The day after systematically destroying kidnappers and human shops across Sabaody Archipelago.
Eating breakfast in the spacious dining hall while reading the newspaper, Kanata's eyes widened involuntarily at one news item.
Reports of Zephyr retiring from the front lines were extremely shocking even for Kanata.
They'd fought twice—though she hadn't lost, he'd stood as a formidable enemy. Unforgettable.
Kanata tilted her head while reading.
"...Not yet old enough to call elderly. Must be a significant reason..."
Internal matters. Even asking Garp wouldn't bring answers.
He'd even said "I'll definitely catch you"... but at this rate, they'd never meet.
"From our perspective, grateful if someone that strong stops appearing."
"There'll be some impact. With the Admiral changing, forces will decrease somewhat."
Though Sengoku was no less formidable than Zephyr, an active Admiral's title carried weight. Some pirates would gain momentum.
Though the Navy wasn't fragile enough to crumble from that. Starting with Garp, many powerful Marines existed.
Kanata folded the newspaper, preparing to go out.
This time just to hear information, so just Kanata alone. Samuel and others wanted to come, but no need to bring a large group to a place with young children, nor bring intimidating men.
"Have someone watch so Kuro doesn't get involved in trouble again."
"Got it. Won't take our eyes off him."
"Isn't that harsh?! I have common sense too!"
"If there's something rare?"
"I'll go look."
"Think we should prepare sea stone collars?"
"Worth considering..."
Even Jorge sighed at the unrepentant Kuro.
The day after yesterday, surely he wouldn't get caught up in weirdness—but next time might mean destroying Sabaody's Navy branch. Against ordinary pirates, easy to handle even without Kanata, so no problem.
Decided to think it'd be fine if holding the reins.
"Numbers increased too. Need to stock up on food and medicine."
"Right. Heard it won't take much time to Fish-Man Island, but unexpected events happen."
Just had unexpected events at Sabaody, but if events could be resolved by force, the story was simple.
Situations force couldn't resolve—like being shipwrecked at sea—were troublesome.
No harm in assuming extra amounts.
"What else is needed?"
"Food, medicine... clothes and equipment?"
"Right, they had no clothes."
Being forcibly brought, they lacked spare clothes. Couldn't exactly wear the same outfit forever, so needed to buy reasonably.
Money was plentiful from robbing various places. Numbers required would decrease funds, but necessary expenses.
Unused money was meaningless. No point hoarding if dead.
Scotch would handle food, Scura medicine—each purchasing their assigned items.
"Might be fine leaving food to that longarm."
Apparently he'd been a cook on some ship before coming here. Cooks who'd been assigned just because they could cook were happily relieved of duty, themselves also relieved.
Better at gripping swords than knives. Only doing it because no one else could, so if professionals existed, obviously better to delegate.
Various needs existed, but they had ten days to two weeks free anyway. Could take it easy.
"Me?"
"Stay quiet."
"Apparently there's an amusement park called Sabaody Park—can I go?"
"You really haven't reflected, have you?"
Kuro apparently needed surveillance.
***
In the lawless zone, that shop existed.
Sabaody Archipelago No. 13 GR—Shakky's Rip-off Bar
First thing catching the eye: pirates collapsed like worn rags before the shop Gloriosa introduced. Coming to drink during daytime, charged outrageous prices, trying to leave without paying, beaten half to death.
Kanata didn't know such circumstances, but clearly felt wiser not to get involved.
Still, New World information was valuable. Considering the possibility of obtaining information affecting future voyages, she steeled herself and opened the door.
"Welcome, what'll you have... oh, you're..."
"Gloriosa told me about you. Is she here?"
"No, not now. But I've heard about you... please, sit. I wanted to talk with you a bit too, Dragon-Slayer Witch."
A mature woman with short black bob hair—this shop's owner, Shakuyaku.
Seemingly reading newspapers with a cigarette in her mouth, several newspapers lay before her. Recent dates.
A wet towel and coffee appeared before Kanata at the counter.
Shakuyaku placed alcohol before herself, introduced herself, then stared at Kanata's face and began speaking.
"...As I thought, you don't feel like we're meeting for the first time."
"? It's our first meeting, right? Have we met somewhere?"
"Hehe, that's not it. You're Octavia's daughter, right? You look just like her."
"Again," Kanata wanted to sigh.
Octavia's traces everywhere. She was also a pirate, naturally—but being told this everywhere was exasperating.
Shakuyaku puffed her cigarette as if remembering the past.
"I know Octavia, but unlike Gloriosa, I'm not a former Rocks Pirate. So don't make such a distasteful face."
"With Shiki and Linlin, various mother-related issues—of course I'm this way."
"Ahaha, you've had it rough!"
Kanata shrugged, thinking about her mother who'd attracted nothing but trouble.
