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The Strongest Frost Loli (170)
🕑 Added 2024-12-18 17:00:14 +0000 UTCChapter 170 - Nanohana
“—This is an emergency broadcast. Anyone sailing the Grand Line, be warned. Two of the Four Emperors, the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates, are reportedly travelling together. Encountering them is a death sentence. If you value your life, stay off the sea for the next few days!”
“Two of the Four Emperors… what’s happening?”
“I don’t know. Monet-chan, you be careful too. Wandering around at night might attract wolves.”
“Oh, are you worried about me?”
“Of course! Such a cute Monet-chan, I’d love to… huh? We’re running out of time? Alright…”
“Moving on. A new single from songstress Ann, featuring lyrics and music by Guild Tesoro. We’ll be playing the new song ahead of its release–“
***
With the radio playing, the Straw Hats attempted to fish.
The sea was calm, the weather fair, but the fish weren't biting.
“No luck…”
“It’s the bait. We need better bait.”
“We don’t have any. You ate it all.”
Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Karoo’s midnight snack raid had left the Straw Hats facing starvation. Fortunately, Gem’s ship carried ample provisions, enough to last until they reached Alabasta, though not enough for everyone. They had to supplement their dwindling supplies.
“We have enough food to reach Alabasta, right? We’ll be fine. We’ll just be hungry. We won’t die.”
“You idiot, you can’t fight on an empty stomach.”
“Eat when we reach Alabasta.”
“I’d like to protest your plan to devour all the food on my ship before we even get there.”
Luffy turned to face Zoro and offered this rebuttal.
Gem sat beside him with a fishing rod in hand; sighed. He had been at Luffy’s mercy since they departed Drum.
Chopper was enjoying his first fishing trip, he cast his line with enthusiasm.
Pedro and Zepo who were experienced fishermen, patiently waited. With no bait, however, no one was catching anything.
“It’d be faster to just dive in and catch something.”
“But diving into the Grand Line without knowing what’s down there is dangerous…”
“Leave it to me, partner.”
The Grand Line teemed with sea kings, sea monsters, and unique marine life. Diving in blindly wasn't advisable. But desperate times called for desperate measures. Zepo, stripping off his shirt, grabbed a knife and plunged into the sea.
“Zepo, can you even swim?”
“He’s a better swimmer than you. Hopefully, he’ll catch something big.”
A few minutes later, he resurfaced. He called out to Luffy, who, as instructed, stretched out his arm. Zepo grabbed it, then dived again. Luffy felt a significant weight pulling on his arm. Zepo had used Luffy’s arm as a rope.
“Pull me up!”
“Pull you up…? But…”
Luffy struggled to retract his arm. It was incredibly heavy, and the resistance of the water made it even harder. Pedro, Gem, and Chopper joined forces, and together, they pulled Zepo and his catch onto the deck. It was a large sea beast, easily enough to fill the Going Merry’s deck. Too much to preserve.
As Sanji began preparing the beast for cooking, Gem, remembering something he had forgotten to mention, spoke up.
“Most of the remaining Baroque Works agents… the Officer Agents… are Devil Fruit users. They’re not particularly strong, but one of them has a troublesome ability.”
“Troublesome? Is he strong?”
“Depending on how he uses it. He ate the Mane Mane no Mi.”
The Copy-Copy Fruit. It allowed the user to perfectly replicate the appearance and physique of anyone they touched. It made distinguishing friend from foe incredibly difficult. A dangerous ability for those encountering it for the first time.
“The user is… a flamboyant okama. Large build, speaks like an okama, wears a swan coat, has ‘Okama Way’ written on his back… a very flashy okama.”
Personality aside, Gem added, the user was also a decent actor, capable of maintaining the disguise without revealing his true nature. The inability to identify allies was a serious problem. They needed a countermeasure. Fortunately, identifying the Devil Fruit user himself was easy.
“The Mane Mane no Mi can’t copy Devil Fruit abilities. Straw Hat, just stretch your arm. And the reindeer, just transform. It’s easy to tell them apart.”
But this only applied to Devil Fruit users. Identifying non-users would be difficult.
As they brainstormed while enjoying a barbecue on deck, Zoro, tearing into a piece of cooked fish, said, “It’s not that complicated.”
“We just need to be able to tell them apart. Easy.”
***
The two ships arrived at Alabasta.
They concealed the ships in a hidden cove and headed for Nanohana, the nearest port town. Each wearing a bandage on their left arm, they entered the town, the heat of the desert air immediately apparent.
