One Piece: The Saiyan Pirate

Chapter 37: The Arrival at Logue Town

In the dimly lit captain's quarters aboard the Going Merry, the soft sounds of the ship creaking and waves lapping against the hull provided a peaceful ambiance. Goku and Nami lay beneath the warm covers, their bodies relaxed after a long day of sailing. Although it was still early, the two were wide awake, talking quietly about what lay ahead. The small round window near the bed cast moonlight across the room, illuminating their faces.

Nami nestled closer to Goku, resting her head on his chest as they spoke in hushed tones. "Logue Town's not far now," she murmured. "We'll need to restock on supplies—food, fresh water, maybe some medical supplies, too. I don't want to run into another situation like when we faced Arlong and didn't have enough to patch anyone up."

Goku nodded, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. "Yeah, we need supplies, but…" His voice trailed off before he continued. "That's not all, Nami. We need to get stronger. All of us."

Nami lifted her head slightly to look at him. "Stronger? You're already the strongest guy I know, Goku. I don't see how any of us could keep up with you."

Goku sighed. "I'm not strong enough, though. Aokiji nearly killed you and Usopp. I couldn't protect you—either of you." His tone was laced with frustration, the weight of his failures hanging heavily over him. "And Aokiji isn't the only one. We're going to the Grand Line, and from what I've heard, monsters like him are everywhere."

Nami frowned, feeling the tension in Goku's words. "But we've been training. You've been teaching everyone how to use Ki, and they're improving."

"Not fast enough," Goku replied, his voice stern. "The others are getting better, sure, but that won't matter if we don't push ourselves harder. In a fight, when your life's on the line, things happen. You tap into reserves you didn't know you had. That's what we need."

Nami considered his words, biting her lip. "So what? You want to throw us into combat and hope we get stronger by nearly dying?" she said, half-joking, though the concern was evident in her voice.

Goku's expression softened, and he smiled slightly. "Not exactly. But it's not far from the truth. We'll need real fights to push ourselves, to see what we're made of. That's how I learned—by fighting stronger opponents and getting better each time."

Nami raised an eyebrow. "And where are we going to find life-threatening combat out of nowhere?"

Goku chuckled. "I think we won't need to look for it. I've got this gut feeling that once we reach Logue Town, something's going to happen. We'll probably get the chance to see just how strong we really are."

Nami stared at him for a moment, her expression a mixture of disbelief and trust. Goku's instincts were rarely wrong. "Well, if your gut is telling you something, I'll trust it. But we need to be careful."

Goku nodded, his gaze distant. "We will. But we can't avoid it forever."

---

The next morning, the crew of the Going Merry awoke to a calm sea, with the warm sun rising over the horizon. The soft rustling of the wind filled the sails as everyone went about their morning routines. Sanji, ever the diligent cook, was already preparing breakfast in the galley. The smell of fresh bread and eggs wafted through the ship, making everyone's stomachs growl in anticipation.

Zoro, already up and sharpening his swords on the deck, worked silently, his focus as sharp as ever. Usopp tinkered with his slingshot, making minor adjustments as he planned to restock on ammo once they reached land. Gin, perched high in the crow's nest, scanned the horizon, keeping a sharp lookout for any signs of danger.

It was Gin who first spotted it. "Land ho!" he called down, his voice carrying across the ship. "Logue Town is in view!"

At his words, everyone turned toward the front of the ship. In the distance, the outline of Logue Town came into view, the city's buildings gradually taking shape as they neared. The crew gathered near the bow of the ship, gazing ahead with a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

"Finally, after three days at sea," Goku said, his voice filled with a mix of relief and wariness. "We've made it."

Nami stood beside him, her hand shading her eyes from the sunlight as she took in the sight. "It looks busy," she observed. "Lots of ships docked there."

Goku's face grew serious as he watched the island approach. The events of their encounter with Aokiji still weighed heavily on his mind. He had nearly lost his entire crew that day, and the memory of Nami and Usopp lying on the ground, frozen and helpless, haunted him. It was a bitter reminder that despite his strength, he wasn't invincible.

Ever since that fight, he'd realized that this world wasn't as simple as he'd thought. Sure, he was a Saiyan, but that didn't mean he could breeze through this world like he had on others. The Grand Line was full of monsters, and many of them had powers he didn't fully understand—Devil Fruits that could defy logic and reality itself.

He clenched his fists at the thought. "I need to find a way to fight these Devil Fruit users," he muttered. "If someone like Gol D. Roger could take them on without powers like theirs, then there has to be a way."

Zoro, standing nearby, noticed Goku's intense expression. "Still thinking about Aokiji?" he asked, his voice low.

Goku nodded. "Yeah. He beat me like I was nothing. I thought being a Saiyan would be enough, but this world has its own rules. I need to understand them if I'm going to get stronger."

Zoro crossed his arms. "We all do. We've trained hard, but like you said, it's not enough. Not yet."

Goku gave him a sideways glance. "We'll get there. And we'll fight whoever we need to, to learn."

As the Going Merry docked in the harbor of Logue Town, the bustling sounds of the island city greeted them. The port was busy with merchants unloading their goods, sailors shouting orders, and marines patrolling the docks. The crew tied off the ship, and Goku gathered everyone around.

"Alright," Goku began, his voice commanding as ever. "We've got a lot to do before we head to the Grand Line. Sanji, you're in charge of restocking food. Gin, you'll handle getting the booze. Usopp, I need you to pick up weapons and anything else that might be useful. Zoro," Goku turned to the swordsman, "you'll get new swords. Make sure they're good ones. And Nami, you and I will find the Log Pose."

"The Log Pose?" Nami asked, raising an eyebrow.

Goku nodded. "Yeah. It's an instrument that's the only reliable way to navigate in the Grand Line. I read about it a while back. We'll need it if we want to make it through."

Everyone nodded, and with that, they split up, each crew member heading off into the busy streets of Logue Town. Goku and Nami walked together through the crowded marketplace, their eyes scanning the stalls for any sign of a shop selling the Log Pose.

---

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows of the harbor, a marine officer observed the crew from a distance. His sharp eyes tracked each member as they left the ship. He tapped the small transponder snail strapped to his wrist, whispering into it.

"This is Lieutenant Daris. Straw Hat Goku and his crew have arrived in Logue Town. Yes… the one with the fifty-million bounty. Understood."

He clicked off the transponder and slipped back into the crowd, blending in with the citizens. The marines had their eyes on the Going Merry, and Goku's presence in Logue Town wouldn't go unnoticed for long.

As the day went on, the crew went about their assigned tasks, but there was an underlying sense of tension in the air. Logue Town, the city where the Pirate King had been executed, was steeped in history, and it was said that any pirate who set foot here was bound to face a challenge.

And with Goku's bounty now sky-high, it was only a matter of time before the crew's presence in the city would spark something big.

[A/N: Read 20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]