Chapter 41: Sabaody Archipelago

To set foot on the Grand Line and reach this place—few can claim such a feat.

From the seven starting routes, choosing one, surviving the lawless horrors of this sea, battling rivals who’ve endured the same, evading Marine Headquarters’ pursuit—only then do you arrive at the colossal continent that splits the world: the Red Line.

The midpoint connecting the first and second halves of the Grand Line, Fish-Man Island, lies 10,000 meters beneath the sea, directly under that continent. To reach it, you must first arrive here.

And beyond that treacherous voyage? The second half of the Grand Line—the New World. A sea where only the strongest survive.

"—Not that I need the lecture. Been to the New World plenty~. No need to worry."

"Wait, so you’ve been to Fish-Man Island and—"

"Nah, always slipped in through the Calm Belt. First time here."

"WHAAAAA—?! THEN WHY’D YOU SAY NOT TO WORRY?!"

The one delivering this spirited retort is none other than Queen, one of the Beast Pirates’ top executives—a hulking man whose rotund frame belies his moniker: "The Plague."

I’d been briefing our crew—about a hundred strong—on the New World’s dangers while docking deep in the archipelago.

"Relax, I know the basics. To reach Fish-Man Island, we need to coat the ship first—seal it with resin from the Yarukiman Mangrove roots. Takes at least three days here. So we’re stuck on this island till then."

"—Meaning we’ve got three days to kill Marines and these trash-tier bounty hunters…"

"Pretty much!"

I nod cheerfully toward our other top executive: King, "The Wildfire," a towering figure clad in black, wings of flame at his back. Cool as ever, he crushes the skull of a groaning bounty hunter underfoot, our wanted posters clutched in his grip.

"This island’s a choke point. Every pirate bound for the New World has to pass through, so bounty hunters flock here. Marines too—there’s a base nearby. Oh, and human traffickers. But honestly? Just avoid making a scene, and the Marines won’t sniff us out."

"—We’ll kill any who do."

"Classic Kaido. —Well, yeah. If they find us, we handle it."

Our captain—Kaido, "The King of Beasts"—drops his bloodied kanabo, lifting a half-conscious bounty hunter by the scalp. Still alive? Doesn’t matter. Can’t risk our ship’s location leaking.

I glance at our crew. Survivors from Kise Island, plus fresh recruits. About ten originals remain—they’ve adapted. The newbies? Still trembling in our presence. Cute.

"Half of you stay on standby. Rotate shifts daily."

"Understood."

"Yes, ma’am."

"Y-yes!"

Good kids. The veterans nod easily; the rookies stammer. Adorable.

"Hey, Nue. Scout for strong recruits. This place’s gotta have decent trash."

"Probably. But I’d rather shop and sightsee~. Heard there’s a human auction—wanna check it out? —Oh, and if you spot bounties, capture them. We’ll either recruit ’em, cash ’em in, or sell ’em off. No wasting good meat♡."

"Right."

"Muhaha… Bad luck for every pirate on this island. Pray they don’t cross us."

I relay orders to King and Queen: Bounties are priority. This place is crawling with them—fresh faces too. Kaido might take a liking to some. The rest? Profit.

As for the coating craftsmen? We’ve got connections. The real issue? Surviving three days here without Kaido razing the place. Me? I’ll manage—discreet chaos is my specialty♡.

---

Marineford, Headquarters of the Navy

"What?! The Beast Pirates?!"

"Y-yes, sir! Reports confirm they’re currently stationed at Sabaody Archipelago…!!"

The room, emblazoned with the symbol of "Justice," erupted into chaos.

To the Marines tasked with maintaining order across the seas, the remnants of the Rocks Pirates were the most dangerous threat of all.

"Tch… So the intel about their annihilation by the Whitebeard Pirates was false… Or they’ve already recovered…!!"

"—Recovered, no doubt. The Beast Pirates—especially Kaido, 'King of Beasts,' and his sworn sibling, Nue—are damn near unkillable."

"! —Vice Admiral Garp!!"

"Y-you’re back!?"

As the Marine officers exchanged grim looks over the report from Sabaody, the door swung open—revealing the Navy’s hero, "Garp the Fist." His unexpected return from the frontlines drew startled glances, but Garp just grinned.

