Chapter 206: Retreat and Calm Belt
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The streets were crowded, bustling with anxious activity.
Everyone wanted to leave but found no clear path to escape. Panic hung heavily in the air, spreading through the throng like wildfire.
Life on the Sabaody Archipelago was never easy. As the endpoint of the first half of the Grand Line, the island was a haven for powerful pirates, each having conquered the challenges of the first half of the seas.
Danger was constant here. Conflicts and killings were so common that they had become part of daily life.
But no one had ever expected the island to face the Buster Call.
In the chaotic crowd, a young woman held a child tightly to her chest, her face etched with fear.
The baby in the cradle was unusually silent, its big black eyes wide open, staring intently at its mother.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed through the crowd.
The young woman's body tensed immediately. "Has the Buster Call begun?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Just then, a shout filled with disbelief and relief rang out.
"Retreat! The Navy is retreating!"
The crowd froze momentarily, as if time had stopped, before erupting into a louder commotion.
"Is it true?"
"Are you serious? Has the Navy really withdrawn?"
"It's true! If you don't believe me, just look at the projection!"
Everyone's attention turned to a large image projected onto a nearby wall by a Den Den Mushi.
In the feed, dozens of Navy warships could be seen turning and slowly sailing away into the distance.
Tears of joy began streaming down many faces in the crowd.
"How is this possible? Wasn't the Navy determined to execute the Buster Call?"
"I heard the Dragon King appeared! He fought the three admirals in a fierce battle. The fight ended inconclusively, and he eventually left unscathed. Since their target was the Dragon King, the Navy has no reason to continue attacking the Sabaody Archipelago."
"The Dragon King fought all three admirals alone?"
"Why not? This is the Dragon King we're talking about—a fearsome man with a bounty of five billion who dared to kill the Celestial Dragons!"
"Thank goodness for the Dragon King! He saved us!"
"Saved us? Are you insane? He's the reason the Navy came here in the first place!"
Amid the heated discussions, the young woman slumped to the ground, her legs giving way beneath her. She clutched her child tightly and began sobbing uncontrollably.
The baby in the cradle reached out with its tiny white hands, gently patting its mother's hair in an innocent attempt to comfort her.
---
Above the chaos, Aoki hovered in the air, his wings flapping steadily.
"There's still a gap," he muttered.
With his current abilities—a full-level, two-and-a-half-star "King of the White Walkers" and a level-19, four-star "Infinite Dragon Beast"—his combined power exceeded level 40.
But strength clearly wasn't calculated so simply.
Aoki opened his system interface, scanning through his stats.
The Infinite Dragon Beast was already at level 19, just one step away from reaching level 20.
Originally, he had planned to hunt some elite monsters on the Sabaody Archipelago. Despite the gap in strength between the first and second halves of the Grand Line, the Archipelago concentrated some of the strongest foes from the first half.
However, the World Government and the Navy had moved far more quickly than he had anticipated.
The plan had gone off track.
He had just received a mission, and it wasn't feasible to destroy the Navy fleet right now.
He would have to find another opportunity later.
Still, the task itself didn't seem too difficult.
More ships didn't necessarily mean stronger opponents. After all, even the Creek Pirates in the East Blue—boasting a fleet of over 50 ships—had been effortlessly dismantled by Hawkeye.
"It's time to regroup with Hancock and the others," Aoki murmured.
Shutting down the system, his figure disappeared into the horizon.
---
Far out at sea, a sloop sailed swiftly over the waves.
Shakky lowered the receiver of the Den Den Mushi with a satisfied expression.
"The Navy has retreated," she announced. "Aoki confronted Akainu and the other two admirals, fought fiercely, and left safely."
Rayleigh smiled, a hint of relief in his eyes.
"Looks like we won't need to move after all," he remarked.
He leaned back, gazing fondly toward the distant horizon. Rayleigh had always been fond of the Sabaody Archipelago, and he was glad to remain here a little longer.
