https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-425-The-Toki-Toki-no-Mi-Fruit-Monthly-Ticket-Request-/12559682/
Chapter 426: Hinata Hyuga
Chapter 426: Hinata Hyuga
In the Land of Waves, known as the Country of Wano...
After the Beast Pirate King, Kaido, met his dramatic end at the hands of Fengye, the Beast Pirates quickly fled the country under the leadership of King and Queen.
Now, the country was left primarily to its original samurai, and an undercurrent of unrest swept through the land.
In a remote wilderness, at the entrance to a seemingly hidden cave, a little girl with cerulean hair, appearing to be around eight years old, crouched with her arms wrapped around her knees.
Her clothes bore many patches, and her cheeks were smudged with dirt, indicating a life of hardship.
She was Hinata Hyuga, daughter of Kozuki Oden and sister to Momonosuke. Like her brother, she was a rightful heir to the country.
Following their father's death, Hinata escaped the castle under the protection of Kawamatsu, but due to Kurozumi Higurashi's manhunt, she could only hide in the wilderness, evading capture.
"...”
Fengye had sent Momonosuke and the others twenty years into the future, and only four years had passed since then, leaving sixteen more years to go.
This meant Hinata would have to continue evading Higurashi's pursuit for sixteen long years, eking out an existence in hiding.
However, her current concern wasn't this impending ordeal.
What worried her was the changing environment.
Ever since Higurashi, backed by Kaido, began aggressively transforming the Land of Waves, constructing weapons factories, the natural beauty of the country had been under constant assault.
Initially, Kawamatsu had taken refuge with Hinata in the mountains, where they easily foraged enough food each day. But now, things had taken a turn for the worse.
Kawamatsu had to spend almost an entire day foraging just to bring back enough sustenance, and the task was becoming increasingly arduous.
Hinata could foresee that in a few years, they might not even be able to find enough food to eat. After all, she had little survival skills, and her appetite would only grow as she aged.
She made a decision—if the food became insufficient for both of them, she would leave and fend for herself, no longer burdening Kawamatsu.
As these thoughts occupied her mind, Hinata suddenly stiffened. She whipped her head around and spotted two figures in the distant forest, making their way toward her hiding spot.
"Who's there...?"
Hinata's heart raced, and she quickly retreated into the cave.
Although the distance and the bushes obscured her view, preventing her from making out their features, she could tell that they weren't Kawamatsu!
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
As the sound of crunching leaves and bushes drew closer, Hinata's expression grew tense. She clutched the hem of her shirt, doing her best to remain silent.
But the crunching sounds eventually halted just outside the cave.
Hinata's tension peaked.
And just then, a hand reached out from the darkness behind her, patting her shoulder.
"Yaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!"
Hinata, who had been on high alert, let out a scream that echoed through the cave. Terrified, she scrambled toward the cave's entrance, desperate to escape.
In her panic, she stumbled over a stone, tripping and falling forward.
"Why did you scare her?"
Fengye stood outside the cave, glancing at Robin beside him. A hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes before he waved his hand.
Hinata, who was about to tumble out of the cave like a bouncing ball, suddenly froze in mid-air, hovering about a foot above the ground.
It felt as though she had fallen into a fluffy cloud, and the invisible force lifted her back toward the cave entrance, gently setting her down on the ground and leaning her backward so she sat.
Robin tilted her head, looking at Hinata, and remarked, "She's even younger than me."
Fengye's lips twitched.
What did she mean by that?! He had a feeling his image in Robin's mind had somehow become distorted, and her current train of thought was rather dangerous.
"Huff... huff..."
Hinata, who had been levitated and placed down by Fengye's power, panted heavily, her eyes still reflecting the lingering fear. Her whole body felt limp and powerless.
Had she finally been found by Kurozumi's men? And Kawamatsu wasn't here either, as he had gone out to look for food.
"Are you Hinata?" Fengye asked, a gentle smile on his face as he looked at her.
Hinata's heart tightened, but she forced herself to shake her head, maintaining a calm facade. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know anyone by that name. You must have mistaken me for someone else..."
A glint flashed in Fengye's eyes as he scrutinized the little girl before him, soon confirming that she was indeed Hinata Hyuga, the daughter of Kozuki Oden.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to catch you..." He smiled. "I received something from your mother some time ago, so in return, I'll compensate you with something."
"Huh?" Hinata was taken aback.
If Fengye had been sent by Kurozumi to capture her, he wouldn't be saying such things. Even if it was to confirm her identity, he probably wouldn't make up such a story.
And for some reason, looking into Fengye's eyes, which shone with a deep azure glow, Hinata felt a sense of trust welling up within her.
"Who are you...?" Hinata stood up and asked in a soft voice.
Fengye smiled gently. "You can call me Mr. Fengye. By the way, don't you know what's been happening in the Land of Wano?"
"What's been happening in the Land of Wano?" Hinata asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
She and Kawamatsu had been hiding in remote wilderness areas to evade Kurozumi's pursuit, staying as far away from towns and villages as possible. As a result, she was completely unaware of the events unfolding in the Land of Wano.
Fengye didn't answer Hinata's question directly. Instead, he glanced into the distance and chuckled, "Someone who can explain is coming this way."
As Fengye spoke, a voice filled with disbelief and delight rang out from afar.
"Princess! Princess Hinata!!
"I just received news in town—Kaido of the Beast Pirates is dead! He was killed!"
The voice grew closer and closer as it traveled, and soon, a chubby creature that resembled an angry little bird could be seen leaping nimbly through the forest. It was none other than Kawamatsu the Kappa, racing towards them.
"Hey!" Hinata exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise as she turned towards the direction of Kawamatsu's voice. "Kaido is dead?!
Even at her young age, Hinata knew who her greatest enemy was—not Kurozumi, but Kaido, the Beast Pirate King, who stood behind him! He was the true enemy of the Kozuki family!
As long as Kaido wasn't defeated, the Kurozumi clan's rule would never be overthrown. But if Kaido fell, the Kurozumi clan would be within their grasp.
However, Kaido's strength was terrifying. Even her father, Kozuki Oden, had ultimately failed against him. It seemed impossible to defeat Kaido with their own power—he was a true monster!
But now...
That monster was dead!
This news made Hinata feel as if she were still dreaming.
"Princess...Huh?!
Kawamatsu, who was rushing towards them, continued to shout in elation, sharing the joyous news with Hinata. But his voice suddenly trailed off as he spotted Hinata standing in front of the cave, along with Fengye and Robin.
His plump body paused in mid-air, tumbling a few times before landing behind Hinata. Instinctively, he drew his sword and eyed Fengye and Robin warily.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
