Meanwhile, Aqua, with her goddess robe tied around her waist and humming a cheerful tune, was walking back to the Thousand Sunny.
Through the translucent pale pink robe, a basketball-sized giant bird egg was faintly visible, nestled within.
As for the liquor she had been longing for, there was no trace of it.
Here’s what happened: on her way to find a tavern in Loguetown, Aqua happened to pass by a vendor selling various types of eggs.
Then, she immediately set her sights on an unusually large and exquisite bird egg on the stall.
With the thought, “A child hatched from such a big egg must be super cute,” Aqua decisively asked for the price.
The vendor, who apparently didn’t read newspapers, failed to recognize Aqua’s identity.
Seeing her delicate, water-blue eyes, he calmly held up two fingers.
“Two million Berries, right? I happen to have that amount!”
Fortunate that the money she had was just enough, Aqua eagerly tossed the two million Berries meant for liquor from Icey and happily picked up the giant bird egg, turning to leave.
The vendor was left completely dumbfounded by this move.
This giant egg was found near Warship Island by his friend, a traveling merchant, who had consigned it to this place.
Not knowing exactly what species it belonged to, he had priced it at 20,000 Berries—a few hundred times the price of ordinary eggs—as an experiment.
He never expected this beautiful young lady to be so clueless, tossing down two million Berries without a second thought!
Profit, huge profit!
The crooked vendor quickly packed up and disappeared in the blink of an eye…
Just as he had feared, Aqua returned to the same street half an hour later after circling Loguetown.
However, she was not there to return the egg.
“Although it looks familiar, I don’t see the egg vendor,” Aqua muttered, looking around with determination. “I guess the goddess didn’t get lost; the path just looks similar!”
She didn’t even realize that the “unfamiliar road” implied more serious problems than the “original road,” still feeling proud of her precise judgment…
Having come to such a natural conclusion, the silly goddess continued on her way back to the port.
Many passersby recognized her from the newspapers and greeted her.
Aqua responded with a smile, distributing the Axis Cult flyers she had been carrying.
When it came to spreading the word about the goddess of water, her usual laziness vanished, and her enthusiasm soared!
After another half hour of wandering, when she saw the flyers in the hands of store employees, she finally realized she was truly lost!
“Darn Icey, that bastard must have cursed the goddess!” Aqua grumbled, recalling Icey’s instructions before she left, and naturally blamed him for her predicament.
How could the revered water goddess get lost otherwise, especially when she had been memorizing the route?
The more Aqua thought about it, the more convinced she became, given that Icey often gained new abilities.
So, she cast the strongest purification magic on herself.
Brilliant blue light immediately bloomed on the bustling street.
Witnessing such a holy sight, the amazed passersby, including hesitant residents, signed their names on the flyers without a second thought!
Though not as fanatical as the devout followers in Frosta Town, they still contributed a bit of faith power to Aqua.
Aside from this unexpected gain, Aqua’s purification magic failed to dispel the non-existent “Icey curse” and attracted a group of vicious pirates.
“How considerate of you to reveal your location knowing we’re looking for you.”
At the end of the street, where pedestrians fled in fear, a gang of muscular Fishmen approached.
Leading them was, of course, Arlong, the captain of the Arlong Pirates.
With a cruel smile on his face, he held a freshly printed newspaper.
Realizing that Loguetown was unsuitable for plundering, he planned to leave with his men this morning.
However, after seeing the newly released newspaper and recalling that the so-called “goddess of water” was in town, Arlong immediately changed his strategy.
A user who could summon water at will was the perfect tool for Fishmen like them.
If they could capture her at sea and even on land, they could unleash their full combat power and become the most powerful race without any weaknesses!
“So, human, obediently join us and become my companion,” Arlong said, stopping in front of Aqua, his arrogant tone leaving no room for refusal.
“No way, who would join seafood like you that reeks of fish!” Aqua retorted, full of disdain. “And besides, I’m not just any human!”
“Then don’t blame me for using force.”
Having been described as seafood, Arlong’s eyes turned cold.
The Fishmen crew members, including Hachi the octopus Fishman, Kuroobi the ray Fishman, and Chew the kissing Fishman, as well as a group of Fishman minions, drew their weapons in anger.
The atmosphere grew tense, and the surrounding crowd scattered.
