Cherry made her way to Shakky's rip off bar after settling the business with Kuma and retrieving her blood bound sword. Her original plan wasn't going to work so there was no need to leave it with him any longer.
She ignored the sign on the door of the bar that said 'Closed' and walked inside.
Once inside, she saw Shakky smoking a cigarette behind the bar and Robin sat on a stool in front of her. Cabernet and Perona were sharing some sort of oversized fruity beverage which may or may not be alcoholic. From their occasional giggling, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"Well, would you look at what the cat dragged in? It's been a while. Rayleigh isn't here right now and won't be any time soon, just so you know." Shakky greeted her.
"I suppose it has been a while. I heard from Serene that you used to be the Kuja's empress? How'd you lose a sweet gig like that?" Cherry asked.
"I found something else to occupy my time that was more fulfilling." Shakky responded.
Cherry raised an eyebrow and made a show of looking around the dingy bar.
"No, it wasn't to start up my bar. And don't look around like that. It might not be a nice bar, but it's my bar." Shakky said, pretending to be offended by her actions.
"Has anything interesting happened since we left the archipelago?" Cherry changed the subject.
"Hm, all the super rookies already left for the new world shortly after you all were sent flying. After that there have been a few others with potential floating through. The marine presence on the archipelago has tripled which has served to filter out those that wouldn't have survived the New World anyways." Shakky said.
"What about the pacifistas and the sumo guy with the big axe? They been around at all?" Cherry asked.
"They came by once to see Kuma, but they left shortly after. Don't know why." Shakky said. "You want a drink while you're here?"
"NO!" Robin interjected adamantly.
"Alright, alright. You don't have to shout. My prices aren't THAT bad, you know." Shakky said.
"Just a juice then, I suppose." Cherry said, giving Robin a glance that she returned with a glare.
"Are you planning to go to the New World without the rest of your crew?" Shakky asked curiously, pouring some cranberry juice into a clean glass.
"Not right this moment at least. We'll possibly go sometime soon, though." Cherry spoke softly, clearly not very eager.
"I see, you don't want to have all those new experiences without your friends huh?" Shakky said, sliding the glass of cranberry juice towards her with a gentle smile.
Cherry snatched away the glass and chugged the whole glass in seconds.
"As if. Making sure those fools don't get themselves killed is a full time job." Cherry said with an embarrassed frown.
"Really? From what I've seen, you tend to get them into trouble, not out of it?" Robin retorted with a smirk.
"Exactly! I have to let them have some harsh experiences to toughen them up so they won't kick the bucket too soon." Cherry said.
Neither Shakky or Robin was buying her act, especially with the shade of pink growing on her cheeks. Robin couldn't help but laugh knowing how old she was to still get embarrassed over something so small like friendships.
She didn't know that Cherry never really had any friends in her previous life. Cultivators in general weren't the most social creatures, especially given the prevalence of betrayal over benefits., but Cherry in particular had been quite reclusive.
They spent some time talking and joking about things with little importance while Cabernet and Perona had their little date.
Cherry inwardly wondered if she got attached to people too easily, or if maybe this world might have some strange effect on the psychology of its inhabitants. If it did, would she really care? If she was honest with herself, wasn't she happy goofing off and going on adventures with these mortal fools?
Perhaps the real reason that cultivators didn't form many friendships was that they didn't want to watch them die.
Cherry cast out those pointless thoughts that only served to drag her down and focused her attention to the moment.
…
On a certain island in the New World.
A tremendous battle was taking place between two of the strongest men in the world. Their actions so far have reduced the once lush jungles to nothing more than a flaming hellscape and a frozen wasteland.
As for what they were fighting over? Sengoku had decided to step down from his position as Fleet Admiral and had recommended Admiral Kuzan as his replacement. Admiral Sakazuki had strongly disagreed with this, believing Admiral Kuzan to be far too soft for the position.
The five elders weren't exactly sure who was best themselves as they were both quite promising. Seeing the impasse, they were both unwilling to simply wait and accept whatever decision was made.
The result was the battle that had gone on for the last ten days straight.
"Give it up, Aokiji, you can't beat me. I am superior to you in strength, strategy, and sense of justice." Admiral Sakazuki spoke with barely concealed exhaustion and wrath.
"I don't think I will and I don't think that I can. This has become too personal for you, Akainu, you'll bring great harm to the world as Fleet Admiral, and I can't allow that." Admiral Kuzan stated, breathing heavily.
Admiral Kuzan truly believed that. Admiral Sakazuki has always been too extreme in his pursuit of justice, but after his son was killed during the war he's become even more twisted. Now Admiral Kuzan doubted that the man before him really cared about justice at all anymore.
He even believed that Sakazuki would destroy the world in his pursuit of revenge if he could. Fortunately he very much could not do that, as many would stand in his way if he were to attempt such madness.
Admiral Sakazuki scowled with hatred. Admiral Aokiji had always been a thorn in his side, but now he saw him as an enemy. Someone who would stand between him and achieve his vision of 'justice'. He had to be eliminated for the greater good.
The two threw themselves at each other like rabid dogs. They both knew the end of their battle was near and so cast aside all pretenses of a civilized duel.
Both had awakened their logia devil fruit abilities and their battle had mostly been evenly matched throughout. However Sakazuki's rage seemed to fuel the heat of his lava, bringing it to a new level of destructive might and pushing back Kuzan's ice at a visible rate.
Kuzan looked at his longtime colleague and realized something. The man he'd know for most of his military career didn't exist anymore. He was gone, replaced by a monster.
A monster that Admiral Kuzan could not allow to become Fleet Admiral, even if he himself had to die making sure that didn't happen.
An endless calm came over Kuzan's mind as he came to peace with his decision. In turn his ice responded to his calm resolve and its temperature plummeted to levels he had never achieved before.
Suddenly it was Sakazuki's lava that was being pushed back now.
He frustratedly rained down ever more desperate attacks, but it wasn't enough to overcome Kuzan.
Then there was an opening, and Sakazuki didn't miss it. He lunged and grabbed a hold of Kuzan's left leg and right shoulder.
"Hahahaha! It's over, I've got you!" Sakazuki screamed in his madness.
Kuzan's face did not even flinch at the searing pain of the lava on his flesh, instead reaching out his right hand and piercing through Sakazuki's chest.
Sakazuki tried to melt the arm piercing his chest to no avail. His lava was quickly overcome by Kuzan's frigid ice that enveloped his entire body.
Despite all of Sakazuki's rage, he could not escape his icy prison as a result of his fading strength from his wounds and exhaustion.
Kuzan stumbled backwards, his left leg was ruined and would likely be amputated. His right hand and shoulder were in terrible shape as well, but he could still move them so perhaps there was hope to keep them.
As for Sakazuki, he didn't know whether he would live or die. The man was tenacious to say the least. Regardless of whether he lived or died, Kuzan was the victor and as such he would become Fleet Admiral.
Kuzan stumbled away to signal the marines waiting offshore for the result.