Chapter 117 The Straw Hat Pirates Prepare for Battle in the Devil's TriangleSanji, carrying a tray with several cold drinks, stood behind him, his eyes sparkling with hearts:
"Oh my gosh! Kalifa-chan looks so charming when she's working!"
Without turning her head, Kalifa delivered a powerful, sweeping kick with her long legs, landing precisely on Sanji's face:
"That's sexual harassment!"
...
The following days saw an eerie calm before the storm at sea.
The news about Akatsuki and Pluton gradually faded, and the newspaper headlines returned to their usual dullness.
However, Luffy made a big splash in the newspapers today; the photo of him confronting his clone was incredibly powerful, gaining him another wave of fans.
A gentle breeze blew, and Chopper and Usopp swung back and forth on the swings on the lawn, giggling.
Nami and Vivi, dressed in sexy bikinis, lay on deck chairs under an orange tree, enjoying a sunbath—a life they could never have imagined on their old, dilapidated ship.
Sanji, his face beaming with admiration, busied himself in the dreamlike kitchen.
For him, a chef, this place was paradise, especially the Chinese cooking utensils built exactly as Luffy had described.
Ever since learning those glowing cooking techniques from Luffy, Sanji had added another goal to his life—to make food that would make someone's clothes explode.
In the gym, Zoro, shirtless, was frantically lifting weights, sweating profusely.
For some reason, since leaving Water 7, he felt his strength improving at an astonishing rate, vaguely touching the threshold of what Luffy called "Haki."
Little did he know, this was entirely due to Luffy's passive aura of "power boost."
Kalifa walked past Zoro with an iced cola, coldly reminding him:
"You have 30 minutes left until the end of your training plan for today. No slacking off."
Zoro nearly choked on Kalifa's businesslike tone, slamming the multi-ton barbell to the ground with a thud.
Watching Kalifa's departing figure, he scratched his head helplessly:
"Tch, another troublesome woman on the ship."
On the deck, Luffy sprawled on a specially designed sun lounger like a salted fish.
His Observation Haki covered the entire ship like radar, focusing on "scanning" Nami's situation... Hmm! This was for training his Observation Haki, definitely serious training.
"Kalifa! Cola!"
Luffy had barely finished calling out when a chilled cola was already handed to him.
"Hi, everything's ready for you, Lord Luffy."
Kalifa adjusted her glasses, her tone respectful.
Luffy took the cola and took a satisfying sip, inwardly marveling.
If we're talking about who's the most suitable secretary in the pirate world, Kalifa is second to none.
Her ability to read her boss's mind is practically a cheat code, and the contrast between her naturally naive demeanor and her mature, sophisticated charm is simply pleasing to the eye.
"What did I tell you? What future is there following those CP9 guys? Those old fogies in the World Government are a bunch of useless jerks. Knowing so much dirt on you, even if I don't intervene, you'll be silenced sooner or later."
Luffy let out a satisfied burp.
Kalifa silently adjusted her glasses, offering no rebuttal.
Because she knew in her heart that every word Luffy said was a bloody truth.
"Hey, Kalifa, how much longer until we get to that legendary Devil's Triangle?"
Nami, who was applying sunscreen, turned around and asked, "Just hearing the name makes me feel creepy. Could there really be ghosts?"
As she spoke, Nami couldn't help but shiver.
"Eh?! There really are ghosts?"
Chopper was so frightened that he fell off the swing, his face filled with terror.
Luffy suddenly leaned close to Chopper's ear in a sinister tone and whispered menacingly:
"Of course there are~ those lecherous skeletons that have no flesh on their bodies, just bones, but can still talk and walk. They'll ask you in a ghostly voice: 'Miss, may I borrow your panties?'"
"Ah!! That's terrifying!!"
Chopper screamed and huddled behind Usopp, trembling.
Just then, Zoro emerged from the cabin, a towel draped over his shoulders, his expression calm:
"What's there to be afraid of? Luffy still has six half-dead clones, right? Those things look scarier than ghosts."
The others imagined the scene: "...Damn, now that you mention it, it seems even more terrifying..."
...
On another route.
Smoker, two cigars dangling from his mouth, stared at Luffy's picture in the newspaper, his brow furrowed into a deep frown.
"Damn it! The Navy is the Navy, even a colonel can't be so capricious. We're risking our lives in places like Enies Lobby, and that bastard Luffy gets promoted and gets a raise, while we're just getting started."
Tashigi, standing beside him, adjusted her glasses and softly comforted him, "But, after all, that's Mr. Luffy…"
"Stop nagging!"
Smoker crumpled the newspaper into a ball and slammed it to the ground, his eyes resolute through the swirling smoke:
"I'll stake my White Hunter's honor on the New World! I can't let that Straw Hat kid leave me too far behind!"
…
White Earth Island, Baltigo.
Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
Monkey D. Dragon, newspaper in hand, stood by the window, lost in thought.
"Luffy… that kid's promotion speed is too fast, Vice Admiral…"
After a long while, a rare smile of satisfaction appeared on Dragon's serious face.
"Live according to your own will, Luffy! The tides of time are always accompanied by various coincidences and passions. Go, see this world clearly with your eyes! One day, we will meet."
…
Sabaody Archipelago.
Lawless Zone, outside Mangrove Forest No. 13.
"Fire Fist!"
A massive pillar of fire erupted, slamming forward.
"Hey! Hey! Are all young people these days so hot-tempered? Are you trying to demolish this old man's home?"
A sharp flash of light appeared, and the massive fire fist, capable of melting steel, was instantly cleaved in two, turning into a shower of sparks.
"I'm an elder who was once the first mate on your father's ship, can't you show a little respect for your elders?"
Dark King Rayleigh, carrying an ordinary iron sword, slowly emerged from the raging flames.
In his other hand, he carried a jug of cheap liquor he had just bought with his money from selling himself.
"Shut up! My father is only one person, and that's Whitebeard!"
"I want to go back! My father and brothers are waiting for me to save them!" Ace roared, his emotions running high.
"Why won't you listen to reason?" Rayleigh glanced at the newspaper on the ground that had driven Ace mad; it prominently displayed the date of the Grand Fleet captain's public execution—just 28 days from now.
"This is clearly a massive trap set by the Navy. For the Whitebeard Pirates to go head-to-head with the Navy Headquarters is suicide. For the sake of Roger's bloodline, should I forcibly detain you here?"
"What a joke! My father is the strongest man in the world! What are the mere Navy?!"
Ace, panting heavily, stared intently at Rayleigh.