Chapter 134: Another Gathering at Hachinosu
That night, the clouds of battle had finally dispersed. Battleship Island returned to calm, and the moon in the sky was still as full as ever.
A soft silver moonlight spilled over the ships in the harbor, like a layer of frost, casting a peaceful and tranquil aura over everything.
But on one ship, a dense air of grievance lingered.
"Those two jerks… they came back and ran straight into town to eat!"
Miss Aishi was fuming, her anger aimed primarily at Luo Han—Cole was just collateral damage. After hearing from the girl Amatsuki that Luo Han's battle would end today, Aishi had spent hours preparing a feast to welcome him and Cole back.
She never expected the two of them to return and go straight into town. At first, Aishi thought they'd return quickly, but by nightfall, she found out they had eaten their fill and fallen asleep at a restaurant.
Her anger practically boiled over.
Heehee! The others chuckled secretly. Everyone was sitting on the deck, surrounded by delicious food. Once they found out Luo Han and Cole had already eaten, they started helping themselves—no one had time to comfort Aishi .
Clearly, until just recently, everyone had been waiting for Luo Han and Cole to return before starting the meal.
"Yue Shi, you knew ahead of time, didn't you?"
Aishi turned her rage on the young girl.
"Yeah…!" the girl mumbled through a mouthful of pastries, cheeks puffed out like little buns, and still sipping fruit juice.
"Agh…!"
Seeing her like that, Aishi could only groAnne and smacked her lightly on the forehead.
Hic! The girl finally swallowed the pastry thanks to that smack, then patted her chest and looked gratefully at Aishi .
"Ugh…" Aishi 's mouth twitched. She was speechless.
She turned to Sister Shao, who was stuffing her face beside her, and pleaded, "Big Sis! You knew they went into town to eat, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me? Why let us wait here like fools?"
Gulp! Sister Shao downed her juice, picked up a piece of cake, and handed it to Aishi .
"Here, eat first."
"Ah! Thanks, Big Sis!"
Aishi was stunned by the gesture and took the cake blankly. She had just lifted it to her mouth when she heard Sister Shao chuckle softly.
"Wasn't it someone who insisted we had to wait for Luo Han to start eating? I couldn't bear to ruin that sentiment. Too bad—someone didn't come back. Heh."
Aishi 's jaw dropped. Her face flushed red as she stammered, "Big Sis, I just wanted to repay him for taking care of you…"
"Alright, I know. Just eat." Sister Shao smiled gently.
…
Time always seemed to move faster during a series of events. In the blink of an eye, it was almost time again for the Hachinosu gathering—just one month away. But this time, things felt different.
That noon, twenty kilometers from Battleship Island, Luo Han, Garp, and Roger hovered in the sky in a triangle formation.
"Today should be the last time we fight here. Let's end it now. Tomorrow, we're heading to Hachinosu," Luo Han said softly.
He couldn't help but sigh. He'd lost count of how many times they had fought now. Ever since their first clash, Garp and Roger seemed to treat Luo Han like a grindstone, constantly testing and refining their Haki against him.
"Time really flies! It's been over half a year since we started sparring. I guess it's time to wrap it up," Roger said with a smile. These months of battle had changed his opinion of Luo Han considerably. At the very least, they were no longer enemies. Especially after learning about Sister Shao's bond with the Luo Han brothers.
"Thanks to you, kid, my Iron Fist's gotten way stronger. Too bad I still can't break that damn turtle shell!" Garp laughed as well, satisfied with the improvements he'd made—except for the part where he couldn't crack Luo Han's barrier.
"Heh." Luo Han had only one word—and even that came with two syllables.
Maybe it was his unbreakable defense that made Garp and Roger view him as the ultimate Haki training tool. Though they called it a three-way fight, from start to finish it was basically the two of them ganging up on him.
If Luo Han hadn't been trying to sharpen his combat technique and refine his psychic power, he wouldn't have humored the two of them for this long.
"But it's time to end it. This upcoming gathering at Hachinosu… it's probably the last one."
Luo Han sighed again, glanced once more at Garp and Roger, and then turned to fly back toward the island.
Garp and Roger remained in place. They exchanged a glance, then both burst out laughing before silently turning back as well.
Everything between them was in sync now—and that very sense of mutual understanding would change the world in a coming battle.
Step step! Roger returned to his ship, where the crew quickly surrounded him.
"Roger, why are you back so early today?" Rayleigh asked in surprise aboard the Oro Jackson. Usually, Roger didn't return until nightfall after sparring.
"Brothers! The curtain is rising. Keep an eye out for Rocks—it's time."
Roger's eyes flashed coldly as he addressed the crew.
"Haha! So it's finally begun!" The crew's expressions were tense, but they laughed, filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Set sail!" Roger shouted from the bow.
Rayleigh and the others echoed the command and got to work. The ship turned toward the horizon.
"Luo Han… even though you didn't say anything, I can sense it. That fire for freedom burning in your heart—it's about to erupt like a volcano. That can only mean one thing… a huge upheaval is coming to the Rocks Pirates. What will it be, I wonder? I'm curious to find out."
Roger stared at the sea, thinking back on the look in Luo Han's eyes.
Back on Battleship Island, Luo Han had gathered everyone on the ship—except for Tucker's low-ranking crew.
Clack! Luo Han sat on the railing at the bow. Sister Shao and the other four women stood on deck. Tucker and Cole sat together.
Once everyone was assembled, Luo Han wore a solemn expression and said, "Cole and I will go to Hachinosu together. The rest of you stay here on the island and wait for us to return."
"Why?!" Aishi shouted.
"Yeah! Did something happen?" Sister Shao asked, visibly concerned.
"I… I want to go… to Hachinosu, Boss Luo Han!"
Tucker's voice was timid, his cheeks slightly flushed and his eyes full of shyness and longing—clearly craving some sort of pleasurable activity.
Sora and Amatsuki stared at Luo Han curiously.
Cole said nothing, sitting calmly—so long as he could be with Luo Han, he was fine.
Sigh Luo Han thought for a moment and finally said, "We're not just going to the gathering this time. There's been a message… the treasure Rocks spoke of—it's been found."
"What?!! The legendary treasure is real?!"
Sister Shao's face was full of astonishment. Although she had been with the Rocks Pirates for a long time, she had never taken the story of the treasure seriously—she always thought it was just a legend. But now…
"What kind of treasure is it? Does it mean a place with a lot of treasure?" Sora asked, voicing the curiosity of Aishi and the others who were in the dark.
(END CHAPTER)
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