“It’s hot… This is a hot country…”
“It’s a summer island. Most of the country is desert. We need to buy appropriate clothes.”
Following Vivi’s instructions, they began searching for clothing stores. Igaram and Sanji split up to purchase clothes and food. Luffy and Zoro, with active bounties, were supposed to remain inconspicuous… but Luffy, accompanied by Usopp, went in search of local cuisine.
Gem claimed he would gather information and disappeared. The others waited near the town entrance. Chopper, Pedro, and Zepo, vulnerable to the heat, were already wilting.
“You guys look rough.”
“I want to take off my fur…”
“Minks… are weak… to heat…”
“Crossing the desert… sounds difficult…”
The upcoming journey worried Nami, but there was nothing they could do. Vivi, fanning them with a large fan, tried to make them more comfortable. Mikita watched them while holding a parasol over her head as she observed the town.
“Do you think your captain will return without incident?”
“…He won’t cause any trouble, not in this situation.”
Nami hesitated slightly, then answered. She had repeatedly emphasized the importance of avoiding unwanted attention. She gave a short, affirmative reply, but Mikita suspected Luffy would return with some kind of trouble. His carefree nature, which had mentally exhausted Gem over the past few days, made it unlikely he would heed her warnings.
Igaram and Sanji returned with supplies. They ate, then changed into desert attire.
“Sanji-san, these are… commoner clothes? Dancer outfits?”
“What’s wrong with that?! Dancers are commoners! As long as they don’t realize we’re a princess and pirates, we’re fine!”
“Um… Igaram?”
“My apologies, Vivi-sama. I just… found myself buying these… I can purchase other clothes if you prefer.”
“It’s a waste of money. And I like these outfits.”
“…I suppose. We don’t have time to waste…”
They would be wearing cloaks to protect themselves from the sun anyway. The clothes underneath didn’t matter. Sanji, however, upon learning they would be wearing the dancer outfits under their cloaks, burst into tears.
“Luffy and Usopp aren’t back yet?”
“I’m a little worried… And what about Gem? He said he was gathering information…”
“Who knows. But he’s a Twilight spy. He’s good at gathering information.”
Mikita, now also wearing a dancer outfit and cloak, added this. Even when operating as a Baroque Works agent, he had wandered around, gathering information. It was in his nature as a spy.
“We should be careful. Perhaps because of the Four Emperors’ movements, there are a lot of Marine ships in the harbor. There are a lot of Marines in this town.”
The Four Emperors ruled the latter half of the Grand Line. Whitebeard, Shanks, Kaido, Big Mom. Two of them moving together was a major incident, requiring the full force of Marine Headquarters. And if their destination was known, preparing an intercepting force was a given.
Nanohana teemed with Marines. Several Twilight ships were also docked in the harbor. While they were likely merchant vessels, they would have escorts. In this situation, causing trouble was unwise. Normally.
“…I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
Nami voiced her concerns, and Zoro and Sanji nodded in agreement.
A moment later, as if to confirm their fears, a commotion erupted in the town. Someone was being chased by Marines.
“…”
“…It’s probably them.”
“What do we do?”
“What do we do, you ask…?”
Luffy and Usopp clearly hadn’t considered the importance of avoiding detection. They were running straight towards them, Luffy with a troubled expression, Usopp’s face contorted in terror as he was pursued by a large group of Marines.
“Zoro! Sanji! Help!”
“Those idiots! Deal with it yourselves!”
“There they are! The Straw Hats!”
They immediately fled. Gem was still missing, but he was an adult. He could handle himself. Their priority was their own safety.
“Haha… this is bad!”
“It’s your fault! Deal with it yourself!”
“I’m trying, but… Smoker’s here!”
They had run into Smoker, who should have been in Loguetown. Luffy’s attacks were useless against him, and the sheer number of Marines made fighting a risky proposition. Stopping would result in being surrounded. Pedro and the others prioritized escape.
“Wait, Straw Hat!”
“He’s still chasing us!”
“White Blow!”
Smoker launched a punch that transformed his arm into smoke, attempting to grab Luffy, but Gem, appearing from the side, intercepted the attack with a kick, sending Smoker crashing into a nearby building. He landed beside Luffy and began running alongside him.
“You caused trouble again while I wasn’t looking?! Are you trying to ruin everything?!”
“Sorry. It’s our fault for letting that idiot out of our sight.”
Sanji apologized to the exasperated Gem. But what was done was done. They had to evade the Marines and find a safe place to regroup.
