Chapter 24 — A Broken Holiday, and the Girl Who Came Seeking Help
"Hey, Kuzan, the Navy must pay you a fortune, huh?"
"You didn't even blink when you bought all that food!"
"This kind of money must be pocket change for you."
On the bustling snack street, Yoriichi carried a drink in one hand and a large food box in the other, chewing on a piece of the local soft candy as he mumbled through full cheeks at the man beside him.
Kuzan, walking leisurely at his side, looked no less encumbered—one hand also balancing a food box, the other clutching a bottle of red wine said to be brewed from the famed grapes of the Neil Kingdom.
The climate of the New World was strange and unpredictable, but here in Neil Kingdom, sunlight was abundant. The local produce, as a result, grew in eccentric ways—fruits and vegetables with flavors found nowhere else. Even something as common as grapes took on a peculiar sweetness in this soil, giving the local wine a flavor all its own.
Kuzan wasn't exactly a heavy drinker, but when he had nothing better to do, he didn't mind indulging. He rather enjoyed that gentle, hazy feeling of a mild buzz.
"As if!" he replied with a mock groan. "You think I didn't feel that? My wallet's bleeding, man."
Then, with a lazy grin: "But that's fine. If it's you, I'll make sure to eat my money's worth back someday, hah!"
It was a rare day of leisure for him, and Kuzan was clearly in a good mood, trading jokes with Yoriichi as they strolled.
"Eat it back from me, huh? You'll be waiting a while," Yoriichi shot back, smiling. "Zepha-sensei said I shouldn't join the Navy until I'm an adult. So, Kuzan—you'd better be patient."
As the two bantered, the street ahead suddenly turned noisy. People were crowding toward something up ahead, the air filled with startled murmurs.
In the midst of it, Yoriichi caught faint traces of a cry—someone calling for help.
"Hey, Kuzan," he said, ears twitching slightly. "Something's going on up there. I think I heard someone shouting for help. Should we check it out?"
Kuzan nodded, his expression sharpening. "Yeah. I heard it too. Let's go."
They picked up their pace, weaving through the thickening crowd.
"Excuse me—move aside, please." Kuzan's tall frame parted the onlookers, Yoriichi following close behind until the two reached the center of the commotion.
There, on the ground, sat a young girl. Her once-elegant clothes were torn and disheveled, hanging loosely from her shoulders and baring far too much skin. Her face was pale and lifeless, her eyes wide with terror.
A kindly woman nearby had hurriedly stripped off her apron and draped it around the girl's shoulders, crouching beside her with a voice full of worry.
"Child, what happened to you?!" she asked. "Who did this?!"
But the girl only trembled and whispered a single phrase—"Help me"—over and over again, refusing to say more.
Yoriichi and Kuzan exchanged grim looks.
Kuzan stepped forward, parting the circle of people around them and crouched to the girl's level. The helpful woman stiffened at his sudden presence, instinctively shielding the girl with her arms and shooting him a wary glare.
Noticing her reaction, Kuzan stepped back slightly, his voice softening.
"Miss," he said gently, "can you tell me what happened? You don't need to be afraid. I'm with the Navy—we'll help you."
As he spoke, he pointed to the Marine insignia on his chest to reassure her.
The moment the word Navy left his lips, a faint light flickered in the girl's eyes. She lifted her head, taking a closer look at him—and then burst into tears.
"The Navy... you're really the Navy?" she cried. "Please, save me! Save my family!"
"The pirates—they attacked the royal palace! Father... Father was killed by them!"
Her desperate voice silenced the crowd for a heartbeat. Then, shocked murmurs rippled through the street.
Kuzan's expression hardened in disbelief.
"The royal palace?" he muttered. "Pirates?"
He knew the truth behind Neil Kingdom's façade better than most. Though he disapproved of its methods, even he had to admit—the king was a shrewd ruler, a man who'd kept his country stable for over a decade.
For something like this to happen here... was unheard of.
Kuzan knew the Neil Kingdom well. Though he had little respect for the nation's ways, he couldn't deny that its king was a shrewd man—a ruler who had held power for over a decade without a single serious incident like this ever occurring.
What made the situation even stranger was that Neil Kingdom had its own military force—one that was far from weak. Small-time pirates would never be able to overpower the royal guard so easily.
