Law asked for a brief meeting before we disembarked on the island. The Vogue Merry drifted gently toward the port, sails reduced so as not to attract attention. Law's submarine remained submerged at a respectable distance, ready to intervene if necessary.
Law crossed his arms, his serious gaze contrasting with the lively atmosphere on deck.
"Jordan, could you give me two hundred thousand Berries? I'll buy you a parent Den Den Mushi along with its babies. The range is ten kilometers. Does that work for you?"
I looked at him while pulling a stack of money from my inventory, the bills appearing almost naturally in my hand.
"Ten kilometers from the mother snail?" I asked to clarify.
"No. Each baby can act as a relay for the others. Theoretically, you can extend communication by ten kilometers per child snail if you distribute them properly. It's a chain system."
I nodded, interested.
Charles then spoke up, adjusting his glasses.
"Jordan, give him more. Get the model with as many babies as possible. We recruit new members regularly, so it's better to plan ahead. And get white Den Den Mushis too—they can jam frequencies and prevent interception."
I smiled.
"Good idea."
I added five hundred thousand Berries to the initial amount. Nami's eyes instantly sparkled. Her hand almost mechanically reached toward the money… which I gently pushed away with a light tap.
"Meeeh, we agreed I handle expenses!" she protested, puffing out her cheeks.
"You're the treasurer—but only for crew funds. This comes from my personal resources."
I won the argument, but her calculating look told me the discussion was merely postponed.
"Can we explore now?" Luffy asked, already ready to jump overboard.
Law sighed.
"Yes, but no trouble. Otherwise I won't be able to buy your Den Den Mushis."
He stepped off the ship with the money, his coat flowing behind him.
Nami turned to the rest of the crew.
"Anyone want to do some shopping?"
Sanji raised his hand.
"Our food supplies aren't critical, but we could stock up on fresh products."
Kazuki slipped an arm around him with a bright smile.
"We could buy local ingredients and try new recipes, dear."
Sanji blushed slightly but tried to keep his composure.
"Obviously… purely professional."
Usopp raised his hand next.
"I need materials for my traps and some technical accessories."
Elise added calmly,
"I'd like to find books. Medicine, strategy, science… to enrich our library."
The others remained silent. I caught Luffy's eye, and he gave me a clear nod—it was up to me to form the teams.
"Alright. We'll split into three groups."
I pointed at Luffy.
"Luffy, Koby, and Elise for the books. Get everything: advanced navigation, botany, mechanics, medicine, history…"
Nami, heart aching, handed them five thousand Berries with a strained smile.
I leaned toward her ear.
"I'll help you map all the islands we've flown over from the air."
Her expression changed instantly.
"Deal."
I continued.
"To accompany Usopp, it'll be Kaya, Charles, and me. I'll cover the expenses."
Kaya smiled innocently—fooling no one. Charles tapped the mace resting on his shoulder.
"And for provisions: Kuina, Zoro, Kazuki, and Sanji. Nami will go with you to settle the bill."
Nami stuck her tongue out at me.
"Very funny."
The groups quickly formed. Luffy was already leaping toward the dock, with Koby trying to slow him down. Sanji mentally reviewed a list of ingredients while Zoro rolled his shoulders, ready to carry entire crates if necessary.
I remained on deck for a moment.
With a subtle gesture, several shadows stretched out from my feet, splitting into animal-like silhouettes—cats, crows, small rodents—that took position around the ship. Silent guardians.
Little Merry, perched near the bow, cheerfully waved at the groups as they left.
"See you later!" she called enthusiastically.
Usopp quickly found what he was looking for.
The hardware store was spacious, cluttered with wooden shelves sagging under tools, ropes, crates of nails, metal mechanisms, and even a few rudimentary artillery pieces. It wasn't exactly an armory, but there were still munitions, neatly stacked cannonballs… and most importantly, one detail immediately caught my attention.
An emblem was engraved on the walls.
