The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Almost immediately after the ceremony ended, news birds that had been prepared above the sea took flight, carrying this headline news that was enough to shake the ocean, and flew to all parts of the world at top speed.

"A Declaration of 'Natural Disaster'! Admiral Gern Officially Announces Protection of Fish-Man Island! Is the World Government Just a Bystander?"

A combination of force and monarchy? The ownership of Fishman Island is once again in turmoil!

A New Era of Pirate Change? The Fifth Force Ventures Deep into the Sea!

Gern's trip to Fishman Island, with its strong and direct stance, sent a clear signal to the world.

His sphere of influence has undeniably covered this deep-sea paradise.

Chapter 293 The Bar That Extorted Money

Several days later, Gern and Mihawk's warships slowly surfaced, passed through giant soap bubbles, and docked at the naval port of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Sunlight filters through layers of red tree branches and leaves, refracting a dreamlike glow onto countless floating soap bubbles.

The island was as noisy and bustling as ever, a mixture of the clamor of pirates, the hawking of merchants, the cries of slaves, and the hypocritical laughter of nobles, creating a bizarre yet vibrant scene.

Stepping onto solid ground, Mihawk looked at the bustling, chaotic streets in the distance of the port and frowned slightly.

He prefers a quiet environment.

So he turned his head to look at Gern, who had taken off his navy coat and put on an expensive black casual suit, and finally asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time:

"Why are you so interested in that deep-sea island?" Mihawk's voice remained indifferent, but there was indeed a hint of confusion in it.

“Given your strength and status, the trouble that would bring by sheltering it seems to far outweigh the benefits.” In his view, Gern’s actions on Fishman Island were more of a burden.

Gern straightened his collar, chuckled, and asked with a hint of mockery and helplessness, "Profits?"

Do you think I'm like you lone wolves, only needing to feed myself and not having a family to worry about?

Maintaining an entire base, warship maintenance, weapons development, personnel allowances, daily expenses... none of these aren't astronomical figures.

He glanced at Mihawk and continued to complain, "Those old foxes at the World Government always tightly control the funds they allocate."

They expect me to be incredibly stingy, yet they want me to work my ass off them? Dream on. So, I'll just have to find my own way to 'generate income'.”

He patted the bandaged black sword, Bahuang, at his waist: "The passage fee to Fishman Island will be a stable source of income from now on."

"That old fox Neptune may be a bit timid, but he's got a knack for it."

After saying that, he deliberately looked Mihawk up and down with a disdainful look: "After all, it's quite expensive to keep a guy like you."

"You have to drink the finest wines, wear haute couture, use premium oils for weapon maintenance, and even your tiny 'coffin-board' boat needs special wood for upkeep... Every single one of these costs money!"

Mihawk was slightly taken aback by what Gern said, then awkwardly lowered the brim of his hat, turned his face to the other side, and let out a cold snort: "Hmph...it's just some basic living needs."

Haute couture clothing, top-notch skincare, fine wines...that's all.

Although his tone remained arrogant, a closer listener could detect a subtle hint of guilt.

“Ha, ‘that’?” Gern sighed dramatically, rubbing his temples. “You make it sound so easy. All these ‘that’s all’ together would be enough to support a small naval branch! The world’s greatest swordsman’s entourage is indeed extraordinary.”

Mihawk: "..."

Gern was too lazy to argue with him about these trivial matters. He turned his gaze to the huge mangrove tree in the distance and glanced at the numbers marked on the trunk.

When he saw the number "13", Gern's eyes lit up slightly, and a nostalgic yet playful smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

“Area 13…” he muttered to himself, stroking his chin. “If that’s the case, then the legendary ‘rip-off bar’ should be around here, right?”

In his mind, an image of an old woman with glasses, smoking, and a bad temper but a kind heart flashed into his mind.

“Let’s go, Mihawk.” Gern suddenly became enthusiastic and took the lead, heading towards Area 13.

