"We're here."
Rayleigh stopped walking, glanced around, and nodded in satisfaction.
Shanks snapped out of his thoughts and also came to a halt.
"We're training here?"
"Mr. Rayleigh, this place doesn't seem special. What kind of training are we doing here?"
Though Buggy spoke skeptically, he was actually extremely alert, darting around and peeking everywhere. He knew very well that Mr. Rayleigh never did anything without a reason.
"Next, I'll be training each of you individually."
"Individually? Mr. Rayleigh, aren't we all training Observation Haki together?"
Shanks asked, puzzled.
"Heh, that's right." Rayleigh looked at Buggy. "Buggy, like I said before, your Chop-Chop Fruit gives you an edge. If you master Observation Haki, your survival ability will drastically increase—which in turn improves your overall strength."
"Uh… so you mean I'll be training on this island for months just to learn Observation Haki?"
Buggy wasn't dumb; he instantly caught Rayleigh's drift.
"Ah, yes. And I've arranged some animals to help you train."
"What?! Animals again?! Mr. Rayleigh, don't tell me you're setting me up again!"
Buggy panicked and instantly split into pieces. His floating head roared in protest—he hadn't forgotten the torment he suffered from those whirling jump crabs.
"Quiet down, Buggy. If you keep yelling, you'll attract beasts."
Rayleigh grinned, deliberately scaring him.
"Ah!"
Buggy immediately covered his mouth, his head nervously scanning the surroundings.
"Haha, Buggy, come on! You've got the Chop-Chop ability—what are you even scared of?"
Hearing Buggy's outburst lightened Shanks' mood. He couldn't resist teasing him.
"You idiot, Shanks! I've still got weaknesses too, okay? What if I get eaten in one bite? What if a beast eats my hand, or my foot, or—my head?! Moron!"
Buggy flailed and roared at Shanks like he was ready to eat him alive. Shanks always popped up just to mess with him.
"Hehe… Buggy's got a point, actually," Reid thought to himself, amused.
Rayleigh then whistled.
"He whistled again… What is he summoning this time?"
Buggy grew anxious, looking around cautiously.
"Chirp chirp! Screech screech!"
The three looked up to see a group of monkeys appearing in the trees around them.
[Red-Mouth, Sharp-Tooth Monkeys: Native to various South Sea islands. Moody and mischievous, they enjoy playing pranks on other animals.]
"Ah, I see. These monkeys must have quick reflexes—perfect for training Observation Haki. Rayleigh must have considered this carefully."
Once Reid confirmed this in his mind, he quietly waited for Rayleigh's next move.
"Mr. Rayleigh, are these monkeys our training targets?"
"Yes, Redboy. But they're all for Buggy."
"WHAT?!"
Buggy was so scared he backed away until he hit a tree.
"Chirp chirp! Screech screech!"
The monkeys understood Rayleigh and, upon seeing Buggy's terrified reaction, they screeched excitedly and even flipped him off with middle fingers.
"Hahaha! Buggy, even the monkeys are mocking you!"
Shanks couldn't help but clutch his stomach laughing. He really didn't mean to—but this scene was just too funny to resist.
"All of them… just for Buggy? Man, this is humiliating. No wonder monkeys are so annoying—they're such little trolls..."
Reid shook his head, laughing.
"Damn you, Shanks! I, the great Buggy, am not afraid of a bunch of stupid monkeys!"
"Chirp! Screech!"
The monkeys heard Buggy insult them and all opened their mouths wide, revealing their long, razor-sharp teeth.
"Ahhhh! Their teeth are that long?!"
Buggy's eyes nearly popped out in horror.
"Holy crap… no wonder they're called Red-Mouth Sharp-Tooth Monkeys. Their mouths are red, sure—but who knew their fangs were that huge…"
Reid was stunned too. The monkeys' fangs were practically as long as their heads and had been hidden in their mouths until now.
"Buggy… I wish you the best of luck."
Shanks couldn't help but offer a sincere-sounding farewell.
"Mr. Rayleigh, isn't this a little too dangerous?"
Buggy trembled all over, his earlier confidence and bravado completely gone.
"You'll be fine. You won't die. Buggy, your training zone is the entire island. Duration: 10 days. After that, I'll give your personal training."
"What… Ten days?! Mr. Rayleigh, do I have to stay here even at night?"
"Yes. Don't worry—I'll be staying on the island too, just like you all."
"But…"
Buggy wanted to protest, but Rayleigh cut him off.
"Enough talk. Don't waste time. Let's begin."
Rayleigh gave the monkeys a signal with his eyes.
The monkey horde howled and charged straight at Buggy.
"Aaaah! Help!!"
Buggy turned tail and bolted—no hesitation at all.
Rayleigh smiled, then turned to look at Shanks.
"Red—"
"Taro, mastering Haki is absolutely crucial. Your life is destined to be extraordinary, so you must have great perseverance and determination—never give up, no matter what."
"Hm? Why is Rayleigh so sure that Shanks is destined to be extraordinary?
Could it be... Shanks has some kind of special background? Maybe it's because of what I said to Rayleigh earlier. Even though I didn't reveal the future, Rayleigh probably sensed something from my words."
"Mr. Rayleigh, am I really going to become that powerful in the future?"
Shanks' eyes instantly lit up with excitement.
"Hahaha, I can feel your willpower. Work hard to grow stronger. And don't forget—that straw hat on your head was given to you by Roger. If you're not strong, you don't deserve to wear it."
Rayleigh's gaze softened slightly as he placed his hand on Shanks' head.
"I will."
Shanks touched the brim of his straw hat with one hand, unwavering determination shining in his eyes.
"Good."
Rayleigh nodded in satisfaction, confidence gleaming in his eyes. Then he whistled.
"Rayleigh whistled again. What kind of animal is it this time?"
Reid observed the area and felt curious.
"ROAR!"
A tiger's roar exploded through the air.
"What the—A tiger?!" Reid's heart started pounding fast—after all, he was just human...