Chapter 95

A/N: I'M BACK! I do apologize for the veeeery late update... but I can't help it. I was dealing with life and its shenanigans. I hope everyone had wonderful holidays!

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Ace jumped up to the head of the Rabuka bull he rode. He then spoke to Hepha who was riding on his Rabuka bull's back.

"So?" Hepha asked. "She say anything worthwhile?"

"There's a bank downtown," Ace said. "It's at a higher level. We'll have to ride a water elevator. We can buy maps there."

"Oi, Doppol!" Hepha called for Doppol's attention. "Buy us a map of Water 7 in that shop, would you?"

Doppol looked towards where Hepha pointed. It was a shop that people had to enter to buy something from it. Above their door was a sign showing a globe and books. Doppol then turned back to Hepha.

"I don't have any money on me, sorry!" Doppol said, rather embarrassed. "All I have with me right now are my shipwright tools!"

"Seriously?" Hepha said before taking her wallet and throwing it towards Doppol. "That should be more than enough!"

"Alright! You guys wait here," Doppol said before jumping off his Rabuka bull's head. Ace and Hepha watched him enter the shop.

"Hey, Ace. Can I ask you something?" Hepha asked Ace as they waited for Doppol.

"What is it?"

"I heard you and Vash talking last night."

"Ahh… you heard that, huh?"

Ace remembered the conversation he had with Vash the previous night. It was about what Aokiji told him when they met. Ace didn't divulge everything to the crew as that would prove detrimental. He didn't want them to worry too much.

"They're that serious, huh?" Hepha asked. "I guess that's why our bounties didn't change…"

"Yeah," Ace said as he nodded grimly. "They don't expect us to survive for long, so they didn't bother."

"The Admirals will be on our asses," Hepha said. Her voice shook slightly. "It'll be tough…"

"We'll make it. I'm sure of it!" Ace said with a smile as bright as he could make it. "Besides, those guys are after me. When worse comes to worst, I could just face them alone while you guys escape."

"Take it back."

"Huh?"

"Don't say that, Ace!" Hepha shouted at Ace. It was loud enough for those nearby to momentarily pay attention to them. 

Ace was surprised at Hepha's reaction and wasn't able to say anything in response immediately. After a few seconds of silence, everyone who wanted to eavesdrop on them just went back to their business. That was when Hepha continued speaking.

"Are you stupid?" Hepha asked. "You think we'll leave you?"

"That was an order, Hepha."

It was Hepha's turn to be silenced. She stared wide-eyed at Ace's unusually blank face. Their captain usually had that little smile that seemed to never disappear from his face. This time, it was nowhere to be found.

"They want me," Ace said. "If my life is the price to be paid to save my crew, so be it."

"But-!"

"A crew is not just its captain, Hepha," Ace said as the small smile returned to him. "Sure, there's a chance that our crew would disband once its captain dies. But if that means you guys get to live, so be it."

"...you're serious."

"I am. But don't look so sad," Ace said with a small chuckle, seeing the small frown on Hepha. "It's not like I'll die. I'm not that weak!"

"...damn, you're more arrogant than I expected," Hepha said, chuckling as she shook her head at Ace's words. "They're called the Navy's strongest military force for a reason, you know? One Admiral should be an incredibly tough opponent, even for veteran pirates. But three of them at the same time?"

"We don't know that," Ace said, relaxing on his seat on the Rabuka bull's head. "We'll figure something out. That's what we're doing, right?"

Hepha just stared at Ace in response. Judging by the look on her face, she was clearly feeling exasperated with Ace.

"I don't understand how you can be so… calm."

"I'm not," Ace said. "I'm just…"

At that moment, they spotted Doppol walk out of the shop he went to. Doppol waved a hand to them carrying a piece of paper. 

"Let's go," Ace said as Doppol went to his Rabuka bull. "Doppol has the map."

"Here, Ace!" Doppol said before throwing the rolled up piece of paper to Ace.

Ace caught the map Doppol threw and opened it. Hepha peeked at the map from behind Ace. The map was rather elaborate. There was also a label that said that the map was drawn only a week ago, making it very accurate to the present Water 7.

"We'll go here," Ace said, pointing at the part of the map showing the nearest water elevator. "Then, the bank will just be a little ways away!"

"Let's go!" Doppol said, cheering from his side. He was the most excited among the crew about their arrival in Water 7. He'll learn how to build an improved and flying Ashen Dragon, after all.

"Follow me!" Ace said, leading the way based on the path the map showed.

Soon enough, the two Rabuka bulls carrying Ace, Hepha, and Doppol arrived at what seemed like a small opening that served as a waiting area. Yagara bulls and a few other Rabuka bulls were waiting with them.

"This must be the place," Hepha said as she watched everyone around them stare at what seemed like a wall.

"That must be the water elevator," Ace said. He was proven correct immediately after.

Much to Hepha and Doppol's surprise, they witnessed a solid looking wall literally open up. From inside, a voice came. It was a woman who spoke, riding on top of a Yagara bull.

"The water elevator to downtown Water 7 is open!"

At her beckoning words, the people waiting for the water elevator riding on top of their own respective bulls went inside the water elevator. Ace, Hepha, and Doppol entered as well. Once everyone was inside, the wall that Hepha and Doppol were surprised by closed up once again. 

