"This archipelago... truly has no magnetic field."
After the merchant ship came to a complete stop, the gangway was lowered, and passengers began disembarking one by one.
On the deck, Robin pushed her amber sunglasses up slightly. The Log Pose in her hand trembled gently, still pointing toward their previous destination.
On the nearest island, she and Liam had disembarked from the Skyre Kingdom's royal ship...
"We'll definitely... see each other again, right?" Rose called out tearfully from the departing ship, waving frantically at the shore.
After parting ways with Rose and the others, she and Liam quickly transferred to an ordinary merchant ship bound for the Sabaody Archipelago.
After some time at sea, they finally arrived at their destination.
Six years ago, when they had entered the Grand Line from the West Blue and obtained Crocus's letter of introduction at Twin Capes, their ultimate goal had been this very midpoint of the Grand Line.
Has it really been six years already...?
Robin smiled. "After a closer look, it's not actually an island... but a mangrove, right? Those tangled roots are floating on the sea surface... But what are those bubbles?"
"Let's ask someone," Liam said, snapping his fingers at a passing merchant ship crew member on deck.
Liam could have simply told Robin that the bubbles were a special resin secreted by the Yarukiman Mangrove, which formed the Sabaody Archipelago. These unique bubbles only formed within this specific climate range, even giving rise to the local bubble culture...
But there was no need.
The crew member approached and, upon hearing the question, laughed in surprise. "Didn't you two pick up a guidebook? They're over there—a sightseeing guide specially compiled by our Zolarugo Chamber of Commerce for tourists visiting the Sabaody Archipelago. Our Zolarugo Chamber of Commerce..."
"Bla bla bla..." Liam stopped listening and led Robin to the area the waiter had pointed out. Sure enough, they received a tourist guidebook.
Following the crowd, the two disembarked from the ship amidst a diverse group of people.
The black battle armor trailed behind them, its sensors scanning in all directions like a silent, black-clad bodyguard.
As soon as they stepped onto the ground of Red Tree Island, they sensed its unique nature.
On the slightly soft, resilient ground, a gelatinous bubble slowly began to swell, rising steadily until it formed a balloon the size of a human head. The balloon floated gently upward.
"Wow, that's amazing!"
"It's a balloon!"
"Won't it pop? Wow! You can even step on it..."
Excited voices rose from the crowd of first-time visitors to the Sabaody Archipelago. One mischievous little girl grabbed onto a rising bubble and nearly floated away, startling her parents.
Robin crouched down, reached out, and immediately felt a sticky, resinous substance coating her hand.
"Sticky..." She casually wiped her hand on Liam's pants. "How wicked."
Liam didn't mind and took the lead, heading deeper into the island. "Let's explore further inside."
Robin flipped through her guidebook, quickly skimming the sections on Yarukiman Mangrove, resin balloons, bubble culture, and other key geographical and cultural features of the Sabaody Archipelago.
"There are a total of 79 islands formed from tree roots..."
She turned the page and glanced back at the center of the port where they had landed. A towering, vertically striped Yarukiman Mangrove trunk stood prominently, with a pair of bold numbers painted on it: 44.
"If this is Island 44..." Robin continued flipping through the guidebook, "...it should be an area specifically for tourists to sightsee and purchase local specialties."
The guidebook explained that the Sabaody Archipelago, composed of 79 tree roots, was roughly divided into several distinct zones based on the island numbers.
Islands 1 through 29 were shaded gray and marked with danger symbols. The annotation simply stated that this area was a haven for pirates and bounty hunters, an illegal zone where tourists should stay away for their own safety and to protect their belongings.
Islands 30 through 39 were home to Sabaody Park, a famous tourist attraction featuring various amusement facilities like Paradise City. 'Do they have carousels and Ferris wheels?'
Islands 40 through 49 were the tourist areas for sightseeing and purchasing local specialties, roughly where Island 44, where she and Liam were currently located, belonged.
Islands 50 through 59 housed shipbuilding factories and coating workers. 'Shipbuilding factories I understand, but coating? What does coating mean...?'
Districts 60-69 were primarily government areas, with Marine personnel stationed there.
The guidebook specifically stated that because the Marine Headquarters was located near the Sabaody Archipelago, the Marines stationed here were exceptionally skilled and formidable. Tourists were assured they had nothing to fear for their safety while sightseeing on the islands...
Naturally, this assurance held true only if one avoided deliberately venturing into the Gray Zone.
Districts 70-79 were home to hotel and restaurant streets. Considering the characteristics of the other districts, Robin suspected that industries similar to the Pleasure District might be concentrated in this area with its dense cluster of hotels and restaurants.
Robin walked beside Liam, observing her surroundings as they moved.
Her reading speed was quick, and she soon finished flipping through the relatively thin guidebook.
"If 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh is indeed hiding on these islands..."
Robin tucked the travel brochure into her backpack. The green Den Den Mushi, dozing inside, yawned and swallowed City Fort into its shell.
"His name is still on the Marine's Bounty list," she mused, stroking her chin. "That means his most likely hideouts would be in the Gray Zone, specifically areas 1 through 29."
"Huh? Oh, right," Liam replied, as if just realizing she'd spoken.
Robin chuckled. "I almost forgot we could use Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki). Did you scan the island with it as soon as you arrived?"
"Seventy-nine islands... it's too vast," Liam said, rubbing his temples. "And the archipelago is so crowded—all sorts of chaotic people everywhere..."
"Then let's start with area 29," Robin suggested. "That would significantly narrow our search range."
"That's certainly a good idea..." Liam stroked his chin, his expression hardening. "But I refuse!"
"Huh?" Robin blinked in confusion.
"I saw you looking over there just now!" Liam pointed at Robin, his tone stern. "Your eyes were fixed on that thing without blinking for several seconds!"
"What are you talking about?" Robin was utterly bewildered, yet couldn't help but find Liam's attempt at striking a bizarre Jojo pose amusing.
"It's Paradise!"
Liam pinched Robin's nose with the same finger he'd been pointing, then casually draped his arm around her soft neck, pulling her toward Area 39.
"Don't be embarrassed! Think about it—you're only sixteen, still a baby! Come on, Daddy's taking you on the Ferris wheel!"
"..."
A glint flickered in Robin's emerald eyes as she reached back to grip his strong, muscular arm. A faint smile slowly bloomed on her lips.
(End Of This Chapter)
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