The sails of the Going Merry billowed gently, carrying the little ship laden with dreams across the boundless sea at an unhurried pace.
On the deck, Mox and Zoro sat facing each other.
In Mox’s hands was a fairly thick booklet.
Its cover was plain, bearing only a few simple characters:
“Haki Training Guide.”
This booklet was the culmination of Mox’s efforts.
He had combined the theoretical knowledge provided by the System with information he’d subtly gleaned from Garp, then organized and summarized it into a coherent guide.
For Zoro, who was desperate to grow stronger, it was nothing short of a priceless treasure.
“Haki, simply put, is divided into three types.”
Mox’s voice was neither loud nor forceful, yet every word was clear and carried an unquestionable seriousness.
“Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and the extremely rare Conqueror’s Haki.”
Zoro’s eyes were as sharp as blades.
He stared intently at the words in the booklet, occasionally looking up at Mox, afraid of missing even the smallest detail.
“Armament Haki is the hardening of one’s own ‘energy’ and coating the body or weapons with it.”
“It can increase both defense and offensive power, and it can even allow you to physically strike Logia users.”
“The key to training it lies in ‘condensing’ and ‘coating.’ Start with a single part of the body, gradually expand it to the entire body, and then apply it to weapons…”
Mox went into detail about the bottlenecks one might encounter while training Armament Haki, such as the stiffness experienced during the early stages of hardening.
He explained how repeated strikes and enduring blows could gradually increase its density, and even shared some of the training methods behind Garp’s famous Fist of Love.
“As for Observation Haki, it’s about perception.”
Mox changed topics.
“Perceiving the presence, emotions, and movements around you.
At a higher level, it can even allow you to anticipate an opponent’s attacks.”
“With advanced mastery, its range can expand tremendously, and you may even be able to sense fragments of another person’s thoughts.”
He looked at Zoro.
“You’ve spent years fighting alongside swords, so your instinct for danger is already exceptionally sharp.
That’s your advantage.”
“To train Observation Haki, you need to learn to ’empty your mind.’ Cast aside distractions and allow your perception to spread outward, like a drop of water dissolving into the sea…”
Zoro nodded silently, committing every point to memory.
His mind was already revisiting battles from his past, trying to connect theory with practical experience.
His brow occasionally furrowed as he digested the deeper concepts, then relaxed again when something seemed to click.
His concentration was completely different from his usual laid-back—and notoriously directionally challenged—self.
Just as the two were immersed in the world of Haki, a slightly hoarse voice filled with wild excitement suddenly exploded from inside the cabin, shattering the tranquility of the deck.
“I did it!
Luffy!
Mox!
I succeeded—!”
Before the voice had even faded, someone crashed through the cabin door and stumbled onto the deck.
Everyone turned toward the commotion.
It was Usopp.
At this moment, however, he looked absolutely disastrous.
His already-fluffy hair had been scorched black and curled from the heat.
His face, neck, and even his exposed arms were covered in black soot, making him look as though he’d just crawled out of a chimney.
His clothes were even worse.
Several parts were torn and covered in scorch marks, and a faint smell of sulfur hung in the air.
His appearance immediately attracted everyone’s attention.
Mox and Zoro stopped talking.
Luffy hurried over curiously, while Nami, who had been organizing things inside the cabin, also emerged with her arms crossed, watching with considerable interest.
“Usopp, what the heck did you do?” Nami wrinkled her nose after catching the pungent smell.
Usopp didn’t care at all about his appearance.
His face was flushed with excitement, although the soot concealed much of the redness.
He carefully opened his palm.
A small amount of black powder resembling coal dust rested in the center, giving off a powerful chemical smell.
Mox raised an eyebrow and leaned closer.
“What’s that?”
Luffy’s curiosity was even stronger.
He immediately shoved his nose toward Usopp’s palm and sniffed deeply.
He instantly recoiled and stuck out his tongue dramatically.
“Bleh!
That smells awful!
That’s gunpowder!”
“That’s right!”
Usopp slapped his thigh, pride radiating from his face.
