"How many waves of bounty hunters has this been already?"
Looking at the defeated group sprawled across the ground, Usopp felt a headache coming on.
These bounty hunters were like sharks smelling blood—endlessly rushing at them.
No matter how many waves they crushed, it didn't stop the next ones from coming.
"Seventh wave, I think."
"Seven waves… are these guys not afraid of death?"
"Yohohoho~ Looks like our heads are quite attractive," Brook laughed.
"That may be true, but I don't think they even recognize you."
Crack!
A bolt of lightning seemed to strike Brook's mind.
He froze—then visibly deflated.
"Y-you might be right…"
Thinking about it, no one could possibly recognize him.
After all, his wanted poster was from when he was still alive.
Now that he was a skeleton, no one would connect him to "Soul King" Brook.
Brook slowly turned to Chopper.
"Chopper… I think I understand how you feel now…"
"Right?!"
The two locked eyes—
Then sighed together.
"But it's okay!" Brook suddenly declared, regaining his spirit. "Our wanted posters will be updated sooner or later!"
"Let's work hard together, Chopper!"
"Yohohoho!"
"Yeah!!"
Encouraged, Chopper also perked up.
So what if his bounty was only 50 Beli?
Next time he contributed in battle, it would definitely increase!
Seeing the two fired up, Merry joined in.
"Count me in~"
"Alright! The three of us will work hard together!"
"Yeah!!"
Just then—
Another wave of bounty hunters appeared.
"Straw Hat, you—"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
BOOM!!
A massive water dragon surged into the air and slammed into the group ahead.
BOOM!!
"AHHH!!"
Screams echoed as the bounty hunters were blasted clean off the bridge, plunging into the sea below.
"…So noisy," Jin said flatly.
These guys were like flies—wave after wave.
Money really did drive people insane.
"Eighth wave…"
"It's fine—we're almost there," Hatchan said, pointing ahead. "Right by that tree root."
"Though… I haven't been here in ten years."
"Eh?!"
Usopp stared at him.
"You haven't been here in ten years?!"
"Yeah."
"…Then will the coater even still be here?"
If not, this whole trip would be pointless!
"He should be," Hatchan said after a moment. "He told me to come here if I needed anything."
Usopp twitched.
Why did that sound so unreliable?
"Is the coater a fish-man?" Luffy asked.
"Not sure," Camie said. "This is our first time here too."
"He's human," Hatchan smiled. "A very amazing one. You'll see."
"Okay."
Luffy nodded.
Soon—
Under Hatchan's lead, they arrived at a bar.
Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
"…That name?" Pappag stared in disbelief.
Wasn't that a bit too bold?
"Is that even okay…?" Usopp pointed at the sign with a trembling finger.
"It literally says they'll rip people off…"
"Are we really going in?"
Chopper and Merry exchanged nervous looks.
"This place must belong to someone strong," Jin said thoughtfully.
After all, this was a lawless zone.
"Relax—they're good people," Hatchan said. "I've known them since I was young."
Pushing open the door, he called out:
"Hey, Shakky! Rayleigh! You here?"
But when he saw inside—
He froze.
Shakky was… beating up pirates?
"This is…?"
"Sorry, customers, I'm just dealing with a few—"
She stopped mid-sentence upon recognizing Hatchan.
"Oh my~"
"It's you, Hatchan. Long time no see."
"Y-yeah… long time…" he scratched his head. "What's going on here?"
"Just disciplining a few naughty brats."
She smiled warmly at the Straw Hats.
"Go ahead and sit. I'll finish up here first."
Her gaze briefly swept over them—
Clearly recognizing who they were.
So they made it here safely after all…
I wonder if they ran into Moria…
"If they did… his title as a Warlord is probably gone," she mused inwardly.
"Failure doesn't deserve that title."
"Alright, let's sit first," Hatchan said.
"Th-this is really okay…?" Usopp gulped.
Watching Shakky smile while beating people up was terrifying.
"Come on in~"
Her gentle smile made everyone flinch—
And they quickly ran inside.
"Oh? What a cute little girl~"
Seeing Merry, Shakky smiled even brighter.
She then dragged the pirates out—
And casually tossed them off the edge like garbage.
Clapping her hands, she returned inside and calmly washed the blood from her hands.
Gulp.
"Is… is this really okay…?"
