Chapter 48: In The Pouring Rain (III)
The torrential rain pounded down mercilessly, the deluge turning Logue Town's usually bustling harbor into a chaotic, waterlogged warzone. The Going Merry rocked violently in the turbulent waters, its sails flapping furiously in the howling wind as the storm intensified. Each raindrop felt like a hammer against the skin, soaking everything to the bone in seconds, while the wind ripped at every loose rope and fabric. Lightning cracked through the sky, illuminating the scene for brief, terrifying moments, casting the half-dozen pirate ships surrounding the Going Merry in eerie, flickering light.
Gin gripped the helm of the Merry tightly, his knuckles pink as he fought to keep the ship steady against the relentless storm. "This is bad," he muttered under his breath, eyes darting to the ships that had formed a blockade around them. Each of Buggy's vessels loomed like dark shadows in the rain, their cannons aimed at the Merry, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The Straw Hats were trapped, with nowhere to go but into the jaws of their enemies.
"These fools again," Zoro growled, wiping rain from his eyes, his swords gleaming under the flashes of lightning. "They really don't know when to give up."
"Let them come," Sanji said confidently, lighting a cigarette despite the rain drenching everything around them. He took a long drag, the tip glowing faintly in the downpour. "We'll crush them."
"Now's not the time for your macho attitude, love-cook!" Usopp stammered, his eyes wide with fear as he looked around at the surrounding ships. "We're surrounded, and they've got cannons!"
As if on cue, a series of thunderous blasts rang out across the harbor. Buggy's fleet had opened fire. The first barrage of cannonballs ripped through the air, the sound echoing through the storm like rolling thunder. Water exploded into the air as the first shots crashed into the sea around the Merry, sending towering geysers of spray up into the sky.
"Incoming!" Usopp screamed, ducking behind the mast.
Gin pushed the rudder, trying to maneuver the Merry out of the path of the cannon fire. The waves surged and crashed against the ship's hull, the force of the water threatening to push them into the line of fire. Another volley of cannonballs was fired, their deadly arcs barely visible in the storm.
But something strange began to happen.
The first few cannon blasts, which seemed to be aimed directly at the Merry, veered wildly off course. The rain and wind howled through the fleet, making it nearly impossible for Buggy's crew to aim properly. One cannonball shot straight up into the air, only to land back in the water with a harmless splash. Another was sent careening off to the side, smashing into the surface of the ocean far from the Merry.
"What the hell?" one of Buggy's gunners cursed as he frantically tried to reload the cannon. The rain had soaked through everything—the ropes, the deck, and worst of all, the gunpowder. When the pirate struck his match to light the cannon's fuse, it fizzled out almost instantly, dampened by the torrential downpour.
Onboard the Going Merry, Zoro's lips curled into a smirk. "Looks like the weather's on our side."
"Don't count on it for long!" Nami warned. "This storm's getting worse, and it's not going to do us any favors soon. We need to get out of here."
Buggy, standing on the deck of his flagship, roared in frustration as the rain continued to sabotage his crew's efforts. "You idiots! How hard is it to hit one little ship? Fire again!"
His men scrambled to comply, hastily loading the next volley of cannonballs. But the wind, fierce and unpredictable, caused the ships to sway heavily, making their aim even more erratic. The downpour, seemingly growing more intense by the second, had already drenched their gunpowder stores, rendering many of the cannons completely useless.
BOOM! Another cannon fired, but once again, the ball splashed harmlessly into the ocean, nowhere near the Going Merry.
"Captain Buggy!" one of his men called out, panic in his voice. "The powder's too wet! We can't get a clean shot!"
Buggy's face turned red with rage, veins bulging in his forehead. "What do you mean the powder's too wet?! I don't care if it's raining sea monsters, you better hit that ship, or I'll slice you into pieces myself!"
But it was no use. The storm had made aiming a near-impossible task, and the wet gunpowder had significantly weakened the cannons' firepower. Each shot was less accurate than the last, and the few that managed to get close to the Merry were either swept aside by the wind or buried harmlessly in the churning waves.
