Chapter 151: A Surge of Points, and a New Surprise
"BORSALINO—!!!"
Witnessing this, Kaido flew into a rage, his roar like a clap of thunder. "You bastard! When did you get here?! And who gave you the guts to interfere in my fight?!"
"You're angry now. So scary," Kizaru said, raising his hands in surrender, a grin on his face. "Don't be so upset, Mr. Kaido~. I'm just following orders. An Emperor of the Sea, wandering into the first half of the Grand Line… someone has to be responsible for keeping an eye on you."
Kaido's face darkened. "You're telling me you've been following me from the start?"
"Of course. To keep up with you and not be detected by your Observation Haki, that's a very difficult thing to do," Kizaru said, scratching his head with a troubled expression. "I don't like this kind of tedious work, but what can I do? I'm the only one at Marineford who can do it."
Kaido stared at him, stunned.
Suddenly, his eyes turned red, and tears began to well up.
"WAAAAAH!!!"
He sat down on the ground and began to bawl. "Brat Shane! It was me! It was me who got you killed!!!"
The thought that Kizaru had only found Shane because he had been following him, and that he had been so focused on the fight that he hadn't been able to block that sneak attack, filled him with a growing sense of grief and self-blame. He cried his heart out, his massive fists pounding the ground, making the entire island of Enies Lobby tremble.
He looked like a child who had just had his favorite toy stolen.
"Still drunk?" Kizaru said, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't particularly surprised by this scene.
He had had several run-ins with Kaido over the years and was well aware of his drunken antics.
But… for him to be so upset over Shane's death, it seemed his guess had been correct.
Headquarters had initially misjudged Kaido's intentions, thinking that he was after Shane, which was why they had turned a blind eye to his incursion into the first half of the Grand Line.
Kizaru had thought so too, at first.
But after following him for a while, he had gradually realized that something was not right.
Kaido didn't seem to have much murderous intent toward the kid. In fact, he seemed to be more interested in recruiting him.
And that was something he could not allow to happen.
The Beast Pirates were already a big enough headache for the Marines.
If they were to add another officer, who was only eighteen but already had the strength of an "All-Star," the balance of power in the New World would be in jeopardy.
That was why he had done his best to conceal his presence and had launched a surprise attack with all his might.
As one of the highest-ranking military powers at Marine Headquarters, to do such a thing to a mere junior was indeed a very ungentlemanly thing to do.
But if it meant nipping a dangerous individual who could shake the balance of the seas in the bud…
If he had to do it again, he would…
"Hmm?"
Kizaru's expression suddenly changed.
Kaido had suddenly stopped crying. He was slowly getting to his feet, grabbing the kanabo beside him, his eyes fixed on him, a savage glint in his pupils.
"Hey, are you kidding me?" Kizaru said with a dry laugh, taking a few steps back. "So I'm the one you're going to fight now? I have no intention of doing that. How about we just meet again some other day…"
"Run!" Kaido said, two plumes of white smoke puffing from his nostrils, his face a mask of rage. "Of course you can run! Who can outrun you?! I'm too lazy to chase you! I'll just tear this Enies Lobby to the ground and see if the World Government will drag you back to Mary Geoise for a court-martial!"
Kizaru's footsteps faltered.
And Kaido gave him no time to react. He stomped the ground and roared as he shot into the sky!
"Three Worlds: Ragnaraku!!!"
The kanabo in his hand suddenly flipped, and with a world-destroying force, it came crashing down!
Kizaru's face changed drastically. His body instantly elementalized, and he was about to dissolve into countless points of light to dodge.
But Kaido's attack was filled with rage, and the shockwave from his Conqueror's Haki Infusion was so wide that it forcibly interrupted Kizaru's light-speed movement.
"Damn…"
Kizaru only had time to raise his arms, and he was sent crashing into the ground.
The very foundations of Enies Lobby crumbled, and the shockwave from the attack, its momentum unchecked, shot through the entire island, even carving a thousand-meter-long trench in the sea in the distance.
"Cough!"
Kizaru climbed out of the rubble, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He looked at Kaido, who was striding toward him, and finally dropped his lazy expression, rubbing his temples with a headache. "Honestly, I have no desire to fight a monster like you to the death…"
Kizaru sighed, spread his arms, and a countless number of golden lights converged into the shape of a sword. His face was now a mask of impassivity. "But, since you insist on fighting, then I have no choice but to oblige."
————
Gurgle…
Seven thousand meters below Enies Lobby, at the bottom of the sea.
This was a place where even sunlight could not reach, a pitch-black abyss.
Shane's body was sinking in the icy water, drifting with the current.
He was covered in wounds, and the hole in his chest was a horrific sight.
But if anyone had been there, they would have been shocked to see that all of his wounds were rapidly healing at a visible rate.
In a short while, his body was back to its original state.
"Hah…"
Shane's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he looked up.
"That old geezer, Kizaru, he really thought an attack of that level could kill me…"
He sneered.
So naive.
He casually flexed his wrist and, after a moment, he felt that his condition was mostly unaffected, and his stamina was plentiful.
And with his "Deep Sea Breathing Method" now at a proficient level, he could stay in the deep sea for several days without any problems.
