One Piece: Shadow monarch? I'm Just Logistics!

Chapter 21: Welcome Town?

Large, soft snowflakes like goose down were falling upon the undulating sea as the Going Merry sailed through the snow-filled sky.

"What the heck! It was just raining a moment ago, how did it turn into snow now!?"

"This Grand Line weather is just too bizarre."

"It really is just like old man Crocus said. Luckily, Reiner bought clothes for all four seasons back in Loguetown."

On the deck of the Merry, Nami had a scarf wrapped around her neck and wore warm earmuffs. Even bundled in a down jacket, she was still shivering uncontrollably.

"Women are hard to understand."

Looking at Nami's fair, exposed thighs, Reiner couldn't help but comment dryly, "I say, Nami, if you're that cold, why not wear some thicker pants?"

"None of your business! Blep~" Nami stuck out her tongue playfully.

It had been several days since they left Loguetown and entered the Grand Line. They had encountered Laboon and old man Crocus as expected.

From Crocus's explanations, they had also learned some information about the Grand Line.

Due to the extremely chaotic magnetic fields of the Grand Line, normal compasses were useless here. That part was fine; Reiner had already prepared ten Log Poses the day before.

The trouble was that the chaotic magnetic fields also made the weather, ocean currents, and wind direction incredibly unpredictable.

Even Nami was initially flustered, creating a lot of extra work for Reiner.

When the weather changed, steering the ship, raising and lowering the sails, etc., were all handled by his undead working together. They dealt with accumulated water during rain and swept snow during snowfall.

Nami even outrageously suggested burning the skeleton undead's bones to make a fire for warmth – completely disregarding the 'lives' of the skeletons.

"Nami, how much longer until we reach the next island?" Reiner asked.

Nami thought for a moment.

"We're about to enter the range covered by the next island's magnetic field. The wind and currents should become relatively stable then. If things go smoothly, we should arrive before evening today."

"Cactus Island, the first stop in the Grand Line." Reiner began to look forward to it.

It had been... one and a half years since he transmigrated, and he had finally accumulated enough strength to enter the Grand Line.

Luffy and Zoro's contributions were indispensable. Without their templates, relying solely on Reiner's initial group of weaklings to challenge Kuro and Arlong would have been nigh impossible.

His ability just needed to accumulate a certain level of strength initially, and then it could start snowballing continuously.

Now, with the Katana Devil and Chainsaw Devil undead, the enhanced Wolverine undead (fused with Sanji's template), plus the Bone Chain Sword made from Arlong's template, he finally possessed decent strength for the first half of the Grand Line.

Once he obtained the templates of the two Elbaf giant leaders in Little Garden, very few people in the first half of the Grand Line would pose a threat to him.

After all, the giants' terrifying overall physical stats were a known fact. In his hands, the strength they could exert would be even greater than their original bodies.

"Shishishi! Look at my Snowman Laboon!"

"Not bad, Luffy! But still too crude. Let me show you my Snow Queen!"

"Woahahaha! Amazing, Usopp!" Luffy praised excitedly.

Reiner couldn't help but admire Usopp's snowman. With its exquisite crown and ornately styled clothing, calling it lifelike wouldn't be an exaggeration. But why did the face look somewhat familiar?

"Tsk tsk tsk, is that supposed to be Kaya?" Reiner thought of a certain figure and teased Usopp, "Missing the comforts of home already, Usopp?"

"Wh-wh-what!? What are you saying!"

Usopp blushed and stumbled back a few steps. "I'm going to be a brave warrior of the sea! How could I possibly be tied down by romantic entanglements?"

"I think Kaya is pretty great, you know? Pretty and gentle. Maybe I should bear this 'burden' for you?"

"How dare you, brat!!!"

"Haha~~ Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore." Reiner turned and asked Sanji with a smile, "Our head chef, what's for lunch today?"

"Well~ That Elephant Tuna from last time is on its last legs. Time to butcher it."

Sanji pondered for a moment, exhaling smoke. "What should I make... Any ideas?"

Luffy: "Grilled fish!"

Usopp: "Fish head soup!"

Reiner: "Sashimi!"

Zoro: "Whatever."

"Alright then, fish head soup, fish belly sashimi, and the rest grilled. As for the most delicious part, the fish nose...

—that, of course, will be decided by the lovely Miss Nami!" Sanji's eyes turned into hearts, instantly transforming into a lovesick fool.

"Tch, pervy cook."

"What did you say, moss head!?"

Reiner chuckled watching these two rivals. Sanji had only been on board for a few days, and he and Zoro had already started their days of mutual dislike.

Soon, Sanji went into the kitchen to get busy. Luffy and Usopp began their daily fishing routine, while Reiner and Zoro went to the stern to lift weights.

"You're improving quickly, Reiner," Zoro couldn't help but remark. "It hasn't even been two weeks, and your weight load has increased again."

"Well~ It's mainly thanks to the Devil Fruit boost. Makes training twice as effective," Reiner explained.

When he first arrived, he was just an ordinary person powerless even to truss a chicken. Now, his physical condition far surpassed that of a normal person.

Without the enhancement from his Zoan fruit, achieving this level through training alone would have been extremely difficult.

"If you keep this up, I might be surpassed by you in less than a year," Zoro couldn't help but grip his own barbell tighter, watching Reiner do push-ups with a 1200kg load.

"Not at all. I'm not the only one improving. I still have a long way to go to catch up to you," Reiner said, glancing at the 2100kg barbell in Zoro's hands, unconsciously putting more force into his own movements.

The two silently competed until Sanji called them for lunch.

After eating, Reiner returned to the crow's nest to keep watch, bringing his barbell with him.

He stayed there until evening, when the setting sun was nearing the horizon, before finally spotting an island.

From afar, he could vaguely make out rows of houses packed closely together, with several large cactus-shaped mountain peaks behind the town.

"Everyone! Island sighted! There's a town on it!" Reiner shouted down, then lit a cigarette, watching as the ship slowly approached.

Luffy and the others immediately got excited. After sailing for several days, they were finally arriving at an island with signs of civilization.

This island was called Cactus Island. A river divided the island in two. The Going Merry sailed up the river, arriving at an inland port.

"It's pirates!"

"Quick, tell everyone pirates are here!"

Someone at the port spotted the pirate ship and hastily ran into town. After a short while, the port was crowded with villagers.

Strangely, not only did the villagers show no trace of panic, but they all looked cheerful and excited.

"Brave warriors of the sea!"

"Welcome to Whisky Peak!"

Hearing the bustling calls from the port, everyone except the thrilled Luffy and Usopp wore puzzled expressions.

"Hello everyone!"

"Waaaah~~ They called me a brave warrior of the sea!"

Compared to those two's reactions, Nami and the others seemed much more normal.

"Did I hear that right? They're actually welcoming pirates?"

"Heh, a strange town," Zoro remarked, observing the 'villagers' below with interest.

Soon, everyone disembarked. Reiner dropped anchor, secured the Merry, and jumped down as well.

A tall man with voluminous curly hair stepped forward, clearing his throat like a singer warming up.

"Ah~, Ah-oh-oh~"

Then, a smile spread across the curly-haired man's face as he addressed the group:

"My name is Igaram. I am the mayor of this town. Welcome, everyone, to the Welcome Town—Whisky Peak!"

Upon hearing this, Luffy immediately rushed forward to greet him, and soon the entire group was mingling cheerfully with the villagers.

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