Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

The crew decided to anchor on Long Ring Long Land for four days, giving Luffy and Robin time to recover.

The First Day

"So, how long until they're fully recovered?" Nami asked, leaning in curiously.

"For Luffy, probably a day or two. He bounces back fast." Chopper replied, his tone hopeful.

"How fortunate! Now I can enjoy Nami-san's company without interruptions!" Sanji declared, hearts in his eyes.

"Does she know?" Zoro teased with a smirk.

"Why don't you mind your own business!? Go back to sleep, moss-head!" Sanji shot back.

"It's called meditating! Not that you'd know, since your brain only kicks in around women."

And with that, their usual banter began.

"This is going to be a nightmare…" Usopp muttered, holding his head.

"You idiots! Keep it down!" Nami barked, silencing both of them instantly.

"Yes, Nami-san!" Sanji replied, obediently.

"I don't take orders from you." Zoro scoffed.

"Can we slip sedatives in their food?" Usopp whispered to Chopper.

Chopper opened his mouth to object, but a brief contemplation flashed across his face before he decided against it.

Just then, Ryomen came onto the deck, his gaze settling on Usopp. He awkwardly made his way over. "Hey…"

"Hey." Usopp replied, looking aside.

"Um…I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday." Ryomen began, scratching the back of his head. "For leaving during the challenges…and for the way I acted toward you."

"It's alright…I…I'm sorry too." Usopp admitted, meeting Ryomen's gaze. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

A silence hung between them before Ryomen finally spoke. "Wanna train?" He asked, a bit hopefully.

"Is that how they make up? By training?" Nami murmured, incredulous.

"Well, it seems to work." Chopper noted, watching them as they began to prepare.

Ryomen clapped Usopp on the shoulder. "Alright, since you're a sniper, we'll change things up a bit."

"Oh? How?" Usopp asked, intrigued.

"The whole point of Observation is seeing even when your senses are deprived. We'll try it in a way that helps a sniper." Ryomen handed Usopp a blindfold.

"Wear this. And then…" Ryomen grabbed a peeled apple from Sanji's hands.

"Hey, that was for Nami-san!" Sanji yelled, indignant.

Ignoring him, Ryomen continued, "You'll shoot this apple from the other side of the ship."

"H-Huh? How am I supposed to…?" Usopp stammered, bewildered.

"That, you'll have to figure out. I can only guide you." Ryomen said with a shrug.

The others quickly moved away, not wanting to get hit by stray shots.

"It could be good training, though…" Zoro mused.

"Don't even think about it!" Chopper scolded.

Usopp took his first shot and pulled off the blindfold. "Did I hit it?"

Ryomen looked toward the distance. "Not quite…" He glanced down at a startled bird lying in the grass. "Take your time with it. This is just training, no need to rush."

"Right." Usopp nodded, putting the blindfold on again. Taking a deep breath, he aimed and fired.

"How about now?" He asked, hopefully.

"You…were closer." Ryomen observed, watching as a splash of red disturbed the water's surface.

…

The Second Day

"Oi, cook, let's train." Zoro called to Sanji.

"Go away! Can't you see I'm busy? Take Ryomen!" Sanji replied, waving a fan to cool Nami, who lounged on a beach chair.

"He's with Usopp."

"Well, I don't have time for you!"

"If you're scared, just say so." Zoro sneered.

"You!" Sanji fumed, but stopped short since Nami was watching.

"Go with him, Sanji. I'll be fine." Nami waved him off.

"Alright, Nami-san! I'll get stronger, just for you!" He said, running off with a determined look.

"You've got him completely wrapped around your finger…not that it took much." Chopper mumbled.

"Yeah…I'm starting to feel a little bad about it," Nami admitted.

Their conversation was cut short by loud cheering from the Merry.

"I did it! Hahaha!" Usopp's voice rang out.

"I knew you could do it! Now just keep practicing!" Ryomen encouraged, the two of them celebrating, hugging and laughing as a shattered apple lay on the deck.

"They seem to be getting along again." Nami said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm glad." Chopper beamed.

"We just need Luffy and Robin to recover now." Nami added.

"Even Usopp's improving…" Zoro muttered.

"Am I really falling behind?" Sanji said in disbelief, looking over at Usopp and Ryomen. "I get why Nami-san has Haki, but this is unacceptable!"

He and Zoro exchanged determined looks, and without another word, an intense training session began.

