The wind of the Grand Line carried a strange weight, as if every gust whispered of storms yet to come. Ren stood at the bow of their small lifted boat, watching the endless sea stretch ahead.
"So what are you gonna do?" Ren asked, genuinely curious as he glanced back at Shakky.
Shakky leaned against the railing, arms folded loosely across her chest. The sunlight reflected off the water, casting ripples of light across her calm expression.
"Who knows," she replied with a small shrug. "I left Kuja when I found out the Celestial Dragons were after me. I joined the Rocks Pirates for protection and opportunity."
She paused briefly, eyes turning distant.
"Now either I go back to Kuja… or hide somewhere the World Government won't bother looking."
Ren nodded slowly.
"I see."
He didn't press further. Everyone in this era carried their own scars.
Shakky tilted her head slightly.
"What about you?" she asked.
Ren rubbed his chin in exaggerated thought.
"Well… hmm… let me think," he said dramatically. "I think I want to go to the New World and train my Haki and Devil Fruit properly."
Shakky's eyes sharpened with interest.
"Ambitious."
Ren nodded.
"My Devil Fruit seems special. It has three Kitsune forms—Sun, Moon, and Eclipse. So far, I've used Telekinesis, Sun-Fox fire, flame cloud creation, and size manipulation."
He clenched his fist lightly.
"And I feel like there are more abilities hidden inside."
Shakky studied him carefully.
"The Nine-Tailed Fox fruit that's known to people usually has nine abilities," she said thoughtfully. "But yours has three different beast forms. That means you must have more."
Ren smirked faintly.
"That's what I'm counting on."
There was a brief silence between them before Shakky spoke again.
"So how about I come with you?"
Ren blinked.
Shakky continued calmly.
"Look, I already know Armament and Observation Haki. Not just the basics—the advanced techniques too. I can teach you."
She crossed her arms, smiling faintly.
"And you can protect me."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"You can fly. That's a rare ability," she added. "With that alone, many people can't follow us even if they want to."
Ren considered it seriously this time.
He needed guidance.
Advanced Haki training in the New World without a mentor would be suicidal.
"Well," he said slowly, "I don't have a problem with that."
He pointed at her firmly.
"But you've gotta do your own work. I'm not going to cook and do everything."
Shakky laughed softly.
"Are you really going to ask a beautiful girl to cook?" she asked, amused.
Internally, she narrowed her eyes at him.
"This guy hasn't tried even once to get close to me. Did I lose my charm or something?" she thought.
Ren shrugged.
"Beauty doesn't fill stomachs. Good food does."
Shakky stared at him for a second before laughing again.
"You're strange."
Soon after, Ren spotted another pirate ship drifting nearby. Without hesitation, he extended his telekinesis and flipped the deck into chaos. Pirates screamed as invisible force hurled them into the sea.
One man tried to cling to the railing.
Ren pointed casually.
"Bye."
The railing snapped.
They claimed the ship without resistance.
This time, Shakky walked straight to the kitchen.
"You said I cook, right?" she called out.
Ren sat cross-legged on the deck.
"Yeah. I'll fight."
Moments later, the aroma of grilled sea-beast meat and seasoned vegetables filled the air.
Ren's eyes widened slightly as he tasted the first bite.
"…Damn."
Shakky smirked.
"Told you."
He pointed at her seriously.
"You cook. I fight."
Shakky raised her bowl.
"Good deal."
Weeks passed as they sailed deeper into the first half of the Grand Line. Ren trained relentlessly. He practiced controlling the range and precision of his telekinesis, lifting entire masts without strain.
He practiced Sun-Fox fire, condensing the flames into sharper, denser forms.
He even attempted switching between Sun and Moon forms mid-movement.
One afternoon, dark clouds gathered unnaturally fast.
Shakky's Observation Haki flared.
"Storm… and pirates," she said calmly.
Ren grinned.
"Finally."
A large ship bearing a skull-and-serpent emblem approached, cannons aimed directly at them.
A loud voice echoed across the sea.
"Hand over your ship and treasures, and maybe we'll let you live!"
Ren stepped forward to the edge of the deck.
"Maybe?" he replied loudly. "You sound unsure."
The pirate captain snarled.
"Brat! Do you know who I am?!"
Ren tilted his head.
"No. Should I?"
Cannon fire erupted.
Ren didn't move.
The cannonballs froze midair.
The enemy crew gasped.
With a flick of his fingers, the cannonballs reversed direction and crashed into the pirate ship.
Explosions erupted across their deck.
The captain roared and leaped across the gap, blade coated in Armament Haki.
Ren shifted instantly into Sun form.
Golden-red fur erupted around him, heat radiating outward.
The captain swung.
Ren caught the blade with one clawed hand.
Flames surged.
The captain screamed as his weapon melted.
"You think Haki alone makes you strong?" Ren asked coldly.
The pirate spat blood.
"Monster…"
Ren smiled slightly.
"Correct."
He unleashed a concentrated burst of Sun-Fox fire, blasting the captain backward into the sea.
On the enemy ship, several crew members collapsed as Ren released a focused wave of Conqueror's Haki.
Shakky watched calmly.
"Your control is improving," she noted.
Ren reverted to human form.
"Still too unstable."
Shakky stepped beside him.
"Then train it properly. Don't just release it. Command it."
Ren closed his eyes briefly and exhaled.
They continued their journey, eventually arriving at Alabasta.
The desert kingdom shimmered under a merciless sun.
They sold captured pirate treasures discreetly and purchased fresh clothes, supplies, and navigation tools. Ren reluctantly allowed Shakky to drag him to the hot springs.
"You need to relax sometimes," she insisted.
He sank into the warm water with a sigh.
"…Fine."
After leaving Alabasta, they sailed onward, eventually reaching the Sabaody Archipelago.
The towering mangroves stretched skyward, bubbles floating gently through the air like drifting dreams.
Ren stared at the distant Red Line.
"Beyond this… the New World."
Shakky folded her arms.
"You'll need more than raw power."
Ren nodded.
As they remained near Sabaody for a while, Ren trained his Conqueror's Haki deliberately. He focused on targeting specific animals, forcing only the largest Sea Kings to tremble while sparing smaller creatures.
He practiced speaking calmly while releasing Haki, attempting to maintain composure instead of anger.
One evening, as he stood on the shore facing the ocean, Shakky spoke quietly.
"You're adapting fast."
Ren glanced at her.
"I don't plan on being prey in this era."
She smiled faintly.
"Good."
The breeze shifted.
The path to the New World awaited them.
And Ren felt it clearly.
The Sun, the Moon, and the Eclipse within him were only beginning to awaken.