The sky was clear, the wind brisk, and the waves rolled with a restless pace.
The Going Merry sailed steadily, guided by the log pose acquired at Crown Island.
A carefree atmosphere enveloped the ship, each crew member passing the time in their usual way.
In the lounge, three figures filled the space with life.
Sanji and Silk were in the kitchen, preparing a meal with practiced ease. Near the table, Usopp perched on a plain bench—his so-called "Usopp Factory"—tinkering away, while Chopper watched with wide-eyed fascination.
Usopp's nimble hands were a marvel, never failing to captivate. Chopper, brimming with curiosity, piped up.
"Hey, Usopp, what're you making today?"
"Hm? Oh, Nami's been nagging me to whip up a new weapon. Guess who's the only one in this crew with the skills to pull it off? That's right, the great Captain Usopp! So, I'm throwing something together for her."
"You're good at so many things, Usopp!"
"Heh, you know it! Let me tell you a story. Back when I was seven—"
At the unremarkable bench dubbed the "Usopp Factory," Usopp launched into one of his tall tales. Chopper leaned in, eyes sparkling, hanging on every word.
Usopp was a character, but Chopper's boundless curiosity made the moment infectious. Silk glanced at them with a warm smile as she worked.
Sanji, meanwhile, was all grins, basking in Silk's attention.
"Chopper seems like he's settled in," Silk said. "He looks happier than before."
"Maybe he let loose after that last island," Sanji replied.
"Yeah."
They'd heard bits and pieces about Crown Island during the banquet there, but Silk, stuck on ship duty, hadn't witnessed it firsthand. She couldn't shake a faint pang of loneliness, feeling left out of the moment that had changed Chopper.
"Still, staying behind on the ship gets kinda lonely," she admitted. "Next time, I wanna go on the adventure with everyone."
"I'd love to adventure with you, Silk-chan! ♡ Next island, we're sticking together, yeah?"
"There goes Sanji again, losing it," Chopper muttered.
"Oh, right! I was supposed to make a cure for Sanji's hopeless romantic shtick," Usopp chimed in.
Silk and Chopper exchanged exasperated looks at Sanji's lovesick grin.
It was a peaceful moment, the kind where such lighthearted banter could flourish.
The easy conversation flowed until the aroma of finished cooking filled the lounge. Usopp and Chopper lit up with eager smiles—it was lunchtime.
Sanji glanced at them, his smile softer than when he'd been fawning over Silk. "Food's ready. Chopper, go round up the others."
"Got it!" Chopper chirped.
"And Usopp, clear that bench already. It's in the way."
"Don't call it a bench! It's the Usopp Factory!"
"Same difference."
Chopper darted out to the deck, beaming, while Usopp grudgingly stowed his tools. Sanji and Silk plated the food with care.
As Chopper returned, the rest of the crew poured into the lounge, filling it with their usual clamor. They settled into their habitual seats—not assigned, but a routine born of time.
Sanji and Silk set the dishes on the table. Luffy's eyes gleamed with uncontainable excitement, matched by Chopper and Karoo's eager stares at the spread. The others wore calmer expressions, though no less pleased.
Nami shot Luffy a warning glance as he reached for the food too soon. After a brief wait, with everything set and Sanji and Silk seated, the meal began.
"Alright, Luffy, go for it," Nami said.
"Mmmph! So good!" Luffy shouted through a mouthful.
"Itadakimasu!" Usopp bellowed, and the crew dug in.
The food, as always, was flawless—each bite drawing relaxed smiles and contented murmurs. Just another meal aboard the Merry.
"So damn good!" Luffy crowed.
"Obviously. You know who made it," Sanji said smugly.
"Your cooking's always amazing, Sanji," Chopper said. "Was the food at that Sea Restaurant place this good too?"
"Eh, it was decent. But I was the best chef there, naturally."
"Wow!" Chopper's eyes sparkled.
Luffy's enthusiasm was contagious, and Chopper's endless curiosity painted him as the crew's unofficial youngest sibling. Despite most of the Straw Hats being in their teens or twenties, his presence shifted the dynamic, infusing the table with a fresh energy.
But Vivi sat quietly, her expression clouded. She ate slowly, her movements heavy, clearly distracted.
Sanji leaned in, concern creasing his brow. "Something wrong, Vivi-chan? Food not to your taste?"
"Oh, no, it's delicious. I'm sorry," she said quickly.
"Got something on your mind?" Nami asked gently.
Vivi's gaze dropped. "I'm just… worried. About Alabasta. Is it okay?"
Nami's face softened. "I get it. It's natural to worry."
"I know panicking won't help," Vivi said, her voice small. "But…"
Her face said it all—she was consumed by fear for her homeland. Nami frowned, sharing her unease. They'd had no news of Alabasta, and without an Eternal Pose, they had no clear path to get there. What if they were too late?
