The shore of the Revolutionary Army base.
Nearly every commander stationed at the base had gathered here. Their expressions were solemn.
They had come to see off the Chief Instructor.
When they had first met him, many of them had been unimpressed.
So what if he was strong?
He would only be staying for seven days—what kind of earth-shattering techniques could he possibly teach?
Yet as their understanding of Total Concentration Breathing deepened, unease gradually replaced doubt.
Almost all the commanders reached the same conclusion:
Total Concentration Breathing didn't just allow a short-term boost in strength—it unlocked a person's true combat potential.
Yes, the technique was extraordinarily difficult to master.
But the Revolutionary Army had numbers.
If even one person out of a thousand learned it, that single individual could become a decisive force on the battlefield.
And that was enough.
Over these past few days, their respect for the Chief Instructor had steadily transformed into genuine reverence.
Even lower-ranking officers—those who had never received his personal instruction—were ordered to come and see him off.
At the front walked Logan, wearing the Hannya mask, beside Sabo.
Behind them followed Tuanzi, her steps heavy.
She had changed into a red dress—newer than her old beggar's rags—and had properly washed up. She no longer looked filthy, and her hair was much smoother now.
In Logan's words, she finally looked a bit more like a girl.
At her waist hung Dragon-Slayer.
On her back was the massive Zhenhai greatsword.
The weight bent her small frame forward, making every step a struggle. One large sword, one small—together they made her look awkward, almost comical.
Yet Tuanzi showed not the slightest complaint.
Instead, her jet-black eyes sparkled with excitement.
The small wooden raft Logan had arrived on was moored at the shore. Tuanzi climbed aboard first.
Logan turned to Sabo and reminded him once more, his tone serious:
"CP9 will retaliate. Assign at least one reliable commander to each branch. Don't take this lightly."
"I will," Sabo replied firmly.
Seeing Logan's still-unsteady steps, Sabo couldn't help but worry.
"Why not stay another seven days? You'll be mostly recovered by then."
Logan shook his head lightly and stepped onto the raft.
This time, he was truly leaving.
He had already stayed long enough.
The next task could no longer be delayed.
No matter how much support others provided, at best it only strengthened momentum.
Only by becoming truly strong—by reaching a level comparable to the Four Emperors—could he gain real authority in the wars to come.
That was the cruel reality.
After waving goodbye to the Revolutionary Army, the small raft drifted away with the current.
The white island grew smaller in Logan's vision until it vanished entirely.
"Master, where are we going?" Tuanzi asked excitedly as she looked out at the endless sea.
After Logan had given her a Senzu Bean yesterday, not only had her stamina returned, even the wound on her forehead had healed completely.
Her cheeks now carried a healthy flush, far removed from her earlier sickly appearance.
"Hold on," Logan replied casually. "I'll ask."
Tuanzi blinked in confusion.
"Ask who? Is there someone else here?"
Logan ignored her question.
"System, initiate the next task."
[Understood, my lord.]
[Next task activated. Check-in location: Alabasta Royal Palace.]
[Would you like to teleport to the destination now?]
Logan glanced at Tuanzi beside him. He knew the system couldn't bring others along.
"No."
He then raised his head toward the sky and shouted dramatically:
"Flying Nimbus!"
Tuanzi looked even more confused and followed his gaze.
"Master, what's a Flying Nimbus? I've never heard of it."
Logan rolled his eyes and didn't answer. He hadn't expected Tuanzi to be such a chatterbox.
She quickly found her answer herself.
She leapt to her feet in excitement—then instantly forgot she was carrying over a hundred kilograms of swords and dropped straight back down.
Splash!
The raft sank sharply, water spraying everywhere.
Her eyes went wide.
From the eastern horizon, a golden cloud appeared, carving a brilliant streak through the sky like a falling star, racing toward them at incredible speed.
"Master… is that the Flying Nimbus?" Tuanzi asked, utterly stunned.
A few breaths later, the cloud stopped right in front of her. Unable to resist, she reached out and squeezed it, kneading the soft, fluffy surface.
"Stop playing with it. Get on already," Logan said helplessly.
"We're really going to fly on this golden cloud?" Tuanzi beamed, scrambling up with astonishing speed.
The cloud even lowered itself slightly, as if helping her aboard.
Logan looked at the Flying Nimbus in resignation.
He was convinced it had its own consciousness—just without the ability to speak. Every time he summoned it, it came from a different direction, as though it had been roaming the world on its own.
With a light tap of his foot, Logan jumped onto the cloud.
"Alabasta," he said quietly.
Truth be told, he had wanted to go there for a long time.
If he remembered correctly, it was where Ace and Luffy would reunite—and where one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Sir Crocodile, lay hidden.
Logan had always wanted to meet that ruthless man.
Someone who could endure three years of silence within a nation just to seize the ancient weapon Pluton was no mere villain—he was a true overlord.
The Flying Nimbus skimmed low over the sea at incredible speed, carving a long white trail across the calm waters.
Behind them, only the small wooden raft remained, drifting aimlessly.
Logan had originally planned to destroy it with a single sword strike—there was no use keeping it.
But Tuanzi stopped him.
When he asked why, her gaze dimmed slightly.
She said that she had survived by clinging to such a raft, drifting for a full day and night at sea, before being rescued by the Leader and brought back to the base.
The sea breeze was gentle.
The endless blue stretched beyond sight.
The salty scent of the ocean filled the air—something Logan had long since grown accustomed to.
Standing atop the Flying Nimbus, Tuanzi spread her arms wide, facing the wind as if she herself were flying.
Her hair was blown wildly backward, yet she didn't care.
Seagulls occasionally passed by, and Tuanzi would wave Dragon-Slayer at them, as though they were Celestial Dragons she would one day cut down.
Logan sat cross-legged on the cloud, calming his breath and slowly recovering his strength.
In his heart, he made a silent vow.
This time…
I will stop Ace from going after Blackbeard.
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> patreon.com/lucarioTL