After several days of flight, Max, along with Shiki and Enel, finally arrived at Water 7. The city of canals stretched out below them, a maze of waterways, towering structures, and bustling shipyards.
"What a strange island this is," Enel muttered, his eyes narrowing as he took in the network of water channels and floating buildings. The idea of a city built on water was entirely foreign to him, and he glanced around with open skepticism.
Max nodded thoughtfully, his gaze sweeping over Water 7. "It's impressive," he admitted. "An island where ships and craftsmen are the backbone of life. We're bound to find someone skilled here—especially a shipwright."
Shiki observed the bustling Water 7 and chuckled. "Most pirates get their ships from here—even mine was built in this very place."
With that, they descended toward the docks, blending in with the crowd as they made their way to a bar Max sensed Gwen and the others might be. After navigating the streets for a while, they reached the Blueo Bar. Max entered, his gaze sweeping the room. Inside, he spotted Peter and the rest of the crew, sitting around a table, chatting and drinking casually.
As he entered, the group looked up and grinned at him. Gwen got up and hugged him tightly, and Max introduced his new crew members, Enel and Leo (Shiki's new name), to everyone.
"So, what did I miss?" Max asked as he settled into a seat.
"Not much," MJ said, shaking her head. "We've mostly been sailing, dealing with a few pirate skirmishes and some Marines here and there."
"Yeah," Peter added with a shrug. "Honestly, I thought being a pirate would be more exciting, but it's mostly just endless sailing and the occasional clash."
"Though we are getting the training you recommended," Flash chimed in, nodding. Max gave him an approving nod.
"Oh, by the way, Harry ended up eating a Devil Fruit," Peter mentioned, nodding toward Harry, who simply shrugged.
"How did that happen, and which Devil Fruit?" Max asked, raising an eyebrow.
Peter laughed. "He was just snacking on an apple, didn't even notice when he grabbed one of the Devil Fruits we had lying around. Now he's got a power that seems like… I dunno, healing?"
Harry, hearing this, demonstrated by picking up a cracked glass, which mended itself instantly as he touched it. "I can fix anything broken," Harry said with a grin.
"That's a solid power," Max mused, intrigued. "So you can mend and repair objects now?"
"Yeah, something like that," Harry replied.
"How about calling it the 'Mend-Mend Fruit'?" Max suggested.
Harry chuckled. "Better than my initial name of 'Fix-Fix Fruit,' I'd say!"
Max nodded as the conversation continued, but his attention flicked over to two people trying to eavesdrop nearby. He'd planned to deal with them quietly later, but suddenly Flash stood up, pointing them out. "Hey! What's the deal, huh?" he snapped, glaring at Blueno.
"Nothing," Blueno replied calmly, but Flash grabbed him by the collar. "Don't play dumb! I saw that other guy eavesdropping on us too," Flash growled, with MJ and Gwen scowling at the intruders. Harry's hands glowed with a green light, signaling that he was ready to unleash his new powers if needed.
Max watched them with a mixture of surprise and amusement. 'These guys are acting like they've had their instincts dialed up to eleven,' he thought, realizing that Rize might be behind it. He glanced at her and saw her giving him an innocent look, though her expression betrayed the slightest hint of mischief.
Sighing, Max clapped his hands, subtly undoing Rize's influence that had amplified everyone's protective instincts. Once the wave of anger melted away, the crew relaxed.
Rize pouted, crossing her arms. "They were hesitating to kill any pirates," she said with a smirk, defending her actions.
Max raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. "Trying to give them an edge, I see."
Rize just winked. "You're welcome."
Blueno quickly adjusted his collar, maintaining a neutral expression. "We weren't eavesdropping on you people; we were just concerned that you might cause trouble as pirates," he said smoothly. Flash released him with a snort, returning to his seat.
"I'm pretty sure these two are government agents. That's what always happens in spy movies," Flash muttered, attempting to be discreet—but his words carried through the room. Blueno and Kalifa's eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint in their gaze.
Max sighed, shaking his head. "Well, now that we all know who's who, let's keep things civil." He looked around at the crew. "I'll be taking Gwen with me, but I'll leave Rize with you all for extra protection," he said, his gaze meeting Lumia's in particular. With her dark skills and keen senses, Rize would be perfect for guarding them if things got out of hand.
No way was he going off alone without a solid backup plan, for his sister.
"No fun, you will out there fighting powerful people but I have to babysit them" Rize said as Max just shrugged " three times a week" he said and Rize eyes slit up " Okay deal"
Peter and the others looked confused, but Gwen's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Rize, who only winked back provocatively. Gwen huffed, crossing her arms, clearly unamused by Rize's antics.
Max looked back at the crew. "Alright, we'll leave after some final errands. What about you, Peter? Got any plans?"
Peter shrugged. "We've already toured all of Water 7. We were just waiting for you, but now that you're here, we're headed for the Sabaody Archipelago next, then straight to the New World."
Max nodded in agreement. "Sounds good. Stay sharp out there. I've heard the New World can be… unpredictable."
"Same goes for you," Peter said with a grin, giving a quick salute.
"You take care too," Max said softly, wrapping Lumia in a hug.
Lumia grinned. "I will, and don't worry—I have Queen with me, so there's nothing to worry about." Her eyes sparkled with confidence as she glanced over at her Death Guardian, Queen, a towering and formidable undead protector, standing loyally by her side. Rize flashed a smirk, amused at the protective layers Max was adding.
Max chuckled as he looked at Queen, then back at Lumia. "Guess you're more than prepared. I wouldn't expect any less."
With Rize as backup and Queen guarding Lumia, he knew they'd be safe as they explored.
***
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