It was the fifteenth day since Ling first began helping Naguri with the unfinished ship.
His routine during that time had remained mostly unchanged. Every morning, Ling went to Naguri's cove to help with the ship, and every afternoon, he returned to his camp to train with Blackie and his six cousins. Once a week, however, Naguri put the work aside and trained him personally.
Yesterday had been their second training session, yet the old pirate still hadn't moved on to anything new.
Fluidity. Control. Precision.
Naguri continued drilling the same three fundamentals into him, correcting the habits that still appeared whenever Ling became tired or rushed his movements. The ironwood remained the test for whether he was ready to move on.
Once Ling could cut through a section of it with a single swing, Naguri would consider the three fundamentals mastered well enough to begin the next stage.
So far, Ling still couldn't do it.
That didn't mean he hadn't improved.
He could feel the difference every time he fought.
---
By the time Ling returned to his camp that morning, the sun was already climbing high above Mt. Colubo.
His usual routine had gone mostly as expected, aside from one interruption during his run when a giant boar charged out of the forest and tried to gore him.
It hadn't gone particularly well for the boar.
Now Ling, Blackie, and the six other baboons sat around the remains of their lunch. The boar had disappeared quickly between the eight of them, leaving little more than picked-clean bones scattered beside the dying fire.
Ling leaned back and rubbed his stomach.
"Not bad."
Blackie grunted from across the fire, still chewing on the last piece he had managed to claim.
About half an hour later, Ling pushed himself to his feet and stretched before looking around at the seven baboons.
"Let's go."
Blackie immediately stood, and his cousins followed. They spread across the clearing into positions Ling had become very familiar with over the past two weeks.
Seven against one.
Ling raised his hands.
"Come at me."
Blackie gave a short shriek, and two of the baboons moved first.
One rushed straight toward Ling while the other circled toward his side. Instead of waiting for them to close around him, Ling stepped forward and slipped past the first swing. The turn left him facing the second baboon, and he used it, driving a fist into its shoulder with enough force to knock it off balance.
The first was already coming back.
Ling ducked beneath another swing and rose into a short punch to its stomach.
Movement came from his left.
'Left.'
He shifted aside as a fist passed beside his head, then turned with the dodge instead of stopping to reset. His next punch caught the baboon across the chest and forced it backward.
Another rushed in before Ling had even finished turning.
He changed direction, let it pass, and struck it in the side.
The seven continued coming at him from different angles, trying to surround him the same way they always did. Ling still had to keep track of all of them, but the clearing no longer felt nearly as chaotic.
A missed attack could carry into a turn. A dodge often left him somewhere useful instead of forcing him to return to his original stance. Even changing direction took less effort now that he wasn't throwing his entire body into every movement.
One baboon caught Ling across the shoulder after he focused too long on another, but he turned with the impact and slipped away before the rest could close in. A few exchanges later, he pushed too hard while changing direction and felt himself travel farther than intended.
'Too much.'
Ling corrected himself and kept moving.
Blackie charged from the front while one of his cousins came in from the right. Ling slipped outside Blackie's punch, let the movement carry him toward the other baboon, and struck the center of its chest.
The baboon staggered several steps before dropping onto its rear with an irritated grunt.
Ling smiled.
'Better.'
A shadow crossed the ground.
'Blackie.'
Ling moved before the larger baboon landed. Blackie's fists slammed into the dirt where he had been standing, and Ling stepped around his side before striking him in the ribs. He used enough force to make Blackie stumble, but not enough to send him flying across the clearing.
Blackie spun with a growl.
Ling ducked beneath his arm just as another cousin approached from the opposite direction. He slipped between them and caught the approaching baboon with a short punch before it could close the gap.
One by one, the others began dropping out.
Four remained, then three.
Before long, only Blackie was still standing.
Ling's breathing had quickened, and sweat had gathered along his forehead, but his arms and legs still felt good. Compared to the first time he had fought all seven of them, the difference was almost ridiculous.
Blackie glanced toward the six baboons scattered around the clearing before looking back at him.
Ling raised his fists.
"Just you now."
Blackie bared his teeth and charged.
Ling waited until the larger baboon swung before slipping aside. Blackie's momentum carried him forward, and Ling moved around him without stopping. When Blackie immediately turned, Ling changed direction with him and stepped inside his reach.
His fist struck Blackie squarely in the chest.
Blackie staggered backward.
Ling followed and stopped his next punch just short of his face.
For a moment, Blackie stared at the fist hovering in front of him. Then he grunted and lowered his arms.
Ling did the same.
"Hah."
He rolled one shoulder and looked around the clearing. His breathing was already beginning to settle.
Two weeks ago, these seven had nearly buried him.
Now he still had plenty left.
Ling glanced down at his hand.
'Still not enough for the ironwood.'
But he was getting closer.
A loud crack came from somewhere above the clearing.
Branches rustled violently.
"OW!"
Ling's head snapped upward just as something crashed through the leaves and hit the ground beneath one of the trees, scattering dirt and dry leaves around it.
Blackie turned toward the sound as well.
Ling stared at the small figure sprawled beneath the tree while the dust slowly settled. The crooked straw hat over the boy's messy black hair caught his attention first, followed by the familiar scar beneath his left eye.
'Luffy.'
For several seconds, Ling simply stood there.
Of all the ways he had imagined eventually meeting Monkey D. Luffy, watching him fall out of a tree hadn't been one of them.
The boy pushed himself upright, shook his head, and straightened his straw hat before finally noticing Ling.
Then came the grin Ling remembered so well.
"I'm Luffy! Let's be friends! Hihihihi!"
'Carefree as ever.'
Ling smiled.
"Sure. I'm Ling."
Luffy tilted his head before looking past him toward the clearing.
