章節 59: Chapter 59: Board the Island of Music, The Red-Haired Diva Uta!
"Big event! Admiral Kuzan has officially resigned, and his whereabouts are unknown!!!"
"Kaido of the Beasts was arrested on his own initiative, and he came for Kuzan!"
"Emperor Kaido is recruiting Kuzan!!!"
"Charlotte Linlin hopes Kuzan can be her third husband!"
On the sunny sea, Leno sat on a chair, legs crossed, reading the newspapers delivered by the newsbird.
The Navy agreed to Kuzan's resignation, making him a free man.
Although he was defeated by Leno, everyone knew that Kuzan's strength was formidable, capable of contending with the Four Emperors.
So, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and others with ambitions to dominate the world extended olive branches, even if it meant risking themselves. Kaido went so far as to broadcast his desperate need for Kuzan to the world.
This wasn't Kaido's first attempt at such theatrics.
Charlotte Linlin, too, made bold moves to seduce Kuzan into her ranks.
Whitebeard, however, remained silent—after all, it would be awkward to shout: "Kuzan, come be my son!"
The last of the Four Emperors was preoccupied with his own troubles, barely holding on.
The Red Hair Pirates, although not yet at the level of the Four Emperors, showed extraordinary potential and talent under Shanks' leadership, engaging in guerrilla warfare.
Beyond them, other factions like the World Government, the Revolutionary Army were also trying to make contact with Kuzan privately.
This summer, Kuzan's decision would significantly impact the future dynamics of the One Piece World.
"Where will Kuzan go?" became the question on everyone's lips.
"It's a pity, I didn't get Kuzan's contact information back then," Leno muttered, shaking his head. Who could have predicted Kuzan would leave the comfort of the Navy?
Leno set the newspaper aside, suddenly sensing a familiar presence.
Observation Haki!
Kuina, who was meditating under the mast, suddenly grimaced in pain. The sounds of the sea and people's voices flooded her mind, causing a splitting headache.
She didn't need to look to feel Leno rise abruptly and Buggy bragging nearby.
After so much training, Kuina had finally awakened her Observation Haki.
Luckily, they were at sea, the voices she heard were manageable, unlike the overwhelming pain Koby experienced when he awakened his Haki after the Summit War.
Kuina was a strong-willed girl, always resilient.
Leno had already taught her everything Kozaburo shared with him, including his own experiences. Kuina knew she had to focus, sense, and control, gradually shrinking the scope of her Haki to merge it with herself.
Leno watched as Kuina's furrowed brows relaxed, indicating she was starting to adapt to her new power.
In Leno's view, the pain from the first awakening was valuable and helped shape future practice.
Moments later, Kuina opened her eyes, brimming with joy.
"Awakened?" Leno asked with concern.
"Yes!" Kuina nodded.
Sailing with Leno, battling, training, and sparring had accelerated her growth far beyond what she'd experienced in the dojo.
"Let's play a dodge game!" Leno suggested.
"Alright!" Kuina agreed, donning a blindfold.
"Here I come!" Leno made his move, reaching out for Kuina, but she leapt away gracefully, evading his grasp.
Leno quickened his pace.
Relying on her Observation Haki, Kuina continued dodging. But as Leno's speed increased, Kuina panicked, her Haki faltering, and Leno managed to grab her arm.
"Information is only useful when you're calm," Leno advised. "Remember that."
Leno then outlined the four training focuses for Haki: control, volume, intensity, and recovery speed.
Kuina had just awakened, so training against slightly stronger opponents would better highlight her weaknesses than sparring with Leno himself.
"Hey, Buggy, bring the Catman brothers over here," Leno called out.
The Catman brothers, once pirates tied up by villagers, had joined Leno's team.
Two days passed.
As the sun set, the sea glowed with the reflection of the sky, and tired birds flew toward the distant island of Ellegia.
From afar, the island resembled a grand crown worn on the sea, with its bay surrounded by clear waters reflecting ruins and collapsed buildings. A vast dense forest lay beyond, with a huge city in ruins visible further inland, and towering cliffs in the backdrop blocking the sea breeze.
This was the world-renowned Island of Music, the Kingdom of Elegia.
"Land ho!" the crew shouted excitedly.
