The azure sea stretched endlessly, its shimmering waters glinting brilliantly under the sunlight.
A massive three-masted sailing ship cut through the waves, its white sails flapping in the gentle breeze as the hull sliced through the calm sea, leaving a long wake behind.
On the deck, Kaidou was guiding several Executives through their daily training. His deep, resonant voice echoed across the deck as he periodically corrected their movements. Sunlight bathed his bronze skin, highlighting his robust muscular physique where every muscle seemed to contain boundless strength.
Since leaving the Sky Island Birka, Kaidou had used his abilities to safely lower the entire pirate ship from the ten-thousand-meter-high White White Sea down to the ocean surface. When the vessel landed steadily on the water, the crew erupted in cheers, their admiration for Kaidou growing even deeper.
To everyone's surprise, however, after descending from the high altitude, they discovered they were no longer in the familiar Grand Line but had arrived in the distant West Sea.
"King, your future training will focus on swordsmanship, physical combat, and your Devil Fruit abilities," Kaidou turned and said to King, who stood before him with a young face full of determination. "You haven't had your Devil Fruit for long, and you're still in your rapid physical development phase. The next few years will be your period of fastest growth. As long as you follow the routine, your future is promising!" Kaidou's voice brimmed with encouragement. He continued, "You've already grasped the basics of Armament Haki and Observation Haki. As for the final Conqueror's Haki - King, as the last descendant of the race people call 'gods,' I believe you have the qualification. You just need to dig deep and unlock your potential."
"Brother Kaidou, I..." King hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, as if he still lacked confidence in his abilities.
Kaidou recognized his concerns and stepped forward to pat his shoulder. "King, as my right-hand man in the future, you'll face countless powerful enemies. I believe you won't disappoint me, will you?" His gaze was full of expectation, as if he could already see King's glorious future.
"Brother Kaidou, I won't let you down." Looking into Kaidou's eyes, King's hesitation vanished, replaced by firm conviction. He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with intensity.
Kaidou nodded in satisfaction and turned to the next crew member.
"Bullet, your training will focus on physical combat and Devil Fruit abilities," Kaidou said to Bullet, a burly young man who always wore a confident smile. "I already have ideas about your Devil Fruit - we should be able to acquire it not long after we return to the New World."
Kaidou's tone carried a hint of mystery, as if he had already charted Bullet's future path. "Beyond that, there are the Three Colors of Haki. Similarly, you've grasped the basics of Armament Haki and Observation Haki. As for Conqueror's Haki, that will depend on your own ambition."
"Don't worry, Captain. I will definitely become the strongest in the world," Bullet responded with full confidence, his voice booming with fighting spirit.
Kaidou smiled slightly, quite satisfied with his answer, and equally confident in Bullet's potential. He believed the other would undoubtedly become one of the world's top powerhouses in the future.
"Uh, Boss Kaidou, everything else is manageable, but Conqueror's Haki? You're really making things difficult for me!" Queen complained immediately as Kaidou's gaze turned toward him. He was a plump crew member, his face always wearing a comical expression.
Kaidou looked at him, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes. "Hmph! Don't worry, I never expected you to have that kind of talent anyway."
His tone carried a hint of teasing.
"Hey, hey, hey, Boss Kaidou, are you looking down on me?!" Queen retorted, hearing the disdain in Kaidou's words. His face was full of indignation, as if he had been greatly insulted.
"What, do you think you have that qualification?" Kaidou retorted, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Well, this..." At these words, Queen was left speechless, his expression instantly deflating. He scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Kaidou shook his head and continued, "Queen, for you, I hope you'll focus on strengthening your physical combat training. Nowadays, even King and Bullet, who are younger than you, have awakened Two-Color Haki. You're the only one who hasn't awakened it yet. You need to train harder." His tone carried a hint of sternness, but more than that, it was filled with concern. "Besides that, I agree with incorporating technological power into your combat system, but that will have to wait until we return to the New World. After you eat the Devil Fruit I've prepared for you, you can modify your body. Otherwise, I'm afraid you might end up killing yourself."
"Boss Kaidou, don't worry. I can already feel it—it won't be long before I awaken Haki," Queen declared confidently, patting his chest. A self-assured smile reappeared on his face, as if he could already see his future strength.
"Urouge, what you lack most right now is physical combat training and battle experience," Kaidou turned to Urouge, the young man he had forcibly brought aboard. Urouge was a quiet fellow, but his eyes always held a firm determination. "Physical training can be taken slowly. As for battle experience, you can often spar with Bullet and the others. Bullet grew up on the battlefield and has rich experience—you can learn a lot from him."
"I understand, Captain," Urouge nodded, his voice low but resolute. After spending some time together, he had begun to accept Kaidou as his leader. A flicker of gratitude shone in his eyes, as if he deeply valued Kaidou's guidance.
"Sebastian, Gavin, at this stage, both of you should also hone your bodies and awaken Two-Color Haki as soon as possible. Once we return to the New World, the enemies we face won't be the small fries you've encountered so far," Kaidou said to Sebastian and Gavin.
"Yes, Captain, we'll work hard," Sebastian and Gavin replied in unison. Their voices were filled with determination, as if they were already prepared to face future challenges.
"Alright, that's it. We'll continue sailing now. Once we find a small island to determine our position, we'll prepare to return to the New World," Kaidou said to the group. His gaze swept over each of them, as if assessing their condition.
"Captain, what about me? You haven't given me any assignment yet." Enel's youthful voice rang out. He was the youngest crew member, his face still carrying a childlike innocence.
"You, little Enel, should drink more milk and grow up first! Muhahaha." Queen looked at Enel and laughed heartily. His laughter was full of teasing, as if he was amusing himself with a child.
"Hmph, you big fatty! Just you wait - when I grow up, I'll beat you until you're crawling on the ground looking for your teeth!" Enel said indignantly, his small face filled with defiance.
"Brat, let me tell you again - this isn't called fat, it's called voluptuous." Queen said to Enel, then directly flicked him on the forehead.
Enel covered his head, a glimmer of tears flashing in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to cry.
"Hmph, big fatty." Enel stubbornly repeated, as if this was his greatest counterattack against Queen.
"Alright, that's enough fooling around. Enel, you're still too young right now. Just do some training on your own! When you're a bit older, I'll assign you proper training tasks." Kaidou said to Enel, his tone carrying a touch of gentleness.
"Yes, Captain!" Enel quickly responded, a smile reappearing on his face. His eyes were filled with anticipation for the future, as if he could already see how powerful he would become when he grew up.
The sea breeze blew gently, the sails billowed in the wind, and the ship continued moving forward across the azure sea.
Kaidou stood at the bow, gazing into the distance as if contemplating future plans. The crew members were each busy with their tasks - some training, some repairing ship equipment, some preparing food. The entire ship was filled with vitality and energy, like a vessel carrying dreams sailing toward unknown horizons.