Chapter 116: Arrival
With two large armed sailing ships at their command, the fleet's presence became formidable. Ordinary pirates fled at the sight of them, and the Marines generally ignored vessels not flying pirate flags.
Therefore, the rest of the voyage proceeded smoothly.
After about half a day, Rhodes and his companions arrived at their destination: Black Harbor, the Kano Country's third-largest city!
It was second only to the Royal Capital and the city of Mokomo, where the Happo Navy was stationed.
Unlike the weakened Alabasta, the Kano Country's situation was quite different. The royal family was powerful, firmly controlling most of the territory.
Official armed forces, including the Happo Navy, were stationed at the mouth of the Kano Country's largest river in the city of Mokomo, guarding the Royal Capital and controlling maritime access.
The nation's military was so formidable that ordinary pirates dared not attack. Even for a major nation like this, the Marines wouldn't station troops there to avoid political complications.
Black Harbor, as its name suggested, was a gathering place for gangs, assassin organizations, and other underworld forces—a highly diverse crowd. This was why the Revolutionary Army's base in the Kano Country was also located there.
Leaving a contingent behind to guard the ships, Rhodes, Hela, and the others quickly disembarked and entered the harbor. Their impressive formation filled the docks with astonishment.
The average strength of this Revolutionary Army unit was considered top-tier in the West Blue, more than enough to influence the situation at Black Harbor, at least among the lower-level forces.
Rhodes could clearly sense some people leaving quickly, presumably to report on their arrival.
"Interesting," Rhodes said, his left hand resting lightly on his sword hilt, his eyes casually scanning the surroundings with a hint of amusement.
Behind him, the Revolutionary Army soldiers stood at attention, their gazes fixed on him. The occasional glances they cast toward Rhodes were filled with awe and respect. Clearly, Rhodes's overwhelming display of strength had already won them over completely.
"We should rendezvous with the personnel stationed here and gather the latest intelligence," Hela suggested.
A middle-aged man with a capable, weathered appearance suddenly emerged from the crowd not far away. He walked over quickly, his expression anxious.
"Hela, you're finally here!"
"Where's the commander from headquarters?"
He glanced at the assembled group and was momentarily stunned.
He knew Hela, and the rows of people behind her were obviously ordinary Revolutionary Army soldiers.
So that meant... the commander from headquarters was this young man?!
The middle-aged man was dumbfounded.
If this wasn't the only logical possibility, he would never have believed that this youth who looked no older than his own son was a commander from headquarters!
"That would be me," Rhodes said nonchalantly.
Geniuses always had to endure skeptical looks—it was perfectly normal.
The middle-aged man frowned, struggling with disbelief.
But he was shrewd and perceptive. Seeing that Hela didn't deny it, and sensing something from the way the Revolutionary Army soldiers looked at Rhodes, he temporarily suppressed his doubts.
"The martial arts tournament is about to begin," he said rapidly, clearly feeling a sense of urgency.
"Uncle Larry is already there. Commander, please hurry over so we can discuss how to respond to the situation."
"A martial arts tournament?" Rhodes raised an eyebrow with mild curiosity.
Hela, who had done her homework, explained: "It's a gathering of Kano Country underworld bosses to resolve disputes. Each faction sends their own fighters to compete, and territories are divided based on the results."
"The tournament is overseen by a representative from the Happo Navy."
Rhodes nodded in understanding.
As the saying went, it was better to regulate than to prohibit entirely.
Underworld forces like assassin organizations and gangs were impossible to completely eliminate. Where there was darkness, there would also be light.
Therefore, the Kano Country officials used these tournaments—leveraging the reputation of the Happo Navy—to keep conflicts controlled and manageable. They could even, through their established authority, exert a degree of control over the underworld forces. It was killing two birds with one stone.
"Where is it being held?"
"Here." The middle-aged man quickly pulled out a map and pointed out the location to Rhodes.
Rhodes glanced at it and noted it wasn't far from Black Harbor, just outside the city in a valley.
"You all find somewhere to rest. I'll go take a look," Rhodes said calmly.
Without waiting for Hela or the middle-aged man to respond, he took a single step forward and appeared at the end of the harbor in an instant. The next second, he vanished from sight entirely.
"So fast!"
Hela and the others watched in amazement. Not only was his lightning-based power devastatingly violent, but his speed was also terrifyingly swift.
Who could possibly withstand an opponent like that?
The middle-aged man was equally shocked. What kind of speed was this?
Like a gust of wind—in the blink of an eye, he'd already reached the edge of visibility.
With this level of strength, he couldn't possibly be as young as he appeared!
Perhaps he had an eternally youthful face, or maybe he was a Devil Fruit user with some ability that maintained a young appearance?
After this mental rationalization, the middle-aged man finally calmed down. If Rhodes were truly only seventeen or eighteen as he appeared, he would seriously have to question everything he knew about life.
Rockstone Valley.
Rhodes arrived to find the area teeming with people.
"I wonder if any tough competitors will show up this year. I'm not asking for much—just half as exciting as last time would be fine."
"How naive! Capone Bege is known as the Godfather of the West Blue. He's one of a kind, and there's no chance someone like him will appear this year."
"Who cares? We're just here to enjoy the show. If we spot someone promising, we'll bet a few hundred thousand berries and make a killing."
The chatter of spectators filled the air, and Rhodes was quietly impressed. This tournament seemed quite well-known, at least among the people of Black Harbor.
"Those must be members of the Happo Navy. They're truly elite—far superior to the West Blue Revolutionary Army forces."
Seeing the burly figures maintaining order at the entrances and throughout the venue, Rhodes's eyes gleamed with interest, though his expression remained calm.
Against someone of his caliber, ordinary human wave tactics were meaningless anyway.
In the very center of Rockstone Valley stood a natural stone platform, hundreds of meters across—roughly the size of a large plaza.
Seating had already been arranged around the platform, and currently, several muscular men were fighting shirtless on the stage, drawing cheers and jeers from the audience.
This childish, crude brawling seemed uninteresting to Rhodes, so he simply headed toward a nearby mountain, climbing higher for a better vantage point.
Halfway up the mountain, he sensed something and immediately changed direction, heading right toward a dense section of forest.
Bang!
It sounded like a fight was taking place in the woods.
Rhodes took a few more steps and spotted a middle-aged man.
He stood with an imposing posture, hands positioned like claws, his stance slightly staggered, his expression relaxed and confident.
Behind him stood a young person dressed in white.
The figure had delicate features, fair skin, and a pair of large, unusually pale pink eyes. Shoulder-length hair was the same rosy color, and the person's beauty actually rivaled Rhodes's own handsomeness.
No way!
How could there be someone more attractive than him?
Rhodes remained outwardly calm. His Observation Haki swept across the figure, instantly revealing the person's true gender—it was indeed a woman disguised as a man.
Furthermore, this woman's every movement exuded elegance and grace, her aristocratic bearing far more pronounced than even Vivi's. Clearly, she came from an exceptionally prominent background.
Rhodes shifted his attention, his gaze calmly focusing on an ancient tree before them.
Coiled around it was a massive python with golden patterns, thicker than a human thigh.
It looked... delicious.
(End of Chapter)
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