novelhk Chapter 385 New Directions
Chapter 385 New Directions
Pushing open the bar's wooden door, a roar of noise washed over them. Luffy was being hit on the head by Garp's knees, still yelling, "I don't want to be a marine!" Ace stood aside, a senbei in his hand, his eyes warily glancing towards the door.
Zoro and Sanji sat in the corner, seemingly competing in drinking, but their ears were perked up; Kuina sat by the windowsill, quietly wiping the Wado Ichimonji - the famous sword that Koshiro finally agreed to pass on to her recently.
"Hey, a new face." Seeing the strange traveler the villagers mentioned, Garp let go of Luffy, and his sharp eyes immediately locked onto Yakumo Haku, especially the mask on his face. "Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you wearing a mask?"
Yakumo Shiro walked to the bar, and Makino handed him a piece of honey bread at the perfect time. He took a bite, finding the sweetness just right. "I'm just a traveler. As for why I wear a mask, it's because I don't want to scare the children."
"Traveler?" Garp raised his eyebrows and stood up. He was tall and stood there like a thick wall, with the oppressive feeling of a veteran.
"A traveler who stayed in a small windmill village for four months? How come I've never heard of a traveler hanging out with the Shimotsuki family of Inazuma?"
Garp's expression was somewhat serious. Apparently, after a brief inquiry, he had learned the identities of Kuina and the others from the villagers - although he had never intended to hide it.
"Maybe I'm lucky. I always meet interesting people." Yakumo Shiro said jokingly in a calm tone, but faced with Garp's unwavering gaze, he still "failed" and said in a helpless and low tone,
"Alright, alright, facing the legendary naval hero, Vice Admiral Garp, it seems that even if I hide something, it will be of no use—
In fact, Mr. Koshiro heard that Wano Country, also known as Inazuma, had been founded a few years ago, so he decided to follow his father's wishes and return to his hometown with his disciples.
But on the way, you know, the Sabaody Archipelago is gone, the road to the New World is also gone, and I, the bounty hunter they paid for, was also seriously injured because of the damn spores on that island...
If it weren't for Mr. Koshiro and Ms. Kuina's timely treatment, I'm afraid I would have died soon."
As he spoke, as if lamenting his own fate, Yakumo Bai gave a bitter smile, and under the mask one could still feel the helplessness and unwillingness.
"Now, disheartened and disheartened, I have no choice but to return to the East China Sea. I had hoped to find a peaceful village to recuperate and enjoy the sea, which would be better than the swordplay of the new world. Who knew it would be your hometown...
Oh, is this also fate's arrangement?"
Garp's gaze roamed over Yakumo Shiro, as if examining a suspicious reef. He could sense that this man was not ordinary—he didn't carry a murderous aura, but instead had an aura that inexplicably concerned him, like an undercurrent beneath the surface of a calm sea.
But he couldn't tell what was wrong. The other person's words and actions were flawless, the mask covered most of his face, and even his breath was cleverly concealed by some ability, making it impossible to find a matching person in his memory.
"Interesting." Garp retracted his aura, his doubts deepening. "You don't look like an ordinary person."
"Who are the truly ordinary people on this ocean?" Yakumo Shiro asked, looking out the window. "Even the kids in Windmill Village want to be Pirate King, don't they?"
When the word "Pirate King" was mentioned, Luffy immediately forgot the pain of being beaten and jumped up and shouted: "Yes! I want to be the Pirate King!"
Garp gave him a slap in anger and amusement, his attention instantly diverted: "Stinky boy! If you say something like that again, I'll throw you to Zephyr and let him train you well!"
While Garp was "educating" Luffy, Yakumo Shiro winked at Zoro and the others. Zoro understood and deliberately bumped into Ace: "Hey, Freckleface, do you dare to go to the beach for another fight? It didn't end there."
"I'll stick with you till the end!" Ace immediately took the bait.
Sanji also stood up: "I'll go prepare lunch. Whoever loses will help wash the vegetables."
Kuina followed them out of the bar, and looked back at Yakumo Haku. Seeing him nod, she left with peace of mind.
Soon, only Garp, Yakumo Shiro, and Makino were left in the bar. Garp was still battling with Luffy, while Yakumo Shiro leaned against the bar, seemingly chatting with Makino, but actually observing Garp's every move.
The mask blocked his features, the power of the fruit distorted his aura, and his deliberately restrained edge should be enough to make this veteran navy temporarily let down his guard. After all, there has never been a shortage of similar tragedies on this sea.
"Hey, masked boy." Garp suddenly spoke, grabbing Luffy's collar.
