Fleet Admiral Steel Bone Kong issued a sweeping decree.
"All Marines are forbidden to provoke Rakuya. Any violator will be expelled from Headquarters and hunted without end."
The order spread through Marineford like wildfire, and the photo of that calm, unbothered youth circulated in every corridor.
"Hey, did you see the Fleet Admiral's announcement?"
Two patrolmen crossed paths on a balcony overlooking the plaza.
"Of course. With the whole of Marineford buzzing, how could I miss it."
"Then who is this Rakuya exactly, to make the Fleet Admiral so cautious."
"How would I know. A Celestial Dragon, maybe."
"No. Celestial Dragons have that sacred title attached to their names to show their supposed divinity. This guy's name doesn't have it."
"True. Then what is he."
"I heard his identity is extremely mysterious. Even the Fleet Admiral shows him respect…"
"Shh."
Whispers like these never stopped in Headquarters.
By the end of the day, some clown even spread the rumor that Rakuya was Steel Bone Kong's secret son.
When that reached Kong's ears, he nearly coughed blood.
Meanwhile, the man at the center of all this noise was doing nothing more dramatic than eating lunch on Zephyr's warship, blissfully unaware of the chaos outside.
"Rakuya."
A voice called. Rakuya looked up to see Zephyr approaching with an easy smile.
"What is it, Uncle Zephyr."
After a few days together, Rakuya had learned the man was straightforward and kind, so he did not stand on ceremony. He kept eating as he spoke, chopsticks moving without pause.
"We have reached the Sabaody Archipelago. The ship will rest and resupply here, and we will hand the captured pirates over to the local branch. You are not planning to stay on the warship the whole time, are you."
"Sabaody, huh."
Rakuya's eyes narrowed with interest. Finally free of that birdless Calm Belt. Sabaody might be dangerous, but it was a thousand times better than a barren rock. With a bit of luck, he might even catch a glimpse of merfolk beauty.
"Yes. We are already in the waters of Sabaody. If you want to look around, I can give you some Beli. Not much, but enough to enjoy the place."
Zephyr's smile turned a shade more friendly. If the Fleet Admiral was trying so hard to win the youth over, he was not about to fall behind.
"Sure."
To Zephyr's mild surprise, Rakuya accepted without a fuss.
Zephyr handed him eight thousand Beli.
By then, the warship had glided into the Marine base harbor.
Sabaody Archipelago, also called the Soap Bubble Archipelago, lay before the Red Line in the middle of the Grand Line.
It was the point where seven routes converged, and one of the gates to the New World.
No wonder the Marines kept a base here. It was a vital hub.
Because every ship bound for the New World needed to pass this way for coating, Sabaody teemed with pirates, merchants and bounty hunters.
In another time, a hotheaded pirate would punch a Celestial Dragon here and shatter the calm, scattering his crew to the winds by an Admiral's hand.
But that was all still in the future.
Rakuya knew how dangerous Sabaody could be. For him, it did not matter.
With Zephyr's eight thousand Beli tucked away, he walked out of the Marine base at an easy pace.
Countless Marines shot him startled looks as he passed. In their gazes he felt awe, and fear.
It puzzled him, but he did not ask. He stepped off the dock and into the drifting light of Sabaody's bubbles.
Beneath the glittering canopies of mangrove bubbles, Sabaody hid slave auctions, coating masters, and hunters with long memories. What would find Rakuya first.