Chapter 11 — Into the Grand Line
"Tuan Tuan, Gin, Carina!" Ash waved and called out.
"What's up, Boss?" Tuan Tuan tilted his round head curiously.
Ash looked at the crew seriously. "We're about to enter the Grand Line. If your strength doesn't improve, you won't survive what's ahead. These are six elite combat techniques used by top-level Navy officers in the Grand Line. They're called Rokushiki, or the Navy Six Styles. I want you all to learn them."
He placed a compact, steel-plated guidance device on the table.
[Rokushiki Combat Training Module Installed]
Techniques: Soru, Geppo, Tekkai, Shigan, Rankyaku, Kami-e
Access Level: Crew Member
Authorization: Monkey D. Ash
Commencing Adaptive Learning Protocol…
Tuan Tuan and Gin immediately began studying. Only Carina hesitated, her expression unreadable. When she heard the words "Navy Six Styles," something flickered in her eyes—but she said nothing.
---
Two days passed.
"Whoaaa! Boss! Look up there! Is that the Red Line?!"
Tuan Tuan's excited voice echoed across the deck. Ahead, an enormous wall of rock rose through the clouds—the Red Line, the only continent in the world, stretching across the globe.
The seas roared, winds howled, and whirlpools churned all around. Yet none of it shook the ship.
The Smile, built by the system, cut clean through the chaos like a blade through silk.
Using the rising current, the ship ascended to the top of the mountain range and began its descent toward the Grand Line.
Ahead lay Twin Cape, where the whale Laboon resided—guarded by Crocus, former doctor of the Pirate King. But Ash wasn't here to reminisce.
"Waaah! Boss! We're flying! Hahaha!"
Tuan Tuan pressed his chubby face against the railing, eyes sparkling. "The outside world is amazing!"
The ship plummeted and surged forward like a rocket.
A massive shadow blocked the sun.
"A whale?! What the—Boss, look at that!"
Even Ash was momentarily awestruck by the sheer size of the whale in front of them.
"That's… Laboon."
Tuan Tuan drooled. "I wonder if it tastes good?"
"…You can't eat it."
"Oh. Okay…"
The Smile glided past without disturbing the whale. Ash knew Luffy would take care of that part of the journey.
---
After crossing the Red Line, they had officially entered the Grand Line.
Though Ash had followed Dragon across many lands as a revolutionary, he had rarely been conscious during those journeys. This time, it was different. This was his adventure.
Standing at the bow, wind in his face, Ash clenched his fists.
"Our true journey starts now! The Smile Pirates will shake the world!"
"Hehe! I'll do my best!" Tuan Tuan shouted, raising a paw.
"Yeah. We won't lose," Gin added with a nod.
Carina stood at the back, thinking to herself: What's with this confidence? Just two people and a bear… Do they really think they're unstoppable because they beat a small-time East Blue pirate? Well, whatever. When they die, I'll take everything.
---
Soon, a dense island appeared on the horizon—green, overgrown, and loud with animal cries.
As they landed, Tuan Tuan sniffed the air. "Boss, something big's coming!"
Ash activated his Observation Haki.
Two giant wild boars barreled through the forest, red-eyed and foaming at the mouth.
"Hmph. Just wild boars?"
Tuan Tuan puffed up. "I'm the King of Beasts!"
ROOAAARR!!
His beastly roar shook the trees. The wild boars faltered, their charge slowing.
Then—BOOM!
Tuan Tuan transformed into his giant form and slammed one boar into the dirt, flattening it. With a twist, he hurled the second into the distance like a baseball, its screech fading into the sky.
"Let's head in," Ash said, stepping forward.
The deeper they ventured, the more the forest opened up. Sunlight poured in, and soon they spotted a strange scene:
A pack of enormous wild wolves circled a young man with blue hair and fancy clothes, who stood over a pile of dead wolves, holding an oversized sword and surrounded by broken potion bottles.
"That's a big wolf…" Tuan Tuan whispered.
The largest of them, the Alpha Wolf, was nearly the size of a bear.
Sensing intruders, a portion of the pack split off toward Ash's group while the rest closed in on the boy.
"Help!!" the blue-haired youth cried out.
Ash didn't answer. He calmly stepped forward—and as the wolves lunged—
BOOM!!
[Conqueror's Haki — Activated]
Host: Monkey D. Ash
Suppression Area: 25 meters
Targets within range: 17
Result: Instant Fainting
A pulse of invisible force exploded outward. The wolves dropped like puppets with cut strings. Even the Alpha Wolf trembled before collapsing with a whimper.
Ash exhaled. "Still not strong enough. Even a wild animal resisted for a few seconds…"
But it didn't matter. His point had been made.
The boy stared at Ash in awe, bloodied but alive.
Ash smiled. Interesting. This guy might be useful.
---
To be continued…