One Piece: From Picking Up Red Hair's Broken Arm

Chapter 142 Jack is on the ship, Kaido is on the road [6.6K]

The moonlight was bright, and the night breeze was cool.

Inside the cabin of the Shura.

Shano carried Robin through the long corridor, gently opened the door with his elbow, and stepped into her room.

The person in my arms was lighter than I had imagined.

Moonlight streamed through the porthole as Shano carefully placed Robin on the bed.

Robin unconsciously curled up, like a black cat that had finally found a safe corner, her hair scattered on the pillow, her breathing even and long.

A faint scent of alcohol, mingled with the unique elegance of a mature woman, filled my nostrils, and then, as my arm brushed against her, I felt an amazing elasticity...

It's hard not to be captivated by it.

But his gaze remained clear. After covering her with a light blanket, he stood quietly by the bed.

Looking at Robin, whose face was flushed and who was fast asleep, Shano sighed.

He really drank too much.

In public, they even said things like "are we just partners?"

It startled him.

perhaps……

Today's meeting with Aokiji finally dispelled the nightmares that haunted me from childhood and removed the heaviest shackles from my heart.

That's probably why she relaxed to the point of losing her composure.

"If I didn't have Observation Haki, I would know you were really asleep."

Xia Nuo squatted down, crossed her arms, and said with a grin, "I thought you were testing me, Sister Robin."

He can't withstand many tests.

If it happened again, I really wouldn't be able to resist.

After all, who wouldn't love a big, straight-haired older sister with long black hair?

only……

His relationship with Robin is far from that point.

Robin was the last member to board the ship, and compared to the other members, she had been gradually integrating into the group for more than a month.

It wasn't until what happened during the day today that the last barrier was finally torn away.

Does Robin have feelings for her?
Perhaps some.

But Xia Nuo knew very well that Robin's dependence on him after drinking in the restaurant was more a result of his desire for and obsession with security.

Rather than any other emotion.

At this time.

If someone were to take advantage of her while she was unconscious, it would be tantamount to tearing apart the unconditional trust she had painstakingly built up.

As for how their relationship will develop in the future...

...Then let nature take its course and take it slow.

Goodnight, Robin.

Xia Nuo got up, gently closed the door, and her footsteps gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor.

……

Until that figure disappeared at the door of the training room.

Suddenly, three heads popped out from behind the corner of the wall.

Black hair, orange hair, and blue hair.

"Haha, see? I told you, I've always been upright and honest, not that kind of person!"

"I have a feeling he noticed we secretly followed us. Too bad, if we weren't here, would things have gone smoothly?"

"do not want!"

"Huh?" Nami and Nojiko looked up at the same time, staring in astonishment.

"Why not?"

"..." The person's breath hitched, and only then did they realize that they had blurted out their thoughts.

"..."

The young swordswoman lowered her eyes slightly, her face expressionless. "I mean, stop peeping here. Go back to sleep. It's not good to do this."

Ok?
Weren't you the one urging us to come back to the restaurant?

Nami and Nojiko exchanged a glance, both seeing the suspicion in each other's eyes.

Hmm, what's that feeling...?

There seems to be more than one Robin on the ship.

…………

A blink of an eye.

It was already the early hours of the next day.

When Robin opened his eyes, sunlight was already filling the entire room.

The hangover left her head still feeling dull and throbbing. She rubbed her temples, and memories of last night gradually flooded back.

Under the warm orange light, she tugged at Xia Nuo's sleeve.

"Oh, just partners?"

The moment those words popped into her mind, her ears burned.

"What did I do...?"

Frustrated, she buried her face in the pillow and couldn't muster the courage to turn over for a long time.

That's really, really rude.

Looking back on what I said and did last night, it's so shameful it's suffocating.

Wait, the captain probably didn't take it seriously, right?
"..."

Robin took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

She slowly sat up, her gaze sweeping across the room—

There was a glass of water and some hangover medicine on the bedside table, probably left by Xia Nuo this morning when she saw that Xia Nuo was still asleep.

Apart from that, there was nothing unusual in the room, and when I looked down, the same was true of my clothes.