…

Ryomen stood on the deck, stretching with a quiet yawn in the stillness of the night. "So…Sanji's joining us now?" He asked.

"Hmph, he just followed us." Zoro scoffed, casting a sidelong glance.

"You two have been training without telling me!?" Sanji asked, clearly annoyed.

"We don't owe you anything. Not our fault you sleep like a log." Zoro replied coolly.

"I don't want to hear that from you!" Sanji shot back, bristling.

"Alright, calm down…" Ryomen rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. "You guys are serious about learning Haki, right?" His question drew determined looks from the two.

"Yeah." They both answered firmly.

"Then let's drop the insults for a bit and focus." Ryomen's tone was calm but commanding. "Trying to learn both Observation and Armament Haki at once will make it harder for either of you to master. So, you'll need to pick one to start with. Which will it be?"

The two exchanged thoughtful looks before facing him.

"Guess it's not that hard to decide." Zoro said, while Sanji nodded in agreement.

"Alright then…let's start!" Ryomen raised his arm in enthusiasm, only to feel awkward as the other two stood there, unmoved. "C'mon, at least humor me."

Reluctantly, Zoro and Sanji raised their arms half-heartedly. "Let's start…"

"Do you two even want my help or not?"

"Let's start!!"

…

Day Three

"Hm, the weather's perfect today." Nami stretched out on her beach chair, enjoying the view from the helm.

Just then, Sanji approached her with a tray.

"Nami-san! Here's my newest creation—Potato Paille. Care to try some?"

Nami took a bite, eyes lighting up. "It's delicious!"

"I can die happy now!!" Sanji cried dramatically, hands to the sky.

"Shut up, idiot! I'm trying to sleep." Zoro growled from his spot on deck.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry for waking you, Mr. Cactus Head." Sanji waved him off dismissively.

"What was that!?"

Meanwhile, on the deck, Ryomen, Usopp, and Chopper watched Luffy's antics with curiosity.

"Luffy!" Usopp and Chopper cheered as he emerged from the door with a bag in hand, looking fully revived.

"This is so stupid…" Ryomen muttered, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Ta-da! Presenting Frozen Luffy!!" Luffy shouted, throwing powder on himself and striking a pose.

"Hahaha!" Usopp and Chopper collapsed in laughter.

"You almost died from that, how are you even joking about it?" Nami asked, exasperated.

"You know Luffy. He'd rather laugh it off than mope." Ryomen said, shaking his head with a grin.

Luffy noticed her snack. "Eh? Nami, what's that?"

"Potato Paille. Want some?" Nami replied.

"Potato what?" Ryomen mumbled, brow raised.

"Sanji! I'm starving!" Luffy called, heading to the helm.

Ignoring him, Sanji continued to bicker with Zoro. "Is sleeping all you do?"

"I sleep whenever I want. Got a problem with that?" Zoro replied, undeterred.

Just then, Robin emerged from the Merry, catching everyone's attention.

"Robin, how are you feeling?" Chopper asked, concerned.

"Thanks to you, I feel wonderful, Doctor." Robin replied with a warm smile.

"Good, but don't push yourself." Chopper said, doing a little happy dance.

"You look thrilled." Usopp remarked.

"No, I don't, idiot!"

"Even though you two suffered the same injuries, don't feel obligated to get up…just because this guy is lively." Nami grabbed Luffy's cheek.

"Yeah, don't worry. We'll stay put a little while longer if we have to." Ryomen added, giving her a reassuring nod.

"Robin, I'll make you something warm. How about coffee?" Sanji offered.

"Ooh, I'll take one too!" Ryomen piped up.

"Make it yourself!" Sanji barked, then turned back to Robin, all charm again. "Just a second, Robin-chan~!"

…

Later that day, the crew relaxed on deck, snacking on Potato Paille when they noticed something strange in the distance: a massive, scarred frog swimming freestyle.

"Whoa! It's swimming freestyle!" Luffy exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Luffy, don't be ridiculous; frogs don't–" Usopp started, only to gasp as he saw it. "AHH! They do!"

Without warning, Luffy turned the Merry to follow the frog.

"What're you doing!?" Nami demanded.

"There's a giant frog! We're gonna catch it for a BBQ!" Luffy replied eagerly.

"You're gonna eat it!?" Chopper and Zoro gasped.

"Wonder what frog meat tastes like…" Ryomen mused out loud.

Nami squinted through binoculars, spotting a lone lighthouse up ahead. "There's a lighthouse out here? Wonder who lives there…"

The Merry closed in, and suddenly they heard a strange noise.

"Wait, do you guys hear that?" Sanji asked, tense.

"Oh! The frog stopped. Let's grab it!" Luffy shouted.

"Something's coming at us!" Usopp warned.

The crew looked ahead, seeing a massive machine rushing towards them.

"Back! 180 degrees, NOW!" Nami yelled.

The crew scrambled, barely dodging the machine's path.

"What was that!?" Usopp asked, rattled.

"Why's something like that on the Grand Line!?" Ryomen muttered, unnerved by the giant mechanism.

As the machine left, they saw the frog get thrown into the air by it.

"The frog got hit!" The crew shouted in shock.

Once the machine was gone, they docked the Merry at the lighthouse.

They had just set foot on shore when a little girl rushed out. "Granny! There are pirates!" She called.

"Uh-oh, reinforcements incoming?" Zoro muttered, reaching for his swords.

A moment later, an old woman emerged.

"Pfft, going to handle these 'reinforcements' for us, Zoro?" Ryomen teased.

Zoro just grumbled in reply.

…

"I'm Chimney, and this is my granny, Kokoro!" The little girl introduced, both of them holding Potato Paille snacks.

"Thought you were train robbers!" Kokoro laughed.

"I'm Luffy! I'm gonna be the Pirate King!" He declared boldly.

"Kakaka, you're a funny one."

Curious, Nami turned to Chimney. "That steam-powered boat earlier—how did it float with that shape?"

Chimney explained that it was the Puffing Tom, a steam-powered car, and that the frog often tried to challenge it.

"By the way, do you know where the next island is? Our log pose is pointing west." Ryomen asked.

"Oh, that's Water Seven, the City of Water. They make the best ships there!" Kokoro replied.

"Really? That's lucky." Ryomen said, intrigued.

"Usopp!!" Luffy yelled excitedly.

"Yeah!!" Usopp shouted back with equal excitement.

"Alright, we're headed to Water Seven! Time to find a shipwright!"

…

The Straw Hats soon departed from the station, waving goodbye to Kokoro and Chimney, their destination now set.

They placed a map of Water Seven and a letter of introduction from Kokoro on their ship.

"Woohoo! We're heading to the city of meat!!" Luffy shouted.

"Luffy, were you even listening earlier?" Usopp sighed, shaking his head.

"Luffy, leave the shipwright to me! I'll make sure they're a top-notch beauty!" Sanji promised confidently.

"And you still expect women to like you?" Ryomen muttered under his breath.

"Are you an idiot? We're looking for a shipwright at least five meters tall!" Luffy retorted.

"Anyone will do as long as they're skilled." Zoro added.

"We're looking for someone like this!" Luffy showed them a crude doodle.

"Uh…you gonna show us the real drawing or what?" Ryomen asked.

"This IS the drawing!" Luffy replied, exasperated.

"Really? If I saw someone like that, I'd run the other way." Usopp remarked.

"Yeah, I'd go on the first ship that sails…but it looks related to an octopus, so it wouldn't really matter." Sanji added.

"Okay, everyone, gather around!" Nami called, drawing their attention. "I'm handing out your allowance for our one-week stay!"

"You're too generous, Nami-swan!" Sanji swooned.

As they all gathered, Robin stood off to the side, observing with a faint smile.

When Nami reached Ryomen, she stopped.

"Something wrong?" He asked, puzzled.

"Nope, just that you already have your own money, so you don't really need an allowance." She shrugged.

"H-Hey…" Ryomen stammered, knowing full well he was broke now.

"Alright, alright. I'll be merciful this time." She said, handing him his allowance.

"Thanks! I knew you wouldn't let me down!" He hugged her, feeling relief as his wallet gained some weight.

"Y-Yeah…whatever…" She muttered, her cheeks flushed, making no move to break the hug.

…

"So the disciple's becoming the master, huh?" Luffy sniffled dramatically.

"Hey, you haven't really taught me much, you know?" Usopp pointed out.

"What do you mean? I taught you Armament–"

"Observation." Ryomen corrected, clearly used to it by now.

"Observation Haki!" Luffy declared with pride.

"Right…" Usopp muttered. "Speaking of, I know who could use some training." He eyed Zoro and Sanji smugly.

