Chapter 74: Talk-no-Jutsu

Chapter 74: Talk-no-Jutsu

"Just who are you?" asked Kureha. "Why are you people so dead-set on taking away my reindeer...?"

Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "The decision is his to make. However, he would be much happier accompanying Lucy than staying here on Drum Island. Not just because he will have the chance to meet members of the Mink Tribe, but because Lucy and the other Straw Hats are 'good' people. With how much time has passed, I'm sure you've managed to get a basic grasp of Lucy's character."

Snorting through her nose, Kureha admitted, "The two idiots ain't so bad, but what about the two of you? You strike me as a 'schemer,' and this little brat in the bikini exudes the aura of a murderous tyrant."

Though Thomas had asked her to remain silent and not pick any fights, Caenis's animal ears perked up as she asked, "Who are you calling a brat, old hag?"

Inserting himself between the two, Thomas's smile cramped as he said, "I won't deny that I'm a scoundrel. I'm opportunistic, perverted, selfish, and self-deprecating. However, I also care about those close to me and do my best to use my power responsibly. Isn't that enough?"

Adopting a somewhat terrifying smile, Kureha replied, "I might actually have to rethink my opinion of you. You may very well be a scoundrel, but you're sincere and have a strong sense of responsibility..."

Picking up a bottle of alcohol, Kureha downed nearly the entire bottle before returning her gaze to Thomas and adding, "That makes me even more curious about your identity. From what I can sense, you, that girl behind you, and that scatterbrained pinkette don't possess so much as a trace of Haki. Despite that, I can detect a monstrous vitality within each of you. Tell me, are you one of that brat Vegapunk's creations? Some kind of artificial humans mixed with Sea Kings...?"

Not expecting Kureha to namedrop the leader of the SSG(Special Science Group), Thomas blinked in surprise as he asked, "You know Vegapunk...?"

Realizing her guess was wrong, Kureha shook her head and said, "Forget I asked," before picking up a fresh bottle of liquor with the word 'Ume' on it, adding, "The second floor has a few hospital beds. Use them to get some rest. Once the storm breaks, I want you and your friends out of my house. If Chopper wants to go with you, you can all piss off."

Before Kureha could retreat up to the third floor, her private quarters, Thomas called out to her, asking, "Did Lucy and Astolfo already tell you that Wapol has been defeated...?"

Turning around, Kureha retorted, "Yeah, and...?" with an impatient look on her face.

Adopting a wry smile, Thomas explained, "Once things settle down, you should speak with Dalton about using the castle's canons to launch you-know-what into the clouds. As for us, we'll probably leave right after this. I just came over to inform Lucy and Astolfo that we constructed a ryokan South of Bighorn. If you're interested, feel free to stop by in the future. I'll inform the staff to give you VIP treatment during your first stay."

Demonstrating she hadn't reached the age of 139 without accumulating a 'tremendous' amount of experience, Kureha parroted, "A ryokan? As in one of those bathhouses from Wano...?" Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Nodding his head, Thomas replied, "Complete with a hot spring and salon. Once you get a chance, check it out."

Though she had 'many' questions, Kureha just nodded her head before retreating up to her room. She had already 'retired,' so she wasn't going to stick her nose where it didn't belong. Not after concealing her identity and hiding on a remote island for the past forty years...

As if she was voice-activated, Lucy sprung to life in response to Thomas's words, jumping up and raising her fist as she shouted, "Let's go, go, go~!" in excitement. Her mind had wandered off due to how 'serious' things had gotten, but now that the discussion had ended, she was once again lively and raring to go...

...

..

.

After accompanying Lucy, Astolfo, and Chopper to the Enma-tei, Thomas was surprised to learn that Zoro had already checked into a room. He was originally planning to go search for the man with Astolfo's help, so it was a tremendous boon that Zoro had found his way back on his own.

Though it was a little late in the evening, everyone happily gathered in the Tenno Suite's banquet area to celebrate Chopper becoming a member of the Straw Hats. His adorable appearance had Nami and Vivi gushing, but they calmed down fairly quickly when Chopper revealed his nearly 2m tall human form, appearing more like a 'were-reindeer' than a proper human.

Fortunately, while Chopper's human transformation caught several people by surprise, no one had an overtly 'averse' reaction. The employees of the Enma-tei didn't even bat an eye, eagerly attending him and everyone else at the banquet. Their reactions helped to reinforce Chopper's decision to join, but it was the appearance of a distinctly 'reindeer-like' attendant that had the biggest effect on his mood.

Though he knew some yokai could take on virtually any form, Thomas was still surprised when a beautiful woman with golden-blonde hair and deer-like antlers appeared. She still had a human face and features, but, as Chopper had never encountered a Mink before, he likely assumed they were closer to Caenis and Atalanta in appearance.

As surprised as Thomas was, Zoro and Usopp had fairly tame reactions. Thomas didn't think anything of this at first, but when the party neared its end, he learned why. The two 'Nakai-sans(Room Maids)' that had greeted them upon their arrival at the Enma-tei were strikingly similar to Kuina and Kaya in terms of appearance. There were some notable disparities, but the duo had experienced a feeling of 'deja vu' upon first meeting the two women.

Since Zoro had encountered Tashigi at Loguetown, he wasn't nearly as surprised as Usopp. The latter's Nakai-san didn't just look like Kaya; she also had features reminiscent of his mother. When she later served him a meal, it tasted nearly identical to the soup his mother used to make when he was a kid.

As Nakai-sans were responsible for taking care of guests and ensuring their peace of mind, they almost always appeared in forms that inspired feelings of comfort or nostalgia. When Thomas later confronted Chopper, he learned that the woman attending him apparently had antlers similar to his mother and a faint aroma of medicine. More surprisingly, she even had some medical knowledge, enough to carry a conversation but not enough to come across as an expert. In that same vein, the Nakai-san attending Zoro knew about swords, while the one attending Usopp enjoyed listening to stories...

...

..

.

(A/N: I'm going to keep simul-posting chapters on patre-on, Library of akasha, and webnovel. If you'd like to support me and help me continue writing this and many other stories, please consider becoming a patron or reading the novels on my website. Once this novel reaches chapter 100, I will be asking patrons to vote on which story I focus on next. Right now, I am considering Mushoku Impact and EPIC, but the final decision lies in the hands of the community.)