The log pose on Nami's wrist pointed to the next island, but there was no guarantee it was Alabasta. Was this course even the right one? The uncertainty gnawed at Vivi.
So far, Kiri held the only solid intel on Baroque Works. His assurances had kept them going, but what if his predictions were wrong?
Nami glanced at Kiri, who looked unusually troubled, his usual smirk absent.
"If you're asking if Alabasta's okay, I can only say it's probably fine," Kiri said.
"Based on what?" Nami pressed.
"Nothing solid, but it's what I'd do."
"That's it? Vivi's serious here. Can you think a little harder?"
"I am thinking. Look, there's no news in the papers. If Alabasta had been taken over, it'd be front-page news, especially with a Warlord involved."
"That's true, but…"
"The boss hasn't made his move yet. I'm sure of it."
Kiri's tone was light, almost flippant, but his confidence was unshakable. Nami and Vivi fell silent, unable to argue further, though doubt lingered.
Kiri sighed. "Still, we should probably do something soon. Following the log pose doesn't guarantee we'll reach Alabasta. An Eternal Pose is our best bet."
"But didn't those Pirate Island folks pick a route to Alabasta for us?" Usopp asked.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't trust them," Kiri said flatly.
Usopp blinked, stunned. "What? I thought they were legit. Wasn't their shop all about Eternal Poses?"
"Pirates aren't exactly trustworthy. Especially not ones who'd mess with a duel."
"They lied to us? That's low!"
"Says the guy who spins tall tales," Kiri teased. "It's a pirate island. What do you expect?"
Usopp flushed. "Sh-shut up! I'm plenty trustworthy!"
Kiri shrugged, grinning, but the mood soured. Vivi's anxiety deepened. Where was this route even taking them?
"What do we do?" she murmured. "If we could just get an Eternal Pose to Alabasta…"
"Going back to Pirate Island won't help," Usopp said glumly.
"Oh, right," Kiri said suddenly. "I got a message last night. Dorry and Brogy are on Pirate Island now."
"What?!" Usopp shouted. "Why'd you keep that quiet? The masters left their island?!"
"I didn't hide it. It came after you all crashed. They sent a letter—not written by them, probably by some navigator friend they ran into."
"So the masters are back at sea," Usopp said, awed. "They're building a new ship, huh? A big one, I bet."
"Yeah, but that's not the point," Nami snapped, steering them back. "We need an Eternal Pose to Alabasta. Crocodile might not have moved yet, but we can't dawdle. The people are suffering, right?"
Kiri and Usopp sighed in unison. "Yeah, but…"
"There's gotta be something we can do," Usopp muttered.
The lively meal had turned heavy. Zoro and Sanji listened intently, their faces serious. Luffy and Chopper, drawn into the conversation, watched quietly. Vivi, Igaram, and Karoo wore complex expressions, torn between hope and fear.
Nami cursed her inability to offer a solution. Silk, sensing the tension, turned to Kiri. "Can't you think of something?"
"It's tricky," Kiri admitted, throwing up his hands. "This one's tough."
The lounge grew quiet, the usual cheer replaced by a weighty silence.
Then, a squawk echoed from the deck.
"News Coo? At lunchtime?" Nami said, puzzled.
"It said it's got a delivery," Chopper replied.
Nami turned to him, recalling something. "Wait, you can talk to animals, right?"
"Yeah, 'cause I'm an animal!" Chopper said proudly.
"That's a crazy skill," Silk said. "We didn't have anyone like that on the ship before."
"R-really? Nah, it's not a big deal!" Chopper stammered, blushing. "Idiot!"
"Chopper, stop waving that fork," Sanji scolded.
"I'll check it out," Kiri said, standing.
Kiri returned quickly, holding a letter and an Eternal Pose. All eyes locked onto him.
"That's the delivery?" Nami asked.
"Yup. From Blueberry Times," Kiri said.
"What's that?" Usopp asked.
"A pirate newspaper, mostly for the Grand Line."
Kiri handed the Eternal Pose to Nami. Its destination wasn't Alabasta but an unfamiliar island: Blue Square. The log pose would lead them there.
Nami stared at it, uneasy. "Why's a newspaper sending us an Eternal Pose? We only subscribe to the World Economy News, and this feels way too suspicious."
"There's a letter too. I'll read it," Kiri said.
"That's what I'm saying! It's weird for a newspaper to send this, not just a delivery guy."
"There's probably a reason," Kiri said calmly.
He opened the letter and began reading aloud as the crew ate, their attention fixed on him.
"'Dear esteemed pirates, if you're reading this, you've been invited to a grand pirate festival.'"
"Pirate festival?" Nami echoed, frowning.
