NOVEL WEB Chapter 58 – The Search
Sabaody Archipelago was vast.
Composed of seventy-nine Yarukiman Mangrove trees, the largest mangrove species in the world, the archipelago spanned a considerable area.
Each tree was numbered, creating distinct districts within the archipelago.
Moreover, its proximity to Marine Headquarters and the presence of a Marine garrison meant that the area was under constant surveillance.
However, the sheer size of Sabaody Archipelago meant that there were inevitably places where the government and the Marines couldn't maintain complete control.
It was a haven for bounty hunters, pirates, human traffickers – a gathering place for outlaws.
Naturally, Kanata and her crew, being wanted criminals, had anchored their ship in one such area. It was a decision they would soon regret.
“…Tell me what happened,” Kanata said.
“I told him to bring a few people with him since he’s always wandering off alone… but it seems he was kidnapped, along with those who were with him.”
“It wasn’t everyone who was with him. They were captured when they split into smaller groups to go shopping. Someone saw it happen, so there’s no doubt he was taken by human traffickers.”
“…I see.”
Kanata closed her eyes, considering the situation, and quickly reached a decision.
“We’ll find him. He’s been with us for a long time. I won’t abandon him.”
“I figured you’d say that. We’re ready to go.”
George and the others, weapons in hand, were eager to set out.
However, she couldn’t send everyone. Protecting the ship was also important.
“Zen, you stay on the ship with… ten others. Everyone else, we’re going.”
“Understood. Leave it to me! Heeh!”
Considering their strengths, Kanata decided to divide the crew into groups, assigning ten subordinates to each of the executives, and ordered them to search every human trafficking ring and human shop in the lawless area.
She hoped they wouldn’t become victims themselves, but it was a possibility if they weren’t careful.
But…
“If he’s not restrained by Seastone, Kuro should be able to escape easily.”
“They put collars on them. They explode if you try to remove them. The only way to remove them safely is to find the key.”
“Can’t they be broken?”
“They’re quite sturdy… Perhaps with a Devil Fruit ability or something.”
Tiger had visited this island several times, so he knew about the collars. He had seen them before. But whether they could be broken… He wasn’t sure. He had never seen anyone break one. Not even Fishmen or Giants could break them. He doubted ordinary humans could.
“…We’ll worry about that when we find him. There might be a way to break it.”
“Yeah. Finding them is our priority.”
They split up, searching different areas.
It would take time to track down their targets, but… the longer they waited, the higher the chance they would be sold. They had to act quickly.
“Don’t hesitate. No matter who they belong to, crush them. If you have to, wipe out every human shop and trafficking ring in this area.”
They wasted no time.
Feiyun, after forcing information out of a bounty hunter, arrived at a nearby human shop. Ignoring her subordinates’ attempts to stop her, she ripped the roof off the building with a single hand.
For a normal Giant, the building would have been spacious, but for the gargantuan Feiyun, it was practically a dollhouse.
She tossed the roof aside, peering into the building.
“Kuro-san? Are you here? …Hmm… Nope, he’s not here.”
“H-Hey! What are you doing?! Stop disrupting our business!”
Ignoring the panicked shopkeeper, Feiyun continued to dismantle the building with her bare hands, searching for any hidden rooms.
Her subordinates, stunned at first, quickly recovered, knocking out the shopkeeper and other employees. The guards, attempting to subdue her, were easily swatted aside.
They released the slaves, finding the keys to their cages, figuring it was better to create chaos than leave them imprisoned. They smashed open the safe, taking all the money inside.
If they had been dealing with ordinary people, they wouldn’t have resorted to such violence, but these were criminals, profiting from slavery. They had no reason to hold back.
Having thoroughly demolished the building, Feiyun moved on, searching for the next human trafficker or human shop.
“S-She’s brutal, Feiyun-san… Maybe she’s the scariest one after all…”
“I don’t know… She has the fourth-highest bounty, though…”
“She doesn’t know the meaning of restraint. Be careful. You might get caught in the crossfire.”
The veteran crew members, while horrified, were also mesmerized by the stacks of money they had acquired.
Pirates had no rights. Those who were sold to Celestial Dragons or powerful figures were condemned to a life of hell.
While it was their own fault for becoming pirates… the fact that there were ordinary citizens amongst the slaves was a testament to the depths of this depravity.
Meanwhile, Junshi…
“…Is this all?” he asked.
“Y-Yes, this is everything we have. We’re not a very large shop, so it’s difficult to acquire certain races… but we guarantee quality.”
Junshi, visiting a human shop, surveyed the slaves lined up before him.
They were all lifeless, their heads bowed in despair. Each slave wore a collar and bracelet, rigged to explode if they tried to escape. If they were lucky, they’d suffer serious injuries. If they were unlucky, they’d die. No one dared to resist.
Junshi, having confirmed that Kuro wasn’t present, turned to the shopkeeper.
“Hmm… I’m looking for a tan-skinned man with tattoos all over his body. Have you seen him?”
