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Chapter 137: Drought Jack Comes Knocking!
🕑 Added 2025-08-18 14:31:51 +0000 UTCChapter 137: Drought Jack Comes Knocking!
For a moment, a large area in the middle of the port was empty.
The Curtain Call took the opportunity to dock.
The civilians and sailors who had set foot on land again immediately went their separate ways, looking for a passenger ship to take them back home.
And the few slaves whose hometown had been destroyed, as they had decided before, prepared to settle down here for the time being.
They would make other plans after they had saved up some money.
One of the slaves was clearly more emotional than the others. His rough hands gripped the railing, and his eyes were red as he looked toward the town.
Shane remembered him.
His name was Pike, and he was almost forty years old, the oldest of the slaves he had rescued.
"What's the matter?" Shane asked, leaning against the ship's railing with a smile.
"It's the city of food!" Pike said, wiping the corner of his eye and unable to help but smile happily. "My lord! I'm so lucky! So this is your next stop! This is the place where I worked for over a dozen years!"
Oh?
Shane was a little surprised. That was indeed a stroke of luck.
The other burly slaves also exclaimed, "Huh?! What a coincidence, Pike~!"
"Haha, so we're on your old turf! Then we'll be counting on you to take care of us!"
"Don't worry! I worked as a porter here for so many years! I know a lot of old acquaintances! I'll be able to help everyone find work in no time!" Pike laughed heartily.
"Have you been away for a long time?" Shane asked.
"Yes, my lord, for a good six or seven years," Pike said with emotion. "Over a decade ago, I found a child by the docks, and we've been depending on each other ever since, settling down here."
"It wasn't until he grew up and could support himself with his own strength as a porter that I started to miss my parents and went back to my hometown. In the blink of an eye, it's been so long. I wonder how he's doing now."
"So you'll be able to reunite with your family," another burly man said, throwing his arm around his neck and shaking him. "I'm so jealous of you, Pike!"
"It's all thanks to Lord Shane! Otherwise, I would have never been able to come back here."
"That's for sure! Haha!"
The few burly men teased Pike for a while, and then they thanked Shane and his crew profusely again.
Then, they reluctantly said their goodbyes.
"Hehe," Nami said, leaning on the railing and watching the group's retreating backs with a grin. "We've given them a new life. It feels so good."
"It does," Shane said, ruffling her head with a smile. "Let's go. We should get off the ship and look around the island."
Like Zeff, he was very curious about how this city of food had been restored to its former glory.
Now, it was time to find out.
…
In the northwest corner of the port, in a residential area on the outskirts of the town, Pike stopped and stared blankly at the house before him.
The mottled wooden walls, the faded blue doorframe, it was ordinary and dilapidated. The only special thing about it was that the ceiling and the door had been modified to be much higher than the surrounding houses.
At this moment, the familiar yet strange little house stood silent in the sun.
Pike stood on his tiptoes and, with his rough palm, stroked the crooked marks above the doorframe.
These were the records he had made with a blade, measuring the silly child's height.
The child was almost two meters tall when he found him, and by the time he was fourteen or fifteen, he was five or six meters tall.
In the blink of an eye, it had been so long. He wondered what he looked like now.
His nose tingled, and then he grinned and pushed open the old wooden door he hadn't touched in so long. He spread his arms and laughed heartily. "Hey, Jack! You brat! Where are you?! Your old man is back!!!"
…
Meanwhile, in the center of the city of food, there were four sightseeing towers, the highest points on the entire island.
Shane and his crew had climbed one of the towers and were looking out at another port on the north side of the island.
"I see," he said, his eyes flashing thoughtfully. He immediately understood why the city had been brought back from the dead.
Compared to the bustling south port, the north port had no passenger ships.
But there was a huge platform.
At this moment, they happened to hear a long whistle. Amidst the "choo-choo" sound, a dark green steel beast, puffing steam, was slowly pulling into the station.
"Is that… a Sea Train?!" Nami was taken aback. Having read countless books on navigation, she also realized what was happening. "No wonder this island was able to redevelop! So it was chosen to be a pilot city for the Sea Train."
"The Sea Train technology was still in its experimental stage five or six years ago. I never would have thought it would have already been extended to here," Smoker said, a cigar between his teeth, narrowing his eyes. "In this regard, the World Government has actually done something right for once. The train line is patrolled by warships from time to in time, which keeps the pirates in line. And with the stable transportation of goods…"
"…that's why this place was able to become a city of food again."
