Without the need to evade the World Government and the Marines' watchers and bases along the Grand Line, the Sky Pirates' travel speed shot up dramatically.
Every few days, the Navy and the World Government would receive fresh reports that the Sky Pirates had been spotted somewhere on the Grand Line.
Compared to two months ago, when they had kept a low profile and hidden their trail, this complete lack of concealment felt like a blatant provocation to Marine Headquarters.
But right now, they had no time to deal with the Sky Pirates at all.
The Great Pirate Era that the Pirate King Roger ignited with his final words seemed to be peeling back the surface of a world already full of cracks, exposing its fragility to every dreamer and would-be conqueror.
Even the chaos out in the open was enough to give the Marines and the World Government a constant headache. And the undercurrents in the shadows only made the people at the top even more anxious.
From the way the tide of the era was moving, this was only the beginning.
In a way, that also worked in Yemu's favor. Aside from a handful of idiots who tried their luck, thinking they could make a name for themselves by taking his head, the journey went smoothly.
About a week later, on the deck of the Twin Goddesses, Tiger's shout rang out as the Sabaody Archipelago appeared at the far edge of the horizon.
"Everyone, we've reached the Sabaody Archipelago!"
"Really? Where?"
Flare, in the middle of training, wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked out eagerly. Then she froze, eyes wide.
"It's… it's so beautiful."
What filled Flare's view was a breathtaking, dreamlike set of islands. Enormous trees rose into the clouds like giant parasols, sunlight filtering down in shimmering, rainbow hues. Countless bubbles drifted through the air, straight out of a fairy tale.
"So many bubbles!"
Baby-5 immediately jumped off Kuromi's head, kicking her little legs excitedly as she ran to the bow, staring at the adorable bubbles floating over the islands.
"It really feels like a fairy tale."
Ayala had always believed her hometown, the snow-white world of Flevance, was the most beautiful place there was. But faced with the Sabaody Archipelago's surreal scenery, she had to admit it was far more enchanting. That storybook atmosphere in particular was practically irresistible for a girl her age.
Erik looked surprised too, but his gaze stayed serious as he slowly wiped down the twin blades in his hands.
He could already feel it.
A fight worth looking forward to was waiting for him.
Enel, meanwhile, stared at the towering trees with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
"Those are… trees?"
"Mhm."
Tiger's expression turned complicated. Not far beneath this place was his homeland, Fish-Man Island. But it was also on this very island, a little over a year ago, that slave traders had captured him and sold him to the Celestial Dragons, turning him into their slave.
And not far from here lay the darkness he would never forget for the rest of his life: the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
"These are called the Yarukiman Mangrove. They're the largest mangroves in the world. When the tide goes out, they expose their massive roots. The Sabaody Archipelago is formed from these mangroves."
As he spoke, Tiger pointed toward the tallest Yarukiman Mangrove in the distance.
"There are a total of seventy-nine Yarukiman Mangrove trees. The roots of each one form an island, and each island has its own towns and facilities. The one we're facing is Island 44. You should be able to see '44GR' written on it."
Everyone leaned in to look, and sure enough, they could make out the numbers and letters carved into the enormous trunk.
Only then did Tiger continue his explanation.
"Island 44 is the entrance to the Sabaody Archipelago for civilian ships. Whether they're pirates or any other non-official vessels, everyone has to enter from here."
"Oh, so that means there's an official entrance as well."
"Yes."
Perhaps wanting to give everyone on board a proper overview of how the Sabaody Archipelago worked, Tiger explained in great detail.
"Using Island 44, the one right in front of us, as the reference point, the islands to the left are numbered 45, 46, 47, and so on. To the right, they're 43, 42, 41, continuing until they converge at Island 20. Islands 20 through 79, sixty islands in total, form the outer ring of the Sabaody Archipelago, creating a massive circle. Islands 1 through 19 are located at the center of that circle. So if you ever get lost on the islands, just follow the numbers and you'll find your way."
After explaining the general layout and seeing that everyone more or less understood, Tiger continued.
"Out of the seventy-nine islands, numbers 60 to 69 are the official entrances. That's where the Marines are stationed, and only ships recognized by the Marines, the World Government, or both are allowed to pass through there. The islands we're facing now, numbers 40 to 49, are the entrances for civilian ships. Of course, aside from being entry points, those areas also have tourist zones and specialty shops. Our destination is Islands 50 to 59. That's where most of the shipyards and coating craftsmen are located. If we want to reach Fish-Man Island, we'll have to find a qualified coating craftsman there to coat our ship. Only then can we descend to Fish-Man Island, ten thousand meters below the sea."
"T-ten thousand meters…"
Flare was completely stunned by the number.
"Yes. Fish-Man Island lies ten thousand meters beneath the surface. Down there, the Red Line has a small opening that connects the first half of the Grand Line with the second half. Of course, 'small' is only relative to the Red Line itself. To us, it's still enormous. Fish-Man Island is located inside that opening. And since we're pirates, this is the only route we can take."
At that point, Flare seemed to realize something and asked,
"Right, Tiger. You kept talking about coating earlier. What exactly is that? Does it really let our ship dive all the way down to ten thousand meters?"
"Mhm."
Tiger nodded and pointed toward the distant Sabaody Archipelago.
"See those bubbles? Those aren't ordinary soap bubbles. They're special bubbles formed from the resin secreted by the Yarukiman Mangrove trees I mentioned earlier. Coating works on the same principle. By applying that resin to the hull of our ship, it creates a bubble layer like those, allowing us to withstand the pressure of the deep sea. But…"
At that point, Tiger hesitated slightly, glancing at Yemu, who had been silently gazing toward the Sabaody Archipelago for a long time, before continuing.
"That's also why coating is a matter of life and death for ships heading to the New World. We don't just need craftsmen with the right skills. We need people we can trust. If anything goes wrong at ten thousand meters below the surface, even with me there, I can't guarantee everyone's safety. Not when we have so many Devil Fruit users on board."
At that moment, everyone could picture it clearly. The terrifying scene of the Twin Goddesses being crushed by the immense pressure at ten thousand meters below the sea, with no way out and no one to call for help.
Then, Yemu suddenly spoke.
"Don't worry. I already have someone in mind for the coating, and they're absolutely reliable."
Everyone's eyes lit up at once, and Tiger finally relaxed.
Sure enough, no matter the situation, Yemu always had a way of putting everyone at ease.
But then Yemu added,
"Still, there's no rush with the coating. Since we're already at the Sabaody Archipelago, don't you all want to take some time to explore it properly?"
"Explore!"
As a girl, Flare's eyes instantly sparkled.
"Yeah! There are lively shopping streets, amusement parks, and even Ferris wheels!"
Now, Baby-5 and Ayala's eyes lit up as well…