Tesoro stood on the deck, the nautical chart in his hands flapping violently in the sea breeze. His brow furrowed as his fingers tapped against a golden abacus, producing a crisp metallic sound.
He had always thought his captain was the reliable type, the same man who once saved him and Stella from the hands of the Celestial Dragons. That moment had given him a sense of safety he had never known.
"Off course again," he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing toward the hazy horizon.
The Bruma Jackson had been circling the same stretch of sea for two full days.
From the deck planks, Moria's shadow oozed up lazily as he yawned. "Heh, heh, heh… Didn't the captain say 'just follow your instincts'? That's how we've always done it."
"Instincts?" Tesoro sneered, pointing at the compass. The needle spun like a drunken dancer. "At this rate we'll either drift into the Calm Belt or run straight into a Navy patrol!"
Perona floated over, hugging Laboon in her arms, looking innocent. "But doesn't the Log Pose point us to the next island?"
"Twenty-three Log Poses, pointing in twenty-three directions!" Tesoro finally snapped. "Has anyone even bothered to read the nautical chart properly?!"
On the other side of the deck, Rett was sunbathing. He cracked an eye open at the commotion. "Relax, Tesoro. We're not in the New World yet. Out here, even if we hit the Calm Belt, our ship's got power cores we'll manage. The sea can't scare us that easily."
"Tesoro, don't get so uptight," Rett grinned, shark-like teeth glinting. "The ocean will guide us."
Tesoro inhaled sharply, fighting to steady his temper. "Captain, our course has completely veered off the plan. If this continues—"
"Plan?" Rett waved dismissively. "Who needs a plan? Adventure's supposed to be full of the unknown! Besides, I never made a plan to begin with."
He wasn't in any hurry to reach Laugh Tale anyway. After being turned away once, Rett intended to wait for the right time.
In the corner, Enel squatted with sparks flickering across his fingers. "Mortals are troublesome… If it were me, I'd just fly straight across."
Tesoro's temple throbbed. To think he had joined a crew of misfits! It was sheer strength alone that had kept them alive this long.
Couldn't this reckless captain just return to the reliable man he had been that day he killed a Celestial Dragon? Back then, Rett had seemed so dependable.
As night fell, the sea suddenly grew unnervingly calm.
Too calm. Without a proper navigator, Tesoro had no choice but to stay vigilant.
He stood at the stern, moonlight glinting coldly off his golden rings. His Observation Haki picked up a subtle disturbance the current was flowing unnaturally.
"All hands, battle stations!" he barked.
Too late.
On the horizon, a massive black wall slowly rose it wasn't the night sky, but a tidal wave a hundred meters tall.
"Tsunami?!" Perona screamed, clutching Laboon tighter. The little whale instantly expanded, shielding her with his massive body. The two were clearly inseparable now.
Moria's shadow surged outward. "Heh, heh, heh… Now this is interesting. I'll just slice the wave apart."
Rett's blood mist boiled, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Now that's what I call adventure! Go on, Moria I'm counting on you."
Tesoro clutched the helm, gritting his teeth. "We've been dragged into a storm current! Without a proper navigator—"
His words drowned beneath the deafening roar of the waves.
The Bruma Jackson pitched violently, the mast groaning under strain. Tesoro reinforced key parts of the ship with his Gold-Gold powers, but his expression darkened with each passing second.
"This won't do…" he hissed. "We need someone who truly understands the sea!"
Rett flashed across the deck, cleaving waves apart with blood-forged blades, still sounding maddeningly casual. "Tesoro, stop being so serious."
Moria unleashed wave after wave of shadow blades from the bow.
"Captain!" Tesoro finally exploded. "This isn't a joke! A real pirate ship can't rely only on brute force and dumb luck. We need someone who can read the ocean!"
His voice rang clear even over the storm. "We need a navigator!"
By the time the Phoenix Dawn staggered out of the unknown waters, dawn was already breaking, pale light streaking across the horizon.
The crew lay sprawled across the deck, exhausted. Stella handed out homemade pastries and juice with Perona and Laboon's help. Rett, of course, remained unfazed no storm in Paradise could ever sink the Bruma Jackson as long as he was aboard.
Tesoro leaned against the railing, staring at the faint silhouette of an island. He called out to Rett, voice edged with steel. "Next island we must recruit a navigator."
Rett wiped seawater from his face, smirking. "What's this? Feeling powerless already?"
Tesoro's expression didn't change. "Captain, unless you want us all eaten by Sea Kings."
Perona floated closer, whispering timidly, "Honestly… having a real navigator wouldn't be so bad…"
Rett glanced at his crew. Then, suddenly, his grin widened. "Fine! Next stop—" He thrust his finger toward the distant island. "We're finding a navigator!"
As the Bruma Jackson neared the seemingly quiet island, Rett's Observation Haki caught the undercurrent of emotions rippling from its people.
Their resentment spiked the moment a young woman with flowers walked by.
The village elder stepped forward, glaring. "What are you staring at? Get back! Without Master Lina, you'd all have starved long ago."
The villagers bit back their retorts, silenced under his stern gaze.
Rett stepped forward, tossing a thousand Berries into the elder's hands. "Old man, we're looking for a skilled navigator. Anyone come to mind?"
The elder hesitated, wanting to refuse. But the weight of the coins spoke of his need his clothes were worn, and poverty clung to him. At last, he pocketed the money and looked at Rett with guarded trust.
"You don't seem like bad men. If it's a navigator you seek, there is Lina. She's exceptionally talented… though…"
He invited them to his home.
"I'm sorry, I only have boiled water to offer."
"Elder Bell, could you tell us why Lina is treated so coldly? I saw the hatred in people's eyes when she passed."
The elder sighed heavily. "Lina's master was once a seasoned navigator. She tried to help the villagers by leading them out to sea to fish. At first, it worked people's lives improved, the seas were bountiful, and everyone prospered with hard work.
But then, a sudden tsunami struck. Lina's master had warned them not to push deeper that disaster awaited.
Greed blinded them. You can guess the rest. Despite saving many with all her strength, lives were still lost.
The families of the dead unleashed their grief and fury on her master.
'It's your fault!' they cried.
'You led us to our deaths!'
She and I tried to explain that it was a force of nature, beyond anyone's control. But their shouts drowned her words.
In the end, she left this place she once called home. Since then, the villagers have nursed a deep prejudice against navigators."
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