After ten days of sailing, clusters of swaying bubbles finally appeared on the horizon.
"Is that Sabaody Archipelago?" Miss Valentine leaned against the ship's railing, her brows furrowed with worry. "The Marine Headquarters is nearby, and I've heard the garrison here is several times larger than elsewhere... Our ship can fly, so why must we go to such a troublesome place?"
"The Boss wants to go to Fish-Man Island," Nico Robin said, pausing her finger on the page of her book. A faint smile played on her lips as she effortlessly voiced Bahr's unspoken intention, her eyes glinting with amusement.
Miss Valentine suddenly understood, clapping her hands in realization before pouting slightly and muttering under her breath.
Bahr shot Nico Robin a glance and deliberately put on a stern face. "Fine, we won't go then. Let's just fly straight to the New World."
With the Ark Maxim's flight capabilities, they could easily bypass conventional routes and cross the Red Line directly. His insistence on going to Sabaody Archipelago was, in truth, solely for the purpose of reaching Fish-Man Island.
That was a paradise every man dreamed of. Even if it meant traversing mountains of blades and seas of fire, he had to give it a try—otherwise, what was the point of coming to this pirate world?
But he couldn't stand Nico Robin's smug, all-knowing teasing.
Did she think she didn't want to go to Fish-Man Island herself? The Historical Text there must have been itching at her mind for ages.
Sure enough, Nico Robin's lips twitched at his words. Her fingers tightened slightly around the pages of her book before she turned her head to look at the distant bubble clusters, choosing not to continue her teasing.
Bahr snorted in satisfaction, the irritation of being seen through finally dissipating. Raising his voice, he called out, "Enel, bring the ship down. We're drawing too much attention."
Their ship was massive and conspicuous to begin with. If they flew straight into the port, they'd instantly attract a crowd—something that didn't align with his preference for keeping a low profile.
"Tch, annoying," Enel grumbled, electricity crackling around him. Still, he obediently maneuvered the Ark Maxim into a slow descent. The enormous vessel cut through the sea, sending ripples outward as it headed toward the port of Sabaody Archipelago.
As the mangrove roots grew closer, Miss Valentine suddenly remembered something. "Wait, Fish-Man Island is underwater. How are we supposed to get there?"
"There are coating craftsmen on the island," Bahr explained, his gaze sweeping over the bubbles continuously rising from the mangroves' pores. "They'll coat the ship with a special bubble membrane that can withstand the pressure of the deep sea."
Robin gave Bahr a thoughtful look before closing her book. "The Boss comes from a small fishing village in East Blue, doesn't he? How does he know so much about these things?"
This had always puzzled her. Despite his supposedly remote origins, he seemed intimately familiar with the secrets of the Grand Line—even the Historical Texts. It was baffling.
"Because I can hear the voice of all things!" Bahr replied with a teasing lilt.
Nico Robin rolled her eyes, clearly aware he was brushing her off, and turned back to her book—though the speed at which she flipped the pages had increased slightly.
As the ship drew closer, they entered the area between Groves 50 and 59.
This was the district where shipwrights and coating craftsmen gathered. Wooden signs advertising "Professional Coating" and "Deep-Sea Certified" hung between the mangrove roots, and pirates in captain hats bustled about, loading supplies onto their ships—all clearly preparing for the journey to Fish-Man Island.
When the Ark Maxim slowly docked, its massive size drew a few gasps of awe, but it was quickly overshadowed by the other enormous vessels in the area.
After all, any pirate who made it this far had a ship with some presence. At least it spared them the trouble of being swarmed by onlookers.
Leaving two God Enforcers and a group of God Attendants to guard the ship, Bahr donned a mask, and the group headed to a coating company to discuss arrangements.
The receptionist's eyes lit up when he saw the colossal ship. Rubbing his hands together, he spoke with barely contained excitement and hesitation. "This... this scale will take at least half a month. We'll need to source materials from other islands, and the labor cost will likely—"
"Money isn't an issue," Bahr cut him off, tossing a lump of gold from his pocket. "Use the best craftsmanship. This is the deposit."
"Of course, of course!" The receptionist eagerly caught the gold, weighing it in his palm before hurriedly calling for his workers to prepare. As he turned away, he couldn't help but steal another glance at the Ark Maxim, his eyes filled with greed and reverence.
With the arrangements settled, Bahr turned to the group. "The coating will take half a month. You're all free to explore the island in the meantime."
Enel hoisted his golden staff onto his shoulder, tilting his chin arrogantly. "This god shall take a look around this so-called Sabaody and see what tricks the insects of the Blue Sea are up to."
Bahr raised an eyebrow. "Let me remind you—don't go causing trouble. If you stir up something, don't expect anyone to clean up after you."
"Hmph." Enel snorted disdainfully, jerking his chin at the two God Enforcers behind him. "Follow me."
Bahr watched Enel's haughty retreating figure, his lips twitching in exasperation.
This guy's chuunibyou was beyond saving. He genuinely saw himself as some lofty deity, looking down on everyone else. If something rubbed him the wrong way, he'd flip the table without hesitation.
"Worried he'll cause trouble?" Robin appeared beside Bahr at some point, her fingers hooked around the strap of her canvas bag as she swayed it lightly. There was a teasing lilt to her voice.
Bahr shot her a sidelong glance before nodding toward Enel's ridiculously arrogant back. "Look at that guy—his nose is practically in the clouds. Does he seem like the type to behave?"
Robin chuckled. "And yet you're letting him go off on his own."
"A warning is enough. He's not a three-year-old—why should I babysit him?" Bahr retorted, shooting her an annoyed look.
Nobody liked being treated like a child. If someone tried to micromanage Bahr, even if he couldn't win in a direct fight, he'd find a way to retaliate in secret.
And Enel? The guy had "God" practically engraved on his forehead. His pride meant more to him than his life. Trying to control his every move would have set him off long ago.
Their dynamic had always been simple. Normally, Enel acted high and mighty, treating everyone like insignificant ants—Bahr couldn't be bothered to care.
But when it really mattered, as long as Enel could shelve his "divine majesty" and follow orders, that was enough.
Noticing the teasing smile lingering on Robin's lips, Bahr suddenly felt irritated and abruptly changed the subject. "You're coming with me right now. Stay within one meter—no wandering off alone."
Robin arched a brow before turning and ascending the spiral staircase, her voice drifting down lightly. "I'm going to browse the bookstores on the island."
"See? You don't like it either!" Bahr called after her, deliberately raising his voice and spreading his hands as he watched her silhouette stretch long under the mangrove shadows.
Robin didn't turn back, merely raising a hand in a casual wave. The strap of her canvas bag swayed gently on her shoulder as sunlight filtered through the gaps in the roots, catching the faint, irrepressible smile on her lips.
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