast to the ever-changing weather they typically experienced.
Lily had been outside observing the weather, specifically monitoring for signs of the storm abating, as that would mean her crew could finally catch a break from their relentless labor.
While the storms were still more intense than what they had experienced in the East Blue, their ship, the Death Star, was more than up to the task of weathering them.
As Sag had said, with sufficient strength, one could overcome any bad luck that came their way! Otherwise, his injured crew members would have perished long ago. It was only due to the incredibly strong willpower they had cultivated during their time in the Kingdom of the Bridge that they were able to fight for their lives with basic medical care and endure until now.
Willpower was indeed a form of strength.
"Maryka, make some more food, enough for ten people this time," Sag said, finishing off a large plate of food that Maryka had brought him and washing it down with a drink. He smacked his lips and continued, "Thanks."
"Of course," Maryka replied with a slight smile as she collected the empty plate and headed downstairs.
The three-story structure of the Death Star was interconnected, with access all the way down to the first-floor cabins. However, only those present in the room were privy to a secret passage that led directly to the center of the first floor—the treasure room. Renitia had replaced the materials of this section with stolen steel, including the door, which now featured intricate mechanisms that even the most skilled thief would find impossible to breach.
Usually, Aojin stood guard there.
It wasn't that Sag didn't trust his crew; it was simply a matter of maintaining proper discipline. That area was unequivocally off-limits, and the rest of the crew naturally steered clear of it.
As Maryka took away the empty plate, Lily remarked, "Sag, it seems like your appetite has increased lately. Are your injuries still bothering you?"
"They've long since healed," Sag replied, balling his fist and causing the air around it to compress with an audible sound. A confident smile played on his lips as he added, "I'm just working on enhancing my physical condition."
He actively absorbed the energy derived from the vast amounts of food he consumed, channeling it through his incredibly precise 'Life Return' ability to strengthen various parts of his body.
In addition to improving his physical constitution, Sag had also honed his control over 'Life Return,' guiding it with increasing precision toward his intended goals.
Hence, when it came to food and drink, he naturally sought out the best, and the rare ingredients Maryka had acquired in Rogue Town had mostly ended up in his stomach.
However, even if it weren't for this purpose, his indulgent personality would still have driven him to seek out the finest things in life. Why hold back now that he had the means to indulge?
Having faced three intense battles in the East Blue, Sag was keenly aware of the areas he needed to improve.
The most crucial aspects were his physical body and the quantity of his Haki.
In Sag's opinion, his body was already exceptionally powerful. Before becoming a pirate, he could easily shatter rocks, and after mastering the 'Breath of Turning Dragons,' even lead bullets couldn't penetrate his skin.
Without an exceptionally robust physique, he wouldn't have been able to witness the Six Styles and immediately replicate them. Such techniques demanded a superhuman body to execute.
However, his encounters with Garp and later, Zephyr, had made him realize that his body wasn't strong enough. Even in his weakened state, with his will and spirit greatly diminished, Zephyr's punch had been too much for Sag to withstand. While Zephyr's Haki was far superior to his own, it was the lack of a sufficiently robust physique that had prevented Sag from withstanding the full force of Zephyr's attack.
Possessing Haki didn't automatically make one a powerful fighter. Haki was a manifestation of willpower, allowing one to exert their will and harness their strength. An ordinary person with Haki was still just that—ordinary.
Some people's Haki resembled a cup of water, while others possessed a river of Haki flowing within them.
One plus one would always equal two; it could never equal two hundred.
In addition to enhancing his physical constitution, Sag also worked on increasing the quantity of his Haki. When he wasn't engaged in battle, he would often use his Haki to coat the surface of the treasure room, aiming to make it even more impenetrable over time.
With sufficient Haki and prolonged exposure, the objects he imbued with his Haki would, over time, retain traces of it, becoming increasingly durable—a phenomenon similar to that of the so-called 'Black Blade.'
"Swords are objects, and so are the walls of the treasure room," Sag mused. "I'm confident I can turn them into 'Black Walls'! As for the entire ship... my Busoshoku Haki isn't strong enough yet."
