One Piece: Power-Power Fruit

Chapter 217 Entering the Calm Belt

Chapter 217: Entering the Calm Belt

Following the glow of the setting sun, the Freedom finally arrived at the edge of the doldrums. Looking at the unremarkable sea ahead, everyone on the Freedom's deck curiously looked up to observe.

"Uh! Captain! Is this the calm sea ahead? Why can't I see anything? There's nothing but an endless expanse of sea!"

Baku leaned forward, almost half his body hanging off the edge of the Liberty, his eyes fixed on the sea ahead, and spoke.

"Hehehe! There really isn't anything different! Baku! Hey, Slade, how's it going?"

Mu Chong curled his lip upon hearing Baku's words. How could someone who knew nothing about navigation possibly answer such a question? So Mu Chong looked at Slad beside him.

Standing on the ship's edge, Slad, who usually had a carefree and jovial demeanor, now stared solemnly at the sea ahead, his expression constantly shifting.

"Huh? Hey! Slade..."

Seeing that Slad didn't respond, Baku was about to step forward to remind him, but just as he took a step forward and raised his hand, Slad's body turned into a white cloud and floated straight towards the sea ahead.

"Hey……"

"Hahahaha! It's alright! Baku! Perhaps this guy has made some discoveries!"

Seeing Slad's actions, Mu Chong raised his hand to interrupt Baku, who was about to speak, and then signaled Enel to stop the ship temporarily and wait for Slad's return.

By now, there were few people left on the deck of the Freedom. Belinda had returned to her room to continue her medical research, while Elsa and the mermaid Laura had gone to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Meanwhile, the fishman Dick sat on the deck, staring wide-eyed at the white cat Mumu sitting opposite him. This position had remained unchanged for quite some time since Mumu returned from using the toilet.

"Meow?!!"

"It looks so much like it!"

"Meow??!"

"They look so alike!!"

……

call!

Just a moment later, a sea breeze blew a white cloud onto the Liberty, and the next instant, Slad's figure appeared on the deck.

"Captain! No problem! Let's set sail!"

As soon as Slad regained his footing after reverting to his original form, he spoke to Mu Chong, who was looking at him, his expression returning to its usual confidence.

As the navigator of the Freedom, Slade had to check the situation in the waters ahead. Although he was familiar with the doldrums, he had never been there before and remained cautious.

"Hahahaha! Alright! Enel! The Liberty is now in your hands! The Calm Belt doesn't provide the conditions for a ship to sail, so your electric propulsion system can come in handy!"

Seeing the beaming expression on Slad's face, Mu Chong knew that this guy had already gotten a basic grasp of the situation ahead. Trusting him, Mu Chong didn't ask further questions and simply turned to Enel and said...

"Understood, Captain!"

Stab it!

Enel didn't waste any words, directly raising his hand to activate his Devil Fruit power. A bolt of lightning flew from his hand to the control panel in the cabin, precisely triggering the start button.

Rumble!

The next second, the Liberty's hull began to vibrate, and two huge propellers extended from each side of the hull, slowly rotating under the power of electricity.

At the stern of the Freedom, there was also a propeller for controlling direction.

"Hey everyone! Put the sails down!"

With a shout from Slad, two figures leaped onto the top of the mast, easily folding up the massive canvas.

At that moment, the Freedom began to slowly accelerate forward, heading towards the doldrums.

boom! boom! boom!

Just as everything was going smoothly, several cannon shots came from behind the Liberty, and shells rained down on it from the air.

"No way! Captain! Jack the Drought and Charlotte Owen are still chasing us?"

Standing atop the mast, Slade immediately turned to look upon hearing the cannon fire and saw two pirate ships approaching the Liberty from either side.

It turned out that while the Liberty was waiting for Slard, it was the two pirate ships behind them that caught up with them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Whoosh!

Just then, the shells flying through the air, due to their distance, landed in the sea behind the Liberty, the huge explosions sending up sprays of water.

"Hahaha! Hero Mu Chong! Leave me your head!"

Jack the Drought stood at the bow of his pirate ship, his massive body unleashing a tremendous roar.

"Men! Get the boat right here! We absolutely can't let that guy get away this time!"

He then turned and instructed the crew behind him to speed up and catch up with the Freedom.

Compared to Jack the Drought's violent nature, Charlotte Owen appeared much calmer at this moment, holding a pink Den Den Mushi in her hand.

"Mom! We've caught up with the hero Mu Chong! That guy is right in front of me!"

Charlotte Owen looked nervous as she spoke, and sweat was already beading on her forehead.

"Oh my god! Chase after him! I'm going to ask that brat myself who gave him the courage to refuse my invitation!"

As Charlotte Owen's voice faded, an angry voice came through the Den Den Mushi.

Yes, Mom!

"Someone! Speed ​​up immediately! Bring the boat closer!"

Upon hearing the instructions from the Den Den Mushi, Charlotte Owen didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately gave the order for the pirate ship to accelerate.

Meanwhile, on the deck of the Freedom, Mu Chong and his group remained completely silent about the two pirate ships behind them. Only Slad glanced at them, and then no one paid them any more attention.

"Hero! The pirate ship behind us! Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

At this moment, the fishman Dick turned his head to look behind him, hesitated for a moment, and whispered to Mu Chong.

"Hahahaha! Dick! Do you think those two pirate ships behind us are capable of sailing in the calm zone?"

Upon hearing Dick's question, a deep smile flashed in Mu Chong's eyes, and he slowly said...

"Hmm? Hahaha! That's true! The calm seas aren't a place just anyone can enter!"

Dick was taken aback at first, then he understood the meaning behind Mu Chong's words, and his gaze turned forward as he spoke.

call!

Just then, the sea breeze that had been gently caressing everyone's faces abruptly stopped and vanished without a trace.

"Captain! We've entered the doldrums!"

At the same time, Slad, who had jumped onto the observation platform, looked seriously at the sea ahead and shouted loudly to Mu Chong.

"Ok!"

Upon hearing Slad's words, Mu Chong simply hummed in response, then stood up and took his place at the bow of the Liberty.

hum!

The next second, Mu Chong unleashed his Observation Haki without reservation, sweeping across the sea ahead. In just an instant, he had taken in nearly ten thousand meters of the sea.

With Mu Chong's current Observation Haki strength, aside from not being able to stop the meteorites in the starry sky for the time being, it has already reached a terrifying level. This is inseparable from his daily practice of sitting in meditation, which is quieter than the sky.

"Huh? It can't be that coincidental! We've only just entered the Calm Belt and we're already running into a Sea King?"

With his Observation Haki activated, Mu Chong clearly sensed an enormous, unidentified creature lurking in the sea about eight kilometers ahead.

"captain!"

At this moment, Enel also stepped forward, clearly having also noticed the creature that was coiled up there.

"Hehehe! Ready to take off! Fly over from the air! If we fight that behemoth in the calm zone, it will easily attract the combined attack of other super sea kings, which will slow down our speed!"

Seeing Enel's excited expression, Mu Chong smiled and shook his head. What a battle maniac!

While Mu Chong and Enel were talking, the two pirate ships that had entered the Calm Belt with the Liberty finally noticed something was amiss.

"Huh? The boat, the boat isn't moving?"