A moment later, Garp emerged from the kitchen, his hands tightly clutching a large bag of senbei. He looked utterly content, his cheeks puffed out, still chewing on an unswallowed senbei, muttering indistinctly, "Sanji, that kid, his cooking is truly amazing!"
merry, who had been sitting quietly nearby, immediately stood up and walked quickly to Garp's side when she saw him.
"Grandpa Garp, are we going back now?" merry's eyes were full of anticipation for going home, but also a hint of reluctance to leave everyone.
Garp smiled and nodded, "Yes, it's been a while since we left, it's time to go back."
Nami stepped forward, a smile on her face, "Mr. Garp, thank you for taking care of merry all these years. Please be safe on your way back."
Zoro, with his arms crossed, said indifferently, "Have a safe trip."
merry looked at her Companions/Crewmates, with whom she had spent every day, her eyes slightly red, and her voice choked, "Everyone, I'll miss you all. When I grow up, let's go on adventures together again!"
Garp waved his hand, "Kids, don't be so sentimental. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet again!"
With that, he turned and left with merry without looking back. The child is only 7 years old and still needs to be corrected! What kind of going out to sea, going out to sea!!
merry looked back three times, waving continuously, her eyes full of reluctance.
Luffy and the others stood rooted to the spot, their gaze following Garp and merry's gradually receding figures until Garp returned to his warship, completely disappearing from sight, merging into the distant, hazy light and shadow.
At this moment, Luffy, as if a taut string had suddenly loosened, let out a long sigh of relief.
"Grandpa finally left..."
His tone carried the relief of surviving a disaster, as if Garp's presence was a huge pressure.
Everyone, as if by telepathy, nodded in unison, a look of relief on their faces. This old man was truly difficult to deal with, no wonder Orochimaru was so well-behaved.
Law stood quietly to the side, though a hint of longing was hidden in his eyes, but the thought that Corazon was still alive was more important than anything else.
He looked up slightly at the sky, silently thinking to himself: he had grown up, and he had to forge his own path in the future.
The group stretched their bodies and then returned to their rooms, intending to rest. Facing Garp was simply too exhausting.
Yet, no one noticed that in an unguarded moment, Orochimaru's figure flickered, and he stealthily arrived at Kanjuro's resting place.
Inside the room, Kanjuro sat quietly on the tatami mat, a gradually cooling cup of tea still on the low table in front of him.
(Franky's 3-minute guest room renovation)
Earlier, he had been on the deck with everyone, listening to news from overseas, initially thinking it would be something useful, but as he listened, he found it dull.
After all, those overseas rumors were of no use to him, and he might as well go back to his room and rest.
Not far outside the room, Momonosuke and Kin'emon were hiding in the shadows, their heads close together, their eyes fixed on the movements outside, occasionally whispering to each other.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a dark shadow silently slipped in.
Kanjuro instinctively looked up, only to see Orochimaru already standing in the room, he didn't know when he had entered.
Kanjuro's heart skipped a beat. How did this first mate get in? He hadn't noticed at all! Just as he was about to ask, Orochimaru's hands quickly formed seals in front of him.
The hand shadows were so fast they were dazzling, and one after another, strange seals flashed by in an instant.
Kanjuro only felt the scene before his eyes begin to blur, and his brain became hazy. He wanted to shout but couldn't make a sound.
In an instant, Orochimaru completed the modification of Kanjuro's cognition.
He made Kanjuro believe that his family were Kozuki Clan vassals who had infiltrated the Kurozumi family, and were later arranged by the antagonist to be by Oden's side, only obeying the orders of the Kozuki Clan heir.
Orochimaru originally wanted to set it up so that all of this was Oden's instruction, but then he thought, with Oden's brain, which was no bigger than a walnut, he couldn't possibly have made such a plan.
Oden's father also didn't have such a strategy, so let's just say it was Kanjuro's ancestors' good deeds, and such an identity was arranged in the unseen.
Everything returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened.
Orochimaru's figure had already disappeared, as if he had never appeared in this room.
Kanjuro still maintained the posture he had just been in, about to speak. He slowly blinked, completely unaware that his perception had been altered.
He only felt his head was heavy, so he lay down, preparing to get a good sleep.
Everything returned to calm, and in the room, only the occasional cries of seagulls from outside the window could be heard.
Orochimaru looked at the sea, deep in thought.
Since this person loves to act so much, then this script of his is truly an excellent one. Now, he just has to wait and see how this good show begins.
If the brainwashing is successful, Kanjuro should actively contact him after his identity is exposed on Zou, after all, this is a spy even more loyal than a vassal.
Several hours passed in a flash, and after a good rest, everyone gathered in the dining room, refreshed.
Sabo's face, which had been swollen like a pig's head, had almost recovered, with only a few faint bruises remaining to show the previous "tragedy."
"Luffy, I should go now," Sabo said, patting Luffy's shoulder with a familiar smile on his face.
Luffy's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this, and he grabbed Sabo's arm, his face full of reluctance, "You're leaving so soon? Let's go to Zou together!!"
"I can't, I have important things to do."
Sabo smiled helplessly and patiently explained, "I have to go to Whitebeard's place to catch Ace. You know, if I don't tell him about this, he'll really get angry, so we'll meet in Wano Country."
"And Garp specifically told me before he left that Ace also has to participate in this beating; I can't be the only one to suffer."
Thinking of Ace's possibly bewildered, wronged, and shocked expression when he gets beaten completely unprepared, Sabo could no longer hold back and burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking.
Zoro and the others were stunned when they heard Sabo say he was going to the Whitebeard Pirates to find Ace and then meet up in Wano Country.
Zoro frowned slightly, his arms crossed, his expression serious, his tone carrying a hint of doubt and confusion: "You three brothers are all going to Wano Country? This matter... by rights, it should be our alliance with the Heart Pirate Crew."
He looked up at Sabo, his eyes full of inquiry.
Sabo was also surprised by Zoro's words and looked at Luffy in confusion, his face full of question marks: "They don't know??"
Luffy first let out a few dry "hahaha" laughs, scratched his head, his eyes unconsciously drifting towards Orochimaru, and then replied somewhat awkwardly, "Soon, soon..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that he seemed to have forgotten to tell Sabo Momonosuke's identity. Never mind, it's not important, Orochimaru already said that they are the older brothers anyway.
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