I Will Become Hokage in One Piece

Chapter 38: Whisky Peak

The days of sailing continued, but now Laboon's body was spacious enough to accommodate them inside.

The sky above them, painted by Crocus during his idle time, was bright with blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Whatever paint he used, it remained uncorroded by Laboon's stomach acid.

The light blue stomach acid spread like a vast lake, with a small island floating at its center. On the island stood a cozy wooden house, accompanied by a coconut tree. Between the tree and the house, several pieces of clothing hung on a drying rack.

Aside from the occasional noise, the atmosphere was quite peaceful, perfect for relaxation and vacation.

But what was causing the noise? Rodney had created a group of shadow clones who were currently practicing Rokushiki and Fish-Man Karate.

His chakra had reached a level where he could create hundreds of shadow clones at once. Each clone cultivated and shared its experiences with him, exponentially accelerating his training. It was a truly terrifying prospect!

Crocus couldn't help but exclaim, "Young people these days are truly remarkable. The ability to walk on water alone is already amazing, but what kind of Devil Fruit has this kid eaten?"

"Prophecy, healing, avatars, water-walking... He's bound to have a bright future. If he develops these abilities further, he will have a place in the pirate world."

Suddenly, Crocus felt as if he had been left behind by the times. No, he simply couldn't keep up. 

Such versatile abilities would have been considered extraordinary in his era as well, but the weakness of his avatar ability had limited its potential. Otherwise, he could have dominated the seas with just the avatar alone. No wonder the kid said no one could catch him if he didn't want to be caught.

Returning his attention to the reading material in his hands, Crocus deepened his gaze. 

"Jiraiya? You're such an incredible author."

...

Laboon swam through the depths of the sea, following Crocus' instructions. With its colossal size, even creatures several times larger than the Sea Kings of East Blue dared not approach. 

They had no concerns about the unpredictable weather either. No matter how rough the waves were on the surface, it wouldn't affect them hundreds of meters below. For Laboon, this depth was like a shallow pond.

...

"Woo~"

Not long after, Laboon emerged from the sea, and Crocus climbed out through the valve on its back. In the distance, land came into view—an island with a dense population of enormous spherical cacti, shrouded in a mist that gave it an ethereal appearance.

Checking the magnetic recording pointer on his wrist, Crocus said to Rodney, who had just emerged, "Rodney, the magnetic force in the recording pointer is not sufficient. We need to stop here and allow it to recharge." 

Since Rodney was still learning, Crocus held onto the device for the time being.

The magnetic force varied on each island, and the pointer needed to record the local magnetic energy for a certain period before it would point to the next island. They would have to wait here for a while, but the duration was uncertain. It could take a few hours or even a year.

"We've only been traveling for a few days," Rodney said. "Is it already time?"

"Haha, don't underestimate Laboon's speed. We can stay in the deep sea area, but we can't venture into the shallows. That's why we need to resurface," Crocus explained, patting Laboon's skin. 

"Laboon, let's resurface for now, and we'll resume our journey once the magnetic power is fully charged."

"Woo~" Laboon responded with a call.

"In that case, Rodney, I'm relying on you," Crocus said as he tossed a rope and brought out a board resembling a surfboard.

"Easy," Rodney replied.

Rodney tied the rope around his waist and leaped off Laboon's back, landing on the sea surface one step ahead of Crocus.

Steadying himself, he declared, "Shave!"

With a single swift motion, he began running across the water's surface, leading Crocus along. Crocus held onto the rope while standing on the wooden board, which acted like a surfboard, effortlessly slicing through the waves at high speed as they made their way toward the island ahead.

Not long after their arrival, Crocus remarked, "This is Whiskey Peak. I've heard of it, but I haven't visited much."

Whiskey Peak was relatively close to Twin Cape, but he was uncertain about the specifics.

However, Rodney knew more about it.

It was a town known for welcoming pirates, but in reality, it served as a gathering place for bounty hunters and was connected to the covert criminal organization known as Baroque Works.

Smiling mischievously, Rodney suggested, "Old man, let's head to town first. Since it's called Whiskey Peak, I wonder if they have any good whiskey."

"They're all a bunch of alcoholics, and good liquor is what they yearn for," Crocus agreed.

The young and the old set off toward the town, surrounded by towering spherical cacti.

As they arrived in a low-key manner, there was no grand reception from the townspeople. Nevertheless, the presence of two unfamiliar faces drew some attention.

A person quietly took out Rodney's previous wanted poster and whispered, "Joestar J. Rodney, a bounty hunter from East Blue with a bounty of three million bellies. Quite the catch, but I don't recognize who he is."

Unbeknownst to them, Rodney's arrest warrant from the Marines had been revoked by Koby's team, rendering the poster useless.

They had obtained the poster earlier, but unfortunately, its revocation came quicker than expected, and they weren't aware of the specific details.

The bounty hunters in town had already set their sights on capturing Rodney and turning him in to the Marines for a hefty reward.

"Then let's prepare a feast and give this bounty hunter a warm welcome."

"No problem," they gathered together, sharing sinister smiles. They weren't the most virtuous individuals.

This was their modus operandi—knowing their own individual strengths were limited, they banded together to take advantage of the arrogance displayed by other groups. They deceived naive newcomers who were unaware of the dangers of the world, subjecting them to severe beatings in exchange for the bounties on their heads.

Many young and inexperienced pirates had fallen prey to their tactics.

However, Rodney was well aware of their true nature and played his part as an experienced individual.

Rodney and Crocus had only been in town for a short while when they found themselves surrounded by a group of people wearing hopeful expressions. One of them eagerly asked, "Excuse me, are you two pirates?"

Crocus laughed and replied, "I used to be a pirate a few years ago, but I've since retired."

"Wow, why did you retire? Pirates are considered heroes of the sea," another person inquired.

"Well, I'm getting old and my health isn't what it used to be," Crocus chuckled. 

He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease deep within. The reputation of pirates in the sea wasn't exactly stellar. Back in his day, encounters with townspeople wouldn't have been so welcoming. It was odd to witness this level of admiration and lack of fear.

This was the first time he had encountered such a town that welcomed pirates, and it left him with a peculiar feeling.

"Is the young man next to you your grandson?" someone asked.

Rodney: ...

With a smile plastered on his face, Rodney remained silent.

Before Crocus could respond, the man continued, now flattering him, "Your grandson must be a powerful pirate, right?"

Rodney kept his smile but listened intently as the group showered him with praise. Crocus originally intended to clarify the situation, but seeing the smile on Rodney's face, he sensed that he was harboring some mischievous intent and decided against it.

At that moment, Rodney spoke up, his voice trailing off, capturing everyone's attention. 

"Actually..." he began, drawing out his words, "...I'm a bounty hunter."

Everyone: ...

An awkward silence descended upon the group. Those who were unaware of the truth didn't know how to respond. The flattery they had just showered on Rodney suddenly felt out of place.

Feeling the eerie atmosphere, Crocus let out a laugh and walked away with Rodney.

"Damn! This kid played us!"

"That's right, but we have to find a way to capture them!"

"He's just a bounty hunter like us! He's worth a fortune!"

"No, you're overthinking it. Look at that smirk on his face. I don't know why, but I really want to punch him."

"Count me in."

"Me too!"