Sabaody Archipelago
Island 13, a legendary lawless zone and the location of Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
A vicious beating was underway.
The captain of the Giant Axe Pirates, infamous as the South Blue Giant Axe and carrying a bounty of thirty million Belly, was being beaten like a dead dog by a beautiful woman wearing a cheerful smile. A fist the size of a clay pot smashed into the South Blue Giant Axe's head again and again, blood spraying everywhere.
Only when his eyes rolled back, his face swollen and bruised, and he was left barely gasping for air did the woman finally grab him by the collar and hurl him out the door.
Outside Shakky's Rip-off Bar, the open ground was littered with unconscious pirates, bodies sprawled in all directions.
As the bar's owner, Shakky took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from her fists and face. A ladies' cigarette hung from her lips as she took a deep drag.
At that moment, a hint of alertness flashed through her eyes.
Inside the now-empty bar, the air suddenly rippled. The space visibly distorted, and an air door formed before her eyes.
When the door was pushed open, two familiar figures stepped out.
Seeing them, the wariness in Shakky's gaze instantly melted away. She relaxed and spoke casually.
"Vice Captain Enel of the Sky Pirates, what an honor to have you visit our little shop. What brings you here?"
Enel was known for his arrogance, especially after awakening Conqueror's Haki, which only made him more dismissive of others. Yet at this moment, he spoke with unusual courtesy.
"Is Rayleigh-san not here?"
"Oh? And who told you we've got someone named Rayleigh here?"
Shakky asked calmly, cigarette in hand.
Enel wasn't surprised. Before coming, Yemu had already told him a bit about this woman's personality.
"Yemu told me. He also asked me to pass along a message to Rayleigh-san. He's worried about causing him trouble, so he can't come in person right now. But tonight, he'll bring us over to visit in this same way."
"I understand. I'll let him know."
"Thank you."
With that, Enel had Kuromu close the air door, and the two vanished on the spot.
Shakky looked at the empty room and couldn't help but sigh.
"Kids these days are really something…"
...
Sabaody Archipelago
Island 38, home to the amusement park.
The cheerful laughter of Flare, Baby-5, and Ayala echoed throughout the park.
"Wow, this is so fun!"
"Enel-sama!"
"Big Brother!"
On a pink carousel, the three girls each rode a wooden horse, dressed like fairy-tale princesses. They waved excitedly toward Yemu and the other grown men sitting on a nearby bench, quietly drinking tea and eating pastries.
"If you want to play, just go ahead. You don't need to stay with us."
Under the second-generation Baku Baku Metal, their disguised forms were even smaller and cuter, resembling tiny Agumon. The dinosaur-like Kuromi four brothers had eyes full of stars. Though each of them was over seven hundred years old, their hearts were still like children's.
"Really?"
Hearing Yemu say that, the Kuro four brothers grew wildly excited, covering their cheeks with both hands.
"Of course. Go on."
Only then did the Kuro four brothers wiggle their little dinosaur bodies and happily run toward the carousel operator.
"Big Sis, Second Sis, Third Sis, we're coming!"
"Kuromi, hurry up and get on! This is so much fun!"
Before long, the four of them were playing happily together with Flare and the others.
It was actually a very simple activity, just sitting on a rotating carousel and swaying up and down. Yet the three girls and the four little robots never seemed to tire of it, riding again and again without losing their enthusiasm.
"Is this thing really that fun?"
Yemu asked the three men beside him.
Tiger looked a little awkward. A single male fish-man in his thirties, he honestly knew very little about women, whether human or fish-man.
As for Enel, food was piled up all around him. Pizza, fruit, juice, cookies, grilled meat. He ate like a bottomless pit, shoving down one bite after another.
Only Erik seemed remotely normal. He stared at the endlessly looping carousel, thought for a moment, and said,
"Maybe carousels mean something different to girls."
Everyone nodded. That was about the only explanation they could come up with.
Enel stuffed another slice of pizza into his mouth and glanced around at the greedy gazes lurking in the darkness, clicking his tongue in irritation.
"Annoying. Makes me want to wipe all of them out."
With a slurp, he downed an entire glass of juice.
Yemu looked around as well. Throughout the amusement park, there were eyes everywhere, openly locked onto them.
"Forget it. Don't let them ruin our mood today. Flare and the others are having a great time."
Enel looked at Baby-5, her face flushed red with excitement as she waved at him, and could only swallow his displeasure and nod.
Just like that, nearly twenty minutes passed before Flare, Baby-5, Ayala, and the four Kuro Brothers finally climbed down from the carousel, clearly reluctant to leave.
Not because they were tired of it, but because there were still other rides waiting.
"Roller coaster!!!"
"Ferris wheel!!!"
"Bumper cars!!!"
"Pirate ship!!!"
Baby-5 shouted at the top of her lungs. The four Kuro Brothers waved their arms and cheered behind her, while Ayala was just as flushed and excited. Flare, on the other hand, turned to the group of grown men and asked,
"Aren't you going to ride too? It's really fun!"
The moment she said that, all four men looked a bit embarrassed.
Honestly, these rides weren't just irresistible to the girls and kids. Even for Yemu and the other three grown men, they were pretty tempting.
Tiger especially. Because of his identity as a fish-man, he had never been to a human amusement park. Ever since he was young, he had secretly longed for the joyful world of humans. Now that he finally had the chance, he wanted to try it, to relive a bit of childhood. Still, the thought of a man in his thirties riding these attractions made him feel awkward.
At that moment, Yemu spoke up.
Looking at Flare, her cheeks faintly pink, he said,
"If it were just us, we wouldn't ride them. But if someone invites us, that's a different matter…"
Flare froze for a second, then replied with a mix of disbelief and exasperation,
"Aren't we the ladies? Shouldn't it be the men inviting the women?"
"I don't care about that. Are you going to invite us or not?"
Flare shot Yemu a coy glare, then extended her slender arm toward him.
"Then tell me, our great Captain Yemu, would you be willing to do this little lady the honor?"
"In that case, I won't refuse."
Yemu took Flare's hand and stood up from his seat, giving the others a meaningful look at the same time.
Baby-5, Ayala, and Kuromi immediately understood.
"Enel-sama, Tiger-san, Brother Erik, let's ride together!"
"Brother, Enel-sama, Tiger-san!"
"Enel-sama, Master Tiger, Master Erik!"
This time, although the other three men still looked reluctant, they were nonetheless pushed along by the group and seated on the roller coaster, and then…
"WAAAH!!!"