MTLNOVEL Chapter 128: Release
Several days had passed since Kanata began training Hiyori and Chiyo.
They were still young, so all they could do was practice their swings and learn basic sword forms with wooden swords, but they both diligently practiced, driven by their goals.
They had the potential to become strong, but they were still far from it.
Kanata, too, was taking it easy. All she could do was check for any bad habits during their training, as Sukura had strictly ordered her to rest.
Then, she received a call from the Five Elders.
They were requesting her to remain a Warlord.
"So you're accepting my demands?" Kanata confirmed.
'Yes, it was a difficult decision, but… The consequences of losing a force like yours would be catastrophic. We'd prefer to avoid that.'
"Fufu, how honest of you."
A hefty sum of compensation.
The heads of the officials responsible for the incident.
The regular transfer of Devil Fruit users imprisoned in Impel Down.
And the release of Douglas Bullet.
She hadn't expected them to agree to releasing Bullet, a man they had captured through a Buster Call. It seemed the World Government was more reliant on Twilight than she had anticipated.
Her efforts to control the economy and support the Marines had paid off.
'Douglas Bullet's release will be handled shortly. How do you plan to retrieve him?'
"I'll go myself. Should I head to Marine Headquarters?"
'Yes, that would be the most efficient method. I'll inform Sengoku.'
Impel Down, Marine Headquarters, and Enies Lobby were connected by a current that flowed through the Gates of Justice.
It would be faster to travel to Marine Headquarters from the New World and use the Gates of Justice than to travel from another location. With favorable winds, it would only take a few hours.
Of course, they would need a ship on the Paradise side of the Red Line, but Twilight had a base there. She could simply travel through Mary Geoise and board the ship waiting for her.
…Perhaps she should bring a gift for Bullet. As she pondered, Kanata ended the call and began preparing for her trip.
***
Impel Down – the underwater prison.
A massive prison that housed thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dangerous criminals.
The deeper the level, the higher the bounty of the prisoners. The bottom levels were reserved for those who had committed the most heinous crimes or those who were inconvenient for the World Government.
Bullet, naturally, was imprisoned there, and it had taken some time to bring him to the surface.
Garp and Sengoku, who had accompanied her as escorts, were surprised when they saw Kanata's injuries.
"…Those injuries… were they inflicted by Big Mom and Kaido?" Sengoku asked.
"These?"
Her entire body was covered in bandages. Even a casual observer could tell she was seriously injured.
Even with two of them, it would be difficult to injure Kanata to this extent. Linlin and Kaido's strength had to be reevaluated. But Kanata shook her head.
"Those wounds healed in three days. These are from my battle with Octavia."
"Octavia?!"
A high-bounty pirate currently wanted by the Marines. Garp and Sengoku had suspected Kanata's connection to her, but they hadn't known they were enemies. They were both surprised.
They knew how strong Octavia was. She had been a member of the Rocks Pirates and had caused immeasurable damage.
They had assumed it would be a difficult battle, with heavy casualties on both sides.
"Did you defeat her?"
"Yes. I lost some things, but I managed to defeat her."
"…I see."
Sengoku recalled his previous battle with Octavia and looked at Kanata, who had now surpassed her in strength.
They were currently allies, but this relationship was a house of cards that could collapse at Kanata's whim. Strengthening the Marines while they were still on good terms was crucial.
If she turned against them, she would be an even greater threat than Whitebeard.
"Where did you fight? It didn't reach our ears, so she must have been hiding somewhere remote."
"Skypiea."
"Skypiea?!"
They had heard rumors, but the Marines hadn't confirmed its existence. It was a legendary island.
The fact that she had fought Octavia there was a surprise, but the fact that she had even been to Skypiea was even more shocking.
"Roger mentioned he had been there as well."
"He did?! I didn't know that…"
"You're a Marine. You wouldn't have time for idle chatter."
"He told me about it when he surrendered. He spoke about his adventures, but he also mentioned you."
"I see… It's already been four years since Roger died. Time flies."
The world had changed drastically. Octavia, Rocks' right hand, was now dead.
