The Going Merry drifted through the sea of clouds, a tiny wooden speck against the vast, darkening canvas of the twilight sky. Above them, the massive purple Balloon Octopus bobbed rhythmically, its tentacles wrapped securely around the ship's hull, acting as a living parachute.
They had dropped significantly from the White Sea. The altimeter indicated they were now at an altitude of roughly 1,000 meters above the Blue Sea.
It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
Ben stood at the helm, his eyes locked on the display projected by Mini Merry.
"Altitude: 1,000 meters," Mini Merry chirped. "Octopus structural integrity... failing."
"Failing?" Nami looked up from her lounge chair, where she was counting gold coins. "What do you mean failing?"
"It means," Ben said, his hand hovering over a large red button on the console, "that octopuses aren't meant to hold their breath forever."
As if on cue, a loud, deflating PFFFFT sound echoed through the air.
The massive purple balloon above them suddenly shriveled. The air rushed out of it like a whoopee cushion the size of a whale. The tension on the ropes vanished.
The Merry dropped like a stone.
"GYAAAAH!" Usopp and Chopper screamed, clutching the railing as their stomachs floated up into their throats. "WE'RE FALLING!"
"The balloon shrank!" Luffy laughed, holding onto his hat. "It's tiny now!"
The ship plummeted, the wind roaring past the sails. Below them, heavy clouds obscured the view of the ocean surface.
"Ben!" Nami shrieked. "Do something!"
"Relax," Ben said calmly. "Merry, now."
"Engaging Valkyrie Thrusters," the ship's AI responded coolly.
THRUUUUUM.
Beneath the hull, blue repulsor light flared to life. The modified Jet Dials and Stark-tech stabilizers kicked in with a deep, resonant hum. The freefall arrested instantly, replaced by a smooth, controlled hover. The ship stabilized, floating gently in the air as if held by an invisible giant hand.
"We'll hold position here for the night," Ben announced, checking the radar. "We don't know what's directly underneath us. Could be an open ocean or a Marine Base. I'd rather not drop into an Admiral's lap in the middle of the night."
"Camping in the sky!" Luffy cheered. "Sanji! Dinner!"
---
After a quick dinner, Ben gathered a specific group of people.
"Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, Dory, and Brogy," Ben listed them off. "Meet me in the storage room below deck. The one next to the pantry."
The group crowded into the hallway and followed Ben into the room. Usually reserved for bulk storage, the crates were gone. In the center stood a strange, metallic structure—a small white dome with a golden door, humming with a low, magical frequency.
"What is this?" Zoro asked.
"This," Ben patted the dome, "is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Or at least, my version of it."
"Time... Chamber?" Chopper tilted his head.
"I built this using a combination of magic and mechanics," Ben explained. "Inside this dome is a pocket dimension. The time flow is different. Ten minutes outside equals one full day inside. We have roughly eight hours before sunrise. That means we can get about... 48 days' worth of training done tonight."
"FORTY-EIGHT DAYS?!" Usopp's eyes popped out. "In one night?!"
"Exactly," Ben nodded. "We're entering the Grand Line's most dangerous waters soon. We need to get stronger. Get inside."
Luffy walked right into the white light. The others followed through the magical doorway.
The White Void
Stepping through the door was like stepping onto another planet.
The wooden floor of the Merry vanished. They stood on a white, tiled floor that seemed to stretch out into infinity. Above them was an endless white sky. The air was thin, the gravity slightly heavier than normal.
Ben walked a few paces away and set down his silver suitcase. He clicked the latches open.
"Now," Ben turned to the crew. "We need to talk about Haki."
He looked at Zoro and Sanji. "Luffy has already awakened Armament Haki during his fight with Crocodile."
Zoro and Sanji nodded, their expressions serious. They remembered the fight well.
"But you two," Ben pointed at them. "You haven't cracked it yet. If we run into another Logia or a Vice-Admiral, you're at a disadvantage. Your goal here is to master Armament Haki."
Ben reached into the suitcase and pulled out a small, glass cube containing a tiny, angry Enel. He released him.
"YOU!" Enel pointed a finger at Ben. "INSOLENT BLUE SEA MONKEYS! HOW DARE YOU IMPRISON GOD! I WILL TURN YOU ALL TO ASH! I AM THE ALMIGHTY-"
Ben waved his hand casually. "Silencio."
Enel's mouth vanished. Literally. The skin smoothed over where his lips should have been.
"Mmmph! MMMMPH!" Enel grabbed his face, eyes widening in horror.
"Quiet," Ben said coldly. "You're not a God here, Enel. You're a training dummy."
Ben turned back to the crew. "Armament Haki allows you to touch the substantial body of a Logia user. Without it, you can't hit smoke, fire... or lightning."
He pointed at Zoro and Sanji.
"You two," Ben said. "You're strong. But if you fought an Admiral right now, you'd die. Your task in this chamber is to unlock Armament Haki."
"And how do we do that?" Zoro asked, grinning as he tied his bandana.
"By hitting him," Ben pointed at Enel. "Enel is made of lightning. Physical attacks pass right through him. If your sword or your kick makes contact with his actual body... that means you're using Haki."
Ben walked over to Enel. He leaned in close, whispering so only the 'God' could hear.
"Here's the deal, Sparky. I'm going to remove your seastone cuffs. You will fight the Swordsman and the Cook. If you can beat them so bad they say 'I quit', I'll let you go. But if you kill them... I will turn you into a glorified AA battery for my toaster. Do we understand each other?"
Enel glared at Ben with hate, but he nodded. He looked at Zoro and Sanji. His eyes narrowed. These two... they don't have the rubber boy's immunity. I can hurt them.