Shane first nodded, then shook his head with a sigh. "It's a shame that the father of the Sea Train can't see this."
The designer of the Sea Train was Franky's master, the man who could be called the world's greatest shipwright, Mr. Tom.
This master shipwright, who had brought prosperity to Water 7 and several of the surrounding cities, had had his crime of building a ship for the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, pardoned in exchange for the construction of the Sea Train.
But because he possessed the blueprints for Pluton, he had been framed by the head of a government intelligence agency, Spandam, for attacking a judicial ship and had ultimately been taken to Enies Lobby and executed.
It was a real shame.
"Let's go, it's time to go down," Shane said.
Now that he understood why the island had become prosperous again, there was no reason to stay in the tower.
The group followed him down the stairs, preparing to split up and explore the parts of the island that interested them.
Robin wanted to see the food museum, Zeff was going to buy ingredients, Smoker was out of cigars and needed to restock, and Nami and Nojiko just wanted to go to the food street and eat…
In any case, they all had their own things to do.
But just as they were about to split up, a hearty laugh suddenly came from the street across from them.
"Hey, what's with this?! It was a real pain to find you! Boss Shane, so this is where you were!"
The one who had spoken was a red-haired man with a captain's hat. He was nearly three meters tall, with a crimson coat, and two serrated cutlasses at his waist.
He had his hands in his pockets and was laughing heartily, striding toward them with a swagger similar to a certain flamingo's.
And behind him was a large group of over a hundred men, all of them looking fierce and ready for a fight.
"Stop," Kuina said, taking a step forward and drawing the Wado Ichimonji, blocking their path, her expression impassive. "What do you want?"
"Hey, hey, hey, don't be so scary, little sister Kuina! We're on the same side!" the red-haired man said with an even wider grin. He exaggeratedly raised his arms to show that he meant no harm and said with a grin, "Everyone, let me introduce myself. I am 'Bloodsaw' Jax! My bounty is 112 million Berries, and I have a large fleet of over a thousand men! I am the most dazzling supernova among the new captains who have entered the Grand Line this year!"
"Of course, that's nothing compared to you, Boss Shane," the red-haired man said, looking at Shane. "To have a bounty of a billion before even entering the New World, you are my idol! When I heard from my men that you were on this island, I came running without a second thought!"
"From the sound of it…" Smoker said, a cigar between his teeth, raising an eyebrow, "…you want to join our boss?"
"That's right, Lord Smoker!" Jax grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "I've come today with all my sincerity, to join you!"
"Men!" he said, waving his hand. His subordinates immediately brought out a dozen or so large chests and slammed them on the ground, opening the lids.
—Inside were mountains of gold and silver, glittering in the sunlight.
"..."
I knew it was something like this. Nami yawned, bored, and quietly tugged on Nojiko's sleeve, wanting to drag her to a restaurant. But the latter made a "shh" gesture. She wanted to stay and watch the show!
"This is everything I've plundered since I entered the Grand Line from the West Blue!" Jax said, pounding his chest, his voice full of pride. "As long as you give the word, Boss Shane, and let me join, from this day on, my life is yours! My fleet, my officers, all the treasure I've stolen, it's all yours to command!"
That's a pretty sincere offer!
As a fellow pirate, he's sure to be tempted!
As for why he was willing to pay such a high price to join… it was simple.
Even a supernova needed a backer!
He was preparing to head to the Sabaody Archipelago, and after getting his ship coated, he would go straight to the New World.
And in that dangerous place, he couldn't survive on his own.
He was lucky to have run into this guy today. He had to seize the opportunity!
In the entire first half of the Grand Line, this was the thickest thigh to cling to, bar none.
If he followed him, he would soon become a famous figure who would shake the New World, just like Kuina and Smoker.
And even if he were to be defeated and absorbed by one of the Four Emperors after entering the New World, he would probably be immediately promoted to a second- or third-in-command.
And he, as a veteran of the crew, would also rise in status!
"Why is this guy smiling like an idiot?" Nami whispered to Nojiko, watching the drooling red-haired man.
"He's probably fantasizing about something," Nojiko shrugged and turned to Shane. "Big Bro, what do you say?"
"Seeing as he's being polite, let's just tell him to get lost," Shane said, shaking his head, not wanting to be bothered. "Let's go. We have things to do."
"Mmm," Nojiko nodded, not surprised.
