The ocean stretched endlessly beneath a soft blue sky.
The Going Merry hadn't entered their lives yet, but the small sailing boat they'd commandeered from Shells Town swayed rhythmically under the rising sun. A fresh breeze tugged at the sail. The mast creaked softly with the wind. It was peaceful—for once.
Vihaan sat near the bow, legs crossed, eyes closed, breathing slow and even.
His body was still, but his mind was alert.
He wasn't meditating for peace. He was searching—for something deeper. Something he had only felt in glimpses.
Zoro had gone below deck to sharpen his swords. Luffy had eaten enough food for four people and was now fast asleep, snoring on the deck like a baby with a stretched-out belly.
Vihaan took another slow breath in.
What did it feel like, back then?
Back in Shells Town, he'd felt it—an awareness that wasn't tied to sight or sound. When Morgan raised his axe, Vihaan had known where he'd strike before the blade even moved.
His heartbeat had slowed. The world had hushed. His instincts had screamed.
And now, he wanted to recreate that moment—voluntarily.
He opened his eyes.
The wind changed.
A gull swooped down nearby, silent in the air—but Vihaan turned just before it passed him.
His lips twitched. "Almost."
"Yo!"
Luffy's voice shattered the stillness as he popped up beside Vihaan like a jack-in-the-box. "Whatcha doing?"
Vihaan exhaled, unbothered. "Tuning in."
"Huh?"
"Trying to sense danger before it happens. Something called Observation Haki. Ever heard of it?"
Luffy tilted his head. "Sounds cool."
Vihaan raised an eyebrow. "You don't know it?"
Luffy grinned. "Maybe. But I fight with gut! Not fancy words!"
Vihaan chuckled. "Of course you do."
He stood and stretched. "Still… It's not just about danger. It's about people too. I think it lets you sense emotions, presence… intent."
"You can feel emotions?"
"I think so. Not like reading minds, but…" Vihaan pointed to his heart. "You feel the rhythm of a person. Like their music."
Luffy looked fascinated for about three seconds.
Then he pointed at the water. "Hey! Is that a dolphin?!"
Vihaan groaned, rubbing his temples. "Never mind."
The afternoon passed with calm winds and warm skies. Zoro practiced sword forms on the deck while Vihaan trained silently in sensing distant birds and tracking the subtle shift of waves.
By evening, the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sea orange and gold.
Dinner was quiet—bread and leftover rations from Shells Town. Zoro ate with focused silence. Luffy, unusually mellow, leaned back against the mast, watching the sky slowly darken.
Vihaan leaned on the railing, a warm breeze brushing against his face.
Then, Luffy broke the silence.
"Wanna know how I got this scar?"
Vihaan blinked. He turned.
Luffy wasn't grinning now. He was staring at the sea, eyes far away. Zoro looked up, curious.
Vihaan stepped closer and sat beside him.
Luffy touched the scar under his left eye.
"I gave it to myself. A long time ago."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"
"To prove to Shanks I was tough enough to be a pirate."
Vihaan's eyes sharpened. "You've mentioned him before. Red-Haired Shanks, right?"
Luffy nodded slowly.
"He came to my village when I was a kid. His crew stayed for a while. They laughed a lot. Drank a lot. But they were kind."
Vihaan noticed the change in Luffy's voice. Less boyish. More… reverent.
"Everyone thought they were scary at first. But I followed them everywhere. I wanted to be one of them. Wanted to sail."
"You were just a kid," Zoro said.
Luffy smiled faintly. "Didn't matter. I told them I'd be the next King of the Pirates."
Vihaan tilted his head. "What did Shanks say?"
"He laughed. Said I was too weak. Said pirates live tough lives."
"And the scar?"
Luffy looked at him.
"I wanted to prove I wasn't afraid of pain. So I stabbed myself under the eye with a knife."
Zoro's eyes widened. "You're crazy."
Vihaan whistled. "Ballsy."
Luffy grinned. "Shanks still didn't take me seriously."
He paused, then looked down.
"One day, some bandits came to the village. Bad people. They humiliated Shanks in front of everyone. Threw drinks on him. Called him weak."
Vihaan's eyes narrowed. "What did he do?"
"Nothing," Luffy said quietly. "He just smiled and took it."
Zoro frowned. "Why?"
"Because it wasn't worth hurting anyone over. He said… pirates shouldn't throw away lives over pride."
Vihaan leaned forward. That didn't sound like what the world said about pirates.
"But then," Luffy continued, voice low, "when those same bandits tried to kill me… he stepped in."
The wind grew still.
"One of them dragged me into the ocean. I can't swim, 'cause of my Devil Fruit. I was gonna drown."
His hand clenched on his knee.
"Shanks saved me. But… he lost his arm doing it."
Zoro was quiet now. Even Vihaan didn't speak.
"He looked at me, bleeding, with a smile and said—'You're safe. That's all that matters.'"
A silence followed. The sound of waves filled the gap between them.
Vihaan looked down at his hands. The story wasn't just about loss. It was about loyalty. Sacrifice.
Luffy broke the silence again, softer this time.
"He gave me his hat that day. Said I had to return it when I became a great pirate."
He touched the brim of his treasured straw hat.
"That's why I wear this. That's why I sail."
Vihaan smiled, quietly moved. "I get it now."
Zoro nodded once. "He sounds like a man worth following."
Luffy beamed. "He is. And I'll find him again. But not until I'm strong enough to stand beside him."
Vihaan stood and stretched, casting a glance at the starlit sky.
"Then let's make sure that happens. Together."
Luffy grinned and stood. "Yeah!"
Zoro leaned back. "Just don't get us killed along the way."
Vihaan smirked. "No promises."
As the night deepened, Vihaan returned to the bow and closed his eyes again.
He slowed his breathing.
Listened to the sea.
And for the first time—truly—he felt the presence of his crewmates behind him.
Luffy's bright spirit, like a flame that never went out.Zoro's sharp edge, honed and focused.Even the curious flicker of seagulls passing above.
It was faint… but it was there.
A heartbeat beyond his own.
He smiled.
Observation Haki.