Chapter 200: You Bastard!!!Satoru was in his sleep.Sleeping very peacefully.Suddenly, a blast erupted right by his ear.It reminded Satoru of that "highest note in the world – Three Days and Three Nights."And then, Satoru woke up~Opening his eyes, he saw a Masira holding a microphone and singing. As for why he was doing that, it was because just now..."I haven't had a haircut in the 25 years since I was born!!!"Masira said proudly.Luffy looked indifferent. "What an idiot.""Wow!! That scared the hell out of me!!"Masira exclaimed with zero soul; if others weren't surprised by his hair, he would be surprised himself."Bastards, how dare you be so insolent to the Great Warden!!"Masira's underlings indicated that they only had this one line of dialogue."Forget it, forget it, your answer really made my heart tremble.""Listen well, if you anger me, a sea of blood awaits you."Masira delivered a harsh threat.Luffy didn't take the bait. "Say whatever you want, we're setting sail now, get out of the way!!""Insolent!! This stretch of sea is my territory, if you want to pass, pay the toll!!"Masira shouted with his mouth wide open, his face finally showing a clear expression. It seems money really is powerful."Territory? Why is that the same thing Shoujousaid?"Usopp suddenly chimed in.Luffy turned his head and asked."He said that too?""What! Shoujou? What did you do to Shoujou?"Masira heard the key point."Oh, I kicked him away."Luffy turned back and replied calmly.Masira couldn't stay calm anymore."Kicked... kicked him away!!! Ohoho!! How dare you do that to my brother!!"Masira instantly became furious."Hey, hey, wait a second, I just kicked him away, he's still alive."Luffy explained, though it would have been better not to explain at all; Masira wasn't listening anyway."Shoujou's enemy is my enemy."Masira glared back, then pulled a microphone and a microphone stand out of his hair.He started singing loudly into the microphone."Activating sound wave [Destructive Roar]!!!""Oh oh~~"It was terrible, but the attack power was immense.It hurt the enemy, but it hurt himself first.The wooden planks on Masira's ship could be seen cracking.It gave Luffy and the others a good show, but when the sound wave hit the going merry, things were no longer calm.The already half-broken going merry was heading further and further down the path to total destruction."Oh no, even the going merry is being affected!!""The hole we just patched up has split open again!!"Usopp shouted anxiously."Full speed ahead!!!""Get to a place where we can't hear this sound!!"Nami yelled. Forget the route for now, just run first.At this moment, Satoru, who was on the crow's nest, had been woken up by this beautiful singing voice."What on earth is that!!!""Damn it, I forgot about this guy. My sweet dream is ruined.""Satoru!! You're awake, hurry up and come down to help!!"Nami noticed Satoru was awake and shouted at him.Satoru covered his ears. "What? What did you say??""Forget it."Satoru flipped his hand, his bracelet turned into a slingshot, he pulled the string and released it.A small pebble flew out, hitting Masira right in his wide-open mouth."Oh oh~~ Ah!! Urgh~"The sound stopped instantly, and the world was quiet again.Satoru flipped down from above."What did you say just now? Nami?""Nothing, you did a great job.""Take advantage of him being stuck and let's make a run for it."Nami patted Satoru on the shoulder with satisfaction, then shouted to Usopp on the second floor.Luffy agreed...."It's infuriating, that damn Masira. Because of what he did, there are even more places on the ship that need repairing."After shaking off Masira, the going merry sailed to a calm area.Everyone started repairing the going merry. Usoppcursed Masira while he worked."I don't know when it happened, but this ship has become so broken. It's time to change to a new one."Zoro said.Usopp immediately jumped up. "Don't say such heartless things.""Zoro has feelings too, it's just that he thinks from a practical perspective."Satoru explained for Zoro."That's right, Satoru is right. Stop complaining, Usopp.""The going merry is our comrades who have shared our joys and sorrows. We all have feelings for it and won't abandon it."Luffy picked up where Satoru left off.These words made emotion well up in Usopp's heart."Luffy, you..."Before Usopp could finish being moved, Luffybrought a hammer down, and the side of the going merry, which was already split, cracked even further.Seeing this, Usopp changed his tone."You bastard!!!!"
Chapter 201: Noland the LiarAfter shaking off Masira, Nami corrected the course using the map, and the Merry continued onward, soon reaching its destination... "We've arrived at the spot marked X on the map.""This is where that... who was it again?"Sanji said, taking a puff from his cigarette."Mont Blanc Cricket."Robin added.Nami looked at the scene before her, appearing slightly disbelieving."That Dreamer lives here?"Luffy and Usopp easily believed it."Awesome!!!"What lay before them was a castle straight out of a fairy tale."Is that big house the Dreamer's?""It looks like he must be a rich man."Luffy and Usopp exclaimed.Zoro, carrying his sword, said with his eyes closed, "Idiots, open your eyes and look closely."Sanji took the cigarette from his mouth. "Instead of calling him a Dreamer, it's better to say he's vain."Clearly, Luffy still didn't understand this, so Satorugave another hint."Look closely at the flag up there. It's fixed; it doesn't even wave."Chopper used his hands to widen his eyes. "What do you mean, 'look closely'? What flag?"Satoru smiled helplessly. "Let's just go ashore and see.""Ah!!! It really is just a board."When Luffy got closer, he saw that the castle was just an illusion. It was only half a house on the shore, and the castle facade was merely a wooden board acting as the missing front wall."What dream exactly caused him to be driven out of town?"Nami turned and asked Robin."I don't know about that, but it is rumored that this Jaya Island holds a large amount of gold, which should be related to the Golden City Satorumentioned."Robin handed the microphone to Satoru."I said this relates to a story; we'll have to ask Cricket himself."Satoru replied."Is that so."Luffy scratched his cheek, turned around, and pushed the door open without hesitation."Hello~ Sorry to intrude."Usopp jumped in surprise. "You are way too reckless!!!"But there was no one inside the house."Ah, is no one home?""Is anyone there~"Luffy walked in, while Usopp stayed outside, afraid to enter, and tried to persuade him."Come out quickly! What if some villain comes out later!!!"Meanwhile, Nami spotted a picture book on a tree stump outside the house that was serving as a table."Hey, there's a picture book here. It looks like a very old book.""The title is 'Noland the Liar'.""Oh! That's a great title! The content must be interesting!"Usopp felt a kinship with the title."'Noland the Liar,' that name sounds familiar. I think I saw it when I was little."Sanji walked over."I haven't read it, but apparently, this story is about that gold."Satoru also walked over."Really! This story is about gold?! It doesn't sound like it from the title.""And Sanji, when you were little? It says here it was published in the North Blue."Nami answered smoothly, reacting to both statements."Ah, I was born in the North Blue. Haven't I told you all?"Sanji said with a smile, puffing on his cigarette.At that moment, who could know about his tragic childhood? In the North Blue, Germa 66 dominated, and although Sanji was the "Crown Prince" of Germa 66, he received none of the treatment befitting a Crown Prince."This is the first I've heard of it. I always thought you were from the East Blue."Usopp replied."Me too."Satoru smiled, following up on Usopp's comment. There was no need to bring up unpleasant things.It wasn't necessary, nor was it polite."Where I'm from isn't important. This is a household story in the North Blue.""Although it's a fairy tale, the Noland the Liar mentioned in the book was a real person."Sanji explained.He then briefly explained the entire story of Nolandthe Liar. (If you don't understand, please ask Baidu yourself; I won't pad the word count ~(￣▽￣～)~
Chapter 202: Montblanc CricketSince Cricket wasn't there, Luffy and the others didn't know what to do next, so they simply waited for Cricket to return.Satoru was sleeping again. He said it was to conserve energy for the night, but when Nami asked him what he was going to do, he was secretive and wouldn't say.After Sanji briefly recounted the story of Noland the Liar, Nami read the book in detail herself.It was just a story, and the book wasn't long; Namifinished it in about an hour."Poor... big liar.""Just like that... he was unfortunately executed before he could become a brave sea warrior..."Nami, with a pitiful gaze, recounted the end of the story to Usopp.Usopp yelled angrily, "Don't tell it while looking at me!""And don't make up tragic endings on your own!"The ending Usopp referred to was his own ending, as Noland's dream wasn't to become a sea warrior.Just as Usopp said this, Luffy, who was in the background, suddenly gasped and, squatting by the sea, plunged directly into the water."Waaahhh!!!"Satoru was startled awake. He pulled off his eye mask and saw that Luffy's spot was empty. Instead, a chestnut-like object popped up, and then a chestnut-headed old man climbed out.It was indeed Cricket, the ultimate leader of the Shoujou and Masira Pirate Alliance, though Namiand the others didn't know this yet.Usopp and Nami, who had been worried about Luffy, were startled by the sudden appearance of the old man."Who are you!!!?"Sanji immediately rushed over, his expression serious."Usopp, quickly pull Luffy out of the water."He sent Usopp to save Luffy while he confronted Cricket.Cricket also assumed a starting stance similar to Snake Fist."I should be asking you!""How dare you brazenly barge into someone else's home!""This sea area is my territory!"At that last sentence, Satoru and Nami turned to look at each other. Satoru smiled slightly, "Familiar line, isn't it?"Nami