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

Chapter 144 Water City, A Fateful Encounter

These two Devil Fruits are different in color and shape.

One is pure white and shaped like a jade plate.

The other one is pale yellow and looks somewhat like a cactus.

Xia Nuo examined it for a while, but didn't remember much of it.

"Hey, what kind of fruit is this? Do you recognize it?" He turned to look at Jabra.

"cough……"

Jabra, struggling to prop himself up on his arms on the ground, glared at him angrily. "You stole our things and now you want to ask us for them? How shameless! How could we possibly tell you..."

"Of course I know them, blah blah blah!"

The owl, which had been lying on the ground twitching, reflexively raised its paw:

"One is the Zoan-type Cat-Cat Fruit, White Tiger form, and the other is the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit—the same fruit of Crocodile, the Shichibukai who was killed by that terrifying pirate Shano! Both are very rare types, chirp chirp!"

"Otonashi Owl!!!"

Gabra screamed through gritted teeth, clutching his chest, nearly dying on the spot.

"Really?"

Xia Nuo raised an eyebrow.

Another nature-based character?

Am I going to have a run for my money with nature-based systems? One after another...

However, as the owl said, both of these fruits are indeed very valuable.

The Sand-Sand Fruit needs no introduction, and the White Tiger Fruit is probably one of the top-tier Zoan-type fruits, second only to Mythical Zoan-types.

No wonder I heard them say that the merit of obtaining these two fruits could offset the guilt of the failed escort mission.

I was just passing through this island and taking a vacation, but I ended up reaping quite a rewarding experience!

Shano nodded in satisfaction, leisurely put the Devil Fruit back into his bag, and tied it up again. Jabra, lying on the ground next to him, looked at this scene with resentment in his eyes.

"Hey!"

Gabra roared angrily, but dared not continue to attack. "A guy like you is definitely not some nobody. It's one thing to steal people's things, but you don't even dare to show your true face. Isn't that too contrary to the demeanor of a strong person?!"

In a single exchange, they effortlessly defeated all of them, who were elite members of CP9. Their strength can only be described as unfathomable!
"It seems that..."

Shano stroked his chin and nodded. "Bucky, just call me Bucky. The one wearing the wolf mask was my pet, Leigh the lion."

"Huh?" The three of them were all taken aback.

Bucky, Bucky...

Wait, I feel like I've heard this name somewhere before—

Boom!
Before they could even remember anything, the three of them had their eyes rolled back and they all fainted.

"Since you've been so cooperative, I'll spare your lives."

Xia Nuo easily picked up the three of them, one in each hand, and threw them into the trash heap.

He controlled the force of his attack precisely, enough to keep the three of them unconscious until the next night. By then, he would have already left this place and even reached the Water City.

He had no intention of killing these guys who hadn't come looking for trouble, but he also had no interest in recruiting them, especially someone like Otonashi Owl...

It would be better to let him stay in the World Government and utilize his talents.

Of course, we can't let go of the freebies we can get.

[You sacrificed the zipper with the big mouth of the Otori Owl, gaining 300 points]

[You sacrificed all the hair the lion had taken, gaining 300 points]

[You sacrificed Gabra's mustache and gained 400 points.]

With a total of 1,000 points, Xia Nuo's remaining points increased to 32500.

Xia Nuo hadn't taken Jack's yet, so he wanted to wait. He thought the most valuable thing about the kid was the two elephant tusks he would have after turning into a mammoth.

After Jack learns how to return life, he will use the excuse of checking the progress to break off an ivory tusk and try to offer it as a sacrifice.

Before leaving this alley.

Xia Nuo glanced back at Gabra and the others one last time.

These agents were actually fairly competent in terms of physical skills.

However, in his view, neither strength nor speed was a complete mess, and he had not even mastered the domineering aura.

This gave him a general idea of ​​the skill level of the other CP9 members.

If it's only this level...

It seems there's absolutely no need to worry about the companions who went to Water Seven first.

……

The next morning.

The sea train departed from the dock and sped towards the Water City.

