"The Shadow Clone still hasn't sent back any information…"
Jin frowned slightly.
"Did something happen on Luffy's side?"
Quite a bit of time had already passed since he dispatched the clone.
Yet it still hadn't dispersed and returned its memories.
"…That idiot couldn't have caused trouble again, right?"
Just thinking about it gave Jin a headache.
At that moment—
Memories suddenly flowed back into his mind from the clone.
Jin froze.
Then his expression immediately darkened.
"…You absolute moron."
What kind of brain did Luffy even have?
He actually ate random things in the forest?!
Wasn't he afraid of poisoning himself to death?!
Still—
Thankfully there were people here capable of treating him.
Otherwise this really would've become troublesome.
"Looks like we can't leave until Luffy gets cured…"
Shaking his head helplessly, Jin jumped down from the rooftop and entered Elder Nyon's courtyard.
"With the clone following them, the two of them shouldn't be in danger for now…"
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he muttered:
"I should figure out this Snake Princess situation first."
Right then, Jin noticed a newspaper sitting on the table inside the room.
After a brief pause, he walked over and picked it up.
"Hm? This isn't about us…"
Before he could finish speaking—
His eyes suddenly widened.
"Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division…"
"Fire Fist Ace?!"
"The Navy Headquarters plans to publicly execute Fire Fist Ace?!"
The moment he read those words—
Jin's expression changed drastically.
Wasn't Ace Luffy's older brother?!
Why had the Navy captured him?!
If Luffy learned about this—
He'd absolutely go insane.
Jin couldn't even imagine how Luffy would react if Ace died.
Would he completely break down?
Glancing at the execution date, darkness flashed through Jin's eyes.
"…The execution is already this close?"
This was seriously the worst possible timing.
At that moment—
The Den Den Mushi in his pocket suddenly rang.
"Pururururu~"
"Pururururu~"
"A Den Den Mushi?"
Jin blinked.
At a time like this…
The only person likely calling him was probably Shakky.
Thinking that, he took out the two Den Den Mushi and placed them on the table.
Since nobody was around right now, answering wasn't a problem.
CLICK.
"This is Jin."
"You finally answered, little Jin."
Shakuyaku let out a sigh of relief.
She genuinely thought the boy might've been killed already.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean 'finally'?"
Jin looked confused.
This was literally the first call he'd received since leaving Sabaody.
What was she talking about?
"I've tried contacting you many times already," Shakky explained.
"But every call failed to connect."
That was why both she and Silvers Rayleigh had been so worried about the Straw Hats.
After all—
Nobody knew where they had disappeared to.
"…Why would that happen?"
Jin scratched his head thoughtfully.
Then he suddenly recalled the giant paw-shaped bubble carrying them through the sky.
Anything that touched it—
Was mercilessly repelled away.
"…Wait."
"If Kuma's Devil Fruit can materialize and repel injuries…"
"Then could it also repel signals?"
If that was true—
Everything made sense.
The communication signal probably got bounced away the instant it touched the paw bubble.
"What a ridiculous Devil Fruit…"
Jin couldn't help feeling amazed internally.
If even signals could be repelled—
Then what about memories?
Souls?
Lifespans?
A rule-type ability like that was unbelievably overpowered.
"Forget it. That part isn't important."
Shakky waved it off casually.
"What matters is that we finally reached you."
"So how are you kids doing right now?"
"Luffy, Merry, and I are together."
"The others were sent to different places by Kuma."
"But… everyone should still be alive."
If Kuma truly intended to save them—
Then there was no reason he'd let the others die.
So Jin firmly believed the crew survived.
Definitely.
"Bartholomew Kuma?"
"Yes."
"I see…"
Shakky slowly exhaled smoke.
"No wonder you vanished without a trace."
She knew what Kuma's Devil Fruit ability was capable of.
Though she still couldn't understand why he saved them.
