Sabaody Archipelago
Shakky’s Rip-off Bar
“Are you not going?” Shakky asked, puffing on a cigarette as she looked at Rayleigh, who was drinking alone in the dining area.
Rayleigh didn’t respond, staring at his bottle with an expressionless face. Despite his outward calm, his mind was not at peace.
“Young Shanks has already gone to Loguetown. I’m worried he’ll act impulsively,” Shakky expressed her concern, exhaling a ring of smoke.
“Shanks knows what he’s doing,” Rayleigh finally replied, taking another swig from his bottle.
“The Marines are transporting Roger to Impel Down and don’t seem to be in a hurry. They probably want to lure out old-timers like you. Will the others take the bait?” Shakky asked.
“The Marines’ intentions are too obvious. They won’t be fooled, especially since Roger gave strict orders,” Rayleigh said, standing up. “I’m going for a walk.”
“Come back soon,” Shakky reminded him as usual, watching him leave.
Rayleigh waved his hand as he disappeared through the door, leaving the bar in silence. Shakky sighed, continuing to clean the seemingly endless stack of dishes.
New World, Unknown Waters
On the distant horizon, a massive shadow approached.
An enormous figure gradually emerged, undeterred by the raging sea. This was a giant elephant, larger than a small island, comparable to a medium-sized island, reaching the scale of a large island.
Surrounded by clouds and mist, this giant elephant carried a thriving island on its back, known as Zou.
The island was home to a civilization and a tribe that had established a nation. Forests, rivers, towns—it was not much different from a human kingdom.
The inhabitants, known as the Mink Tribe, could speak and fight like humans and shared many human traits. The Mink Tribe had resided on Zou for over a thousand years and were known for their formidable combat skills, using electricity to enhance their attacks. The entire nation had no weaklings; even the young and old could fend off minor pirates, and even infants had basic self-defense skills.
Despite their strength, the Mink Tribe was often seen as a commodities in the human world, fetching varying prices on the black market.
In the center of Zou was the Whale Forest, marked by a whale-shaped landmark and a village below it.
“Mr. Jabba, Roger is being escorted to Impel Down by the Marines. Are you just going to watch him get executed?” asked Nekomamushi, a formidable cat mink with a scar near his left eye, smoking a pipe. He wore a garment with circular patterns and had a bushy mane and a massive black and white tail.
Beside him stood Inuarashi, a tall dog mink dressed in noble attire with a sword at his waist and sunglasses.
“Ha ha… This was the captain’s decision,” said Jabba, the man Nekomamushi addressed, with a hint of helplessness.
“Will you go to Loguetown?” Inuarashi asked respectfully.
“Maybe,” Jabba replied, sipping his drink. “I just happened to pass by here today. I’ll leave after we finish drinking.”
“In such a hurry?” Nekomamushi asked, clinking his bottle with Jabba’s.
“Of course,” Jabba smiled, not explaining further.
“By the way, I ran into Kaido while passing by Wano Country. That lunatic seems to have a grudge against Oden. Shouldn’t you check on him?” Jabba asked, recalling the encounter.
“Kaido?” Nekomamushi and Inuarashi’s expressions changed.
“We spent some time on Whitebeard’s ship back then, and Kaido clashed with the captain. Could it be because of that?” Inuarashi speculated.
“Newgate? Kaido can’t beat him,” Jabba reminisced about Whitebeard’s ferocity, “Even if I went all out, I couldn’t take him down. Only the captain could stand against him, thanks to his ability to hear the voice of all things.”
“It’s a long story,” Nekomamushi started.
“Then don’t tell it,” Jabba interrupted with a laugh.
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi looked awkward, then resigned.
“Time flies. When Oden brought you two on board, it caused quite a stir. He said you two were troublemakers in Wano, fearing nothing,” Jabba laughed, making Nekomamushi and Inuarashi even more embarrassed.
“That’s all in the past. By the way, do you know where Rayleigh is?” Inuarashi quickly changed the topic.
“Probably with Shakky,” Jabba replied disdainfully.
“Let’s call it a day. I’ll visit again when I have time. You should check on Wano. Kaido is not easy to deal with,” Jabba said, finishing his drink and standing up.
“We still have more,” Nekomamushi offered.
“Next time,” Jabba waved, his figure slowly fading away.
“Mr. Jabba is still so decisive,” Inuarashi remarked with respect as the room emptied.
“We should go to Wano,” Nekomamushi said seriously.
“No time to lose,” Inuarashi agreed, and they left the hut.
New World, Unknown Island
“Barrett, Roger is going to be executed in Loguetown. The Marines are escorting him to Impel Down,” said Buena Festa, a scrawny man with an afro, entering a cave filled with various metals and machinery. He spoke to a towering man wearing a military coat with two medals on his chest.
“When did this happen?” Barrett asked, his deep voice echoing as he stepped into the light, revealing a rugged and fierce face.
“Here,” Festa handed him the newspaper.
“Is this your idea?” Barrett asked, crumpling the newspaper as he stepped outside, staring at the sun.
“Are you going to Loguetown?” Festa asked.
“No need,” Barrett smirked, waving his hand. Douglas Barrett, known as the Demon Heir, was a member of the Roger Pirates, with unmatched strength.
Meanwhile, Near the Twin Capes of the Red Line
A man in a red jacket, white glasses, and beach shorts, sporting a split beard, sighed as he read the newspaper.
“Is your life coming to an end?” he murmured to himself as a small whale surfaced nearby.
All around the world, figures who had been silent for over a year sighed as they read the news.
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