area51novel Chapter 128 Magic: The Art of Finding the Wrong Place
Chapter 128 Magic: The Art of Finding the Wrong Place
Chapter 128 Magic: The Art of Finding the Wrong Place
"This tree is really big..." Usopp looked around and said, "We've been walking for so long, and we still haven't left the area of this tree."
"Otherwise, why would we call it a small island?" Xiao Ba laughed.
How old are these trees?
"I don't know," Xiao Ba shook his head and said, "It's been a very long time."
This group of islands has existed for a very long time; who knows how long ago it appeared? Anyway, it has been here since he was born.
"For a mangrove tree to grow this big... it must have taken at least several hundred years," west Yan said.
"Who knows?"
"Haha, it doesn't really matter how things turn out, right?" Luffy laughed. "Hachi, is there anything good to eat inside?"
"Ah, that's it." Xiao Ba laughed, "The area we're going through is a commercial district, so there will naturally be food there."
"A commercial area?"
Nico Robin and Nami exchanged a glance, then laughed in unison.
Shopping is a woman's nature; when she comes across a shopping street, she naturally has to go and browse around.
"By the way, you must treat Kemi and me as ordinary humans." Hachi said seriously, "Please remember this, we are neither fish-men nor mermaids."
"Why?"
Luffy looked at Hachi with confusion, not understanding why the other party would suddenly tell him this.
"Luffy, have you forgotten about those guys capturing Camie?" west Yan said, "If we're exposed..."
They might be being targeted.
As he spoke, west Yan glanced at Kemi. The reason she couldn't go to the amusement park was probably because of this.
Going to such a chaotic place could very likely result in you being caught by human traffickers.
After hearing west Yan's explanation, Luffy was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand."
"That's good."
Hachi breathed a sigh of relief when Luffy agreed.
If it were revealed that he and Kemi were fish-people, countless people would be watching them.
That would not only put them in danger, but also cause trouble for the Straw Hat Pirates, which is not what Hachi wants to see.
Soon, the group arrived at the commercial district.
"Wow, this is so bustling!"
Chopper was stunned as he looked at the commercial street in the distance, lined with shops everywhere.
"It really is a nice place!"
"Hey, what's that?"
Luffy pointed to the bubble car shop not far away and asked, "What's a bubble car?"
"This is a unique mode of transportation found only in the Sabaody Archipelago," Xiao Ba said with a smile. "Want to try it?"
"I want to go! I want to go!"
After Luffy finished speaking, he dashed off in a flash.
When you come to a new place, wouldn't it be a waste not to try the local specialties?
"Boss, give me a bubble car!"
"profound!"
"You have excellent taste, sir!" the shopkeeper said with a smug look. "All the bubble cars here are top-notch!"
"How do I use this?"
"First, crawl inside this bubble, then put the bubble cart in."
Listening to the shopkeeper's explanation, Luffy glanced at the bubbles and then began trying to squeeze himself inside.
"That's right, exactly!" the boss said with a smile. "Keep up the good work, customer."
After Luffy went into the bubble, the boss took out a bubble car, placed it inside, and said, "Just ride this bicycle, and you can move forward."
Luffy tried it, and surprisingly, he could actually move forward!
"Haha, this is so funny!"
"Haha, as long as the customer likes it, that's good."
As he spoke, the boss glanced at the group of people who had come with Luffy, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
That look seemed to say... We've found a fat sheep!
"This guy seems to think we're easy prey," west Yan said.
"A fat sheep?"
Nami glared and said, "No one has ever been able to gain the upper hand over me!"
After saying that, Nami walked over aggressively, making the boss's eyelids twitch.
It seems like... he's not someone to be trifled with.
Nami glanced at Luffy, who was floating around, and asked the shopkeeper, "How much is this?"
"Ah...it would cost ten thousand to buy."
"Ten thousand?!"
"Why don't you just rob it?!"
A few broken wooden carts, plus a bubble that doesn't cost any money... and it's worth 10000 Berries?
This business is like robbery!
"No way you can rob someone this fast..." the boss muttered to himself.
If every customer who comes here buys his bubble car, he can make money much faster than robbing a bank.
After clearing his throat, the shopkeeper said, "If the customer doesn't want to buy, they can also rent it for 500 Berries a day."
"That's more like it," Nami snorted.
She remembered what Hachi had said: once these bubbles left the Sabaody Archipelago, they would burst.
