Fish-Man Island, Sea Forest. Led by Queen Otohime, over sixty thousand merfolk and Fishmen gathered in the underwater forest, breaking the silence. Men, women, young and old, all carried bags and baggage, anticipation in their hearts. A one-time immigration of five million people to Fish-Man Island was an unrealistic undertaking. Besides the issue of living space, the Fishmen's attitudes and views toward humans also needed consideration.
Therefore, Fishmen and humans needed to gradually understand and adapt to each other. Various issues would naturally arise during this period, requiring resolution, one by one. To avoid large-scale conflicts, after careful deliberation, both sides finally decided that these sixty thousand-plus Fishmen, who were not hostile to humans, would be the first batch of immigrants from Fish-Man Island to reside on Sky Island.
After Queen Otohime completed her on-site inspection of Sky Island, discussed the relocation plan, and paid the corresponding fees, Sky Island began extensive construction to create an environment suitable for merfolk to live in, building various houses and buildings. Among these sixty thousand-plus people, each family would have one or two individuals, totaling seventeen thousand people. After arriving on Sky Island, they would be arranged to work in the shellfish factory according to the immigration agreement. If others were willing, Umbrella Corporation would also arrange jobs for them.
Although with Ain's help, Umbrella Corporation had obtained lunar robotics technology, and within the next few years, the Company would manufacture its own intelligent robots, at which point labor resources would no longer be a problem. But... Sephiroth still fulfilled his original promise and did not choose to break the contract. After all, he wanted to get his hands on the ancient weapon named 'Poseidon', didn't he?
Shirahoshi looked at Queen Otohime beside her, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and asked with anticipation, "Mother, after we go to the land, will we be able to see the legendary sun, flowers, and forests made of trees?"
"Yes! That's right, you will see all of these..." Otohime said with a smile. Today was the day she fulfilled her long-held wish to relocate the residents of Fish-Man Island to the land, so she was more expectant and happy than anyone else.
Since this was the first batch of immigrants, to better handle the relevant issues, Queen Otohime decided to temporarily reside on Sky Island for a period. Shirahoshi, out of curiosity and reluctance to part with her mother Otohime, also chose to go to Sky Island with her.
"Queen Otohime, has everyone arrived now?" Otohime nodded slightly and said with a smile:
"Yes! Everyone has arrived, we are just waiting for Mr. Sephiroth to pick us up now." "Okay! I understand..."
Baccarat immediately pulled a den den mushi from her black shoulder bag and dialed a number. "Boss, we are all ready here." "Okay! I understand, I am also ready here."
Swish! A crimson light slashed through the air, rippling space. A spatial folding door, ten meters high and fifty meters wide, silently opened amidst the stunned expressions of over sixty thousand people. It revealed a scene utterly unlike Fish-Man Island.
On the other side of the door lay Sky Island God's Country, the port of Apa Yado Island, along with Sephiroth and the high-ranking officials of Sky Island. The fish-men gazed into the distance, clearly seeing the primeval forest with its towering ancient trees and buildings in the Sky Island style. "Everyone, please do not crowd, pass through in an orderly manner..." Under Queen Otohime's command, over sixty thousand people passed through the spatial door one after another, arriving at Apa Yado Island.
Black Maria, Gan Fall, and other Sky Island officials busied themselves with various related matters. "Baccarat, have you contacted the Whitebeard Pirates? Where are they now...?" "Yes! I have already contacted them. Their ship is currently docked at Foodvalten Island for resupply and maintenance." "Supply Island Number Ten...? One of the Whitebeard Pirates' supply points. It seems our Company has property nearby."
Sephiroth nodded, then turned and walked into the orderly queue of people, stopping in front of Sharley. "I built a new Fishman cafe for you on Apa Yado Island... I'll take you to see it in a bit, okay?" Sephiroth said with a smile. Hearing this, Sharley, who was holding a pipe and puffing smoke, first smiled and nodded, agreeing. Then, as if thinking of something, a hint of hesitation suddenly flashed across her face. "Um... Sephiroth, can I not move in with them...?"