When you don't have money to buy wine, you can always sell yourself for it.
More importantly, the Sabaody Archipelago is not just a place for idle indulgence—it marks the endpoint of the first half of the Grand Line and serves as a gateway to the New World.
If a pirate destined to inherit the will of their captain emerges, they are sure to pass through this place.
Shakky lit a cigarette and took a deep puff, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "I wonder how Aoki managed to leave the Sabaody Archipelago without anyone noticing?"
Others might still be speculating whether Aoki had already escaped or was still lurking on the island, but Shakky and Rayleigh knew the truth all too well.
Rayleigh was about to respond when his expression suddenly shifted. Without a word, he quickly walked toward the cabin and pushed open the door.
Inside, Aoki turned his head slightly and gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Your Excellency, Ms. Shakky."
Rayleigh shook his head in amazement. "Young people these days are truly something else," he muttered.
His Observation Haki had sensed no movement or signs of intrusion—only for an overwhelming presence to suddenly manifest in the cabin as if it had been there all along.
Shakky stopped followed behind Rayleigh, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. She glanced at Aoki, standing there calmly, and asked, "Aoki, how did you get here?"
"I left a small mark on Hancock," Aoki replied simply.
Shakky raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You fought against three admirals and held your own. Aoki, you've caused quite a stir again today."
Aoki blinked in surprise. "Who said that?"
Shakky took another puff of her cigarette. "Does anyone need to say it? Half the Sabaody Archipelago saw the battle between you, Akainu, and the others. The rumors are already spreading."
"It was just a brief exchange of blows," Aoki corrected, shaking his head. "You overestimate me. Fighting three admirals on my own? That's absurd."
In his ultimate form, thanks to the durability of the Infinite Dragon Beast, he could withstand some attacks. But under normal circumstances, defeating even one Marine admiral would be a challenge.
Not wanting to dwell on the matter, Aoki shifted the conversation. "Do you know the way to Amazon Lily?"
"Don't worry!" Shakky replied, pulling out a permanent pointer. Her expression turned nostalgic as she gazed at the instrument.
She hadn't been back to Amazon Lily since she left, and decades had passed since then.
"I always thought this record pointer would stay as a keepsake," she mused, "but it seems it'll finally have some use again."
"How long will it take?" Aoki asked.
"About seven days, at least," Shakky answered.
Aoki thought for a moment before saying, "I'll have some free time these next few days. How about we start training in Haki?"
This would also give him an opportunity to gather more information.
"That's exactly what I was planning," Shakky replied before looking toward Hancock.
"Good!" Hancock agreed without hesitation. She was eager to grow stronger so she could one day set out to sea alongside Aoki.
---
Six days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the deck of the sloop, two figures moved swiftly, engaged in a fast-paced sparring session.
Aoki stood firmly in the center, unmoving like a mountain as Hancock launched attack after attack.
Suddenly, dark clouds rolled in, the wind howled, and streaks of lightning danced across the sky.
Moments later, heavy raindrops began to fall, pelting the deck.
"That's enough for today," Aoki announced, lowering his guard.
This sparring exercise had been a daily activity for the past two days, designed to sharpen Hancock's combat experience while helping Aoki refine his control over his powers.
"Ok!" Hancock replied, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Rayleigh, watching from the side, nodded in admiration. "Impressive Martial arts skills," he said. "Your technique is unparalleled. Not just your strength—your precision and form are extraordinary."
"I've been training for a long time," Aoki replied without a hint of modesty.
After all, he had once walked the path of a martial artist. Unfortunately, as his body became increasingly less human, many of the techniques he had painstakingly developed no longer suited him.
"Enough chatting!" Shakky called from the helm. "Raise the sail quickly!"
Aoki walked toward the mast, grabbing hold of the rope to untie it.
But just as he began, the wind and rain abruptly ceased.
The world fell into an eerie calm.
Silence enveloped the sea.
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