A crossed-out smiley face—the symbol of Doflamingo's pirate flag.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
The voice was grating, almost aggressive.
A man who looked like a debt collector stepped into the shop—jacket open, scar across his cheek, contempt in his eyes.
"All the shops here bear the emblem of the great Warlord Doflamingo. So don't even think about causing trouble."
He looked me up and down, then cast a suspicious glance at Usopp and Kaya.
I slowly turned toward him.
My crewmates saw my smile stretch slightly… and they all made the same face.
Here he goes again.
Without a word, I pulled out my wanted poster and unfolded it in front of him.
The paper snapped softly in the air.
"And is your great Warlord here to protect you right now?"
I pretended to glance around, as if expecting Doflamingo to pop out from behind a shelf.
The man's face drained of color.
He took one step back.
Then another.
His heel caught on a crate. He fell heavily onto his back, swearing under his breath… before scrambling up and fleeing out of the shop.
The visible dampness on his pants drew a burst of laughter from Usopp.
Kaya, still in her human form, covered her mouth as she laughed softly.
Charles sighed.
"Jordan… do you enjoy showing off?"
I shrugged.
"Not really. But if the Marines gave me a bounty, I might as well use it. It lets me deal with vermin without getting my hands dirty."
The shopkeeper, who had watched the scene in silence, looked pale.
But when I calmly turned toward him and placed the money on the counter without arguing the price… his expression changed.
Fear gave way to disbelief.
Then to nervous euphoria.
"Y-you're really… paying?"
"Of course. We don't steal from honest people."
He nodded frantically.
Meanwhile, Usopp was inspecting the stock with stars in his eyes.
"Jordan! Look at this! Reinforced springs! And these planks are perfect for trigger mechanisms!"
I bought the entire stock of nails and planks he pointed out. Charles loaded several crates without difficulty, his mace strapped to his back.
As I passed by a display rack, I spotted an elegant outfit: a light dress in shades of orange and white, flowing, perfectly suited to Nami's silhouette.
I took it without hesitation.
"This one's for her."
Kaya raised an amused eyebrow.
"You're hopeless."
Once the purchases were finished, I turned to them.
"Wait for me here. We'll grab something to eat after. I'll just drop all this off at the ship."
Without another word, I lifted into the air with the crates and materials, leaving a few passersby staring open-mouthed.
When I arrived near the Vogue Merry, I immediately noticed something.
There were more Heartless than before—proof that some people had gotten what they deserved.
"Merry, we're going to grab a bite. Do you want anything?" I asked, leaning slightly over the railing where the little girl sat, her legs swinging in the air.
She looked up at me with her big, sparkling eyes.
"A sugar crepe!" she replied without hesitation, hands clasped hopefully.
I laughed softly.
"Alright. I'll bring you one back. And if they're not good, I'll have Sanji make you a better one."
Her smile lit up instantly.
I took off again, leaving the Merry under the watchful eyes of the shadows stationed around the ship.
I quickly found Usopp, Kaya, and Charles seated at a lively terrace. The smell of seafood and toasted bread filled the air. Wooden tables were packed tightly together, and several discreet glances turned toward our group.
Five meters from their table, two men were lying on the ground, crying, covered in superficial but painful cuts. Nothing lethal—just enough to remind them not to provoke Kaya.
Kaya, sitting calmly, sipped a glass of water as if nothing had happened.
Charles saw me land and immediately pulled out a chair for me.
"Thanks."
I landed smoothly and sat down, the murmurs around us growing louder.
"Have you ordered yet?" I asked.
They shook their heads.
I raised my hand.
"Waiter, the menu please."
A visibly nervous man approached with four menus, instinctively keeping a respectful distance from Kaya. He placed them on the table, avoided her gaze… then retreated almost hurriedly.
I handed out the menus before glancing at mine.
Sugar crepes… perfect.
I also ordered mussels marinière, regretting the absence of fries.