More importantly—
If Kuma truly wanted to rescue the Straw Hats…
Why separate them?
Why not send them all to the same location?
Did he have another purpose in mind?
The more she thought about it—
The stranger it felt.
"Shakky-neesan, can you help me investigate where Kuma went?" Jin asked.
"I'm afraid that's impossible."
"…Even you can't find him?"
"Little Jin."
Shakky sighed helplessly.
"I'm not omnipotent."
"Not every piece of information can be obtained."
Then she continued:
"If it were another Warlord, maybe."
"But Kuma…"
"Among all Seven Warlords—"
"No."
"Among everyone on this sea…"
"He's the hardest person to track."
"Because of his Devil Fruit…"
"Exactly."
Jin rubbed his forehead.
That made sense.
Kuma could repel himself just like he repelled others.
Meaning he didn't even need ships to travel.
He could literally fly across the sea using his powers.
Tracking someone like that would be nearly impossible.
Looks like meeting Kuma again wouldn't be easy.
Still—
He could worry about that later.
After shaking away the thought, Jin asked:
"Shakky-neesan, have you heard of Amazon Lily?"
"…"
Shakky instantly froze.
"…Huh?"
Why was he suddenly asking about her homeland?
Wait.
…Don't tell me Kuma sent him there?!
"Ahem."
Recovering quickly, Shakky smiled casually.
"Of course I know it."
"I know that place better than anyone."
"Hm?"
Jin blinked.
She really knew this place?
"You probably won't believe this," Shakky said with a smile.
"But back then…"
"I was once the empress of that island."
"…EH?!"
Jin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"An… Empress?!"
The information broker he knew from Sabaody…
Was once the ruler of Amazon Lily?!
"…Then why did you leave and go run an intelligence business at Sabaody?"
Why abandon a throne just to work in one of the most dangerous places in the world?
"That's a long story~"
Shakky spread her hands lazily.
"A very long story."
"Want to hear it?"
"…Maybe next time."
Jin coughed awkwardly.
"I'm kind of in a hurry right now."
He didn't have time to sit around listening to stories.
Especially with Ace's execution drawing near.
Still…
Now he suddenly wondered whether Shakky becoming an empress had something to do with Rayleigh.
"You brat."
Shakky rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Since you're in a rush, I won't waste your time."
At least now she knew the kids were alive.
That was enough.
She could tell Rayleigh later and let him focus on coating the Sunny in peace.
"Wait! Don't hang up yet!"
"Oh?"
"Aren't you supposedly in a hurry?"
"…Ahem."
"I actually need your help with something."
Shakky leisurely poured herself tea.
"Go ahead."
"Does Amazon Lily have an Eternal Pose leading to Marine Headquarters?"
Shakky immediately paused.
"…Why do you need that?"
As she spoke, she picked up the newspaper beside her.
The headline regarding Ace's public execution immediately entered her sight.
"…This kid couldn't possibly be thinking about joining that battlefield, right?"
Her brows slowly furrowed.
That kind of war wasn't a joke.
"Our captain, Monkey D. Luffy…"
"…is Ace's younger brother."
Jin's voice grew serious.
"If he learns about this…"
"He'll definitely try to save him."
As someone who had fought beside Luffy through Enies Lobby—
Jin understood him perfectly.
There was absolutely no way Luffy would sit still after learning his brother was scheduled for execution.
"…Luffy is Ace's younger brother?"
Shakky looked genuinely stunned.
So Garp's grandson wasn't just one monster…
There were two of them?
That old man was probably suffering terribly right now.
His grandson was about to be publicly executed—
Yet he could do absolutely nothing.
"Shakky-neesan?"
"…Give me a moment."
Shakky lowered her head and thought carefully.
After a while, she spoke:
"The execution is still some time away."
"So Ace should still be inside Impel Down."
"Impel Down?"
"It's the underwater prison where the World Government imprisons pirates."
"And the people locked there…"
"Are basically all bounty criminals."
