After leaving the harbor, Shiki and the others entered one of Sabaody's bustling streets.
Transparent bubbles of every size drifted between the towering Yarukiman Mangroves, some floating lazily above the rooftops while others rolled along the ground before bursting with a soft pop. Shops lined both sides of the street, displaying clothes, jewelry, weapons, food, and unusual goods brought from islands across the Grand Line.
Nami and Vivi looked from one storefront to another with bright eyes.
Robin walked beside them, calmly observing the crowds.
Shiki followed at an unhurried pace, his striped coat hanging loosely over his shoulders.
Wherever he passed, some of the pirates nearby instinctively stepped out of his way.
A few had clearly recognized him.
Others simply sensed that provoking him would be a terrible idea.
Nami glanced toward a group of pirates whispering near a tavern before moving a little closer to Shiki.
"So, what exactly do we need to do before entering the New World?"
Robin turned her gaze toward the enormous Red Line looming beyond the archipelago.
"Sabaody is the final major destination before the Red Line. For ordinary ships, there are only two ways to reach the New World from here."
Vivi looked at her curiously.
"What is the first?"
"The official route passes over the Red Line through the Holy Land of Mary Geoise," Robin explained. "However, that route is controlled by the World Government. Pirates would never be permitted to pass through it freely."
Nami folded her arms.
"Even if they somehow received permission, they wouldn't be able to bring their ship across, would they?"
Robin nodded.
"They would be forced to abandon it and acquire another vessel on the other side. For most pirate crews, that is not a realistic option."
Vivi glanced toward the harbor behind them.
"Then the second route must be the one beneath the Red Line."
"That's right."
Robin raised one hand and traced a downward path through the air.
"Ships can be coated with a special resin produced by the Yarukiman Mangroves. Once the coating is complete, the vessel can descend beneath the ocean and travel to Fish-Man Island."
Nami's expression changed immediately.
"Beneath the ocean!?"
"Fish-Man Island is located ten thousand meters below the surface, inside a massive bubble beneath the Red Line," Robin continued. "After passing through it, ships can rise on the opposite side and enter the New World."
"Ten thousand meters…"
Nami's face stiffened as she imagined the depth.
"You're saying we have to take the entire ship that far underwater?"
"The coating allows the ship to withstand the pressure," Robin replied calmly. "Of course, if it breaks, we'll either be crushed by the ocean or become food for the Sea Kings. Whichever finds us first."
Nami's expression became increasingly strained with every danger Robin mentioned.
"Couldn't you have stopped after saying the coating protects the ship?"
Robin smiled faintly.
"I thought it would be better for our navigator to understand the risks."
Nami pressed a hand against her forehead.
"Of course you did…"
Robin then glanced toward Shiki.
"Although our situation is somewhat different."
Vivi followed her gaze.
"Because both Nami and Shiki can make the ship fly?"
"Mm-hm." Robin nodded. "We aren't required to follow either of the usual routes. Nami-chan and the captain could simply fly the ship over the Red Line."
Nami immediately brightened.
"That sounds far safer!"
Vivi placed one hand against her chest, still visibly fascinated by Robin's description.
"Even so, Fish-Man Island is a place I would like to see."
Nami looked at her in disbelief.
"Vivi!"
"I have only ever heard about it from my father," Vivi continued. "A kingdom beneath the sea, surrounded by light despite being so far below the surface… It must be an incredible sight."
Her excitement proved contagious.
Nami hesitated before imagining the coral cities, mermaids, and underwater scenery awaiting them.
"Well…"
She crossed her arms and looked away.
"I suppose coming all the way to Sabaody and then skipping Fish-Man Island would be a waste."
Robin turned toward Shiki.
"And what does our captain think?"
Shiki looked up at the drifting bubbles.
"A kingdom ten thousand meters beneath the sea isn't something you see every day. Since we're already here, we might as well take a look."
Vivi smiled happily.
"I agree."
Robin covered her mouth as a quiet laugh escaped her.
"Ara. I thought that would be your answer."
Nami let out a defeated sigh.
"Fine. We'll go to Fish-Man Island."
Robin nodded.
"In that case, we will need to find a trustworthy coating craftsman. The quality of the coating will determine whether our ship reaches the bottom safely."
Nami's eyes immediately turned serious.
"Trustworthy is the important part. I'm not letting some random craftsman cover our ship in bubbles and send us ten thousand meters underwater."
