"Alright, I've taught you everything I can. The rest is up to you."
After setting down his glass, Rayleigh said, "Let's go. It's time we set off."
He had already shared all his theoretical knowledge with Meiser. How far the young man could go now depended entirely on himself.
"Right, let's go."
Meiser stood up and nodded. As for Observation Haki, he could study it more thoroughly once they returned to the ship.
Glancing at Rayleigh, who was heading toward the door, Meiser suddenly called out, "Wait a moment, Rayleigh."
"What is it?"
Rayleigh turned back, puzzled. Did this kid really think he could master Observation Haki right now?
Instead of answering, Meiser pulled out a Scroll.
Then, right in front of them, he unfurled it.
Poof!
A puff of white smoke appeared, and a massive chest materialized on the table.
The sudden sight left both of them momentarily stunned.
"What... is this?"
Shakky pointed at the chest, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Is this another Ninja technique?" Rayleigh walked over, intrigued. "Does this thing store items?"
If a Scroll could hold all kinds of things, it would be incredibly convenient. Whether traveling or working, carrying just one Scroll would suffice.
"Exactly."
Meiser nodded. "This is a Sealing Scroll, specifically designed for storing items."
As he spoke, he opened the chest, revealing the treasures inside.
This was one of the two chests of treasure he had obtained at Enies Lobby. He had used one to buy supplies, while the other had remained untouched—until now.
"That's quite a haul," Shakky remarked, eyeing the contents. "Must be worth at least two hundred million Berries."
The chest was filled with gold, silver, and jewels. She couldn't help but wonder where he had gotten it all.
Rayleigh frowned at Meiser. "What's the meaning of this? You think I taught you all that just for money?"
He was annoyed. Did the kid really believe his knowledge could be bought with cash? He had only shared his insights because he saw potential in Meiser. And now, the boy was offering him money?
"No, no, Rayleigh, that's not what I meant," Meiser quickly clarified, waving his hands. "This isn't payment for your teachings."
"That knowledge is priceless. This amount wouldn't even come close."
Hearing this, Rayleigh's expression softened slightly. At least the kid knew how to speak properly.
Had Meiser implied he was buying the knowledge, Rayleigh would have thrown him out on the spot.
"Then what's this for?"
"Well, Shakky here deals in information, right?" Meiser grinned. "Consider this an advance payment for future intel."
"Of course, if you ever feel like drinking, Rayleigh, I'd be happy to cover the tab~"
With that, Meiser winked at Shakky, making his intentions crystal clear.
Shakky couldn't help but laugh. This kid really understood social graces.
"Buying information"? Please. This was clearly just an excuse to treat Rayleigh to drinks.
Rayleigh sighed in resignation. In the end, it was still a gesture of gratitude.
However... this kid's words really made it hard to refuse.
"You there..."
"Alright, little Meiser, I'll accept this money~" Shakky said with a smile. "If you ever need any information, just contact me."
"As long as it's information I can get, I'll definitely provide it for you."
"Got it, understood." Meiser grinned.
Perhaps worried Meiser might think she was just being polite, Shakky lowered her head and took out a box, placing it on the table before opening it. "Here, this is for you."
"What's this?"
"It's a White Transponder Snail," Rayleigh explained.
After the explanation, Rayleigh looked at Shakky with some emotion and said, "You're really generous, Shakky."
Shakky hadn't even given him a White Transponder Snail all these years.
Noticing Rayleigh's thoughts, Shakky glared at him. "You've only used a Den Den Mushi once in all these years. What would you even need a White Transponder Snail for?"
Rayleigh shrugged and didn't argue.
"White Transponder Snail..." Meiser muttered. "What does this thing do?"
Judging from Rayleigh's reaction, this thing must be something special.
"You remember how I contacted Rayleigh earlier, right?" Shakky said.
"Yeah, I saw it."
When Shakky had contacted Rayleigh earlier, she had only said one word before immediately hanging up.
At the time, he had been curious—why would someone say just one word and hang up? Could they really be eavesdropped on?
"The reason I did that is because we're on Sabaody Archipelago, where there are a lot of Marines," Shakky explained. "And the Marines have a special type of Black Transponder Snail designed for eavesdropping, which can monitor Den Den Mushi communications."
"That's why I only said one word."