And to make matters worse—this was happening in broad daylight.
Who in their right mind would attack a member nation of the World Government in the middle of the day? And not just any nation, but one under Whitebeard's protection, and within its own territory no less! Whoever did this must have lost their mind.
Of course, Kuzan couldn't have guessed that Newk's ambition and greed had long since devoured his sanity. The man saw no one in his eyes—not the Marines, not even Whitebeard himself.
Even so, Kuzan didn't doubt the girl's words. A lie like this would be far too easy to disprove; there was no reason for her to fabricate it.
"Kuzan, what do you think?"
Yoriichi's calm voice came from behind him. He had heard everything the girl said, and his thoughts were simple—if the pirates' location was known, and the victim stood right before them, then there was only one thing to do: go there and end it.
Still, dealing with pirates was more Kuzan's jurisdiction. He was, after all, on the verge of promotion to Rear Admiral. So Yoriichi was willing to hear his call.
"Do you even need to ask?" Kuzan straightened up, his expression firm. "Miss, where's the royal palace? I'll head there immediately."
At his words, a flicker of relief and joy lit up the girl's face—hope, fragile but alive. Yet when she regained her senses, she didn't point the way right away. Instead, she stammered anxiously:
"The palace is surrounded... there are pirates—so many of them."
"They're incredibly strong... the guards were all killed. I escaped through a secret passage. Sir, if you're going, you should bring help—don't go alone."
Yoriichi stepped up beside Kuzan, scratching his head with a small grin.
"Well, he's not exactly alone," he said. "I might not be as capable, but I'm still his comrade."
"We'll go together. If they really turn out to be that strong, we'll call for reinforcements."
"Miss, no more talking. Just tell us—where's the palace?"
Before the girl could answer, the same kind-hearted woman from before raised her hand and pointed toward the northern street.
"Head straight down this road," she said quickly. "You'll find a wide path paved with blue stone—that's King's Avenue. Once you're there, you'll see the palace."
As soon as she finished, Kuzan and Yoriichi exchanged a look, then sprinted off in that direction.
It wasn't long before they reached the blue-stone avenue. But no grand palace awaited them—only a strange sight that made them both stop short.
Far in the distance stood what looked like a massive fortress of mud—tens of meters high and a hundred meters across.
The townspeople lining the street stared at it too, their faces filled with confusion and fear.
"That's got to be it…" Yoriichi murmured.
"It must be a Devil Fruit ability—likely a Logia," Kuzan said grimly, eyes narrowing.
He had assumed they were just dealing with reckless amateurs, but that illusion shattered the moment he saw the fortress. Logia-type Devil Fruits were exceedingly rare, and those who possessed them were terrifyingly powerful.
Kuzan knew that better than anyone.
"Yoriichi," he said after a pause, "go back to the base. Tell Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Roka. I'll head in first."
He had already realized this opponent could be trouble. But Yoriichi shook his head immediately.
"With all this commotion, someone's probably already gone to alert the base," he replied. "Whether I go or not doesn't change anything."
"Let's go together. That thing—yeah, that's a Logia ability, isn't it?"
"I won't pretend I can do much against someone like that—but I won't drag you down either."
As he spoke, Yoriichi drew the long blade from his waist, sunlight gleaming along its edge. Seeing the unshakable resolve in his eyes, Kuzan didn't argue further. He turned and dashed toward the earthen fortress, Yoriichi right beside him.
Reaching its base, Kuzan scanned the structure, searching for an entrance—but there was no door to be found. He was about to use his ability to carve open a passage when Yoriichi moved first.
Sun Breathing: First Form — Dance!
His blade swung in a brilliant arc, releasing a fierce wave of compressed air that tore through the fortress like a cyclone. Mud burst outward in all directions, and in the blink of an eye, a long, narrow gash split the fortress from bottom to top.
In the same instant, both Kuzan and Yoriichi vanished from sight—darting through the breach together.
Moments later, the surrounding mud began to flow, closing the gap until not even a crack remained. Within seconds, the fortress looked untouched once more, sealing the palace inside completely.
(End of Chapter 24)
20 Powerstones= 1 extra chapter
50 powerstones= another extra chapter.
Let's do this guys!!!