She was just about to step forward and shoo the guy away when Gin, who had been holding it in, finally couldn't take it anymore. He sniffed the air and, following the scent, trotted over to the red-haired man and stared at the cloth bag hanging from his waist, a low growl rumbling in his throat.
Hmm?
What's with this dog?
Jax was taken aback by Gin's behavior and instinctively took a step back. But he quickly forced a smile and looked at Shane, trying to be friendly. "Boss Shane, your pet is quite fierce, isn't it…"
Before he could finish, Gin suddenly lunged, bit into the bulging cloth bag, and tore it off.
Rip—
The cloth bag tore open, and several girls' heads, with clean, smooth cuts and no blood, rolled out onto the ground, their eyes staring blankly at the sky.
"!!!"
The local residents who had gathered to watch the show were in an uproar.
"Wait, that's Ellie!"
"And Annie and Eve…"
"They're all the girls who work at the tavern at the foot of the mountain! How could this be…"
Shane, who had been about to turn and leave, stopped, his gaze instantly turning cold.
"Hey, you bad dog! What are you doing?!"
Jax fumbled, bending down and picking up the heads one by one, scolding, "These are my fresh new treasures, which I was going to enjoy later! They're not for eating! If you're hungry, don't worry! When I join the crew, I'll feed you a whole bunch of roasted meat every day…"
"Kuina," Shane said, his expression impassive.
"Yes, my lord," the young swordswoman's calm voice came.
The moment she finished speaking.
SWISH!
A brilliant white flash of a sword, and Jax's muttering was cut short.
He stared blankly down at the red line that had suddenly appeared on his neck, and at Kuina, who had, at some point, already sheathed her sword.
"So fast…"
This was Jax's last thought.
THUMP!
The great pirate with a bounty of over one hundred million Berries fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood, the blood splattering on the treasure chests behind him.
Kuina's figure appeared. She didn't even glance at the corpse on the ground. She impassively sheathed the Wado Ichimonji and then stood silently behind Shane again.
"BOSS!!!"
"How could this be?!"
"But we're on your side, Lord Shane!"
His subordinates screamed in terror and were thrown into a panic. A few loyal old-timers, with tears in their eyes, drew their swords, wanting to avenge Jax.
So noisy.
Shane frowned and, with a thought, released a small amount of his Conqueror's Haki.
VWOOM!
An invisible pressure swept over them, and the hundred or so pirates, like a field of wheat being reaped, all rolled their eyes back in their heads and collapsed to the ground.
The street was suddenly quiet.
"Help me take these girls'… to their families," Shane said, looking at the girls' heads on the ground and sighing.
"O-Okay!"
A few of the braver residents quickly came forward and carefully wrapped the heads in cloth, their eyes full of grief and anger.
"As for these pirates…"
Shane glanced at the unconscious men on the ground.
"…you can do what you want with them. A Marine warship patrols this island with the Sea Train, right? You can hand them over to them then."
"Thank you, Lord Shane!" the residents said, their voices filled with gratitude.
This Jax, with his great strength, had not been afraid of the patrol ships that might arrive at any moment. He and his subordinates had been terrorizing the island for two days, and no one had dared to stop them.
And now, he had finally gotten what he deserved!
What's this?
An eye for an eye?
A few of the older children whispered, "So there are good pirates too."
"I can hear you, you know, brats," Shane said, glancing over.
"Waaah!" the boys immediately burst into tears and huddled together.
"Don't be afraid. Let me make it clear. I have never been, and will never be, a pirate," Shane said calmly. "Speaking of which, there are still a lot of pirates on this island, right? You can help me spread the word. As long as I'm on this island, they'd better behave themselves. If they dare to harm the civilians again, they'll end up just like Jax."
"And another thing, tell those guys to stop trying to join me. I have no interest in recruiting weaklings who can't even beat my own crew members."
With that, he and his comrades left the street.
Watching their retreating backs, someone subconsciously looked at the dozen or so open treasure chests.
So much treasure. If it were converted to cash, it would be worth several hundred million Berries, right?
A few people were tempted, but they were immediately slapped on the back of the head by a respected elder and fiercely reprimanded.
"You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
"That Lord Shane may seem easygoing, but if you touch his spoils of war and anger him, this town won't be able to withstand his wrath!"
Oh, right!
Remembering what had just happened to Jax, the few who had been overcome by greed broke out in a cold sweat. Under the disdainful gazes of the surrounding residents, they finally came to their senses.
"Then what should we do?"
