As dawn broke over the East Blue, painting the sky in soft pastels, navigation became the next source of conflict aboard Silas's ship. Johnny and Yosaku stood at the bow, a weathered map spread between them, pointing confidently toward a cluster of islands on the horizon.
"That's Cocoyasi Village, big brothers!" Johnny announced, his sunglasses catching the morning light. "Just past that shallow reef. We've sailed these waters before."
Yosaku nodded enthusiastically, his bandana fluttering in the breeze. "Trust us, we know the way!"
Silas, manning the helm, squinted at their confident pointing and felt doubt gnaw at his gut. "You two sure about that? Those shoals look treacherous, and I've seen plenty of overconfident navigators end up as fish food."
From his position near the galley, Sanji exhaled a stream of cigarette smoke and shook his head. "Amateurs. A true gentleman would navigate by the stars in his beloved's eyes." His voice took on a dreamy quality as he gazed toward the horizon. "Nami-san's radiant beauty would guide us home."
Zoro, still leaning against the mast and clearly in pain, grunted his disapproval. "You're all idiots. The fastest route is straight ahead—through whatever's in our way." He pointed vaguely with his sword, somehow managing to indicate a direction that would take them directly into a jagged reef.
The ship lurched as Silas frantically adjusted course to avoid Zoro's suggested path. Usopp, clinging to the rigging, let out a terrified shriek.
"Zoro's trying to kill us all! He couldn't navigate his way out of a paper bag, let alone across the ocean!"
Luffy, hanging from a rope with his usual carefree grin, laughed at the chaos. "I don't care which way we go! Adventure's waiting no matter what!" He swung himself higher, his straw hat bobbing with each movement. "As long as we find Nami, everything's fine!"
The arguments continued as the ship meandered through the morning swells, everyone shouting different directions while Silas tried to maintain some semblance of course. The map flapped uselessly in the wind as six different voices offered six different opinions on their destination.
As evening approached and the debates over navigation finally died down, Johnny and Yosaku's expressions grew serious. They gathered the crew near the mast, their usual jovial demeanor replaced by something darker.
"Big brothers," Johnny began, his voice uncharacteristically grave, "there's something you need to know about Cocoyasi Village. It's not just any ordinary island."
Yosaku nodded, his hand unconsciously moving to his sword. "Arlong rules that place. He's a Fishman pirate—stronger than any human, with a crew that's just as dangerous."
The mood on deck shifted instantly. Even the evening breeze seemed to hold its breath as the bounty hunters continued their warning.
"Arlong's got jaws that can snap a ship's mast in half," Johnny explained, his sunglasses reflecting the dying sunlight. "His laugh alone is enough to freeze a man's blood. He's been terrorizing the East Blue for years."
Usopp's knees immediately began knocking together as his imagination conjured images of massive sea monsters. "F-F-Fishmen?! Half-human, half-fish demons?! We're dead! I'm too young and talented to become fish bait!"
But Sanji's eyes blazed with renewed determination, his cigarette flaring brighter. "Fishman or not, he's keeping Nami-san prisoner. I'll kick him back to whatever ocean trench he crawled out of!"
Zoro's hand moved to his sword, a savage grin crossing his face despite his injuries. "Finally, something interesting. I've been itching for a real fight ever since Mihawk." His wounds might slow him down, but they hadn't dampened his fighting spirit.
Silas felt something ignite in his chest as he listened to the descriptions of Arlong's tyranny. His tattoos seemed to warm beneath his shirt, and his fingers brushed the handle of his flintlock. "Fishman or not, let's see how well he handles a bullet between the eyes."
Through it all, Luffy remained unshakeable. His grin never wavered as he adjusted his straw hat and looked toward their destination with unwavering confidence.
"Sounds like this Arlong guy's just another bully," he said simply. "And we're really good at dealing with bullies. Right, everyone?"
His absolute certainty was infectious, spreading through the crew like wildfire. Whatever waited for them at Cocoyasi Village, they'd face it together.
Johnny leaned closer, lowering his voice to add one more crucial detail. "There's something else, big brothers. Arlong's got a crew member they call Quadshot—a Fishman with four arms who carries four flintlock pistols. They say he's never missed a target, and he can sink a Marine warship single-handed."
