Moonlight spoke calmly.
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent. Yes, once they boarded this ship, they accepted Luffy's invitation. Luffy was their captain—why shouldn't they trust him?
Why had they willingly left their homes and set out to sea with him? Why?
As they thought back to how they first met Luffy, a smile crept across their faces.
"It was Luffy who invited me on board. I went to sea to become a brave warrior of the sea. If that's the case, I have to trust my own decision, and I trust the captain I've chosen!" Usopp grinned, his eyes shining with newfound determination.
"Even though this guy saved me from Arlong and gave me my freedom, that's not the reason I got on this ship. The real reason I joined was because I believe that sailing with him will help me achieve my dream!" Nami smiled too, recalling the past with a soft smile on her face.
"Shhh!" Sanji exhaled a long ring of smoke.
"When the old man asked him to take me away, Luffy refused. He said it wasn't up to him, and only when I willingly decided to go did I get on this ship. I left the old man for All Blue, and of course, for Nami-swan. But most importantly, for Luffy to become the Pirate King. That's why I left." Sanji smiled as well.
The three of them sat down, quietly watching Luffy's fierce battle with Laboon. They believed in him.
The five of them sat together, watching the now-injured Luffy, and smiled as they basked in the morning sun. The golden rays spread across the sea, illuminating everything in a shimmering light. The golden glow fell on them, creating a scene that was peaceful and harmonious.
"These people…"
Mr. 9 trembled, nearly dropping the sticks in his hands. He had never seen people like this before, especially this kind of trust—something a hired killer like him had never experienced.
"Are they really pirates? Are there really pirates like this in the world?" Miss Wednesday stared at them in disbelief. After spending so long in Baroque Works, she was used to seeing betrayal and backstabbing among pirates. Pirates were usually cruel and treacherous. This was the first time she had ever seen pirates like them.
"Bang!"
At that moment, Luffy and Laboon collided once more. But this time, after being knocked into the air, Luffy stood atop a cliff and shouted at Laboon.
"Hey! Listen up! My name is Luffy, and I'm the man who will become the Pirate King! I know what you're going through, but I need to leave here now. You've seen my strength, right? I will bring back the people you're waiting for, but until then, I want you to stay here and wait. Got it?"
Laboon froze, staring dumbfounded at the man who had fought him so fiercely just moments before.
"Luffy!"
"This guy!"
"So that's what he was planning all along!"
"Haha!"
"…"
Hearing these words, Nami and the others couldn't help but laugh. Luffy was still the Luffy they knew. He hadn't disappointed them.
"…"
Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 were wide-eyed, staring at Luffy in disbelief. They never expected this.
Did this guy fight with the whale all this time just to show off how strong he was?
"Haha."
Crocus, who had walked out from somewhere, couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Luffy.
"Alright, did you hear that? Now remember me and this symbol. This is our pirate flag. Listen up—I'll be back soon. When you see this flag again, I'll bring back the people you've been waiting for."
Seeing that Laboon had calmed down, Luffy grabbed a brush and drew the Straw Hat Pirates' jolly roger on Laboon's scarred forehead.
"Argh…"
Laboon let out another cry, but this time, he didn't ram into the Red Line. He was afraid of damaging the mark. Clearly, he believed in Luffy.
"Alright, Moonlight, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Usopp, let's set sail!"
Luffy turned to his crew.
"Aye, Captain!" The five of them nodded, boarded the Going Merry, and sailed off.
Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 quickly followed and boarded as well.
"Believe in them, Laboon. I have a feeling they'll succeed," Crocus said with a smile as he watched them sail away.
"Argh…" Laboon nodded, feeling calmer than ever before, watching Luffy and his crew until they disappeared from sight.
…
"So, this is the Grand Line? It's so beautiful!" Nami exclaimed as they sailed away from Twin Capes, heading toward the next island indicated by the Log Pose.
Looking at the vast, crystal-clear sea stretching out before them, Nami was full of excitement.
"It really is. The sea here feels different," Usopp agreed, his eyes scanning the horizon.
Sanji was busy cooking, Zoro was asleep, Luffy sat at the bow of the ship, and Moonlight was practicing with his sword. Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 sat in the cabin, staring out at the sea with nothing else to do. Although they weren't restrained, the endless ocean meant they had nowhere else to go.
"Wait a minute… that cloud over there?" Nami, who had been gazing around in excitement, suddenly noticed a cloud drifting toward them. At first, she thought nothing of it, but soon her expression changed to one of shock.
"No way… how is that possible?"
She was stunned, but by the time she realized what was happening, the cloud had already arrived.
Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, and in no time, the entire sea around them was transformed into a winter wonderland, with snow covering a ten-mile radius.
"It's snowing?"
Usopp caught a snowflake in his hand, puzzled.
"This doesn't make sense. It's the wrong season for snow!" Sanji said as he came out with a tray of food, just as puzzled when he saw the snow.
"Wow, snow! Snow!" Luffy cheered, completely unconcerned about the strange weather, finding it amusing.
"It really is snowing. So this is the Grand Line's infamous unpredictable weather," Moonlight muttered, continuing to swing his sword. He needed to keep improving.
"This sea really is full of mysteries," Nami sighed, but as she looked up again, another cloud was drifting toward them.
Before long, rain began pouring down, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
"This… this…" The crew was stunned.
Rain, snow, lightning, all at the same time?
"Ha! What's the big deal? This is the Grand Line," Mr. 9 scoffed at their surprise.
"Indeed. On this route, no matter what happens, nothing should come as a surprise. You don't need to worry. As long as you have the Log Pose, it will point you in the right direction and take you safely to the next island," Miss Wednesday said, pointing to her Log Pose with a smile.
"That's right. As long as we have the Log Pose, there's nothing to fear," Nami said, letting out a sigh of relief.