It seems nothing happened.

fine……

?
She pursed her lips and got up to wash up.

Looking at myself in the mirror, my complexion had mostly returned to normal, with only a slight blush remaining behind my ears.

Robin was in a daze for a while, then suddenly patted her cheeks lightly, practiced in front of the mirror a few times, and finally regained her usual calm smile.

……

Squeak.

Push open the cabin door and step onto the deck.

All my friends are here, mostly gathered around the long table under the parasol.

"Over here! Sister Robin!"

Nami, with her sharp eyes, was the first to notice her, and cheerfully raised the fortune-telling container in her hand:

"We're just missing you! You haven't forgotten what we said yesterday, have you? Hurry up and draw lots to decide who will take the train and who will go by boat!"

"Good morning, everyone!"

She greeted him calmly with a smile, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Xia Nuo.

The boy had already finished his training and was lying on a wicker chair, drinking coffee to stay awake while lazily basking in the sun.

Hearing the noise, he turned around and casually asked, "You're awake? Did you take your hangover medicine? Does your head still hurt?"

His tone was natural, as if nothing had happened.

"Hmm, much better." Robin smiled.

Now we can be 100% certain that nothing happened last night.

She felt a slight sense of relief, but also a strange sense of loss.

Fortunately, at that moment, Nami started vigorously swinging the fortune-telling tube, instantly pulling Robin's thoughts back to reality.

"Here, draw them one by one."

Seven hands and a large claw stretched out at the same time, each drawing a slip of paper.

"Meow!"

Mochi also wanted to participate, but it was just a round little ball of fluff without even hands, and was simply ignored by Nami with a cold laugh.

The allocation results came out quickly.

Shano, Smoker, Zeff, and Agin are on the train.

Robin, Kuina, Nami, and Nojiko boarded the boat.

This is the itinerary for the journey to the City of the Spring Queen. The routes will be switched when we leave the City of the Spring Queen and head to the next stop, Water Seven.

"..." Xia Nuo held the wooden stick, lost in thought and remained silent.

"What's wrong, brother?"

Nami leaned closer and glanced at it. "Isn't it great to experience the sea train first? I can't wait to ride it. How about we switch?"

"It has nothing to do with the lottery."

Xia Nuo frowned, deep in thought, "I'm about to leave this island, and I feel like I've forgotten something..."

Huh, what was that again?

Never mind, it's probably not important.

Just as everyone was preparing to set sail from the dock to the station, a series of urgent shouts suddenly came from the shore.

"Lord Xia Nuo! Lord Xia Nuo!"

Parker rushed to the front of the ship, panting, his face full of anxiety and unease, with sweat still clinging to his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Xia Nuo immediately went to greet them. "Didn't you settle down on the island? What happened again?"

"Are you... are you leaving?"

"Okay." Xia Nuo nodded. "We've almost finished resupplying. It's time to head to the next island."

"Then, what about my son?"

Parker glanced out onto the deck, looking somewhat disappointed. "I don't see him. So...you didn't accept him?"

Also.

Lord Shano's ship is not a place where just anyone can board.

I was overthinking things...

"Your son?" Xia Nuo asked, puzzled.

"It's Jack, you should know him, right?"

Parker was also stumped by the question, scratching his head. "He came to see you yesterday, wanting to apologize and also wanting to follow you from now on. Didn't you run into him?"

Who?
Jack?!
"..."

Xia Nuo slapped his forehead.

He finally remembered what he had forgotten.

……

ten minutes later.

Town center, garden.

Jack transformed back into human form, squatted on the bench, and warmed his hands by the fire, but he was still shivering from the cold.

His eyebrows and hair were still covered in ice crystals, and his lips were purple; clearly, he had been tormented quite a bit that night.

"Dad... I'm sorry, I think I messed up..." he stammered, his voice full of regret.

"I didn't mess it up, but I was just a little short!"

Parker stood on a chair, tiptoeing, and tenderly rubbed his adopted son's arm with a hot towel.
"Luckily, I noticed you hadn't come back all night and realized something was wrong, so I went to find Lord Xia Nuo. If I had been any later, you would have really frozen to death, you idiot!"

