I, Kizaru, only came to the chat group after I became invincible

Chapter 448 The approximate location of Lavala
"To the port?" Sanji asked, puzzled.

“The Thousand Sunny is still there,” Borsalino explained. “If we can get the ship back, we can truly leave freely.”

“But there are naval guards there,” Sauron reminded him.

“Trust in the power of the people.” Borsalino looked at the crowd protecting them. “They’ve done so much; we can’t let their efforts go to waste.”

"You're right!" Luffy nodded firmly. "We believe in everyone!"

"Folks!" Alex shouted to the crowd. "We'll escort them to the port and let them leave freely!"

"Great!" the crowd responded in unison.

"Let's go to the port!"

"Escort the heroes away!"

And so began an unprecedented mass demonstration. Thousands of people formed a protective circle, surrounding the Straw Hat Pirates, and marched in a grand procession toward the port.

The royal guards were completely helpless in the face of this situation. They could not possibly use force against thousands of peaceful demonstrators, many of whom were prominent businessmen and ordinary citizens.

“What should we do?” an officer asked Lieutenant General Bronson.

"Follow them!" Lieutenant General Bronson gritted his teeth. "We'll talk about it when we get to port!"

The march proceeded along the main streets of Crystal Harbor, with more people joining them along the way. News spread quickly, and the entire city knew what was happening.

"Look! Those heroes are being protected by the people!"

"Let's go help too!"

"We can't let them get arrested!"

Shop owners put aside their businesses, workers put down their tools, and students left their classrooms; everyone spontaneously joined the march. By the time they reached the city center, the procession had grown to nearly ten thousand people.

"This scene is truly spectacular," Franky exclaimed, looking at the densely packed crowd around him.

“I have never seen such public support before.” Brooke was also moved.

The Straw Hat Pirates members at the center of the group were deeply moved by this unprecedented support. They had only wanted to do the right thing, but they never expected to receive such strong public approval.

"These people are so kind." Chopper's eyes welled up with tears.

“Yes.” Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette. “It makes you feel that all the effort was worthwhile.”

As the march passed through Crystal Harbor's business district, even more people poured out of buildings to join the procession. Some shops even closed their doors, with owners and employees participating in the march together.

"Boss, don't we want our shop anymore?" an employee asked.

“Justice is more important than business!” the boss said firmly. “Those heroes saved us; now we must help them!”

At the front of the procession, several young people held up a homemade banner:
"Thank you, Straw Hat Pirates!"

"Heroes should not be persecuted!"

"The will of the people cannot be defied!"

These simple yet sincere words express the sentiments of everyone.

Lord Blackwood watched the parade through his binoculars from his manor, his face turning extremely grim.

“Damn the people!” he roared furiously. “Blinded by a few pirates!”

"Sir, shall we take action?" the subordinate asked.

“Not now,” Blackwood said through gritted teeth. “There are too many people; a forceful crackdown would only cause more unrest.”

"Then let them leave?"

"Leave?" Blackwood sneered. "Do they think they'll be safe once they leave Crystal Harbor? Naïve!"

Meanwhile, the marching procession was approaching the port. From afar, one could see the Thousand Sunny anchored there, with several naval warships indeed on guard nearby.

But when the group arrived at the port, everyone was shocked by what they saw.

The chains and seals that should have been around the Thousand Sunny are gone! The ship looks ready to set sail at any moment!

"Where are the chains?" a naval officer asked his subordinates, puzzled.

"I don't know!" the subordinate said, equally confused. "It was just here a moment ago!"

It turned out that the port workers and crew had taken action spontaneously when the parade began. They quietly unlocked the chains of the Thousand Sunny, removed the seals, and prepared for the Straw Hat Pirates' departure.

“We did it!” a representative of the port workers stepped forward. “We cannot stand by and watch our saviors be persecuted!”

"The ship is ready!" the crew shouted. "We can set sail at any time!"

Seeing this, the Straw Hat Pirates were speechless with emotion. These ordinary people expressed their sincerest support through their actions.

"Everyone..." Luffy's voice choked with emotion. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome!" the crowd replied in unison. "It's what we should do!"

“You have given us hope!” an old man exclaimed emotionally. “You have shown us what true justice is!”

"Let's get on the ship quickly!" Alex urged. "Before the navy reacts!"

“Wait,” Borsalino suddenly said. “I’d like to say a few words to everyone.”

He walked to the front of the procession, facing tens of thousands of people. Although he had lost the insignia of a naval admiral, his demeanor remained awe-inspiring.

"My friends," Borsalino's voice echoed throughout the port, "what has happened today will forever remain in our hearts."

"You have shown us through your actions what true popular support and true justice are." His words were sincere and moving.

"Although we are leaving, we will never forget Crystal Harbor, nor will we forget your kindness."

"If you ever need help, no matter where we are in the world, we will do our best to come!"

Borsalino's words resonated deeply with the crowd, many shedding tears. "We will never forget you!"

"You will always be our friends!"

Have a safe journey!

Amidst the cheers and blessings of the crowd, the Straw Hat Pirates reluctantly boarded the Thousand Sunny. Everyone on board waved goodbye to the people on shore.

"Goodbye, everyone!" Luffy shouted.

"Thank you for your support!" Nami waved goodbye with tears in her eyes.

"We will remember this kindness!" Sanji also greeted the people on the deck.

The Thousand Sunny slowly started up and sailed out of the harbor amidst cheers from the crowd. The navy warships wanted to stop it, but faced with the gaze of tens of thousands of people in the harbor, they dared not make any rash moves.

"Are we just going to let them go like that?" a naval officer asked, unwilling to give up.

"Now is not the time to take action." Lieutenant General Bronson, though furious, remained rational. "The public is too agitated; forcibly taking action will only incite greater unrest."