"So weaklings don't even qualify to be imprisoned there, huh…"
"More or less."
There were simply too many pirates in the world.
If every captured pirate got sent there—
The prison would've overflowed ages ago.
"Then can we get there somehow?"
"Or does Amazon Lily have a way to reach it?"
Shakky fell silent briefly.
Then sighed.
"…Under normal circumstances, no."
"Why?"
"Because Impel Down is located within the Calm Belt."
"The Calm Belt again?"
Jin frowned.
"Then how does the Navy get there?"
"You know about the Gates of Justice, right?"
"Yeah."
Back at Enies Lobby, Jin had seen those gigantic gates personally.
They were absurdly massive.
Honestly—
He still couldn't comprehend how humans even built them.
"There are three Gates of Justice," Shakky explained.
"They connect Marine Headquarters, Enies Lobby, and Impel Down."
"Together, they create a special whirlpool current."
"The Navy uses that current to safely reach Impel Down."
"So if we find the current…"
"We can find the prison?"
"It's not that simple."
"Why?"
"Because near the Gates of Justice…"
"There are massive whirlpool currents."
"If you approach recklessly, your ship will be destroyed instantly."
"Only when the Gates open do those whirlpools transform into safe currents leading toward Impel Down."
"And the authority to open those gates…"
"Belongs to the Navy."
Jin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"…Then finding Impel Down really won't be easy."
"What about an Eternal Pose?"
"There's no magnetic field there."
"…Right."
That immediately killed the idea.
"If you had a Vivre Card connected to someone inside Impel Down…"
"With your Water Release abilities…"
"You might actually be able to force your way there."
"A Vivre Card…"
Jin frowned.
The idea definitely had merit.
But the problem was—
He didn't have one.
The only Vivre Card in his possession belonged to Rayleigh.
"Unfortunately," Shakky sighed,
"Neither I nor Amazon Lily have one."
"…Then there's no way there."
"Not necessarily."
Shakky suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"You don't have to go to Impel Down."
"…You mean Marine Headquarters?"
"Exactly."
"The Navy publicly executing Ace is basically a direct slap to Edward Newgate's face."
"So Whitebeard will absolutely attack Marine Headquarters to save him."
"You could join Whitebeard's forces there."
Then her tone grew serious.
"But understand this."
"A war on that level…"
"Has an extremely high death rate."
"Even Admirals could die."
"You need to think carefully."
Shakky had witnessed Whitebeard's strength personally.
That man possessed truly monstrous power.
Even Admirals weren't guaranteed survival against him.
"I'll tell Luffy everything," Jin said calmly.
"But I don't think he'd fear danger."
"…Neither would I."
Hearing that, Shakky suddenly laughed.
Right.
These lunatics already killed Celestial Dragons.
What was there left for them to fear?
Even Admirals probably couldn't intimidate them anymore.
"In that case…"
"Go find little Hancock."
"Hancock?"
Jin blinked.
Who was that?
"The 'Snake Princess' you mentioned."
Shakky explained:
"Boa Hancock."
"She's a Warlord."
"She definitely possesses an Eternal Pose leading to Marine Headquarters."
"…Her."
Jin suddenly looked troubled.
"That's actually the problem."
"What happened?"
"I asked around already."
"She apparently went out hunting with her crew."
"And nobody knows when she'll return."
Then he added awkwardly:
"Someone mentioned Elder Nyon might know."
"But I couldn't find her either."
Shakky immediately paused.
"…You asked around?"
A man wandering around Amazon Lily asking questions—
And he wasn't beaten to death?
Then she instantly understood.
"…Transformation."
They probably thought he was a woman.
The mental image immediately amused her.
Suppressing her laughter, Shakky said:
"If Hancock isn't there…"
"Then go find Gloriosa."
"Contact me afterward."
"I'll explain things to her personally."
"Who's Gloriosa?"
