Chapter 152: Cross-Dressing (Part 2)
Deidara asked in confusion, "Huh? What are you doing with these two little brats?"
"I'm not a brat, I'm Luffy!"
"Yeah, yeah~" Deidara rolled his eyes impatiently. "I can't deal with noisy kids like you."
"Let's go, we're heading back to Foosha Village to buy clothes."
"Hey hey, is it fun on the sea? Are there exciting adventures?" Luffy immediately clung to them, talking nonstop.
"There's not much fun out at sea. After a while, it gets tiresome. As the captain, you carry the lives of your crew on your shoulders."
Eric wasn't good at handling noisy kids either, and said, "Ace, keep your brother quiet. He's too loud."
"I'm not—" Luffy's mouth was instantly covered by Ace.
"By the way, do you know the final outcome of your fight with Sasuke?" Eric turned his head and asked Deidara , who was walking at the back.
"Huh? Of course he died from my ultimate art!" Deidara replied with certainty. "No one can survive my ultimate explosion. Hmph."
"..." Eric didn't know whether to tell him the truth or let him keep believing Sasuke died from his self-destruction. After all, Sasuke didn't exist in this world.
"Hey, why did you suddenly stop talking? What's going on?" Deidara noticed Eric's hesitant expression and grew annoyed.
"You were mistaken. Sasuke didn't die in your ultimate explosion," Eric finally couldn't hold it in. At the very least, Deidara should know that self-detonation doesn't guarantee a kill.
"What did you say?! Impossible! How did he survive?"
"If he had truly been hit by your explosion, of course he would've died. Unfortunately…"
"Huh?"
"He summoned Manda and used the Sharingan to control it, hiding inside Manda's body to avoid the blast. He was badly injured though."
"You're saying…"
"And your little buddy Tobi didn't die either."
"Huh? He's still alive too?"
"You didn't know, huh? Tobi is actually the hidden mastermind behind the Akame—at least the current one."
"..." A string of truths left Deidara frozen in shock.
"Hey, catch up already," someone called from ahead, snapping Deidara out of it.
"Hey! What's going on? Explain clearly!"
…
At the only children's clothing store in Foosha Village, the place was packed…
"Ace, I don't want to wear girl clothes. Skirts are so annoying…"
"You're wearing it whether you like it or not. Don't you want to get stronger? Then you have to wear it!" Ace gritted his teeth, wrestling with the girl clothes.
"What's with this poofy skirt anyway?!"
After a clumsy struggle, two little "princesses" finally emerged.
"Aww, how cute~"
"Eric, you have this kind of interest? Gotta jot this down…" Esdeath took out her notebook.
"No I don't! I'm just messing with them. Stop writing that down!"
"Ace, this thing is squeezing my waist. Can I take it off now?"
"Just wait a bit longer. My waist is hurting too…"
Click click click Eric's hand didn't stop as he rapidly snapped photos.
'Hehehe, these will be your blackmail material. I'll sell them to you at a high price later. If you don't buy them, I'll send them to the newspapers~ Let's see if you pay up…'
"Hey! That's enough already!" Ace had had it.
Eric turned to the shop lady and said, "Alright, wrap up these two dresses."
"Sure," the clerk replied, stifling her laughter as she folded the dresses and packed them neatly.
"They're yours now," Eric said, handing over the newly purchased outfits.
"We don't want them!" Ace snapped. "Now tell us about Sabo!"
"Hmm…" Eric thought for a moment and finally decided to speak. "Sabo didn't die. He just lost his memory."
"What did you say?!" Ace rushed up and grabbed Eric's collar. "Is that true?!"
"Sabo didn't die…" Luffy burst into joyful tears.
Smack! Eric knocked Ace's hand away. "It's true. He was hit by the cannon and suffered brain damage, resulting in memory loss. As for where he is now, I don't know. You'll have to search for him when you go to sea."
"Really… that's amazing." Ace fought back tears and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle. "Thank you so much for this news!"
"..." Eric felt a little guilty. How was he supposed to blackmail them with the photos after this?
Ace looked up, eyes full of hope. "Um… can you start teaching us Haki today?"
"Sure, but we'll have to wait a bit," Eric said, touching the communicator in his ear. "Teacher Chiron? It's me. Bring Carla Kana sisters, Lant, Polki, and Perona here. It's time to teach them Haki."
He could hear Perona's distant wail: "Nooo, I don't want to~"
"Yeah, we've got a new recruit. Might as well introduce everyone."
Soon, the whole crew gathered.
"Huh? Captain's little brother, where'd you find this kid? This is illegal, you know. Are these two the new recruits?"
"No, we're not." Ace and Luffy shook their heads repeatedly.
"I'm the new recruit. What's with the looks?" Deidara had recovered from his earlier shock and rolled his eyes.
"Chiron, I'll trouble you to teach them a bit of Haki," Eric said.
"Huh? You're not teaching?" Ace protested. "That's not what we agreed on!"
"But my Haki was taught by Teacher Chiron. You sure you don't want to learn from him?"
Ace immediately bowed to Chiron. "Please teach me Haki, sensei." Then he pushed Luffy's head down. "Bow, quick."
"Oh." Luffy bowed along, dazed.
"Haha, no need to be so nervous." Chiron smiled gently, easing the tension between Ace and Luffy.
"Also, Deidara , you're joining the lesson too."
"Me?" Deidara pointed at himself, wide-eyed. "I have to learn too?"
"Yup. Armament Haki should boost your explosive power. Don't let these kids outpace you."
Deidara scoffed. "Hmph, like I'd lose to those little brats…"
Once he heard it would enhance his explosive clay's power, Deidara dropped the attitude. What was more important than stronger explosions?
"And Perona, Polki, don't fall behind the newbies," Eric laid down the rule. "There'll be punishment if you do."
"Ugh~ Nooo!"
"Wuuu~" Perona pretended to cry.
Carla Kana had started training in Haki a few days ago but hadn't grasped the basics yet. Lant had managed to pick up a bit of Armament Haki, but it was unstable.
"This is for your own good. Now then," Eric was ready to slip away, "I'll be off…"
"Hold on, Captain," Chiron suddenly called out. "Wouldn't it be better if someone demonstrated? And that someone should be you."
Eric: "???"
Perona pretended to be a fangirl, looking tearful. "Yeah, Captain, you're my idol. You can't just leave me behind~"
"Huh? Then tell me—what exactly do you admire about me?!"
Perona cutely stuck out her tongue and didn't answer.
Then Eric saw the Carla Kana sisters with their hands clasped and eyes full of admiration.
"Sigh, fine… I get it…"
(END CHAPTER)
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