"Worried about Luffy, so you came to check on him yourself?" Moonlight murmured, watching the distant horizon where the storm had raged. "No wonder, with the power of the Wind-Wind Fruit, such a storm would be terrifying. Looks like I need to train harder. If I encounter opponents of that caliber, I'll be severely limited."
Dragon's appearance had given Moonlight a sense of urgency. He needed to become stronger if he wanted to sail these seas freely and protect his companions.
With that thought, he checked his current abilities:
[Moonlight]
• Basic Swordsmanship: [System Gifted - No Rank]
• Triple Slash: [System Gifted - No Rank]
• Draw Slash lv5: 50,000/1,000,000,000
• Dragon Severing Slash lv1: 90,000/1,000,000
• Phantom Sword Dance lv2: 850,000/1,000,000
• Observation Haki lv4: 50,000/100,000,000
• Armament Haki lv4: 30,000/100,000,000
• Conqueror's Haki lv3: 20,000/10,000,000
His progress was decent. He had managed to raise his Conqueror's Haki to level 3, which allowed him to control it more freely. His other skills, however, still required significant training. The recent encounter with the storm showed him his limitations. Only by improving his swordsmanship could he hope to resist natural disasters like tornadoes.
Dragon's intervention had shown him the power of a top-tier fighter, and Moonlight knew he was still far from that level. He needed to train even harder. In the dangerous world of the Grand Line, strength was crucial to survival.
He glanced at the sea. After the storm, the crew had become more cautious. Usopp focused on repairing the ship, Nami meticulously studied navigation, and Sanji carefully prepared meals to ensure everyone ate perfectly. Zoro, spurred on by the recent events, trained more vigorously, while Luffy sat at the ship's bow, lost in thought.
The Going Merry drifted peacefully on the sea as the crew regained their strength.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, aboard a massive naval ship, a young blonde girl quietly slipped into the sea when no one was looking. Using the current, she drifted far from the ship. It wasn't until much later that the crew realized she was missing.
"Abis is gone!" one soldier shouted.
"Look, there's someone moving in the water! It must be Abis. She's jumped overboard!" another reported.
The crew scrambled into action, immediately alerting the officers and preparing to search for the girl.
In the center of the warship, a portly man weighing over 300 pounds was feasting on a lavish meal when the report reached him. This was Admiral Nelson, a high-ranking officer in charge of the region.
"She escaped, did she? That little girl is more trouble than she's worth. Send someone to retrieve her," Nelson ordered, ready to dispatch his forces.
"Wait," a sharp voice interrupted. A man with a scythe-like appearance and a dangerous glint in his eyes stepped forward. His name was Erik, and he was not someone to be trifled with.
"Erik? It's rare to see you step in. Do you have something in mind?" Nelson asked with a sly grin.
"Yes. That girl is special. If you don't want our plan to fail, don't send a large force to chase her. It'll only cause too much commotion. Give me a ship. I'll go after her alone. I guarantee I'll bring her back quickly," Erik replied with a sharp smile.
"Is that so? Very well, I'll leave it to you," Nelson agreed, trusting Erik's abilities. He ordered a small ship to be prepared.
"Don't forget our deal," Erik reminded, flashing a cold look before boarding the vessel. With astonishing speed, the boat sliced through the water like a scythe, leaving a deep trail in its wake.
"Hmph," Nelson muttered, watching Erik depart with a hint of malice in his eyes.
"Hey, look! There's someone out there!"
The next morning, the Going Merry sailed peacefully as the crew, now fully rested, prepared to continue their journey. The ship had been repaired, and spirits were high.
"Alright, everyone! We're off to the Grand Line!" Luffy declared with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, I'm ready! Let's see what kind of monsters are waiting for us in the Grand Line!" Zoro added, eager for battle.
"Hehe, All Blue, I'm coming for you!" Sanji grinned, his eyes filled with dreams.
"I'm going to chart all the seas and become the greatest navigator!" Nami said with determination.
"I'll become a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp shouted, raising his hand in excitement.
"And I'll become the Pirate King!" Luffy declared once more, raising both fists toward the sky.
But before their excitement could carry them further, Moonlight pointed toward the sea. "There's someone out there."
The crew's eyes followed Moonlight's gaze, spotting a small figure drifting on the waves—a young girl.
"There really is someone!" Luffy exclaimed. He stretched his arm, grabbing the girl and pulling her aboard in one swift motion.
"She's just exhausted," Nami said after a quick checkup, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Where did she come from? Did pirates attack her ship?" Usopp wondered aloud.
"We'll find out when she wakes up," Luffy replied.
"Isn't this girl… Abis?" Moonlight thought, recognizing the girl's appearance.
After a while, the girl began to stir, her eyes slowly opening. When she saw Luffy and the others' unfamiliar faces, she blinked in confusion. But then her gaze shifted upwards, landing on the pirate flag fluttering on the mast.
"A-A-Ah! It's a pirate ship! I'm on a pirate ship! I'm done for!" Abis screamed, jumping to her feet and trying to hide behind anything she could find.