The Straw Hat Pirates and the Heart Pirates arrived at Magic Valley Town.
An unusual quiet settled over Magic Valley Town as the pirates held their tongues, wary of offending the newly crowned Emperor of the Sea.
The Straw Hats dispersed to gather information.
Carl remained on guard duty aboard the ship, having no interest in this pirate haven.
He idly tapped the Devil Fruit radar, a habit upon reaching a new island. However, the radar remained silent, further diminishing Carl's interest. He simply stretched out on a deck chair to soak up the sun.
Marie also stayed behind, quietly enjoying biscuits and tea.
Carl remarked casually, "Marie, don't you want to explore the town? Even though it's a pirate gathering place, there should be plenty of interesting things, like new kinds of biscuits and tea. It's not good for someone so young to be so still. Young people should be cheerful and lively."
Marie silently munched on a biscuit, her large eyes fixed on Carl. "Mr. Carl," she said, "you're only a year older than me. Don't you seem a bit like a grandfather yourself?"
Carl immediately slapped his forehead. He'd almost forgotten that Marie was sixteen, though her appearance as a "legal loli" was quite deceiving.
Marie continued, "And, just like biscuits, some people prefer salty ones, some sweet, and some enjoy both."
Carl nodded. "That's true. Everyone has their own preferences. Since you enjoy tea and snacks more than shopping, I shouldn't have pressured you."
Marie paused briefly before offering Carl a bag of biscuits.
Carl accepted them without ceremony and began to eat.
Law, observing this scene from the deck of his submarine, looked utterly helpless.
He was gradually growing accustomed to the Straw Hats' bizarre behavior. They were incredibly strong, yet each member acted independently. At times, they seemed utterly disorganized, but then they would suddenly unite, inevitably overcoming their adversaries.
What frustrated Law the most was the Straw Hats' apparent lack of urgency. Even with the threat of a Four Emperors' attack, they seemed more concerned with food and drink than discussing strategies.
This nonchalant attitude made Law, a meticulous planner, deeply uncomfortable. But as time passed, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin seemed to be influenced by this behavior, and Law himself began to lose his composed demeanor.
"Those who associate with the righteous become righteous; those who associate with the corrupt become corrupt," he thought. "The ancients were right!"
"Carl is serious," Chuan said uneasily. "Even if Sky Island really exists, how can we possibly reach an altitude of 7,000 meters? If we fall, we'll be destroyed!"
"It's up to us to try," Carl replied with a smile. "How do you know if you haven't even tried? Besides, no one can stop Luffy now. If he says he's going to Sky Island, he'll go, no matter how difficult or dangerous it is! And Law, do you know why your strength hasn't improved as much as Zoro's? It's because Zoro's spirit is different from yours. When faced with difficulties, you might think of using strategy to circumvent them, while Zoro only considers cutting through with his three swords. A swordsman should possess an indomitable spirit!"
Law suddenly looked up, staring at Carl in astonishment. After a long silence, he turned and entered the submarine's cabin without a word.
Marie pointed at the submarine. "Mr. Carl, you've provoked Terran."
"A swordsman being provoked is fine; at least they'll reflect on their weaknesses," Carl said casually, then turned to the little girl. "Marie, is there a Devil Fruit you desire? I can ask someone to help you find it. If there is, tell me quickly, or you might miss the opportunity."
Marie stopped sipping her tea and pondered seriously. "Actually, I'd like Cracker's Devil Fruit, so I could have endless cookies. But Cracker isn't dead yet, so that fruit shouldn't be available."
"Oh, aside from fruits that others have already eaten, tell me one you'd like."
Carl wiped sweat from his brow, startled by the little girl's audacity. Asking for Cracker's Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit! In that case, they'd have to defeat Cracker, wait for the fruit to reappear, and then have the Revolutionary Army find it. But that would surely ignite a war with the Big Mom Pirates. While the Straw Hats weren't afraid of going to war with Big Mom, causing such a commotion would leave them vulnerable to other forces. Not worth it! Not worth it!
Marie thought for a long time before finally saying, "It would be wonderful if there was a fruit that could store food. Carrying a big bag everywhere is so troublesome. Of course, it would also need to hold my brushes and paints. And if I could take them out at any time, it would be very convenient for fighting."
Carl nodded. "Then let me inquire if such a fruit exists."
This type of fruit seemed plausible, and there should be some, but Carl's pirated "Devil Fruit Illustrated Book" appeared to be incomplete, missing information on certain fruits. Carl mentally cursed the seller of the bootleg book.
Meanwhile, Luffy and the others had scattered throughout Magic Valley Town.
Luffy and Zoro casually entered a bar, and the owner, Terry, greeted them with a nervous tremor. Fortunately, Luffy and Zoro were easygoing. They first ordered food and drinks, then inquired about Sky Island.
This time, no one dared to laugh at Luffy as they had in the original tales. "Straw Hat" Luffy was now a notorious pirate with a 1.1 billion Berry bounty, having recently defeated Katakuri. Who would dare mock him and risk his wrath?
Terry immediately explained, "Captain Straw Hat, Sky Island is actually just a legend. No one has ever been there, so I have no information."
Luffy was taken aback. "Legend? But didn't everyone in the Grand Line say that the only thing you can trust is the Log Pose? Now that the needle is pointing upwards, it means the island is in the sky, right?"
Rarely did a simple sentence from Luffy leave people speechless.
Indeed, there were many legends in the Grand Line, but the Log Pose was absolutely reliable! And the Log Pose wasn't broken; since it pointed to the sky, didn't that unequivocally mean there was a Sky Island?!
Zoro observed the blank expressions on the faces in the bar and immediately understood that he wouldn't get any information. He simply drank silently and asked no further questions.
Luffy also asked no more questions and quickly devoured his food.
Bellamy, sitting nearby, stared blankly at Luffy, her mind still reeling from shock. She had laughed at those searching for Sky Island countless times, but one sentence from Luffy had instantly turned her into a fool. Yes, the Log Pose pointing upwards was simple, undeniable proof! Those who didn't believe in the Log Pose in the Grand Line would never go far!
"Is that the difference between me and the big shots?"
Bellamy was in a daze, not even in the mood to drink. Recalling Doflamingo's words, Bellamy gritted her teeth fiercely. Since Sky Island existed, there must be a land of gold, and she had to go and see it, bring back a large amount of gold, and then she would definitely be able to join Doflamingo's crew!
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