OPTC Chapter 279: Urgent Question Online
Koushirou said, "My father, Shimotsuki Kozaburo, came to the East Blue more than forty years ago. He settled here afterward, but ever since he handed the dojo over to me, he rarely showed himself. He doesn't like to talk about the past either. All I know is that he came from a great nation that cherishes swordsmanship, and the sword Shusui is a national treasure of that land."
It was understandable that he avoided the topic. Technically speaking, Shimotsuki Kozaburo had escaped from Wano, a closed country, which would have been considered an illegal departure.
"Forty years ago, huh? That's around the same time as Brook," Zhang Da Ye remarked. He didn't bother responding to the "national treasure" part. Return Shusui? To who—Kaido? Orochi? Yeah, right.
Brook thought for a moment after being mentioned. "Even if you say that, I still don't remember him."
"You mean you're that old, Mr. Brook?" Koushirou looked genuinely surprised. He had assumed everyone in this group was young.
Brook looked slightly wounded. "It's true, but hearing it out loud still stings a bit, you know?"
"My apologies."
"Yohohoho~ It's fine. I may be old in years, but I'm still young at heart! It's about time I showed you all... that thing." Brook stood up with exaggerated seriousness and walked to the corner. "Forty-five degrees!"
"Amazing!" Wendy exclaimed. It was her first time seeing Brook perform his antics. Strange, yes—but also oddly entertaining.
"What is that supposed to be?" Carla, Koushirou , and Kuina all looked equally confused.
Tom, never one to miss a chance to perform, tossed ten rice balls into the air, juggling them into a perfect ring before catching them in his mouth one by one. They formed a chain down his throat, and after he gave his head a light thump—gulp!—he swallowed them all at once.
The whole group burst out laughing, even Ye Yan, who couldn't resist joining in by dressing as a sun-flower and dancing around.
That man really had no sense of shame.
After dinner, Zoro and Kuina both fell silent, remembering the way Artoria ate. To become the world's greatest swordsman... did that mean they also had to eat for a hundred people first?
That night, everyone rested at the dojo's guest quarters. The ship was guarded by the Flag Demons, so there was nothing to worry about.
The next morning, they headed to the village marketplace. Kuina and Zoro volunteered to guide them.
Kuina successfully led Zhang Da Ye's group to their destination, but Zoro, somehow, disappeared.
"Should we go find him?" kindhearted Rui Meng Meng asked.
Kuina sighed and rubbed her forehead. "He probably just got lost again. Don't worry, the village isn't big. Even if he wanders around, he'll make it back eventually."
Worst case scenario, he'd just miss lunch.
The small village market didn't have much to offer. Nothing exotic, but plenty of fresh ingredients. Zhang Da Ye mainly followed Artoria's gaze while shopping.
Every time she saw an unfamiliar ingredient, her eyes would lock on it with intense curiosity. That was his cue to pull out some money. "We'll take everything. Please deliver it to the ship on the southern coast with the cathead flag."
Hearing that, the vendors grinned from ear to ear. They quickly packed up and set off to deliver the goods. Usually, they only sold small amounts to local villagers, so a generous customer like this was rare.
Kuina thought about warning them not to buy too much—the next island was only a few days away—but after recalling their monstrous appetites, she decided against it.
They also bought clothes for Wendy and Carla. The choices were limited, but it was still good to have spares for Wendy.
Carla's clothes were a problem, though. Her taste leaned toward that of a middle schooler, and she couldn't stand babyish designs. In the end, they bought larger ones to have Tom alter later.
The thought of Tom tailoring clothes again made Zhang Da Ye's stomach ache. He bought rolls of fabric on the spot—better to stock up now before Tom ruined his wardrobe again.
By the end of their stroll, everyone had a sugar-coated hawthorn skewer in hand. Tom even carried a whole rack of them, dozens stuck together.
Kuina initially refused—those were childish snacks—but after seeing everyone, from adults to cats, enjoying them (especially Artoria, her role model, happily munching away), she gave in.
"Cat! A cat selling candied hawthorns! I want one!" a passing child shouted, offering Tom some coins.
Tom smiled and handed the child a skewer, patting their head gently. It was a warm, cheerful sight.
Except for Artoria's constant hand reaching for more, and Shark Chili's lectures to the kids about tooth decay and limiting sugar—those occasionally broke the mood.
The children clutched their treats and listened politely, though most just wanted a closer look at the talking robot. They only left when their parents called them away.
Once all the hawthorns were gone (eaten, really), Ye Yan pulled Tom aside. "You guys go on ahead. We need to discuss something!"
A few minutes later, Tom returned—carrying a human-sized hawthorn skewer behind him.
"What do you think? This is my new performance art piece: 'Sweet and Sour, That's Me!'" Ye Yan declared proudly, dressed head-to-toe in candied red glaze.
Artoria poked the costume. "Makes me want to take a bite."
Rui Meng Meng nodded thoughtfully. "A very lifelike disguise."
Shark Chili did his best to be supportive. "Truly... unique."
Brook laughed. "Performance art is beyond my understanding, yohohoho~"
Zhang Da Ye sighed. "He's just got a few screws loose."
Perona stayed silent, realizing her vocabulary might not be enough to describe what she was seeing. She needed to study more. Then she froze—what a terrifying thought!
Kuina felt like her worldview was expanding. Were all Grand Line travelers this... eccentric?