After yesterday’s conflict, the townspeople knew this group of Fishmen pirates belonged to the Seven Warlords of the Sea, an entity even Captain Smoker couldn’t handle!
…
Meanwhile, in another part of Loguetown.
Unaware of Aqua’s sudden predicament, Icey and Meow Meow were leaving the town’s only steel alloy processing plant.
A new flintlock pistol, almost as large as Meow Meow’s waist, was strapped to his back, and his slightly fierce cat face was full of displeasure.
“I saw it myself; a welding machine was priced at 80,000 Berries on the counter, but their material list said 170,000!”
“That scoundrel clearly wanted to rip us off. Why did you agree to it, meow?”
Recalling the factory owner’s cunning expression, Meow Meow couldn’t contain his anger.
As a member of Team Rocket, known for their villainous deeds, he was used to robbing others, not being treated like a fat sheep to be slaughtered!
Icey looked down at the indignant Meow Meow and felt a wave of satisfaction.
Though newly joined, this guy was already starting to think about the team’s interests.
Aside from strength and personality, this alone was commendable!
“Meow Meow, what kind of person do you think I am?” Icey asked a seemingly unrelated question.
Meow Meow looked up and scrutinized Icey for a moment, giving a straightforward evaluation, “You seem gentle and approachable but are actually a sinister and nasty guy, meow?”
“Thank you for the compliment. You’re quite accurate,” Icey laughed.
As he had once told Aqua, he didn’t consider being called cunning and deceitful an insult.
“In that case, why did you so casually give them a million Berries deposit, meow?” Meow Meow’s confusion deepened.
Building a robot required many things: essential steel, welding machines, generators, various scattered parts and tools, and a necessary budget for losses.
Even after their pretentious discount, the total cost was 900,000 Berries!
Icey glanced back at the steel factory and then turned to Meow Meow, saying earnestly, “Meow Meow, that wasn’t a deposit. It was the final price…”
He didn’t intend to repay the mountain bandits he borrowed from, so a mere steel factory thinking to take advantage of him was laughable!
What a joke!
“What do you mean?” Meow Meow’s pupils became round and bright.
He seemed to understand something.
“That’s why I enthusiastically shook hands and thanked him. If he had honestly discussed business with us, it would have been troublesome,” Icey sighed with a smile.
Seeing Icey’s sinister smile, Meow Meow shivered.
His judgment was right; this man was the most terrifying in their team!
It made the cat quite happy, this familiar villainous style…
Coming to his senses, Meow Meow also wore a sinister smile.
At this moment, their menacing expressions made for a harmonious scene.
“Where are we going next, meow?” Meow Meow asked.
Due to the large quantity and variety of materials, the steel factory needed time to prepare, at least until the afternoon to gather everything.
“Let’s wander around. It’ll help you get more familiar with the pirate world.”
With the sword and machinery matters settled, Icey felt much more relaxed, thinking it was time to find some good liquor for the silly goddess at home.
His intuition told him that with Aqua’s way of doing things, there was no way she could buy liquor smoothly with two million Berries.
Though this would only boost her arrogance, what could he do? She was his companion.
Constantly reprimanding her wasn’t right given her severe lack of intelligence; occasionally, he needed to reward and comfort her…
As he thought about this, the sound of a motorcycle engine reached his ears.
Looking up, he saw thick white smoke billowing from the distant street.
A smoker, riding a three-wheeled amphibious motorcycle powered by smoke propulsion, was speeding towards them.
With a stylish drift, the trike came to a halt before Icey and Meow Meow.
“Smoker, what’s going on?”
Seeing Smoker’s heavy, serious face, Icey’s intuition told him the news wouldn’t be good.
Had the dumb goddess caused trouble again?
Or had King been defeated by a sudden challenger?
“Icey, we have a serious problem.”
Sitting on the trike, Smoker bit his cigar, his expression grim, “The Arlong Pirates have kidnapped Aqua.”
“What did you say?!”
Despite being mentally prepared, Icey was still caught off guard by the situation.
Thinking of the Fishmen’s characteristics, he quickly guessed Arlong’s motive for kidnapping Aqua.
But considering Aqua’s personality, how could she be easily captured?
Normally, Loguetown would have been flooded by now, so why hadn’t he noticed any disturbance?
The situation seemed worse than he imagined!
“I didn’t expect them to act against my companion before I sought them out…” Icey’s eyes turned icy cold.
