Chapter 103: Grassland Training – Six Powers & New Horizons
When Sol arrived at the port carrying the packed treasure, the Merry had already raised her sails. Nami stood at the stern, stamping her foot impatiently: "Too slow! You guy!"
"I know, I know~" Sol leaped onto the deck in one bound and casually wrapped an arm around Nami's shoulders. "See? Made it just in time."
"Let go, idiot!" Nami's face flushed red as she raised her fist, but the blow softened into a gentle push.
As the Merry slowly pulled away from the harbor, the silhouette of G-8 Fortress gradually faded into the distance. Luffy stood on the figurehead with both arms raised high: "Set sail! Next island!"
Up in the fortress watchtower, Jonathan held binoculars, watching the noisy little ship disappear over the horizon. A meaningful smile curved his lips.
At that moment Jessica entered the office carrying a steaming plate of food and gently placed it in front of him: "Eat something first. You'll have a lot to deal with later."
Jonathan lifted the cover and was delighted to see a golden-brown grilled steak. He eagerly cut off a large piece and put it in his mouth. The tender, juicy texture made him close his eyes in satisfaction.
"Weird…" While chewing, Jonathan suddenly frowned. "It smells like meat, tastes like meat, but something feels… off…"
"Hehe~" Jessica covered her mouth with a soft laugh, then magically produced a handwritten recipe book from behind her back. The cover featured a chibi caricature of Sol making a goofy face. "Of course—it's little Sol's Complete Guide to Vegetarian Disguises~ Next up are vegetarian steak, vegetarian fish, vegetarian ham…"
Cold sweat beaded on Jonathan's forehead. He suddenly remembered the meaningful smile Sol had given him before leaving. So that's what he was planning!
"That damn brat…" he muttered through gritted teeth, but the moment he saw his wife's eager expression, he instantly wilted.
Outside the window came the noisy sounds of soldiers carrying the "wounded." Right now, the Commander felt like he was the biggest "victim" of this entire drill.
Meanwhile, several nautical miles away on the Merry, Sol suddenly sneezed.
"Someone cursing you?" Nami raised an eyebrow.
Sol looked back toward G-8 Fortress and showed a devilish grin: "Nah. Just thinking about a certain picky eater uncle who's probably discovering the truth right about now~"
"But seriously, it's great everyone made it back safely," Usopp wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh of relief. "I was so anxious waiting on the Merry."
Vivi looked around the refreshed deck, eyes sparkling: "Usopp, you repaired the Merry so beautifully! It looks like a brand-new ship!"
"Hahaha, of course!" Usopp proudly gave a thumbs-up. "I worked together with the best shipwright uncle in the fortress. He said even though the Merry looks old on the outside, she's an amazing ship at her core!"
He gently stroked the railing, tone suddenly serious: "We really should treat the Merry well. She's been with us from the East Blue all the way to the Grand Line—she's our most important crewmate."
Luffy suddenly dropped down from the mast head-first, straw hat swaying in the wind: "Then let's find a shipwright to join us! The Merry is our home, our nakama—we need an expert who can take good care of her!"
"In that case…" Sol rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about heading to Water 7 next? It's the holy land of shipbuilding."
"Water 7?" Chopper blinked curiously with big round eyes.
Robin closed her book with a gentle smile: "The island famous worldwide for its shipbuilding technology? Yes, it's definitely the best place to look for a shipwright."
"What what? Tell me quick—what fun stuff is there?!" Luffy flipped down and excitedly spun around Sol.
Sol pressed down on his head: "Idiot captain, you just need to know—" He deliberately dragged out the words. "—that the Pirate King's ship, the Oro Jackson, was built there."
"Eh?! Eh?! EHHHH?!" Everyone shouted in unison—even the usually stoic Zoro opened his eyes wide.
"The Pirate King's ship?!" Luffy's eyes instantly turned into stars; his whole body ignited with excitement. "Awesome! It's decided! We're going to Water 7 to find a new nakama!"
"Then I'll head to the kitchen and make something to eat. Everyone must be starving. Sol, come help me out," Sanji said, cigarette in mouth, turning toward the galley. Sol asked what everyone wanted to eat and followed him in.
Several days later, the Golden Merry sailed smoothly across the blue sea.
"Luffy! Land spotted!" Usopp suddenly shouted from the lookout post, telescope glinting in the sunlight.
"Really?! Awesome!" Luffy tossed aside his fishing rod, rubber arms waving excitedly. "Full speed ahead! Prepare to land!"
As the ship slowly approached the coast, a vast, boundless grassland came into view. Green waves of grass rippled in the breeze, stretching all the way to the horizon.
"What a perfect spot," Sol leaned against the railing, squinting into the distance. "After we dock, let's camp here for half a month."
Nami frowned at that, shaking her Log Pose: "Do we really need to stay that long? The needle shouldn't take nearly that much time to record."
"Not for recording," Sol turned with a mysterious smile. "We've finally got such an open space. I'm going to give Vivi special training—and guide all of you while I'm at it."
"Special training?" Zoro immediately perked up, hand unconsciously resting on his sword hilt. "Perfect chance to solidify the Armament Haki I just learned."
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring thoughtfully: "Those techniques you showed back on Skypiea?" He clearly remembered how Sol had walked through the air as if it were solid ground.
Sol nodded, gaze sweeping over the crew on deck: "Exactly. Sanji—you've always wanted to learn that one, right? Now we finally have time to teach you properly."
The Golden Merry anchored steadily at the shore. Everyone followed Sol onto the soft grassland. A gentle breeze passed through, sending waves across the green expanse; distant birds soared through the clear blue sky.
"Gather up!" Sol clapped his hands; his voice carried clearly across the open plain. Once everyone formed a circle, he crossed his arms, expression serious: "Next, I'm going to teach you a body technique style called the Six Powers."
Sol slowly raised a finger: "Shave, Iron Body, Paper Art, Moon Step, Tempest Kick, Finger Pistol—these are techniques that surpass normal human limits." He paused, looking at each eager face. "Master them fully, and you'll be able to fight Devil Fruit users on equal terms."
With that, Sol's figure blurred—he vanished from his spot and reappeared ten meters away in the next instant. "This is Shave."
Next he thrust his arm forward sharply; his fingertip pierced the air with a sharp whistle. "This is Finger Pistol."
Then he leaped upward, feet stepping on empty air as though climbing invisible stairs, hovering in midair. "This is Moon Step."
Finally he spun in midair and delivered a sideways kick; a razor-sharp wind blade sliced out, neatly cutting distant grass in half. "This is Tempest Kick."
"You can choose which ones you want to learn based on your interests," Sol said after landing. "But I don't recommend Iron Body. I only mastered all Six Powers because of systematic training, but I almost never use Iron Body."
"Why not?" Chopper raised a fluffy little hoof, big round eyes full of curiosity.
Sol crouched down and ruffled Chopper's hat: "Just remember—train Iron Body too much and your brain gets stupid." He stood back up seriously: "If you really want better defense, focus on the Armament Haki I taught you earlier."
Sanji exhaled another smoke ring thoughtfully: "That move that lets you walk in the air… Moon Step, right? I definitely want to learn it."
"What about Paper Art?" Vivi tilted her head slightly, eyes showing confusion. "You didn't demonstrate that one earlier, Sol."
Sol gave a light laugh and explained: "Actually, Paper Art and Iron Body are essentially embryonic forms of dual-color Haki. That's why I only focused on demonstrating the other four techniques just now."
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