Bzzzt... bzzzt...
The Den Den Mushi in Ace's coat began to ring.
Reeking of alcohol, Ace fumbled for the strangely shaped snail in his pocket. This particular Den Den Mushi sported a tuft of yellow hair and a pair of red glasses.
"Ace, we've got the latest intel. Teach has been spotted near Impel Down."
An excited voice emanated from the Den Den Mushi.
"For real? Marco?"
The news was like a jolt of lightning. Ace's drunken haze vanished, his eyes instantly regaining their clarity.
"Yes, the information is completely reliable."
The Marco-like Den Den Mushi first nodded in confirmation, then adjusted its glasses, its tone becoming incredibly serious. "But Ace, I have to warn you again. Be careful of Teach!"
Suddenly, another voice cut in from the side, slightly hoarse but full of vigor, tinged with a hint of pleading. "Ace, I'll deal with Teach. You just come home!"
"I know, I know. Don't worry!" Ace replied breezily, running a hand through his hair.
Then he lowered his head, clenching his fist. His voice dropped, slow and steady, carrying a tone that would brook no argument. "Pops, I won't let Teach get away! I swear I'll bring you his head myself!"
"Alright, Ace. Pops is just worried about you!" Marco's voice returned, "But according to our intel, Teach isn't alone anymore. You have to be extremely careful."
Marco continued to drone on, the Den Den Mushi perfectly mimicking his nagging expression.
"Alright, alright, you guys!"
Ace couldn't stand it when Marco got like this. He muttered a few complaints and promptly hung up the Den Den Mushi.
"Honestly..." Ace grumbled, rubbing his throbbing temples.
"Blackbeard?" Ryuuto also stirred, pushing himself up from the table. Hearing the name, he turned his gaze to Ace.
The group had been drinking in a tavern, a final farewell before parting ways. But the monkey wine, having been aged in a cave for years, was a bit stronger than they'd anticipated. One careless moment, and they were all thoroughly drunk.
Nami and Vivi were already slumped over the table, fast asleep.
Crocus, perhaps in high spirits from seeing Ace, had also been drinking with gusto. His face was beet red, and he was now sprawled across his chair, muttering nonsense.
"Ryuuto, I have to go!" Ace said, seeing that Ryuuto was awake.
"I heard," Ryuuto said, shaking his own slightly fuzzy head. Then, as if struck by a thought, he spoke up again. "Ace, I'll go with you!"
"Huh...?" Ace was clearly not expecting that.
"I have a feeling! This is all part of destiny's plan! I've been meaning to meet him," Ryuuto said, unable to outright state that Ace was no match for Blackbeard. He could only blame it on fate.
"Gahahaha! Then come on!"
Ace didn't overthink it. He simply grinned and extended a hand to Ryuuto.
After making arrangements with Crocus to have him stay on Sake Island and oversee Nami and Vivi's special training, Ryuuto departed. He hoped that the next time he returned, he would find their skills had improved dramatically.
Ryuuto and Ace then gathered some food and supplies and headed for the coast.
They decided to leave the Soaring Dragon behind. For this journey, their steed would be Mohmoo.
After devouring the giant eel, Mohmoo had undergone another growth spurt, its body now stretching an incredible 500 meters. It was the perfect choice for a sea voyage.
"Mohmoo!" Ryuuto called out across the water.
In the distance, a colossal figure was lazing on the surface, basking in the sun.
"Moooh!" Hearing Ryuuto's voice, Mohmoo flicked its tail and began swimming powerfully toward the shore.
As the giant sea cow drew closer, Ryuuto noticed a small figure perched on its head.
"Nami! What are you doing here?!"
Nami was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, loose yellow-green pants, and a wide-brimmed brown hat, looking every bit the part of an adventurer.
"Captain, I was worried about you!" Nami first said with a pout, trying to win his sympathy. Then she put her hands on her hips and declared righteously, "Besides, I'm the navigator! How can you two go to sea without me?"
"I don't know what to do with you!" Ryuuto said, looking at her with exasperation.
"Gahahaha! Welcome aboard, Miss Nami!" Ace glanced from Nami to Ryuuto. It wasn't hard to guess their relationship, and he found the scene highly amusing.
"Exactly..." Nami said, a blush creeping up her ears as she shyly agreed.
Nami's sudden appearance had completely upended Ryuuto's plans.
The three of them hopped onto Mohmoo's head.
At 500 meters long, Mohmoo's head alone was dozens of meters wide. Even after all three sat down, it still felt incredibly spacious.
"Moooh!" Seeing its passengers settled, Mohmoo let out a great cry and began to swim steadily in a single direction.
In the world of One Piece, one could navigate not only with a Log Pose but also with a Vivre Card.
The trio was now following the direction indicated by the Vivre Card in Ace's hand.
Of course, this card didn't belong to Blackbeard Teach, but to Marco.
Marco's Vivre Card would lead them toward the New World. To get there from Paradise, they had to traverse the first half of the Grand Line.
Impel Down was located in the Calm Belt near the Red Line.
So, Ace's plan was to first head for the vicinity of the Red Line and then get more precise information on Teach's whereabouts. The Whitebeard Pirates would continue to provide him with a steady stream of intel.
Riding the swiftly moving Mohmoo across the sea, Ace was reminded of his own days traveling by his small boat. As much as he loved his flame-powered Striker, it couldn't compare to this smooth ride.
The days at sea passed quickly. The wind whipped waves from the ocean's surface, which crashed against Mohmoo's massive body. The sun warmed their skin.
Ryuuto, Ace, and Nami basked in the sunlight, eating the food they had brought along.
"There seems to be an island up ahead. Should we check it out?" Nami asked after several days of travel, pointing to a landmass that had appeared on the horizon.
"Let's make landfall and restock," Ace said before Ryuuto could answer.
After traveling for so long, they couldn't be far from the Red Line. Their food supply was running low, and Mohmoo was beginning to show signs of fatigue. The island was a perfect place to recuperate.
Besides, traveling on Mohmoo was much faster than on his Striker; they had plenty of time to spare. They hadn't received any new intel on Blackbeard, which meant he was likely still somewhere near the Red Line.
"Mohmoo, course set for the island ahead!"
Seeing Ryuuto nod in agreement, Nami shouted the command to the giant sea cow.