Sabaody Archipelago.
It was a standard Marine warship, with seven people standing on deck.
They wore matching white suits.
All seven wore calm expressions, but their eyes held different looks.
Lucci stood at the bow, his hands in his pockets.
His hat was pulled low, hiding half his face, but his gaze remained on the distant mangroves, studying every ship moored along the shore.
The silence lasted a long time.
Then Kalifa spoke.
"It's not often we get to come here."
She put away the map and adjusted the glasses on her nose, a trace of barely perceptible anticipation in her eyes behind the lenses.
"The Sabaody Archipelago's shopping district is famous."
"I hear it has the biggest clothing market in the world."
She paused, glancing over the others.
"We're waiting anyway, so why don't we..."
"No."
Lucci's voice came from the railing ahead. He did not turn around.
Kalifa glanced at him and pressed her lips together slightly, saying nothing more.
Jabra could not help snorting, a hint of mockery in his voice.
"Kalifa, how can you still be thinking about buying clothes at a time like this?"
"This is a ten-billion-Beli deal. We're dealing with a monster who can sink Marine Headquarters. And you still want to go shopping?"
Kalifa adjusted her glasses.
"It's precisely because this deal is on that level that we need to be fully prepared."
Her tone was level.
"What you wear can affect your presence during negotiations, too."
Jabra scoffed.
"What's wrong with what you're wearing now?"
Kalifa ignored him.
Kaku stopped twirling his dagger and spoke.
"Quiet, all of you."
His voice was not loud, but it was steady.
"We're here on a mission."
"Not on vacation."
Kalifa glanced at him and said no more.
Silence returned to the deck.
Lucci never