nodded, thinking, 'It couldn't be that coincidental, could it?'Cricket continued gloomily, "You're here for the 'gold,' aren't you! Die!"With that, he attacked directly.He gestured with his hands but started with a kick, aiming straight for Sanji's waist. Sanji immediately dodged sideways. Cricket followed with a sweep kick, and Sanji quickly bent down, kneeling on one knee to avoid it.Two moves failed, but Cricket's third move followed without pause.His right hand, with five fingers pressed together, jabbed towards Sanji's face.Sanji, still holding his cigarette, showed surprise on his face. He immediately stood up, raised his leg, and blocked Cricket's hand with the back of his foot.Both men had cigarettes in their mouths and exchanged glances. The next second, Cricket's left hand performed an American Iaijutsu, firing a shot directly at Sanji's head.A gunshot rang out, and smoke billowed.Chopper's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open in fright, "Sanji!!!"Nami also yelled anxiously.Sanji straightened up. Just as Cricket fired, he had narrowly bent backward to dodge."Don't worry, he didn't hit me!""But...""Bang bang bang!!!""Hey, hey! Wait a minute..."Sanji told Nami and Chopper not to worry, but Cricket immediately fired several more shots.Sanji started breakdancing on the spot.Zoro couldn't stand it anymore, "That idiot is too careless..."He dragged his sword, gripping the hilt, and charged forward, bending his waist. But before his sword could leave its sheath, Cricket himself collapsed.This completely stumped Zoro."Huh?"At this moment, Usopp also pulled Luffy out from under the sea."What happened to you? You even plunged into the sea.""In the sea... cough cough... suddenly a lot of... bubbles appeared...""I looked down and saw a chestnut, and that chestnut was that old man, and then I was pulled to the bottom of the sea."Luffy explained, though accompanied by coughs, his consciousness was clear, so it wasn't a big problem.Meanwhile, Sanji and Zoro were fine with fighting, but suddenly the guy they hadn't even hit collapsed, as if trying to extort them. This completely bewildered the two of them."Huh?""Hey, hey! Old man! Old man!!"Satoru walked over, "I don't think calling him will work. Carry him inside, Chopper, you can examine him."..."Make the towel colder, open all the windows."Everyone has their own charm, and Chopper in his element is full of coolness.Under Chopper's diagnosis, it was determined that Cricket suffered from decompression sickness due to long-term diving.Simply put, the pressure changes from diving and surfacing caused continuous damage to his body, and it just flared up, causing him to collapse.While the Straw Hat Pirates were taking care of Cricket.The Shoujou and Masira brothers also returned here.Although they were strange, they were very concerned about Cricket. They directly crashed through the door, trying to squeeze in, but with their size, even one couldn't fit, let alone two."Old man! Are you alright!!!"Then came the staring contest between "old friends."Chopper was the first to break the silence.He yelled as he ran backward."They've come to kill us!!!"Shoujou and Masira instantly raised their hands and exploded, "What are you doing here!!""What did you do to the old man!!!""We're not playing a game of doctor and patient, I think."Satoru said.Luffy remained calm."Can't you see for yourselves? We're taking care of this sick old man! Get out!""Idiots! Satoru, Luffy, why are you explaining? They're full of wildness, how could they listen to you? Quick! Everyone jump out the window to escape!"Nami, Usopp, and Chopper quickly ran to the window.Satoru's words, "They are wild, but not stupid," hadn't even left his mouth when Nami had already jumped out first.Meanwhile, Shoujou and Masira lowered their heads and said in a low voice."You guys...""Are truly good people!!!" They looked up again, moved to tears."I told you, they're not stupid."Satoru shrugged and said."Huh, did I say that?"
Chapter 203: A Gun Is Not a Toy Used for Scaring PeopleThe Straw Hat Pirates came to Cricket's house because they wanted to go to Sky Island. Due to a series of coincidences, they ended up fighting, and then, also by coincidence, they saved Cricket.Masira and Shoujou were already with Cricket. When Satoru and the others were looking after Cricket, they also came to Cricket's house. Understanding that they were saving Cricket, they were moved to tears, saying they were a group of good people... Cricket received treatment and now needed good rest.Meanwhile, Luffy, Masira, and Shoujou were having a very congenial chat by the door.In Zoro's words: "That's called birds of a feather flock together."In Satoru's words: "Luffy gets along well with a lot of people."As they chatted, Masira mentioned that Luffy was amazing for being able to kick Shoujou flying.Even though he was the one who got kicked, Shoujou was very happy to talk about it, and even suggested Masira could probably do it too.Masira was obedient. Putting theory into practice, he immediately got up and kicked Shoujou straight into the sea.Just then, Chopper poked his head out to inform Luffy that Cricket had woken up."The old man is awake?"...Luffy walked to the doorway and saw that, sure enough, Cricket was already sitting up. Everyone else also entered the house."Diamond-faced old man, I have something to ask you."Luffy is polite.He got up and started smoking, but Cricket took the cigarette away. "I'm sorry for the trouble. I thought you were here for my gold.""So, old man, do you really have gold in your house?"Being Nami, this was the perfectly correct thing to focus on.Usopp immediately warned her, "No crooked schemes! No crooked schemes!"Cricket didn't bother responding to Nami. "Alright, what do you want to ask?""We want to go to the [Sky Island]! Tell us how to get there!!"Luffy immediately said."Sky Island?""Oh ha ha ha ha, you believe in Sky Island?"Cricket's reaction was the same as the people at the tavern.Nami was so provoked that she had a stress reaction, grinding her teeth. If Usopp hadn't held her back, she would have punched him."Stop! Stop!! No matter what, he's still a pirate.""There's no Sky Island!!??"Seeing his reaction, Luffy immediately asked.Cricket calmed down and stopped laughing. "Who knows? But I know one person who claimed there was...""But that person was a world-famous liar, and his descendants have been mocked by the world ever since."Luffy gaped, looking at Usopp with an incredulous expression. In his mind, Usopp was the great liar.Usopp immediately explained, "It's not me!!"Satoru also spoke up to help him. "Haha, Usoppdoesn't have descendants yet."Luffy nodded. "True.""There is an ancient story called 'Noland the Great Liar'..."Cricket brought up the story of the Great Liar again, telling a concise version, but mainly confirming that he was a descendant of Noland."What? You're his descendant, and this is the stage where the story took place?!"Nami felt a sudden dazzling sense of history."He is my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather...""In short, he's my ancestor from hundreds of years ago. It's truly annoying; the blood relationship between us is as thin as the blood sucked by a mosquito."Cricket explained, and everyone listened quietly."At the time, the Mont Blanc family was exiled from the country because of him, losing all face, and they are still pointed at today...""But not a single person in the family hates him.""Why."There always needs to be someone to play the straight man."Because Noland was an honest man through and through!!"Cricket replied with a tone of emotion.His explanation was that Noland's final defense, as shown in the picture book, was that the gold had sunk to the bottom of the sea due to tectonic movement.Until his death, he believed that the island he had taken the King to was the location of the Golden City—which is Jaya Island, where they currently stood.But people only believed it was Noland's dying excuse.After hearing the whole story, Usopp understood."I see! So, old man, you've persisted in searching underwater for gold to clear the Mont Blanc family's shame, right!!!"It would have been better if he hadn't said it. The moment he did, Cricket instantly flared up and raised his gun."What nonsense are you talking about!!!"Usopp was stunned with fright.Satoru raised his hand, a flintlock rifle appeared, spun once, and the butt of the rifle pressed down on Cricket's pistol."Old man, a gun is not a toy used for scaring people. You shouldn't point it at people randomly."Cricket took the opportunity Satoru offered to back down; they weren't mortal enemies after all."No matter how honest that old ancestor was, no matter how great an adventurer he was, it has nothing to do with me!!""Can you understand how a child feels when they are cursed and insulted by strangers just because they share a small blood relation with that bastard?!""I grew up in that kind of environment."Cricket replied loudly. No wonder he got impatient whenever Noland was mentioned.Sighing, Cricket lit another cigarette, calmed down considerably, and turned to look out the window.He then admitted that Usopp was actually right: many people in his family did go out to sea to prove Noland's innocence and wash away the family's shame.But he was ashamed of that family, so he went out to sea and became a pirate, only to escape the curse brought by Noland.However, after adventuring to Jaya Island, the setting of the story, fate somehow led him to choose to stay and part ways with his comrades."Whether it exists or not, I'm not searching for gold to prove Noland's innocence.""I just want to have a life-or-death duel with the man who messed up my whole life!!""I hope that before I die, this matter can be brought to light."When he finished speaking, Cricket's words shocked everyone present.But deep down, he treated this as the family's destiny, feeling he couldn't let the family continue bearing this shame. Subconsciously, he also believed Noland and wanted to help prove his innocence.But he couldn't say it openly.Men are like that.
