One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 7

Liu Jiu glanced at him but didn't respond.

He adjusted the position of the piece of wood on his shoulder.

The ropes binding it were a bit tight.

He turned around, preparing to continue walking back.

"Um..." Shanks called out from behind him, "What's your name?"

Liu Jiu didn't stop walking.

Carrying the heavy bundle of timber, I walked away step by step along the path I had come from.

Bucky sidled up to Shanks and whispered, "This guy... seems pretty good?"

Shanks didn't say anything, he just watched Liu Jiu's figure disappear around the corner of the dock, and raised his hand to wipe the dust and blood off his face.

The sea breeze carried a hint of saltiness, a sign of victory.

Chapter 6 Awakening of Overbearing Power

Fog rose at night.

A thin layer clung to the surface of the sea, drifting slowly. Moonlight filtered through, casting an unreal, hazy glow over everything.

The deck was quiet; most of the crew were still out on shore, having fun. Only a few watchmen were dozing against the mast, their soft snores rising and falling with the waves.

Liu Jiu couldn't sleep.

He leaned against the ship's side, looking at the fog.

Something seemed to be moving in the fog.

Very small, many, densely packed.

He squinted and looked closely.

They were flying insects. A type of small midge unique to the seaside, attracted by the ship's lights, gathered into a buzzing gray cloud, trying to break through the fog and swarm toward the deck.

The crew on night watch remained oblivious, their snoring continuing unabated.

Liu Jiu didn't move either.

He watched as the cloud of insects drew closer, the buzzing sound growing clearer and clearer, sending chills down his spine.

He frowned slightly, almost instinctively.

A faint, almost imperceptible ripple swept through my mind. Like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, the ripples subsided before they even spread.

Almost at the same time——

The flying insects that were about to pounce on the deck seemed to have hit an invisible, cold wall and suddenly stopped!

The buzzing stopped abruptly.

The insect cloud, which was restless and chaotic just a second ago, instantly lost all its vitality and, as if frozen, fell straight down in unison.

A fine, rain-like sound.

Thousands upon thousands of midges fell onto the sea surface outside the ship's side, spreading out a thin layer of black, and sank without even struggling, silently swept away by the undercurrent.

The sea has returned to calm.

The fog continued to drift slowly, as if nothing had happened.

On deck, the night watchman's snoring changed tone; he was fast asleep.

Liu Jiu stood there, looking at the empty sea, where flying insects had just been hovering.

Moonlight filtered through the mist and fell on his face, which remained expressionless.

He raised his hand, held it in front of his eyes, and looked at it.

The palm is still the same palm, with clearly defined knuckles.

Nothing different from usual.

He turned his head and looked at the sleeping crew members not far away.

The man scratched his cheek, rolled over, and continued snoring.

Liu Jiu lowered his hand.

So... just now?

He stood silently for a while.

The sea breeze, carrying the coolness of the night, dispelled the lingering, faint restlessness.

He turned, left the ship's railing, and walked towards his own corner.

The footsteps were very light, drowned out by the sound of the waves.

Lie down and close your eyes.

As for those insects...

They probably got lost because of the thick fog.

As dawn approached, the docks began to stir.

Footsteps were disordered, accompanied by curses, drunken singing, and silly laughter. The sailors who had gone out to cause trouble returned from the shore in twos and threes, supporting each other or simply being dragged along.

They were all staggering, reeking of alcohol, some with suspicious lipstick marks on their faces, their clothes wrinkled and stained with mud and vomit.

"Hiccup... I haven't finished my drink yet..."

"Help me up... Why is this ground spinning?"

"Hahaha! That girl... she's really something!"

They scrambled onto the gangplank, looking like a pile of wreckage washed ashore by the waves. Some collapsed as soon as they stepped onto the deck, immediately snoring loudly. Others clung to the mast and began vomiting, filling the air with a sour stench.

The deck instantly turned into a chaotic junkyard.

Liu Jiu had already woken up and was sitting in his usual spot, watching the farce unfold.

Sunlight struggled to pierce through the clouds, illuminating the mess and hangover.