"I'll take you to an interesting place and introduce you to the former world's most beautiful woman, a woman who once influenced the world's political landscape!"

Mihawk noticed that Gern suddenly had a somewhat... "sly" smile. Although he didn't understand why, he silently followed.

.......

Sabaody Archipelago, Mangrove Area 13.

Compared to other numbered areas, this place appears relatively remote and dilapidated.

Gern led Mihawk through several alleys and finally stopped in front of a small, unremarkable, even somewhat dilapidated bar.

The crooked sign reads "SHABONDY BAR".

But those familiar with this place know it by another, more resounding name – “Knock-off Bar”.

Even standing outside, you could hear the noisy commotion inside, the clinking of glasses, and off-key singing, clearly indicating that a large number of pirates were having a good time.

Gern lowered his hat brim slightly, gave Mihawk a "follow me" look, and then pushed open the creaking wooden door.

In an instant, a murky heat wave, a mixture of cheap liquor, tobacco, and sweat, hit me.

The bar was small and dimly lit, but it was now packed with all sorts of pirates who looked menacing.

They were raising their glasses and loudly boasting about their "heroic deeds," or gambling around the table, the atmosphere so lively it was almost frenzied.

However, all this noise came to an abrupt halt the next second, as if an invisible hand had suddenly choked it!

"boom!"

A pirate dropped his wine glass and shattered it on the ground, but he was oblivious to it, staring wide-eyed at the doorway in terror.

All eyes were drawn to the figure that had just entered, as if by a magnet.

The second person to walk in, following behind the man in the hat.

Tall and imposing, with a profile as sharp as a hawk's, especially his signature black top hat, and that...

That enormous, cross-shaped black sword that sent chills down your spine just by looking at it!

"night"!

The whole world seemed to have been muted.

The bar, which was just a moment ago bustling with noise, is now so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Every pirate's face was filled with disbelief, extreme fear, and bewilderment.

“Hawk… Hawkeye Mihawk…” A pirate uttered the nightmarish name in a trembling voice, almost choking.

"The world's greatest swordsman... Dracule Mihawk?! What's he doing here?!"

These pirates, who might have been able to lord it over the first half of the Grand Line, were no match for this man who stood at the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the world.

They couldn't even muster the slightest thought of resistance; they all pretended to be little quails.

As for Gern, who was walking in front and whose face was mostly covered by a hat, he was subconsciously ignored by everyone because of Mihawk's dazzling (or rather, frightening) presence.

After all, who would have thought that a naval admiral and the world's greatest swordsman would appear together in a place like this?

(Fishman Island News, Mihawk was not in the photo)

Mihawk ignored the trembling fish and glanced at the liquor cabinet, seemingly assessing whether there were any drinkable beverages there.

Behind the bar counter, Xia Qi (Peony), who was wiping glasses, also noticed the commotion at the door.

Upon seeing the broken cup, he smiled, knowing he would soon be able to rake in a large sum of money.

Then, when his gaze fell on Mihawk, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

But when her gaze swept over the man in front of her, wearing a hat and with a playful smile on his lips...

Her experienced eyes narrowed slightly, and then she saw Gern, who was sitting at the bar, lift the brim of his hat with his index finger to reveal his face.

Even Xia Qi's pupils contracted when she saw who it was.

Chapter 294 "Sister-in-law" Xia Qi

When Xia Qi saw the familiar face with a playful smile under the hat, her hand holding the wine glass paused almost imperceptibly.

The newspaper headlines from a few days ago are still fresh in my mind; the news that Gern officially announced the protection of Fishman Island was spreading like wildfire.

Shakky initially thought that, given Gern's current status and the turbulent situation on the high seas,

After he finishes dealing with the affairs of Fishman Island, he will definitely return to G-10 base immediately to oversee things and prevent any unforeseen events.

But to everyone's surprise, this man not only didn't rush back, but actually... appeared in the Sabaody Archipelago!

Even more outrageous is that the person accompanying him was none other than the loner and arrogant "world's greatest swordsman" Djorakor Mihawk!

