Chapter 111: Zou!
[The Pola - Dining Hall - Evening]
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the New World sky in hues of bruised purple and angry red. Then, the darkness fell, bringing with it a cold, drizzling rain that hissed against the steel hull of the cruiser.
Inside the Pola, however, the atmosphere was as warm as spring.
The lights were bright, casting a cozy glow over the long mahogany dining table. It was laden with a dazzling array of seafood dishes—sashimi, grilled fillets, fish stew, fish balls—all the spoils of Ulquiorra's devastatingly effective fishing trip.
The enticing aroma of garlic, butter, and sea salt filled the air, stimulating everyone's appetite after a long day of... well, mostly watching Ulquiorra fish.
"Mmm! This soup is amazing!"
Everyone gathered around the table. Nami, Rem, Ram, Albedo, Ulquiorra, Akame, and Pola (the avatar) were all present.
Suzaku took a sip of the delicious fish soup, savoring the warmth spreading through his chest. He looked around the room, counting heads.
One... two... six... seven.
Someone was missing.
"Rem," Suzaku asked casually, setting down his spoon. "Where is Madara? Why isn't he here? The food is getting cold."
Rem put down her cutlery and wiped her mouth gracefully. A troubled expression crossed her face.
"Rem went to invite Lord Madara ten minutes ago," she replied softly. "But... he said he wasn't hungry. He said he was 'still engaged in a critical operation' and refused to leave the aft deck."
"Huh?"
Suzaku was startled. He turned to look out the reinforced glass window.
Outside, the weather had turned nasty. The drizzle had woven into a slanted net of heavy rain, turning the sea and sky into a gray, miserable expanse. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Still fishing? In this weather?" Suzaku blinked. "Does that guy really need to go that far? Is his pride made of adamantium?"
He's actually sitting in the rain waiting for a fish?
Suzaku shook his head helplessly. He sighed, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and stood up.
"I'll go get him. Otherwise, he'll catch pneumonia before he catches a fish."
He grabbed an umbrella from the rack and walked out onto the deck.
The wind hit him immediately. It was cold and biting. The rain hammered against the steel plates.
Sure enough, at the very back of the ship, a solitary figure sat on a crate.
Uchiha Madara.
He sat perfectly still, like an eternal statue carved from war and stubbornness. The rain soaked his long, spiky black hair, plastering it to his armor. Water ran down his face like tears, but his expression was one of intense, unblinking concentration.
His Sharingan glowed in the dark, fixed intently on the turbulent sea surface, piercing the waves, searching for the elusive chakra signature of a fish.
He looked lonely. He looked majestic. He looked ridiculous.
"Madara," Suzaku called out, walking over.
Madara didn't move. "Quiet. You'll scare them."
"There are no fish, Madara," Suzaku said gently. "It's a storm. They went deep."
"They are mocking me," Madara growled. "I can feel it."
Suzaku sighed. He knew he couldn't order Madara around. He had to appeal to logic.
"Madara, listen. A true warrior knows when to rest. The body is the capital of revolution. If you get sick, you can't fight. Strategic retreat is for a better victory tomorrow."
Madara paused. The logic of war appealed to him.
"Rest... as a strategy?"
"Exactly. The fish won't run away. They are surrounding the ship. Let them gain a false sense of security. Strike tomorrow when the sun is up."
Madara considered this. He slowly reeled in his empty line.
"Hmph. Very well. I shall allow them a temporary reprieve."
He stood up, water cascading off his armor.
"But tomorrow... I will drain the ocean if I have to."
[Dining Hall - Later]
When Madara finally sat down at the table with a dark expression, dripping wet, everyone offered only kind glances. No one was tactless enough to mention the fishing incident. They valued their lives too much.
Akame and Pola were even less aware of the tension. Their entire world, at the moment, consisted only of delicious food.
Chomp. Chew. Gulp.
The two of them were diligently eating, their cheeks stuffed like squirrels. The bone plates in front of them were already piled high like small mountains.
When most people had finished eating, and the battle at the dining table was left to the gluttonous duo doing the "cleanup work," Nami suddenly smiled mysteriously.
"By the way, everyone," Nami said, reaching into her bag. "I bought newspapers from the News Coo just before the rain started."
She shook the two rolled-up papers in her hand.
"Because of the weather, the News Coo couldn't get close yesterday, so these are two days' worth. A major event was reported."
Her gaze fell upon Akame, who was currently wrestling with the head of a grilled fish.
"I don't know which resourceful reporter managed to take a photo of you defeating that big guy, Jack... but the photo is perfect."
Nami grinned.
"Now the entire sea knows that the Suzaku Pirates has gained an incredible new executive. A monster in human skin."
Saying this, she pulled a brand new Wanted Poster from today's newspaper and slapped it down in the center of the table.
SMACK.
"And this is the latest bounty, released today by Marine Headquarters."
Nami's voice held a hint of excitement and jealousy.
"The nickname is very cool: 'Red-Eyed Sword Princess' Akame. Executive of the Suzaku Pirates."
She read out every word slowly.
"Bounty: 800,000,000 (800 Million) Berries!"
"Wow!" Rem clasped her hands, her eyes sparkling. "Akame-chan is amazing! Her bounty is higher than both mine and Sister's combined!"
In an instant, everyone's gaze focused on Akame.
Watched by everyone, Akame finally lifted her head from her food. A fish tail was still sticking out of her mouth.
