Chapter 380: Chapter 380: If I Can Already Sneak Through Walls, What Do You Think I’ll Do?
"Damn Shirahoshi, how dare she do something like that...!" Vander Decken snarled, his expression twisted. "I want her dead!"
"I want her dead!!"
As he spoke, tears began streaming uncontrollably down Vander Decken’s face.
He had pursued Shirahoshi for ten whole years, so why had she run off with a bunch of pirates she’d just met...?
Just thinking about it made Vander Decken feel as if his heart were shattering.
"Captain Decken, you..."
"I’m not sad, I’m not sad at all!"
His crewmate: ...
If you’re not sad, then why are you crying like this?
"More than that, I’m more curious about why Captain Decken’s hair ended up like this," another Fish-man said, eyeing Vander Decken’s balding patch. "Why is there a chunk missing?"
"Because I got dumped, you idiot!" Vander Decken snapped. "So I shaved it off!"
"Huh?!"
"That’s the reason?!"
Hearing Vander Decken’s explanation, the other Fish-men were completely dumbfounded.
Why would someone shave their hair off for such a bizarre reason? Did that even make sense?
"Captain Decken, you really shouldn’t be so upset," an eel Fish-man chimed in from the side. "After all, that Shirahoshi has already been killed by you, right?"
During this time, Captain Decken had thrown his weapons dozens of times at least. In that situation... there was no way she could have survived!
"No, that woman Shirahoshi isn’t dead at all!" Vander Decken suddenly lifted his head and declared. "The weapons I threw are the best proof!"
Every time he threw a weapon, he deliberately aimed in the opposite direction, just to confirm whether that damn woman Shirahoshi had been killed by him or not.
But the result... every single time showed she was still alive!
Thinking about it, Vander Decken was absolutely furious.
"She survived all those attacks?" the eel Fish-man exclaimed in shock. "How is that possible?"
"It must be that Straw Hat Boy and that Sunglasses Man from before!" Vander Decken said through gritted teeth.
Otherwise, Shirahoshi would have been dead by his hands long ago!
"Straw Hat Boy and Sunglasses Man, huh."
Recalling the information Watatsumi had mentioned earlier, the eel Fish-man fell into deep thought.
Why would humans get involved in something like this?
"Captain, what do we do now?" another Fish-man asked. "With those two around, killing Shirahoshi won’t be easy."
At the very least, he didn’t think their side stood a chance against the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Even if it’s not easy, I’m going to kill her!" Vander Decken roared angrily. "That unfaithful woman—I will definitely kill her!"
The Fish-man beside him: ...
So, what exactly are we supposed to do?
Just then, Vander Decken noticed an enormous ship not far away!
"This is... Noah!"
In that moment, an incredibly bold idea took root in Vander Decken’s mind.
Since everyone wanted to oppose him, then... he would gather them all and wipe them out!
With this thought, a crazed glint appeared in Vander Decken’s eyes.
"What’s wrong with Noah?" the eel Fish-man asked in confusion.
After speaking, he glanced at the massive ship that was half the size of Fish-Man Island, clearly not understanding what his captain meant.
"Just wait, you’ll find out soon enough," Vander Decken grinned.
Then, the man encased in a bubble shot out from his own ship, rushing toward Noah at incredible speed.
"Fahahahaha!"
"I really did find something incredible," Vander Decken said with a maddened look in his eyes.
With this thing, he could destroy everything on Fish-Man Island!
The Neptune Royal Family, Shirahoshi, the Hody Pirates... all of them would die!
Fahahahaha!
Fahahahaha!!!
Then, the man placed his hand on the battleship, using his Devil Fruit power to mark the enormous vessel.
After doing this, Vander Decken turned to his crew and said, "Men!"
"Get ready to witness a miracle!"
"Wooo!!!"
"Dammit, the water level really is getting higher and higher!"
Watching the gradually rising water below, Usopp said with a pale face, "I don’t want to go into the seawater again."
"Neither do I..."
Brook said with a pained expression, "I just dried my body off."
The feeling of being in seawater was just too unbearable, so... he really didn’t want to enter the ocean again.
"And you have the nerve to say that?" Usopp immediately opened his shark-like mouth and roared, "Who do you think is to blame for us ending up like this?!"
He had thought that Brook, pretending to be dead, would find a chance to rescue them both, but... this guy just jumped up and scared everyone instead?
What an idiot!
Thinking of this, Usopp felt veins bulging on his forehead in anger.
"Help!" Brook cried out, "I’m going to be killed!"
"Ah..."
"I think I’m already dead~"
"Yohohohoho!"
Watching Brook laughing there, Usopp felt his head aching from anger.
