https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-144-Kusnake-Town-is-Also-Kusnake/13536065/
Chapter 145: If You Don't See It, You Don't Have to Worry
Chapter 145: If You Don’t See It, You Don’t Have to Worry
“Run for your lives!!”
The townsfolk’s faces twisted in terror as they scattered in all directions.
But this Monster, despite its massive body, was surprisingly fast. Its long beak, as sharp as iron hooks, had already reached the top of the structures. With a casual swipe, it tore a hole through one of the houses.
Everyone was fleeing—except right in front of Kuro, where the town mayor, who had displayed lightning-fast speed just moments ago, was now trembling again.
“Grandpa!”
A young girl strained to support her elderly grandfather, slowly shuffling sideways.
Didn’t you see my Peter back there?!
Why didn’t you run out with him?!
Is the Navy really that unwelcome?!
“Gaah!!”
The monstrous bird also spotted the two of them. It opened its beak and lunged straight toward them.
The size difference was absurd.
It was like comparing a hawk to an earthworm.
Too big!
The young girl turned her face toward the incoming creature, her expression paling to a ghostly white. She was too scared to move.
“Shirui!”
Among the fleeing crowd, one person turned back and cried out in alarm.
“Unforgivable!!”
He fired a shot at the monstrous bird.
Bang!!
Lead bullets zipped through the air, striking the monster’s body and sparking as they ricocheted.
They couldn’t even pierce the bird’s metallic hide.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to charge forward but was yanked back by another person.
“Run! This is Sylla—the monster bird! We can’t do anything against it!”
“But Shirui and the town mayor—”
“You’d just die pointlessly. All of this is the Navy’s fault! If it weren’t for him, we’d never have left our homes. Sylla doesn’t destroy buildings unless it sees people!”
“Damn it!!!”
His face contorted in frustration, but he finally gave up and ran alongside the others.
The monstrous bird was closing in. The young girl could now see the cold glint of its beak and the sharp teeth towering over her, along with the stench of rot wafting from its mouth.
We’re done for!
The girl shut her eyes tightly.
Boom!!
The bird crashed into the ground. Its beak plunged entirely into the earth, sending shockwaves that shattered the surrounding soil and creating a massive crater.
“Shirui!!”
Someone among the crowd dropped to their knees, wailing in grief.
“Damn it! Why now?! Navy… this is all your fault!”
The burly man who had threatened Kuro with a gun earlier slammed his fists into the ground, his face contorted with rage.
At that moment, Kuro’s voice cut through: “Hey, why don’t you blame me after you’ve finished running?”
The burly man looked up. There stood Kuro, holding the elderly man under one arm and the young girl under the other.
“Shirui!!” His eyes widened in shock, then joy. “Th-thank you!!”
Kuro set the two down. Shirui finally snapped out of her daze and bowed to Kuro. “Thank you, big brother.”
Kuro clicked his tongue and turned toward the monster with its head buried in the ground. “What the heck is this thing?”
“It’s Sylla—the monster bird Shira,” Shirui said, fear flickering in her eyes. “It’s been appearing on our island for ages. Every time it shows up, people die. We can’t do anything but estimate its arrival time and hide indoors. If it doesn’t see any life, it won’t go berserk.”
What, is it some kind of rookie?
If it sees people, it attacks?
Kuro twitched his lips. The New World sure was bizarre.
“You said this is Whitebeard’s territory, right? Shouldn’t the old man be responsible for protecting his people? Why isn’t anyone here helping?” Kuro asked.
“Marco always comes during this time, but Sylla’s too strong. Marco can only drive it away—he can’t kill it,” Shirui answered honestly.
Kuro stared at the metal nodules covering the monster’s body and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Even Marco can’t take it down? Isn’t he the strongest besides your old man?”
Shirui continued, “Normally, Marco would be here days in advance, but—”
“Enough, Shirui! Don’t say more! He just saved you!” the burly man interrupted.
Kuro gave him a knowing look.
He already guessed the rest.
At this time, Whitebeard’s forces were gathering and sailing toward headquarters.
They had no energy to spare for this backwater.
And it was the Navy’s actions that forced Whitebeard to concentrate his forces here.
“But can’t the old man come himself? Can’t he defeat it either?” Kuro asked.
“Watch your mouth, Navy!”
The burly man snapped, “Even if you saved Shirui and the mayor, you shouldn’t talk about the old man like that! The old man is the strongest—how could he lose to this monster bird? He’s come before, but Sylla always seems to sense it. If the old man is around, it won’t come down. And the old man’s abilities…”
Whitebeard’s powers could easily bring the airborne monster down—but the island itself would be destroyed in the process.
Kuro eyed the monstrous bird. “It’s smart enough not to fight head-on.”
“Gaah!!”
The bird suddenly yanked its head out of the ground. It looked left and right at the fleeing people, seemingly devising a new strategy.
Then, its wings—covered in metallic nodules—spread wide. From them, sharp spines began to sprout.
Kuro’s eyes widened. “No way…”
The burly man beside him hadn’t noticed yet. He shouted, “Run, Navy! Sylla’s unpredictable! Once it locks onto a life, it won’t stop chasing until it kills it unless someone drives it off!”
With that, he grabbed Shirui, hoisted the town mayor onto his back, and fled.
Whoosh!!
At that moment, the monstrous bird’s wings slammed downward.
Metallic spines shot from its wings in all directions, aimed directly at the fleeing crowd!
The burly man froze mid-step. He’d never seen this move from Sylla before—he hadn’t expected this!
Wasn’t it just a chaser?!
This was something entirely new!
The spines moved at blinding speed, closing in on the burly man’s back—and those of others. The dagger-sized projectiles were seconds from piercing their hearts.
They were finished…
“Lion Might!!”
Boom!!
The earth suddenly erupted in front of the fleeing crowd, forming a massive, circular earthen wall. Mighty lion heads crowned its surface, shielding the people from the onslaught.
Chunk! Chunk! Chunk! Chunk!!
The metallic spines buried themselves into the wall, sinking deep. Some even pierced through entirely, their tips jutting out from the outer side.
“Damn, that’s some force…”
Kuro crouched on the ground, his hand pressed to the earth. He stared at the tip of a metal spine gleaming coldly on his side of the wall and sighed before standing up to face the stunned crowd behind him:
“If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have bothered. This world’s big enough—trying to fix everything would make me die of frustration. But since I did see…”
The earthen wall crumbled, revealing the monstrous bird Shira.
Kuro glared at it while scratching his head, his face twisted in mild annoyance. “Guess I can’t ignore it now.”
If these people were pirates, Kuro might’ve left them. But they weren’t.
They were just civilians under Whitebeard’s protection—ordinary folk on a remote New World island.
Sure, some might become pirates later. But right now, they weren’t.
Kuro dealt with the present—not the future.
The future could wait.
Who the hell wants to deal with such exhausting problems anyway?
“Gaah!!”
Sylla, realizing Kuro was responsible, flapped its wings in rage. Its thick, nodule-covered legs stomped forward, charging straight at him.
“Angry already? That’s fast…”
Kuro grabbed the hilt of his sword with one hand, his lips pouting in faux surprise. “Scary, isn’t it?”
(End of Chapter)
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