The Sabaody Archipelago.
Located at the midpoint of the Grand Line, just before the Red Line, it was the final stop before entering the New World, a crucial convergence point for the first half of the journey.
This archipelago wasn't made of typical islands. It was composed of massive, towering trees. Their giant roots formed the ground beneath one's feet. From the soil, resin bubbles constantly rose to the surface, drifting lazily into the air like delicate soap spheres.
Because of this, Sabaody was also known as the Bubble Archipelago.
The entire island consisted of seventy-nine massive "Yarukiman Mangrove" trees, the largest red trees in the world. Each tree was individually numbered and hosted its own structures.
Towns and facilities were built upon their roots, and the archipelago was divided into six distinct zones, each with its own unique function.
Luffy slowly docked the ship beneath Tree No. 70.
"We finally made it," he murmured, gazing at the sky filled with floating bubbles. The island looked like a dream.
It had been nearly two years since he'd left the Goa Kingdom.
Outside of the [X Gloves] and Robin's bonus attributes, Luffy hadn't made significant level progress. He had come to a realization: experience points weren't the key anymore, gold was.
With gold, he could buy better equipment and ascend to higher ranks. That was the real path to power.
Right now, Luffy's Stamina, Agility, and Mental Power attributes had all surpassed one thousand. His Strength stat had also crossed the nine-hundred mark.
Much of that growth had come from attribute bonuses granted by Zoro, Nami, and Robin.
Robin's new power had emerged only recently. She had already experienced a major leap in strength, so another rapid breakthrough wasn't likely in the short term.
But when paired with the fiery force of the [X Gloves], Luffy's average attack damage was now calculated as:
Strength + (Mental Power × 1.5), amounting to over 2,500 points per strike.
At this point, Luffy could confidently say: if Doflamingo came to fight him head-on, and both sides relied only on raw stamina and brawn, he could wear him down.
Still… raw power wasn't everything.
Luffy glanced at the in-game shop, where an item called the Binding Immortal Rope was priced at ten million gold.
Who knows what kind of dirty tricks his enemies might use next?
"Tch. Gotta make money…"
He also needed to return to Mt. Colubo within a year to send Ace off on his voyage. That meant he had about two years to stay on Sabaody Archipelago.
And here, what excited him most wasn't just the pirates everywhere…
It was the slave hunters, and the Celestial Dragons.
While Robin curiously took in their new surroundings, Luffy smiled and said, "Let's go find a place to stay first."
"Huh? Oh, right!" Robin snapped out of her daze, then pointed toward a beautiful inn in the distance. "How about that one? It looks lovely."
She had been eyeing it for a while.
At some point, the Robin who had always lived in the shadows had started longing for beautiful things.
Luffy followed her gaze. The inn was indeed luxurious, towering several meters high and occupying a wide plaza. Its grand golden facade gleamed in the sunlight. Two well-dressed doormen stood by the entrance, helping guests with their luggage. It was clearly a top-tier hotel.
But Luffy shook his head gently and said, as if seeking Robin's opinion, "It's a bit too flashy. We'll be staying here a long time… and doing things that aren't exactly… honorable."
Robin understood. Though a little disappointed, she nodded sensibly. "Okay."
After thinking for a moment, Luffy grinned. "Here's an idea, let's buy a residential house here. You can decorate it however you like. Make it your own."
He flashed her a sweet smile.
Robin's blank expression gradually shifted. Her eyes sparkled, and she broke into a radiant grin. "Sounds perfect!"
In that moment, Robin, the elegant young woman in the bloom of youth, let out a playful, girlish laugh. She was showing her truest, happiest self to the person who meant the most to her.
As she walked beside Luffy through the streets of Sabaody, watching rainbow-colored bubbles shimmer in the sun, Robin began to imagine the life they could live here together.
A quiet, peaceful life under the same roof…
A simple, ordinary kind of happiness.
She knew deep down that such a life wasn't meant for people like them. Their identities wouldn't allow it.
Still, she yearned for it.
Hoped for it.
Imagined the day it might come true.
"I should really start learning how to cook," Robin thought, smiling faintly.
Meanwhile, Luffy's mind was occupied with something else entirely:
How to make gold, fast.
At this point, becoming a bounty hunter was the best cover and the best career move.
It was, after all, what he used to do.
Step one: gather information.
And the best place for intel in Sabaody?
Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
The problem was, after so many years, Luffy couldn't quite remember where the bar was located.
Luckily, the name was distinctive enough. With a little asking around, he'd find it soon enough.
"Alright, next we, "Just as Luffy was about to lay out the next steps, he noticed Robin was completely immersed in the sights around them: street vendors, bubble-modified vehicles, and warm, peaceful scenes that felt like a fairytale.
Her eyes shimmered with joy. Her lips curled in a gentle, bride-like smile. She clasped one hand in the other, as if holding the hand of someone she loved.
She walked closely behind Luffy, utterly focused on the world around her.
Only now did Luffy realize that this Robin was nothing like the calm, composed intellectual from the original timeline.
"Maybe… I should reconsider my plans," he thought quietly.
Robin, noticing his sudden silence, turned to him curiously. "What is it?"
Luffy gave a soft smile. Sunlight streamed through the rainbow-tinted bubbles, illuminating his ocean-blue eyes with a gentle warmth.
"Let's take our time exploring today," he said. "We'll try the local street food, eat to our heart's content, "
He turned and pointed into the distance at a massive bubble-shaped Ferris wheel.
", then we'll spend the whole day at that amusement park, and tonight… we'll stay at that hotel you liked so much."
"That's our plan for the day."
He said it all in one breath, trying to cram in every idea that had crossed his mind.
Robin's heart fluttered, like a butterfly dancing in a sun-drenched flower field.
Her chest swelled with happiness so warm it felt like her whole body was smiling.
It was as if the storm cloud that had long loomed over her heart finally burst, releasing pure joy like fireworks in the sky.
And so, just as Luffy promised, he took Robin, giddy as a girl, to explore every corner of the island.
Time was short, so some places they could only pass by briefly.
But Luffy made her a promise:
"There will be many more days like this."
That night, lying in the luxurious hotel suite, Robin felt a truth settle in her heart:
Ever since Luffy entered her life, every single day had become… priceless.
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