บท 138: Bubbles, Bonds, and Kidnap: The Sabaody Archipelago Saga Begins

The Mighty Merry drifted toward the strange, glistening shores of Sabaody Archipelago. Towering mangrove trees, known as Yarukiman Mangroves, loomed over the landscape, their roots giving birth to floating bubbles that sparkled in the sunlight and drifted lazily across the sky. The crew marveled at the sight, the bubbles casting an ethereal glow that filled the air around them. Camie and Pappag began explaining the two ways to reach the New World: either by requesting permission from the World Government to pass through Mary Geoise, or by taking the challenging route through Fish-Man Island.

Luffy, of course, immediately insisted on taking the second route. Hatchan chimed in, telling the crew that to get there, their ship would need a special coating. "It's the only way the Merry can survive the depths," he explained, promising to take them to a reliable mechanic.

"But there's something you need to know about this place," Hatchan continued, his tone more serious. "Stay away from the World Nobles. They're untouchable, and if you oppose them, even the Admirals will come down on you."

The crew exchanged uneasy glances, a quiet understanding passing among them.

With the plan set, the crew split up to explore the island. Luffy, Nami, Chopper, Robin, and Brook set off with Hatchan, Camie, and Pappag as guides, while Usopp, Franky, Sanji, and Raja stayed behind to repair the Merry. At Raja's insistence, everyone donned Mystic Bracelets, which they accepted without question, seeing it as another quirk from their vice-captain. As they departed, Zoro—predictably—got confused with the grove numbers, following a bubble and wandering in the wrong direction.

As they ventured deeper into Sabaody, Hatchan explained the island's unique bubble-based economy. People used the bubbles for everything from transportation to storing souvenirs, and even creating floating hotels and shopping malls. While Nami and Robin drifted toward the shopping district, Camie grew increasingly quiet, and Robin noted her unusual behavior.

Their exploration took a dark turn when a disheveled pirate captain stumbled into the street, his eyes wild with desperation. He begged the nearby citizens to remove a collar locked around his neck, his voice filled with desperation. He confessed he wanted to leave the New World to finally meet his child, whom he had never seen.

Hatchan motioned for the crew to look away. "He's a slave to the World Nobles," he murmured, voice tight with dread. "We shouldn't get involved."

But it was impossible not to watch as the collar exploded, a horrific scene that left the captain bloody and charred. His pleas for freedom turned to weak cries for help. Above him, a shadowed figure holding an axe watched with cold disinterest, while two World Nobles, Rosward and his daughter Shalria, made their entrance, the citizens bowing in submission.

With casual cruelty, Shalria allowed her dog, Saru, to relieve itself on the captain, then shot him with a pistol. The captain slumped forward, lifeless, while Shalria kicked his corpse aside with a smirk.

Luffy clenched his fists, his gaze darkening. But before he could act, Hatchan held him back. "Luffy, please… don't."

The crew discussed the event in hushed voices. Even the powerful pirate captain was defenseless against the Nobles. Pappag explained that these "World Nobles" were descendants of the founders of the World Government. They held a terrifying influence, one that even the Admirals protected.

The group pushed onward, their spirits dampened but their resolve solid. Along the way, several bounty hunters attempted to ambush them, but Luffy, Chopper, and Brook made short work of them. They finally reached Grove 16, a lawless part of the island, and Hatchan warned them that the inner groves were even more dangerous.

As they traveled further, they arrived at Grove 13 and entered a small bar where the coating engineer was supposed to be. Inside, they met the bar's owner, Shakuyaku—or Shakky, as she preferred. With a warm smile, she revealed she had been keeping an eye on their exploits and even mentioned her own days as a pirate, back when she'd had a run-in with Vice Admiral Garp. However, she informed them that the coating engineer, Rayleigh, wasn't around but was somewhere on the island, wandering from bar to casino and hadn't been seen in months.

Shakky also warned them about a group known as the Supernovas—rookie pirates with bounties over 100 million Beli who had gathered on the Red Line. Luffy and Raja's own bounties had drawn them into this elite group, though Raja's bounty of 400 million left Shakky visibly impressed.

In Grove 24, Shakky pointed out some of the other Supernovas present on the island. Capone "Gang" Bege, a mafia-style pirate with a short temper, argued with his crew in a restaurant. Jewelry Bonney, the "Big Eater," devoured piles of food in front of overwhelmed cooks. Basil Hawkins, "The Magician," stood quietly, observing his surroundings, while Eustass Kid and Scratchmen Apoo argued loudly, their bounties dwarfing those of many others on the island.

Over in Grove 21, Urouge the "Mad Monk" fought fiercely against Killer, while X Drake, a former Marine, intervened to end their fight. Trafalgar Law, "The Surgeon of Death," leaned against a wall, watching the scene with a calm yet deadly gaze.

Shakky's expression turned serious as she explained that Kid's bounty was higher than Luffy's due to the heavy civilian casualties Kid left in his wake. Yet despite the intensity of their reputations, Luffy remained unfazed, his thoughts fixed on finding Rayleigh.