"Came back to resupply—but this is a headache. I was just about to crash Whitebeard and Roger’s little spat, and now the Beast Pirates are making a move for the New World too? The government’s gonna lose sleep over this one!"

"Whitebeard… and Roger…?"

A junior Marine paled, swallowing hard. The two titans of the New World, clashing for supremacy—this was no ordinary disturbance.

The World Government saw Roger as public enemy number one, and Whitebeard—with his strength and influence—was no less a threat.

But they couldn’t ignore Big Mom, carving out her own empire, or Shiki, commanding an armada of pirates.

The Navy was stretched thin. Even with powerhouses like Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr, the remnants of Rocks were wreaking havoc across the Grand Line. They couldn’t possibly cover every front.

So when intel suggested the Beast Pirates had been wiped out by Whitebeard, the Marines had breathed a sigh of relief—however brief. Now, the threat loomed larger than ever.

Yet Garp remained unfazed, munching on rice crackers.

"Relax! If I spot ’em on my way, I’ll handle it! —Besides… Seems the government’s already making moves."

"The government?! You mean—"

"Yeah. They’re sending in a spy. The Beast Pirates’ movements are already hard to track, thanks to that mysterious power of Nue's. They’ll wanna figure that out too. —Not sure how well it’ll work, though! Bwahahaha!!"

"…Is this really a laughing matter?"

As his subordinates sighed, Garp’s boisterous laughter filled the room—but behind it lay sobering certainty.

The Beast Pirates were finally entering the New World.

And with them, a storm that would shake the world to its core.

---

“Hmm~... Slave trading’s more entertaining than I thought. Maybe I’ll buy someone—if there’s a cute or interesting one, that is.”

“I’m down, but... why does it have to be a cute one?”

“Duh, Queen. If someone’s going to take care of me, I’d rather it be someone nice to look at.”

“Stop talkin’ like some sleazy guy, Vice-Captain...”

It was day one of our stay on the Sabaody Archipelago. I thought we’d start with a bit of shopping, so I brought some of the crew along to explore the island. I was a little uneasy about leaving Kaido behind, but King’s with him, so he should be fine... probably. Well, I’ll trust him—kinda.

Anyway, back to shopping. We casually strolled through the slave quarters, checking out the people locked in cages with collars around their necks. It kinda felt like walking through a pet store. Except... everyone’s expressions were dead. Like, eyes empty. I get it, sure. But hey, weakness is the real problem here. If they were strong, escaping this would be a piece of cake.

“—Well? If you see anyone you like, please don’t hesitate to buy. They're all in excellent health and built to last! We take pride in that, you see.”

As Queen and I wandered around, the shop owner chimed in, wringing his hands and flashing a fake, business-like smile. Yeah... physically they look alright. Mentally, though? They’re hanging by a thread.

“Personally, I think the ones who still have some fight in them are more fun to break in.”

“And that’s our cue. Sorry about this, boss. Nue’s got some... unique tastes.”

“Hahaha... I see, I see. In that case, perhaps I can offer you a more specialized selec—”

“Nah, I think I’ll just take them all. You look like you’ve got plenty of cash saved up anyway. So yeah—give me everything♡.”

“...Come again?”

Ignoring the stunned shopkeeper, I casually busted open the cages and started leading the slaves out at random. Then I barked some orders at Queen and the others:

“Queen, grab anything that looks valuable, would you?”

“Ooh, you got it! ALRIGHT YOU LOT!! It’s RAIDIN’ TIME, BABY~~~~~♪”

“YEEAAAHHH!! LADY NUEEEE!! QUEEEEEEN!!”

Queen and the crew jumped into action, looting the place like kids in a candy store. That finally snapped the shopkeeper and his staff out of their daze.

“Wh-What the hell do you think you’re doing!?”

“Aww, sorry~ We’re pirates. We don’t exactly plan to pay when we raid sketchy little shops like yours. I mean, if we were gonna come back or thought you were worth keeping around, maybe we’d throw some cash your way. But we’re not. So we’ll be taking everything you’ve got. And also—sorry, but go ahead and die for me, will you?♡”

“Wh—Wait—GUAAHH!!”

And with that, I ran my trident through the shopkeeper, some staff, and even the hired guards. Just picked them off wherever they stood. Seriously, raiding’s the most fun way to shop. And hey, a store like this must’ve been raking it in, so it’s extra satisfying. Not to mention, I get to stock up on people too? Talk about efficient.

