Chapter 73: The Slave Ship and the First Encounter

"So boring!!!"

A few days later, somewhere in the South Sea.

Yamato and Bonney leaned against the railing, their faces filled with frustration as they loudly lamented.

After just a few days of sailing, the two of them, one big and one small, couldn't stand the monotony of life at sea anymore.

Most of the time on the ocean is dull and tedious. Some sailors are even driven mad by this boredom, which is why better-equipped ships often have various entertainment facilities to pass the time.

Unfortunately, Caesar's ship was a merchant vessel. Although it was quite large, aside from the necessary rooms, it only had some empty cargo holds.

"Cherish this boredom," Caesar lazily reclined on a deck chair, wearing a loose black-gray tank top and white beach shorts. A pair of sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and a large sun umbrella shielded him from the sunlight.

Beside him, Robin and Baby 5 lay side by side. Robin was wearing a black bikini with orange floral patterns, a sea-blue scarf draped over her shoulders, and a wide-brimmed white hat on her head. She held a book in her arms.

Baby 5, on the other hand, was dressed in a short-skirted maid outfit, curled up on the deck chair flipping through a cookbook. Her long, slender legs were crossed, shimmering with an ivory-like luster under the sunlight.

Not far from them, Kuma had also changed into a white tank top and was cheerfully tending to the barbecue.

"This is the unique tranquility of the seas. And you're already fed up after just a few days? I don't think your resolve to sail is very strong…"

"But it's really boring…" Yamato looked at him pitifully. "Is it always this boring when you're out at sea?"

"Of course not," Caesar shook his head slightly. "There's not much fun on the sea, but you can make your own fun. Like right now, aren't we having a barbecue party? And it's beach-themed too…"

Yamato sighed heavily. "But it's still so boring… I feel like there's nothing to do. Don't you guys ever get bored?"

"I think it's quite nice—quiet and relaxing. If it weren't for the fact that I still have some ambitions, I could live like this forever," Caesar said cheerfully. "Don't worry, after a few days, you'll get used to this boring life and gradually become as boring as us~"

"Eh—I don't want that!" both Yamato and Bonney cried out in unison. Seeing their adorable expressions, Robin couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

"Don't worry, every crew member feels bored when they first set sail. In essence, this can be seen as a test of one's temperament," Robin closed her book and explained. "Also, you need to learn to find things to do at sea. If you just wallow in boredom, you might suddenly go crazy one day, and that's very dangerous on the ocean."

Yamato pouted. "But what can we do? There's nothing to do on the ship…"

"There's plenty!" Robin suggested. "Like music, painting, reading, playing cards, billiards, fishing, or even training—aren't those all options?"

"I don't know how to do any of those!" Yamato said.

Bonney nodded in agreement, looking utterly clueless, and instinctively took the skewer of meat Kuma handed her. "Me too, I only know how to eat…"

Caesar shook his head slightly. "The state you're in now, having just set sail, is filled with curiosity about the unknown. You can't stay calm no matter what you do, and all you want is to fly to the ends of the world. But this state of mind is not good. Sailing is not such a simple thing."

Yamato looked curious. "Was Caesar like this when he first set sail?"

"Of course, everyone goes through this. If we encounter an unexpected situation, it's not impossible to drift at sea for months."

Caesar smiled. "The sea is vast and equally dangerous. The great pirate Shiki, who once rivaled Roger, even had a ship's rudder stuck in his head due to a shipwreck. Our entire crew consists of Devil Fruit users. If we're not careful, something really bad could happen."

"This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with us wandering aimlessly at sea."

Robin chuckled. "In the end, it's because we don't have a sea chart, right?"

"This... we can still manage if we encounter a ship or a port later."

Caesar laughed heartily, then suddenly felt something was off. He looked up at the sail. "Speaking of which, don't you feel like the air has become eerily quiet?"

Robin's expression changed slightly. "Could it be that we've accidentally entered the Calm Belt?"

Caesar shook his head. "No need to worry. The bottom of the ship is embedded with Sea Prism Stone, so even if we enter the Calm Belt, there's no danger. The only problem is that although the Calm Belt has stable weather, its magnetic field is as chaotic as the Grand Line. We need a Log Pose to determine our direction."

Yamato's eyes lit up. "So, have we encountered an unexpected event? An adventure?"

Whoosh—

A gentle breeze suddenly swept by, and Caesar brushed aside his bangs that were tousled by the wind. "Looks like we're still in the South Blue."

"Ah!!!"

Yamato slumped onto the deck in frustration. "Isn't there anything interesting happening?"

"Well... to be honest, you're in luck."

Caesar smiled. "The moment you said that, a Slave Ship appeared within the range of my Observation Haki."

"Tataka!"

Yamato sprang to her feet and rushed to the railing. "Where? Where? By the way, what's a Slave Ship?"

