The Solar Rift Pirates had finally succeeded.
The rough waves that once roared like a treasure-guarding beast had become tranquil. The moment their ship broke through the final wall of the Reverse Mountain and slid down into the Grand Line, the world seemed. different.
The sky had transformed into hues never seen before—glinting strands of orange and indigo that merged into one. The clouds overhead drifted slowly, as if almost indolently, and the sea itself no longer conformed to simple logic. It had been a wild landing, but now, after days, for the first time, things were quiet.
No storms.
No threat.
Only serenity.
The crew had anchored off a tiny uninhabited island just beyond the initial portion of the Grand Line. The air was warm, the winds steady, and the grass on the island swayed in rhythm with the tides. They needed this. A time to catch their breath. A time to rebuild.
The Island Camp
Solian stood next to a fire they had built along the beach, his Solar Rift coat thrown to the side. His shirt clung to his body, soaked in sweat. His eyes were half-closed as he worked through slow, deliberate motions with his hands, channeling solar energy into them before releasing it harmlessly.
[System Notification]
Controlled Discharge Training - Progress +1%
Your mastery of solar energy is becoming more accurate.
It wasn't about power now. It was about finesse.
He glanced behind him and smiled.
Jorin was sprinting across a field, barely dodging wooden projectiles Kael had set up to fire from traps. His reflexes were improving, especially when Kael began timing the traps with irregular intervals.
"Faster!" Kael barked. "You're not training to dodge dinner invitations, you're training to dodge death!"
"Yeah, yeah," Jorin puffed, leaping over a trip wire. "You could try being supportive every now and then!"
By the Shore
Vance waded far out in the ocean, his sword resting against his shoulder. He wasn't brandishing it now. He was breathing, matching the rhythm of his breaths to the cadence of the waves.
Every breathe in—expect.
Every breathe out—strike.
Then he sprang into motion as abruptly as this. A sweep that cut through the wave before it hit him. Another. Another.
Solian watched him from a distance.
"He's learning to control his momentum," Kael said, approaching with arms crossed. "He was just force before. Now he's adding intent."
Solian nodded. "He's on the cusp of a breakthrough."
Solian's Focus: Haki
With the sun beginning to set, Solian made an excuse from the group and climbed up the tallest hill on the island. He needed to be alone. Quiet. He sat, his eyes closed, breathing steadily.
What is Haki…? he wondered.
It wasn't power. It was will. Force of personality put into shape.
He thought of Elric—Silent Gale. That moment when the man had protected them from death. No Devil Fruit. No sword. Just presence. Solian had felt it run through him like a shock of electricity. That wasn't born of technique.
That was learned.
[System Alert]
Your Will is stirring. Observation Haki has increased by 2%.
You are more sensitive to sensing the world around you with no vision.
He stood with eyes still closed. Wind rushed across his face.
Crunch.
His head twitched slightly—he could sense it. Change in air pressure at the back.
Jorin had crept up with a grin, about to throw a rock.
Solian sidestepped.
The rock hit the dirt.
Jorin's eyes bulged wide. "Seriously, what?! How did you—"
Solian winked open one eye and smiled. "Observation Haki."
"Show-off."
Campfire Reflections
Later that night, the crew sat around a roaring fire. Vance nursed a bruised arm. Jorin had scratches on his face. Kael was scribbling notes and formulas on scrap parchment.
Solian stirred a pot of Jorin's latest brew. It smelled like sweet herbs and… something citrusy.
"Today felt good," Vance admitted. "Not just training. Just… being here. Together."
Kael smirked. "You're getting sentimental."
"Nah," Jorin said, raising a cup. "He's right. We made it to the Grand Line. We're still alive. That's something to be happy about."
Solian nodded, holding his own cup.
"But we're not there yet," he said. "This ocean is stronger. More volatile. What we've done so far—it's just the tip of the iceberg."
The fire flickered in his eyes as he continued.
"Because of that, we'll train. Every day. Every hour we can spare. Because when the next storm comes… we won't just survive. We'll dominate."
[System Notification]
Grand Line Training Arc Began.
Training Task: One Month of Unrelenting Regiments — Reward: +10 System Points
Time Remaining: 29 Days
Midnight: Solian's Musings
Solian stood alone afterwards at the beach, the moonlight dancing on the waves.
He held out a hand, a small slit opening before him. Solar light trickled out from inside it, like fog.
He touched it with gentle fingers.
"I will teach you," he breathed. "Every single one of you. My fruit. My will. My power."
Far away, a bird gave a sad cry. Wind shifted. There was nothing to harm it—there was only the coming of something vast.
And for once, Solian did not feel overshadowed by its presence.
He was prepared.