area51novel Page 117
Page 117
He glanced at the three disheveled men and nodded with satisfaction.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad! To be able to hold out against me for half an hour, you've reached about 70% of my strength back when I was that age. Not only is your teamwork perfect, but your attacks are also quite impressive! You're stronger than you were six months ago!"
He walked up to Guina, ignoring her murderous glare, and patted her on the shoulder—
Because she was a woman, he held back some of his strength, only managing to sway her slightly.
"Girls, you'll come with me to process the paperwork for becoming Shichibukai later. Although I can't arrange for all three of you to be included, don't be discouraged... If you can defeat the other veteran Shichibukai, I'll have Sengoku arrange for you to join."
He announced, his tone tinged with a hint of smugness.
Kuina pursed her lips, not responding immediately. Becoming a Shichibukai was not her original intention, but remembering her uncle's words, she swallowed back the refusal that welled up in her mouth.
"Okay, Grandpa Garp!"
Sabo and Robin exchanged a glance, both of them breathing a sigh of relief. They were finally able to end their six-month "baptism of love".
“However,” Garp changed the subject, “we need to go through a process, let those old guys in the World Government see what you’re capable of, and shut them up.”
He waved his hand dismissively: "Come on! I'll take you to see Xiaohe and have her complete the formalities!"
Naval Headquarters Staff Office.
Vice Admiral Tsuru sat behind her desk, watching the four people walk in. Her gaze swept over Kuina's injured hand, Sabo's bruised arm, and Robin's slightly pale face, finally landing on Garp, who had an expression that said, "I did a good job, didn't I?"
She sighed softly, put down the documents in her hand, her tone filled with undisguised reproach and heartache:
"Garp, you're getting more and more useless."
Garp's smile froze.
Lieutenant General Tsuru ignored him, got up and walked to Kuina, took out clean gauze and ointment, and gently bandaged the wound on her hand.
"What a terrible child you've raised!"
While bandaging his wound, she berated Garp, "Was it necessary to be so harsh when testing strength? Do you think everyone is as thick-skinned as you?"
Garp scratched his head, chuckled dryly, and didn't dare to refute. He had never been one to hold a grudge against Tsuru.
After Tsuru finished bandaging Kuina, he checked on Sabo and Robin, confirming that they only had minor injuries and were suffering from overexertion, before he felt a little relieved.
She returned to her seat, her expression regaining its usual calm and wisdom. She picked up a document that had been prepared beforehand and looked at Guina.
"Kuina, the proposal for you to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea has, in principle, passed the World Government's preliminary review."
Her tone was businesslike, yet it carried a subtle hint of protectiveness.
"However, according to convention, the new Shichibukai needs to complete a task of 'demonstrating strength' to prove that you are qualified for this position and to shut up any dissenting voices."
She pushed the documents to the side of the table and looked calmly at Guina.
"Your first task is to defeat one of the candidates originally slated to be recruited as a Shichibukai..."
Lieutenant General Tsuru paused, then said clearly:
"...Gekko Moria."
The office fell silent for a moment.
Gecko Moria, a powerful pirate currently based in the Devil's Triangle, is a user of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. He is known for his bizarre abilities and massive zombie army, and is not someone to be trifled with.
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at Kuina and added, "According to intelligence, Moria is currently in the Devil's Triangle. Defeat him, and you will officially obtain the title of Shichibukai and all its privileges."
Her gaze swept over Sabo and Robin, and she said meaningfully, "Of course, your companions can provide necessary assistance during the mission. After all, the Seven Warlords of the Sea have a certain degree of autonomy."
This statement almost explicitly indicated that Sabo and Robin could travel together as Kuina's subordinates.
Kuina gripped her newly bandaged hand tightly, her dark eyes filled with no fear, but rather a burning fighting spirit.
"Grandma He, I'm fine." Her voice was clear and firm.
Defeating powerful opponents is what she pursues on her path of swordsmanship. Moreover, it concerns whether the three of them can move more freely on this vast sea under this identity.
Sabo rubbed his still numb arm and grinned: "Sounds like a good warm-up subject."
Robin nodded gracefully, a thoughtful glint in his eyes: "The Devil's Triangle...it's said to hide a lot of treasure and ancient books there."
Garp, seeing the three of them eager to try, crossed his arms with satisfaction: "That's more like it! Go! Let Moria, that guy hiding in the shadows, see what real power is! Hahahaha..."
Lieutenant General Tsuru glanced helplessly at Garp and handed the official mission documents to Kuina.
"The mission deadline is three months. Good luck."
Three months is neither a long nor a short time; it's enough for the sea to brew new waves, and enough for news to fly to every corner of the world on the wings of newsbirds.
Sabaody Archipelago, "Extortion Bar".
The lazy afternoon sunlight refracted through the giant soap bubble, creating a rainbow of colors that casually spilled onto the spotless bar counter.
Xia Qi, dressed in neat casual clothes, with a slender cigarette dangling from her lips, was slowly and methodically tidying up the liquor cabinet.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of tobacco and alcohol, as well as the sweet scent of soap bubbles wafting in from outside the window.
The bar was quiet, with only the faint sound of ice melting in glasses.
Until the bell on the door rang out a series of clear "ding-a-ling" sounds.
A newsbird laboriously carried a thick stack of newspapers in its beak, flapped its wings and flew in, placing a newspaper still smelling of ink on the bar, its dark eyes looking expectantly at Xia Qi.
