Chapter 100: Grandpa!
Three days later, on a fine, sunny morning, white clouds leisurely unfurled across the azure blue sky. Upon the sparkling sea surface, a bicycle cruised along unhurriedly.
"Ara ra~ What fine weather for a stroll." A steady, deep voice spoke with a lazy tone.
A tall man with a black, curly afro, dark skin, and a languid expression, wore a deep blue shirt with a yellow tie, covered by a light blue vest.
Aokiji leisurely pedaled his bicycle towards a lush green island ahead, holding Luffy's bounty poster in his hand.
"Truly, a great general will not have cowardly sons... Counting the time, it should be about now."
Aokiji's thoughts wandered as he mumbled to himself, "Mah~~ What should I say later? For instance, 'I'm just here for a walk.'"
"Or perhaps... 'Came to see Garp's grandson', something like that..."
"Ara ra~~ So troublesome... I'm too lazy to think about it..." Aokiji drawled on for a bit, then continued pedaling his bicycle slowly towards [Long Ring Long Land].
On the other side, gentle waves lapped against the shore where a small sheep-headed boat had just docked. Several figures leaped down from above.
Long Ring Long Land was composed of ten small islands arranged in a circle. The place they landed was one of them – an endless expanse of green turf. The entire island featured flat grassland terrain, with tall, thin trees scattered sporadically.
Due to the special geographical environment, all creatures on the island grew into peculiarly elongated shapes.
"Haha! It's a great grassland! Charge!!"
"Hey Luffy! Look at this dog!" Usopp ran forward excitedly, pointing at a short but extremely long-bodied dog.
Besides that, foxes, wolves, and other animals roaming the grasslands all had bizarre appearances, with only one thing in common: some part of their body was always exceptionally long.
"The fruit here is like that too!"
Luffy stretched his arm out with a swing, plucked an oval-shaped apple from a tree, and stuffed it into his mouth without hesitation.
Just as he swallowed, he saw a white deer with extraordinarily long antlers and thick fur pass by. He pointed at it, squatted down, and grinned at the small figure beside him:
"Look Chopper! Your relative!"
"Definitely not! I'm a reindeer!" Chopper retorted discontentedly.
The undead furled the sails, dropped anchor, and lowered the rope ladder. The rest of the crew began to disembark and land on the island.
Since descending from Sky Island, the group had sailed for several more days, following the Log Pose to Long Ring Long Land.
Reiner also jumped off the ship and followed. Ever since approaching the island, Frieren's Observation Haki had sensed two auras, one clearly much stronger than an ordinary person's.
He roughly guessed who it was. But since the person had already come here waiting, hiding was useless; a face-to-face meeting was unavoidable.
This time, he hadn't left any undead to guard the ship, even recalling Frieren. If a fight can be avoided, it's best. No real benefit, and the chances of winning are really...
"This island seems deserted. The weather is rare and nice; let's have a picnic here for lunch," Sanji suggested, looking around, then turned to Reiner. "But we're low on fresh vegetables on the ship. Can you have your undead pick some from the forest later?"
"Mah~ No need," Reiner walked along with his hands in his pockets, chuckling lightly. "Let's do it ourselves today. Consider it some light activity."
"That works too," Sanji agreed, looking back at the three (Luffy, Chopper, Usopp) jumping around excitedly up ahead. "Just right to burn off some of their energy. Maybe we can even enjoy a rare day of peace."
Sanji had clearly already grouped Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp together, practically treating the three like pets.
"Look over there! Seems like a house!" The sharp-eyed Usopp spotted something, leading the group towards a giant tent.
"Oh? It's a yurt," Reiner commented, looking at the bun-shaped white structure before them.
"A yurt?"
Just then, Robin emerged and explained to Nami:
"The biggest characteristic of this type of structure is its ease of relocation. Usually, only those with migratory habits use them, like nomadic peoples. However..."
Robin looked around puzzledly. "Why is there only one?"
"Excuse me! Is anyone home?"
Before Robin could ponder further, Luffy had already opened the door on his own, preparing to walk into the tent. However, he collided head-on with a tall man emerging from within.
Thump.
"Oof!" Luffy plopped onto the ground, looking up at the man who had walked out.
"Ara ra~ One doesn't usually just walk in right after knocking, you know," Aokiji, who had emerged, brushed off his clothes, lowered his head, and looked down, sizing up Luffy.
Luffy, however, was incredibly excited, pointing at him and yelling, "Everyone look! It's amazing! Even the people here grow so loooong!"
Aokiji: "."
Aokiji rubbed his forehead helplessly. "So reckless. Just like your grandpa."
"Nani!"
