Shakky's Rip-off Bar  

The day after Kanata and her crew had decimated the human trafficking rings and human shops in Sabaody Archipelago, she sat in the spacious dining hall, perusing the newspaper while enjoying her meal.

One particular headline caught her eye, and her eyes widened in surprise.

The news of Zephyr's retirement from the front lines was a shock, even to Kanata.

She had fought him twice. While she hadn't lost, he had proven to be a formidable opponent, a man she wouldn't forget easily.

Kanata tilted her head, studying the newspaper article.

"…He's not that old. There must be a reason for this…"

It was an internal matter. Even Garp wouldn't know the details.

Zephyr had declared he would capture her. But now… it seemed they would never meet again.

"Well, it's good for us if someone that strong is out of the picture."

"It will definitely have some impact. A change in Admirals means a decrease in the Marines' fighting power."

Sengoku was just as formidable as Zephyr, but the presence of an active Admiral carried weight. Some pirates would undoubtedly grow bolder.

Of course, the Marines weren't a weak organization that would crumble so easily. They had plenty of powerful individuals, with Garp at the helm.

Kanata folded the newspaper, preparing to go out.

She was going alone, just to gather information. Samuel and the others had wanted to come, but it wasn't a place to bring a large crowd, nor did she need intimidating men accompanying her to a place that might have children present.

"Someone keep an eye on Kuro. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."

"Got it. We'll watch him closely."

"That's harsh! I can behave myself!"

"If you see something unusual?"

"I'll go check it out."

"Do you think we should get a Seastone collar for him?"

"It's worth considering…"

George sighed, exasperated by Kuro's lack of remorse.

She doubted he would get into trouble again, not so soon after yesterday's incident, but he might just end up destroying the Sabaody Marine branch. They could easily handle ordinary pirates, even without Kanata, so it wasn't a major concern.

As long as they kept him on a leash, it should be fine.

"Our crew has grown. We need to stock up on food and medicine."

"Yeah, they said it doesn't take that long to reach Fishman Island, but you never know what might happen."

They had encountered unforeseen circumstances in Sabaody, but things were relatively simple when force could solve their problems.

Shipwrecks, for example, were far more troublesome. There was nothing their strength could do against the wrath of the sea.

It was best to be prepared.

"What else do we need?"

"Food, medicine… Clothes and supplies, I guess?"

"Right, they don't have any clothes."

Most of their new recruits had been taken by force. They didn't have any spare clothes. They couldn't just let them walk around naked, so they had to buy them some clothes.

They had plundered a considerable amount of wealth. They could afford to be a little extravagant. They needed a lot of clothes, so it would cost a pretty penny, but it was a necessary expense.

Money was useless if they didn't spend it. There was no point in hoarding it if they were going to die anyway.

Scotch would handle the food, and Sukura would take care of the medicine.

"We could ask that Longarm to handle the food."

He had been a cook on a ship before arriving here. The cooks they had hired simply because they could cook were relieved to be replaced. They were warriors, not chefs. They had only taken the job because there was no one else. If they had a specialist, it was only natural to let him handle it.

They had a lot to prepare, but they had ten to fourteen days to kill. They could take their time.

"What about me?" Kuro asked.

"Stay out of trouble."

"I heard there's an amusement park called Sabaody Park. Can I go?"

"You're still not reflecting on your actions, are you?"

It seemed they needed to keep a close eye on Kuro.

***

The bar was located in the lawless area.

Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Grove 13, Sabaody Archipelago.

The first thing Kanata saw was a group of pirates, lying in front of the bar, beaten to a pulp. They had come to drink in the afternoon, been charged an exorbitant price, and tried to leave without paying.

Kanata had no idea about the details, but she instinctively felt it was best to avoid this place.

However, information about the New World was valuable. There was a chance she could gain vital knowledge that would affect their voyage, so she steeled herself and opened the door.

"Welcome, what can I get you…? Oh, you're…"

"Gloriosa told me about this place. Is she here?"

"No, not right now. But I heard about you… Come in, have a seat. I wanted to talk to you too, Ms. 'Dragon Slayer Witch'."

The woman, Shakky, the owner of the bar, had short black hair and a youthful appearance. She had been reading the newspaper while smoking a cigarette. Several newspapers, all dated within the past few days, were scattered on the counter.

Shakky placed a hot towel and a cup of coffee in front of Kanata, who had taken a seat at the counter.

She poured herself a glass of liquor, introduced herself, then stared at Kanata intently.

"…You know, you look familiar."

"We've never met before, have we? Did we meet somewhere?"

"Fufu, no, it's not that. You're Octavia's daughter, right? You look just like her."

Kanata wanted to sigh.

Everywhere she went, she encountered traces of Octavia. She was a pirate, so it was inevitable, but… it was getting tiring.

Shakky took a drag of her cigarette, reminiscing.

"I knew Octavia, but unlike Gloriosa, I wasn't part of the Rocks Pirates. So, don't give me that look."

"I've been dealing with Shiki, Linlin, and all sorts of trouble because of my mother."

