Chapter 125: An Emergency Meeting of the Five Elders
Shane thought for a moment.
In the end, he added it to his cart.
The reason he had hesitated was because he wasn't sure if a "ship" would be considered a "base."
If it could be placed on the ship, then it was a bargain.
But if not, it didn't really matter. He could just let it gather dust for a while. It would come in handy one day.
He could afford the risk of fifteen hundred points.
…
The next few items were of no interest to him.
Shane quickly skipped past them.
After a few more swipes, the last item finally appeared, and it immediately caught his attention.
[Deep Sea Breathing Method]
Type: Training Manual
Price: 5500 Points
Description: A special muscle control technique that requires a high level of physical strength to master. Upon mastery, you can temporarily make the pores on your skin function like gills, allowing your muscles to supply you with oxygen and enabling you to breathe underwater. The maximum duration will be closely related to your training progress and physical strength.
Seller's Note: "Damn it, I've been reincarnated as that damn octopus-woman!!"
Shane: "?"
Which 'deep sea' is this from?
Oh well, the misfortunes of his fellow transmigrators in other worlds were none of his business.
Shane quickly focused on the description, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The ability to breathe underwater, like a Fish-Man. The price was a bit steep, and it might not be very appealing in other worlds.
But this was One Piece!
A world with no continents, where the ocean covered over ninety-five percent of the surface!
Forget five thousand points, he wouldn't miss it for ten thousand.
As for the prerequisite—a high level of physical strength.
Shane was confident that he met that requirement.
In terms of pure physical prowess, he was confident that he was at the forefront of the second tier in this world, second only to the top powerhouses at the pinnacle.
So, he decisively added it to his cart.
…
He had now browsed all the new items.
He proceeded to checkout.
This time, he had bought a total of six items, for a total of 29,000 points, leaving him with 23,200.
It was his biggest spending spree in years, but the rewards were undoubtedly worth the price.
Shane eagerly closed the system panel, took his coffee cup, and went into the cabin to test out his new abilities.
First, let's try the Knock spell.
Just as the description said, as long as the Rod of Knocking was in his inventory, the method of using the spell was already imprinted in his mind.
He walked down the corridor to the kitchen at the end.
Around the corner was the door to the food storage.
Because Gin's schedule was erratic and he often came out to roam at night, Zeff had put a large iron lock on the door to prevent him from sneaking too much strawberry milk.
Shane silently recited the incantation for the Knock spell in his mind, and the moment his fingertip touched the lock…
Click.
The iron lock opened.
Heh, this is fun.
The whole process took less than half a second. It really was an instant unlock.
With this skill, he'd never have to worry about food or drink again.
Like a child with a new toy, Shane excitedly ran around, trying it out on every locked thing in the cabin.
After a long time, he finally went back out to the empty stern deck, his curiosity still not fully satisfied. He looked at the other items in his inventory.
He took out Yasuo's swordsmanship manual and flipped through it.
Mmm, as expected, I can't understand a word.
It seemed he was just not fated to be a true swordsman in this life. He would just give it to Kuina later.
Don't ask, just say it's a drop from Hanafuda.
He was Kaido's brother, who was based in Wano. It makes sense that he would have a samurai-style swordsmanship manual, right?
Next, Shane tried to deploy the Prism Tower.
To his surprise, it was a smooth process. The Prism Tower automatically deployed and merged with the main mast.
No wonder it was said to be invisible. Even with his Observation Haki, he couldn't sense anything special about it.
This saved him a lot of trouble. In the future, if the crew happened to see the mast shooting out a prism beam, they would probably just think it was some black-tech that came with the mast.
Don't ask, just say it's a factory setting from the Whale Shipbuilding Company.
Shane then looked at the remaining three items in his inventory.
There was no need to use the "Wish" scroll for now, and the "Deep Sea Breathing Method" would only show its effects after he had mastered it.
So, the last thing to test was the Sleight of Hand.
