NOTICE: I want to apologize for one of my biggest errors since Golden Wasakon before this chapter even begins. I now see I've been documenting people's bounties wrongly. Instead of millions, I've been sending them numbers in thousands. Therefore, kindly remember that everyone's reward is in the millions moving forward. If you read Empress Oriyana's bounty in the Harventona Park chapter titled "Became the Opposite," I made it very plain that it was $98 million. It has become evident that Timothy's reward outweighed hers, despite the fact that I wrote his bounty in thousands. So let's try it again. EVERYONE in the story has millions in bounties. I will fix the bounties from here on now.
Thank you!
Phoebe stood in front of Timothy, surrounded by the soldiers from Harventona Park. "I see you're in a good condition, Phoebe. But I thought you were going to meet with your crew at Vendurn."
"Yeah, it was the intended strategy, but it failed. I heard a word from my captain before I had a chance to leave la Isleta Cortada. He told me that Chiaki's execution had been transferred to the Forbidden Chain. I grabbed one of the boats and went to la Cadena de Narón since I had to get here beforehand," She appeared more grave than usual. "My crew was planning to help, but the storm prevented them. The enormous and strong currents will shape up. When that occurs, the massive currents will encircle la Cadena de Narón. They wouldn't make it on time since they couldn't navigate through them. So, my captain instructed me to go."
Timothy was bewildered by her statement. "I don't quite get it. I thought the underwater train's the fastest and the most efficient way to reach la Cadena de Narón." Phoebe denied. "No, that's for Vendurn. La Cadena de Narón is an entirely different story. Remember that there was a thunderstorm, and as a result, the enormous currents shaped up. I rode a boat here using those currents."
Timothy was still short on an adequate response. "Why can't your crew come to your aid? You rode it without issue." Timothy pondered and added more ideas. "Also, all of these folks. They are from Harventona Park, these troops. How did they manage to get here?"
"It would be impossible. Their ship is too big. They wouldn't be able to ride the currents efficiently. For a small boat that I used, it was light and sturdy enough to ride the currents. When I came, these people got here in time. Empress Oriyana seemed to have heard about Chiaki's execution and decided to gather allies from Craftsman Island and her homeland. They had more than enough time to reach la Cadena de Narón due to them knowing a few days prior." Timothy blinked in amazement.
He fixed his gaze on the troops. "Mrs. Phoebe is being honest. She had gotten a newspaper regarding Chiaki's execution in Vendurn three days prior. After learning that your team had been erroneously disbanded, she decided to collect her forces and get in touch with Craftsman Island. One of the postal workers told us that Chiaki had been transferred to la Cadena de Narón when we used her ship to sail for Vendurn. Since we were only halfway there, we still had time to adjust our course and arrive on time." One of the troops responded, defending Phoebe.
Timothy leaned his palm on his hip. "I'm guessing you had to sail to Craftsman Island first. Empress Oriyana did all of that? I can't believe she went through all that trouble." He looked at the ground, hearing a man call out to him. "You've helped us regain our homeland from that horrible leader! We had to repay you back somehow, white-haired pirate Timothy. You helped us save our people, and now it's our time we help you save your people."
The soldiers cheered and agreed with him. Timothy grinned with confidence. "Looks like they made you the commander of the troops, huh?" Timothy wondered, but Phoebe shook her head. "No, not really. I just won these soldiers over by using my charm and beauty. Otherwise, they wouldn't listen to me." Timothy observed the men behind Phoebe, surrounded by pink hearts, and his brow began to sweat. "But, not to worry. There is a second squad of Harventona Park soldiers at the third gate. Oriyana's in charge of them."
Oriyana led a group of troops and had her sidekicks, Rika and Tinna helping her. They exchanged views with two of the foremost agents, Alejandro and Agnes. These were the agents that Warren called upon.
But they weren't alone. They had support from authorities, and Yules, who stood calm. "Sea Noble, Oriyana. I thought you intended to aid the world government, not oppose them. Have you decided to resign from your title?" Yules wondered, keeping his arms crossed.