"Lord Shane's ship is docked at the south port, isn't it? Everyone, let's lend a hand and help Lord Shane move these chests to his deck."
"Understood!"
Soon, the residents of the street had organized themselves. They carefully lifted the treasure chests and formed a long line, heading for the south port.
......
In the northwest corner of the port, in that ordinary wooden house.
"Dad?!"
The burly young man who had been lying in bed suddenly sat up, and the heavy wooden bed groaned under his weight.
He rubbed his eyes and looked at the familiar figure standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the light. His face was first filled with disbelief, and then with elation.
"Is it really you, Dad?!"
Jack practically leaped from the bed. His massive, eight-meter-tall body made the floorboards tremble.
He rushed over to Pike, his face full of eagerness, wanting to hug him like he used to when he was a child. But at the last moment, he remembered and screeched to a halt.
—He was much stronger and heavier now. If he really crashed into him, he might have to say goodbye to his newly reunited father all over again.
He crouched down and, with a sheepish grin, waited for Pike to approach. Then, he spread his arms and they embraced.
"You brat, you've gotten so big!"
Pike laughed heartily and was about to pat Jack's sturdy arm, but then he suddenly noticed—
The young man's muscular arms were covered in thick bandages, and his face was bruised and swollen. He had clearly just been through a tough fight.
"Who have you been fighting with again? The gang on the east side of the docks?"
Pike said, his heart aching as he touched the bruises. "Those guys, after all these years, they're still active? They haven't forgotten the old grudge and are still bullying you?"
"Unforgivable!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He grabbed a shovel from behind the door. "Wait here, Jack! I'm going to get revenge for you!"
"It wasn't them, Dad,"
Jack quickly stopped him. "Uh, actually, I'm a Devil Fruit user now. And with the strength of an adult Fish-Man, forget those guys from back then, even if everyone on this island came at me at once, they wouldn't be a match for me…"
"Huh?"
Pike was shocked. "A Devil Fruit? Those things are very valuable! Where did you…"
"It's a long story, Dad. You rest for a bit, have some water, and I'll tell you everything,"
Jack said, helping Pike to a seat at the wooden table and handing him a cup of hot tea. "Where should I start? Well, about two months ago, I was hauling stuff at the docks when I saw a strange fruit floating by. I was hungry at the time, so I just washed it and ate it…"
"But the moment I took a bite, it was so disgusting I almost threw up."
Jack scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "But it still worked. That night, when I was taking a bath, I felt really strange. I went out to the beach for some fresh air, and as I was walking, I tripped on a rock and fell. I tried to catch myself with my hands, so I wouldn't hurt my head, but I somehow turned into a giant mammoth…"
"That's… a Zoan-type ability?" Pike was taken aback.
"Yeah, I found out later,"
Jack nodded. "Anyway, after that, a Warlord named Hanafuda came to our island to resupply. He happened to see me in my mammoth form and seemed very interested in it, so he forced me to join his crew."
"A Warlord? So he's a pirate, right? Why did you become a pirate?"
Pike was a little unhappy.
"I was forced, Dad. That Hanafuda guy, his subordinates were all a bunch of useless cowards, but he was actually pretty nice to me, so I just went along with him for a while,"
Jack said cheerfully.
"Then why are you back now?" Pike frowned. "And who gave you those injuries?"
"The injuries?"
Jack looked down. "I got them from a fish. I fell into the sea and was drifting for a long time. I almost didn't make it. I thought I was a goner, but then a Sea King started chasing me. It didn't kill me, but it actually pushed me into the shallows. When I woke up, I had already drifted near this island."
Pike was dumbfounded. "You brat… you're really lucky to be alive!"
"You're telling me!"
Jack laughed heartily. "But I'm completely free now, Dad. That day, I was with Boss Hanafuda, and we got into a fight with a guy named Shane."
"That guy, he's really strong. I heard he killed Boss Hanafuda in just a few blows, and the pirate crew was finished. So I just decided not to go back to sea. I came back here to wait for you, thinking that maybe one day you'd come back. And I never would have thought that you really would, just a few days later…"
"Haha, it was a long and difficult journey for me to get back to this island too. Let me tell you all about it… wait!"
Pike suddenly realized something, and his laughter died down. He shot to his feet, his eyes wide.
"Who did you say you were fighting with?"
......
In the city of food, in the town center.
The group had already split up. They were now wandering around the town, either alone or in small groups of two or three.
Shane, with Gin, had first gone to the dessert market in the north.