"Ahaha, you poor thing!"

Kanata shrugged, thinking about her mother, who seemed to attract trouble wherever she went.

"Gloriosa and I are both former pirates. Though, we've retired now."

"…You said you're different from Gloriosa. Does that mean she was a member of the Rocks Pirates?"

"Yes. Apparently, she thought Octavia had returned when she saw you, but your atmosphere is completely different. And neither of you reacted to seeing Gloriosa."

"I can't really react to someone I don't know… But I always thought the Rocks Pirates were a bunch of hotheads."

"I can't deny that. Gloriosa said they were always killing each other on that ship."

The crew was composed of powerful individuals, but they constantly fought amongst themselves.

Those who condoned killing their comrades clashed with those who didn't, and the weak were eliminated. And as they died, Rocks recruited more from various places, so the survivors were inevitably the strongest.

They were undoubtedly the most powerful pirate crew of their time.

"Those were the good old days… But I never learned who your father was. I have a guess, but do you know?"

"Yeah. But I'm not telling you."

Shakky wasn't a former member of the Rocks Pirates, but if she knew Octavia, she could probably guess who Kanata's father was. But she couldn't be sure.

He was a man Kanata had never met. She didn't have enough information to confirm his identity.

More importantly…

"You wanted to hear about the New World, right?"

"Yeah. Any useful information would be appreciated."

"Well… I don't need to tell you about the weather in the New World, but it's quite different from anything you've experienced so far. But I'm not a navigator, so it's hard to explain the specifics."

"Just tell me what you've experienced."

There was a lot of information about the Grand Line, but some of the descriptions of the weather seemed too outlandish to be true.

The only way to confirm it was to experience it firsthand. That's probably why most people treated such information as fairy tales.

No matter how much information they gathered, it was difficult to discern the truth.

She had heard that the route to Fishman Island was dangerous, but Tiger had offered to guide them, so she wasn't worried.

"I can tell you about the current situation in the New World. And about the rookies who are gathering in Sabaody."

"I'm not really interested in that."

"Really? Information is a weapon. It's better to know… You currently have the highest bounty amongst the rookies. There are six pirates with bounties over a hundred million on this island, and four of them are you and your crew."

"I guess I've lost my sense of scale. It's rare to see so many high-bounty pirates in one place."

"Fufu… There were more in the past. But right now, the only pirates on this island with bounties over a hundred million, other than your crew, are 'Iron Fist' Artefa and 'Great Whirlpool Spider' Squard."

They both had bounties a little over a hundred million, but Kanata wasn't interested.

She didn't want them as subordinates, nor were they rivals pursuing the same goal. They were simply fellow pirates in the eyes of the Marines.

If they were enemies, it would be different, but she had no interest in those who simply shared the same island.

"The New World is in chaos right now. After you repelled Shiki, and then Linlin's defeat, the struggle for territory has intensified. 'World Destroyer' Byrnndi World is currently in a war with Shiki. 'Whitebeard' disliked this situation and temporarily moved to the West Blue from the New World."

That was probably because 'Whitebeard' didn't have a fixed territory.

He was strong enough to avoid defeat, but apparently he disliked large-scale conflicts and decided to leave the New World.

She didn't consider him a coward.

His opponents were Shiki and Linlin, both powerful forces, and World was also a renowned Great Pirate. Even the mighty Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't escape unscathed.

It was a decision that prioritized his crew, which was typical of him.

"The Roger Pirates are causing trouble as usual. And–"

As Shakky spoke, the door to the bar opened.

Gloriosa, carrying a young girl, stood in the doorway.

"How's business, Shakky? Oh, Kanata, you're here too."

"Ah, Gloriosa, welcome."

Gloriosa, holding the young girl, sat beside Kanata, ordering tea and milk.

The girl, shy and intimidated by Kanata, clung to Gloriosa's clothes.

Her long purple hair and timid demeanor reminded Kanata of Feiyun.

"Hmm… What's her name?"

"…Kaie."

The girl, hiding behind Gloriosa, answered softly.

Shakky placed the tea and milk on the table, extinguishing her cigarette, and left to attend to other matters.

"Shakky's busy, huh?"

"This child's quite shy. It's not good, but I've been trying to calm her down with candy."

Considering Kaie's circumstances, it was understandable.

Kanata's upbringing had been similar, but she had been mentally mature, so it wouldn't be a good comparison.

Shakky returned, carrying a basket filled with individually wrapped candies.

Gloriosa, watching Kaie happily suck on a candy, asked Kanata, "Did you find any useful information?"

"Some. Though, I wonder how you know so much about the current situation in the New World, even though it's not in the newspapers."

"That's a trade secret."

"…Well, I'm glad to know it's in chaos."

No matter what was happening in the New World, their destination remained the same – Fishman Island. Knowing the situation beforehand would give them an advantage.

"Will you be staying on this island, Gloriosa?"

"Yes. I'm originally from Amazon Lily, but I left the island due to an illness… It's cured now, but I can't return, not after leaving like that."

"You can't return? Why?"

"I'm a former 'Empress'. I can't go back after abandoning my country."

She was the captain of the infamous Kuja Pirates and the Empress of Amazon Lily. She had been called that once, but now she was just a woman raising a child.

"I used to rampage as a pirate, but after retiring and coming here, I haven't been in any battles. I've grown weak. If I was still the woman I used to be, this child wouldn't have been kidnapped…"

Gloriosa's voice was filled with regret as she stroked Kaie's hair.

"Being in a peaceful environment can dull your senses. But if you're constantly in the midst of conflict, it sharpens your instincts."

Kanata had gained her strength because she had no choice but to fight. She wouldn't be this strong if she had lived in a peaceful environment.

"I've destroyed most of the human shops and trafficking rings on this island. It should be safe for a while," Kanata said.

"I heard about that. There have been rumors of attacks on human traffickers all over the place. It was you, wasn't it?" Shakky asked.

"They messed with my crew. I had no choice but to find them and wipe them out."

"My goodness… You went all out, didn't you?"

Gloriosa knew about the attack on the auction house, but she hadn't realized the scale of their operations.

She was surprised that Kanata would go to such lengths for a single crew member.

"Come to think of it, you killed a Celestial Dragon, didn't you? It was an unprecedented incident, a huge scandal… Was that because of a similar situation?"

"Something like that," Kanata replied simply, taking a sip of her coffee.

Shakky and Gloriosa knew the gravity of harming a Celestial Dragon. It was unbelievable that she was still alive after doing such a thing.

Shakky guessed that her bounty had skyrocketed because she had repelled the Marines' pursuit. She looked at Gloriosa.

"Hey, Gloriosa. Why don't you join her crew?"

"What?!"

"…Why? You're not having any problems on this island, are you?"

They were both confused by Shakky's suggestion.

Kanata and her crew were wanted criminals. Joining them would only bring trouble for Gloriosa and Kaie, who were living peacefully on this island.

"This island isn't safe. Kanata might have wiped out the human traffickers, but there are still plenty of pirates in the lawless area, and the traffickers will return eventually. I don't think you'd lose to ordinary pirates, but Kaie might be in danger, you know?"

"Hmm… That's true, but…"

It was dangerous to be at sea as well.

There was a difference in the number of people they had to protect them, but Kanata and her crew were wanted criminals. They had even been attacked by Shiki and Linlin.

Despite this, Shakky insisted that joining Kanata's crew was the safer option.

"And Gloriosa, you're a wanted criminal too, you know. I wouldn't recommend living in the lawless area with a child, not with Marine Headquarters so close."

"What? Do you have a bounty?"

"Yes. Gloriosa. Your bounty is over 80 million."

She had been the captain of the infamous Kuja Pirates and a former member of the Rocks Pirates. Her bounty was significant. And she wasn't weak.

"That was a long time ago."

"You're just rusty. And you can't fight properly with a child to protect, can you?"

"But…"

"For Kaie's safety, I think it's best to join Kanata's crew. I heard they're taking in many of the freed slaves."

"It's true that we have a lot of people with nowhere to go."

"See? They'll accept a small child."

Shakky was really pushing for this. It made Kanata wonder if she wanted Gloriosa gone, but… even if that wasn't the case, the current situation wasn't ideal.

Sailing the Grand Line was dangerous. Traveling between islands was a matter of life or death. They needed considerable strength and navigational skills to reach a safer island.

Sabaody Archipelago wasn't safe either.

Pirates constantly arrived, preparing to journey to Fishman Island. There were bounty hunters in the lawless area, and the Marines might target them because of their bounties.

"I'll welcome you if you decide to join us. But I'm not forcing you."

"Hmm… This is a tough decision."

"What do you want to do, Kaie?"

"Me? I… don't mind."

There was danger everywhere. The entire world was a dangerous place for Kaie.

She had been kidnapped by traffickers when she was separated from Gloriosa for a moment, and almost caught in the crossfire between pirates and bounty hunters.

But she didn't want to be alone. That was the only thing she was sure of.

"…There aren't many safe places on this island. Joining Kanata's crew might be the best option."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. I'll be in your care."

Gloriosa bowed her head to Kanata.

Perhaps she wanted to stay with Kaie until she could take care of herself, or at least until she was old enough to not worry so much.

"Is Kaie a Devil Fruit user?" Kanata asked.

"Yes. She seems to have eaten a Zoan-type Snake-Snake Fruit… but she refuses to transform, so I don't know the details."

Perhaps it was an ability she didn't want to use. It was understandable, considering she had been abandoned because of it.

It would depend on her mental state.

There were many Devil Fruit users on Kanata's ship. Hopefully, she would learn to be confident in her ability, but there was no way to know for sure.

"Then – to celebrate Gloriosa and Kaie joining our crew."

Kanata, Shakky, Gloriosa, and Kaie raised their glasses in a toast.

Hoping for a brighter future, for a safer journey ahead.