The first half of the Grand Line.
The Ark Maxim sails through the waves, its dark golden hull gleaming in the sunlight.
In the distance, the outline of the Sabaody Archipelago is already clearly visible.
The enormous mangroves and floating bubbles create a dreamlike scene.
"That's the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Yamato pointed excitedly ahead.
"How beautiful! Those bubbles can fly!"
"Those are bubbles formed from the resin secreted by the Yarukiman Mangrove, produced by the respiration of its roots."
Stella explained,
" The Sabaody Archipelago consists of 79 trees, each with its own town and facilities."
Kyros and Scarlet also looked around curiously at this world-famous island.
As a gladiator champion, Kyros had heard of the fame of Sabaody.
"Captain, shall we stay in Sabaody?" Savi asked.
Roy nodded. "Going to see an old friend."
The old friends he was referring to were, of course, Shakky and Rayleigh.
It's been over two years since I last saw him. I wonder how that intelligence operative is doing now.
And then there's Rayleigh —after the Roger Pirates disbanded, that old drunkard will most likely be mooching off Shakky at Shakky tavern.
Just as the Ark Maxim was slowly sailing towards Area 13 the Sabaody Archipelago,
An ordinary-looking merchant ship approached from the side.
The lookout on the ship was observing the Ark Maxim through binoculars, and his eyes widened when he saw the scene on the deck.
"Captain! There's a rare species on that ship!"
The merchant ship's captain—a middle-aged man with a fierce face—snatched the binoculars.
Through the lens, he saw the girl with small red horns on the deck, and Charon, who clearly had Fish-Man characteristics.
"A small red horn... Could it be Oni? And Fish-Man...?"
The captain's breathing became heavy, and a greedy glint flashed in his eyes.
They were captains of slave-hunting ships who served the Celestial Dragons, codenamed " Hound," and were notorious in the Sabaody.
The Celestial Dragons have an almost pathological craving for slaves of rare races.
A slave of a rare race can fetch an astronomical price on the black market.
There are actually two on this ship!
What's even more interesting is that, despite the ship's ornate design, the deck was filled with what appeared to be young people.
There wasn't even a decent guard.
"Captain, that ship is flying a pirate flag..." a subordinate whispered a reminder.
"Pirate flag?"
The Hound looked closely and finally noticed the flag fluttering on the mainmast of the Ark Maxim.
A black background, crossed swords and skulls, the skulls' eyes being eerie swirling shapes.
"This logo... looks familiar..."
The Hound tried to recall, but greed had clouded his judgment.
So what if he's a famous pirate?
Their slave ship was heavily armed, and its crew consisted of seasoned, desperate men.
Moreover, once they succeed, they should immediately hide in the slave auction house in Sabaody.
With the Celestial Dragons protecting them, what pirate would dare to cause trouble?
"Prepare for artillery fire!"
The Hound gave the order,
"Aim at the rudder and sails of that ship, but don't sink it! Capture those two rare races alive!"
"Yes!"
The slave ship adjusted its angle, and the cannons on its side slowly aimed at the Ark Maxim.
Meanwhile, on the Ark Maxim...
Roy was discussing swordsmanship with Hawk Eyes when he suddenly frowned and looked at the "merchant ship" to the side.
"I sensed hostility with my Observation Haki..." he murmured.
Almost simultaneously, Hawk Eyes also raised his head, his sharp eyes sweeping across the slave ship.
"Shall we make a move?" Bullet grinned.
"Etc."
Roy waved his hand.
"Let's see what they're up to."
Roy was actually a little puzzled— the Ark Maxim clearly had a pirate flag flying on it.
Moreover, his reputation is not small in the world, so how could he dare to target any random ship?
Is it that " Heavenly Dao " Roy's reputation isn't high enough, or that the Roy Pirates ' fame hasn't reached Paradise?
Just as he was having doubts, the slave ship opened fire.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three cannonballs roared in, their target clear—the rudder and mainsail of the Ark Maxim.
"They actually dared to make a move..."
Roy sighed, about to make a move, when Hawk Eyes had already moved.
There wasn't even a visible movement of drawing the sword; only three faint flashes of silver light appeared in the air.
The three shells were neatly sliced in half mid-air and fell back down, muted.
On the slave ship, Hound was stunned.
What... what just happened?
His men were also bewildered, only seeing the shell suddenly break apart and fall into the sea halfway through its flight.
"Keep firing!"
The Hound gritted its teeth.
"It might be some kind of defensive device! Fire all the cannons!"
More intense artillery fire followed.
This time, the young members of the Roy Pirates couldn't sit still any longer.
"Someone's provoking us again!"
"It's my turn now!"
"I was the one who said it first!"
Savi, Enel, Pea, Charon, and even Yamato are eager to try.
Roy waved his hand helplessly.
"Go, go, finish this quickly, don't waste time."
"Oh--!"
Five young people rushed out excitedly.
Savi used Geppo to leap into the air, landing on the deck of the slave ship in a few bounds.
His fists, covered in Armament Haki, blasted away the approaching pirates with each punch.
Enel transformed into a cloud, and countless arm-like clouds enveloped the slave traders, suffocating them.
Pea seeds were scattered, and vines sprouted from the cracks in the deck, wrapping around the pirates' ankles.
Charon demonstrated Fish-Man Karate, unleashing a punch that sent a row of pirates flying with a powerful shockwave.
Yamato wielded a spiked club; despite his young age, his strength was astonishing, and one blow even created a large dent in the ship's plank.
The battle ended within five minutes.
On the slave ship, only Hound remained standing.
He slumped onto the deck, looking at the monstrous young men before him, and finally remembered who that pirate flag belonged to.
"Heavens... Heavenly Dao Roy... you're the Roy Pirates!"
The Hound's bark trembled with fear.
How could he not recognize him!
The tsunami that Roy caused in the Sabaody Archipelago a few years ago was a major event that shook the entire Grand Line!
He simply didn't want to believe that the legendary pirate crew would appear here.
And there were so many children on board...
"It's too late to recognize me now."
Savi kicked him unconscious.
After the battle, Tesoro immediately began his "job"—looting treasure.
"Boss, this ship is a slave ship; there are quite a few slaves locked up in the cabins."
Tesoro's voice came from the cabin.
Roy frowned and led the group down from the cabin.
Inside the dark and damp ship's cabin, dozens of iron cages were crammed together, each containing a raggedly dressed slave.
In the innermost three cages, three girls were locked up.
The oldest was about twelve years old, with long black hair, and her beauty was already beginning to show.
But at this moment, his face was covered in filth, and his eyes were filled with fear.
The other two, younger than them, one with short green hair and the other with short orange hair, huddled together, trembling.
"This is..."
Roy's eyes narrowed.
Although he was still young, he recognized him.
Boa Hancock, and her two sisters, Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold.
The future Queen of Amazon Lily, captain of the Kuja Pirates, and one of the Shichibukai.
I can't believe we met here.