Sabaody Archipelago

Chapter 91: Sabaody Archipelago

The Bubble Island was an island made up of the exposed roots of 79 separate trees known as Yarukiman Mangrove. It was located below the Red Line, close to the Marine Headquarters.

This place was a must-pass route to the New World, attracting numerous pirates, merchants, and bounty hunters. The tourism industry was flourishing, and various illegal activities were thriving here, making it a chaotic mix of people and events.

The island consisted of 79 numbered Yarukiman Mangrove, with Trees 40 to 50 mainly serving as tourist attractions and specialty shops. Most of the newcomers entered the Sabaody Archipelago through these trees.

Floating bubbles filled the sky, and Perona was flying in the air using her Devil Fruit ability, happily darting between the bubbles.

Rodney and his crew docked their ship next to Tree 41 and left a clone to watch over it. Kuzan bid them farewell as he left to report the situation to nearby Marineford, riding his bicycle in a leisurely manner. 

The crew found it puzzling that he didn't use a Den Den Mushi to make the call, but they guessed he preferred to summarize everything in one go, rather than splitting it into two reports.

Stepping onto the grassy ground, they saw bubbles and tall Yarukiman Mangrove all around them. Each tree was numbered, representing an independent area connected to the others.

"So, this is Sabaody Archipelago? Such a unique scenery," Robin said, wearing her hat and observing the surroundings. "Why are there so many bubbles?"

"The bubbles are the main feature here. They are special natural resins secreted by the roots of the Yarukiman Mangrove due to their breathing. The resin expands when exposed to air, forming bubbles. If you touch the roots of these grasses, you can feel something," Rodney explained.

Robin squatted down and touched the roots, picking up a handful of transparent liquid that was quite sticky and emitted a faint resin smell.

"Just as I thought. However, it's a bit disgusting," she said, about to wipe her hand on Rodney's pants.

Knowing the sly historian she was, Rodney pulled out a piece of paper to wrap around her hand. "Clean it yourself."

"You're no fun, Captain."

"You're the one who isn't any fun."

Which of them was the real sly one in the end?

Looking up to address Perona in the sky, Rodney warned, "Perona, I advise you to come down. There are Celestial Dragons active on the Sabaody Archipelago, and some of them may take a liking to a little girl like you. They might capture you and make you their wife."

"Ahhhhh!"

Perona had been educated about what Celestial Dragons were throughout the journey and was frightened, trembling in fear. She quickly hid behind Lester, saying, "You wicked guy! Don't scare me with Celestial Dragons!"

"Hehe, I'll go to Tree 13. Robin, Leicester, you two can do as you please. Take care of them." 

Rodney decided to act alone temporarily to avoid shopping with Robin and Leicester again. He had completely forgotten that the bubbles here could be used as cargo carriers and was eager to make his escape.

Robin and Leicester didn't doubt him. 

"Understood, Captain. We'll take care of things here with Robin. We won't take them to the illegal areas."

Areas 1 to 29 were the illegal zones, filled with places like human trafficking markets and auctions for captured pirates. Here, pirates had no rights, and the Marines wouldn't intervene no matter what happened. If you were caught, it was your fate; the place was a free-for-all, and it had no laws to restrict it.

As a result, the merchants here did whatever they pleased to make money. They took risks for a 50% profit, trampled on all human laws for a 100% profit, and committed any crime for a 300% profit. 

These money-driven, unscrupulous merchants were capable of anything, and without the restrictions of the lawless zone, they could sell anything to anyone. In fact, their major clients were the World Nobles living in Mary Geoise, the Celestial Dragons!

Those arrogant pigs had a lot of money, and as long as you paid them, one could get away with anything. They were even willing to buy items of uncertain origins, as long as they met their satisfaction.

Throughout the year, these unscrupulous merchants didn't know how much money they made from trafficking people since most of them were pirates and other races. The Marines wouldn't care about them, and the Celestial Dragons liked to have fun here as well. They would never allow these places to be closed down.

It was only because of the Marine Headquarters nearby that the illegal activities on the Archipelago of Bubble weren't too rampant. 

The fear of attracting the attention of high-ranking Marines kept most of the illicit activities concentrated in areas 1 to 29. However, after the Marine Headquarters moved to the New World, the Sabaody archipelago almost immediately became a haven for pirates and criminals.

Asking for directions, Rodney learned how to get to Tree 13 and nimbly moved between the bubbles, moving at high speed. He arrived at Tree 13 in no time.

Under the long steps, several pirates lay sprawled on the ground, as if a javelin had been thrust through them, skewering them between the gaps of the Manchineel Tree roots. Rodney shook his head at the sight, knowing they had fallen for the extortionate prices at "Shakky's Rip-off Bar."

This place was the famous "Shakky's Rip-off Bar," which had a bad reputation due to its exorbitant prices. Shakky, the bar's owner, always charged sky-high prices, and the worst part was that you couldn't even beat her in a fight.

The pirates were then violently beaten, their money taken away, and Shakky would kindly throw them out of the bar, directly from the top of the tree roots to the ground below, providing a good workout for them.

After these newcomers had their fill of food and drink, they would receive a hefty bill. If they tried to explain, Shakky would only reward them with a kind, vicious beating, leaving them lying on the ground like skewered vegetables.

In reality, the bar didn't sell food and drink; instead, it sold information. Only those who needed information came here, ordering a dish that met their needs. They would leave satisfied, no matter how expensive it was, as long as the price was reasonable.

As he stepped into the seemingly dilapidated bar, Rodney heard cries of agony from inside. A burly man was thrown out by a still-charming Shakky, joining the unfortunate group below.

"I'm going in."

"Oh, oh, oh! Look who we have here, such a big shot." Shakky, holding a cigarette, smiled as she spoke.

"I can't claim to be a big shot. I'm looking for an old man who spends his days drinking, gambling, and selling himself. I'd like to ask him to give my ship a coating," Rodney said, entering the bar behind.

"That old man isn't easy to find right now." Shakky shook her head and served him a drink.

Rodney thanked her and said, "Nice to meet you, Rayleigh. I finally get to meet you in person."

Rayleigh: "...Does this guy even know how to talk?"