"Why?!" the pirates cried out in shock.
Why would a famous, top-tier pirate travel across the seas just to put down a small-time crook? They had heard rumors that Hawk-Eye had already entered the New World!
"When I passed through a small town, a little girl gave me a drink of water," Mihawk said. His voice was calm and steady, as though he were describing something utterly ordinary. "Her parents were killed by Kabuki. So I came here to kill him."
"Just because of a drink of water?!"
The pirates could hardly believe their ears. A powerhouse with a 58 million Beli bounty was being hunted by a legendary pirate over a single cup of water. It was completely absurd.
But then again, Mihawk wasn't famous just for his strength; his eccentric personality was equally well known. If Kabuki ever found out the real reason he was being targeted, he would probably feel like he'd been struck by lightning. Talk about rotten luck. Repaying a favor of one drink of water by crossing vast distances to execute someone, that was classic Hawk-Eye Mihawk.
By this time, Mihawk had already claimed the title of the World's Greatest Swordsman. His strength ranked among the absolute best, inspiring terror wherever he went.
"Where is Kabuki?" Mihawk asked again.
No one dared stay silent. No one dared ignore a direct question from the World's Greatest Swordsman.
"He went to the other side of Jaya Island!" the pirates blurted out in unison, terrified they might get cut down if they hesitated for even a second.
Fortunately, Mihawk had no interest in wasting breath on them. He turned on his heel and vanished into the night.
"Kabuki's done for this time," the pirates muttered, staring at the empty doorway and sighing.
Just moments ago, they had been smugly preaching about the law of the jungle. Now, they had become the prey. The irony stung.
Meanwhile, Rojen's crew was busy discussing the trip to Skypiea with Cricket.
"The explosive force of a Knock Up Stream can launch a ship into the sky," Cricket explained, his expression grave. "But what I don't know is exactly how high Skypiea is, or whether a single current can actually reach it. Over the next few days, I'll do everything I can to predict when the strongest current will hit."
He paused, looking at each of them. "I need to remind you that traveling to Skypiea is extremely dangerous. The most likely outcome is death. Before you attempt this, you need to be absolutely sure it's what you truly want."
His grim warning didn't rattle the Nether Soul Pirates in the slightest.
"Of course we're going! Why wouldn't we?" Chaporos cheered. "We'll get to see tons of angels! Hahaha! Just imagining a grown-up Dina is exciting enough!"
"Go die, Chaporos!" Dina yelled, immediately chasing him around to beat him up.
"Oh, right," Cricket suddenly remembered. "Before you leave, you'll also need to catch a South Bird."
Rojen already knew what a South Bird was, so he quickly explained its unique directional sense to the crew. The moment he finished speaking, the six members of the Dragon-Elephant group vanished.
They had been bored out of their minds sitting around; the second they heard there was an outdoor task, they shot off into the woods without hesitation.
After hammering out the details, everyone began modifying the Logan according to Cricket's instructions.
The so-called modifications were actually pretty straightforward. They needed to attach a pair of wings to the treasure ship so it could catch the air during the impact of the current and soar into the sky. Beyond that, they reinforced the hull and covered the exterior with a layer of steel plating to maximize its durability and protection.
Once the blueprint was set, everyone got to work immediately. The Saruyama Alliance wasn't by Cricket's side at this point in time, perhaps the group simply hadn't formed yet.
By evening, everyone gathered around a campfire to warm themselves and chat. Suddenly, dancing points of light appeared on the dark sea, drawing everyone's attention.
"A ship is coming," Cricket said, recognizing the silhouettes immediately from his years on the shore.
The crew watched the water curiously. According to Cricket, almost no one ever visited this deserted side of the island.
Three minutes later, a group of men in black leaped ashore from the vessel. After scanning the beach, they spotted Rojen's group. Their eyes lit up, and they walked straight over, surrounding the campfire in the blink of an eye.
"And you guys are...?" Cricket asked, frowning.
"We are the Black Jack Pirates," the leader introduced himself solemnly.
Rojen noticed that every single one of them wore matching black attire stamped with a distinct "J" emblem. Their bearing was disciplined and imposing, completely unlike a standard, rowdy pirate crew.
"What do you want?" Cricket pressed.
"Actually, we're not here for you," the leader said, his gaze shifting directly to Rojen. "Lord Rojen, we've long admired your reputation. Please accept our respects."
The crew offered a slight, formal bow. As they bent forward, their eyes darted over to Dina and her father, who was looking around curiously. The pirates' eyes instantly brightened.
"Mhm. What's your business?" Rojen nodded, gesturing for them to get to the point. He casually tossed another log into the campfire, his tone perfectly calm and steady.
The captain, wearing a black hat emblazoned with the "J" insignia, narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice. "The Skypiean aboard your ship is the person we're after."
"Oh?" Rojen let out a single, indifferent syllable.
"To be more precise," the captain continued, his voice dropping an octave, "the person backing us wants him."
"Who?" Rojen asked with a faint smile.
"Hundred Beasts Kaido."
The captain enunciated the name slowly. His voice carried a heavy weight, as though merely uttering those words filled him with immense pressure and fear.
"Kaido? That rookie?" Rojen chuckled, turning his head toward Crocodile. "Would you call him a rookie?"
"That's not entirely wrong," Crocodile nodded, drawing on his cigar. "Back when we were at the Sabaody Archipelago, he was still tangled up fighting Moria."
Trens spoke up, his expression serious. "I've heard of Kaido. He's been stirring up quite a storm in the New World. A very domineering man."
"Is that so?" Rojen smiled and nodded.
Of course he knew who Kaido was, one of the future Four Emperors. A tyrannical, ferocious monster whose future "Three Calamities" would all become top-tier powerhouses with bounties pushing a billion Beli, easily rivaling the Seven Warlords.
But right now, facing a group like the Black Jack Pirates, men who could barely even be considered low-level subordinates of Kaido, there was zero reason for him to feel intimidated. In terms of seniority on the seas, he was the Pirate King's adoptive younger brother. He was Kaido's senior by a whole generation.
"Let me get this straight," Rojen said, his smile remaining casual. "Kaido wants this Skypiean?"
"Yes," the captain nodded. "We sincerely hope that Lord Rojen will hand him over to us."
Seeing Rojen's relaxed attitude, showing neither fear nor hostility, and keeping Kaido's skyrocketing reputation in mind, the captain felt his confidence growing. He figured Rojen would probably cooperate. After all, this was Kaido they were talking about. You might have been famous a few years ago, old-timer, but today you still have to bow your head. The Black Jack Pirates sneered inwardly.
But in the very next second, Rojen's expression turned ice-cold.
"Hand him over?"
"Are you dreaming, or is Kaido?"
"Whether it's you or him, get the hell out of my sight right now."
"Otherwise..." Rojen's eyes flashed dangerously through the firelight. "You can stay here forever."
(End Of This Chapter)
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