"Hm?" She chewed, swallowing the tail whole.
"What's wrong? Why is everyone looking at me? Is there something on my face?"
She blinked blankly.
"Bounty?" She glanced at the poster. "Oh. Is that edible?"
"..."
Seeing that Suzaku was just smiling at her, she didn't bother to ask further. She lowered her head and continued to sweep up the last of the food on the table with Pola like a whirlwind.
To her, the figure of 800 million Berries was far less appealing than the last piece of fish belly on her plate.
It was at this moment that a cold voice, filled with fighting spirit, suddenly rang out in the dining hall.
"Hmph!"
It was Uchiha Madara.
He put down his bowl and chopsticks with a heavy clack. His gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over everyone before settling on Suzaku's face.
His eyes burned with competitive fire.
First, he lost the fishing competition to Ulquiorra. Now, he was being outshined in bounties by a little girl who ate like a pig.
His pride as the Ghost of the Uchiha could not take it.
"Suzaku," Madara said, his voice low and dangerous. "Next time there's an enemy... let me handle it."
The decisiveness and assertiveness in his tone made everyone understand. He refused to concede defeat. He wanted to compete for superiority. He wanted a bounty that would make the world tremble.
Looking at Madara's face, which clearly read "I am displeased with my lack of screen time," Suzaku couldn't help but laugh.
He waved his hand and spoke in a soothing tone, like calming an agitated cat.
"Alright, alright, I get it. You're itchy."
Suzaku grinned.
"Next time some clueless enemy runs into us... the first one is reserved for you. You can stretch your muscles. You can drop a meteor. Is that acceptable?"
Hearing this promise, Uchiha Madara's tense expression eased slightly.
He let out a light snort, forcefully saving face.
"I just want to test the strength of the powerhouses in this world," Madara grumbled. "Don't overthink it! It's not about the bounty!"
After saying that, he stood up and, without greeting anyone, turned and left the dining hall by himself, his cape swirling dramatically.
Suzaku watched his retreating figure disappear at the doorway, the smile on his lips deepening.
This legendary Asura of the Ninja World... aside from his world-shattering strength, he's actually quite simple-minded at heart. He just wants to be the best.
[The Next Day - Morning]
A night of light rain washed away the dust on the deck.
The next day, the sky was bright and the sea breeze was fresh. The New World sun shone with a brilliance that promised adventure.
Suzaku, having finished breakfast, strolled onto the deck. He stretched, preparing to enjoy the tranquility of the clear weather.
However, his attention was instantly drawn to the stern of the ship.
Two figures sat side-by-side on folding chairs, holding fishing rods with steady, statue-like postures.
Who else could it be but Uchiha Madara and Ulquiorra?
"Hey..." Suzaku blinked. "These two are really obsessed with fishing. Have they gotten addicted?"
Suzaku's mouth twitched; he almost burst out laughing.
Yesterday, he thought Madara was just acting on a whim. But he didn't expect him to drag Ulquiorra along today.
Was he planning to get back up exactly where he fell? Is this his ninja way?
Suzaku shook his head with a chuckle. He was just about to go over and join in to see how today's "battle" was going, when light and hurried footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"Lord Suzaku!"
It was Rem.
She came running from the bridge, her expression showing a mix of intense curiosity and deep seriousness.
"The crow's nest detected an anomaly!" Rem reported, pointing forward. "In the sea ahead... there is a living creature of unimaginable size walking on the surface!"
"A living creature walking on the sea surface?"
Suzaku raised an eyebrow, immediately intrigued.
On this boundless and strange sea, anything Rem described as "unimaginable" was definitely not ordinary. She had seen Sea Kings. She had seen Giants.
"Show me."
He immediately followed Rem up to the crow's nest. Nami was already there, looking through a telescope, her hands shaking.
"Look," Nami whispered.
Following the direction Nami was pointing...
At the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, an enormous shadow was slowly breaking through the morning mist.
It wasn't a ship. It wasn't an island.
Its outline was so massive that it was impossible to accurately judge the distance. It felt like a moving mountain range that touched the clouds.
Suzaku picked up the spyglass. The lens zoomed in.
The moment the image cleared, the sight before him shook his very core.
It was an Elephant.
A giant elephant large enough to overturn the laws of physics. It was impossibly, incomprehensibly huge.
Its four limbs resembled divine pillars supporting heaven and earth, disappearing into the deep blue. Each step it took was firmly planted on the bottomless seabed thousands of meters below.
BOOM...
Even from this distance, they could feel the vibration of its step. The residual waves stirred up merely by its walking created massive ripples on the sea surface that rocked the Pola.
Its skin was wrinkled and ancient, covered in furrows and ridges, like a rock face that had endured millions of years of wind and frost. Green forests grew on its back. Clouds swirled around its knees.
Its long trunk occasionally lifted from the sea, and with a gentle flick, the column of water it sprayed reached the stratosphere, refracting a dazzling rainbow in the sunlight.
This appearance...
Suzaku slowly lowered the spyglass. His face was a mixture of shock and irrepressible excitement.
Seeing a creature this massive in person delivered an extremely powerful sense of awe. It made humans feel like ants.
"That isn't just a creature," Suzaku whispered. "That is a country."
"Could it be..."
He smiled.
"That we have encountered the legendary giant elephant that has been walking on the sea for a thousand years? The Phantom Island?"
"Zou."
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