After Alex and Luffy set out to sea on a small fishing boat, Alex went from initial excitement to a calm state, followed quickly by utter boredom.
Yes—utter boredom.
For a full twenty days, Alex remained on that tiny vessel, surrounded by the endless ocean. He didn't see a single other boat or island along the way. Aside from Luffy, his only companion, he didn't encounter another soul.
Compared to Luffy, Alex was slightly better off. At least he had some basic navigation knowledge. In the early days of their voyage, he could still distinguish directions.
But after a few days adrift, even Alex couldn't tell which direction the wind was carrying their fishing boat anymore.
At first, Alex thought about rowing to steer the boat, but Luffy told him it wasn't necessary. "Just let the currents carry us," he said. "We'll run into an island eventually."
Alex thought about it and realized Luffy wasn't entirely wrong. Their departure had been rushed—they didn't even bring a basic compass. They had essentially launched this journey on nothing but passion.
The fishing boat given to them by the village chief was similar to the ones Alex used to fish on back home. The only difference was this one was stocked with plenty of food and water.
Even with Luffy's monstrous appetite, the supplies were enough to last a while.
Thanks to that, Alex didn't need to fish. Life on the little boat was leisurely—if not completely idle.
What caught Alex off guard was that the boat also held a large treasure chest. When he peeked inside, he was nearly blinded by the dazzling gold within.
When Luffy saw the treasure, his eyes lit up. "I'm gonna trade this for a massive bronze statue of myself!" he shouted gleefully.
Alex was speechless. Trading gold for a chunk of bronze? Classic Luffy.
The boat was small but spacious enough for two people. However, being confined to such a limited space for so long with nothing to do could drive anyone mad.
Alex had never experienced a long sea voyage before. Now he truly understood how isolating and lonely it could be.
He was amazed that someone as hyperactive as Luffy had previously sailed the seas alone without losing his mind.
After enduring several monotonous days, Alex decided to give himself something to do—he began training like crazy. He worked out day and night, pushing his body to the limit. By the time he collapsed into sleep each night, he was totally exhausted. Every morning, he'd get up and repeat the cycle.
For sixteen straight days, aside from basic needs like eating and hygiene, Alex did nothing but train.
To keep Luffy from distracting him, Alex even gave him a task: "Shake the boat as much as you can—without flipping it."
Why? Because Alex discovered that practicing his stances on a constantly swaying boat was far more effective than doing it on solid ground.
"Watch my fishing net rampage!"
Luffy shouted enthusiastically, holding the net Alex had handed him. He dunked it into the sea and began spinning rapidly at the edge of the boat. The net spun with him, slicing through the water faster and faster.
Before long, dozens of wooden barrels—previously thrown overboard and filled with food—were caught in his net.
The heavy barrels created resistance in the water, and combined with Luffy's whirlwind spinning, they caused a small whirlpool to form around the boat.
The violently rocking boat was exactly what Alex needed for his training.
Balancing in a deep stance on the unsteady deck, Alex couldn't help but chuckle at how Luffy had once asked him if he was laying the food barrels out to dry under the sun because the weather was nice.
When Luffy realized the barrels were actually sinking, he immediately dove into the water to retrieve them. Alex could only shake his head. That guy would literally risk his life for food.
After that, Alex handed the net to Luffy and told him to handle all barrel retrievals.
As expected, Luffy was more than happy to oblige. After all, the barrels were full of meat—his favorite.
That was Alex's plan all along. By throwing the food barrels into the sea, he not only kept Luffy busy but also got him to generate the training environment Alex needed. Win-win.
From then on, it became a routine: every day, Alex would toss dozens of food-filled barrels overboard, and Luffy would gleefully fetch them with his net.
To Alex's surprise—and slight dismay—by the tenth day, Luffy had started doing it on his own. He even threw the barrels into the sea without being asked, playing his little "net-and-barrel" game enthusiastically while continuing to stir up whirlpools for Alex's workouts.
After sixteen days of non-stop hard training, Alex could feel a clear difference. His body had grown noticeably stronger, his muscles firmer, and his strength had increased dramatically. He could now hurl dozens of barrels without even breaking a sweat.
Even though every day ended with sore muscles and intense fatigue, Alex always pushed himself to keep going the next day.
Because that's what it meant to chase strength on the Grand Line.