It was a real shame. He had only just started fighting Kaido, and he had been about to get into the groove and have a good fight, and then this had to happen.
Originally, he could have learned so much more from that battle.
And now, he had to fake his death to escape.
It couldn't be helped.
To be face to face with the Glint-Glint Fruit user… there was no way to escape. It was no joke.
If Kizaru hadn't come, he wouldn't have minded fighting Kaido to the end. After all, he hadn't sensed any real killing intent from him.
The worst-case scenario would have been him passing out and being taken to Wano.
The sea was vast and boundless. Even in his dragon form, it would have taken Kaido several days to fly there. He would have had plenty of opportunities and ways to escape.
But Kizaru was different.
That old schemer really wanted to send him on his way. He had snuck up on him without a sound and had attacked with all his might, without a shred of decency.
The same teenage junior, and yet against Nika, he was just shooting lasers all over the place?
Dammit, so unfair!
Although, the outcome was good.
Kizaru's intervention had come at the perfect time. It hadn't stopped him from learning Conqueror's Haki Infusion, and it had given him a chance to escape…
But he was the type to hold a grudge!
Don't bully a young man, they say. Just you wait, Uncle Ben. The next time we meet, we'll have a real heart-to-heart!
Shane grumbled to himself, and then he remembered something.
Revenge was for later. For now, he had to shear the wool he had come for. He couldn't forget that.
He immediately began to swim for the outskirts, staying as deep as possible to conceal his presence.
After swimming for dozens of kilometers, he finally surfaced and looked at the two small, blurry black dots on the distant horizon.
Still fighting?
Kaido is a really stand-up guy…
It almost makes me feel bad for shearing his wool.
—Of course, that was impossible.
The "Sleight of Hand" card set appeared in his hand. He had used one on Aokiji in the City of Gourmets, so he had four left. He looked at the two figures and used two of them in quick succession.
Slap!
Two flashes of golden light, and in the next instant, two items appeared in his hands.
One was a pair of well-ironed, striped suit pants.
The other was a pair of light-blue, oversized cotton pants.
"What the hell?!"
The young man furiously slammed the two pairs of pants on the surface of the sea. "Where are my sunglasses?! Where's my kanabo?!"
My luck is so bad this time!
He didn't notice that when the two pairs of pants had appeared in his hands, the two figures fighting in the distant sky had both paused for a moment.
In the next second, Kaido's aura had suddenly become much more violent…
————
Five days later, two major news stories, after days of newspaper reports, quickly spread and shook the entire world.
The first was the sinking of Enies Lobby.
This symbol of the World Government's absolute authority, one of the three great institutions, had been completely destroyed in an earth-shattering battle.
The two combatants were the Emperor, Kaido, and the Marine Admiral, Kizaru. The two of them had fought a world-shaking battle on the island.
In the end, the entire island had collapsed and sunk into the sea!
The World Government had lost a great deal of face. Kizaru had been beaten back by the enraged Kaido and had been seriously injured. In the end, the Gates of Justice had opened, and the Marine Admiral, Akainu, had arrived through the whirlpool and had managed to force Kaido to retreat.
As for why Kaido had appeared in the first half of the Grand Line, and why he had fought a life-or-death battle with Kizaru…
That was related to the second major news story.
In June of the year 1516 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the strongest rookie in history, the Tachi Swordsman, Shane, with a bounty of a billion Berries, was dead!
The World Government had officially announced that both Kaido and Kizaru had been pursuing Shane and had converged on Enies Lobby. Admiral Kizaru had, in the name of justice, succeeded in completely eliminating Shane before Kaido could get to him.
And Kaido had only turned on Kizaru because his prize had been stolen from him.
The truth was another matter, but in any case—
Shane's wanted poster was revoked, and the Curtain Call Pirates were declared to be wiped out by the World Government!
The impact of this news was almost as great as the first.
The great pirate, Shane, who had killed two Warlords and had even escaped from a Marine Admiral…
…was just… dead?
It didn't sound so far-fetched.
Faced with a pincer attack from an Emperor and a Marine Admiral, how many people in the world could possibly survive?
Some gloated, some sighed with regret, feeling that it was a great shame for such a rising star to have fallen in the first half of the Grand Line.
And some thought that to declare him dead without even a body was a bit premature, and they were skeptical…
For a time, the world was in an uproar, and the storm of public opinion did not subside.
————
Meanwhile, on the vast sea, The Curtain Call was, as usual, sailing leisurely into the morning sun.
"Bah! So shameless! He didn't even land a hit with his sneak attack, and he's still talking so righteously!"
Nami angrily threw down the newspaper and turned to Shane. "Big Bro! The newspapers have been saying you're dead for days! Aren't you going to do something to clear your name?"
"How?"
Shane was lounging under a parasol, leisurely sipping his orange soda. He glanced at her. "Send Morgans a selfie, holding a piece of paper that says, 'I'm not dead'?"
"Huh?"
Nami was taken aback for a moment, and then her eyes lit up. She slapped her fist into her palm. "I didn't think of that! As expected of my brother! A great idea!"
"Great my ass!"
