https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1371-Special-Chapter-That-Wedding-Under-the-Sunset-Is-My-Lost-Youth-Part-1-/13543135/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1372-Side-Story-The-Pirate-Who-Refuses-to-Lower-His-Flag/13543137/
Chapter 1371: Special Chapter - That Wedding Under the Sunset, Is My Lost Youth (Part 2)
Chapter 1371: Special Chapter - That Wedding Under the Sunset, Is My Lost Youth (Part 2)
“There was a slight complication,” Kuzan said, pressing his hand to the ground. “But watch this—Ice Age!!”
A wave of frost surged from his palm, spreading across the island. The undead froze solid, transforming the land into a frozen wasteland.
“This should handle it,” Kuro remarked.
But as he spoke, the frost melted, absorbed into the earth. The ice statues dissolved, only for new undead to sprout from the restored land.
Kuzan shrugged. “No matter what we try, we can’t get rid of these things. Even destroying the island itself doesn’t work.”
“Is that so?” Kuro muttered, glancing at the others. Sakazuki and Gramps nodded in agreement.
Ice, fire, lasers—no technique could destroy the island. It always restored itself.
Three Admirals unable to destroy an island? Impossible.
“Is this place really that strange?” Kuro mused, pressing his palm to the ground. “Is it immune to all attacks, or just—”
His eyes narrowed. “Lion’s Majesty!”
Boom! Boom!
The island split apart, shattering into fragments. Even the fragments split further, leaving only the spot where the Admirals stood intact.
Kuro waited, sensing no residual energy for regeneration. “Seems it’s possible.”
Lucius Kro rubbed his chin. “Oh? Maybe it only affects Logia users? Paramecia works fine. Scary.”
“Something’s there,” Kuzan said, pointing ahead. The sea beyond the shattered island churned, forming a vortex. At its center, a small platform rose, bearing a massive gourd.
“Crimson Lotus!” Sakazuki roared, unleashing a lava dog that lunged at the gourd.
The lava slid off the gourd’s surface before being absorbed in a flash of light.
“A gourd?” Kuro blinked, but his surprise faded as the gourd split open, radiating a black light that froze the sea into a vast expanse of black ice.
“Black ice?” Kuzan raised an eyebrow. “Ah, well… fascinating.”
From the gourd emerged a towering figure—part monkey, part demon. Fur-covered, with horns, fangs, and a tail, it drank from a smaller gourd before roaring, “You’ve invaded my territory!”
A black laser erupted from its mouth toward Kuro.
Kuro barely dodged, drawing Autumn Water to deflect. The black beams collided, shattering the ice below.
“A laser? Ice?!” Kuro stared at the creature.
“Cursed thing, is this the culprit?” Sakazuki growled. “That aura… Borsalino’s laser, Kuzan’s ice… It’s absorbing our powers!”
Kuro spat, “So that’s why your attacks failed. Can it absorb natural elements? Who are you?!”
The monkey raised its gourd, drinking deeply. “None of your damn business!”
It hurled the gourd, unleashing a black lava beast that roared toward the four.
Kuzan leapt, piercing the lava with twin ice spikes, freezing it mid-air.
The monkey snarled, “Humans are inferior! Dare you disturb my slumber in the Oni Clan’s domain?!”
“Oni Clan? Kaido?” Kuro studied the creature. No resemblance—except the horns.
The gourd poured a black liquid that spread across the ice, sprouting undead.
“Oh~ So the island’s anomaly was your doing? Scary,” Lucius Kro mused.
The undead multiplied, but the Admirals held back.
They knew Logia attacks were useless now.
Gramps said, “Kuro, you handle it.”
Kuro nodded, sheathing Autumn Water. His body vanished in a flash of black light, reappearing among the undead. With a single slash, he severed their heads.
The undead dissolved into the ice.
“Seems only attacks beyond their limit work,” Kuro noted. “No matter the method.”
Kuro turned his head, watching the monkey whose neck wound was gradually healing, and asked, "Zoan? Not just an ordinary Zoan, but a mythical beast, right?"
Other than Zoan, no one else possessed such strong regeneration ability.
But that acceptable absorption of natural strength indicated this creature wasn't just an ordinary Zoan.
"Shut up! What animal immovable nonsense? I am the Oni King of Drunkard Island—Shuten!"
The monkey named Shuten raised his arm, tilting the gourd to his mouth for several gulps. Then his mouth opened wide, unleashing thunder directly from his throat, splitting into several lightning bolts that shot toward Kuro.