After a pause, she continued, "But with this White Transponder Snail, you won't have to worry about being monitored anymore."
"This thing is specifically designed to block eavesdropping."
"I see..."
Meiser nodded in understanding. No wonder Shakky had acted that way—it was to avoid drawing the Marines' attention to the fact that two big shots were here.
After all, they were once infamous pirates who shook the seas.
After thinking for a moment, Meiser asked, "Is this thing expensive?"
High-end equipment like this, capable of blocking eavesdropping, must cost a fortune.
"If big sis is giving it to you, just take it. Don't worry about the price," Shakky said, rolling her eyes at Meiser.
Meiser scratched his head, thought for a bit, then finally picked up the White Transponder Snail. "Alright, thanks, Shakky."
"Meiser, you better take good care of that Den Den Mushi," Rayleigh said. "A single one of these is worth several hundred million Berries, and they're practically impossible to find on the market."
"It's that rare?"
Meiser looked shocked. Who would've thought such a tiny thing could be so valuable?
Was this thing even worth more than him?
"The money isn't the issue—it's just hard to come by," Shakky said helplessly. "There aren't many of these in the world."
A price of several hundred million Berries was already a conservative estimate. If it were put up for auction, it could easily sell for a billion Berries.
Of course, such things wouldn't normally appear at an auction—after all, selling this stuff is illegal.
"This…"
Meiser glanced at the chest of treasures he had handed over, then at the White Transponder Snail on the table, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Just take it," Rayleigh said. "Shakky's already made her stance clear. You think she'd take it back now?"
Meiser fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Thank you, Shakky."
"No need for thanks," Shakky replied with a smile. "And don't feel burdened. Just consider it an investment from your big sister."
The reason she was willing to offer such a generous gift wasn't just because she saw potential in him—it was because his future was limitless!
Investing in a rookie with boundless potential could yield enormous benefits!!
"Alright, I understand."
With that, Meiser carefully picked up the White Transponder Snail and tucked it into his coat.
"Since I'm the one giving this to you, you can still call me directly if you need intel." Shakky patted the pile of treasures on the table. "Don't hold back, now. This'll buy plenty of information~"
"Hahaha."
Watching Shakky laugh heartily, Meiser simply nodded, refraining from any unnecessary words.
He would remember this favor.
After accepting the Den Den Mushi number from Shakky and asking for tips on raising the snail and how to use it, Meiser left with Rayleigh.
Once Meiser was gone, Shakky murmured, "I hope that kid hasn't really caught the attention of that Charlotte bastard…
Otherwise, given their current strength, taking down one of the Four Emperors would be nearly impossible."
With that thought, Shakky took out the last remaining White Transponder Snail, placed it beside an ordinary Den Den Mushi, and dialed a number.
Once the call connected, she said, "Find out why the Charlotte Pirates are on the island."
"Understood!"
As the call ended, Shakky muttered to herself, "I hope little Meiser hasn't drawn their attention. Otherwise, things could get messy."
"Combat is the best way to improve Haki…"
Walking down the main road with Rayleigh, Meiser muttered, "Wonder if any of those Supernovas will dare to pick a fight with me."
Hearing this, Rayleigh glanced at him and chuckled. "What, itching for a fight already?"
Taking one look at the fire in Meiser's eyes, Rayleigh understood his intent.
This guy clearly wanted to throw down.
"Pretty much," Meiser said, flexing his fist. "Now that I've got this power, I should test it out."
"Seems you're not one to sit idle either…"
"Hah, you could say that."
If a strong opponent came along for a fight right now, he'd be more than happy to oblige.
Not only would it let him try out the Haki he'd just learned, but it'd also help him grow stronger. Win-win.
Rayleigh stopped walking, considering for a moment before saying, "In that case…"
"Hm?"
"You wanna spar, old man Rayleigh?"
Meiser looked at him eagerly. If Rayleigh was willing to fight him, it'd definitely help him improve.
"Spare me, will you?" Rayleigh shook his head. "I'm just an old man now—don't want you breaking my bones."
Meiser: "..."
An old man... who could effortlessly block his attacks?
"Tch, just say no if you don't want to. No need for excuses," Meiser muttered.
"Do you still want to go to Fish-Man Island or not?"
After a moment's thought, Meiser finally nodded. "Yeah."
"Then that settles it."
