After their conquest of Big Mom's territory, Luffy knew that the battles ahead would be even tougher. The crew had accomplished so much, but Kaido and Blackbeard were not foes that could be taken down without precise preparation. So, before heading to Wano, Luffy decided to train his crew in various combat styles, ensuring everyone was ready for what awaited.
The Straw Hats set up a training camp on one of the secured islands in former Big Mom's territory. It wasn't luxurious, but the open field, sturdy trees, and natural obstacles made it ideal for honing their skills. Luffy stood in front of his crew, his demeanor focused and serious. Today wasn't about adventure or jokes—it was about survival, about becoming strong enough to face the final obstacles in their way.
"Alright, everyone," Luffy began, looking over his crew with intensity. "We're going to train every skill that could give us an edge in battle. We can't just rely on our Devil Fruits or our specialties. Everyone learns the basics—hand-to-hand combat, knife work, and even how to use a gun."
The crew was diverse, with each member having their own unique fighting styles, but Luffy knew that their versatility needed to increase. The first segment of their training involved practical drills: taking turns with guns at targets, knife combat drills, and intense sparring matches to improve hand-to-hand abilities.
Luffy paired everyone off. Sora was matched with Robin, their sparring sessions alternating between speed and precision, while Zoro fought against Jinbe, each man testing his raw strength against the other. Usopp trained against Franky, who kept his modifications to a minimum to simulate a real hand-to-hand scenario. Brook, with his agility, dodged against Nami's strikes, which had improved due to her clever use of illusions and weather techniques.
They moved on to knife combat, a style less familiar to many of them. Zoro found using a single knife strangely unnatural, though he quickly adapted, while Sora's agility made her exceptionally quick with the blade. Robin trained with knives in tandem with her Hana Hana abilities, making them appear on her limbs to create unexpected strikes. Luffy himself wielded his knives with a frightening level of precision, practicing his moves with his More More amplification to deadly effect.
Lastly, they practiced shooting. Usopp was the most proficient and helped guide those unfamiliar, like Brook and Jinbe, to master aiming. They all took turns firing at targets while on a rocking boat simulation that Franky created. Nami showed an unexpected talent, her keen eye and precision aiding her ability to hit targets even from a distance.
After the basics, it was time for each Straw Hat to focus on improving their specific abilities. Luffy had everyone develop a new technique, something that would give them the upper hand against the likes of Kaido and Blackbeard's crews.
Zoro: Zoro had acquired both Enma and Ame-no-Habakiri, two powerful swords tied to the Kozuki clan. His goal now was to tame them. Enma, in particular, drained immense amounts of Haki with every swing. Luffy had "persuaded" Hiyori into allowing Zoro to wield these blades, and the passionate night they shared strengthened Zoro's resolve. Zoro focused on internal destruction Haki, mastering it slowly while attempting to control the ravenous nature of Enma, using it as an extension of his will. He also trained to incorporate Conqueror's Haki coating into his attacks, though he still required emotional triggers to fully utilize it.
Sora (female Sanji): Sora was already a capable fighter with her Diable Jambe. Now, she focused on integrating her speed and fire abilities into a new form—enhancing her flames with the use of armament Haki, producing blue flames that could cut through nearly anything. She dubbed this move "Azure Fury," a tribute to her love for cooking and fighting.
Jinbe: The Fish-Man Karate master concentrated on improving his Water Shot technique, incorporating internal destruction Haki to create more devastating impacts that could shatter defenses from the inside. He worked with Luffy, who demonstrated advanced Haki control, to learn to sense the flow of energy in an opponent.
Robin: Robin practiced a terrifying new application of her Hana Hana no Mi, coupled with her newly acquired Rupture fruit abilities. She called it "Blooming Ruin"—an attack that caused limbs to sprout on her enemies, which then ruptured from the inside, causing immense internal damage. It was a grim technique, one that Robin only practiced with an uncharacteristically cold expression, knowing its power was crucial.
Usopp: Usopp focused on combining his sniping with Observation Haki, honing his ability to snipe targets he couldn't even see. He also practiced coating his shots with internal destruction Haki, ensuring that even a single pellet from his slingshot could penetrate formidable defenses.
Franky: Franky's focus was on improving his General Franky suit. He used what they salvaged from Big Mom's territory to upgrade its artillery, adding Haki-infused cannonballs and an impenetrable shield system.
Nami: Nami honed her control over the weather, incorporating internal destruction Haki into her lightning strikes, allowing her to destroy an opponent from within. She also trained with Zeus to create more sophisticated combinations of lightning and illusion.
Brook: Brook used his soul powers to strengthen his sword, incorporating ice abilities that could freeze even fire-based attacks. He also developed a technique to phase through objects, attacking from unpredictable angles with his frigid blade.
While the Straw Hats trained, Luffy was also using Big Mom's network to locate Kaido and Blackbeard. With the influence and connections that now fell into their hands, it didn't take long to get a fix on Kaido's location in Wano and Blackbeard's movements.
Kaido was fortified in Onigashima, his forces gathering strength. Blackbeard, meanwhile, was spreading his influence across the New World, trying to claim the territories that had belonged to Big Mom. Luffy grinned when he heard the news. "They won't see us coming."
With the intelligence gathered, Luffy mobilized the alliance. Their ships set sail, heading directly for Wano.
Arriving at Wano's seas, the Straw Hat fleet faced the infamous waterfall that kept outsiders from entering. Luffy looked up at the obstacle and smirked. He turned to his crew, nodding.
"Everyone, get ready. We're using Geppo to get over this thing—carry the ships and jump!"
The crew, now adept at the advanced techniques, each grabbed onto the Sunny and their accompanying ships, using Moonwalk to leap across the roaring waterfall. They defied gravity, soaring upwards with incredible speed, the ships following along as if they weighed nothing.
With the moon shining down on them, the Straw Hats landed safely on the top, their arrival an undeniable statement.
(Hiyori had snuck along with Kinemon as they escaped and had both blades with her (I'm saving some time, sorry. Hope y'all won't get too mad about it).