The sea stretched wide and calm beneath the new dawn.
Waves shimmered gold beneath the morning sun as the tiny ship bobbed in the gentle current. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't fast. But it was real.
And it was theirs.
The four stood on deck, freshly supplied, battle-worn but smiling.
Luffy leaned against the mast, his straw hat tilted low. Zoro was on the side, napping already. Nami adjusted the wheel, her eyes focused ahead. Rex stood near the bow, arms folded, his black coat fluttering with the breeze.
It was the first true step into their shared future.
A pirate crew.
A journey toward the Grand Line.
A dream born on this sea.
"You ever think about where this all ends?" Nami asked, not looking at anyone.
Luffy yawned. "It ends when I'm King of the Pirates!"
Zoro grunted without opening his eyes. "If we don't die first."
Rex's blue eyes narrowed on the horizon.
"It ends when I take the crown."
Luffy laughed. "Still trying to beat me, huh?!"
Rex smirked. "Always."
The wind picked up suddenly.
FWOOOOOMMMM
Sails snapped violently.
"Wind shift!" Nami called out. "We've got company!"
On the horizon, a black shadow began to rise over the waves.
A navy warship.
Tall. Heavily armed.
The Marines were coming.
"They must've tracked us from Shells Town," Zoro muttered, already standing and unsheathing his swords.
"I'll take the port side!" Luffy yelled, stretching toward the cannon.
Rex didn't move yet.
His body stiffened.
Because [Michael] was humming.
Louder than ever.
[…Combat alert. Pursuit vessel: Marine-class, mid-tier. Number of enemies: 43. Cannon placements: 12. Incoming projectile estimated in 5… 4…]
The water exploded near their ship with a burst of cannonfire.
"THEY'RE SHOOTING!" Nami yelled, gripping the wheel.
[…New condition met: Continuous movement stress. Combat body evolution path opening. Synchronization sequence 67% complete. Internal module: "Phantom Core" unlocked. Passive trait initialized – Speed Type Alpha.]
Rex's eyes widened slightly.
"What… was that?"
[…New combat ability unlocked. You now possess foundational motion prediction, burst dash reflexes, and short-range acceleration under 0.5 seconds. Trait will evolve with sustained battle.]
The world around him slowed.
Or rather, he became faster.
He turned his head slightly—and saw the cannonball still in mid-air.
It wasn't literally frozen, but Rex could see its arc with crystal clarity. His heartbeat adjusted. His muscles twitched.
And his legs moved.
SWOOOSH—!
He vanished from the deck and reappeared mid-air—kicking the cannonball off course with a spinning heel before it could hit the ship.
Luffy's mouth dropped open.
Zoro blinked.
Even Nami gasped, her voice caught in her throat.
"Did he… just move faster than a cannonball?"
Rex landed smoothly on the railing, crouched like a bird of prey.
"I didn't know I could do that," he muttered, slightly breathless. The power was raw. Uncontrolled. But alive.
[…Phantom Core adapting. Body synchronization increasing. Current speed efficiency: 21%. Ceiling unknown.]
The warship came closer.
Rifles were raised.
Marines shouted.
"IN THE NAME OF THE NAVY, STAND DOWN!!"
Luffy stretched both arms. "I'll clear the deck!"
"No," Rex said, already sprinting forward. "Let me test it."
He leapt from the ship.
"HE'S GONE INSANE!" Nami yelled.
But he hadn't.
He was in control.
Barely.
His boots touched the enemy ship's railing in a blink, and his body curved around incoming bullets like they were paper planes.
BOOM. SMASH. SNAP.
Rex weaved through Marines, appearing like flashes between bodies—a blur of fists, knees, jabs, and throws.
His punches were too fast to catch. His eyes burned with speed. He moved like something not human—but something alive with purpose.
A marine tried to swing a bayonet.
Too slow.
Rex sidestepped and elbowed his ribs, then backflipped over two more enemies.
"STOP HIM!!" the commander yelled.
Another cannon fired at point blank range.
Rex spun mid-air, touched the cannon's edge—and flipped over it, landing on the barrel as it exploded behind him.
FWOOOOOM!
Fire roared, but his coat only flapped in the shockwave.
"Holy hell…" one marine whispered before being drop-kicked into the sea.
From the Straw Hat ship, Luffy was laughing wildly. "HE'S SO COOL!!!"
Nami held a hand to her chest, her heartbeat out of control.
"He's not human…"
Zoro watched, eyes narrowed.
"No. He's something else."
[…Speed Type evolving. Motor reflex adjustment locked in. Speed tracking system now integrated with tactical instinct mode. Passive ability will grow with combat exposure. Current evolution: Phantom Core – Stage One.]
Rex stood over the defeated Marines, breath calm, heart steady.
Then, he kicked the warship's anchor chain, severing it in one clean motion, and launched himself back to the Straw Hat ship with the grace of a falling star.
He landed silently.
Nami stepped back. "H-How fast did you just move…?"
Rex looked at his palm.
"It's not about speed," he said quietly. "It's about understanding movement."
Luffy stretched and laughed. "You're like a ninja and a lightning bolt mixed together!"
Zoro grunted. "That's gonna be a problem."
"For who?" Rex asked.
Zoro gave a half-smile. "Everyone who stands in our way."
As the Marine warship burned behind them and drifted out of control, their ship sped toward the open sea once more.
The crew of four stood together for the first time—stronger than ever.
A rubber boy with an impossible dream.
A swordsman with a code of steel.
A thief with a heart of fire.
And a rival…
Who was becoming something unstoppable.