[Afternoon of the Next Day]
In an unknown area of the New World, the vast ocean stretched endlessly. A small boat sailed slowly across the calm sea.
Onboard were two figures one large and one small. The smaller figure lay relaxed at the bow, while the larger one was furiously rowing the boat.
These two were none other than Roger and Reno. After purchasing liquor and resting on the island overnight, they had set sail. Now, after being at sea for half a day, they had yet to locate the Whitebeard Pirates.
Roger's frantic rowing wasn't just for fun it was because a violent storm, possibly accompanied by a tornado, was fast approaching. His relentless effort had nearly worn the oar to splinters.
Meanwhile, Reno lay idly gazing at the sky, seemingly unconcerned about the impending storm or tornado.
Above them, thick storm clouds loomed,
dark and oppressive,
like the apocalypse itself.
"CRACK—BOOM!"
A lightning bolt streaked across the sky like a long silver dragon. The next moment, a torrential downpour descended, the rain cascading from the heavens as if the skies had broken open. The rain was so dense it seemed to form a net.
"CRACK—BOOM!"
The rain in this sea area grew heavier by the second. Thunder and lightning added to the storm's symphony, illuminating the dark, cloud-covered sky as if it were a sunny day.
Roger, drenched and still rowing, glanced at Reno, who looked completely unbothered. Seeing himself laboring while Reno lounged, he shouted, veins popping on his forehead, "You little brat! I know there's only one oar, so you can't help row, but the rain's going to flood the boat soon! Do something about it!"
Hearing Roger's angry outburst, Reno finally looked away from the sky. Casting a nonchalant glance at Roger, he replied lazily, "Fine, fine, I'll deal with the rainwater. You just keep rowing."
"SPLASH!"
With a casual wave of his hand, Reno cleared the rainwater from the boat in an instant. It was as if the water had never been there at all.
Not wanting to repeatedly deal with the accumulating rain, Reno created a translucent green energy barrier around the boat using his psychokinesis.
The barrier acted like a giant umbrella, catching all the rain and keeping it from entering the boat.
Looking at Roger, now resembling a soaked chicken, Reno couldn't resist a jab. "Uncle Roger, you look so majestic and imposing in your drenched state!"
Before the rain began, Reno had already surrounded himself with a thin layer of psychokinetic energy, keeping his clothes dry and spotless.
Roger, irritated by Reno's mocking and envious of his dry state, furiously shouted, "Brat, didn't you say you were out of energy and couldn't use your powers?!"
Reno scratched his nose awkwardly, his gaze shifting evasively. He didn't even dare look at Roger, clearly guilty.
Earlier, they had been using Reno's power to fly the boat, but Reno, bored of flying, claimed he was exhausted and needed rest. He then put the boat down and lounged at the bow, admiring the scenery.
Given Reno's thin arms and small stature, and his claim of being "out of energy," rowing naturally fell to Roger.
Now, seeing Reno casually deploy such a massive energy shield, Roger instantly grew suspicious. He wasted no time questioning Reno.
Reno's psychokinesis consumed mental energy, and since his mental energy was essentially infinite, he could never truly "run out of energy." He simply didn't feel like flying anymore.
Realizing he couldn't escape Roger's scrutiny without an explanation, Reno stiffened his neck and tried to bluff his way through. "I really was exhausted earlier, but after resting for a bit, my energy came back!"
Roger wasn't buying it. Glaring at Reno's shifty eyes, he deduced that the brat must've thought he looked too idle and decided to come up with an excuse to land the boat.
Roger sneered, his expression dripping with disdain. "It's only been half an hour since we stopped. Your recovery speed sure is miraculous!"
While Roger suspected Reno was just messing with him for fun, Reno genuinely had no other motive he was simply bored. Still, watching Roger flustered and angry wasn't a bad bonus.
Before Reno could argue further, Roger interrupted him impatiently. "Enough talk! Look over there the tornado is already forming! Use your powers to get us out of here! Or do you really want to get sucked in?"
Reno glanced at Roger, then at the forming tornado in the distance. Realizing the situation wasn't one to joke about, he immediately used his psychokinesis to lift the boat into the air.
"WHOOSH!"
A green streak of energy shot through the sky like lightning. In no time, the green glow vanished, leaving no trace behind.
With Reno's power at full throttle, the boat sped out of the stormy region in mere moments, the speed so extreme it was visible only as a flash of green.
Once they slowed down, Roger eyed Reno suspiciously. "Your flying speed wasn't this fast before. If you'd flown like this during that battle with the Marines, we wouldn't have been caught. Were you holding back that day?"
Hearing this, Reno gave Roger a look of pity, as if addressing an idiot. "Uncle Roger, don't you know that abilities need to be developed? The deeper the development, the stronger the power!"
While Reno's power wasn't derived from a Devil Fruit, its growth followed the same principle. His speed increase was a result of mastering his psychokinesis further.
Roger was momentarily at a loss for words. He hadn't considered this explanation, mostly because it had only been a few days since their battle. For Reno's abilities to have improved so dramatically, Roger assumed he must've been hiding his true strength.
Now that Reno mentioned it, Roger recalled how Reno had suddenly grown stronger yesterday. Perhaps his power had surged during that moment.
As Roger pondered Reno's explanation, a dark speck appeared on the horizon. Squinting, it became clear a pirate ship lay ahead.
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