As morning light broke over the island, Koa and Greenbull trekked through the dense forest trails toward the mountain ranges. The air was crisp, filled with birdsong and the distant rustling of wind through the trees. Greenbull, dressed in his new clothes and hat, walked briskly behind his mentor, trying to match his pace.
"Boss, where are we going?" Greenbull asked, puffing slightly. "Didn't you say we'd be leaving the island to look for new crew members?"
"Patience is a virtue," Koa replied without stopping. His sharp eyes scanned the terrain around them, as if searching for something very specific.
Greenbull frowned but stayed quiet, knowing better than to argue. They walked in silence for almost an hour before Koa came to a halt on a wide, elevated patch of land. Surrounded by trees and far from any signs of civilization, it was isolated and untouched—a perfect place for what he had in mind.
Koa knelt down and touched the ground, closing his eyes briefly.
Greenbull cocked his head. "Boss… what are we doing here?"
Koa smirked. "I'll show you."
The moment he said it, the earth beneath them began to tremble. Trees shook, birds fled, and the ground cracked. Greenbull instinctively braced himself as the land beneath them rumbled unnaturally. He knew Koa's Devil Fruit was powerful, but seeing it up close like this never failed to shake him.
Koa detached the entire section of land in a perfect circular shape—several hundred meters in diameter—and with a calm gesture, began to raise it skyward. Greenbull's eyes widened in awe as the land floated, hovering like a platform above the forest.
"Come on," Koa called, glancing back. "Jump. Or I'll leave you behind."
Greenbull blinked, his jaw slack. "You serious?!"
Koa didn't answer—he just kept the island rising.
Snapping out of his shock, Greenbull shouted, "Wait, wait, wait!" and leapt onto the floating land just in time.
Koa smiled faintly, then guided the floating island toward the skies. Once at a steady height, he revealed the hidden, smaller floating island—the one with his cabin—and fused it into the edge of the larger one. It became a single massive platform in the sky.
"Come," Koa said, pushing open the cabin door and inviting Greenbull inside.
The moment they entered, Greenbull's jaw dropped again. Stacked treasure chests, glimmering gold coins, barrels of rare goods, and precious gems lined the walls. It looked more like a royal vault than a hideout.
"No wonder you could buy me all those things," Greenbull muttered in disbelief. "You're richer than the king on this island."
Koa gave a small chuckle. "These are the spoils of my travels—some from before I joined the Roger Pirates, most from my six years sailing with them."
He paused, looking down at Greenbull. "One day, if you're strong enough, you'll get your share of treasure. But first, you have to earn it. That means training."
Greenbull's eyes gleamed with renewed energy. "Really? You mean it? You're not just saying that?"
Koa nodded. "I don't make promises I don't keep. But I won't carry dead weight either. Get strong, or get left behind."
"I won't let you down, boss," Greenbull said, clenching his fists. "You'll see—I'll get stronger, and I'll earn my place."
Koa walked over to a chest, opened it, and pulled out a small bag. He filled it with glittering gold coins, then placed it on the table in front of Greenbull.
"By the end of this day, I want you to have full control over your transformation—no more panicking or getting stuck mid-shift. Master that, and this bag is yours. Call it your allowance."
Greenbull stared at the bag, eyes wide. But in truth, the money didn't matter that much. Not anymore.
He'd already made up his mind.
He would get stronger, not just to earn gold, or cool clothes, or more food. But because Koa had given him something no one else ever had: a future. A chance. A purpose.
And he would make sure he was never a burden to the man who gave him all that.
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Greenbull could be seen standing in the field that Koa added to his floating island, concentrating. He was channeling his Devil Fruit power, while Koa was floating the island toward the next target. Instead of traveling at full speed, Koa kept the pace slow. Originally, he could have reached the Vespa Kingdom in just one day at his fastest, but now, since he had assigned a mission to Greenbull, he maximized their travel time. He calculated it would take three to four days to arrive.
Back to Greenbull—he was meditating, trying to control his transformation. He was feeling the effects of his Devil Fruit. It had told him his abilities, but so far, it only allowed him to summon trees and wood, not become wood himself. After a few more hours of meditation, Greenbull suddenly opened his eyes and transformed his hand into the trunk of a tree, successfully doing so. He then transformed his left hand, torso, and lower body one by one, until he had fully transformed into a tree.
Greenbull then looked at Koa, who was clapping for him, with an impressed expression on his face.
"Great job. Now, we can begin your real training," Koa said, his arms crossed, looking at Greenbull with a serious expression.
Greenbull straightened up, his face matching the tone. "What do you think is the weakness of wood—especially trees?" Koa asked.
Greenbull thought for a moment before answering, "Fire?"
Koa nodded. "Exactly. That's why we're going to work on your weakness—every single day."
Greenbull blinked, confused. "How are we going to do that then?"
Koa didn't answer. He just smiled. Then, without warning, he conjured an arrow of molten lava and fired it straight at Greenbull, who was still partially in his tree form.
The arrow struck. Instantly, Greenbull caught fire, and a sharp, agonizing pain coursed through him. He screamed, panicked, trying to smother the flames with his hands.
"Stop," Koa commanded, his voice firm. "That's part of your training. You're not allowed to put it out. You have to learn to endure it—to become immune to it."
Greenbull hesitated, his body still burning. The pain was unbearable, but the way Koa looked at him—unwavering, full of expectation—it made something click. Gritting his teeth, Greenbull slowly dropped his arms and stood still, letting the flames burn.
Koa gave him a nod of approval, then turned his gaze back toward the sea, making sure their slow journey toward the Vespa Kingdom was still on course.
A few moments passed in silence, only the sound of wind and crackling fire filling the air.
"Greenbull," Koa called out, "while you're training, can you summon some orange, apple, and mango trees? I want some fruit for the next few days. We need more than just meat."
Greenbull, barely holding back tears from the pain, clenched his fists. But he stood tall, burning and all.
"Yes, boss," he said, voice strained but full of determination.