82 Why Can't I Sail Normally!

As Al pondered,

Spike, realizing he'd been deceived, couldn't contain his anger!

Especially upon seeing Tom ready to brawl, he swiftly rolled up his sleeves and took a deep breath!

Wordlessly, the cat and the dog locked eyes and charged at each other.

Nami and the crew initially aimed to intervene in the scuffle.

Until Vivi suddenly exclaimed, "Look over there!"

Looking in the direction Vivi pointed,

They spotted Muscles and Merlin, engaged in a heated argument, directly in the path of Tom and Spike's clash!

Before Nami and the rest could intervene, the tense standoff between Tom and Spike unexpectedly erupted into a fierce skirmish!

And Al, witnessing this from afar, couldn't help but feel a whirlwind of emotions stirring within him!

"Tom, when did you pick that up?"

"No time to dwell on that now!"

Al furrowed his brow, swiftly dashing forward with Soru, and reprimanded the two.

"You're supposed to be building ships, not tearing down islands!" Al's booming voice echoed.

Tom and the crew halted instantly.

Standing side by side, they appeared contrite, like children caught in misdeeds, anticipating a scolding.

Simultaneously, as the fighting ceased, a magnificent two-masted sailing ship descended gracefully into the sea, eliciting gasps from the onlookers as it created waves upon waves.

A faint twitch appeared at the corner of Al's mouth.

"I truly can't comprehend how these fellows managed to construct the ship amidst their brawl," he mused.

Yet, something more pressing dawned on Al.

He observed the four crew members before him, now completely blackened, with an odd expression.

"They fought, they brawled, and still built the boat," he pondered. "Did they even master Armament Haki? Can they cloak their bodies entirely in Armament's haki?"

This... 

Al gazed at Tom and the crew, momentarily at a loss for words.

When Nami and the rest beheld Tom and his companions, their faces grew deeply concerned.

They immediately feared some affliction had befallen them and hastened to inquire.

Nami spoke up, addressing Captain Al, "What's happened to Tom and the others? Why have their bodies turned black?"

"Back in my childhood, I heard tales of an illness that whitens the entire body. Could this be connected?"

Vivi furrowed her brow, adopting a grave expression, and added,

"It's said that once afflicted by that illness, the entire body turns white. But... I can't recall the rest."

"In short, it's a dreadful disease, but it's merely a legend, and I can't say for certain whether it's true or not."

Upon hearing the possibility of a grave illness, Tom deflated like a balloon, his strength draining away as he struggled to remain upright.

Observing this, Spike sympathetically retrieved a crutch from behind and offered it to Tom, shaking his head in concern.

Sensing trouble, Spike glanced at his darkened hands, then quickly covered his face and collapsed to the ground.

Muscles and Merlin remained stoic, silently observing Al.

In response to Vivi's words, Carina swiftly enveloped Spike in a tight embrace, her voice resolute.

"Everyone, stay back. Let me—"

Before Carina could finish, Al interjected, unable to bear it any longer, and promptly began to explain to Tom the reason behind their transformation.

Upon realizing that Tom and Spike weren't actually ill, they embraced each other joyfully. However, Carina, overwhelmed by the playful antics of the cat and dog, remained despondent and succumbed to their affectionate assault, collapsing into a heap with them.

Muscles and Merlin simultaneously wiped away their sweat, steering the conversation towards exercise equipment and magic once more.

Robin and Nami couldn't help but exhale in relief upon learning of Tom's well-being.

Vivi, feeling sheepish, bowed her head in apology to Tom and Spike.

"Captain Al, why didn't you speak up earlier? You had us all worried sick," Nami exclaimed, puffing out her cheeks as she marched over to Al.

Al spread his hands in a helpless gesture, sporting an innocent expression. "You didn't even give me a chance to explain," he replied.

Vivi and Robin shared a chuckle before Robin led Vivi to a nearby open space, where they delved into discussion about the legend of the white disease.

Nami and Carina exchanged helpless glances before turning their attention to the newly constructed ship.

"Captain Al, are we going to switch ships this time?" Nami inquired.

Gazing at the two-masted sailing vessel reminiscent of the Black Pearl, Al shook his head decisively, a firm "no" on his lips.

