Once the thought took root, he could not suppress it, but he did not ask now, since Nami and Nojiko were still here.
Nami asked, "Mr. Rodney, how are you feeling?"
"Not bad. Big Slug Sister's treatment was very effective, and my body is gradually recovering." The soreness in his muscles was fading, and the Chakra in his body was slowly recovering as well. In a little while, he would be able to get out of bed and walk.
He asked, "How are the villagers being taken care of?"
"Everyone got back the treasures Arlong plundered, and they're busy repairing the village. After all, their houses were destroyed earlier. We're planning to build a statue for you, Mr. Rodney."
"A statue? There's no need for that. I only came to kill Arlong. I should be thanking you for saving me. In that condition, I might have been eaten by some passing beast." Rodney smiled and said, "If you really want to repay me, help me with a small favor later."
"Huh? I charge for favors." Nami rubbed her fingers together in front of him with a money-grubbing look.
"Wait, Nami..." Nojiko looked helplessly at her younger sister. Sigh, this girl became so greedy for money because of what she went through as a child...
"Charge? Sure. Arlong's bounty can go to you. It should be worth ten or twenty million Berries. That ought to be enough, right?"
"More than enough!" Nami nodded repeatedly, her eyes already shaped like Berries. After thinking for a moment, she said, "But you helped everyone, so I'll reluctantly only take half. By the way, Mr. Rodney, what do you need me to help with?"
At least you have a conscience...
Rodney said, "I'm planning to set out from here and head straight for the Grand Line. Take me to Reverse Mountain."
Taking a merchant ship would be far too slow. He was preparing to enter the Grand Line. The major pirates in this area had basically all been captured by him, so there was no point in staying here any longer.
"The Grand Line? Mr. Rodney, you're entering it right away?" Thinking it over, Rodney had defeated both the Krieg Pirates and the Arlong Pirates. He probably had no equal in the East Blue, so it was only natural for him to enter the Grand Line now.
Rodney's answer was more or less what she expected. "There's no point in staying here any longer. Miss Nami, I know you're an excellent navigator, so I'd like to ask you to take me to the entrance of Reverse Mountain. I'll enter from there by myself."
Hearing him call her an excellent navigator pleased Nami. She grinned, then asked, "By yourself? How are you going to cross the current?"
"I'll walk across it. Isn't that obvious?" Rodney could ignore the current's turbulence and even walk along the mountain walls, so he had no reason to worry about his safety. He was probably the only person in the entire world who could do that.
"Huh? Oh, right. You can walk on the sea, so there really won't be a problem." Nami nodded and asked with a smile, "When are you planning to leave?"
"Once my body recovers. In the meantime, I'll have to impose on you."
Nojiko shook her head with a smile. "It's no trouble at all. You saved our village; this is the least we can do. How could it be an imposition? Just rest here and recover. We'll go prepare lunch first."
With that, she left with her sister, no longer disturbing Rodney's recovery.
"What gentle girls," Big Slug Sister said with a sigh.
"Are they? They are, actually. By the way, Big Slug Sister, I have something to ask you." He then told Big Slug Sister about his earlier speculation.
Big Slug Sister thought for a moment before saying, "That won't work, Lord Rodney. Your contract is somewhat special. I don't know when you formed a contract with me, and I have no way to perform reverse Summoning on you. This is also my first time entering an otherworldly world with such abundant Natural Energy."
The habitats of the summoning beasts, such as Shikkotsu Forest, were not completely connected to the Naruto world. Normally, a ninja who had signed a contract with them would pass the contract on to a disciple, or a fortunate ninja would wander into their territory by mistake. If they passed the test, they could sign a contract with the summoning beasts.
Big Slug Sister was a split body of the Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest. She knew that other worlds existed beyond their own, but she had never visited one. Being summoned by Rodney was her first time.