"What are you implying?" Zoro narrowed his gaze.

"You volunteering to be our new cook?" Sanji sneered.

"Haha! Just kidding!" Usopp said, quickly turning away.

"Backed down fast, didn't you?" Chopper observed.

"That was a tactical retreat!" Usopp protested.

"Hey, everyone! Check this out!" Nami came over, waving a newspaper.

They gathered around, intrigued.

"It's him!" Robin exclaimed, clearly surprised.

"You know the guy?" Ryomen asked.

"He's well-known across the Grand Line. They say he's the strongest bounty hunter." Robin replied.

"Huh? Bounty hunters are on the Grand Line too?" Usopp asked, surprised.

"Remember Whiskey Peak? It was full of bounty hunters, just weak ones." Sanji reminded him, glancing at the newspaper. "Wait…he took down the Baguette Pirates!? I liked that crew!"

"One person took down a crew worth five hundred million berries…" Chopper whispered, awed.

"How scary!!" Usopp, Nami, and Chopper said in unison.

"Relax. It's not like we'll run into him out of nowhere." Zoro reassured them, though his tone lacked confidence.

"You jinxed us!" Usopp fell to the floor in despair.

"Haha! I'd love to meet him!" Luffy grinned.

"I wouldn't." Ryomen, joined by the nervous trio, replied.

"What's his name?" Ryomen then asked.

"Not many know." Robin answered. "He's surprisingly careful about keeping his identity a secret."

"Great…so we won't even know when he's coming…" Usopp moaned.

"Let's calm down. We have other priorities right now besides a bounty hunter who might be halfway across the Grand Line." Ryomen assured them, helping lift their spirits.

"Yeah! We're almost at Water Seven!" Luffy's enthusiasm was infectious.

…

Far away, inside an auction house, a tall, well-built man with short hair sat in a chair, idly watching the items being presented.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting." A voice spoke up from behind.

"Just got here." The man replied, not turning. "What's this about, Isgor?"

"What, can't I just meet an old friend?" Isgor asked, settling beside him.

"You?" The man chuckled. "No."

"Fair enough." Isgor laughed, pulling out a folder. "Are you available for a commission?"

"For my best client? Always." The man smirked as he took the folder.

"Finally going to wipe out that embarrassment, huh?" He asked, glancing at the details.

"Embarrassment is a strong word. Let's call it a…planned loss." Isgor sounded unbothered.

"Seems like I don't need to rush. He and his crew seem to have plenty of issues to deal with." The man noted.

"I don't care when you start, as long as you complete it." Isgor replied.

"Alright…" The man turned to him. "What about payment?"

Isgor smiled without answering.

Before the man could voice his question, the auctioneer's excited voice rang through the hall.

"For our final item, we present something unprecedented in the history of this auction house! A true, bonafide Supreme Grade Sword!"

On a pedestal lay a spearhead with a shortened black handle, exuding a subtle but chilling aura.

The man's eyes locked onto the weapon.

"This is the ultimate weapon against Devil Fruits—the Inverted Spear of Heaven!" The auctioneer announced, drawing gasps from the crowd.

"Now, who will be—"

"I'll take it." Isgor's calm voice interrupted, not even raising his hand.

Everyone turned, shocked and annoyed at the interruption.

"Who's the fool—" One participant stopped mid-sentence upon recognizing Isgor's gaze.

"S-Sir Isgor!" The auctioneer bowed hurriedly. "Of course, we will immediately arrange it for you!"

"Haha! No need for such formality. I'll pay what it's worth." Isgor smiled, feigning humility.

As the auctioneer began to respond, Isgor raised a hand, silencing him. He then looked at the man beside him.

"Is that sufficient…Toji?"

"More than enough." Toji Fushiguro replied with a wide grin.

"Excellent. Now you'll still have enough left for a decent meal!" Isgor laughed.

"I'm not that poor." Toji grumbled.

"Self-deception won't help." Isgor said, amused.

"Tch." Toji rose to leave.

"One last thing: when you find him, don't hold back. Attack with the intent to kill, and don't underestimate him. He may have more tricks than you expect." Isgor warned, a glint in his eye.

"Don't worry. I'm always prepared for my work." Toji replied before leaving.

"Many trials await…I wonder, will you rise to the challenge, or will the King of Curses return once more?" Isgor murmured, a twisted smile forming.