“Hmm... I’ll take this one, and that one... The rest of you can go. I’ve got no use for you.”

“Huh...?”

“W-We’re allowed to escape...?”

“Yup, sure are. So, y’know, feel free to thank me later?”

I grabbed the ones I wanted and left the rest. If they’re smart, they’ll find the keys and run. Consider this my good deed for the day. Heh. I’m actually kinda nice, huh? It’s not just slaves—I help people from time to time, let them owe me one. That can be fun too. So yeah, I’m not above lending a hand to strangers here and there.

...Of course, sometimes I help just to kill or torture them later for kicks. That’s fun too. I just do what I want. Sure, I try not to go too far—things can get messy—but as long as it’s fun, who cares?

“Alright, you guys are my bag carriers now~! So! With all this money, how about we hit up a fancy restaurant and party it up?!”

“That’s our Nue!!—Alright boys, LET’S GO WILD ON THE WAY BACK~~~~~♪”

“HELL YEAH!! LADY NUEEEE’S THE BEST~~~~~!!”

Queen and his guys really knew how to pump up the crowd. Most of Queen’s old crew from back in the day are gone now, but anytime he gets new ones, they catch his vibe fast. It’s pretty hilarious.

King’s crew, though... they’re way more brutal. Which, honestly, is a different kind of fun. They all enjoy being pirates in their own way—and that’s what matters.

And just like that, our first day on Sabaody ended with a little shopping and a good ol’ feast.

---

—Day two on the Sabaody Archipelago.

Pirates who make it to this island are generally strong contenders who’ve crossed the first half of the Grand Line. A lot of them are pretty big names. While bounties over 100 million berries aren’t exactly common, it’s not unusual to see pirates whose bounties come close.

“Gyaaaaahhh!!”

“Please, stop it already!!”

“H-Help me…!!”

—I was expecting a little more from them, to be honest… I sighed as I watched the pirates writhing in pain under torture. I turned to King, who was overseeing the men handling the interrogations.

“Heyyy, King? How many of them have joined up so far~?”

“We’ve recruited about twenty. The ones who resisted and are being tortured now? Around ten times that.”

“So they’re all spineless after all, huh? Kaido said the same thing, you know. ‘These weaklings think they can survive the New World? Don’t make me laugh!!!’ —Then he killed the one guy who looked like he had some potential.”

“...Which is exactly why I keep asking him to go easy on the booze…”

“Well, we’ve got time to kill until the coating’s done, and honestly, Kaido’s showing some restraint. Normally he’d go wild and probably blow up a third of our seventy-nine mangroves by now.”

“…Can’t you tell him to hold back?”

“If it’s about the recruits, sure, I could say something… but I mean, if someone’s really good, Kaido won’t kill them even when he’s drunk, right? As for the mangroves… yeah, I don’t really care. Mmm, nom…”

Leaning back on a beach chair we stole earlier, I snacked on some food while watching the torture session like it was a show, chatting with King about how recruitment had gone so far. Honestly, it wasn’t looking great. The pirates here on Sabaody tend to have strong egos, and not many are quick to agree to anything.

Sure, some of them cave and become underlings once they’re beaten bloody—but those guys are spineless. Neither Kaido nor I care for the weak. On the flip side, the ones with real strength tend to have real resolve, and a day or two of torture isn’t enough to break them.

So in the end, I don’t think we’ll get that many new crew members during our three-day stay. —There are a few who seem promising, but we won’t know for sure until we set sail with them. They might just die right away, after all.

“We’ve got a Log Pose for the New World now, and we’re gathering intel… but man, we really need more capable crewmates. Isn’t there some top-tier talent just lying around somewhere~?”

“…If there were, life’d be a whole lot easier…”

“Wororororo!! Hey, you guys!! Get over here for a second!!”

“Hm? What is it, Kaido?”

“Something wrong, Kaido-san?”

As King and I exchanged a noncommittal glance, Kaido suddenly yelled from the ship, waving for us to come over. He sounded way too cheerful. Wasn’t he drinking again? That was the last I saw of him. We headed over—and the second I laid eyes on who was with him, my heart jumped in my chest. I couldn’t let it show on my face, but I was stunned. Keeping my expression neutral, I tilted my head and asked innocently,

“…Hmm? Who’s the lovely lady over there?”

