The Maiden Roland!

Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 1.

"Where are the people who were supposed to welcome me? They ran off! No one came to greet me?" Swain said shamelessly.

Norton took a serious look at Swain.

The captain is really... utterly shameless!

Are these people supposed to be welcoming him?...

Norton mentally ranted like crazy.

Jordi also pressed a hand to his forehead, speechless.

What a freak!

"We'll split up." Swain instructed everyone on what they needed to do.

Norton went to buy some daily necessities and food.

As for Jordi, he went to coat the Neptune, because heading to the New World required passing through Fish-Man Island.

The ten-thousand-meter underwater pressure was no joke.

Meanwhile, news of Swain killing the Celestial Dragons gradually spread.

Grove 39.

Inside a pub, apart from a white-haired middle-aged man, there were no other customers left around.

"The navy's forces seem to have increased lately."

"Yeah! I heard a pirate named Swain killed two Celestial Dragons," a middle-aged woman replied.

"That brat's got some nerve. He actually went and did what I've always wanted to do!" The man laughed heartily.

"Indeed! You don't see many young people with that kind of grit."

"I really do feel like meeting this youngster," Shakky said with a smile.

Slaughtering Celestial Dragons and burning their flag.

Throughout the history of the pirate world, no one had ever managed to pull that off.

This was the kind of daring that belonged to Swain!

The two people conversing were none other than Rayleigh and Shakky, living in seclusion on the Sabaody Archipelago.

"It all depends on whether he can withstand the World Government's insane retaliation next," Rayleigh said in a calm tone.

After all, if he couldn't even weather a single wave of retaliation, Swain could only be considered an overlord.

Not a hero!

Meanwhile.

"Great Eruption!"

Akainu stood at the bow of a warship, striking down the fleeing pirates ahead.

The magma landed on a pirate, turning them to ashes without even a dying scream.

Absolute strength!

"Report! The marshal has issued a dispatch order, requesting your return to reinforce the Sabaody Archipelago!" A soldier reported to Akainu.

"What nonsense! I still have pirates to catch! You issue a dispatch order at a time like this?"

Chomp on his cigar, Akainu wore a thoroughly reluctant expression.

"Whatever the reason, unless headquarters gets overrun by pirates, I'm finishing this mission first before heading back!"

A general away from home can ignore the ruler's orders!

Although Akainu had never heard that saying, he had put it into practice plenty of times.

When it came to carrying out his philosophy of justice, he never stopped for even a moment!

"Two Celestial Dragons were killed by pirates!" The soldier answered nervously.

Seeing Akainu angry, he was terrified, dreading that he might get forced to drink a cup of magma the next second.

After all, Akainu's stern reputation was well known!

"So they killed some human scum! They need me to go back for that?"

"Total buzzkill!"

Then he ordered the ship to turn around, heading toward the Sabaody Archipelago!

Meanwhile, Doflamingo in Dressrosa suddenly received a message from Marine Headquarters.

"Shichibukai close to the Sabaody Archipelago, assemble at once!"

"Hmm?" This left Doflamingo somewhat puzzled.

"What is it, Young Master?" asked Baby-5 from the side.

Dressed in a maid outfit, she cut a very striking figure, and her blushing cheeks only served to accentuate her cuteness.

"Nothing." Then he simply went back to sleep.

It was too far away! Besides, did they think they could order him around with just words? Doflamingo thought dismissively.

Shichibukai in various other locations also received the message, but like Doflamingo, they all chose to ignore it.

If they wanted to mobilize them, they had to bring out an official mobilization order!

Swain knew nothing of this at the moment.

Sengoku had actually dispatched a headquarters admiral and the Shichibukai to intercept him.

Still, even if he knew, he wouldn't be worried.

If I can't beat you, can't I just run away?

Right now, he was soaking his feet at a massage parlor!

He wore a look of pure enjoyment.

"Ah, this is the life!" Swain couldn't help exclaiming.

Hearing him groan like that, the female attendant washing his feet blushed furiously.

Anyone who didn't know better would think they were up to some shameful business.

At that moment, Swain suddenly remembered that he still needed to recruit a maid!

He looked at the fresh, youthful girl before him, noting her lovely face and good figure.

He had to admit, there were plenty of beauties in this world.

Even getting a foot wash came with such an exquisite beauty.

An idea struck him, and he probed, "Are you a local?"

"Ah! Are you talking to me?" It took her a moment to reply—her reaction time was practically glacial!

"Yeah, aren't you the only girl around here?"

"No, I was sold to this place," the girl said with a smile.

That blushing face of hers clashed discordantly with her chilling tone.

"Oh, is that so!" Swain said.

The girl seemed to be waiting for something, but seeing that Swain fell silent again, she tucked that hope away once more.

There had been seven or eight girls bought alongside her back then, and now only she was left.

The rest had either been sold off as sex slaves, abandoned by people, or died of illness.

Only she remained, kept on because of her passable looks to continue doing manual labor for others.

Even though she desperately wanted to escape this place and see the outside world...

"What can you do?" Swain spoke up again.

This reignited her hope.

"I can do laundry, cook, do housework..." She began to rattle off a endless stream of tasks.

"Alright, alright!" Swain made a stopping gesture.

She knew quite a lot! Swain thought.

The girl thought Swain was getting annoyed and hastily stood up to apologize, "I'm sorry, sir! I didn't mean to, please don't tell the boss."

That pitiful, pleading look was truly heartbreaking.

"I didn't mean it like that..."

"I meant this!"

Heaven knew! Swain had zero experience interacting with girls in his past life.

He was stumbling over his words now.

"Huh?" The girl's cherry lips parted slightly, showing she was thoroughly confused.

"Would you like to come to my bed?"

"No, no, I said it wrong, would you like to come to my ship?"

Swain felt thoroughly awkward.

He had completely made a fool of himself!

The girl froze for a moment, then burst into a tearful laugh. "Mm-hmm!"

"Good, from now on you're my crewmate. You'll take care of my daily life, and you'll be the purser on my ship."

"Specially in charge of purchasing supplies."

With that, Swain mustered up his "majesty" as a captain.

As for his other "purser," she was still out drinking others under the table at that moment, completely unaware that her financial authority had been stripped away.

Then he called out, "Boss! I'm buying this girl's contract!"

"How much is it, name your price!"

If a foot parlor attendant was bought out by someone else, her stay or departure was entirely up to the boss.

After all, her indenture was in his hands, and he could sell her to whoever he pleased.

This was the law set by the World Government!

The boss nodded and bowed, saying, "No need, no need!"

He waved his hands frantically to indicate he didn't want his money.

"Roland, why aren't you hurrying up and leaving with this guest!"

Swain shot the boss an appreciative look, scaring the man into lowering his head in a hurry.

The boss had been present when they welcomed the Celestial Dragons, so he naturally witnessed Swain's methods.

To top it off, he had just engaged in a transaction with him—if the navy investigated, his head might roll!

So he hurriedly urged Roland to go.

His petty life was far more important!

A thousand miles away from the Sabaody Archipelago, Akainu's warship was also about to arrive!