"Lightning?"
Kuro's expression froze momentarily. His figure flickered as the thunder passed through his afterimage and launched forward, while Kuro reappeared higher in the sky, looking down at the horned monkey.
"Lightning occasionally falling from the heavens, huh? So you really can absorb nature itself. Those three certainly couldn't affect you, and since you don't even emerge yourself, no wonder you lasted this long."
Who could have guessed the main target was hiding inside the island? Otherwise, those three old men could have used Haki to smash the island open instead of playing their pointless "who-kills-more-ghouls" game.
But...
"That gourd thing can create ghouls-like beings. They might not look threatening, but in terms of strength, they're comparable to average Navy soldiers—and they can Rebirth."
Kuro clicked his tongue, cursing Shuten: "Where the hell did you come from, hiding here to do what? Rule the world?!"
"I have no interest in that!"
Shuten took another sip of alcohol, his expression suddenly turning gloomy: "But since you've disturbed my slumber and destroyed my dwelling, I shall journey to the Grand Line and spread terror, making you humans remember fear!"
"Oh? How impressive. First, survive getting out of here before you talk big."
Kuro completely dismissed the monkey's words. Spreading terror? Even if those three Admirals' Logia abilities weren't effective, their Haki and unarmed combat techniques alone could handle him.
This creature might be a mythical beast, but aside from his ability, he seemed nothing special.
"Hmph."
Kuro exhaled, saying, "I don't have time for your combat games. I'm busy. Don't you know managing an entire world is complex? Always pulling off these dramatic middle-schooler stunts about 'experiencing fear.' Now let me show you what real fear from a working adult feels like!"
He didn't need his Yokai Blade. Kuro simply drew Autumn Water, gripping it with both hands. Absolute Domain erupted from his body, merging into the blade. A blood-colored ribbon imprint appeared along the blade, radiating golden light.
"Shinmeiryu Style—Mystic Art!"
Whoosh!
Kuro's figure flickered. Before the monkey could react, he slashed downward at the monkey's center. The golden light blade descended toward the gourd at the monkey's mouth. Finally, the monkey's pupils constricted, and an inexplicable strength surged around him as he tried to dodge.
At least he moved the gourd.
Hiss!!
The golden light fell, cleaving through the monkey's center from head to toe, erupting into a burst of golden radiance.
"Huangmie."
Kuro maintained his two-handed downward slash posture, lifting his eyes coldly. "Feel it? The whisper of death's wind."
That strength couldn't possibly dodge completely, but it wouldn't hit fully as now. In Kuro's expectation, if the monkey dodged, he'd slash diagonally from its shoulder. The result would be the same, but the reaction differed. Being able to evade even slightly under his speed was already decent.
But he didn't dodge—only moving the gourd.
After the slash, Kuro shook his blade, straightening his posture. "That gourd important to you?"
Shuten staggered, glancing at the gourd he'd desperately moved. Gritting his teeth, he spat, "Mind your own damn business!"
Then he froze, his body trembling. From his torso's center, he began turning to ash, spreading outward—from chest to neck, jaw, cheeks—until his eyes, filled with hatred yet nostalgia, fixed on the gourd fallen on the ice.
Kuro raised an eyebrow. As the ashes scattered, he bent to pick up the gourd, shaking it. A heavy sloshing sound echoed inside.
From the mouth, an unusually rich wine aroma wafted.
"Excellent wine", Kuro sighed. "Haven't smelled anything this fragrant in ages."
"Ah, well, done already?"
Kuzan approached, scratching his head. "Still quick, as expected of you, Kuro."
"Cut the crap!" Kuro rolled his white eyes, grumbling. "If you three took this seriously, you'd have found him and finished him ages ago! What joke is this? The Navy's three Admirals, retired or not, can't even handle a tiny island? You guys had your fun—what about the Navy's reputation?!"
Kuzan and Gramps aside, Sakazuki probably got provoked into only using his ability on those ghouls.
Kuzan smiled: "Maa, don't worry. A rare relaxing moment—you took the chance to come out too, didn't you? Not without gains. This island's Drunkard Island—I know something about it."
"Know what?"
"Ara, when I left the Navy, I traveled everywhere. I heard of this place fifty years ago—a famous small island for brewing wine. Later, others coveted it, leading to destruction. Since then, no news came from here. But now..."
