The Trial of Iron had fallen.
Ohm's iron blade now lay broken in the clouds, and the Queen's Grace crew emerged from the battlefield not just victorious—but changed.
The rush of battle faded, leaving a quiet stillness as they regrouped near their ship.
Kaito looked at his crew, his gaze resting particularly on Kuina.
The faint crackle of thunder still lingered along her fingertips, subtle yet undeniable.
She had awakened something new.
Something dangerous.
Something hers.
But power awakened in battle didn't automatically equate to mastery.
It was raw. Unrefined. Unstable.
And before they could face Enel, Kuina would need to wield it with precision.
Kaito knew that.
But more importantly—
So did she.
Temporary Camp – A Time to Breathe
They made camp again—this time at the base of a gentle sky cliff where the clouds were thick and steady, far enough from the main temple to avoid Enel's immediate gaze.
The Straw Hat crew had pressed ahead, carving their own path toward the final confrontation.
Kaito chose not to rush.
His crew needed this pause.
They needed time to catch up—to each other, and to themselves.
The camp was warm with the scent of sky fish stew bubbling over the fire, Carmen's cooking filling the air with a comforting aroma.
Khalifa meticulously maintained her gloves, sitting near the fire but purposefully apart, watching her crewmates with an unreadable gaze.
Aisa was off to the side with Chopper, showing off her Observation Haki by tracking small sky insects with uncanny precision.
Conis sat with Kaya and Nojiko, the three of them enjoying a rare, peaceful moment as Conis plucked a soft tune on her harp.
Kaito relaxed under the sky tree, his hands behind his head, eyes half-closed but fully aware.
But Kuina—
Kuina wasn't resting.
She was training.
Alone.
Kuina's Thunder Training – Under the Sky Tree
She stood atop a wide patch of dense cloud, her swords drawn, the faintest threads of lightning dancing along the blades.
Her breathing was controlled.
Her movements—slow, deliberate.
Each step, each swing, was focused on balance.
The thunder wasn't fully hers yet.
It pulsed unpredictably, surging in bursts that scorched the cloud ground or flickered out mid-swing.
Her foot slipped slightly as the current surged too sharply through her grip.
"Tsk…"
She reset her stance.
Tried again.
A soft crunch of footsteps approached.
"You'll burn yourself out like that," Kaito said, stopping a few meters away, hands in his pockets.
Kuina didn't turn. "I can't control it. It's not like using normal sword techniques. It's alive. It's… wild."
"Yeah," Kaito agreed. "It is. Thunder isn't supposed to be calm."
She lowered her blades slightly. "But I need to master it before the next fight."
"Do you?"
Kuina's brows furrowed.
Kaito stepped closer, settling cross-legged on the cloud. "You don't need to cage thunder, Kuina. You need to learn to move with it."
She looked at him, unsure.
"Thunder isn't meant to obey," Kaito continued. "It's meant to flow. It doesn't wait for you to catch it—it forces you to keep up."
Kuina absorbed his words, her grip relaxing slightly.
Kaito smirked. "I've got an idea."
He stood up and whistled.
"Aisa! Khalifa! Come here."
They arrived quickly, curious.
"Kuina's going to spar," Kaito said. "With both of you. Right now."
Aisa's eyes lit up. "Really?!"
Khalifa crossed her arms. "You want us to push her?"
"Push her until the thunder takes over," Kaito said. "Make her move. Make her keep moving."
Kuina gave him a sharp glance but didn't object.
She understood.
The next hour was a storm of movement.
Khalifa's pinpoint strikes forced Kuina to defend, each clash of fists against blade sending sharp jolts of unbalanced thunder through Kuina's body.
Aisa's rapid, unpredictable sniper shots from the edge of the training field forced Kuina to shift, to adapt, to never settle into one rhythm.
Kaito occasionally threw blunt sky discs into the mix, adding chaotic trajectories Kuina had to respond to.
The thunder flickered, surged, faltered.
But slowly, Kuina stopped fighting the flow.
She started riding it.
Her footwork became faster, looser, her swords trailing electric arcs not in rigid bursts—but in fluid waves.
When Khalifa's strike almost caught her shoulder, Kuina twisted, her blade sweeping in a low, sparking arc that repelled the attack without hesitation.
Aisa's next shot was intercepted mid-air by a lightning-infused slash.
Kuina's breathing was steady.
The thunder didn't overwhelm her anymore.
