Chapter 183: Rocks... You're Still Alive?!
"Kuma?"
"Doffy... Wait! The great pirate this kid is talking about... it has to be that Warlord Doflamingo, the one Shane cut in half!"
"Who else could it be?! Don't you remember, Nami? It's the story Kuma told us! It all lines up perfectly!"
The deck of The Curtain Call erupted in a flurry of conversation as the crew put the pieces together.
Shane stroked his chin, his eyes glinting with realization.
It really does line up.
He should have remembered sooner. But Kuma had been rushed at the time, so his story had been brief. On top of that, "Agatha Archipelago" wasn't the easiest name to remember. With several months having passed, it took hearing the story from another perspective for him to finally connect all the dots.
"Um..." Kia looked at the crew nervously. "Do you all know Mr. Kuma? Is he... is he okay?"
"Of course we know him! And don't you worry, he's doing great!" Nami chirped with a wide grin. "After Kuma saved you all, Doflamingo chased him across the sea. But lucky for him, he ran right into my big brother, who saved him."
"He and his daughter are part of our crew now," she added. "They're just held up with some other business, so they haven't officially come aboard yet. If they were here, you'd be having a proper reunion right now!"
"Really?!" Kia shot to his feet, his eyes shimmering with tears of joy. "I'm so glad Mr. Kuma is safe! I was so worried that flamingo monster would..."
"You don't have to worry about that psycho anymore," Nami declared, planting her hands proudly on her hips. "My brother didn't just save Kuma, he sliced that flamingo freak in half! That was ages ago. By now, the grass on his grave is probably thiiiiis high!"
She spread her arms wide in a huge arc, earning a light-hearted kick from Nojiko. It had only been a few months; she didn't need to exaggerate that much.
"Eh?!" Kia froze, turning to Shane in disbelief. "B-Big Brother Shane... did you really defeat that monster?"
That flamingo man... he was a terrifying force of nature.
Kia remembered the first time he'd come to their island, demanding their sacred treasure. With a casual flick of his wrist, he had left their tribe's best warriors broken and bleeding on the ground.
To save his people, his grandfather had been forced to hand over the Sacred Fruit with tears in his eyes. But the moment the flamingo man touched it, his face had contorted in terror, and he'd fled without another word.
He never returned personally after that, only sending his thuggish subordinates to harass them. Finally, his patience wore out, and he sent Kuma... thankfully, Kuma was a good man who chose to defy his master and fight for them.
"Is that even a question? For my brother, that's a one-finger job! Let me put it this way," Nami said, getting fired up as she held up a finger with a grin. "That Doflamingo guy you're so scared of? His bounty was only around 300 million. But my brother? His is over 2.1 billion Belly! That's seven times higher!"
"T-Two point one BILLION?!"
Kia's jaw dropped so wide you could have fit a whole egg in it.
After a moment of stunned silence, he snapped back to reality, turned to Shane, and dropped to his knees with a heavy thud, his forehead striking the stone floor.
"BIG BROTHER SHANE!"
Kia's entire body trembled. "I-I know I said I'd get revenge on that flamingo man one day... but I was just bluffing! I knew I couldn't do it!"
His eyes turned red as tears streamed down his face, his voice choked with emotion. "I don't have that kind of strength... He was too powerful. Not just me, none of us thought we'd ever see justice... B-But you... you not only saved Mr. Kuma, you killed that bastard with your own hands..."
"I will never forget this! When I get back, I'll make sure every single person in my tribe knows of your kindness!"
Kia was about to bow again, but Shane caught his shoulder, stopping him.
"Alright, that's enough," Shane said with a sigh. "A man only kneels when it truly matters. Don't be so quick to throw yourself on the ground. I didn't even know you back then. Killing that guy was just something that happened along the way." He looked at Kia intently. "But you said something interesting... Doflamingo touched your Sacred Fruit and fled in terror? And he never set foot on your island again?"
"Y-Yes! That's right!" Kia nodded frantically. "My grandfather told me when I was little that the Sacred Fruit holds a terrifying power. Without an incredibly strong will, you shouldn't even touch it. But none of us expected that Grandfather would fall into a coma for so long just from trying..."
He looked up at Shane, his face full of hope. "Big Brother Shane, you've seen the world and you're so powerful... is there any way... can you save my grandfather?"
"I can't make any promises without seeing him myself," Shane said after a moment of thought. "But," he continued, a curious glint in his eye, "I'm very interested in this thing of yours. Take us there. It's about time we got you home anyway. Your tribe must be worried sick."
His interest was genuinely piqued.
