novelhk Chapter 383 Return to Windmill
Chapter 383 Return to Windmill
Battles, clashes, blood and fire intertwine; tragedy, betrayal, and revenge spread... The "evil of this world" thriving on this sea is clearly far more than the tip of the iceberg revealed by Yakumo Shiro in the illusion. But even this fleeting glimpse is enough to ensnare the unsophisticated Kuina and Zoro, trapped firmly in the quagmire woven by malevolence, unable to escape.
However, with Yakumo Haku monitoring the situation, there was no need to worry about the situation getting out of control. After all, everyone born on this cruel ocean was destined to face the turbulent waves lurking beneath the calm surface - everything in this illusion was merely a pre-emptive foreshadowing of future trials.
Back to the point, time never stops for anyone. Ever since Yakumo Shiro left Shimotsuki Village with Kuina and the others, the Tamamo had been sailing at full speed through the waves.
When the sails were finally furled and the anchor sank into the shallows, an island dotted with windmills appeared before their eyes—the hometown of the "King."
"clatter-"
The moment I stepped through the door, a salty, damp sea breeze blew in my face, carrying the scent of sun-warmed sand. Before me lay a lush forest—through the branches I could see the coastline not far away, with a few small fishing boats gently swaying with the waves—the very scene outside Windmill Village.
"Is this... Windmill Village?"
Following closely behind Yakumo Shiro, Sanji was carrying Zoro and gazing at the scenery of the harbor in the distance. His nose twitched imperceptibly. "Hmm, there's a scent of malt. It looks like this is a peaceful place."
"That's right. Even in the peaceful East China Sea, it's rare to see such a peaceful scene!"
Holding Wado Ichimonji in his arms, Koshiro slowly walked out of the door. At this time, he seemed to have regained his previous kind and steady appearance, with no strange expression on his face.
“After all, this is where everything ‘began,’ so it has to have a bit of a novice village atmosphere.”
Yakumo Shiro held Kuina in his arms, his steps stepping on the soft grass, his tone relaxed.
"Put them both down. We can only make plans after they wake up."
As he spoke, Yakumo Shiro took out a monotonous and almost rigid white mask from somewhere and put it on his face. At the same time, he activated his ability to "hide" his tail and fox ears - after all, this is the hometown of the hero Garp, and in order to avoid being exposed, it would be better to do some disguise.
"Master, is this the village you mentioned where miracles are born? It looks just like an ordinary fishing village."
Yejia controlled the Butu Yuhun and followed beside him, looking around curiously.
"Miracles are often hidden in the most inconspicuous places." Yakumo Shiro chuckled and was about to temporarily place Kuina under a sturdy oak tree, but he heard a clear shout in his ears - the sound penetrated the forest, carrying the stubbornness unique to young people.
"Wait, who are those guys?"
Following the direction of the sound, I saw two figures standing side by side on the cliff not far away, swaying in the wind. The young man in the straw hat clenched his fists and roared at the surging sea, his voice trembling with excitement: "I! I must become the Pirate King!"
"Pirate King?" Sanji frowned. "The Four Emperors are trapped in the New World, and these two guys—especially that guy in the straw hat—are so bold as to boast like that?"
"Heh, what a coincidence." Yakumo Shiro's lips curled with amusement, his eyes moving between the two young men's backs. "Once you see how he gets beaten, you'll know how much resilience is hidden in these big words."
With an amused smile on his lips, Yakumo Bai spoke meaningfully, and suddenly raised his chin towards that side, "Look, isn't the real master here?"
As if noticing the sudden appearance of several figures here, the teenagers who had been treating the surrounding area as their secret base quickly climbed down the mountain. Luffy rushed in front like a cannonball, his straw hat blown to the back of his head by the wind; Ace followed closely behind, the wooden stick in his hand casually slung over his shoulder, his freckled face full of vigilance.
"Hey! You guys...?"
Luffy, fearless and dauntless, stepped forward to question the others about their origins, but his gaze suddenly caught sight of Zoro and Kuina, who were "sleeping." His eyes widened, "Wow! Why are they fainting? Did they lose the fight?"
"Luffy, wait a minute, don't do anything rash!"
