Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Setting Sail One After Another
Chapter 360: Setting Sail One After Another
The next day at noon, the midsummer sun was high in the sky, and the scorching air distorted the scenery in their vision.
The exhausted group, after a full day of rest, had also recovered their spirits, waking up drenched in sweat in this sweltering weather.
"Honestly. My whole body is sticky. It’s so uncomfortable."
Nami sighed, her fragrant sweat soaking her small black tank top, making it stick to her chest. She couldn’t help but lift her collar to fan herself.
She turned her head. On the other beds, only Uta was still asleep, her forehead also beaded with sweat, her brow furrowed and eyelashes trembling. Clearly, she was also having a hard time with the heat.
Robin and Pudding’s spots were empty, the white blankets neatly folded and placed under the pillows.
Buru~ Buru~
One by one, light blue cold air puffs floated near the ceiling, crowding each other. The temperature in the room gradually cooled, and Uta’s furrowed brow also slowly relaxed.
"I’ll go take a shower first."
Nami smiled faintly, put away her Clima-Tact, and walked out the door.
"Whoa, this is starting to look like something. Not bad, Franky."
"Is that so? Hahaha! Actually, this was modified from the all-island climate control system designed by Vegapunk. That guy really is an incredible character."
Just as she walked out of the dormitory, Nami saw Reiner and Franky on the lawn deck below, tinkering with a square iron lump.
"What is this?"
Nami asked curiously as she walked down the stairs.
Hearing her voice, the two immediately looked over.
"You’re awake, Nami. Did you rest well?"
Reiner smiled gently and moved aside to show Nami Franky’s new invention.
"This is called an ’air conditioner’. It uses seawater power and cola hybrid energy, an electrical appliance that can keep the room at a constant temperature."
"An air conditioner? Can it do both cold and hot?"
"But of course."
Franky replied to Nami with a proud grin.
Limited by materials and the space on the ship, Franky couldn’t build an island-wide climate system that could affect the temperature of the outdoors or even a sea area. After all, even the one Vegapunk had built in his hometown back then had not been completed.
But under Reiner’s inspiration, he had successfully modified it and created this neutered version of an indoor unit, which Reiner named ’air conditioner’.
"How interesting. This way, we won’t have to worry about the cold or heat when we’re sailing. Hee hee, I can wear shorts anytime."
Nami smiled happily.
Reiner raised his hand. "Please be sure to wear more bikinis."
"..."
Nami reached out and pinched Reiner’s ear, saying irritably:
"You’re quite generous, aren’t you?"
"Not really. It’s mainly because I want to see it too."
Reiner confessed honestly.
Nami gave this improper guy a white-eyed glare, and then thought about what outfit to wear tonight to charm him to death.
"Nami!"
A stretched hand grabbed the railing and retracted at high speed. Luffy’s figure flew over and landed in front of Nami with a cheerful laugh.
"You’re awake, hee hee. Is the Log Pose set?"
"Mm. It was set long ago. We can leave at any time. But, before that, shouldn’t we go and say goodbye to O-Tama and the others?"
Nami replied, as if asking a question.
Reiner remembered something, pushed Nami’s hand away, and reminded Luffy:
"By the way, Luffy. Hiyori came over this morning. Tomorrow night is their annual Fire Festival. She invited us to be guests at the shogun’s mansion."
"Is that so."
Before Luffy could speak, Nami’s nose twitched, as if she had sensed something, and she suddenly cut in:
"Then let’s just set off today."
"Eeh! No way! I want to go to the banquet!"
Luffy immediately shouted like a child.
"I know~ I know~"
Nami covered her face and sighed helplessly, then shot a hostile glance at Reiner.
"Hmph!"
"What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so hostile towards me?"
Reiner held up his hands, swallowing nervously.
Nami didn’t speak, but just continued to kill him with her eyes.
Reiner was stared at until he became more and more guilty, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"She came over to invite us just now, and then what...? Don’t think I can’t smell that vixen’s scent on you!"
Nami said coldly, her hands on her hips.
Isn’t your nose a bit too exaggerated...
A corner of Reiner’s mouth twitched. He could only wave his hand sheepishly.
"Ahem. A geisha... maybe she still hasn’t changed her habits. You know, I already told her not to get too close to me. Honestly, that woman is so indecent, insisting on getting close! It’s a good thing my willpower is strong. A mere temptation."
Reiner’s tone gradually became angry.
"..."
Nami just watched his performance quietly. Finally, seeing that Reiner hadn’t really done anything, she just gave him a cold, white-eyed glare and then turned to walk towards the bathroom.
Of course, Reiner hadn’t done anything. There was no place for him to do anything either.
This bastard... he must have been hoping for the other to throw herself at him, to offer herself to repay his kindness.
Hmph!
"If you dare to mess around, I’ll cut it off one night!"
Bang!
Nami said angrily without looking back and slammed the door.
No more rewards!
Tonight is the queen’s punishment!
"..."