“Wororororo!! Listen up, Nue!! This lady here says she’s gonna give us turf in the New World!!”

“Ufufu♡ That’s right. To be precise, if you let us fly your flag and offer protection, we’ll pay you a cut in funds and supplies. That’s the deal.”

“—Ooh, that sounds like a pretty sweet arrangement! So, who are you, exactly?”

I smiled, bright and sweet, as I asked for her name. She wore a white hat over wavy blonde hair cut to a medium length. Tall and slender, with a gorgeous figure hidden beneath a red dress—she was a stunner. I noticed the Beast Pirates, Queen included, were all staring at her with hearts in their eyes. —Not that I could blame them. She was beautiful. Though if we’re talking cuteness? I’ve still got her beat. She turned to me with a charming smile and said,

“—I’m Stussy. I manage one of the pleasure districts on an island in the New World—”

She introduced herself to both me and King, flashing that sweet smile of hers. …But all I could think was:

Oh come on—there’s no way she’s not a spy or something!! I mean, maybe back in the day, sure—but now Stussy’s totally working for the government!!

---

There exists a government intelligence agency known as "CP—Cipher Pol."

CP1 through CP8 are standard departments—essentially ordinary spies conducting intelligence operations around the world. However, once you reach "CP9," it becomes a far more dangerous organization, one that is authorized to eliminate anyone deemed inconvenient or uncooperative by the government. Its members have mastered the superhuman martial arts technique known as “Rokushiki,” which even Marine Headquarters officers use.

And then there’s "CP0"—a group directly under the Celestial Dragons. Known as the most powerful intelligence agency in the world, they bypass even the Navy when carrying out their missions, making them a particularly troublesome bunch… So then, where exactly does she fall on that scale?

“So, in short, you want the Beasts Pirates to protect your island… and in exchange, you’ll offer it up as our territory and provide various resources?”

“Yes. In the New World, the Navy's influence is limited. Most people either form their own militias or live under the protection of pirate crews. I’m sure a renowned pirate crew like yours is well aware of that already.”

“Hmm~~~ well, I get what you’re saying, but~~~…”

“Do you have any concerns? I’ll be happy to answer as many questions as needed. If there’s any uncertainty between us, I’d like to clear it up as much as possible—for the sake of a good relationship going forward. ♡”

I mean… “concerns” is putting it mildly—she’s a spy, you know? That alone makes this a huge pain to deal with… And Kaido seems all for it, too. Same with Queen and the other underlings. Jeez… even with such a cute girl in front of them, they’re all swooning over a pretty face. Useless subordinates. At least King’s got his head on straight—he shot her a sharp glare and said:

“…I don’t trust it. Why ask us for something like this… when you haven’t even made it into the New World yet? There are plenty of other pirate crews you could’ve gone to.”

Yes! Exactly—go, King! Say more! I can’t ask anything suspicious since I already know what she’s about, so you go ahead and dig into her! As I cheered him on in my head, Stussy remained seated with perfect posture, a gentle smile still on her face.

“That’s a fair question… but many pirates in the New World are quite tyrannical. The Golden Lion Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates demand outrageous compensation. The Whitebeard Pirates, meanwhile, disapprove of our town dealing in contraband. And the Roger Pirates aren’t interested in holding territory at all. Our options are limited… We need the protection of a well-known crew to keep the place safe. That’s why I was hoping the infamous Beasts Pirates might be willing to lend us your flag.”

“We’re pretty tyrannical ourselves, though? We totally go on rampages, you know?”

“Well, you are pirates. A little chaos is to be expected—and I’m fine with that. Besides… I do like a man who’s a bit wild. ♡”

“UOOOH~~~!! That’s freakin’ awesome~~~!!”

My men are getting all fired up. I mean, that’s fine and all, but~~~… she really doesn’t get it, does she? Our Kaido goes way harder than she’s imagining. Like, not just double—more like a hundred times worse. Sure, he might hold back from wrecking the major facilities, but everything else? No promises. Does she really understand what she’s signing up for…? I mean, if it’s a trap, it’d be an easy one to spring—but something about it feels off for a trap. It’s too subtle. Maybe she’s just here to gather intel or stir things up behind the scenes? She doesn’t look strong enough to take down Kaido or us, but she doesn’t seem weak, either… Ughhh, what do I even do…? It is interesting, sure—but should we really accept this?

