One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

"Kumo, Gin, Karina!" Natsu waved his hand, calling out.

"What's up, boss?" Kumo tilted his head inquiringly.

"Now that we're about to enter the Grand Line, it's crucial that you all strengthen your abilities. Otherwise, it'll be hard to handle what's coming," Natsu explained. "Here's a set of unique techniques called the Six Powers. They're the kind of skills that New World Marine Headquarters elites use, and now, I need all of you to train in them."

After speaking, Natsu placed a Six Powers training recorder on the table, ready for everyone to start learning.

Kumo and Gin nodded obediently without any hesitation. Karina, however, shot Natsu a thoughtful look upon hearing about the Six Powers, her eyes flickering with an unreadable expression.

Two days later...

"Wow! Look at that mountain!" Kumo called out. "Boss, come check it out! We've arrived at the Red Line!"

Hearing him, Natsu glanced up. Towering mountains stretched into the clouds, their peaks invisible from below, with a mist swirling all around. The ocean below was a raging, roaring force, currents twisting into whirlpools under howling winds. But none of that could shake the sturdy Smile, navigating upward on the climbing current, steady as ever.

The mighty craft surged ahead, cresting the rise. Just ahead, Twin Cape stretched into view. Natsu remembered this spot as where Pirate King Roger's ship doctor had once tended a whale, Laboon. An eccentric but gentle old man. Still, Natsu wasn't in the mood for conversation right now.

"Wahoo! Boss, we're flying! Haha!" Kumo squealed with excitement, widening his eyes as he took in the scene. His heart swelled with exhilaration—just as the boss had promised, the outside world was indeed spectacular.

With a burst of speed, the Smile shot forward, slicing through the waves like a bolt of lightning.

"Whoa, what's that?! Boss!" Kumo gasped.

In front of them loomed a giant whale, blocking out the sun with its immense form. Witnessing it firsthand was even more shocking, leaving Natsu awestruck by the creature's sheer scale.

"It's a whale!"

"A whale? Huh, I wonder if it's edible…" Kumo mused, smacking his lips.

"Absolutely not!" Natsu replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. This one was clearly a glutton—anything in sight seemed to spark thoughts of a meal.

"Okay…," Kumo sighed dejectedly.

Smoothly, the Smile glided past Laboon without disturbing him. That old whale was best left for his buddy Luffy to handle in the future. After all, everyone had their own path to follow, and Luffy's road was undoubtedly different from his own.

Having crossed the Red Line, they officially entered the Grand Line. Although Natsu had traveled with Dragon before, visiting many places, he'd usually been napping through those journeys, not paying much attention to navigation. So, in a sense, this was his first time truly entering the Grand Line on his own terms. And nothing beat the thrill of a personal adventure!

"Alright! From here on out, our real adventure begins. I'll make the name of the Smile Pirates resound across the world in no time. Onward!"

Standing at the bow, the wind tossing his hair, Natsu's face beamed with determination, his voice brimming with ambition as he gazed into the distance.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Kumo exclaimed, pumping his tiny paws.

"Of course!" Gin agreed with a quiet nod.

Karina, though, shook her head in disbelief. She thought to herself, Where did these guys get their confidence? Beating a small fry in the East Blue hardly makes them invincible. Still, it doesn't concern me—once I get my hands on all the treasure, it'll be worth it.

As the Smile continued cruising, a small island gradually emerged on the horizon. Dense trees covered the land, their towering shapes filled with the occasional growl of unseen beasts echoing in the distance.

"Boss! A beast's approaching!"

Kumo's sharp eyes darted around as his nose twitched, picking up the scent of wild animals lurking nearby.

"Right. It's here!" Natsu replied, sensing two massive creatures charging toward them with his Observation Haki.

Ahead, two giant boars barreled toward them, each massive as a small hill, their red eyes blazing.

"Hmph, just some wild boars," Kumo snorted. "I'm the king of all beasts!"

"Roar!"

With a thunderous roar, Kumo unleashed a mighty aura that struck the boars, freezing them in their tracks. He then puffed up, transforming into a much larger, super-powered form.

"Boom! Out of my way!"

With a swift double slap, he flattened the boars into pancakes, then picked one up by its leg and flung it toward the island's center. The pig soared through the air before disappearing from sight with a satisfying whoosh.

"Come on, let's check it out!"

Without hesitation, Natsu led the way onto the island. As they moved further in, the trees gradually thinned, and sunlight streamed through the canopy, illuminating the ground.

Ahead of them was a pack of wolves snarling menacingly, their fangs bared at a flashy, blue-haired young man in the center.

"Whoa, boss, check out that giant wolf! It's almost as big as Whitey!" Kumo's eyes sparkled with excitement, a bead of drool escaping his lips.

Indeed, these wolves were three times the size of an ordinary wolf, with the enormous alpha standing at nearly five times the average size, a testament to the island's supportive ecosystem.

Sensing someone's presence, the wolf king let out a mighty howl. In response, dozens of wolves turned toward Natsu's group, while the rest pressed closer to the blue-haired boy. The ground around him was littered with dead wolves, their blood staining the earth a dark red. Scattered around were colorful glass bottles, hinting at what had caused the wolves' downfall.

"Help!" the blue-haired boy yelled desperately upon noticing Natsu. Luck was not on his side today. After oversleeping on a material search, he'd drifted to this beast-filled island, only to have his boat wreck on the shore. Though he'd done his best to stay unnoticed, he'd stumbled into a wolf pack. Out of potions, he was now relying on a large blade to stay alive. At least his years of wandering had taught him some fighting skills.

Natsu's instincts told him this person was worth meeting, possibly even recruiting for his crew. With a faint smile, he took a step forward.

"Awroooo!"

The wolves pounced, with six of them leaping at Natsu all at once, aiming to strike a fatal blow.

"Hmph."

Natsu's lips curled in amusement as his eyes sharpened. A wave of Conqueror's Haki pulsed outward, unleashing a terrifying pressure that swept over the surrounding area.

With thuds all around, wolves collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they convulsed briefly before fainting. Even the alpha wolf struggled to resist, lasting only a few seconds before it, too, fell.

"Ah, still not strong enough yet," Natsu muttered, shaking his head slightly. Even a single beast was able to resist his Haki for a moment—a sign that there was still plenty of room to improve.