This guy really didn’t seem to have any intention of reflecting on his actions.
Then, Usopp turned to Zoro and said with a tearful face, "Zoro, think of something quick..."
He didn’t want to drown... that would be too humiliating!
"Sure," Zoro shifted his body, gesturing for the other to look at the chains on him, and said, "Then help me get these chains off."
"Of course, if I could have a sword, that’d be even bett—"
Before Zoro could finish, Usopp jumped up excitedly and shouted, "That’s right, get the chains off!"
Thud
"Ouch ouch ouch..."
Usopp, who had bumped into the top of the cage, immediately gave himself a big lump on his head, so painful that tears streamed from his eyes.
"What, you have a way?" Zoro asked curiously.
Hearing this, Brook also showed a curious expression, clearly sharing Zoro’s thought.
If the other really had a way... they could escape alive!
"Of course!"
Usopp raised his head and said, "Now that you mention it, I do remember my Devil Fruit Ability."
As he spoke, Usopp glanced down at the chains binding his body and continued, "My More-More Fruit can enlarge the size of objects. It’s perfect for changing the size of these chains."
If he enlarged the chains, he should be able to break free from them easily.
That way... he’d be free!
"Enlarge the size?"
Zoro was taken aback for a moment before exclaiming excitedly, "Then what are you waiting for? Do it now!"
As long as they could escape from this damned cage, they could get out of here alive!
"That’s right, Usopp, hurry up and do it," Brook said, equally excited.
Finally, there was a way to break free from this cursed cage... That was wonderful.
Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho!
Upon hearing this, Usopp didn’t act immediately. Instead, his expression turned hesitant, clearly having some reservations.
Seeing Usopp’s expression, Zoro paused and asked in confusion, "What’s wrong?"
At a time like this, what was there to hesitate about?
"If we make too much noise, we might attract those people over here," Usopp explained.
If they attracted those powerful Fish-men from earlier... they might lose their only chance.
After all... the Fish-men could attack them with seawater!
"Why worry about that?" Zoro said, exasperated. "Escaping is the most important thing right now!"
They could deal with the Fish-men when they arrived, but they couldn’t afford to delay now!
Otherwise, they’d drown sooner or later!
Usopp thought for a moment after hearing this, then nodded and said, "You might be right..."
They could worry about the Fish-men later, but the seawater was an urgent matter!
"Stop talking and get started!" Zoro urged.
"Alright, alright, stop rushing me."
After saying this, Usopp looked down at the chains and began to activate his Devil Fruit Ability.
The next moment...
"Hummm..."
"Thud!!!"
Zoro: !!!
Brook: ???
Staring at the suddenly enlarged chains that had pinned them against the iron bars, Zoro and Brook were completely dumbfounded.
"Hey!"
"What the hell are you doing?!" Zoro roared, his mouth wide open like a shark’s.
If he hadn’t reacted quickly enough and lifted his legs in time... he would have been done for!
At this thought, Zoro’s gaze turned extremely unfriendly.
"Usopp..."
Brook said with difficulty, "My stomach feels a bit uncomfortable from being pressed like this."
"Ah..."
"Although I don’t have a stomach to feel uncomfortable, yo-ho-ho-ho-ho..."
"Sorry, sorry..."
Realizing his mistake, Usopp immediately wore an embarrassed expression. He hadn’t expected the chains to pin Zoro and Brook against the bars like that.
"Enough talk. Hurry up and get out of the chains," Zoro said, his face gradually turning red. "Then shrink the chains and throw them away!"
Pressed down by the chains, he felt like it was becoming hard to breathe.
"Alright."
Usopp nodded, then chuckled, "But you two look pretty funny like this~"
"Hah..."
"Usopp, last night’s dinner might..."
Usopp: !!!
Upon hearing Brook’s words, Usopp was startled, then immediately scrambled out of the chains, saying, "Brook, you absolutely must hold it in!"
"Please, I’m begging you."
He then shrank the chains back down and tossed them out through a gap in the nearby cage.
"Phew..."
Zoro, now free, let out a long sigh of relief. "Finally, I can breathe properly again."
That feeling of having someone pressing against his lungs had been truly unbearable.
Brook laughed as well. "Yohohohoho, I also don’t have to burp—"
"Shut up already, you!" Usopp roared, his mouth wide like a shark’s.
There was no need to bring that up again!
"Yohohohoho..."
Watching Brook, who couldn’t stop laughing, Usopp shook his head helplessly, then grinned. "Luckily, I’ve become a Devil Fruit Ability User now, otherwise there really wouldn’t have been a way out of that predicament."