“I’m going to do something flashy. Forgive me, Princess.”
“…Just don’t do anything reckless.”
“Understood.”
Gem slowed slightly, dropping behind Luffy and the others. With the Marines still in pursuit, he stomped his foot, creating a small explosion that sent a cloud of dust and debris into the air. He repeated this several times, the explosions startling the Marines, making them pause.
“Now’s our chance! Run!”
Smoker was among them, but he wouldn't attack indiscriminately in a crowded town. Using his ability recklessly could injure civilians. Using the cover of the dust cloud, they escaped the town.
***
“That was amazing, Jam! You can do that?!”
“It’s Gem. That kind of trick is easy.”
They hid among the rocks outside the town. They had acquired supplies, evaded the Marines. They needed to move on.
“The rebel army should be in Yuba. Let’s return to the ship and sail across the Sandora River.”
“No, Princess. That information is outdated.”
Gem pulled out a piece of paper and showed it to Vivi. He had received an update from a Twilight contact in town. He knew the rebel army’s current location.
“They’ve moved from Yuba to Katorea.”
“Why? Yuba’s a major crossroads, a vital oasis. It was the perfect base…”
“Sandstorms have been plaguing the area for the past few years. Perhaps due to the dry sand, or some other factor… The sand has shifted, and the oasis has dried up. If you want to meet the rebel army, you should go to Katorea.”
“That’s convenient. It’s just a short walk from here. If we can appease the rebel army and buy some time, we can focus on defeating Crocodile.”
Gem explained the situation to Vivi, and Igaram, familiar with the local geography, formulated a plan. Their ultimate objective was to defeat Crocodile, but the clash between the rebel army and the royal army was imminent. They needed time. Crocodile couldn’t be allowed to succeed. If they stopped the rebel army, prevented the conflict, they could use that time to deal with Crocodile and Baroque Works.
“Twilight’s reinforcements have already arrived in Alabasta. They’ve reportedly headed for the capital. After we stop the rebel army in Katorea, we’ll proceed to Rainbase, where Crocodile is likely hiding.”
The Twilight ships in Nanohana’s harbor included a high-speed vessel, separate from the merchant ships. The reinforcements had arrived using that, Gem explained. They would likely target Crocodile, but having heard they were heading for the capital, they were probably reinforcing its defenses. If Crocodile's ultimate goal was to usurp the throne, then appearing at the capital was a logical move. It was better to avoid missing him by searching elsewhere.
“Crocodile’s in Rainbase?”
“Probably. Local intel. It’s reliable.”
“Yes. Rainbase is Crocodile’s base of operations in this country… It’s highly likely he’s there.”
Igaram agreed with Gem’s assessment. Their course of action was decided. Luffy and his crew would head to Katorea to contact the rebel army.
Before they departed, Vivi, holding a letter, turned to Gem.
“I want to send this letter to my father… has he been contacted?”
If he had already been informed, then her letter was unnecessary. Gem, however, shook his head.
“He should have been contacted, but it’s best to send the letter as well. If he receives confirmation from someone he trusts, he’ll believe Crocodile is the enemy.”
“Vivi-sama has been away for a long time. It would reassure His Majesty to receive a letter.”
“I… I see.”
Vivi handed the letter to Karoo, sending him to Alubarna, the capital. She reminded him of the letter’s importance and watched as he sped off, already guzzling water. –Unbeknownst to them, a vulture and a sea otter, perched high above, observed their actions.
***
Meanwhile, in Katorea.
The town, now the rebel army's base of operations, bustled with activity. Driven by various motivations, they shared a common goal: to overthrow the royal army and save their country.
While their numbers now surpassed the royal army, they were restrained not by logic, but by a simple lack of weapons. Without weapons, they couldn't fight. Twilight, while dealing in various goods, didn't trade in weapons. The fact that such a large group remained organized and rational was remarkable.
“…The rebel army is surprisingly calm.”
“It’s the leader’s charisma. They must need a considerable amount of food, but they’re sharing what they have.”
Two figures, a man and a woman, walked through the town. They had asked for Koza, the rebel leader, and were now being led to him. They followed their guide into a large tent. Inside, several key members of the rebel army were gathered. Koza sat in the center.
“So, you’re the ones who wanted to see me.”
“Yes. Nice to meet you, Koza-san. I’m Koala. And this is…”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Sabo – Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army.”
Sabo removed his hat and greeted him with a grin. Koza’s eyes widened in surprise.
