Enies Lobby Arrives, Passengers for This Stop, Please Disembark

First, head to Water 7, then take the sea train.

In Water 7, Rono met several seniors.

Rob Lucci, Kaku, Bruno, Kalifa.

The four were very interested in Rono. Not only was he one of the only two members to directly enter CP9 (the other being Lucci), but he was also the only one recruited by a high-ranking official from CP0.

Although Rono also hoped to build a good relationship with Lucci and the others, the sea train was about to depart.

To conceal his identity, Rono became Lucci's cousin. Lucci gave Rono some local specialties of Water 7—Water Water Meat. This was to dispel any suspicion from Iceburg (the mayor of Water 7). The current CP9 members were not yet the skilled shipwrights who would later be highly regarded by Iceburg; they were just a group of new shipwrights.

Rono waved goodbye. The sea train had a large number of passengers, most of whom were riding for the first time and seemed a bit excited, chatting in twos and threes.

Rono was bare-chested, with seven or eight Water Water Meats slung over his shoulder, and he was stuffing one into his mouth with his hand.

"What do you call this young man?" a shifty-eyed man with a small mustache sat down next to Rono and spoke familiarly.

"Rono," Rono stopped eating.

"Little Rono, want to buy a potted tree? This tree of mine has quite a story."

"Oh." Rono acknowledged, continuing to eat Water Water Meat.

"Uh—, don't you want to know about it?" The man with the small mustache was puzzled. Why wasn't this person playing by the usual rules? But as a merchant, he had to create opportunities even if none existed.

Rono glanced at him, put down the half-eaten Water Water Meat, and wiped his mouth with his hand. "Go ahead, tell me about your tree." Rono was actually extremely bored. It was just that everyone around him, seeing his height, lost interest in talking to him.

"Ahem, let me tell you, this tree is extraordinary. It was brought back from a 'living' volcano. Its leaves are red, and it... How's that for a story?" The man with the small mustache chattered on. Rono's interest was piqued slightly. "Let me see it." He thought for a moment, then placed the Water Water Meat on the seat. "Never mind, I'll go with you to see it. If I like it, I'll buy it."

Rono indicated he wasn't short on cash. Although he was bare-chested, his fiery red trousers were the latest model from the renowned "Criminal" brand, famous among both Fishmen and humans. They cost Rono over a hundred thousand Belly. The cloth shoes on his feet were also from the "Criminal" brand and cost over ten thousand Belly. Otherwise, the man with the small mustache wouldn't have approached him. The wealthy were the ones who got attention.

They arrived at the cargo carriage. A young man with a cigarette in his mouth was leaning against a flowerpot. Seeing Rono approach, he asked the man with the small mustache, "Found a buyer?"

The man with the small mustache nodded. "Almost. Little Rono said he wants to see it first."

"Naturally." The young man moved aside, revealing a Red Leaf Tree that had been hidden behind him. It had no flowers or fruit, was yellowish all over, and faintly reflective. Rono tapped the trunk, producing a metallic "Duang Duang" sound.

"Hmm, it's quite rare. How much are you selling it for?" Rono looked at the strange tree, less than 2 meters tall, a playful thought arising. It would be great to put it in the courtyard to show off.

"20 million," the man with the small mustache said, his face unchanging and his heart not skipping a beat.

"Oh." Rono turned to leave.

The man with the small mustache almost spat blood. Brother, you can haggle! Just walking away without a word will leave you friendless.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't go, don't go. We can talk."

The man with the small mustache hurriedly grabbed Rono's arm.

"I have money, but I'm not a sucker, you know?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Little Mustache was deflated by Rono, a reckless kid who didn't play by the rules.

"15 million, not a penny less. We were going to auction it at Sabaody Archipelago, for at least 20 million. This might be the only one in the world."

Little Mustache said with a straight face.

"You said auction, so 12 million. I'll buy it if you agree, otherwise I'm leaving."

Rono tossed a gold coin in his hand.

"Fine, deal!" Little Mustache immediately replied.

"..." Rono was speechless, but still prepared to buy. He took out a gold card issued by the bank, indicating he wouldn't give Little Mustache a bounced check.

Little Mustache, reassured, took out a check and had Rono sign it, then signaled for his subordinate to leave.

This was an unwritten rule. The World Bank, as a major power, issued gold cards only to those with at least 30 million Belly. If Rono's balance dropped below 10 million Belly, the bank would downgrade him to a silver card, preventing the issuance of bounced checks.

Rono stroked the trunk of the strange tree, extended his Bone Claws, and gradually applied force. At about nine-tenths of his strength, Rono finally cut a gash into the trunk.

"Hmm, it can be a target too." Rono retracted his Bone Claws, stroking his chin.

He bent down, picked up the flowerpot with both hands, and returned to his seat. He didn't care that the flowerpot took up half the aisle, and continued eating Water Water Meat.

The system surprisingly didn't assign any tasks, as if giving Rono a day off.

No one else approached him for the rest of the time. Rono saw Little Mustache and his companion get off at the next stop after Water 7, presumably to exchange Belly.

Rono slapped his forehead. He took out the high-end Vodka he had bought from the luggage compartment under his seat, opened the cap, and started drinking. "I knew something was missing, it was alcohol."

Amidst the clatter of the Sea Train, Rono ate meat heartily and drank deeply.

The sky gradually darkened. By then, Rono was the only one left on the Sea Train. The next stop: Enies Lobby.

Rono's head was swimming. His upper body was flushed red, and paired with his red pants and red hair, he was quite conspicuous in the carriage.

"Huh? Who is this?" A 5-6 year old twin-tailed loli, Chimney, walked up, pinched Rono's cheek, and squeezed his arm.

"Chimney, don't mess around." Kokoro, who was even drunker than Rono, was doing her usual cleaning of the train with Chimney.

"Mmm." Rono seemed to be woken up by Chimney. He stretched. "Old lady, can you ask the conductor when we'll arrive at Enies Lobby?"

"I am the conductor." Kokoro took another swig of alcohol and replied with a burp.

"Oh! So that's how it is..." Rono's drunkenness halved instantly. "What the hell! The conductor is drunker than me! And if you're the conductor, who's driving the train!"

Rono raised his hand in complaint, sticking his tongue out.

"There's no one. Hic." Grandma Kokoro remained unfazed.

Rono could barely remember the plot of One Piece anymore. He vaguely recalled the protagonist was named Luffy, he had a brother who was the Pirate King's son, what was his name again? And a father, really slick, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, with a thousand people on one Den Den Mushi.

Of course, he wouldn't remember supporting characters like Grandma Kokoro.

Chimney ran around cheerfully, showing no signs of nervousness.

"Nani!" Rono stuck his head out the train window. Damn, the lights in the Captain's Cabin at the front were all off.

"Am I going to die in a place like this?" Rono slumped onto the chair, despair etched on his face.

"Young man, I've been driving this train for almost ten years. A veteran driver, absolutely."

Grandma Kokoro gave him a thumbs-up and a brilliant smile.