That means these so-called bubble cars can't be used anywhere else!
Given this premise, spending 10000 Berries to buy this is somewhat foolish.
"That's right, renting is fine." Xiao Ba nodded and said, "Boss, give us four."
"OK."
Clearly, the shopkeeper realized that Xiao Ba was a local, so he stopped trying to sell his bubble car.
Otherwise, if you anger the other party, it will be bad if a fight breaks out.
"Why rent one?" Luffy asked, dissatisfied, as he rode back. "I wanted to buy one and take it back with me."
Xiao Ba: ? ? ?
So all his explanations before were for nothing?
"Didn't you hear what Hachi said?" Nami said, "Once we leave this island, the bubbles will burst inexplicably, just like you saw before."
"Huh?!"
Luffy looked at Nami in shock and said, "So that's how it is?!"
"Then I won't buy it."
Soon, the four completed bubble cars were handed to Hachi. After paying 2500 Berries, he left with his men.
Glancing at the receding bubble car shop, Usopp, riding his bubble car, remarked, "Even though renting a car costs 500 Berries, isn't he worried about people not returning it?"
If someone doesn't want to return it, wouldn't they get a car for free?
"error?!"
Xiao Ba, who was riding his bike, paused for a moment; he hadn't even considered this question.
Who rents a car and doesn't return it?
"Haven't you considered it...?"
"Perhaps it's because the cost of this thing itself is not high," west Yan guessed.
"Could it be that you can still make a profit on 500 Berries?!"
Chopper stared at west Yan in disbelief. Just how cunning was that guy?
"Hmm, making this isn't difficult," Franky said, stroking his chin. "If the materials here aren't too expensive..."
He actually made a profit.
Upon closer examination, the cost of this product is still too low.
If it can be sold for 10000, it will be a huge profit; even selling it for 500 wouldn't be a loss.
Of course, if a lot of people return the bubble cars, the boss will earn even more.
In short... for that boss, it was a sure-fire way to make money.
Chopper:
Is he too naive?
When Usopp said that, he was worried that the boss would lose money, but it turns out... the other party was a shrewd businessman?
"I don't know if that's true, but the locals always return them," Xiao Ba said.
Anyway, he always returns the bubble car after using it.
Of course, I've only used it a few times.
Most of the time, he still relies on his own two legs to walk.
"With this bubble car, shopping will be much more convenient..." Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, thought for a moment, then turned to Luffy and said, "Luffy, you guys go with Hachi to find a coating worker, I need to go and buy some supplies."
"There's not much left on the ship."
Although there was still one sea beast that Xiyan had killed, after experiencing the Devil's Triangle sails, they didn't have many supplies left, so they had to make a purchase.
"Ah, go ahead."
"Let's go together," Franky said. "I want to buy some Coke too."
After saying that, Franky nodded to Luffy, then rode his bubble car in another direction where there was a sign that read "Shopping Street".
Clearly, that was a place specifically for purchasing supplies.
"Kemi, where can I buy clothes?" Nami asked.
"And that other one," Kemi said, pointing to Island 30 on the side, "that's where they sell clothes."
"Okay, I got it." Nami nodded with a smile, then looked at Luffy and said, "Luffy, I'll leave the coating to you guys~"
"Okay, I understand."
Luffy nodded, then rushed towards the food stall in the distance, his eyes shining.
"It's delicious!"
"Wow!"
Upon hearing that there was something delicious to eat, Chopper and Merry rushed over together, their expressions filled with excitement.
Nami looked on helplessly; it seemed that Merry didn't want to go shopping with the two of them.
After shaking her head, Nami said, "See you on the ship, everyone."
"Okay, be careful," west Yan said.
"Don't worry, we still know what's on this island."
Nami waved without turning her head and rode away with Robin on her bubble bike.
"Then I will too..."
.
"Stop! What are you doing?!"
Seeing Zoro about to jump off the bubble car, Usopp stood up and grabbed him, abandoning the car altogether.
"Damn it, what are you doing?!" Zoro roared, opening his shark mouth.
With Usopp grabbing his leg like that, he almost fell headfirst to the ground.
"You idiot, what were you trying to say? Did you want to go shopping by yourself?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a problem!" Usopp said earnestly, "If you get lost in a place like this, how are we supposed to find you?"
Hearing Usopp's words, west Yan nodded in agreement and said, "Zoro, you should think it over."