Caesar closed his eyes and focused for a moment. "It's a ship that captures and trades slaves. Ten o'clock direction, thirty nautical miles away."

"Thirty nautical miles? That's over fifty kilometers? Your Observation Haki can cover such a distance?"

Kuma was astonished. He knew Caesar was proficient in Observation Haki, but this distance far exceeded his expectations.

"This is nothing. Some people can even detect meteorites in the sky."

Caesar stood up. "Alright, everyone, the sea chart has come to us. After drifting for so many days, it's time to do something productive! Ten o'clock direction, full speed ahead!"

"Yeah!!!"

Yamato and Bonney cheered as they stood up. Kuma handed over the grilling duties to Baby 5 and steered towards the ten o'clock direction.

In no time, just as Caesar had said, a three-masted ship about a hundred meters long appeared on the horizon.

Caesar looked at Yamato. "Kuma and I won't intervene. The fighting is up to you."

"No problem!"

Yamato hoisted her Spiked Club, confidently puffing out her chest, which caused quite a stir.

"Don't rush. There are still some captured slaves on board. We can't charge in recklessly."

Caesar reminded them, "Your mission has three objectives: obtain the nautical chart, rescue the slaves, and eliminate the enemy. If the enemy threatens the slaves, don't hesitate—release your Conqueror's Haki immediately!"

"Understood!"

"Robin, you'll assist Yamato. Baby 5, protect Bonney," Caesar said calmly.

"Bonney is joining the fight too?"

Kuma looked worried. "Isn't it too early? She hasn't learned how to fight yet."

"I can do it, Dad!"

Bonney waved her little fist, her face filled with determination.

Suddenly, her body rapidly grew, transforming into the appearance of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. Her once perfectly fitting tank top and shorts became tight, clinging to her well-defined figure.

"Be careful during the ship battle. If any Devil Fruit users appear, crush them with Haki right away."

Caesar glanced at Yamato. "Also, since our entire crew consists of Devil Fruit users, to avoid unnecessary risks, we won't engage in boarding combat."

Although he wasn't short on ships, it was better to develop good habits.

Yamato nodded firmly. "Leave it to me!"

As she spoke, a layer of snow-white fur covered her body, and in the blink of an eye, she transformed into a small werewolf. She leaped onto the railing and blew a cold breath toward the sea.

Whoosh—

The slightly rippling sea surface instantly froze, forming an icy path leading to the enemy ship.

Boom!

The enemy reacted swiftly. Sensing danger, they fired a cannonball at Caesar's ship without hesitation. However, Caesar raised his hand and shot a Blood Bullet, detonating the cannonball mid-air.

Yamato, carrying her Spiked Club, leaped off the ship.

"The battle begins!"

"Yay! Time to fight!"

Bonney cheered as she followed, jumping off the ship.

Under Kuma's worried gaze, she gracefully and steadily landed on the icy surface after crossing dozens of meters in the air. She charged toward the enemy ship, following Yamato.

"Charge!"

As the ship froze, many people descended from the Slave Ship, armed with swords and guns, rushing toward Yamato and the others.

"Hey, hey! What kind of girl is that? A Mink? Or a Devil Fruit user? She's an ultra-rare catch!"

"And she's quite the looker!"

"I like that little maid, hehe…"

The group of thugs wore lecherous grins, but before they could continue their vulgar remarks, the Spiked Club wrapped in Conqueror's Haki swung horizontally toward them!

"Thunderous Roar - Eight Trigrams!"

Yamato's voice sounded full of vitality, as if her qi and blood were abundant, and her menstrual cycle was regular.

But using Conqueror's Haki Coating on mere thugs… Monkey D. Luffy would cry…

Boom—

A violent shockwave swept across the icy surface, instantly clearing the enemies in front of them.

"Waaah! Yamato, you big dummy!!"

Bonney wailed, "You took them all out! Who am I supposed to fight now?"

"Hahaha, sorry, I got carried away…"

Yamato scratched her head, letting out a hearty laugh. "It's been so long since I've fought!"

"D*mn it, where did these monsters come from?"

On the Slave Ship, a tall man with a sinister appearance slammed his fist on the railing. "Fire the cannons! Blast them to the sky!"

"Not a chance!"

Baby5 transformed her feet into thrusters, picked up Bonney, and flew onto the deck. With one hand, she set Bonney down, while the other hand morphed into several rapidly rotating gun barrels, aimed at the scumbags before her.

"Maid Gatling!"

As her voice fell, a buzzing sound erupted, and countless bullets swept across the deck like a storm. Amidst the screams, the enemies on the deck fell like wheat, leaving only the man who had just spoken.

By now, his arrogance had completely vanished. Trembling, he collapsed to the ground, his gaze filled with terror as he looked at the group.

