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Chapter 159: Three Against Six, We Have the Advantage!
🕑 Added 2025-08-30 15:33:44 +0000 UTCChapter 159: Three Against Six, We Have the Advantage!
Grove 52.
On the open-air dojo of the second floor of The Curtain Call's deck, Shane, having just taken a shower, sat under a parasol, one hand holding an orange soda, the other casually outstretched.
He watched with interest as a soccer-ball-sized bubble popped in his hand with a soft pop.
"What an interesting place," Shane said, looking up at the distance.
The sea breeze rustled, and countless soap bubbles drifted around the giant mangrove trees. They rose and popped, refracting the sunlight into a rainbow of colors.
The air was filled with a faint, refreshing scent of resin.
"We're about to dock," Nami said, leaning over the railing and looking toward the helm with a grin. "Hey, Smoker, hurry up and give us some intel on this island."
"Huh?" Smoker, who was at the helm, turned his head, a puzzled look on his face. "Shouldn't you be asking Robin about that? Why are you asking me?"
"You make it sound like I'm omniscient. I haven't researched this island either," Robin said with a helpless shake of her head.
"Well, then you do it," Nami said. "This place is close to Marine Headquarters. You must have been here before, when you were still at Headquarters, right?"
"I passed through here once, when I was in the training camp," Smoker said, blowing a smoke ring, a thoughtful frown on his face. "But I didn't stay long. Z-Sensei just gave us a brief overview while we were resupplying. I don't remember the details."
"If I had to roughly divide it, of the 79 areas on this island, Groves 1 to 29 are the lawless zone, where all the shady businesses are concentrated. Groves 30 to 49 are the tourist and commercial districts, which are well-policed and the most bustling."
"Groves 50 to 59 are where the shipyards and coating artisans are gathered. And Groves 60 to 79 are mainly residential areas. The Marine branch base and a few small government department outposts are also located there."
"Huh? We're docking at Grove 52," Nami said, checking the number on the giant tree, and then she was pleasantly surprised. "What a coincidence! Doesn't that mean we can get our ship coated right after we dock, without having to go all over the place looking for a coating artisan?"
"Is it possible that…" Smoker said, exasperated, and pointed to his head, "…I've already realized this, and as the helmsman, I specifically chose this place to dock?"
"..."
Nami finally realized, and her face flushed red with embarrassment, which made everyone laugh.
This silly kid, her intelligence is getting closer and closer to Gin's. Shane also chuckled and ruffled her head.
He stood up and went to the railing, looking down at the shore. He suddenly noticed something and raised an eyebrow. "There seems to be a lot of people…"
————
The docks were packed with people.
News traveled fast. The moment The Curtain Call had been spotted in the waters around the Sabaody Archipelago, people had started to gather.
More and more people were now craning their necks, standing on their tiptoes, just to get a glimpse of the pirate crew that had shaken the Grand Line in the past six months, but had been completely silent for two months after Shane's death.
And now, as the ship got closer and closer and was about to dock, a wave of gasps went through the crowd.
"They're here! They're here!"
"A black ship, white sails, a white flag… hey, it really is The Curtain Call!"
"Of course! Even if that man is dead, his subordinates are still very strong! How could they just disband like the rumors said?! I knew it!"
Just then.
"Out of the way! Get out of my way!"
A roar came from the back of the crowd. The onlookers instinctively turned and saw a large group of fierce-looking pirates pushing their way through, all of them looking like they were not to be messed with.
And the leader of this large group of pirates was a Fish-Man, over three meters tall.
He was muscular, with long, green hair, and a military cap with two horns on it. His gaze was lazy, but it also held a hint of condescending arrogance, as if he were used to looking down on everyone.
As he passed, the crowd quickly parted like a receding tide, clearing a path for him.
"It's that strongest swordsman of the new generation, Sasaki!"
someone said, their voice full of awe. "The Supernova with a large fleet and a bounty of 170 million Berries!"
"He's here in person?"
another person said, swallowing hard. "This guy, he wouldn't be thinking of making a move on the Curtain Call Pirates, would he?"
It's very possible…
After all, the name of the Curtain Call Pirates was in a league of its own in the first half of the Grand Line, but their numbers had never grown much, and they could even be described as pitifully small.