Chapter 204: Utilizing DisasterCricket explained his background and why he came here.He is a descendant of Noland, searching for gold here to clear his ancestor Noland's name as a "Great Liar" and to have a "life-or-death duel" with the ancestor who disrupted his entire life. Or, one could say, to set a goal for his disrupted life, for only with a goal does life have meaning.Usopp exclaimed that he was a true man.Then, at Luffy's question, Cricket explained why Masira and Shoujou came here.The reason was simple: they were fans of the picture book and were willing to help him explore the sea for gold.After spending a long time together, they could be considered to have joined.As Cricket himself said, their appearance saved him, saving him from being gradually eroded by the darkness and loneliness of the deep sea.Usopp was moved by this.But Luffy emphasized again that they wanted to go to Sky Island! The legendary Sky Island!!Then, the "waver" and "Sky Ocean" and "Sky Fish" recorded in Noland's logbook from four hundred years ago proved the existence of Sky Island.The house instantly erupted, with Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Nami all jumping with joy."That's great!!""It really exists!!!"Cricket didn't disturb their joy. He lit a cigarette, climbed out the window, and went outside. After a nap, he felt robust again."How are you feeling, old man?"Masira and Shoujou were originally "battling," but stopped to greet Cricket when they saw him come out."Never better.""Let me ask you a question, do you like those guys?"Cricket walked to the shore, looked at the sea, and asked."Why do you ask?"Masira asked."Because it seems they want to go to Sky Island no matter what."Cricket explained.Masira nodded, "Going to Sky Island, huh... If we're going, there's only one way!"Shoujou picked up where he left off, "But old man, if they go on their own, they'll surely die."Cricket crossed his arms and smiled, "So, how about we lend them a hand!?"...Cricket called Luffy and the others to the tree stump table outside, preparing to tell them all the clues about Sky Island."Some areas of the sea around here sometimes experience strange phenomena.""Even in broad daylight, it's instantly shrouded in 'darkness.'"Hearing this, Luffy immediately raised his hand to speak."Yes! That's right, we encountered it!"Then he turned to Satoru and Usopp, "Right?!"Usopp: "Exactly! After the darkness came, monsters appeared!!"Satoru mimicked Robin, resting his elbow on the table with one hand propping his face, "Monsters so incredibly huge they reached the sky.""Many legends have been fabricated about those giants, but let's not talk about that for now."Cricket replied, the focus wasn't on the monsters, but on the "darkness.""The ultimate cause of the darkness is the shadow of extremely thick cloud layers.""Are you talking about cumulonimbus clouds? But that level of darkness definitely isn't caused by overcast clouds."Nami was now a semi-expert in weather, and would be a full expert two years later.Luffy, on the other hand, called Cricket silly, it was rare for him to call someone else silly."Uncle, you're so silly. That kind of overcast weather is called a cloudy day!"Usopp: "Right! It's called a cloudy day."Chopper: "Yes, a cloudy day."(Feeling he should follow along) Satoru: "A cloudy day."Cricket shouted in exasperation, "Are you talking or am I talking?! Do I understand Sky Island or do you understand Sky Island?!""Shut up!! Listen quietly.""That is called a 'cumulonimbus cloud.'""It soars to the sky, but no airflow or rain is produced within the cloud layer.""Once a cumulonimbus cloud appears overhead, the light will be blocked, and the daylight on the ground will become night.""Some also say that the cumulonimbus cloud is a 'cloud fossil' that has been floating high in the sky for thousands, or even tens of thousands of years."Cricket explained the true reason for the white clouds turning into night.This completely overturned Nami's knowledge, so Nami couldn't accept it for a moment, but Cricketsaid,"I said, believe it or not, I'm not forcing you to believe.""This is the 'Incredible Cloud,' isn't it?"Luffy gave the cumulonimbus cloud a new name.Chopper was very supportive, "Wow, Luffy is so smart!""Hmm... you could say that. There's no accurate explanation for this cloud even now.""But I speculate, if Sky Island truly exists, it must be up there!!"Upon hearing this, Luffy and Usopp jumped up happily again, full of energy.Luffy: "Alright!! Then we'll go above the clouds!! Zoro, wake up!!"Zoro: "Huh? Is it morning?"Satoru: "It's been bright ever since you fell asleep.""The problem is how do we get there!! How many times do I have to say it!!"Nami shouted angrily. They all knew Sky Island was in the sky, the main problem was how to fly up there."Exactly, that's the point. Listen carefully to what I say next, or you might die!"Cricket said.Silenced by Nami's punches, Luffy and Usopp, with swollen pig-like faces, said, "We're already close to dying.""There's something called an 'Upstream Current.'""Theoretically, if you follow that current, you can go to the sky, understand?"Cricket continued, introducing new knowledge.Nami remembered this term; she had heard Bellamymention it in Mock Town."But the people in Mock Town said that ships would eventually fall into the sea.""That's because they don't understand, they're talking nonsense!!"Cricket was very disdainful when talking about the people of Mock Town."While that's not entirely wrong, the most important thing is timing!""Being swept up into the sky by a current sounds simple, but it's not easy to do.""The Upstream Current, to put it plainly, is a disaster, a natural killer to be avoided if possible.""Utilizing a disaster is not as simple as it sounds."
Chapter 205: This is a Win-Win SituationWhen Cricket asked whether they understood Sky Island better or he did, Satoru really wanted to pull off a face-slapping move, but he decided against it. There was no way to explain it; he couldn't possibly say he'd dreamed it, could he?It was easy enough to fool Luffy and the others, but now that Big Sister Robin was here, it was better to be cautious... Cricket had said that using the Knock Up Stream to fly into the sky meant exploiting a natural disaster, an action with only a one-in-ten chance of survival.Cricket then explained the principle of the Knock Up Stream, though it wasn't a definitive explanation.It was just a theory."There is a large hole on the seabed. The cold seawater nearby flows into that hole, and influenced by the deep-sea geothermal heat, it generates massive amounts of steam. When this steam accumulates to a certain extent, it causes a submarine eruption, forming the [Knock Up Stream].""The force of the eruption continuously blasts seawater toward the sky for about one minute.""The location of the eruption is different every time, and the frequency is five times a month."With that, Cricket finished explaining the method and the principle of how to reach Sky Island.Nami listened and exclaimed, "A minute of continuous water flow—what an immense scale!!!"Usopp had listened from start to finish, and Satorufelt his legs were shaking so much he could operate a sewing machine."You... are you trying to make us... smash into a thousand pieces?"Cricket glanced at him. "You're right. If the Knock Up Stream fails to carry you up to the cumulonimbus cloud, then falling into the sea, being smashed to pieces, and total annihilation will be your fate!""It is a possible consequence. Of course, none of us want it to happen.""Furthermore, even if the Knock Up Stream takes you up to the cumulonimbus cloud, if there is no Sky Island, you will still surely perish."The more frightened he became, the harder he shook, yet Usopp laughed—a laugh completely lacking confidence."Hahahaha, okay... I understand. Everyone, give up on Sky Island! What a pity! Luffy, this is way too risky!!""To put it plainly, if you aren't the luckiest of the lucky of the lucky... if you're not a super lucky person, you simply cannot go!"Despite what he said, Luffy remained all smiles."It's fine! Let's go!""Who knows? Maybe we are those super lucky people, Usopp."Satoru interjected."Hahaha, Satoru is right. How will we know if we don't try?""What do you mean, 'it's fine,' and 'we'll know if we try'? You are always talking nonsense.""Look at the dilapidated state of the going merry. How could it possibly withstand such a massive disaster?"Cricket affirmed Usopp's words every time."You're right. Even if that ship were brand new, it would be difficult for it to arrive safely.""Whether it's the speed, the weight, or the ship's structural integrity, it would certainly disintegrate the moment the sea current erupts."Hearing that the Merry would disintegrate, Usoppcouldn't take it!"What!!""So let's just give up!!!"Cricket always affirmed Usopp's statements, but then immediately offered a counterpoint."However, you don't need to worry about the ship. Masira and Shoujou will escort you and, first of all, handle the ship's reinforcement."Masira and Shoujou cooperatively leaned halfway out of the house window. "Ooh-ho-ho!! Leave this matter to us!!""We're counting on you!!"Luffy excitedly raised his hand in response."You're not charging us, are you?"Satoru chimed in, and Nami also pricked up her ears—the two money lovers."No."Cricket replied, exhaling a puff of smoke."That's wonderful."Nami loved free things."But the main problem is that we only have about one day left on Jaya Island. After that, the log posewill point to the next island.""Exactly! Exactly!! There's no time at all!!"Usopp immediately butted in."Also, old man, I don't think you're a prophet. This special day, when the Knock Up Stream and the cumulonimbus cloud overlap, is it a few days away, a few months, or a few years?"Usopp was smiling; as long as they couldn't go, he was happy.Cricket glanced at him. "It's tomorrow noon. If you want to go, you need to prepare quickly."Usopp's eyes nearly popped out. "That's just perfect!!!"Cricket looked at him. "If you don't want to go that badly, then don't." Although he said this, Cricketunderstood, as it was a matter of life or death.Usopp was speechless, choked up, and suddenly figured it out (which meant he didn't figure it out)."Something's wrong!! You're lying!! Because you're being too kind! We only just met today!!""And also!!""Shut up, Usopp!!"Luffy tried to stop him, but Usopp wouldn't listen."You shut up.""You're actually claiming that the timing to go to that illusory Sky Island is tomorrow!""It's too much of a coincidence!!""You even had people help us escort and reinforce our ship! Where do you find such good things!!""What exactly are you after?!""You are originally a descendant of Noland the Liar! It's normal for you to lie!!"Usopp's outburst was frantic.The scene quieted down.Zoro looked at him and remained silent.Just then, Masira, Shoujou, and Sanji pushed open the door."Old man, dinner is ready!! Tonight's meal is especially lavish.""I'm telling you, the food this guy made is so delicious it makes me tremble.""Miss Nami~ Dinner is served. Didn't I tell you I'm a first-rate chef?""Huh?"Sanji sensed that the atmosphere was a little strange.Cricket was about to speak, but Satoru beat him to it."Indeed, nobody helps others for no reason.""Perhaps you were moved by our determined and persistent nature.""Or perhaps, based on what I've heard, if the Knock Up Stream can erupt and blast a ship into the sky, is it possible that a large enough accumulated eruption could blast an entire city into the sky?""That possibility should exist.""Therefore, when we appeared, innocently talking about wanting to go to that illusory Sky Island, Uncle, upon hearing this, you must have considered this possibility.""If it's not underwater, is it possible that the Golden City is in the sky, on Sky Island?""So, ultimately, Usopp, Uncle helping us is also him helping himself.""This is a win-win situation.""Hmm, it must be that appreciating our persistent nature accounts for the larger part of it, right, Uncle?"Satoru proposed a possibility, and since this was the truth—the Golden City had indeed been blasted onto Sky Island by the Knock Up Stream—it sounded very convincing now.
