After leaving Ohara, Olvia and Robin's moods gradually lightened.
They had long known Ohara's fate; their earlier sadness had been triggered only by the surroundings and memories of past events.
Perona's antics, along with the care from Stella and the others, brought them a sense of peace.
Black once again marveled at Perona's subtle importance.
With Ohara behind them, the sanctuary sailed onward through the West Blue.
Originally, Black had planned to explore all the Four Blues on his last voyage.
However, he had barely tracked down Aramaki in the West Blue and had been summoned back immediately by a message from Mary Geoise, coinciding with Perona's return.
This time, he intended to visit all the unexplored lands.
As if on cue, Aramaki's transponder snail chirped.
"Your Highness, I have located the child Hawkins in the Taya Kingdom of the North Blue. How shall I handle him?"
Black replied languidly:
"Since he's found, bring him back for training. Focus on physical conditioning and martial arts."
The snail's voice mimicked Aramaki's serious tone:
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And you as well," Black added.
"Don't think only the children need training. Your Haki and martial arts must improve too. If I see you relying on a Devil Fruit again, I'll have you learn Garp's mountain-smashing technique."
Aramaki stammered:
"Your Highness, understood! I've been diligently refining my Haki, never slacking."
"Good. That's all for now."
Black ended the call, and the sanctuary pressed onward through the West Blue.
He ordered the Slaves to continuously change sails and flags.
Wherever they landed, Black donned commoner's clothes to explore, blending curiosity with confidence in his strength.
No original-world opponent could threaten him quickly; only a coalition of top-tier powerhouses or Imu himself posed a serious threat.
Many islands defied natural law.
White Porcelain Island, for instance, was coated with self-repairing bone-white ceramic; broken objects repaired overnight.
At its center lay a thousand-meter-wide kiln pit. When it erupted, it dyed the sky in enamel hues.
Locals tried criminals with "Kiln Judgment," firing suspects in ceramic vessels for three days; cracks determined guilt.
Even a Celestial Dragon like Black called it "professional," marveling at the ingenuity and likely number of wrongful convictions.
Shadow Song Island, shrouded in perpetual darkness, relied on a "Sound-Light Sea Snail" for illumination.
Locals held funerals by singing the deceased's most hated song, trapping shadows to prevent mischief.
Black suspected Moriah's Shadow-Shadow Devil Fruit originated here.
The sanctuary sailed into the "Chaos Sea," the most turbulent region of the already chaotic West Blue.
Here lay the Moonlight Circus Kingdom, famed for eccentric laws and moral judgments based on one's ability to make people laugh.
The kingdom floated across seven "Clown Balloon Islands," enveloped in colorful auroras, dreamlike and illusory.
Even Celestial Dragons would appear lowly judged under the Circus Association's standards.
Black, curious as always, drifted in on the wind, reaching the Moonlight Circus port at dusk.
He shed his spacesuit and helmet, donning a wide-brimmed top hat with peacock feathers, and led the young Slaves ashore.
Olvia had undergone subtle changes after returning to Ohara and accompanied them. Black remained indifferent, provided she caused no trouble.
A greeter in a striped suit and grinning mask bowed dramatically:
"Welcome to the Moonlight Circus, esteemed guests!"
Black thought:
"Good heavens… do they not even call this a kingdom?"
Stella handed a gold coin to the greeter, who respectfully led them into the port.
Along the streets, colorful balloons floated autonomously.
Perona squealed with excitement:
"Look! The balloons fly by themselves!"
She reached for one; it popped, showering her face with streamers.
Robin chuckled:
"Ara la… the King of Pranks, Lady Perona, has met her match."
Perona pouted, but Stella handed her a handkerchief gently:
"Wipe it off. This island has many mechanisms be cautious."
Perona accepted, still scanning the surroundings.
Black guided the group to view the island's oddities. As night fell, they entered a restaurant to sample local cuisine.
Each island had unique culinary traditions, and Black never grew tired of them.
A waiter presented a three-tier dessert tower:
Top layer rotating chocolate fountain.
Middle layer popping candy macarons.
Bottom layer color-changing jelly pudding.
"Wow!"
Perona, Koala, and Rami gasped. Perona reached impulsively, but Mandy slapped her hand.
Perona winced, shot Black a pleading look.
Black ruffled her hair:
"Eat."
"Oh yes!"
The girls cheered, practically burying themselves in the pudding.
Olvia coughed softly, placing a cup of tea by Black:
"Your Highness, please have some tea."
Black, surprised by her attention, noted her nervous hands and accepted the cup with a small sip.
Suddenly, restaurant lights flickered.
Mechanical clicks echoed from the ceiling.
"Huh?"
Koala looked up:
"Are the lights broken?"
Robin narrowed her eyes:
"No… this is different…"
The lights abruptly went out. Only the auroras from outside filtered in, casting eerie, shifting colors.
In the distance, a sharp cackle echoed faintly, chilling yet familiar.