A new generation of pirates had emerged, wreaking havoc on the seas. The turbulent era would continue for some time.
The Marines were busy, but so was Impel Down.
"–Here he comes."
The massive doors of Impel Down opened.
A man in a prisoner's uniform emerged, and after a brief conversation between Sengoku and the guards, they removed his Seastone shackles.
The man – Douglas Bullet – flexed his wrists, testing their mobility after being restrained for so long.
Once he was satisfied, he stood before Kanata.
"It's been a while, Bullet. You seem to be doing well."
"…What happened to your injuries?"
"These? I sustained them during my battle with Octavia. She was stronger than me."
"I see."
Before Garp and Sengoku, Bullet clenched his fist, coated in Haki, and swung it at Kanata.
They both instinctively braced themselves, but Kanata simply raised her hand.
"–?!"
"He's not even touching her… Could he be…!"
Black lightning crackled as Bullet's fist stopped a clear distance from her hand.
It wasn't a feint. Something was preventing him from getting any closer.
Garp and Sengoku stared at themwith surprise.
"You…!"
"Do you understand? This is the difference between us."
It wouldn't be easy to close that gap.
Bullet, realizing this, lowered his fist and sighed.
"I thought I had gotten closer to you… But you've pulled ahead again."
"Fufu. Roger used a similar power. You have potential. If you want me to teach you–"
"I'm not joining your crew. I appreciate you getting me out of Impel Down, but that's all. I haven't found my answer to 'freedom' yet."
"…I see. That's unfortunate."
They had no other ship, so Bullet boarded the one Kanata had arrived on.
She watched him go, then turned to Garp and Sengoku, who were staring at her.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"…That power… No, never mind."
Considering her mother, it wasn't impossible.
She had defeated Octavia. It wasn't surprising that she could wield the same power as Roger and Whitebeard.
Garp scratched his head, and Sengoku sighed, thinking he had even more to worry about.
"I'll accompany you to Marine Headquarters. After that, you're free to go."
"Thank you. It's faster to use the Tarai Current anyway."
Besides, Impel Down was located in the Calm Belt. Though large Sea Kings were no match for her, it was best to avoid unnecessary encounters.
***
After stopping at Marine Headquarters, Kanata and Bullet arrived at an island under Twilight's control.
Bullet had declared he wouldn't join her crew, so she was providing him with a ship.
"If you want a proper ship, you should visit Water Seven. It's expensive due to the materials, but they have many skilled shipwrights."
"That's not a bad idea. But I need money…"
"Pirates are everywhere. Just attack one and take it."
Of course, pirates varied in strength and wealth. Many didn't even have money. Some, despite their numbers, couldn't even obtain treasure.
"I can offer you work. Capture a bounty head and bring it to me, and I'll reward you."
"Knowing you, you've probably got your hands in Water Seven's economy as well."
"You're perceptive. I do handle the transportation of materials."
"Then introduce me to the best shipwright. I'm not joining your crew, but I'll work for you until I get what I want."
Bullet, who sought strength, wouldn't refuse Kanata's offer. It was an opportunity to obtain both money and combat experience.
Kanata chuckled and prepared a contract.
"Don't lose it," she said, handing it to him.
She didn't think a piece of paper could control Bullet's actions, but it was the thought that counted.
"I'm currently preparing for war against Linlin and Kaido."
"Big Mom and the Beasts Pirates? Are you telling me not to take your prey?"
"No, do as you please. Just be warned, they're strong. Even I can't guarantee I can defeat them both."
Bullet's eyes lit up.
Perhaps he was planning to attack them after he had gotten some exercise.
"If you want to defeat me, come to Hachinosu. I'll accept your challenge anytime."
"I'll wipe that smirk off your face one day."
"I'm looking forward to it."
Bullet, after loading the ship with supplies, set sail.
"He's an impatient one," Kanata chuckled, then began preparing to return to Hachinosu.
***
Several days later, Kanata and George returned to Skypiea.
They hadn't had time for sightseeing during their previous visit, so this trip was partly for leisure and partly to compensate for the damage caused by their battle with Octavia.
