At dawn, the first rays of sunlight spilled across the deck of the Tengryu, and the cries of gulls over the water served as a wake-up call.
"Another beautiful day!"
Ryuuto stretched and sat up in bed. He was alone in the room now.
Nami had slipped away last night after "halftime" in their little game.
When he reached the deck, Vivi and Crocus were already lounging on chairs, sipping coffee.
"Morning, Captain!" Vivi waved a greeting to Ryuuto.
Ryuuto walked over to their table, grabbing a few slices of bread and a cup of coffee for his own breakfast.
"Strange. Why isn't Nami up yet?" Crocus remarked curiously, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Hah…" Just as he spoke, Nami appeared, letting out a wide yawn.
As a rookie "player," Nami had just been through an intense match last night. It was only natural that she'd be a bit tired and sleep in.
"Nami, why are you walking so strangely?" Vivi suddenly asked, eyeing her.
For a moment, Nami's face flushed red. She muttered, "I think I twisted my ankle yesterday." After saying this, she shot a fierce glare at Ryuuto.
Ryuuto pretended not to notice, focusing on the bread in his hand. He thought to himself, *You were the one who started the kickoff yesterday, Nami!*
Crocus just gave a faint smile, as if he'd seen it all before.
Once Nami had settled in with her own coffee, Ryuuto took a moment to observe her. Despite the fatigue from last night's game, her skin had a rosy, radiant glow.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle even more, and she carried a new air of mature allure.
Nami had become even more beautiful.
Time passed. By day, Mohmoo hunted fish in the depths of the sea, continuing to evolve, while Nami expertly navigated the Tengryu, following the Log Pose's needle.
But by night, when darkness fell… a certain little cat burglar would always sneak into Ryuuto's room.
And so, Ryuuto began to appreciate Nami's different outfits each night.
There was the innocent combination of jeans and a short shirt, the passionate ensemble of tight shorts and a tube top, and even a fiery Hawaiian-style outfit.
Ryuuto found himself dazzled by the variety.
The two rookie players teamed up for their matches. The intense competition, the feeling of breaking a sweat—it immersed them completely in the atmosphere of the game.
Time flew by.
Nami no longer chose to leave after halftime.
"Captain, you're so good at this game!" Nami said, her gaze captivated by Ryuuto as he leaned back against the bed.
His powerful body, his chiseled eight-pack abs, his sharp, handsome face with its strong brows and piercing eyes, the way his short black hair fell across his forehead—he was simply perfect.
"You've gotten stronger too, Nami."
"You used to not be able to last a full game, but now you handle it with ease."
His gaze drifted to Nami's slender, flawless legs and that proud softness of hers.
Nami was born to play.
After her rookie phase, if it weren't for his own physical prowess backing him up, Ryuuto might have actually lost to her.
"Captain, you're the best!"
Nami suddenly snuggled up to Ryuuto and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"You little troublemaker."
As Nami turned her back to him, Ryuuto gave that prominent curve a playful swat.
Slap!…
The happy days flew by.
One day, Nami was peering through a telescope for a while before announcing to the others, "There's an island just ahead!"
"Finally," Vivi murmured softly, glancing between Nami and Ryuuto.
It had all started one morning when Vivi happened to see Nami coming out of Ryuuto's room.
Though Nami had explained she was just grabbing something, Vivi couldn't help but become suspicious.
That night, Vivi purposely stayed up late and saw Nami tiptoe to Ryuuto's door, push it open, and disappear inside.
*Nami… and the Captain!*
Her suspicions solidifying into a guess, Vivi slowly walked closer.
Through the door, she could faintly hear the sounds of their game.
The sounds rose and fell, sometimes high and passionate, sometimes low and deep.
How could Vivi not understand what was happening? Her face flushed crimson in an instant. She fled back to her own room, pulling the covers over her head, her heart pounding for a long time.
People are like that; it's better not to know some things. Once you do, you can't help but pay more attention.
For several nights in a row, Vivi felt as if the sounds of the game were echoing in her ears.
"Alright, Nami. Is the Log Pose pointing to this island too?"
Ryuuto asked, leaping up to the mast. He leaned against the railing, gazing at the island that was slowly emerging from the mist.
"Yes, Captain!"
Nami snapped the map beside her shut. She had just finished recording the Tengryu's route, sketching out a simple chart.
"Roooar!!"
Mohmoo's cry echoed from nearby. Over the past few days, his growth had finally started to plateau.
The sea beast was now 300 meters long, his body covered in black, lightning-like patterns. The fins on his back had grown several meters long, flowing like elegant ribbons in the water.
But the most significant change was to his head.
His long horns now stretched 50 meters into the air, etched with mysterious, spiraling black patterns.
His snout had become longer and more imposing, and two whiskers had begun to sprout from beside his nostrils, growing longer each day.
When Mohmoo opened his mouth, the faint sound of roaring thunder could be heard.
He looked like a creature of myth.
The first time Ryuuto saw Mohmoo in this state, he was startled, thinking some mythical beast from an ancient bestiary had come to life.
Who knows what genes that mad scientist spliced into his Lineage Factor.
He looked like a cross between a bull and a dragon.
"Prepare to dock!" Ryuuto called out. The crew worked together to steer the Tengryu, breaking through the strong offshore currents near the coast.
After about ten minutes, the Tengryu finally docked securely at the island's shore.
The moment they set foot on land, they were greeted by the rich aroma of alcohol wafting through the air.
"What a fragrant aroma of spirits!" Crocus said slowly, taking a deep, greedy sniff.
"It is!" Nami and Vivi agreed.
Ryuuto noticed it wasn't just the air that carried the scent of alcohol.
The plant life here was magical as well.
The island was dotted with small hills, dozens to hundreds of meters high. Thick plumes of vapor continuously shot up from the tops of these hills, rising into the sky before spreading out across the island.
Most of the alcoholic scent came from that thick vapor.
But the magical plant Ryuuto had noticed was a large, ten-meter-tall tree they had just passed. It bore round, yellow fruits that dangled beneath fan-sized leaves, swaying in the breeze.
Thump!!
One of the fruits fell and hit a rock on the ground, splitting in two. A thick, milky-white liquid spilled out, releasing a potent wave of alcohol.
"What is this island called?"
Nami asked curiously.
"Let's call it Sake Island!!"
…