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Chapter 39: Death is Not So Scary
Blake wiped the non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth and, squinting, slowly sat up from the lounge chair.
The afternoon sun was a bit blinding.
He raised a hand to block it, and only then did he get a clear look at the uninvited guest before him.
A ridiculously tall man, wearing a white suit vest, with that signature black, curly hair.
Most importantly, he had that aura of laziness that went bone-deep.
"Ara ra..."
"Are you the owner of this shop?"
Aokiji pushed the sunglasses up on his nose. His eyes, always half-closed, held a hint of probing.
He simply couldn't connect Fleet Admiral Sengoku's grave, facing-a-great-enemy tone on the Den Den Mushi with this sleepy-eyed, harmless-looking, white-haired kid.
This kid...
Aside from being handsome, and having this lazy-fish aura that makes you want to lie down next to him...
No matter how you look at it, he's just an ordinary person, right?
"Kid."
Kuzan stuffed his hands in his pockets, speaking in his characteristic, slow drawl.
"I heard from someone that you have a very interesting 'experience' here."
"So, I'd like to try this so-called dungeon."
Blake let out a huge yawn, even squeezing a few physiological tears from the corners of his eyes.
He didn't speak.
He just raised a hand, and with one finger, listlessly pointed at the crooked wooden sign next to him.
[Beginner Dungeon: One Million Beri]
[Intermediate Dungeon: Ten Million Beri]
[Advanced Dungeon: One Hundred Million Beri]
The meaning was clear.
The prices are marked. No deception.
Want to play?
Pay up.
Kuzan looked at the kid's attitude. He was being treated like a random passerby, as if even one extra word was a waste of breath. A small arc couldn't help but tug at Kuzan's lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He was a Marine Admiral.
One of the representatives of the world's strongest military power.
Ordinary people, forget seeing him in person, just hearing his name was enough to make their legs turn to jelly.
But this young man, from the moment he woke up, hadn't shown the slightest emotional fluctuation.
His eyes held only the drowsiness of not having slept enough, and the impatience of having his nap disturbed.
There was absolutely no awe, surprise, or fear that one would expect from his status as a Marine Admiral.
Kuzan's mind instantly flashed back to the briefing Fleet Admiral Sengoku had given him in the office before he left.
"Kuzan, your mission is twofold."
"First, and most importantly, find out what that kid Blake's ability is!"
"For that bastard Garp to be able to obtain a power called Chakra from him... this is too unbelievable. We must get firsthand intelligence!"
"Second, on the condition that you understand his ability, do your best... to recruit him."
"If he's not a threat, and has no enmity towards the Marines, then this unbelievable ability absolutely cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of pirates or the Revolutionary Army!"
Recruit him...?
Kuzan looked at Blake's "Don't bother me" lazy-fish face. He felt that the difficulty of this mission was ridiculously high.
"Oh?"
Kuzan's eyebrow twitched slightly behind his sunglasses. A genuine, undisguised amusement finally appeared on his lazy face.
"So, you're saying there are many types of dungeons?"
"Kid, are there any options to choose from?"
Blake stretched, his bones letting out a series of pop-pop sounds as he loosened up.
He glanced at the man who was taller than a telephone pole, a professional, fake smile on his lips, though even that smile seemed lazy.
"Of course."
Blake sank back into the lounge chair, pillowing his hands behind his head.
"My whole business model is about making the customer feel at home."
"I can provide personalized recommendations, tailor-made to the customer's needs."
"So, what kind of experience are you looking for?"
"Do you want to experience a world of swords and martial arts, or perhaps a fantasy of magic and dragons? Or maybe... a cyberpunk future of high-tech?"
These words made the interest in Kuzan's eyes grow even stronger.
He let out a long, drawn-out "Ooooooh," his tone casual.
"Ara ra, that sounds incredible."
"In that case... I'll have you pick a suitable one for me, kid."
Kuzan, hands still in his pockets, leaned down slightly. His tall figure cast an oppressive shadow.
"The Intermediate Dungeon will be fine."
"Intermediate Dungeon?"
Blake's half-awake eyes finally deigned to lift, scanning the ridiculously tall man from top to bottom.
He pouted lazily, his tone carrying a hint of professional dissuasion.
"You sure?"
"Customer, I have to remind you, the difficulty of an Intermediate Dungeon is very high."
As Blake said this, he was still slumped in his chair, not having moved an inch. His lazy posture made his "warning" sound completely unconvincing.
The amusement on Kuzan's perpetually lazy face deepened.
He leaned in slightly, hands still in his pockets.
"Oh?"
"How high?"
Blake sat up a little straighter, his expression suddenly becoming serious. He held up three fingers.
"Hmm... probably about three or four stories high."
Kuzan: "..."
The air was quiet for half a second.
This Admiral, one of the Marine Headquarters' top powers, finally felt the lazy arc of his lips twitch, struggling to stay in place.
Three or four stories high?
What the hell kind of adjective is that?
"Ara ra..."
Kuzan finally let out a laugh. He slowly straightened up, pushing his sunglasses.
"That really does sound troublesome."
He dragged out his words, then his tone shifted, asking the most critical question.
"But... in a place like that, I shouldn't run into any real danger, right?"
Hearing this, Blake got a "that's an unnecessary question" look on his face.
"Danger?"
"Of course not."
He answered decisively.
Then, his tone shifted again, and he added.
"But, to say there's no danger at all, that's also impossible."
This self-contradictory statement made even Kuzan raise an eyebrow.
Blake held up a finger, waving it listlessly.
"In the dungeon, you can quit at any time."
"If you feel you can't win, or you don't want to play anymore, you can call it quits. The system will immediately teleport you out. It's very safe."
"Of course," he added. "The entrance fee is non-refundable, and you naturally won't get any clear rewards."
Kuzan nodded. That was understandable.
"Then... what if?" he continued to press. "What if you don't quit in time, and you die inside?"
This was the heart of the matter.
An experience that could grant a person new powers. If the price was one's life, its nature would be completely different.
However.
Blake's answer was so light and airy that Kuzan thought he'd misheard.
"Death?"
He yawned, waving his hand dismissively.
"It's fine."
"It's fine if you die in there."
Blake continued, in the tone of someone making small talk.
"I also have dungeons here for resurrecting the dead."
"When the time comes, just have your relatives, friends, or colleagues bring some money over and run a 'Resurrection Dungeon' for you."
"And just like that, you're back, aren't you?"