“This is the special gunpowder I developed for Buggy Balls using the information you gave me, Mox!
Pretty amazing, huh?”
He proudly raised his chin.
“I only used a tiny amount—about the size of a fingernail—for the test…”
He pointed at himself.
“Look what happened!
It burned up all my clothes!”
Looking at Usopp’s soot-covered appearance, Mox smiled helplessly.
He extended a hand, palm facing Usopp, and released a gentle surge of energy.
The soot and grime covering Usopp’s body rapidly vanished as though they’d encountered their natural enemy, revealing his normal skin once more.
His clothes, however, remained badly damaged, while several mild burn marks on his face and arms remained.
“Thanks, Mox!”
Usopp felt the refreshing sensation across his body and thanked him sincerely.
Then he immediately returned to his proud expression, completely unconcerned about his ruined clothes.
“I’ll bet bullets made with this gunpowder will have enough power to rival a cannon!
Amazing, right?”
“Whoa!
That’s awesome, Usopp!”
Luffy’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Let’s test it!
Let’s test it!”
“Just watch!”
With Luffy’s praise feeding his ego, Usopp became even more carried away.
He carefully pulled a black sphere about the size of a fingertip from inside his clothes and held it up for everyone to see.
“This is what I made using this special gunpowder.
It’s the only one I have right now!”
He pointed toward a cluster of rocks protruding from the sea in the distance.
“See those rocks over there?
Watch closely!”
Usopp skillfully pulled out his slingshot and carefully placed the black powder bomb into the pouch.
He took a deep breath.
His expression instantly became focused and sharp.
He drew back, aimed, and released in one fluid motion.
Whoosh!
The black projectile tore through the air like a bolt of black lightning, flying straight toward the rocks.
BOOM—!!!
A deafening explosion erupted.
A massive fireball instantly engulfed the area around the rocks, followed by billowing black smoke.
The powerful shockwave slammed into the Going Merry’s sails like an invisible hand, making the canvas flap violently as the ship rocked several times.
Usopp planted his hands on his hips at the edge of the deck, basking in the breeze—and perhaps the lingering smell of gunpowder—and laughed proudly.
“See that?
That’s the power of yours truly!
Hmph!
Since I was short on time, I think the destructive power can still be increased by several levels!”
“Whoa—!”
Luffy’s mouth fell open in genuine amazement.
“Is that Buggy’s secret weapon?
Thinking back to Orange Town, that was seriously dangerous!”
Zoro also showed a rare look of surprise.
He stared toward the rocks.
The smoke had yet to fully clear, but it was already possible to see that a chunk of the rocks had been blown away.
“That power…
is definitely nothing to underestimate.”
Nami’s playful expression disappeared as well.
She stared solemnly at the devastation, silently calculating both the destructive power of the weapon and its…
potential value.
Mox was somewhat surprised too.
At the time, he’d only thought Buggy Balls were incredibly powerful.
A single projectile had enough destructive force to devastate a town.
So he’d casually given Usopp some basic information about their underlying principles, knowing the boy had a particular interest in mechanics and explosives.
He hadn’t expected Usopp to actually recreate them—and then miniaturize them into bullets.
Mox rubbed his chin.
Getting hit by one of those would definitely leave one hell of a bruise…
“Nami, let’s get closer and check the actual damage!” Usopp said excitedly.
“Then I can adjust the amount of powder based on the results!”
The Going Merry slowly changed course and headed toward the cluster of rocks.
Just as the ship was still some distance away, Mox’s brow furrowed slightly.
His Observation Haki had quietly spread outward, detecting something unusual.
“Wait.”
Mox spoke up.
“There’s someone behind those rocks.”
“Huh?
Someone?”
Usopp froze, then his expression changed.
“Then that explosion just now…”
“Let’s hurry over and take a look!”
Luffy had already rushed to the bow, his face filled with concern.
As the ship drew closer, a weak, painful voice drifted across the water.
“Help…
help me…”
Zoro listened carefully, his brow furrowing.