"There are many coating craftsmen on Sabaody," Robin said. "However, their skill and reliability vary greatly. Some deliberately overcharge pirates, while others work with bounty hunters or human traffickers."
Vivi frowned.
"So choosing the wrong person could be dangerous even before we leave the island."
"That's correct."
Nami looked around at the unfamiliar streets.
"Then how are we supposed to know who can be trusted?"
"You don't have to worry about that."
Shiki spoke so casually that the three women turned toward him at once.
"I have someone in mind."
Robin's eyes revealed a trace of curiosity.
"A coating craftsman?"
Vivi tilted her head.
"Is this person an acquaintance of yours?"
Shiki's smile widened slightly.
"Not really. I know who they are, but they shouldn't know who I am."
Nami studied his face suspiciously.
Whenever Shiki gave such a vague answer, it usually meant the person involved was anything but ordinary.
"Who is it?"
"You'll find out when we meet him."
The deeper they moved into the archipelago, the more pirates appeared around them. Some carried weapons openly, while others gathered inside taverns or crowded around bounty boards.
Several crews had clearly only recently arrived, their ships still visible through the spaces between the mangrove roots.
Vivi glanced toward a particularly fierce-looking group gathered near an alley.
"There really are a great number of pirates here."
"That is unavoidable," Robin said. "Sabaody is the only route available to most crews attempting to enter the New World. Any pirate who survives the first half of the Grand Line will eventually gather here."
Nami scanned the crowd.
"Then there must be plenty of pirates with high bounties."
"Many of them carry bounties exceeding one hundred million berries," Robin replied.
"Compared to other islands, powerful pirates are not unusual here."
Vivi's expression became slightly tense.
"Should we be cautious?"
Robin glanced toward Nami, then Vivi, and finally Shiki.
"With Nami-chan, Vivi-chan, and Shiki here, I doubt ordinary pirates will pose much of a threat."
Nami placed her hands on her hips.
"That's right. Let them try something."
Now that she possessed the power of a Logia Devil Fruit, she no longer felt helpless whenever dangerous pirates appeared.
Vivi smiled as well.
"I may not be as powerful as Shiki-san, but I can still protect myself."
Shiki gave them an amused look.
"You two have grown rather confident... I'm glad."
He meant it. During the time he had spent training Nami, she had certainly begun to change. Deep down, she was still somewhat timid, but gaining the power of a Devil Fruit had given her a remarkable boost in confidence.
Nami lifted her chin.
"Whose fault do you think that is?"
Robin's smile faded slightly as she turned her attention toward the road ahead.
"The pirates are not the greatest danger on this archipelago. There is one group everyone on Sabaody tries to avoid."
Vivi turned toward her, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
"Who?"
"The World Nobles."
"The World Nobles?" Vivi repeated. She remembered hearing her father mention them before, but she still knew very little about who they truly were.
Robin nodded.
"They are also known as the Celestial Dragons."
Vivi fell into thought. The name sounded familiar, and after searching her memory for a moment, she couldn't help asking,
"You mean the descendants of the people who founded the World Government?"
"That is how they describe themselves," Robin replied. "They believe they stand above every ordinary person in the world."
Vivi's expression grew uncomfortable.
"As royalty, I have heard stories about them, but Alabasta has never maintained close relations with the Celestial Dragons."
"The Celestial Dragons consider themselves so different from ordinary humans that many of them wear bubble-shaped helmets when they leave Mary Geoise."
Nami could already picture their arrogant faces as they looked down on everyone around them.
"Bubble-shaped helmets?"
"So they do not have to breathe the same air as commoners."
"Ehhh?!"
Nami's shout caused several people nearby to glance in their direction.
She quickly lowered her voice, though her disbelief remained clear.
"They wear helmets just because they don't want to breathe the same air as everyone else?"
Vivi's brows drew together. Even she found the idea deeply unpleasant. As a princess herself, she couldn't imagine treating others with such arrogance.
"That is far beyond arrogance."
Robin's expression remained calm, but her eyes were cold.
"To them, anyone who is not a World Noble is beneath consideration. They are free to take whatever catches their interest, including people."
Vivi clenched her hands at her sides.
"What about the Marines? Do they permit this and simply allow them to do whatever they please?"
"The laws of the Marines do not apply to the Celestial Dragons in the same way they apply to everyone else," Robin said. "Most people on Sabaody will lower their heads and move aside rather than risk drawing their attention."
