...
Under Yarukiman Mangrove #49, the *Freewill* slowly docked.
The crew lowered the sails and dropped the anchor to prepare for landing, while the rest of the pirates gathered at the edge of the ship, eagerly leaning over the railing to look at this fantastical island.
"I see. Because it's made of trees, the island itself has no magnetic field. It's the same principle as the Boin Archipelago, right?"
On the third-floor balcony, Nami murmured as she watched the bubbles fluttering over the island.
Allen stepped forward, glanced at the tree's number, and said:
"These Yarukiman Mangroves are connected through their root systems and distinguished by numbers. There are seventy trees like this on the island."
"Among them, the area from mangroves 40 to 49 functions like a port. Due to the barrier of the Red Line, there are only two ways to enter the New World."
"The first is through a massive hole ten thousand meters under the sea. The second is to abandon your ship and take the World Government's exclusive route through Mary Geoise. For pirates, naturally, only the first option is available."
"Therefore, no matter which route you take at the beginning, you ultimately have to come to the Sabaody Archipelago to get your ship coated before you can dive into the ten-thousand-meter deep sea. You could say this is the final stop of the first half of the Grand Line."
Allen explained, his cape fluttering gently behind him. He looked toward the depths of the island, the corners of his mouth curling up as he continued:
"Out of the thousands of pirates who flood into the Grand Line, less than one percent manage to survive countless slaughters, stand out, and finally arrive here!"
"Sounds pretty cruel. Even after going through untold hardships to get here, it's nothing more than getting an admission ticket to the New World."
Sanji muttered around the cigarette in his mouth. He gazed at the lush maritime forest before him, his eyes filled with a hint of emotion.
"The road ahead of us is still long. Let's go. I've prepared a grand gift for you all on this island, so look forward to it."
Allen chuckled, hopped onto the balcony railing, and leaped down to land on the island.
"Hey, wait a minute, Allen! What do you mean by a grand gift?"
Nami hurriedly asked, but she only saw Allen wave his hand, replying without looking back:
"Just a little pocket change. Only a billion or so Berries."
"Really?!"
Hearing this, Nami excitedly clasped her hands together, her eyes turning into '$' shapes in her thrill.
"What kind of crazy scheme is this guy cooking up now?"
Sanji frowned, faintly sensing that something was wrong.
...
Before long, the entire group had disembarked and began walking toward the depths of the Sabaody Archipelago.
"Hey, look! That guy is here too."
"Are you serious? Didn't he already become a Warlord of the Sea? Why would he come here?"
"Even Supernova Kid, who currently has the highest bounty on the island, and the newly appointed Warlord Blackbeard were both defeated by him..."
"The one known as the strongest rookie... Demon Lion Allen!"
On the street, pedestrians hastily retreated to both sides. With evasive eyes, they secretly sized up Allen's group walking down the middle of the road using their peripheral vision.
"...The strongest rookie. That's quite the title. You draw so much attention no matter where you go."
Sanji teased, glancing around before he couldn't help but sigh:
"But it makes moving around a bit inconvenient. Being stared at by so many eyes really doesn't feel good."
"I already told you, if he just took off that cape, it would cut the attention in half."
Nami muttered, puffing out one of her cheeks.
Allen ignored this. He checked the markings on a nearby mangrove and said:
"We just need to head to mangroves 1 through 30. That's the lawless zone where the slave trading houses are gathered. Pirates are naturally more at ease in a place like that."
"A lawless zone? Wait a minute, wouldn't going to a place like that just attract more enemies?"
Nami glared at him in exasperation. "You just want a convenient place to fight, don't you? Can't we find a more decent place? We're legal pirates now anyway."
"True. Forget it, I'm not really in the mood to fight today anyway. Let's head over to Sabaody Park."
Allen chuckled. He briefly got his bearings, then turned and walked toward mangrove #30.
"Sabaody Park?"
Nami looked puzzled. She turned in the same direction and gazed into the distance, faintly making out a giant Ferris wheel built incredibly high, with more than half of it hidden within the mangrove canopy.
