Ten minutes earlier.
At the break of dawn, golden sunlight streamed down from the heavens, and the boundless blue sea shimmered beneath a veil of radiant mist.
Freshly awakened, Ren finished his breakfast and came to the bow of the ship. At the far edge of the horizon, the faint outline of an island emerged.
Quint Island.
Home of the Buggy Pirates!
"Is everyone ready? You still remember your roles, right?"
Ren turned his head. Behind him stood Nami, Nojiko, and Zoro.
"Yeah. Mohji, the beast tamer with a bunch of animals—especially that strong lion of his. I'll take care of protecting the two of them."
Zoro was polishing his sword Ryuen as he spoke, not even glancing up, his expression showing the quiet satisfaction of someone who had finally found a blade he truly liked.
"Cabaji, the sneaky swordsman on a unicycle," Nami said, resting her crimson-and-violet staff on her shoulder, clearly eager for a fight.
Her Desert Eagle was holstered at her waist, and she was already wearing her Silver Scale Chestplate and Golden Bracelet.
"I'll move with you," Nojiko said calmly, spinning the silver Desert Eagle in her hand. "Anyone who tries to hurt me will die."
"Good," Ren said with a faint smile, gazing toward the steadily approaching island.
The Nichirin Blade hung at his waist, its tassel swaying gently in the sea breeze.
As soon as the land features of Quint Island became visible, Ren turned around and reached into the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum, pulling out five Mana Crystals.
Thunderstorm—Charge!
Three intricate magic circles appeared—one at his feet, one around his waist, and one above his head—each glowing with complex, shifting runes.
The five crystals crumbled into powder in his palm, releasing torrents of wild mana that poured into the triple-layered circles.
The swirling runes blazed to life, one after another, until all three circles shone with brilliant light.
Thunderstorm—Charge complete!
"Bear witness… to the Day of Thunder!"
Ren raised his hand toward Quint Island—
—and the world seemed to tremble.
Well… almost.
It didn't actually work instantly. The Thunderstorm spell required time to take effect.
No one else noticed anything unusual—except Nami.
"What did you just do? The weather—it's changing… Is that a thunderstorm?!"
Her voice was sharp with disbelief. As a natural weather genius, she immediately sensed the shift. It felt like an unseen hand was stirring the sky itself—small fluctuations snowballing into a massive transformation.
There was only one possible outcome for such a pattern: a thunderstorm!
"Magic," Ren said quietly, squinting toward the sky as it began to change.
Ten minutes later, the region around Quint Island was no longer the same.
White clouds darkened to black. Torrential rain poured down as howling winds swept across the sea. The world dimmed beneath the storm's shadow.
And at that exact moment—
The Buggy Pirates' banquet grounds had fallen silent.
The pirates stared at one another, stunned. No one had expected this kind of omen before setting sail for battle.
Cold rain slapped their faces mercilessly, mirroring the sudden tension in the air.
"This sign… feels unlucky," someone muttered.
He was instantly silenced by the icy glares of his crewmates.
"Hah! Maybe the heavens are cheering us on!" one pirate laughed nervously. "We pirates are harbingers of disaster, aren't we? Sailing into a storm—what could be more fitting? Let the thunder roar as we—"
BOOOOOM!
A flash tore across the heavens, and thunder exploded right above the rooftop.
It was as if an invisible hand had just slapped Cabaji across the face mid-sentence.
"Hahaha! Serves you right!" Mohji cackled, breaking the tension in the room.
"Damn it…"
Buggy's detached head fell back onto his neck, the smooth seam vanishing instantly. Scowling, he kicked the doors open, letting the roaring wind and pelting rain flood inside.
The pirates shuddered in unison and instinctively huddled deeper into the hall—
—only to see their captain stride out into the storm, raise his middle finger to the sky, and bellow furiously:
"Stupid weather! Ruining my mood! If you're so tough, why don't you make it like the Battle of Edd War again?! If you don't have the guts, then clear up already!
"And if you do—then strike me with lightning, I dare you!"
Buggy's rant echoed through the sheets of rain.
The crew gawked, then—
"WOOOAH, that's our Captain Buggy! What a man!"
"Boss, we'll curse the sky with you!"
"Stupid storm! If you're so great, strike us down too!"
The mob began waving swords and spears, shouting into the sky—
—and then—
KRAK-BOOM!
A web of violet and white lightning split the sky, dozens of bolts cascading down and channeling through the pirates' metal weapons.
Those who shouted the loudest were struck instantly, collapsing in smoking heaps. The rest stood frozen, their hair frizzed into wild afros.
No one spoke. Not even Buggy.
Then, after one heavy beat of silence—
Buggy's head shot into the air, screaming, "DAMN YOU! You think you can mock me like that?!"
Meanwhile, high above the storm, Ren turned toward the direction where the lightning had just struck.
"…The frequency's that high already?" he murmured in surprise.
Why were so many bolts converging on one area? Wait—were there that many people over there?
He never could've guessed that someone would actually stand in a thunderstorm waving metal at the sky.
That was practically begging to be struck.
By now, the Pipi Shrimp had reached the port of Quint Island, carried by the violent winds.
The Buggy Pirates' ships were moored nearby, though only a handful of guards remained.
"Who's there?"
A drunk pirate staggered out of a small port shack, clutching a bottle and blinking blearily at the unfamiliar vessel—and the strangers standing on its deck.
At the forefront stood a black-haired man holding a strange trident, slowly raising his arm as if preparing to throw it.
An attack?
Enemy!
The drunken pirate tensed, his hand darting toward the saber at his waist.
But before he could draw—
A crimson crosshair locked onto him.
Ren swung his arm and hurled the trident with deadly force—
—it buried itself into the ground right at the pirate's feet.
"Missed?" the pirate muttered, half drawing his blade, ready to mock—
—and then the world turned white.
Thunder roared.
Four searing bolts of violet lightning struck down at once, engulfing him in blinding light.
A split second later came the deafening boom, shaking the very air.
"Four hits, huh? Multiple Lightning Strike—heh, worth every crystal."
The trident ripped itself free from the ground and flew back into Ren's hand.
The pirate's body lay charred and smoking, the stench of burnt flesh thick in the air.
Very dead.
"Not bad."
Ren nodded approvingly, then activated Riptide.
Instantly, the rain seemed to reverse its descent, becoming invisible steps that carried him upward.
With a thought, he soared into the stormy sky.
"I'll go first. Handle things your own way."
Without another word, Ren vanished into the clouds, trident in hand—
Eager to unleash his Thunder Punishment.
(End of Chapter)