Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 27.
The Chris dropped anchor at a spot suitable for docking, sails furled tight.
"Leave fifty men to watch the ship. The rest of you, disembark," Aeridar ordered casually, his arms slung around Millie and Mina as he leapt ashore.
As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Aeridar's mere presence was enough to deter the majority of pirates and thugs on the island. The fifty-man guard detail was more a precaution against hot-headed rookies or clueless fools who might try to mess with the ship. Otherwise, it would normally require a top officer to stand watch.
Everyone understood this unspoken truth. So, aside from the fifty unfortunate crewmen assigned to guard duty, the rest eagerly disembarked with excitement.
"Free time," Aeridar tossed over his shoulder, striding inland with Millie and Mina at his sides.
In the underbrush, behind tree trunks—
"Hey, hey, am I seeing things?"
"That guy... he's the strongest of the Super Rookies."
"A Warlord of the Sea, what's someone like that doing here on Sabaody?"
"Looks like he's heading for the New World too!"
Hidden eyes widened in shock. Beads of sweat rolled down foreheads. Some observers doubted their own eyes, but no one dared to step forward. That was the overwhelming pressure born of Aeridar's reputation and personal strength.
Elsewhere in the shadows, a man in a black suit furrowed his brows at the sight of Aeridar's group, then quickly turned and left.
Of course, all these scurrying rats of the underworld couldn't escape Aeridar's Observation Haki. But their pitiful power levels weren't even worth a flicker of his attention.
On the streets, the crew had scattered. Some headed toward the market, others to bars, and a few to explore the local park.
Beside him, Millie turned to ask, "Captain, where are we going?"
"To meet a certain legendary figure," Aeridar replied, smirking. "Also happens to be a master of coating ships."
"Legendary figure?" Oliver raised a brow.
"A retired pirate, I'll bet. This is getting interesting," said Arlan, already guessing who it might be.
"For someone the captain calls a legend, they must be incredible," Dimitri murmured in awe.
They reached the base of an Yarukiman mangrove, the bright "13" marked at the trunk's upper roots. At its peak sat a unique establishment, maybe a bar, though it seemed... eccentric.
"... 'Shakky's Rip-Off Bar'?"
"Is this some weird kink of that legendary guy?"
"Uh, are we sure this is the right place?"
"That name's suspicious. Hope we're not walking into a scam..."
Even Aeridar found the name amusing. He chuckled to himself as he looked up at the hanging sign reading OPEN.
"Yep, it's open. No problem." With that, he pushed the door open.
The moment the door swung in, they were greeted by a bizarre sight: several burly men lay groaning and half-conscious on the floor, their faces swollen and bruised. Atop one of them stood a short-haired woman in a jacket and tight pants, a cigarette dangling lazily from her lips, utterly unfazed and brimming with dominance.
"Uh..." Aeridar blinked at the scene, momentarily speechless.
"Welcome. What'll it be?" she asked with a languid smile, exhaling a perfect smoke ring as she glanced at them.
Aeridar let out a sheepish laugh, not wanting to provoke such a powerful-looking woman. "Take your time. We're in no rush." With that, he gestured for the others to follow him to the couch.
His Haki confirmed it, this woman radiated an intense aura. She was not someone to take lightly.
Arlan and the others looked visibly shaken. None of them had ever seen a bar owner beat the crap out of her customers before. She was... fierce.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said brightly. "Let me just teach this punk a quick lesson, and I'll be with you."
Waving them off, she proceeded to thrash the remaining goons, leaving them bloodied before stripping them of every last beri and tossing them out the door.
"Thanks for waiting, dears. Name's Shakky, but you can call me Auntie Shakky. What can I get you?" she said, brushing her hands clean as she approached the table.
"Two juices, six bottles of rum," Aeridar said with a smile, as if nothing strange had just happened. "Also... think you could introduce us to a good ship coater?"
"Oh, that? No problem." Shakky pulled drinks from the fridge and set them on the table. "My man's a great coater. He just stepped out to buy something, should be back soon."
"That so? Then we'll wait a bit." Aeridar nodded, then gestured to the drinks. "Auntie Shakky, how much do we owe you?"
"Heh. We don't get many celebrities around here," she said, flicking her cigarette ash. "Let this one be on the house."
Clearly, Shakky had already recognized Aeridar's identity. Yet even faced with a man whose bounty had once been 300 million Berries, now a full-fledged Warlord of the Sea, she didn't show a hint of unease.
"You're too kind," Aeridar said, shaking his head. "But in front of that man, we're hardly worth mentioning. 'Major figure'? That title belongs to him, not us."
"Oh? So you do know him." Shakky raised an eyebrow. "But he's long since left piracy behind, just a ship coater now."
She found it curious that Aeridar was aware of someone so off the radar. But clearly, he wasn't here as an enemy. If he had come with hostile intent, he wouldn't be sitting here with his crew, he'd have brought the Marines instead.
"I understand," Aeridar said with a nod. "I'm only here to find a great coating expert."
The door opened again. This time, an elderly man stepped in. His long, wavy white hair matched the full beard on his chin. A pair of glasses rested on his nose, a scar ran vertically over his right eye, and he carried a bag in one hand and a bottle of booze in the other.
"Oh? New customers, huh." His gaze flicked across the group, a curious glint in his eye, but his expression remained warm. "And quite the notable guests, too."
As he looked at the white-haired elder, Aeridar's expression sobered. He rose from his seat respectfully.
"In your presence, sir, I wouldn't dare call myself a 'notable guest.'"
"Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh. It's an honor. This is our first meeting. Please take care of us."
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