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Chapter 128: Hasaki! A Reunion with Garp!
🕑 Added 2025-08-14 13:56:05 +0000 UTCChapter 128: Hasaki! A Reunion with Garp!
Three more days passed in the blink of an eye.
They still hadn't reached their next destination. The Curtain Call continued to sail smoothly on the sea.
"Achoo!"
Shane suddenly sneezed and rubbed his nose, puzzled. "Strange, why have I been sneezing so much these past two days? Who's been talking about me?"
He had just come out of the training room, his upper body bare and drenched in sweat.
He looked up and saw the moonlight streaming through the portholes into the corridor. The entire ship was quiet, save for the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull.
It's already late at night.
"That's enough for today. Time for bed."
He stretched. After nearly twenty hours of masochistic training, his muscles really needed to relax.
Hmm?
Shane suddenly stopped.
Wait a minute.
Relax?
He stroked his chin and looked out at the dark sea.
Speaking of which, he had been so preoccupied with the Poneglyph these past few days that he hadn't really practiced the "Deep Sea Breathing Method" since he had first learned it.
To improve it, he needed to spend long periods of time in the water, meditating and gradually getting used to the feeling of breathing underwater.
It was very time-consuming, which was why he had put it on hold.
But now, a flash of inspiration struck him.
With his level of control over his body, he should be able to maintain the automatic operation of the Deep Sea Breathing Method even when he was unconscious. He could just sleep underwater.
That way, he could use his rest time to both get some sleep and slowly master this technique.
It's possible!
Twenty-four hours of seamless training. Who can compete with that?
No sooner said than done.
Shane found a sturdy rope, tied it around his waist, and then, with a graceful dive, he plunged into the sea.
The moment he entered the water, without any conscious effort, his pores began to open, and his muscle fibers began to contract and expand rhythmically, like gills.
Gurgle—
Bubbles escaped from his lips, and Shane slowly sank.
Twenty meters, thirty meters, fifty meters…
The moonlight pierced the surface of the sea, becoming a hazy blue halo in his vision. A school of small fish, startled, scattered, their silver scales flashing like a galaxy.
"This is more comfortable than I thought," Shane said, regulating his breathing and letting his body sink into the deeper darkness. When the rope was almost taut—
"Hah…"
He crossed his arms behind his back and floated, his legs crossed, as if he were lying in bed. He slowly closed his eyes.
He didn't know if it was because he was so tired from training today, but it seemed easier to fall asleep in the water than on the ship.
The water muffled all sound, leaving only the slow, rhythmic beating of his heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Under the effect of the Deep Sea Breathing Method, every heartbeat made his muscles vibrate slightly, creating a gentle current in the water.
Shane's consciousness began to fade, but his body automatically continued the breathing method.
Mmm, my judgment was correct.
I can indeed continue to improve this technique in my sleep.
Now…
I can finally sleep in peace.
…
Splash, splash.
As The Curtain Call sailed on, a turbulent current flowed past him.
A normal person would have been tossed and turned by the force, struggling to even maintain their balance.
But it didn't disturb the black-haired young man in the slightest.
He continued to sleep soundly.
A curious, giant sea beast appeared from the distance, casting a massive shadow. When it saw the figure ahead, its eyes lit up, and it quickly swam over.
However, as it got closer, it sensed the faint, dangerous aura emanating from Shane, and it hesitated.
Finally, it stopped and wisely swam in another direction.
In this realm, where even sunlight could not reach, time seemed to stand still.
"Gurgle…"
Shane turned over, finding a more comfortable sleeping position.
After what seemed like an eternity, suddenly—
"BOOM!"
A dull explosion came from above. Shane's eyes snapped open.
The hundred meters of water above him muffled the sound, but he was still able to instantly pinpoint the direction.
To the southwest. A ship is firing on The Curtain Call.
Shane frowned, and his body shot upward, breaking the surface of the water in an instant and landing on the deck.
The sun was high in the sky. He had been asleep for six or seven hours.
"What's going on?" Shane asked casually, looking off into the distance.
To his surprise, it wasn't a pursuing Marine warship, but a fleet of six black-sailed pirate ships.
"They're looking for trouble," Nojiko pursed her lips. "They just started firing for no reason. They're probably after your 500-million-Berry head, Big Bro."
"Is that so," Shane laughed.
When they had first entered the Grand Line, they had run into several pirate crews with ill intentions. They had crushed them easily, not even giving them a chance to board.
But after the details of the Thor Island battle were revealed, and his bounty had reached the pinnacle of Paradise, that rarely happened anymore.