"That's a Navy Admiral! You fool, you just charged in like that. What did I teach you? Don't be so reckless. If you had explained your purpose to Lord Shano first, would this have happened?"

next to.

Xia Nuo and the others exchanged glances, both amused and exasperated.

Along the way, through their conversations with Parker, they had already figured out the ins and outs of the matter.

This honest and straightforward giant felt extremely guilty after hearing yesterday that the person who saved his father was someone he had once opposed. He then prepared to come and apologize.

Parker also felt that it was a waste for his adopted son to continue working as a dockworker with all his abilities, so he went a step further and encouraged him to join Lord Shano and do his part.

The result...

Jack had just found Shano in the garden when he witnessed Aokiji closing in on him. Enraged, he attacked without a word.

As for Shano, because of his dark history with Alabasta, everyone still regarded him as an enemy and didn't pay any attention to him.

Later, because Robin was drunk and acted out of control, they all followed Shano back to the ship early.

In short, it was a combination of various coincidences.

The unfortunate fellow was left to freeze in the quiet, deserted garden all night.

If it weren't for the physique of the fish-men and the meatiness granted by the mammoth fruit, he probably would have died long ago.

"Hehe, thank goodness I'm here."

Nami, beaming with pride, snapped her fingers, sending dazzling sparks flying from her fingertips, adding fuel to the fire in front of Jack.

She built this campfire, and it was she who used the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit to quickly melt Aokiji's ice.

Otherwise, it would have taken a lot of effort for someone else to deal with this huge block of ice.

"It's gotten so much warmer now..."

Jack looked up at the orange-haired girl in front of him. Although he was still trembling, he managed to force a grateful smile.
"Thank you, thank you so much, Sister Nami!"

His teeth chattered, and his voice broke, "If it weren't for your help, I might have really frozen to death..."

In the endless cold, his consciousness had long since become blurred, and he didn't know how long he endured before gradually regaining his senses.

Then, the first ray of light I saw and the first smile I witnessed came from this kind and warm-hearted human girl in front of me.

Therefore, he was filled with heartfelt gratitude towards Nami. He struggled to stand up and bow, but his legs gave way and he almost fell to the ground.

Parker quickly helped him up, shaking his head with heartache.

"Oh, don't be so polite!"

Nami waved her hand, "It was just a small favor. But remember, don't be so reckless next time. That's a Marine Admiral! Among us, only my brother can handle him. You can forget about it."

She tried to act mature and bossy, patting Jack on the shoulder to comfort him, but found she couldn't reach him, so she patted his knee instead.

but……

The wildly upturned curve of her lips betrayed just how smug she was; even the tips of her hair seemed to be sticking up with tiny flames of joy.

—He calls me Big Sister!!!

"You're right."

Jack wholeheartedly agreed and nodded vigorously, "That guy is indeed very strong, but if it happens again and I see him attack Lord Shano, I still won't let him off!"

Nami: "?"

No, did I say all that for nothing?

Damn it.

It's not that she has a stereotype about big guys.

but……

It's true that tall people aren't always the smartest.

"Ouch, that hurts!"

However, Nami's ear was forcefully tugged by Shano.

"What's wrong, brother!" Nami turned her head around, looking aggrieved.

Even if he's my older brother, he needs a reason to bully me!

Nami was furious and wanted to take revenge, but then she suddenly remembered her brother's actual height, gave an embarrassed smile, and shrank back.

Xia Nuo snorted coldly. Having grown up together since childhood, how could he not know what this girl was thinking?
Jack, unaware of Nami's thoughts, turned to Shano and knelt down before her with a thud.

"Yeah, sorry!"

Jack stammered, "Lord Shano! I haven't even had a chance to thank you for saving my father's life, and I've already caused you trouble again. Back in Alabasta, I... I was with Hanafuda, and I attacked everyone..."

"Nobody remembers that!" Noki laughed jokingly. "Didn't you sink straight to the bottom of the sea? Nobody even saw what you looked like."

