The gale howled, and the rain fell in sheets.
Driven by that sudden, mysterious green wind, the Going Merry shot toward the harbor like an arrow released from a bow.
"Fast! The Merry is just ahead!!" Luffy led the charge, pointing excitedly through the curtain of rain at the familiar sheep-headed ship.
However, as they neared the shore, a shifty figure was crouching suspiciously beside the ship, holding a burning torch and trying to light the sails. It was Cabaji the Acrobat, a remnant of the Buggy Pirates.
"Hehehe... since the Captain was sent flying, we'll burn this ship and leave these Straw Hats with nowhere to run!" Cabaji grinned wickedly, raising the torch. "Burn! Turn to ash!"
"STOP!! THE MERRY!!" Usopp screamed, his heart nearly stopping.
Before Luffy or the main combatants could strike, a black streak of lightning shot from Nami's shoulder. Klay the crow—who had been "re-educated" by Nami all the way and was bursting with pent-up frustration—had finally found an outlet.
He spread his wings, diving like a miniature bomber. "Take this! Crow Pecking Frenzy!!"
"GAH! My head! Where did this bird come from?!" Before Cabaji could react, his head was being pecked into a honeycomb by Klay's sharp beak.
"Special Attack: Gunpowder Star!!" Usopp didn't lag behind. He drew his slingshot, and a firebird star accurately struck the torch in Cabaji's hand, exploding in a cloud of black soot.
"Dammit... how are a bird and a long-nose this strong..." The two unlucky stowaways didn't even get to see the main crew before being handled by a bird and a "brave" sniper, screaming as they tumbled into the sea.
"Great job! Klay! Usopp!" Luffy laughed as he leaped onto the deck. "Set sail!! Launch!!"
At Nami's command, the crew worked in unison to untie the lines and raise the sails.
WHOOSH—!!
The mysterious green wind seemed to give them a final send-off, billowing the sails to their limit. The Going Merry carved a white wake across the sea, surging out of the harbor like a white arrow toward the vast ocean.
Just seconds after they left the shore, the roar of an engine echoed. Smoker, riding his amphibious motorcycle "Billower," skidded to a halt at the water's edge with Tashigi.
They could only watch as the sheep-headed ship drifted further into the storm, eventually vanishing beyond the horizon.
Rain soaked Smoker's white hair; his cigars had long since gone out. "They escaped..."
He gripped his jitte tight, staring at the churning sea. The obsession and fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever before. "Straw Hat Luffy... and Crimson Lotus Viktor..."
"Don't think this is over." Smoker turned to the assembled Marines and roared, "Ready the ships! We're going to the Grand Line!!"
"I swear... no matter where you run, I will arrest you in the New World!!"
On the sea, the storm raged. But the foul weather couldn't dampen the spirits of those aboard the Merry. Ahead lay the legendary Red Line and the entrance to the Grand Line—Reverse Mountain!
"Alright! To celebrate our entry into the Grand Line, let's have a launching ceremony!!" Sanji lugged a massive oak barrel from the kitchen and set it in the center of the deck.
The rain washed over the deck, and waves tossed the ship, but the eyes of the crew were brighter than the stars.
"I'll go first!" Sanji stepped forward, slamming his black leather shoe onto the barrel. He straightened his wet tie, a refined yet determined smile on his face. "I'm going to find—the ALL BLUE!!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy adjusted his hat and slammed his foot down. His smile seemed to scatter the dark clouds. "I'm going to be—the PIRATE KING!!!"
"Hmph." Zoro unclipped Wado Ichimonji from his waist, resting the sheathed blade on the barrel with eyes as sharp as steel. "I'm going to be—the WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSMAN!!"
Nami brushed back her wet orange hair, her beautiful eyes shimmering with ambition as her foot joined the others. "I'm going to—MAP THE ENTIRE WORLD!!"
"I... I..." Usopp's legs were still shaking, but he mustered his courage and slammed his foot down, shouting his vow: "I'm going to become—a BRAVE WARRIOR OF THE SEA!!"
"Caw-caw!!" Klay flew up with a squawk, his claws gripping the edge of the barrel as he puffed out his chest. "And me!! The Great Klay is going to be—the OVERLORD OF THE SKIES!!"
"Hahaha!" The crew burst into laughter. Finally, all eyes turned to the figure leaning against the mast.
Viktor.
His black trench coat was soaked, and his hair was a messy fringe across his forehead. His dark eyes looked deep and mysterious under the flashes of lightning. He held a bottle of sake and walked forward slowly.
He didn't step on the barrel like the others. Instead, Viktor smiled and tilted the bottle, pouring the clear liquid onto the barrel lid, the sake mixing with the rainwater. It was a tribute, and a beginning.
"Since I'm on this ship of fools, I can't exactly fall behind, can I?" Viktor looked around at this group of seemingly unreliable but world-shaking comrades. His lips curled into a wild, "Uchiha-style" arrogant smirk.
"Then I'll just..." His voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through the thunder and waves. "Accompanied by all of you, I'll OVERTURN THIS WORLD."
"Let my name echo at the very end of this sea!!!"
BOOM—!
"YEAH!!!"
With a synchronized shout, five feet (and a pair of claws) exerted force at once!
CRACK!!!
The barrel lid shattered into splinters! It was a vow, a bond, and a ticket to a new era.
"Full speed ahead!!"
The Going Merry rode the gale and the towering waves, like a fearless bird diving headlong toward the cloud-piercing Reverse Mountain—toward the unknown, the miracle, and the legend that is the GRAND LINE!
Inside Viktor's mind, a long-awaited system notification chimed.
[Ding!] [Congratulations to the host for subtly altering the plot.]
[Reward: 1,500 Ninja Way Points.]
[Ding!] [Major Plot Node Completed: Adventure and Escape from Loguetown.]
[Reward: 2,500 Ninja Way Points.]
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