As I mulled it over, Queen suddenly spoke up:

“I’m all for it, Nue! We get a base of operations in the New World before even setting foot in it—what could be better?!”

“Well, yeah, getting a whole island’s a big win, for sure.”

It’s true—if we’re going to operate in the New World, territory is essential. Still… is it really smart to make our first base a place that clearly has something shady going on? …Well, we can always move our headquarters later, so maybe it’s fine, but still…

“…Even so—”

“Hmm? What is it? I mean, I am still a little suspicious myself—”

“I just didn’t expect the infamous ‘Demon Beast’ Nue who’s been causing such a stir… to be such an adorably sweet girl. ♡ You’re way cuter in person than you are on your wanted poster.”

“Eh? R-Really? Ehehe~~~♡ That’s kinda embarrassing~♡ But you seem nice, too, so maybe it’s all good~♡ Oh! You can just call me Nue~♡”

“YOU FELL FOR IT THAT EASILY?!”

"…………"

Oh boy. Never mind my subordinates chiming in—King’s got this expression on his face that’s hard to describe. Hey, hey, come on, it was just a joke. I’m not actually saying I trust her or anything. I was just genuinely happy to be complimented, that’s all… really. Still, Kaido’s clearly into it, and honestly, it does sound interesting. So maybe it wouldn’t hurt to cautiously go along with it and see how things play out.

“Worororo…!! If we’re getting an island out of this, then it’s a damn sweet deal!! Alright, I’ll accept your proposal!!”

“! Thank you so much, Kaido♡ With this, our town will flourish even more♡”

“Worororo!! Don’t mention it!! As long as we’re getting gold and goods out of it, I’m all for it!! You’re a fine woman, that’s for damn sure!!”

Stussy laughed cheerfully as Kaido accepted her offer with booming enthusiasm. Her reaction was just ambiguous enough—not overly fawning, but clearly pleased the deal had gone through. Hmm… well, whatever. As long as she actually delivers on what she promised, that’s fine. In fact, we might even be able to use her in return. And if something does happen—

“But if you betray us—I'll slaughter you and everyone on that island of yours.”

“! …Of course. If I betray you, that would be the natural consequence, wouldn’t it?”

Kaido leaned down with a terrifying glare, his expression a brutal threat. It was the kind of intimidation that would make an average person crumble and spill everything on the spot. When Kaido says he’ll do something, he means it. If she really is a spy and CP0, then even if she flees to Mariejois, Kaido would launch an attack just to hunt her down. That’s the kind of dangerous beast he is.

But Stussy—credit where it’s due—barely showed a hint of fear. She flinched for just a second before calmly nodding and declaring that betrayal would, of course, warrant such punishment. That tiny bit of surprise could easily be chalked up to the harshness of his words. If she hadn’t reacted at all, that would’ve been suspicious in its own way. Whether Kaido picks up on that or not, who knows—but her answer seemed to satisfy him, because the next moment, he burst into laughter again.

“…Worororo!! Good enough!! Alright, drink with us tonight, Stussy!! We’re celebrating the beginning of our deal!!”

“…Yes, of course. I’d be delighted.”

Kaido roared with joy, and Stussy accepted his invitation with a smile—but I can’t help thinking: rest in peace, lady. Dealing with Kaido is no easy task. And no one knows that better than me, who’s been putting up with him for years. Not that I mind—if anything, I enjoy the chaos. But this is shaping up to be really interesting. If it turns out she’s secretly working with someone Kaido hates—and I mean really hates—then forget sour moods, he might go on a rampage big enough to wipe a whole island off the map.

—Which means, I’m in too.

“Yeaaah!! In that case, let’s drink, drink, drink!! Time for a drinking contest!”

“Oh my, Nue likes her liquor too?”

“Of course I do!! C’mon, Stussy~! Drink my booze!”

I poured her a full glass with a grin. Still, someone as elegant and refined as her really doesn’t fit in at the center of a rowdy pirate crew like ours. —Well, in any case, Kaido and I… we’re not the type of people you can steer.

Let her figure that out the hard way.