Nami looked equally displeased.
"What happens if someone refuses?"
Robin turned her eyes toward her.
"If a Celestial Dragon is attacked or seriously offended, a Navy Admiral can be dispatched to deal with the culprit."
Nami stopped walking.
"A Navy Admiral?!"
Vivi's eyes widened as well.
"For a single noble?"
"The Celestial Dragons possess that degree of authority," Robin answered. "That is why pirates, criminals, and even powerful captains try to avoid them whenever possible."
Nami slowly turned toward Shiki.
He was still walking with the same relaxed smile he had worn throughout Robin's entire explanation.
A terrible feeling immediately rose within her.
"Shiki…"
"What?"
Nami hurried forward and pointed a finger at him.
"Hahahaha! You're worrying too much." Shiki laughed when he noticed their tense expressions.
Of course, he knew about the Celestial Dragons. But so what? Expecting him to bow his head to them like everyone else was impossible.
If they caused trouble, Shiki wouldn't hesitate to send them straight to the afterlife. And if an Admiral came after him, then the Admiral could follow them soon afterward.
At the same time, elsewhere in the Sabaody Archipelago—
Grove 13, Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
A bloodied man crashed through the front door and rolled several times across the ground before finally coming to a stop.
"Next time, remember to pay your bill."
A woman's calm voice drifted from inside the bar.
She stepped into view with a cigarette resting between her lips, looking completely unbothered by the large pirate she had just thrown outside.
Her short black hair framed a surprisingly youthful face, and there was not so much as a crease in her clothing.
Usopp stared at the unconscious man.
"She did that to him?"
Pappag swallowed nervously.
"He must have tried to leave without paying."
Carina looked up at the wooden sign hanging over the entrance.
SHAKKY'S RIP-OFF BAR
"At least she is honest about what kind of establishment she runs."
"Shakky!"
"Shakky!"
Camie hurried toward the entrance, waving both hands excitedly.
The woman paused when she saw her.
"Camie? Pappag?"
Her eyes softened slightly.
"Well, this is a surprise. It has been a long time."
"It really has!"
Pappag folded his tiny arms proudly.
"Of course you remember us. It would be impossible to forget a world-famous fashion designer like me!"
Shakky smiled faintly before shifting her attention toward the people standing behind them.
"So these are the friends you brought with you?"
"That's right!" Camie answered brightly. "They're the Straw Hat Pirates."
Camie began making introductions, but Shakky's gaze had already settled on the boy wearing a straw hat.
"Monkey D. Luffy."
Luffy pointed at himself.
"You know me?"
"You have made enough noise that it would be difficult not to."
Her eyes moved toward Usopp, Chopper, and Carina in turn.
"The sniper, the doctor, and the thief who recently joined their crew."
Carina raised an eyebrow.
"You certainly keep yourself informed."
"Information is a weapon. Besides, I enjoy knowing what's happening around the world."
Shakky then looked at Brook.
She stared at the living skeleton for several seconds.
"You, however, are new. I never expected the Straw Hat Pirates to have a skeleton among their crew."
Brook removed his hat and bowed with one hand placed over his chest.
"My name is Brook. Although I am a skeleton, I assure you that I am very much alive. Of course, I no longer possess any flesh to prove it! Yohohohoho!"
Shakky remained completely composed.
"I see. That's rather interesting."
"Since we have only just met, may I see your panties?"
"Certainly."
Brook froze, clearly not expecting her to agree so readily.
"Truly?"
Shakky calmly returned the cigarette to her lips.
"If you are that interested."
"Yohohohoho! What a wonderful woman!"
Usopp grabbed Brook by the shoulders before the skeleton could move around the counter.
"Please do not encourage him!"
While everyone had been distracted, Luffy had already slipped behind the bar and opened a large refrigerator.
"Meat!"
Brook immediately escaped Usopp's grip and joined him.
"There appears to be cheese as well!"
Chopper's eyes widened in alarm.
"You cannot just take things from someone else's refrigerator! This is a rip-off bar!"
"You came here with Camie and Pappag," Shakky said. "Eat and drink as much as you like. I will not charge you."
Carina's suspicious expression deepened.
"A bar owner openly offering pirates free food sounds even more dangerous than overcharging them."
Shakky laughed softly.
"You are free to refuse."
Carina immediately pulled a bottle from the shelf.
"I never said I was refusing."