How did these two top-tier experts, who seem to have nothing in common, end up together and even come to her little bar?

Shaki's gaze swept quickly between Gern and Mihawk, countless guesses flashing through her mind, but her face quickly returned to the calm and collected demeanor of a proprietress.

Gern noticed Shaki's momentary surprise, but he didn't care.

He walked to the counter, casually sat on a high stool, placed his hat aside, tapped the countertop lightly with his fingers, and deliberately shook his head in a critical tone:

"Boss, your shop doesn't look very good. You can't try to fool me with cheap liquor, can you? My friend next to me has a very discerning palate."

Xia Qi today has long since shed her former glamour, the stunning beauty she once possessed as the "world's most beautiful woman" during her military service.

Time and a secluded life have left their mark on her face. Although one can still vaguely discern her former charm, she exudes more of the approachable charm of an ordinary middle-aged woman.

Hearing Gern's obviously provocative words, Shakky was neither angry nor annoyed; instead, she smiled slightly.

He then took a few steps forward, casually resting his elbows on the bar counter, his hand supporting his chin, and looked at Gern with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of familiar teasing.

"Oh dear, sir, as you can see, this is just a small, run-down shop. Where would I get any fancy stuff to entertain such an important person as you?"

Her words sounded self-deprecating, but her eyes showed no sign of humility.

She paused, then changed the subject, her smile becoming even more meaningful, even tinged with a hint of mockery, as she looked directly at Gern without fear:

"But speaking of which, according to seniority, shouldn't you call me 'sister-in-law'? Ge, um, da, jiang."

"Hmm?" Gern raised an eyebrow.

Shaki smiled like a cunning cat and said slowly, "After all, my silly little sister Toritoma has always followed me around like a puppy, calling me 'Sister, Sister' all the time~ Now, however..."

You've completely 'lured' her to a new world without a word, and she rarely even writes a letter back. As her older sister, I'm heartbroken."

Her words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, startling Gern for a moment.

Even Mihawk, who had been staring blankly at the wine bottle, subconsciously glanced over in their direction.

Looking at Shakky's teasing expression that seemed to say, "I'm family," Gern couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

He seemed to have forgotten about his connection with Torritoma.

“Tsk,” Gern chuckled, touching his nose. “It seems your ability to extort money isn’t just targeting Pele; you’re even trying to take advantage of my seniority?”

Just then, the pirate who had initially broken his glass in fright couldn't stand the extremely eerie atmosphere in the bar any longer.

He suddenly stood up and pulled out a few crumpled Pele bills from his pocket, probably worth a few hundred.

He slammed his hand on the table with a thud, and said to his companions in a trembling voice, "Let's go... let's go! We can't stay in this godforsaken place!"

After saying that, he turned around and tried to rush out.

However, he had barely taken a step when a lazy yet undeniably authoritative voice rang out:

"Wait a minute, sir/madam!"

Xia Qi had already straightened up at some point, holding a small calculator in her hand, pressing the keys rapidly, with a professional yet chilling smile on her face.

"That wine glass you just broke was an antique crystal glass from the Western Sea, one of my cherished collectibles," Xia Qi said with a regretful tone, but her eyes were sharp as knives.

"Plus the drinks you and your companions just consumed, and the venue usage fee..."

And compensation for the emotional distress caused to my other guests (although they are now even more frightened)...

The calculator emitted a crisp "zeroing" sound.

“Sincerely yours…” Shakky looked up, a bright smile on her face. “Five million Berries in total. Thank you for your patronage~”

Five...five million Berries?!

The pirate and his companions' eyes widened instantly, the fear on their faces lessened considerably by the outrageous price.

Instead, shock and anger replaced the words, "You...you're robbing me! How could that broken cup be worth so much money?!"

"Exactly! This is clearly extortion!"

"We only had a few glasses of the cheapest ale, didn't we?!"

"Damn woman! Trying to rip us off?! We're pirates, you bastard!"