That way of doing things was simply because Doflamingo's power had its limits.
But El? There was almost nothing he could not accomplish by sheer, overwhelming force.
This was exactly what was meant by the saying: "Supreme strength overcomes all skill and strategy."
El's power was so immense that even strong men like Doflamingo felt no jealousy—only pure admiration.
Sabaody Archipelago lay uncomfortably close to Marine Headquarters and the Red Line, the heart of World Government territory.
That was exactly why Doflamingo never wanted to stir up trouble there.
El, however, had no such concerns. Not just Sabaody—if he had reason to, he could march openly and boldly right into the Red Line or even Marine Headquarters itself, and no one could stop him.
Doflamingo sighed and shook his head.
"Ah… well… we'd best just go back quietly and wait for good news from the Captain."
Sabaody Archipelago's geographical position was truly one of a kind.
Until now, no one had ever dared claim to rule or control it entirely.
Even the Navy and World Government seemed to tacitly allow pirates to pass through freely.
It was the gateway between the first half of the Grand Line and the second—the New World.
In fact, this was almost certainly part of the World Government's design.
In this Great Pirate Era, pirates were everywhere—not just in the Grand Line, but across all four seas as well.
For the Navy and Government, managing them all was an impossible workload.
How to reduce the trouble? Simple: gather them all in one place.
The New World was exactly that place—a massive trap and gathering ground.
The Grand Line was known as a place you entered but never left. Getting in was hard enough; getting out was nearly impossible.
Once you sailed into the Grand Line, you were effectively trapped there.
From the World Government and Marines' perspective, keeping watch over pirates in this single stretch of ocean was far easier.
After all, very few people in the whole world knew how to navigate or cross the Calm Belt—and the World Government and Marines were not only among them, but the strongest by far.
That was why they never stationed heavy forces right here, practically under their noses.
Want to go to the New World? Go ahead.
Out there, pirates fought and killed each other endlessly. The damage they did to one another was no less than what the Navy could inflict.
The World Government and Marines were more than happy to let them weaken and destroy each other.
Thanks to this official indifference, Sabaody—this vital junction between the two halves of the Grand Line—had grown into a bustling, prosperous archipelago.
Goods and treasures from every civilization and corner of the world could be found here.
Part of El's reason for coming personally was simply that he wanted to unwind. In the entire Grand Line, only Sabaody offered such a vibrant, lively atmosphere.
Being a major transport hub definitely had its advantages.
…
The Kuja Pirates' ship anchored openly in Sabaody's harbor.
As the gateway to the New World, it was common to see pirate ships here—even famous, powerful crews.
Usually, the Navy would not interfere unless there was an extraordinary incident.
And right now, the Kuja Pirates were not important enough to trigger such special attention.
El was the first to step ashore.
"Been a long time… good time to take a break," he said, looking around.
Sabaody was just as lively and prosperous as he remembered. Towering Yarukiman Mangroves rose everywhere around him.
It was the sap from these giant trees that made the archipelago famous—smeared onto ship hulls, it allowed vessels to submerge and travel underwater.
That was exactly what made Sabaody the critical gateway it was.
Silvers Rayleigh—the Dark King, whom El had met near the Calm Belt—was living in retirement right here on Sabaody.
He even had a public profession.
Because Sabaody was the key place for ship‑coating—the process needed to travel underwater—coating craftsmen were in high demand here, and also on Fish‑Man Island deep below the sea.
Rayleigh, though, wasn't very serious about his work.
For him, being a coater was just a hobby. With his skill and talent, learning the trade was effortless, but he never treated it as a real job.
Usually, he would work just long enough to earn money, then immediately buy barrels of wine and spend the rest of his time drinking and enjoying life.
El shook his head with a smile. He couldn't help admiring Rayleigh's lifestyle.
Someday, when I retire… living like that wouldn't be bad at all.
"Lord El! Where shall we go now?!" Hancock asked eagerly.
Is this… is this like a date between us?
The more she thought about it, the more excited and nervous she became.
And they were in Sabaody—the most dazzling, prosperous place in the whole Grand Line—at least, the most dazzling place a pirate could visit.
"We didn't come here just to sightsee or wander," El said, glancing at her.
"R‑right… of course, Lord El!" Hancock quickly bowed her head.
She scolded herself inwardly: How could I be so thoughtless? I almost delayed his important business!
"Your work comes first, always."
Before El, she was quick to correct herself—nothing like the ruthless empress who commanded respect and fear across the seas.
They had come because of a message received earlier.
Doflamingo still owned businesses operating here.
Of course, the enterprises run by the man known in the underworld as Joker were hardly legitimate.
Sabaody was full of trades that could never exist in the open—and the largest slave auction houses on the archipelago were all Doflamingo's.
These were only some of the businesses under his protection. Even after past incidents here forced him to officially cut ties, connections remained.
Now, these auction houses had reached out to Doflamingo, begging for help.
But the message had not gone straight to him—it had landed first in El's hands.
After all, Doflamingo was now part of El's crew. All intelligence and reports from his territories had to pass through the Captain.
It might have seemed unimportant, but El paid close attention to everything happening here.
Sabaody was a prize everyone wanted to grab—but one that no one could fully hold or control.
Everyone wanted a piece of it, yet no one could truly rule it.
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