By the time Ling and Naguri reached the lower slopes of Mt. Colubo, the sky above the forest had already begun to darken.
The sunlight filtering through the canopy had turned a deeper orange, stretching long shadows between the trees as they followed a narrow trail toward the outskirts of the mountain. Naguri walked several steps ahead with his hammer-headed staff resting against one shoulder, while Ling followed at an easy pace as the exhaustion left by the wolves gradually eased from his legs.
They didn't speak much along the way.
Eventually, the trees thinned enough for Ling to notice faint columns of smoke rising beyond the forest. Grey Terminal lay somewhere farther in that direction, though Naguri continued along a quieter route through the lower slopes.
Before long, he stepped off the trail toward a cart left beneath the trees.
Ling's attention immediately settled on its contents. Bent plates, rusted fittings, broken chains, pieces of old machinery, and larger chunks of scrap metal had been piled almost to the top. The cart's wheels had sunk slightly into the soil beneath the weight.
Naguri casually placed his staff across the pile, grabbed the handles, and started pulling.
The wheels groaned as the cart rolled over the uneven trail, occasionally bouncing across roots and loose stones. Naguri simply adjusted its direction whenever something got in the way and continued without any noticeable change in pace.
Ling watched him for a moment as the image of the enormous bear being knocked several meters backward crossed his mind.
'Right...'
They continued farther down the mountain as the forest gradually changed around them. The trees became thinner in places, and exposed walls of stone appeared more frequently between the undergrowth.
After another stretch of walking, Naguri suddenly stopped.
The cart creaked to a halt behind him.
Ling looked over as the old man released a slow breath and closed his eyes. For several seconds, Naguri stood completely still while the sounds of the evening forest continued around them.
Then his eyes opened.
"Stay here for a minute, noshi."
Before Ling could ask anything, Naguri stepped away from the trail and disappeared between the trees.
Ling watched the bushes settle behind him before leaning against a nearby trunk to wait. His gaze wandered over the scrap piled inside the cart. Some pieces looked like parts from old ships, while others had been damaged too badly for him to identify.
Several minutes later, heavy rustling came from deeper in the forest.
Ling turned toward the sound.
Naguri emerged between the trees with a large wild boar hanging over one shoulder.
Ling's eyebrows rose.
The animal's broad body was nearly as large as Naguri himself, yet the old man carried it down the trail without showing any obvious strain. He stopped beside the cart and adjusted it slightly higher on his shoulder.
"This should be enough, noshi."
Ling looked at the boar, then at Naguri, then back at the boar.
"..."
The corner of Naguri's mouth lifted.
Ling decided not to ask.
Naguri grabbed the cart again and continued walking with the boar still resting across his shoulder. Ling quietly followed behind him.
The forest gradually gave way to exposed stone as the trail descended between tall cliff walls. Before long, the distant sound of moving water reached Ling's ears.
They followed the narrowing path around the side of a rocky slope until it curved sharply between two cliffs.
The view beyond opened without warning.
Ling slowed.
A secluded cove stretched between towering walls of stone, hidden so deeply within the surrounding cliffs that someone could pass through the mountain without ever realizing it was there. Calm water filled one side of the inlet and washed gently against the rocky shore, while rough paths and narrow stone steps connected the different levels naturally carved into the cliffs.
Most of the cove had already fallen beneath the evening shadows.
What caught Ling's attention was the ship farther inside—or at least most of one.
The large wooden vessel rested on an elevated stretch of rock near the water. Much of its hull had already been constructed, with strips of metal reinforcing several sections along its sides. Scaffolding surrounded the unfinished portions, ladders rested against the hull, and a tall mast rose from the center toward the cliffs overhead.
Timber, rope, tools, and piles of salvaged metal were scattered throughout the surrounding area. Near the bow, a large cannon-like structure projected outward, its base reinforced with heavy metal plating.
Ling watched Naguri pull the cart toward several other piles of scrap.
'So that's what the metal is for.'
Naguri set the cart down, retrieved his staff, and shifted the boar on his shoulder.
"This way, noshi."
He led Ling toward a wide cave opening along the side of the cove.
The cave had been turned into a simple living space. Wooden shelves lined parts of the stone walls, holding tools, rope, containers, and supplies, while a rough table and several stools occupied the wider area near the entrance. From inside, Ling could still see the unfinished ship across the cove beneath the fading light.
Naguri lowered the boar beside a simple cooking area and pointed toward one of the stools.
"Sit, noshi."
Ling didn't argue. His legs were feeling much better than before, but the fight with the wolves hadn't completely left them yet.
Naguri gathered several pieces of wood and soon had a fire burning near the cave entrance. Once the flames settled, he began preparing their meal with practiced movements while Ling sat nearby and watched.
The quiet crackling of the fire gradually filled the cave.
Ling continued staring until Naguri finally glanced sideways.
"If staring could set someone on fire, I would've burned a long time ago, noshi."
Ling blinked.
Naguri grinned, revealing the gap left by his missing tooth.
"No-shi-shi-shi-shi-shi!"
Ling watched him laugh for a moment before finally asking the question that had remained in his mind since the bear fled.
"That was Haki, wasn't it?"
Naguri's laughter faded.
His hands paused, and one of his thick eyebrows lifted enough for Ling to catch a glimpse of the eye beneath it.
"Oh?"
Naguri turned toward him.
"You know about Haki, noshi?"
"A little."
"That's rare in the East Blue." Naguri studied him briefly. "Especially from someone your age, noshi."
Ling hesitated for only a moment.
"I know of someone who can use the same kind you used against the bear."
Naguri's attention sharpened slightly.
"Who?"
"Shanks."
Naguri stared at him.
"Shanks?"
Then a grin slowly spread across his weathered face.
"That brat from back then really made a name for himself, noshi."
"No-shi-shi-shi-shi-shi!"
Ling's eyes narrowed slightly.
'He knew Shanks when he was young?'
His gaze shifted through the cave entrance toward the unfinished ship before returning to Naguri.
"You're a pirate, aren't you?"
Naguri's hands slowed for only a moment.
"Long ago, noshi."
He returned his attention to the food.
"Not anymore."
Ling watched him for another second before letting the subject drop.
The smell of roasting meat gradually spread through the cave as evening gave way to night. Naguri pulled another stool closer to the fire and sat down, resting his hammer-headed staff against the nearby wall while his pipe remained between two fingers.
For a while, the two simply watched the flames.
Ling occasionally glanced toward Naguri. The old man noticed each time but continued tending to the food without saying anything.
Eventually, Ling broke the silence.
"Naguri."
"Hm?"
"Could you teach me Haki?"
Naguri looked over.
For several seconds, he studied Ling before the corner of his mouth lifted.
"You've only known me for a few hours and you're already asking me to teach you, noshi?"
Ling didn't answer.
Naguri chuckled softly and raised his pipe.
"Haki isn't some little trick you learn because you watched an old man frighten a bear. If that's all you're after—"
He stopped.
Ling's gaze remained fixed on him.
Naguri slowly lowered the pipe.
"You said you're living out here to train."
Ling nodded.
"Why?"
Ling opened his mouth, but Naguri continued before he could answer.
"Fame?"
The fire crackled between them.
"Wealth?"
Naguri looked directly at him.
"Do you want people to fear you?"
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[A/N]: Sorry for the late update, since I haven't written for 2 days, I have to write 6 chapters today. I write 2 chapters a day so that I have a stock up chapters. Currently have 34 chapters.