Chapter 45

Navy Headquarters basked in perfect sailing weather - sunny skies stretching as far as the eye could see. At the massive port before the fortress, a sleek warship stood ready. Navy personnel bustled about, loading supplies for the upcoming voyage.

Jim, blueprint crumpled in his sweaty hand, darted from bow to stern, deck to hold, meticulously inspecting every detail. Finally, he grabbed a water glass, took a long swig, and wiped his brow. With a thumbs up to Loya, he called out, "We're good to go, boss!"

Loya nodded, turning to Mingde. "How's Aludo doing with the prep?"

Mingde, scribbling in his notebook, flipped a page. "Almost there. Just need two more water barrels and... a crap ton of food. Can't always count on snagging Sea Kings, so we're packing extra."

He shot Loya a pointed look. Having Loya and Aludo aboard meant preparing enough food to feed a small army.

Loya coughed awkwardly, waving it off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Doubt I'll eat much anyway. Seasickness is a bitch." As he headed off to find Tony, Mingde muttered under his breath, "Sure, and I'm the Pirate King," with a smirk.

On deck, Tony was doing a headcount, trying to keep his cool. It was his first time commanding a warship, and he was practically vibrating with excitement. Thank God his time running a gym had taught him how to fake being in control. No rookie mistakes for him, if he could help it.

The atmosphere crackled with a mix of anticipation and nervous energy. For many, this mission was their big break - a chance to prove themselves against a notorious pirate. As the final preparations fell into place, each crew member felt the weight of what lay ahead.

They were about to sail into dangerous, uncharted waters, both literally and figuratively. But with Loya at the helm and a solid crew at his back, there was a feeling that they just might pull off the impossible.

Tony was doing his rounds when Mingde sauntered onto the deck, his veteran's arrogance on full display. He glanced towards the shore where Loya stood, then turned to Tony with a smirk.

"What's the deal? Our fearless leader not joining us?"

Tony knew this was just Mingde's way of flexing his status on the ship and reminding Tony of his rookie position. But after a month of working together, Tony had gotten used to the ex-gang leader's attitude.

With a calm smile, Tony replied, "Nah, he said he'd catch up. Wanted to stretch his legs first or something."

Tony knew better than to rise to Mingde's bait. Sure, the guy was a complete ass sometimes, but when push came to shove, Mingde was the kind of comrade you'd want watching your back.

Ignoring Mingde's scoff, Tony turned his attention back to the shore. He was curious to see if Loya could pull off that ice-walking trick like Admiral Aokiji.

Mingde followed Tony's gaze, his interest piqued despite himself.

On the shore, Loya took a deep breath. Suddenly, the ground at his feet frosted over. But instead of spreading out, the ice shot forward in a straight line across the water's surface.

Crack!

An icy trail about 100 meters long stretched out to sea, standing firm against the waves. It looked like a giant blade stabbed into the ocean.

"Holy shit," Mingde muttered, eyes wide.

The rest of the crew gaped in awe. In a world where the sea was considered unbeatable, Loya's power to freeze it solid was mind-blowing.

Loya exhaled slowly, focusing on controlling the cold. With a thought, ice skates materialized on his boots.

"Let's roll!" he shouted, pushing off onto the ice trail and zooming towards the ship.

As Loya sped across the water, leaving a frosty wake behind him, Tony and Mingde exchanged a look. Maybe this crazy mission wasn't so impossible after all.

Meanwhile, back at Navy Headquarters, in the Fleet Admiral's office...

Back at Navy HQ, Zephyr watched Loya disappear into the distance, his unlit cigar forgotten in his mouth.

Sengoku approached, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Have faith in the kid. He's your student, after all."

Zephyr grunted, relighting his cigar. "Yeah, I know."

"Bah!" Garp chimed in, crunching on rice crackers. "What's the big deal? That slippery brat'll be fine even if everyone else kicks the bucket!"

Zephyr's face darkened. He spat his cigar at Garp. "Shut it, old man!"

Garp flicked the cigar away, snorting. "What? I'm just saying-"

"Can it, Garp!" Sengoku snapped. "You seem to have too much free time. Why don't you help me with some paperwork?"

"Hey now, I'm on vacation!" Garp protested.

"Like hell you are! Get to work!"

As they bickered, Zephyr lit another cigar, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Maybe I was too hasty... Well, nothing to do now but trust in Loya."

Hours later, out at sea, Loya was trailing behind the warship, pushing himself to keep up. Despite his increased speed and control, the ship was still outpacing him.

His Den Den Mushi rang. Loya answered to see Mingde's face projected.

"Yo, Loya! We're about to hit the Calm Belt. You coming aboard or gonna keep playing marathon man?"

Loya felt the wind at his back, noticing the stillness ahead. "It's around 4 PM. I've got stamina left, but I'm running low on magic. Better take a break."

To Mingde, he said, "Slow down, I'm coming up. Oh, and tell the doc to prep some seasickness meds."

"Got it, boss!"

Mingde hung up and turned to Aludo and Tony on the deck of the "Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon."

"Oi! Tell the control room to slow us down! And someone get the doc to whip up some seasickness pills! Our fearless leader's about to grace us with his presence!"

As the crew scrambled to prepare for Loya's arrival, the ship began to decelerate, the calm waters of the Calm Belt stretching out before them like a mirror.

"On it!" the crew chorused.

Mingde, with his sharp mind and sailing experience, had naturally fallen into the role of the ship's commander under Loya's guidance.

The Wavebreaker followed a secret Navy route, safe and swift. But as the saying goes, "The mountain looks close but the road is far" - and the same was true for the sea. Despite the calm waters ahead, it took them a good half hour to finally enter the Calm Belt proper.

Well, that and the constant moaning of a certain seasick someone below decks.

The Calm Belt stretched wide, impossible to cross quickly even for their advanced ship. With time to kill, Aludo was on deck, pumping iron with a massive weight.

"1096... 1097... 109-"

BOOM!

The sea beside the ship exploded, sending a wall of water skyward. The Wavebreaker rocked violently.

Below deck, Loya's stomach lurched. "Urghh..." he groaned, fighting back nausea.

Caught off guard, Aludo's grip slipped. The multi-ton weight crashed through the deck, leaving a gaping hole.

"What the hell?!" Mingde shouted, stumbling out of the cabin.

Aludo, speechless, kept staring to port. Mingde followed his gaze and went pale.

"Oh shit... Sea Kings!"

The commotion had the whole crew scrambling topside, from the lowliest grunt to the navigator. They crowded the rails, gaping at the massive creatures rising from the depths.

"All hands on deck!" Mingde bellowed, snapping out of his shock. "Battle stations! Move it, people!"

As the crew scrambled to their posts, Mingde gritted his teeth. They'd known the Calm Belt was Sea King territory, but seeing the monsters up close was something else entirely. He just hoped Loya could pull himself together long enough to give them a fighting chance.