This time, however, it was the girls who were riding the train.

Nami leaned on Robin's shoulder, listless, and dozing off intermittently.

Last night, after arriving at the carnival, she was the one who had the most fun. Although she managed to catch up on a few hours of sleep afterward, she still can't muster any energy.

Kuina sat opposite, holding the two Devil Fruits in her hands, her head bowed in quiet contemplation.

"Aren't you going to eat the fruit?"

Nojiko, resting her chin on her hand, asked, "When your brother gave you these two fruits last night, I noticed you seemed a little interested in the White Tiger Fruit. Why did you change your mind after waking up?"

Currently, aside from the captain and two pets, almost all the other crew members on the Fallen Ship are Devil Fruit users.

—Only Kuina and Zeff are left.

Uncle Zeff is still as stubborn as ever.

He kept insisting that a chef at sea absolutely could not be a landlubber, and that he would rather die than eat a Devil Fruit.

That makes sense.

But Nojiko also had a guess in her heart, thinking that Uncle Zeff might think that he was too old and his potential for future growth was limited.

Therefore, he simply gave the opportunity to the younger generation who boarded the ship later, while he gradually faded out of the main fighting force and focused on managing his kitchen and dining room.

It's like... the long bread roll in the Big Mom Pirates that my brother mentioned?
And Kuina...

Under Nojiko's watchful gaze, Kuina finally shook her head and put down the two fruits.

"I won't eat it," she said softly, her tone calm yet firm.

"When I first saw this White Tiger Fruit last night, it did give me some pause, after all, it's a rare and valuable item even among Zoan-type fruits."

"After consuming it, my strength, speed, and recovery ability will be greatly enhanced, significantly increasing my immediate combat power."

Guina paused, her fingertips lightly tracing the hilt of the sword at her waist.

“But that is not my ‘way’.”

Her path was set from the moment she first grasped a bamboo knife in Frostmoon Village.

—Without relying on external forces, relying solely on himself, he ascended to become the world's greatest swordsman!
This is certainly a more difficult path.

But it is precisely because of this that when she reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, that glory and that new era truly belonged to her.

Just like Hawkeye, the world's greatest swordsman right now.

“Eh—” Nojiko blinked: “How should I put it, it’s definitely your style.”

She put her arm around Guina's shoulder and said with a grin:
"But that means you'll have to work even harder than you are now, you know? After all, there are more and more monsters on our ship, so be careful that you don't lose your position as first mate."

Putting aside the newcomers, Jack, who just joined, is an absolute monster.

His physical strength is astonishing, his Devil Fruit ability is abnormal, and although he looks simple-minded, he actually has a high aptitude for physical techniques.

In just the last two days, he has shown some initial signs of mastering Armament Haki. He estimates that it will take him a month or two to fully master it.

Kuina knew this, but didn't care.

Should we practice even more diligently?
She glanced down at the Wado Ichimonji, a slight smile playing on her lips:
"It's alright, this suits me just the way it is."

"The descendants of Wano Country, they all speak with such strange, pedantic language," Nojiko thought to herself, secretly pursing her lips as she carefully put away the two Devil Fruits.

Tsk, when will I finally meet a new person worthy of these two fruits?

……

Woo-woo-woo!
The train spewed billowing white smoke as it raced along the tracks at full speed.

Suddenly, the car jolted violently, accompanied by a muffled thud, as if it had hit something.

The carriage swayed slightly, and the speed paused briefly, but it quickly resumed its original rapid pace.

Robin initially thought it was his imagination, but when he looked out the window...

A giant, light brown frog tumbled and flew out, crashing into the distant sea with a "plop," sending up waves several meters high.

Its limbs were outstretched, its belly facing up, its eyes looked like mosquito coils, and it floated on the water's surface, its tongue lolling to one side.

I wonder if she's still alive...

Was this frog trying to stop the train? After the initial surprise subsided, Robin's eyes showed a hint of pity and sympathy.

Unfortunately, with such a huge difference in size and strength, how could they possibly succeed?
Just like she once was, all alone, facing the overwhelming behemoth that was the World Government...

But now...

Robin looked down at the person sleeping soundly against her chest, and patted her cheek with a smile:
"We're almost there, wake up, Nami."

"Hmm... Have we arrived yet?"

The big bubble that was rising from Nami's nose popped with a "pop," and she rubbed her eyes, groggily sitting up.

Look out the window.

Sure enough, in the distance on the horizon, a magnificent and bustling city came into view.

The capital of seven waters.

This miraculous place, known as the "City of Water and Craftsmen," is like a dream island that has grown out of the depths of the ocean.

Countless turquoise waterways, like blood vessels, run through the entire city, connecting neighborhoods at different elevations into a complex, three-dimensional network.

The most eye-catching feature is the fountain, a colossal pillar reaching to the sky, located at the highest point in the city center.

It gracefully tosses the seawater high into the air, where it scatters into a misty haze, draping the entire city in a dreamlike veil.

"Wow……"

Nami's drowsiness vanished instantly, and she pressed her face almost against the car window, admiring the beautiful scenery before her without blinking.

After a while.

Woo——!
With a long whistle, the sea train slowly came to a stop at the "Blue Station" platform.

We've arrived at our destination!

As soon as the car door opened a crack, Nami shot out like a cannonball, still tightly holding the sleepy Mochi in her arms.

"Wait a minute, wait for us, Nami!" Nojiko hurriedly grabbed her luggage and chased after them.

Robin and Kuina exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.

Sure enough, without Xia Nuo around, this girl was like a wild horse, completely unruly and no one could control her.

The two walked in the direction where the two sisters had disappeared, talking as they went:

"Before coming to the City of Water, Lord Shano gave me three important instructions."

"The first thing is to exchange all the treasures obtained from the City of Gourmet Food for cash, and then take the cash to the shipbuilding company on the island and have them repair the Fallen Ship."

The treasure she was referring to was the stuff she had seized from "Bloodsaw" Jax.

That night, after everyone finished dinner, they went back to their cabins. The next morning, they discovered that there were more than ten treasure chests on the deck.

It was probably the locals who helped carry it here. They didn't charge a single penny for so much treasure, which made Guina sigh at the simple and honest nature of the local people.

"The treasure chest is still on the ship; they estimate it will take another five or six hours to arrive."

Robin chuckled, "However, since we've arrived first, we can prepare in advance, such as figuring out the locations of the banks on the island and planning our route."

"Okay, I'll leave this to you. Robin, you go find Namino and the others."

Kuina nodded slightly. "Take them and find the most reliable Vivre Card craftsman nearby. We couldn't find one in the previous towns because they weren't big, but there must be one in this big city."

"Is this the second thing the captain instructed?" Robin asked. "And the third thing?"

"The third item..."

Guina stroked her chin thoughtfully, a habitual gesture Xia Nuo made when contemplating, which she had somehow unconsciously imitated:

"I don't quite understand either. Lord Shano only said that there are ambitious guys lurking on this island, and perhaps we can get a little more involved..."

Are you being watched...?

Robin frowned slightly: "Should we buy a few more masks?"

She is someone who dislikes trouble.

The atmosphere of the Carnival Mask Festival is clearly not limited to the City of the Queen in Spring. In the City of Water, you can also see people wearing masks and dressed in exaggerated costumes from time to time on the streets.

At the dock outside the station, there were also many vendors selling masks.

"No, who cares?"

She shook her head and sneered, "Since Lord Xia Nuo says so, then he must not be a formidable character. Masks are for festive celebrations, not for hiding in the shadows. So be it. Anyone who dares to get in the way, let them ask the sword in my hand first!"

She exuded a chilling aura, and several passersby who were nearby inexplicably felt a coldness and shivered as they moved a little further away.

“I feel very safe with Kuina.” Robin smiled as she observed the reactions of those around her.

"Really? It's a pity we have to part ways now."

Kuina said calmly, then suddenly stopped and looked up at the shop across the waterway that had a sign that read "Blue Rent":

"I'm going to rent a Blue and find the bank's location. You go and meet up with Nami and the others. If anything happens, just contact me via Den Den Mushi."

"Ah."

Blue is a marine creature unique to the Water City and is also the most common means of transportation in the city.

Resembling a seahorse, yet possessing immense strength, even the smallest Blue can carry four or five people, navigating freely through the city's waterways.

The largest of these, the Emperor Blue, was even capable of towing large ships.

On the train, the group learned some basic facts about Water 7 from the brochures sold by the train conductor, and Robin immediately understood and nodded.

Guina didn't say anything more, and the two parted ways at the fork in the road.

……

ten minutes later.

Inside a tavern.

"cheers!"

Nami and Noki sat high at the bar, raising their glasses and drinking heartily.

"Oh, so it's here after all."

Robin pushed open the louvered door and walked in, saying helplessly, "I've been looking for you for ages. Even though finding the Vivre Card shop doesn't require such a rush, Nojiko, the captain instructed us not to let Nami drink at such a young age..."

"Ha! I knew you'd say that!"

Nami, with a smug look on her face—"I knew it!"—raised her wine glass high.

"Look closely, it's a non-alcoholic sparkling cocktail! It's called Dreamy Starry Night, anyway, that's what this uncle wrote on the menu for today at the door, and I couldn't resist sneaking in as soon as I saw it... right, Uncle Bruno!"

"Yes, it only mimics the flavor of alcohol; it contains no alcohol, so even children can enjoy it."

Behind the counter, a burly man in an apron, though imposing, had a warm smile on his face and looked very honest. "However, young lady, I'm only twenty-six years old. If you'd like, please call me brother."

"Pshaw, no way! I'd never call anyone else 'brother,' except my awful older brother who's always controlling!"

Nami snorted, "Besides, you look so old. Are you really only in your twenties? It's okay to call you 'uncle,' isn't it?"

Does she look old?

Bruno lowered his head, sighed sadly, but quickly composed himself, turned his head, and looked towards the door with a smile:

"Welcome, new guest. What can I do for you?"

Bruno's smile froze the moment he saw Robin's face clearly.

"What's wrong, uncle?"

Nami looked up in surprise, glanced back and forth, and immediately realized what was going on. She cast a disdainful look at the bar across the counter. "Hey, Robin is pretty, but that's no excuse for this. You're acting like a pervert who's never seen a woman before. It's so rude!"

Bruno quickly composed himself and continued wiping the wine glasses in silence.
"I'm so sorry, I just felt that this lady looked familiar, like I'd seen her somewhere before."

"No, it's this girl who's being incredibly rude."

Nojiko poked Nami's forehead in annoyance, then turned to Bruno and said, "Uncle, give us another cup of Dreamy Starry Night. Robin, why don't you try it? It tastes really good."

Robin smiled and nodded.

"Okay, please wait a moment." Bruno turned to mix the drinks, his movements practiced, but his eyes kept glancing at Robin out of the corner of his eye.

What did these two girls call each other again?

Sister Robin?
It really was that woman.

After the cocktail was mixed, Robin took a sip, slightly surprised, and his eyes showed appreciation: "The taste is great, and it really does taste like real liquor."

"Thank you for the compliment." Bruno scratched his head a little embarrassedly.

After drinking for a while, Robin turned to Nami and said, "Alright, we've rested enough. We should go find the Vivre Card shop."

"Hey—sit a little longer!" Nami grumbled unhappily.

Noki patted her on the shoulder: "Don't be willful. Finish what your brother asked you to do first, then you can do whatever you want with the rest."

"Alright, alright..." Nami reluctantly jumped off the bar stool, waving goodbye to Bruno before leaving, "Uncle, come back for your sparkling wine next time!"

"welcome any time."

Bruno remained motionless, smiling like a puppet, but after watching the three leave the tavern, his smile gradually faded, and his eyes turned cold.

He arrived at the door, expressionlessly hung up the temporary closing sign, then took out a Den Den Mushi from under the counter and dialed a number.

(End of this chapter)