Rayleigh shot Meiser a look. This kid actually wanted to fight him? The audacity.
After some consideration, Rayleigh said, "If you want to improve your strength, you're better off finding opponents who are evenly matched with you. That's the most effective way."
He then pointed into the distance. "This is Sabaody Archipelago—plenty of strong fighters around. You could explore a bit; might just run into a suitable opponent."
"Just don't cause too much trouble."
The Marine Headquarters was dangerously close. If things got too rowdy, they might even attract a Marine Admiral.
After all... the World Government had taken quite an interest in this kid.
"Explore, huh?" Meiser rubbed his chin. "Makes sense."
Last time they were here, they'd run into plenty of bounty hunters. Maybe next time, they'd encounter some real heavyweights.
Like... the other Supernovas!
Oh, right—that guy Katakuri was supposed to be strong, wasn't he?
With his future-sight Observation Haki... he must be a beast.
But before hunting anyone down, he needed to return to the ship first...
Dismissing the thought for now, Meiser decided to head back and find Nami and the others.
They should've returned by now.
Just then, Rayleigh stopped walking. "You go on ahead to the ship."
"Huh?" Meiser gave him a puzzled look. Why send him back alone?
"I need to gather enough resin first." Rayleigh gestured to the large container on his back. "Otherwise, I can't coat your pirate ship."
"That'll take at least three hours, and you're not the type to wait around."
With a knowing smile, he added, "So head back first. Once you've handed things off to your crew, you're free to roam the island looking for a fight."
"Can't we move the ship there first?"
"That area's special—not suitable for pirate ships." Rayleigh shook his head. "I usually collect resin first, then do the coating elsewhere."
He was, after all, a wanted man.
Showing up there with a pirate ship might cause an uproar, and that was the last thing he wanted.
After a brief silence, Meiser nodded. "Got it."
"You remember the way, right?"
"Obviously." Meiser scoffed. "I'm not directionally challenged."
Unlike a certain Zoro, he wouldn't get lost in a place like this.
"See you later, then." Rayleigh waved as he turned toward a side path, clearly heading for one of the other mangrove groves via the connecting bridges.
After watching the other party leave, Meiser stroked his chin and remarked, "Uncle Rayleigh is living quite the carefree life."
That must be why he willingly settled down here.
Shaking his head, Meiser turned and sprinted off in another direction at top speed, intending to return to the ship as quickly as possible.
When Meiser arrived at Grove 30, he unexpectedly spotted Sanji and the others on the street.
"Sanji?"
Meiser looked at Sanji with surprise. "You guys still haven't returned to the ship?"
Seeing Sanji loaded with bags of all sizes, Meiser's face was full of disbelief.
They had already finished finding a Coating Craftsman, yet these two were still shopping?
Just how much time could they spend browsing...?
"Ah, we bought a bit more stuff this time," Sanji explained.
They were heading to a place 10,000 meters underwater, and anything could happen during the journey, so he had made extra preparations.
Glancing behind Meiser and noticing no one else was there, Sanji asked in confusion, "Where are the others?"
Had something unexpected happened?
But Meiser's expression didn't seem to suggest anything was wrong.
"Luffy and the others went to the amusement park."
"Amusement park...?"
Sanji's lips twitched. Had those guys really gone off to play at an amusement park?
"They went to the amusement park?" Franky exclaimed, dumbfounded. "Did they find a Coating Craftsman?"
They were supposed to go to Fish-Man Island. Without a Coating Craftsman, they wouldn't be able to get there.
"They found one," Meiser said with a smile. "A very reliable old man."
"Oh, they found one? That's a relief..." Franky sighed in relief.
At that moment, Franki felt grateful that Meiser had gone with Luffy and the others. Otherwise, getting the Coating done smoothly might have been a different story.
"Don't worry, the Coating is all taken care of."
After saying this, Meiser glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention before leaning in closer. "Let me tell you something—the one doing our Coating is none other than Silvers Rayleigh, the Pirate King's right-hand man, Uncle Rayleigh."
"Pirate—?!"
The two of them widened their eyes, disbelief flooding their expressions. They nearly shouted out loud but forced themselves to clamp their mouths shut, though snot uncontrollably shot out of their noses.
Meiser: "..."
Meiser took a step back in disgust. How could these two be so shocked that snot came flying out?
