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  --xLOVEx--

  Everyoook whichever dire they wahey o find Rayleigh anyway, so there was no shortcut Coby could take through this arc. Franky and Usopp headed toward the ship to make repairs after the small battle with Duval. The Thousand Sunny had taken a bit of a beating and needed some attention.

  Zoro, wandered off alohout a word. It was a given at this point that Zoro would somehow get lost and end up miles away from where he was supposed to be. Nami looked troubled. “I wonder if there’s a brave hero who would protect my treasure,” she said with a sly smile.

  Sanji’s eyes practically turo hearts as he offered up his soul to guard Nami’s treasures, but before he could overdo it, Coby smirked, stepped forward, and grabbed Nami’s hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, pulling her along with him. “Sanji’s got it handled.”

  Nami shot a pyful gnce over her shoulder at Sanji as she walked away with Coby, their fingers still loosely iwined. Sanji nearly exploded from frustration, muttering curses under his breath as he watched them go. But his duty was clear—protect the ship. So Sanji stayed behind, leaning against the Sunny’s railing, ready to guard the ship and treasures.

  The group, now sisting of Coby, Nami, Robin, Luffy, Brook, Chopper, Hat, Camie, and Pappag, set out trove 13. Their destination was Shakky's Rip-off Bar. Hat, alking slightly ahead, kept his head low, wearing a long coat that hid his extra arms. Band-aids covered his Fishman tattoo, making him look less fishman. Camie, too, was keeping a low profile, her tail tucked away under a long skirt to avoid drawing attention.

  As they moved through the streets, Hat quietly gave them more details about the pce. "Celestial Dragons… they think they’re too good to breathe the same air as regur people. If you see one, don’t stare, don’t do anything. Just don't be in their path. If you ot escape in time, get to the ground and khey own this pce, and trust me, you don’t want to piss them off." His tone was serious, knowing full well the sequences of angering a World Noble.

  Luffy, ever the curious oilted his head. "Why would they be like that? What’s the big deal about breathing the same air?"

  Robin answered, her voice calm and matter-of-fact. "They believe they’re superior to everyone else. They have power, influence, and the bag of the Wover. Here, they do whatever they want, and no oops them."

  Hat nodded in agreement. “Yeah, exactly. The Marine Headquarters is nearby, so the Marines here are way strohan in other pces. Even the bounty hunters here are tougher. And while we’re here, Camie and I are human. Got it?”

  Luffy looked fused. "But you’re Fishmen?"

  Robin nodded in agreement. “Just go with the flow.”

  They rehree Bon Chari, eae floating on Sabaody's bubbles with pedals to move. Luffy, Coby, Brook, Chopper, Hat, Camie and Pappag rode two together, while Nami and Robin split off. The girls wanted some time to shop on their own, and even Coby wasn’t allowed to tag along. They invited Camie, but she deed, saying she was tired and decided to stay close to Hat.

  "See you ter!" Nami called out, waving as they pedaled away.

  The remaining group tio explore the isnd, taking irange sights. The bubbles were everywhere, floating zily in the air or attag to buildings, giving the entire p otherworldly feel.

  After a while, they rode past a crowd gathered in a busy part of the grove. A pirate, frantid in distress, was frantically pulling at the metal colr locked around his neck. "P-please, help me!" he cried, his voice filled with desperation. "I have a family! A wife and a kid!"

  The people around him gnervously but did nothing. No one dared move to help.

  Luffy’s eyes widened, his body tensing as he watched the se unfold. Coby immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him toward an alleyway. "e on," Coby hissed, dragging the rest of the crew into the shadows.

  Luffy struggled a bit, his eyes fixed on the pirate, but he didn’t resist Coby’s grip. “What the hell is happening?” Luffy whispered, his voice tight with fusion and anger.

  Before anyone could ahe colr around the pirate’s neck beeped loudly. His eyes filled with terror. Then, with a siing crack, it exploded. The bst khe man to the ground, leaving him twitg in a pool of blood, smoke rising from the charred remains of his neck.

  Luffy’s face twisted with fury. "What the—" he began, but Coby cmped a hand over his mouth, holding him back. "Shut up," Coby whispered harshly, eyes darting toward the approag figures.

