We grilled meat, passed bottles, and traded stories late into the night.
"Karl-lad, where to next?" Kurokas asked. "Going after that great treasure?"
"Not me. I'm not that guy," I laughed. "Maybe I'll go rubberneck someday, but this trip's goal is done. I'm taking my sister and Ann home."
"Hah! With your strength, you've got real odds."
"I've still got a long way to go. By the way—where's Laboon? Didn't see him today."
"Right, Doctor Kurokas—where'd Laboon go?" Ellie chimed in.
"Wandered off to play, I expect," Kurokas said, smiling. "After he learned Brook's alive and will come back to fulfill their promise, he stopped headbutting Reverse Mountain. …Can't you tell me where Brook is?"
"Brook still has adventures that are his alone," I said. "You'll know when it's time."
We talked until midnight, then turned in. At first light we readied to sail.
"Kurokas, see you next time. I'll bring better booze."
"Goodbye, Doctor Kurokas!"
"Take care," he waved, watching our ship shrink on the horizon. "What an interesting youngster…"
"Benson, set course for Water 7."
"You're heading straight there?" Rouge asked.
"I've got a permanent pose," I said. "We'll make good time. Benson, mind the helm. I'm grabbing a nap—old man Kurokas can drink."
"Told you to pace yourself," Ellie teased. "Go sleep!"
"By the way," Rouge said to Ellie, "you never told me how you two ended up on Karl's ship."
"We met on a pirate ship," Ellie said. "That crew slaughtered our village. They took us aboard. On the Grand Line they targeted Karl-nii's boat—and got wiped. He was going to send us home, but there was no home anymore… so I begged to come along. He said yes."
"Good thing I spoke up," she added, sticking out her tongue. "Otherwise we'd be wandering who-knows-where."
"Then from today on," Rouge said softly, "you're family."
…
My nap had barely started when a cannon boom kicked me out of bed. I grabbed my blade and hit the deck.
"Can't even sleep in peace." I glanced at Benson. "Stand down. I'll handle this."
"Oooh—Karl-nii's mad?" Ellie whispered.
"It's called morning temper," I muttered. "Except I was woken up."
"Ready grapples!" the enemy captain roared. "First battle of the Wild Lion Pirates on the Grand Line—make it clean!"
Before he finished the sentence, a flying slash split their hull like an orange. Two halves, one scream chorus, and a lot of flailing in the drink.
"Back on course, Benson."
"Right!"
"Every time I see Karl-nii's swordsmanship, it's so cool," Ellie sighed.
"Don't be jealous. You can't copy these moves."
"Hmph. I've got poison."
"Also cool," I admitted. "Sis, where's Ann?"
"Just fed. Slept through the blast."
"Better sleeper than me. I'm turning in again."
We farmed pirates for half a month—their "donations" filled our lockers—and finally rolled into Water 7.
Brrrr… click.
"Wahaha! Karl-lad, you in town?" Tom's voice laughed through the Transponder Snail.
"Just docked, Mr. Tom. Head straight to your yard?"
"Come on over!"
"On our way."
"Sis, I'll carry Ann. Throw on the hooded cloak and keep your face covered. CP agents crawl all over this city."
"Got it."
We shouldered our bags and went to Tom's Workers.
"Mr. Tom—long time!"
"Wahaha! You made it. Come see your ship."
He led us to the slip. A sleek submarine rested in the cradle.
"This lady's fifty meters long, twenty-three abeam," Tom said, patting her. "Eight cabins inside, one bath, a galley, a proper sickbay. The rest—just like you asked—is all storage."
"She'll dive to eighty meters. Two compact generators for reliable power—that's your Calm Belt ticket. On the surface, you can run under sail: these panels retract, the telescoping mast pops up—tie on canvas and you're windborne. How's that?"
"Perfect," I grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Tom. I love it."
"Wahaha! Then she's yours. I'll leave you to it."
We toured every deck, lingered in the engine room like kids.
"Karl, she can really cross the Calm Belt?" Rouge asked.
"Absolutely. She's lined with seastone—gives off the same 'scent' as the sea. Sea Kings won't target us. We'll nose her to the harbor, restock, sleep a night, and sail at dawn."
Benson and I hauled back mountains of supplies—and a heap of Water 7 specialty water-meat. Worth the price.
At first light I thanked Tom, handed him our old sloop to scrap, and cast off. CP was thick here—and more importantly, I'd clipped a CP0 last night and walked away with Rokushiki training notes. Time to vanish.
"Karl, are we heading straight home?"
"Mm? Nervous?"
"A little."
"Mom and Dad won't blame you," I said. "They'll be too busy crying happy tears. One thing—don't say Roger's name. Ann is Portgas D. Ann. The fewer people who know the rest, the better."
"…Okay."
Several days later, the sea turned to glass.
"Captain, how do we keep our heading?" Benson asked.
"Relax. I've got a permanent pose to the island. Stow the sails—switch to electric. From here on, it's all engine work."
The Calm Belt is this world's big riddle—no wind, not a whisper. Don't ask me how.
It was a thrill, sliding through cathedral-still water, Sea Kings occasionally drifting by like sleeping mountains.
"Sis, we'll put in at that island ahead," I said. "Our leopards are drying up—we need to find Ann a new pantry."
"I want off this boat, too," Ellie groaned. "I'm suffocating!"
"Everyone ashore. Two days' rest. No pirates out here; the ship's safe."
We beached at an uninhabited island. My Observation said: stuffed with big predators—perfect for a little adventure.
"Ellie, bug repellent. Uninhabited means nasty insects."
"Leave it to me, Karl-nii!"
We dosed up and went in. The trees were odd—huge crowns, but only twenty meters high.
"I'll wait here," Rouge said softly. "You two go."
"I'll stick and set up camp," Benson added, rubbing his neck. "Treasure-hunting's not my thing."
"Tragic," I sighed. "A man who doesn't love treasure? With a temperament that stiff, you'll never get a girlfriend!" Benson turned scarlet. "Ellie, let's go."
"Treasure~~!"
A while in, Ellie pointed. "Karl-nii, what fruit is that? Looks like pineapple… but isn't."
"Never seen it. Probably edible. I'll try—" ptooey "Edible, yeah—also eye-wateringly sour."
"I'll pass."
A rhino the size of a house lumbered across our path, snorting.
"Aren't rhinos plant-eaters?" Ellie blinked. "Why block us?"
"Territory. He doesn't want us in." I let a brush of Conqueror's Haki leak out. He trembled, sweated buckets, and clattered away.
"Why'd he run?"
"That's Conqueror's. You'll get it someday—or not. Move."
"Hang on—rare herbs." Ellie knelt to harvest. By the time we were done, she'd packed half a pharmacy.
"Karl-nii, look! On that branch—isn't that a Devil Fruit?"
"Score!" I sprang up and plucked it, turning the patterned rind in my hands. "Looks like a Zoan. We'll check the guide back at camp."
"Then let's go! I want to know what it is."
"Treasure secured. Withdraw!"
Back at the fire, the camp was cozy.
"We're back. Good haul—found a Devil Fruit."
"Really? What kind?" Benson leaned forward.
"Don't know yet. Sis, the guide?"
I flipped to the Zoan section, scanned, and stopped.
"Ushi Ushi no Mi, Ancient Model: Longhorn Giant Rhino." I looked up, grinning. "Benson—it's a power type. Looks made for you. Well? Want it?"
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