Chapter 206: Drunk People Are the Most Honest"Hmm, it should be mostly because he appreciates our persistent character.""Right? Uncle."With that, Satoru smiled at Cricket.The scene remained quiet.It was Masira and Luffy who broke the silence."This guy is absolutely right. My smart self is trembling with fear."Satoru waved his hand, "Not that much, not that much, just ordinarily smart.""That's right, Satoru is absolutely right! Sky Island! Golden City!! Super adventure!! Hahahaha!!"Luffy raised his hands, cheering for future adventures. "Satoru is right" had almost become his catchphrase.Usopp had nothing to say.Nami's eyes turned into money symbols. "Golden City! If it's an entire Golden City, it's definitely worth the adventure."Cricket met Satoru's gaze, then suddenly burst out laughing, his cigarette not falling from his mouth."Hahahahaha, I admire you and I hate you, kid."Cricket laughed loudly.Children who are too smart aren't likable, which is why he liked Masira and Shoujou so much.Masira and Shoujou: What are you saying! What is this!! I want to see my lawyer!!"I am indeed very happy to meet you group of dream-chasing fools.""Let's go, let's eat together.""Rest well at my place tonight.""Comrades."As Cricket said this, he walked towards the house, passing Usopp. These words were like a scorching sun to Usopp, who had just spoken nonsense.Luffy, however, laughed happily, "Time to eat, Usopp!!""Hey, Chopper, go quickly and tell Sister Robin to come eat too."Nami said.Chopper obediently replied, "Okay."Zoro remained silent, gesturing to Satoru with his eyes.Satoru smiled and nodded, also not speaking, and walked into the house with Zoro.Nami didn't rush in; instead, she went behind the dejected Usopp who was sitting on the ground."If we want to fly into the sky, we can only try our best, though it's best to rely on luck.""But for treasure, adventure is worth it. There's no treasure that comes easily.""Nami... am I a pathetic coward?"Usopp asked.Nami nodded firmly, "And a fool too, but I understand how you feel.""Go apologize to the uncle."Usopp looked up, turned to glance at Nami, then immediately stood up and pounced towards Cricket's back, "I'm sorry, Uncle!! I shouldn't have said those things!"The uncle tried to shake him off in disgust."Wah!! Don't get snot on me!!!"...In Cricket's small, half-sized house, everyone was squeezed inside, but as long as it was a feast, no matter how big the venue, they would be happy.Luffy silently ate his meal, his cheeks puffed up again.Cricket, getting drunk, started asking Nami to sit next to him. Sanji immediately stepped on his head, pushing him away, indicating, "Do you even deserve to sit with Miss Nami?"The previously dejected Usopp now began to tease Shoujou with chili pellets.Zoro and Masira were having a drinking contest, with Zoro declaring, "This is just the beginning."Everyone sat on the floor, which was carpeted.Robin, however, was slightly away from the crowd, sitting by the wall, reading Noland's logbook from over 400 years ago. Naturally, Robin was interested in such historical items.Satoru brought her a cup of black tea. "How is it? Any discoveries, Sister Robin?" Satoru had changed the address from 'Big Sister', otherwise he would also receive the address 'Little Brother'.Robin smiled as she took the black tea. Before she could speak, Cricket suddenly appeared in front of her, his eyes close to the logbook, startling Robin."Gold in the right eye of the skull.""Gold."HearingCricket continued."That was Noland's last entry, but after I came to Jaya Island, I still couldn't figure out what it meant.""What does the skull's right eye allude to?""Is it some ancient city?""Or is he hinting at his impending death?""But there are no other words on the blank pages that follow.""That's why we've been diving to search for it!!"At the last sentence, Cricket shouted loudly, then glanced at Satoru."But now there's another possibility.""We're going to fly into the blue sky!!""Whoo-hoo!! Yes! We're going to fly into the blue sky.""Oh no!"Cricket took a sip of wine and pointed at Luffy."It's you, you are going to fly into the blue sky!""Whoo-hoo! Yes! You are going to fly into the blue sky!!"Feasts are always full of laughter and joy.But there are always some who spoil the mood.Bellamy's ship had already appeared not far out at sea, coming for the gold."If the gleaming gold nuggets were taken by those dream-chasing fools, it would truly be pearls cast before swine..."...A blush crept up his face.Cricket was drunk.Drunk people are the most honest.He began to recount the story from Noland's logbook."This is the log entry for May 21, 1122, the day we arrived at Jaya Island.""Upon reaching that island, we heard the calls of strange birds from the forest.""And the sound of a very, very large bell.""That was the sound of a giant golden bell.""That bell's sound spread across the land, resounding through the clouds.""As if the ancient capital of yesteryear was boasting of its past glory.""The ancient civilization nurtured by the vast sea ultimately could not overcome the impermanence of life...""It made us, who had idled away decades, lament how unpredictable things are, and how life is like a dream.""We stood for a long time amidst the sound of the bell..."At this point, combined with being drunk, Cricketcould no longer suppress his emotions.He raised both hands and shouted."Ah!! Noland is truly too cool!!"Indeed, drunk people are the most honest.Nami's focus still had a "Nami-esque" quality."Amazing, there's such a huge golden bell!!"Usopp laughed with his mouth wide open."So, Uncle, you really like Noland!!"Satoru wondered what Cricket, who hid his true feelings, would react like if he could record this and show it to him when he sobered up.
Chapter 207: South Bird Capture PlanThey say drunk people are the most honest.The banquet was held in the half-demolished house.Cricket was drunk, yet he still expressed his admiration for his ancestor, "The Great Liar" Noland, subconsciously refusing to believe that Noland had lied.He also mentioned Noland's experiences on Jaya Island back then: strange bird calls and the sound of a prosperous bell echoing as if from an ancient capital.He then took out a small golden bell, about the size of Cricket's palm, which was proof of the giant golden bell's existence."Look at this!"Seeing the glittering gold, Nami got excited again."Wow! It's a real [golden bell]!!""The craftsmanship is quite exquisite. I didn't expect it to be an ancient artifact."Satoru replied. Xiao Bai unwound itself from his hand and coiled around the bell, creating a unique sight."How big is this bell supposed to be, exactly!?"Usopp asked."Noland wasn't talking about this one, of course. This is just a bell-shaped ingot. We found three of these underwater!"Cricket replied.Masira brought the other two bells.The three small golden bells placed together were truly a rich person's "figure collection."The three small bells had slight differences in appearance, but the craftsmanship was meticulous on all of them.Xiao Bai also started moving and coiling around the three bells, seemingly trying to figure out which one was most comfortable."So that proves the Golden City really exists!!" Luffyasked.Masira leaned against the wall and replied lazily."How can this little bit of stuff be proof? Even ordinary ruins can yield this much gold.""What is an ingot?"Chopper asked curiously.Robin first answered Masira for Luffy, "However, this is enough to prove that a civilization once existed in this area." She then explained what an ingot was: "[Ingots] are small pieces of gold, divided for ease of calculation, used for experimenting with things to be cast, and also for trade.""You are truly knowledgeable, Sister Robin."Satoru praised her.Robin returned a smile, "Satoru, you also know quite a lot."Satoru laughed heartily, "No, no, not at all."Cricket affirmed Robin's statement."That's right. As for the strange bird mentioned earlier...""Shoujou."As soon as Cricket called his name, Shoujouunderstood."Alright, Old Man."Then he took out a bag and placed it on the ground. When the bag was removed, inside was a golden sculpture, slightly larger than the golden bell.It was shaped like a human body with a bird's head, holding a golden bell in its hands.[Image]"This is quite big."Zoro said."Wow, it's beautiful."Nami praised it, perhaps anything made of gold was beautiful to her."This is all the gold we've salvaged. Ten years of diving, and only finding this much is totally unprofitable, hahaha."Cricket said with a bit of self-mockery."What is this? A penguin?"Luffy asked."This is called a [South Bird]. This species still lives on this island."Cricket replied, touching the golden sculpture."Its call is strange?"Luffy pressed.Cricket nodded, "Yes, just like the logbook said.""Speaking of South Birds, sailors used to have a saying..."Shoujou and Masira were excitedly preparing to tell Luffy and the others the legend of the South Bird.Cricket suddenly exclaimed in shock, "Damn it!!"Everyone jumped in surprise, and Usopp quickly asked."What is it!! What's wrong!!"Cricket shouted, though it barely counted as an answer."Something terrible is happening! You must hurry to the forest, the southern forest!!""Uncle, are you going crazy from the alcohol? What are you talking about?""Go catch this bird and bring it back! Now, immediately!!"Cricket didn't answer Luffy, but pointed at the sculpture instead."W-what's wrong with that bird?"Seeing how anxious the uncle was, Sanji also asked, confused.Cricket said very seriously."Listen carefully. The Sky-Piercing Stream you are heading to tomorrow is directly south of this cape. Do you know how to get there?"Luffy answered easily."We'll just sail straight south!""This is the Grand Line! Once you leave the shore, you won't be able to tell north from south!!"Cricket replied.Nami also realized the problem."That's right! Our target this time isn't an [island] but a [sea current]. The log pose is useless. What should we do? Sail straight south..."Nami's voice trailed off on the last few words."I guess we need this bird then? Since its name has'South' in it, right, Uncle?"Satoru finished Nami's thought."Yes, what you said. This relies on the South Bird's special characteristic."Thinking about this problem had immediately sobered Cricket up; he was quite clear-headed now."Some animals have magnetic stones inside their bodies that allow them to determine direction and know their location."Cricket explained.Nami immediately replied, "Yes, I heard pigeons and salmon have that ability."Luffy nodded vaguely, then laughed loudly and looked at Zoro, "Oh~ So that means you're worse than an animal, Zoro, hahahaha."Ultimate mockery. Luffy was sometimes brutally honest and sharp-tongued."Hahahahaha, that's true."Satoru couldn't help but laugh out loud.Zoro was "furious" and shouted at Luffy, "You have no right to talk about others!!""Alright, alright. When it comes to finding the way, you two are six of one and half a dozen of the other.""Let's listen to the uncle continue."Satoru patted both of them and said.Luffy pouted, "I'm clearly slightly better than Zoro.""But fine, Uncle, you continue."Cricket was already used to these guys interrupting him constantly, so he continued."The [South Bird] is the best of all animals at distinguishing direction.""No matter how vast the land or sea it is placed upon, it can accurately point south. That's where its name comes from.""In short, without this bird, you won't even find the direction, let alone go to Sky Island!!"Hearing this, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper instantly sobered up and complained."Why are you only telling us about such an important thing now!!""Stop dawdling!! Go find the South Bird right now! We'll start reinforcing your ship immediately!"Cricket replied loudly.Just like that, Luffy and the others were chased out of the house and began the South Bird Capture Plan.
