Chapter 123

Grandline, Paradise

With billowing sails, the wind driving them forwards, the liberated Revery smoothly cut through the waves of the oceans that had once again welcomed Azul and Robin into its open arms, even if those arms sometimes tried to strangle them in their tight embrace.

And yet Azul wouldn't want it any other way. Otherwise the journey would be one boring as hell trip he really could do without. But luckily for him that wasn't the case.

Standing with one arm grasping the rigging that held the mast straight Azul let himself hang like a billowing flag in the wind, only one wave away from dipping his feet into the water with how angled the ship was cleaving through the waves.

Grinning from ear to ear Azul enjoyed the feeling of sailing like this to the fullest and hoped the next storm would be just as fun. Robin meanwhile was a little anxious for Azul and repeatedly tried to get him to step back on board but all her attempts fell on def ears.

"Now that's what I'm calling sailing hahahaha!" Azul roared into the whistling wind while Robin rolled her eyes in exasperation at Azul's antics and yet she couldn't help the twitching of her mouth in amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Please come back down from there Azul! I swear, I'm not gonna dive after you if you fall into the water!" Robin called back which only caused Azul's laughter to intensify.

"Stop being a chicken and come join me! Experience everything with the glee of a little child! After all we only have a short time on this beautiful planet hahaha!" Azul roared into the wind causing a tick mark to appear on Robin's forehead. Did he really just call her a chicken?

Stomping like an angry mother hippo Robin went out of the cabin to give Azul a piece of her mind when she was suddenly grabbed without warning and flung into Azul's arms, holding her steadily right above the waters surface, causing Robin to scream in fear until her mind realised that she was safe for the moment when her screaming turned into adrenalin filled laughter, joining Azul in the excitement.

Though while they were immersed in the rush that sailing provided them they didn't notice a seagull with a newspaper in its beak that couldn't help but sweat drop at the two humans and their antics. Truly, the job of a seagull of the Maichyo never got boring…

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Grandline, New World

BigMom and Kaido had had used the time of the cold war between the different factions to bolster their forces and had decided, as both of them grew bored with only those small skirmishes that they would take the lead in the great war without much preamble.

Thus, one beautiful morning in the new world one of the marine sh.i.p.s on their usual patrol that were checking on the islands under the world governments control nearly stopped in its tracks due to all the sailors getting a simultaneous heart attack at the sight that presented itself to them.

As far as the eyes could see, sh.i.p.s with different get ups but all running two different Jolly Rogers appeared at the horizon and covered it like a black flood that descended upon the poor marines.

With horrified expression the marines grabbed the local transponder snail and made to relay the message that a huge force of pirate sh.i.p.s had set sail towards the redline and the marine headquarters that were located there most probably.

While the news about the armada of pirates were being relayed all the marines atop the lone vassal knew what the appearance of such a huge force must mean. The huge war of their generation had finally begun…

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Grandline, New World, Fishman island

Far down below the ocean's surface an island vastly different from the normal ones was located. Said island consisted of corals and seaweeds of many different colours and variations, bathing and decorating the island to a state that it became an underwater paradise some may even say.

Besides the underwater fauna the island was inhabited by the fishmen that were able to swim and breath under water while also being able to withstand the enormous pressure the ocean but onto the creatures of the deep.

Amongst the usual folks of fishmen, which consisted of all kinds of fish-human variations, another family was living far under the water, out of the reach of most humans. These were the royal family of the fishmen consisting of the king and his children, one of which being the mermaid princess Shirahoshi.

In the past the mermaids and other fishmen had been hunted by the humans for their exotic looks and extraordinary strength, making it very hard for the fishmen to leave their home to explore the world without being sold into slavery.

That all ended though once none other than Edward Newgate took the fishman island as his territory and declared the fishmen to be under his protection. His actions held such high value to the fishmen that they of course did not protest Whitebeard taking the island as his base from which he operated in the great war that was soon to break out.

The Whitebeard pirates at first had assumed that they would have some more time to prepare for the coming war but while Whitebeard was enjoying his time with the royal family in the palace of the island he found out that that was not to be the case.

Under roaring laughter that nearly caused the walls of the palace to vibrate Whitebeard read through the newest missive one of his spies had relayed to him.

"Those fools haven't changed a bit in all those years, gurarara! So be it. Marco! Ready the men! The time for diplomacy and petty games has come to an end. From today onwards we are at war!" Whitebeard called down from the palace towards his main ship from where the rallying cries of his family echoed far and wide. After listening for a few seconds Whitebeard turned around and marched over to a nearby table. He had two more family members to notify after all, whether they saw themselves as such or not.