In the morning, after packing up, the group set off again.
They were traveling for fun now—walking, seeing sights, taking it slow.
Bai Hezi, Wyper, A-Da, and A-Er put on Seastone cuffs and began training.
White Ghost's rule was simple:
Don't let one piece of Seastone strip you of all combat ability.
If Seastone makes you helpless, you don't deserve to be on his ship.
So everyone who had eaten a Devil Fruit wore Seastone cuffs during training, willingly.
Jango stood in front of A-Da and A-Er with hands on hips, laughing loudly.
"You two, work hard. This is only ten percent. Don't embarrass yourselves."
"Damn you, Jango!" The brothers gritted their teeth and did squats.
Jango felt fantastic. Finally, someone else was suffering the way he once did.
As for Ain, Kuro, and Jango—those three had already passed the stage where they needed cuffs to train.
Stella sometimes trained secretly too.
White Ghost said she didn't need to fight, but she didn't want to ever become a burden if something unexpected happened.
After eating the Mythical Zoan, Bai Hezi had changed dramatically.
She'd been around 1.6 meters tall—now she was about 1.9 meters, and even more striking, much closer to how she looked in the original story.
White Ghost found himself wondering whether Mythical Zoans all came with height boosts.
He'd changed too… though one certain "perverted kid" was the exception. Giving that idiot a Mythical Zoan would be a waste.
White Ghost's mind drifted to that "certain kid," and he radiated a cold, dark malice.
Even people training far away could feel it—let alone Ain beside him.
"This… this kind of malice has never come from you before," Contena said, staring at White Ghost on the figurehead.
"It's thick. I don't care who it is—when we find out, I'll erase them."
Ain walked over wearing a dress she normally wouldn't wear, crouched down, and stared at White Ghost's face.
"What's wrong with you?"
White Ghost snapped back.
"…Nothing. I just thought of someone."
Ain squinted suspiciously.
"You're not plotting something bad, are you? Talk. Who did you set your eyes on this time?"
"No, no!" White Ghost hurried to stop her before she exploded.
"Nothing like that."
"Really?" Ain still didn't trust him.
White Ghost pulled her into his arms and lay back on the lounge chair with her.
"Really. I just thought of a brat… and what kind of punishment he deserves when I catch him."
Ain didn't struggle.
They'd been together too long; she was used to it.
"Who makes you hate them that much? Just cut them into pieces."
White Ghost looked up at the sky, breathing in Ain's faint scent.
"Cutting them up is too easy. They deserve something far worse."
"Do what you want," Ain said, pouting as she leaned against his arm.
"As long as it's not about some woman."
"I'm not that ridiculous," White Ghost said. "I'm not the type who falls for everyone I see."
Ain bit his chest lightly.
"And you still have the nerve to say that?"
White Ghost winced.
"Easy…"
Ain started counting on her fingers—then stopped herself halfway, face hot and angry.
White Ghost's scalp went cold.
He quickly grabbed her hand and laughed awkwardly.
"Alright, alright. I get it. I'll behave."
Ain's expression softened again.
Honestly, she wasn't truly furious. It was their daily teasing and bickering—she knew White Ghost would always treat them well.
After a long while, Ain finally seemed satisfied. White Ghost looked at her properly.
Today Ain wore a light pink dress, no makeup.
White Ghost didn't like heavy makeup, so none of them used it.
"Don't move," Ain warned, catching the hand trying to wander.
"It's daytime. Don't even think about it."
White Ghost scratched his head, embarrassed.
"…So at night—"
"Pervert!" Ain's cheeks flared red. She rolled over and decided to nap.
They'd stayed up too late last night, and she was tired.
White Ghost happily held Ain and fell asleep with her.
Ain also hugged his arm and gradually drifted off.
Bai Hezi came up, intending to thank White Ghost for the Devil Fruit and Enma—after all, everything he brought out of Wano had practically been placed in her hands.
But the moment she saw the two of them asleep, she quietly retreated.
Cocoyasi Village
In Cocoyasi Village—the place White Ghost's group was heading toward—two little girls not yet ten sat squatting on the doorstep.
"Nojiko," the smaller one complained, "Bellemere went on patrol… I'm so bored!"
Nojiko looked at her and immediately understood.
Ever since that Marine big brother had saved their family last time, little Nami had engraved him into her heart.
And he had given Bellemere an incredibly valuable Devil Fruit.
They'd heard even the cheapest Devil Fruit was worth at least 100 million Beli—it had scared them half to death.
After that, the Marine big brother even brought sea charts for Nami.
So Nami studied navigation every day.
Sometimes Bellemere would catch Nami spacing out.
No doubt about it—she was thinking about him.
"Nami," Nojiko said, "didn't Bellemere tell you? That Marine big brother has already come back to the East Blue."
"It shouldn't be long before he visits us again."
"Really?!" Nami lit up.
"Then let's clean up the house," Nami grabbed Nojiko's hand immediately. "If it's messy, how can we welcome him properly?"
Nojiko sighed helplessly as she got dragged along.
Nami had been like this every day lately—like the big brother would appear at any moment.
"I'm back!" Bellemere's voice came from outside.
"Hm? Why didn't you come out?" Colonel Bellemere—now the commander of Marine Branch 16—looked confused.
When she stepped closer and saw the scene, she pressed a hand to her forehead.
…Again with Nami.
Sure, you admire that man—but don't go this far every single day.
"Ah, Bellemere, you're back!" Nami ran over and jumped into Bellemere's arms.
"Oof—little Nami!" Bellemere hugged her.
Nami was already over 1.2 meters tall now. In the past, Bellemere wouldn't have been able to lift her so easily.
And these past few years, Nami had eaten well—she'd shot up in height.
"What is it? Little Nami thinking about your Marine big brother again?"
"No!" Nami's face went bright red and she buried it into Bellemere's chest.
"Really not?" Bellemere teased with a mischievous grin.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/StrawHatStudios