A wary voice came from behind. A young man named Ace came forward, carrying a wooden stick. Seeing the unfamiliar appearance and clothing of Yakumo Haku and the others, he couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Are you... foreign travelers?"
"Travelers? I guess you could say that. They're just homeless people looking for a place to spend the rest of their lives."
Yakumo Shiro spoke calmly, his eyes fixed on Luffy's boy, and without changing his expression, he made up a story.
"If possible, this island wouldn't mind a few more residents, right? Don't look at us like this, we're actually quite strong~"
"Huh? You want to stay here?" Luffy tilted his head, thinking about how to respond, but suddenly caught the key word from Yakumo Shiro's mouth - "Grand Line"!
"Grand Line? Are you pirates too? Then have you ever seen Shanks? I heard he has become one of the Four Emperors? How amazing!"
As if he hadn't seen a "real living pirate" for many years, Luffy's mood suddenly became excited, especially after noticing the sword that Koshiro was holding in his chest, his eyes lit up even more.
"Hey, uncle, are you a swordsman? Then could you please teach me how to wield a sword? I want to be the Pirate King in the future, so I definitely need to be able to use a sword!"
Ace shouted from behind: "Hey, Luffy! Don't do anything rash before you understand the situation!"
Koshiro was stunned by this jumping thought. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Yakumo Bai shook his head slightly, and then he heard the other party say: "Want to learn sword?" Yakumo Bai pointed at Zoro on the ground.
"Try to wake him up first—this kid's got more punch than a stake."
"Really?" Luffy immediately became interested after hearing that. He didn't care about Ace's obstruction and squatted down to shake Zoro's shoulders. "Hey! Wake up! Get up and fight with me!"
Sanji was shocked watching from the side: "Is this guy sane? He's yelling at an unconscious person to fight..."
However, perhaps he really heard this heartless shout from the illusion. Before he finished speaking, he heard Sauron suddenly groan and his eyelashes trembled. The last scene in the illusion seemed to still echo in his mind -
Facing the world's number one man, she launched a charge again and again. The abandoned corpses had piled up into a mountain, but the opponent was like an insurmountable mountain, stabbing the sword into her heart again and again. Just like Yakumo Haku said, "Only by admitting your powerlessness can you give birth to courage."
"Well……"
Zoro opened his eyes suddenly, just in time to see Luffy's big face approaching him. The struggle and depression in the illusion, along with the negative emotions that had accumulated for a long time, suddenly came flooding back.
"Tsk! Get away from me, you bastard! Who are you?!"
"My name is Luffy! I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!" The boy grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. "You look like a good fighter. Do you want to be my partner?"
"One Piece?"
Zoro propped himself up and was about to curse when he saw Kuina beside him also woke up and was frowning with her hand covering her forehead.
"Hmm, has it finally dissipated? The illusion just now..." Kuina murmured softly as she looked at her hands, her knuckles turning white from the strain.
No one knew the struggles she endured within the illusion, perhaps countless battles with a phantom, or perhaps confronting her most unwilling cowardice. But when she raised her eyes, an indescribable indifference settled in them, mixed with a hint of lingering complexity.
"It's good that you're awake." Yakumo Haku's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just right for the two of them to hear. "The pain in the illusion will fade, but the obsession that grips the hilt of the knife should remain."
Zoro turned his head suddenly: "Wait, what the hell are you doing? What on earth is that..." Before he could finish his words, he was suddenly stunned - the surrounding grass and trees, the sound of waves in the distance, and even the sweet and fishy smell in the air, were all so unfamiliar that it made people feel uneasy.
"Wait, where is this? Is this still Shimotsuki Village?"
"From today on, you will train here." Yakumo Haku didn't answer directly, his tone filled with unquestionable certainty, "When you can withstand my sword, you can leave. During this time, Mr. Koshiro will accompany you to practice."
"Here?" Zoro subconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles crackling. "Why should it be wherever you say it is? I haven't even decided the outcome with Kuina yet..."
"Now that we are here, let's make the best of it." Koshiro walked forward slowly, his sword gleaming in the sunlight, his tone carrying a rare heaviness.