The Curtain Call Adventurers were now "infamous" in the first half of the Grand Line.
Nine out of ten pirate ships that saw their white flag from a distance would be so scared they wouldn't even dare to get close, immediately turning and fleeing.
But on this sea, anything was possible.
There were always some pirates who were very brave.
So brave that you couldn't even understand their thought process.
Like now.
But speaking of which, the pirate fleet before them was quite large.
The six ships were all large vessels, their decks packed with figures. There were probably four or five thousand of them in total.
No less impressive than Krieg's fleet.
Shane took the spyglass from Nojiko's hand and looked at the pirate flag.
Tsk, I don't recognize it at all.
He immediately lost interest and said to Nojiko, "I'm going to get some breakfast. You and Nami can handle this."
He said that because the two sisters, having only recently acquired their Devil Fruit abilities, loved to use clueless pirates like these to test out their new moves.
The few pirate ships they had run into before had all been taken care of by the two of them.
"But it looks like it's not our turn this time," Nojiko shrugged. "You should turn around, Big Bro. Someone else has been waiting for their turn, but they were waiting for you to come up."
Hmm?
Shane turned and looked.
Kuina was standing at the stern of the ship, her black ponytail whipping in the sea breeze. Her left hand was on her scabbard, and her right hand was on the hilt of her sword, her gaze as sharp as a blade.
"Let me take this one, Lord Shane," the young woman said, noticing his surprised look. She turned her head slightly, a small smile on her lips. "I want to show you the results of my training these past few days."
Oh?
She wants to show off?
This is a rare sight for Kuina.
"It seems your training has been going well," Shane said with an interested nod. "Alright, I'll have breakfast later. I'll stay here and watch."
Kuina took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.
In that moment, Shane faintly felt the air currents around the young woman begin to converge.
Oh?
His eyes lit up, his interest growing. Could it be that Kuina has already learned that move…
————
Meanwhile, on the largest flagship in the center of the enemy fleet.
A burly, purple-haired man with a captain's hat was waving his cutlass and roaring at his crew.
"Do you see that?! Men! That's the ship of the Curtain Call Pirates! A 500-million-Berry head is right in front of us!"
The purple-haired man's spittle flew, his jowls trembling with excitement. "Just one small ship! It seems this pirate crew isn't that strong after all! Not even as strong as me, with my 70-million-Berry bounty! They're just lucky to have escaped a Marine Admiral with their lives!"
"When I take his head, I'll be the new 500-million-Berry pirate! Men! The Ruffian Pirates will be famous throughout the Grand Line from this day forward!"
"OHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
"What a bold and ambitious speech!"
"As expected of Captain Ruffian!!!"
The pirates on the deck were also in a frenzy, raising their arms and cheering.
Just then.
"C-Captain!" the lookout suddenly shouted. "There's movement on the other side!"
From the stern of The Curtain Call, a slender, black figure leaped into the air, striding toward them on the air itself!
It was Kuina.
She stared coldly at the pirate fleet, the Wado Ichimonji still in its sheath, her right hand resting on the hilt.
"What! They're sending a little girl to her death?" the purple-haired captain, Ruffian, sneered, raising his cutlass. "She doesn't know what she's getting into! Men! All cannons, open fire! Let's blast this little swordswoman to pieces first!"
"Yes, Captain Ruffian!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cannons on all six ships fired at once. Nearly a hundred cannonballs shot through the air, a dense rain of projectiles heading for Kuina.
Kuina's gaze was indifferent. Her five fingers slowly tightened on the hilt—
In the next moment.
"Iai: Rokudo: Steel Tempest!"
With a sharp cry, the gleaming blade was finally drawn!
Countless translucent streams of air wrapped around the sword and, with her thrusting motion, converged into a sharp point and shot out!
VWOOM—!!!
With the slash of the sword, a fierce wind suddenly swept across the entire sea!
A massive wave of sword energy shot forward, parting the sea on both sides. The violent air currents swept up all the incoming cannonballs, crushing them to lead dust.
And the sword energy, its momentum unchecked, continued to absorb the surrounding air currents. In an instant, it had formed six giant tornadoes, each one fifty or sixty meters high, that were now swirling and converging on the sea, then splitting apart again, as if they had a life of their own, and precisely targeting the six pirate ships!
WHOOSH!
The violent air currents swept across the sea, tearing the water into a fine mist. Before they had even gotten close, the six pirate ships were already rocking violently, their masts groaning under the strain.
