Chapter 20

East Blue, on a certain sea, on a small wooden boat drifting with the wind.

"509, 510, 511..."

Eden Ragnell was drenched in sweat, doing one-handed push-ups on the small boat while counting.

Seven days had passed since they left Shells Town, and during these seven days, Eden had resumed his relentless training routine on the small boat.

Eden's continuous and intense training even impressed Zoro, a training fanatic himself, but it also sparked his competitive spirit. So, Zoro also started practicing his swordsmanship on the boat.

However, on the first day of Zoro's sword practice, he nearly split the small wooden boat in half. Seeing his recklessness, Eden and Luffy had to give him a good beating to make him stop and give up the idea of rigorous sword training on the fragile boat.

While Eden was engaged in strenuous exercises, Luffy and Zoro, having nothing else to do, lounged around the boat chatting away.

"Didn't you say you wanted to go to the Grand Line? But you have no navigation skills. Isn't that ridiculous?" Zoro asked Luffy. After staying on the same boat with Luffy and Eden, he discovered a troubling fact.

On this small wooden boat, even though there were three people, no one wanted to row, letting the boat drift aimlessly. How long would it take, relying on sheer luck, to reach their destination?

Luffy never intended to row, while Eden was too focused on his training, and exhausted after each session, to even think about rowing. As for Zoro, unable to train on the boat, he would rather sleep than grab the oar.

Most importantly, even if they wanted to row, they had no idea which direction to go in the vast ocean. So, they didn't bother with the effort, leaving the poor oar to gather dust.

"What's so funny? Eden and I have been drifting before. We'll eventually find an island."

Luffy retorted to Zoro, "Aren't you a bounty hunter who drifts around the seas?"

"I don't recall making my living solely from bounty hunting."

Zoro lazily rested his arm on the boat's edge, saying, "I went out to sea to find someone, but lost my way and couldn't get back. I had no choice but to target pirate ships to make a living."

Luffy listened intently to Zoro's explanation and concluded, "So you got lost."

"You, who knows nothing about navigation, have no right to say that!"

Zoro snapped, feeling insulted by Luffy calling him lost.

"It's ridiculous to be a pirate without navigation skills. How are we supposed to reach the Grand Line? You should find a navigator soon."

Zoro suggested to Luffy.

Luffy immediately expanded on the idea, "And a cook and a musician..."

"Leave those for later!"

Zoro, seeing Luffy's cluelessness, shouted in frustration.

"So hungry..."

Luffy and Zoro lay on the boat, looking like starving ghosts.

"Eden, we're hungry!"

Luffy called out to Eden, who was still doing one-handed push-ups.

"Didn't we eat a few hours ago?"

Eden stopped after doing six hundred push-ups, panting, and said to Luffy and Zoro, "Listen, I feel something weird about my body."

"What? You still look human."

Luffy sat up, glanced at Eden, and said something that made Eden cringe.

Damn, if I didn't look human, why would I be chatting with you?

Eden suppressed the urge to punch Luffy and explained, "I feel like I'm growing too fast. If it's the Devil Fruit's power, I have no idea when I used it."

At first, Eden was pleased with his gradual strength increase. Two days ago, he could barely do four hundred one-handed push-ups, and now he could easily do six hundred.

Despite his rigorous training over the past week, the progress seemed too fast, almost unbelievable.

"Nothing strange about that. It might not be the Devil Fruit. You could be a natural talent, making your training super effective."

Zoro's words were immediately supported by Luffy, "Yeah, if you didn't use the Devil Fruit's power, that must be it."

"Wow, Eden, you're amazing."

Luffy's words made Eden feel gratified and almost overjoyed.

"I didn't expect to be so gifted. This is surprising."

Eden laughed boastfully, letting go of his earlier doubts about his rapid progress.

"But you two are both Devil Fruit users. If you both fall into the sea, I wouldn't know how to save you."

Zoro rubbed his chin, suddenly realizing the dilemma if Luffy and Eden fell into the water simultaneously.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Eden and I are reliable people. There's no way we'd both fall into the sea and trouble you."

Luffy confidently patted his chest.

"Exactly, we're trustworthy. The odds of us both falling into the sea are lower than you finding your way home alone."