And their captain, Shane, had died two months ago in a pincer attack by an Emperor and a Marine Admiral.
Without a leader, they were vulnerable.
This was the weakest the Curtain Call Pirates had ever been.
If someone could take them out before the Marines did…
…then their bounty and fame would undoubtedly skyrocket, and they would become the undisputed brightest star of this generation of Supernovas.
At the same time, they could also absorb the strong members of the remnants into their own pirate crew, greatly increasing their own strength and giving them more confidence to venture into the New World.
In every way, it was a very tempting prize.
But it was also a very tough nut to crack.
Sasaki's pirate crew was indeed large, but in terms of top-tier combatants, with just one Supernova…
…was he really strong enough to take them on?
"Excuse me, please."
Just then, another commotion came from the other side of the docks.
The crowd quickly parted again. This time, it was a group of conspicuous Mink warriors.
In the lead was the captain of the Nox Pirates, a jaguar-like Mink named Pedro, followed closely by a lion-like Mink named Pekoms.
"We rushed over as soon as we heard the news, but that Sasaki got here even earlier,"
Pekoms said, adjusting his sunglasses. "Big Brother Pedro, we can't let them have all the fun, gao~!"
"You've got it all wrong, Pekoms,"
Pedro said, taken aback for a moment, and then he shot him an annoyed glare. "We're just here to watch the show, to see what they're like. When did this become about taking over the Curtain Call Pirates? We don't need that kind of fame. And after being wanted for so long, have you really started to think of yourself as a pirate?"
"I guess you're right," Pekoms said, scratching his head.
Just their current bounties were already a huge hassle.
The only reason they had left Zou and were wandering the seas was to gather information on the Poneglyphs for Master Nekomamushi.
"It's those idiot Minks,"
Sasaki's gaze also shifted over, and he frowned. "Is that all of them? You don't live up to your reputation at all. A few fluffy little cats and dogs, and your bounties are even higher than mine. It's so annoying."
"I'm sorry!"
a white bear immediately lowered its head in shame and mumbled, "I'm so sorry. If you want, I can give you all of my bounty…"
"Don't apologize to them, Bepo!" Pekoms said, slapping him on the back and roaring, "When are you going to get rid of that stupid habit?!"
"That's right, Bepo. Toughen up,"
Pedro said with a laugh, patting his shoulder. He then turned to Sasaki. "Hey, I'm telling you, you're pretty arrogant yourself. The number of subordinates isn't always what matters. Do you really think you can take on the Curtain Call Pirates with just those riffraff?"
"You idiot,"
Sasaki sneered and took a bottle of beer from his waist, chugging it down. "You think I'm as stupid as you? Defeat the entire Curtain Call Pirates? I'm ambitious, but I'm not that arrogant and ignorant!"
"Then why are you here?" Pedro frowned.
"Of course I'm here for that female swordsman,"
Sasaki grinned. "You've heard of her, right? The one with a bounty even higher than yours and mine, Kuina or something. I was already being called the strongest swordsman of the new generation, and then the news comes out that this woman is still alive! Now the title of 'strongest swordsman' is up for grabs again! How am I supposed to go to the New World in peace with that hanging over my head, dammit!"
SWISH!
He drew his sword, the blade pointing at the approaching ship. He grinned. "You've come at a good time. You'll have the honor of witnessing me defeat that female swordsman. From this day forward, the whole world will know who the true strongest swordsman of the new era is!"
"Tsk, such a grand speech,"
a flippant voice suddenly came from above. Everyone instinctively looked up and saw a handsome young man sitting on a roof, his legs dangling with a smile.
He was short, looking to be no older than fifteen or sixteen. If not for the broadsword he was playing with, which was almost as tall as him, he would have been mistaken for a local kid.
"Aaaah! It's Lord Haruta!!"
a female pirate's eyes turned into hearts, and she shrieked with excitement. "The youngest Supernova! The most handsome Supernova! Lord Haruta, I'm your biggest fan!"
"Is that so? Haha, I'm glad to hear it. Thank you,"
the young swordsman said with a mischievous wink. As the female pirate clutched her heart and nearly fainted, he did a flip and landed lightly on the docks.
Although he was short and alone, neither Pedro nor Sasaki dared to underestimate him.
