Sky Island…?
At the mention of the name, Rayleigh's mind drifted back to the time he and Roger had set foot on Sky Island.
But I've retired—I really don't want to leave the sea behind, he thought.
Then he noticed Shakky, who seemed intrigued by the idea.
"There's still time. You two can think it over."
Don didn't try to persuade Rayleigh; it wouldn't have worked.
But this approach was clever enough.
Knowing Rayleigh's character, he might eventually volunteer to join the exam himself.
After the invitation, Don didn't linger to press the matter. He stood and left, followed by the others in single file.
"Are you going?" Rayleigh asked.
"I can't stay here any longer," Shakky replied, looking at him.
"In the future, incidents like today will only increase. That's what happens when you're famous," she said.
Rayleigh nodded lightly.
He understood perfectly.
Now that news of his presence here had spread, and with this being the gateway to the New World, most pirates seeking entry would have to pass through.
Trouble was certain to follow.
"Do you think what he said earlier was true?" Shakky asked.
There had never been any reports of Celestial Dragons being attacked, but no one had ever dared to go after them.
Even the boldest pirate would never attempt such a thing.
Don wasn't a pirate, but his tone had seemed casual… yet it didn't sound like empty talk.
"I can't figure this one out," Rayleigh shook his head.
He had met countless people, but Don's words were inscrutable.
"It's hard to tell what he's really thinking."
…
Mihawk and Issho had similar thoughts.
Even Robin, who had been with Don the longest, couldn't tell if what he had said before was genuine.
Outside, the street had been cleared.
Aside from the burn marks and the lingering smell of smoke, nothing remained.
Residents had hidden away, afraid to show themselves.
After sending Crocodile off, Don returned to their temporary residence with the three of them.
"I know what you want to ask… but if I actually do it, you'll need to leave in advance," Don said, waving his hand as he noticed their eyes fixed on him.
"You'd become a liability!"
"Heh… first time anyone's said that to me," Issho laughed, amused.
"Killing Celestial Dragons is easy. The trouble comes afterward," Mihawk warned again.
"Not just killing—attacking them would summon a Marine Admiral," he added.
"You mean Kizaru?" Don raised an eyebrow.
"Not just him. The Marine Headquarters is nearby in Sabaody. Any incident like this could attract numerous skilled Marines," Mihawk explained.
"True enough," Don nodded thoughtfully.
"You'd better think carefully. Decide if you really want to do this."
"Maybe we won't even encounter them," Don waved him off.
"If I actually do it, I'm not just going to walk away," Issho said, standing and gripping his staff sword.
"I've been curious to test the strength of a Marine Admiral anyway," Mihawk added.
"Whatever you do, I'll support you," Robin said.
"I understand!" Don smiled at her, a spark of curiosity in his eyes.
The person hiding among the flowers in Mary Geoise… what kind of power do they really possess?
Don was curious.
He knew the stage his own strength had reached.
There was still plenty of room to grow.
But curiosity was curiosity.
Perhaps his thirty-minute invincibility could let him test the waters early, to see if this endeavor was worth it.
After a gesture, Don dismissed Robin.
[Innate Talent (Unyielding): Upon receiving a lethal attack, enter a brief enhanced state; all physical attributes multiplied tenfold; HP no longer decreases; all negative effects removed; duration: 30 minutes; cooldown: 18 hours]
He summoned the data panel and focused on the Unyielding talent.
Thirty minutes—enough to accomplish quite a lot.
With his current physique, he could stay submerged in seawater for over ten hours without issue.
Even diving to Fish-Man Island might be feasible.
But he wasn't reckless.
Every action had to be calculated.
If there was no benefit, it wasn't worth it.
Even if it simply improved his mood or solved a question, that would suffice.
The person hiding among the flowers in Mary Geoise might not even emerge in person…
The next day, alongside the newspapers, discussion spread about the upcoming large-scale slave auction in Sabaody Archipelago.
Usually, fish-men and mermaids were the climax of such auctions.
But this time, someone had organized a dedicated fish-man and mermaid auction.
These were incredibly valuable slaves.
Some young, beautiful mermaids could fetch higher prices than Devil Fruits.
Meanwhile, news of Don's continued clash with Rayleigh spread alongside the auction.
Elsewhere, people could only see Don still battling Rayleigh.
Some noticed Don's new title: President of the Hunter's Guild.
But no one really knew what the Hunter's Guild was.
Most were still focused on the duel.
Many assumed Don and Rayleigh had continued fighting nonstop since their last encounter.
…
Baldego.
"Heh!"
Sabo clenched his fist, shaping it like a claw, swinging it with serious intent.
The punch whipped the air with a whooshing sound.
Nearby, Dragon examined a newspaper, his eyes thoughtful.
"Chief!"
General Belo Betty of the Eastern Army addressed Dragon, holding the paper.
"Since you know him, why not try recruiting him into the Revolutionary Army?"
Dragon shook his head.
"Not easy. I've met him before in the East Blue. His personality is clear—he refused decisively last time."
He looked down at the paper.
"When did the Hunter's Guild even appear?" Dragon asked curiously.
From the name, one could guess the type of organization.
Don was the president—is this an organization he founded?
A guild of pirate hunters?
Dragon considered possible future collaboration.
"There was no prior news. Since he's the president, it must have been his creation," Belo Betty said, arms crossed.
"Most likely. There was no news before, but it's worth monitoring."
Dragon rose and walked to Sabo, gesturing to him.
Despite his youth, Sabo's talent and intellect were exceptional.
END OF CHAPTER
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