The sounds of laughter and lively chatter filled the streets as Luffy, Camie, and the rest of the group strolled through Sabaody Park. They had just left the bar, Shakky's last words of caution ringing in their ears: "Keep a low profile, and don't cause a scene. The Marines are busy, but let's not add to their workload." Naturally, Luffy nodded, but anyone who knew him well knew he'd already forgotten.

Camie looked around, wide-eyed and thrilled to finally see the attractions she'd dreamed of visiting. Luffy, Usopp, and Brook raced from ride to ride, their excitement contagious as they encouraged Camie to try everything. They rode the Ferris wheel, laughed at the absurdly fast roller coaster, and chomped on snacks from the many food stalls.

But as they enjoyed the rides, they were unaware that a shadow had fallen over them. Watching from the sidelines, the kidnapper Peterman and his gang of bounty hunters waited for the perfect opportunity to capture Camie, their greedy eyes set on the rare prize of a mermaid.

Meanwhile, in another part of Sabaody Archipelago, a different scene was unfolding.

Saint Charlos, one of the infamous Celestial Dragons, was causing a stir. Having been abandoned by his family, he took his anger out on everyone around him. His eyes fell upon a young nurse named Marie and, without a second thought, he declared, "She'll be my wife." Her fiancé, a doctor, protested, pleading for mercy. Charlos only smirked and shot him without a second thought, leaving Marie screaming and begging for help.

At that moment, Zoro happened to pass by, oblivious to the consequences of confronting a Celestial Dragon. When Charlos pointed his gun at him, Zoro sidestepped the bullet with ease and prepared to retaliate. Just as his sword was about to strike, Jewelry Bonney leaped in and tackled Zoro to the ground, feigning that he had been hit. Charlos scoffed and lost interest, continuing his cruel game as Zoro lay in the dust, unbothered but curious about why Bonney had intervened.

The incident had drawn the attention of several pirate crews, who whispered in awe. Zoro's brazen defiance against a Celestial Dragon shocked them; it was a reminder of the Straw Hat Pirates' fearlessness and the reason for their high bounties. But Zoro, brushing off Bonney's scolding, simply picked up the injured doctor and carried him to get medical help, unfazed by the uproar around him.

Back in Grove 33, the joyous atmosphere took a dark turn.

Camie, who had wandered off for ice cream, was nowhere to be found. When Luffy, Hatchan, and Pappag regrouped, they immediately sensed something was wrong. A cold fear settled in as Chopper urgently called the crew on the Den Den Mushi. "Camie's gone!" he yelled. "She's been kidnapped!"

Sanji's voice cut in sharply. "Everyone, stay put. We're dealing with professionals here—this needs a tactical approach. I'm calling Duval and the Flying Fish Riders."

Within minutes, Duval and his gang arrived, and the search began. The Flying Fish Riders spread out across the island, while Luffy, Hatchan, and Pappag ignored Sanji's order to wait and set off on their own, shouting Camie's name.

As they searched, Robin explained the harsh truth of Fish-Man history to Nami. "Two hundred years ago, Fish-Men and mermaids were treated as less than human. Slavery was common, and many were sold into captivity. Though there was a treaty that should've ended these practices, Sabaody remains one of the few places where the trade still flourishes."

Nami clenched her fists, understanding now why Hatchan and Camie had to hide their true identities. Meanwhile, Pappag, fighting back tears, confided in Luffy, blaming himself for bringing Camie here and putting her in danger.

Luffy put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong. Hatchan, Pappag—Camie's one of us now. And we don't abandon our friends." His tone was fierce, his eyes determined. "We'll get her back. No matter what."

Just then, the Flying Fish Riders appeared in the distance, signaling that they had a lead. Luffy, Hatchan, and Pappag immediately followed, hearts pounding with worry and hope.

Elsewhere, in Grove 1, Camie was brought to a human auction house, bound and frightened. The head auctioneer, Disco, eyed her greedily. "A mermaid—such a rare find! She'll fetch a fortune!"

Camie struggled and threatened them, declaring that her friends would come for her. Disco sneered and slapped her, silencing her protests. But just as he raised his hand to strike her again, he suddenly froze, his face paling as he stumbled and collapsed, unconscious.

In the shadows, an older man watched calmly, his aura brimming with power. His quiet but immense strength had knocked Disco out without a single move. Camie looked up at her mysterious protector, her fear beginning to fade.

The man smiled warmly. "Don't worry, young lady. Help is closer than you think." The man was none other than Silvers Rayleigh, the former First Mate of the Pirate King, and his arrival marked a new turn in the battle to rescue Camie.

Meanwhile, Raja sat alone in his room on the Mighty Merry. He retrieved a Den-Den Mushi from his pocket and made a call. On the other end, Dragon picked up, understanding the message without a word. He vanished from his room, reappearing on a nearby island. There, two figures—one wielding a staff, the other a sword—sat in meditation. Dragon approached them, and with a single phrase, "It's time," they opened their eyes, releasing waves of King's Haki that radiated across the island.