"Sounds like bad news," Usopp muttered. "Like that Dead End race all over again."
Kiri continued. "'In recent years, the World Government's scrutiny of pirates has tightened. Censorship prevents even newspapers from reporting the truth. Pirate stories are twisted and misrepresented.'"
"Yeah, they don't exactly show our good side," Sanji said.
"It's the government's privilege," Nami added. "Pirates don't get that luxury."
"Except Kiri," Zoro said. "Remember Arlong's case? Wonder what happened to the paper that published that."
"'The world sees pirates as evil,'" Kiri read on. "'But we want them to know not all pirates harm innocent people. They're beings who love freedom.'"
The words hung in the air. Kiri's voice was steady as he continued.
"'I want to show their true selves. And so, I thought—what better way than through a game? A stage to broadcast pirates' exploits to the world.'"
The crew's reactions split. Some, like Luffy and Chopper, leaned in with curiosity. Others, like Nami and Usopp, scowled suspiciously.
"'From Blueberry Times, we announce the Treasure Battle Tournament!'"
Usopp and Nami's faces darkened further.
"This sounds like trouble," Usopp said. "Maybe we should stop listening."
"Yeah, Luffy's already hooked," Nami said. "Let's quit while we're ahead."
"Treasure Battle Tournament? That sounds awesome!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Told you," Nami groaned.
"Kiri, maybe stop there—" Silk started.
"'This tournament pits pirates against each other to prove who's the greatest. The winner will be granted anything they desire.'"
"I'm in!" Nami declared, eyes gleaming.
"That was fast!" Usopp yelped.
Anything the winner wanted—those words shifted the mood. Nami's greed sparked, and Usopp's panic surged. Luffy and Chopper's excitement only grew, while a tense air settled over the table.
"'We await your courage and teamwork. Those willing to join, come to the island. Signed, Rocky Hattari, organizer and Blueberry Times reporter.'"
"Let's skip it," Usopp pleaded. "This reeks of danger."
"Let's go! Treasure Battle!" Luffy shouted.
"There it is!" Usopp wailed.
Luffy's enthusiasm was predictable, and the crew barely blinked. He'd already polished off his plate, his mind racing with thoughts of the next adventure. Usopp shook him, but Luffy was lost in excitement.
"Is it a dangerous tournament?" Chopper asked Silk, his eyes wide.
"Hm, I don't know. I've never heard of it. With pirates gathering, it might be risky."
"Yeah, but is it fun?"
"Probably! Luffy's pumped, so it's gotta be."
"Then I wanna go too!" Chopper said.
"Chopper, no!" Usopp cried. "You don't get it! When Luffy says something's fun, it's usually life-threatening!"
Silk and Chopper's laughter only deepened Usopp's despair. The lounge buzzed with its usual chaos, a comforting familiarity despite the tension.
Then Vivi leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Kiri and the letter, a flicker of desperation in her gaze. "Kiri-san, the prize…"
"Thinking the same thing, huh?" Kiri said.
"If we win and ask for an Eternal Pose to Alabasta, they'd have to give it to us, right?"
"Probably. And since it's a newspaper, they likely have access to Eternal Poses for their reporters."
"Then—"
"Luffy's right," Kiri said. "We should join."
"What?!" Usopp shrieked.
The crew's resolve hardened. Zoro and Sanji smirked quietly, Igaram's face burned with determination, and Karoo looked as nervous as Usopp.
It was a slim hope, but a hope nonetheless. Trap or not, it was worth pursuing. Vivi nodded firmly.
"We'll do this, Vivi-sama," Igaram said. "We'll save Alabasta with our own hands."
"Yes," Vivi agreed.
"Hey, Vivi," Nami said slyly. "How about we ask for an Eternal Pose and ten billion berries? It's gonna be dangerous, so we deserve it, right?"
"Uh, sure…" Vivi stammered, unnerved by Nami's greedy grin.
"Don't scare her, Nami," Silk said. "It's not like Vivi decides the prize."
The lounge erupted in noise—Luffy and Usopp arguing, Nami scheming, Vivi hopeful yet anxious. Sanji turned to Kiri, a glint in his eye.
"A pirate festival, huh? Sounds dangerous."
"Probably," Kiri said.
"You know anything about this tournament?"
"Nope. First I've heard of it. Might be new, or I just missed it."
"Either way, it'll draw a crowd," Sanji said. "Especially with a 'name your prize' deal."
"Yup. It's gonna be a mess, no doubt."
Even Kiri didn't know this festival, which meant it wasn't safe to assume anything. It might be like Dead End, but the stakes felt different. Sanji gave a wry smile. Not a bad setup, though.
This crew loved a party, and a festival was right up their alley. The Merry's lively chaos proved it.
The Going Merry set its course for the island hosting the "Treasure Battle."
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