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Water 7 was alive in every sense of the word.The air was thick with noise — the rhythmic hammering of shipwrights, merchants calling over the splash of waves, the scent of oil, salt, and freshly cut timber mingling together.
Kaya clutched her hat as a gust of sea wind nearly took it. "It's so crowded," she said, eyes wide as she watched a massive crane swing a ship's mast across the canal.
Vivi smiled, adjusting her cloak. "Crowded, but beautiful. Everything's built on water — it feels like the city floats."
Robin walked slightly behind them, her eyes moving from faces to rooftops, quiet and alert. "Floating cities are easier to hide in," she said softly.
Rael didn't respond. His gaze was already on the man from the dock — the one in the black coat who had been watching them since they arrived. The stranger hadn't approached, hadn't spoken, but Rael could still feel the weight of that stare even among the chaos.
"Let's find a place to stay before we start drawing attention," Rael said finally.
They crossed one of the many arched bridges that spanned the canals, the Elysian shrinking behind them in the harbor. The inn they found was small but clean, tucked between two carpenter guild shops. The innkeeper, a cheerful woman with strong arms and sawdust on her apron, welcomed them without question.
But Rael didn't relax. He never did.
That evening, the girls explored the marketplace. The streets were lit by hanging lanterns that shimmered against the water, and laughter echoed from every corner. Kaya and Vivi haggled with a stall owner over spices, while Robin paused by a news stand, reading the day's paper — another bounty update, more skirmishes across the seas.
Rael sat at a small table outside a café, sipping coffee. His reflection stared back at him from the rippling water beside the dock.
Then it appeared again — a flicker of movement, just across the street.
The man in the black coat stood at the edge of the canal, leaning against a post. He was pretending to smoke, but the lighter in his hand never clicked. His face was half-hidden beneath a hood.
Rael set down the cup.
When he stood, the man moved — slipping into one of the narrow alleyways between shops.
Rael followed.
The alleys of Water 7 were a labyrinth — narrow walkways that twisted between buildings, half flooded by the rising tides. The sound of hammering faded, replaced by dripping water and the distant hum of machinery.
"Careful," Rael muttered under his breath, scanning each corner. His boots splashed softly as he moved.
The man wasn't running. He was waiting.
When Rael turned the last corner, he found him standing there — not surprised, not armed. Just waiting.
Up close, the man's coat bore the faint insignia of the World Government, though it had been scratched through. His eyes were tired, but sharp.
"You shouldn't be here," Rael said flatly.
"I could say the same to you," the man replied. His voice was calm, unhurried. "Rael of the Black Cross… the Government has made quite the mess of your name."
Rael's expression didn't change. "If you're here to collect the bounty, you're late. Others already tried."
"I'm not a hunter," the man said. "Not anymore."
Rael studied him. "Then what are you?"
The man reached into his coat — slow, deliberate — and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "A messenger. Someone higher up wants to talk."
Rael didn't take the note immediately. "You risked a lot coming here."
"I already burned my bridge with them," the man said. "This is the only way to balance the scales."
Rael finally accepted the paper and unfolded it. The message was short — barely ten words — but enough to make his jaw tighten.
'We know who took your file from Enies Lobby.'
His eyes lifted. "Who sent this?"
The man smiled faintly. "You'll find out in the city. Look for the maskmaker on Dock Two. She's waiting."
Before Rael could speak, the man stepped back — into shadow, into the sound of rushing water — and vanished.
When Rael returned to the inn, the others were already inside. Kaya was drying her hair, Vivi was poring over a local map, and Robin was sitting by the window with that knowing look she always had.
"You went after him," Robin said.
Rael tossed the note onto the table. "He wasn't a threat."
Vivi glanced up. "Then what was he?"
Rael's tone was low. "A warning. And an invitation."
Robin read the note once, then twice. Her brow furrowed. "Enies Lobby… that's not a name you hear without consequences."
Kaya's expression turned uneasy. "So we're walking into another trap?"
Rael shook his head. "No. Not this time. This one's different."
He leaned against the wall, gaze distant. "Someone wants to talk — and whoever they are, they know too much to ignore."
Vivi folded the map, her voice calm but firm. "Then we go with you."
Rael looked at them — three pairs of determined eyes meeting his — and felt the smallest flicker of warmth in his chest.
"Fine," he said. "But stay close. Water 7 has its share of ghosts."
Outside, the city glimmered beneath the night sky, its canals reflecting the stars. Somewhere in the maze of docks and bridges, someone waited behind a mask — and the truth of Rael's past was about to surface with the tide.
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