“That voice…
sounds familiar.”
The Going Merry rounded a large rock, and the sight before them left everyone stunned.
Two men lay on the sandy beach behind the rocks.
One was a man wearing a headscarf with a tattoo of the character “海” on his face.
He was weakly leaning against a rock and didn’t appear to be seriously injured.
The other man was in far worse condition.
He was covered in blood, barely breathing, and looked extremely sick.
“Johnny?
Yosaku?”
Zoro recognized them and cried out in surprise.
“Quick!
Get them aboard!”
Everyone hurried to carry Johnny and Yosaku onto the deck of the Going Merry.
After treating Johnny’s superficial injuries, he slowly regained consciousness.
The moment he opened his eyes and saw Zoro, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“Big Brother Zoro?…
Huh…
a pirate flag…
Why…
why are you on a pirate ship?”
Zoro gave a bitter smile.
“It’s a long story.
How are you two?
What happened?”
Johnny struggled upright and looked anxiously toward Yosaku, who remained unconscious and was still bleeding.
“Big Brother Zoro, please save Yosaku!
He’s got some kind of strange illness!”
“A strange illness?”
Everyone was startled.
“We were sailing just fine,” Johnny hurriedly explained.
“Then he suddenly started bleeding all over.
We couldn’t stop it no matter what we did.
Bandages didn’t help either.”
“We were going to hide behind those rocks for some shade, but then…
then there was suddenly an explosion…”
Everyone followed his gaze toward the rocks, then looked at the embarrassed Usopp.
They immediately understood.
Usopp scratched his head, his face alternating between red and pale.
“Um…
about that explosion…
maybe…
maybe I caused it…”
“I’m really sorry!”
Johnny froze for a moment before waving dismissively.
“Forget it.
I’m not badly hurt…”
Then his tone suddenly turned playful.
“But you could compensate me with a few hundred thousand Berries, just to make it worth my while.”
“Why don’t you just drop dead?!”
Usopp immediately exploded in anger.
“Hahaha!
I’m kidding!”
Johnny laughed before his expression turned earnest.
“But please, you have to save my partner!”
At that moment, Nami stepped forward.
She lifted Yosaku’s eyelids, pulled his tongue out slightly, and examined him carefully.
Then she stood up and crossed her arms with an exasperated expression.
“Honestly, you guys don’t know the first thing about sailing!”
She cleared her throat and explained,
“He doesn’t have some strange illness.
He’s got scurvy!”
“It’s caused by spending too much time at sea without enough fresh vegetables and fruit, resulting in a vitamin C deficiency!”
“Vitamin C?”
Luffy and Usopp stared blankly.
Mox nodded after hearing Nami’s diagnosis.
“I’ve got oranges in my storage space!”
Before anyone could respond, Mox extended his hand.
With a thought, a basket of bright orange fruit appeared out of thin air in his palm, filling the air with a fresh citrus aroma.
“I don’t want Luffy doing something like this because of his complete lack of common sense, so I’ve always kept plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit stocked.”
As he spoke, he picked up an orange, peeled it skillfully, and squeezed the sweet juice little by little into Yosaku’s mouth.
Then he handed an entire orange to Johnny.
“You should eat some too.”
“Give Yosaku orange juice every day.
He should recover in about a week.”
“Now, let’s get him into a room so he can rest.”
Afterward, Mox released his cleansing ability over Johnny and the unconscious Yosaku, cleaning the blood and sand from their bodies.
“We still need to keep the ship clean and sanitary.”
Seeing some color return to Yosaku’s pale face, Johnny breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly thanked everyone.
Zoro watched the scene and spoke solemnly.
“Looks like even if you don’t encounter enemies or other dangers at sea, the voyage itself is full of hazards.”
Nami nodded deeply.
“We need someone on our ship who can handle problems like food and health.”
“A cook!”
Luffy’s eyes lit up.
“We need to find a cook!”
After settling Yosaku in a room, Johnny came back out and happened to hear the conversation.
