Life at sea is supposed to be boring and repetitive.
Of course, that rule doesn't apply when Luffy is around.
Outside of the brutal training sessions, he spent every day running around the ship, hunting for birds, and fishing.
Just as Ray and Zoro were waking up from a nap, the sound of cannonballs exploding nearby jolted them awake.
It turned out Luffy and Usopp were having a firing competition.
To his credit, Usopp had a real talent for it, easily blasting boulders hundreds of meters away.
As Ray watched the familiar scene, a small smile touched his lips.
He could sense two people hiding right under that boulder.
They had to be Johnny and Yosaku, Zoro's old bounty hunter buddies.
Those poor bastards, Ray thought, feeling a rare moment of sympathy.
Ten minutes later, a furious Johnny stormed their ship and challenged Luffy to a duel.
Luffy, of course, defeated him easily.
It was only then that Johnny recognized Zoro and explained the misunderstanding: he and a dying Yosaku had been hiding under that rock when they were suddenly bombarded.
Luffy and Usopp's jaws dropped.
"Sorry! We're so sorry!" they yelled over and over.
Everyone then saw Yosaku.
His teeth were missing, he was covered in bruises, and his skin was dry and cracked.
Nami immediately recognized the signs.
It was scurvy, a common disease for sailors who don't get enough Vitamin C.
Luckily, she had packed plenty of limes before they set sail, and they were able to save Yosaku's life.
After that scare, everyone was more determined than ever to find a real sea cook.
So, they continued their journey toward the floating restaurant.
…
A day later, Yosaku had made a full recovery.
He and Johnny excitedly introduced themselves to the crew.
They were shocked to see that their old friend Zoro was now a "big-shot pirate" with a 15-million-berry bounty.
Then they saw Luffy and Ray, who were worth even more.
Sailing with a crew whose total bounty was 65 million berries was a very strange feeling for a pair of bounty hunters.
~
In the galley, Johnny suddenly asked Zoro a question.
"Big Bro Zoro, why'd you end up becoming a pirate with these guys?"
Zoro was silent for a moment.
Before he met Luffy and Ray, he thought he was strong enough to challenge Hawkeye Mihawk.
But in Shells Town, he met Ray, and for the first time since he'd set sail, he was completely outclassed.
Then, in Orange Town, he witnessed the terrifying power of Ray's "Azure Dragon Strike."
It made him realize just how big the world really was.
He was lucky to have met them.
The silence ended.
Zoro looked up, a firm smile on his face.
"Because being with this crew will make me stronger."
"Stronger? But Big Bro Zoro, you're already so strong!" Yosaku said, looking incredulous.
"Heh. Compared to those two, especially Ray, I'm still a long way off."
Johnny and Yosaku were shocked.
Who is this Ray guy, they wondered, to make someone as strong as Zoro say that?
Zoro didn't explain.
He just stood up and walked out of the galley.
As he did, his whole aura seemed to change.
"Ray, let's continue the training," he said, a new confidence in his voice.
Ray, who was in the middle of beating up Luffy, turned to look at him.
"Oh? It seems you've had a breakthrough."
Zoro had been too impatient lately, frustrated by the massive gap between him and Ray.
But now, he'd let go of that.
He just needed to be stronger than he was a second ago.
At that moment, he felt like he was one step closer to his goal of cutting steel.
Ray looked at the confident swordsman and nodded.
"Good. Then prove it."
"Right!"
Zoro adjusted his breathing, drew his sword, and swung it at the giant metal hammer.
…
Another day passed.
The midday sun was scorching. Just as everyone was falling asleep after a short lunch break, Chouchou started barking.
Everyone walked out onto the deck and saw it: a huge, fish-shaped restaurant floating on the ocean just a few hundred meters away.
"Sea Restaurant Baratie" was written clearly on its side.
"Whoa! We finally found it!" Luffy yelled, jumping up and down.
Nami was so excited she started crying.
"Finally! I don't have to eat only fruits and seabirds anymore!"
"Ray, does this mean I don't have to hunt birds anymore?" Usopp asked, tears of joy in his eyes.
He'd recently gotten good enough to hit his daily quota, but then Ray, being a ruthless bastard, had increased it to two birds a day.
"Fine. You can have a break while we're at the restaurant."
"Hooray for Boss Ray!" Usopp cheered.
"Eat meat, eat meat, eat meat!" Luffy chanted, drooling.
"Everyone, full speed ahead to the Baratie!"
…
Just as the Going Merry was about to pull up to the restaurant, a dark shadow appeared beside them.
It was a Marine warship.
On its deck, a Marine Lieutenant wearing iron knuckles stood with his arm around a beautiful blonde woman.
"Where did you pathetic pirates come from?" he yelled down at them.
"Let your captain speak!"
Luffy responded, "My name is Luffy!"
Usopp immediately followed up with.
"And my name is Captain Usopp!"
Luffy: "The flag is new."
Usopp: "I drew the flag."
Their childish bickering made the Marine lieutenant, "Iron Fist" Fullbody, sneer in contempt.
He was too busy with the woman beside him to pay close attention to the crew's faces.
He just dismissed them as a worthless, no-threat pirate crew.
He ordered his men to open fire, then turned and walked toward the Baratie's entrance with his date.
~
The warship's cannon fired. Luffy jumped up, inflated his body like a rubber balloon, and blocked the shot.
But because they were so close, the cannonball bounced off him way too fast.
He couldn't control its direction.
It went sailing right into the side of the Baratie, blowing a massive hole in the restaurant's upper floor.
Everyone on the Merry just slapped their foreheads.
Luffy stared at the damage, his eyes wide.
"Oh no," he shouted. "We're in big trouble!"