Good thing he wasn't standing too close, or it would've landed right on him.
After forcefully sucking the snot back in, Franky stammered, "R-really... that guy is doing our Coating?"
"Yep."
"A big shot like that... working as a Coating Craftsman..." Sanji gulped. "That's hard to imagine."
As the Pirate King's right-hand man, he was practically a legend bathed in glory.
And yet, such a figure was working here as a Coating Craftsman?
Honestly, he couldn't wrap his head around it.
"He said he's retired and prefers living this kind of life," Meiser explained. "But he does seem pretty carefree."
Drinking booze every day, with a wife who looked eternally young despite her unknown age.
Hmm... a heavenly life.
Come to think of it, just how old was Shakky anyway...?
It felt like the other person was older than he had imagined, and he couldn't figure out how they maintained such a youthful appearance. Could it be... she was some kind of special Devil Fruit Ability User?
Well, it wasn't impossible.
"Though I don't know the details... we should definitely meet someone like this who's offering to do our Coating," Franky said excitedly. "What do you think, Sanji?"
"Of course we'll go meet them," Sanji replied with a grin.
This was the Pirate King's vice-captain, after all. If there was a chance to meet him, they absolutely had to take it.
"Let's go, Meiser! Time to head out!"
As he spoke, Franky patted his Bubble Car, signaling for the other to hop on.
He'd give it his all and rush back at top speed!
"I won't be going back with you," Meiser said. "I only came to deliver the news, but since I've run into you two, I'll hold off for now."
"Why?"
"The Coating process takes three days, so we're free to explore the island during that time," Meiser explained. "I plan to use these three days to look around."
As he spoke, Meiser took out Rayleigh's Vivrecard, tore off a small piece to keep for himself, and handed the rest to Sanji.
"Here. Give each of them a small piece later."
"What's this?"
"It's a Vivrecard," Meiser clarified.
He then explained to the two why they needed it and how it worked.
"Oh... got it," Sanji nodded. "I'll make sure they get it."
In short, this Vivrecard was the key to finding their ship.
That meant he'd have to wait for the others at Area 41—otherwise, they might not be able to locate the ship, which would be awkward.
"Is this really necessary?"
Franky, having taken a piece and tucked it away, frowned in confusion. "Doesn't Merry have the ability to summon the ship?"
When they disembarked earlier, they had specifically mentioned this. Was the Vivrecard really needed?
"That's true, but what if the Coating gets damaged during the summoning?" Meiser countered. "And... it might also send Rayleigh tumbling into the sea."
Just imagine—Rayleigh working hard on the Coating, only for the ship to suddenly vanish with a poof, sending him plunging into the water... Would that be appropriate?
"Ah, fair point."
Franky nodded in understanding. That did make sense.
"Alright, leave this to us," Sanji said, giving a thumbs-up. "We'll make sure Nami and the others get it."
Not long ago, he and Franky had run into Nami and the others in this area, but since they weren't done shopping, the two of them had left first.
He just wasn't sure if they had returned to the ship yet.
"Did you forget about Zoro?"
Sanji: ???
"Wasn't he with you?"
"No, he went off on his own for a walk."
"Huh?"
"HUH?!"
Sanji stared at Meiser in shock. How could he just let Zoro—the world's worst navigator—wander off alone?!
What... what was he thinking?!
If they got lost here, it wouldn't be easy to find that idiot!
After all... the environment inside is just too complicated!!
Who knows where that guy might wander off to? What if he ends up in the Navy's base?
That's not entirely impossible, after all... Zoro is the kind of man who can walk across an ice field straight into the enemy's stronghold!
Thinking about this gave Sanji a massive headache.
"Don't worry, Zoro said he memorized the tree numbers," Meiser reassured him. "He'll find his way back."
As he spoke, Meiser pointed at the numbers on the trees. "Our ship is at number 41. That guy said he's already memorized it."
"Even if he's directionally challenged, following these numbers shouldn't be a problem."
And even if he really couldn't find it, he could always ask for directions.
"Tree numbers, huh..."
Sanji glanced at the numbers on the trees and sighed quietly.
Though that might be true, he still had a feeling that guy might get lost.
"Let's head back to the ship first," Franky said. "Even though Zoro's got no sense of direction, he shouldn't get lost if he knows the numbers."
"I guess that's all we can do."