https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-211-If-All-Else-Fails-You-Can-Always-Be-an-Idol-/12611147/
Chapter 212: Departing from Mary Geoia
Chapter 212: Departing from Mary Geoia
The next morning, with Nami's enthusiastic wave, the small but adorable Sunny set sail, contrasting the Grim Reaper's flagship.
Money doesn't come free. While the sisters had their laboratory in their village, Sarge didn't intend to escort them, and Straw Hat had the leisure to do so. Although the sisters wanted Sarge's protection, they seemed to have become closer friends with Straw Hat instead.
Even at last night's feast, those whose food he had snatched ended up not angry but joining in the fun.
Zoro looked for drinking buddies, Nami organized a drinking contest and won 100,000 berries, Brook played cheerful music, Chopper and Usopp performed comical dances, and Franky displayed his new mechanical creations, dazzling a group of giant mechanical enthusiasts, especially Paul, who remained fascinated by giant mechas. Renitia, however, no longer crafted such contraptions.
In the past, she hid within her mechanical creations to avoid being looked down upon due to her age, but that was no longer necessary.
She felt far more at ease as herself than confined within a metal shell.
"He's a man with a special infectious charm," Lily remarked as she watched the departing schooner, "able to quickly blend in with his surroundings."
"Hmm, I don't like him," Renitia frowned. "How did such a carefree pirate amass three hundred million? Someone like that should've perished in the vast sea long ago."
"You're wrong there," Mary replied with a smile. "This group appears carefree, but each has their own purpose, and they unite under the Straw Hat's leadership, similar to us, just a different type."
And a significant difference it was.
They, too, had their dreams, but those dreams were based on being under Sarge's command, with a strict hierarchical division.
Yet, those pirates seemed different; they appeared to treat each other as equals but still respected the Straw Hat at crucial moments.
It wasn't a matter of which type was better, just a difference in habits.
"I don't like him either," Lily said calmly as she walked towards the captain's room, her hand resting on her sword hilt. "Let's go. Sarge is looking for us for a meeting."
On the third floor, a round table had replaced the usual conference table, surrounded by ordinary chairs. However, directly across from the entrance, a golden velvet throne stood out.
By the time Lily and her companions ascended to the third floor, Hawkins and Lucci had already taken their seats, one on the left and the other on the right of the throne.
Hawkins shuffled tarot cards, laying them out on the table, seemingly divining something.
Lucci lounged with his legs crossed, occasionally glancing at the people in the room, his expression unreadable.
Ajin entered with several subordinates, arranging refreshments for the attendees. After everyone else had left, he took a seat by the door, his back against it.
With Lily and the others seated, all the key members of the Heavenly Disaster Pirates who had a say in the crew were present.
"Sarge asked us to have this meeting, but where is he?" Lucci asked, a hint of impatience in his voice after waiting for a while.
Lily sipped her tea slowly, Renitia focused on her snacks, and Mary maintained her cheerful smile, none of them offering a response.
Hawkins, however, drew a tarot card and placed it on the table before addressing Lucci, "Destiny always appears when it's meant to; there's no need to be so anxious."
Lucci sneered, "I don't believe in fate."
As a spy, if you believe in fate, nothing can be accomplished.
However, Lucci still took Hawkins seriously.
Because the ability is indeed miraculous. As an ability user himself, Lucci knows how powerful they can be.
Ability users turn the impossible into possible.
Or, to put it another way, he knew about Vegapunk—that genius whose technology is five hundred years ahead of the rest of the world. And Vegapunk had made a conclusion about the Devil Fruits.
That they are the embodiment of 'wishes'.
It would be nice if things could be like this or like that. Under the wishes of countless people, the Devil Fruits are born.
All ability users have obtained these 'wishes', but it is also because of this unnatural product that they are despised by the sea, the Mother of Nature.
Whether it is the animal-type that can transform humans into animals, or the superpower-type that can predict one's fate, or the natural-type that allows humans to master the power of natural disasters, they are all born in this way.
Their abilities are considered child's play compared to Sarge, whose unnatural powers are truly terrifying.
There hasn't been anyone who, with just one cannonball, can suppress a volcano that is about to erupt with a column of lava soaring into the sky.
Although it was a main cannonball, which is originally quite large, no matter how big it is, it is still just a cannonball. And no matter how small it is, if you enlarge it a hundred times, it will still be huge.
"Just yesterday we had a feast, but why is the atmosphere so tense today?"
The sound of footsteps rang out from the staircase, and everyone turned their heads in unison to see a white-haired man with his top half bare, wearing only a pair of martial arts pants, striding out from the staircase entrance. The beauty of his muscular lines was evident in his movements.
He sprawled out in the lone throne among the round table, propping his legs up as he reclined, "Damn, only this throne is comfortable enough for me. I can't get used to sitting in those regular chairs."
It was Sarge, well-rested and having just finished his morning exercises.
"Then why don't you craft one yourself?" Renitia asked curiously.
"That wouldn't feel right," Sarge laughed. "A throne needs to have historical significance. Aside from the materials, the ruling history of royal families also adds a layer of profundity to a throne. Only then can sitting on it be truly satisfying!"
Lucci shot him a veiled glance.
This was a typical lack of reverence.
There weren't many pirates like this, even out on the high seas.
While pirates may act with impunity, they still retained a sense of awe towards the World Government.
Pirates who lacked this reverence, those with prominent reputations, could mostly establish a formidable presence on the high seas. Like the current Four Emperors...
Sarge belonged to this type.
And so did that Straw Hat Kid...
"Next, let's talk about our plan."
Sarge swept his eyes across the executives, saying, "Our next target is the midpoint of our journey, which means we will have sailed through the first half of the Grand Line and arrived at the other side, the Red Earth Continent. Unlike with the Upside-Down Mountain, we won't have any shortcuts this time."
Upon hearing this, Lily glanced at the small compass in her hand. The record needle was pointing downward, just like it had when they faced Skypiea.
Sarge continued, "Fishman Island, located at a depth of 10,000 meters underwater. However, I don't plan to take that route. Instead, we will go directly to the Red Earth Continent and pass through from there."
(End of Chapter)
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