"Don't blame me for not reminding you. Although the Sabaody Archipelago can no longer play its former role, with the help of Vegapunk, the World Government has found an alternative solution.
Perhaps it won't be long before you can continue to carry out your unfinished commission - the future is still long, do you still want to stay in a small village for the rest of your life?
Yakumo Shiro paused, his fingers gripping the teacup. His eyes from beneath the mask swept across the windmill turning outside the window, his tone filled with a hint of nonchalant self-mockery:
"A request? When the spores gnawed at my body in the Sabaody Archipelago, it was already like a candle in the wind. Now, Mr. Koshiro is just being reluctant and taking the initiative to salvage something?
With Kuina and the others' talents, they will surpass me sooner or later. By then, they can return to Inazuma and won't need me anymore."
Yakumo Shiro's fingertips gently traced the rim of the glass, causing fine ripples in the wine. "Besides, what does the World Government's new approach have to do with a wounded me? No matter how powerful Vegapunk is, he can't replace my spore-eaten bones with steel, right?"
Garp stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly grabbed a rice cracker and stuffed it into his mouth, making a crunching sound. "You're quite open-minded. But don't think you're safe hiding in Windmill Village—there's no real safe haven in this sea."
His eyes swept across the doorway, as if speaking to Yakumo Shiro, or as if warning himself, "Especially to those who hide their heads and show their tails."
"What can I possibly hide? It's just that this mask does conceal a serious injury." Yakumo Shiro chuckled, his voice carrying a faint, muffled ring through the mask. "At most, I'm just thinking about Miss Makino's honey bread."
Makino blushed when she heard that, and quickly picked up a handkerchief to wipe the cup, pretending to be busy. Luffy took the opportunity to break free from Garp's hand and crawled to the bar like a slippery fish.
"Anyway, I've figured it out, Grandpa! I'm going to the New World! I'm going to find ONE PIECE!"
Karp's anger was instantly ignited, and soon he began a new round of "education" -
"Asshole, listen to me! You want to go to the New World? Sure! But things are different now. You have to get the navy's approval first!"
With waves of painful wails and unyielding shouts, the bar was once again filled with the noise of the grandparents and grandchildren, mixed with Makino's helpless persuasion.
Yakumo Shiro leaned against the bar, listening to the noisy sounds, the corners of his mouth slightly raised under the mask.
"Does it require the Navy's approval? It seems Vegapunk did a good job, finding a way to quickly cross the Red Earth Continent... But this means I have to speed up my pace..."
"Hey! Kid! Even though you've been here for a while, no matter who you were before, a bounty hunter or something else, Windmill Village is my hometown. If anyone dares to cause trouble here, I will be the first one to not let him off!"
It seems that after a round of love education, Garp's mood has been vented a lot. When Yakumo Bai was thinking about the next action, he heard Garp suddenly speak again, but his tone was slightly softened.
"Of course." Yakumo Shiro nodded slightly. "I really like the tranquility here and won't destroy it."
Garp gave him a long look and didn't ask any further questions. Although he felt that the masked man was suspicious, he didn't see any malicious intent from him. And... the boy's words just now inexplicably reminded him of a similarly rebellious guy.
"Hmph, that's better." Garp carried Luffy out, "Brat, come with me to train! If I don't train you until you cry for your parents, you won't know your place!"
“No—Grandpa!”
The noise of the grandfather and grandson arguing gradually faded away. Makino smiled and shook his head, looking at Yakumo Shiro: "Mr. Garp is like this. He talks big, but in his heart he really cares about Luffy and the others."
"Indeed, it seems that I need to be more careful in the future." Yakumo Bai said softly, as if he was talking to Makino, but also as if he was talking to himself.
Seeing this, it seemed that Yakumo Bai was a little "shocked" by Garp's aura. Thinking of what the other party had said, Makino's eyes softened a little, and he couldn't help but speak to comfort him.
"Don't overthink it. Mr. Cap isn't unreasonable. Everyone in Windmill Village is very friendly. You can stay as long as you want." The apron's strings swayed gently at her side. The girl twisted the fabric with her fingertips and hesitated for a moment, then finally asked the question she had been hiding for a long time, "Will your mask... ever be taken off?"
Hearing this, the smile beneath Yakumo Shiro's mask softened a bit: "I'll take it off naturally when I don't need it anymore."
"It's like when the 'wind' of this ocean blows where it should."
Outside the window, the windmill slowly turned, carrying the sea breeze through the village. Yakumo Shiro knew that as the anchor points were gradually being established on the sea, it looked like his "vacation" in Windmill Village might be coming to an early end...