Luffy instantly broke out in a cold sweat, as if some keyword had been triggered. He sat frozen on the spot, staring terrified at Aokiji.
"Hey Luffy, what's wrong?" Usopp pushed Luffy, looking baffled.
"N-nothing."
Luffy finally came back to his senses, looking warily at Aokiji and stammering, "You just said... my grandpa?!"
"Ah. The old man took good care of me when I was young," Aokiji stated coolly, his expression calm.
"Luffy! That man is dangerous! Get away from him quickly!"
Suddenly, a panicked shout came from behind. Luffy turned his head and saw Robin staring terrified at Aokiji, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"It's Robin, isn't it? Haven't seen you in many years. You've grown into quite a beauty."
Aokiji, hands in his pockets, let his teasing gaze fall upon Robin. "I was quite shocked to hear you joined the Straw Hat Pirates, you know."
His voice remained calm, but a chilling coldness gradually crept into his tone. He truly had been surprised by the news, solely because of the man sitting on the ground before him – Monkey D. Luffy!
The sole survivor of Ohara, Nico Robin, whom he had personally let go... had ended up with this person carrying the name 'D'.
This was also why he had made a special trip here – at the very least, to see for himself what kind of person Garp's grandson was.
"Robin, are you okay?" Nami placed a hand on Robin's shoulder worriedly.
Seeing Robin's panicked expression, everyone else glared hostilely at Aokiji, on high alert and ready to fight at any moment.
"Why is Robin so afraid of you!?"
"Who the hell are you, bastard!?"
Zoro and Sanji questioned him in turn. Reiner also readied himself to summon his undead at any moment, just in case.
"Hey, hey, hey! No need for all that," Aokiji raised a hand to stop them.
"I'm on vacation today. Don't add to my workload, okay? Just saw the weather was nice, went out for a stroll, and happened to end up here."
"Admiral Aokiji... not at Headquarters... strolling around here, islands away?"
Reiner looked speechlessly at the bicycle outside the yurt. What kind of goddamned stroll could possibly lead you here!?
One day! By bicycle! Across so many islands! At least come up with a better excuse!
"Admiral Aokiji!!!"
Hearing this, everyone was utterly shocked, their gazes locked intently on Aokiji, expressions filled with apprehension.
This was a name often seen in newspapers, one of the three individuals known as the World Government's highest combat powers. Even without knowing the name, the rank alone indicated this was an incredibly formidable figure.
"Did you come specifically to capture us?"
"An Admiral himself came... he really thinks highly of us," Sanji and Zoro stepped forward first, confronting him.
"Hey! What's a super strong guy like you doing here!? Shouldn't you be out catching pirates with higher bounties!?"
Usopp yelled, pointing at Aokiji's nose from behind Zoro.
Nami, even more so, hid behind Reiner and pushed him forward. "Reiner, go!"
Reiner: "."
Is this the spirit of the new Rumble-Rumble Fruit user?
"Ahem... Anyway..." Aokiji, seeing his stroll excuse had been exposed, couldn't be bothered to think of other justifications and stated directly:
"Although I am a Marine, I adhere to 'Lazy Justice'. I didn't come here today to arrest you. No need to draw knives and guns the moment we meet."
"Eh? Not fighting?" Luffy lowered his combat stance.
"Mah~ Told you, on vacation today. I'm tired of standing, just a sec."
Aokiji directly pulled out a pillow, lay down on his side on the spot, propped his head up with his elbow, looking completely languid.
"Don't be that lazy!"
"Are you sure you haven't mistaken him for someone else!? Is this guy really an Admiral!?"
"Without a doubt, that's him," Robin gritted her teeth, arms crossed before her chest, ready to activate her ability at any moment.
Past memories continuously flooded her mind, making her expression increasingly grim. "No matter how many years pass, I will absolutely never forget his face."
"Seems I'm not very popular," Aokiji said to Robin, then glanced around at the others, directly reopening Robin's old wounds with a single sharp remark:
"I mainly came to see you all today... and Nico Robin. I presume you don't know her past yet, do you? Since she was seven years old, she's been continuously..."
"Don't say any more!!"
Robin cried out in panic, interrupting him. Simultaneously, she activated her ability. A dozen or so slender arms sprouted from Aokiji's body, from top to bottom.
"Clutch!"
Sixteen arms tightly gripped Aokiji's various joints, forcefully bending his sideways-lying body backward, head towards feet!
Crack~
However...
What broke wasn't his spine, but white ice blocks shattering all over the ground. Freezing mist rose from the ground, rapidly condensing into a white ice sculpture that gradually took Aokiji's form.
"What's going on!?"
"A Devil Fruit user!?"
