Not long ago, Deuce had found a coating craftsman and brought them back to the Piece of Spadille. The coating process would take at least three days, but that didn’t mean the craftsman had to work continuously for three days.
Instead, the process needs to be repeated multiple times over three days, and wait for the processed resin to undergo changes.
Then came the discovery that Ace had lost his wallet and was being pursued by the island’s vendors to collect debt. To avoid further trouble, everyone begged Deuce to keep a close eye on Ace.
【Boss Deuce, please make sure Boss Ace doesn’t cause any more trouble.】
Skull’s words still echoed in Deuce’s mind. But keeping an eye on Ace was no easy task.
After all, he is an unreliable captain who could fall asleep while eating and is a free spirit.
After the fiasco of dine and dash, Ace arrived at Sabaody Park, which is a simple way to distinguish the nature of pirates. Pirates who lean towards adventuring show a strong interest in Sabaody Park after reaching the Sabaody Archipelago.
In contrast, more traditional pirates usually hang out in lawless areas and gradually become involved with the undercurrents there.
As for why Ace came here, it was because he noticed a flicker of interest in Deuce’s eyes when he saw the Ferris wheel. In the end, the two boarded the ferris wheel’s cabin, and as the mechanical gears turned, they ascended to the peak.
The cabin, made of bubble, reflected a spectrum of colors. From that height, the unique beautiful scenery of the Sabaody Archipelago unfolded before their eyes.
“Wow, that’s a huge beetle.”
“Oh, that one? My little brother has one of those. These beetles are surprisingly smart.”
Deuce caught sight of a fleeting Heracross, which gave Ace a new topic to dive into. Every time he talked about his younger brother, he could go on and on for ages.
As Ace recounted the past, Deuce was drawing and writing in his notebook, recording what he saw and heard along the way, penning his own thoughts.
【Enormous trees. Super island.
Floating bubble-like things. Can they take me, who only knows to say “super awesome” and is poor with words, faraway??
Can a rootless wanderer like me, live on that tree root? Of course, I can! YES! Sabaody Archipelago!】
“Don’t read it out loud!”
“What’s the big deal? You wrote it down anyway!”
Hearing Ace read his words aloud while trying to suppress laughter, Deuce felt embarrassed and quickly shut his notebook.
After a bout of playful scuffling, Ace resumed his hunt for food. Along the way, they encountered bounty hunters and pirates. Though Ace’s identity wasn’t widely known yet in the New World, he still has some fame on Sabaody Archipelago as a Super Rookie.
Some sought to become famous via him, while others aimed to claim the bounty on his head. But regardless of their motives, Ace defeated them all.
“Seriously, don’t these guys ever get tired?”
“Well, you are famous. The name Fire Fist Ace carries some weight… Hey! Kids! Put that down!”
During their fight earlier, they had put down their packages. Naturally, what Ace was carrying was all kinds of food.
Now Deuce saw a few kids rummaging through them. Upon being discovered, the kids ignored Deuce’s shout and ran off with the things in hand. As they ran, they even tore open the packaging and stuffed the food into their mouths.
These children were from the slums. Surviving in the slums of Sabaody Archipelago was no easy feat.
Adults or those with parents fared slightly better, but kids like these had to fend for themselves. Relying solely on charity wasn’t enough to survive. Working odd jobs, acting as tour guides—these were relatively honest ways to get by.
Some joined local gangs and, under the harsh conditions of life, gradually transformed from the oppressed into the oppressors.
To join a gang means to participate in fights. Many people were unwilling to take on that risk, but that doesn’t mean they will obey laws that don’t even exist in this place.
When survival becomes difficult, principles lose their importance. Stealing, taking advantage of chaos for personal gain—these kids would seize any opportunity just to stay alive.
On Sabaody Archipelago, conflicts erupt out constantly, creating the perfect opportunities for them.
During one of Ace and Deuce’s fights, the kids managed to swipe a good amount of food. Deuce, now a pirate himself, naturally wasn’t about to let them get away with it, but Ace stopped him.
“Deuce, let it go.”
“Huh? Ace, those brats stole our stuff…”
“Going hungry is a terrible feeling. It’s just some food. Come on, let’s follow them and take a look.”
Ace didn’t seem angry at all. Instead, he slung the remaining food over his shoulder and began following the kids. Watching Ace’s actions, Deuce could only shake his head helplessly—he already had an idea of what Ace intended to do.
The kids were well-acquainted with the layout of Sabaody Archipelago. Using the Mangrove trees as cover, they quickly disappeared into the crowd. However, Ace and Deuce weren’t thrown off so easily. They followed at a leisurely pace, eventually stopping when they reached the slums.
In stark contrast to the bustling central streets, this area was shrouded in gloom. Garbage was scattered everywhere, and as far as the eyes could see, there were dilapidated buildings that looked like ruins.
As soon as the people on the streets saw strangers arrive, they quickly went into hiding. Ace even spotted the kids who had just stolen his food, secretly watching them from the shadows of the buildings.
Ace didn’t scold them. Instead, he began handing out the food he’d brought. After some hesitation, the hungry onlookers gave in to temptation and slowly emerged one by one.
“Next time, don’t steal, okay? You won’t always be this lucky,” Ace said, patting one of the kids on the head. But the child didn’t respond, only bowing slightly to Ace before leaving.
“He can’t talk.”
“Huh?”
“I escaped here with him. Those people thought he was too noisy, so they cut out his tongue.”
The people who still remained here explained to Ace on behalf of the child who left. Then, Ace asked curiously, “So, do you usually not have many people around here?”
“It’s not that. There’s a group over on that street today, handing out free food and even providing medical care.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? Why didn’t you go?”
“They said if we followed them, we’d always have food and even get education. Only those naive brats believe that nonsense.”
The group they mentioned was, of course, Isuka and her companions. They didn’t go only because they suspected the other party’s purpose. After getting closer, Ace only then realized that these people were all already half-grown teens. Long-term malnutrition had caused him to mistake these people for children.
Ace tried offering them money to improve their situation, but they refused.
As for why they don’t want money, that kind of thing has no meaning to them. Taking money will only bring danger to themselves; the food that goes into their stomachs is the most valuable thing.
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