Shane tugged her ear. "Don't you think I've been fighting a little too much lately? It's a rare chance to keep a low profile. Just let me enjoy this quiet time."
Since entering the first half of the Grand Line, he had run into all three Marine Admirals, as well as Kaido and Garp…
All high-level fights, one after another. If not for his many life-saving tricks, he would have been a goner. Anyone else would have been overwhelmed.
And now, he was considered dead by the World Government. Before he caused another major incident, he was off the high-priority list.
This rare, peaceful time was a perfect opportunity to tally his gains and improve his strength.
…
Speaking of which, he had returned to Water 7 four days ago and had quietly reunited with his comrades.
The mayor, Iceburg, was grateful for his life-saving grace and for inadvertently helping to expose the CP9 spies.
As Tom's number one apprentice, with Franky not yet back, he was actually the most skilled shipwright on the island.
So, he had put on his work clothes and had personally helped to inspect The Curtain Call. With a few of his best foremen, it had only taken him a day and a night to repair all the damage to the ship.
He had also, as per Shane's request, greatly reinforced the training room.
And the flame thruster that Smoker had been struggling with, he had improved and built in a few simple steps, installing it on the stern of The Curtain Call.
With just a burst of flame from Nami, it could generate a powerful thrust, more than doubling the speed of The Curtain Call. It was quite practical.
Such a versatile talent, Shane had wanted to recruit him on the spot.
But unfortunately, that was impossible.
The prosperity of Water 7, in addition to the sea train, was also due to Iceburg's prestige.
A few years ago, he had single-handedly united the seven shipyards, and only with him as president could the company's shipwrights work together as one.
Iceburg couldn't leave Water 7, just as Water 7 couldn't leave him.
But this senior apprentice of Franky, after spending two days with him, had taken a liking to Smoker. He had kindly given Smoker all of his notes on ships and mechanics.
And Smoker, who was very interested in the subject, had been studying them ever since.
Shane felt that if Smokey really put his mind to it, he might actually evolve into a qualified shipwright. So, he had given up on the plan to stay in Water 7 for a few more days and recruit one.
With its repairs and upgrades complete, The Curtain Call had set sail from Water 7, continuing on its journey to the end of the first half of the Grand Line.
As for the two CP9 agents, they had been dealt with mercilessly by Kuina before Shane had even returned.
The reason the young swordswoman had given was that since they had already killed Lucci and Blueno, they were now mortal enemies, and they could not afford to be lenient. They had to cut the weeds and pull out the roots.
This was completely in line with Shane's own thoughts.
He had to say, as a vice-captain, Kuina was becoming more and more reliable. In his absence, she was gradually developing the air of a leader.
…
Returning from his memories, Shane leisurely downed his orange soda and opened the system panel, looking at the information stream that had appeared.
For the past few days, he had been focused on consolidating his practice of Conqueror's Haki Infusion, and his mastery had improved slightly.
But he had almost forgotten that the marketplace had probably refreshed. It was time to go on a good shopping spree.
But first, he had to check his points—
[You have sacrificed Kizaru's striped suit pants and received 3600 points.]
[You have sacrificed Kaido's cotton pants and received 4000 points.]
[You have sacrificed Jack's tusk and received 1800 points.]
[You have sacrificed Lucci's pigeon and received 1500 points.]
In addition, the other members of CP9 and Iceburg had contributed a total of 1100 points, for a grand total of 12,000 points!
With this massive surge, Shane's remaining points had once again broken the forty-thousand mark, reaching 44,500.
"Nice."
Shane nodded in satisfaction. With plenty of points in hand, he could shop with confidence. So, without wasting any more time, he opened the marketplace.
Sure enough, the new items had refreshed.
And the very first one made Shane's eyes widen in surprise and delight—
[Flesh-Melting Furnace Art, Core Chapter]
[Type: Training Manual]
[Price: 4800 Points]
[Description: The core chapter of the Flesh-Melting Furnace Art. Through extreme internal and external tempering, it achieves a perfect unity of flesh, bone, internal organs, and even cellular activity. Before studying this manual, you must have mastered all four other chapters.]
[Upon mastery, the strength of your internal organs will be greatly enhanced. And because all five chapters are complete, your physique and physical strength will also be improved as a whole.]
[Seller's Note: I've assembled all five pieces of Exodia!]
So it's finally here!
The final core chapter!
The first time he had come across the Flesh-Melting Furnace Art, it had been before he had even defeated Arlong, hadn't it?
Do you know how many years I've been waiting?!
Shane was overjoyed, his grin so wide he couldn't stop. He didn't hesitate to add it to his cart.
It seemed his luck was very good this time.
Next!
…
[Otose's Kuchikamizake]
[Type: Consumable]
[Price: 400 Points]
[Description: From the world of Gintama, a kuchikamizake brewed by a young Otose when she was temporarily serving as a shrine maiden. After drinking it, you will switch bodies with Otose for one month. Only effective on the user.]
[Seller's Note: I couldn't find anyone else's. Just drink it.]
Drink it your ass!
Who in their right mind would buy this?!
A black line appeared on Shane's forehead, and he skipped it.
Next!
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