Xia Qi skillfully tossed a coin over, and the newsbird pecked it into the coin box with satisfaction before flapping its wings and flying away.
She picked up the newspaper, her gaze instinctively sweeping over the front page headline first.
Usually, it's either an update to the bounty of a major pirate or a new decree issued by the World Government.
However, today, the bold black headline on the front page made her pause slightly as she held the cigarette.
[A new Shichibukai is appointed! Kuina, the "Purple Sword," defeats Gecko Moria in the Devil's Triangle!]
Below the title is a slightly blurry photo, but the subject is still clearly visible:
Against the backdrop of a sea shrouded in thick fog, as if in eternal night, a tall and slender woman holds a sword in one hand, the tip of which points diagonally at the ground, her expression cold and aloof.
Beneath her feet was a gigantic figure with two horns on its head, who now looked utterly disheveled—it was Gecko Moria.
Scattered around were countless shadowy, lifeless remains of zombies, seemingly paralyzed and exhausted.
Xia Qi let out a soft "Eh," a hint of genuine surprise flashing in her eyes.
She quickly skimmed through the main text.
Chapter 138 Jewelry Bonney [Thanks for urging me to update]
The report used highly sensational language to describe the fierce battle that took place deep in the fog of the Devil's Triangle.
It emphasizes how Kuina, the "Purple Sword," used her unparalleled swordsmanship to defeat Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit ability and massive zombie army head-on, ultimately slaying him with her sword (Note: Moria was seriously injured and on the verge of death, but miraculously escaped using his Devil Fruit ability).
The article praises Kuina's strength as being worthy of the title of Shichibukai and claims that the World Government has officially granted her the position and privileges of "Shichibukai," believing that this will greatly enhance the overall strength of the Shichibukai faction and better maintain the "balance" of the Grand Line.
In the corner of the picture, two blurry figures are also included.
Although it wasn't reported in the news, Shakky recognized it immediately as Sabo and Robin.
"That's truly remarkable..."
Xia Qi slowly exhaled a smoke ring, laid the newspaper flat on the bar, and lightly touched the cold, aloof photo of Guina with her fingertip. A complex yet somewhat amusing expression appeared on her face.
"That old bastard Garp actually pulled it off. 'Purple Sword'... that title suits that girl quite well. Defeating a former Shichibukai candidate to take the position—that's a grand entrance, and certainly flashy enough."
She could almost imagine the waves this newspaper would create on the Grand Line.
A female Shichibukai who is so young and makes such a powerful entrance is enough to attract the attention of countless people and make countless forces reassess the landscape.
"It seems that these three kids have received a lot of 'care' from Garp, otherwise it wouldn't have taken so long for them to become Shichibukai."
She murmured to herself, a hint of barely perceptible relief in her voice.
Just then, the bar door was pushed open, and a bell rang out crisply.
Xia Qi looked up.
It was Liu Jiu. He still had that same calm demeanor that never changed, as if all the disturbances in the outside world had nothing to do with him.
He had just returned from outside, still carrying the sweet, bubbly scent of soap bubbles characteristic of the Sabaody Archipelago.
However, Xia Qi's gaze quickly passed over him and landed behind him.
A petite figure timidly tugged at Liu Jiu's sleeve, peeking out half her head and curiously looking around the bar.
It was a little girl, about three or four years old, with long, straight, soft pink hair, as delicate as a porcelain doll.
She wore clothes that were somewhat ill-fitting and even a little worn out; though dirty and tattered, the style was definitely not something an ordinary person could wear. Her small face was dirty, but her big eyes were exceptionally bright, with a light that was a mixture of wildness and wariness, like a frightened but trying-to-be-calm little animal.
Liu Jiu stepped aside slightly and calmly introduced Xia Qi, his tone completely flat, as if he were merely stating a given fact:
"Sis, her name is Joelle Bonney."
The little girl, Bonnie, pursed her lips tightly, looked up at Shakky, her eyes filled with scrutiny and a stubbornness far beyond her years, without a trace of the fear that a typical child would show when meeting a stranger.
Xia Qi's hand, holding a cigarette, froze in mid-air. She looked at Liu Jiu, then at the little girl named Bonnie, her beautiful eyebrows raised high, her eyes filled with undisguised inquiry and questions.
Liu Jiu disappeared for over a month and then brought back a little one?
How much does he enjoy taking care of children?!
Whose house is this?
The child before us... his origins are probably not simple.
Inside the bar, the only sound for a moment was the soft crackling of soap bubbles forming and bursting outside the window.
In the newspapers, the cold and aloof figure of the newly appointed Shichibukai "Purple Sword" Kuina was still laid out on the table.
Xia Qi stubbed out her cigarette in the crystal ashtray, stood up, walked around the bar, and put on that business-like, yet genuinely warm smile again.
She walked up to Bonnie, bent down slightly so that her gaze was level with the little girl's, and softened her voice considerably:
"Bonnie, is that you? Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"
Bonnie didn't respond, nor did she look at Shakky's gentle smile.
She tilted her head back, her wild and untamed eyes staring straight at Liu Jiu, her little hands gripping his clothes even tighter, as if he were her only lifeline.
“Uncle,” her voice was clear and childlike, yet also stubborn, “didn’t you say you were going to take me to find my dad?”
She tilted her head and scanned the bar; apart from Xia Qi, there was no one else.