A section in the center of the tavern had been cleared out.
Under the "friendly and orderly" supervision of dozens of Jellyfish Pirates, the previously scattered pirates were invited back in batches.
On the walls—and on hastily erected wooden boards—
photos had been nailed up.
Images of strange architecture.
Scenes from Sky Island.
Unusual creatures native to the sky.
And that endless white sea of clouds, stretching as if to the edge of the world…
"W-What is this?!"
"An island made of clouds? You can actually walk on that?!"
"These buildings… they're in the sky!"
"Look at that! What kind of fish is that?!"
"My god… those clouds are massive!"
Gasps, disbelief, and astonished murmurs filled the tavern.
Every pirate who entered—no matter how arrogant or dismissive they had been before—
now stared wide-eyed.
Their understanding of the world was being violently shattered.
One pirate pointed at a photo of the cloud sea, his voice trembling.
"Th-this thing… is it real? It's not painted, right?"
Before he could finish—
a large shadow loomed over him.
Aldo stood there with arms crossed, glaring down at him.
His thick brows furrowed, his imposing presence making the pirate shrink instantly.
"R-real! Absolutely real! Guaranteed! I was blind—just ignorant!"
Several others who had been doubtful immediately nodded like pecking chickens, afraid they'd be next.
Riberra Sami, watching from his seat, rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Aldo."
"Boss?"
"Watch your approach. I didn't ask you to intimidate them."
Riberra Sami's gaze shifted toward the pirates still lingering in front of the photos—faces gradually changing from fear to shock, confusion… even longing.
"It's normal for them to doubt. What we brought back is something they've never imagined in their entire lives."
"When people's understanding is overturned, their first reaction is rejection and skepticism. That's only natural."
He paused, then continued:
"Isn't this a good thing?"
"At least now they know… the sky above this sea isn't empty. There's another ocean up there. Another group of people. Another way of life."
Aldo scratched his head.
Though he still thought these pirates looked pathetic, he nodded.
"…Got it, Boss."
Riberra Sami swept his gaze across the tavern once more.
The place was now packed.
Pirates craned their necks, trying to get a better look at the photos.
Outside, even more people were being organized into lines, waiting their turn to enter.
A faint sense of satisfaction stirred in Riberra Sami's chest.
Of course—
his eyes flicked to the crew members holding weapons, maintaining "order" while occasionally shouting at anyone whispering too much.
His mouth twitched slightly.
If not for the part where they're basically herding people like livestock…
This would feel a lot more pure.
He sighed inwardly.
Ah… fate is unpredictable.
Why did that Bakins guy have to die?
This whole situation traced back to earlier—
"Hahaha! Of course we did! Otherwise, why do you think we went through all that trouble to come back here?"
Old Sam shook his head.
"But… Bakins isn't around anymore."
Riberra Sami paused.
"Not around? Where did he go? Don't tell me he ran away to avoid the bet?"
"Well…" Old Sam hesitated. "It happened a few months ago—shortly after you left Jaya."
"A Marine group showed up nearby. Strange thing is, we almost never see warships around here… but this year, they showed up twice."
"The first time was before you arrived. The second… was after you left."
"I'm talking about that second time."
"Bakins happened to run into them."
Old Sam sighed.
"From what survivors of nearby pirate crews said… he died on the spot. Clean and simple. One shot."
Silence fell over the tavern.
Bakins… was dead.
The smile faded from Riberra Sami's face.
His fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of his wooden mug.
It was unexpected—but not shocking.
On the sea, especially for people like them—
death was nothing unusual.
What concerned Riberra Sami more… was something else.
"Before I arrived… and after I left… there were Marine warships in this area both times?"
He looked up.
"Boss Sam, are you sure? That's not trivial."
"Absolutely sure," Old Sam sighed. "You know how this place is—Marines rarely bother with lawless zones like this. But those two times… it didn't feel like normal patrols. It felt like they were waiting for something."
Riberra Sami fell silent.
He drained the remaining rum in one gulp.
So… Sengoku had already set his sights on us back then?
That's how they knew about Sky Island… they came here to gather information.
"…That's unsettling."
He muttered softly.
Then shook his head, pushing the thought aside for now.
The person tied to the bet might be gone—
but the proof they brought back still mattered.
This wasn't just about slapping someone in the face anymore.
It was about proving something.
To this sea.
To everyone trapped in narrow-minded beliefs—
that unknown miracles truly existed.
And that those who dared to seek and conquer them—
were the ones worthy of legend.
Most importantly—
if he didn't put these photos up…
Riberra Sami felt like something inside him would remain incomplete.
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