Chapter 179: The Patient and the Pirate Shock Department
Time is how people measure the way events unfold, while to poets, time is a beautiful ode.
But the one thing that never changes is how it keeps moving.
Unseen, unstoppable, it flows forward without waiting for anyone.
Roy had once lacked the strength to face things head on, so he chose to run. He threw himself into the river of time, waiting for the current to circle back, waiting for an opening, waiting for the right chance.
But most of the people from the House of Lambs were already dead.
The dream he had just now left fear clinging to his chest.
He feared his wives would drift away from him, or end up fighting each other because of him. He feared he would forget the memories he had shared with everyone in Elbaf.
For a moment, he nearly forgot what it even felt like to stand beside someone from the past.
This was probably a mild concussion.
Luckily, it did not seem like anything serious.
"Gion?"
Roy finally steadied his breathing and looked at Gion sitting nearby.
To be honest, he and Shiki had slammed their heads together, hard. Was Gion really this furious because of him?
Gion turned, shot him a sharp glare, then stood up abruptly. She gripped the handle of the gold trimmed scepter tightly and walked off into the ruins.
Roy watched her go, completely lost. He rubbed his nose.
His head was smeared with blood, some of it his, some of it the Golden Lion's.
The taste was awful.
And yet, right now, he kept catching a faint fragrance, something that pushed away the sharp stink of blood and made him feel strangely comfortable.
That was… weird.
"Ahem. I should probably tell you," Galette cleared her throat, then hinted carefully, "there used to be a half collapsed dangerous building right next to where Gion was sitting."
She made sure everyone understood. She absolutely was not gloating.
She was just reminding them because she did not want to get grabbed by Gion again.
Roy turned his head and looked at the spot where Gion had been sitting.
A building was completely collapsed now, blending into the surrounding ruins.
Galette kicked a rock.
Only then did Roy notice it. A half fist print was stamped into that rock, and another rock beside it completed the shape. Together, they formed a clear fist mark.
Gion, a future Admiral candidate, could smash a half collapsed building with one punch using Haki. That was… pretty beaver like.
But why?
Roy was baffled. He had been unconscious. He had not said or done anything.
Honestly, he only dreamed, and even in that dream, Gion did not exactly look at him with warmth.
What a loss.
Did she really need to be this angry?
What happened while I was out?
Roy looked at Galette and asked. Galette did not have Seastone cuffs on her wrists. It seemed that while he was unconscious, Gion had not had time to catch her.
"Ahem. Ask her yourself." The moment Roy asked, Galette expression cooled, and she instantly slipped back into that aloof goddess vibe.
"Heh. Anyway, you should think this through carefully, whether it's about Mom, me, or the Marines…"
"What you're doing is completely thankless."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Explain yourself. Hey, don't go!"
Roy stared at her, speechless, but Galette turned and walked away anyway.
Is she mad too?
This was like mixing tofu with fermented bean curd. The more you stirred, the messier it got.
These two… could they not just speak clearly?
Roy sighed, helpless. Most misunderstandings started because someone refused to explain, and then the silence only made everything worse.
"Hey, Galette, explain!"
"Tch. Go ask your heroine!"
"Hah?!"
Roy watched Galette retreat, then turned to look toward Gion's figure in the distance.
Her?
She was definitely heroine material, but she was not his yet.
"Gion, Gion, Momousagi. Is there any misunderstanding we can't clear up?"
Roy hurried after her.
"Hmph. Ask that pirate vixen," Gion snorted coldly. "We'll behead her sooner or later anyway!"
Roy nearly evolved into a beady eyed detective from some other manga. What? What was even happening?
He had only been unconscious for a short while. He had been extremely well behaved. He had not done anything wrong, right?
Besides, people said dreams were the opposite of reality.
So they should get along peacefully, right? No, wait, he had not evolved into a Sea King yet.
Where did this chaotic mess even come from?
"Gion, it's all my fault, alright? Can you just tell me what happened?"
Roy apologized sincerely, because he genuinely had no idea what he had done.
And it was not like these two women could know what he dreamed about.
He, Roy, did not talk in his sleep.
"… "
Gion glanced at him, tightened her cloak, and tried to calm herself down.
Suppressing the anger and embarrassment of having punched Roy flying earlier, she snorted and kept walking, her heels clicking as she headed toward the end of the ruins, toward the damaged warships being repaired by the sea.
"You know exactly what you've been pretending to do."
She chuckled and muttered it under her breath, then walked away.
"I'm a patient. Of course I'm dizzy," Roy sighed, rubbing his forehead. He really was dizzy. Could this woman not be more clear and specific?
Linlin was still the best. Toki was still the gentlest. Hancock was still the most considerate.
He truly could not understand what Gion was thinking.
Roy could not read minds. When someone kept ignoring him and getting angry with him while he was unconscious…
He was helpless. Completely helpless.
...
Under the cover of night, a damaged warship was moored along the shore.
Several fallen floating islands now sat in the sea below what used to be the Goa Kingdom. Some had merged into one, others floated not far apart, partially connected.
Because of the crash, a massive archipelago had appeared where the sea around Goa used to be.
Reporters who rushed to the scene snapped photos everywhere, then left before it got dark, making the newspaper printers work overtime.
[Major Earthquake in the East Blue! Floating Islands Fall, Natural Disaster Strikes!]
[The Weakest Team in the East Blue? Shanks, Marine Officer Gion, and a Mysterious Red Haired Man Defeat Shiki!]
[The Strongest Headbutt! A Decisive Blow! Is the East Blue Really Weak?]
Who is he?!
In an instant, newspapers that were about to go bankrupt under pressure from the World Economic News Paper, and even the World Economic News Paper itself, all started printing like maniacs, desperate to be the first to push this shocking story out.
Roy thought these guys should go learn from UC's Shock Department. They still were not shocking enough.
Until the News Coo dropped the latest World Economic News Paper into his hands.
[Shocking! The Red Haired Brothers Clash with the Golden Lion! A Resounding Victory!]
Damn it.
Roy flicked the newspaper. Now this had the right flavor.
Morgans was still the king of outrageous headlines.
Unfortunately, Gion had ordered the troops to stop those reporters. Otherwise those lunatics would have turned Roy famous across the world tonight.
Roy sat on the shore, reading the headlines, when Gion walked over and stopped beside him.
Not long ago, Roy's head had been drenched in blood. It had been a horrible sight.
"Has your injury healed?" Gion sat down and asked, one hand gripping the hilt of her sword.
"Ahem… it's only been one day. My head still hurts…" Roy tried to act calm as he held his forehead.
"Do you still need me to lend you my shoulder?" Gion asked casually, even letting out a playful little sound, but her expression was chilly, her face dark, and her hand tightened on her sword like she wanted to beat him senseless.
"Ahem. I don't think it's necessary, but I respect your opinion…" Roy's face flushed.
During the day, he had overheard some Marines cleaning the ruins and some Goa residents resting nearby, whispering and gossiping.
Now he understood.
So that was why Gion had been so furious.
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