Wendy clutched Carla tightly. Just weird outfits, nothing to panic about. Better this than that guildmate who stripped at random times.
Their market trip didn't take long. Zhang Da Ye asked, "Guess we can't buy sea charts here, huh? Does this village even have a bookstore?"
Kuina replied, "Actually, the dojo has a map of nearby waters. Father said he'd give it to you."
"That's great," Zhang Da Ye said, relieved. Having a ready-made chart saved them the trouble.
They strolled around the small village a bit longer. It was a peaceful place—aside from the dojo, there really wasn't much to see.
According to Kuina, the neighboring village was about the same. Losing interest, the group decided to go hunting instead.
They returned with two wild boars and a brown bear. On the way down the mountain, they found a lost Zoro.
Kuina stared. "Zoro? Why are you here?"
"O-of course I came looking for you guys! You disappeared in the village—so irresponsible!" Zoro shouted first, hoping confidence would sell the lie.
Kuina sighed. "Right. Well, thank you for your hard work. Let's head back. Stay close."
The group stifled their laughter. From the village to the mountain—this boy was hopeless.
Only Wendy bowed deeply. "I'm sorry!"
Zoro panicked. "Ah—don't worry about it!"
He misunderstood completely, thinking Wendy was apologizing for getting separated. In truth, she just felt guilty that she couldn't cure his directional sickness.
On the way back, Kuina kept a tight grip on his clothes to make sure he didn't wander again.
At the dojo, Koushirou brought out a wooden box and handed it to Zhang Da Ye. "You've done so much for my daughter. This box contains the sea charts you asked about—and a treasure map I happened upon. Please accept them as thanks."
Koushirou wasn't sure if the treasure map was genuine, but nothing in East Blue could really threaten this group anyway. And he had no interest in treasure himself.
"A treasure map?" Zhang Da Ye opened the box curiously. Inside were neatly folded charts—ordinary ones, labeled with familiar names like the Goa Kingdom.
One was different: a rolled-up yellowed parchment. Unfurling it revealed an island sketch and a few cryptic markings—probably hints toward buried treasure.
"This is the first time I've ever seen a treasure map." Zhang Da Ye smiled. Even if it was nonsense, the idea of a treasure hunt sounded fun.
Everyone gathered around in excitement. Tom examined it from every angle—sideways, upside down, even hanging it over his head—but couldn't make sense of it.
Rui Meng Meng asked curiously, "What kind of treasure do you think it is?"
"Usually gold or jewels," said the experienced pirate Brook. "Could be Berries too. But often the treasure's already gone. Still, that's part of the adventure! Yohohoho!"
Ye Yan, still dressed as a candied fruit, said, "I always wondered—who even makes these maps? Who buries their fortune and draws a detailed chart just waiting for strangers to dig it up?"
Brook explained, "Sometimes pirates can't carry their loot, so they hide it and draw maps for themselves. But if they die or get captured... only the map remains."
Zhang Da Ye added, "Or maybe it's bait—someone spreads fake maps to lure others into traps. Capture them, then... do all sorts of things."
Wendy shivered and hugged Carla tighter. "That sounds scary... Should we still go?"
"Let's study it first. If we can find clues, we'll check it out," Zhang Da Ye said reassuringly. "Don't worry, Wendy. You're strong too. Believe in yourself."
"Y-yeah!" Wendy remembered her goal of becoming stronger and nodded firmly.
Zhang Da Ye put the maps away and turned to Koushirou . "Thank you for everything. We won't stay longer."
"Wait..." Kuina spoke up before her father could. She gathered her courage and asked, "If I go to sea... can I become stronger?"
"Kuina..." Koushirou was taken aback. He wasn't ready for this.
"Father, I want to grow stronger. My dream is to become the world's greatest swordsman, and I have to make it come true!" Kuina said earnestly, then looked to Artoria—her ideal of strength—for an answer.
Zoro's eyes widened. "That's unfair! If Kuina's going to sea, then I'm going too!"
"Going to sea opens your horizons," Artoria said after a pause. "You'll meet strong opponents and face real danger. That kind of pressure can make you grow... but your current level isn't ready for that yet. Train a bit more first."
Kuina looked disappointed. "I see... I'll work hard."
Zoro asked, "Then how strong do we have to be to go?"
"At least as strong as me," Zhang Da Ye quickly cut in before Artoria could answer. He couldn't have these two running off and dying because of them.
They were only eleven and nine. Even with talent, their bodies couldn't handle true battles. Maybe at best they could match a Sword Saint for a burst—but against a million-berry pirate? Dead in minutes.
So Zhang Da Ye decided to demonstrate. He picked up a regular sword and approached one of the iron weights Zoro used for training.
The dojo disciples whispered among themselves.
"C-could he be trying to cut through steel?"
"But that's just a normal sword!"
"He's from the Grand Line—maybe he really can!"
Kuina and Zoro watched intently.
Zhang Da Ye raised the sword and swung down at the iron weight.
Clang!
The blade struck the metal. Sparks flew. The weight remained untouched.
The sword vibrated wildly, the tremor running up through the blade and into Zhang Da Ye's arms.
His entire body lifted off the ground, shaking uncontrollably as a comical duang~~~ sound echoed.
He hovered midair for five seconds before crashing down.
This isn't right! I just learned how to cut steel! he thought desperately. Damn it, the act failed—what do I do now? Urgent! Online!
Feeling all the stares on him, Zhang Da Ye wanted to dig a hole and disappear.
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