Chapter 381 - 220

Chapter 220: The Reborn sunny, Sailing Toward the Dawn of the East Blue!"Oh no, I forgot something!"Shakky suddenly let out a soft cry, her slender fingers pressed against her temple as ash drifted onto the bar counter.On the other side of the bar, Rayleigh, who had been quietly wiping a glass, looked up."According to the latest intelligence I received this morning,"Shakky said quickly, her pace a bit faster than usual,"the news of Monkey D. and his crew landing on the Sabaody Archipelago has been spotted by the Marines. I'm afraid the information has already reached Marineford.""Is that what you're talking about?"Rayleigh couldn't help but chuckle. He set down the glass, the glass meeting the wooden bar with a steady clink."Whether you mention it or not doesn't really matter.""After those three months of special training,"He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a certain conviction,"each of them has undergone a complete transformation!""Furthermore,"Rayleigh turned around and leaned against the window frame, his silhouette appearing exceptionally solid against the backlight,"they've made a move against an Emperor's crew! Even if Marineford wants to act against them, they'll have to weigh the consequences.""The current Straw Hat Pirates are no longer pushovers that can be easily crushed."He walked to the bar and poured himself a glass of rum, the amber liquid rippling in the glass."Not to mention the whole business with the Golden Lion that's come up."Rayleigh took a sip, his gaze sharp,"The Marines' biggest headache right now should be that legend of the old era who has resurfaced.""Worrying about them? You're just fretting over nothing."Shakky was stunned.Her fingers holding the cigarette froze in mid-air, a long stretch of ash having accumulated."Is that so..." Shakky murmured to herself, her voice as soft as a sigh."The ships of the new era no longer need the lighthouses of the old era to guide their course at every moment."Rayleigh's voice was gentle yet firm,"They must brave the storms themselves and find their own path.""And all we can do is believe in them."Shakky finally smiled; she lightly flicked away the ash, regaining her usual composed demeanor."It seems I really am getting old, starting to fret like an old mother worrying about her child going on a long journey.""Worrying once in a while isn't bad." Rayleighraised his glass and took a sip."It proves we haven't completely detached ourselves from this world."...Sentomaru's footsteps fell upon the path paved with the roots of the Sabaody Archipelago's mangroves, each step as heavy as a war drum.His massive double-edged axe was slung over his shoulder, its blade reflecting the cold, hard light of the midday sun.It wasn't just the luster of metal, but the cold glint of determination.Three Pacifistas followed silently behind him, their massive bodies blocking the sunlight on one side of the street, their mechanical joints emitting a rhythmic, low hum.Red points of light flickered in their eyes."Stop! Sentomaru, stop right there!"A Marine officer rushed out from a side street, spreading his arms to block the path of this special unit.His chest heaved, clearly from running all the way, and fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.Sentomaru's brow furrowed, but his pace didn't falter. "Move.""There are explicit orders from above!"Belle-Mere's voice echoed through the empty street, carrying an unquestionable seriousness,"Until Admiral Kizaru arrives at Sabaody, we are not to engage in direct conflict with the Four Emperors without authorization!"Sentomaru finally stopped.He slowly turned around, his face, which usually carried a hint of blunt honesty, was now expressionless:"Wait?""Wait for Old Man Kizaru to arrive—"Sentomaru's voice dropped, each word sounding as if squeezed through his teeth,"by then, the Straw Hats will have already set sail into the depths of the New World, vanishing into a sea that even the Marines cannot fully control!""They are still in Sabaody right now.""This is the best opportunity, and possibly the last."The officer wanted to say more, but Sentomaru had already moved.There was no heated argument, no lengthy debate.The man known as the "World's Strongest Defense" simply reached out with his left hand and gave a gentle push.The movement seemed casual, yet it contained unimaginable power."Pacifistas, advance."He issued a brief command, his voice transmitted through some built-in communication device to the core chips of the three war machines.Vroom—The red light in the Pacifistas' eyes flared simultaneously.They took heavy strides, crushing the stone slabs beneath their feet as they continued toward the harbor.Sentomaru shouldered his giant axe once more and followed their pace.His back appeared exceptionally resolute in the dappled light and shadow cast by the mangroves... or rather, stubborn.The officer leaned against a tree trunk, watching the retreating figures of the man and the three machines, and could only shake his head in the end.That sigh was so heavy it seemed squeezed from the deepest part of his soul, a mix of helplessness, anxiety, and a profound sense of powerlessness."That is, after all..."He murmured to himself, his voice so low only he could hear,"that is an emperor of the sea, a man standing at the pinnacle of the world!"