—This guy, it was rumored that he had just come from the Florian Triangle and had fought the Warlord of the Sea, Gecko Moria, to a standstill.
Marine Headquarters was currently confirming the validity of this news.
If it was true, his bounty would soon skyrocket, and he would become the highest of this generation of Supernovas.
"Are you a pure swordsman too?"
Sasaki's face darkened. "You just popped up out of nowhere. Are you also here to fight for the title of 'strongest swordsman'?"
"Don't get me wrong…"
Haruta smiled and yawned dismissively. "The title of 'strongest swordsman of the new generation,' you can have it. My ambitions are much greater than yours…"
"Hmm?"
Sasaki and Pedro were both taken aback.
"As you've probably guessed, I'm here for this whole crew," Haruta said, his voice calm and indifferent. "You can have the female swordsman. The rest of them, I'll take them all. They're barely worthy of being the first stepping stone to my fame in the New World."
"...You're a short guy, but you're even more arrogant than I am. It seems the rumors of you fighting Gecko Moria to a standstill are true,"
Sasaki said, narrowing his eyes, a ferocious glint in them. "You're making me a little antsy. Hey, in that case, how about we team up? You're not very confident on your own, are you…"
"Two people isn't very confident either. How about you add me?"
an alluring chuckle came. A beautiful, slender woman in a purple feathered greatcoat strode over. "I'm about to return to my family. If I want a high-ranking position, I'll need more achievements to make Mama happy…"
"Charlotte Galette!"
The surrounding pirates gasped. "She's here too… Big Mom's daughter!"
"One, two, three…" someone counted, surprised. "All five Supernovas are here?"
"But only three of us want to fight,"
Galette said, hearing this, and smiled gently. "So, what do you say, you two? The three of us, team up, and share the spoils of this battle. How about it?"
"..."
Sasaki and Haruta frowned slightly and exchanged a look.
"Fine."
"I agree."
Galette's face lit up. "Excellent. Since we have an agreement, then let's make a little room for our guests… the ship seems to be about to dock."
THUMP!
Almost the moment she finished speaking, The Curtain Call slowly came to a stop, and a series of figures appeared at the bow and, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, they stepped onto the shore.
In the lead was a young woman with a high ponytail, her expression impassive. She scanned the crowd, and the pirates she looked at all felt a sudden chill, as if they had been plunged into an ice cave.
"The vice-captain, 'Rain-Slicer' Kuina, bounty: 200 million Berries!"
someone said, swallowing hard. "What a terrifying aura! Of course, with a powerhouse like her around, the pirate crew would never just disband…"
And behind her, several figures lined up and stepped onto the shore.
"The combatant, 'Winter's Fist' Nojiko, bounty: 130 million Berries!"
"The shipwright, 'The Defector' Smoker, bounty: 160 million Berries!"
"The cook, 'Red Leg' Zeff, bounty: 100 million Berries!"
"The pet, 'Thunder-Fire Wolf' Gin, bounty: 150 million Berries!"
"The pet, 'Flame White Ball' Mochi, bounty: 100 million Berries!"
The famous names, the terrifyingly high bounties…
As the figures who had stepped ashore were recognized one by one, a terrifying, suffocating pressure washed over the crowd.
Many people's faces went pale, and they subconsciously took a few steps back.
"So this is the Curtain Call…"
Even Pedro's face was grim, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
By his count, just the Curtain Call Pirates alone had six Supernovas with bounties of over a hundred million, more than the total number of Supernovas currently on the island!
What a terrifying lineup!
Thank goodness he had no intention of getting involved…
He turned and looked at the three who had teamed up.
Sasaki, Haruta, and Galette.
The three pirate captains were also clearly a little shaken by the display.
But after exchanging a look, their confidence quickly returned, and they drew their weapons with a sneer and stepped forward.
Three against six, it seemed they were still at a numerical disadvantage.
But all three of them felt that their bounties did not reflect their true strength.
Therefore, without a doubt, the advantage was still on their side!
"Hey! Kuina!"
Sasaki grinned, and was the first to shout, "Where are you looking?! Over here! I've been waiting for you for a long time! On a swordsman's honor, come and fight me! It's about time you gave up that title of 'strongest swordsman' to me!"
