The dilapidated single-masted ship raised its patchwork sails and slowly sailed away from the waters of Treasure Island.
"Oh! Oro! Can this gold be used to make a gold cake?" Linlin pointed at the still-gushing golden fountain, her eyes sparkling.
"While there are trace amounts of gold in the human body,gold itself is not edible." Oro flicked Linlin's forehead in exasperation, making her yelp and jump back.
"This gold will be used to reinforce the. Golden Dawn. After that, I'll forge you a golden battle-axe."
"A golden axe!"Instantly forgetting about cake, Linlin raised her hand excitedly. "Yes! The sparkly kind!"
Gerd smiled and shook her head, then walked over to Oro, looking at the nautical chart in his hand. "Are we heading for Fish-Man Island next?"
"We're still far from Fish-Man Island.We have to pass several more islands first." Oro looked toward the interior of Treasure Island, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Besides gold, there are other rare metals here. We'll leave once we've gathered enough."
---
Two months later.
"Wow! It's so lively! This is the real Pirate's Paradise!" Linlin leaned on the ship's railing, marveling at the dense cluster of pirate ships bearing various flags in the harbor. Even the air near the sea was thick with the mingled scents of alcohol, roasting meat, and blood.
"It's lively. Almost too lively." Oro frowned slightly. They hadn't even entered the port yet, but from here he could see it all—theft, robbery, brawls, murder. Nearly every crime imaginable was on display at this dock. Inside the harbor, three pirate ships were even actively burning.
"Hey! Look at the harbor! Fresh meat!"
"Whoa!What a huge ship! It's bigger than the noble's vessel I robbed last month!"
"Who's strong enough to try?If they're weak, we'll be rich!"
As the Golden Dawn drew closer to port, more and more pirates were drawn to the magnificent sight of the giant ship. Over a dozen pirate ships of various sizes began to converge from all directions. The pirates aboard had greed in their eyes, like sharks that had smelled blood.
"Why are these pirates so stupid? They just surround any nice-looking ship. Aren't they afraid of dying?" Linlin leaned on the railing, watching the closing pirate ships, then looked down at the giant axe in her hand. Was her axe not intimidating enough? She simply couldn't understand how these people, who couldn't even reach the Golden Dawn's railing, dared to cause trouble.
"This world is never short of people, and it's certainly never short of arrogant fools." Oro glanced at the pirate ship leading the charge. Its captain had a scarred face, ragged breathing, and hadn't even mastered the basics of Armament Haki.
Too lazy to waste time, he brought his hands together. A large amount of gold poured from the seams in the deck, forming into chains as thick as bowls, tipped with sharp golden spikes. They shot toward the pirate ships at blinding speed.
"Gah! This is bad! Retreat!" The captain of the lead ship shouted the moment the chains were upon them.
CRACK!
The sturdy oak planks were pierced like paper.The chains suddenly tightened, and the entire ship was instantly shredded.
The other pirate ships met a similar fate.Splinters flew, screams echoed, and the sound of tearing hulls filled the air.
In mere seconds,the dozen or so ships that had surrounded them were reduced to floating wreckage.
Oro raised a hand, recalling the golden chains. Seawater dripped from the links, forming small puddles on the deck. Without a glance at the pirates struggling in the water, he turned to Galz.
"The outer harbor of Beehive Island is too shallow.The Golden Dawn can't enter; we'll have to anchor here. Gerd, you stay on the ship. Linlin and I will go see if we can find any Eternal Poses, and also look for the anti-venom ferns you need."
"I've set numerous traps around the ship. If anyone manages to breach them, abandon ship immediately and dive into the sea. You'll be exhausted, but just hold your breath—I'll come for you. Remember, your safety comes first."
Gerd nodded,taking out a cloth bag and handing it to Linlin. "There's some jerky inside. Eat it if you get hungry; don't just stare at the food stalls. And if you run into trouble, don't start a fight. Wait for Oro-nii."
"I know!"Linlin took the bag and stuffed it into her tunic, though her eyes kept drifting toward a bakery onshore with a sign reading Molten Chocolate Cake.
Oro and Linlin transferred to a small rowboat and slowly approached the dock.
The moment they stepped ashore,several subtle glances swept over them. But when Linlin unintentionally let slip a wisp of her Conqueror's Haki, those people instantly paled and scrambled back. Though it was only a trace, it was more than enough to intimidate these pirate lackeys who had never even felt Haki before.
"Out of the way!" Linlin waved her arm impatiently and charged straight for the bakery.
Oro followed with a hint of resignation.Golden filaments extended from his fingertips, wrapping silently around the dock's iron pilings, then spreading through cracks in the ground to the corners of nearby buildings, weaving an invisible net ready for any trouble.
Under the warm yellow light of the bakery, the shop owner was trembling as he placed a money pouch on the counter—the bag contained a pitifully small amount of berries.
Two menacing pirates stood before the counter,each with a crooked "王" (King) character embroidered on their sleeves.
"You think you can get rid of us with this little?"The pirate on the left kicked over a bag of flour beside the counter. White powder scattered across the floor, some landing on his black boots in stark contrast.
"Our boss says the protection fee doubles this month!Otherwise, we tear this dump down and smash your oven!"
The owner was on the verge of tears,clasping his hands in plea. "Brothers, business has been bad with all the fighting at the port lately. I really can't gather that much! How about... how about I give you the molten chocolate cake I made today?"
"Chocolate?You stupid—"
CLANG!
Linlin suddenly burst in,slamming her axe onto the floor so hard the plates on the table jumped.
"Don't bully the baker!"Linlin glared at the two pirates, her eyes burning with anger, her cheeks flushed.
"And that molten chocolate cake you mentioned...is it the one in the display case?"
The two pirates were stunned for a moment, exchanged a look, then burst into mocking laughter.
"Where did this little brat come from?Not even fully grown!"
"Since when do kids meddle in grown-up business?"
One pirate glanced at Linlin's giant axe but still sneered arrogantly."Listen, girl. We might not beat you in a fight, but in this world, being strong isn't everything!" He tugged his sleeve, prominently displaying the "王" character. "See this? Do you know who we are? Do you know who runs this street—"
SMACK!
The pirate's words were cut off again.But this time, he interrupted himself.
To be precise,it was his own right hand that did it.
"…Why did you slap yourself?"The pirate standing beside him looked on, utterly bewildered.