The card set came with a free trial. When he opened his inventory, a text box popped up, reminding him that any item obtained through the trial would be returned to its original place.
In other words, the trial was purely for him to familiarize himself with the skill, so he wouldn't waste a real use with a clumsy operation.
Just then, a News Coo flew by in the distant sky.
It was at least twenty kilometers away from The Curtain Call, a small, blurry white dot at the very limit of his vision.
The perfect test subject.
Shane took the card set from his inventory. Six pale gold cards instantly appeared in his hand. Five were solid, and the trial card was just an illusion.
Aiming at the News Coo, Shane willed it, and the illusory card instantly vanished in a stream of light.
Then, Shane patiently waited for something to appear in his hand. Although it was supposed to be a random item, a News Coo didn't have much on it.
It would either be its hat or one of the newspapers in its mailbag…
SPLAT!
In the next second, something sticky and warm landed squarely in the palm of his hand.
Shane looked down—
Bird droppings.
Fresh ones.
Although the bird droppings vanished in the next moment, returning to their original place, the wet, sticky feeling and the foul smell remained…
"..."
Shane was silent for two seconds, a vein throbbing on his temple.
Is this what they call a straight-shot animal? To take a crap in the air at the exact moment I'm using my skill? How rude!
A trial version, huh?! A free experience, huh?!
Free things are never to be trusted!
He was furious. He looked up at the News Coo.
And the News Coo, as if it had noticed the ship sailing at full speed in the river, cheerfully changed direction and began to approach.
A moment later, the bruised and battered News Coo flew away, whimpering pitifully.
Mmm, that's better.
Shane clapped his hands in satisfaction. A bird with no public decency like that deserved a good beating to teach it a lesson.
But, as compensation, he had also bought all the newspapers in its mailbag, allowing the hardworking bird to finish its deliveries early and go home.
Shane picked up the swordsmanship manual and the newspapers and walked toward the bow of the ship.
He was going to give them to Kuina and Nami, who was eagerly awaiting the paper.
On the way, he casually opened a newspaper and glanced at it.
As expected, the news of the Hanafuda Pirates' demise had not yet reached the World Economic Journal headquarters.
But it should be soon. Tomorrow at the latest.
But that didn't mean that this issue of the newspaper had nothing to do with them.
In fact, it was the opposite.
This issue's front-page story was almost entirely of Shane's making!
—Enies Lobby Has Fallen! The Blue and Red Ogres, Two Legendary Giants from a Hundred Years Ago, Have Reappeared!
Under the specially bolded headline was a massive photo that took up half the page.
In the photo, the entire island of Enies Lobby was in ruins, with debris and fallen guards everywhere.
Even the towering Tower of Justice, along with the World Government flag that should have been flying proudly, had collapsed!
In the rubble, four giant figures were embracing and crying under the setting sun, covered in blood, clearly having just been through a fierce battle.
The article below was classic Morgans, full of sensationalism and exaggeration.
"Shocking! One of the three great institutions of the World Government—Enies Lobby, has recently suffered a devastating blow!"
"According to eyewitnesses, two legendary giant warriors—'Dorry the Blue Ogre and Brogy the Red Ogre,' led two other giant companions on a rampage, crushing all the guards on the island!"
"The Marine fleet that was scrambled from the whirlpool behind the Gates of Justice was also destroyed! Two Headquarters Vice Admirals were seriously injured!"
"The Tower of Justice has fallen! The Gates of Justice have been destroyed!"
"The flag symbolizing the authority of the World Government was personally torn to shreds by the legendary warriors of Elbaf and trampled underfoot!"
"Where did they come from?! And who unleashed these two ferocious beasts, who were famous a hundred years ago?!!!"
"This is going to be a riot," Shane chuckled and closed the newspaper.
It seemed that he had, unintentionally, caused another big headache for Marine Headquarters.
As expected of the straightforward and hot-tempered giants.
