Two days later, in the waters near Jaya Island.
The weather was clear, and the *Freewill* sailed slowly across the calm sea. With the warm sunlight shining down on the deck, Gin was leading the combatants through their martial arts drills.
Although most of the crew were accustomed to using firearms in battle, there would always come a time when the bullets ran out.
Furthermore, no matter what fighting style one used, physical stamina was absolutely crucial. Because of this, Gin never let them slack off on their physical training.
"Allen!!"
Suddenly, a shriek rang out from the upper deck, prompting a curious glance from Gin.
He watched as Nami burst out of the mapping room and frantically dashed into the adjacent captain's quarters.
*Bang!*
"Allen! Look at the Log Pose! It's actually pointing straight up into the sky!"
Throwing the door open, Nami shouted in a panic, her eyes filled with sheer disbelief.
Sitting up on the sofa, Allen cast a fleeting glance at it and gave a disdainful look. "Tch, I told you so earlier, but you just wouldn't believe me."
"What are you talking about?! The whole concept of a Sky Island is just too absurd! I'd rather believe there's something wrong with the magnetic field in these waters! After all, the Grand Line's magnetic fields are a complete mess!"
Nami yelled with her hands on her hips, clearly still unwilling to accept the idea of an island floating in the sky.
Just then, Robin happened to walk in from outside.
"From a logical standpoint, it's understandable that you would suspect a magnetic anomaly. But the truth is, throughout history, there have only been places humanity couldn't reach; there has never been a single instance of a Log Pose making a mistake."
Robin looked directly into Nami's eyes and said earnestly, "As long as the Log Pose points in a direction, an island definitely exists there, whether it's up in the sky or down at the bottom of the sea. That is exactly why the Log Pose is designed as a sphere."
"Robin..."
Nami stood frozen in place, completely at a loss for words.
Setting aside whether a Sky Island actually existed or not, even if there really was an island up in the sky, how could a ship possibly fly up there?
Allen stood up and said, "Anyway, let's just keep moving horizontally in the direction the needle is tilting. Since we're being affected by the Sky Island here, it means we've already entered the waters of Jaya Island."
Stepping outside, Allen leaped up to the crow's nest. Looking out over the bow, he could faintly make out the silhouette of an island on the horizon.
Soon enough.
As the *Freewill* gradually drew closer, the scenery on the island became clearer. The front deck was packed with people, all leaning eagerly against the railing, unable to wait to disembark.
Entering the port, the first thing that caught their eyes was the massive number of pirate ships docked there. As for the town itself...
Chaos. That was everyone's first impression of the town.
The streets were crawling with fierce-looking pirates. The sounds of brawls, arguments, raucous laughter, wails of pain, heavy drinking, and gambling filled the air in a ceaseless cacophony.
"Mock Town. Countless pirates and criminals gather here. It's famous for its culture of throwing money around like dirt, a completely lawless zone with no government jurisdiction," Robin stated calmly.
"What a terrifying place! I don't want to go ashore!"
Looking at the state of the island, Nami shed two pathetic streams of tears, her face the very picture of reluctance.
Allen shot her a glance. "Everyone else seems pretty excited. Do you want to stay behind and guard the ship? Though that might actually be more dangerous."
"Waaah! No way!"
"Don't worry, Nami! I will protect you and Robin perfectly!"
Sanji swooned beside her, his body wiggling as he spoke with a face full of utter devotion.
...
This time, Gin was the one staying behind. After arranging the ship guard detail, the rest of the crew disembarked and went ashore.
The duty of guarding the ship was rotated exclusively among the three divisions led by Sanji, Gin, and the Nyaban Brothers. Nami's navigation division was exempt, as their combat effectiveness if left behind was practically zero.
The massive group marched grandly into Mock Town, immediately drawing appraising stares from the bystanders.
"Hey, which pirate crew is that?"
"They look like bad news."
"Looks like a bunch of big shots just rolled into town..."
Over a hundred menacing individuals, fully armed with high-grade weapons—such a sight was rare even on the Grand Line.
Coupled with the imposing aura cultivated through constant training, it was obvious at a glance that Allen's crew was on a completely different level from the lethargic, drunken, and drug-addled pirates around them.
Seeing that this group was not to be trifled with, the other pirates on the street tactfully fell silent and cleared a path, only daring to steal glances from the corner of their eyes.
In their presence, the normally vicious pirates of the town suddenly seemed as docile as kittens.
