Find a Local to Show Us the Way

"Three years? What are we supposed to do about that? Are we really going to wait here for three years?"

This was the first time Shirakawa had run into a situation like this. "Has nothing like this ever happened to you before?"

Shirakawa asked Buggy and Shanks.

"No. Before, we'd never stayed on an island for more than three or four months."

"Wait, Shanks, do you remember that island in the first half of the Grand Line that needed a year to record its magnetic field? But we left after only two months, didn't we?"

Buggy suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to Shanks.

"Now that you mention it, I think I remember too. That really did happen."

"Then how did you leave without waiting for the magnetic field to be fully recorded?"

"I think the Captain bought an Eternal Pose to the next island there."

"An Eternal Pose?"

"It's a special compass that records a particular island. No matter where you are, it always points toward that island."

Seeing that Shirakawa looked confused, Shanks explained.

"So something like that exists? I wonder if there's an Eternal Pose to the next island here."

"There is." Kaiser Lynn spoke up, sounding certain.

"How do you know?"

"Because there's a compass pointing to the next island in my country's Royal Palace."

"Really?"

"Of course. Do you think I'd lie to you?"

"How am I supposed to know you don't have some ulterior motive?"

"You—Hmph! I try to help, and you throw it back in my face." Kaiser Lynn pointed at Shirakawa, then turned away in a huff.

"Shouldn't we tell the Captain about this?"

"We definitely should. Whether he already knows or not, we have to tell him—and let him know we have a lead on the Eternal Pose to the next island."

"Then where do we look for the Captain?"

"You two should know. You've been around longer than I have. Don't tell me you have no idea where the Captain goes after landing on an island."

At Shirakawa's question, the two exchanged awkward smiles.

"After we land, we all go our separate ways. The two of us have never been with the Captain, so we don't know what he likes to do."

"If only the First Mate were here," Buggy muttered.

"The First Mate, Rayleigh? He's a lecher, a heavy drinker, and a gambler.

"It's broad daylight, so he probably wouldn't go looking for women. And we just finished drinking, so he's probably at a casino."

Shirakawa lowered his head and quietly reasoned it out.

"Right, there's a good chance the First Mate is at a casino."

Shanks and Shirakawa's eyes lit up at the same time.

"If we find the First Mate, he can use his Observation Haki to find the Captain. That shouldn't be a problem."

"But what do we do with her if we go looking for the First Mate?" Buggy pointed at Kaiser Lynn, who was still sulking.

At Buggy's words, Kaiser Lynn glanced over, wanting to see what Shirakawa would do with her.

"Let her stay here. Bringing her along would just slow us down. We know where the Eternal Pose is anyway."

"Hey! How can you say that? You're a heartless, treacherous, despicable, shameless ingrate!"

"Hey, hey, I was just joking. Do you really have to take it that seriously?"

Shirakawa probably realized he'd gone a little too far, so he tried to backpedal.

"Hmph! Who knows whether you were really joking or not? I don't care. I'm sticking with you."

"All right, all right. I said I was wrong, didn't I?"

"That's more like it." Kaiser Lynn patted Shirakawa on the back, satisfied.

"In that case, the four of us should go together. Casinos are illegal, so there probably aren't many. If we're careful, we shouldn't get caught."

"Looks like we have no choice."

All four of them wrapped scarves around their faces, covering most of their features.

It looked a little strange, but it made them hard to recognize.

"By the way, do either of you know how to find a casino?"

After wandering around aimlessly for a while, Shirakawa asked the two of them.

"No. I'm not interested in that sort of thing."

"I don't know either. I keep my money to myself. I'm not about to hand it over to someone else."

That made sense. Buggy was the kind of person who kept every bit of money he got. He didn't buy much, but having money put him at ease. Shanks simply wasn't interested in gambling; he only cared about drinking and fighting.

"What about you?" Shirakawa asked Kaiser Lynn.

"Do you really think a princess of a country like me would go to a place like a casino?"

"Fair enough. I knew asking you would be pointless."

Kaiser Lynn was annoyed. Why did everything Shirakawa said sound so much harsher when he said it to her? A man like him was bound to be single for the rest of his life.

Kaiser Lynn silently cursed Shirakawa.

If Shirakawa knew what Kaiser Lynn was thinking, he would have dropped her without a second thought. Who cursed someone with something so vicious?

He'd been single until he was twenty in his previous life. That had always been a sore spot for him.

"What about you? You don't know either, do you?"

"Who says I don't?"

"You do know? You've actually been to a casino?" the three asked at once.

"What, don't I look like the type?"

"No," the three said, shaking their heads in unison.

"But do you have to have been to a casino to know where one is?"

"How are you going to find it?"

"Just follow me."

Shirakawa led them through narrow, deserted alleys.

"You can find a casino here?" Kaiser Lynn asked him.

"Just shut up and follow me."

"But we've already been down this road at least twice. Are you sure you're not lost?"

Just as Kaiser Lynn finished speaking, a group of people blocked them from both ends of the alley. The leader held a weapon—a dagger.

"Here they come." Shirakawa looked at them and spoke calmly. All that wandering around had paid off.

"Shanks, Buggy, they're yours. Don't knock them out. I still need to ask them some questions."

"Haha, Shirakawa, that was a good idea. Find a local to show us the way."

"If you don't want a beating, hand over your money. We'll put it to good use."

"You can have the money, but will you live long enough to spend it?"

"Kid, what did you say? Looks like you won't learn your lesson until you're on your deathbed. Get them, boys! Once we have their money, we'll split it evenly."

"Yeah!"

"Shirakawa, are those two really up to it? They're not even adults yet, are they?"

"Don't worry. If they can't handle this bunch, they don't deserve to be on our ship."

At last, it was Shirakawa's turn to say those words to someone else.