They say sunsets are for goodbyes, but perhaps a departure at dawn is more fitting. As the morning mist evaporates, so too will longing rise into the air. Warmed by the sun, it fills a sorrowful body with gentle energy. Carry this feeling with you, and look forward to the next reunion.
All the words of farewell had been spoken the night before.
"Hancock! I'll come find you!" Ryuuto stood on the fox-shaped figurehead of the Sexy Foxy, waving goodbye to Hancock, who stood atop Mohmoo's head.
Their eyes met, filled with reluctance to part.
"Ryuuto... I'll miss you!" Hancock's eyes were red.
"Goodbye, Hancock!" Nami stood beside Ryuuto, barely suppressing her inner joy as she waved farewell.
ROAR!
Mohmoo let out an impatient bellow.
With a final leap, Hancock landed on the fox figurehead and gave Ryuuto one last embrace. Then, with a flick of her black hair and a click of her heels, she returned to Mohmoo's back, leaving everyone with only a view of her elegant departure.
ROAR!
Mohmoo flicked its tail, shooting forward like a cannonball and cleaving a massive wake of white foam.
As Mohmoo sped across the waves, Hancock's figure soon vanished from Ryuuto's sight. On the vast sea, Hancock stood against the wind, glancing down at the ring on her hand from time to time, as if drawing endless strength from it.
Mohmoo had a difficult task ahead. First, it had to take Hancock back to Amazon Lily. After dropping her off, it would head straight for Sake Island to pick up Crocus and Vivi before meeting the others at their next destination—the Sabaody Archipelago!
Fortunately, Mohmoo had an extraordinary memory and never forgot a place it had visited, so Ryuuto wasn't worried. He was certain it would reach Sake Island. Once there, Crocus would use the Vivre Card Ryuuto had given him, and they would all reunite on the Sabaody Archipelago.
"She's gone, Captain!" Nami said to Ryuuto, a radiant smile now spreading across her face.
"Nami, you little devil," Ryuuto said, looking at her with exasperation.
"Hey, you've still got me, don't you?" Unbothered by his tone, Nami grabbed his arm and hugged it tightly, a cheerful grin on her face.
"Alright, alright. You're being a bit of a slacker for a navigator, you know." Seeing her so lively and adorable, Ryuuto couldn't help but pinch her cheek.
"Navigator Nami, reporting for duty, Captain!" Nami replied playfully, a mannerism she might have picked up from Porche.
"Hahahahaha!"
Ryuuto burst into laughter, the sadness of their farewell swept away in an instant. Nami always had the simplest ways of bringing meaning back into life.
"That terrifying woman is finally gone!" Buggy breathed a sigh of relief, peeking out from behind a cabin. Although Hancock had acted like a lovesick fool around Ryuuto, she was utterly terrifying to him.
"Yeah, yeah, finally gone!" Mohji's large head suddenly popped up next to Buggy's.
"When did you get here?!" Buggy yelped, startled, and smacked Mohji on the head.
"Mrow~" Richie the lion let out a cry, looking completely innocent.
Foxy, ever the opportunist, had already brought Ryuuto and Nami cold drinks. The sight made Buggy want to slap his own thigh in frustration.
"Damn it, a total suck-up! He's making the rest of us look bad!" Buggy cursed inwardly. Unable to stand it, he dashed out, produced a fan from somewhere, and began fanning Ryuuto.
Under the blue sky, the Sexy Foxy sailed onward, cutting through the white-capped waves. With Buggy's Log Pose and Nami's charts, their course was true. Their next stop: the Sabaody Archipelago.
The Sexy Foxy glided across the sea, having finally arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago. Before them, the entire island was supported by the massive roots of the giant Yarukiman Mangroves. Countless rainbow-colored soap bubbles floated in the air, shimmering like crystal planets under the sun.
"It's so beautiful!" Nami was captivated by the dreamlike scene.
Seeing a bubble float past her, she reached out and poked it.
Pop.
To her surprise, the bubble didn't burst under the light pressure, showing considerable resilience.
"Huh? What's with this bubble?" Nami poked it again, her curiosity piqued.
"This is amazing!" Buggy exclaimed, staring at the endless stream of bubbles emerging from the giant mangroves.
"It's magnificent!" Foxy's attention was fixed on the 79 colossal trees that made up the island. Each trunk was at least 500 meters in diameter, their height impossible to guess. Looking up, their canopies nearly touched the clouds.
"How are these bubbles made?" Nami wondered aloud.
"These Yarukiman Mangroves are incredible," Ryuuto explained. "Their resin produces bubbles when it comes into contact with the air, and those bubbles harden when they touch water. That's given rise to the island's many unique coating artisans."
As he spoke, the Sexy Foxy sailed into a dock. On the massive trunk ahead, the number 18 was clearly written.
"Seems like fate," Ryuuto said softly.
Each mangrove on the Sabaody Archipelago was numbered, dividing the island into 79 groves. Groves 1-29 were lawless zones, home to human trafficking, pirate black markets, and bounty hunters. Groves 30-39 contained amusement parks and specialty shops. Groves 40-49 were a tourist area, mainly for coating artisans and hotels. Groves 50-59 housed shipyards and more coating artisans. Groves 60-69 were for the Marine garrison and government entrances. Finally, Groves 70-79 were a high-end hotel district.
Grove 18 was squarely in the lawless zone. Ryuuto wasn't concerned. With his power, he was practically invincible as long as he didn't run into a Marine Admiral. Besides, this lawless area was better for his plans.
"It's been so long since I've been on land. I've missed this!" Nami said with a sigh of relief as she leaped lightly onto the ground.
Ryuuto stamped his foot, testing the surface. It was composed primarily of mangrove roots, incredibly hard and impossible to dig into with a simple shovel.
"I have a feeling this place is going to be a land of opportunity for me, the great Buggy!" Buggy declared grandly. Behind him stood Cabaji, Mohji, and Alvida. Richie the lion had already run off to chase a floating bubble.
Alvida took a deep breath, savoring the faint scent of soap in the air. She felt completely at ease.
"A beautiful place like this is perfect for a beauty like me!" she said, shouldering her iron mace as she admired the shimmering lights reflected in the bubbles.
"Fehfehfehfeh, I will follow Captain Ryuuto's lead forever!" Foxy was taking his sycophancy to the next level, constantly making his presence known to Ryuuto.
"Such huge trees..." Porche's gaze was completely captivated by the Yarukiman Mangroves.