"What’s wrong with Nami?"
"Well, she’s angry at Reiner. You wouldn’t understand, Luffy."
Franky shrugged and spread his hands.
Reiner: I’m wronged, but I’m not. Who can I blame but Nami?
On second thought, it was all his fault for not training her properly in the past. Otherwise, how could he have fallen to this state?
The sea tides rose and fell, and the sun and moon rotated again.
The Fire Festival had no meaning for them. They just had a banquet at the shogun’s mansion, eating, drinking, and playing wildly until dawn.
Hiyori took the opportunity to announce that she would inherit the position of Shogun of Wano Country. The moment the news was released, different voices came from various forces and commoners that very night.
Hiyori’s bloodline was orthodox, but she was a woman and had been a geisha...
The voices of support and opposition were in the minority. Most people were silent, harboring some reservations but finding it barely acceptable as they followed the flow.
For them, anyone was better as shogun than Kurozumi Orochi.
And those few opposing voices... with the protection and support of the Straw Hat Pirates’ flag, it was not difficult to stabilize the situation in Wano Country in a short time.
Hiyori decided to stall for time first. After she had proven her ability in the future and these voices had gradually weakened, she would secretly eliminate them one by one.
It couldn’t be helped. A woman who wanted to sit firmly in this position was destined not to be a benevolent ruler. At least, not until the next generation of the shogun grew up to inherit this position.
As for the next generation of the Kozuki family... in order to create a closer bond between Wano Country and the Straw Hat crew, and also to leave behind a strong bloodline, Hiyori decided...
"...don’t play dumb with me. No means no."
In the room, faced with Hiyori, who had shed her clothes and was offering herself on the pretext of repaying his kindness, her eyes pitiful, Reiner refused very crisply.
A free lay, sure.
A child? In your dreams.
Out of ten percent responsibility, and ninety percent to protect little Reiner from being cut off one night, he turned and left...
At the banquet hall, the all-nighter was over. Everyone just lay where they were and fell fast asleep.
It wasn’t until noon, when the scorching sun was high in the sky, and the dazzling light woke Hiyori and Denjiro and the others, that they discovered the Straw Hat crew had long since left, leaving only a black skull flag as promised.
Kuri, within a deep and verdant bamboo sea. A renovated small wooden house stood on a hill. At the door...
"We’re leaving, O-Tama!"
"Mm! Goodbye, big brother Luffy! When O-Tama goes out to sea in the future, we will definitely meet again!"
O-Tama smiled, nodded, and waved, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.
Although they had only spent a few days together, the laughter and emotion everyone had brought her were endlessly precious.
"Ah, we’ll definitely meet again. By then, O-Tama will definitely be a powerful kunoichi."
Luffy smiled and pressed down his straw hat.
O-Tama wagged a finger.
"Hee hee, an alluring kunoichi. By then, I’ll be Ace’s companion. I promised him."
"Is that so? Then you have to work hard on your promise. Ace will definitely come to pick you up."
A gratified look appeared on Luffy’s face. He patted O-Tama’s head gently.
"We’re off!"
After saying goodbye, the group quickly left, pulling their large and small bags of supplies and various local specialties as they boarded the Merry.
The ship had been docked at the coast for several days. He controlled the undead to untie the moorings and prepare to set sail, and at the same time, gave the ship a thorough cleaning inside and out.
When everything was ready and the sails were raised...
"Hey! You brat! You’re actually planning to run away without saying a word! Do you have any conscience!"
Queen, riding a dinosaur, chased after them, riding parallel to the Merry on the coast.
Seeing him, Franky came to the ship’s rail, crossed his arms, and sat on the railing, laughing teasingly:
"Yo. 26 years ago, a certain bastard was much worse, wasn’t he?"
"What’s going on?"
"Do you know him, Franky?"
Usopp and the others were puzzled and stood beside Franky.
"Who’s that uncle?"
Luffy blinked curiously. He didn’t even recognize Queen.
"Ah~. Speaking of which, I haven’t told you guys yet."
Franky turned his head and said in a flat tone:
"That guy is my dad."
"..."
The air suddenly fell silent. A large question mark appeared above the heads of the group.
Suddenly.
"—Eeeeeh?!!" ×N
A scream startled the white clouds, and the entire Merry jumped up from the sea surface, falling back with a heavy ’splash’ and kicking up a wave.
Luffy and the others, lined up, their jaws hitting the ground, stared at Franky with astonishment.
"A top cadre of the Beasts Pirates?!"
"Is Franky’s dad?!"
"Hey Franky! Weren’t you born from a robot?!"
"Are you an idiot! How could I be born from a robot!"
Slap! Usopp rolled his eyes and slapped Luffy on the back of the head.
Franky shrugged and spread his hands.
"Well, it’s a long story. Anyway, it’s true that that guy is my biological father. Though I don’t know him well."
"Don’t give me that, Flam! You’re not still holding a grudge about what happened back then, are you?"