"Both Gloriosa and I are former pirates. We've washed our hands of piracy though."
"...Unlike Gloriosa—so she's a former Rocks Pirates crew member?"
"Yes. She apparently thought Octavia had come for a moment seeing your face, but the atmosphere was completely different, and above all, you two showed no reaction seeing each other."
"Can't react to unknown opponents... but I thought Rocks Pirates were all hot-tempered."
"Can't deny that. Gloriosa said it too—'that ship never lacked for deadly fights.'"
Everyone aboard was strong, but deadly fights never ceased aboard ship.
Conflicts never ceased between those who tolerated killing comrades and those who couldn't. Weak ones died first. As people died, they'd recruit from various places as subordinates, so survivors necessarily became all strong.
Undoubtedly the strongest pirate crew of that era.
"Nostalgic talk now... but you don't know who your father is, right? I can kinda imagine, but do you know?"
"Yes. Don't intend to say though."
Though Shakuyaku wasn't a former Rocks Pirates member, with that mother, the father was roughly imaginable. But not certain enough to assert.
Someone she'd never met. She lacked material to definitively call him father.
More importantly.
"You wanted to hear about the New World."
"Right. If there's useful information, I'd like to hear it."
"Well... the New World climate goes without saying, but it's quite different from seas so far. But I'm not a navigator, so hard to talk specifically about what's how."
"Just tell me what you actually experienced."
Information about the Grand Line was diverse, but described climate beyond imagination—hard to believe readily.
Having to actually go verify was partly why books with such information were treated like fairy tales.
However much information gathered, hard to determine what was factual.
She'd heard routes to Fish-Man Island were extremely harsh, but Tiger would guide them—no worries there.
"Otherwise... I can talk about current New World conditions. And about rookies gathering at Sabaody."
"Not very interested."
"Really? But information is a weapon. Better to know—your bounty is top among those gathered now. Six people over 100 million on this island currently, and the top four are you and your crew."
"Perceptions are warped, but bounty heads over 100 million don't appear often."
"Hehe... there were others before, but currently on this island, non-crew 100-million pirates are Strong-Arm Aterfact and Great Maelstrom Spider Squard."
Both apparently had bounties slightly over 100 million, but Kanata had zero interest.
Not wanting them as subordinates, not rivals aiming for the same thing. Just treated as pirates by the Navy—that relationship.
If opposed maybe, but just being on the same island sparked no interest.
"The New World seas are rough now. Starting with you repelling Shiki, with Linlin's defeat too, territory disputes have intensified. World the Destroyer Byrnndi World is in the middle of conflict with Shiki. Whitebeard dislikes this situation and temporarily moved from the New World to the West Blue."
Probably because Whitebeard held no territory.
With his personal strength, he'd rarely lose, but apparently disliking large-scale battles, he moved from the New World.
No intention to call that cowardice.
Opponents were large forces like Shiki and Linlin, and World was also a famous great pirate. Fighting them, however strong the Whitebeard Pirates, they wouldn't emerge unscathed.
Could be called characteristic behavior for him, valuing family above all.
"Roger's Pirates are causing problems everywhere as usual. Also—"
As Shakuyaku spoke reminiscently, the shop door opened.
Turning her gaze there, Gloriosa stood with a young child.
"Open, Shakky? Oh, Kanata's here too."
"Oh Gloriosa. Welcome."
Carrying the young girl, Gloriosa sat beside Kanata, ordering tea and milk.
The girl timidly clung to Gloriosa's clothes, not letting go, seeing Kanata for the first time.
Long purple hair and timid demeanor reminded her of Feiyun.
"Hmm... that child's name?"
"...Kaie."
The girl answered while hiding behind Gloriosa.
Shakuyaku placed tea and milk on the table, extinguishing her cigarette and going somewhere again.
"Shakuyaku is quite busy."
"This child is quite shy. Not ideal, but I calm her with candy."
Given the circumstances of being under Gloriosa, perhaps unavoidable.
Kanata's circumstances were similar, but Kanata's case was largely due to mental maturity—probably not reference material.
When Shakuyaku quickly returned, her hands held a basket with individually wrapped various candies.
Watching Kaie roll candy around in her mouth, Gloriosa questioned Kanata.
"Was there useful information?"
"Reasonably. Though I question how you know New World conditions unobtainable from newspapers."
"That's a trade secret."
"...Well, just learning it's rough is good enough."
Whatever was happening, passing through Fish-Man Island to the New World remained unchanged. Knowing beforehand just meant moving one step faster—about that much gain.
"Will Gloriosa stay on this island always?"
"Yes. I'm from an island called Amazon Lily, but contracted a certain disease and left... now cured, but having once fled the country, I cannot return."
"Cannot return? Why?"
"I'm a former Empress. Having once abandoned and fled the country, I cannot return."
Captain of the infamous Kuja Pirates and Empress of Amazon Lily.
Once called that, but now just a parent raising one girl.
"Once I rampaged as a pirate, but after retiring and coming here, no longer in battle, I've dulled considerably. The former me would never have let this child be kidnapped..."
"Placing yourself in peaceful environments causes that. Conversely, placing yourself in battlefields sharpens you."
Having continued in environments where fighting was necessary, Kanata obtained this much power. In environments not requiring fighting, this wouldn't have happened.
Stroking Kaie's head, Gloriosa muttered regretfully.
"I annihilated most Human Shops and kidnappers on this island. Should be safe for a while."
"I heard too. People making a living from human trafficking are being attacked everywhere. That was you all."
"Our crew was touched, so we unavoidably searched around and annihilated them all."
"My... you did quite spectacularly."
She knew about the auction house attack, but didn't know they'd done it so extensively.
Even Gloriosa widened her eyes—going that far for one comrade.
"By the way, you also killed a Celestial Dragon. An unprecedented incident that became worldwide news... was that situation similar then too?"
"Right. Something like that."
Kanata answered concisely while drinking coffee.
Both Shakuyaku and Gloriosa knew how outrageous harming Celestial Dragons was. Accomplishing that and still living was itself unbelievable.
Shakuyaku figured the bounty jumped largely because she'd repelled Navy pursuit—and turned her gaze to Gloriosa.
"Hey, Gloriosa. Why don't you board her ship?"
"What?"
"...Why? You're not troubled on this island, are you?"
Both questioned Shakuyaku's words.
Kanata's group were fugitives. For Gloriosa and Kaie living quietly on this island, boarding Kanata's ship should only have disadvantages.
"This island isn't safe either. Kanata eliminated kidnappers, but the lawless zone has many pirates and kidnappers will appear again. I don't think Gloriosa would lose to ordinary pirates, but there might be danger to Kaie, right?"
"Hmm... that's true but..."
Going to sea remained dangerous.
Though numbers able to respond when something happened differed, Kanata's group were also wanted. They'd been attacked by Shiki and Linlin.
Even considering that, Shakuyaku said boarding Kanata's ship was safer.
"Plus, Gloriosa, you're also wanted. I don't recommend living in a lawless zone with a child on this island right next to Navy Headquarters."
"What, there's a bounty?"
"Yes. Canopy Gloriosa. Bounty exceeds 80 million."
Having been captain of the infamous Kuja Pirates, plus a former Rocks Pirates member, she'd naturally have a bounty of reasonable amount or more.
Her original abilities weren't weak either.
"Old story though."
"Just dulled a bit, right? Plus, with that child, you can't demonstrate your abilities, can you?"
"But..."
"Thinking about Kaie's safety too, I think boarding Kanata's ship is better. From information, you're accepting many freed slaves, right?"
"Well, factually embraced people with nowhere to go."
"See. She'll accept small children too."
Quite the push. Made Kanata suspect whether Shakuyaku preferred Gloriosa gone... but even setting that aside, the current situation certainly wasn't correct.
The Grand Line required risking lives even traveling between islands. Even moving to safer islands required considerable strength and navigation skills.
Sabaody wasn't safe either.
Pirates preparing daily for Fish-Man Island visited, bounty hunters were in lawless zones, and with wanted posters, the Navy might target them.
"If you both come together, I'll welcome you. Won't force it."
"Hmm... a dilemma."
"What does Kaie want?"
"Me? I... either's fine."
Wherever she was, mortal danger existed. For Kaie, everything around was a danger zone.
She'd been kidnapped by kidnappers just briefly separating from Gloriosa, nearly caught up in battles between pirates and bounty hunters.
Just the feeling of not wanting to be alone anymore existed.
"...Not many safe places on this island. Boarding Kanata's ship is the best choice."
"That's okay?"
"Yes. Though unworthy, this Gloriosa will impose."
Turning toward Kanata, Gloriosa bowed her head.
Until Kaie became independent... or rather, parental feelings wanting to watch over her until she reached a worry-free age existed.
"By the way, is Kaie an ability user?"
"Yes. Seems she ate the Zoan Snake-Snake Fruit... but the person herself doesn't want to become beast-human or beast form, so I don't know what kind."
Probably an ability she didn't want to use much. If this caused parental abandonment, naturally so.
That depended on future mindset.
Kanata's ship had many ability users. Hopefully she could gain confidence in her obtained ability, but that was unknowable.
"Then—to celebrate Gloriosa and Kaie joining—"
Kanata, Shakuyaku, Gloriosa, and Kaie—all four raised glasses in toast.
Praying their future journey would become even better.