Chapter 35: Entering the Grand Line
He was finally leaving Baratie. No more scolding from that old geezer, and now he'd get to live alongside someone as beautiful as Nami.
By all accounts, he should be thrilled.
But try as he might, he couldn't shake the heavy feeling in his chest.
Nami, having finished her meal, decided to take a stroll and soon spotted Sanji lost in thought. Instinctively, she moved to approach him but was stopped by a cold hand gripping her wrist.
Ryu had appeared behind her without a sound. "Let him have some time to himself. It's not a good idea to bother him right now."
Hearing this, Nami glanced at Sanji, nodded solemnly, and happily walked away with Ryu.
The next morning.
Ryu knew it was time to set sail with their new chef. If they delayed any longer, who knew what kind of devilish opponents awaited them? Still, a small part of him looked forward to testing his strength against stronger foes.
As they prepared to leave, all the chefs gathered to bid Sanji farewell. Just as they were about to depart, Sanji suddenly rushed back, dropping to his knees before Zeff.
With tears streaming down his face, he shouted hoarsely, "I'll never forget what you've done for me!!!"
Zeff simply smiled, his voice calm and warm. "You brat, don't catch a cold out there. Take care of yourself." Deep down, he'd always known Sanji would leave someday—it just happened sooner than expected.
Seeing the scene unfold, Ryu and Nami exchanged glances. "Sanji, we'll wait for you on the ship!" they called out before leaving, giving him some privacy. Gentle souls like Sanji needed time to process emotions like these.
Half an hour later.
Sanji boarded the ship, his eyes landing on the massive Sea King pulling the vessel and the cheerful chatter of Buggy and the others. He frowned in confusion. Such a large ship, yet so few people aboard? And how had Ryu managed to tame the whale shark? To think it was willingly towing them—it was almost unbelievable.
Thanks to Sho Haku (Little Sea King - Little White), as Ryu had affectionately named the shark, their speed increased significantly. The name was simple, cute, practical—and most importantly, approved by the shark itself.
Satisfied with his creative naming skills, Ryu felt a wave of contentment wash over him. With plenty of supplies onboard, they bypassed Loguetown entirely.
Given Smoker's current state, avoiding him seemed wise. Instead, they headed straight for Reverse Mountain.
Initially, Ryu had considered crossing through the Calm Belt, but after vehement protests from Nami and Buggy, he reluctantly agreed to take the safer route.
Their incredible speed brought them to Reverse Mountain in under two days. However, unlike Luffy's journey, they didn't encounter Laboon—a fact that left Ryu feeling slightly disappointed.
Though passing through Reverse Mountain was awe-inspiring, Ryu wasn't particularly excited. As they exited, he realized their next destination would likely be Alabasta.
For now, the kingdom remained peaceful, though Baroque Works was undoubtedly already operating there.
Despite Crocodile's seemingly noble reputation, Ryu planned to confront him. After all, Baroque Works consisted almost entirely of Devil Fruit users. This trip could provide Ryu with the blood samples he desperately needed to enhance his powers further.
Excitement flickered in his crimson eyes. Even Nami and the others felt a surge of anticipation—they had officially entered the Grand Line!
"Captain, where are we heading next?" Nami asked, holding up the Eternal Pose.
Ryu glanced at the erratic middle needle. "Hmm, looks like there's an interesting island ahead. Let's head there."
"AHHH! No, absolutely not!" Buggy screamed. "Ryu, don't you know—the stranger the needle behaves, the more dangerous the island will be! We can't go there!"
"This is my decision. I'm the captain, and everyone follows my orders!" Ryu declared, slipping into full dictator mode.
"No way! As long as I'm on this ship, we're not going!"
"Is that so, Buggy? You've grown quite bold lately," Ryu said with a chilling smile.
"W-what do you plan to do?" Buggy stammered, swallowing nervously.
"Kilik."
"Yes, Captain!"
"Prepare the cement." Turning back to Buggy, Ryu added casually, "Time to sink."
"I WAS WRONG!!! Captain! Whatever you say goes! Wherever you want to go, we'll go!" Buggy raised his hands in surrender, shouting frantically.
"Very good, Buggy. You're learning. Then let's set course for that island. All in favor?" Without waiting for a response, Ryu concluded, "Perfect. Everyone agrees."
Watching this exchange, Sanji began questioning his life choices. Maybe joining this crew hadn't been such a great idea after all. Their captain was starting to resemble a tyrannical bully.
"Alright, Sanji, show us what you're made of. It's time to see your skills."
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
"Hmm, I see."
"What is it, Sengoku?" Garp asked, munching on a donut.
"We've received news about Ryu."
"Ryu? What about him?"
"He defeated Smoker in East Blue. Fortunately, he didn't kill anyone. From this, we can confirm that he truly doesn't wish to oppose the Marines. His earlier claims seem legitimate."
"Of course! That boy grew up under my watchful eye. But I never imagined he'd already surpassed Smoker. Isn't Smoker a Logia-type Devil Fruit user?"
"Yes, the Smoke-Smoke Fruit." Sengoku's expression turned grave as he stared at Ryu's bounty poster. Despite his assurances, Ryu's potential was staggering. At just twelve years old, he commanded a bounty exceeding 100 million Beri, mastered both Armament and Observation Haki, and showed signs of possibly awakening the fabled Conqueror's Haki.
After a moment of contemplation, Sengoku spoke. "Several pirates have already accepted invitations to become Shichibukai. I think it's time we extend one to Ryu."