As he spoke, Usopp placed his hand on Zoro’s chains, adjusting the magnification to release Zoro.
He then turned and freed Brook in the same manner.
"Finally, we can move freely again," Zoro said, clenching his fists.
Of course, it would be even better if he could get his weapons back.
"What now?" Brook asked, looking at the two of them.
Even though they were free, they were still far from safe.
"Isn’t it obvious?" Usopp said, giving a thumbs-up. "We use my ability to enlarge this cage!"
With him here, there were no accidents!
Usopp then placed his hand on the cage and activated his Devil Fruit Ability.
The next moment—
"Bzzz..."
"Crack, crack, crack!"
As Usopp channeled his ability, the cage began to grow larger and larger, eventually expanding several times over!
The bars around them also widened significantly due to Usopp’s power, creating gaps large enough for a person to pass through easily.
"That should do it," Usopp said, eyeing the huge gaps in the cage. "With openings this big, we can just walk right out."
After a pause, he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The tricky part will be leaving Ryugu Palace."
They had arrived riding that giant shark, but getting out was another matter entirely...
"More than that, I want to find my and Brook’s swords first," Zoro interjected.
Without their weapons, even if they escaped, they wouldn’t be able to fight properly. So, retrieving their swords was a priority.
"Squeak..."
"I’d like to find your weapons too, but the problem is... where do we even look?" Usopp said, rubbing his temples in frustration.
He knew how much Zoro and Brook needed their swords, but they had no idea where the Fish-men had taken the four blades.
"Squeak..."
"Regardless, I have to find my swords," Zoro insisted.
He walked to the edge of the cage, glanced down at the seawater below, and continued, "How about this? I’ll go out through that water inlet and see if I can find the swords somewhere in Ryugu Palace."
It was risky, but they didn’t have many options left.
"Idiot, have you forgotten you’re human?" Usopp roared, his shark-like mouth wide open. "We didn’t bring any Coral Bubbles—how are we supposed to stay underwater for long?"
"And also, have you forgotten that you have no sense of direction?"
"If you get lost here, where are we supposed to find you?"
Zoro:
Can you take back that last sentence?
"Creak..."
"Then what do you suggest?" Zoro said irritably.
This won’t work, that won’t work either—what exactly are we supposed to do?
"Ahem... you two."
Brook leaned in and said, "Have either of you heard any strange sounds?"
"Strange sounds?"
Zoro paused for a moment before replying, "Since a while ago, there seems to have been a strange creaking sound."
What is that sound, and where is it coming from?
"Creak..."
Usopp: !!!
Once Usopp focused on it, he immediately understood what was happening.
This cage and the chain above it weren’t one piece, so his ability hadn’t taken direct effect!
Then, with a look of horror, he looked up into the air and said, "It might be that the chain can’t bear the weight of the cage, so it’s about to snap!"
If it breaks at this moment... they’ll fall straight into the sea below!
At that point, his Devil Fruit ability would be nullified, and all three of them would drown!
As if understanding Usopp’s meaning, Zoro’s expression immediately changed as well.
Then, he rushed to the outside of the cage, grabbed the bars, and said, "Then what are you waiting for, you idiot? Hurry up and use your ability to thicken the chain!"
"Right!"
Usopp also understood how urgent the situation was, so he didn’t waste any more time with unnecessary talk. He immediately ran outside, grabbed the bars, and started climbing up.
"Yohohohoho~"
"So that’s why there was a creaking sound."
"What are you laughing at?!" Zoro roared, his mouth wide like a shark’s. "You get out here too!"
Even though Brook was already considered a dead man, as someone despised by the sea, he could still be killed by seawater, so he had to leave too!
Brook, who had been yelled at, didn’t get angry. Instead, he laughed even more cheerfully.
"Yohohohoho~"
Then, he turned and went outside the cage, climbing to the top at an even faster speed.
This move left Zoro and Usopp completely stunned.
"Huh?"
"That fast?"
Hearing the voices of the two below, Brook chuckled and said, "I’m nothing but bones now, so naturally I’m as light as a swallow."
Climbing like this was nothing difficult for him.
Hearing this, Usopp fell silent for a moment. Should he be envious?
"Oh, Usopp, you need to hurry." Brook, looking up at the height, said, "The chain already has cracks in it."
"It probably won’t be long before this chain snaps~"
Usopp: !!!
Hearing Brook’s words, Usopp was instantly alarmed. He then channeled the power of the Devil Fruit into himself and quickly rushed to the top of the cage.
Without hesitation, Usopp placed his hand on the chain, thickening it several times over!
After doing this, Usopp wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Finally, it’s—"
"Creak"
Usopp: ???
Wait, why is it still creaking?
