Chapter 61: Hawk-Eyes Leaves, Whiskey Peak!
"What are you staring at? Hurry and take Zoro down for treatment!" At this time, Lister spoke.
He acted as if he didn't hear the dialogue between Zoro and Hawkeye.
After finishing the last piece of meat, he wiped his hands.
He stood up, holding Koye Shigure, and walked towards Hawkeye.
"Let's continue!" Lister said coldly.
"There's no need. I had fun today! Let's save the second half of the fight for the future." Hawkeye gave Lister a deep look.
He turned, leaped back to his small boat, and left without looking back.
Lister did not forcibly try to keep Hawkeye.
He quietly watched Hawkeye leave.
Although a swordsman must always move forward.
There was no need to bang his head against a wall.
Continuing to pester him would only put himself in danger.
So, sometimes choosing to be flexible wasn't a form of cowardice.
"In that case, I'll save my second half of the fight for the future. Next time, I will absolutely not be forced into such a pathetic state again," Lister muttered to himself.
The others on the ship, watching Hawkeye leave, all let out a long sigh of relief.
"A Warlord of the Sea, the World's Number One Swordsman? What terrifying power!" Nami patted her chest, feeling like she had just survived a disaster.
Then she looked at Lister with a worried expression and asked:
"Lister, are you alright!!"
"How could I not be!" Lister shook his head.
"But you were injured just now!" Nami said.
"It's healed 'zero-two-zero'!" Lister said.
"Oh right, I almost forgot. Lister has the Super-Speed Regeneration ability!" Nami realized, remembering the life-saving ability Lister had shown her before.
"How is Johnson!" Lister asked.
"He's fine," Nami said quickly.
"The waves were really big.
"But there were many ships nearby.
"He successfully escaped to another ship before the Old Money sank!"
"Well, that's good!!"
Lister breathed a sigh of relief.
Although, in the beginning, Johnson and the others had been forcibly recruited.
But after getting along for so long.
And drinking at so many banquets.
They naturally had some friendship.
If he had died, he might not be especially sad, but he would inevitably feel some grief!
Now that he wasn't dead, it was truly a joyous occasion for all.
"Alright, the matter is resolved. Let's continue forward!"
"Okay!!"
After Hawkeye's disturbance.
The Money Pirates, which originally had ten pirate ships, now only had nine.
The First Division also only had one ship left.
In the end, under Lister's adjustment, he transferred one ship from the Third Division to the First Division, and also distributed some of the crew to the other divisions.
This way, the four divisions each had two ships.
The numbers were balanced again.
Of course, looking at it from another angle.
The Money Pirates had just entered the Grand Line and had already lost one-third of their strength and ships!
Lister was helpless about this!
...
Today, the wind was gentle and the sun was bright.
A rare good weather day after the Money Pirates entered the Grand Line.
Lister began a new round of training.
He blindfolded his eyes, then activated overclock mode.
He had the two girls, Akame and Sheele, hit him with wooden sticks.
In the beginning, Lister couldn't react.
He was beaten quite miserably.
But, as time went on.
Even without using his eyes, Lister could gradually sense everything around him.
It became difficult for Akame and Sheele to hit him.
[Inspired by Hawkeye, after several days of repeated training, and with the assistance of overclock mode, finally awakened Observation Haki!]
After Observation Haki was awakened.
Lister turned off overclock mode, and again had Akame, Sheele, Youlan, Shizuka, and the other girls attack him in turns.
This caused his Observation Haki to improve by leaps and bounds.
Until, even with his eyes covered, he could move freely under the siege of the twelve girls.
He knew his Observation Haki could be used in actual combat!
...
After Lister completely mastered Observation Haki.
The next day.
They finally saw the first island in the Grand Line!!
"Captain, an island has been spotted ahead!" the lookout shouted excitedly.
"Oh??"
Lister, who was lying on a chair, drinking afternoon tea, and reading the newspaper to pass the time, heard the lookout.
He immediately perked up.
Nami and Nojiko beside him were the same.
The three of them stood up and walked towards the bow.
Youlan immediately handed a telescope to Lister.
Lister gave Youlan a rewarding glance.
Then took the telescope from her hand!!
He looked at the island ahead.
Nami and Nojiko beside him also each had a telescope.
"Wow, what a huge cactus!" Nojiko was the first to exclaim.
"It really is huge, how magnificent. The Grand Line is indeed a magical place," Nami agreed.
"Here!!" Lister was a little surprised.
He didn't expect the compass he bought randomly would point to Whisky Peak, the bounty hunters' lair.
He didn't know if these compasses were intentionally scattered by someone, or if it was really just an accident!
"Lister, you know this place??" Nami asked.
In her impression, Lister was that magical. He had clearly never been to those places.
But he was very familiar with the people and events there.
She was used to it by now.
"I know a little. This is Whisky Peak, the bounty hunters' lair. So, we're entering the wolf's den!" Lister said directly.
"The bounty hunters' lair??" Nami's face turned pale.