Speaking up, he said,
“Speaking of cooks, I know just the place!”
“Oh?
Where, where?”
Luffy immediately rushed over, his face full of anticipation.
“The Floating Restaurant, Baratie!”
“The Floating Restaurant, Baratie?”
Luffy’s eyes grew even wider.
He smacked his lips, looking nostalgic.
“I’ve eaten there before!
Mox brought me some of their food.
It was super delicious!
I really want to eat there again!”
Mox smiled.
“Then let’s go take a look.”
“We might find the right cook there and recruit them as a crewmate.”
“Besides, it’s also close to the entrance to the Grand Line.”
Johnny added,
“Exactly.
Just keep sailing straight ahead from here and you’ll reach Baratie!”
“Okay!”
Luffy suddenly thrust a fist into the air, brimming with energy.
“Everyone, full speed ahead!
Our destination is the Floating Restaurant, Baratie!
We’re going to find a cook!”
“Yeah—!”
The Going Merry raised its sails once more and accelerated toward their new destination.
The following day, there was no wind, so the Going Merry came to a stop on the open sea.
As usual, Zoro sat cross-legged in a corner of the deck, eyes closed and breathing slowly and rhythmically.
He was meditating, trying to circulate the “energy” within his body according to the method Mox had taught him the previous day.
He was clearly working hard at Haki training.
Sunlight cast a golden halo over his body.
His expression was solemn, making him look like a focused warrior carved from stone.
On the other side of the deck, Luffy and Usopp were happily fishing with their rods.
Nami stood beside the helm on the second deck, observing changes in the clouds.
She was judging the weather and calculating when the wind would return so they could resume their voyage, her expression focused and serious as she worked to ensure the Going Merry reached its destination safely.
Meanwhile, Mox stood alone at the bow, gazing across the boundless ocean.
His eyes seemed unfocused, as though he were daydreaming.
In reality, however, his consciousness was immersed in the System panel inside his mind.
[Host: Mox]
[Energy: —]
[Physical Strength: 1,100]
[Devil Fruit Abilities]
Trash Manipulation
Trash Decomposition
Trash Synthesis
[Personal Abilities]
Eight Extremities Fist— Advanced
Armament Haki — Beginner
Observation Haki — Intermediate
Conqueror’s Haki — Awakened
[Damaged Devil Fruit Restoration — 100%]
(Note: This Devil Fruit ability was synthesized by the System from multiple forms of energy.
It can only be used by the Host.
The Fruit possesses an absorption ability without side effects, and its existence has not been recorded by this world.
The Host may name it.)
[Available Synthesis]
Black Iron → Haki Iron
(Contains Armament Haki, extraordinarily durable, and can be manipulated through Observation Haki.)
Mox’s consciousness swept across the panel before finally stopping on the entry marked “Damaged Devil Fruit Restoration — 100%.”
He couldn’t help sighing emotionally.
“This damn Fruit took an entire year to repair.
It drained every last bit of Energy I’d accumulated, but it’s finally restored.”
He looked at the completed Devil Fruit ability description and pondered for a moment.
“Since it can devour all things and originates from the legend of the Taotie…
and the Taotie is said to resemble both a lion and a sheep, just like Merry…”
“Then I’ll call it…”
“Devil Fruit—Sheep-Sheep Fruit, Model: Taotie!”
Almost the instant he finished naming it, the System’s notification sounded inside his mind.
[Naming successful.
The Devil Fruit will now undergo final modifications based on the Host’s characteristics…]
[Modification complete.]
[The Host currently has no exclusive weapon.
Would you like to consume Black Iron units to generate an exclusive weapon compatible with the Host’s current Devil Fruit ability and Physical Strength?]
“Yes.”
Mox confirmed without hesitation.
He really did need a proper weapon to make better use of his abilities.
[Exclusive weapon synthesis in progress…]
[Synthesis successful.]
[As the Host is a Trash-Trash Fruit user, the System has created an exclusive weapon tailored specifically for the Host—Vacuum Cleaner.]
“…A vacuum cleaner?”
