The moment Jinlin shouted from the deck, everyone stopped what they were doing and hurried to the bow.
What they saw ahead was breathtaking—
a sprawling archipelago made up of dozens of islands, large and small, each crowned by an enormous tree reaching toward the heavens.
Every so often, bubbles drifted up into the sky, glinting under the sunlight.
The entire sea shimmered in color—rainbow hues rippling across the surface.
It was the kind of sight that could make anyone stop and stare.
Naturally, Carmen was the most excited of all.
Girls were always drawn to beautiful things, and this was beauty beyond imagination.
She turned playfully toward Captain Arthur, eyes sparkling.
"Captain, sir~ Shouldn't the crew be getting paid by now?"
"...Huh?"
That one question caught him completely off guard.
The four men looked at each other—
and realization struck them all at once.
They didn't have a single berry to their name.
Carmen's bright smile froze, slowly twisting into disbelief.
"Wait… don't tell me—
you're broke?"
Arthur gave a helpless little laugh.
"Well… you hit the nail on the head."
"You're kidding, right?!" she cried.
"You're all legendary pirates! How could any of you be broke?!"
Over the past few weeks, Carmen had learned a lot about the world—about the Seven Warlords, the Yonko, and the various monsters roaming the seas.
She knew exactly what kind of people she'd ended up sailing with.
Waldo spread his hands, shrugging.
"What can I say? We all escaped from Impel Down together.
Since then, it's been one thing after another.
When would we have time to make money?"
As for Redfield and Crocodile, they didn't even look bothered.
Money had never been an issue before.
If they wanted something, they just took it.
Arthur rubbed his temples, sighing.
"A single coin can stop even the greatest of heroes, huh…"
Who would've thought?
A ship full of legends—broke as beggars.
For a long moment, the mood sank.
Then suddenly—
Arthur's eyes lit up.
"...I've got it."
He gathered everyone around, lowering his voice like a conspirator plotting something outrageous.
When he finished explaining, the crew stared at him in disbelief.
"What?! You want to blackmail a Celestial Dragon?!"
Even for him, this was insane.
Sure, Arthur loved stirring up trouble—but this was picking a fight with the literal top of the food chain.
Why not just rob a few merchant ships or pillage a Marine supply post?
Why go straight for the people the World Government worshipped like gods?!
Arthur only smiled calmly.
"Because Celestial Dragons are loaded.
Rob one, and we can live comfortably for three years."
The others could only stare at him, speechless.
Once again, their captain's definition of "simple solution" was pure chaos.
Waldo scratched his head.
"So, uh… who's gonna play the bait?"
He paused mid-sentence, then noticed something strange—
everyone was looking at him.
"Wait—hang on a second…"
Too late.
All four said it in unison:
"You."
Waldo's face darkened.
"Why is it always me?!"
He wanted to argue, but deep down, he knew they were right.
Carmen, beautiful as she was, wouldn't attract a Celestial Dragon's attention—they only prized the exotic or the powerful.
Crocodile's bounty—81 million—wasn't impressive enough.
And Redfield and Arthur were both too infamous to risk exposure.
That left only him—
Waldo, the 500 million berry superhuman.
The perfect "merchandise."
Resigned, he nodded, expression full of tragic dignity.
"Fine… guess I'm the sacrificial lamb again."
The others grinned, their spirits lifting instantly.
All except Waldo, who muttered curses under his breath.
Their ship, the Golden Scale, finally pulled into port.
At Grove 13 of the Sabaody Archipelago, the docks were already crowded with curious onlookers.
The moment the gleaming, gold-accented ship drew near, the crowd gasped in awe.
"What kind of ship is that?"
"It's gorgeous!"
"I've never seen anything like it!"
Even among the countless vessels visiting Sabaody, this one stood apart—radiant, imposing, practically glowing under the sun.
And its flag—completely unfamiliar.
"Whose crew is that?" someone whispered.
This close to Marine Headquarters, few pirates dared to cause trouble here.
Even Celestial Dragons visited often, making this one of the most policed places in the world.
But curiosity was stronger than fear.
Other pirate crews nearby watched carefully, wanting to size up their potential rivals.
The first to step off the ship was Arthur himself.
He landed lightly on the dock, coat fluttering in the sea breeze.
Dozens of eyes locked onto him immediately.
For a second, he felt like an animal in a zoo.
"...Being stared at like this is annoying," he muttered.
But the crowd didn't stop.
"Oh my god, he's gorgeous!"
"That face—!"
Women covered their mouths, gasping and whispering.
A few even swooned.
Several married women were quickly dragged away by jealous husbands—
though even then, many couldn't resist sneaking one last glance.
"Seriously…" Arthur sighed.
"Is being handsome a crime now?"
He shrugged.
"Fine by me. If anyone's dumb enough to pick a fight, I'm broke anyway—easy money."
The stairs creaked behind him—
thud, thud, thud—
and when people looked up again, another figure appeared.
A striking young woman with flame-pink hair descended gracefully.
The reaction was instant.
"Whoa—she's stunning!"
"No kidding! And that hair—!"
"Ugh, all the good ones end up with pretty boys. Why do women always go for guys like that instead of real men like me?"
The speaker—a round-bellied middle-aged man—smoothed back his greasy hair, grinning smugly.
Every head turned toward him.
"You mean… you're the pig?" someone deadpanned.
He froze, face red, and bolted out of sight.
By then, Redfield, Waldo, and Crocodile had all disembarked as well, glancing around the lively island with mild interest.
The atmosphere was festive—bustling streets, shimmering bubbles, laughter echoing from every direction.
Arthur was just about to gather his crew and head out when—
"Hey! Stop right there, old man!"
A loud, arrogant voice rang out across the dock.
A group of thugs swaggered forward, one of them pointing straight at Redfield.
"That's a fine ship you've got there, old-timer.
This great lord here will be taking it.
And that pink-haired chick too—she can stay behind as my personal maid."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then Arthur and his crew exchanged glances.
Redfield smirked. Crocodile chuckled. Even Waldo snorted.
"Oh dear…" Arthur said mildly, cracking his neck.
"Looks like someone just volunteered to fund our next meal."
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