This "Sacred Fruit," a relic left behind by the legendary Rocks, sounded incredibly bizarre.
It could protect an entire tribe from ferocious beasts and passing Sea Kings for decades.
It contained an untapped "power" that knocked Kia's grandfather into a coma the moment he tried to access it.
And it had terrified a man as arrogant and fearless as Doflamingo—a man who would only break a sweat at the mention of Kaido's name years from now—so badly that he never dared return.
If he didn't figure out what this thing was, he probably wouldn't sleep well for months.
"That's great! Thank you, Big Brother Shane!" Kia scrambled to his feet and pushed open a hidden door behind a treasure chest. "Everyone, follow me! There's a tunnel that leads down to the seafloor! It's a shortcut my grandpa made when he was treasure hunting..."
The boy's words were cut short as Jack wordlessly lifted him by the scruff of his neck and slung him over his shoulder.
This dumb kid, Jack thought. I just punched a hole through the mountain. With all the Devil Fruit users on this ship, who's going to take a tunnel to the bottom of the ocean when there's a perfectly good path?
The crew quickly returned to the ship. After being docked at Raijin Island for a full week, The Curtain Call finally raised its sails and set a course for the Agatha Archipelago, guided by the Eternal Pose Kia had provided.
Four days later, the silhouette of the Agatha Archipelago appeared on the horizon.
Dozens of islands were scattered across the azure sea like pearls. The largest, central island was covered in dense, primeval forest, with several volcanoes smoking faintly in the distance. The Curtain Call furled its sails and navigated down a river toward the island's heart.
"We're almost there, Big Brother Shane!" Kia stood at the prow, pointing toward a village nestled in the hills. "That's our main village! There are a few others nearby. All together, there are thousands of us!"
"HALT!"
A sharp command echoed from the riverbank.
Dozens of simply dressed warriors emerged from the dense woods, wielding longbows. Their arrowheads glinted with the black sheen of Armament Haki, all of them aimed squarely at the ship.
"Huh?" Nami, who had been admiring the scenery, gasped in surprise. "These people... they can all use Haki!"
Shane's eyes swept over the warriors, a hint of surprise on his face. A tribe where every member could use Haki was a rare sight, even in the New World.
A male version of Amazon Lily?
"Outsiders!" the brawny young man leading them shouted. "We don't wish to harm you, but this is not a place for you. Turn your ship around and leave now, or we will show no mercy!"
"Ooh! Perfect! I just evolved, and I already get a fight!" Mochi leaped gracefully onto the second-floor railing, full of energy. She cracked her knuckles. "Alright, it's decided! I'll take the lead on this one! It's time for everyone who's always protected me to see what I can do now—GYAH!"
Before she could finish, a leg shot out and punted her straight into the river with a splash.
Behind the railing, Gin snorted, disdainfully lowering his hind leg.
Show-off. Doesn't know her place. The master hasn't even spoken, what makes you think it's your turn to hog the spotlight?
"Wait! Brother Noah!" Kia leaped onto the bank and started running up the hill, waving his arms. "It's me! Kia! I'm back!"
"Kia?"
The warriors, bows drawn, all froze with looks of astonishment.
"He's wearing outsider's clothes, and his hair and build have changed... but there's no mistaking that face. It really is him!"
"That brat... he's actually alive!"
"Hey! Kia! Hahaha, where have you been, man? We all missed you like crazy!"
The tense atmosphere vanished in an instant. Many of the warriors started to rush forward with smiles, but the young man called Noah stopped them with a raised hand.
"What is it, Young Chief?" a warrior next to him asked, confused. "It's Kia! Don't you recognize him?"
"How could I not recognize my own brother?" Noah's bow remained drawn, his eyes narrowed. The expression on his rugged face was cold. "That is precisely why I must ask. Kia, who are these outsiders you've brought with you? And where in the world have you been for the last three months?"
Three months?!!
Kia was dumbfounded. Had he really been gone that long? He thought it had only been ten days or so! Just how long had he slept in that treasure chest? But there was no time to dwell on that. He lowered his head, feeling wronged. "Brother... I... I went to find a way to save Grandfather."
"FOOLISHNESS!" Noah's eyebrows shot up as he roared. "You're just a boy! What solution could you possibly find?! You selfishly ran off! Do you have any idea how much worse Grandfather's condition has gotten? The elders say he won't last the month!"
"What if he has a final moment of clarity and wakes up, only to find his favorite grandson is missing?! Kia! You reckless child, do you want him to die with regret?!"
"I... I..." Kia was both panicked and hurt. "Brother, I didn't know so much time had passed! I just couldn't stand seeing him unconscious anymore... And besides, I found someone who can save him!"
