"Mr. 5, stop. It looks like the Sea King has been tamed by the Kung Fu Dugong," Rosen said as he noticed a small figure sitting atop the Sea King's head. The Kung Fu Dugong waved at them.
Judging by the two creatures' demeanor, they must have reached some sort of agreement rather than engaging in battle.
If they had fought, Rosen wouldn't have had much hope for the Dugong. It was strong against humans, but against a massive creature like this, even a full-force punch likely wouldn't do much damage—unless the Dugong knew Haki.
The Dugong murmured something to the Sea King, and in response, the massive creature submerged, gently lifting the Dawn from below. Its limbs extended to grip the ship's sides before pulling them forward.
"Is it taking us away from the storm to a safer place?" Robin wondered aloud.
The crew was stunned. They had prepared for a tough battle against the Sea King, but instead, it had turned into their towboat.
This was a fortunate turn of events. The storm was growing fiercer, and ahead, a waterspout had formed—a towering sea tornado connecting the ocean to the stormy clouds above. Getting caught in that would be deadly.
"So fast!"
Everyone on board stumbled as the ship surged forward like a powerful fish darting through the water.
"Hold on tight! Don't get thrown off!" Rosen stood firm as a rock, but the others clung to anything they could to keep themselves from being flung away.
"Careful."
Robin extended multiple arms to anchor herself to the ship, but a sudden wave drenched her, sapping her strength. Just as she was about to be thrown overboard, Rosen reached out and grabbed her hand.
"I'm fine," Robin said softly, her eyes flashing with gratitude. She quickly sprouted more arms to secure herself better.
"Hmm? Are there ships near the storm?" Rosen suddenly spotted several vessels struggling against the violent waves in the distance.
"Yes, but they're even closer to the storm than we were. They probably won't make it," Robin replied as she followed Rosen's gaze. Sure enough, a few pirate ships were drifting precariously through the raging waters.
"Looks like luck matters a lot." Rosen didn't dwell on it. He had merely noticed them by chance. This world was full of both unfortunate souls and lucky survivors.
Besides, their own situation didn't allow them to help anyone. In such a furious storm, one wrong move meant death.
The pirates on the distant ships had also spotted Rosen's vessel.
"Monk, that ship is being pulled by a Sea King! That's insane! How do you even tame one of those monsters?"
A scout stared in shock at the ship speeding through the storm.
A middle-aged man with a muscular build, a smiling face, and wings on his back looked over. "It sure is, but now's not the time to worry about that. Tell the navigator—our lives are in his hands now."
"Understood."
"Monk, we're not really going to die here, are we? We should never have come treasure hunting in the first place. We don't even know if it's real," a crew member muttered despondently.
The monk-like man clasped his hands together, still smiling. "A real man never gives up so easily. Death isn't that simple."
…
"We can't keep this up. The storm isn't letting up, and the ship won't withstand these constant impacts much longer. There's an island nearby—I suggest we land there and wait out the storm," Migs reported to Rosen.
"Agreed. But don't leave the ship docked for too long. Keep the Log Pose on board—don't bring it onto the island. If the island's magnetic field interferes, we might end up taking a longer route later," Rosen decided. While the island was unknown, it was certainly better than braving the storm.
After all, he was quite satisfied with this ship. It would be a shame if it were destroyed.
"Dugong, have the Sea King take us to that island. We'll rest there for now," Rosen instructed.
The Dugong understood, nodding before tapping the Sea King's head and pointing toward the storm-battered island. The Sea King eagerly complied, changing course and swimming toward the landmass.
Soon, the ship dropped anchor near the island, and once they were close, the storm seemed less intense. The island's landscape served as a natural windbreak.
"Boss, we hit some reefs when docking. Once the storm clears, we'll need to stop for repairs," Migs reported.
"This storm isn't ending anytime soon, but the ship should be fine here. We're in a cove with natural barriers on both sides, blocking the worst of the wind. However, the ship is still rocking too much—it's not suitable for sleeping on board," Migs observed.
Although the sky was obscured, it was already nearing nighttime.
The harbor they had docked in resembled a natural bay, like a pear with a bite taken out of it. From afar, the island itself even looked like a pear.
The island was sizable, but there were no signs of fishing boats, pirate ships, or Marine vessels near the shore. It was unclear whether the island was inhabited.
Just as Rosen pondered this, Robin pulled out a navigation map.
"It's an uncharted island, not officially recorded."
The map was a general one, and with the Grand Line's countless islands and unpredictable nature, new landmasses could appear seemingly out of nowhere.
Unrecorded islands were not unusual.
However, most uncharted islands weren't truly unknown—rather, those who knew of them preferred to keep them secret.
Robin explained that old-era pirates often refused to reveal newly discovered islands, sometimes claiming them as bases or hiding treasure there.
Many great adventurers, especially the legendary pirates, had a habit of burying their fortunes before they died, hoping future explorers would uncover them. The most famous of these was Gol D. Roger, the man who sparked the Great Pirate Era.
"An unknown island, huh?"
Rosen contemplated their options. While the ship was anchored in a good spot, it was still swaying too much for a comfortable night's rest.
On the other hand, they had plenty of equipment for land survival. Their multifunctional tents were well-suited for storms or even snow.
"Assign crew members for ship duty. The rest will come ashore with me," Rosen told Robin. An uncharted island could mean danger—or opportunity.
"Understood," Robin responded, organizing the landing party.
Soon, two small boats were lowered from the Dawn, carrying Rosen's group and the necessary camping supplies.
The Sea King, unable to enter the shallows, waved goodbye to the Dugong and swam away.
Thinking about it, they had to thank that Sea King for getting them to safety so easily.
But what made the little Dugong so special?
Was it truly able to communicate with Sea Kings, or could it at least understand them?
Regardless, it was proof that the Dugong was no ordinary creature.
As the two boats reached the shore, Rosen and the others looked around in astonishment.
Was this a mushroom island?
(End of Chapter)
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