Capturing a Celestial Dragon, Encountering Garp

A gentle breeze swept across the sea, rippling the emerald waves.

Hachinosu Island grew smaller and smaller in their view before finally vanishing beyond the horizon.

Before his transmigration, Dimon had rarely traveled by ship. Riding a sailing vessel was a first in his life, and he found it quite novel.

"So, where are we going to capture a Celestial Dragon?" Whitebeard asked, Naginata in hand.

Rocks planted one foot on the figurehead and declared boldly, "Of course, we're going to Mary Geoise!"

So they were still going to the Holy Land?

Dimon shook his head. "Is there a possibility that Celestial Dragons occasionally leave the Holy Land?"

"Dimon, do you have an idea?" Stussy asked casually as she touched up her makeup with an open compact.

Relaxed. At ease.

It was as though they were not about to kidnap World Nobles, but merely heading out to sea for a vacation.

After thinking for a moment, Dimon said, "Celestial Dragons sometimes pay visits to other countries."

"Without intelligence, roaming the world at random doesn't mean we'll run into one," Golden Lion said with a shrug.

Dimon realized that was true and changed his approach. "There's one place that serves as a backyard for the Celestial Dragons. You can often see them there."

At those words, everyone exchanged glances and spoke in unison:

"Sabaody Archipelago?"

"That's right!"

Dimon nodded. "That island is very close to Mary Geoise. Celestial Dragons who stay in the Holy Land year-round occasionally come down to the 'mortal world' for recreation. We'll definitely run into them there."

Gloriosa pondered, "It is indeed very close, but Sabaody Archipelago is also very close to Marine Headquarters. If we, the Rocks Pirates, show ourselves there, the Marines will be on us within half an hour."

Dimon pointed at himself. "I can go ashore first. Once I find a Celestial Dragon, I'll contact you. Then you can make a Divine Descent—grab the target and run."

"Then we'll go with that plan!"

Rocks sat on the figurehead with his back to the others. "Shiki, I'm counting on you."

"Got it. But I want a bigger ransom!"

Golden Lion grinned and slammed his palm onto the deck. "Poison Snake!"

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The Jebec Sword shuddered violently, then rose off the sea and hovered in the air, flying high into the sky in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Dimon could not help feeling a little envious.

The Paramecia Float-Float Fruit was really useful!

Among the thousands upon thousands of Devil Fruits, the one he liked most was the Float-Float Fruit.

Of course, he only liked it. If he truly had to choose one to eat, he might not necessarily pick the Float-Float Fruit.

"I'm a little seasick. I'll go rest in the cabin for a while." Dimon made up an excuse to leave.

He entered the deckhouse, where the space was quite large and furnished with everything one could need.

Dimon poured himself a glass of water and sat down on the sofa to rest.

A thick stack of wanted posters lay on the table before the sofa, all of them famous Great Pirates with names to their credit.

Dimon picked them up and flipped through them. Some he recognized, while others he had never heard of.

"That won't do, Dimon. You actually get seasick."

Charlotte Linlin followed him inside and plopped down beside him. Seeing him flipping through the wanted posters, she said:

"These are all Rocks's targets. He likes using Davy Back Fight games to obtain crew members from others—even captains."

It was a game among pirates for taking people, created by a Great Pirate named Davy Jones, who was also Rocks's idol.

The loser of the game had to swear to Davy Jones that they would serve the winner for life.

Including Whitebeard and the others, all these powerful members of the Rocks Pirates had joined in this way.

Dimon put the wanted posters back down and glanced at Charlotte Linlin.

"I just wanted to rest for a bit. I'm not seasick."

The moment he finished speaking, Charlotte Linlin threw an arm around him like they were old buddies.

"You're way too small. A man can't be this skinny."

Dimon: "..."

At one meter eighty-six, he had actually lived to see the day someone called him small.

Still, compared to Charlotte Linlin, he really was quite "small."

"I'm a pure-blooded human, unlike you. Your ancestors might have had some Giant race blood, right?"

"Who knows? My parents were normal humans. They abandoned me when I was very young."

Charlotte Linlin leaned closer, her tone full of temptation. "Earlier, you said one bottle of wine could pour four cups. You gave one cup to Kaido, so there are three left."

"What are you trying to say?"

"If I sleep with you, you give me a cup. That's a pretty good deal, isn't it?" Charlotte Linlin's lips curled slightly.

Dimon pushed her face aside, his eyes carrying a trace of disdain.

It wasn't that he minded an older woman, but this one was a little too old. Even with his exceptional talents, he would only be a toothpick stirring a giant vat.

"Not interested."

"Why?!"

Charlotte Linlin was speechless. "I'm this beautiful, and I'm not worth one cup of liquor?"

"If the plan succeeds, you'll get to drink it anyway." Dimon proposed another deal instead. "How about this? Teach me Haki, and as payment, I'll give you a cup."

"Deal—!"

Before she could finish the word "deal," a figure suddenly sprang out from behind the sofa.

"I can teach you too~" Gloriosa wore a serious expression. "I used to be the captain of the Kuja Pirates. Our Kuja tribe has a highly systematic method for training Haki."

Charlotte Linlin glared furiously at the woman who had disrupted things.

"Glo-ri-o-sa!"

"You shameless woman! I knew you'd come running over to seduce a man."

Gloriosa snorted, her gaze full of contempt. "Don't fall for her trick, Dimon. She pops out babies like popcorn."

"What the hell does that have to do with you?"

"I just can't stand watching you deceive people."

"Fine, fine, fine! Looks like we can only settle this with a fight!"

"Who's afraid of who?"

Seeing the two women arguing, with their war of words about to turn into an actual brawl, Dimon silently got up and left.

Back on the deck, he found Kaido.

"Teach me Haki, and I'll wipe out the debt you owed me before. How about it?"

"Wororororo! As fellow apprentices, we should help each other, Dimon."

"Just tell me if you're doing it or not."

"Deal!"

Ten days later, Sabaody Archipelago.

Dimon wandered the streets, looking around idly.

In fact, they had arrived at the island three days ago. It was just that Rocks and the others were still flying in the sky, while he was the only one who had come down.

For the past three days, he had been waiting for Celestial Dragons to appear, but no matter how long he waited, none showed up.

The Sabaody Archipelago was rather unique. It consisted of seventy-nine Yao Man Red Trees, with each tree representing a different district, which was why it was called an archipelago.

The ground of the islands was made of tree roots. Bubbles constantly rose from beneath the ground, then suddenly burst after floating to a certain height.

The island's bubble culture was extremely developed: bubble amusement parks, bubble-powered bikes, and even houses built on bubbles.

At that moment, District 24.

Dimon noticed something unusual happening on a distant street.

Pedestrians hurried to the sides of the road, lowering their heads and kneeling. At the end of the cleared street, a group of people was slowly approaching.

The person in front wore a white outfit resembling a spacesuit, with a transparent bubble over his head.

Celestial Dragons!

And more than one!

Dimon's eyes lit up. He immediately stepped into an alley, took out a Den Den Mushi, and dialed a number.

A moment later, the call connected.

"Moshiboshi, is that Dimon? This is Rocks."

"Rocks, I've got good news for you. Celestial Dragons have spawned in District 24!"

After a pause, Dimon chuckled. "There's bad news too. Marine Vice Admiral Garp is protecting them."

"Wait there. We'll be there soon!"