Chapter 208: Waiting"Listen up! You must catch at least one South Birdbefore dawn!""Otherwise, we won't be able to set sail in time!"Under Cricket's extremely serious warning, the Straw Hat Pirates began the "South Bird Catching Plan"... "Wow! It's so dark."As everyone entered the forest, Luffy exclaimed, unsure whether he was scared or excited, though excitement seemed to be the dominant feeling.Zoro just wanted to finish quickly and go back to drinking.Chopper's tongue was hanging out; he felt bloated from eating too much earlier.Nami was simply lamenting how sudden the whole situation was.Usopp clung tightly to Sanji's waist, "sticking" right behind him."Stop sticking to me!"Sanji pushed Usopp away with his hand.Hugging his waist? Usopp? Forget it. Nami and Sister Robin √✪ω✪.Usopp bit his finger, terrified by the pitch black surroundings."Seriously, they should have told us about this during the day!""Also, that bastard Satoru is such a sly fox! He said he had something urgent to attend to, left Xiao Bai with us, and claimed Xiao Bai was a secret weapon."Looking at Xiao Bai coiled around Luffy's arm, Usopp complained about Satoru. Usopp also wished he had "something to do" instead of being in this dark forest.However, if he knew the fight Satoru was about to face, he might prefer coming to this forest ten or even a hundred times rather than participating in that battle.Satoru's absence was also due to his dislike of bugs. Beetles and rhinoceros beetles were fine, but those single, squirming caterpillars... he'd rather pass."If Satoru has something to do, just let him go.""Let's focus on where the bird is!"Luffy replied."If we knew where it was, we wouldn't all have to go out."Zoro was a bit annoyed. Drinking or catching a bird—guess which he'd choose."The only clues are its strange call and its appearance, like a golden sculpture."Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp formed a circle to discuss tactics, but don't hold your breath expecting them to come up with any good plans."Is there really a bird that bizarre?"Zoro replied.Usopp picked up where he left off."Plus,'strange call' isn't helpful. We haven't heard it, so how are we supposed to know what counts as strange!"Just as Usopp finished speaking, a bird call echoed through the forest, sounding extremely strange."Chirp..."The strange call caused Luffy and the others, including Chopper, to exclaim, "Ah! What a strange sound!"It must be said that Usopp has a tiny bit of luck on his side."That must be it."Robin said with a smile.Luffy flashed a wide, toothy grin."Alright!""Now that it's come to this, we must catch it!!""We have three nets, so let's split into three teams.""Let's go! Let's kick that strange bird away!!""It's catch! Catch!!"And so, Luffy and the others here split into three groups to catch the South Bird.Sanji, Nami, and Usopp formed one team.Zoro and Robin formed another team.Luffy and Chopper formed the last team... Meanwhile, Satoru flew through the air and quickly arrived at Mock Town, heading straight for the same tavern as last time.He pushed open the wooden tavern door.Wooden Door: Oh, thank goodness! I don't know how long it's been since someone pushed me. I almost forgot I was a door.Satoru walked in with steady steps. When the drinkers inside saw Satoru, the scene instantly went silent, and pairs of eyes fixed on him.Satoru's expression was normal, showing no concern, and he continued walking toward the bar. The only sound in the tavern was the tapping of his feet on the wooden floor.Reaching the bar, Satoru sat down. "Boss, a glass of rum.""Also, are those guys from the Bellamy Pirates not around?"The boss nodded, answering Satoru's first question, and then spoke to answer the second."No, they are not."The answer was very concise, and Satoru simply nodded.He thought, have those pests already left for the Chestnut Head Uncle's house? It seems those three are destined for a beating. I'll just wait here for Luffyto arrive.Waiting. The next thing to do was wait.The people watching Satoru naturally didn't stare forever, but upon hearing Satoru refer to Bellamyand his crew as "those guys," they couldn't help but marvel at Satoru's audacity.But there are always people with nothing better to do who want to "restart" early.
Chapter 209: The Night Has Just BegunLuffy and the others began searching for the South Bird in the forest south of Cricket's house; their smooth departure depended on it.Meanwhile, Satoru arrived at the tavern in Mock Town."Don't say I'm being lazy—Little Bai represents me, alright?"This was Satoru's excuse.Upon arriving at the tavern, Bellamy and his crew were no longer there. It seemed Cricket, Shoujou, and Masira couldn't avoid a beating.So, Satoru decided to simply drink at the tavern and wait for Luffy to arrive. It definitely wasn't laziness; there was a reason for it.But there are always people who disturb the mood, eager to meet the King of Hell... The tavern owner, an uncle, slid a drink toward Satoru."Thank you."Satoru replied with a smile. Just as he picked up his glass, a thin, rather tall hoodlum with a Mohawk hairstyle approached him from behind.In short: a Skinny Dog.Satoru glanced at him, wondering if he was a Stick Insect spirit or if the guy had eaten the Stick Insect devil fruit."Aren't you one of those three idiot outsiders who believe Sky Island exists?""Where are the girl and that Straw Hat? Are they dead?""It's normal if they died. After all, idiots like you can't survive in Mock Town.""You're all alone now. Why don't you come under this great one's wing? You insulted Bellamy and his crew earlier. If they find out, you're dead for sure!""Ah! Think carefully about this."As the man spoke, he reached out, intending to clap Satoru on the shoulder.Satoru calmly took a sip of his drink, just as the man's hand was about to land.He put down the glass, raised his hand, and a Flintlock Pistol appeared, spinning in his palm. Satoru stopped the rotation, grabbed the barrel, held the gun upside down, and used the butt to block the man's palm.Just as the man stared, wondering where Satorupulled the gun from,Satoru forcefully shook off his hand, then swung the gun like a club, hitting the man in the abdomen with the butt. The impact sent the man flying directly through the tavern's central double wooden doors.The instant the man flew out, the Flintlock Pistol spun again in Satoru's hand. Gripping the butt, Satoru kept his body still, bent his arm ninety degrees behind him, and fired without hesitation.The bullet shot out, flying through the rebounding wooden door and hitting the man squarely between the eyebrows.The man, mid-flight, didn't even utter a sound before he died with regret, crashing into the wall and sliding down lifelessly. This all happened in just a few seconds.If Beckman were here, he would definitely be smoking a cigarette and smiling as he said, "You've got a bit of my style, kid."Satoru would then roll his eyes at him... The tavern fell silent again, with only the creaking sound of the wooden door swinging back and forth confirming what had just happened.The other drinkers gaped, unable to believe what had transpired in those few short seconds.Satoru placed the gun on the table and smiled toward the owner, the uncle."Boss, this shouldn't count as fighting inside the establishment, right?"The owner looked at the Flintlock Pistol, then at Satoru, swallowed hard, and picked up the bottle to refill Satoru's drink."It doesn't count."The owner was experienced enough to know that the less he said, the better.Having witnessed Satoru's strength, instantly killing someone in a flash, some people wanted to leave.But just as they stood up, Satoru set his cup down with a slight, deliberate force."The night has just begun.""Why are you in such a hurry to leave?""Could I ask everyone to wait here with me?"Satoru still didn't turn around, his voice slowly drifting out.The tavern was as quiet as a library.A large man couldn't stand it anymore. He slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and pointed at Satoru, cursing."Wait for who?! Can't I go home?!"Satoru turned around, a smile on his face. "If you're in a hurry to go back, please do."The big man met Satoru's gaze. Earlier, he had looked down on him entirely, but now, he felt a bit of fear from the bottom of his heart.Mustering his courage, the big man grabbed a bottle of liquor, walked up to the wooden door, kicked it open, and stepped outside. The moment his entire body was out,*Bang!* A bullet followed immediately, hitting the exact foot he used to kick the door."Aah!!"The big man instantly collapsed onto the ground in pain, clutching his leg.Satoru had principles: if he said he wouldn't fight inside the tavern, he wouldn't. But if someone went outside, well, that was a different story.