“Huh? Are you looking for someone? Hmm… I haven’t seen anyone like that.”
“I see. Do you know the locations of the other human shops?”
“Yes.”
The shopkeeper’s demeanor changed once he realized Junshi wasn’t a customer.
Junshi thanked him – then punched a hole through his chest.
“H-Huh…? Guh…!”
Ignoring the shopkeeper, who collapsed, choking on his own blood, Junshi started breaking open the cages holding the slaves.
They weren’t interested in acquiring slaves, but knowing that their primary customers were Celestial Dragons and powerful figures, there was no reason not to disrupt their business, especially since it would line their pockets.
Moreover, several of these shops were sponsored by the ‘Golden Lion’.
“A-Are you sure this is alright…?”
“It’s fine. He was our enemy. It’s best to cut off his funding sources. You, search for the keys to the handcuffs and the safe.”
Disrupting slave auctions would weaken the flow of money to the ‘Golden Lion’s vast organization.
They would inevitably clash again once they reached the New World. It was best to do as much damage as possible here.
Junshi approached one of the freed slaves, examining the explosive collar around his neck.
“This is sturdy… There’s no way to break it conventionally.”
“D-Don’t touch it! It’ll explode if you try to remove it!”
The man, sweating profusely, pleaded with Junshi as they waited for his subordinates to find the key.
He couldn’t tell if it was made with Seastone, but if it wasn’t, they could probably destroy it or remove it with a Devil Fruit ability.
However, only the World Government and the Marines possessed Seastone handcuffs. The possibility was extremely low.
Soon, his subordinates found the keys, and the slaves were released, one by one.
Junshi, watching the joyous reunions, crossed his arms, asking a question that had just occurred to him.
“Do you have anywhere to go now that you’re free?”
“Well…”
Some were former pirates. Others were ordinary citizens, kidnapped and forced into slavery.
The former could fend for themselves, but the latter had nowhere to go, no means to survive. They would either be captured again or die on the streets. They would be better off if they were from this island, but some had been brought from other islands.
They looked at Junshi with pleading eyes. None of them had a home to return to.
“…Prepare a Den Den Mushi.”
Junshi had initially planned to let them go, but things weren’t so simple. He couldn’t make this decision alone.
Meanwhile, George and Scotch…
“Ah, it’s fine. We encountered the same problem… We told them they could join us if they wanted.”
(Is that alright?)
“We have plenty of room on the ship.”
They had slaughtered everyone in the human shop - the shopkeeper, the employees, and the guards.
Wiping the blood off his sword, George searched for the keys, ordering his subordinates to unlock the cages. When it came to leadership, these two were unmatched.
“Our ship can carry about eight hundred people. An extra hundred or two won’t make a difference.”
“And we got a nice bonus. Plus, there are some beautiful women, which is always a good thing.”
There were beautiful women, former slaves, and even wanted pirates amongst the freed prisoners. It was a diverse group.
They had heard that the auction house in Grove 1 had a more refined selection of slaves.
George settled into a chair, puffing on his cigarette, watching his subordinates collect the money and the keys to the slaves’ shackles.
“We didn’t attack this place for slaves, but… it’s a nice perk.”
“I heard they have some rare races as well, but those are usually auctioned off.”
Scotch, wiping the blood off his sword with the shopkeeper’s clothes, spoke as if recalling something.
He had been ogling the beautiful women, but it seemed he had been listening to the conversations as well.
(An auction, huh… what do you think?)
“Kuro’s a normal human, but he has a rare Logia ability. It’s possible they’ll try to raise the price by putting him up for auction.”
(Then we should head there. But we need to return to the ship and drop off these people.)
“Yeah… Hm?”
CRASH!! The ceiling was ripped open.
A giant finger pierced through the wall, tearing off the roof.
Sunlight streamed into the building, a giant shadow engulfing it.
“Kuro-san? Oh, you’re both here?”
“Feiyun, don’t scare us like that…”
“What brute force… How many buildings have you demolished like this?”
“Hmm? About five, I think.”
Feiyun seemed unconcerned, but the subordinates who had accompanied her were panting, exhausted. Her strides were far larger than those of a normal Giant. It must have been a struggle to keep up with her.
Moreover, she only demolished buildings, leaving the rest of the work to them. They had a lot on their hands.
Carrying a large sum of money while moving around wasn’t easy either.
Furthermore, the freed slaves, understanding that staying with Feiyun was the safest option, had followed her willingly.
“Ah… Well, that’s rough.”
“Shut up! We didn’t even have to fight!”
The veteran crew members, annoyed by Scotch’s nonchalance, tossed him a case filled with money.
“Oh, that’s heavy,” Scotch said, catching it and checking the contents.
It was a considerable sum. Human trafficking was a lucrative business.
Moving this many people would be a hassle. They needed to return to the ship, even if it meant a detour, to drop off the slaves and secure the money.
“Feiyun, you head back to the ship. These people have nowhere to go, right? If they want to join us, we can let them on board.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But if they’re useless, we’ll throw them overboard.”
