"Chiga-San! "
"Big Brother!"
Makino and Ace, who was standing beside her, looked at Chiga, who had suddenly appeared next to them, with pleasant surprise.
Makino, in particular, hadn't expected Chiga to arrive so soon after she used that kunai. The timing was perfect.
Earlier that day, Makino had been tending the bar when Ace rushed in, telling her that the pirate Shanks had returned to see Luffy again. He asked what they should do.
Naturally, she didn't want Luffy to have any more contact with Shanks. But she also knew Shanks was an extrely powerful pirate. There was no way she or Ace could stop him from eting Luffy.
However, Makino was a calm and thoughtful woman. She imdiately rembered what Chiga had told her before he left.
So, without hesitation, she took out the Flying Thunder God kunai, called out Chiga's na, and then ran into the forest with Ace.
As for Ace—
He had been training with Luffy in the forest when Shanks suddenly appeared and started trying to talk to Luffy. Ace had no interest in dealing with Shanks. He left right away to find Makino. These days, Ace couldn't stand pirates.
Ever since Chiga left last ti, Ace had started paying close attention to news from the sea, reading the latest newspapers every day.
Although so of the reporting was exaggerated—especially in the way pirates were vilified—most of the cris ntioned were real.
Seeing one shocking pirate cri after another tornted Ace.
Chiga had told him that this "grand spectacle" was largely the result of the actions of his father, Gol D. Roger. That made Ace feel even worse about the "evil blood" flowing in his veins.
He no longer dread of becoming a pirate. Instead, he wanted to hunt down those who committed evil, hoping to lessen the weight of his guilt.
More than anything, Ace wanted to beco a Marine. But Chiga had strongly advised against it.
During this ti, Ace also read a lot about Chiga in the newspapers. The more he learned, the more he admired this older brother—who wasn't even that much older than him.
Especially after learning that Chiga had defeated and killed the legendary pirate Golden Lion, Ace's admiration reached its peak.
Golden Lion! A man who once rivaled Roger himself. And Chiga killed him. Just how powerful was Chiga now?
If Chiga hadn't told him to avoid the Marines and look into the Revolutionary Army instead, Ace might've joined the Marines a long ti ago, just to follow him.
Now, seeing Chiga appear so suddenly, Ace was overjoyed. He was even thinking of taking this chance to express his desire to beco a Marine again.
---
Chiga, unaware that he had gained a young admirer, had his full attention on Shanks—specifically, Shanks' left arm.
Looking at Shanks' perfectly intact left arm, Chiga couldn't help blurting out,
"Why the hell do you have two arms?"
Everyone froze. Shanks blinked. Makino and Ace were dumbfounded.
"What kind of weird question is that?" they all thought. "Don't normal people have two arms?"
Shanks frowned, thinking Chiga might be mocking him. Was there sothing wrong with having both arms?
Makino hesitated and stepped forward to Chiga's side. She looked him over carefully from head to toe—but he had just co from a battle with Kaido and hadn't had ti to put on a shirt.
As her eyes lingered on his upper body, her cheeks flushed slightly.
But rembering Chiga's strange comnt, she composed herself, shifting her gaze to his face and asking softly,
"Mr. Chiga, is sothing wrong? Shanks has always had both arms…"
Chiga didn't reply imdiately.
He rembered the Sea King he had seen the last ti he went fishing from Cocoyasi Village. Its appearance and behavior… now it all made sense.
It was his doing. Again.
He sighed, resigned.
As he turned to Makino, he noticed her face was still a bit red. She glanced away and gestured at his bare chest, reminding him he had yet to put on a shirt.
Realizing his mistake, Chiga quickly opened a portal with the Door-Door Fruit and reached inside for a change of clothes.
But before he could pull anything out, Yamato burst out of the portal, followed by a helpless Kalifa.
As soon as she erged, Yamato leaped at Chiga and hugged him tightly, shouting with excitent:
"Thank you for sparing my father's life!"
Chiga frowned and shoved her off casually. "I spared Kaido on a whim. Don't thank ."
Hearing this, Shanks' eyes widened in shock.
He had just learned two astonishing things: first, that this girl was Kaido's daughter—and second, that Kaido had been defeated… and spared.
He tried to reassure himself that this must be so other Kaido, maybe a pirate with the sa na.
But when he saw the unmistakable horns on Yamato's head, and rembered the strength Chiga was known for, the denial faltered.
Shanks knew about Chiga. His intel ca not just from newspapers but also from the Gorosei themselves.
He had secrets tied to the World Governnt—and those secrets told him Chiga was a serious threat.
With Chiga's strength, few pirates were even worth ntioning to him. The only one who truly qualified was Kaido, one of the Four Emperors.
And Kaido had lost to him.
Shanks' heart sank. He had co alone this ti to avoid attracting unwanted attention—but now, he wasn't sure he could handle what he'd stumbled into.
His right hand drifted to the saber at his waist. He watched Chiga silently, preparing for the worst.
---
anwhile, Yamato stood in front of Chiga with her lips pursed, staring at him like a scolded child.
Chiga sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Alright, alright. You played a small part in it. Stop looking at like that."
Hearing this, Yamato's face lit up like a child getting candy.
"Master is the best!"
"Master? Who's your master?"
"You are, Master Chiga!"
"Get lost."
"?"
Chiga ignored her. Shanks was still nearby, and for so reason, he hadn't said a word—just silently watching Yamato's antics.
Kalifa approached with Chiga's "Justice" coat in hand. Now that Yamato had quieted down, she stepped beside him and tried to help him into it.
She wasn't tall enough, so Chiga bent down to make it easier.
Once Kalifa was done, Chiga stood straight. The coat swayed in the wind, and the word "Justice" shimred on his back in the sunlight.
Ace's eyes sparkled with admiration.
One more reason to beco a Marine.
Everyone had different thoughts in their minds, but Luffy—leaning against a nearby tree—was completely blank.
---
Drop a Powerstone (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
Unlock bonus chapters.
Reviews
All reviews (0)