The Athena continued cutting through the waves of the New World at full speed. Two days later, another island finally appeared on the distant horizon. Standing by the ship's railing, Law and Sabo let out long sighs as they stared toward the approaching land.
Sabo: "I thought we'd at least run into some powerful monsters or pirates on Ferro Island."
Law: "Instead, we found nothing but an ancient kingdom... and one mysterious old man." Law nodded quietly as he folded his arms.
Kuina: "Wasn't obtaining the Metal-Metal Fruit already enough?" Kuina smiled faintly.
Sabo: "Maybe. But after training nonstop for six months... I was hoping to test my new strength against someone worthy." Sabo shrugged helplessly.
His voice carried a trace of disappointment. For warriors like Sabo and Law, endless training without a real battle left an itch that couldn't easily be satisfied. Arthur remained silent. As usual, he stood at the bow while watching the small compass in his hand. The Athena slowly circled the entire island according to the directions indicated by Monet's investigation. Every few minutes Arthur checked the compass again. Wrong island. The needle never reacted. It remained pointing somewhere far beyond the island. Arthur guided the ship around another side of the coastline, hoping the angle might change the result. The answer remained exactly the same. The compass refused to acknowledge the island. Arthur finally lowered the compass and released a quiet breath.
Arthur: "It's not here."
Monet: "Then our prediction was wrong." Monet glanced down at the map spread across the navigation table.
Robin: "Not every clue leads to the right destination." Robin calmly closed the history book resting on her lap.
Arthur simply nodded but trace of disappointment crossed his face, only for a moment. There were still two possible islands remaining somewhere within the New World. And beyond those... One final destination still waited in West Blue. The search was far from over. Baby-5 suddenly clapped her hands together with an energetic smile.
Baby-5: "Since we're already here... why don't we spend a little time exploring the island instead of staying on the ship?"
Sabo: "I'm in!" Sabo immediately raised his hand.
Law: "At least it'll cure the boredom." Law smiled.
Kuina nodded in agreement. Koala, Sugar, and Bepo quickly accepted the suggestion as well. Seeing everyone's excitement, Baby-5 couldn't help laughing. Ikaros calmly lifted little Arthoria into her arms. Nymph gently picked up Merlin. Meanwhile, Astrea had far greater difficulty. Lancelot had been staring toward the island ever since it appeared on the horizon, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. The moment Astrea picked him up, He immediately tried jumping out of her arms.
Lancelot: "I want to go exploring too!"
Astrea: "Hey! Stop moving around so much! You'll fall!" Astrea struggled to keep him from escaping. Lancelot laughed happily while continuing to squirm.
Baby-5: "We'll gather food, supplies, and anything that might be useful for the journey." Watching the scene made several crew members laugh. Baby-5 smiled warmly.
Koala: "I'll see if there are any medicinal herbs growing here." Koala nodded.
Sugar: "Maybe I'll find some interesting materials for Captain's laboratory." Sugar smiled.
Law: "I'll search for clinics or libraries." Law adjusted the sword hanging from his waist.
Sabo: "And if I happen to find something delicious to hunt..." Sabo cracked his knuckles.
Bepo: "Don't eat everything before dinner!" Bepo immediately looked at Sabo and make everyone laughed.
Arthur: "Don't wander too far." Arthur watched his crew for a few moments before giving a small nod.
Everyone waved as they headed toward the forest beyond the beach. Before long... The deck of the Athena became unusually quiet. Only Arthur remained aboard... Along with Hancock... Robin... And Monet.
For the first time in quite a while... The four of them found themselves completely alone. The gentle sea breeze drifted across the deck. Robin quietly closed her book. Hancock slowly approached Arthur. Monet simply stood there, watching him with a playful smile. For months they had been together with crew members... Training... Searching for Devil Fruits... Solving ancient mysteries... Constantly moving from one danger to another. Moments of genuine peace had become incredibly rare.
Hancock stepped closer until she stood directly before Arthur. Without saying a word, she wrapped both arms around his neck. Their eyes met. Then she gently pressed her lips against his. The kiss was slow... Unhurried... Filled with everything words no longer needed to expres s. Arthur smiled softly as he returned the kiss. Robin quietly approached from beside them. She reached up, gently brushing a strand of Arthur's hair away before placing a light kiss upon his cheek.
Robin: "It's been a long time since the four of us had a moment like this." Robin smiled.
Monet laughed quietly. Instead of joining from the front, she slipped behind Arthur and wrapped both arms around his waist. She rested her chin against his shoulder.
Monet: "For once... let us spoil our captain."
Arthur: "You three really have no intention of letting me rest, do you?" Arthur couldn't help chuckling.
Hancock: "Not today." Hancock smiled triumphantly.
Robin: "You've spent so much time taking care of everyone else." Robin's eyes curved gently.
Monet: "Today... you're ours." Monet leaned a little closer.
Arthur simply shook his head with a helpless smile. The peaceful afternoon slowly faded away. Outside, the sun gradually descended toward the western horizon.
Golden sunlight painted the ocean in brilliant shades of orange and crimson.
The soft laughter echoing through the captain's cabin mixed with the steady sound of waves striking the hull of the Athena. Time passed far more quickly than any of them realized.
...
As evening approached— Voices could finally be heard from the harbor. Baby-5 and the others returned carrying everything they had managed to collect during their exploration. Bepo staggered beneath several large sacks overflowing with tropical fruits. Koala carried baskets filled with medicinal herbs and rare plants. Law had discovered several old medical books inside a village clinic. Kuina had purchased a new whetstone to maintain Dojigiri. Sugar happily carried a crate filled with unusual metal components she believed Arthur might find useful. Sabo proudly hauled an enormous wild boar over one shoulder. Even Ikaros, Nymph, and Astrea returned carrying additional supplies while keeping a close eye on the children. The entire group climbed back aboard the Athena.
Then—
Every single one of them suddenly stopped. Hancock... Robin... And Monet... All looked noticeably brighter than before. Their expressions radiated happiness. Their eyes sparkled. Even the atmosphere surrounding them felt strangely lighter. Meanwhile... Arthur sat quietly in his chair near the deck railing. One hand rested against his forehead as he slowly massaged his temples. He looked... Unexpectedly exhausted.
Sabo: "Captain..." Sabo blinked, One eyebrow slowly rose.
Law: "I'm not sure I want to know what happened." Law looked back and forth between Arthur and the three women several times. After a long silence... He finally sighed.
Robin calmly reopened her book as though nothing unusual had occurred. A faint smile remained on her lips. Hancock quietly turned her face away. A slight blush colored her cheeks. Monet covered her mouth while trying—and failing—to suppress her laughter. Baby-5 observed the scene for several moments. Then she smiled knowingly.
Baby-5: "Looks like... we came back at exactly the right time."
Sabo: "...What does that even mean?" Sabo looked completely confused but nobody answered him.
Arthur: "Enough standing around. Get everything loaded aboard. Then start preparing dinner." Arthur slowly stood before stretching his shoulders and He let out another long sigh.
The crew immediately burst into laughter. The lively atmosphere quickly spread throughout the deck once again. Before long, delicious aromas drifted from the kitchen. As darkness blanketed the New World, the Art Pirates once again gathered around the dining table, sharing another warm meal filled with endless jokes, laughter, and cheerful conversation. Far beyond the endless sea... Three Devil Fruits still waited to be discovered. And Arthur intended to find every single one of them.