"If you want to become stronger, training anywhere is fine. What happened earlier made me realize it completely—compared to the protection of a half-baked swordsman like me, your own strength is the most reliable shield to protect yourself."
Kuina lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting a faint shadow on her eyelids. The sounds of fighting in the illusion still seemed to echo in her ears. Her father's words at this moment were like a stone dropped into still water, rippling through her heart.
Those old sayings about "girls can't become great swordsmen", the unwillingness and stubbornness when holding the sword, all strangely settled down at this moment.
Silence lingered for several breaths before Kuina finally raised her head. Her eyes, usually sharp, softened slightly, yet held a new level of resolve. She nodded gently to Yakumo Shiro and Koshiro, her voice clear and resonant, "I understand."
Seeing this, Zoro wanted to say something, but Luffy grabbed his arm and said, "Hey! You haven't answered me yet! Do you want to be my partner? When I become the Pirate King, I'll make you my chief swordsman!"
"Who wants to be your partner!" Zoro shook off his hand, but couldn't help but look up and down at this inexplicable boy, "Also, don't touch me casually!"
"Hahaha, so energetic." Yejia chuckled, and his tail swept across the ground lightly, bringing up a breeze.
"Master, is this the 'opening venue' you chose?"
"That's not all." Yakumo Shiro looked towards the village entrance, where he could vaguely see the sign of a bar. "Sanji, you stay here too."
"Me?" Sanji was stunned. "What am I doing here? Watching these two guys quarrel?"
"Practice with them." Yakumo Shiro raised his lips slightly.
"I'll provide you with the ingredients and various recipes. All you have to do is stay here, work part-time as a chef, and hone your lousy kicking skills. After all, if you want to travel to the Grand Line to find ALLBLUE, you'll need some reliable help, right?"
Hearing this, Sanji silently stubbed out his cigarette and moved his throat. Although he said nothing, his clenched fists betrayed his thoughts.
"Hey! What are you guys talking about?" Luffy tugged at Zoro's arm and swung him around. "Come and fight me! Or teach me swordsmanship! Ace said swordsmen are really cool!"
Ace folded his arms and sneered: "Who told you that? I just told you not to disturb strangers." Having said that, his eyes quietly fell on Zoro's tense profile and Kuina's calm eyes, as if he was evaluating something.
"Fight?" Zoro violently shook off Luffy's hand, the feeling of being crushed in the illusion still lingering. "That's perfect, I'm so angry right now!"
"Oh? You want to fight me?" Luffy instantly took a fighting stance, his rubber arms stretching out with a snap. "Then I won't show any mercy!"
"Who wants to fight you?" Zoro frowned, his eyes sweeping over Ace. "If you're going to fight, fight someone strong. Hey, you freckled kid, you look like you can fight better than this Straw Hat idiot. Do you dare to give it a try?"
Ace raised an eyebrow, a hint of arrogance showing on his freckled face: "I don't know what you guys are mumbling about right from the start, but if it's a sparring match... oh, I'd love to."
He casually stuck the stick into the ground and flexed his wrist, his knuckles making a crackling sound. "But if you lose, you have to admit that Luffy is better than you."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Zoro took a stance. Although the sword at his waist was not unsheathed, his momentum was already high.
"Looks like things are going to get lively now." Yaga chuckled, the tip of his tail brushing against Butsu Yuhun's scabbard. "Master, is this what you wanted to see? Some... over-energetic teenagers?"
"Excess energy? It seems so, but if we use it well, it might become an invincible weapon!"
Sure enough, not long after, there were loud "bang bang" noises and Luffy's excited shout: "Rubber? Bazooka!" followed by Zoro's angry shout: "Three Swords Style... Uh, I haven't practiced it yet!"
As Ace joined the battle, the scene gradually became chaotic, until finally, even Sanji, who was watching from the side, was dragged in.
Perhaps it was fate. Even though the people present might have just met for the first time, the battle between them was extremely exciting. It was not until the sun gradually set and sprinkled the last ray of golden red on the seemingly ordinary straw hat that this sudden farce finally came to an end.
Who knows what will happen in the future? But what is foreseeable is that the fun is just beginning.