"The 'Elder Nyon' you mentioned."
"…Got it."
"Oh, and one more thing."
Shakky's tone became serious.
"Don't let anyone discover you're a man."
"At least not before meeting her."
"…Why?"
"Because Amazon Lily does not welcome men."
Jin instantly fell silent.
After a few seconds, he nodded seriously.
"…Understood."
CLICK.
The call ended.
Shakky leaned back with a grin.
"Little Jin ended up on Amazon Lily…"
"How interesting~"
She genuinely wondered what expression he'd make once he met Hancock.
Very interesting indeed.
At that moment—
CREAK.
The tavern door opened.
Silvers Rayleigh walked inside alongside Hatchan, Camie, and Pappag.
"You're back early."
"Oh my~"
"Hatchan and Camie too."
"…And me…" Pappag muttered tearfully.
"Why does everyone always forget I exist?!"
"Haha, sorry, Pappag."
Shakky laughed.
"Long time no see."
"Hahaha! It has been a while!"
Pappag immediately recovered.
As always, he was incredibly easy to please.
"Sorry for bothering you again," Hatchan said awkwardly.
"Don't worry about it."
Shakky waved him off and poured drinks for everyone.
Then she asked:
"Hatchan, aren't you worried bringing Camie onto land again?"
Hatchan instantly looked embarrassed.
He was worried.
But since Rayleigh was accompanying them, he'd gotten bolder.
"Hahaha!"
"Isn't that why I came too?"
Rayleigh laughed loudly.
Shakky sighed helplessly.
Even so—
Mermaids coming onto land was still dangerous.
"We met Rayleigh-san near the shore," Camie explained.
"And after learning there was still no news about Nami and the others…"
"We decided to come check together."
Rayleigh's smile slowly faded.
"…Still no news?"
The moment he asked—
Everyone held their breath nervously.
"You all arrived at the perfect time."
Shakky smiled faintly.
"I just successfully contacted little Jin."
"…Really?!"
"According to him…"
"They're all alive."
"And they escaped the Marines safely."
"THAT'S AMAZING!!"
"They survived!!"
Hatchan and the others immediately burst into tears of joy.
For three entire days—
They'd constantly worried the Straw Hats had died.
Now they could finally relax.
"I see."
Rayleigh grinned widely.
"Looks like those little monsters are even tougher than I thought."
Escaping alive from Akainu's hands—
That was seriously impressive.
"Though most of it was apparently because of Kuma," Shakky added.
"…Kuma?"
Rayleigh paused.
What did that Warlord have to do with this?
"According to Jin, Kuma appeared at Sabaody and sent them flying to different locations."
"That's how they escaped."
Rayleigh instantly fell silent.
Why would Kuma help the Straw Hats?
No matter how he thought about it—
It made no sense.
"…They aren't together?" Camie asked nervously.
"No."
"Then what if something bad happens?!"
Camie panicked immediately.
Without Luffy and the others protecting them—
Would Nami and Chopper really be safe?
"Relax."
Shakky smiled reassuringly.
"Except for Merry, every Straw Hat has a bounty."
"They can protect themselves."
After thinking briefly, she added:
"If Kuma truly intended to save them…"
"Then he probably didn't send them anywhere too dangerous."
"…That's true."
Camie finally relaxed slightly.
At that moment, Rayleigh suddenly asked:
"Where's Jin?"
"Amazon Lily~"
"…Pfft."
Rayleigh froze for a second.
Then burst into loud laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"What incredible fate!"
Kuma sending Jin to a country full of women…
Rayleigh genuinely wanted to see Hancock's reaction.
And more importantly—
Could the boy achieve what he once had there?
"Hahahahaha!"
Watching him laugh hysterically, Shakky rolled her eyes immediately.
She obviously knew exactly what Rayleigh was thinking.
"…Hopeless old man."
Unfortunately—
That only made Rayleigh laugh even harder.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/ZoroTL442