After a few days of training and preparation, Arlo decided it was time to start moving. His training was going so well that he finished preparing to fulfill his missions much earlier than expected, simply due to sheer luck and efficiency.
He was already considering getting a different vessel. He had bought his current ship under the guise of being a Celestial Dragon, hoping it might help him investigate that lead, but he knew there was still a small chance the Navy could track the vessel.
As they set out, the group ran into a small pirate crew. Arlo decided this was a perfect opportunity to test their battle readiness and gather supplies for their eventual ship swap.
Hina defeated the pirates with ease, and the group capsized the pirate boat, leaving them with a clear path to continue their journey.
As Arlo decided, they split into two groups: Hina and Sasha would leave to rendezvous with Alvida. The other enslaved women remained with Hina so they would be safer and could continue their training. Arlo, however, set off alone with the goal of finding Nami.
By the way, the system had a search function for missions that showed him the target's general location. Hina and Sasha, who were linked to his system as his slaves and could share skills, could also see that information, so Alvida's hunt promised to be fast.
Before the final farewell, Arlo only had to remove the Harem Mansion door from the old ship. So he walked to the spot where the invisible door had been installed.
A translucent system interface slid up in front of him, projected in midair like a holographic panel. It showed a 3D wireframe of the door and the old boat, a small system icon in the corner, and two options underneath:
[Do you wish to remove the Harem mansion door?]
[Yes] [No]
[Warning: Removing the portal will convert it into a portable Door Token. You may place it on another vessel. Shared access will remain with linked users.]
Arlo tapped {yes}. The wireframe pulsed. The invisible doorway shimmered into view, a faint arch of carved wood and brass filigree.
It detached with a whispering sound, condensed into a palm-sized sigil that glowed with pale blue light, a compact, tangible "door token". He pocketed it.
On the new boat, he placed the token where he wanted the door to be; the sigil dissolved into a seam in the bulkhead, and the door reformed, solid and real.
"One last thing," Arlo said, turning to Sasha and taking the collar key from around his neck. "Take this," he added, handing her the key.
Their plan was for her to accompany Hina until they found Alvida, but then she would go alone to save Zoro and ask for his training. Having the key would make it easier for her to return to the group.
With everything set and after several farewell kisses, Arlo found himself alone aboard the medium-sized vessel. Maintaining it by himself would be work, but nothing he couldn't handle.
"Now it's time to find the cat burglar…" he murmured, looking at the system screen showing a small map with two large dots: one was him, the other his target.
Two days later, he closed the distance and spotted her. She was aboard a gala ship.
The vessel was ridiculous in the best possible way: a gargantuan floating palace that moved like a lit-up island. From a distance, it looked like a casino grown to an impossible scale, with broad, multi-tiered decks ringed with lanterns and glass, balconies overflowing with laughing guests, and a central dome casting light across the waves like a lighthouse.
"I didn't know they had such luxurious entertainment options in the East Blue," Arlo murmured, surprised.
He approached quietly, his own boat shadowing the great hull. On the gangplank, he found one of the ship's administrators, a stout, well-dressed man whose gold teeth flashed when he smiled.
The man measured Arlo with a calculating look. Arlo was no longer wearing his Celestial Dragon attire.
That said, he still wore a mask that hid his face. For all he knew, there wasn't a bounty on him yet, but he had spent two days alone at sea, so he would not take the risk.
"I want passage onto your ship. One guest. No questions," Arlo said, showing the man a large diamond he had brought with him.
Arlo had decided to entrust most of the treasures he had taken from Mary Geoise to Hina, but he kept some to help with his journey.
The administrator's smile widened. "Everything has a price, and it's a bit more than what you are offering," he said, naming a sum that would have been a small fortune to many.
Arlo set down the coins without flinching. The man pocketed them, produced a glossy invitation card, and waved him aboard.
Inside, the gala was exactly as expected. Dancers moved on raised stages, and the casino floors thumped with music. Guests gambled and watched the performers.
Arlo moved through the crowd, his eyes sweeping the room. He searched for Nami for a long time, drifting through different halls.
Finally, his gaze landed on her.
She moved through the crowd like a predator. A fire-orange bob framed a sun-kissed face and sharp, knowing eyes. Her red dress hugged her curves, and her tattoo was hidden beneath a thin layer of makeup.
As Arlo watched, he noticed something subtle. While laughing with a group of admirers, she brushed past a well-dressed client and, with a practiced flick of her fingers and a casual adjustment of her dress, eased something from his pocket.
Arlo closed the distance in a single smooth movement. He reached out and gripped her wrist as she stepped away from the man she had just swindled. The crowd flowed around them like water; nobody noticed the brief contact.
Then Arlo leaned in close so only she could hear.
"I saw everything," he whispered softly, his eyes meeting hers.