Jack blushed instantly.

That scene was truly embarrassing.

Fortunately, even after eating Devil Fruits, the Fish-Men can still breathe in the ocean; otherwise, what would have drifted to the City of Gourmet Food would have been a corpse.

"No need for an apology."

Shano shook his head and helped Jack up.

"Back then, you were still under the control of Hanafuda, and besides, you didn't cause any real trouble."

He paused, looking the big guy up and down with interest: "However, I heard from your father that you want to come with me now?"

Eh?
Lord Xia Nuo has taken a liking to you?
Parker immediately perked up and was about to secretly kick his adopted son.

Jack suddenly looked up, his eyes lighting up, and he was so excited that he was incoherent:

"Yes! Lord Shano! I... I'm strong and capable! Although there are many things I can't understand, if you tell me to go east, I'll never go west!"

"And then there are all my skills!"

He patted his chest. "Hanafuda said I'm a very rare Ancient Zoan type with great growth potential. Although I can't beat that powerful Marine Admiral, I can definitely beat any other pirate or Marine Vice Admiral in the future!"

"What if it were Vice Admiral Garp?" Nami asked with a grin.

Garp?

Never heard of him, but since he's only a lieutenant general...

“Absolutely no problem!” Jack answered confidently, head held high. “How many of those guys come? I’ll take them all on!”

"puff!"

Nami and Nojiko couldn't hold back their laughter and burst into tears.

"..." Xia Nuo was also speechless.

He looked up at Jack, who was scratching his head in a daze, then stroked his chin and remained silent.

When Jack saw that he was really considering it, he became a little uneasy. Pike, who was next to him, subconsciously grabbed his adopted son's arm, his palms sweating nervously.

……

have to say.

Xia Nuo was indeed somewhat tempted.

Six years after the original timeline, Jack was only in his early twenties when he became one of the Three Disasters of the Beasts Pirates.

As Hanafuda said, this guy's growth potential is top-notch.

more importantly.

Jack, who is only 22 years old, has not yet gone astray. He is straightforward and loyal, and he is grateful to Pike for his kindness.

Once you're on board, you'll definitely be a trustworthy partner.

The only downside is...

Perhaps it's just that... in terms of his style of doing things, he is indeed a little reckless.

"Brother, why don't we take him in?"

Nojiko whispered to him, "The ship is short of a strong man, which would be helpful for moving things and repairing the ship."

"Yeah yeah!"

Nami quickly chimed in, looking expectantly at Xia Nuo, "This kid may be a bit slow, but he has a good personality and is very reliable!"

She kept referring to him as "this kid," as if Jack were younger than her.

Nami doesn't care; she only knows a little bit.

—This big girl was someone I rescued myself, and she even calls me "Big Sister"!
Just hearing Jack call her name made her feel incredibly vain.

If she could bring him aboard, she would have an obedient follower, and her status on the ship would rise dramatically.

What's more, Jack hasn't put a bounty on her yet, so her bounty isn't at the bottom anymore!

Xia Nuo glanced at the others and, seeing that no one seemed to object, finally nodded.

"alright."

He smiled and extended his hand to Jack. "I forgot about you last night and left you here. I'm so sorry. Thank you for your help. From today onwards, you are our companion. Welcome to the Fallen Ones Adventurers."

Jack froze for a second, then erupted in ecstasy, grabbing Shano's hand and shaking it excitedly up and down, almost sending him flying into the air.
"Thank you, Lord Shano! I... I will definitely not let you down!"

"Relax, don't get so worked up."

With a little effort, Xia Nuo steadied himself instantly. He noticed someone's expression, thought for a moment, and then said, "Also, don't call me 'sir' anymore. Call me 'captain' or 'boss' if you prefer."

Guina's furrowed brows immediately relaxed.

"Yes, Boss Xia Nuo!!!"

Jack responded loudly, his voice so loud it made everyone's ears ring.

"Go home, take your luggage, have breakfast with your dad, and say goodbye properly."

Xia Nuo patted his arm and instructed, "You have one hour. Then, we should set off."