"Wait, wait! I surrender! I surrender! I'll give you all my money, please spare my life!"

Seeing the faint smoke still rising from the gun barrels on Baby5's arm, the man no longer had any thought of resistance.

A Devil Fruit user!

Damn it! I never expected to run into such a monster!

"Again! Again, dammit!"

Seeing that only one person was left alive on the deck in the blink of an eye, Bonney, who had been eager to fight just moments ago, screamed in frustration.

"I see it now! You just don't want me to fight! This is so unfair!"

As Bonney complained, Yamato and Baby5 both grinned at her, flashing a peace sign.

For someone of Bonney's age, combat was still a bit too early. So, the two of them had silently agreed to take out the enemies first, unless they encountered a lone weakling or two, which they could let the girl handle.

In such a chaotic battlefield, no one knew where a stray bullet might come from. Until she mastered Observation Haki, they would never let the girl run around recklessly. However, they could let her experience the atmosphere of battle, something Caesar had previously reminded them of.

"You're the captain of this ship, right?"

Robin emerged from the captain's cabin, holding a rolled-up nautical chart in her hand. "Can you tell me where we are now?"

The man pleaded, "If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"If you tell me, we might consider it. If you don't, you'll definitely die."

Robin spoke indifferently, her gaze cold.

She had no sympathy for slave hunters like him.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you! We're about fifty nautical miles southeast of Kutsk Island!"

The man hurriedly said, "It's not far from here. If you don't believe me, I can take you there!"

"No, I believe you."

Robin smiled faintly. "By the way, slave ships like yours usually work for someone else, right?"

"Yes, I... I work for Dofeld!"

The man seemed to grasp at a lifeline, quickly responding.

Bang! A gunshot rang out.

A hole suddenly appeared in his forehead.

Baby5 blew on the barrel of her gun. "Who's that?"

Robin replied calmly, "Dofeld, the King of Loans, one of the underworld's rulers. But since this guy didn't immediately name his backer, it's likely he was just trying to establish a connection, or there's some indirect relationship."

"Never mind, let's not dwell on it. Let's go save the slaves first!"

The group descended into the ship's hold where the slaves were imprisoned. The dim, confined space was filled with a foul stench, causing Bonney and Yamato to instinctively wrinkle their noses.

"It stinks!"

"There's no helping it. The slaves have to eat, drink, and relieve themselves all in this hold."

Robin spoke as she lit an oil lamp.

The warm glow illuminated the dim prison, bringing a glimmer of joy to the faces of the numb slaves.

There weren't many slaves in the hold, perhaps thirty or forty, men and women, young and old.

Bonney eagerly released the slaves from their cells. A young girl looked at them with hope in her eyes. "Sirs, are you here to save us?"

"The slave hunters have been dealt with by us. We're releasing you out of humanitarian concern. If you wish, you can sail this ship and follow us to the nearby Kutzke Island."

Robin raised her hand to stop Yamato, who was about to take charge, and spoke calmly.

"Isn't that a bit too cold, Robin…"

Yamato leaned in close to Robin's ear and whispered, her tone tinged with reluctance.

Robin didn't respond, only smiled faintly.

Suddenly, a girl from the Longarm Tribe pleaded, "I'm from the Longarm Tribe. Can you take us back to Long Long Island?"

Seeing that the group seemed kind and approachable, a chorus of pleas followed.

"Kutzke Island is so dangerous, full of thugs and ruffians. I was captured there. Do I really have to go back to such a place?"

"I don't know how to sail! I've never been to sea before…"

"My father is a noble of the Busli Kingdom. If you escort me back, I'll give you a large sum of money!"

"..."

Yamato frowned at the chaotic scene before her. "These people…"

"Annoying, aren't they?"

Robin chuckled softly. "Let's go. When people are in danger, they instinctively cling to their saviors, without regard for others' feelings, or even their lives."

"Hey, wait…"

A teenage boy tried to grab Robin's arm, but before his hand could reach her, a massive cannon barrel pressed against his forehead!

"Put your hand down, kid!"

Baby5's left arm transformed into a hand cannon, the barrel pressed firmly against the boy's forehead. Her cold gaze swept over the crowd. "Who cares if you die? You're all useless… If anyone dares to speak nonsense again, I'll throw them into the sea to feed the fish!"

"..."

The air fell silent. The Longarm Tribe girl who had earlier asked to be taken home forced a dry laugh.

"Ha… you're right. How could we trouble our saviors with such trivial matters!"

"That's right…"

The crowd quickly changed their tune, no longer daring to make any unreasonable demands.

Robin winked at Yamato. "See? The right way to handle it…"

"..."

Yamato looked at Baby5 in amazement. "Wow, that's impressive!"

Bonney also nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining brightly. "Big sister is so cool!"

Baby5: ()

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