"It's a Logia type," Reiner pushed up his reflective glasses and said coolly. "Marine Admiral Aokiji, user of the Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit)."
His desire for Aokiji's ability was second only to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Because this wasn't the ability to control ice, but to control cold itself!
Ice was just one of its derivative abilities. An Admiral's powerful physique and Haki, plus this ability to freeze anything... If he could get Aokiji's template, Frieren's strength would directly surpass an Admiral's!
Just then...
Aokiji raised a hand, brushing his chest over his light blue vest, then looked at Robin with a teasing expression:
"So unwilling to have your past discovered? Why are you afraid to let people know? Afraid they won't trust you? Abandon you?"
Aokiji then glanced around at the other members of the Straw Hat crew. "She has hidden quite a few things from you all. Do you still think Nico Robin is your nakama?"
As his voice trailed off, the surrounding air began to feel somewhat colder.
Thump.
Robin's body went limp, and she collapsed onto the ground. Her face was an incredibly complex mix of panic, grief, and unwillingness.
She knew, of course, that she was no match for Aokiji; he could probably wipe them all out here with a wave of his hand. But... but...
She had just, with great difficulty, started to fit in with them... How could it...
"Robin is our nakama, of course!!"
Luffy clenched his fists and roared, gritting his teeth, veins bulging, glaring furiously at Aokiji.
"Her past doesn't matter! I only know she's our nakama now! That's absolutely not wrong!"
Usopp: "That's right!"
Zoro: "How pirates do things... we don't need you Marines to teach us, do we?"
Nami: "We all acknowledge it! Robin is our nakama!"
One by one, figures stepped forward; voice after voice rang out.
Chopper: "How you Marines see Robin is your business!"
Sanji: "We would never abandon little Robin-chan!"
Reiner: "He's merely an Admiral!"
All together, they strode forward, surrounding Robin. Even Nami, who had initially hidden behind him, stepped up.
Nakama! When it comes to this! Even the Cowardly Trio wouldn't retreat half a step!
"Luffy... everyone..." Robin sat on the ground, covering her mouth.
She truly, truly wanted to stay on this ship. Here, she had found warmth and joy she had never felt before. She was terrified of being abandoned by everyone.
As long as they accepted her, she was willing to give up everything else.
"Arara~ Don't be so hasty. You're making me look like the bad guy."
Faced with their righteous indignation, Aokiji merely stretched out his little finger to pick his ear, completely unconcerned, and said languidly, "She was the one who attacked first, wasn't she? I still haven't said I'm going to do anything to you. Didn't I say at the beginning? I'm on vacation today!"
Hearing this, the group looked at each other, silent for a moment...
Maybe... we overreacted a bit?
Aokiji sighed and lay back down on the ground, feeling somewhat wronged. How did I inexplicably turn into the villain? He glanced around again, his gaze stopping on Reiner.
"You're Reiner, right? I read the Alabasta report. Smoker specifically mentioned you. Said you injured him with a Seastone bullet back in Loguetown."
Aokiji's expression was conflicted, as if hesitating over something. He then added:
"The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, whatever. But Smoker is my best friend. What to do... I don't really want to let you go."
Reiner: "."
Not YOU! ME!! FUUUUCK!!!
Hearing this, the others also turned their gazes towards Reiner.
"Reiner! You have to solve your own grudges!"
"Yeah, yeah! How can you drag down your nakama!?"
"Go get him, Reiner!"
The Cowardly Trio chimed in one after another. Nami even more directly kicked him right in front of Aokiji.
Reiner turned back, grimacing, and yelled at the group, "Hey, bastards! Why the sudden change in attitude!?"
"Mainly because we can't help if he's specifically after you."
"If even you can't beat him, it'll be tough for us too," Zoro and Sanji said simultaneously, shrugging.
They sure have a lot of faith in me. Reiner regained his serious expression, turned around, and looked down directly at Aokiji.
Although I don't want to fight... if I absolutely have to... even if it's just to show Robin some support... it's worth taking this beating.
The two locked eyes, neither making a move.
After a long time...
"Mah~ Forget it."
Aokiji patted his rear, stood up, brushed the dry grass off his clothes, stuffed his hands into his pockets, stood ramrod straight, and said seriously:
"The Navy owes you a favor, after all. Let's consider the Alabasta matter settled. Next time we meet, I won't hold back on you."
Aokiji felt the probing was enough. As he said at the start, he hadn't come to arrest them. Besides... Aokiji couldn't help but give Reiner another look.
This man... is probably holding back quite a few techniques, right? Feels like fighting him would be a bit of a pain.
Aokiji turned his head and called out towards the yurt in his deep, heavy voice, "You can come out now, old man. I'll take you to find your companions."
(End of this chapter)
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