"I guess they'll be filling up this chamber with water, then," Hepha said, guessing correctly how water elevators work.

"This city is amazing!" Ace said with a wide grin.

As Hepha said, everyone felt the water level rise. Of course, those inside the water elevator rose with the water.

"Yo, Doppol!" Ace called out to Doppol. "You doing alright?"

"I'm doing great!" Doppol said, with a big smile. Ace was concerned because the water elevator was a rather shaky ride that would surely affect those with seasickness. "The open sea is much worse than this!"

"He's finally doing much better," Hepha said.

"Why's he so seasick anyways?" Ace asked.

"He was much worse when I first met him," Hepha said, chuckling at a memory. "He's a damn decent shipwright… but he's a terrible sailor."

"Seems… ironic."

"It is," Hepha said, nodding in agreement to Ace. "Apparently, he never rode a ship before. He just built them."

At that moment, everyone felt the water level stop rising. Soon after, the wall behind them opposite to where they first entered opened up. The locals of Water 7 rode out nonchalantly, already used to the beautiful sight of the city.

Ace, Hepha, and Doppol marveled at the beauty that lay before them as their Rabuka bulls ferried them out of the water elevator. The upper levels of Water 7 stood before them like an oil painting on a blue canvas.

"I'll say it again… this city is amazing!" Ace said, fully appreciating the view before him. Everything was much better experienced personally.

"The way they used water in their daily lives… I wanna see more of their architecture!" Hepha said, spoken like a true forgemaster.

"Ace! Where's the bank?" Doppol asked, shaking Ace and Hepha out of their reverie. Ace quickly took a look at the map.

"Follow me!"

Ace led the way to the bank. It wasn't very far from the water elevator, so they arrived there soon.

…

"What the hell did you just say?" Hepha asked, glaring at the appraiser assigned to inspect their gold.

"Y-Y-Your gold is worth 300 million!"

It was painfully obvious to Ace, Hepha, and Doppol that the appraiser was lying to get a higher profit. They already expected a degree of an attempt to cheat them out of their money, but such an obvious attempt was rather insulting. Even amateurs would know that they were carrying much more than 300 million Berry worth of gold and jewelry.

"...you think we're stupid?" Hepha asked, leaning forward from her seat. "One last chance. How much is our gold worth?"

"W-Well, let me inspect your gold deeper this time before I answer," the shady appraiser said, holding his magnifying glass closer to his eyes as he inspected the gold.

Ace, Hepha, and Doppol patiently waited for the sham of an appraiser to finish his inspection. After a minute, he was done.

"After another inspection," the appraiser said, slowly speaking as he observed three sets of eyes on him. "I now realize that I made a mistake…"

"No shit," Doppol said with a slight scoff.

"Your gold is worth…"

Ace, Hepha, and Doppol awaited the true worth of the gold they carried with bated breath. What the appraiser said next shocked them…

"400 million Berry!"

…because the appraiser still hasn't given up trying to scam them.

"As if!" Ace, Hepha, and Doppol said at the same time.

"Eek!"

The appraiser retreated in his seat under the intensified glare of the trio in front of him. Then, his eyes landed on Ace.

"W-Wait! I… I know you!" the appraiser said, pointing a shaky finger at Ace.

"Finally, your infamy has its use," Hepha whispered under her breath.

"Yeah?" Ace asked the appraiser with a smug smirk. "Who do you think I am?"

"I'm sorry!" The appraiser stood up and bent his back forwards to deeply bow to Ace. "Please, don't destroy our bank!"

"HAHAHAHA! I won't!" Ace said before patting the appraiser's shoulder. "But, there's a price for that…"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The appraiser nodded at each word. "I understand! We'll pay you as much as we can for your gold!"

"That's more like it!" Hepha said.

"B-But the thing is…"

"What is it?" Ace asked, seeing how much the appraiser hesitated to say his next words.

"I'm afraid this bank doesn't currently have the proper amount of money to adequately compensate you," the appraiser said slowly. "Your gold… is worth one billion Berry!"

"One billion?" Hepha and Doppol were surprised to hear the actual worth of their gold.

"Yes. That's why we can't pay you for your gold immediately," the appraiser said. "We just don't have that much money on hand right now. I'm deeply sorry!"

"Then, just pay for what you can," Ace said.

"We could… but as an apology for you, dear customers, I have a suggestion."

"Go on…"

"Six hours from now, there will be… an auction in St. Poplar."

"An auction, huh?" Ace was very interested. From the way the appraiser told them about the auction, it was obvious that it wasn't exactly the legal kind.

"Yes… it's a closed-off auction. Members only," the appraiser said before taking out something from his chest pocket. "Take this to the building at the end of the river, and you'll be welcomed inside. They value gold more than Berry over there."

"Thanks for the info," Ace said before taking the card the appraiser fished out of his pocket. It was a shiny gold card that had no writing whatsoever on it.

"Again, I do apologize on behalf of our bank," the appraiser said. "As an apology, may I offer to buy a quarter of the gold you're carrying for 350 million Berry?"

"We accept!"

Ace accepted the 'kind' offer. A quarter of their gold was only worth 250 million Berry, after all. From the way the appraiser still shivered, Ace was glad that his infamy has its uses.