It sang with her.
Kaito's system chimed softly.
[Kuina: Thunder Sword Style – Intermediate Control Achieved]
Kaito's grin widened.
"You've got it."
Kuina exhaled slowly, lowering her blades.
"Not perfect," she said.
"Perfect isn't the goal," Kaito replied. "Real is."
Khalifa dusted off her gloves. "You're less likely to electrocute yourself now. That's progress."
Aisa pumped her fist. "You're gonna be so cool in the next fight!"
Kuina allowed herself a rare, satisfied smile.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Kaito shrugged. "We move forward together. That's the rule."
The four of them returned to the camp, their steps lighter, their bonds stronger.
Night at Camp – Quiet Conversations
That evening, as the sky darkened into its soft, perpetual white twilight, the crew gathered again.
Nojiko shared a quiet drink with Nami, both navigators laughing about their differing routes and how often their captains made reckless decisions.
Usopp and Kaya sat close by, their stories weaving between real adventures and Usopp's exaggerated fantasies.
Chopper clung to Aisa, begging her to teach him more about Observation Haki.
Conis's music floated gently, calming the restless air.
Carmen and Sanji were in the middle of a fiery cooking competition, each trying to win over the taste buds of both crews.
Even Khalifa, though typically distant, joined the circle this time, listening silently, the corners of her lips tilting ever so slightly at her crewmates' antics.
Kaito leaned against a sky tree, watching over them all.
This.
This was why he sailed.
Not for the Pirate King's crown.
Not for the greatest treasure.
But for these moments—the shared laughter, the sharpened blades, the quiet trust.
Luffy sat nearby, grinning as he stretched lazily.
"You guys are alright," Luffy said, nodding. "Even if you're our rivals."
Kaito smirked. "Likewise."
"You still aiming to catch up to me?"
"Not aiming to pass you," Kaito said. "Just aiming to keep pace."
Luffy laughed. "Good. That means we can keep racing."
Zoro and Kuina shared a brief glance—an unspoken promise of their inevitable duel, when both would cross blades not as incomplete warriors, but as equals.
Sanji glanced at Carmen. "Don't think you've won yet."
Carmen flipped her hair confidently. "I don't think—I know."
Usopp pointed dramatically at Kaya. "Don't let them feed you their terrible cooking!"
Kaya giggled. "I trust Carmen."
"Traitor!" Usopp wailed.
The camp was alive.
The bonds were real.
Even Khalifa, polishing her gloves, softly muttered to herself, "This… isn't so bad."
The Calm Before the Final Storm
The next morning, as the sun rose over the white horizon, the crews prepared to part ways again.
The Straw Hats would challenge Enel directly, their path intertwining with the ancient bell and the golden city.
Kaito's crew would take the alternative route—cutting through the forbidden thunder zones, racing against Enel's divine dials to reach the Sky Temple's core.
Two paths.
One storm.
Kaito and Luffy exchanged one last handshake, their rivalry as alive as ever.
"Don't fall behind," Luffy said, grinning.
"You either," Kaito replied.
Kuina met Zoro's gaze briefly.
"Next time," Zoro said.
"Next time," she agreed.
Carmen and Sanji's argument continued as they boarded their respective ships.
Aisa saluted Chopper and Usopp, promising she'd keep practicing her haki.
Nojiko and Nami exchanged final navigation tips, each scribbling small notes into their logbooks.
Khalifa's glance lingered on Robin—two sharp women from opposing crews, both understanding more than they said.
Kaya waved to Usopp, her smile soft but sure.
As the Queen's Grace set sail toward the thunder zones, Kaito's crew gathered on deck.
Kaito stood at the helm, his eyes sharp, his grin steady.
"You all ready?" he called out.
Kuina tightened the grip on her swords, sparks dancing along the blades. "Always."
Khalifa crossed her arms, smirking. "Let's see how your lightning holds up under pressure."
Aisa perched on the mast, her haki already flaring. "I'll keep us sharp!"
Carmen tossed her apron aside. "Let's cook this storm."
Nojiko's hands moved expertly over the wheel. "Course plotted."
Conis's harp began to hum, her melody syncing with the rising wind.
Kaya called from below deck, "Supplies secured!"
Kaito's grin widened.
"Let's ride the thunder."
The Queen's Grace surged forward, the skies darkening as Enel's presence thickened.
The final storm awaited.
And Kaito's crew would meet it head-on.