...The sea breeze brushed through the harbor of the Sabaody Archipelago, carrying the unique sweet scent of the mangroves and the saltiness of the open sea.When the Straw Hats rushed up the gangway connecting the pier to the ship, everyone froze—The first thing that caught their eyes was the hull.The original orange and white paint shimmered with a pearlescent luster in the sunlight, iridescent as the angle of light shifted.The lion figurehead still stood majestically at the bow, but its eyes were now inlaid with some sort of pale gold gemstones, sparkling with a lifelike brilliance in the daylight.In the center of the lawn, the iconic orange tree still stood tall, but its trunk was thicker and its foliage as lush as a canopy.Surrounding the roots was a ring of carefully polished wooden chairs, with each crew member's symbol carved into the backrests:A straw hat, three swords, an orange and a windmill, a slingshot, cherry blossoms, a book, a wrench, a skull, a sun, egg fried rice, a Spiked Club, and a microphone!"Whoa—!!!"Luffy's exclamation broke the silence.He practically lunged onto the lawn, his rubbery body bouncing twice on the soft turf before he sprawled out."It's really become so beautiful!!!"He stared upward with wide eyes.The sunny's mast system had also been renovated.The three massive sails were not yet fully raised; the canvas was made of some special silver-gray material, embroidered with golden wave patterns along the edges.The rigging system was more streamlined and efficient, the pulleys turning gently in the breeze with a pleasant, subtle sound... Usopp's hands trembled as they brushed over the newly installed turret bases on the gunwale.These were no longer simple fixed cannons, but a linked system capable of rotating three hundred and sixty degrees.His Sogeking symbol was engraved on the barrels, and beside them was an exquisite ammunition selection panel."Th-this is..." His voice choked up... "Super—!!!"Franky suddenly struck his signature pose, though tears gushed out from beneath his sunglasses,"Now this is a man's romance! This is a comprehensive upgrade based on Dr. Vegapunk's original designs!""Look at these energy core output pipes, look at this cola power conversion efficiency gauge—"He rushed toward the cabin entrance, where the once ordinary door had been replaced by a double-layered airtight structure with smooth blue light strips flowing across its surface.Chopper hopped and rolled around on the lawn, his little hooves sinking into the soft blades of grass:"So comfortable! And it smells like sunshine and green grass!"...Robin had already walked over to the library.The original cabin had been expanded outward to include a semi-open observation deck.Wooden bookshelves were lined up against a curved glass curtain wall, which could have its transparency adjusted from the inside.She lightly touched a bookshelf, and a faint light screen appeared, displaying a categorized directory of books."poneglyph Research Section..."She softly read the text on the light screen, a gentle curve lifting the corners of her mouth... Sanjistood outside the kitchen.The original door had become a set of double French windows, through which the completely renovated cooking area could be seen:A six-burner professional stove, a constant-temperature storage room, a live-water breeding pond... and next to the kitchen, an outdoor barbecue area had been added, complete with a charcoal grill and a smoker box."Is this so the ladies can enjoy dinner under the stars..."He lit a cigarette and smiled... Yamato and Zorowalked straight to the training area.The once simple open space had now become a multi-tiered platform that could be raised or lowered.The bottom level was a basic training area covered in special padding, the level above was a weight-lifting area, and further up was a completely exposed steel platform... Uta and Brook stood in the music corner, where a small semi-circular stage had been added, with various instruments placed along its edge.He picked up a violin, the bow lightly touching the strings—"Yohohoho~ This tone!"It seemed as if stars were about to pop out of the skeleton's eye sockets,"This body is made of South Blue sunken wood and Sky Island Cloud Shell resin!"...Nami finally snapped out of her shock and ran to the navigator's workshop.No, it should now be called the "Integrated Weather and Navigation Command Center."The room had doubled in size, with a holographic nautical chart projector in the center and special writable screens on the surrounding walls.In the corner, there was even a small weather observation station, displaying real-time temperature, humidity, air pressure, and wind speed... "This is too luxurious..."she murmured, her fingers gliding over the projected 3D nautical chart, the image rotating and zooming with her gestures... Luffy sat up and brushed the grass clippings off his clothes.He looked around at the brand-new sunny, seeing every place meticulously designed for his companions, looking at these family members who had faced