[send power stones please]
Early the next morning, the two of them got up before sunrise.
They had already agreed on today's plan:
to gather information about the pirate crew that had obtained the Gold-Gold Fruit, and at the same time familiarize themselves with Sabaody Archipelago, especially the local power structure.
They were newcomers—and worse, their identities were extremely sensitive.
Once exposed, they would immediately become targets of the World Government and the Marines.
In the original timeline, even though the Celestial Dragons themselves hadn't suffered casualties and only slaves had escaped, the World Government still hunted those slaves relentlessly and pursued Fisher Tiger without mercy.
But in this timeline?
Chenos had personally tortured a Celestial Dragon to death.
The nature of the incident was far more severe.
If they showed their faces carelessly now, they wouldn't just be hunted—they would be exterminated.
After a brief discussion, the two split up.
Chenos, with his strength, would investigate pirate-related information
Tesoro would gather intel on the island's factions and underground forces
After separating, Chenos didn't rush to ask around.
Instead, he wandered through the island, calmly familiarizing himself with the environment.
He had to admit—
the sights of this world were things his previous life could never have imagined.
Sabaody's landscape alone was famous even in this bizarre world.
Islands growing directly from massive mangrove trees, dazzling bubble-coating technology, and its position as the only gateway to Fish-Man Island—
all of it made Sabaody extraordinarily prosperous.
Wealth gathered here from all over the world.
Hotels, inns, and bars were everywhere.
Even in the lawless zones, taverns and lodging houses flourished—
only the guests were different.
Not tourists.
Pirates.
And ever since ancient times, bars had been the birthplace of information.
Chenos admired the shimmering bubbles floating through the air as he headed toward a particularly crowded bar.
The moment he stepped inside, countless pirate gazes locked onto him.
Seeing that he was alone, several pirates' eyes lit up, and a few of them walked over.
"Hey, kid," one sneered.
"This is a pirate bar. You sure you didn't walk into the wrong place?"
"How about I give you directions… to somewhere more suitable for you?"
As he spoke, the pirate casually raised a pistol and pointed it toward Chenos.
Chenos didn't even spare him a glance.
He walked straight toward the counter.
"Boss," he said calmly,
"one seafood fried noodle, and a beer. Thanks."
"Oi! Brat!"
"Didn't you hear me talking to you?!"
Chenos sighed.
This weak, yet so eager to die… how did he even survive this long?
Without stopping, Chenos casually slapped him.
The pirate flew straight out of the bar.
The room went silent.
Then—less than a second later—
the bar erupted in laughter.
"Hahaha! I won!"
"I told you that idiot was gonna get wrecked!"
"He must be desperate for money. Doesn't he know the most dangerous people in the world are kids, women, and old men?"
"This is a lawless zone! Anyone daring to wander alone is never weak!"
"Pay up!"
After Chenos casually demonstrated his strength, no one else tried to provoke him.
Even the pirate who had been slapped came back in quietly—
not to seek revenge, but to avoid Chenos entirely and return to his companions.
Chenos didn't care.
The bartender worked quickly.
In less than two minutes, a large bowl of seafood noodles was placed in front of him.
"First time here, huh?" the bartender said with a grin.
"This beer's on the house—welcome gift."
"Thanks."
Chenos accepted the beer and began eating quietly, listening to the surrounding conversations.
Pirates who wanted to enter the New World had to coat their ships at Sabaody.
And while waiting for coating, there was nothing to do except drink and talk.
"You guys hear this?"
"A pirate crew caused chaos in some country—confirmed five hundred soldiers captured."
"World Government sent only one person to deal with it."
"A thirteen-year-old kid!"
"Hahaha, bullshit!"
"Even if those people lined up to die, that kid would collapse before finishing!"
"Heh, that's nothing."
"You heard about the Jack Pirates?"
"They got their hands on the Gold-Gold Fruit."
"Gold-Gold Fruit? The one that controls gold freely?"
"If I had that, who'd still be a pirate? I'd just buy a noble title and live like a king!"
"And yet those idiots are planning to sell it!"
"Seriously? That fruit alone could make you richer than a country!"
"I heard Jack himself is already over fifty."
"The whole crew's old."
"They probably know holding that fruit would attract too many enemies, so they'd rather cash out."
"Devil Fruits go for at least 100 million Beli."
"Split that among the crew and they can all retire rich."
"Heh, that's boring."
"You know what's interesting?"
"Last night, Mary Geoise burned."
"Of course the government claims it was just a fire."
"But think about it—
that's where the Celestial Dragons live."
"How could it just burn down for no reason?"
"I bet something big happened."
"That's why the Marines and CP are swarming the seas right now…"
...
After finishing his meal and paying, Chenos walked toward the pirate who had mentioned the Jack Pirates.
"I'm interested in the Jack Pirates you mentioned," Chenos said calmly.
"Mind telling me more?"
The pirates exchanged glances.
Smiles slowly spread across their faces.
Another fat lamb.
"Friend," one of them said,
"you should know—information in the pirate world is never free."
He rubbed his thumb against his fingers.
Chenos laughed.
He pulled out a thick stack of Beli—the pocket money a very hospitable pirate had left behind.
"I'm genuinely looking for information," Chenos said.
"How about we step outside and talk?"
The moment they saw the money, the pirates' eyes went wide.
They nodded eagerly without hesitation.
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