Chapter 504: Pre Battle Mobilization!
Night settled over the sea, and one by one, everyone on the Eternal Ship finished suppressing the surplus power surging inside their bodies.
It still needed time to fully digest, but at least the waves had calmed.
By then, Ryuunosuke had already replayed the footage Gaino provided several times.
"Captain, did you notice something wrong in that fight?" Gaino asked, seeing Ryuunosuke's brows knit tightly.
Gaino had practically memorized every second of that battle. The enemy's abilities were familiar from previous clashes. Sevien's stance and attitude were clear as day. Nothing in the recording screamed danger.
So what exactly was Ryuunosuke staring at now?
"It is too smooth," Ryuunosuke said, pinching the bridge of his nose. His voice was slow and tired. "I keep feeling like something is off."
Hearing that, Gaino scanned the video again. This time he ran through it with his own calculations, breaking every motion into cold, neat logic.
After a long moment, he listed out each result for Ryuunosuke.
Ryuunosuke read them, then sighed.
Maybe he really was overthinking.
"It is fine, Gaino. Go do your own thing," Ryuunosuke said with a faint smile.
"And since you just got used to this body, train with everyone more. Get a better grip on its power."
"Are you telling me to be a punching bag?" Gaino tilted his head in confusion.
"Uh…" Ryuunosuke waved his hand quickly. "No, no. You are reading too much into it."
"You know what everyone's training looks like. Go on."
With that, he shooed Gaino out.
Not long after Gaino left, Najenda walked back in.
"Captain, everyone is in position," she reported.
"Normal training has already started again. What are our next plans?"
"Nothing special for now," Ryuunosuke replied. "Follow your own training schedules."
Najenda nodded and left without another word.
Once she was gone, Ryuunosuke sat in silence for a short while, then snapped his fingers.
The next instant, a clone appeared, bringing Akame and Kuina with it.
"Brother Ryuunosuke?" Akame blinked.
"Captain?" Kuina looked equally confused.
A second ago, the two of them had been eating dessert with Shirahoshi.
"Brother Ryuunosuke, what is it?" Akame asked softly, noticing his expression was not quite right.
"It is nothing serious," Ryuunosuke said. "I just have thoughts I cannot sort out, and I missed you two."
As he spoke, he lifted his hand. A quiet tide of power spread through the room, sealing it off completely.
Even Gaino would not be able to sense this space now.
There were still things Ryuunosuke needed to keep private.
"Captain, we just got back, what are you do Oooh Oooh Oooh…"
Kuina's words cut off mid sentence, swallowed by the sudden closeness.
The cabin fell into silence.
…
It was not until evening that Ryuunosuke finally stepped out onto the deck.
"Captain."
The crew had already gathered. The moment they saw him, everyone stood and looked his way.
"We are almost at Laugh Tale," Ryuunosuke said casually, like he was talking about the weather.
"Use this time to prepare yourselves."
"Especially the combat members. Do not go dying the second you set foot on the island."
The crew traded grins.
"Captain, we are ready already."
"We have been fighting a lot lately."
"Yeah yeah, we are good!"
"But Captain," someone called, half laughing, "what are we even doing on Laugh Tale?"
"If it is just a Pirate King title, that is kinda boring."
"Is there a strong opponent there?" Uvogin bellowed, fists already itching.
Ban smirked beside him, clearly thinking the same thing.
Ryuunosuke's eyes narrowed a little, but his tone stayed light.
"There will definitely be enemies."
"Some beings do not want us to set foot on Laugh Tale."
"I have already prepared you mentally. You will understand once we get there."
He paused, then asked, "By the way, have you all fully absorbed the Infinity Stones I gave you?"
He had heard from more than a few sources that if someone wanted to remain unaffected on Laugh Tale, they needed Infinity Stones.
Ryuunosuke had them. He also carried three Eternal Hearts.
He was ready.
But he needed to know if the others were too.
"Completely absorbed!" voices answered at once.
"That Infinite White Stone is insane!"
"Captain, look!"
Uvogin laughed, and his Nen erupted like a volcanic blast, pushing him straight to his peak state.
He drew back a fist and punched the air.
Boom.
The space itself rippled, turning unstable for an instant.
Even the Eternal Ship swayed from the shock.
This was not Whitebeard's Tremor Tremor Fruit.
Whitebeard's quakes came from Devil Fruit power and the world's rules accepting that force.
Uvogin had just cracked space open through raw strength alone.
The difference was terrifying.
"The Infinite Black Stone is crazy too!" King added, eyes shining. "It makes my abilities even stronger!"
The pillow behind him twisted and expanded into a massive sacred tree.
Then he swung once.
A deep fissure split open in the air like a wound.
Most of King's power came from that sacred tree, but the creative force of the Infinite Black Stone had amplified it into something far more frightening.
That slash alone carried brutal, clean destruction.
…
"Just what kind of monsters are these people…"
Off to the side, Cynthia sat limply on the deck, her face pale.
She and the others had been battered all day by the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
If not for the crew returning to their usual routines, she would probably still be getting beaten right now.
The regret in her chest burned.
Why had she provoked Ryuunosuke in the first place?
If she had not acted back then, she might still be resting quietly with the Guardians now.
"Do not think too much," Sevian said, walking over with food in his hands.
He set it beside her and spoke as if he was talking to someone injured in a storm.
"Being a sandbag on this ship is not actually painful."
"Your strength improves, and as long as the Dragon Hunter Pirates are fine, you punching bags will be fine too."
"In a way, it protects you."
"Peh!"
Cynthia spat right at Sevian feet.
Her hatred for the Dragon Hunter Pirates was mostly because they were enemies.
But Sevian
He was worse.
"You will understand later," Sevian muttered.
He left the food there, then turned and walked away.
Cynthia watched his back, speechless for a moment.
Sika crouched beside her.
"Now is not the time to resist."
"We will figure out how to leave once we get to Laugh Tale."
Cynthia clenched her fists, then finally nodded.
Anger and pride did not change reality.
They were prisoners.
That truth would not budge no matter how hard they raged.
If she wanted a future chance, she needed her body intact.
So instead of choking on fury, she forced herself to breathe, lowered her head, and began to recover.
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