Shanks and Bucky returned as well. Bucky was clutching something tightly in his arms, wrapped in a rag, looking smug as if he'd struck gold. Shanks walked beside him, a smile on his face, but his eyes were clear, suggesting he hadn't drunk much.

Roger was the last to return.

Unlike the others, he wasn't in a sorry state; his steps were relatively steady, though his straw hat was slightly askew, and his face bore the weariness and satisfaction of a thoroughly exhilarated experience. Rayleigh followed behind him, still meticulous, though his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly dissatisfied with the chaos before him.

Roger yawned, waved his hand, and spoke in a hoarse, hangover voice, but his command was clear.

Even though most of the crew members were still in a state of confusion, the moment the order was given, an instinct ingrained in their bones began to kick in.

The person who collapsed was kicked awake by his companion; the person who had finished vomiting wiped his mouth and grabbed the rope; the most drunk person was dragged aside so as not to get in the way.

The Oro Jackson groaned heavily as the anchor was pulled up and the sails rose one by one, catching the faint morning sea breeze.

The ship moved slowly, leaving the gradually quieting harbor and sailing once again into the boundless blue.

Once we went out to sea, the wind picked up.

The cool sea breeze, carrying moisture, dispersed some of the stale smell on the deck.

The crew members who were just dead drunk were sobered up a bit by the sea breeze. They started cleaning up the mess they had left behind while cursing, or finding a more comfortable position to continue catching up on sleep.

Bucky ducked into a corner and eagerly opened his tattered bag, revealing a rusty, chipped bronze goblet. His eyes gleamed as he vigorously wiped it with his sleeve, muttering, "Honey...it's definitely an antique..."

Shanks watched for a while, then got bored. He went to the bow of the ship, put his hands on his hips, and took a deep breath in the sea breeze, just like Roger.

Roger himself had found the sunniest spot, lay down sprawled out, covered his face with his straw hat, and within three seconds, his snoring was thunderous.

Rayleigh steered the course, occasionally glancing at the captain who was sleeping soundly, and shook his head helplessly.

Liu Jiu watched all of this.

Looking at this ship that had just experienced a land-based carnival and quickly switched back to sea mode.

Chaotic and rough, yet it possesses a strange order and vitality.

He stood up and walked to the side of the boat.

The land had become a blurry line behind us, and ahead, there was once again an endless horizon.

He watched for a while.

Then he turned around and went to find a bucket and a rag.

A new day begins.

The deck always needs to be wiped clean.

The weather can change in an instant.

One moment the sky was clear and blue, the next, dark clouds rolled in like splashed ink from the horizon, quickly engulfing the entire sky. The light dimmed abruptly, and the color of the sea changed from azure to a somber dark green.

The wind began to howl, no longer a gentle caress, but a sharp whistle, violently tearing at the sails. The waves were no longer regular rises and falls, but became disorderly, violent surging, crashing heavily against the ship with dull thuds.

"Lower the sails! Quickly! Lower all the sails!"

"Secure the cargo! Secure everything that can move!"

"Damn it! This weather is awful!"

Raleigh's roar sounded somewhat broken in the wind and waves, but the well-trained crew ran frantically across the violently rocking deck, carrying out orders.

The massive sails were torn apart by the gale with a screeching sound, and were finally lowered and secured with great difficulty. Barrels, piles of ropes, and weapon crates were firmly fixed to the deck or the ship's side with thick hemp ropes.

The boat was like a pitiful leaf, tossed to the crest of a wave and then violently thrown into the trough. Each jolt felt like a violent upheaval in one's internal organs.

The icy rain mixed with seawater pelted down, soaking you instantly. The deck became incredibly slippery, making it difficult to stand.

Liu Jiu grabbed a rope secured to the ship's side to steady himself. Rainwater streamed down his hair and into his eyes, stinging painfully. He wiped his face, his vision blurring.

The whole world was shaking violently, and all you could hear was the symphony of wind, waves, and thunder, along with the desperate shouts of the crew.

A giant wave crashed in, like a gray wall collapsing.

"pay close attention--!"

I don't know who shouted.