Time passes in an instant. Five days have gone by, and now, on the morning of the sixth day, a problem has arisen.The ship is speeding toward the red wall.
I was sleeping, as usual, curled up in the compartment, when I was awakened by a sudden jolt — the hull of the boat shook as though it had entered a turbulence zone. At first, I thought it was just a wave... but no. The water outside the portholes was churning, the currents slamming against the walls, creating a deep hum. I immediately sprang up and rushed to the periscope.
"What's happening?.." I muttered, peering into the trembling image.
And then I saw it: the ship was racing full speed — straight toward a massive wall. The Red Wall. A monumental cliff stretching to the horizon. We were approaching it at a terrifying speed, as if the entire ocean had decided to speed up our end.
But then — a sharp turn. The ship veers off course, the bow starting to shift sideways. I feel the current weakening slightly, and the boat stops shaking.
The next two hours passed in tense silence. No shouting, no commotion. Only the steady glide opposite the Red Line and the distant sound of the current.
And suddenly — a stop. A jolt. A light push — and silence.
The ship came to a sudden halt. The crew scrambled — some rushed out onto the deck, and, strangely, the captain headed straight for the bow of the ship. I focused the periscope closer and squinted. He stood right at the edge of the deck, as if about to jump into the abyss. But instead, he... extended his arm forward.
What is he doing?.. — I thought.
His hand began to glow with a strange crimson light, which then enveloped his entire body. A soft hum passed through the water, and suddenly — the entire surface of the wall in front of the ship trembled.
At first glance, nothing had changed — just the cliff, as before. But then... a thin crack began to appear on it, as if it had been drawn. The line grew, bent, branched out — as though the wall was opening.
It wasn't breaking.
No.
It was splitting apart, as if someone had simply activated an ancient mechanism built into the rock itself. Within a few moments, a narrow gap appeared in front of the ship — straight, perfectly shaped, as if it had been cut out on purpose. It led inward, into the darkness, where neither water nor light could be seen. Only darkness and silence.
"Is this... a canal?" — I whispered, stunned. "No... a passage..."
The captain lowered his hand. The light disappeared. At that moment, the ship started moving again and slowly entered the newly opened passage in the Red Wall. The crew remained calm — as if they had seen this before. So, this was a secret path, known only to a few... and it had only opened thanks to the captain's fruit power.
Sitting in my capsule, I was stunned, unable to inhale or exhale.
In the next moment, when we reached the center, the wall seemed to magically grow back, hiding the passage. As if nothing had happened, as though the passage never existed.
This is getting more and more interesting, — I thought.
I can see the captain calmly holding his hand in the air, which confirmed my suspicions. Apparently, he has some influence on the land. This can't be a regular fruit.
Most likely, it's a Paramecia, — I continued to analyze what was happening in my head. Such a fruit should have the power to not only change the surrounding elements but also conceal them. This isn't just about destruction or creation; this is complete manipulation of matter.
About half an hour later, the darkness in the capsule began to dissipate, and light slowly started to return. We exited the mountain the same way we had entered, as though nothing had happened. This amazed me even more.
Could such a fruit really work on such a scale, altering entire landscapes and blending them with the surrounding world? The questions only grew.
Well, it's time to reveal where we are heading.
"We are heading to the Kingdom of Goa."
The Kingdom of Goa… the place where the main character and his adoptive brothers were born. But for me, that wasn't important. I wasn't going there for that reason.
In a week, the Heavenly Dragons are supposed to arrive at the Kingdom of Goa, and merchants from all over the world are preparing for this event. It's one of those rare opportunities that no merchant wants to miss: the chance to sell their goods to the upper echelons of society, those who can afford anything.
After all, the Heavenly Dragons are not just aristocrats, but representatives of the World Government, wielding "absolute power" in this world.
Their presence anywhere causes a true frenzy, and merchants, knowing that these dragons are willing to pay unimaginable prices for goods, rush to be where their visit will take place.
Information about the arrival of the Heavenly Dragons is published in the news to ensure that all merchants and high-ranking officials know where and when it will happen. The newspapers are filled with headlines:
"Tenryubito are approaching! Goa prepares for the visit."
For some, it's a chance to make a fortune, for others, a moment to encounter the horrors of this world. And although many speak of them with fear, dreading the very thought of falling under their gaze, others see only profit and power in it.
Seven days have passed, and now, standing by the periscope, I could see the massive island becoming more and more visible on the horizon. The island was imposing, its outline sharply drawn against the pre-dawn sky.
The clock showed around 4 a.m.
It seemed the ship was in a hurry, as we had arrived earlier than expected.
But for me, that worked to my advantage. I quickly shifted my focus to preparing for our arrival — I needed to approach the harbor. Without wasting any time, I ran to the rope fastenings. Reaching the spot, I began to detach the ropes, preparing for maneuvers in the harbor. The ship slowly moved closer to the dock.