"It doesn’t seem to be that simple," Brook said, looking up at the high ceiling. "Because of the cracks that just appeared, simply thickening it won’t stop them from spreading."
Creak...
Hearing that ominous sound, Usopp fell completely silent.
What kind of mess was this?!
Shaking his head, Usopp placed his hand on the cage below, using his ability to return it to its original size, then enlarged it threefold.
After doing this, Usopp withdrew his hand and said, "That should do the trick now."
Even though the top was only three times larger, it was at least enough for them to move around.
"Hmm, it should be fine now," Brook said, still looking up. "The cracks aren’t spreading anymore."
"That’s a relief..."
Usopp sighed.
Finally, they had solved that problem.
Just then, Zoro’s furious voice echoed from below.
"Hey!"
"What the hell are you two playing at?!" Zoro roared, his mouth wide open like a shark’s. "First you shrink it, then you enlarge it—what’s going on?!"
If it weren’t for his agility, he would have been thrown off just now!
With that, Zoro sped up and quickly climbed up.
"Because there’s a problem with the chain up here," Usopp explained, looking at Zoro as he climbed. "That’s why I shrunk the cage."
Hearing this, Zoro frowned and glanced upward. "So there’s a crack that big... No wonder you were in such a hurry."
With that thought, Zoro calmed down and said nothing more.
Then he spoke up, "Alright, now that the three of us are out of the cage, we need to think about our next move."
"Our next move..." Usopp pondered for a moment. "I could destroy this building, but the problem is... there’s seawater outside!"
If he destroyed the building, seawater would rush in immediately.
At that point... he and Brook, as Devil Fruit Ability Users, would be done for!
"That is indeed a problem," Zoro said, frowning.
Doing so wouldn’t just put the three of them in danger—he wouldn’t be able to retrieve his weapons either.
"If only Nami could bring Meiser here," Usopp said.
With Meiser’s ability, he could easily get them safely out of Ryugu Palace.
"That’s true, but Meiser isn’t here right now," Zoro replied. "So we’ll have to figure something out ourselves."
After all, distant water can’t quench immediate thirst.
"Figure something out..." Usopp said, rubbing his temples in frustration. "What can we even do?"
Out of the three of them, two were Devil Fruit Ability Users afraid of seawater...
"At this point... I have no choice but to use that move!!"
"That move?"
Usopp looked at Brook in confusion. "What move?"
Had this guy developed some unbeatable technique during his two years of training?
With that thought, a glimmer of anticipation appeared in Usopp’s eyes.
"That’s right, that move!" Brook laughed. "Mr. Pappag is also in this Ryugu Palace, right? So... if I can find him, I should be able to get Bubble Coral, and I can also have him retrieve Zoro’s and my weapons!"
After all... that guy is a starfish!
Then, he sat down on the ground and began to unleash his ability.
"Bone bone bone bone....
Usopp and Zoro looked at Brook somewhat confused, clearly not understanding what this guy was doing.
"So, that ability you mentioned earlier is..."
Before Usopp could finish his sentence, he saw Brook’s soul emerge from his body.
"Huh?!"
"Whoa!!!"
Watching the soul floating in mid-air, Usopp’s eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock.
"A... a soul?!"
Zoro also stared at Brook in astonishment, clearly not expecting this guy to be capable of such a thing.
Brook was quite pleased with their reactions. He then turned and flew into the distance, saying, "You two wait here for me. I’ll be right back."
"Wait, hold on!" Usopp said. "At least explain it to us!"
Meanwhile, Zoro asked, "Is this... Soul Out-of-Body?"
"Yohohohoho!"
"Zoro is right. This is indeed Soul Out-of-Body," Brook laughed. "It’s an ability I developed over these past two years."
Recalling the events of that time, Brook’s expression gradually grew complex.
"Back when I was on my world tour, I somehow hit a creative block," Brook explained. "TD sales and concert attendance were gradually declining. I really didn’t know what to do back then."
"Until one day... I learned Soul Out-of-Body!"
"And it was at that moment I discovered the shortcomings in my work, perfectly breaking through the block!"
"Shortcomings?"
Usopp looked at Brook in confusion. This guy had shortcomings?
He always felt Brook’s music was amazing.
"That’s right, shortcomings." Brook nodded, then said with a nosebleed, "What do you think I would do with an ability that lets me secretly pass through walls?"
"Any man would understand, right?"
"Yohohohoho!"
Zoro:
So that was the shortcoming?
This guy really is a perverted skeleton, no wonder he gets along so well with that Pervert Kappa!
Meanwhile, Usopp opened his mouth wide like a shark, tears streaming down his face as he cried, "I’m so jealous, you bastard!"
