HUFF HUFF.... Guys you won't believe what happened!??
IMU called me and told me to stop spreading the false agendas.
I was shocked at how the hell does World Government got hold on my phone number!!! It looks like someone snitched on me. But luckily, I've Joyboy's Haki knot on me. And Lily helped me to escape with my chapters. Now, I am writing all this from the Laughtale.
P.S: Jokes aside, my migraine caused me some serious issues. After consulting from the doctor, reports came that I've also got a minor spondylitis, which is the real cause of my migraine. Now, I've to sleep in complete straight position without any pillows under my head. Avoid doing anything which will cause my neck to bend too much. Sigh, truly pain in the neck... Pun intended.
So, I'll be taking my sweet time writing chapters. Uploads will not be regulars anymore. Atleast one chapter on two days and if I got any chapter in reserve, then I'll upload it too.
Thanks a lot....
Attendance Please:
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It was evening, and the sun had already begun to set, casting golden and orange hues across the water as two small boats scraped against the shore of an uninhabited island. The hulls groaned softly against the sand, as if even they were relieved that the journey had paused for a while.
Zoro jumped from his boat before it had come to a complete stop, landing on the shore with a heavy thud. He rolled his shoulders, cracked his back, and secured the three swords at his hip.
"Tell me again," he said, his voice cutting through the soft sound of the waves, "Why are we stopping here? We could've just kept sailing."
Nami stepped onto the sand beside him, brushing off her sleeves. She huffed, clearly annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you? There's a storm coming. Sailing in a storm at night is dangerous even in real ships, let alone these tiny boats."
Zoro squinted at the sky. It looked calm, peaceful, even. "And how the hell do you know a storm is coming? I thought you were just a navigator, not some weather witch."
Nami's eye twitched. She turned to face him, hands on her hips. "Predicting the weather is part of being a good navigator—which, by the way, neither you nor Luffy or Yuji know anything about. So, thank you."
"Huh!" Zoro's jaw tightened. "What do you mean by that? I was doing just fine! Besides, we already have Yuji. He's good at navigation too."
Nami didn't answer immediately. She simply looked at him flat, unimpressed, the kind of look that conveyed more than words ever could.
Zoro's eyes twitched. "Hey, what's with that look?"
"That thing you just said?" She waved a hand at him. "That's not navigation, that's survival. And idiots like you and Luffy only survived because Yuji was with you." She dragged a hand down her face, groaning as if she were exhausted. "By the gods, I wonder what would've happened to you two if you had been alone."
Before Zoro could answer, footsteps crunched in the sand behind them. Luffy and Yuji emerged from the second boat, with Luffy swinging his arms lazily while Yuji walked with relaxed, easy steps.
Yuji reached Zoro and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let it go, Zoro," Yuji said quietly. "We both know that without Nami here, we'd be completely lost at sea with a storm over our heads."
Zoro clicked his tongue and looked away, but he wasn't truly angry. He knew the truth; he just didn't like admitting it.
Nami's frown transformed into a sly grin. She moved next to Yuji and hooked her arm through his, like a little sister claiming her favorite brother. "Thanks, big brother, for standing up for me."
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "Big brother?"
"Yeah." She tilted her head, looking at him. "I'm seventeen right now, turning eighteen in July. And you're kind of the tallest one here, so I figured you're the oldest too."
"Heh." Yuji smiled. "Is that so? Well, I turned twenty-four this March."
Nami's eyes widened. "Wow, really? I didn't know you were almost thirty already! I thought you were maybe twenty or so." Without warning, she grabbed his face with both hands and turned his head from side to side, as if inspecting merchandise. "What kind of products do you use? Are they some expensive imported ones? Tell me, tell me!"
Yuji's cheeks warmed under her grip. He gave a shy, awkward smile. "Ahem… I don't use anything. My skin is just naturally like this."
"No way!" Nami exclaimed, letting him go and stepping back with a look of genuine jealousy. "Now I'm really jealous of your looks."
"Hehehe…" Yuji chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, a gesture almost boyish despite his age.
From the side, Zoro's eye twitched. "Hey," he interrupted, his voice flat. "Stop sucking up to him, you witch. And Yuji, don't listen to her, she's definitely trying to trick you so she can hoard all our money for herself."
Nami's head snapped toward Zoro like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Hey! What's your problem? You keep calling me a witch all the time! And what's this about your money? You're broke! The money we have right now isn't yours, its mine, stolen from the Buggy Pirates. Keep that in mind."
"Hmph." Zoro crossed his arms. "The money you stole is because of my help. If I hadn't shown up in time, you would have been caught by them or worse, gotten yourself killed."
