Chapter 113: Journey to the Kano Country
"A ramen shop?"
"Tsk, why set a meeting point in a place like this?"
Rhodes clicked his tongue, then opened the door and walked in, casually saying, "Hey, I'll have a bowl of ramen."
"Extra green onions, please."
Behind the counter stood a mature, attractive woman with a voluptuous figure and long, slender legs. She wore black stockings and high heels, making her even taller than Rhodes.
She glanced at him with a hint of surprise.
Then, amid the shocked and envious gazes of the other customers in the ramen shop, she reached out and pulled him behind the counter.
"How annoying! Just because you're handsome doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"
"Yeah, just because he's handsome, he can do whatever he wants. Why don't you try going back there and see if you don't get thrown out?"
"Forget it, forget it. I don't want to end up at the doctor's."
The customers strained their ears, trying to hear something juicy.
Meanwhile, Rhodes and the woman had already arrived in the courtyard behind the ramen shop.
A moment of silence fell.
The mature woman looked Rhodes up and down, her gaze giving him an unsettling chill.
"So the legendary Dragon Slayer swordsman isn't much to look at, huh? You don't have three heads and six arms, and you don't look particularly imposing either."
She circled around Rhodes, her plunging neckline revealing a dazzling expanse of pale skin. Her proportions were enough to dominate any woman he'd ever met, even surpassing Robin.
Rhodes narrowed his eyes at her and said unhappily, "Sorry to disappoint you."
He could tell that while this woman might have a mature figure, she possessed the temperament of a troublesome younger girl.
"Tsk," the woman tutted, hands on her hips. "I've been waiting here for you since September. It's already December—can't I even complain a little?"
Rhodes didn't bother arguing with her and simply asked, "When are we heading to the West Army headquarters?"
Hela didn't seem interested in prolonging the banter. She snorted softly, "Right now. I'm sick of waiting here."
"Follow me," she said, leading Rhodes out the back door and toward the harbor to board a ship.
The West Blue Revolutionary Army headquarters wasn't far from Skokshan Island.
Led by Hela, Rhodes navigated through numerous hidden routes and soon met with the West Army Commander, Morley.
"Hahahaha..."
"Finally meeting you, Commander Rhodes! Your name has been on everyone's lips these days."
Morley was a giant, but not a traditional one. Unlike the typically rough-and-tumble giants, he was remarkably polite and feminine in mannerisms!
His attire was even more striking.
Could anyone imagine a giant wearing a short plaid skirt?
Rhodes couldn't bear to look directly at him. He listened to Morley's speech, occasionally responding, but kept his eyes fixed on Hela instead. She was far easier on the eyes.
"How rude," Morley huffed, then said bluntly, "Your subordinates have been assigned. If you have no objections, let's depart for the Kano Country in the next couple of days."
"The situation there is getting rather dire."
"Fine by me."
Rhodes was more than ready to leave.
When he stepped outside, he found Hela following him. He couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"
"Am I so handsome you can't bear to leave?"
"Bah!" Hela scoffed, then said with a sour expression, "I'm your adjutant!"
"Adjutant?"
Rhodes glanced at her in surprise. Someone with such... generous proportions was going to be his adjutant?
Hela sensed something off about Rhodes's gaze, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
At the harbor, aboard a large armed sailing vessel, a group of Revolutionary Army soldiers had already received their orders. They'd prepared their supplies and stood on deck, waiting.
"Who do you think will be the officer heading to the Kano Country this time?"
"Don't know, but I heard they're from headquarters."
"From headquarters? They must be pretty powerful, right?"
Several Revolutionary Army soldiers discussed the situation, their expressions a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
The Kano Country was no easy assignment. Compared to other nations in the West Blue, this vast country was the most dangerous. It not only had powerful gangs but also the legally sanctioned armed group known as the "Happo Navy."
The previous officer had died in a firefight there.
So naturally, they hoped their new superior would be considerably stronger.
Just then, two figures slowly appeared in the distance, approaching.
As they drew closer, their features and attire came into clear view.
"Huh?"
The Revolutionary Army soldiers couldn't help but express a flicker of surprise. The man in white who first boarded the ship was incredibly young—looking no more than twenty, much younger than any of them.
This was the first time they'd seen such a young Revolutionary Army commander.
If Hela hadn't been following behind him, the soldiers wouldn't have even considered him an officer.
Facing the skeptical stares, Rhodes remained unfazed. He was used to the doubt that came with his youthful appearance.
It was simply because his strength had improved so rapidly.
"Supplies are ready? Then let's depart. Hela, you're in command."
With that, Rhodes turned and walked into the cabin.
Having an adjutant was convenient—it meant delegating all the tedious matters.
After Rhodes left, the expressions of astonishment on the faces of the Revolutionary Army soldiers on deck only deepened.
Being young was one thing, but being so aloof and willful too?
Shouldn't he normally introduce himself and get to know his subordinates first?
Hela was also somewhat surprised, but on second thought, it made sense. Rhodes, at his age, had already become a commander and was renowned across the seas.
Of course, a martial arts fanatic like him wouldn't want to deal with such trivial matters.
"It doesn't matter if he doesn't care about formalities. I just hope this Dragon Slayer swordsman is as powerful as the rumors say."
Hela withdrew her gaze from Rhodes's retreating figure, switching to a stern expression as she issued orders, directing the Revolutionary Army to set sail.
Under Hela's command, the Revolutionary Army soldiers were well-disciplined. Even if they had doubts, they kept them to themselves. However, they were inevitably pessimistic about the upcoming mission to the Kano Country.
Rhodes's deeds had spread widely throughout the Grand Line, causing quite a stir. But for these Revolutionary Army soldiers who had never ventured beyond the West Blue, that world seemed too distant to be truly real.
"I've never heard of such a young commander. He doesn't seem very reliable."
"Maybe the commander from headquarters is actually capable?"
"No matter how young and strong someone is, there are limits. The enemies we'll face in the Kano Country aren't simple."
After setting sail, the soldiers exchanged glances with one another, and they all saw a trace of grim resignation in each other's eyes. They felt their prospects were bleak.
The captain's quarters at the top of the ship—naturally, Rhodes's room.
"The Warlord appointment will take about twenty days. There's no need to rush. Since Sengoku agreed, he won't change his mind."
Rhodes sat with his legs crossed, thought for a moment, then reached out and picked up the intelligence file about the Kano Country from the table.
"Hmm, it really is quite complicated. Gangs, pirates, the royal family, the Happo Navy..."
A gleam flashed in his eyes as he decided to handle the situation in his own way.
(End of Chapter)
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