The One Piece World was overflowing with Natural Energy. That was one of the reasons the plants and animals in this world grew so large. For a summoning beast that cultivated Senjutsu Chakra like Big Slug Sister, this place was undoubtedly paradise.
The reason Big Slug Sister had come was also because Rodney's sudden contract had surprised her, so she had decided to come and take a look.
"Why not?" I still wanted to go see Konoha...
Thinking about it now, the system probably did not want him wandering around freely...
"I'm sorry, Lord Rodney, but I don't know either." Big Slug Sister's feelers moved slightly, and she seemed a little unhappy.
"Wait, I can't go to Shikkotsu Forest? How am I supposed to cultivate Senjutsu?" He had been planning to learn Senjutsu, but now it seemed impossible. I just lost several hundred million... System, was this part of your calculations too?
Big Slug Sister said, "Lord Rodney, so you know about Senjutsu. However, you don't actually need to go to Shikkotsu Forest. You only need to find a place rich in Natural Energy to cultivate."
"What do you mean?"
Big Slug Sister explained, "Ordinary ninjas need to enter the three great sacred lands because those places have denser Natural Energy, making it easier for ninjas to sense it. The sages generally don't leave their sacred lands, but the Natural Energy in this world is incredibly abundant—more than twice as rich as in Tsunade's world. You could call this place a treasure trove."
That was good news. The Natural Energy in the East Blue was already so abundant, so what about the Grand Line? What about the New World?
Take the Sea Kings in these waters, for example. Compared with those in the East Blue, the Sea Kings of the New World were like clouds compared with mud.
The ones here were only a few dozen meters long at most, while the deep-sea Sea Kings in the New World were often several thousand meters long. There was simply no comparison. The Natural Energy there had to be plentiful.
"By the way, Big Slug Sister, you just mentioned Lady Tsunade. Is she the Fifth Hokage?"
"Yes. I didn't know you knew about Lady Tsunade, Lord Rodney."
"Yes. For some special reasons, I know a little about what's happening over there. Is she still the Fifth Hokage?"
"No. Lady Tsunade has already retired. The Sixth Hokage is now in charge of Konoha."
"Oh." That means the story has already ended. Konoha is now run by Kakashi, and the era of the ninja is about to end...
"Can they come here?" If he could summon Tsunade through Big Slug Sister's reverse Summoning, then she could save people whenever someone was injured.
Big Slug Sister shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Lord Rodney. Your contract is different from Lady Tsunade's and the others'. Reverse Summoning is impossible. It can only allow me to come here or return. To be honest, I don't even know how this contract came into existence."
"Hmm... How should I put it? Someone helped give me your contract. I'm probably the only ninja in this world. Big Slug Sister, would you be willing to become my summoning beast?"
Big Slug Sister's tentacles moved, and her voice was gentle. "Of course, Lord Rodney. You're very strong, and I'm also quite interested in this world."
After all, apart from the Naruto world, she had never visited any other worlds. Having lived for so long, she rarely encountered anything so novel.
"Haha, thank you, Big Slug Sister."
"You're welcome."
Some strength had returned to his body, so he climbed out of bed. He was still weak and drained, as if his body had been hollowed out.
Damn it, I need a Tailed Beast power bank...
Chakra was a little troublesome in some ways...
Big Slug Sister slowly crawled down from his body. His clothes were covered in sticky fluid. After all, she was a slug, and she naturally had bodily fluids...
It looked like he would have to trouble Nojiko and the others.
"Hm? What's going on outside?" There seemed to be some commotion outside, so he walked over to the window.
His gaze passed through the orange grove, where he saw a group of people gathered together, seemingly arguing about something.
Rapid footsteps approached, and the door was pushed open. It was Nojiko, her face flustered as she said nervously, "Mr. Rodney, the Marines are here. They want us to hand you over! You need to leave now!"
"Hand me over? Why?"
Rodney had no idea what was happening. He stared blankly, completely bewildered.
Before you continue