"What were you doing? Why were you fighting all those monkeys?"
"Sparring." Ling waved Blackie over. "They're my friends."
Blackie and the others had already begun wandering closer. The moment Luffy noticed the larger baboon, his eyes widened.
"Ahhh! I know you!"
He pointed directly at Blackie.
"We used to fight before Grandpa brought me here!"
Blackie stared at him for several seconds before giving a grunt of recognition.
Ling glanced between them.
'So they really did.'
Luffy quickly turned his attention back to him.
"You're strong."
"I'm getting there."
"What're you training for?"
Ling paused.
Naguri had asked him something similar not long ago.
"I don't want to be helpless when someone I care about is in trouble."
"Oh."
Luffy thought about that for all of two seconds before his eyes lit up.
"I'm gonna be the Pirate King!"
He grabbed the brim of his straw hat and grinned.
"Hihihihi!"
Goosebumps rose along Ling's arms.
He had heard those words countless times before, but hearing them from the seven-year-old standing directly in front of him was different.
Luffy suddenly pointed at him.
"Join my crew in the future!"
Ling blinked.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
Then he looked away.
"I don't want to."
"Ahhh, come on!"
Ling ignored the complaint.
"Oh. By the way, Makino said she misses you."
Luffy immediately forgot about recruiting him.
"You know Makino?!"
"Yep. She said she'll visit sometime."
"Woooah..."
A loud growl interrupted him.
Ling looked down.
Luffy placed both hands over his stomach.
"I'm hungry."
Ling stared at him for a second before laughing.
"Hahaha!"
Luffy didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest.
"Got any food?"
"No. I'm hungry again too."
Ling rubbed his stomach and glanced toward the forest.
"Let's go to the river. We'll catch a crocodile."
Luffy's eyes practically shone.
"Let's go! What are you waiting for?!"
He immediately sprinted toward the trees.
Ling stared after him for a moment.
'He really doesn't waste time.'
Then he ran after him.
Luffy glanced sideways when Ling quickly caught up.
"Whoa! You're fast! I can't do that."
"I know where the river is. Follow me."
"Okay!"
They ran through the forest together, weaving between trees and jumping over roots until the sound of rushing water gradually grew louder.
About ten minutes later, they emerged beside the river and immediately spotted a massive crocodile resting near the water with its lower body partly submerged. It was easily the size of a small boat.
Luffy's eyes widened.
His mouth immediately began watering.
"That's the one!"
Before Ling could say anything, Luffy jumped forward.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
His arm stretched outward and struck the ground several feet short of the crocodile.
Ling stared.
The crocodile slowly turned its head toward Luffy.
Luffy stared back.
"..."
Then it charged.
Ling moved before it could reach him. He rushed forward, jumped, and came down with a punch against the top of its head.
THUD!
The crocodile's head struck the ground. It struggled to lift itself again before collapsing with a heavy thump.
Luffy's jaw dropped.
"That was awesome!"
Ling shook out his aching hand.
"Help me carry it. I'll take the head. You grab the tail."
"Yeah!"
Luffy hurried over, and together they dragged the massive reptile back through the forest.
When they finally returned to the clearing, Luffy dropped the tail and immediately looked around.
"This is where you live?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
"It's easier to train here."
Ling lowered the crocodile's head to the ground while Blackie and the others gathered nearby. It wasn't long before another fire was burning and chunks of crocodile meat were roasting over the flames.
The smell quickly spread through the clearing.
Luffy sat cross-legged beside the fire with his eyes fixed on the meat while Ling slowly turned the spit.
"Don't stare too hard. You'll burn it with your eyes."
"Hihihi... I'm just really hungry."
"I noticed."
Ling glanced toward him.
"What were you doing in that tree anyway?"
"Oh! I was chasing Ace."
"Ace?"
'Still chasing him?'
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded rapidly. "I tried following him, but he ran into the forest and I lost him. Then I got really, really hungry."
Ling chuckled.
"So you climbed a tree?"
"I saw a big nest!" Luffy spread his arms. "I thought there might be eggs inside, so I climbed up to get one. Then I saw you fighting all those monkeys."
His grin widened.
"It was awesome!"
Then he rubbed the back of his hand.
"But this eagle landed beside me and bit me when I got close to the nest! Right here!"
Ling looked at the mark.
"Let me guess. Then you fell."
"Yup!"
Luffy slapped both hands against the ground.
"BAM! Right out of the tree!"
Ling shook his head, smiling.
"You're something else."
Luffy had already returned his attention to the meat.
"So... is it done yet?"
"Almost. A few more minutes."
"Aaaahhh..."
Luffy fell backward onto the grass.
"Minutes are so long..."
Ling laughed.
When the meat was finally ready, he pulled off a large piece and handed it over. Luffy grabbed it with both hands and immediately took an enormous bite.
"Mmmmm! So gooood!"
His cheeks puffed out as he continued chewing.
Ling took a piece for himself, and the clearing quickly became quiet except for the sound of everyone eating.
By the time they finished, both boys were lying on their backs in the grass with full stomachs.
Luffy patted his belly.
"I can eat more..."
Ling stared up through the branches overhead.
"Me too."
They remained there for several quiet minutes before Luffy suddenly sat up.
"Well, I gotta go."
He climbed to his feet and dusted off his shorts before looking down at Ling.
"Hey, wanna come live with me at Dadan's house?"
Ling sat up.
The invitation caught him slightly off guard.
Ling smiled.
"Thanks, but no. I still have training to do here."
Luffy looked disappointed for a moment, but his usual grin quickly returned.
"Okay! But we'll meet again!"
Ling stood as well.
"I'll be here."
"See you!"
Luffy waved and ran toward the forest.
Ling watched until the straw hat disappeared between the trees.