It was fortunate that Ace was not a Devil Fruit user yet.
After all, the Flame-Flame Fruit was currently in Cyrus's possession.
The moment he discovered a massive creature blocking the waterway below, Ace wanted to dodge.
But the current rushing down from above was far too fast.
By the time he saw the giant whale blocking the way beneath him, it was already too late for him to avoid it while he was still in the water.
Still, if he could not dodge, there were other options.
As he approached the whale's enormous open mouth, Ace leapt out of the seawater and landed directly on the whale's island-like head.
The scars covering it gave him enough places to steady his footing.
Ace let out a breath, moved his arms and legs a little, and finally allowed his body to relax.
After days of nonstop running, his body had been tense the entire time. Now, at last, he could loosen up a bit.
But just as Ace was stretching and turning around, planning to check his surroundings and look for a chance to escape, he saw an old man with a strange hairstyle lying on a deck chair beneath a beach umbrella on the giant whale's back.
While Ace stared at the old man, the old man also lowered the newspaper in his hands slightly and raised his eyes toward the figure standing on the whale's head.
"Kid, first time in the Grand Line?"
Looking at Ace's miserable state, his soaked clothes, and the fact that he was alone, Crocus had already started guessing what had happened to him.
"There's actually someone on the back of this fish?"
Ace raised a hand and scratched his wet hair, his face full of surprise.
"This is Laboon. He's an Island Whale, and he's my friend," Crocus said, explaining as he looked at Ace.
However, the more he looked at Ace, the stronger the sense of déjà vu became.
"So that's how it is."
Ace nodded, then showed a bright smile.
"I'm Ace, a pirate from the East Blue."
"A pirate, huh?"
Crocus looked at Ace's smile, froze for a moment, then shook his head.
"Now really isn't the best time to enter the Grand Line."
"Why do you say that?" Ace asked, startled.
"Because of him."
Watching Ace walk over, Crocus flattened the newspaper in his hand and raised a finger to point at the photograph printed on it.
"Paradise is no longer a paradise for pirates. The Hunter Guild and the now-active Marines are both speeding up their efforts against pirates, especially young ones like you who have only just entered the Grand Line."
"The Hunter Guild again?"
Ace's face fell, and he looked obviously speechless.
It was one thing for the East Blue to be like that, but even the Grand Line was the same?
"The chairman of the Hunter Guild, Cyrus—you should have heard of him even in the East Blue. He defeated Big Mom in the New World. She was one of the rulers of that sea.
The Hunter Guild will probably become even stronger from now on, and even more people will join it. So you'd better stop calling yourself a pirate after this."
Crocus found Ace somewhat familiar, so he gave him a warning.
"No can do. A man doesn't lie about who he is."
Ace shook his head directly.
The corner of Crocus's mouth twitched.
Then he waved him off.
"In that case, hurry up and leave. Laboon will be sinking into the sea to rest soon."
"Where am I supposed to go next?"
Ace turned and looked around.
Laboon's four-hundred-meter-long body was indeed ridiculous, but out on the boundless sea, he was still nothing more than a lonely island.
Everywhere Ace looked, all he could see was seawater.
Other than Reverse Mountain behind him.
Just as Ace turned to look toward Reverse Mountain, he saw two familiar ships coming down with the current.
His face immediately turned bitter.
Great.
They had really chased him all the way here!
"You have a grudge with the people on those two ships?"
Naturally, Crocus also saw the ships descending from Reverse Mountain, and he noticed Ace's expression.
"They're from the Hunter Guild."
Crocus froze for a moment when he heard that, then immediately understood.
This young man's arrival in the Grand Line was probably closely connected to those two ships.
With a raise of his hand, Crocus tossed out a pointer.
"This is a Log Pose. If you don't want to get lost in the Grand Line, a Log Pose is essential."
After saying that, Crocus waved him away.
"Thank you, old man."
Ace did not stand on ceremony at all.
He caught the Log Pose, thanked him, then walked toward the side of Laboon's body and jumped straight into the sea.
When Crocus heard the heavy splash, the corner of his eye twitched.
Was this kid planning to swim away directly?