Zoro knows all too well just how ridiculously bad he is at directions.
Let's not go into the distant past, but just talk about the time when they fought the Arino family.
This guy managed to get lost and end up in the enemy's lair... that's pretty impressive.
If they get lost here, west Yan is afraid that Zoro might run off to Fishman Island on his own.
"Damn it, how could I possibly be lost?!"
"Don't you have any self-awareness?"
"Stare~"
Zoro: .....
Seeing the two people staring at him, Zoro's lips twitched, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
"You two..."
After taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Zoro pointed to the big tree next to him and said, "I saw the number on the tree just now, how could I get lost?"
Before leaving the big tree, he made a point of looking back.
He could see it clearly: the number 1 was written on the big tree that was hidden by the bubbles!
With such crucial information, how could he possibly get lost?
"Oh~"
"So you're that smart," Usopp exclaimed in realization.
"Hello!"
"Hahaha, Zoro, in that case, go ahead." Usopp waved his hand and said, "But if you can't find it, remember to ask a passerby!"
"Tch, who would get lost in this place?" Zoro scoffed.
After jumping off the bubble car, Zoro checked his pockets and found that he still had his allowance. Without looking back, he walked away into the distance.
Having finally come to such an interesting place, of course we have to go out and explore.
"Hopefully this guy will ask for directions," Usopp sighed.
As for the issue of human traffickers, that was not within Usopp's concerns.
Who would dare to capture such a formidable man as Zoro?
If you dare to make a move, you'll be hacked to death.
"Don't worry, Zoro said he memorized the number," west Yan said. "As long as this guy isn't stupid, he can find it."
"Let's go get something to eat."
"profound!"
Meanwhile, on a street not far from Xiyan and the others, Celestial Dragon Charlia Palace was raging.
"Seriously, what are you all doing?!" Charlia Palace glared angrily at the guards. "You actually let that guy get away?!"
"I'm so sorry, Lady Charlia, I..."
"Alright, I'm too lazy to listen to your nonsense."
Charlia Palace picked up her gun and pointed it at the guard, saying, "What use are you if you can't even keep an eye on a single slave?"
"Bang!"
Charlia Palace pulled the trigger without hesitation, shooting the guard.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, his breath growing weaker and weaker, on the verge of death!
"What a piece of trash," Charlilla Palace cursed.
She had gone to great lengths to get this pirate captain's slave from her father, only to have him run away because of this idiotic servant.
How could she not be angry!
Thinking of this, Charlia Palace went up and kicked a few more times.
The other guards witnessed everything, but made no comment, because... such things happen frequently.
If you serve as a bodyguard for the Celestial Dragons and fail to perform your duties properly, you will be dealt with.
This... has become the norm.
Just then, Rozwald Saint said, "Let's go, maybe we can still catch that guy."
"Assuming... he's still alive."
"Hmph, he'd better be alive so I can kill him with my own hands!" Charlia Palace said viciously.
How dare you run away from her as her slave?
Do you really think you can survive?
After letting out a cold laugh, Charlia Palace followed her father and walked towards the street in the distance.
Meanwhile, the so-called pirate captain's slave they were talking about was running wildly through the streets.
He didn't dare stop to catch his breath until he had run another block.
Captain Huhu glanced back and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Celestial Dragons were not chasing after him.
"This damn collar...:．：" The captain's slave angrily tugged at the collar around his neck, but couldn't get it off at all.
"Damn it, we have to take it down, or we'll die."
Thinking of this, the captain's slave turned to the others and said, "Quick, someone help me get this damn collar off!!"
"Everyone, run! He's a slave. Don't get involved with him!"
"Damn it, I'm not trying to hurt you, I just want to get the collar off my neck!"
"Even if you don't want to help me, a pair of pliers or a hammer would be fine!"
"I have a wife and children waiting for me at home. I can't die here!"
Unfortunately, his words had no effect; instead, they made people even more afraid.
"What happened over there?"
Luffy, who had arrived with food, looked curiously at the captain's slave and asked, "What's wrong with him?"
"He was a slave..."
"slave?"
west Yan frowned, pointed at the captain's slave, and said, "Does wearing that collar make someone a slave?"
"Yes," Xiao Ba said, "Slaves are usually restrained by this collar. If they try to escape, this thing will explode."
"It...it'll explode?!"
Chopper and Merry looked horrified. Did that mean the other would be blown up?
