Chapter 140: Encounter
Kuri Lord's Castle, Wano Country.
"What! Lord Kozuki Oden is missing!? The Whitebeard Pirates docked at Ida Port have also set sail!!!"
The group who had returned from their studies in Flower Capital heard the news of Lord Kozuki Oden's disappearance, and that the Moby Dick and the Whitebeard Pirates had vanished from Kuri Beach. They immediately felt a sense of foreboding.
"Older Brother Izo is also gone, and even Cat and Dog are missing."
Kikunojo was so worried that tears streamed down his face. After all, he and Izo had always depended on each other.
"Before considering the worst-case scenario, let's search the entire country first. We can only pray now that those Whitebeard bastards didn't take Lord Kozuki Oden out to sea with them!" Denjiro, the most intelligent among them, spoke first. At the same time, he felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Pops! Is that guy really okay!? He's not going to die in the Sea, is he?" On the Deck, Marco, squatting on the Ship's Railing, watched Kozuki Oden, who was riding the waves in the Sea while holding onto an Iron Chain, and couldn't help but turn his head to ask Whitebeard. Kozuki Oden had been soaking in the Sea for almost half the night, and even because he had passed through a Reef earlier, he could be said to be bruised and battered. At first glance, one might mistake him for some rare Sea Beast.
"Don't worry about it. Also, Marco, tell everyone to prepare for a Banquet. After all, we're setting sail again!" Whitebeard, leaning on his Naginata and taking a swig from his Wine Bottle, said to Marco, without even glancing at Kozuki Oden behind the Ship.
"Hey, Whitebeard, you bastard, quickly pull Lord Kozuki Oden up, or he'll die!!! That Lord is going to shoulder the expectations of countless people in Wano Country in the future!" Izo, who was tied up, looked at the battered Kozuki Oden at the stern and roared angrily at Whitebeard. In his opinion, this was an insult to Kozuki Oden, an insult to the entire Wano Country!
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed loudly at Izo's words, then squatted down and looked at the tied-up Izo, speaking seriously.
"Kid, you've seen me refuse to let him on the Ship many times, right? But even so, that guy still desperately tried to find a way to go to Sea. Since that's the case, then we'll do things according to the rules of the Grand Line. Since he chose the Grand Line, then there's no such thing as a Daimyo here!!! I won't let such a dangerous guy casually board the Ship and threaten the safety of our Family. If you can persuade him to give up, then go ahead. After all, we haven't left Wano Country too far yet. With Kozuki Oden's Strength, you should be able to return to Wano Country safely without too much trouble. But the limit is three days!"
Then Whitebeard came to the stern, looked at Kozuki Oden, who was desperately holding on in the Sea, and said, "Listen up, Kozuki Oden! If you keep holding onto that Iron Chain for three days, then I'll allow you to board the Ship and become one of our Family!"
Glug glug glug, phew, phew, phew pah roar! "Phew! A gentleman's word!" After taking a deep breath, Kozuki Oden shouted loudly.
"Naturally, as swift as a whip." Whitebeard also responded loudly. Clearly, Kozuki Oden's spirit of desperately wanting to go to Sea and search moved him, and he was willing to give the other party a Opportunity.
"Pops, a Fleet of Ships has been spotted on the port side!!!" In the midst of the wind and rain, just as everyone was watching Kozuki Oden who was struggling in the Sea, suddenly a shout from the Lookout on the Moby Dick's Crow's Nest came.
Hearing the Sound, everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates looked towards the port side of the Ship. For them, encountering unfamiliar Ships in the New World was very likely to mean Enemies.
"Captain, a Pirate Ship has been spotted on the starboard side." "Uncover the Cannons! Prepare for battle!" In naval battles, keeping the Gunpowder dry is the most important thing. Water easily gets into the Muzzle, and with the rainstorm weather, they always cover them with Oil Paper Cloth to keep them dry. When they are about to fight, they uncover them and prepare for battle.
The Lookout kept a close eye on the Large Ship ahead. As the distance closed, the image of the Large Ship in the distance became clearer and clearer. Then, as the Telescope shifted, in the flashes of lightning and thunder, the Lookout also saw the Whitebeard Pirate Flag hanging on the Moby Dick, as well as Whitebeard and others on the Ship.
"It's Whitebeard!!!" With the Lookout's terrified shout, everyone on the entire Ship immediately entered a state of high Alert. After all, in the New World, there really are beings whose names alone are enough to intimidate heroes, and Whitebeard is undoubtedly one of them.
Although their Fleet of Ships were all medium-sized Ships, their Firepower was quite powerful. Each Ship had at least more than thirty Cannons and hundreds of Crew member. They were not afraid of ordinary Pirate Crew at all. But the opponent was Whitebeard, and they would not have any illusions. He was a Monster who could destroy a Fleet single-handedly.
"Notify the Fleet, change course and avoid them. Our Target this time is to transport Goods. Do not clash with them! If we can't deliver the Goods on time, angering that person will have the same consequences as fighting the Whitebeard Pirates head-on!" With the Captain's order, the entire Fleet quickly changed Formation and sailed away into the distance.
"Pops! They're changing course!" The Lookout on the Mast shouted loudly to the Whitebeard Pirates Crew member on the Deck.
"Should we chase after them, Pops?" Marco looked at Whitebeard and asked. For them, encountering Ships on the Sea and not Plundering them, what kind of Pirate would they be?
"Forget it. Since they're avoiding us, then let's sail in the planned direction!" Whitebeard said directly.
Accompanied by the wind and rain, the two groups passed each other by.
Inside the Kuri Lord's Castle.
"How is it? Still no News about Lord Kozuki Oden and Izo?" Kanjuro asked anxiously.
"There's still no News for now. I've already asked Lord Kang of White Dance, as well as Hyougoro the Gallant, and the Daimyo of Ringo, Udon, and other Places to help keep an eye out." Denjiro said to everyone.
"I've also had my men conduct a carpet search in Kuri. If Lord Kozuki Oden is still in Kuri, there should be News soon." Ashura Doji, the Kuri Overlord who once gathered a large group of followers, can be said to be a real local tyrant in Kuri.
"We can't keep waiting. You guys stay in Wano Country. I'll find a way to take a Ship out to Sea to chase after the Whitebeard Pirates. If Lord Kozuki Oden is on Whitebeard's Ship, I will definitely bring Lord Kozuki Oden back safely!" After saying this, Kin'emon planned to go out and take a Ship out to Sea.
But before he could take a step, Denjiro grabbed him by the back of his collar. "Are you not making enough of a mess, you bastard? What are you going to use to go to Sea? Didn't you hear those Whitebeard guys say that the Grand Line outside is countless times more dangerous than the Sea surrounding Wano Country? Even Whitebeard's Large Ship suffered a Shipwreck. Do you expect to chase after Lord Kozuki Oden with a Sampan!?"
"Then what do you say we should do!?" Kin'emon was also a little annoyed and brushed off Denjiro's hand, asking irritably.
"First, find Lord Kozuki Oden, then manage everything in Kuri. Kuri must not have any problems before Lord Kozuki Oden returns. Also, pay attention to Flower Capital!? And all sorts of Things happening in Wano Country." A sharp glint flashed under Denjiro's Glasses.
"???" Denjiro's words made everyone present somewhat puzzled.
"I always feel like someone in Wano Country is secretly plotting something! In any case, caution is the best policy!" However, Denjiro didn't explain much about this. He had no Evidence, and most of it was just his intuition.
(End of Chapter)