The next morning.
After a hearty breakfast, Vivi, who was still a bit drained from last night's "battle," had fully recovered. She stood on deck beside Nami, looking out into the distance.
The Sabaody Archipelago was already in sight. Even before they docked, the lively streets were clearly visible.
Soon, under everyone's eager eyes, the Wind Rider pulled into port. Gecko Moria's large ship docked right beside it.
"Moria, stay and guard the ship. Don't let any shady characters get near it."
Caelan gave the command calmly.
He wasn't just being cautious. Although the Sabaody Archipelago was a bustling hub, its public security was notoriously poor.
The island was a melting pot of pirates, human traffickers, bounty hunters, CP agents, and all kinds of shady figures.
If no one watched the ship, the Wind Rider would probably be stripped for parts and sold off before sunrise.
"Yes! I'll guard the ship with my life. Go enjoy yourselves without worry."
Moria patted his chest, confidently making his promise.
As a former Warlord of the Sea, guarding one ship was hardly a challenge for him.
"Let's go. The news of CP9's destruction hasn't gotten out yet. Let's enjoy this while we still can."
Caelan looked relaxed as he led the girls toward the island's most bustling district.
Once the World Government reacted, visits to the Sabaody Archipelago wouldn't be so carefree anymore.
"Moria-sama, I'll bring you back a gift!"
Perona poked her head out from behind Caelan and called back to Moria with a bright smile.
Moria smiled as he watched them leave.
He returned to his ship and began practicing Haki and physical techniques while keeping watch.
He had no choice. Now that his new boss had picked a fight with the World Government, if he didn't grow stronger, how could he protect his sweet daughter Perona's smile?
…
Caelan, along with his six beautiful crewmates, headed to an auction house and sold off all the spoils they had collected.
The two Devil Fruits and various other valuables fetched a total of 620 million Berries.
Caelan deposited 600 million into the system, and set aside the remaining 20 million for spending on the island.
With that kind of cash on hand, the girls went wild, storming into a high-end fashion boutique with excitement.
Caelan followed behind at a leisurely pace, enjoying the pirate world's impromptu fashion show.
"Caelan, which one looks better? This one, or the blue dress from earlier?"
Perona, wearing a red and white Gothic Lolita outfit, spun around in front of Caelan.
"They both look great."
"But…"
Caelan's eyes lit up as he looked at the newly crowned Lolita princess, but his tone suddenly turned serious.
"But what? Is something wrong?"
Perona looked at him nervously.
"It's hard to get a proper look out here. Come to my room so I can take a closer look."
Caelan said with a completely serious expression.
"You're the worst!"
Perona gave him a playful punch to the chest and quickly hid behind Nami, her cheeks bright red.
She had known this day would come eventually, but she still wasn't ready to face it.
"Caelan, are you teasing Perona again? She's still just a child!"
Nami stood protectively in front of Perona, glaring at Caelan like he was a pervert.
He already had a few of them, and yet his eyes were glued to Perona?
Was their captain secretly a Lolicon?
"Is it possible that Perona is actually five years older than you?"
Caelan stroked his chin and replied teasingly.
"No way. She's obviously not even fully developed!"
Nami glared at him in disbelief, convinced he was just making things up.
"Huh!?"
Perona looked at Nami, stunned, and couldn't help comparing their figures.
Unfortunately, her build was worlds apart from Nami's exaggerated proportions.
As she glanced at the other girls, she realized she was the smallest among them.
In a place that could not be named, Perona took 10,000 critical hits.
"Nami, you're the worst!"
Perona stormed out from behind Nami and flung herself into Caelan's arms, tears brimming in her eyes.
She didn't need that kind of protection!
"There, there. Small is cute too."
Caelan hugged her gently and tried to comfort her.
This was normal. Nami and the others were the weird ones.
Hearing that, Perona sobbed even harder.
"What!? How can this be!"
Nami clutched her head in despair.
"Shhh shhh."
Robin, Vivi, and the other girls covered their mouths, trying hard not to laugh.
As Caelan led the girls around the island shopping and spending freely, Perona gradually calmed down. But she still looked at Nami with a bit of lingering resentment.
However, a man traveling with six eye-catching beauties and flaunting wealth like this naturally attracted attention.
Still, no one dared act recklessly. Caelan's name had already been splashed across the world thanks to Morgans' newspapers.
Nobody was foolish enough to provoke the man who defeated an admiral.
Anyone who dared either had absolute confidence in their strength or zero brain cells.
"Is that Caelan, the one who beat an admiral? He's so flashy."
A pirate named Curry glared at Caelan strutting through the city, his eyes full of envy.
He wouldn't dare to live that bold even in his dreams.
"Living so extravagantly is bound to dull his edge."
A bounty hunter named Jobra stared at Caelan's luxurious lifestyle, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"What's the point of whining behind his back? If you've got guts, go say it to his face."
A businessman named Daz strolled over with a sinister smirk.
He knew all about Curry and Jobra's backgrounds. Curry's family had a stash of millions, and Jobra's wife was still very attractive.
If these two idiots went off to die, he could snatch both the money and the woman.
Then he'd curse Jobra's wife a hundred times a day, every day.
Just thinking about it brought a creepy grin to Daz's face.
"Get lost!"
Curry and Jobra yelled at Daz in unison.
They weren't that dumb. If they provoked a guy like Caelan, they'd be minced meat.
Wait, they'd just trashed him with their mouths. What if he heard them?
The two glanced at each other, and chills ran down their spines.
Without another word, they bolted like rabbits.
At the same time, news of Caelan's arrival on the island quickly spread throughout the Sabaody Archipelago, causing a huge stir.
Any group with even a shred of power quickly ordered their subordinates not to provoke Caelan under any circumstances.
Only one middle-aged man turned his attention to Caelan.
The remnant of the previous era, Silvers Rayleigh!
(To be continued.)
***
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