One Piece: The Strongest Trait System novel Chapter 71

Chapter 71 - [71] : [BONUS] - Dimensional Beatdown! Hunting Devil Fruits!

~ Thank you, This is the Bonus Chapter For Hitting 1,800 Powerstones~

~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!

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Somewhere on the Grand Line, the Going Merry sailed onward.

Unlike their smooth sailing through East Blue thanks to Nami's exceptional skills, the Merry was currently experiencing utter chaos in Grand Line.

One moment, the sky above the sea would be clear and sunny; the next, thick fog would roll in, followed instantly by blizzards, thunderstorms, hurricanes—a relentless, unpredictable cycle of extreme weather with no respite.

"What is wrong with this sea?!" Even Nami, despite her talent, couldn't help but clutch her head, overwhelmed by the bizarre climate.

"Stay calm, Nami. This is the Grand Line. There's nothing wrong with your navigation skills. You just need to practice and verify things as we sail," Rowen reassured her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder with a warm smile.

Theory was just theory.

Without actually sailing the Grand Line, one couldn't truly grasp the terrifying nature of this sea. But adapting to this harsh environment, constantly pushing forward—that's how one grew stronger.

This applied to both navigation skills and Haki.

"We'll navigate together. Just remember one principle: sailing the Grand Line, you can't trust the wind, the clouds, or the currents. The only thing you can rely on—is this unwavering needle," Rowen stated seriously, pointing to the Log Pose on Nami's wrist.

Having already equipped Nami's Navigation and Climate Sense Traits, Rowen's own navigational understanding was now on par with hers. However, actually sailing the Grand Line still required practical experience.

"I understand, Rowen!" Reassured by Rowen, Nami quickly regained her composure.

Under Nami and Rowen's joint command, though still hectic, the Going Merry successfully navigated through the volatile stretch of sea. The weather finally stabilized.

Luffy and the others collapsed onto the deck, exhausted. Sailing through such conditions required constant course adjustments, leaving absolutely no time for rest.

"Phew!" Vivi leaned against the cabin wall, letting out a breath. She watched Rowen discussing navigation with Nami, noticing the genuine smile on Nami's face, and pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

A pang of envy stirred within her.

During the recent chaotic navigation, Rowen and Nami had commanded the ship together.

Vivi had also learned that Rowen had specifically learned navigation for Nami.

This resonated deeply with Vivi, who, for the sake of her country, had infiltrated Baroque Works with Igaram at the young age of sixteen.

Though Vivi was incredibly strong-willed—otherwise she wouldn't have abandoned her princess life to undertake such a dangerous mission—she was still, at heart, an eighteen-year-old young woman with inherent vulnerabilities.

Especially after discovering Crocodile was behind Baroque Works, the overwhelming despair had magnified that vulnerability immensely.

And then... she met Rowen and his crew.

Vivi sat on the deck, her gaze drifting towards Rowen.

Even now, it felt surreal, like a dream. Just when she felt most hopeless, a great pirate with a bounty over 100 million appeared—a powerful Logia Devil Fruit user, no less!

Someone who had even clashed with Hawk-Eyes Mihawk, another Warlord!

That clash was even hailed by the newspapers as a 'Clash of Kings'! She knew Crocodile had never received such an evaluation in the papers.

Sky Sovereign Rowen—a future King of the seas... Vivi pressed her lips together again.

And now, Rowen and his crew were heading to confront Crocodile—one of the Seven Warlords.

Rowen had even decided to save her country because her despair reminded him of Nami's past expression.

'Nami... had she also experienced such despair?' Recalling Rowen's words, Vivi looked towards Nami thoughtfully. But Nami now... truly smiled so happily.

And that smile—was protected by a powerful man.

And that powerful man... had even learned navigation for Nami's dream. Vivi felt an overwhelming sense of envy towards Nami at that moment.

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"LAND HO! Our first destination!" Nami exclaimed, checking the Log Pose on her wrist, then looking towards the island gradually appearing in the distance, her face breaking into a bright smile.

