Chapter 42

"How miserable, Buggy."

On the deck of the Orange Orchard, Siano picked up his fishing rod, put down the newspaper he had just bought, and laughed until he was doubled over.

It wasn't his fault for setting someone up.

Arlong was dead, and there were only such small fry left in the East Blue; he really couldn't find a second character who fit the "hiding his true strength" description in Nezumi’s phone call.

There was no help for it; he could only let the great god Buggy take the blame.

Thinking about it, the holder of Conqueror’s Luck shouldn't capsize in such a small storm.

Actually, if you really think about it, the cleanup fleet sent by Marine Headquarters might not necessarily want to wipe out the Buggy Pirates.

As long as they could scare them out of the East Blue and force them into the Grand Line, the mission would be considered complete.

The Four Seas were the basic foundation of the World Government’s rule, and the vastness of the population and land far exceeded the Grand Line. The East Blue had been peaceful for a long time since Roger’s execution and couldn't tolerate too big a storm.

And the Grand Line was more like a battle royale track prepared for pirates; there was no need to deliberately manage it much, as they would die off seven or eight out of ten just by killing each other.

The fishing rod was still held quietly in his hand, with no movement.

Siano didn't care.

Fishing was a hobby he had practiced as a corporate slave in his previous life, and he hadn't touched it much since he was reincarnated.

Now he was just doing it to adjust his state of mind, which had been too tense and hadn't fully recovered, so he just grabbed half a red bean bun as bait, not expecting any stupid fish to take the hook at all.

"Boss."

The voice of the skinny monkey came from the watchtower. "Shimotsuki Village can already be seen ahead; we’ll be there in at most half an hour."

"Is that so?"

Siano was a bit surprised; it was half a day faster than he had expected. Arlong’s ship really did have a decent speed.

He put the fishing rod aside, turned his head, and looked far away at the horizon. Sure enough, he could vaguely see the outline of an island.

Coming to Shimotsuki Village this time, besides fleecing them for some more wool, was also to solve the matter of Zeff’s severed leg.

Originally, he thought the best solution was for the trading market to refresh that kind of miraculous medicine that could regenerate flesh and blood.

Such things were very rare, but he wasn't too anxious; after all, there were still several years until the agreed date, so he could just wait slowly.

But what he didn't expect was that two months ago, when he bought "Iron Bone," he happened to refresh this thing—

[Genos’s Biochemical Prosthetic Legs]

[Type: Equipment]

[Price: 625 points]

[Description: Mechanical legs modified by Dr. Kuseno in the One-Punch Man world, which can automatically adjust to fit disabled people of various heights and body types, and possess self-repair functions]

[Seller’s Note: Finally let me pick up a valuable sacrifice. Wait, why is a bald guy walking toward me with a dark face?]

It seemed this plan wasn't bad either; it belonged to joining the glorious evolution.

Siano bought it on the spot, ready to deliver it to Zeff.

It was just that.

In this way, what would the old man’s title become after he went to sea with him in the future...

Siano shrugged and looked at his remaining points again.

Over the past year, aside from buying the training manuals for "Six Styles" and "Flesh Melting Furnace Method" whenever he could, he hadn't spent much recklessly.

Plus what he earned from the Arlong Pirates and Nezumi over the past few days, his remaining points were exactly 36,000, only two or three thousand less than a year ago.

"Nothing worth buying this month; have to wait until next month."

Siano was pinching his chin, pondering, when the fishing rod under his feet suddenly shook and slid toward the outside of the ship. He hurriedly stepped on it.

Even this wouldn't come up empty-handed?!

He gripped the fishing rod with one hand and weighed it; it was quite heavy, estimated to be over a hundred pounds. Siano was overjoyed and immediately pulled hard—

Swish, a green-haired youth with a stubborn neck biting a red bean bun was fished out of the water and turned his head to look blankly.

"..."

After making eye contact, three black lines appeared on Siano’s forehead.

"Why is it you!!!" the two shouted in unison.

An hour later, on the country path leading to the Isshin Dojo.

"So, you were just swimming twenty laps of breaststroke around the whole island to exercise your leg muscles?"

"Yeah, the goal Uncle Zeff set for me."

Zoro walked at the front, holding seven or eight red bean buns in both hands, devouring them. "It’s very tiring. I was starving after swimming only twelve laps, otherwise I wouldn't have been fished up by your bun!"

"Oh, I see... no, wait, this isn't right, is it?" Siano widened his eyes. "You don't practice swordsmanship properly and hurry to catch up to Kuina, why are you running off to learn leg techniques?"

Could it be that he had been beaten up by Kuina for another year, and his confidence was gone?

"That’s not it!"

Zoro heard what Siano meant and couldn't help but shout, "It’s that stinky curly-browed brat! He started following Uncle Zeff to learn leg techniques more than half a year ago, and he was learning quite smoothly. After being praised by Uncle a few times, he came to show off in front of me. I couldn't stand it, so I also started..."

Siano was quick-eyed and grabbed Zoro, who was burying his head and walking to the right. "Where are you walking, left!"

Damn it, I remembered the way after coming here once; how did you manage to walk the wrong way every day on this path!

"Oh, it seems it really is the left."

Zoro scratched his head. "Anyway, I also started looking for Uncle Zeff to practice leg techniques, but I haven't fallen behind in swordsmanship either! I just want to prove to that stinky curly-brow that my talent is much stronger than his. It’s just a leg technique, right? I can practice it in a few hours every day!"

While speaking.

The group had already followed Zoro to the front of the Isshin Dojo.

Before they even entered the door, they saw the golden-haired curly-browed youth in the courtyard, holding a bamboo sword in each hand, with one bitten in his mouth, standing in a horse stance and swinging his sword rapidly, making the surrounding wooden stakes clatter.

"..."

Siano was silent.

He took a step back and looked at the doorplate. This was the Isshin Dojo; he hadn't walked the wrong way.

"I say, Zoro..." Nojiko poked Zoro’s arm and asked secretly, "That guy looks so strange; why does he insist on biting one in his mouth too."

"Stupid, right? I think so too!"

Zoro took a bite of a red bean bun and sneered. "This guy saw that I was a unique two-sword style swordsman and insisted on proving he was stronger, so he bit one in his mouth too, and even claimed to be some three-sword style swordsman! He’s crazy; who fights like that!"

"It is stupid." Nami and Nojiko nodded in deep agreement.

Sanji noticed the large group of people outside at this time.

"Mr. Siano! Why are you here!"

He first showed surprise, then saw Zoro at the front and couldn't help but put his hands on his hips and laugh.

"Hey! Green-hair! How was my sword speed just now? It’s not much slower than yours anymore, right? In a few months, I’ll see that you won't be able to beat me, not just Kuina, but even my swordsmanship!"

"Don't dream, idiot!"

Zoro folded his arms and sneered, then turned and kicked, and the doorplate of the Isshin Dojo was instantly blown to pieces.

"Why don't you see my leg technique? See this power? It has completely surpassed you! Leg techniques are just easier to learn than swordsmanship!"

"Fart!"

Sanji was furious, and with three swords out at once, he instantly chopped the broken pieces of the doorplate on the ground into even finer wood chips.

"See that! It’s clearly that swordsmanship is nothing amazing!"

"Leg technique!"

"Swordsmanship!"

The two of them were nose-to-nose, arguing more and more intensely.

They didn't notice at all that behind them, Zeff and Koshiro were standing side-by-side at some point, their faces as black as the bottom of a pot...

(End of chapter)