"Yes, Boss Xia Nuo!!!"

…………

The curtain finally sailed away from the port.

Braving the wind and waves, we headed towards the sea train station located on the north side of the island.

Parker stood on the dock, laughing heartily as he said goodbye to Jack, waving as he watched the ship disappear into the distance.

His wish was finally fulfilled, and a surge of pride welled up inside him, even overshadowing his reluctance to part.

He'll be back soon, and when he sees the slaves who were freed with him, he'll definitely have to brag about it.

They, ordinary people, wanted to do odd jobs but were not favored by Lord Xia Nuo. However, his son is now a formal crew member on the Fallen Curtain!
A man's ambition lies in all corners of the world. Now that I have the honor of following Lord Shano, Jack will surely become a great man when he returns to his hometown in the future!

……

And at the same time.

On the deck of the Shura.

"Before we reach the sea train station, let's get your room settled. The male and female rooms on the ship are separate, with ten rooms each. The male rooms are on the right side, so don't go to the wrong side. Just follow me, newbie."

Smoker, with a cigar in his mouth, was about to show Jack around when he suddenly heard a loud "thud" from behind.

"..."

Smoker turned his head and saw Jack clutching his head, his brow furrowing slightly.

"It really is too high, more than eight meters... It seems you'll have to bend over and be careful all the time when you're in the cabin."

The main entrance to the ship's cabin is a full five meters high, and the ceiling height of the first floor inside is about six meters.

In most cases, this height is perfectly adequate, but this kid is an exception.

"Yes! I'll be careful, Brother Smoker!" Jack stood at attention, looking serious.

Not bad, this kid.

Smoker grinned.

"It can't go on like this forever, it's too frustrating."

He pondered for a moment, then offered a suggestion, "Boss Xia Nuo is a world-class martial arts expert. You should learn from him and master the Life Return skill as soon as possible so you can move freely in the cabin later."

"Life returned? I understand, Senior Smoker. Thank you for reminding me!"

"Well, that's for later. Now, let's continue."

As they walked down the corridor, Kuina came from the opposite direction, wiping her sword. She glanced at Jack and said, "Hey, newbie, you're pretty good. If you have time, come spar with me sometime."

Thick-skinned, tough targets are good for testing the power of her swordsmanship.

“Yes, First Mate Kuina!” Jack nodded without hesitation.

"Ah."

Kuina nodded in satisfaction, sheathed her sword, and strode away.

"Hey, Jack, you brat!"

Zeff's voice came from the kitchen again, "After you've finished packing, remember to come and help me move the ingredients. There's too much stuff; it all needs to be put in the pantry!"

"No problem! Please wait a moment, I'll be right there, Mr. Zeff!"

"Haha, you agreed so readily! After you've finished moving, I'll cook you some delicious food as a reward!"

"Really, Mr. Zeff? I want a cheeseburger! And fries, and grilled fish! And salted cream cake, and..."

"That's enough! You really have the nerve to make so many demands, you brat!"

……

On the open-air kendo dojo on the second floor.

Xia Nuo held her cup, listened to the sounds coming from inside the cabin, and couldn't help but smile as she took a sip of coffee.

Even a reckless person has their advantages.

Both Smoker and Robin, these two newcomers, took quite a while to adjust after joining the ship, and in the first few days, they were even a bit reserved.

Jack, on the other hand, was completely different. He was too honest and straightforward, with no guile whatsoever, and he was warm and sincere to everyone.

If things continue like this, he'll probably be the fastest to integrate into the group on the ship.

He put down his coffee cup and casually unfolded the newspaper in front of him.

Freshly printed, just bought by Nami. Although she says she doesn't care about bounties anymore, she's developed the habit of immediately buying a newspaper as soon as the Newsbird appears, and she can't break it.

This issue's front page headline is...

Xia Nuo lowered her gaze, and after just one glance, she was stunned, revealing a look of astonishment.

But in bold, large font, it clearly read—

Breaking News! Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, has left the New World alone and has appeared in the first half of the Grand Line. His exact destination is unknown!

(End of this chapter)