Chapter 210: Compared to the great treasure, which is better?Meanwhile, Luffy and the others' South Bird capture plan didn't seem to be going very well.First, there was the group consisting of Sanji, Nami, and Usopp.They didn't even catch a glimpse of the bird.Instead, there were plenty of spiders around their waists, scaring Sanji and Nami into running behind a bush, next to a tree."Why are you shouting so loudly? It's just a spider."Usopp complained. He wasn't afraid of insects (his master during his two years of training was even an insect). He raised his arm and let the spider crawl onto it.It was no wonder Nami and Sanji were scared. If Satoru were here, he would at least give the spider a whole clip."What do you mean, 'just a spider'? We hate it precisely because it's a spider!!""Throw it away, Usopp! That must be a poisonous spider!!"Nami and Sanji replied.But Usopp looked relaxed. "This is a Tarantula Poisonous Spider. Don't worry, as long as you don't attack it, it won't attack people proactively.""I even experienced the'Spider War' before."Normally, you could only trust one-tenth of what Usopp said, but seeing how relaxed he looked now, they might grudgingly believe two-tenths of it."I absolutely can't stand those disgusting bugs!!""If I had known this, I might as well have gone with Satoru just now, even though I don't know what he's up to!!"Nami immediately replied. It wasn't about whether it hurt people; it was about how terrifying and disgusting it looked!Sanji expressed the same sentiment."I hate them too!!!""Absolutely not! Miss Nami, men and women should not touch; you cannot be alone with him. That scoundrel Satoru is not simple."(In Sanji's mind, any male on the ship who gets to spend time alone with Nami or Robin is a scoundrel, except for himself.)Like he had split personalities, Sanji appeared calm when talking to Nami, but when he turned to look at Usopp, he became flustered again."Hurry up and throw it away! The farther the better!!"Usopp turned his head to look at them."Oh really? But aren't you afraid of the centipedes and moths over there?""What!!!"Nami and Sanji turned their heads, following Usopp's gaze, only to see the nearby tree trunk covered in centipedes and moths.The two were scared into a "scream." Sanji's Curly Brow almost straightened out, and they turned and ran without hesitation."We hate centipedes and moths too!!!"Seeing the two of them run off, Usopp immediately followed."Don't leave me behind!!!""Put the spider down first!!!" x2Well, the progress of this group's capture plan is: 0....South Bird Capture Plan, Zoro and Robin's group.Robin was wearing the purple cowboy hat she often wore in the previous two years, and the faint shouts of Nami and the others could be heard."I can hear their screams...""Ignore them."Zoro replied directly.Anyone unaware might think Zoro was still the same person who had just recently joined the ship.As he answered, a giant centipede emerged from the bushes behind him and lunged. Zoro turned, used his thumb to flick up the hilt of the wado ichimonji, and the pommel struck the centipede's head, instantly knocking it out.Zoro didn't need to guide it with his hand; the sword slid back into the sheath on its own.Bending down and picking up the centipede, Zoroexclaimed, "This centipede is way too big.""Don't kill all of them. They are quite pitiful."Robin always had affection for small animals. If Satoru were present, he'd surely ask, "Does this thing count as a'small' animal?"Zoro didn't care about any of that miscellaneous stuff."They provoked me first! And also, don't tell me what to do!""Listen up. Although you haven't shown your true colors yet, I still don't trust you. Don't forget that."Zoro said to Robin.It wasn't that he was overly suspicious; after all, Robin had previously been an enemy.Furthermore, ultimately, the members of the Straw Hat Pirates gathered together because of Luffy, but it was precisely Zoro's presence that allowed the Straw Hat Pirates to bond more closely. Everything must have rules. Ordinary matters, like Luffy getting hit by Nami, were irrelevant, but when it came to serious matters, Luffy had to maintain the Captain's dignity so that the pirate crew would not fall apart.After speaking, Zoro coolly turned and walked away.Robin spoke, "But...""What?""That's the path we just took."Robin "defeated the enemy" with one move.Zoro's retreating figure showed embarrassment, and Luffy's words and Satoru's laughter during dinner seemed to echo in his ears again.A bird cry broke the awkward scene."Chirp."Robin immediately looked in the direction of the sound."A bird cry!""It's over here. Be careful of the swamp there."Robin turned and walked away, not forgetting to remind Zoro to watch out for the swamp.Zoro was finding this woman increasingly incomprehensible."Hey!! Wait for me..."Zoro followed, and then... "Waaah!!"He was given the correct answer, yet he still managed to step into the trap... *Swoosh* (An extremely high-level transition effect)The last group of the South Bird Capture Plan: Luffyand Chopper's group."Got it!!"Luffy happily shouted, looking up.They thought he had caught the South Bird, but instead..."Look, Chopper, it's [Atlas]."Luffy excitedly spoke to Chopper, holding a beetle in his hand."Atlas?"Chopper indicated he didn't know what that was."Yeah, the [Atlas] and the [Hercules] are favorites among people all over the world.""Satoru has a specimen of a Hercules in his room. Now it's great, I have an Atlas! Hahaha."Luffy laughed happily.Chopper nodded in understanding. "I see, so that's why you keep running to Satoru's room, Luffy."Luffy nodded.This was also why Satoru chose to take his nap in the crow's nest; with Luffy's cheerful laughter around, he couldn't sleep at all."Then, compared to the great treasure, which one is better?"Chopper certainly knows how to ask questions.This stumped Luffy."Hmm... it's hard to decide which is superior."Good heavens, that answer is truly characteristic of Luffy.Satoru would say, "If you give me the great treasure, I'll catch ten pairs of these world-favorite insects, no problem."After catching the Atlas, Luffy carefully preserved it (by just stuffing it into his pants pocket).Chopper and Luffy continued walking. Luffy was blessed with good luck."Chirp!"A bird cry sounded. The two looked up and saw, sure enough, a bird resembling a golden sculpture."Luffy, look quickly! It's that bird!!"Chopper said excitedly."That's right!! Hurry and catch it!!"Luffy was equally excited.Just as he raised his hand, the South Bird let out several cries."Chirp!! Chirp chirp!! Chirp...""Luffy, it says, 'I'm going to kill the scoundrels disturbing this forest.'"Chopper translated.Next, a giant praying mantis rushed out. With a swing of its sickle, a tree was instantly chopped down, showing how sharp it was.Many bees also emerged from the hive beneath the South Bird's feet, looking ready to strike.Although it was just a bird, a cunning and smug smile seemed visible on its face.With a chirp from the bird, the praying mantis and the bees instantly launched their attack.Little White unhurriedly coiled from Luffy's palm onto his shoulder, and a red light flashed in its eyes.The praying mantis and the bees instantly froze."Hiss hiss..."Little White flicked its tongue and hissed, and the praying mantis and the bees immediately turned to face the South Bird.The South Bird was stunned. What the hell is going on here!!!