Shakky reached beneath the counter and brought out a large stick of cotton candy.
"This should be yours."
Chopper's eyes lit up.
"Cotton candy!"
He eagerly accepted it with both hooves before suddenly remembering that everyone was watching him.
"Th-Thank you."
Luffy leaned over the counter, a piece of meat already hanging from his mouth.
"How did you know Chopper likes cotton candy?"
"I told you. I collect information."
Shakky rested one elbow against the counter.
"Your crew has become rather famous since that incident and surviving a Buster Call tends to attract attention."
Usopp tried to straighten his back proudly, although the mention of the Buster Call made sweat appear on his forehead.
"Hahaha that's right. We are extremely famous pirates now."
Carina glanced sideways at him.
"You were hiding behind me when those bounty hunters appeared."
"That was a tactical position!"
Shakky continued watching Luffy.
"Your name interested me in particular. Monkey D. Luffy…"
She exhaled a thin trail of smoke.
"Is Vice Admiral Garp your grandfather?"
"Yeah."
Luffy answered without the slightest hesitation.
Usopp and Chopper immediately rounded on him.
"You should not casually tell strangers things like that!"
"It isn't a secret."
"It was a secret to most of the world!"
Shakky's smile widened faintly.
"So I was right."
"You know my grandpa?" Luffy asked.
"I was a pirate a long time ago. Garp chased me across the sea more times than I care to remember."
Luffy tilted his head.
"When?"
"More than forty years ago."
The bar fell silent.
Usopp slowly turned toward her.
"Forty years?"
Chopper's mouth dropped open, cotton candy still clutched in his hooves.
"But you do not look that old!"
Luffy stared directly at Shakky.
"Then how old are you?"
Carina struck him on the back of the head before Shakky could answer.
"You do not ask a woman that!"
"Why not?"
"Because you value your life."
Shakky merely laughed, showing no sign of being offended.
Camie approached the counter while Luffy and Brook continued emptying the refrigerator.
"Shakky, is Rayleigh here?"
"Ray?"
"We need him to coat their ship. They are planning to travel to Fish-Man Island."
Shakky tapped the ash from her cigarette.
"He is not here."
Camie blinked.
"Where did he go?"
"I do not know."
"You don't know?!"
"He has been gone for around six months."
Luffy stopped eating and asked in surprise.
"Six months?"
Chopper clutched his cotton candy anxiously.
"Is he missing?"
"Maybe he got kidnapped!" Usopp said.
"Or eaten by a Sea King!" Chopper added.
"Perhaps he has already become a skeleton like me," Brook suggested. "In that case, I would be delighted to welcome him to our exclusive community. Although we do not hold meetings because most of the members are dead! Yohohohoho!"
Shakky remained unconcerned.
"There is no reason to worry about Ray. He has always disappeared whenever the mood takes him. He enjoys drinking, gambling, and spending time with women."
Carina rested her cheek against one hand.
"He sounds dependable."
"He is when something truly matters."
Shakky placed a rough map of the archipelago on the counter.
"If you intend to search for him, start in the lawless groves. He visits gambling houses frequently. You could also check Sabaody Park and the other entertainment districts."
Pappag studied the map.
"He could be almost anywhere."
"That is usually the problem with finding him."
Shakky took another drag from her cigarette.
"Still, you should be cautious while searching. The archipelago is more dangerous than usual."
Luffy's eyes immediately brightened.
"Are there strong people here?"
"Do not sound excited!" Usopp protested.
Shakky reached beneath the counter again and pulled out a stack of wanted posters.
"Pirates from several different routes through the Grand Line have arrived on Sabaody at almost the same time. Eleven of them possess bounties exceeding one hundred million Berries."
She spread the posters across the counter.
"The newspapers have started calling them the Eleven Supernovas."
Chopper stared down at the collection of dangerous faces.
"There are eleven pirates with bounties over one hundred million on this island?"
"Including two members of your own crew."
Shakky placed Luffy's wanted poster on top of the others.
"Straw Hat Luffy. Three hundred million Berries."
She then placed Zoro's poster beside it.
"Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. One hundred and twenty million."
Luffy immediately grinned hearing zoro was one of them.
"Zoro is one too?"
"It is unusual for someone who is not a captain to receive such a bounty. Only one other pirate on this list shares that distinction."
Shakky continued arranging the posters.
"Capone 'Gang' Bege, captain of the Fire Tank Pirates. One hundred and thirty-eight million."