"You seem pretty familiar with this place."
"Yeah. After all, I used to be stationed at Marine Headquarters. Whenever I returned from a mission and passed by here, I'd come to relax a bit."
Allen replied casually, not thinking much of it.
Sabaody Park was massive, covering mangroves 30 through 39. It was the most uniquely bustling area on the Sabaody Archipelago.
After leaving mangrove #49 where the ship was docked, the areas they passed through became increasingly lively as they ventured deeper into the island.
Walking along the grassy paths filled with natural charm, the shouts of various vendors constantly echoed around them.
The Nyaban Brothers hopped back and forth across the street, clutching handfuls of food and constantly stuffing their faces.
A dazzling array of novelties caught their eyes, making everyone feel the urge to properly explore the area.
Sanji's gaze swept over the stalls, his eyes gleaming with eagerness.
"As expected of the place where all seven routes converge. You can find ingredients from all over the world here."
"There will be plenty of time for that later. You guys can take care of it while I'm at Mary Geoise. Once the war is over and I get back, we can head straight to the New World."
Allen said as he walked. He was just about to assign them some tasks when a squad of Marines marched toward them in perfect formation.
The man leading them had a robust build. Wearing a striped suit and a white Justice cape, he strode forward with a straight posture.
Seeing the Marines appear, the group stopped in their tracks. Robin's gaze sharpened, and she slightly lowered her head while pulling down the brim of her hat.
"Francis Allen. I heard you landed on the island. I've been waiting here for you all day. I am Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Momonga."
Vice Admiral Momonga stopped in front of Allen. With a calm expression, he said flatly:
"Since you have a Marine background, I assume there's no need for a lengthy introduction. Under orders from the higher-ups, I am here to escort you to Mary Geoise."
"Hey, hey, hey. It's not like the war starts tomorrow. What are you guys in such a rush for?"
Allen said, his tone laced with a hint of disdain.
Momonga's expression remained unchanged as he emphasized:
"Although the execution is scheduled for a week from now, we cannot rule out the possibility of Whitebeard attacking early. For the time being, the Warlords need to stay at Mary Geoise just in case."
"I can't be bothered to argue about this pointless stuff with you. Did you bring my items?"
Allen cut straight to the chase.
Momonga stared at him for a second, then turned his head and waved to one of his subordinate soldiers.
The soldier understood, stepping forward and opening the briefcase he was holding against his chest, revealing three vials of red serum resting inside for Allen to see.
"The items have been brought as agreed. Can you come with us now?" Momonga asked again.
The soldier also offered the briefcase forward.
Allen didn't respond. He simply took the case, picked up the three vials of serum, opened them, and dripped a little from each onto his fingers before closing his eyes.
Momonga frowned. Just as he was feeling puzzled, he saw the three drops of blood seep into Allen's fingers at a visible rate.
A moment later, the blood analysis was complete.
Allen suddenly opened his eyes. Under everyone's astonished gazes, a streak of white appeared on his head, rapidly spreading to the tips of his flowing hair, while his skin tone gradually darkened into a deep brown.
At the same time, a pair of black wings sprouted from his back. The wings snapped open, stirring the surrounding air into a turbulent current.
Allen clenched his fists, his gaze darkening as a cluster of flames spontaneously ignited on his back!
"This... Could this be...!"
Momonga's eyes widened, staring in disbelief at Allen's drastically altered appearance.
He had only seen this form on one person before—one of the All-Stars of the Animal Kingdom Pirates.
—King the Conflagration!
"I see. So this is what you traded for as a condition to accept the Warlord position... The Lineage Factor of the Lunarian Tribe!"
"You're quite knowledgeable, Vice Admiral Momonga."
Allen said with a smile. He retracted his ability, returning his body to its original state, and turned to hand the items to Nami.
"The items are fine. Have Erwin help you guys inject them."
"Ah... G-Got it."
Nami snapped out of her daze, blankly taking the serum from his hands.
This stuff looked like it was incredibly powerful.