At that moment, two figures were brawling in the middle of the street ahead. The two pirates were furiously hacking at each other with swords, completely oblivious to the fact that they were blocking the way.
It wasn't until the two separated that one of them—a pirate with a ponytail wielding a cutlass—stumbled back a few steps, landing right in front of Allen.
A towering shadow loomed over him from behind. Noticing the shadow on the ground, the ponotailed pirate whipped his head around and glared.
"Who the hell?! Can't you see I'm— Urgh!"
His words were abruptly cut off. Just as the ponotailed man flared up in anger, a large hand suddenly clamped around his throat.
Buchi flashed a toothy grin, lifting the man entirely off the ground with a single hand around his neck.
"You're in the way, idiot. Keep your eyes open next time."
The ponotailed pirate's face flushed red as suffocation set in. He glared furiously at Buchi and Allen's group behind him, desperately letting out hoarse sounds as if trying to utter a threat.
*Boom!!*
Buchi flicked his wrist and hurled the man away. The pirate smashed through a wall, left hanging in the rubble with blood pouring down his head.
*Smack!*
"You're too violent, you idiot! If I go to hell when I die, half the blame will be on you brothers!"
Nami lightly slapped the back of his head, scolding him in exasperation.
Buchi merely maintained his toothy grin, awkwardly scratching his head.
"Hehehe, who told him to run his mouth at the boss? I was just teaching him a little lesson."
Witnessing this scene, the surrounding bystanders began to whisper among themselves.
"Hey, look at that emblem. That's one of Executioner Roshio's men, isn't it?"
"Picking a fight with a major criminal sporting a 42 million Berry bounty the moment they arrive... They're in trouble now."
"Hard to say. These guys don't look like pushovers either. If I'm not mistaken, their captain is Demon Lion Allen, who has a bounty of 45 million Berries."
"45 million? Their bounties are neck and neck... This is going to be a good show."
The pirates lining the street quietly sized Allen up, murmuring among themselves with a hint of anticipation for the impending clash.
...
After heading deeper into the town, Allen's group stopped at a fork in the road.
"It's pretty inconvenient being stared at everywhere we go."
Allen waved a hand behind him without looking back. "Dismissed. Go eat, go play, just get out of my sight."
"Yes, Boss!"
"Alright boys, scatter!"
"To the tavern! Where's the casino?!"
The pirates cheered jubilantly, instantly dispersing and rushing down the various streets.
Soon, only Allen and a few others remained at the intersection.
Bellamy had gone to a seller to collect the Devil Fruits and wouldn't be able to make it back here until tomorrow morning.
Allen planned to stay in town for the day. Once the fruit transaction was completed tomorrow, they would head to the other side of the island to find the chestnut-headed old man who salvaged gold, and ask him for information about the Knock Up Stream.
After strolling through the streets for a while, the group arrived at a place on the edge of town called the Tropical Hotel.
It was an overwater resort villa built along the coast. The environment was serene; compared to the foul, chaotic atmosphere of the town, this place was as peaceful as a hidden utopia.
"This place is absolutely wonderful. I didn't expect Mock Town to have such a quiet spot."
A hint of joy finally appeared on Nami's face.
Robin smiled gently. "Yes, and with the weather of a Spring Island, it's perfect for reading a book while sipping tea."
The group stepped onto the wooden boardwalk built over the water and headed inside. There were very few people in the villa, and the owner quickly came out to greet them.
Considering they would be staying here for the entire day, Allen waved his hand and booked the entire venue outright.
However, just as they entered the open-air ocean-view restaurant and took their seats, uninvited guests barged in from outside.
"Hey! That guy named Allen is in here, isn't he?!"
"W-Wait a moment, sir! This place has been fully booked! Please don't do this!"
"Shut up! Get out of my way! They actually dared to injure my subordinate! Do they think I don't care about my reputation?!"
The noisy commotion drifted in from outside. Sitting around the sofas, Allen and the others cast sidelong glances toward the entrance.
They saw a blond man with full-sleeve tattoos and a head full of dreadlocks storming in furiously.
"His bandana has the same emblem as that pirate from earlier. That must be Executioner Roshio," Sanji said, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he eyed the man.
To the side, Buchi and Sham jumped up, looking somewhat excited.
"Should we kick him out, Boss?"
"Please leave it to us."
"No, let him come over."
Allen interrupted the two, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'm bored anyway. Let's see what kind of game he wants to play with me."
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