Former Companions

Amidst screams from the crowd, the Utakata aboard the Thousand Sunny burst, and it glided down into the clouds.

"No!!!"

Only when the descent stopped did the group cautiously peek out, gazing at the scenery below, and exclaiming in amazement.

"This is Wano Country, it's so beautiful..."

"Really? Nami, let me see... this... isn't this the Island Cloud from Skypiea? How can this be!"

"Don't push, Usopp, I want to see too!"

The crowd shoved and jostled around the railing. Luffy took the lead and jumped onto the corner. The sight that came into view made him shout.

"Amazing! They're all Island Cloud, and they're completely still!"

The Flower Capital below is no longer the Flower Capital City it was more than a decade ago.

Colorful Island Cloud hang in the sky, and cherry blossoms are in full bloom, fluttering in the wind, with petals falling like rain.

The streets and alleys were bustling with people, creating a lively atmosphere.

Everywhere you look, there are vendors, street performers, and clean streets paved with stone slabs that blend in with the environment.

The girls strolling around and the women shopping made no attempt to hide their laughter, which was as sweet as silver bells.

Luffy exhaled deeply and inhaled forcefully downwards, the aroma of alcohol, pancakes, fried fruit, and desserts filling his nostrils.

"It smells so good! What a lively place! Is this the legendary Wano Country?!"

"Gold, gold! Where is all my gold?!"

"Ninjas, where are the ninjas? Where are all the ninjas and samurai?"

Ignoring the noisy group around him, Trafalgar Law looked around and immediately spotted something.

"Are they here?"

The next moment, a shrill scream like a baby's cry echoed, and the Thousand Sunny, which had been floating on the Island Cloud, suddenly took off.

"Hey, Luffy! This isn't the time to get excited. What's the deal with this strange bird?!"

With wings that blotted out the sky, and enormous claws that grabbed the Thousand Sunny, it charged toward the center of the Flower Capital.

As the shadow drew near, everyone realized that the giant bird overhead had a serpentine body, and the fiery clouds swirling behind it were dark and malevolent.

"You bastard, what are you going to do to my Thousand Sunny, rubber rubber..."

"Stop! Straw Hat Captain, if you attack this guy without permission, it will be seen as starting a war. This guy is Four Emperors's pet; he's just here to see us off..."

"Eh! This... this monster is a pet? Just how strong is that thing?!"

Usopp's legs had been trembling ever since he entered Wano Country. Robin nodded slightly and said earnestly.

"He is probably one of the five strongest people in the world. Even Marine Admiral might not be able to defeat one of the Four Emperors. After all, there have been previous wars in which Marine Admiral failed to defeat the Four Emperors."

"The strongest in the world for all eternity! Hey Luffy, we're facing this kind of guy right now, isn't the difficulty level increasing a bit too fast?!"

Usopp huddled in a corner, transformed into an insect, trembling with fear. Chopper had been mesmerized by the sight of the Island Cloud, also snapped out of his daze.

"Yeah! Usopp is absolutely right. Isn't it a bit too much for us to go up against the world's strongest right now, Luffy..."

"Who cares about you! I'll find all the gold in this Golden Country right now, and nobody can stop me from stealing all this gold and silver treasure!"

As they watched helplessly as Nami's eyes transformed into Beli's, Usopp and Chopper were utterly plunged into despair.

"Have we arrived yet? This guy is still the same as before, making his place so extravagant..."

Above the Shogun's Residence, a black hole, spreading like a vortex, Itsumaden and the Thousand Sunny. The intense white light forced everyone to close their eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, the magnificent scenery that unfolded before me was even more breathtaking than what I had seen outside the Flower Capital.

The land is made of clouds, the city is made of White Jade, and the twelve pavilions are all carved beams and painted rafters, magnificent and splendid, with a thousand years of splendor all contained within.

Within the pavilion, enchanting birds danced, the air was filled with the aroma of wine, and graceful figures could be seen dancing indistinctly from time to time.

"Hey! What are those cities made of? They look really valuable..."

"Gold! Gold! Which building contains the gold?!"

"Hehe, these twelve White Cloud Pavilion are all cast in gold. The exterior is made of a gemstone called White Jade, and the inner framework is constructed entirely of pure gold..."

"Each White Cloud Pavilion costs no less than 50 billion Beli, you little thief."

When Nami's reputation as a former thief was exposed, Nami quickly turned around and saw a purple-haired beauty behind her, which immediately made Nami gasp in surprise.

"Carina! What are you doing here?!"

"Because of a mistake, I was captured here and became one of us. It seems you've become the pirate you hate the most, little thief."

"Nonsense, I don't need your little fox's attention..."

While the two were bickering, Sanji, who was standing to the side, had already turned his eyes to hearts and came over with a fawning expression.

"Carina, what a lovely name. Beautiful lady, my name is Sanji. How may I help you?"

At this moment, Carina glanced around, the smile on her lips never fading.

"These are your companions? No need for service, I'm just responsible for taking you to see the boss, although the others seem to prefer calling him Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty? What an odd man. Working under him, don't you even covet all this gold?"

Nami looked suspicious, while Carina smiled helplessly and spoke frankly.

"If I steal even a single grain of gold from here, I'll be instantly teleported to his location. This shopkeeper is extremely wary of thieves. You'd better put what you're hiding in your chest back as soon as possible, or you might get imprisoned in Wano Country!"

As they walked and talked, Nami's smile froze when she heard Carina's warning. She pulled a five-colored gem from her deep cleavage and placed it in the pavilion.

"It's been so long, but your cooking skills haven't gotten rusty at all!"

At that moment, Robin chuckled softly and couldn't help but tease him.

Are you two very familiar with each other?

"Of course, after all, they were thieves who collaborated with us before, stealing pirate treasure. This guy is notorious for pulling off a heist and running away. The fact that he's still here probably means that the boss she mentioned has something on him..."

Nami casually revealed Carina's identity, and Carina, who was walking ahead, raised an eyebrow.

"It's not good to slander others. I'm a reformed person now. We've arrived. Please come in."

In the blink of an eye, the group arrived at the main city, which was the largest of the five cities. After they climbed to the highest point in the city, familiar voices rang in Robin's ears.

"It's been a long time. You've grown up a lot, Robin..."