Chapter 211: A Smile Full of Killing Intent"A little brat who doesn't even have the courage to dream has no right to call himself a pirate."Even though he was severely injured, Cricket still stood up and spoke to Bellamy.This was an affirmation of his persistence over the years; he could not fall, or rather, as long as he could stand, he would not fall.The New Era Pirates Bellamy spoke of were just trash who dared not take risks, relying on robbery, threats, and enjoying easy success.Among all views regarding the New Era, his was the trashiest, and correspondingly, his strength was the weakest... Back in the forest.Seeing his subordinates suddenly turn around to confront him, the South Bird's face showed astonishment. What the hell was this?Let alone him, even Luffy didn't react immediately."Huh, what's going on?"But Chopper understood what Little Bai said."It's Little Bai.""He just said, 'Choose whether to die or turn around,' and those hornets and that mantis turned around.""Really? Hahaha, just like Satoru said, Little Bai is a secret weapon."Luffy tried to reach out and pat Little Bai, but Little Bai glared him away.Little Bai: I'm trying to look cool, and you want to pat my head?The South Bird was at a loss, having never encountered such a thing in its bird life. Its upward gaze suddenly met Little Bai's eyes, and it instantly froze.Little Bai also showed a smile, resembling Satorusomewhat."Hiss hiss~""What did Little Bai say?"Luffy asked.When Luffy asked, Chopper immediately translated."He said, 'Get down!'""It won't come down just by calling it like that, Little Bai."Luffy complained.Then the South Bird flew down and landed on Chopper's head.Luffy: "...Little Bai is really amazing."Little Bai lightly patted Luffy's face with its tail, indicating, 'That's all? Piece of cake.'After a few hisses, it coiled back onto Luffy's wrist and went back to sleep."Little Bai said that he and it (the South Bird) have an agreement: it will help us, but we must release it after we achieve our goal."Chopper translated Little Bai's recent hisses.Luffy nodded. "Oh~ I get it."He definitely didn't get it... "Rolling rocks are coming down!!""No, it's... giant ladybugs!""Ah! That hurts."Little Bai kindly persuaded the South Bird to cooperate, while the insects commanded by the South Bird were still attacking the other two groups.Usopp's group faced rolling attacks from giant ladybugs, as well as huge, slimy slugs.Zoro and Robin faced a large army of mole Crickets. Zoro outwardly told Robin not to interfere, but he used the blunt side of his sword when fighting the mole Crickets... "It's a slug! Usopp, quickly throw salt!"A slug suddenly emerged from behind a tree, scaring Sanji into immediately telling Usopp to throw salt.Just then, sounds of "Ah ah ah..." came through.Luffy, carrying Chopper and the South Bird, descended from the sky and stepped squarely on the slug's back. The slug's eyes, which were squinted into a slit, instantly widened, becoming larger than Kazilan Big Eyes."Hahahaha, that was exciting! Nami, Usopp, Sanji, are you guys okay?"Luffy asked, holding his straw hat firmly.The slug under his foot: I... am not okay... "Cheep cheep."The South Bird chirped twice, and the ladybugs and slugs began to retreat.Slug:... "Ah! Thank you for catching us."Luffy got off the slug and thanked it.Slug:... (Walked away, dragging its back which was dented with two footprints)"Luffy? This bird?"Nami asked.Luffy then told them what had just happened... "You bastard mole Crickets, do you really think you can win against us!?"Zoro shouted angrily. One mole Cricket, with a huge bump on its head, still stood tearfully in front of him, looking like 'I can cry, but I won't surrender.' Behind it were 'thousands upon thousands' of its brethren; half were down, but the other half remained firm.Just as Zoro was about to lose control and use the sharp side of his sword, disregarding Robin's gaze, Luffy and the others arrived."Hey, there are Kung Fu Manatees here too.""How does it look like one?!"Luffy questioned when he saw the army of mole Crickets, and everyone immediately refuted him.After the South Bird chirped two more times, the army of mole Crickets retreated. Zoro sheathed his sword, looking relieved that they were finally gone."Captain, this bird?"Initially, Robin mainly referred to everyone by their roles, which is why she called Satoru by name, or Little Brother Satoru.Satoru: What nonsense! What nonsense! Who are you implying things about here!!Luffy continued to explain that it was Little Bai's doing."Is that so? He's quite reliable."Hearing this, Robin looked at Little Bai on Luffy's wrist and said with a smile."In any case, since we caught it, let's go back."Zoro said."Right, right, right, I definitely don't want to come back to this place."Nami and Usopp immediately agreed."Alright, let's go back and wait for the morning flight! Hahahaha."Luffy raised his hands and spoke, highly anticipating the adventure about to begin in the morning.Full of excitement.But after returning to Cricket's house, their excitement was instantly half-eclipsed by anger... "Chestnut Head Uncle!!""Shoujou!!""Masira!!"Luffy and the others returned.They saw Cricket and Shoujou lying on the ground, covered in blood, while Masira had fallen into the sea near the shore, his arm tightly gripping a reef so he wouldn't sink or drift away.Sanji immediately jumped down to grab Masira, and Chopper helped him pull Masira up."The Golden Merry!! Who was the bastard who did this!!!"Usopp saw the Golden Merry sliced in half, and his heart bled.Luffy squatted down to check on Cricket's condition."Uncle! Uncle, are you okay!!"Despite his severe injuries, Cricket was still apologizing for delaying the reinforcement of the Merry."Stop talking about that!! Uncle, first tell me who injured you!"Luffy asked.Cricket sat up. "Don't worry about that. But, luckily you managed to catch the South Bird."As he spoke, Nami came out of the house and cried out in alarm."Luffy! The gold is gone!!"Everyone was startled, realizing this was the reason.Cricket, however, waved his hand dismissively."It's fine, it doesn't matter.""What do you mean, it doesn't matter!! This is what you old guys spent ten years fishing up!!"Usopp shouted.Cricket was silent for a moment, not responding to Usopp's words."If the entire Saruyama Alliance moves out, we'll have enough time to repair and reinforce the ship before you depart in the morning.""Listen up, we absolutely must send you up into the sky!!"Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.Zoro quietly called Luffy's name, signaling him to look at the wall behind them."Hey, Luffy..."Painted on the wall was the symbol of the BellamyPirates."Do you need help?""I can handle it alone."Luffy and Zoro conversed."That's Bellamy's symbol!!""Don't be foolish, Luffy, it'll be dawn in three hours."Hearing their conversation, Nami knew what Luffyintended to do."That's enough time."At this moment, Satoru's voice suddenly came from behind."Satoru!!"Everyone shouted.Satoru first bowed and apologized to Cricket and the others."My apologies. If I had been here, this wouldn't have happened.""The main thing is, they damaged the Merry. They really... did a great job (gritting his teeth)."A smile full of killing intent—this was everyone's understanding of Satoru.When Satoru smiles with narrowed eyes, it means he is angry.When Luffy loses his smile, it means he is angry.Now, the two highest-bounty members of the Straw Hat Pirates rushed toward Mock Town.
Chapter 212: One Person Oppressing EveryoneSatoru sat by the bar counter, the only one there.He drank and tapped on the counter. Each tap startled the people behind him, as if he wasn't tapping the bar top, but their very nerves.One person oppressed everyone.It wasn't that Satoru possessed Conqueror's Haki, or that he looked particularly imposing.It was just that no matter who tried to escape or ambush him from behind, Satoru could always accurately hit their right foot without turning around, and only their right foot.Many people lay on the ground wailing. Satoru fired a shot out the door, signaling them to be quiet.And to the owner, he said, "They're playing a live-action shooting game with me, that doesn't count as a brawl, does it?"...While the Main Body was still waiting here, the other clone returned to Cricket's house.Satoru knew that Cricket and his crew had been beaten.But the going merry being cut in half was a scene Satoru had forgotten, so he felt very apologetic towards the Merry, and his anger soared."I'll take you, three hours, that's enough, Luffy."Satoru smiled at Luffy. Luffy was the one who knew Satoru best here, and he understood that it was best not to refuse Satoru now."Okay."Luffy nodded in response."Wait!! Where are you two brats going!!""Don't meddle, who do you think your opponents are..."Cricket shouted.Zoro drew his wado ichimonji, still in its sheath, and blocked his path."If you want to stop them, use this."Cricket fell silent.Satoru turned his head halfway, his profile facing Cricket, a smile still on his face, "Who are the opponents? In our eyes, they're just... trash...""We'll be back in the morning."Luffy finished his sentence.With that, Luffy jumped onto Satoru's back, and Satoru stepped into the air and flew away. After all, they were going to beat people up; a princess carry would be too undignified.Cricket watched Satoru step into the air and fly. He hadn't known Satoru had this ability, and at the same time, he also realized that he didn't know how strong Luffy and his crew were....Meanwhile, Bellamy and his crew had already returned to Mock Town, loaded with loot, practically wanting the whole town to know they were laughing.Satoru was tapping on the bar in the tavern. Bellamy and his crew were heard before they were seen, so Satoru stopped tapping. "They're finally here, these pieces of trash."Satoru said this without any concealment, making the tavern's customers and owner tremble with fear.Seeing a dead man leaning against the tavern's outer wall, Bellamy and his crew didn't care; it was common in Mock Town.Sarquiss, with his female companion Lili, kicked open the wooden door, and Bellamy walked in first.He paused for a barely noticeable moment, then continued to walk in as if nothing had happened.Sarquiss, behind him, wasn't as calm."What's going on?!"But no one dared to answer.There were no wailing people lying in the tavern, just patches of blood on the floor.Earlier, Satoru was drinking and couldn't stand the wailing of the injured. A bullet in the leg was tolerable, so Satoru told them to get out. As for the others who wanted to leave, Satoru said it was fine, but they either had to knock him down or take a bullet in the leg. They fell silent again... Bellamywalked directly to the bar, "The usual."The owner nodded, indicating he understood."What's wrong, Sarquiss? You're still surprised by this. What's wrong with blood on the tavern floor?"Bellamy leaned back against the bar, resting his elbows on it, and looked at Sarquiss as he spoke."No, Bellamy, it's just that there's blood, but the tables and everything are unusually tidy."Sarquiss replied.The other silent customers thought to themselves, 'Of course it's tidy! There was no fight, it was a one-sided massacre!'"Why do you care about that! Let's just celebrate our successful haul this time!! Hahaha""And you! You idiot who believes in Sky Island, are you planning to join me now that you're back!?"Bellamy was very arrogant, why care so much, just drink. Then he tilted his head to the side, looked at Satoru, and asked with his tongue hanging out.
