"Shanks?"
Makino's brows furrowed slightly.
Her mory of Red-Haired Shanks was faint now, rely regarding him as just another pirate patron from her tavern back then.
"I don't need his protection. Why would he make such a public declaration?" Makino didn't like it.
It felt awkward, unnecessary, and brought pressure.
"Makino, can't you tell? Shanks has feelings for you," Kuke said, surprised that Makino hadn't realized it yet. Shanks' actions had been obvious enough.
"Huh?"
Makino's small mouth parted in surprise. She stomped her foot, "Captain, please tell him for —I have nothing to do with him. Captain, you must believe !"
Kuke: ?
He suddenly noticed Gion and the others were looking at him differently.
Wrongly accused!
He couldn't help but look at Makino—why did it feel like she was painting him as so tyrant who wanted to claim every woman on the ship as his own?
"Who else?" Kuke quickly changed the subject.
"The Revolutionary Army also declared that they want to provide protection."
Kuke frowned.
What did the Revolutionary Army want with them?
They had already stripped the Revolutionary Army dry.
Did they really want him to kidnap Ivankov and force him to turn Luffy into an okama?
"Aside from that, there are also so minor powers looking for us."
These smaller powers, in Shakky's eyes, included families like the Donquixote Family.
"Do they really think they can treat us like prey?" Kuke smiled, "I'll settle accounts with them one by one later."
They wanted sothing from the Sun and Moon Pirates?
Well, Kuke wanted what they had too.
"Let's go. Our priority now is finding the Mythical Zoan Vampire Form."
To avoid exposure, Kuke decided not to cause any trouble for the ti being.
His first battle after coming back from the dead would definitely be against the Navy.
...
...
Radiant Eclipse sailed along the coast of remote islands, headed for the old, unassuming town of Suigu in the New World.
After nearly ten days at sea, they approached their destination.
A small island ca into view—there were buildings, inhabitants.
"Suigu Town," Shakky explained, holding nurous docunts. "An ancient town, long abandoned. The current inhabitants are settlers. The ruins are located in the southeastern part of the island."
She had gathered all available information on Suigu Town from the sea.
With the combined intelligence talents of Kalifa, Stussy, and the others, they knew the town's history thoroughly.
"The ruins are in the back of the island. No need to enter the town—let's bypass it for now."
Now wasn't the right ti for Kuke to show up in public.
The ti wasn't right.
Exposure now would an losing many potential achievent points.
The incident on Sabaody Archipelago had already earned Kuke nearly fifty thousand achievent points, bringing his total to two hundred and sixty thousand.
But the real prize was still ahead.
"Alright!"
Radiant Eclipse sailed along the coast toward the back of the island.
The sudden appearance of a ship near such a remote island caught the attention of so locals.
"Look! The flag on that ship!"
"Could it be the Sun and Moon Pirates remnants?"
"Why would they show up here?"
The townspeople were astonished at the sight of Radiant Eclipse.
The remnants of the Sun and Moon Pirates, the ones sought by all the major powers of the world, were right here.
"If we leak this information, we could get a nice reward from the news agencies."
Soone quick-witted had already used limited channels to reach out to the outside world.
At a certain news agency:
"They appeared?"
A reporter hurriedly checked the map, eyes widening:
"They're so close to Whitebeard's territory."
Right on the edge of Whitebeard's vast domain.
So close.
"Are the Sun and Moon Pirates remnants planning to join Whitebeard's crew?"
"Makes sense—after all, it's Whitebeard. The safest bet would be to seek his protection."
"Quick, contact the other factions. This information is valuable."
Soon enough, all the major powers were inford.
"Damn it, why are they near Whitebeard's territory?" Kaido's expression darkened.
Out at sea.
He feared no one else, but Whitebeard made him uneasy.
He'd suffered losses to Whitebeard before.
Red-Haired Shanks was frustrated.
"Why? We have ties with the Sun and Moon Pirates, yet they're going to soone unrelated like Whitebeard." Shanks couldn't accept it.
For ten days, Shanks had been broadcasting his location wherever he went, hoping the remnants of the Sun and Moon Pirates would reach out to him.
In Shanks' mind, if the Sun and Moon Pirates were seeking protection, the Red-Haired Pirates would be the logical choice—they had known each other, after all, and even shared friendly exchanges.
Shanks sulked in a corner for a long ti.
The Revolutionary Army's Dragon also sulked for a long ti upon hearing the news.
He too thought the Sun and Moon Pirates would co to them.
Only Whitebeard laughed.
"HAHAHA!" Whitebeard laughed uproariously. "To think I would be trusted like this."
Especially by the Sun and Moon Pirates, whom he greatly respected. Whitebeard's laughter was endless.
His sons proudly raised their heads, "Of course! You're the strongest man, Dad. No one in the sea can compare."
Seeing all the other factions struggling, searching so hard, only for the sea's target to co to Whitebeard's crew on their own accord—
The honor.
The pirates of the Whitebeard crew roared with excitent.
"Marco will get the news soon—leave it to Marco to handle," Whitebeard said, instructing everyone to wash down the ship and prepare to welco their distinguished guests and new comrades.
anwhile, Kuke and his group had reached the ruins of Suigu Town.
With nurous docunts, and Nico Robin's knowledge, they studied the ancient inscriptions left at the ruins of Suigu Town.
...
...
"Found it."
After reading the ruins for a while, Nico Robin rushed over to Kuke, excited. "Captain, I found it. I've found the location of the Mythical Zoan Vampire Form Devil Fruit."
"You found it?"
Shakky struggled to contain her excitent.
She was thrilled—happy that she had finally contributed, that she was worthy to be with the Sun and Moon Pirates and sail the seas.
"Robin, you did great."
Kuke happily patted Robin on the shoulder.
Robin's face flushed visibly.
Kuke quietly withdrew his hand.
What was going on?
Why did all the won on the ship blush so easily?
Kuke felt wronged. Aside from Gion and Stussy, he hadn't made a move on anyone else—not even teasing them. Not even Hancock, who was ready to throw herself at him, had he made a move on.
Why did it feel like he was being seen as so sort of pervert?
With reactions like this, people would definitely get the wrong idea about him.
Kuke felt unjustly treated.
Fortunately, everyone's focus shifted back to the Mythical Zoan Vampire Form.
Under Robin's guidance, they searched the ruins of Suigu Town.
An hour later—
"Captain, look."
Nico Robin held up a strange Devil Fruit—it seed to have bat wings, with a black base color and red patterns. Comparing it with the Devil Fruit guide—
It was indeed a rare Mythical Zoan.
Zoan-Type—Bat Fruit—Mythical Vampire Form.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 144 at patreon/Emik01.
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