Kuzan rubbed his chin, glancing at the ash remains. "Perhaps the islanders all became those ghouls. And that monkey... Hmm, Drunkard Island's brewing techniques seem connected to monkeys."
"Old Man has no time for stories!"
Kuro rolled his white eyes, floating upward with the wine gourd. "Enough. Don't wait here. Return to your duties. Pretend I was never here. You three couldn't handle this, forcing me, the World Government leader, to intervene? Embarrassing! As for the wine—I'm taking it. At least it's spoils. Smells great, probably delicious."
Boom!
He shot skyward, flying away without pause—clearly in a hurry.
"Ara, ara..."
Kuzan scratched his head, sighing. "I heard Drunkard Island's wine was legendary—strong too. What a shame..."
...
Two days later, Kuro flew back to Kaitian City. Without resting, he was immediately buried in heavy paperwork.
"You lot can't do anything! How can Old Man manage the Grand Line with you maggots?!"
Grumbling, Kuro shoved a thick stack of documents to Klah waiting ahead. "Take these, process them per my notes, then circulate to Kas. Study my methods more!"
"Yes, Kuro-sama. Please rest earlier."
Klah adjusted his glasses, clutching the documents to his chest as he departed.
Kuro smirked, leaning back to slump comfortably in his chair, turning to gaze out the window. The sky had darkened, revealing a full moon's round disk.
The moon...
"Space Pirates? They actually exist. Thought it was a joke. But their combat power's mediocre. If I recall, Enel's on the moon. Let him stay there. When he descends, then Space Pirates might have some strength."
Muttering, Kuro opened his cigar box, extracting a cigar. Suddenly remembering something, he grabbed the gourd on the desk, uncorking it.
"Damn fragrant..."
He licked his lips, tilting the gourd to his mouth for a deep gulp.
"Gulpppp—"
Swallowing, his eyes brightened. His face flushed red.
"Strong, but not harsh. Sweet aroma. Warmth spreads from the belly. Excellent wine!"
Leaning back in his chair, he sipped leisurely, watching the moon outside.
Gradually, his eyelids drooped. His body stilled as he fell asleep, wine gourd in hand.
Safety here—nothing would happen.
But consecutive paperwork truly drained one's spirit.
Good wine for sleep—unconsciously, he dozed off.
Yet before sleeping long, a small figure sneaked near the door.
White-haired, sniffing curiously, approaching the sleeping Kuro. Her eyes lit upon spotting the source of the aroma.
"Damn you, Kuro!"
Lida reached to snatch the wine gourd, gritting her teeth. "Sneaking off to enjoy alone! How dare you keep such a fragrant thing to yourself!"
She sniffed the gourd, eyes curving into crescents, then tilted it to her mouth.
"Let me drink it empty!"
"Gulpgulpgulpgulpgulp—"
One-handed, she held the gourd against the moonlight, guzzling heartily.
Swallowing, her face flushed increasingly red.
Plop!
The emptied gourd hit the floor. Lida swayed drunkenly, face flushed crimson.
"Damn, dizzy! So it's wine. But tasty. Hey, Kuro, where'd you get this?"
She tried shaking the sleeping Kuro, but her small stature made touching him impossible.
A throbbing vein appeared on Lida's forehead. Her body swelled, transforming into her maiden form. Grasping Kuro's collar: "Wake up, you idiot!"
"Hmm..."
The sleeping figure instinctively waved his hand, swatting Lida's away, then shifted to sleep again.
"Damn you!"
Lida swayed again, grabbing Kuro's body, dragging him inward.
"Today, let me show you my—strength!"
Under moonlight, their figures disappeared into the inner room as the door closed. The moonlight seemed to rise, leaving the window's view.
Suddenly, rain poured from the sky, until dawn broke with the rain easing.
"Gaaaahhhhh!!"
A scream echoed from the room.
Kuro stared tearfully at the person beside him, speechless.
Where will I wake from tonight's wine?
Even with a thousand tender feelings,
To whom can I now speak?
...
My youth!
So many attractive miss beauties across the Grand Line!
My beautiful future!!
In Shelz Town, Kuro glared at the sky, biting his lip, then downed his wine cup in one gulp.
Lida grinned, finishing her cup simultaneously.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
Kuro pressed his lips, finally sighing softly at Lida.
Well, not bad.
I, Lucius Kro, age thirty-one, am a Navy officer.
Today, I got married!!
(End of Chapter)
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