Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Swimming Lessons
"Shahhahaha... The Marines in the East Blue are laughably weak."
The fish-men pirates celebrated another victory on their uniquely crafted ship. Its bow, jagged like a shark's teeth, displayed a flag with a red fish symbol. Several fish-men leaped back on board from the sea, water dripping from their scaled skin as they laughed, their voices echoing over the waves.
Arlong, tall and menacing in his yellow vest, raised a glass, sneering as he looked over a torn Marine ship slowly sinking into a distant whirlpool.
"It's pathetic," he growled, his jagged nose casting a shadow over his face. "The Marines along the Grand Line leave us alone, yet the weaklings here in the East Blue keep interfering, even without the strength to back it up…"
He held a newspaper featuring Jinbe's induction as a Warlord, letting out a dark chuckle. "Seems like Jinbe kept our little disagreement under wraps."
An octopus fish-man chuckled in agreement. "Yeah, thanks to him, the Marines think we're affiliated with the Seven Warlords and avoid us like the plague."
Arlong's laughter turned to a snarl as he ripped the paper in two, tossing the scraps to the wind. "This is the weakest sea in the world. These humans don't even understand the power of fish-men."
His piercing eyes surveyed his crew. "It's time to build our own paradise here, a place where humans serve us and experience true suffering."
Spreading out a map he'd stolen from the Marines, he traced his finger along several locations, marking them. "First, avoid Garp's patrol routes. That old monster is the only real threat around here."
His crew quickly gathered past newspapers, marking all recorded sightings of Garp and his movements.
"Now we're safe," Arlong concluded, smirking. "If any Marines do get in our way, we'll pay them off… or sink them and make it look like an accident. The Navy won't come looking for them."
Arlong laughed, the echo of his disdainful voice blending with the crash of waves as his ship charted its course toward the small villages dotting the East Blue.
…
Meanwhile, in Cocoyasi Village, Luffy lay in a deck chair, scanning today's newspaper before setting it aside for a new book. But as he opened it, he realized something felt... off.
It wasn't a regular book—it was a manga, with rough, almost sketch-like illustrations. But strangely, he felt a flicker of familiarity. It was about "ninjas." Closing the book, he looked at the cover, which bore the title "Dog of Fire" in bold letters.
"…"
Curious, he rummaged through the stack of books he'd brought aboard and found more with peculiar names like Seven Monkey Balls, Pocket A-Mon, and Big Maruko. Finally, he pulled out Sora, Warrior of the Sea, its artwork looking much more in line with what he expected.
"This one looks decent," he murmured, diving into the story.
Nami, Uta, and Nojiko, who had been running around the ship with camera snails, stopped to watch him. "Luffy, you're such a kid! Reading stuff like that?" Nami teased.
"Well, I am a kid," he said, unfazed.
"Why don't you come play hide-and-seek with us?" Uta suggested.
Luffy glanced around at the three girls, noticing how they had grown taller and more graceful with a steadier diet. Even Nojiko had developed a more youthful air.
He thought of a more "official" version of hide-and-seek he'd once seen: wearing official garb, blindfolded, playing with a group of ladies. Now, that would be hide-and-seek worth playing.
"Nah, not interested," he replied. "How about teaching me how to swim instead?"
The girls blinked in surprise. "Wait, you don't know how to swim?" Nami asked, finding it hard to believe that Luffy, who seemed to excel at everything, didn't know such a basic skill.
"Nope. Teach me?"
Nami grinned, raising her hand. "Alright, Captain! One thousand Berries!"
"No need to charge him!" Nojiko protested, but Nami just waved her off. "It's between me and the captain."
"Just make sure I learn well," Luffy reminded her.
"Of course! When it comes to Berries, I'm all business!" Nami laughed, pulling him along as they made their way to a nearby swimwear shop.
…
Soon, they were back on the ship, each dressed in their swimwear. Uta, her hair tied back, floated in the water with a yellow ducky swim ring, explaining she needed it now that she'd gained her abilities.
As Uta floated peacefully, Luffy and Nami waded into the water.
"Swimming is simple," Nami began. "If you can keep your head underwater and stay relaxed, you'll float."
Luffy quickly picked up on the basics, his body naturally adjusting as he spread his weight evenly.
"Next, don't tense up. When you're tense, you sink. Find a rhythm for breathing and kicking," Nami coached him, guiding his hand.
With Nojiko beside him to ensure he didn't flounder, Luffy focused on Nami's instructions, noticing the precise movements she showed him. It took only a few tries before he got the hang of floating, his confidence growing with each success.
After practicing basic strokes, Nami taught him the next steps: kicking, pushing the water, and coordinating his arms.
"Not bad, right?" he said after a few more tries.
"You're getting there," Nami admitted. "But swimming is more than just staying afloat. If you're going to be a real sailor, you need to know how to rescue people. It's a whole different challenge…"
Without warning, she plunged underwater, signaling for Luffy to "rescue" her.
He took a deep breath, diving after her. Despite his confidence, his mind briefly wandered to the strange things he'd once read about underwater dangers—like parasites that could supposedly slip into swimming trunks. His imagination ran wild for a moment before he shook it off, refocusing on his task.
The water cooled his skin, but as he neared her, he saw Nami playing the role of a panicked swimmer, clinging to his shoulders and trying to drag him down. Her grip was strong, wrapping around his neck and arms, pulling at him like a stubborn cat.
It was much harder than he anticipated. If it were an opponent, he would simply have thrown them off. But Nami was a friend, so he held her gently, maneuvering carefully to keep both of them balanced as he brought her to the surface.
As they surfaced, Nami gasped for air, her face flushed as she broke into laughter. "Okay… that was… harder than I expected…"
"It's really tough, huh?" Nojiko called out from the shore, smiling.
Uta, floating nearby in her swim ring, observed quietly, her purple eyes reflecting the sunlight on the water's surface. She said nothing, her gaze distant, as if she were taking in the scene from another world.
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