"Hahaha! Being a girl is actually pretty awesome!"
Luffy grinned brightly while stuffing another mouthful of food into his mouth, both arms filled with snacks and desserts.
Almost all of it had been given to him by enthusiastic shopkeepers after seeing how cute he looked.
Luffy never expected people would willingly hand him food just because he became a girl.
Naturally, he accepted everything without hesitation.
That only encouraged more passing men to buy additional food for him after finding his carefree behavior adorable.
Beside him, Loki walked through the street with a squirrel resting on his shoulder, casually eating the mountain of food he had also received.
Even though he found the gazes from those shady men annoying, Loki firmly believed that free food should never go to waste.
Nami, still wearing her mask, pressed a hand against her forehead and sighed.
"You two are unbelievable. We agreed not to attract attention, yet you've caused a massive scene the moment we arrived on the island."
"It doesn't matter."
Shirogai smiled lightly.
"No matter what happens today, fate will eventually guide us where we need to go."
Even in female form, his smile carried a breathtaking charm that instantly stirred the emotions of everyone nearby.
The entire street seemed to freeze for a moment.
Men and women alike stared absentmindedly, their minds drifting into beautiful illusions created by that dazzling smile.
Nami glanced around at the growing commotion and rolled her eyes.
"The amount of trouble you're causing is definitely going to be worse than theirs..."
At this point, she had completely given up trying to stop it.
"But speaking of trouble..."
Robin adjusted her mask slightly while quietly scanning the surroundings.
Her voice lowered subtly.
"We've attracted more than admiration since arriving here."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Someone has been following us from the shadows."
Robin's instincts had become exceptionally sharp after years of surviving while being hunted across the world.
She could easily distinguish ordinary curiosity from genuine malice.
And hidden among the fascinated gazes surrounding them was a thick greed that made her uneasy.
"You're right."
Shirogai remained completely relaxed.
"Ever since we stepped onto Pilgrim Island, a group of traffickers involved in kidnapping has already targeted us."
He casually slipped his hands into his pockets.
"By now, some Celestial Dragons have likely started heading here with their guards. Their goal is probably to capture us alive."
"Celestial Dragons?!"
Nami stiffened beneath her mask.
"Shirogai... don't tell me you're planning to fight them directly?"
Even though she trusted the crew's strength completely, the title of Celestial Dragon still triggered a deeply rooted fear within her.
The World Government had spent centuries engraving the authority of the World Nobles into the minds of every citizen.
Offending Marines was dangerous.
Offending a Marine Admiral was terrifying.
But offending a Celestial Dragon invited complete disaster.
The Marines would mobilize endlessly until the culprit was captured.
That fear had become an instinct shared across the entire world.
Even someone like Nami, who had already challenged Emperors of the Sea without hesitation, still subconsciously feared the consequences tied to the Celestial Dragons.
The terrifying part was never the Celestial Dragons themselves.
It was the image of absolute authority that the World Government had forced into the hearts of the people.
That symbol represented untouchable death.
And it was the clearest proof of the World Government's control over the world.
"Celestial Dragons are still human."
Shirogai calmly flicked a Tarot card into the air.
The card spun slowly between his fingers before floating upward.
"Relax. Everything happening today is moving in our favor."
His smile became softer.
"We just need to enjoy the moment."
Robin's eyes followed the Tarot card as it rotated in the air.
On the card was an androgynous dancer holding two scepters.
"The World..."
Robin murmured quietly.
"A card symbolizing fulfillment, completion, and the closing of a cycle..."
"Exactly."
Shirogai glanced at her with a stunning smile.
"This will become a perfect loop."
"The beginning of a new cycle."
Robin suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken.
For some reason, his words left an indescribable feeling in her chest.
"The end of the Fool's Journey..."
Robin lowered her gaze slightly.
"No matter how beautiful the journey is, every story eventually reaches its conclusion."
The unease inside her heart grew heavier.
Why...
Why did this moment feel like something she would remember painfully in the distant future?
Like a farewell she would never forget.