They had brought the same crew as before, but with the safety of the island confirmed and for another reason, they had also brought Olivia and Robin.
"So this is Skypiea… An island floating in the sky… How fascinating," Olivia remarked.
"Amazing… Can we ride on those clouds?" Robin asked excitedly.
"We can. But let's take care of business first."
Kanata disembarked and headed towards Upper Yard, where the inhabitants had set up a temporary camp.
Angel Island had become a wasteland of blizzards and lightning strikes, no longer habitable.
The problem was, expanding Upper Yard to accommodate the refugees would antagonize the Shandia.
"Is Gan Fall here?" Kanata asked.
"Yes, he's waiting for you."
A large tent stood in the middle of the makeshift village. Gan Fall was inside, drinking tea. He stood up when he saw Kanata and bowed.
"You came. We have many problems…" He gestured for her to take a seat.
They both sat down, and tea was served.
Kanata, without wasting time, went straight to the point.
"Angel Island is no longer habitable. And expanding Upper Yard to accommodate the refugees would antagonize the Shandia, wouldn't it?"
"Yes. They consider this island their ancestral land. They're opposed to us living here, and… frankly, we need your crew's help to prevent them from attacking us."
"It's difficult to resolve conflicts rooted in land ownership. It takes time, but it won't be easy for you to reconcile with them if you remain here."
"You're right. The accumulated anger… won't easily disappear."
Gan Fall sighed. He seemed much older than his years.
But they already had a solution for the land problem. Kanata took Gan Fall outside, and the refugees gasped when they saw it.
An island was floating in the sky.
"What the…?! Another island has flown here?!"
"No, I brought this from the Blue Sea."
"Brought it?!"
Technically, it was George's ability, but she would explain that later.
"The island's name is Ohara. It was once home to many people, but… They're all dead, except for two. It's uninhabited now."
"An uninhabited island… That would be convenient, but…"
"The two survivors have given their consent. There are some burnt buildings, but you can handle that."
They had built a memorial near the charred remains of the giant tree to commemorate the islanders who had been killed.
"Make sure to take care of it," Kanata requested.
"Of course," Gan Fall replied, still in shock.
"If natural phenomena can make islands fly, then it shouldn't be surprising that humans can do the same with Devil Fruit powers, right?"
"No, no, no, that's impossible."
Gan Fall shook his head, refusing to believe it.
She landed Ohara next to Upper Yard. The Treasure Tree Adam, which had been transplanted next to where the Tree of Omniscience had once stood, was thriving.
The books that had been stored in the Tree of Omniscience had been recovered and were now housed in a new library. It was the perfect place to hide from the World Government and the Marines, and most of their research materials were stored there.
They had land, resources, and a place to live. The reconciliation with the Shandia was Gan Fall's responsibility.
Local matters should be handled by the locals. They might intervene if necessary, but Gan Fall seemed eager to handle this himself.
There was one more problem.
"What about the God's Army that Octavia brought?"
"Ah… They're working diligently now, but… would you like to take them with you?"
"No, I don't need them."
The survivors of the God's Army and the priests, led by Enel, were currently engaged in manual labor under the supervision of Kanata's subordinates.
Octavia was dead, and they had surrendered, realizing they couldn't defeat Kanata.
…They hadn't been aware of the battle between Kanata and Octavia because they had been petrified. But after seeing the state of Angel Island, they had readily complied.
They weren't skilled enough to be soldiers. They could handle manual labor at best. Kanata had high standards.
They seemed intelligent, so perhaps she could have them assist Gan Fall in the future. Or perhaps they would find another line of work.
"With this, we've resolved most of the problems… Our archaeologists are interested in investigating the ruins in Upper Yard."
"I have no objections, but the Shandia will be difficult. Please be patient."
"We're not in a hurry."
Olivia was eager to begin her research, but it was Kanata's duty to keep her in check.
They would be busy with the relocation, and Kanata wanted to investigate the Dial Shells. If they were marketable, they needed to set up a mass production system.
But first, she needed to recuperate.