Chapter 130: The One-Punch Pirate (Part I)

For the average person, witnessing yet another pirate become a Warlord of the Sea serves at most as a reason to disparage the World Government’s actions, followed by speculation on whether the authorities are attempting to fill all the vacant Warlord positions in the near future. It seems this is already the second new Warlord appointed in recent times.

For the parties involved—Doflamingo and the Donquixote Family—the realization of their goal brings, first and foremost, a sense of relief, followed only then by complacency or self-satisfaction. Well, if you think about it, looking across the vast universe, isn't that just how "great achievers" operate? Courting death is an essential process in life; if you court it and survive, you might just become someone of note. If you actually die doing it... well, Godspeed, and I won't see you out.

Doflamingo knows when to stop. Having secured what he wanted, he withdrew cleanly from the gold-tribute ship. There was no need for further handover formalities with the Navy; once the marines aboard were freed, their own combat strength would be more than enough to ensure a safe arrival at Mary Geoise. Though it sounds ironic, one must not forget that there were still two Vice Admirals on that ship.

Qiubai had actually hoped to see Doflamingo renege on the deal and swallow the Heavenly Tribute after gaining the Warlord title—perhaps something interesting would have happened. However, the Donquixote crew’s activities were not some "independent research project" for Qiubai’s summer vacation, and Doflamingo was not about to commit suicide.

With the matter settled, the Donquixote Pirates set their sights on the New World. But before that, they had to pass through the only gateway between the first and second halves of the Grand Line: the deep, dark passage beneath the Red Line, the underwater city of Fish-Man Island. Like all ships bound for the New World, their first stop was an archipelago that does not appear on a standard Log Pose: the Sabaody Archipelago.

The reason it isn't recorded by magnetic pointers is that this archipelago, consisting of 79 islands, has no magnetism at all. It is less a collection of islands and more a perennial woody plant—the "above-ground" portion of a single tree that has grown all the way up from ten thousand meters below the sea. This unique specimen of the Yarukiman Mangrove is, without a doubt, included on the World Government’s list of protected natural and cultural heritage sites.

Located beneath the Red Line, the Sabaody Archipelago was chosen by Doflamingo as a place to prepare for the descent. The water pressure at ten thousand meters is enough to reduce any ship to a pile of driftwood, so before going underwater, the ship had to be "coated"—encased in a giant soap bubble. Look at it this way: this nautical procedure is quite like a condom-assisted journey; to ensure an excellent experience without any accidents, one must naturally put on an ultra-thin sheath first. The only difference is that while most people use rubber for such activities, here, one must use resin—the secretions of the Yarukiman Mangrove are the primary material for the coating.

The Grand Line, east of Enies Lobby and before the Red Line, is a treacherous stretch of sea, and calling it a pirate graveyard is no exaggeration. Any pirate crew daring to enter this region must carefully weigh their own worth. The reason for the danger is not the climate or the harsh natural conditions, but rather the "human factor"—this area is lined with the "extreme power" of humanity: Enies Lobby, Impel Down, the Navy Headquarters of Marineford, the seat of the World Government, and the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons, Mary Geoise.

This is the region with the highest concentration of naval military power, not to mention the combat prowess; the Admirals, representing the supreme strength of the World Government, are stationed at the Navy Headquarters year-round. Although there is currently only one Admiral, if one were to count "Buddha" Sengoku, pirates might as well just smile, because there is nothing else they could possibly do.

Of course, this no longer concerns the Donquixote Pirates, for since becoming a Warlord, they are technically "on the same side" as the Navy. Or rather, while they may still loathe each other, open conflict is no longer an option. As pirates, Doflamingo certainly has no right to use the Navy’s exclusive currents, and the Gates of Justice will not open for a Warlord, but the *Miss Love Duck* still sailed through this sea area with brazen confidence.

Such a swaggering display would naturally attract the attention of passing warships, yet when they approached, they found there was nothing they could do. It is no wonder that any sailor with a shred of idealism wants the Warlord system abolished; even Qiubai felt for the first time that this damn Navy was truly stifling. The naval ships flew their sails emblazoned with the word "Justice," yet could only watch as a pirate ship strutted past them. For the marines experiencing this for the first time, the humiliation would be something they would remember for the rest of their lives... or so they thought. Once they got used to it, they would simply become numb. Compared to people changing the system, it is far easier for the system to change the person.

Thus, the Donquixote Pirates arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago without incident. Coating a ship is complex, precision work, so it takes at least three to five days—the coating craftsmen are a high-income group. Consequently, everyone had some free time.

"Area 13, Area 13..." Qiubai muttered, constantly checking the map in his hand. Having finally arrived at such a famous tourist destination, he naturally wanted to explore it thoroughly. However, compared to the natural scenery, he was more interested in the famous "humanities landscape."

He was moving alone; Bepo had been left on the ship. Sabaody is a rather chaotic region, and being a Mink made moving around somewhat inconvenient. "Come to think of it... I haven't seen a Celestial Dragon yet, have I?"

Because the Sabaody Archipelago lies directly beneath Mary Geoise, Celestial Dragons are by no means a rare species here; they are a common sight. However, it would be best for Qiubai not to run into one—his own mental state is already questionable. He was approaching the idea of encountering a Celestial Dragon with the curiosity of someone visiting a rare exhibit, but what kind of chemical reaction would occur if he actually met one? No, it should be a physical reaction... nuclear fusion, perhaps?

If it ever came to a situation where he had to yield the path to a Celestial Dragon, one could gauge Qiubai’s bottom line by taking Roronoa Zoro’s reaction at the time and multiplying it by a thousand. Fortunately, he did not head toward the areas where Celestial Dragons frequently appeared. After all, time was limited, and compared to sightseeing among the Celestial Dragons, he was more interested in seeing more famous figures—"living legends," perhaps? At the very least, he could ask for some swimming tips; such big shots shouldn't be stingy with their advice, right?

"Found it, it really exists... 'Shakky's Rip-off Bar'."

In a certain spot in Area 13, Qiubai found a lonely building. It was a bar, and business was excessively bleak. Well, with a name like that, it would be a miracle if business were any better.