Chapter 213: A Hundred Million Berries ManTo retrieve Cricket's gold.At this moment, Satoru and Luffy were riding... ah, no, stepping through the air on their way here.However, saying Luffy "rode" Satoru would actually be quite fitting... Meanwhile, in the tavern, Satoru's Main Body and Bellamy had already met.Although the 'cool hooligans' under the wall outside, the bloodstains at the entrance, and on the tavern floor all hinted that something was amiss, Bellamy's arrogance made him completely ignore it.He ordered drinks first, then looked at Satoru and said disdainfully."You idiot who believes in Sky Island, did you come back to join me, your master, huh!?""Or are you planning to regain your honor for your group!"Bellamy's tongue hung out as he tilted his head back to look at Satoru.He loved to let his tongue hang out so much; Satorufinally understood why he was called the 'Hyena'.Before Satoru could answer, Sarquiss spoke first."Hahahaha, Bellamy, what kind of joke are you making? Him? Regain honor?""With those thin arms and thin legs, he's more of a sissy than a sissy, hahahaha."As these words left his mouth, Satoru almost couldn't resist blowing him away first, rather than waiting for Luffy and his clone to arrive.Satoru still didn't speak, his glass of wine was almost empty.Just then, a customer couldn't hold back, slamming the table and standing up."Boss Bellamy!! This person just called you trash!!""He killed the person outside, and the bloodstains on the ground are from him shooting someone in the right leg.""He said either he'd kill them, or they'd take a shot to the leg to leave!!""I've never seen anyone so arrogant!!!"The burly man blurted out, accusing Satoru, practically in tears.Satoru finished the last sip of wine in his glass and turned around."That's not how it happened.""I don't have a gun on me, who are you slandering?"Satoru said with a smile. Indeed, he didn't have a gun on him now, only an ordinary bracelet.The burly man was choked speechless, "You... I..."Then came a bang, and a bullet hit the burly man's forehead; Sarquiss had fired the shot."What trash.""Even if it's true, why didn't you say anything when we first came in, and only now?""Also, pretty boy, what exactly are you here for? Are you here to join us!?"Sarquiss directly aimed his gun at Satoru and asked, a look of amusement on his face.Just then, the tavern door was kicked open again."Bad news!!"A vein throbbed on Sarquiss's forehead. He turned his gun and fired a shot."Bang!"The vagrant's hat was shot off, and he froze in place."Damn it, why is someone always interrupting me! Tell me what's the bad news! If you can't, I'll blow your brains out!!"Sarquiss said.Eddy, the navigator of the Bellamy Pirates, also said while drinking."Bad news?""What bad news? Our Captain has a bounty of 55 million Berries; what bad news could there be with him around?"Satoru had to praise him; his words were the perfect setup for the vagrant to announce their bounties later.The vagrant's legs trembled.Bellamy told Sarquiss to put down his gun, "Don't be so scary, Sarquiss, put down the gun.""You, quickly tell us what's happening."What Bellamy didn't know was that the vagrant wasn't trembling because of Sarquiss's gun, but because of Satoru next to him.Satoru also showed a kind smile, "Go on, speak, it's fine."Everyone watched the vagrant, who was sweating profusely and almost couldn't stand."Ah! Ahhh!!!"After throwing out three bounty posters, he turned and ran out without looking back, leaving the tavern.The bounty posters floated down from the air.Sarquiss put away his gun, "How inexplicable."The bounty posters landed on a table where some customers were sitting.They were all facing upwards.A man discovered these were Satoru's bounty posters."One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand... hundred million!!!!"By the end, his eyes were almost popping out as he shouted, "One hundred million!!!!"
Chapter 214: A Frog in a Well"One Hundred Million!!"It's here, it's here. The big man, filled with disbelief and deep-seated fear, shouted out the bounty amounts for Luffy, Satoru, and Zoro.Satoru thought to himself, the face-slapping plot he loved most had finally arrived... "One Hundred Million!!""Eighty Million!!""Sixty Million!!"Three bounties were laid out before him, and the big man shouted them out one after another. Every single one was higher than Bellamy's bounty, and they belonged to the very people they had mocked at noon. He felt as if the Grim Reaper's scythe was resting on his neck. Meeting Satoru's gaze, he imagined a raging lion standing behind Satoru, surrounded by a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.The tavern owner behind Satoru:???"What? One Hundred Million! Eighty Million! Sixty Million!""What are you yelling about!!"Sarquiss quickly walked over, but when he saw the bounty posters on the table, he froze as if his pressure points had been struck."What's going on! Sarquiss! Are you an idiot too!!"Bellamy shouted."Go on, it's fine."Satoru smiled slightly.The big man's body trembled, seemingly knowing that if he didn't speak, he would take a bullet.He tremblingly raised his hand to point at Satoru, but just as he was about to speak, Sarquiss went mad first."Impossible!! How could you be worth 80 million!!""How could that Straw Hat kid and that green-haired guy be worth 100 million and 60 million!!"Grabbing the bounty posters and facing Bellamyand Satoru, Sarquiss yelled frantically, trying to hide his inner panic. If the bounties were real, the things he had said were enough to kill him several times over. He wasn't completely mad, but he was close.Hearing this, the other people in the tavern were dumbfounded, as if they had heard the whisper of a demon.The tavern instantly erupted."100 million, 80 million, 60 million...""Is that real or fake!!""I've never seen anyone with a 100 million bounty!!!"Everyone immediately focused their attention on Satoru. His gunmanship had already terrified them before, but now the sense of oppression was overwhelming."B-Boss... we failed to recognize Mount Tai. P-Please spare us."The big man who first saw Satoru's bounty poster said, trembling."It's fine. You're quite polite, if you hadn't pointed at me just now."Satoru said.The big man was terrified and immediately lowered his hand. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"The deterrent effect of the bounty was huge. They dared not offend the 55 million Bellamy, let alone the 80 million Satoru now."It's fine. Just smoothly leave."Satoru replied. Since no one had truly offended him, there was no need to senselessly kill (or beat) the innocent.The big man didn't understand "smoothly leave," but he certainly understood "leave." He shot up instantly. "Thank you!! Thank you!!"Just as he was about to turn around, Bellamy stood up and burst into laughter."Hahahahaha, hey, hey, hey, hey...""You idiots are actually trembling in fear because of these scraps of paper!""Are you blind!!"Next, Bellamy turned and looked at Satoru."How could a bunch of fools like you—cowards who don't even dare to fight back, idiots who fantasize about the existence of Sky Island—possibly have such high bounties!!""There used to be a kind of pirate who would scare people by forging their own high-bounty posters. The other party would immediately back down upon seeing the poster.""In reality, anyone who fought him would definitely win!!""Right!!""You guys forged these posters to save face after this afternoon, right! Right!!""I don't believe trash like you could have bounties this high!!"Bellamy became more and more agitated as he spoke.This was also to mask the small possibility that he believed the bounty amounts were real, hiding his own fear.Since Bellamy had dominated Mock Town for a while, he still held prestige and influence."So that's what it is!!""No wonder! Someone with a bounty over 100 million must have committed some heinous crime, yet there was no report in the newspaper!""Yeah, I've never even heard of this 'Straw Hat Kid.'""And this Long-Haired Bai Yun, although his marksmanship is good, he shouldn't be worth an 80 million bounty!"Oh no, he spoke too freely.Satoru thought, "You're acting like I don't exist, huh."He raised his hand and fired a bullet into the right foot of the person who called him by his 'title.' Satoru was quite fond of the 'death' part of that title.The bracelet transformed and instantly changed back. Others didn't even see how Satoru fired the shot; it was as if Satoru himself was a gun."A frog in a well."Looking around the room, Satoru's gaze finally settled on Bellamy, and he spoke with an expression reserved for an idiot."What!!!"Bellamy froze.The others shouted in surprise; Satoru was confronting him head-on."Hahahaha, very good, very good!!""I'll kill you and expose the fake bounty posters of you cowards!!"Bellamy stuck out his tongue and spat out a threat, his arm transforming into a Spring State.Seeing this, the others immediately backed away, leaning against the edge of the tavern. Subconsciously, Satoru's "order" not to leave the tavern was still influencing them.The boss, an old man, knew that at this point, he could only accept the financial loss to avert disaster. If he had just opened his mouth to tell Bellamy to stop, things would have gotten much worse, so he kept quiet.News arrived from his clone, and Satoru understood everything."I don't want to steal the show. My target tonight isn't you.""You are not worthy!""Bastard!! How dare you look down on me!!"As Satoru's four words fell, Bellamy couldn't hold back either. His fist instantly sprang out, but Satorumerely tilted his head slightly to dodge it."Too slow.""Look down on you? Forget you. Even if your idol, the Heavenly Yaksha Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the current Seven Warlords of the Sea, showed up, I would still look down on him.""Begging for someone else's symbol, you're rushing to become a dog! You don't actually think Doflamingo considers you a subordinate, do you?"Satoru mocked him fiercely.Of course, when he said he looked down on Doflamingo, it was under the condition that he used his trump cards. Doflamingo's strength was still considerable, and he was a genius, especially in developing his devil fruit.