From the timing, it seemed that after the two of them had read the note he had left, they could no longer stand by and do nothing. They had ended their hundred-year duel and set sail again.
And their first stop was Enies Lobby.
They had caused a massive storm on the seas.
This was, of course, good news for him.
From now on, he had two extremely powerful allies on this sea. And if he ever went to Elbaf, he would have a connection.
And besides, the bigger the Enies Lobby incident, the more the attention of the World Government and Marine Headquarters would be diverted. In the short term, they probably wouldn't have time to bother him.
————
The Curtain Call continued to sail down the Sandy River.
As night fell, the group successfully arrived at the Alabasta royal capital, Alubarna.
The royal palace was brightly lit.
The banquet had long been prepared.
As a desert kingdom, with most of its territory barren, Alabasta was not a wealthy country.
Even so, to show their gratitude for the Curtain Call Adventurers' help, the banquet was of the highest standard.
In the main hall, silver candelabras flickered with a warm light, illuminating the long table laden with a dazzling array of delicacies.
Golden-roasted ribs, fragrant date and lamb stew, and a mountain of various precious fruits…
The royal family's prized liquor, which had been cellared for many years, was also brought out without reservation for Shane and his crew to enjoy.
Even King Cobra, who had been bedridden, had forced himself to attend and host the banquet.
The pomp and ceremony were all there, and for a time, the hosts and guests all enjoyed themselves.
In this situation, even a truly vicious pirate would probably have felt a little ashamed to have any ill intentions.
By the time the banquet was over, it was late into the night.
The drunken crew members were led to their rooms by the maids, and Nami, who was not old enough to drink, was dragged off by Vivi to play in her room.
As for Shane and Robin, they had both tacitly drunk very little.
After leaving the banquet, they went to a side hall of the palace to meet with Cobra and discuss Crocodile and the Poneglyph.
…
And at the same time, thousands of miles away on the Red Line, in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, another meeting was also taking place.
But the level of this meeting was just a little bit higher…
————
Pangaea Castle.
The Five Elders were gathered in the top-floor meeting room, the atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife.
On the long table in front of the sofa were scattered several newspapers and intelligence reports. At the very top was today's headline from the World Economic Journal.
"Enies Lobby destroyed, the Gates of Justice fallen…"
The blond Elder, in a deep red suit, slammed the newspaper on the table, his voice icy. "In just one month, first the Warlord, Crocodile, was killed, then the encirclement at Thor Island failed, and now this sudden major incident. The authority of the World Government has been trampled into the dust."
His name was Shepherd Ju Peter, and he was currently the Warrior God of Agriculture.
"Dorry the Blue Ogre, and Brogy the Red Ogre…"
The Elder in the kimono, holding his cursed sword, narrowed his eyes. "Weren't those two giants dueling in Little Garden for a hundred years? How did they suddenly leave and attack Enies Lobby?"
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the Warrior God of Finance.
"Someone interfered," the curly-haired Elder with the flat cap said, flipping through the report from the CP department. "According to the heavily injured guards, when the giants were celebrating and crying in each other's arms, they mentioned the name 'Shane.' It seems that thanks to him, the Blue and Red Ogres found out that their giant comrades had been tricked by us and sent to guard the gates of Enies Lobby."
Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense.
"Shane?!" the blond Elder whipped his head around. "That Shane again?!"
The first two major incidents he had mentioned were also his doing!
"From Loguetown to Thor Island, he's barely been in the Grand Line for two months, and he's already caused so many major incidents! And now even the commotion at Enies Lobby is related to him?! This brat is like a plague! Wherever he goes, there's…"
"…chaos,"
the white-haired, long-bearded Elder, who had been silent until now, interrupted, his voice impassive. "By the way, just before I came to this meeting, I received the latest emergency report from CP0. Another Warlord, Hanafuda, died yesterday in the Alabasta Kingdom. The one who did it was also this Shane."
"WHAT?!!!"
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