life and death together.As if in response to him, the entire ship vibrated slightly, and the eyes of the lion figurehead at the bow flared with golden light."Set sail—!!"Luffy jumped up and shouted:"Head for the East Blue! Let's go protect our hometown!""Oh—!!!"Cheers rang through the harbor... Sentomaru's footsteps came to an abrupt halt a hundred meters from the port.The giant axe on his shoulder leaned forward slightly with momentum, the sunlight reflecting off the blade cutting a cold trail of light on the ground.The three Pacifistas entered combat standby almost simultaneously, their mechanical joints locking and the energy charging halo in their palms turning from pale yellow to a dangerous orange-red.A man dressed in a deep blue formal suit stood with his back to them, leaning against a protruding root of a mangrove tree.The shadow of his top hat obscured the upper half of his face, revealing only a well-defined jawline and a faint, elusive smile.He toyed with a seemingly ordinary steel pipe in his hand, the pipe spinning between his fingers at a speed as steady as a pendulum."The Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff..."Sentomaru's voice was squeezed from deep in his throat, every word taut with a string of vigilance,"Sabo!!"The man finally turned his head.The moment those eyes looked up from beneath the shadow of his brim, Sentomaru felt the air suddenly grow heavy.It wasn't bloodlust, but something grander and deeper,as if the entire sky of Sabaody had tilted slightly to gaze upon this man."The weather is quite nice today."Sabo spoke, but his gaze bypassed Sentomaru, falling toward the harbor.There, the sunny's sails were fully unfurled, the silver-gray canvas reflecting the most intense midday sun.Sentomaru's knuckles turned white from his grip. "Are you going to interfere with the Marines' arrest?""Hmm?"Sabo seemed to have heard an amusing joke, his eyebrows arching slightly,"Arrest?"The steel pipe in his hand stopped spinning and was lightly planted on the ground.This simple action caused the three Pacifistas to raise their muzzles by three degrees simultaneously.It was an automatic system response determining that the threat level had risen."Mr. Sentomaru, you've misunderstood."Sabo's smile deepened,"I'm only here today to ensure that my brother's departure goes undisturbed."At that exact moment, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the mangrove leaves, fully illuminating his face.His short blonde hair was like molten gold,and the striking scar near his left eye, rather than looking gruesome, added a certain resolute quality to his aristocratic, handsome features.Sentomaru's pupils contracted. "Brother?""Monkey D. Luffy."When Sabo spoke the name, there was an indescribable tenderness in his voice,"The Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and my most cherished brother."The long blast of the sunny's horn came from the harbor, a declaration of its departure.Sabo listened intently, a hint of relief added to his smile.He adjusted his top hat, the shadow obscuring his eyes once more, but the curve of his mouth was clearly visible:"So, could I ask you... not to go and stop him?"The phrasing of a question, the tone of a statement...The sea breeze blew through the harbor, rustling the hem of Sabo's formal coat. Fine sweat broke out on Sentomaru's forehead.His mind rapidly calculated:Three Pacifistas plus himself against the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command.Chances of winning? Unknown.But more important was the cost.A full-scale conflict with the Revolutionary Army's No. 2 on the Sabaody Archipelago could trigger chain reactions far beyond a simple pursuit of an Emperor.Furthermore... he looked at the steel pipe in Sabo's hand.Across the surface of that seemingly ordinary metal pipe, black patterns were currently flowing, barely perceptible to the naked eye.Armament Haki, and of the internal destruction level cultivated to the extreme."Luffy."Sabo suddenly spoke softly, his voice nearly swallowed by the sea breeze.The man was gazing at the sunny as it grew smaller on the horizon, his eyes piercing the distance as if he could see the figure wearing the straw hat at the bow.[Go, Luffy.][Whether it's me or Ace,][we both believe that you can become the Pirate King.]The sunny's sail became a tiny white dot on the distant sea, yet it still stubbornly advanced toward the east.That was the direction of the East Blue, the direction of home, and the path that dreams must traverse.[Advance toward your ultimate dream, even if it sounds absurd—]Sabo recalled many years ago in Foosha Village in the East Blue, three young boys standing on tree stumps, shouting their respective ridiculous dreams to the sea.The Pirate King, freedom... the adults shook their heads and laughed, but they only had firm belief in each other's eyes.[But...]On the surface of the steel pipe in Sabo's hand, pitch-black Armament Haki spread like a living thing, instantly covering the entire metal.With him as the center, fine cracks silently spread across the ground.He looked up at Sentomaru. This time, there was no trace of gentleness in his eyes.[We will never allow anyone to mock you.]