Chapter 496: Let’s Have a Fair Duel!
"It’s already this late; Doflamingo probably won’t send anyone after us anymore," Merry said, glancing at the sky that had already turned dark. She felt the probability of Doflamingo coming now was very low.
After all... once night fell, visibility on the sea was extremely poor, making it unsuitable for battle.
"That may be true, but we can’t let our guard down," Usopp said with a serious expression.
Who knew if Doflamingo would launch a surprise attack while they were relaxed? It was better to remain vigilant.
Seeing that even Usopp said so, Merry didn’t say anything more.
"Actually, there’s no need to be so nervous."
Leaning against the wall, Meiser said, "We aren’t weak."
If that guy really dared to launch a surprise attack, it would actually save them some trouble. After all... with his strength, taking down one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea wouldn’t be a problem.
Hearing Meiser say this, Merry gradually relaxed.
It was true; Meiser was someone capable of trading blows with a Marine Admiral. Why would he be afraid of a mere member of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea? There was no need to be so tense; they just had to follow the plan.
"By the way... how do you think Doflamingo will choose?" Perona asked curiously.
"Resigning from the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea and going to war with the Four Emperors are both terrible options for that guy," Brook said. "Generally speaking, he wouldn’t choose either."
"But if he doesn’t choose, Caesar will die."
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
"Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho~"
"So, under normal circumstances, he should be coming to hunt us down," Brook said with a chuckle.
Neither choice was acceptable for a Warlord like Doflamingo, so the probability of him hunting them down was higher.
Hearing Brook say this, Usopp became nervous again instead.
"Which means we’re still going to have a conflict with that guy on the ocean, right?" Usopp said, swallowing hard.
Even though Meiser was here, having a conflict with a power like the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea... was still very nerve-wracking.
Perona looked at Usopp with a bit of exasperation. When would this guy ever show some backbone?
"I already said it’s not certain yet."
"Anyway, that guy better not come," Usopp coughed lightly, then tilted his head up and said, "Otherwise, Captain Usopp will definitely step in and take him down!"
However, looking at him, he clearly lacked confidence.
Perona rolled her eyes. This guy...
"To be honest, I’m also quite curious about what Doflamingo will do," Meiser said, rubbing his chin.
He knew a bit about Doflamingo; he was a man of great ambition and ruthlessness. What would such a person do when faced with a dead end? He was truly curious.
"We’ll know tomorrow morning," Law said expressionlessly.
As for now? They only needed to guard against a surprise attack from Doflamingo; nothing else mattered. Everything would be clear by morning.
"That’s true."
Meiser nodded, agreeing with Law. There was no point in agonizing over it now, so Meiser temporarily pushed the thought aside.
Right at that moment, Kin’emon took his weapon and chased after Zoro, unleashing a flurry of slashes.
"You bastard!" Kin’emon roared. "Come and have a fair duel with me!"
"Hey!"
"Don’t slash at me!"
Seeing the flames flying toward him, Caesar’s eyes bulged out in fear. He scrambled and crawled to Meiser’s side, terrified that the slash would cleave him in two.
After glancing at Caesar, Meiser retracted his gaze and looked toward Kin’emon and Zoro. Why were these two fighting?
"I already told you," Zoro said while dodging the attacks, "there’s a reason for this!"
"Hey, stop it!"
"I will not stop!"
Kin’emon raged, "I really misjudged you!"
"What exactly happened?"
Nami looked at Kin’emon in confusion, unable to tell what he was so angry about.
"We don’t know either," Merry said, shaking her head. The two of them had suddenly started fighting, and they didn’t know why.
"There’s a reason for this!" Zoro said, his head throbbing.
Meanwhile, Sanji, walking out of the kitchen, looked at Kin’emon chasing Zoro with great interest and said, "Oh~"
"Is the shitty Moss Head fighting with the samurai from the Land of Wano?"
"Cut him, cut him~"
Zoro: ...