Sensing the intense killing intent, Smoker was momentarily stunned.
Since their first encounter, this restaurant owner, who was about his age, had always been calm and composed.
While he didn’t think a man who had consecutively defeated several big pirates was simple, experiencing this huge contrast firsthand still left him shocked.
“Do you know where they are now?” Icey asked.
“Based on information, they should be at the execution square in the town center.”
Due to the involvement of a Warlord of the Sea, Smoker found the situation particularly challenging, “Get on the trike, I’ll take you there.”
“No need, I know the way.”
“The trike is faster…”
Before Smoker could finish, Icey had vanished in a blur of movement!
During yesterday’s match with Garp, this man had hidden his true strength?
Seeing the empty space before him, Smoker’s pupils constricted, his resolute face filled with shock.
He naturally didn’t know that Icey’s physical attributes had already improved significantly compared to yesterday!
Maintaining high speed, Icey weaved through the crowded streets.
The execution square, with its numerous routes, was easy to recognize.
Soon, he arrived at the town center square where Pirate King Roger had once been executed.
Typically bustling, the square was now eerily quiet, with everyone hiding far from the Fishmen pirates standing in the middle.
Though few, the shattered fountain indicated a battle had taken place.
“Ha ha ha! With only this level, you dare call yourself a goddess of water?”
Seeing the blue-haired girl still struggling despite being tightly bound, Arlong couldn’t help but laugh loudly.
Initially, he thought she was a tough opponent, but after a brief fight, she posed no real threat apart from a grand, fiery punch.
She even foolishly tried to attack him, a Fishman, with water—a complete idiot!
“Stinking seafood, let me go! How dare you treat a revered goddess like this!”
With her water-blue hair disheveled, Aqua looked dirty and disheveled. Though not severely hurt, she was in a sorry state.
“Agree to join us, and we’ll untie you.”
Having witnessed Aqua’s ability to create water firsthand, the brutal Arlong couldn’t let her go.
“Dream on! You filthy devil, even dirtier than a demon!” Aqua cursed angrily, her limbs bound.
Hearing this, a vicious glint flashed in Arlong’s eyes.
Always considering Fishmen the noblest race, he couldn’t tolerate such insults.
“Seems like you need to learn the terror of Fishmen…”
As he spoke, Arlong’s eyes glowed with ferocity. He raised his massive fist and aimed it at Aqua’s head.
Knowing it would hurt, Aqua still stared wide-eyed, showing no fear.
Bang!
As the punch descended, a shadow moved, bursting with force that sent the unprepared Arlong flying, crashing into the distant broken fountain.
“Damn it, you’re too slow, Icey.”
“This is no way for the chief believer of the Axis Cult to act!”
Seeing the handsome face so close, Aqua complained, though her bright smile was unmistakable.
She had sensed Icey’s familiar presence with her strong perception as Arlong raised his fist.
“You silly goddess, how dare you! They were about to capture you, and you didn’t resist? Where’s your world-ending flood?!”
Icey didn’t hold back at all.
However, Aqua’s next words left him stunned.
“But you specifically told me not to cause trouble when we left!” Aqua pouted, showing a proud expression of “I didn’t cause any trouble this time.”
Though her water-blue eyes still looked foolish, Icey felt no disdain this time; instead, he felt a bit guilty.
Taking a beating in front of the townsfolk without fighting back, it was clear how difficult it must have been for Aqua, who had a bad temper and was proud.
Yet she endured it!
“Aqua, you’re my companion.”
Icey untied the ropes binding Aqua and said softly, “Special situations require special actions. In this case, you could have caused a big fuss, even flooded the whole town, and I wouldn’t blame you.”
“Really? Then here I go!”
“These damned stinking fish, I’ve had enough of them!”
Receiving the order, Aqua quickly returned to normal, grabbing her goddess staff and chanting a spell, ready to flood the square and drown all the Fishmen.
“All my subjects in this world, heed the command of Aqua, the goddess of water.”
Icey: “…” Damn it, you stupid goddess, I was moved!
“Wait, Aqua, let me handle this.”
Seeing Aqua’s puzzled look, Icey slowly drew Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri from his waist and stepped forward to face Arlong and all the gathered Fishmen pirates.
The sharp blades gleamed with a cold light, exuding a suffocatingly cold aura.
No matter what, Arlong must die today!
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