"You’re the one who shouldn’t give me that! That matter, I let it go a hundred years ago! And that name carries a weight I had to leave behind! Call me Franky now!"
Franky said with an unconcerned tone.
He had never held a grudge about that matter. If he hadn’t been abandoned, he wouldn’t have met Mr. Tom, Iceburg, Kokoro-san, and the others.
There was no need to dwell on a fate that had already happened. He had already come to terms with his heavy guilt towards Mr. Tom. The pain of being abandoned by his parents was nothing to him.
"I had no choice back then. Since it’s come to this, I don’t expect to be able to make up for anything. In any case..."
With that, Queen, on the back of the dinosaur, forcefully waved his hand and threw a square iron box towards the Merry.
"Take it, Franky! A man should bravely venture out into the vast sea! Consider this my belated support for you!"
Bang!
Franky raised his two large hands. The moment he caught the iron box, he was almost sent flying by the heavy weight, staggering back and falling onto the lawn.
Bang!
"This guy... his strength is really exaggerated."
Franky shook his head and sat up, opening the iron box. The others curiously gathered around him.
"What is this?"
"Mechanical claws?"
"So cool!"
A golden light shone in the eyes of Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp.
Franky recognized this as the weapon Queen had on his modified body. Beside it was a manual, which contained the technical details of continuous-fire lasers.
"The claws are just the appearance. This should be a laser cannon."
In addition, the major technological achievements of Germa 66, including fire explosions, lightning, superhuman strength modification, and stealth technology, were all organized and placed inside.
These things could not only be used on his mech, but also on Franky’s own body modification, giving him a comprehensive upgrade.
"This guy... he’s built like a brute, but he’s quite thoughtful."
A corner of Franky’s mouth lifted slightly. He stood up and returned to the ship’s rail, looking at the coast that was gradually getting farther away, at Queen, who had stopped on the back of the dinosaur and was watching him.
Franky put his hands to his mouth and shouted:
"Although you’re a bastard! Thanks anyway, you bastard old man—!"
"Hmph. You brat."
The Merry gradually sailed away. A corner of Queen’s cigar-holding mouth lifted slightly. He looked down at the dinosaur he was sitting on.
"Did you hear that? He called me ’old man’. This is the charm of this great me."
"Tch. Who cares about you."
Page One turned his dinosaur head away with disdain.
Far behind, another green dinosaur was kicking up a cloud of flying dust on the ground, frantically running over.
"You bastard Queen! Give me back my little brother! How dare you do this to Page One! I’ll never forgive you!!"
Just like that, the Wano Country journey of Reiner and the others came to an end, and the Merry set sail again.
At the same time, another turmoil was brewing on the sea.
Kuraigana Island. A large number of warships appeared in the nearby waters, like a pack of ferocious beasts exuding an oppressive aura, passing through the fog surrounding the area and advancing towards the island.
"Mr. Issho, the encirclement is complete. Please give your orders."
A Marine soldier came to his side and saluted.
Fujitora, who was sitting on a wooden box with his eyes closed, opened his cloudy white eyes, took the cane sword leaning at his side, and slowly stood up, giving a low order:
"Prepare to land. Arrest the pirates Gecko Moria and Dracule Mihawk!"
"Yes, sir!"
On the island, in a gloomy castle standing in a dark forest.
"Kishishishi~, looks like we’re in big trouble, Mihawk. I never thought you’d end up in the same boat as me."
In the living room, on the sofa. Moria bared his sharp teeth and laughed evilly.
"It was only a matter of time. The World Government and pirates can never truly walk the same path. I had anticipated this."
Mihawk, sitting behind his desk, his voice cold, glanced at the Den Den Mushi on the table in silence.
Moria laughed sinisterly again:
"Well? That stinky crocodile’s proposal... I think it’s quite interesting. I’m getting bored to death staying in this godforsaken place."
"Especially since the Straw Hat crew actually defeated that man. This sea is so lively now. How can we not go and see?"
"Exactly, exactly! And these zombies made of baboons aren’t cute at all!"
A black princess dress with elegant lace trim spun in a dance. Pink hair fell over her fair, bare shoulders. Perona hugged her zombie bear doll and said complainingly, puffing out one cheek.
"Hurry up, hurry up, Lord Moria! Let’s set off quickly!"
"Kishishishi~. Are you in such a hurry to go out to sea to see someone, Perona?"
"Of course not! Who would want to see that blockhead!"
"Oh? Which blockhead?!"
"Lord Moria—!"
"Kishishishi, just kidding. Let’s go, Perona."
Moria smiled and took the pouting Perona, leaving. The living room fell silent.
After a while.
"How rash. It won’t be that easy to leave now."
Click.
Mihawk picked up the black blade Yoru and slung it behind his black cloak. He also walked out with light steps.
I might as well go and meet a Marine Admiral.
(End of Chapter)
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS Chapter
♧♧♧
-> 25 Advanced Chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that’s help the story a lot Thank you