Eden's words made Luffy laugh, "Well said, since Zoro is such a directionless person, hahaha."

"Shut up, both of you!"

Zoro, feeling mocked, erupted in anger.

"Alright, Eden, we're hungry. Catch something for us to eat."

Luffy, finishing his laughter, felt hungrier and urged Eden.

"Maybe your stomach needs rocks. You get hungry too easily."

Eden took out the fishing net, ready to fish.

"Wait, I don't want fish today. Catch something else."

Luffy stopped Eden, pointing at a large bird flying overhead, drooling, "I want to eat that."

"I'm just a fisherman, not a bird catcher."

Eden looked up at the large bird, its wingspan about thirteen meters.

"Give it a try. Maybe you'll become the world's greatest hunter."

Luffy's words sparked Eden's interest.

"The world's greatest, huh? Sounds good."

Eden's eyes lit up. "Alright, let me show you the skills of the future world's greatest hunter."

"Wow, go, world's greatest hunter!"

Luffy cheered, clapping. Eden felt even more proud and thrilled.

After observing for about ten minutes, Eden finally understood the bird's flying pattern. Every three minutes, the bird would fly lower for about twenty-five seconds, the perfect time to catch it.

Here it comes!

Eden saw the bird descending, reaching about ten meters above him. He threw the net with all his strength.

The net, about thirteen meters long, spread wide and caught the bird flying ten meters above.

"Hahahaha, see that? It's my prey now. This is the skill of the future world's greatest hunter. Nothing can escape me!"

Eden, excited and proud, turned to boast to Luffy and Zoro.

Just as he turned, the netted bird screeched, and he felt himself rising. He saw Luffy and Zoro shrinking below.

Wait, it's not them shrinking. I'm being lifted off the boat!

Realizing this, Eden saw two more birds had come, grabbed the net, and were carrying him away.

Eden was utterly embarrassed. He was supposed to catch the bird, but now he was being carried by it. How humiliating!

Clinging to the net, Eden was flown through the air by the three birds. Looking at the sea below, he dared not let go, fearing the water due to his Devil Fruit powers.

"No, Eden's been taken by those birds!"

Luffy, snapping out of his shock, grabbed his head and shouted in panic. He tried to stretch his arm to grab Eden, but the birds had flown too far.

"What kind of world's greatest hunter is this!"

Zoro, looking at the shrinking figure of Eden, anxiously grabbed the oar to row after him. But then he saw Luffy looking up at another bird, shouting, "Got it! I'll ride that bird to catch up to Eden."

"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!"

Luffy stretched his arm to grab the mast, using its elasticity to launch himself upwards towards the bird.

"I see, he's reliable at critical moments."

Zoro watched as Luffy approached the bird, thinking it was a good plan to catch up to Eden.

"Huh?"

But then Zoro saw Luffy getting too close to the bird, not riding it but seemingly getting his head bitten!

High in the sky, Luffy was in shock. He hadn't expected the bird to bite his head as soon as he got close.

"Help, save me!"

Luffy screamed for help, the bird flying him towards Eden, but he couldn't help himself, let alone Eden.

Eden, seeing Luffy also captured by a bird, asked why he was still screaming for help. But Luffy explained that as Devil Fruit users, they'd be doomed if they fell into the sea, so they could only call for Zoro's help.

Realizing this, Eden agreed and joined Luffy in shouting for help.

"Zoro, save us!"

"I'm going to be Pirate King. I can't lose to a bird. Zoro, think of something!"

Thus, Eden and Luffy kept calling out to Zoro, their voices echoing over the vast sea, creating a pitiful scene.

"Shut up, you two idiots!"

Zoro, rowing with all his might, chased after the disappearing figures of Eden and Luffy, yelling at them.

Poor Zoro, never imagining that the two reliable companions would disappear from the boat in just five seconds.

Eden, who claimed to be the world's greatest hunter, was caught by birds, and Luffy, the captain, went to rescue him only to be captured as well.

If they fall into the sea now, how am I supposed to save them!

Zoro, rowing desperately, looked at the swinging figure of Eden in the net and Luffy in the bird's mouth, thinking, "Did I join a pirate crew or a comedians crew? These two are more unreliable than anyone..."