Sabaody Archipelago

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After an intense and passionate night, Hancock lay contentedly in Akira's arms, wishing such moments would last forever.

"I'm planning to set sail tomorrow," Akira said.

"Tomorrow? Wherever you go, I'll go too," Hancock replied.

"Not this time," he gently declined.

"Why?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"This time, I'm going to the Sabaody Archipelago."

At this, Hancock's face paled. Sabaody was the last island before the Grand Line's halfway point, positioned right beneath the Red Line—home to Mary Geoise, the World Government's headquarters and the dwelling of the Celestial Dragons and their slaves. Hancock shuddered at the memory; she had been kidnapped, sold, and kept as a slave by the Celestial Dragons for four painful years. Even a vague thought of it brought nightmares, making her avoid that place at all costs. Despite being a Warlord of the Sea, she had never set foot in the New World.

"Why... why are you going there?" Hancock asked, fear in her voice.

"Partly to see the place But mostly because there's something I need to do, someone I need."

"Is it that important? Couldn't you avoid going there?" she pleaded, clutching Akira's arm, her body trembling.

Akira hugged her tightly, whispering, "It's just a quick errand. I'm not leaving you behind. If you miss me, call, and I'll return right away. Just wait for me here."

"No! I want to come with you!"

"No need to force yourself."

"No! I'm not a Celestial Dragon's slave anymore. I'm free of their mark; I need to face my past."

Since Akira had removed the slave mark from the backs of Hancock and her sisters, they'd stopped hiding their past and openly declared that Akira had lifted the Gorgon Curse from them. He was hailed as their savior and the hero of Amazon Lily.

Hancock's affection for him only deepened everytime she thought of him as he made her find peace and safety beside him.

Akira looking at her, he didn't know if he should remove these painful memories from her mind as he hated seeing her like this while he was helpless.

he then squeezed her cold hand, reassuring her, "Don't worry, I'll be with you the whole time."

Deep down, he wanted her to confront this fear. It was a heavy scar, one that would continue haunting her until she faced it. 

Akira stayed with Hancock the whole day comforting her.

---

The next day, their ship set sail.

Joining Akira were his brothers, Shisui and Itachi, along with Hancock. By infusing chakra into the ship, they avoided alerting the Sea Kings lurking in the Calm Belt. They had discovered this trick by chance, but it proved invaluable, allowing the Uchiha to travel without relying on Sea Prism Stone.

They didn't understand the principle but it was a good thing for them.

During the voyage, Akira handled the cooking. Hancock, wanting to impress him, tried her hand at making a meal. But the dish—a strange, dark concoction with colors that defied nature and a fish that seemed almost alive—revealed her lack of culinary skills. So, Akira took over, filling the table with dishes so delicious Hancock couldn't believe anyone could cook that well.

Days passed on the calm sea until one morning, Shisui called out, "Akira, you need to see this!"

Akira stepped onto the deck, seeing an enormous mountain blocking their path.

"That's not just any mountain," he explained to Shisui and Itachi, who were unfamiliar with this world. "This is the Red Line."

In the Grand Line's unique geography, the Red Line divides the seas into East, West, South, and North, while the Calm Belt separates them horizontally. Crossing this line, one enters the New World, where, according to legend, the One Piece treasure awaits, drawing pirates in pursuit of the title of Pirate King.

Itachi asked, "Akira, if we reach Raftel, does that make you the Pirate King?"

"Maybe," he answered with a smile. "If I get the chance, I'd like to see for myself what all the mystery is about."

After all, if Gol D. Roger could become the Pirate King, why couldn't Uchiha Akira?

---

"This is the Sabaody Archipelago!" Akira announced as their ship approached. Massive red mangrove trees loomed ahead, their roots forming islands that were constantly encased in rising bubbles.

Hancock's face tensed as they neared; they were too close to the place of her nightmares.

After docking, Akira turned to his brothers, "Go enjoy yourselves, and try not to cause too much trouble. But even If you do, I'll handle it."

With a encouraging response, Shisui and Itachi leapt off the ship, exploring with childlike excitement. Shisui hopped from bubble to bubble with joy, prompting Itachi to try it as well. As the brothers explored, they encountered a merchant who introduced them to "bubble bikes," an entertaining way to travel around the Archipelago. They rented two and raced through the bustling islands, laughing as they chased each other.

As they raced, they noticed a crowd gathered nearby. Curious, they approached and saw a towering, monstrous-looking man holding a woman by the neck, begging the bystanders for help.

"Please, someone! Anything—an axe, a saw! I just need to get this collar off! I don't want to go to the New World! My wife and kid are waiting for me back home. I just want to see my son…he doesn't even know my face!"

A man's collar started to beep.

Then—

Boom!

The collar exploded.

"Ahhhhhh!"

The man screamed in agony, lying on the ground covered in blood.

"Ahhhh!"

"It's a runaway slave!"

"Get away! Don't touch him!"

The onlookers panicked and fled.

On a rooftop, a man carrying a large axe sat, going through a stack of wanted posters. "That was the captain of the Demon Pirates, Diaz, with a bounty of 60 million. What a disgrace. People like him won't survive in the New World."

"Are you alright?" Shisui asked a woman. Just a second before the collar exploded, he had used his teleportation jutsu to save her.

Realizing she had narrowly escaped death, the woman was overwhelmed with relief, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"No need to thank me. It was just a small favor."

Just then, almost everyone on the street knelt down. A group of people approached, led by a man and woman dressed extravagantly, each wearing a bubble-encased helmet.

"Ugh, how annoying! Daddy, we lost another one!"

"Didn't you give him his daily sedatives?"

"Of course, I did! But they don't work on idiots! Just buy me another one."

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