Leno's fleet of 17 ships had finally reached Elegia after days of battling fierce ocean currents, storms, and Sea Kings.
Buggy, perched on the side of the ship, looked out at the island. "Elegia, destroyed?"
"Yeah, Shanks and his crew were blamed for that," Leno replied.
Buggy, who knew Shanks well, doubted the story. Shanks was a lot like Roger, valuing freedom, adventure, and camaraderie over treasure.
"But no matter what, there's bound to be some secret treasure hidden on this island, right?" Buggy mused, eyes gleaming with the thought of the Kingdom's riches.
"Hehehe, there must be some treasure hidden here somewhere."
Buggy was suddenly excited and full of energy.
"Hey, Buggy, have those guys set up camp nearby first. Stay overnight and don't wander around," Leno said.
Buggy, who was eager to explore the island for treasure, pulled a face and muttered to himself, "For the sake of the treasure, I'll be patient for now! Once I get the treasure and steal a ship, I'll be free to be a hunter instead of a pirate."
Buggy commanded to build a camp, and soon a bonfire was lit on the shore, tents quickly set up.
Leno glanced at the camp and said to Kuina, "Kuina, keep an eye on things. I'm going to check out the island."
"Okay!" Kuina nodded.
Leno leapt into the air, stepping on the whirlwind, and ventured deep into the island. He wasn't worried about Kuina; she had grown stronger along the journey. Buggy and the cat brothers were appointed as supervisors—they were experts at bullying people into compliance.
"There are slave catchers who prey on their own kind, worse than pirates," Leno thought, watching over the group.
The island was filled with ruins, collapsed boulders, and broken sculptures of musical instruments, remnants of a once-thriving city.
In the heart of the ruins stood the former royal palace and music hall of Elegia. There was still one intact room among the rubble.
"Gordon!"
"Gordon!"
A young girl's voice echoed down the corridor, tinged with anxiety and fear.
A small girl burst into the room. Inside was a music classroom with a piano, where King Gordon of Elegia sat.
Gordon stopped playing and looked at the girl gently. "What's wrong, Uta? What happened?"
Uta caught her breath and exclaimed, "Pirates! A group of pirates are outside!"
"What? Impossible!" Gordon said in disbelief. Since that incident, Elegia had been forgotten by the world, with no ships or people coming near.
"It's true! If you don't believe me, come see!" Uta said, a mix of fear and excitement in her voice. Only she and Gordon lived on the island now, and the arrival of strangers—pirates or not—brought a strange sense of life to their solitude.
"Maybe they'll have news about Shanks," Uta thought, feeling a complex swirl of emotions.
Gordon and Uta stepped outside, gazing towards the bay from their elevated position. They saw the ships and the smoke from the campfires, and Gordon's expression darkened.
"This isn't good. They didn't just stumble upon us, they came prepared," he muttered.
"Could they be here for money? Or something else?"
He looked at Uta and said, "No matter who they are, they must not find us."
"Okay!" Uta nodded. She was young, but her experiences with Shanks had matured her beyond her years.
Just then, a voice broke the tension. "Hello there!"
Gordon and Uta jumped in surprise. They turned to see a young man in a windbreaker, two swords at his waist, standing on the stone pile.
Leno jumped down with a smile. "You're Gordon, right? From the Kingdom of Elegia."
"How do you know?" Gordon asked warily.
Leno pulled a newspaper from his coat, showing Gordon an article about his last concert, where he played the piano.
"World Musician, King of Music Island, Gordon!" Leno said, introducing himself. "My name is Leno, the president of the Hunter's Guild."
Gordon read the newspaper clipping, still cautious. "The Hunter's Guild? Pirates?"
"No, not pirates. We're hunters, always chasing our goals and dreams!" Leno said, tossing a promotional flyer for the Hunter's Guild toward Gordon.
Uta peeked out from behind Gordon, intrigued. Leno winked at her, making her duck back shyly.
Gordon, unfazed, examined the flyer. "They don't look like pirates," he thought, relaxing slightly. "What brings you here?"
Leno smiled. "I'm here to rebuild Elegia."
"What?" Gordon and Uta exclaimed in disbelief. The idea of rebuilding their lost home filled them with hope, though it seemed too good to be true.
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