Capítulo 51: 51. The Following Morning
Chapter 51: The Following Morning
The sun had barely begun to rise, its golden rays casting a soft glow over the horizon, gently filtering through the Going Merry's windows. The open East Blue stretched out, calm and vast, as the ship rocked ever so slightly on the waves. Inside the crew's quarters, Goku stirred in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the faint light creeping through the cabin.
As he stretched lazily, Goku felt the warmth beside him. He glanced down to find Nami curled up next to him, her red hair a tangled mess across the pillow, a peaceful look on her face. Her breathing was soft and steady, undisturbed by the chaos of the previous day. Goku couldn't help but smile, though his muscles ached in ways he hadn't anticipated. The fight with Smoker had taken more out of him than he was willing to admit. He had pushed himself beyond his limits, and now, the exhaustion was settling in, lingering like a weight he couldn't shake off.
With a deep breath, he carefully pulled away from Nami, trying not to wake her. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if even the slightest motion might send him toppling over. His body felt like it was made of lead, heavy and sluggish. He had been training and fighting for days straight, with hardly any rest. Goku winced as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, his bare feet touching the cool floor.
A slight hiss, almost imperceptible, echoed behind him. He paused for a second, his senses tingling. He couldn't place it—just a faint feeling that something was following him. He glanced back but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shaking it off as nothing more than his fatigue messing with his mind, Goku stood up and moved toward the door, his footsteps unsteady.
The instant he stepped outside the cabin, the coolness of the early morning air hit him. It was refreshing, but it did little to shake the exhaustion that had already set in his bones. His stomach grumbled loudly, and Goku clutched it, feeling the hunger gnawing at him. Fighting, especially a battle like the one with Smoker, always made him hungry.
Without a second thought, he made his way down the quiet, dimly lit hallway toward the kitchen. The rest of the crew was still asleep, their rooms silent as the ship glided through the calm waters. The kitchen door creaked slightly as Goku opened it, the cold and stillness of the room greeting him. The kitchen was sparse, but there was something comforting about it in the quiet hours of the morning. The aroma of stale air, mingled with the remnants of yesterday's meal, was somehow soothing to Goku.
He didn't need any encouragement. His stomach was a force of nature, and Goku immediately began scouring the cabinets for whatever food he could find. He opened the fridge and pulled out vegetables, meat, eggs, and a loaf of bread, quickly laying out everything he needed. Even though he was tired, he moved with practiced ease, his hands instinctively chopping and slicing, whisking eggs, and frying up pieces of meat.
The breakfast he prepared was nothing short of monumental—easily enough to feed a dozen people. There were stacks of pancakes, each one the size of a dinner plate, dripping with syrup. He had cooked enough bacon to fill a skillet, a mountain of scrambled eggs that could barely fit on the table, and even a whole loaf of bread, toasted golden-brown and slathered in butter. The large pot of steaming rice sat off to the side, next to bowls of fresh fruit and a pitcher of orange juice. Goku even prepared a massive pot of coffee, though he was more focused on the food than anything else.
His stomach growled louder as he dug in, shoveling food into his mouth like it was his last meal. He barely took the time to chew, but the satisfaction of each bite was undeniable. Goku was in his element here, his Saiyan appetite taking charge as his body began to recover, albeit slowly, from the intense battle with Smoker.
As he finished half of what he had prepared, the kitchen door creaked open, and Zoro stumbled in. His messy green hair and unkempt clothes gave him the appearance of someone who had just woken up after a night of drinking. Zoro's eyes were half-lidded, his gait slow and groggy as he moved toward the fridge. He cracked open a beer, the cold bottle in his hand as he sighed, looking over at Goku with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
"You know," Zoro said, his voice thick with sleep, "I still don't get how you can eat like that and not get sick or fat."
Goku paused mid-bite, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "It's simple. Eating is my best way of recovering my strength! No matter how much I eat, I feel better."
Zoro snorted, shaking his head as he took a swig from his beer, still staring at the breakfast spread. "You must have the stomach of a beast. Anyway, speaking of strength, what happened with Smoker yesterday? I've been meaning to ask."
Goku's smile faded slightly as he set down his fork. He leaned back in his chair, feeling a slight twinge of unease. "Well… the match didn't really go as I expected," he began, rubbing the back of his neck. "I couldn't touch him with his devil fruit power. Every time I tried to land a blow, he just turned into smoke. So, even if I could land a punch, I couldn't beat him."
Zoro raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "So, what—he's that strong?"
Goku took a moment, his gaze distant as he remembered the chaotic fight. "Not really. He was strong, but it wasn't that. The fight got interrupted. Someone else showed up… someone powerful. I'm not sure if I could have beaten Smoker, but I know I wouldn't have lost either."
Zoro didn't press him for details about the mysterious fighter. Instead, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You couldn't touch him, but you also wouldn't have lost? That doesn't make sense."
Goku sighed, tapping his fingers on the table, trying to gather his thoughts. "Well, it's like this. Smoker's Devil Fruit lets him turn into smoke, right? That makes him untouchable. I couldn't land a punch, no matter how fast I moved. But even though I couldn't win, I know I wouldn't have lost either. There was something about his attacks, something I couldn't quite get past."
Zoro nodded slowly, as though processing the information. "And the other guy? The one who intervened?"
Goku's face darkened slightly. "I didn't see his face. But I could feel his energy. This guy—whoever he was—could touch Smoker, even though he had a Devil Fruit power. That's something I've never felt before."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'touch him'? How could someone touch a Logia-type Devil Fruit user? That's—"
"Exactly," Goku interjected, his voice sharp with realization. "I think there's a way to fight those with Devil Fruit powers, beyond their natural weaknesses. Like, you know how sand is weak to water? Maybe there's something else out there—a secret technique or a way to break through their powers. Smoker and others like him—they might not be as invincible as they seem."
Before Zoro could respond, the door creaked open again, and Gin stumbled into the kitchen, his hair even more disheveled than Zoro's. He grunted as he grabbed a large mug, filling it with coffee from the kettle. As he slumped down at the table, he gave them both a weary glance.
"So, what's all this talk about fighting Devil Fruit users?" Gin asked, his voice thick with exhaustion. "You two never stop talking, do you?"
Goku shrugged. "I think there might be a way to fight Devil Fruit users. I mean, there has to be something that makes it possible to physically touch them, right? Like how the Pirate King never used a Devil Fruit power but still became the strongest."
Gin nodded thoughtfully, sipping his coffee. "The Pirate King was a monster, but he wasn't a Devil Fruit user. So, there must be something to it. Maybe it's something that only the strongest in the Grand Line know. Maybe we're just scratching the surface."
The conversation trailed off, and Goku finished the last of his breakfast, standing up and stretching his tired muscles.
"Well, I'm going to get some fresh air," he said, his voice still heavy from the exhaustion of the day before.
He stepped out onto the deck, feeling the cool breeze against his skin. But as he walked toward the edge of the ship, something felt… different. His balance was better than it had been in days. His movements, usually sluggish from fatigue, now felt surprisingly stable.
It wasn't until he glanced over his shoulder that he realized something odd. His blue shorts were slightly raised, revealing something that hadn't been there before. A familiar tail, brown and sinuous, swayed gently behind him as he walked.
Zoro and Gin, still in the kitchen, had noticed it too. They stood in the doorway, their eyes wide in disbelief.
"Goku!" Zoro shouted, pointing at the tail. "What the hell is that?! Why do you have a tail?!"
[A/N: Read 15 to 20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]
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