What kind of sarcastic remarks was this bastard making?
"Shut up!"
Nami first glared at Sanji, then looked at Kin’emon and said, "So... can you tell me exactly what happened?"
At least they should know why the two were fighting; otherwise, they wouldn’t know how to handle it.
"This bastard stole a treasure of the Land of Wano," Kin’emon roared. "That blade on his waist—it’s the Sword Master Ryuma’s Famous Sword, Autumn Water!"
The thought of his country’s national treasure being stolen made Kin’emon so angry he wanted to slash the bastard in front of him to death. That was the treasure of their Land of Wano!
"I told you, I didn’t steal it," Zoro said, gritting his teeth. "Someone gave it to me!"
"Impossible!" Kin’emon roared. "Ryuma died hundreds of years ago!"
Under such circumstances, how could he have given the sword to Sir Zoro?
"Hundreds of years ago..."
Zoro also froze for a moment. Thinking carefully, that was indeed the case. However, he had indeed fought Ryuma back then, and the sword was indeed given to him by the other party. So he wasn’t wrong either!
"We can all testify," Meiser said, crossing his arms. "Zoro’s sword was indeed given to him by someone else."
Hearing this, Kin’emon stopped his attack on Zoro and frowned.
"You mean... I really misunderstood Sir Zoro?"
"Of course," Meiser nodded.
Zoro looked at Kin’emon with dissatisfaction and said, "So, can you just listen to what I have to say?"
He had been explaining from the beginning that he didn’t steal anyone’s national treasure, but this guy just wouldn’t believe him. Not only that, he chased him with a sword the whole way... it was unbelievable!
"My apologies, Sir Zoro," Kin’emon said awkwardly.
Since it was confirmed he had misunderstood, Kin’emon honestly apologized to Zoro. As for who gave the sword to Zoro? He was a bit too embarrassed to keep asking.
I’ll find a chance to ask later, Kin’emon thought to himself.
Seeing that Kin’emon didn’t continue to ask where the sword came from, Meiser didn’t explain further. After all... that sword and Ryuma’s corpse were most likely stolen from the Land of Wano by Moria!
But saying such things out loud would be impolite, so it was better to keep it to himself.
Thinking of this, Meiser turned to glance at Perona, and Perona happened to look at Meiser at the same time. After their gazes met in the air, they both looked away tacitly, clearly thinking about the same thing.
Luckily this guy doesn’t know what Lord Moria did, Perona thought with some embarrassment. Otherwise, this guy might do something even more irrational.
"Ah~"
"They stopped fighting."
Sanji showed a disappointed expression and said, "Looks like I won’t get to see the Moss Head get beaten up."
Zoro: ??
"Do you want to fight, you Pervert Kappa!" Zoro roared.
What did he mean he wouldn’t get to see him get beaten up? Did Sanji want to see him get thrashed that badly?
"Heh, I won’t get beaten up because of a sword," Sanji said, his lips curling up.
Zoro: ...
He suddenly really wanted to punch this bastard.
"Hey, anyone want a midnight snack?" Sanji glanced at the others and said, "I’ll go make some."
Although it was past dinner time, Doflamingo might launch a surprise attack in the middle of the night, so it was best to eat some midnight snacks now to help maintain their stamina.
"I’ll eat! I’ll eat!"
Luffy and Merry raised their hands excitedly. "What are we having for the midnight snack?"
"Pizza~"
"Wow!"
Luffy and Merry’s eyes immediately began to glow, and their saliva flowed uncontrollably, clearly thinking of the taste of that food.
"We want to eat!"
"Alright~"
"Pit-za..."
Kin’emon, having put away his weapon, looked at Sanji and said, "Although I don’t know what it is, food coming from that man’s hands must be very delicious."
"Count me in!"
"Okay~"
Sanji nodded with a smile, then continued, "Anyone else?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Me too."
Caesar cautiously raised his hand and said, "Even though I’m a captive, I should still have the right to eat a midnight snack, right..."