"Good." Ben waved his hand, and Enel's mouth reappeared.
"I will enjoy frying your friends," Enel hissed, electricity crackling around his shoulders.
"Don't hold back," Zoro drew his swords, a demonic aura flaring up. "I've been wanting to cut a God."
"I'll mince you," Sanji lit his leg on fire (Diable Jambe). "Let's see how lightning tastes."
Ben tossed two sashes to Zoro and Sanji. "These contain vials of restorative fluid. If he shocks your heart to a stop or fries your nerves, drink one. It'll fix you up instantly so you can get back to fighting. No dying allowed."
"Heh," Zoro caught the sash. "Won't need it."
The Observation Class
Ben turned to Usopp and Chopper, who were watching Enel charge up.
"You two aren't fighting Enel," Ben said. They both sighed in relief. "Yet."
"Yet?!" Usopp squeaked.
"Your task is Observation Haki," Ben said. "You need to learn to sense intent. To see attacks before they happen. Dory?"
"Gebabababa!" Dory stepped forward, hefting his massive shield and sword. "I shall be their instructor!"
"Dory has centuries of combat experience," Ben said. "He will attack you. You will dodge. You will be blindfolded."
"BLINDFOLDED?!" Chopper screamed.
"Don't worry," Dory laughed. "I will use... mostly flat sides of the blade! Gebabababa!"
"Go with him," Ben ordered. "Don't come back until you can dodge a swing you can't see."
Usopp and Chopper wept openly as they followed the giant into the distance.
The Heavyweights
Finally, Ben turned to Luffy.
"Luffy."
"Yeah!" Luffy stepped forward. "I already know the black armor stuff! I beat Crocodile and Enel with it!"
"I know," Ben nodded. "But you rely too much on your fruit."
Ben snapped two heavy, dark metal bracelets onto Luffy's wrists.
Luffy instantly sagged, his knees buckling. "Ugh... heavy... weak..."
"Seastone alloy," Ben explained. "It won't paralyze you completely, but it shuts off your Devil Fruit. You are now just a normal human, Luffy."
"Ehhhh?!" Luffy tried to stretch his cheek. It didn't move. "I'm not rubber?"
"No," Ben said. "You need to learn to generate power without momentum and elasticity. You need to build resistance."
Ben turned to Brogy. " Command Magic T - Enlarge."
VOOM.
Brogy expanded, growing back to his original, titanic Giant size. He towered over the group like a building.
"Gebababababa!" Brogy roared, shaking the white void. "It feels good to be big again! Come, Little Captain! Let us see your spirit without your rubber tricks!"
"I'll... beat you..." Luffy panted, forcing himself to stand despite the draining effects of the cuffs.
"Start!" Ben yelled.
As the chaos of training began—lightning flying, giants stomping—Ben exited out of the chamber.
He reappeared in the Merry's kitchen. Vivi was there, cleaning up.
"Vivi," Ben said. "We need meat. Lots of it. Roasted."
"On it!" Vivi saluted, immediately firing up the ovens.
An hour later (outside time), Vivi had prepared a massive feast of roasted meats. Ben took the platters into the Time Chamber.
Inside, days had passed. The crew was exhausted.
"Break time!" Ben announced.
He set the platters down. "Command T: Enlarge."
The roasted chickens and hams grew until they were the size of boulders.
"FOOD!" Luffy screamed, diving face-first into a giant turkey leg.
They ate voraciously, refueling their bodies. Ben packed the leftovers into a stasis bag. "We'll take breaks regularly. Eat, rest, then back to hell."
Day 5 (Inside)
"Damn it!" Luffy yelled.
He tried to throw a punch at Brogy's massive shin. Instinctively, he threw his arm back, expecting it to stretch for extra momentum.
It didn't stretch.
His fist just stopped in the air behind him. He stumbled, losing his balance, and face-planted into the white tiles.
"Gebababa! You are fighting a ghost of yourself, Luffy!" Brogy laughed.
"It's so weird!" Luffy slammed his fist on the ground. "My body feels... stuck! Is this how normal people feel? It's so tight!"
"Get used to it," Ben called out from his workbench. "Find the power in your hips, not your rubber."
Luffy gritted his teeth. He stood up, sweat pouring down his face. "Okay. No stretching. Just... hitting."
Day 48
The door to the storage room opened.
Seven figures stumbled out into the hallway of the Going Merry. They looked ragged, their clothes torn, their eyes wild. But they radiated a power that felt denser, sharper.
It had been 8 hours for the world. It had been nearly two months for them.
Ben stood there, holding a fresh pot of coffee.
"Morning," Ben smiled. "How was the camping trip?"
Zoro sheathed his sword, a dark, satisfied smirk on his face. "Lightning... is cuttable."
Sanji lit a cigarette, his hands steady despite the burns on his suit. "I need to cook something. I'm starving."
Luffy groaned, lifting his arm. Ben unlocked the bracelets.
BOING.
Luffy's body snapped back to its rubbery glory. He bounced off the walls, energy exploding out of him. "I FEEL SO LIGHT! I CAN FLY!"
"Good," Ben nodded. "Because we're landing."
He looked into the Time Chamber. Enel was curled up in the fetal position in the corner, traumatized.
"Mini Merry, put him back in the box."
"Aye, sir."
Ben walked to the deck. The sun was rising, casting a golden glow over the water below. They had drifted far during the night. The ominous shadow of the G8 base was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an endless blue ocean stretched out in all directions.
"Open seas," Nami breathed in the salty air. "We made it."
"Alright, crew," Ben smiled. "Set sail. The Grand Line isn't done with us yet."