He had seen a flyer that said they sold all sorts of strawberry products, and he was planning to let a certain someone, who was on a strict strawberry milk ration on the ship, have his fill.
"Hey, Gin, don't run off."
Shane patted the silver wolf's head. The guy had been so excited since they had entered the dessert market, his nose constantly sniffing the sweet aroma in the air, his tail wagging like a propeller.
"Awoo!"
Gin let out a low growl of protest, but he was quickly distracted by the display in the window of a nearby dessert shop. He pressed his entire wolf face against the glass, drool streaming down.
Shane glanced over.
"Signature Strawberry Chiffon Cake, Strawberry Shaved Ice, Strawberry Milk Tea with Fruit Bits…"
Awoo!
Gin looked at Shane, his eyes full of longing.
"Tsk, you…"
Shane smiled helplessly and pushed open the door to the shop.
This one it is then.
Ting-a-ling—
The crisp sound of a wind chime rang out. The warm yellow light of the shop filled the air, which was thick with the rich aroma of cream and strawberries.
"Welcome!"
Behind the counter, a young woman in a cap smiled and greeted them. "What can I get for you? Our signature strawberry cake is the most popular on the whole island of Pucci!"
"Then I'll have one of the largest size of the signature strawberry cake. And one of every strawberry drink and dessert you have."
After ordering, Shane casually found a seat by the window.
And Gin obediently sat at his feet, his eyes fixed on the counter, his tail thumping on the floor.
A moment later, the waitress came over with a large tray of various exquisite desserts.
"Enjoy!"
The young woman put down the cake and then looked at Gin curiously. What a handsome big dog!
A dog this big is a rare sight. She couldn't help but reach out and pet him, smiling as she said, "Sir, would you like to order one for him too?"
"No, these are all for him. I'll just have a bite to taste,"
Shane said, picking up a fork and taking a small bite of the cake.
The soft sponge cake melted in his mouth, the sweet cream and the tartness of the strawberries perfectly balanced. And the chocolate cookie crumbles on top added a nice texture.
It was delicious, not too sweet, and the different flavors and textures made it even more enjoyable.
But he had never been a big fan of sweets. After that one bite, he put down his fork.
"Don't hold back. Go ahead,"
Shane said with a laugh, looking at Gin, whose drool was about to pool on the floor.
If it had been Nami or any of the other crew members with Gin, the plate would have probably already been licked clean.
Only in front of his master would he be so well-behaved, waiting patiently as he slowly savored the cake.
Awoo!
Gin was finally given permission. He eagerly lowered his head and buried his entire wolf face in the cream, his teeth chattering as he devoured it, getting cream all over his face.
That way of eating…
It's only slightly better than my own.
Shane shook his head and crossed his legs. He ordered another cup of coffee and was sipping it leisurely when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the shop.
He glanced over and happened to see a few figures hurrying past.
"Hey, have you heard?! Lord Shane has spoken! As long as you can defeat any one of his crew members in a one-on-one fight, you can join his crew!"
"Are you serious?"
"Is it really that easy to join the crew of a big shot like that?"
"Of course it's true! I heard it from someone else, but it's the absolute truth! Lord Shane said that he has no interest in recruiting weaklings who can't even beat his own crew members! Isn't that what he meant?"
"That's right, it does sound like that…"
The figures gradually disappeared into the distance, their voices fading in the wind.
Shane's coffee cup paused in mid-air.
"..."
His eye twitched. How did the rumor turn into this?
When did I ever say that?
Those damn brats, they're really good at twisting my words!
Of the few things he had asked the young boys to spread, the most important was to deter the pirates on the island and keep them from bullying the civilians.
That part seemed to have worked. He hadn't seen any pirates daring to cause trouble.
But the second point, that "he had no plans to recruit new crew members," seemed to have been completely twisted and distorted in the telling.
What a headache.
Shane rubbed his temples.
The pirates who wanted to join his crew would definitely not have the guts to challenge him.
But the other crew members, who were scattered around the island, might be in for some trouble.
"Awoo?"
Gin looked up, his face covered in cream, a puzzled look in his eyes. He seemed to have sensed the change in Shane's mood.
"It's nothing. You just keep eating,"
Shane said, ruffling his head.
Oh well, it wasn't a big deal. He was confident that there were no pirates on this island who could defeat any of his crew members.
After a day of getting their butts kicked, they would learn their lesson.
But now, some of his comrades were probably already in trouble.
