Gojo immediately let go of the matter of the Sky Island and didn't bother to give it any more thought or research. After all, what he cared about right now was how to reach Water 7. He might think about the Sky Island again if he ever got some solid information on how to go there—or any real proof that, yes, there was a city made of gold or something like that.
So Gojo dropped the Sky Island matter entirely. The faint clink of glasses and low murmurs filled the tavern as he turned back to the counter and asked the bartender his next question.
"Can you tell me where I can find the Eternal Pose to Water 7?"
As soon as the bartender heard this, his expression shifted slightly. He let out a small breath through his nose before replying, "It seems you're not very fond of staying on this island." He gave Gojo a brief, knowing look. "But I can understand why you'd think that."
He leaned in a little, lowering his voice as if sharing common sense rather than a secret. "If you want an Eternal Pose to Water 7, then you'll have to find a decent pirate group or some powerful pirate hunters. Only people like that would have one." He straightened again, wiping the counter with a slow motion. "Weak pirate crews just follow the Log Pose. Wherever it points, that's where they go."
As soon as Gojo heard this, he nodded. What the bartender said made proper sense. After all, if a pirate group was truly powerful, then they would definitely have a reliable way to reach the next island—Water 7—through an Eternal Pose.
Gojo had no intention of wasting his time on any other island after leaving Jaya. Under normal circumstances, he would have waited the required two days for the Log Pose to reset if Jaya were just some ordinary island with a normal city. But Jaya was anything but normal. It was crawling with pirates, pirate hunters, and desperadoes.
He didn't want to stay here. The longer he remained, the more likely it was that he'd have to clash with different pirate crews or pirate hunters—people who would try to rob him, or worse, set their sights on his ship. Even though he was constantly keeping an eye on his ship with his Observation Haki, and even though he didn't fear anyone with his current strength, the thought still annoyed him. Why live with even a shred of unnecessary stress, he thought, when I can simply leave?
If he could take an Eternal Pose to Water 7 and get out of Jaya immediately, then that was exactly what he would do.
As for taking something forcefully from pirates or pirate hunters, Gojo didn't feel even an ounce of regret. After all, they were pirates. And those so-called pirate hunters were no better—they were just as greedy, just as rotten, merely hiding behind a different label.
Then Gojo asked, "Can you point me toward any pirate group or pirate hunters who might have the knowledge—or who would definitely have—the Eternal Pose to Water 7?"
As soon as the bartender heard this, a clear look of hesitation appeared on his face. His eyes flicked around the pub for a brief moment. It was obvious he didn't want to say anything. If Gojo caused trouble for the Bellamy Pirates, the first name he thought of after hearing the question, it could come back to bite him later.
Seeing this, Gojo calmly took out a few extra cash and placed them on the counter. The money landed with a soft thud.
The bartender glanced at it, then slid it slightly toward himself and nimbly tucked it into his drawer. He leaned in, lowering his voice. "But you can't tell anyone it was me who told you about the Bellamy Pirates," he said quietly. "There are only a few powerful pirate groups that truly dominate Jaya." He paused, then continued, "The most prominent would be the Bellamy Pirates. They're the ones who rule this island."
He swallowed and added, "Bellamy—the captain of the Bellamy Pirates—has a bounty of fifty-five million. The others, the officers, have bounties around thirty million on their heads as well."
As soon as Gojo heard this, he nodded calmly.
But at that very moment, a loud crash echoed through the pub. A pirate was sent flying through the entrance, smashing inside and rolling across the wooden floor before coming to a stop. The sudden commotion snapped everyone's attention in that direction, including Gojo's.
Immediately after, a man stepped into the pub, flanked by two followers. He had white hair and wore goggle-like sunglasses that hid his eyes completely. His presence alone caused the atmosphere in the pub to stiffen.
The bartender went pale. Leaning closer to Gojo, he whispered in a low voice, "Speak of the devil… he's here." His voice dropped even further. "That's the first mate of the Bellamy Pirates—'Big Knife' Sarquiss."
As soon as Gojo heard this, an unconscious smile appeared on his face. He would have had to roam around a bit to find the base of the Bellamy Pirates—though he knew it wouldn't have been that difficult. After all, the Bellamy Pirates were famous, so wherever they stayed would naturally be well known. Still, it would have taken time.
And now, that time had just been saved. Or rather, it had been handed to him on a silver platter. The first mate of the Bellamy Pirates had arrived on his own.
Sarquiss walked up to the man he had sent flying into the pub and immediately pressed his boot down on the man's face, grinding it into the wooden floor. "How dare a pathetic pirate hunter like you set your eyes on the treasure of the Bellamy Pirates," he said coldly. "You really are tired of living."
In his hand was a massive blade—a giant kukri that gleamed dully under the tavern lights. So that's why they call him Big Knife, Gojo thought, his gaze briefly flicking to the weapon.
The pirate hunter immediately began begging for forgiveness. "I-I'm very sorry! I didn't intend to do it—I just acted on impulse! Please, just let me go!" His voice cracked as he pleaded.
But Sarquiss didn't even bother to properly listen. Without hesitation, he swung his big knife. A deep, brutal cut appeared across the pirate hunter's neck, and he died on the spot, his body going limp beneath Sarquiss's boot.
No one in the pub seemed bothered by the sight. Not even a little. Scenes like this weren't unusual on Jaya—in fact, they were almost routine. It happened so often that everyone here had long since grown numb to it.
Besides, the people sitting in the pub were no saints themselves. Pirates. Pirate hunters. They all did the same things in their daily lives. Why would they be disturbed by something they committed just as casually elsewhere?
On the island of Jaya, there was only one basic rule: if your fist was strong enough, you could steal from others. If you were weaker than the person you tried to steal from, then you died.
It was as simple as that.
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