I'll ask Sanji to make some. I kind of miss them.
At that moment, the two men on the ground regained their composure and shouted:
"You're going to pay for this! Captain Hugh and Vice-Captain Wade will show you the power of the Immortal Pirates!"
I slowly turned my head toward Kaya.
"Kaya… you forgot we're supposed to keep a low profile."
She puffed her cheeks slightly.
"They made inappropriate comments about me going to keep them company tonight."
I smiled, then casually flicked two small spheres of ice toward the two troublemakers.
The projectiles struck them in the chest.
In less than a second, two perfectly detailed ice statues stood in their place, frozen in ridiculous poses of protest.
Silence fell over the terrace.
"Have you decided?" I asked calmly, turning back to my companions.
They nodded.
I raised my hand again.
"Waiter, we're ready to order."
The poor man returned, pale-faced and trembling, writing down each dish with near-military precision.
Fortunately, the plates arrived quickly.
The mussels were fresh, well seasoned. The bread was crispy. No suspicious aftertaste.
I took a bite, discreetly analyzing.
No trace of poison.
Not so bad being in a city controlled by a Warlord, I thought.
The bounty hunters seemed to behave themselves here—or maybe the shady practices of East Blue weren't as widespread in North Blue.
Around us, conversations cautiously resumed after the ice statue incident. Cutlery clinked, chairs scraped against the ground, and the usual midday terrace noise slowly returned.
Some customers still cast wary glances at Kaya.
Others deliberately avoided looking at the two ice statues, as if ignoring them might make them disappear.
But no one dared intervene.
We were quietly enjoying our meal when the tone of the crowd shifted.
A murmur ran through the street.
Then it grew louder.
Heavy footsteps.
A ripple through the crowd.
Chairs pushed back hastily.
"Move aside! Move aside!" someone shouted. "It's the captain of the Immortal Pirates! Hugh of the Steel Claws! Fifty-six million Berries bounty!"
Another voice yelled:
"And his vice-captain! Wade the Mad! Forty-nine million!"
Bystanders pulled their loved ones out of the main path, some retreating into nearby shops. The relaxed atmosphere of the terrace shifted into palpable tension.
I calmly set down my fork.
Usopp nearly choked on his food.
Charles sighed.
Kaya, meanwhile, straightened slightly in her chair, curious.
The two pirates walked up the street with the confidence of men who knew they were feared.
The first, Hugh, was bare-chested, revealing a massive torso covered in thick body hair. His skin appeared slightly scaled in places. His arms were powerful, his hands gloved and fitted with long, curved metallic claws that gleamed under the sunlight.
Each step he took almost left an imprint in the cobblestones.
Behind him walked Wade.
Dressed entirely in red, a long coat flowing behind him, a rigid mask covering half his face. Two katanas hung at his waist, and his gaze pierced through the mask's slits with unsettling coldness.
"Why are they called the Immortal Pirates?" a trembling voice asked behind us.
A man, clearly more informed, answered in a low voice—but loud enough for us to hear:
"Because of their Devil Fruits… The captain ate the Lizard Fruit. He can regenerate severed limbs and heal from mortal wounds. They say he once survived a partial decapitation…"
A shiver ran through the crowd.
"And his vice-captain…" the man continued, swallowing nervously. "It's worse. The Freshwater Hydra Fruit. He can regrow his head if it's cut off. The more you kill him, the more he comes back."
Usopp leaned slightly toward me.
"Jordan… can we finish eating first, or…?"
I kept my eyes on the two approaching figures.
Hugh swept his gaze across the terrace, his vertical pupils briefly settling on the ice statues.
Then on us.
His smile stretched wide, revealing teeth that were far too sharp.
"You're gonna bleed red…" he growled.
Wade tilted his head slightly, his fingers brushing the hilts of his katanas.
(Author's note: And yes, I'm leaving you here with my Deadpool and Wolverine parody ^^ See you next week.)