"That compass seller was such a swindler!"
"Lister, what do we do now??"
"What can we do! We'll just meet force with force!" Lister smiled faintly.
"Don't worry, with my current strength, a mere group of bounty hunters is not enough to threaten me!"
Hearing this, Nami relaxed slightly.
As the Money Pirates got closer to Whisky Peak, the river banks were crowded with people, and fireworks and cannons were constantly going off.
Everyone in the town was enthusiastically welcoming the Money Pirates.
If they didn't know the situation, they would think they were really welcoming pirates.
Knowing the inside story, everyone's smiling face hid a vigilant heart.
Lister, based on the principle of 'not taking advantage is a waste'.
He accepted the enthusiastic hospitality of the residents of Whisky Peak.
Night.
The banquet began.
The seats were full.
Everyone toasted each other, drinking and talking happily.
Boasting and joking.
Without the slightest bit of courtesy.
They completely mingled.
Lister, as the captain, naturally received special treatment.
One after another, people scrambled to toast him.
He didn't refuse anyone.
He clinked glasses with everyone.
He drank heartily.
And ate an unknown amount of food.
The bounty hunters of Whisky Peak watched, their hearts aching.
But, you can't catch a wolf if you're not willing to sacrifice your child.
In order to completely take down Lister and his crew.
They also went all out.
They brought out all their food, supplying Lister and his crew to eat their fill.
Lister was also very cooperative.
When he had eaten his fill.
He directly pretended to be drunk.
And rested in the rooms provided by the locals with Nami and the other girls.
Lister did not tell Johnson and the others the true situation of this town.
They really got dead drunk and unconscious.
...
Late at night!
Everyone in the Money Pirates had fallen into a drunken stupor.
It was completely silent.
On the other side.
In the residence of the mayor, Igarappoi (Igaram)...
"Are they all asleep??"
"They're asleep!!"
"That bunch of bastards can really eat. They finished a month's worth of food for several hundred people in our town in one meal."
"If I can't find enough food from their pirate ships to cover the loss, I estimate we'll starve to death in less than three days!"
"Don't worry, I looked at the pirate ship's waterline. The ships should be loaded with a lot of food and supplies!"
"Those guys not only ate all my food for a month, they drank all my wine. Every single one of them is dead drunk."
"When do we make our move??"
"No hurry, let's wait a little longer. It's not too late to make a move after they've completely fallen asleep!!"
"Fine!"
"Mayor, tell us about this pirate crew. With so many people, they shouldn't be nobodies, right? Their bounties should be high."
At this time, all the bounty hunters looked at the mayor, Igarappoi (Igaram).
Igarappoi (Igaram) looked at everyone's expectant gazes, cleared his throat, and said: "Alright, I'll tell you."
"This pirate crew has eight people with bounties. Among them, the captain, Lister, has a 60 million Beri bounty. The girl who killed the Marine Captain, Nojiko, has a 50 million bounty. The General Captain, Roronoa Zoro, has a 20 million bounty..."
"The total bounties for this pirate crew exceed 170 million Beri! If we pull this off, we won't have to worry for the next year and a half."
"Holy cow! This is really... no business for three years, one score feeds you for three. This Money Pirates... I'm taking them!"
"That's right, we're taking them!"
"It's about time. We can make our move!"
"Understood!!"
The group of bounty hunters walked out of Mayor Igarappoi's (Igaram's) residence, formed groups, and secretly crept towards the place where the Money Pirates were resting.
After those bounty hunters left, a blue-haired girl walked into Mayor Igarappoi's (Igaram's) residence.
"Princess Vivi, you're here??" Ikalem (Igaram) saw Vivi enter, quickly ran outside, looked left and right, and after seeing no one was paying attention, closed the door and asked softly.
"Ikalem, ever since that pirate crew arrived, my eyelid has been twitching! I feel like something bad is going to happen!
This operation... it's not going to have an accident, is it?" Vivi asked, worried.
"Princess, you're overthinking it. The Money Pirates are all dead drunk. There shouldn't be any accidents."
"But, what Princess worries about is also a problem.
"We must be prepared for the unexpected.
"You are of royal blood, the future of Alabasta. You cannot be in any danger.
"How about this... while they've just left and haven't started, I'll take you to a safe place to hide first!
"This way, if we succeed, it's for the best. I'll have just taken an extra precaution for your safety. If we fail, and anger those pirates, causing them to massacre the town...
"You can also escape!!" Ikalem (Igaram) said after thinking.
"What about you??" Vivi asked.
"My identity now is the mayor of Whisky Peak. I can't leave for now!" Ikalem (Igaram) said.
"Ikalem!!" Vivi looked at Ikalem (Igaram) with worry.
"Your Highness, don't worry. If a crisis really occurs, I will escape in time.
"After all, I haven't seen you find the real culprit harming Alabasta.
"And I haven't seen you become Queen. I can't bear to die just like this," Ikalem (Igaram) said.
"Alright!!"
Vivi was convinced by Ikalem (Igaram).
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