After the pair entered the auction house, they were stunned. Not by the people or how they dressed but by the items available. In glass cases all around were items that they had never seen before.

There were swords, spears, shields, and other weapons with intricate designs. Jewelry that looked as if they were made for royalty. There were also items that the pair could not even guess what they were. Like the case right next to them.

Inside was a shell that was spewing out fire. It was being hung by a rope in the middle of the case so it was impossible for anything else to be making the fire but the pair were fascinated when they saw the dial for the first time.

An attendant noticed the pair before walking over and greeting them with a professional smile on her face.

"Hello there, dear customers. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Hancock looked like she was focused on looking around at the various items and mentally cataloging which ones she wanted so Kisame answered the woman.

"Are all these items just for auction or can they be bought normally?"

Hearing this, the attendant knew she found a pair of customers that she could sell something to. Most who were unable to buy anything or were reluctant to buy were more worried about the price or ask many questions about the various items that they had. By asking this, it could be assumed that the pair had already found something they wanted to buy.

"The items on the floor can be bought by customers whenever. The items we put on auction will be listed before our bi-monthly auctions but we do not put them out since their value is usually much higher than these and we can't risk theft of them. Is there any item that has caught your attention?"

Kisame did not answer but looked towards Hancock. The girl had finally stopped looking around when the attendant was in the middle of her explanation. It looked like she had seen through everything.

Noticing Kisame looking at her and nodding, Hancock figured that he was going to pay for her so she could buy what she wanted.

"Good. I want this, this, this, and 3 of those."

Hancock chose a pair of golden snake earrings, 2 different hair clips, and 3 bundles of fabric that looked very nice. Even though she chose many girly and cute things, Kisame could not see the happiness that most people got while shopping. Instead, the girl's voice was indifferent and emotionless.

The attendant rang them up with a price that totalled 3,300 Belly. Kisame was able to afford it easily with Rayleigh selling the furs of the various creatures he slew on the island for the past 2 years.

Once the pair paid and got their items, they left the auction house without any other thoughts. They then went from parts of town to other parts as Kisame explained the perks of each part and what they held in them. Even though he did not visit the town much, Rayleigh would mention things from time to time.

By the time the pair returned to the boat, the sun was beginning to set. The crew that was onboard informed them of where Rayleigh and the others had found an inn. After giving their thanks, the duo left the boat and went towards the north part of town.

When they got to the inn, Rayleigh and Elder Nyon were at the table discussing something. Shakuyaku was upstairs with the girls in their room. The duo sat at the table and saw that there were two platters for each of them, one obviously larger than the other. As they dug into the food, they ate in silence.

Rayleigh and Elder Nyon looked at the pair who were not even speaking with shock. Although they knew that each of them was a weirdo, they at least hoped that the pair would have bonded during their time alone. But judging by their silence, they knew that they had hoped for too much.

*cough cough*

Rayleigh let out a fake cough to grab their attention. Kisame had just finished eating all of his food so he looked up at Rayleigh. Hancock ignored the man and continued eating. Seeing her behaving as such, Elder Nyon wanted to reproach the young woman but Rayleigh signalled for her to let it be.

"Kisame. You have pretty much completed your training on that island. Anything else that you want to accomplish will have to be done by you going through some life and death battles. You should also start trying to build a crew and make a name for yourself."

Kisame did not interrupt but he agreed with Rayleigh's words. With his Conqueror's Haki, he could suppress every animal on the island. Even if he did not use it, his combat abilities made killing them all very easy. The only thing on that island that could challenge him was Rayleigh himself.

"We are heading back to paradise on the other side to bring the girls back home while me and Shakuyaku are going to settle down for a while. Paradise should be a good place for you to grow up a bit and find a crew. The New World is still too dangerous for you alone."

"Understood, Teacher."

Even though the pair argued like cats and dogs, Kisame respected Rayleigh as pirate and would usually take his advice. At least until he had experienced life as a pirate for himself.

It was decided that once the group made it to paradise, Elder Nyon and the girls would leave with their crew after dropping off Kisame, Rayleigh, and Shakuyaku at the Sabaody Archipelago. There, the couple would settle down while Kisame started looking for his crew.

For the next few days, most of the group remained in the inn. Besides Kisame and Hancock who would go out each day to explore town and gather information, the others remained in their rooms.

It was not until 3 days later that the ship was fully repaired and the group could continue their journey. From the unnamed island, it took them 3 more days to reach the Fish-men Island. The group spent a day there because Rayleigh needed to over the ship in order for them to travel under the Red Line.

With a day back home, Kisame returned home to visit his mom and dad. When he got to his house, only his mother was there. His father had apparently joined the pirate crew that Fisher Tiger had started called the Sun Pirates.

Even though he was unable to see his father, Kisame still enjoyed the day with his mother. Talking through the Den Den Mushi was very different that speaking in person. The creature also couldn't provide a home cooked meal like his mother could.

Living on a island for 2 years meant that the food Kisame could eat was all made by him. He was lucky as long as he did not burn his food. The ship and inn he stayed in did have food, it was nothing compared to true fish-men cuisine.

Rayleigh finished covering the ship by the next morning and the group was off. They sailed toward the Red Line before diving under the water. A few hours later, they emerged on the other side.

With another day of sailing, they had finally arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago. The Sabaody Archipelago was the final island in Paradise, close to the Red Line. Though it was called an archipelago, it was actually a massive mangrove forest that grew out from the middle of the ocean with each tree of the forest serving as an "island" on which people lived.

Due to the place being in close proximity to the part of the Red Line bordering the first half of the Grand Line and the New World, it was a highly visited rest stop for all sorts of travelers to prepare before entering the New World. Aside from its unique environment and it being a booming business hub, it was notable for the World Nobles who visit there and the thriving slave trade supported by them.

As the ship neared the 'island', Kisame, Rayleigh, and Shakuyaku got their belongings together on the deck of the ship. Elder Nyon, Hancock, and the other 2 girls were standing with them and were ready to send them off.

"Remember our deal! If you dare lie to this empress, I will execute you!" Hancock said while looking at Kisame with her usual cold and expressionless eyes.

The others were confused about what the meaning behind her words were but Kisame just nodded in agreement. He got on Rayleigh's boat while ignoring the confused look that the old man gave him.

When the boat was lowered into the water and began began making its way to the Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh could not hold back his curiosity anymore.

"You were actually flirting with that girl? Not bad, my student!"

Kisame shot his teacher a disdainful look.

"Not everyone is like you and only cares about looks. My goal is to be the strongest Emperor of the Sea and I don't need any distractions."

"What was the promise you made with Hancock?" Shakuyaku asked.

She had been with the girls for a few days longer than Rayleigh had so she had a bit of a deeper understanding about them. Hancock especially was cold but she seemed to have grown extremely close to Kisame even though they had only been together for about a week.

"We both plan to become a Warlord in two years time. Whether we are offered that title or take it for ourselves."

"A mere Warlord? A dog of the world Government? Tsk," Rayleigh said as he looked at Kisame in disdain.

Kisame ignored his teacher and explained all the benefits of being a Warlord to Shakuyaku. For older pirates, it could be seen as a form of retirement. For younger pirates, this was a chance to increase their fame in one shot as well as gain some benefits for themselves.

Kisame wanted to use the title of Warlord to build a stronger crew and gain access to some forbidden locations. Ever since he had read Rayleigh's books, Kisame had gained a deep interest in studying and a thirst for knowledge.

Kisame looked at the Sabaody Archipelago just the same as he looked at the beasts when he got to the island the first time. This was going to where he challenged himself.

'And this is where my journey will begin!'