He snapped his head up and pointed at Shane.
"This is Big Brother Shane! He's Mr. Kuma's captain, and he defeated that flamingo monster, Doflamingo! He's an incredible person! I know he can save Grandfather!"
"What?!"
"That young? He's Mr. Kuma's captain?"
The warriors erupted in shocked murmurs, all eyes turning to Shane.
Noah's pupils constricted for a second, but he quickly regained his composure. "Kia, you idiot, are you sure you haven't been tricked? That Doflamingo was a monster even Grandfather couldn't handle. How could he possibly..."
"It's true!" Kia stomped his foot in frustration. "I saw it in the newspapers! I can go get his wanted poster for you if you don't believe me! Even the World Government is afraid of him! His bounty is over two billion!"
Over two billion?
That's insane... that's more than double what Grandfather's bounty was in his prime.
Noah was stunned. Seeing his brother's earnest desperation, he instinctively looked back at Shane. His Observation Haki couldn't get a read on this man at all. He felt unfathomably deep, and there was no sense of malice coming from him.
He took a deep breath, his eyes locked on Shane. "Sir, can you truly save my grandfather?"
Shane simply shook his head slightly. "I can't guarantee anything. But you can take me to see him."
Noah was silent for a moment, then finally came to a decision. He lowered his bow and waved for the warriors to stand down.
"Please, follow me."
The air in the wooden hut was thick with the mixed scent of herbs and incense. The light was dim. Lying silently on a bed was the grandfather of Kia and Noah, the old chieftain of the Agatha tribe, his eyes sealed shut.
Shane observed him. The old man was far older than he'd expected, easily a hundred years old. The prolonged coma and lack of nourishment had left his already thin frame skeletal, his skin like dry bark stretched tight over his bones.
"Grandfather! I'm sorry I'm late..." Kia collapsed by the bed, sobbing quietly.
Shane's attention, however, was drawn to the center of the room, where two middle-aged warriors stood guard on either side of a wooden cabinet. He walked over. The warriors glanced at Noah for permission. After receiving a nod, they bowed slightly and stepped aside.
Shane opened the cabinet door and finally laid eyes on the so-called "Sacred Fruit."
It was...
A pitcher plant??
He froze, staring at the object for a long moment, almost thinking his eyes were deceiving him.
The plant before him had a verdant, pitcher-shaped trap hanging low, its rim glistening with moisture. The inner wall was slick, and the mouth was slightly open, its half-closed lid like a crooked little hat, ready to snap shut at any moment.
There was no mistake. It was a pitcher plant. Back in Cocoyasi Village, some of the villagers grew them as decorations. He'd even played with one as a curious kid.
The only difference was its size. This one was far larger than any he'd ever seen, and faint, dark-red lines, like dried veins of blood, were wrapped around its body.
Hisss...
As if sensing Shane's presence, the pitcher plant's lid opened fully. Its opening slowly widened, releasing a puff of sweet-smelling mist.
For a fleeting moment, Shane's mind felt foggy, but in the blink of an eye, his Reinforced Occlumency kicked in, and his senses cleared completely.
He hadn't fallen for it, but he recognized the feeling.
A Devil Fruit user...
He looked at the pitcher plant, his expression turning strange. "Hey, you... don't tell me a Devil Fruit just happened to fall nearby and you ate it?"
A fruit that ate a Devil Fruit but didn't become a Devil Fruit itself? It sounded convoluted. But in a world where swords and even ships could become Devil Fruit users, perhaps nothing should be surprising anymore...
The pitcher plant tilted its "head," as if confused. It had been a long, long time since it had encountered a human who was immune to its mist.
After a moment, it extended a leaf, as if inviting Shane to place his hand on it.
Shane was eager to see what this thing could do. Without hesitation, he reached out his right hand and laid it on the leaf.
VWOOM!
The next instant, the world dissolved into a blur. When it snapped back into focus, his surroundings had completely changed.
He stood on a clifftop under a blood-red moon, bathed in darkness. A massive, imposing figure in a crimson cloak, sensing a new presence, slowly turned around.
"Hmph? What the hell is this? Another pest come to bother my benefactor?!"
The man grinned, a savage, exaggerated smile splitting his face. His eyes landed on Shane, a mane of wild, deep-red hair whipping madly in the wind.
"You're just a kid... You got a death wish? Tell me, have the brats on the high seas today... already forgotten who I am?!"
BOOM!
As his words fell, a terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, crashing down on Shane with cataclysmic force
☆☆☆
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just 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