The corner of Mox’s mouth twitched.
Did I hear that correctly?
The next second, a bizarre weapon, completely black from end to end, appeared in his hand.
It really did look like a vacuum cleaner.
At the front was a large, flat suction head gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
In the middle was a sturdy black pipe forged from Haki Iron.
“This damn thing really is a vacuum cleaner!!!”
At the rear was a section of seemingly soft but extraordinarily durable tubing.
Strangely, the end of the tube appeared to connect directly to the air itself.
There was no visible container for storing the trash.
The moment Mox gripped the “vacuum cleaner,” he immediately felt a strange connection.
It was as though the weapon had been a part of his body from birth.
With a thought, powerful suction surged from the nozzle.
He could control both its strength and range at will.
He could even sense a faint pulse of Armament Haki within the Haki Iron body, subtly resonating with his own Haki.
“So…
a cleaner’s weapon really is a vacuum cleaner?”
Mox laughed helplessly.
But he had to admit, the weapon was incredibly compatible with his abilities.
Whether controlling trash, decomposing trash, synthesizing trash, or even using his newly acquired devouring ability, the vacuum cleaner seemed capable of perfectly complementing them all.
[The exclusive weapon has been detected to have an extremely high compatibility with the Host’s Devil Fruit ability.
Would you like to fuse them?]
(Note: This weapon can only be used by the Host.
After fusion, it will become completely integrated with the Host’s aura, making it easier to control.)
“Fuse.”
Mox didn’t hesitate.
Since it could only be used by him, fusion was undoubtedly the best option.
At his command, the vacuum cleaner transformed into a streak of black light and merged into his arm, disappearing completely.
On the System panel, the entry “Devil Fruit, Mythical Zoan—Sheep-Sheep Fruit, Model: Taotie” disappeared.
In its place appeared a Fusion Progress bar, its numbers rapidly climbing.
Soon, the progress bar reached the end.
Mox willed the weapon back into existence.
But its appearance had completely changed.
The original vacuum cleaner head had transformed into a ferocious lion’s head.
The head bore curling sheep’s horns, their tips flashing with a cold gleam, while faint black mist swirled around it.
The lion’s enormous jaws were open, exposing rows of sharp fangs as though they could devour everything.
Clearly, the mouth had evolved from the original suction nozzle.
The central Haki Iron shaft remained pitch black, but raised patterns resembling muscle fibers now covered its surface.
The soft hose at the rear had transformed into a lion’s tail, its tip covered in sharp black metal spikes that glinted dangerously.
Mox’s eyes lit up.
He couldn’t help praising it.
“This is amazing.
I can’t wait to take it out for a fight.”
The entire weapon radiated wildness and power.
The strange appearance of the sheep’s horns combined with the ferocity of the lion’s maw, giving it a genuinely intimidating presence.
He swung it experimentally.
The weight was perfect.
The shaft felt as steady as a rock in his grip, while the spiked tail moved with surprising flexibility.
Since it was his exclusive weapon, it naturally needed a powerful name.
“My surname is Mo, so you might as well take my surname too.”
“Its power is comparable to a meteor.
Anyone struck by it will fall.”
“Mo Meteor.”
[Host has acquired the exclusive upgradeable weapon, Mo Meteor.]
[Reward: Bagua Staff Technique — Proficient.]
Instantly, an enormous amount of knowledge regarding the Bagua Staff Technique flooded into Mox’s mind.
Basic staff grips.
Footwork transitions.
Offensive and defensive techniques.
Even variations designed around exploiting the weapon’s unique properties.
Everything became crystal clear, as though he had practiced the art for years.
Mox clenched his fist, feeling the power flowing through his body and the crystal-clear knowledge of the staff techniques in his mind.
A smile appeared on his face.
With the power of the Taotie Form, this formidable weapon, and his proficient mastery of the Bagua Staff Technique…
“This time, I shouldn’t be a burden to everyone anymore, right?”
Just then, the wind finally began to blow.
The sails filled with air.
It was time to set sail!