The poster showed a short, heavily built man dressed like the head of a criminal family.
"'Big Eater' Jewelry Bonney, captain of the Bonney Pirates. One hundred and forty million."
Luffy stared at Bonney's picture.
"Big Eater?"
"That title should have been mine!"
"You are focusing on the wrong thing!" Usopp shouted.
"'Massacre Soldier' Killer of the Kid Pirates. One hundred and sixty-two million."
Brook leaned closer to examine Killer's mask.
"What a striking sense of fashion."
"'Roar of the Sea' Scratchmen Apoo, captain of the On Air Pirates. One hundred and ninety-eight million."
"'Surgeon of Death' Trafalgar Law, captain of the Heart Pirates. Two hundred million."
Chopper studied Law's poster with concern.
"A surgeon of death does not sound like a very trustworthy doctor."
"Maybe he only operates on dead people," Luffy suggested.
"That would not help anyone!"
"'Red Flag' X Drake, captain of the Drake Pirates. Two hundred and twenty-two million. He was once a Marine."
Usopp pointed at the poster.
"A former Marine became a pirate?"
"It happens more often than the Marines would like people to know," Shakky replied.
"'The Magician' Basil Hawkins, captain of the Hawkins Pirates. Two hundred and forty-nine million."
She placed another poster beside Hawkins's.
"'Mad Monk' Urouge, captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates. One hundred and eight million. He comes from a Sky Island."
Luffy immediately leaned across the counter.
"A Sky Island?!"
"Yes."
"Do his people have wings too?"
"They do."
"That is amazing!"
Carina scanned the remaining posters.
"All of those bounties are impressive, but none are higher than Luffy's."
"One is."
Shakky placed a final poster in the centre of the counter.
The man pictured on it possessed wild red hair, a pair of goggles pushed above his forehead, and a smile that carried nothing but hostility.
"Eustass 'Captain' Kid. Captain of the Kid Pirates."
The number printed beneath his face was unmistakable.
315,000,000 BERRIES
Usopp and Chopper recoiled simultaneously.
"Higher than Luffy's!"
Luffy stared at Kid's picture with interest.
"So he is the strongest?"
"A bounty does not measure strength alone," Shakky reminded him. "Kid and his crew have caused a great number of civilian casualties. Their violence is one of the main reasons his bounty exceeds yours."
Carina's expression grew colder.
"So he attacks people who cannot fight back."
"Frequently."
Shakky looked toward Luffy.
"Your crew has caused the World Government a great deal of trouble, but you are not known for harming innocent people. Between the two of you, I would rather see the Straw Hats reach the New World."
Luffy smiled broadly.
"You are a nice person."
Shakky laughed softly.
"You are certainly Garp's grandson."
Pappag gathered the map from the counter.
"Then we should start looking for Rayleigh before it gets dark."
"Wait."
Shakky had not yet gathered the wanted posters.
Her fingers rested upon a separate sheet that had remained facedown throughout the conversation.
"The newspapers call them the Eleven Supernovas, but that number is already outdated."
Carina's gaze sharpened.
"There is another one?"
"A pirate who reached Sabaody after the original reports were compiled."
Shakky turned the final wanted poster over.
The moment the number became visible, Usopp's face lost all colour.
SHIKI
CAPTAIN OF THE GOLDEN LION PIRATES
900,000,000 BERRIES
"N-NINE HUNDRED MILLION?!" Usopp and Chopper screamed together.
Even Carina's confident expression faltered.
"That is nearly three times Luffy's bounty…"
Brook leaned toward the poster.
"He appears rather young to carry such an enormous bounty."
Luffy stared at Shiki's picture, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"So there is someone even stronger than the red-haired guy."
Shakky's expression became noticeably more serious.
"Do not judge him as you would the other rookies."
The change in her voice caused even Luffy to pay attention.
"I have received information about Shiki that has not appeared in the newspapers. The World Government concealed much of what happened in Alabasta, but one fact is certain—Sir Crocodile did not lose his position as a Warlord because of chance."
"But Luffy defeated a Warlord too," Chopper said.
"That is true."
Shakky took a slow breath from her cigarette.
"However, Alabasta was not the only major incident connected to him."
Her finger moved across the surface of Shiki's wanted poster.
"There was also the destruction of the Taya Kingdom in South Blue."
Usopp's expression stiffened.
"The destruction of an entire kingdom?"