Without some real ability, he would probably die in the ocean.
Although Crocus was speechless, he did not intend to interfere.
He stood up, walked to the top of Laboon's head, and quietly said a few words.
Laboon directly closed his mouth and backed away.
Crocus had actually encountered Hunter Guild ships here quite a few times.
Those people were all troublesome in their own ways.
The main problem was that many Hunters were stubborn as hell.
If Crocus had not retired early enough, then once his identity was exposed, it might invite endless trouble.
He had no intention of leaving Twin Cape.
On the two ships descending along Reverse Mountain's waterway, the Hunters aboard were all visibly excited.
However, they soon noticed the enormous whale below with its mouth wide open.
Kuina and Zoro had already prepared themselves and were about to make a move when the giant whale closed its mouth and backed away, clearing the path.
The two of them, who had just been about to attack, exchanged a glance.
Although they no longer intended to make a move, they did not lower their guard either.
That fish was seriously huge!
Was this what they called a Sea King?
"There seems to be someone on that whale."
Zoro raised his head and looked around, then spotted a figure standing on the head of the giant whale that had retreated.
"Is it that guy?" Kuina also raised her eyes and asked.
"Doesn't look like it. It's an old man with weird hair."
Zoro narrowed his eyes and stared for a while.
Only when the ship slowed during its descent and the distance narrowed did he finally see the figure on the whale's head clearly.
A moment later, the ship smoothly left the steep waterway.
After it slowed down, Zoro and Kuina leapt from the deck together and landed on Laboon's head.
On the other ship, Payne and the others did not make any moves, nor did they leave on their own.
The two ships slowed down and eventually stopped.
The others began tidying up the cabins, which had been thrown into chaos when the ships tilted during the descent.
Meanwhile, Kuina and Zoro curiously studied the old man not far away.
Crocus also looked at the two people who had jumped onto Laboon's head.
Or rather, the two children.
Although Kuina and Zoro had grown quickly because of their training, their faces were still young, making it obvious that they were very young.
Thinking back to Ace from earlier, Crocus realized that boy had not seemed very old either.
"It really is the era of young people now," Crocus could not help sighing.
"Old man, did you see a pirate earlier?"
After sizing Crocus up for a moment, Kuina asked directly.
"He left. Swam away from here."
Crocus answered without hesitation.
Kuina and Zoro exchanged looks.
"How are we supposed to chase him now?"
Zoro turned and looked around, immediately finding the situation difficult.
Within his eyesight, other than the two ships not far from Laboon, he could not see anything else.
"Thank you."
Kuina looked at Crocus a few more times, thanked him, and turned to leave.
"Wait. Are you Hunters from the Hunter Guild? Did you come to take the Hunter Exam?"
Seeing that Kuina and Zoro were about to leave, Crocus suddenly spoke.
"Yeah!"
Zoro answered immediately.
"I see. Then you'll probably be interested in this."
Hearing that, Crocus turned and walked quickly back to his deck chair.
He picked up the newspaper lying there, returned, and handed it to Kuina and Zoro, who had turned back around.
"News about your Guild's chairman."
"News about Cyrus?"
Kuina had originally looked puzzled, but the moment she heard Crocus's words, her spirits lifted and joy appeared on her face.
Zoro's eyes also widened as he moved beside Kuina, leaning over to look at the newspaper in her hands.
Crocus was not surprised by their reaction.
He turned his head and looked toward the direction Ace had jumped into the water.
'Consider this a tiny bit of help.'
Hopefully, that young pirate would survive on the sea.
"Was this one more impressive, or was Mary Geoise more impressive?"
Zoro leaned over and skimmed the article for a bit, quickly understanding what the newspaper was talking about.
Cyrus had defeated powerful pirates again.
And not just one.
"Definitely last time. No matter how strong these pirates were, they couldn't be stronger than the Marines and the World Government," Kuina said casually without turning her head.
"I wonder when we'll see him again. I also wonder whether I can exchange a few moves with Cyrus now."
When Zoro said that, there was obvious anticipation in his voice.
But when Crocus heard their conversation, he turned back with a surprised expression.
Those words…
Did these two kids know Cyrus?
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator