Chapter 72: He Will Not Come

Sam chattered on, his words disjointed and rambling, recounting his experiences after meeting Gao Wen.

Zoro listened silently, the cigarette in his mouth burning slowly until a searing pain reached his lips; only then did he snap back to reality and casually flicked the butt away.

He had never truly seen Gao Wen.

Yet, from Sam's words alone, he could clearly understand that this was a good man.

At the very least, he was a captain who truly placed his subordinates, or rather his comrades, in his heart; merely for that, he already far surpassed countless pirates who roamed the seas in this era.

But if Gao Wen truly was such a person, why would he have abandoned Wang Fei in her most desperate hour?

Pondering this further, there was only one possible answer.

After a moment of contemplation, Zoro said calmly:

"What if he is lying? Or perhaps he simply will not come to save you?"

Sam paused slightly, a faint smile curling his lips:

"If it were possible, I hope the captain does not come. People like us, dying is nothing, but he is different..."

"He can take others further, to the Grand Line, the New World, and even... even obtaining that legendary One Piece is not impossible."

"Truly, an incorrigible bastard."

Zoro spoke unkind words, yet his lips had unknowingly curled into a smile at some point.

It was precisely the existence of such fools that allowed people to see hope for survival in this incorrigible world.

Suddenly, he recalled his own experience of survival with Zeff back then.

Especially that scene where the man gave all the food to him, yet ate his own leg to survive.

Such a shock might never be felt again.

Ten-plus minutes later.

The pirates in the storage room had finished the fried rice on their plates; Zoro collected the dishes and was about to leave when voices of gratitude reached his ears.

"Blondie, you are a good man, just like the captain!"

Butchi's face was smeared with a few grains of fried rice, his mouth stretched almost to his ears, his fleshy cheeks trembling.

"Pity we probably won't have the chance to survive; otherwise, we would definitely invite you aboard!"

"The captain would likely like you very much; he muttered for a long time about an interesting young man at the Sea Restaurant Baratie."

"This is the best fried rice I have ever eaten!"

Amidst the rising and falling voices of the crowd, Zoro held his plates and left without looking back.

Creak~

Just as the storage room door was about to close, Zoro's voice reached everyone's ears.

"By the way."

"That man called Hawkeye just said you are an interesting group; he likely has no intention of taking your lives."

Sam and Butchi paused slightly, a glimmer of joy at surviving a disaster appearing in their eyes at that moment.

If they had a choice, they would certainly want to live, to stand under Gao Wen's flag and live as his subordinates.

At the same time.

Parra Island.

Xiang Keluo realized that Gao Wen and Zoro were missing only on the second morning.

A sense of unease arose in his heart for no reason.

Awakening Observation Haki had provided an exaggerated boost to intuition, and often, intuition was the most accurate.

"Where on earth did Gao Wen and Green-Head go?"

Xiang Keluo frowned deeply.

He gathered the pirates left behind on Parra Island; amidst their chatter, the full picture of events gradually pieced itself together.

"Not only the captain, but even Green-Head has left?"

"Come to think of it, since yesterday, the Cat Brothers have lost contact; originally, they should have been searching for the whereabouts of the Sea Restaurant Baratie in the nearby waters as ordered by the captain."

"Could there be some connection between these two?"

"Additionally, a ship is missing from the port; it seems the captain and Green-Head must have left in a small boat."

Amidst the crowd's murmurs, Xiang Keluo pressed his fingers to his brow.

He remained silent.

If it were merely the matter of the Sea Restaurant Baratie, Gao Wen should not have acted in secret from himself and the comrades under any circumstances.

Unless something had changed, involving Gao Wen's past, which is why he was unwilling to tell us?

No, if that were the case, he should not have brought Green-Head along.

He could bring Green-Head, yet was unwilling to bring us...

What difference is there between that brat who only talks about becoming the world's greatest swordsman and desperately grinding, and us?

Wait!

The world's greatest swordsman!

Xiang Keluo's pupils suddenly contracted:

"Hawkeye Mihawk?!"

"He was the one who held the Mink brothers?! If that's the case, it makes sense..."

Boom!

Xiang Keluo slammed his palm heavily on the table, and the conference room fell silent instantly.

Jin glanced sideways at Xiang Keluo, not knowing what had happened, and saw Xiang Keluo burst into curses:

"Damn it!"

"That damned bastard Gao Wen!"

Having figured out the cause and effect, Xiang Keluo didn't even bother maintaining his usual image and stood up excitedly:

"Wanting one person to bear everything and play the hero? Did he ask us, his companions?"

Nami, realizing something was wrong, suddenly had panic flash in her eyes:

"Mr. Xiang Keluo, what happened?!"

Xiang Keluo gritted his teeth:

"That bastard Gao Wen, he's going to die alone!"

Everyone was slightly stunned, then remembered Gao Wen's nearly invincible strength, and even that tiny unease in their hearts completely vanished.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding?"

"With the Captain's strength, let alone in the East Blue, even in the Grand Line, there aren't many who can match him."

"You must be overthinking it, right?"

"But what if the opponent is a man from the New World? That legendary World's First Swordsman!"

"I've heard Gao Wen mention that man more than once; he didn't even consider the possibility of winning."

Everyone fell silent instantly, staring blankly at Xiang Keluo, simply because what Xiang Keluo said was too shocking.

Gao Wen's strength, in their understanding, was already the undisputed strongest, and an opponent who could make Gao Wen have absolutely no confidence in victory, that...

Amidst the gradually uneasy eyes of the crowd, Xiang Keluo continued:

"Only this can explain why Gao Wen had to take the Green Hair along."

"Because for that guy, facing the man called the World's First Swordsman is far more important than his own life!"

"And we became his burden; no, he didn't want to watch us die with him!"

"They... they are going to bear everything alone!"

"To rescue the Mink brothers!"

As the voice fell, the scene was utterly silent.

Jin bit his lip tightly, hating his own weakness once again.

If... if I could be a little stronger, could I stand by that man's side?

With that thought.

Jin quietly tightened the double crutches in his hand and stood up without a word.

Nami pressed her lips tightly:

"Mr. Xiang Keluo, what do we do? We can't just watch the Captain go to his death!"

"Of course not!"

Xiang Keluo gritted his teeth and spoke, then looked at the pirates around him, his tone extremely serious:

"This operation has a very high probability of wiping us all out. I won't force you to walk the path of death with me; that guy's personality would absolutely never tolerate such a thing."

"Those who don't want to die, get out now!"

As the voice fell, no one in the conference room moved, and not even a single person made a motion to stand up.

Seeing the determined gazes of the crowd, Xiang Keluo's lips gradually curved upward as he said:

"That guy is still so popular!"

"Since that's the case, then come die with me!"

"But before that, we first need to find the location of the Sea Restaurant Baratie. This matter..."

(End of this chapter)