They weren’t doing this out of charity. They were recruiting, expanding their forces for the future.
If they were grateful and worked hard, that was fine. If they became a burden, they’d be eliminated. They couldn’t afford to feed freeloaders.
There were plenty of tasks that women and children could handle. They had acquired enough funds, and they might need manpower to manage their territory if they ever decided to settle down.
Though, that wasn’t a priority right now.
“Can’t you reach Kanata?”
(Yeah, I tried calling her, but couldn’t get through.)
“Maybe she’s talking to someone else. For now, we’ll have Feiyun collect the slaves and the money. If you meet up with Kanata, we’ll send her your way.”
(Sounds good.)
It would be a detour, but they needed to secure their new recruits and their newfound wealth.
Deciding on a meeting point, Scotch and George headed towards Grove 1, hoping to find Kuro at the auction house.
And…
Near Grove 1, a woman was running with a young girl in her arms, desperately trying to escape.
“Haah… Haah… Haah… They’re persistent…!”
“Heh, there’s no escaping us!”
“We have bikes! You can’t outrun us on foot!”
Several figures, riding bubble-powered bikes, were pursuing the woman.
Even for someone who knew the area well, escaping human traffickers was no easy feat.
She could fight them, but protecting the child in her arms while battling would be difficult. Running was her only option.
She knew they would catch up to her soon – and then she spotted a group of people walking towards her.
“Hey, you! Run! Human traffickers are coming!”
The woman leading the group was stunningly beautiful – certainly beautiful enough to be targeted by traffickers.
The thought had barely crossed her mind when the traffickers, their eyes sharp and predatory, shifted their focus.
“Whoa, what a beauty! Let’s forget about the kid and grab her!”
They changed targets, charging straight at the woman – at Kanata, who was heading towards the auction house.
That woman would fetch a high price. They could even sell her to the Marines for 1.5 billion berries.
I-f they managed to capture her, that is.
"────"
Kanata turned, her crimson eyes locking onto the approaching traffickers. Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, she narrowed her eyes, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features.
She had assessed the woman she had just warned – she seemed strong enough to handle herself – and then, she unleashed her Conqueror's Haki, engulfing the area.
The traffickers collapsed, one by one. She had focused her Haki, ensuring her own crew remained conscious, but the woman she had warned, caught in the wave of power, instinctively backed away.
Confirming that the traffickers were incapacitated, Kanata withdrew her Haki, ordering her subordinates to strip them of their belongings.
Turning to the woman she had saved, she said, “Hmm. You’re strong enough to withstand my Haki.”
“Ah… I see… it was you… My spine tingled. It’s been a while since I felt that.”
She wasn’t even out of breath, despite being chased. The fact that she hadn’t fainted after being hit by Kanata’s Conqueror’s Haki meant she was quite strong.
The woman, finally looking at Kanata’s face, gasped.
“You…?!”
“We haven’t met before, have we?”
“…No, I see. You’re someone else.”
The woman wiped the sweat off her brow, calming herself down, and bowed her head.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“Is she your daughter?”
“No… This child was abandoned by her real parents because they thought she was creepy. I found her… but I took my eyes off her for a moment, and she was taken by human traffickers…”
She had managed to rescue the girl, but they were being pursued again.
She had found the child, and she couldn’t simply abandon her.
“I’d like to repay you…”
“It’s unnecessary – but if you have any information about the New World, I’d be happy to hear it.”
“The New World, huh… I’m a former pirate. I do have some information. But it’s a long story…”
“Hmm…”
Kanata asked for her location, promising to visit later.
She had other priorities right now. She would visit the woman after she had taken care of them.
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Gloriosa.”
“I’m Kanata. This ‘Shakky’s Rip-off Bar’ is the right place, then?”
“Yes. I’m heading there now. Even if I’m not there when you arrive, they’ll take care of you if you mention my name.”
The bar’s name implied a complete disregard for fair pricing, but if Gloriosa vouched for them, it must be true.
Even if they were scammed, they had two weeks to kill. Wasting a bit of time wouldn’t be a problem.
Gloriosa asked if they had business to attend to, and Kanata nodded, her gaze falling on the nearby auction house.
“We have some business at the auction house.”
“…Are you buying slaves?”
“A few of our crew members were kidnapped. We’re searching for them, and while we’re at it, we’re taking down human traffickers and human shops.”
Many of the human shops in Sabaody Archipelago were in ruins, thanks to Kanata and her crew.
The number of human traffickers had decreased as well. However, such activities were like weeds – they would inevitably grow back, no matter how many times they were cut down.
It was a difficult place to govern.
The government wanted to maintain this place to secure slaves for the Celestial Dragons. And with Marine Headquarters so close, pirates couldn’t establish control. The current situation was unsustainable in the long run.
Not that Kanata cared enough to try and change it.
“I see… I hope you find your friends.”
“Thank you.”
Well, they would destroy the auction house anyway.
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