Therefore, she gradually developed a slightly reclusive and quiet personality, not particularly liking to mingle with others. Even with the mermaid waitresses under her, she always maintained a certain appropriate distance, doing what a qualified Boss should do, but without being overly close to them. Sharley was well aware that with her slightly awkward personality, it would be difficult to get along intimately with too many people, especially if those people were Sephiroth's women... Therefore, Sharley, worried about being out of place, said these words, wanting to live independently.
Besides that, she also had some other little thoughts... If she lived with other women, given her personality, it would likely be difficult to find opportunities to be alone with Sephiroth again.
But if she lived independently, Sephiroth, to take care of her feelings, would definitely make special time to accompany her...
Sephiroth looked at Sharley, who had a hesitant expression on her face. He just smiled, reached out and gently stroked her cheek, and said softly:
"I respect your choice... However, I have one condition..."
"What condition?"
"You also need to interact with them occasionally to get to know each other..."
"Okay! I will do my best..."
Blururu! Blururu! Blururu~! While the two were talking, the den den mushi Sephiroth had in his jacket pocket suddenly rang. He picked up the receiver casually and asked:
"Who is it? What's wrong?"
Immediately, Tesoro's slightly hesitant voice came from the mouth of the den den mushi. "Boss, a batch of goods worth three billion from our fleet has been hijacked..."
Hearing this, Sephiroth immediately frowned, and said in a deep voice:
"Hmm!? What's going on? Someone actually dared to provoke me!?"
Although in the past, there had been Pirates or other forces who had the idea of robbing Umbrella Corporation merchant ships. But... Umbrella Corporation merchant ships were equipped with various heavy firearms and long-range weapons, enough to send most evildoers to the bottom of the sea or make them retreat. Under such circumstances, those who could still successfully rob a merchant ship were generally individuals with some capabilities.
Goods worth a mere three billion, the actual cost was not very high, probably only a few hundred million, at most a billion. Generally speaking, there was no need to specifically call him to report such a matter.
But... Tesoro chose to report directly to him, which meant that the person who acted was definitely not simple!
"According to the information provided by the merchant ship's escort personnel before they died, they said they saw a sailboat the size of an island, with a lion's head figurehead, floating towards them from the sky... The person who attacked had a ship's wheel stuck in his head..."
Before Tesoro could finish speaking, Sephiroth directly stated the person's identity.
"Golden Lion Shiki..."
Tesoro's words paused slightly before he continued:
"Yes, based on the current intelligence analysis, it should be Golden Lion Shiki, one of the three legendary Pirates. He attacked and robbed our Company's merchant ship and killed the Company's escort team members."
"Find his location, I will go there myself to settle this score..."
"But... Boss, this matter is very difficult...
"Golden Lion Shiki's whereabouts are uncertain all year round, and he has always controlled his ships, moving high and low in the sky, so it is very difficult for us to find his exact location."
Hearing this, Sephiroth immediately frowned deeply, showing a thoughtful expression. That guy, Golden Lion Shiki, in order to develop a special drug called IQ and create special ferocious beasts, keeps over ten or twenty islands floating high in the sky all year round.
If it weren't for the original plot where Golden Lion Shiki, in order to recruit followers and cause trouble, extensively distributed the eternal pose for that floating island, even the Marines wouldn't be able to find his location.
Sephiroth thought for a moment. He raised his left hand, held up his index and middle fingers, placed them on his brow, closed his eyes, and used Blood Recall, beginning to read the memories of his past life in his mind.
After a while, he lowered his left hand and opened his eyes. He instructed Tesoro, "That guy's base is in the sky, a series of floating islands, which does make it a bit difficult to find... How about this? Send people to search the sky over the area from Water 7 to Sabaody Archipelago in the first half of the Grand Line, covering the seven sea routes. There's a high probability that guy is lurking somewhere in the sky over that sea area. Also, go and look for the eternal pose for Merveille."
Although that island was sent into the sky by Golden Lion Shiki using his Float-Float Fruit ability fourteen years ago and became his base, its magnetic field may have changed, and the eternal pose may not be able to pinpoint the location anymore, but it can still be a direction to search in..."
Tesoro did not question Sephiroth about why he knew so much, and just agreed directly. "I understand! I will arrange this immediately, and I will notify Boss as soon as there is any news."