Back on the Thousand Sunny, Zoro was pacing back and forth, his muscles taut with tension. His usual calm demeanor was replaced with an intense fury, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. Since Asahi's abduction, every day felt painfully prolonged, and the absence of immediate leads only fueled his growing restlessness.
Nami updated her charts and examined her logs with a furrowed brow. Zoro approached her, his footsteps heavy on the wooden deck. His presence loomed large behind her, his shadow casting over the maps that sprawled across the table.
"Nami," Zoro's voice barely contained his anger. "You said the ship was heading west. We've been chasing shadows for a month. Where are they?"
Nami turned to face him. "Zoro, I'm doing everything I can. These seas are vast, and they could have changed course at any time."
"That's not good enough!" Zoro slammed his fist on the table, causing the compass to rattle. "Every day we waste, Asahi's out there wondering why we haven't saved him yet!"
Nami stood her ground, her voice rising to match his intensity. "You think I don't know that? You think I'm not doing every damn thing I can to find him? We're all in this together, Zoro. But yelling at me isn't going to bring Asahi back any faster!"
Her words struck a chord, and Zoro's expression tightened. Sanji, hearing the commotion, approached them with a concerned look. "Oi, what's going on?" he asked, eyeing the rising tension between the swordsman and the navigator.
Zoro turned his sharp gaze on Sanji, a sneer forming on his lips. "Stay out of this, Cook. This doesn't concern you."
Sanji stepped closer, his protective instincts over Nami kicking in. "When it involves Nami's safety, it damn well concerns me, Marimo."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. Stepping closer, he loomed over Sanji, their faces inches apart. "If you want to make it your business, I'll gladly show you your place."
"Try it, asshole. I've been itching to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours." Sanji dared. In a swift, sudden move, Zoro shoved Sanji back, the force causing him to stumble but not fall.
Nami intervened with a sharp command. "Enough! This isn't helping anyone!"
Luffy, drawn by the noise, joined the group, his expression confused. "Why is everyone shouting? Are we fighting someone?"
Nami took a deep breath. "Luffy, Zoro's just worried about Asahi. We all are."
Luffy's face turned serious. "Zoro, I know you're upset. I am, too. But we need to trust each other and work together."
Zoro's hand unclenched, and his voice softened. "I know, Captain. I just..." He paused, struggling to find the words. "I need to do something."
Nami reached out a hand to his broad shoulder. "Let's regroup and try to come up with a new plan together."
Robin walks with her eyes, moving over the crew. "I believe I know the island where Asahi might be right now."
"You do?" Zoro asked, his voice sharp with both hope and urgency.
Robin nodded solemnly. "Yes, based on the patterns of pirate activity and recent sightings, it's very likely that he's on Hollow Island."
Hollow was known in whispered tales among sailors, often associated with lawlessness and a haven for the most ruthless of pirates.
Luffy clenched his fists. "Then that's where we're going! We'll bring Asahi back!"
Nami unfolded a map, spreading it on the deck as all the members crowded around to see it. "Hollow is here," she pointed at a small dot shrouded by larger landmasses. "It's not an easy route—there are treacherous currents, and it's surrounded by reefs."