"That's right, it will explode."
Just then, the collar around the captain's slave's neck suddenly made a strange sound that was unsettling.
"This sound is..."
"He's finished."
"boom!!"
As soon as Xiao Ba finished speaking, the collar around the captain's slave's neck suddenly exploded, blasting the man into a bloody mess as he collapsed, trembling.
"Damn it... I clearly gave up on going to the new world, why are you doing this to me..."
Why...?
7
The captain's slave reached out as if to grab something, but ultimately collapsed helplessly.
"I really want to go home..."
1
Ultimately, the captain's slave lost consciousness as his head lolled to the side.
"A person just...gone like that?"
"Yes," Xiao Ba said with a gloomy face, "In the Sabaody Archipelago, slaves are no longer considered human. Even if they are killed, no one will care."
"That's really awful..."
"There's nothing we can do about it; that's just how it is here."
Xiao Ba sighed; this was something none of them could change.
All they could do was try their best to avoid being captured and enslaved; they couldn't care less about the others.
Just then, Usopp said, "Strange, why are people in the distance kneeling down one after another?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ba's expression immediately changed.
"What?"
"Could it be that the Celestial Dragons have arrived?"
"Celestial Dragons?"
"Even if they are world nobles, this slave is probably one of theirs too," Papagu said.
"You mean... this slave is one of those Celestial Dragons?" west Yan frowned.
"Yes, this might be a slave who escaped from them." Hachi said anxiously, "Quick, let's get off the bubble car and kneel down together, otherwise the Celestial Dragons will attack us."
When facing a Celestial Dragon, just looking at them is a challenge, let alone standing still.
If the Celestial Dragons are angered, they may face annihilation.
"Kneel before the Celestial Dragons?" west Yan said with a look of disgust, "I won't."
"I'm begging you, please?"
"Xi Yan, just listen to Xiao Ba."
"I said I don't want it," west Yan said.
Looking at the two panicked people, west Yan said, "I will use illusion magic to cover this place up, so you don't need to worry about those guys."
As he spoke, west Yan raised his hand and said, "Magic Illusion - This Is Not the Way!"
The next moment, the area where west Yan was located began to distort, and everyone disappeared from the sight of others.
To others, this place doesn't look like a few people standing there, but rather an empty space.
"Um?"
Are you seeing things?
A man glanced at the area and subconsciously rubbed his eyes.
"I vaguely remember there being a few people here just now?"
"Idiot, don't speak! The Celestial Dragons are coming!"
The man was startled and immediately lowered his head, not daring to speak.
Hearing the man's words, Xiao Ba exclaimed in surprise, "We really disappeared?"
"How did you do that?"
"I used illusion magic, not this magic," west Yan said. "This magic can simulate a special environment to cover the target area, thereby achieving the effect of concealment."
"For example, right now, we don't exist in other people's eyes," west Yan said, pointing into the distance. "They can only see a straight road."
"So that's how it is?!"
Xiao Ba stared at west Yan in shock. He never imagined that someone in this world could do such a thing.
Is this the power of a ninja?
"They're here," Brooke said.
Upon hearing this, Hachi immediately shut his mouth, afraid that his voice would be heard by the Celestial Dragons in the distance.
"Hmph, what a fool who doesn't know what's good for him." Charlia Palace walked up to the captain's slave and looked at him coldly, saying, "He could have lived if he had obediently been my slave, but he had to run away and seek his death."
As she spoke, Charlia Palace drew her pistol again and said, "What an annoying bunch of lowlifes!"
"Since you like courting death so much, I'll grant your wish."
"bump!"
"bump!"
"bump!"
She fired several shots in quick succession, mercilessly striking the man in front of her, finally killing the man who was barely breathing.
Looking at the captain's slave she had killed, Charlia Palace grinned, as if it brought her joy.
"What a... wicked guy..." west Yan said.
"Hello!"
Luffy's eyes widened and he said, "He's clearly about to die...!"
As they were talking, Luffy was about to rush out, but Hachi grabbed him.
"I told you, don't get involved, have you forgotten?" Hachi said nervously, "Do you want to provoke a Marine Admiral?"
Upon hearing Hachi's words, Luffy immediately stopped struggling.
"general..
"In short, never provoke them."
Hachi glanced at the Celestial Dragons, who seemed to be venting their anger over killing the slaves, and said, "After they leave, we'll leave this place."
Luffy paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, I understand."