The Solar Rift Pirates had been sailing for more than a month by now, their vessel cutting through the water like a solitary predator stalking across the enormity of the sea. The sun shone down upon the deck in a warChapter 69: The Calm Before the Stormm golden glow as they pressed on towards the GrandChapter 69: The Calm Before the Storm Line. But even with the promise of coming adventures and perils, there was a sense of peace and serenity on the vessel.
Having survived the grueling training phase, all could feel that something in the atmosphere was different. All had gotten much better, each on his own. Solian too had been changed by training, but nobody really knew what was waiting for him. Ahead of them was the Grand Line—the ruthless, savage sea of ocean upon which rested the most powerful pirates and the most infamous beast. The preparation phase was expiring, but they were currently in the rest and recovery stage for the time being.
Solian was at the helm, his fingers lightly on the wheel. The sea's music was soothing, and for a moment, he let his mind drift. His mind drifted back to what he had accomplished—a month of rigorous training. He had progressed far, but the journey had only just begun.
"How much can I push my limits?" he questioned, the query bothering him like an unresolved enigma.
He re-opened his Status Screen.
Solian Flare's Status
Devil Fruit Mastery: 43%
Devil Fruit Points: 26
Constitution: 18
Strength: 14
Agility: 20 (+5)
Endurance: 16
Haki: 10
System Points: 10
The System Points had been a reward for his training month. Now, he needed to decide how to use them. The future was unsure, and every decision that he made would make him who he was.
"Do I specialize further in my Devil Fruit Mastery?" he asked himself. "Or do I focus on my Haki—maybe even Agility again?" He ruffled his hair in indecision.
The quiet around him offered space for him to think, to ponder, to be motionless. The Grand Line was close, but for now, it remained a fantasy. The horizon stretched out ahead of them, vast and serene, as the ship gently swayed to the rhythm of the waves.
The Day's Routine
The crew had gotten into a routine. Their days were filled with training, but the tension was no longer there. They were no longer fighting against their limits. Now, they were reinforcing what they had. Bit by bit, each member of the crew worked at their own pace.
Vance, the most energetic of them all, had come to enjoy the mornings. He would practice his swordwork on deck, his movements swift and sure. His attacks were smoother, more deliberate. But as he practiced, he couldn't help but notice the changes in Solian. The Haki was there, if subtly. The way Solian's eyes would track every movement around him, the way he reacted before one could even detect the threat. Vance could sense that their captain was getting stronger day by day.
Kael had been much quieter than usual. While the others practiced, he spent his days studying. Volumes filled with knowledge about the Grand Line, about the monsters and pirates that sailed the seas, were his companions. He was constantly taking notes, his glasses glinting in the sun as he sat deep in thought. "The Grand Line is not for those that are not ready," he would mutter to himself, lost in thought.
Jorin, ever the dynamo, was still pounding away at his technique. His training was grueling, his body working day after day to its limit. His focus on building his endurance had paid off, his muscles hardening and slimming. But even Jorin had moments of silence, standing on the deck, staring out over the vast expanse of water as though searching for something on the horizon. There was an introspective air to the way he trained, as if the road that lay before him were as much a journey of finding himself as power.
And Solian, contemplative.
Solian's Moment of Reflection
The breeze was increasing slightly as the sun lowered in the sky, casting the long shadows on the deck. Solian had his hands on the wheel of the ship, his eyes squinting out toward the infinite horizon.
For the first time in a long, long time, he allowed himself to relax. The past few weeks had been filled with non-stop activity, but today was different. Today was a day of silence, a day to still his mind, to prepare himself for the oncoming storm.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Salt air flooded into his lungs, and for an instant, all else dissolved. The mutter of the crew, the creak of the ship, the sound of the waves—all blended into one cohesive, comforting thrum.
"Focus," he told himself. "Stay in the now."
But it wasn't just the future that he needed to think about—it was the present. He couldn't keep functioning on intuition alone. He needed to make choices, forge his own path.
His thoughts recalled the Haki. It wasn't a skill—it was a part of the self. Observation Haki already was a part of him, something that resonated with his very being. He'd learned to anticipate threats before they materialized, to pick up on others' feelings. There was more, though. So much more.
What about Armament Haki? Was he able to access that power? The mere thought sent shivers down his spine. To cloak himself in an impenetrable armor, to infuse his attacks with annihilation—such a power was one he wasn't sure he was ready for, but the temptation was there.
The Solar Rift Fruit remained his strongest card, but his Haki would be what would make him stand out as the superior opponent he desired to be. The more he thought about it, the clearer he realized how all things were connected. His power, his Devil Fruit, his Haki—everything had to work together as a unit. They were the parts of a puzzle, and it was he who had to put them together.
The Calm Before the Storm
The night arrived gently, the stars twinkling brightly in the heavens as the crew sat down to eat together. Though quiet, Solian couldn't dispel the feeling that they stood on the edge of something extraordinary. They were so close to the Grand Line. The danger, the adventures, and the secrets—it all waited for them.
But this night, they could sleep. This night, they could find peace.
As Solian finished his meal and leaned back, watching the stars, he could feel the weight of the world pressing against him. He had chosen this path, and there was no turning back. The next steps would be more difficult, but he was ready.
"We're ready," Solian whispered to himself, the words barely audible in the quiet night air.
The ship moved on, cutting through the waves. The men slept, their own thoughts behind them, ripening.
Their next training day awaited them in the morning. But on this night they had earned their rest. Tonight, they caught a wave of peace, to confront the tempest which would surely come.