"Shiki fought someone named Aramaki there—a man who possessed the power of a Logia-type Devil Fruit. Their battle devastated the kingdom."
Carina narrowed her eyes.
"Was Aramaki a pirate?"
"The official reports revealed very little about him. They did not explain his position, his background, or even the true extent of his strength."
Shakky briefly lowered her cigarette.
"But my own sources painted a much clearer picture."
The seriousness in her voice silenced the bar.
"Aramaki was no ordinary fighter. Whoever he truly was, his strength stood far beyond what most rookies on this island could handle."
Luffy's eyes lit up with even greater excitement.
"So that Shiki guy fought him and wrecked the whole Paya Kingdom?!"
Shakky tapped the bounty printed at the bottom of the poster.
"The fact that Shiki emerged from a battle against such an opponent is one of the reasons the World Government fears him so greatly."
Carina studied Shiki's relaxed smile in the photograph. Unlike Kid, he did not appear openly violent.
"How reliable is your information?" she asked.
"Reliable enough that I would not advise any of you to test it."
Luffy's grin began to spread.
Usopp who was already sweating immediately recognized the expression.
"No."
"Shishishi! I didn't even say anything yet!"
"You were about to say that you wanted to meet him!"
"I wanna meet him!"
"Absolutely not!"
Chopper grabbed one of Luffy's legs.
"Shakky just said he is dangerous!"
"That just makes me wanna meet him even more!"
"You cannot challenge every strong pirate you hear about!"
Luffy looked confused.
"Why not?"
"Because we would like to remain alive!"
Brook raised one hand.
"I am already dead."
"You stay out of this!"
Shakky watched their argument with quiet amusement, but her warning remained firm.
"Listen carefully, Straw Hat. The other Supernovas are dangerous rookies competing to enter the New World. Some may become famous, while others will disappear before anyone remembers their names."
Her eyes lowered toward Shiki's wanted poster.
"But Shiki is different."
Luffy stopped struggling against Usopp and Chopper.
"What makes him different?"
"The others are trying to prove that they belong in the coming era."
A thin stream of smoke rose from Shakky's cigarette.
"From what I have heard, Shiki is already moving as though the era belongs to him."
Carina folded her arms.
"So what you're saying is... you don't think any of the other rookies could beat him?"
"Not individually."
Shakky glanced over the scattered posters.
"And I would not wager on them even if several joined forces."
Usopp placed both hands on Luffy's shoulders and stared directly into his eyes.
"You heard her. We are going to find Rayleigh, coat the Going Merry, and leave this island without approaching Shiki."
Luffy nodded solemnly.
"Right."
Usopp slowly relaxed.
"Good."
"Unless we run into him first!"
"THAT IS THE SAME THING!"
Luffy's laughter filled the bar as Usopp and Chopper desperately tried to make him promise not to challenge a pirate with a nine-hundred-million-Berry bounty.
Shakky quietly gathered the remaining wanted posters.
"You should begin your search soon. Ray will not find himself."
Pappag nodded.
"We'll start with the gambling houses!"
Camie raised both hands excitedly.
"And then we can visit Sabaody Park!"
"We are searching for Rayleigh," Pappag reminded her. "This is not a sightseeing trip."
"It can be both!"
Brook adjusted his hat.
"If we visit the entertainment district, perhaps we will encounter many beautiful ladies willing to show me their—"
Usopp dragged him toward the door.
"You have caused enough trouble."
Chopper followed with his cotton candy, while Luffy attempted to take an entire leg of meat from Shakky's refrigerator for the journey.
Carina was the last to leave the counter.
Before turning away, she glanced once more at Shiki's wanted poster.
"Is he already on Sabaody?"
Shakky met her gaze with calm smiling expression.
"Yes."
"Do you know where?"
"No."
Shakky returned the poster to the stack.
"But on an island like this, powerful pirates eventually cross paths."
Carina offered her a faint smile.
"That is exactly what I was afraid you would say."
The door closed behind the group.
Shakky stood alone behind the counter, cigarette smoke curling lazily toward the ceiling.
At that very moment, completely unaware that his name had become the center of their conversation, Shiki continued deeper into the Sabaody Archipelago—where he was about to cross paths with someone the Straw Hat Pirates never would have expected.
--------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters and R-18 Content!
--------------------------------------
Update schedule: 7 chapters/week
Every 300 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
By voting with [power stones], you can easily get double the number of chapters.