It had only been an hour and a half since Takumi and the others left the ship, and when they returned, they found quite a crowd gathered around their vessel.
Most of the onlookers had looks of excitement and admiration in their eyes.
Because of the protective barrier that emitted two million volts of electricity, not a single person dared approach the ship.
As soon as Takumi, Kaku, and Enel came back, the crowd quickly made way for them, seeing that the ship belonged to them.
"Quite a commotion," Kaku remarked, carrying a heap of supplies as he followed Takumi. He put the supplies down in front of the ship and casually pulled out a remote control, pressing a button on it.
With a soft "pop," the barrier disappeared, much like a soap bubble bursting.
Immediately, Enel turned into lightning, teleporting up onto the ship in an instant.
Takumi and Kaku used Moonwalk, stepping through the air to get back on board.
They had no need for ladders to board the ship.
The people surrounding them looked on in awe, with envy visible in their gazes.
"Those three are incredible! What kind of abilities do they have? They don't even need a ladder to get on board."
"Ah, I'm so jealous. I want to see that ship up close. Hey, guys up there, can you let me come aboard? I promise I won't touch anything."
"Yeah, I'd like to see it too. Count me in! We could even pay a fee, say, five hundred Beli for a minute on board?"
"Five hundred? I can do that! I'll pay two thousand five hundred for five minutes. Please, just let me come aboard!"
The people gathered below the ship all began shouting.
However, none of their pleas were answered.
One man clenched his teeth, then said, "If five hundred is too little, how about two thousand Beli for a minute? This ship is just too amazing."
Just then, Kaku appeared at the edge of the deck, leaning casually on the railing. Smiling, he looked down at the crowd and asked, "Do you all really want to come aboard that badly?"
"Yes!" they replied in unison.
Kaku smiled wider. "Hahaha, well, just keep dreaming."
Takumi, on his way back into the cabin, gave Enel a knowing look.
Understanding instantly, Enel used his powers to start the ship.
Just as Kaku finished teasing the crowd, the ship began to lift off the ground. Before the stunned onlookers could react, it shot up and away in an instant.
As they watched the ship vanish into the sky, one person suddenly spoke up in a panic, "Hey, did you guys see today's paper? I just noticed the bounty notice—Takumi's bounty has increased!"
"Huh? Takumi's crew? Who's that? Sounds familiar…" someone muttered.
A man in his fifties, holding a newspaper in one hand, raised three wanted posters high in the other, his face looking rather grave. "It's that guy who caused a huge stir by killing a Celestial Dragon in Sabaody. You won't believe it, but those three people who just boarded the ship—that was Takumi and his crew!"
"Uh, no way it was them, right? What are the chances…"
"It really was them!" The older man displayed the three wanted posters for everyone to see, and as they got a clear look at the pictures, the entire crowd went into an uproar.
Before long, news of Takumi's crew arriving in Alabasta reached the capital, Alubarna.
Vivi received the news but had her excitement quickly doused.
"They already left after being spotted by the residents of Erumalu," Igaram hurriedly blocked the door to Vivi's room, saying, "Even if they haven't gone far yet, Erumalu is quite a distance from Alubarna. By the time you get there, they'll be gone. Princess Vivi, you still have an important speech to make this afternoon; it can't be delayed. There will be other chances in the future to meet them again."
Vivi pouted, muttering, "Future, future... But how long will that be? Takumi has saved me multiple times already, and I still can't even repay him?"
Although Takumi had told her back in Alabasta that buying him a drink would settle their debts, Vivi didn't believe a single drink could repay the multiple times he had saved her life.
Back on the ship.
Takumi had no idea what was on Vivi's mind, nor did he care to know.
For the next few days, everything remained calm.
On their way to Sabaody, the ship made brief stops at two other islands to restock on various supplies.
They weren't short on money at all; before the ship's modifications were completed, Kaku had taken the liberty of emptying Germa's treasury. A small treasure vault had been built on board, and all the treasure they collected was kept inside.
Kaku had originally intended to give the key to Takumi, but Takumi declined, leaving Kaku in charge of managing the wealth for their daily needs.
Even Enel had no objections this time.
After flying over the sea for another three days, they finally reached their destination—Sabaody Archipelago.
The ship docked at the shipyard where Kaku had once learned his shipwright skills.
Since Kaku knew everyone at the shipyard well and the shipyard was in Sabaody's lawless area, none of the workers would report Takumi's arrival to the Marines.
However, a few passersby and customers at the shipyard had already taken note of them, their curiosity piqued.
Takumi instructed Kaku and Enel to stay at the shipyard. Until the ship's coating was completed, anyone who saw them had to remain there and was not allowed to leave.
While the shipyard workers were skilled in the coating process, their craftsmanship still fell short compared to Rayleigh's expertise.
If Rayleigh were to help, it would cut the time in half.
So, the shipyard's owner suggested that Takumi go find Rayleigh.
To save time, Takumi decided to head out alone, making his way to Shakky's bar first.
Shakky's Rip-off Bar
Hearing the bell ring as the door opened, Shakky, who was sitting at the counter smoking a cigarette while reading a magazine, said casually, "Welcome."
When she looked up and saw Takumi, a look of surprise crossed her face. "Oh, Takumi, huh? You just got a bounty increase and now you're back in Sabaody? You guys sure are fearless."
Takumi got straight to the point, asking, "Is Rayleigh here?"
"That old guy's been missing for half a month," Shakky replied, taking a drag of her cigarette and expertly blowing out a smoke ring. "If you're looking for him, check the casinos or the auction house."
Takumi nodded slightly, turning around to leave. Just as he took his first step, he paused, speaking without looking back, "Thanks."
With that, he continued walking.
Using his Observation Haki, Takumi searched multiple locations, finally picking up Rayleigh's presence when passing by an underground casino.
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