The primary reason Al had come here was to avoid the hassle of constantly changing ships. That would be far too troublesome!

"Captain Al, does this ship have a name?" Nami pressed further.

Facing her query, Al regarded the ship, its likeness to the Black Pearl from the movies unmistakable.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Al made his decision and opted to name it directly after the Black Pearl.

Nami and Carina exchanged knowing glances, then lightly hummed as they escorted Muscles and Merlin, who were still bickering, away.

As for what tasks lay ahead, Al didn't bother to speculate. He likely tasked them with assisting in transferring items from the previous ship.

Observing the two little mice being enlisted as helpers, Tom and Spike sat shoulder to shoulder, munching on chicken legs with a satisfied air.

After all, they were accustomed to such rough labor in the past.

"By the way, Tom, how did you learn Armament Haki?" Al inquired, casting a glance at the two smaller animals eager to join in the revelry.

Approaching them, Al deftly plucked the drumstick from Tom's grasp.

In response to Al's question, Tom theatrically brandished the chicken leg in his hand.

Then, with a flourish, Tom spread his fingers wide, mimicking the gesture of slicing a watermelon.

Al felt a bit perplexed by the connection between Armament Haki and watermelon.

However, despite Al's confusion, Tom didn't pause to contemplate it. His mind seemed to be in a whirl.

Observing Tom's head shaking and his body leaning to the right, Al became even more intrigued.

As Tom drew a watermelon in the air, which gradually morphed into a winter melon, Al's fascination grew.

Upon witnessing this display, Robin chuckled and remarked, "Tom, are you implying something childish?"

Al's confusion only deepened as Tom nodded vigorously, followed by an incredibly swift gesture, reminiscent of the speed of a Hokage's seal.

Even Robin furrowed her brow at Tom's almost imperceptible movement.

Observing Tom's persistence in continuing his gestures, Al swiftly intervened, fearing he might faint if he continued to watch.

As if confirming Al's apprehension, the moment Al interrupted Tom, Spike's body collapsed to the ground, breaking into fragments.

Simultaneously, the darkness enveloping Tom and Spike began to dissipate, revealing their original appearances once more.

"Have you not mastered it yet?" Al muttered, deciding to set aside his concerns about how Tom acquired his skills, albeit at the cost of a blow to his own confidence.

Resolving to delve deeper into the understanding of Armament Haki, Al began to walk slowly towards the depths of the island.

With Tom's demonstration fresh in his mind, Al's comprehension of Armament Haki deepened.

Along the way, Al extended his arms and concentrated all his strength and attention.

After numerous attempts, Al finally succeeded in covering all five of his fingernails with Armament Haki.

Observing the darkened nails on his fingers, the corner of Al's mouth twitched involuntarily.

"What a haki manicure," he mused wryly.

"Never mind, at least I've mastered Armament Haki now. All that's left is patient practice," Al remarked, his gaze drifting to the clear sky above.

Suddenly, a realization struck him, and a mischievous grin spread across his face, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth. He dashed forward towards the group preparing the dishes and exclaimed:

"Nami, could you show me the chart you drew?" Al requested.

Nami paused momentarily, her attention currently occupied with cooking, but she didn't refuse.

Upon hearing Al's request, Merlin waved his wand lightly, conjuring the chart of the sea to assist.

"Thanks," Al acknowledged gratefully, finding a clean spot to lay out the chart.

Relying on his remarkable memory, Al swiftly began sketching out a sea chart on a blank piece of paper.

In no time, Al sketched out the sea chart, then followed its directions to locate an open area.

Once all preparations were complete, Al promptly retrieved the giant bow and arrow crafted by Tom from his backpack system.

Gazing at the colossal bow and arrow now standing at the island's center, Al couldn't suppress a smile.

Onlookers enjoying their meal couldn't help but wonder upon seeing the sudden appearance of the massive bow and arrow:

"What does Captain Al have in mind?"

"I'm not sure, but it's certainly the most impressive bow and arrow I've ever seen."

"It's incredibly potent, even if we're not sure what it's for... Oh, it's getting quite warm," one observer remarked.

"Perhaps they intend to target Sea Kings?" another speculated.