This information had varying effects on the crew. Silas's competitive instincts flared immediately, his grip tightening on his own single pistol. "Four guns? Sounds like he's compensating for poor aim. One shot from a real marksman is worth more than a dozen wild sprays."
Zoro snorted dismissively. "Guns are for cowards who can't handle real combat. Give me steel over gunpowder any day."
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Four arms just means four limbs for me to kick into pieces. I'll show him what real power looks like."
Usopp, meanwhile, had gone completely pale and was now hiding behind a barrel. "FOUR ARMS?! FOUR GUNS?! That's not fair! How am I supposed to out-snipe someone with twice as many weapons?!"
Johnny and Yosaku couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. "Don't worry, big brother Usopp. With your amazing sniping skills, you'll take him down before he can draw!"
Their teasing only made Usopp wail louder, but Luffy's laughter cut through the panic like sunshine through storm clouds.
"Four arms sounds awesome! I can't wait to meet this guy!" His enthusiasm was so genuine and infectious that even Usopp's terror began to waver slightly.
As the ship continued toward Cocoyasi Village, cutting through increasingly choppy waters, Silas found himself grudgingly impressed by his vessel's performance. The patched sails held strong against the wind, the hull sliced through waves with surprising grace, and despite all the complaints from his passengers, everything held together perfectly.
A sudden squall struck without warning, testing the ship's seaworthiness. Rain lashed the deck as the wind howled, but Silas's boat rode the storm like it had been born for rough seas.
"Not bad for a 'floating piece of junk,'" Silas called out over the wind, unable to keep the smugness from his voice. "Still think she's not seaworthy?"
Even Zoro looked slightly impressed as he gripped the mast for support. "It's... adequate," he admitted grudgingly.
Sanji, securing pots and pans in the galley, muttered just loud enough to be heard, "Perhaps I was hasty in my assessment. The galley is small, but functional."
Usopp, still clinging to whatever he could grab, managed a weak smile. "Okay, okay! It's not completely terrible! Just mostly terrible!"
Johnny and Yosaku exchanged glances and nodded approvingly. "Big brother Silas knows his ships," Johnny said. "We take back what we said about it being pathetic."
Luffy, somehow managing to stay balanced on the pitching deck, spread his arms wide to embrace the storm. "See? I told you this ship was great! It's just like us—looks weird but tough as nails!"
As the squall passed and calmer waters returned, Silas allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. These crazy pirates were starting to understand what he'd known all along: it wasn't the size or beauty of a ship that mattered, but the heart and soul built into every plank and sail.
During the remaining voyage to Cocoyasi, Silas found himself observing his temporary crewmates with growing interest. Each of them was uniquely stubborn and infuriating, but there was something undeniably compelling about their dynamics.
Zoro's pride was so fierce it bordered on suicidal—the man would literally rather die than accept help, even when he could barely stand. Yet there was something admirable about his refusal to show weakness, even in the face of potentially fatal injuries.
Sanji's devotion to women was so over-the-top it should have been laughable, but underneath the theatrical declarations was genuine respect and protectiveness. His skills in the tiny galley were nothing short of miraculous, producing meals that would have challenged chefs with full kitchens at their disposal.
Johnny and Yosaku proved themselves more capable than their initial bumbling suggested. Their knowledge of local waters was extensive, and their loyalty to their "big brothers" was unshakeable, even in the face of danger.
Usopp's cowardice was as legendary as his lies, but when push came to shove, he always found a way to contribute. His marksmanship with that slingshot was genuinely impressive, even if his knees knocked while he aimed.
And Luffy... Luffy was something else entirely. His unshakeable optimism should have been naive, but instead it felt like a force of nature. He had a way of making everyone around him believe that impossible things were not only possible but inevitable.
As Cocoyasi Village came into view on the horizon, its palm trees swaying against a sky that seemed somehow dimmer than it should be, Silas felt his tattoos warm beneath his shirt. His mother's words echoed in his memory: "Clear his path, be the blade and gun he needs."
Looking at Luffy's determined expression as he stared toward their destination, Silas understood. This wasn't just about rescuing one crew member. This was about something bigger—about standing up to tyranny, protecting the innocent, and proving that sometimes the most unlikely heroes were exactly what the world needed.