On the Going Merry, Usopp peeked out from behind the mast, his fear giving way to cautious optimism. "Wait a minute... they can't hit us!"
"They can't hit us yet," Zoro corrected, his eyes scanning the horizon. "But we can't rely on that forever. If we don't act soon, we'll be sitting ducks."
Sanji flicked his cigarette overboard, watching it disappear into the dark waters below. "We can't stay here and wait for the weather to save us. Nami, how do we get out of this mess?"
Nami's brow furrowed as she fought to keep control of the wheel. The wind was fierce, and the waves were growing higher with each passing moment, threatening to swamp the ship if they didn't act quickly. "We'll need to use the storm to our advantage. The wind's blowing hard from the east—we can use it to push us toward the open sea, but we'll have to navigate through Buggy's fleet."
"You mean through them?" Usopp's voice cracked. "You want us to sail straight into their cannons?!"
"They can barely aim in this storm," Nami said confidently.
Turning to Gin, his grip steady on the rudder. "If we time it right, we can slip through before they have a chance to reload." He echoed her confidence.
Zoro grinned, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "That's all I needed to hear. Let's go."
As Nami adjusted the sails, preparing to take advantage of the wind, the Straw Hats braced themselves for action. Sanji moved to the side of the ship, ready to fight off any boarders that might try to take advantage of the situation, while Zoro kept his hand on his swords, his eyes sharp and focused. Usopp, despite his earlier panic, readied his slingshot, his face set with determination.
The storm raged on, but now the Straw Hats had a plan. Nami shouted commands over the wind, guiding the ship into the narrow opening between Buggy's ships. The Going Merry groaned under the pressure of the waves, but its sails filled with wind, propelling it forward with surprising speed.
"Here they come!" Usopp shouted as he spotted a few pirates preparing to fire.
A final volley of cannonballs flew through the air, but again, they missed their mark entirely. The heavy rain and fierce winds had made it impossible for Buggy's crew to land a hit. Instead, the cannonballs splashed into the water behind the Merry as it sped toward the gap in the blockade.
"Now!" Nami yelled.
Gin pulled on with all his might to steer the ship straight through the narrowest part of Buggy's formation. The Merry darted forward, slipping past the enemy ships like a fish through a net.
Buggy stood on his deck, seething with fury as he watched the Straw Hats make their daring escape. "After them! Don't let them get away!" he screamed, but it was too late.
The Going Merry broke free of the encirclement, its sails billowing in the fierce wind as it shot out into the open sea. Behind them, Buggy's fleet struggled to regroup, their cannons soaked and useless, their ships battered by the storm.
Onboard the Merry, the Straw Hats let out a collective sigh of relief. Usopp collapsed onto the deck, panting heavily. "We did it… We actually did it!"
Sanji chuckled, lighting another cigarette now that the worst seemed to be behind them. "That's what happens when you mess with the best, Usopp."
"That was a close call," Gin added as he too dropped to his butt. Leaning back against the railing.
Zoro, leaning against the mast, nodded in agreement. "But don't get too comfortable. We've still got a long way to go, and we're not out of danger yet."
As the storm continued to rage around them, the Going Merry sailed into the distance, leaving Buggy and his crew behind. The battle wasn't over, but for now, the Straw Hats had escaped the worst of it, and the open sea lay ahead.
Meanwhile on the deck Buggy's flagship he stood in the pouring rain shaking his fists to the sky screaming and cursing the names of the straw hats. Suddenly he noticed something out the corner of his eye. A figure slowly flew across the clearing sky as the rain finally stopped and the clouds started parting in an unnatural hurried manner. Buggy couldn't believe his eyes as he saw him, Straw Hat Goku. Gliding across the sky without even looking at Buggy. The rest of his crew noticed him as well. Their fear and awe expressed across all their faces except, for Buggy. His was of hatred and anger, jealousy at the brat that was seemingly proving himself to be a nuisance for the veteran. In that moment he vowed he would not stop until he got rid of the brat for real.
[A/N: Read 20-40 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]