As they conversed, Al's silhouette suddenly emerged before them.

Before Nami and the others could voice their thoughts, Al spoke up:

"We'll discuss it later if you have any questions. Merlin, come with me."

"Of course, Captain," Merlin replied dutifully.

After conveying his intentions to Merlin, Al and Merlin vanished from sight.

When they reappeared, they found themselves standing at the base of the enormous bow and arrow.

After explaining his plans to Merlin, who initially seemed surprised but quickly nodded in agreement without further inquiry.

With those matters settled, Al instructed Nami and the others to return to the ship and prepare for departure.

Though the reason for Captain Al's sudden urgency to set sail remained unknown, it was the captain's directive, and thus, they complied.

Without further questions, Nami and the crew swiftly packed their belongings, preparing for departure.

While they busied themselves, Al meticulously calculated the flight trajectory and jotted down the cultivation methods for Armament Haki.

By the time Al completed these tasks, Nami and the crew had finished preparing the ship.

Distributing the Armament Haki cultivation method to everyone, Al positioned himself at the bow of the Black Pearl and called out loudly,

"Merlin, prepare for departure. Let's set sail!"

As Al's command echoed, Merlin, standing beneath the bow and arrow, waved his magic wand lightly.

In the next instant, a violent tremor reverberated beneath everyone's feet!

Nami and the others were taken aback as they witnessed the Black Pearl seemingly caught at the mouth of the bow and arrow.

Observing that the Black Pearl was primed, Merlin swiftly drew the arrow string to its full capacity.

In that moment, the Black Pearl resembled an arrow poised for launch!

"Prepare to set sail, everyone!" Al exclaimed, his voice carrying over the excited anticipation of departure.

With a hearty laugh, Al watched as Merlin waved his wand, propelling the Black Pearl forward with incredible force.

In the blink of an eye, Merlin vanished once more, this time taking the giant bow along with him.

When Merlin reappeared, he stood upon the deck of the Black Pearl, while the giant bow returned to Al's system space.

Now, in Al's eyes, the bow and arrow were anything but tasteless. Sailing with such a vessel was undeniably exhilarating!

However, for Nami and the others, this level of excitement proved to be a bit too overwhelming.

Currently, they found themselves huddled on the deck, clutching onto any objects within reach that could prevent them from being thrown off, shouting in alarm:

"Captain Al, why can't we sail like normal?!"

"Captain Al, this is far too frightening!"

"Muscles, please help me keep hold of Karoo, it looks like he's about to tumble!"

"Ah, the captain's eccentric tastes truly know no bounds."

Not only were Nami and the others unable to withstand the intense stimulation, even Tom and Spike found themselves curled up in a corner, trembling with apprehension.

However, Muscles and Merlin remained relatively unfazed. One held onto Karoo while engaging in exercises, while the other stood beside Al, pondering over a stack of papers filled with mathematical formulas.

Meanwhile, Al stood proudly at the bow of the Black Pearl, one hand gripping the railing as he laughed heartily.

"This type of sailing is truly exhilarating! Hahaha~"

"Full speed ahead, Black Pearl!" Al commanded.

Simultaneously, in a dense virgin forest elsewhere, a massive axe materialized from the sky, hurtling towards the dense foliage.

Boom!

With a resounding crash, a massive horizontal trench spanning tens of meters appeared, cleaving the dense forest in half!

Suddenly, the frightened animals on the island scattered in all directions!

At the end of the giant axe's trajectory, a man with an eccentric appearance sat on the ground, legs spread wide.

Before him, a sharp axe blade hovered mere centimeters away!

A nervous expression crept onto the man's face.

In the next moment, he furrowed his brow tightly, placing his right hand on the sharp edge of the axe. With a cold snort, he sneered:

"That's enough to kill me, no need for such theatrics!" the man snapped.

Closing his eyes tightly, he seemed to concentrate intently for a minute or two. When he reopened his eyes, his frown deepened and his smile faded, replaced by a look of uncertainty.

"Why... why can't I locate the person who threw the axe?" he muttered to himself, clenching his fists in frustration.

"No matter who it is, I'll make them pay if I find them!" he vowed.

"Because... I am the God of Sky Island, hahahaha."

----------

Read chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari