Knockoff Bar

Skypiea, the Gate of Heaven above the clouds.

Dawn broke, bathing the boundless White Sea in warm gold.

Gan Fall led the way, with Calpa, the sisters Shani and Shalou, and the two captains of the Thunder Cloud Guards following close behind. The entire Sky Island army stood solemnly among the clouds.

They were seeing off their beloved Lord Thunder God.

Shani hurried forward, carrying a small food box. Her eyes were full of reluctance. "My lord, I made these pastries myself. Please take them with you to snack on along the way."

Seven raised a hand in a casual gesture. The food boxes in the sisters' hands turned into streaks of light and disappeared into his system space.

This near-miraculous ability was one of the little tricks he used to uphold the Thunder God's authority and strengthen his people's faith.

Gan Fall stepped forward and offered him a heavy bag of shells. "My lord, we found some fine shells in the storeroom. They might come in handy on your journey."

"No need." Seven waved him off. The shells piled up in his system storage were enough to last him a year or two.

"Keep them for emergencies."

"Everyone, go on back."

Seven waved to the crowd. In an instant, countless bolts of thunder wrapped around him, turning him into a dazzling streak of lightning that pierced the clouds of the White Sea and vanished on the horizon.

The Sky Island residents stood where they were, gazing in the direction he had gone for a long, long time, reluctant to look away.

Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.

High above Jaya Island, the once-clear sky split with a nearly solid bolt of lightning. Amidst a crackle of thunder, it shot toward the Sabaody Archipelago at incredible speed.

Seven planned to exchange some of the gold in his system storage for Berries on Sabaody, and visit Vice Captain Rayleigh while he was at it.

Then he would head back to Water 7 and ask Mr. Tom to build him a large pirate ship.

Since he didn't have a ship yet, he had no choice but to fly there.

Of course, if he came across a pirate ship along the way, Seven, as a senior figure in the pirate world, wouldn't mind taking it and leisurely sailing to his destination.

Perhaps because his first few years after crossing over had been so oppressive, Seven had adapted to pirate life with remarkable ease.

He had no moral qualms about it.

More accurately, the Pirate World was a place where people didn't have many moral scruples. After all, the Celestial Dragons set the standard.

When it came to being rotten, the Celestial Dragons stood alone at the top.

By Seven's standards, even he could be considered a good person compared to them.

Seven didn't go out of his way to draw his sword on civilians, nor did he slaughter slaves for fun. Even the little punks who used to bully him as a child had only gotten beaten up for a few months straight.

Compared to the things the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, got up to, how could Seven's noble and pure morals not make him a good person?

But Seven didn't want to be a good person.

Being good was exhausting.

He'd rather do whatever he wanted. Occasionally, he'd seize a pirate ship, rob a merchant vessel transporting slaves, or plunder a World Government ship carrying Celestial Gold.

That kind of life was looking more and more promising.

In a couple of years, once the Morning Star Pirates had recruited enough powerful companions, Seven would head to Wano Country to beat up Kaido, snatch Yamato, and take over the place.

He'd become General of Thunder.

With a physique powerful enough to defy the heavens, Seven raced all the way to his destination: the Sabaody Archipelago.

The Sabaody Archipelago lay in the middle of the Grand Line, just before the Red Line.

It was formed from the exposed roots of the world's largest Yarukiman Mangrove, whose natural resin produced bubbles that floated up from the ground.

Different functions were assigned to areas of the archipelago according to their tree numbers.

Islands 1–29 were home to the slave trade and the Lawless Zone; islands 30–39 housed the Sabaody Park; islands 50–59 were where ships were coated; and islands 60–69 were under Marine jurisdiction.

The Knockoff Bar, owned by Shakky—the former world's most beautiful woman and Vice Captain Rayleigh's old flame—was on island 13 of the Sabaody Archipelago.

The Knockoff Bar was more than just a bar.

It was also an information hub. Over the years, Shakky had built up an extensive intelligence network, keeping tabs on pirates, the Marines, and even royal families across the seas.

As for the prices...

The bar's name said it all.

Whether a customer was human or ghost, they had to pay a fee to get in. That was why people often described Shakky as "a woman who knew how to do business."

Behind the counter at the Knockoff Bar, the still-alluring Shakky sat behind the wooden bar with a cigarette for women between her lips. Sensing someone enter, she didn't even look up. Her voice was lazily husky.

"What can I get you, customer..."

When she saw who it was—especially that distinctive head of silver hair—Shakky froze in surprise for several seconds. She had once been so startled by it that her heart nearly leaped out of her chest, along with those of the legendary pirate crew members Rocks and Roger.

"Long time no see, kid."

"Long time no see, Auntie Xia."

Shakky looked Seven up and down, astonishment and disbelief plain in her eyes.

"You've gotten taller. And a lot sturdier."

If she hadn't thought it would be rude, Shakky would have asked Seven what on earth he'd been eating these past two years to change so much.

It was a business opportunity, after all!

"Kid, the usual?"

"Yeah. A glass of milk, no sugar."

Like a certain famous bartender who was determined to destroy Mondstadt's liquor industry, Seven had little interest in smoking or drinking.

"Rayleigh went to coat a ship for someone."

As she poured the milk, Shakky remarked casually, "He probably won't be back until later."

"No rush. I just happen to have a business deal to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Shakky's eyes lit up. "Shall we talk upstairs?"

Seven hurriedly shook his head and conjured a finely crafted gold coin as if by magic. "Ten tons. What price can you offer?"

Shakky hadn't yet developed the thick lips and Big Mom hairstyle she'd sport later. She still had some of the makings of the world's most beautiful woman.

Besides, Shakky had often teased Seven in the past.

If they went upstairs to discuss business and Vice Captain Rayleigh happened to come back...

The coin, a work of art, had been minted by Seven using the high temperatures of lightning to refine the gold. It was bound to fetch more than gold sold in its raw form.

"Ten tons?"

Shakky blinked her big eyes and thought for a moment before speaking softly. "Selling it all at once could affect the price per coin. I suggest selling it in batches, in different areas."

Seven picked up his milk. "I'll leave it to you."

"I'm planning to ask Mr. Tom to build me a pirate ship soon."

"Good." Shakky nodded.

If anyone else had claimed to have ten tons of coins like these, Shakky would probably have thought they were messing with her. But she and Seven had known each other for years.

She knew what the kid was like.

Thinking of the kid from Roger's ship now building a pirate ship and setting out to sea, Shakky couldn't help but feel that she really was getting old.

The seas belonged to the young now.

But neither she nor Rayleigh had expected Seven to be the first to arrive. They'd thought Shanks would come first.

The two of them sat at the bar, chatting about this and that.

As night fell, island 13 slipped into the rhythm of nightlife in the Lawless Zone.

Suddenly, a man with long, wavy hair, a beard, and glasses pushed open the door. A vertical scar ran over his right eye.

"Look who's here," Shakky teased.

Seven smiled and slowly turned around.

"Sashiburi da na, Uncle Rayleigh."