"Perhaps I should, but the world government didn't give me any directives. You cannot take away my title unless I resign myself since I came here of my own free choice. I've only come here to stop the execution of a friend of the white-haired pirate Timothy. An individual who hasn't done anything to oppose the world government themselves has no right to be condemned to die." Oriyana clarified while maintaining her right arm on her hip.
"Perhaps you don't realize the truth of the future, Empress. The Yasuda family has a long-standing custom, and their capacity to bind souls is deadly to the outside world. The risk would increase if she had a child as an adult. The world government, however, succeeded in capturing her, and if we carry out the execution, we will, at last, be freed from their tyranny. Have you forgotten how many people were killed as a result of these individuals' manipulation of others? Particularly the most recent war." Yules explained.
Agnes and Alejandro waited in silence. Agnes popped a gum in her mouth and yawned. She began flipping a coin on her thumb. "Yo, Yules. Got some info. The white-haired pirates landed on la Cadena de Narón. Looks like we got more problems to deal with." Explained Agnes, putting her hands in her pockets.
"Why, that's unfortunate. I suppose they'd come eventually. Fine... let them have it. Agnes, Alejandro, make sure to keep the empress busy." Yules ordered, standing calm. "Whatever you say, Admiral."
The troops of the world government prepared to keep Empress Oriyana and her forces in front of the third gate while Yules left them alone.
Bow and the others were looking at some stern figures. A man with grey hair and red eyes was in front of Bow, surrounded by two other. His mouth was concealed by a white mask that encompassed his face. He was dressed in a Dracula-like cloak and a black top hat.
"This person doesn't look like a regular, Bow. Could he be Blythe, the Blood Art Jester? He resembles him, and Empress Oriyana mentioned that a "Sea Noble" is frequently called upon to assist the world government." Trap was curious and intrigued. "Who cares! Let's just chop 'em up! "Kizu shouted, beaming with certainty.
"Kizu, stop being absurd! If he is Blythe, we must devise a more effective strategy for dealing with him. With a $985,000,000 bounty, Blythe is regarded as one of the sea's deadliest and most powerful Sea Nobles." Bow explained as he raised his arm to Kizu's chest.
"Yeah, sure! Don't be crazy, Bow!" Kizu reached for his swords and spun them in his hands. "Kizu, don't!" Kizu stepped forward and instantly sprinted in Blythe's direction. "You're going down, Sea Noble!"
Kizu's yell reverberated throughout the land. He vanished from view and was followed by a golden glow. Kizu suddenly popped in front of Blythe and smirked. He prepared to cut as he swung his blade down at Blythe.
Blythe remained silent.
He took a step back and extended his arm. Blythe slashed forward with a blade made of liquidized red blood.
Kizu's torso got stabbed by the blood as it extended out and took on a shape. Kizu's eyes widened as he immediately experienced a blood-sucking sensation. "Kizu! You moron!" Trap reached out and seized the cord while engulfing it in golden light.
He struck Blythe with the forward swing of the cord. Blythe's body, however, changed into the blood and began to leak on the ground. Blood splattered, causing Trap's cable to cling to the ground.
Kira puzzledly turned to face Bruno. She asked, "Bruno?" allowing him to respond. Bruno sighed and lowered his eyes. "Yeah... looks like he developed his ability, which is expected from a Sea Noble." Bruno prepared a steel-hard metal enchantment on his right arm and awaited the ideal moment to attack.
When Trap attempted to pull the cord, Blythe's upper body suddenly protruded from the pool of blood. He reached for the cord and got ready to drag Trap into the pool of blood.
Surprise filled Trap's eyes as he felt his body getting dragged toward Blythe through the air.
Bruno moved forward and punched the ground with his fist. He sent a trembling shockwave through the earth, forcing Blythe to flee.
Trap fell to the ground in its place as Blythe's body shattered into splattering blood. Blythe fashioned his body out of the blood and reconstructed it.
Bow and the others' looked at Kizu's weakened body as if it was lifeless. "I guess it's true. He's Blythe, after all." Luca gulped, worried.
To be continued...