Butcher Arrives

I had to say, the island's greenery was truly awful. Once we left the city, there was hardly a tree in sight. The only surviving vegetation seemed to be the wild grass covering the ground.

"That's because of the war. They can't afford to waste any resources that might be useful." Kaiser Lynn clearly knew more about the situation.

"How long have the wars between your countries been going on?"

"Who knows? The war had already started by the time I was born. I heard it's been going on for decades. It seems to have begun back in my great-grandfather's generation, though at first it was just minor skirmishes. But lately, it seems like they're getting serious."

"Then how did you end up here? Surely you couldn't have come all the way here by yourself?"

"There was a traitor in my country." As she said this, Kaiser Lynn gritted her teeth, clearly loathing the traitor.

"He lured me outside the city, where a small squad of soldiers from this kingdom was already lying in wait. Just as you'd expect, I was captured. When they tried to take me back to their Royal Palace, I seized the chance to escape."

"You managed to escape? How?" Shirakawa was genuinely surprised that a defenseless young woman could get away from trained soldiers.

"I had some sleeping powder on me. While they were cooking, I secretly put it in their food. Then I escaped while they were all unconscious."

"Then you were pretty lucky. If even a few of them hadn't eaten, you wouldn't have gotten away. But I'm a little surprised—you carry sleeping powder around with you?"

"Hehe, it's an essential tool for my pranks. I never expected to use it in a situation like that." Kaiser Lynn stuck out her tongue and said sheepishly.

"Pranks? You use sleeping powder for pranks? You really are a mischievous one." Shirakawa didn't know what to make of her.

"I wonder if your father got fed up with your pranks and deliberately tried to send you to the Kingdom of Mol."

"No way! My father would never do something like that. Don't make things up."

"Fine, fine. I'll stop."

From their conversation along the way, Shirakawa had come to understand why Kaiser Lynn had ended up here, and what her country was like.

Unlike the countries Shirakawa and the others were currently in, which prioritized military strength, the Kingdom of Mol focused primarily on domestic affairs. Though its military was somewhat weaker, its domestic affairs were the best of the three countries, and its people had the strongest sense of belonging.

"What about you? Where are you from?" Having introduced herself, Kaiser Lynn wanted to get to know the three of them better.

"Buggy and I are from the West Blue." Shanks put an arm around Buggy's neck and said warmly.

"The West Blue? Buggy, you're from the West Blue? I thought you were from the East Blue." Shirakawa knew Shanks was from the West Blue, but he'd always assumed Buggy was from the East Blue.

After all, the Straw Hat Pirates had run into Buggy in the East Blue in the Pirate King story.

"Of course I'm from the West Blue! The East Blue's full of tough guys. I couldn't handle it."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at the Captain and the First Mate. They're both from the East Blue. Garp in the Marines is from the East Blue too. If I'd been from the East Blue, maybe I'd be as strong as the First Mate by now."

"Hmph." Shirakawa gave a cold laugh at that.

"With your personality, it wouldn't matter where you were born. If you want to get stronger, you'd be better off finding a powerful Devil Fruit to eat."

"No way! A Devil Fruit's worth a hundred million Berry. Eating one would be such a waste. The proper use of a Devil Fruit is to sell it for Berry."

"Heh, you really are a miser. If you're not strong, you won't be able to hold on to your money no matter how much you have."

"What about you, then? Where are you from?" Although Kaiser Lynn had been rather lost listening to the conversation between Shirakawa, Shanks, and Buggy, she understood that Shanks and Buggy were born in a place called the West Blue.

"Me? I came from the sky." Shirakawa pointed upward.

"The sky? You're kidding, right?" Kaiser Lynn said in disbelief. How could someone come from the sky?

"You don't believe me? If you don't, ask those two. They saw me descend from the sky with their own eyes."

"That's right. Shirakawa really did come down from the sky. It gave us quite a fright at the time," Shanks added.

To be honest, Shirakawa still didn't know why he had appeared beside the Roger Pirates. Maybe it was because Roger's Conqueror's Haki was so powerful that it drew in his Power of the King.

"Wow, that's really amazing," Kaiser Lynn exclaimed, though her tone sounded rather insincere.

"Well, if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do." Shirakawa shrugged helplessly.

Just then, Shirakawa suddenly heard the rapid clatter of hooves. The sound was coming toward them at great speed.

"What's wrong, Shirakawa?" Seeing him stop abruptly and turn serious, Shanks asked.

He knew Shirakawa wouldn't suddenly change expression without a reason. Something had to have happened.

"Someone's coming our way. If I had to guess, they're an enemy."

As he spoke, Shirakawa turned and saw a Black Scale Horse charging toward them in the distance.

As the horse drew nearer, Kaiser Lynn recognized the obese figure riding it, and her expression changed.

"Who is he?" Shirakawa asked, noticing Kaiser Lynn's change of expression.

"He's the infamous Butcher, Akda. He's both the city lord and the general in charge of defending the city."

"Is that so? Then it looks like we're his target."

Not far from Shirakawa and the others, Akda stopped and leered at Kaiser Lynn.

"Princess Kaiser Lynn, why did you leave without telling me? You've really shown me no respect."

As soon as he finished speaking, Catherine hurriedly hid behind Shirakawa in fright.

"Oh, you mean to say they kidnapped you? Don't worry. I'll kill them all and personally escort you back to the city."

At his words, Kaiser Lynn trembled with fear.

"Hey, you pig-faced bastard! Aren't you getting a little carried away?" Buggy couldn't stand men like him. He'd survived facing Garp, Golden Lion, and Whitebeard, so what was a general from some little city?

"Pig? You dare call me a pig?" At the word "pig," Akda's face darkened.

"That's right, you fat pig! You're even brazen enough to threaten to kill us. Go ahead and try, if you think you can."

Who knew what had given Buggy the nerve to talk like that.

"Then I'll start with you." Akda charged straight at Buggy from atop his horse, the huge cleaver in his hand ready to take Buggy's head off.

Seeing Akda suddenly lunge at him, Buggy froze in fright. He hadn't expected the fat bastard to be so agile.

But Shanks reacted quickly. He drew his sword and stepped in front of Buggy, blocking Akda's strike.

Shanks was the type to say little and fight hard when battle began. He took life and death in stride: if someone wanted trouble, he'd give it to them.