"Hey! W-What the hell is that?!"
The purple-haired man's eyes widened in terror, and the cutlass in his hand clattered to the deck.
Swordsmanship?
No, it must be a Devil Fruit user!
How can swordsmanship possibly do something like this?!
"Turn the helm! What are you standing around for?! Turn the helm, you fools!" he screamed, his voice cracking, as the tornadoes got closer and closer.
However, it was too late.
The moment the tornadoes made contact with the ships, the sturdy hulls were torn apart like paper.
The grunts on the deck had no idea how to defend themselves. They turned to run, but they were swept up into the sky by the violent air currents, their screams piercing the air!
"No, no!!!"
The purple-haired man also felt the approaching wind. He futilely clung to the main mast and, as he watched his flagship being devoured by the tornado, he let out a desperate cry. "I can't die here! I'm the man who's going to be the Pirate Ki—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the wind blade had already passed through his neck.
His captain's hat, along with his head, flew into the sky. The last thing he saw, in his fading vision, was the sight of the other five ships also being torn to pieces in the tornadoes.
Six ships, in less than a minute.
All of them were destroyed.
When the tornadoes finally dissipated, the calm sea was littered with floating planks and the scattered cries of the survivors.
Kuina slowly sheathed her sword and, with a Moonwalk, landed on the deck.
Her black ponytail swayed in the wind, her clothes fluttering. Though she had just come from a storm, she was not a single drop of water on her.
The stern deck was silent.
This one slash had awed everyone on the ship.
Even Robin, in that moment, had unconsciously put down her coffee and was staring at the young swordswoman in amazement.
"You're so cool!! Kuina!"
Nami squealed and threw herself into Kuina's arms, hugging her waist. "I suddenly want to learn swordsmanship! Teach me, okay?! From now on, you're my real sister! I don't acknowledge the other one anymore!"
"Hey!" Nojiko roared, baring her teeth. "You little brat, it's been a while since I've beaten you, hasn't it?!"
"Waaah, so scary! Kuina, protect me!"
Kuina smiled faintly.
She stroked Nami's head. This girl's interest in anything other than navigation and her own bounty only ever lasted for three minutes.
Learn swordsmanship? She didn't take her seriously.
What was more important was…
"How was it?" she asked, tilting her head up and looking at Shane, a hint of expectation in her eyes.
That look, that expression, Shane felt it was very familiar.
It was just like when Gin was a pup, and he had just brought home some strawberry milk and put it in the fridge.
Clap, clap, clap!
"Brilliant!"
He applauded generously, smiling as he said, "Brilliant! You've only been practicing that manual for less than a week, and you can already unleash a Wind Wall of that level! That kind of talent… as expected of the genius of the Isshin Dojo!"
He was being completely sincere.
Compared to the other crew members, he had had some idea of what the Steel Tempest could do. It was just a tornado, right?
But he had never expected…
A tornado was a tornado, but Kuina had managed to create six of them at once! And each one was terrifyingly powerful.
He had been a little stunned himself.
Even Yasuo himself would have had a hard time doing that, right?
Girl, you're playing on Doom Bots mode!
"Thank you, Lord Shane,"
Kuina said, forcing down her excitement, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You're too kind. I still have room for improvement. The next step is to figure out how to combine this move with Haki, to take its destructive power to the next level…"
"A good idea,"
Shane said, giving her a thumbs-up. He thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "But compared to that, I think there's something more important that you need to work on."
"Huh, what?"
"It's not quite right!"
Shane said seriously. "When you use that move, don't shout all that nonsense. To unleash its full power, you have to shout 'Hasaki'!"
Hasaki?
What does that mean?
The young swordswoman tilted her head in confusion. The contrast between her usual stoic expression and this was surprisingly cute.
"Okay," she finally said with a firm nod.
Although she didn't think it would make much of a difference, if it was Lord Shane's suggestion, then it must be right.
...…
No one seemed to care about the demise of the pirate fleet.
The Curtain Call continued on its way.
Shane, his stomach rumbling, went to the dining room. The other crew members, who also hadn't had breakfast yet, followed him.
Zeff was already ready. He untied his apron and laughed heartily. "Today's breakfast has eighteen dishes! Grilled meat, Naruto ramen, gizzard shad sushi, matcha mousse cake… line up and take your pick! Hey! Smoker! I told you, you have to use the tongs! No grabbing with your hands!"
With a sharp whoosh, Zeff's kick shot out.
THUMP!
Three lumps appeared on Smoker's head. He grumbled "damn old geezer" under his breath and obediently picked up the tongs beside him.
