One Piece: Honey Badger Speedruns the World

In the stillness of the night, warm light cast two shadows on the wall of a guest room on the second floor of the villa.

Mia and Nami lay side by side on the soft bed, the moonlight streaming in through the window, creating a tranquil and warm atmosphere.

"Hey, Nami-neechan."

Mia hugged her pillow, turned to look at Nami, and looked at her with curiosity in her eyes.

"The Straw Hat Pirates...are there really that many monsters? That Captain Luffy, and that three-sword style swordsman..."

"Yeah, they're all a bunch of annoying, stupid monsters."

Nami sighed, but a gentle smile, unnoticed even by herself, graced her lips as she began to tell Mia the story of how they rang the Golden Bell on Skypiea and declared war on the world at Enies Lobby.

After listening to one thrilling story after another, Mia remained silent for a while, then suddenly said seriously, "I think... Mr. Usopp is the most amazing."

"Huh?"

Nami paused, seemingly surprised to hear that name, and blinked in astonishment: "Usopp? That long-nosed guy who only brags and whose legs tremble when he's in danger?"

"Um."

Mia nodded: "Mr. Luffy and Mr. Zoro are both very strong. They are not afraid of death because they have monstrous strength. But Mr. Usopp is different... He is weak, just like Mia."

The little girl gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her voice soft but unusually firm: "Even though my legs were shaking with fear, even though I knew I might die, I still stood up for my companions... Overcoming my instinctive fear, that's true 'bravery,' isn't it?"

I also want to become... a brave sea warrior like Mr. Usopp, though weak.

Nami stared in amazement at the clear-eyed little girl in front of her.

After a long while, she reached out and gently hugged Mia, saying softly, "Ah...you're right. That long-nosed man is indeed the bravest man on our ship."

……

Meanwhile, deep within the Whale Forest, far from residential areas, the atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.

Under the dim light, smoke swirled around.

The enormous cat viper leader was smoking a pipe, his usually carefree cat face now showing only deep and solemn thoughts.

Opposite him stood a tense-looking Baal, and Pedro, the leader of the Knights of Fame.

"Baal, I heard you're going to the Land of Ten Thousand with Goss to do business?"

The cat viper exhaled a smoke ring, its voice rough.

"Yes, yes."

Barr wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; he always felt immense pressure in front of such a powerful figure.

"That's good."

Cat Viper turned to Pedro and said in a serious tone, "Pedro, contact Pokhomus."

Tell that sunglasses-wearing lion that no matter what method he uses, he must take good care of Goss in Whole Cake Island. Don't let him die on Big Mom's territory.

"Understood, boss." Pedro nodded, then looked at Cat Viper with some hesitation: "But... do we really have to do this? Get rid of Goss?"

The cat viper fell silent. He looked up at the dark night sky of Zou outside the window, as if he had a premonition of the coming storm.

"Zou... has been targeted."

The cat viper's voice turned low and cold, a voice born of the king's anxieties.

"If that 'disaster' really happens, given Goss's personality..."

As long as he has even a shred of attachment to this place, he will fight to the last drop of blood to protect this homeland.

"But he shouldn't have died here."

The cat viper slammed his pipe down, sparks flying, and a resolute light flashed in his vertical pupils.

"His spirit doesn't belong on this elephant's back. He is a man with the qualities of a king, and the sea is his destiny, not to be buried with us in Zou."

Barr was terrified and stammered, "Then... then what do we do?"

The cat viper looked at Baal, revealing a hideous grin that was more like a grimace:

"It's simple. Just getting him to leave Zou by sea isn't enough... If we don't cut off his desire to return, he'll still think about coming back."

"We're going to put on a show. A show that will make him utterly disappointed, even...utterly hate Zou."

"Only by making him hate us, hate us so much that he never wants to set foot here again... can he survive the disaster to come."

……

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the ancient and mysterious whale forest on Zou's back.

"Hey, Modi."

A deep voice broke the silence. A black ox-fur tribesman on patrol stopped and looked at his companion with concern.

"Your injury hasn't fully healed yet, has it? You were seriously injured just a few days ago, how come you're out on duty tonight? Didn't the doctor tell you to stay in bed for at least a week?"

Standing opposite him was Modi, who was covered in bandages.

"Hiss..." A look of pain appeared on Modi's face. Thick bandages were wrapped around half of his body, making him look particularly pale in the moonlight.

"I can't lie still."

Although Modi was pale, his eyes were unusually bright.

"You're still working this hard."

Black Bull shook his head helplessly, and was about to turn around and continue his inspection when he noticed that Modi hadn't moved.

Modi stood still, his eyes fixed on the enormous whale tree deep in the forest—the only way to the core restricted area.

"Hey, what are you looking at?"

Black Bull followed his gaze and asked, somewhat puzzled, "That's the core area of ​​the Whale Forest. Only the Duke and the Cat Viper Boss can go in there. What are you staring at there for?"

"No...it's nothing."

Moody seemed startled, his eyes flickering slightly: "I was just wondering if the defenses there are a bit weak, in case there are intruders..."

Just then.

A gurgling sound.

Something suddenly moved strangely beneath the thick bandage on Modi's left hand.

It didn't look like a muscle twitching from pain; it looked more like some living thing turning over under the skin.

"Um?"

Black Bull keenly noticed the subtle movement. He took a step closer, pointing at Modi's bandages, "Modi, just now under your wound... it seemed like something moved?"

Modi's eyes instantly turned cold, but he quickly lowered his head, pressing his palm firmly against the bulge, forcing a forced, bitter smile.

"It's probably because the wound is healing, it's a little itchy... You know, our static electricity injuries always have some aftereffects."

After saying that, he turned around nonchalantly, waved his hand at Black Bull with his back to him, and said, "Go and take a look over there. I'll keep an eye on things here."

Modi turned around, waved to Black Bull with his back to him, but secretly reached for the bandage with his other hand.

If he can get rid of this guy, he can...

"Are you kidding me?"

A large hand suddenly slapped heavily on his shoulder, startling Modi so much that his hand trembled.

Black Bull didn't leave; instead, he stood behind him with a serious expression, his tone revealing a stubbornness that drove him crazy: "Leaving a seriously injured guy like you here alone? If we really run into the enemy, you won't even be able to escape."

"I'm fine, really..."

Modi's lips twitched as he tried to struggle.

"Enough with the nonsense." Black Bull grabbed Modi's arm without saying a word, revealing a set of white teeth, and smiled in a simple and righteous manner.

Let's go together.