I focused intently on untying the fastenings, making sure everything was done quickly and carefully. The ropes were securely fastened, but I managed to complete the task swiftly.
Once the ropes were detached, the ship smoothly entered the harbor, and I stopped. Now, it needed to be moored. I didn't waste any time, as my plan was simple: as soon as the ship was safely in the harbor, I had to take advantage of the moment.
I swam toward the shore where I could disembark unnoticed. I had a few hours to take care of some important tasks. The first — replenish the supplies, as the food onboard was nearly depleted, and the second — the ropes.
Due to constant friction on the fastenings, they had worn out and needed replacing. But the main goal was simple: to take a walk on solid ground after such a long journey.
When I opened the hatch, fresh air filled the capsule. Leaping onto the shore, I felt the rope instantly begin to tighten, spreading across the water. Upon landing, I quickly tied the boat to a tree to prevent it from being carried away by the current. It felt good to have solid ground beneath my feet, even though I had already gotten used to the motion of the sea. Still, this sensation was different, much more comfortable.
Finally, I could take a deep breath, clearing my lungs of the damp, salty air. Though I had hoisted the boat up at night, it still wasn't the same feeling of complete freedom.
Turning around, I began to inspect my surroundings. The landscape was surprisingly picturesque — azure sea and lush greenery all around. It was such a contrast to my long and tense journey. The water on the horizon shimmered in the light of the morning sun, and the air was fresh, filled with the scents of the sea and plants.
The boat was hidden in the underbrush of trees, so it was almost impossible to spot from the shore. The likelihood of it being found was minimal, which gave me confidence. But right now, I had a more important matter to attend to — the hunger that had been gnawing at me ever since the food reserves started to rapidly dwindle.
Only 30% of the supplies were left, and I didn't want to return with minimal food. I made a decisive decision: it was better to hunt and replenish my supplies.
Taking a few quick steps, I approached the nearest tree. Time to stretch. Leaping as high as I could, I landed on a branch, then hopped to another until I found myself at the very top of the tree. Looking around, I saw the endless jungle, covered in greenery that stretched to the horizon. Everything around me was alive, filled with sounds and movement.
This forest is very different from the one I lived in, — I thought while surveying the area — it's at least three times bigger. The trees here were taller, their crowns intertwined so tightly that they barely let any sunlight through. The sounds of birds and wild animals echoed from every direction.
Without wasting time, I activated the abilities of my fruit. My legs shimmered with a metallic sheen — the springs extended and tensed. I pushed off from the branch and began moving through the forest.
I darted through the foliage, springing from branch to branch, until I finally reached the top of one of the tallest trees nearby. From here, I had an amazing view of the jungle — a green sea stretching to the horizon.
About twenty minutes of wandering through the forest later, I froze. Among the thick undergrowth, in the shade, by a small stream, I noticed movement. Squinting, I saw it: a deer. Large, with tall antlers. It stood on the edge of a clearing, leaning toward the water.
There you are, — flashed through my mind.
While the deer was absorbed in drinking, I quickly activated my abilities. Turning my legs into springs, I started to accumulate momentum, preparing for the attack. With each second, the tension in my legs increased, like a spring wound tight, ready to snap.
I knew only one thing — the right moment. Once the momentum was fully built up, I leaped forward, covering the distance in an instant.
"Bané Bané no Mi — Spring Charge!" — I mentally shouted, reaching the deer in a split second and striking it in the head with incredible force. It didn't even have time to move before it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The blow was fatal and perfectly accurate, leaving me with no choice but to confidently begin the butchering process.
I approached the deer, quickly drawing a small dagger from my belt. With the sharp blade, I began to carve the carcass — precise, without haste, with practiced motions, as I had done many times before.
Once everything was ready, I began looking for a spot to make a fire. Nearby, I found a small clearing surrounded by roots and fallen leaves — a perfect place to cook the meat without drawing too much attention. I gathered a few dry branches and some bark, stacking them into a small pyramid.
Lighting a fire was no problem for me. I looked at my index finger and, activating the power of Bané Bané no Mi, turned it into a spring.
Then I quickly began spinning it against the surface of a piece of wood. The speed of the spinning increased, and within seconds, the first puff of smoke appeared, followed by a thin stream of fire.
I threw a few dry leaves onto the pile, and soon the flames roared to life.
The fire danced, illuminating my face and dispersing the morning mist that lay between the trees.
I skewered pieces of meat on sharpened sticks and carefully placed them over the fire. The aroma of roasting meat quickly filled the air, intensifying my appetite.
After eating some of the deer, I sat by the fire, watching as the remaining meat slowly browned over the flames.
My thoughts wandered on their own. This might be my last time on this island. My goal was far from staying here — it was just a temporary stop on the way.
But still... I decided to leave a mark. Something that would remind one of my rivals in the future: even on a forgotten patch of land, I was able to leave my trace.