As for Sag's overall strength now, who knew where it stood?
It wasn't like playing a game, where leveling up made one undeniably stronger.
As long as one didn't fight others, they could never truly know who was stronger.
He had taken down Ennio, that ghost of a father, who had mastered all six forms and Busoshoku Haki, although the latter's strength seemed diminished due to issues with will and spirit, and years of luxury had weakened his body considerably.
But to have mastered all six forms and even developed variants, he couldn't have been that weak even in his reduced state.
If it had been the Ennio of the past, he would undoubtedly have been an elite vice admiral, but the Ennio Sag had encountered probably wasn't at that level anymore.
He had also exchanged a few blows with Garp, only to be completely crushed.
And as for Zephyr, it had appeared to be a mutually destructive battle, but only Sag truly knew the reality of it.
He had to keep getting stronger.
However, before long, Maryka arrived with freshly prepared food, and after Sag finished eating and rested for nearly an hour, a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," Lily said.
A pirate pushed open the door and entered. "Captain, Miss Lily, Miss Maryka, Miss Renitia, we've spotted land!"
"Looks like we're here," Sag said as he stood up and straightened his black and crimson fur cloak. With confident strides, he walked out the door.
Outside, dark clouds still loomed, and the wind and rain raged on. As the Death Star advanced, the area ahead was gradually obscured, the air above the distant sun-drenched sea shimmering with distortion, and waves splashing wildly.
Sag extended his hand, and a crew member passed him a telescope. Through it, he beheld an immense landmass with no discernible boundaries.
Lily also gazed through a telescope and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's much bigger than Ohara!"
"I hear it's a superpower with a population of over ten million," Maryka remarked.
"Eh? That many?" Renitia exclaimed in surprise.
Sag handed the telescope back to the crew member and said nonchalantly, "No matter how large the population or the landmass, it's still just an island."
The world was vast, and so were the Grand Line and the Calm Belt.
But as long as it was at sea, no matter how large a place was, it could only be called an 'island.'
So, the sea was indeed a mysterious place...
In a wall outside the port city of Nanohana in Alabasta...
"Listen up, everyone. We've all had our faces seen by the Baroque Works, so we must be careful not to expose ourselves," Nami instructed as she pointed at the group. "Only Sanji and Chopper haven't been recorded. You two will be in charge of buying food and water."
"Leave it to us, Nami!"
Sanji's body twisted like a noodle as he clasped his hands together, his eyes turning into hearts. "I'll definitely get it done without a problem!"
BOOM!
Just as he finished speaking, a loud peal of thunder resounded in the distance.
Everyone instinctively looked in that direction, their eyes widening in surprise.
From the sea, a massive cloud loomed, bringing with it violent winds and rain.
"A, a storm?!" Nami exclaimed, her eyes darting to the woman with sea-colored hair beside her. "ViVi, do storms like this happen here?"
ViVi stared at the approaching storm, her eyes filled with confusion. "Storms like this have never happened in Alabasta before."
It was one thing to have rain, but a storm of this magnitude was unprecedented in this arid climate.
Could it be Dance Powder?
But Dance Powder wouldn't cause a storm like this!
As they puzzled over this, the citizens of Nanohana were not as perplexed. The massive thunderbolt had caught their attention, and they eagerly rushed out of their homes with basins, buckets, and jars—anything that could be used to collect water. Their eyes sparkled with excitement.
As a port city, Nanohana was one of the few vibrant cities in Alabasta, a desert region that constantly faced water shortages despite its liveliness.
Here, water could be sold for money! No matter how fierce the storm, the promise of water for survival stirred the people's enthusiasm.
It had been a long time since it last rained in this city!
"It's raining! It's a storm! Everyone, come out and collect the water!"
In a world of manga, don't bother comparing it to real-world sailing speeds, distances, or settings; it's pointless.
In reality, there are no giants taller than eighty meters.
To quote a line from the manga, "The sea, it's a mysterious place."
Of course, if you insist on being pedantic, then you are technically correct.
(End of Chapter)
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