…
In the south of the city, in the market.
Zeff, in his chef's uniform, was crouching in front of a stall, carefully selecting fresh ingredients. Suddenly, he felt a chill behind him.
He didn't even turn his head. "If you want to sneak up on me, kid, you'd better go back and practice for a few more years," he said calmly.
"Don't look down on me, old man!"
a young pirate with a long staff shouted, lunging at him from behind. "You're the ship's cook, right?! I'm so lucky to have run into a non-combatant like you! If I can just beat you, I can join Lord Shane's crew!"
Where did that rumor come from?
Zeff frowned.
But so I'm the one who's been chosen as the weak link?
"I'm being underestimated,"
he sighed, feeling the whoosh of the staff behind him. His right leg shot out like lightning.
THUMP!
The young pirate was sent flying back even faster than he had come, his eyes rolling back in his head as he passed out on the ground.
Zeff looked around. In just a few moments, he had already spotted seven or eight other suspicious figures in the crowd, who had clearly been planning to challenge him as well.
But after witnessing him take out their comrade with a single blow, they were now hesitating, shrinking back.
"Kids these days…"
Zeff shook his head and went back to selecting his ingredients. "Wrap this up for me, boss. I'll take this cabbage, and the carrots, and the onions…"
…
Near the tobacco shop by the port.
"This is a good batch,"
Smoker said, walking through an alley, counting the cigar boxes in his hand and puffing on a cigar.
Suddenly, three pirates with captain's hats blocked his path.
"The Defector, Smoker! We've finally found you! We challenge you!"
"Tsk, is it because of that rumor…"
Smoker looked up, his gaze sweeping over the group of clueless pirates. He leisurely blew a smoke ring and narrowed his eyes. "Hey, what makes you so confident that you've chosen me as your opponent?"
"Because you're weak, of course!"
the pirate captain in the lead laughed. "A bounty of one hundred and sixty million Berries, that sounds scary! A normal pirate would be terrified! But not us! We've already looked into you! Before you joined Lord Shane's crew, you were just a small-time Marine Captain in a place like the East Blue!"
"A branch captain! And from the East Blue!"
another pirate captain sneered. "Your bounty is so high just because of your association with Lord Shane, because you're an officer of the Curtain Call crew!"
"I'm a great pirate with a bounty of seventy million Berries! I've killed at least ten rookies with inflated bounties like you back when I was in the North Blue! And you'll be no exception!"
"Let's go, Smoker! Stop wasting time!"
"That's right!"
"The glory that Lord Shane has bestowed upon you, which you don't deserve, will be ours from now on!"
"Tsk, what a hassle…"
Smoker sighed and slowly raised his right hand. A thick cloud of white smoke erupted from his palm, instantly forming a giant fist that slammed into the three men before him!
"White Blow: Heavy Impact!"
…
In the town square.
Kuina was meditating by the fountain, her eyes closed. From the conversations of the people who had passed by, she had already heard the rumor that was rapidly spreading through the island.
Ridiculous.
She shook her head slightly. How could Lord Shane possibly be interested in this rabble?
But…
one thing was strange.
She had deliberately chosen to sit in this conspicuous spot, and several groups of pirates had already passed by, but not a single one had stopped to challenge her.
In fact, they were all deliberately avoiding her, not even daring to look at her.
A bounty of just two hundred million, and they're already scared out of their wits.
The young swordswoman opened her eyes and let out a long, bored sigh.
No courage at all. That stupid Moss-Head is more fun. No matter how many times he loses, he always comes back with the same fighting spirit.
In any case, it seemed she wouldn't be getting any challengers today.
She stood up and left the fountain square, heading for the bookstore.
She wondered how the others were doing. With their bounties of over one hundred million, they should be able to easily scare off these cowards too, right?
Wait a minute.
Kuina suddenly stopped, a strange look on her face as she looked in a certain direction.
How could she have forgotten?
There was one exception on the ship…
…
In a small stool in the middle of the food street.
Nami was happily eating a large box of takoyaki when she suddenly realized that the surroundings had become strangely quiet.
Huh?
She looked up, puzzled, and looked around.
The exits at both ends of the street were, at some point, now blocked by a dense crowd.
As far as the eye could see, the entire street was now packed with at least three or four hundred people, all of them staring at her with a menacing grin, slowly closing in.
As if she were some kind of tempting, fat sheep.
W-What's going on?
Nami tilted her head, a look of utter confusion on her face.
