Ren's decision wasn't made on impulse—it was the result of careful thought.
The Thunder Breathing Technique and its accompanying sword forms were his reward, and in this world, there were no teachers or disciples who knew such arts.He was the only practitioner of this swordsmanship.
That meant issues like "stealing techniques" or "violating a master's teachings" could be ignored entirely.The only thing he needed to consider was how to maximize its value.
Ren's mastery over the sword forms was still shallow. After all, he had only learned the Thunder Breathing Technique today, and the sword forms he used were merely mimicked from memory, forcing his body to act in imitation.
Even so, the technique had already caused Zoro a great deal of trouble.
Of course, part of that was because Ren's stats were simply too high.As the saying goes, brute strength makes up for everything. His overwhelming attributes were the true reason he could edge out Zoro.
He still needed to put in more effort with the sword forms themselves.But it was important to remember—Ren had no teacher. Even geniuses needed guidance to reach their full potential.And while he had talent, that alone wasn't enough. True genius in swordsmanship required something more—a sword heart.
Zoro, however, was different.He had formal training, a complete style, and was himself the genius who had created Three-Sword Style. In terms of raw talent and potential, he surpassed even Ren, who possessed a sword heart.
If Zoro learned the Thunder Breathing Technique and its sword forms, he would easily grasp the underlying principles and master them in no time.When that happened, Ren could in turn extract and refine the essence of Zoro's understanding to accelerate his own progress.
What he would be giving up was only "knowledge." Mutual benefit—it was a fair exchange.
Most importantly, Ren also wanted to maintain a good relationship with Zoro. Before, when he had no leverage, he didn't even dare to think about keeping someone like Zoro around.But now that his bargaining chips were growing, he couldn't help but have certain ideas.
What if...? What if he could somehow recruit Zoro to his side? Wouldn't that be a massive gain?
Zoro, for his part, didn't refuse—he agreed right away.
Then, the two began heading back.
But as they stepped onto the ship, Nami appeared on the second-floor railing, clad in pajamas and holding her Staff, glaring down at them with wide, sharp eyes.
"What are you two doing, making such a racket?"
"Just a little spar with Zoro," Ren replied.
"In the middle of the night!? My sister and I were woken up by you!" Nami jabbed the deck irritably with her staff.
"Ah, sorry about that," Ren said, rubbing his neck. "We thought we were far enough away. Didn't expect the sound to carry that much."
"Sorry, Nami," Zoro added with a sheepish grin.
"You're done fighting?" Nojiko stepped out of her room, poking her head out. "Should I make you two something to eat? How about some fish soup?"
"Big sis!" Nami protested, "Now's the time to scold them, not feed them!"
"It's fine," Nojiko said gently. "We were only woken up, that's all."
Under her calming presence, the bristling Nami eventually quieted down.
Zoro and Ren exchanged awkward smiles and slipped into the cabin, while Nojiko busied herself in the kitchen. The tuna they'd brought back from Mys Island wouldn't last long unless preserved, so some of it needed to be cooked soon.
When the fragrant fish soup was finally served, Nojiko, who was dieting, returned to bed. Nami stayed, resting her chin in her hand as she stared intently at the two men.
"I'm done," Zoro muttered, gulping down his portion in a few bites before tossing his bowl aside and fleeing. That left Ren and Nami sitting face-to-face in silence.
"So... what is it?" Ren finally asked, setting down his bowl.
"Why did you two fight? What happened?" Nami pressed.
"Why do you think we fought?"
"Because you never did this before—especially not in the middle of the night!"
"You're overthinking. It was just a spar. I got a little stronger today, so I wanted to test myself against Zoro."
Ren smiled faintly, then added teasingly, "You sound like you were worried about me."
"Hmph! As if. The day you die, I'll finally be free."
Nami rolled her eyes, studying him with suspicion, as though trying to read his thoughts.But there was nothing to find—he really had just sparred.
After a moment's thought, she sighed and said, "I don't know what your future plans are, or what you're scheming... but remember this—back on Mys Island, Zoro made it clear that he's not part of our crew. He's a man with his own will, and he'll never bow to anyone."
"You'd better think things through. Don't cause trouble."
"I know," Ren said, draining the last of his soup and setting the bowl down. "Don't worry, I won't give you reason to."
He handed the empty bowl to Nami. "Here, wash this. I'll let that little 'the day you die' comment slide."
"Tch... bossy as always," she muttered, taking the bowl—and, begrudgingly, Zoro's as well.It wasn't because she cared, of course. She just didn't want Nojiko to wake up to dirty dishes in the morning. Definitely not because of Ren!
The sound of running water echoed as Nami washed the dishes carefully, her pale hands scrubbing with delicate precision, her face focused and gentle. Meanwhile, Ren sat at the table with his hands clasped beneath his chin—if he'd been holding a newspaper, the scene might've looked like that of a newlywed couple's morning routine.
But, unfortunately, it wasn't.
So she's already starting to draw a line between "us" and "them," huh... That's a good sign.
Ren stood up thoughtfully, then said, "Oh right. Come to my room later—I'll show you something amazing."
"Now?"
"Of course."
"You're not... up to something, are you?"
"I'm a good guy."
"The last time you said that, you stole seventy million Beli from me!"
"That was circumstantial. Besides, what's yours is mine now, isn't it?"
"And what's yours is still yours, right, Captain Ren?"
"Of course."
"Hmph!"
Nami dried her hands and put the dishes away with a glare. "Do you have any idea what time it is? It's midnight! Normally, I'd be fast asleep by now. Do you know how bad staying up late is for a woman's skin?"
"Really?" Ren sighed regretfully. "I was going to give you a really amazing gift, but I guess someone doesn't want it."
As soon as he said that, Nami's eyes lit up. She took a few steps toward him, stopped, then hurriedly dried her hands again and grabbed his arm with a bright smile.
"Wait—hold on! I never said no!"
"Didn't you just refuse?"
"I just said staying up late is bad! That's not the same as refusing!"
"You women are unbelievable," Ren laughed, shaking his head as he opened the captain's cabin door. He could feel her soft figure pressing lightly against him as they stepped inside.
In the corner, Chester sat with his tongue lolling out, staring fixedly at the Eye Bone on the bedside table.
"So what is it?" Nami asked, hopping onto his bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She bounced twice, testing the softness, then grinned. "This bed's way better than mine."
(End of Chapter)