Nami's eyes narrowed as she hissed at the green-haired swordsman, "Why, you—"
Yuji tuned them out.
He let their voices fade into the background like waves lapping against the shore and looked over at his captain.
Luffy watched them with a big, happy grin, his hands shoved into his pockets, his entire posture radiating the pure, simple joy of a child watching his favorite show.
"Man," Luffy said, shaking his head in admiration, "I really have the best crew."
Yuji opened his mouth to respond, This doesn't look like the best crew, Captain, closed it again almost immediately.
He then stepped forward, positioning himself between Nami and Zoro.
"Okay, knock it off, you two." His voice was calm but firm. "We're on an unknown island, and we don't know what kinds of dangers might be here. We all need to stay alert."
Zoro grunted and looked away, but his hand relaxed at his side.
Nami huffed, taking a sharp breath. Then she exhaled, calming herself down. When she spoke again, her voice was more measured. "Actually… this island is completely empty. There shouldn't be anyone here besides us—no humans, no animals."
Yuji hummed thoughtfully, his gaze drifting toward the tree line. The forest stood silent, as if watching. "Even so," he said, "you should always be careful. Never let your guard down. It only takes one small mistake, and the next thing you know…" He let the words hang in the air, unfinished but understood.
"He's right," Zoro said in a low voice. "Always stay alert. That's what has kept me alive on the seas this long."
"Mm-hmm…" Luffy nodded seriously, though his face remained as open and carefree as ever. "Yeah, that's what Gramps always says, always be alert. You never know when or where an attack might come from." He paused, scratching his head with a confused look. "…But he always seems kind of relaxed to me."
Nami looked at the three of them, the swordsman, whose hand was always near his blades; the captain, who spoke of staying alert but acted so carefree; and the quiet man, whose eyes never stopped watching. She let out a tired sigh.
"Fine."
"Good." Yuji clapped his hands together, the sound sharp and clear. He turned to Zoro first. "Zoro, go gather some wood for the fire." Then he addressed Nami. "Nami, find a good spot to set up camp for us."
Nami nodded once.
"Great. I'll be catching some fish for us to eat." He glanced around. "Any questions?"
"Oh! Oh! Me! Me!" Luffy's hand shot up like that of a child eager to answer in class.
Yuji's lips twitched. "Yes, Captain?"
"I also want to do something!" Luffy's grin grew wider. "You know my punches are as strong as a cannon! I can help you with fishing, or maybe punch a Sea King if you want!" His stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. "Oh man, now I'm hungry just thinking about Sea Kings."
Yuji shook his head slowly, but there was fondness in the gesture. "I appreciate the offer, Captain, but I don't think you can help me with this. I'll be diving down to catch some big fish. And since you're a Devil Fruit user, so…" He spread his hands. "That's a no from me."
"Hey…" Luffy's face fell into a pout. "But I'm the captain. I want to help you all too."
Zoro sighed and then grabbed Luffy by the back of his shirt. "If you really want to help, then help me gather the wood for the fire." He began dragging the captain toward the forest without waiting for a response.
Luffy's eyes lit up like the sun. "Yeah! Then let's go… adventure awaits!"
And just like that, the two of them disappeared into the trees, Luffy's excited chatter fading into the rustle of leaves.
Nami watched them leave, arms crossed, her expression difficult to read. Then she let out a sharp breath. "That guy," she muttered, "he's really annoying."
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"Huh." She shook her head. "Didn't you see him? He's always too optimistic, as if nothing else matters."
"Isn't being optimistic a good thing?" Yuji asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
Nami shrugged. "I mean, yeah… but you should also think about other things too—like how to earn enough money to feed yourself and your loved ones, how to keep up with society, how not to break the law, and the worry about the future." Her voice grew quieter. "What will you do if you fail? All these things in life… they're what make a person keep going. This is what life is."
Yuji hummed softly, low and thoughtful. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he let the silence linger, allowing the waves to fill the space between them.
"You're right," he said finally. "But there are other things in life, too." His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the last bit of sun was disappearing beneath the water. "Life is a very beautiful and precious gift. It gives us the chance and the responsibility to give something back by becoming more."
He turned to face her.
"Happy, sad, love, hate, struggles—they're all part of life. Some live in misery; some live in happiness. Some live rich; some live poor. Some live through war; some live through peace. Some live to destroy; some live to build. Some bring darkness; some bring light." He smiled. "Everyone has their own way of living. Everyone has their own meaning of life. It's just about how you choose to see it."
He reached out and patted her head, a gesture so natural and brotherly that Nami found herself frozen in place.
