Since they had already scouted the route beforehand, it did not take Cain and Uta long to reach the island where the concert would be held.
Cain kept the Going Merry hidden among the clouds ten thousand meters above the sea, supported by his flame clouds, while he and Uta rode Bella down and quietly slipped in behind the stage.
By now, a semi-automated roof structure had been erected over the entire venue.
All the frantic construction work had been completed, leaving the grounds completely transformed.
Countless lighting and sound systems were undergoing their final performance checks, while every member of the cast and crew had already arrived.
Merchants selling merchandise and snacks crowded the surrounding area, filling it with noise and excitement.
Every piece of equipment had been newly purchased and installed.
As Uta's first official live performance, every possible preparation had been made to ensure nothing went wrong.
More than two hundred staff members were waiting backstage in their assigned areas for Uta's arrival.
The moment Cain and Uta appeared, the scattered crowd immediately converged around them.
Quite a few reporters who had rushed over after hearing the news tried to squeeze to the front, only to be firmly held back by the security staff who had prepared for exactly this situation.
Surrounded by the crowd, the two made their way toward the dressing room.
Bella, meanwhile, was hidden inside Uta's clothes.
Only when Uta stopped outside the dressing-room door did the noisy crowd finally quiet down somewhat.
There were still three hours before the concert officially began, leaving her plenty of time to prepare.
However, when several reporters at the front saw Cain preparing to enter the dressing room with Uta, they immediately began shouting objections.
They repeatedly brought up the supposed "kidnapping" reported in the newspapers.
The smile vanished from Cain's face.
His expression darkened.
He asked Uta to wait inside, then slowly closed the door behind her. Gripping the weapon on his back, he slammed it against the floor.
Thud!
The heavy impact shook the corridor and instantly silenced every voice.
The pressure around Cain plummeted, carrying the unmistakable presence of a top-tier fighter. His gaze swept across the gathered reporters.
"Everyone, shut up!"
"You've been surrounding me and yelling for so long because you think I kidnapped Uta and intend to use her to make money, right?"
"Let me make this perfectly clear."
"I didn't!"
"Anyone allowed backstage should already know that this entire concert is free. I haven't put a single Beli into my own pocket, so there's no question of me profiting from it!"
(Inwardly, he added: 'Technically, I didn't make money from the concert itself. Mayor Iceburg just insisted on giving me some!')
"I'm not interested in money. Don't judge me by the same mindset you use to chase headlines and traffic. There's no point!"
(Inner Cain: 'That's only because I currently have money. Once I'm broke, I'll be very interested!')
The corridor remained deathly silent.
No one dared to interrupt.
Cain paused, then spoke slowly and clearly.
"The only reason I'm standing here today is to protect Uta."
"All those rumors about kidnapping her or restricting her freedom are baseless speculation. Keeping her safe is something I owe her—and something I promised long ago."
"I knew Uta before any of you did, and I understand better than any of you what she truly wants."
His eyes passed over the reporters holding cameras in the front row. His tone remained steady, but the warning in it was unmistakable.
"I'll say this once."
"If any of you follow Morgans' example and fabricate stories or publish false reports, I won't mind paying a personal visit to your company headquarters."
"This is only the first stop of her tour. There will be many more performances after this, and no one can guarantee what kinds of danger we may encounter along the way."
"That's why I'll remain at Uta's side throughout every concert."
"I'll watch every single person who approaches her."
"I will never allow any danger to affect her safety or her performances. That is my position."
"I'll protect her."
"That is my promise to Uta herself, to my grandfather Garp, to her father… and to everyone who cares about her."
"I swear it on every pirate crew standing behind me!"
His words stunned nearly everyone present.
That final oath, in particular, carried a weight that seemed to crush the breath from their lungs.
Who on this sea would dare provoke a pirate connected to not just one Emperor, but several of them?
Besides, when Cain and Uta had walked in side by side earlier, there had been none of the tension or conflict one would expect from a kidnapping.
Uta had stood quietly beside him with complete trust in her eyes. She had not looked coerced in the slightest.
The reporters began murmuring among themselves.
Thinking about it carefully, even if Uta had truly been kidnapped, there was no way she could have continued her usual broadcasts as though nothing had happened.
The concert was also completely free.
The claim that Cain intended to exploit her for money made no sense at all.
Could he actually be telling the truth?
Had Morgans' earlier report been entirely fabricated?
Cain ignored their growing discussion.
He picked up his weapon and entered the dressing room, closing the door behind him and shutting out all the noise.
The table inside was covered with snacks, delicately prepared dishes, and warm milk—all chosen according to Uta's tastes.
Uta was already enjoying herself.
She looked up at Cain and teased him about everything he had just said.
Even with the room's excellent soundproofing, she had still heard his forceful declaration outside.
Her teasing soon left Cain's face bright red.
Laughing, Uta picked up a piece of bread and stuffed it directly into his mouth. Cain took the opportunity to sit beside her and slowly began eating.
Bella floated nearby, watching the two of them enjoy their food so much that she nearly began drooling from her round cloud body.
It was not that the food itself looked especially tempting.
Watching Cain and Uta eat had simply made her hungry too.
Homies did not normally need food at all, but seeing the two of them so happy reminded Bella of the delicious freezing air she had tasted before.
Cain immediately saw through her thoughts and contacted the staff, asking them to prepare an iced drink for her.
Before long, it was delivered.
Bella bit down on the straw and eagerly drank several large mouthfuls of the chilled milkshake.
After only two sips, however, she scrunched up her face and complained indignantly,
"This isn't cold enough at all!"
The chill in the drink was nowhere near what she wanted.
Her complaint immediately reminded Cain of Aokiji.
The man should have arrived last night, yet Cain had asked every person in charge of the venue and none of them had seen him.
Cain scratched his head, pulled out a Den Den Mushi, and called Aokiji.
To his surprise, instead of Aokiji's usual lazy greeting, the moment the call connected, Cain was met with furious shouting.
"You little bastard! What kind of dump is this?! Is this seriously the venue you prepared for Uta?!"
At that moment, Aokiji was standing on a deserted island that looked almost identical to the real concert island.
It was the fake venue prepared specifically to lure in pirates.
Compared with the top-tier equipment at the real venue, the sound systems here were sparking with electricity, rubbish was scattered everywhere, and even the audience seats were riddled with cracks and holes.
As a devoted Uta fan, Aokiji had nearly exploded with rage at the sight.
He had been holding in his anger since the previous night, waiting to confront Cain.
However, more and more pirates kept gathering on the island, and Aokiji found dealing with them too troublesome, so he had not contacted Cain until now.
…
Meanwhile, Yasopp had also purchased a ticket and followed the crowd toward the "concert island."
Since Yasopp was a pirate, he had inevitably been sent to the wrong island.
"What the hell? Where did they send me?! Is this really supposed to be the concert venue?!"
Looking at the vicious pirates surrounding him, the rubbish piled across the ground, and the rusted, broken facilities, Yasopp's face darkened.
He raised his voice and roared.
"CAIN, YOU BASTARD! WHERE THE HELL DID YOU SPEND ALL MY MONEY?!"