It couldn't be helped. In the kitchen and the dining room, Zeff was the boss. Even Shane had to listen to him.
…
Shane piled his plate high and found a seat by the window.
He popped a piece of mousse cake into his mouth as an appetizer, then speared a piece of golden, crispy grilled meat. The tender, juicy meat burst with flavor in his mouth, and he closed his eyes in satisfaction.
"Uncle Zeff's cooking is getting better and better," he mumbled, then took a spoonful of seafood chowder. Clams and shrimp floated in the creamy white broth, and the fragrant steam tickled his nose.
The warm liquid spread through his body from his stomach.
So good!
Shane began to eat faster.
After a long night of training, there was nothing better than a lavish meal like this to soothe his body and soul.
A full stomach was the best way to start a new day with a clear head!
Speaking of which, as expected of Uncle Zeff.
Eighteen different, delicious dishes, and he had made them all by himself in just over an hour.
Thank goodness he had snatched the old man up when he had the chance.
Otherwise, where would he have ever found such an amazing cook?
The others were also eating heartily. With Zeff in the kitchen, the three daily meals were the most relaxing and enjoyable time of the day.
"Heh…" Zeff stood with his arms crossed, a grin on his face as he watched the scene.
As a chef, he needed nothing more. To see his comrades stuffing their faces in silence was the greatest praise and recognition of his cooking.
But just then.
"Purupurupuru! Purupurupuru!!!"
The public Transponder Snail in the dining room suddenly began to ring excitedly, its voice much more urgent and shrill than usual.
Hmm?
What's wrong with it?
Shane stood up, puzzled, and was about to pick up the receiver. The other crew members also looked up.
"Wait a minute, Captain,"
Smoker suddenly said. "If I'm not mistaken, that's a call from the Marines."
"The Marines?"
Everyone was surprised. Nami didn't believe it. "Are you serious, Smokey? The Marines? How did they get our number?"
"They don't need to,"
Smoker said, subconsciously reaching for a cigar, but then he saw Zeff's glare and silently put it away.
"Besides the normal communication signals, a Transponder Snail has two other special reactions,"
he said, holding two ramen chopsticks in his mouth. "One is when it suddenly starts to cry its eyes out. That's because someone nearby is sending out an emergency distress signal. Anyone can do it, so it's quite common."
"The other is what's happening now. This is a special technique that only a major power like Marine Headquarters has. They amplify the signal over a wide area and contact all the Transponder Snails in that sea. Generally, they can't pinpoint a target, so they use this method to screen an area one by one."
"Huh?"
Nami's eyes widened. "I didn't know that! So, that means the Marines probably know what sea we're in now?"
"That's normal,"
Smoker said in a low voice. "After all, we just showed up in Alabasta a few days ago. They can probably guess our route."
But that didn't mean that the warships could easily surround them.
After all, a ship wasn't a stationary target. It was constantly moving. It wouldn't just sit there and let them close in.
And the biggest challenge for the Marines in capturing pirates had always been how to catch up to them on the vast sea and not be shaken off.
Just knowing their general location was basically useless.
"In any case, let's just answer it,"
Shane shrugged, unconcerned, and picked up the receiver.
It was strange that the Marines were so eager to talk to him. He was curious to see what they were up to.
"Hello?"
A serious voice came from the other end. "This is a Marine Headquarters communications officer. I am currently under orders to search for the whereabouts of the Curtain Call Pirates in this sea. All those who have connected, please cooperate. If you are not a related party, you may hang up. But if you have any clues about the Curtain Call Pirates, we welcome your—"
"This is Shane,"
Shane said calmly. "Who's your superior? What do you want?"
"You're Sh—huh?"
A cry of surprise came from the other end. "Mr. Garp! Please come quickly! The person on the other end of the line claims to be that Shane!"
"Is that so?"
Garp's mumbling voice came through. "It's probably another fake, right? I've been fooled several times in the past hour. These damn pranksters, hmph, if it weren't for…"
"Garp, you old geezer?"
Shane raised an eyebrow, interrupting him.
"OH?!!!! That voice is so familiar! It must be him! Hahaha, give me the phone!!"
Slap!
In the next moment, the Transponder Snail's face suddenly twisted and became a rough, dog-hat-wearing visage.
"Hey! It's been a long time! It's me, Garp!"
The Transponder Snail had half a donut in its mouth, and it was munching on it as it laughed heartily.
"I finally found you, Shane! You little brat, it was a real pain to get in touch with you!"