"Relax, she's a good person," Hatchan said.
"A good person wouldn't—"
"In a place like this," Jin said, glancing outside, "if you're not ruthless, you become prey. Right, Miss Shakky?"
"Oh my~"
"You're quite sharp, little ninja," she chuckled.
"That's right. If you're not tough here, you get eaten alive."
"That's the way of Sabaody."
"As an information broker, I have to survive somehow."
"…An information broker," Jin nodded.
No wonder the bar existed.
It wasn't really about drinks—
It was about information.
The drinks were just a cover.
"Just making a living," she said casually.
Jin didn't reply.
A business that had lasted over ten years—
Her intelligence network must be terrifying.
"Hey, Luffy! Why are you rummaging through her fridge?!" Usopp panicked.
"Relax, eat," Shakky said with a smile. "You're Hatchan's friends."
"Oh right—"
"I have something for you two."
She brought out two cotton candies.
"Cotton candy?!"
Chopper and Merry's eyes sparkled.
"Thank you, Shakky!"
"What sweet kids~"
She patted their heads fondly.
"Eat as much as you like."
"Okay!!"
Sitting down, she looked at Merry.
"That girl… those ears… are you a special race?"
"I'm a Klabautermann~" Merry said proudly.
"…A ship spirit?"
Shakky blinked in surprise.
She hadn't expected that.
That meant—
They truly cherished their ship.
"Shakky, where's Rayleigh?" Hatchan asked. "I need him."
"For coating, right?"
"Eh?! How did you know?"
"If a fish-man and a mermaid come looking for him, what else could it be?" she said with a smile.
Hatchan scratched his head.
"They saved my life… I want to repay them."
"I see…"
Shakky nodded.
"He left about twenty minutes ago."
"…We missed him?" Chopper said blankly.
"This is all those damn bounty hunters' fault!" Usopp gritted his teeth.
"Where did he go?" Hatchan asked anxiously.
"No idea~"
"…What do we do now?"
"Relax," Shakky smiled. "I have a way."
"A way?"
"He left me a Den Den Mushi."
She took it out.
"Said to call him if the Straw Hats arrived."
"Then call him quickly!" Hatchan said in relief.
"Alright."
"Buru buru buru—"
"Click."
"Hello?"
"It's me."
She hung up immediately.
Rayleigh looked at the silent snail and chuckled.
"…As concise as ever."
He knew she was avoiding surveillance.
Putting the snail away, he walked off leisurely.
"I wonder what kind of people they are…"
Just then—
A tall man approached with a woman.
He paused.
"…You're Silvers Rayleigh?"
"Ah, a Charlotte family brat," Rayleigh said casually. "What are you doing here?"
"Same question to you," Katakuri replied.
"Why is the Pirate King's right-hand man here?"
"…Thinking of setting sail again?"
His body tensed—
But relaxed when he noticed his sister's nervousness.
Rayleigh didn't react at all.
Or rather—
He simply didn't care.
"Sailing again? No thanks," Rayleigh waved. "Retirement suits me."
"Now then, I've got things to do."
"Pretend you didn't see me."
He walked away without a second glance.
After all—
He was the Dark King, Rayleigh.
"…Looking for amusement, huh," Katakuri murmured.
His sister, Galette, frowned.
"That's really him? The Pirate King's right-hand man?"
"Yes."
"Unbelievable…"
"…He's strong," Katakuri said.
"Mother once said—Rayleigh is a monster."
"…Did she fight him?"
"More or less… 38 years ago."
"Thirty-eight years?!"
"That was before I was even born…"
"That was when Mother was part of the Rocks Pirates."
"…What?!"
Her worldview shattered.
"That man… Rocks D. Xebec."
"A monster who controlled Whitebeard, Big Mom, and others."
"And then—"
"The God Valley Incident happened."
"The World Government erased everything."
"No one knows the truth."
"But that was when Mother fought Rayleigh."
"And realized how terrifying Roger's crew was."
"…Even she couldn't defeat him?"
"Unclear. Probably just a brief clash."
"And Roger?"
"He never fought her head-on."
"He stole a Poneglyph rubbing while she was away… then escaped."
"…What a thief!"
Katakuri said nothing.
Not everyone fights fair.
"…Remember this," he said quietly.
"Never speak of it."
"…I understand."
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