  A group of people with air bubbles around their heads strode through the street as if they owhe pce. Their steps were slow, each of them dressed in eborate, noble-looking clothes. Their dog, with coats groomed to perfe and nose held high, looked as noble as they did, literally. The dog trotted over to where the pirate y dead, lifted its leg, and peed on the sve.

  Luffy’s entire body shook with barely tained rage. He tried to move forward, but Coby’s grip on him tightened. "Don’t," Coby warned quietly.

  The female Celestial Dragon stepped forward, her gaze cold as she stared down at the fallen pirate. "This one is no good anymore," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "A filthy human who cries among these people… you disgust me."

  Without a hint of remorse, she pulled out a pistol and shot the dead man in the face. Blood spttered across the ground, and she looked unfazed, l the gun and blowing the smoke from its barrel with a casual flick.

  Luffy’s eyes burned with fury. He ched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. But before he could make a sound, Coby shoved him hard against the wall, c his mouth with his hand. "I said, don’t," Coby repeated through gritted teeth. "We ’t take them on here. You’ll just get everyone killed."

  Luffy gred at him, but he didn’t fight back this time. The tension in his body was almost unbearable, but he knew Coby was right. Attag the Celestial Dragons would bring an army of Marines down on them, not to mention an Admiral.

  The Celestial Dragons moved on as if nothing had happeheir guards trailing behind them. The crowd parted, bowing and kneeling as the nobles passed, not daring to make eye tact. The dead pirate’s body y abandoned oreet, ignored by everyone.

  As soon as they were out of sight, Coby let go of Luffy, who immediately shoved him back. "Why didn’t we stop them?" Luffy growled, his voice shaking with anger. "That was messed up! They just killed that guy for nothing!"

  Coby wiped his hand across his face, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Because if we do anything, they’ll send an Admiral after us. And I don’t care how strong we are, we’re not ready to take on likes of Aokiji and an army of Marines."

  As they sat ohick roots of a mangrove tree, Luffy was still grumbling, his fists ched and his eyes gring off into the distance. His usual carefree demeanor had been repced by frustration.

  "He irate," Coby said ftly, leaning back against the tree. His expression was cold, almost dismissive. "He knew what he was signing up for."

  Luffy shot him a look, his voice hard. "That doesn’t make it right! Those bastards shot him ireet like he was nothing!"

  Coby’s eyes narrowed. "Not all pirates are goody two-shoes like you, Luffy. Most are wicked. They steal, rape, and kill. They don’t deserve your mercy."

  Luffy opened his mouth tue, but Coby cut him off, his tone firm. "I’m not saying those pompous bastards are aer. But I’m not risking the crew for a pirate I don’t know."

  Luffy fell silent, gring at the ground. The others, who had been quietly listening, kept their distance, giving the two some space. They could feel the tension in the air but knew better than to intervene.

  After a long pause, Luffy muttered under his breath, "I don’t like it."

  "her do I," Coby said, shrugging. "But that’s the world we live in."

  This was the heavy reality. This wasn’t the first time they seen something unjust, but the situation with the Celestial Dragons hit differently. They were untouchable, and everyone k. Going against them wasn’t just reckless—it was suicidal.

  Chopper, sitting a little ways off, shifted unfortably. “It’s still awful,” he murmured, his small voice breaking the silence. "He was scared…"

  Coby g him, then looked away. "It’s the reality out here. There are no heroes in this world, just people trying to survive."

  As they moved forward, they entered a lot of bounty hunters, pirates, and sve traders. The area was swarming with shady people. Hat expined, “Groves 1 to 29 are basically wless zones. Don’t be surprised if people try to pick a fight."

  They were swiftly dealt with by an angry Luffy, Coby, who wanted some SP, and Brook in quick succession. Luffy, still fuming from the Celestial Dragon i, didn’t hold back, sending the thugs flying with brutal punches.

  Ohe bounty hunters were unscious on the ground, Luffy huffed, his aill simmering. "Idiots pig a fight at a time like this."

  Coby wiped his hands on his pants. “You ’t fix stupid, Luffy. Let’s just get going.”

  Brook sheathed his sword and chuckled, "Yohohoho, they didn’t stand a ce."

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