Successfully guiding the crew to their first destination in the Grand Line filled Nami with a sense of accomplishment, especially since she shared this achievement with Rowen. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Rowen.

Rowen, feeling his own spirit strengthen slightly from successfully conquering the harsh sea conditions—which in turn enhanced his Conqueror's Haki via Born of the Sea (Apex Gold)—returned Nami's smile.

'Successfully commanding the ship through the perilous Grand Line to reach the destination also strengthens one's spirit, enhancing Haki—Looks like I can share command duties with Nami from now on.'

Rowen hadn't expected navigation skills to have such a side benefit!

No wonder Navigation, unlike Sanji's cooking skills, had a quantifiable Trait tier.

And because his bond with Nami was already maxed out, whenever Nami's Navigation skill leveled up, Rowen's would instantly synchronize. Another unexpected bonus!

"That must be Whiskey Peak, right, Vivi?" Nami asked, turning to Vivi who had walked up beside her.

"Yes. That's Whiskey Peak. Just like I told you, there are about a hundred Baroque Works bounty hunters stationed there. Mr. 8—Igaram—who is stationed there, is actually the captain of our kingdom's Royal Guard,"

Vivi confirmed, her expression turning slightly dazed as she looked at the island.

Just one mission away hunting—and everything felt worlds apart now.

To gain the help of someone as powerful as Rowen... Vivi still found it somewhat unreal.

"U-Um, Mr. Rowen... I have a small request," Mr. 9 spoke up hesitantly after much internal debate.

Though he realized during the voyage that Rowen and his crew were different from typical pirates—especially Rowen, who was incredibly powerful yet carefree, even willing to trust Mr. 9 based solely on his oath (perfectly fitting Mr. 9's image of a great pirate)—he still spoke cautiously when addressing such a powerhouse.

"What is it?" Rowen asked, smiling, though his expression seemed slightly odd. His Observation Haki detected Mr. 9's emotional fluctuations; Rowen already had a good idea what was coming.

"Um... when you're clearing out the bounty hunters on the island—could you spare one person? Her codename is Miss Monday," Mr. 9 finally managed, gritting his teeth.

Vivi's expression turned slightly strange beside him.

"MISS? I remember codenames like that are for female agents, right?" Sanji immediately perked up at the mention of a lady.

"Is she your sweetheart?" Usopp asked mischievously.

"N-Not exactly! She's just... special," Mr. 9 stammered awkwardly.

"Show us a picture! Otherwise, how will we know who she is?" Usopp and Sanji grinned knowingly, sharing a 'man-to-man understanding' look.

"O-Okay," Mr. 9 hesitated, then pulled out a photo of Miss Monday. The photo showed a dark-skinned woman with a physique arguably more muscular and imposing than Zoro's.

"..." Usopp and Sanji fell silent instantly. 'Yeah... definitely 'SPECIAL'.'

"Well, everyone has their own tastes. I'll remember her," Rowen replied, his smile slightly strained but agreeing nonetheless.

Mr. 9 breathed a sigh of relief.

"R-Rowen... The townspeople—will welcome any arriving pirates with a feast... then drug their drinks and attack them in the dead of night. When we arrive—just act normally and accept their hospitality, I'll go find Igaram and explain the situation," Vivi explained nervously.

Though Rowen had told her to just call him by name, Vivi still felt hesitant.

"What?! That's so dirty!" Luffy immediately expressed his disdain for such tactics.

Vivi flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me," Rowen reassured her with a smile, not pressing Vivi to relax just yet.

Seeing Rowen agree, Vivi also breathed a sigh of relief, a smile gracing her lips.

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"Pirates! Welcome!"

Rowen looked at Igaram, smiling faintly. His Observation Haki clearly sensed Igaram's extreme nervousness beneath the facade.

"!!!" Igaram's smile froze on his face. Vivi's expression also became incredibly strained. 'This wasn't part of the plan!'

Even without prior knowledge, these bounty hunters couldn't hide their true nature from Rowen's Observation Haki. The stench of bloodlust was palpable beneath their forced smiles.

CLANG! CLANG!

BOOM! CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE!