The Great Voyage: The Props Master on the Straw Hat Ship

Link's eyes showed even more appreciation for Komako Onimaru's diversionary tactic.

"But~"

He smiled and said, "Why should we take advantage of the other party's vulnerability to achieve our own goals?"

"Naturally, we should avoid their sharp edge and not engage them in direct combat!"

"Then why should we avoid their sharp edge?"

"That's naturally because..."

Komako Onimaru was taken aback. Right, why would the other party do this?

Generally speaking, temporarily avoiding direct confrontation is when the difference in strength between the two sides is too great, and one side is no match for the other.

That's why we need to take those covert approaches.

But for the two people in front of me...

Komako Onimaru glanced at the enormous ice blade still gleaming in the tall man's hand, and recalled the man's ability to quell the snowstorm with a mere wave of his hand...

Komako Onimaru fell silent.

"I suppose you've already realized that~"

Link snapped his fingers lightly. "A mere rabbit bowl. If we wanted to conquer that place, we wouldn't need to go through all this trouble."

"We really didn't take that place seriously."

These words sounded arrogant, but Komako Onimaru knew that the other party indeed had the confidence to say them.

"Then, tell me what you have to say..."

After a moment of silence, Komako Onimaru slowly asked.

"For what exactly?"

There's no such thing as a free lunch. If the other party, who has no relation to him, told him about Kawamatsu, there must be some reason behind it.

"I want to know..."

Link's eyes gleamed with amusement. "If Kaido and the Beasts Pirates are defeated, Orochi's rule is overthrown, and Wano Country is liberated~"

"So what do you plan to do next?"

What are your plans after that?

Komako Onimaru was slightly taken aback; he had truly never thought about this question before.

After all, the liberation of Wano Country was already too far away for him.

Even in his lifetime, he was uncertain whether he would ever have the chance to see that day come.

But~

After Link raised this question, he subconsciously thought about it for a moment.

But the answer I received was...

"It seems there's nothing to do."

A hint of confusion appeared in Komako Onimaru's eyes.

When he was young, he followed his master Shimotsuki Ushimaru and guarded this area.

However, after Shimotsuki Ushimaru was defeated, captured, and killed, he followed his former master's instructions and guarded the cemetery there.

Later, after Kawamatsu arrived, he was moved by his words and collected all the swords and knives from the cemetery, and also started to rob people.

·· 0 flowers requested ··· ····

If Wano Country were ever to be liberated, the cemetery in Ringo would have been ransacked by him and Kawamatsu long ago, and there would be no need to continue guarding it.

So, when all the missions I've carried are over, where should I go, and what should I do then...?

"Don't you want to go out to the ocean and take a good look at it?!"

Link's soft words reached Komako Onimaru's ears, causing him to look up.

The ocean outside?!

"Back then, Kozuki Oden spared no expense and risked his life to venture out to the outer sea. Don't you also want to go out and see it?"

Link gently raised his arm toward Komako Onimaru, "Rather than stay in this cold, snowy cemetery and hastily end your life like this."

"It would be better to go outside together and appreciate the magnificent scenery of the sea."

Link patiently guided him there.

.... ......... .......

"That's also my main purpose~"

Link said without any attempt to hide his feelings, "I feel that you are a very good person, so I want to bring you onto our ship and let you go on adventures with us."

That's right, Link did indeed have his eye on Komafox Onimaru.

His main target was indeed this guy.

In terms of personality, they are conscientious, responsible, and loyal, whether it's Shimotsuki Gyumaru or Kawamatsu.

Komako Onimaru served both his old and new masters faithfully, fulfilling all their duties with utmost loyalty.

Even after the deaths and disappearances of these two individuals, he still diligently fulfilled the unfinished mission entrusted to him.

In terms of personality and character alone, such sincerity and loyalty make him the kind of crew member any pirate crew would want.

Moreover, Komako Onimaru is quite strong as well.

Not only was she able to sneak up and injure Zoro, but she also possesses considerable cunning and wisdom, is reasonable, and knows how to think and use her brain.

In this respect, he has already surpassed more than 90% of the people on the sea.

In addition, he is a Mythical Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit user.

Putting aside the Mythical Zoan type, just the Human-Human Fruit, the general term for Devil Fruits, makes me feel that it would get along very well with Luffy and Chopper.

Therefore, it's not surprising that Link admires the Komainu Onimaru and wants to bring it onto the ship as well.

"When your master, Shimotsuki Ushimaru, was alive, he must have had the idea of ​​going out to see the sea, right?"

Link laughed and said, "As his partner, don't you want to go out and see the world for him too?!"

"When you go to that world and meet Shimotsuki Ushimaru many years later, you will be able to tell him everything you have seen and heard."

"He would probably be very happy to hear you tell those stories," said the husband.

589 I will show you my sincerity, you imprisoned prisoner!

As Link finished speaking, Komako Onimaru's eyes kept flashing.

Go outside and see the beauty of the ocean.

He had never considered this possibility before Link mentioned it.

After all, Wano Country has been closed off and sealed off for too long, and people have long forgotten that it is still possible to go out to sea.

But~

After Link brought up this matter, Komamoto Onimaru was also reminded of the time he spent with Shimotsuki Ushimaru back then.

The latter, those words he spoke to himself every time he got drunk and looked at the moon in the night.

"I really want to know what the ocean outside is like!"

While drunkenly drinking, Shimotsuki Gyuwan sighed to himself.

"Uncle Kousaburo and the others must be out at sea by now, right? I wonder how they're doing~"

"I really envy them."

The clear moonlight shone on Shimotsuki Ushimaru's face, and Komako Onimaru felt as if he had changed his appearance.

Whenever the topic of the open sea comes up, Shimotsuki Gyuumaru, after getting drunk, always rambles on and on.

Sometimes, the komainu onimaru would clapp its paws in annoyance, as if trying to drive away the sorrow and envy that seemed to have crawled out of the grave from Shimotsuki Ushimaru.

Although Shimotsuki Ushimaru gave Komako Onimaru quite a headache back then, it was precisely because of this that...

This also allowed it to understand Shimotsuki Gyuumaru's longing for the outer sea, while also feeling curious within itself.

If I were to go on an adventure, wouldn't that be considered fulfilling the long-cherished wish of Shimotsuki Ushimaru-sama that he has never been able to accomplish?

"Actually, even if you reach the open sea, it's just like taking a vacation."

Seeing Komako Onimaru's somewhat wavering expression, Link added fuel to the fire once again.

"It's not like we can't come back. Back then, Shimotsuki Oden set sail, and Nekomamushi and Inuarashi also went to sea and returned to this island safely, didn't they?!"

"As an aside, if you come with us, it won't affect your freedom at all. You can come back whenever you want."

"Going to sea is about being the freest person on this ocean, and you will never bind anyone."

Finally, the bottom line of leniency was extended to Komako Onimaru, which completely softened his already hesitant mind.

"Is everything you're saying true...?"

Komako Onimaru slowly asked this question.

"Personally, I've always preferred to demonstrate my sincerity and answer through actions."

Link smiled again:

"Many samurai from Wano Country, as well as Kawamatsu, are with Udon."

"I am telling you this because I intend to use it as a condition."

"I will show you my sincerity."

He gently raised his head, his gaze drifting into the distance, to the place where the rabbit bowl was located.

~~~~~~~~~

The rabbit bowl in Wano Country is located in the lower left corner of the country.

It lies somewhere between the Flower Capital and the lower-middle part of the Kuri area.

Most of this area is a desolate, rocky region, where a prisoner quarry also serves as a weapons factory.

Originally, this was where prisoners held by the Wano Country government were held.

However, after Kurozumi Orochi took control of Wano Country, he threw all the samurai who had rebelled against him, those who had defied his will and opposed him, as well as the remnants of the Kozuki family, into this place.

They toil day and night, never stopping!

The prisoners serving there were shackled and received food each day based on the amount of stone they quarried.

The more you work, the more you eat; the less you work, the less you eat.

Young and strong people can barely manage to survive, but for the elderly, it is simply impossible to endure.

Therefore, you rarely encounter elderly people in this mine.

They either died prematurely from exhaustion due to the heavy workload, or they starved to death, meeting tragic ends.

The Shinpuchi and the Beast Pirates leaders in charge of this quarry prison didn't care about the lives of their members at all.

Because almost every year a group of warriors are captured, either because they can no longer endure it or because they have no other choice but to fight the giant serpent to the death.

Other pirates or crew members who challenged Kaido or the Beasts Pirates in the outer seas, or invaded their territories, were also defeated and sent here for imprisonment and re-education.

Therefore, there is no shortage of people here, but when it comes to labor, the more the better.

Kaido may also have held this idea.

Or perhaps he genuinely admired that kind of gaze and arrogance.

Therefore, he did not kill the three guys who dared to refuse his invitation.

Instead, he had his men send those three guys to this rabbit prison.

Squeak~ Clang!

The large door, made of sea stone, opened and then slammed shut with a loud bang.

Even the rocks above trembled, and a lot of yellow dust fell down.

boom!