Although he had eaten dinner, the food this man made was indeed delicious, so he wanted to eat a bit more.
"You?"
Sanji gave Caesar a somewhat disgusted look, then nodded and said, "Fine, just wait."
Although he really disliked Caesar as a person, since the guy was on their ship for now, he couldn’t let him go hungry. So... he’d let him eat some.
Hearing this, Caesar breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, this guy was a man who upheld a chef’s spirit; otherwise, he really wouldn’t get to taste that food.
"Let’s go then."
Meiser gave Caesar a tug and followed the crowd toward the kitchen, intending to wait there for Sanji to finish the food.
"Um..." Caesar said softly, "I can actually just wait on the deck."
That way, if Doflamingo came, he could be rescued silently. And after that... what awaited these guys would be doomsday!
"Is that so?"
Meiser looked at Caesar with a half-smile and said, "So you can be secretly rescued by someone, right?"
Having his little scheme seen through, Caesar immediately shut his mouth. After all, he didn’t want to keep getting beaten up.
"We can’t let you stay on the deck alone," Law said, looking at Caesar expressionlessly. "You are an important bargaining chip."
He could also see through Caesar’s little plan, so he wasn’t going to let him succeed.
"Tch." Caesar spat in annoyance, then thought to himself: Just you wait, you bastards!
Once Doflamingo rescued him, he would find every possible way to take revenge on these guys! The suffering he had endured during this time, he would pay them back a thousandfold!
As if sensing Caesar’s thoughts, Law snorted in disdain. Did Caesar really think he could return to Doflamingo’s side in one piece? Don’t be ridiculous! From the moment this guy was caught by them, he had already lost the right to live. The only difference was when he would die.
With a cold laugh, Law turned and followed Meiser into the kitchen, sitting down with him on the long sofa.
Caesar: ...
He felt like he was being mocked again.
"Don’t forget to take this guy’s heart out," Meiser glanced at Caesar, who was lost in thought, and said, "Otherwise, he might not behave."
"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing," Law nodded.
How could he forget such a thing? It was just that he hadn’t done it yet. When they set off tomorrow morning, he would take the other’s heart.
Hearing the conversation between Meiser and Law, Caesar immediately shuddered, then looked at them excitedly and said, "You can’t do that!"
If his heart was taken by Law, then even if he was rescued by Doflamingo, it would be meaningless! After all... Law, who held his heart, could kill him at any time!
"You have no right to choose," Law looked at Caesar expressionlessly and said, "Don’t forget your current status."
Daring to mention conditions... who gave him the courage? If it weren’t for the fact that this guy was still useful, he would have killed him long ago.
Caesar: ...
That was true, but could he not make a few requests as a prisoner? It seemed like talking to that Black Leg Sanji worked before.
"Did Sanji’s words give you some kind of illusion?" Meiser sneered.
Caesar didn’t answer, but his expression clearly said so.
"Then you’re overthinking it," Usopp chimed in. "Sanji just doesn’t like to see anyone go hungry, but that doesn’t mean you can make demands of us."
As someone who had been with his companions the whole way, Usopp knew very well what kind of person Sanji was.
Caesar showed a confused look. He doesn’t like to see anyone go hungry? What kind of bizarre personality was that?
"So I advise you to behave yourself," Meiser said, squinting at Caesar. "Otherwise, we don’t mind teaching you a lesson first."
Caesar: ...
Fine, fine, if that’s how it is. Then he! Then he’ll just behave!
Having witnessed Meiser’s power, Caesar decisively chose to follow his heart.
"He actually really settled down," Perona said with a look of disappointment. "It seems I don’t need to step in."
She had planned to use her Negative Spirits to make Caesar realize his current situation, but the guy had behaved so quickly. Forget it then; she’d let him off the hook.
Caesar: ??
Wasn’t he an important bargaining chip? Why did every single one of them want to mess with him, damn it!