Why Were They Fighting?

Sabaody Archipelago.

GR 59, outside the Whale Coating Workshop.

After nearly a week, the Mike and the Boro finally reached the outskirts of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Unexpectedly, the journey had been calm and uneventful, without any interceptions or attacks.

Yet that abnormal calm only made the string in Lin Nuo's heart tighten further.

The two ships docked along their prearranged hidden shore.

From a distance, Lin Nuo spotted a ship already moored by the coast.

Its design was strange, as if it had been crudely converted from a large Marine warship.

The hull still bore traces of dismantled gun emplacements and countless scars.

Lin Nuo's vigilance immediately rose.

After a brief discussion with Whitebeard, they decided to split up and look for different coating workshops to speed things along.

Whitebeard took part of the group to the neighboring GR 58.

They agreed to stay in close contact through Transponder Snails and provide immediate support if anything happened.

Kuma, Moria, and the others remained aboard the Mike to guard the ship.

Lin Nuo led Kokoro, Alice, Silver Axe, and Babel toward the sizable-looking workshop by the shore.

Its sign bore the image of a giant bubble whale: the Whale Coating Workshop.

The moment he neared the grassy outskirts of the workshop, Lin Nuo's steps paused slightly.

A familiar, powerful, overwhelmingly domineering presence came openly from the direction of the workshop.

That aura was so distinct that Lin Nuo did not even need to deliberately sense it with Observation Haki.

He looked up.

In the open space before the workshop.

A tall man in a dark coat was carrying a huge barrel of materials in one hand.

As though he had sensed the gaze upon him, the figure stopped moving.

He slowly turned his head.

Across dozens of meters of grass and