"Zoro, I’m so envious of him!"
For some reason, he suddenly felt his More-More Fruit wasn’t so appealing anymore.
"Alright, enough chatter," Zoro said, glancing down at the rising water level. "Let’s hurry and find Pappag!"
If they kept dawdling, they’d drown in the seawater.
So... better hurry and find him!
"Right!"
Brook nodded, then laughed heartily as he phased through the wall.
Watching him leave, Usopp said, "I hope he can find Pappag smoothly."
"It should be fine."
Sitting on the cage, Zoro calmly replied, "After all, he can pass through walls."
With that ability, finding Pappag shouldn’t be a problem.
Just then, Brook’s soul flew back.
Zoro: ???
"Why are you back so soon?" Zoro asked, puzzled.
Had he already found Pappag?
"Because I noticed something strange," Brook said. "All those Fish-men we encountered earlier are gone. No idea where they went."
"Maybe they’ve already left," Zoro guessed.
"Then what’s the point of them occupying Ryugu Palace?" Usopp asked, dumbfounded.
They occupied Ryugu Palace, but instead of stationing themselves there, they took their people and left?
What was their goal?
"How should I know?" Zoro shook his head, then grinned. "But... their leaving works in our favor, doesn’t it?"
At least no one would disturb them now.
"I guess so..."
At least those Fish-men wouldn’t come here to bother them.
Then, Usopp looked at Brook and said, "That’s definitely good news, but I think you still need to find Pappag quickly."
"Oh, and don’t forget the Bubble Coral!"
With weapons and Bubble Coral, they could leave this place.
"Yohohohoho!"
"Leave it to me!"
Brook laughed and nodded, then turned and left.
Watching him go, Usopp said, "Those Fish-men we encountered earlier... they wouldn’t have gone after Meiser and the others, would they?"
"Then they’re dead." Zoro sneered.
The three of them had been caught off guard and restrained by seawater, but a Ninja like Meiser wouldn’t fear the ocean!
As for the risk of exposure?
They could just kill everyone in this so-called New Fish-Man Pirates afterward!
After hearing Zoro’s words, Usopp thought seriously for a moment, then nodded. "That’s true."
With Meiser’s strength, wiping out those Fish-men in the sea would be child’s play.
After all... he was a powerful Ninja!
Then, Usopp glanced in the direction Brook had left and said, "I wonder how long it’ll take for them to come back."
"Stop overthinking it. Just wait quietly." Zoro said. "Once Pappag brings the swords and Coral Bubbles, we’ll go find Luffy and the others."
"Right!"
"Dammit, what the hell is going on?"
A terrified Pappag hid behind a pillar, cautiously looking around as he muttered, "We came here for a banquet, so why did things turn out like this?"
First, there was a conflict with King Neptune of Ryugu Palace, then because of the New Fish-Man Pirates, the King and Zoro’s group were captured...
What kind of mess was this!
What should he do now?
"If only Meiser were here."
Pappag sat down against the wall, looking miserable. "Then we wouldn’t have to fear the New Fish-Man Pirates."
He just didn’t know how they were doing or if Camie had found them.
Just then, a terrifying voice echoed, startling Pappag so much his hat flew off.
"Mr. Pappag..."
"Who’s there?!"
A panicked Pappag stood up, scanning the pitch-black surroundings. "Who is it?!"
"It’s me."
"Mr. Pappag..."
"Yohohohoho!"
As Brook’s voice trailed off, his soul passed through the wall and appeared before Pappag.
"Yohohohoho!"
"Mr. Pappag, I—"
"A Ghost!!"
Seeing this glowing green soul, Pappag burst into tears, his expression filled with terror.
He then turned and scrambled away, rolling and crawling as he fled into the distance.
"Huh?"
Watching Pappag flee without even looking back, Brook was momentarily stunned. Why was Mr. Pappag running away?
"Hey, wait for me, Mr. Pappag!"
"Eek!"
"Starfish meat isn’t tasty, don’t eat me!"
Brook: —
So, when did he ever say he wanted to eat starfish meat?
"Hey, Mr. Pappag, wait for me!"
"Don’t come any closer, you scary Ghost!"
"Ah, although I am indeed a Ghost right now, I really don’t eat starfish."
"Don’t try to fool me, you terrifying Ghost!"
Brook: ..
Was he really that scary?
Thinking this, Brook turned to glance at his reflection in the glass, then fell into silence.
Seeing such a glowing soul in a place with almost no light... it did seem quite frightening.
But... why did he find it amusing?
Yohohohoho~ "Mr. Pappag, wait for me!"
"Don’t come any closer!!"
