One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 8

Liu Jiu instinctively clung to the rope, his entire body completely submerged in the icy seawater. The immense force pulled him, as if trying to tear him off the ship. The salty seawater rushed into his nostrils and mouth.

A few seconds later, the wave receded, and he suddenly poked his head out, coughing violently, his lungs burning with pain.

The deck was flooded up to knee-deep, and small, unsecured objects were floating everywhere.

He saw Bucky clinging tightly to the base of the mainmast not far away, his face ashen, his eyes closed, his lips trembling, whether in prayer or curse, he couldn't tell.

Shanks, along with several adult crew members, used their bodies to hold down a bundle of ropes that was about to come loose, their teeth clenched, their faces wet with a mixture of rain and sweat.

Roger didn't stay in the cabin. He stood by the helm, alongside the crew member at the helm, his arms bulging with muscles as he gripped the wildly spinning wheel. His straw hat was firmly secured on his head, but it still couldn't keep out all the wind and rain. Rain streamed down his resolute face, but his eyes remained sharp, fixed on the abyss-like sea ahead.

"Hard to port! Avoid that whirlpool!" he roared, his voice actually drowning out the wind and waves.

Rayleigh stood beside him, his longsword planted in the deck to secure his body. He was also soaking wet, calmly observing the patterns of the waves and providing additional instructions.

Human power appears so insignificant in the face of nature's wrath.

Yet it also possesses an unyielding resilience.

Another tilt, and the ship was almost at a 45-degree angle to the sea. Liu Jiu felt as if his body was about to be thrown out, and his knuckles turned white from the excessive force.

He squinted, looking through the dense rain curtain at the figures struggling in the wind and waves.

Chaos, disarray, and a desperate struggle.

He lowered his head; the seawater reached above his calves, icy cold.

The rough fibers of the cable dug deep into the palm of the hand.

But he didn't let go.

The ship struggled to adjust its course amidst the giant waves, groaning under the strain, as if it were about to disintegrate at any moment.

Liu Jiu simply gripped the rope in his hands even tighter.

As the boat rocked violently once again, he used the force of the swaying to slightly adjust his grip.

Then, continue to stabilize.

In this chaotic upheaval, he was like a nail, driven into the slippery, swaying deck.

Chapter 7 After the rain, the sky is clear

I don’t know how long it took.

It felt like a century, yet also like just a few heartbeats.

The raging wind that tore everything apart gradually turned into a whimper, and finally only weary panting remained.

The raindrops hitting my face were no longer like hailstones, but rather fine, soft rain.

An invisible hand slowly tore a hole in the inky black clouds, and golden sunlight, like molten gold, poured down from the gap, landing precisely on the battered deck of the Oro Jackson.

The swaying gradually decreased, eventually returning to that familiar, reassuring gentle rocking motion.

The sea was no longer raging; like a tamed beast, it was panting, and the undulating waves became gentle, shimmering with golden light.

A deathly silence, damp with moisture, enveloped everything.

All that remained was the gentle lapping of the sea against the hull and the pattering of water dripping from the mast and ropes.

Liu Jiu loosened his grip on the cable.

His palms were marked with deep purple bruises from the rough rope, and they burned with pain. He moved his stiff fingers, and his knuckles made a slight cracking sound.

He shook his head, and water droplets splashed from the ends of his hair.

The deck was covered with puddles of varying depths, reflecting the recently cleared sky and scattered clouds. Scattered debris, not yet secured, clung wetly to the wooden planks.

The crew members sat or lay down, panting heavily, their faces a mixture of exhaustion, relief, and a hint of bewilderment. No one spoke; they were all still adjusting to the sudden calm.

Bucky was still clinging to the mast base, but his eyes were open, staring blankly at the sunlight streaming in, seemingly still reeling from the shock.

Shanks plopped down on the soaking wet deck, leaning against the gunwale, looking up at the sky, his chest heaving, and then suddenly sneezed.

Roger wiped the water from his face, walked to the bow of the ship, put his hands on his hips, and looked at the sea ahead, which was once again gilded by the sunlight. He didn't smile, but simply took a deep breath of the fresh, moist air after the rain.

Rayleigh bent down, fished his glasses out of the puddle, wiped them with the wet corner of his clothes, and put them back on.

Liu Jiu looked down at his clothes, which were completely soaked and clung to his body.

He wrung out the corner of his clothes, and water gushed down.

He gave up, walked to a pile of cables that had been scattered by the waves, and began to sort them out. He slowly straightened the tangled ropes, coiling them neatly.

The movements were neither hurried nor slow.

It was as if nothing had happened.

The warm sunshine shone on my back, dispelling some of the chill.

The others on deck gradually became more active. Some began clearing away the water, others inspected the damage to the hull, and they talked in hulls.

"Damn it, I thought I was really going to be fish food this time."

"I was so scared I sobered up..."

"Is the boat alright?"

"It should be fine, Captain Roger and Mr. Rayleigh are at the helm..."

The warmth of daily life has returned.

Liu Jiu coiled up a bunch of cables and then went to tidy up the several wooden barrels that were lying askew nearby.

He heard Bucky complaining behind him, his voice trembling with tears: "My precious... almost lost..." He was probably checking his broken bronze goblet.

Shanks' voice carried a hint of laughter: "It's good that you're alright, Bucky."

The sun grew warmer, and the water stains on the deck began to slowly evaporate.

Liu Jiu straightened and secured the last wooden bucket.

He straightened up, raised his hand to shield his forehead, and squinted at the sun.

He walked to the side of the ship and looked down at the seawater below, which was plowed open by the ship's hull and was covered in white foam.

Reach out and catch a drop of water dripping from the edge of the soaked canvas.

It lingered in his palm for a moment before slipping through his fingers.

Another afternoon of doing nothing.

The sun hung low in the west, the heat subsided somewhat, and a gentle sea breeze blew. The Oro Jackson broke through the calm sea, leaving a long white contrail.

A sense of languor, like that of someone who has just finished eating, permeated the deck.

Several crew members sat in a circle in the shade, playing dice. The dice clinked together in the wooden bowl, accompanied by the laughter of the winners and the curses of the losers.

"Three sixes! Win everything!"

Damn! I'm having such bad luck today!

On the other side, someone was holding a rough wooden instrument and playing an off-key tune. Someone else was humming along, terribly out of tune, but enjoying themselves.

Bucky retreated to his old corner, his "treasure map" spread out in front of him, a magnifying glass in his hand—he had gotten it from somewhere—and studied the blurry markings on the map while muttering to himself.

Shanks wasn't beside him; instead, he climbed onto the high watchtower, sat on the edge with his legs dangling over the edge, his red hair blowing wildly in the wind, and looked at something.

Roger was nowhere to be seen; he was probably sleeping in the captain's cabin. Rayleigh sat on a small stool, a steaming cup of tea in front of him, and a book in his hand, quietly flipping through it.

Liu Jiu leaned against a pile of cables, watching all of this.

Sunshine, sea breeze, noise.

He was a little distracted.

My mind is blank, devoid of any concrete thoughts. I don't want to think about the past, nor the future.

A sailor, having lost all his money for drinks that day, stood up cursing and kicking a nearby wooden barrel. He then staggered to the ship's side, unzipped his trousers, and relieved himself in the sea.

The sound of rushing water continued for quite a while.

Liu Jiu's gaze swept past him and looked further into the distance.

The sea and sky blend into one color, a monotonous blue.

He yawned.

My eyes are a little wet.

He raised his hand and rubbed it with his knuckles.

On the lookout tower, Shanks seemed to have spotted something. He excitedly waved down and shouted, "Dolphins! Lots!"

The person playing dice ignored it, and the person playing the piano didn't stop.

Only Bucky looked up and impatiently yelled back, "What's all the noise about! Can't you see I'm doing something important? You're so unsophisticated!"

Shanks glanced at him and continued to swing his leg.

Liu Jiu glanced at the sea.

Indeed, more than a dozen dolphins leaped out of the water in front of the bow, drawing silvery arcs before silently disappearing back into the water.

He looked at it for a few seconds.

Then look away.

nothing special.

He adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable.

I plan to spend the rest of today sleeping.

The clinking of dice, off-key singing, Bucky's mutterings, the howling of the sea breeze, and the faint sounds of dolphins playing in the distance...

When mixed together, it becomes the best white noise.

His breathing gradually became steady.

Consciousness sank into a warm, aimless darkness.

He was awakened by the dinner bell.