At the doorframe, Sanji lowered his head and silently smoked, his gaze calm like still water, as if lost in thought.
After a long time…
"You've heard the legend of the All Blue, too...?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you think it's ridiculous?"
Sanji asked quietly. He stepped out to stand beside Alan, turned around, and leaned his back against the railing.
Looking up at the sky, blue and clear like a mirror, Sanji slowly exhaled a long stream of smoke.
"Countless people chase after it, setting off on a journey to find that sea, only to die in foreign waters, never fulfilling their wish even in their final moments."
"Even so, there are still people who ignore the ridicule and scorn of others, clinging to that unrealistic dream, trying to find that legendary sea..."
"Don't you think they're pitiful? Gambling their lives on some legend they heard from god-knows-where, searching their whole lives in vain."
Sanji sighed sorrowfully, his low voice almost self-mocking.
"You don't sound like you're denying them."
Alan smiled faintly, glanced at him, then returned his gaze to the sea.
"Who knows? But no one can prove that the All Blue doesn't exist. Some things you just can't imagine until you see them yourself. Just like..."
He paused, took another swig from the bottle, wiped the corner of his lips, and asked with interest: "Sanji, have you ever seen an island floating ten thousand meters above the ground, or Fish-Man Island ten thousand meters below the deep sea?"
"Don't say stupid things, how could places like that possibly—"
Sanji responded instinctively, but stopped halfway.
As if remembering something, he turned slightly toward Alan, his pupils widening with disbelief.
"Don't tell me you..."
"No, I haven't been there."
Alan chuckled and shook his head. "But they really exist."
"Ten thousand meters beneath Marine Headquarters, there's a massive hole in the Red Line connecting the front and back halves of the Grand Line. Fish-Man Island is there."
"Every year, a huge number of pirates pass through Fish-Man Island to reach the New World. I've even been sent on missions to intercept them."
Coming from Alan, it didn't sound unbelievable.
In shock, Sanji dropped his cigarette onto the floor and stared wide-eyed at Alan.
"Fish-Man Island... Hey, you mean..."
"That place where beautiful mermaid ladies live, the legendary dreamlike paradise...!"
"Fish-Man Island...! Does it really exist?!!"
Grabbing Alan by the shoulders, Sanji shouted, overwhelmed with shock.
"Quit joking! You're not lying to me, right?!"
At this moment, a strange impulse surged within Sanji.
It made him want to leap straight into the sea and swim to Fish-Man Island in one breath!
This effect was a bit too strong…
Staring at the crazed look on Sanji's face, Alan's mouth twitched a little, then continued: "Of course it's real. And as for Sky Island, even though there are fewer rumors about it, I believe it's real too."
"They say it's full of angelic young ladies with pure white wings."
Alan lifted a finger to emphasize the point.
Hearing this, Sanji pursed his lips tightly, snorting out two streams of hot air like a bull, his eyes burning even hotter.
Angelic young ladies!!!
Never had he longed to enter the Grand Line more than now.
But when he thought of Zeff...
Sanji clenched his fists tightly, his entire body trembling, internal conflict bursting out uncontrollably.
"Damn it!!"
With a thud, Sanji dropped to his knees, grinding his teeth, pounding the floor in frustration and regret.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Why! Why did you tell me this stuff?! Are you a demon?!!"
"Mermaid ladies! Angel ladies...!!"
"Damn it! Damn it all!!"
Tears squeezed out of the corners of his eyes as he lay on the floor, filled with remorse.
Alan: "..."
He couldn't believe someone could be this lovestruck.
Just then, two more figures stepped out of the restaurant.
Sham and Buchi.
They stared blankly at Sanji on the floor, utterly confused.
Then, after exchanging a glance, they walked over to Alan, hesitating.
"Boss... Um..."
Sham gritted his teeth and mustered the courage to ask: "What you just said about the Grand Line... Was that for real?"
"Yeah, it's real."
Alan nodded. "I was originally planning to tell you after we found a navigator."
"This..."
"That place is called the pirates' graveyard..."
Hearing how firm Alan sounded, Sham and Buchi looked troubled.
Alan grinned, his eyes sharp as he stared at the two of them: "A pirates' graveyard? No, that's the graveyard for cowards."
"For the ambitious, the dreamers, the adventurers, the Grand Line is the perfect paradise!"
Alan swung his arm, his black cape billowing, and in the reflection of the widening pupils of Sham and Buchi, he declared boldly: "Come! It's time for you to choose, my ship has no need for timid, third-rate pirates!"
"Will you risk your lives and follow me to conquer the seas..."
"Or will you leave the crew now and stay pathetic in this tiny patch of ocean until the day you die!"
Seeing Alan's resolute gaze, Sham and Buchi hesitated.
Finally, Sham cautiously asked: "Um... If we quit the pirate crew... What happens?"
"Well..."
Alan raised his iron-hard fist, smiling, his eyes carrying a hint of threat.
"I'll tell you after you choose."
"Gulp!"
Watching his steel fist sway ominously left and right, Sham and Buchi swallowed hard.
You aren't planning on letting us go at all, are you...
Are you kidding? With two lackeys this useful, how could he possibly let them run off just like that?
Anyway, the work they'd be doing is the same; being pirates is being pirates no matter where.
Under Alan's flowery (coercive) persuasion, Sham and Buchi finally hung their heads in resignation.
Right after, Alan once again shifted his gaze toward Sanji.
"You don't brush me off. I can tell you're willing to go out to sea. Whether the All Blue or beautiful women, my ship embraces all dreams."
"So? Come be a pirate with me."
Alan grinned and extended an invitation once more.
Sanji stared at him, and after a moment, let out a long sigh.
"I admit I do want to go out to sea, but no. At least not now."
"I still have something else I have to accomplish. Before that, I'm not going anywhere."
Sanji refused again.