The Thousand Sunny gradually moved away from Crystal Harbor, but the cheers of the people on the shore could still be clearly heard. At this moment, the Straw Hat Pirates truly felt what it meant to have the support of the people.

On the ship, everyone was still immersed in the emotions they had just experienced.

"I never expected that the people would save us in the end," Nami said with emotion.

“That’s the reward for doing the right thing,” Robin said with a smile.

"Although the nobles oppose us, the people support us." Sauron was also pleased.

“Ultimately, it's the ordinary people who matter most,” Borusalino said thoughtfully. “Their support is more valuable than any political force.”

"That's right!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly. "With everyone's support, we're not afraid of any difficulties!"

Three days have passed since the Thousand Sunny departed Crystal Harbor. The ship sails on the calm sea, far removed from political strife and noble intrigue, and everyone feels a long-lost sense of ease.

The afternoon sun shone warmly on the deck, and the Straw Hat Pirates were all busy with their own tasks. Luffy was fishing at the bow, Zoro was exercising, Sanji was preparing dinner in the galley, and Nami was studying the sea charts and planning their route.

Borsalino lay lazily on a deckchair, basking in the sun, occasionally opening his eyes to glance at his companions. This peaceful life at sea reminded him of the simple days he spent as a naval recruit in his youth.

"What a rare moment of peace and quiet," he muttered to himself.

As he was enjoying the tranquility, he noticed Robin sitting alone in a corner at the stern, intently studying some documents. Her expression was focused; she would sometimes frown in thought, and sometimes take notes on the paper.

"What is Robin looking at so intently?" Borsalino wondered curiously.

As a historian, Robin regularly studies various ancient documents and archaeological materials, which is perfectly normal. But today, her focus seemed unusually intense, and she kept glancing around, as if to make sure no one was paying attention to her.

Borsalino's curiosity was piqued. He slowly rose from the recliner and, as if taking a casual stroll, walked toward Robin.

“Good afternoon, Robin,” he greeted gently. “Are you working on something interesting?”

“Ah, Mr. Borsalino.” Robin looked up in surprise, his hand unconsciously tightening around the documents in his hand. “Nothing special, just some ordinary historical materials.”

But Borsalino was very observant; he noticed that the document in Robin's hand looked old, the paper was yellowish, and the edges were worn, clearly indicating its age. More importantly, he saw a familiar stamp mark on the document.

“That seal,” Borsalino said thoughtfully. “It seems to be the official mark of the Red Earth Kingdom?”

Seeing that she had been discovered, Robin stopped hiding it. She sighed softly and then confessed, "It was indeed brought from the Red Earth Kingdom. I found this document by chance in the Valentine family's library."

"Brought from the library?" Borsalino asked, somewhat worried. "Is that appropriate?"

“I got Thomas’s permission,” Robin quickly explained. “He said these ancient documents were just decorations for the Valentine family, and he would be happy to let me take them if they could help my research.”

“I see.” Borsalino breathed a sigh of relief. “So, what does this document contain? You seem quite interested.”

Robin hesitated for a moment, then decided to share the discovery with Borsalino. As the most composed and reliable member of the team, Borsalino's opinions were often invaluable.

“This is an official document from about 800 years ago.” Robin opened the document, pointing to the ancient script. “It records the various islands and tribes in the seas surrounding the Red Earth Kingdom.”

“800 years ago?” Borsalino asked, somewhat surprised. “That’s quite an ancient record.”

“Yes,” Robin nodded. “But what interests me most is this section.” She pointed to a spot in the document. “It mentions a place called ‘Lavara.’”

“Lavara?” Borsalino examined the ancient script closely. Although he wasn't a historian, as a naval admiral, he had some knowledge of ancient writing. “This name doesn't sound like an ordinary place name.”

“Indeed extraordinary.” Robin’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “According to historical records, Lavala is a mysterious island inhabited by a race with special abilities.”

"Special ability?" Borsalino's interest was piqued. "What kind of ability?"

“Born with superhuman strength.” Robin turned to the next page of the document. “The documents say that the inhabitants of Lavala possess strength far exceeding that of ordinary people from birth; they can lift boulders, move mountains, and even…”

She paused for a moment, then continued, "You can even tear steel apart with your bare hands."

"Tearing steel apart with bare hands?" Borsalino exclaimed in surprise. "That sounds like a legendary ability."

“That’s exactly what the documents say,” Robin said, pointing to the ancient texts. “They also mention that the inhabitants of Lavara were not only powerful but also highly intelligent. They possessed advanced architectural techniques and metallurgical skills.”

“If all of this is true,” Borsalino said thoughtfully, “then Lavala is indeed a very valuable place.”

“More importantly,” Robin’s voice grew even more excited, “the documents also record the approximate location of Lavala.”

She unfolded an ancient nautical chart tucked inside the documents, pointed to the markings on it, and said, "According to this chart, Lavala should be located about 500 nautical miles southwest of the Red Earth Kingdom."

Borsalino studied the ancient nautical chart carefully. Although ancient, the chart was drawn with great detail, clearly marking various islands and currents. At a certain point on the chart, there was indeed a small island marked with a special symbol, next to which was written the ancient script "Lavara".

“This nautical chart looks very professional,” Borusalino commented. “The charterer must have been an experienced navigator.”

“Yes.” Robin pointed to the signature in the corner of the chart. “The charterer was the royal geographer of the Red Earth Kingdom at the time, named Alfred Carlson. He explored the surrounding waters many times and drew many accurate charts.”

"So, do you want to go find this Lavala?" Borsalino asked directly.

A flicker of anticipation crossed Robin's eyes, but then he seemed hesitant.

(End of this chapter)