"You lived through pain," Yuji said gently, "so you see life as a struggle. Luffy lives through happiness, so he sees life as an adventure. Zoro lives through hardship, so he sees life as a challenge." His hand fell away. "I live through truth, so I see life as a path to walk."
He began to walk away, then paused and looked back over his shoulder. The fading light highlighted the edges of his profile.
"Always remember, Nami: living through struggle is part of being human. It builds strength and character." He smiled again, this time more softly. "And one more thing: there was a great master who once said, 'Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.'"
Then he turned and walked toward the water, leaving Nami standing alone on the shore, his words echoing in her chest like stones sinking into deep water.
She stared after him for a long time, her arms wrapped around herself, her thoughts swirling.
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Yuji returned from the water carrying a giant salmon balanced across his right shoulder, its scales still glistening with seawater, its size nearly as large as his own body. He moved quietly through the bushes despite the weight he bore and entered the clearing where Nami had set up camp.
Zoro and Luffy were already there. The fire crackled within a neat ring of stones, and a pile of gathered wood sat beside it, ready for the night.
He lowered the salmon to the ground, its weight landing with a soft thud, then straightened up slowly.
"This will be enough for tonight."
After a few minutes, with the giant salmon skewered on a thick branch and turning over the fire, everyone sat around it in silence. The fat dripped and hissed in the flames, sending up sparks that spiraled toward the stars like tiny, dying embers.
Nami was studying the map while Luffy boredly picked his nose.
Zoro looked at Yuji and asked a question that had clearly been on his mind. "So, when are we going to start the Haki training?"
At that, Nami looked up from her map, confused. "Haki?"
Luffy nodded at her. "Yeah, it's that mysterious power that strong people on the Grand Line use!"
"Mysterious power?" Nami muttered, looking at Yuji for an explanation.
Seeing that everyone's attention was on him, Yuji cleared his throat.
"I told Luffy and Zoro before, to truly survive the Grand Line, you need to know Haki or possess a really strong Devil Fruit."
At that, both Luffy and Zoro nodded, while Nami looked at him with a curious expression but continued to listen.
"To learn Haki, you should first understand its different types." said Yuji.
"Haki has different types?" asked Zoro.
Yuji nodded. "That's right. Haki is mainly divided into three types, each of which is further split into basic and advanced levels. So, what are these three types? Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's. Observation Haki grants the user a sixth sense of the world around them, allowing them to sense the presence, strength, and emotions of others, even if they are out of sight or far away. It also provides limited precognition, enabling the user to sense their opponents' intentions and predict their actions and attacks before they occur. At the advanced level, Observation Haki allows the user to actually see a short period into the future."
"Wait, wait, wait… what the hell? See the future? How is that even possible?" asked Nami, shock written all over her face.
Zoro nodded in agreement. Luffy, however, tilted his head, clearly not understanding what it truly meant.
"There are things in the world you haven't seen yet, Nami," Yuji said. "As for seeing the future, that's a very advanced skill, and only a few Haki users in the world can do it."
Seeing Nami reluctantly nod, Yuji continued, "Now, Armament Haki allows the user to use their own spirit as an invisible armor to defend against attacks, as well as to strengthen their own attacks. It can also be used to bypass Devil Fruit defenses, such as the intangibility of a Logia. A person can apply Armament to a part of their body, their entire body, or even coat their weapons with it. An advanced level of Armament Haki enables the user to project the Armament a short distance without touching anything. An even higher level allows the user to send that projected Armament into a target's body and destroy it from the inside out."
"An invisible armor, huh?" muttered Zoro as he looked at his swords. "So, I can coat my swords with this Armament Haki to make my attacks stronger and more deadly?"
"Exactly. With this, you can send flying slashes, cut large ships in two, split entire mountains… just like Mihawk." said Yuji, to which Zoro grinned wildly.
"Then I can't wait to learn it!"
Yuji nodded. "Now, finally, Conqueror's Haki. This Haki allows the user to unleash their willpower to overpower the will of others. As a result, victims are mentally overwhelmed, with weak-willed individuals instantly passing out. It can also exert pressure on objects and damage them—a clash between two powerful Conqueror's Haki users is strong enough to split the sky. Unlike other types of Haki, which anyone can learn, Conqueror's Haki is a rare ability possessed by only one in several million people. The Emperors of the sea all possess this type of Haki."
He then pointed at Luffy. "If you truly want to become the Pirate King, you too need to have this type of Haki." He then pointed at Zoro. "And you as well, to become the Greatest Swordsman in the World. Those who dream the impossible and have the courage to pursue that goal even with the whole world against them possess the true qualities of a king and can awaken Conqueror's Haki. I believe that you two, my friends, are those kings."
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See you in next chapter.....