The Going Merry cut steadily through the sea.
Several hours had passed since the bounty reveal, yet the weight of it still lingered in the air. A hundred million beli didn't just change how the world looked at Luffy—it changed how the crew looked at the journey ahead.
Luffy sat atop his cloud-formed throne near the aft deck, one leg crossed over the other, eyes half-lidded as he watched his crew go about their tasks.
Usopp stood to his right, carefully cleaning one of the cannons they had "liberated" from the Marine base, humming nervously as he worked.
Nami and Nojiko lounged behind Luffy on beach chairs, enjoying the sea breeze—at least, Nojiko was enjoying it. Nami kept glancing toward the sky every few minutes, as if afraid treasure might fall out of it.
After a moment, Luffy stood.
"All of you," he called calmly, his voice carrying across the deck.
"Come here."
The crew froze, then slowly gathered at the center of the ship.
Sanji emerged from the galley with a spoon still in hand.
"What's up, captain?"
Luffy didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he tilted his head upward.
Instinctively, everyone followed his gaze.
A dark thundercloud was descending from the sky—dense, controlled, humming faintly with restrained electricity.
Sanji and Zoro stiffened.
"…That's the cloud," Zoro muttered.
"The one holding all the money," Sanji added.
Luffy nodded.
"Before we start," he said casually, stepping toward Nami, "I need to update your punishment."
Nami blinked.
"…What?"
A crackle of blue electricity snapped through the air.
A rope of condensed lightning shot from Luffy's wrist and wrapped around Nami in an instant, binding her arms and legs before she could even scream.
"WHAT THE HELL, LUFFY!?" Nami shouted as she was shoved backward—
—and landed squarely on Luffy's throne.
She struggled.
Nothing budged.
The lightning bindings were anchored directly into the cloud beneath her.
Usopp stared.
"…Captain, is there a reason you tied her up?"
"Yes," Luffy said.
He snapped his fingers.
The thundercloud above them opened.
Gold.
Jewels.
Bags of beli.
Treasure from Arlong Park and Marine Branch 16 rained down in a controlled cascade, piling onto the deck like a dragon's hoard.
Nami's eyes went blank.
Her soul visibly tried to leave her body.
"…No," she whispered. "No no no no no—"
Nojiko laughed as she stepped toward the treasure pile.
"So this is why you tied her up."
She glanced at Luffy, grinning.
"You're cruel, Captain."
Luffy smirked.
Nami strained against the bindings, veins popping in her forehead.
"I CAN SEE HEAVEN AND I CAN'T TOUCH IT—"
"It won't come off," Luffy said calmly, cutting her off.
"Not until I say so."
Nami went still.
Defeated.
"…Monster."
Luffy ignored her and clapped his hands once.
"Alright. Listen up."
He disappeared briefly into his cabin and returned carrying several reinforced bags.
"Sanji—money goes in these."
"Johnny, Yosaku, Nojiko—gold and jewels below deck."
"The cash goes back into the clouds. The rest stays onboard."
Everyone moved immediately.
Even while bound, Nami tracked every single coin with her eyes.
It took nearly an hour to finish organizing everything.
Finally, Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku stood at attention.
"All done, Captain!"
Luffy rose from his cloud.
As he stepped forward, the cloud beneath him expanded, merging with the throne beneath Nami.
He snapped his fingers.
The lightning bindings vanished.
Nami sprang forward—
—and collided face-first into Sanji as Luffy vanished with the money bag in a flash of electricity.
Sanji's face disappeared into her chest.
A geyser of blood erupted from his nose.
When everyone looked again, Luffy was already seated on his throne, the money safely absorbed into the clouds.
"Good," Luffy said.
"Now we begin."
The deck fell silent.
"I'm going to teach you Haki."
Eyes widened.
"I already explained the basics to Zoro," Luffy continued. "He understands what it is—but not how to use it."
Zoro nodded.
Sanji crossed his arms.
"Old man Zeff mentioned it once."
That caught Luffy's attention.
"He said it was a power even Devil Fruit users had to respect."
Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku visibly paled.
Luffy chuckled.
"Not everyone knows Haki," he said. "Only pirates who survive long enough to reach the New World."
Nojiko frowned.
"…New World?"
"The Grand Line isn't one sea," Luffy explained.
"It's two."
"Paradise—the first half."
"And beyond the Red Line… the New World."
Nami swallowed.
"And Paradise is supposed to be the easy part?"
Luffy grinned.
"When compared to what comes after?"
"Yeah."
The crew felt a chill run through them.
"But don't worry," Luffy said, his voice steady.
"You won't be weak when we get there."
The wind picked up.
Thunder rolled faintly in the distance.
Training was coming.
And Logue Town was getting closer.