"Relax, we're not here to arrest the Saruyama Alliance," Ryu said with a smile.
He was well aware that Cricket had a crew of both an orangutan and a gorilla, forming two so-called pirate groups. But calling them pirate groups was a stretch—they were more like salvagers. Ryu wasn't even sure if they had bounties on their heads, so he didn't see them as a threat.
"So, what do you want to ask about?" Cricket asked, still a bit wary.
"Do you know about the 'Liar' Mont Blanc Noland?" Ryu asked with a smile.
Cricket froze for a moment. Of course, he knew about Noland. He just didn't understand why a Marine officer would bring him up.
"I've heard that Noland's descendants, determined to clear his name, have been searching for the Golden City around Jaya for generations. Isn't that right, Mont Blanc Cricket?" Ryu asked, smiling knowingly.
Rena, standing nearby, had no idea what her superior was up to—why bring up such a topic here?
"So, you came all this way just to make fun of me?" Cricket took a puff of his cigarette, feigning calm.
"Sorry, wrong answer. Quite the opposite—I'm here to tell you a story." Ryu settled into a comfortable spot, saying, "Over 400 years ago, an explorer and botanist named Noland came to Jaya. When he later returned to Jaya with the king, he discovered that the Golden City, Shandora, had vanished. Accused of deceiving the king, Noland was imprisoned and eventually executed."
Ryu recounted the tale as he knew it, leaving Rena and Cricket stunned. It was similar to the story of the "Liar" Noland but more detailed—almost as if Ryu had witnessed it himself.
"So you're saying Noland wasn't lying, and there was some other reason for the Golden City's disappearance?" Cricket asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Hold on, there's another part to the story." Ryu continued with a smile. "Back then, the great warrior Kalgara misunderstood Noland, unable to bid farewell to his best friend, leaving a lifetime of regret. The Shandians rang the Golden Bell every day to let Noland know that they were still there, even though they may no longer remember the reason they ring it today."
"Haha… sob… So, Shandora really got blasted into the sky?" Cricket bit his lip, laughing and crying at the same time.
"You suspected it yourself, didn't you? And hasn't someone already gone up there to confirm it for you? I believe that one day, Shandora's light will shine again, and the world will finally return the honor due to the great explorer Mont Blanc Noland." Ryu rose, glancing toward the back of Cricket's house before walking away with a smile.
As Ryu left, the place he had glanced at revealed two figures—a gorilla and an orangutan—who had been hiding all along. Both had tears streaming down their faces, but out of respect for Ryu, they hadn't dared to come forward.
"Sir, was what you said really true? Was that 'Liar' Mont Blanc Noland truly so great?" Lena asked, puzzled.
"Whether he was great, I can't say. But the Golden City of Shandora does exist. Many have already unlocked the secret of the Golden Right Eye." Ryu smiled as he replied.
Due to the shape of Jaya Island, which looks like a skull on the map, it's only missing the right eye. And that "eye" is actually Shandora, which was blasted up to the White-White Sea.
"Check through the wanted criminals in the town, and let's get ready to depart. We've come this far; if we still can't track down Blackbeard, it'll be a real hassle," Ryu said as he glanced at the sky. He couldn't shake the feeling that, no matter what he did, some unseen force kept pulling the storyline back on its destined path.
After days of searching the nearby islands, Ryu finally gave up on finding Blackbeard. Rumors of a possible meeting between Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks in the New World had set the Marines on high alert.
"Let's head to the New World and find Whitebeard!" Ryu made up his mind, determined to tackle the issue his way.
"Sir? Are we really going to face Whitebeard?" Lena asked, stunned. The Whitebeard, first among the Four Emperors, was not someone they could hope to contend with on a single Marine ship.
"Don't worry, just follow my lead!" Ryu replied confidently.
With that, the warship adjusted its course toward the Sabaody Archipelago—the only place connecting the Grand Line to the New World, and therefore the fastest route.
"First, find a craftsman to coat the ship. Afterward, we'll make a stop at Fish-Man Island. I've got something to take care of first, but I'll meet you all back here later," Ryu instructed his crew.
"Where are we headed now, sir?" Lena asked, trailing behind him.
"To meet a legend," Ryu replied with a slight smile.
Lena's curiosity piqued. Having recently discovered the true story behind Mont Blanc Noland, she wondered who they were about to meet next.
To Ryu, this trip was necessary; he wouldn't have set foot on Sabaody otherwise. The thought of running into one of those insufferable Celestial Dragons made him uneasy—he wasn't sure he'd be able to hold back if they crossed paths.
Soon, Ryu and Lena arrived at their destination: "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar."
"Sir, who are we meeting in here?" Lena couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.
Ryu just smiled and stepped up to the door, knocking lightly.
"Come in!" came a woman's voice from inside. He opened the door and led Lena inside.
"What would you like to drink, young man?" asked a slim, middle-aged woman with a friendly smile.
"Just water, thanks! Everything here is a bit pricey for my budget," Ryu chuckled.
Lena followed his lead and sat on the couch as Ryu gestured.
"Oh? You're new around here, aren't you?" Shakky smiled as she brought over two glasses of water.
"I came to meet Rayleigh. I was hoping to learn Haki from him," Ryu said directly, not wasting any time.
Shakky gave him a bemused look, as if he were joking. Once she realized he was serious, she lit a cigarette and asked, "Do you understand what you're asking?"
"Of course," Ryu replied. "This is a place where you sell information, right? I know that you and the Dark King Rayleigh are hiding here, and the Marines has chosen not to disturb you."
"Dark King Rayleigh?" Lena gasped, unable to contain her surprise.
If it was indeed the Rayleigh, the "Dark King," then Ryu had truly brought her to meet a legend.