The Strongest Frostt Loli: Trending One Piece Fanfiction Reincarnation

Chapter 62 – The Sea Forest



 

Deep within the Sea Forest, it lay hidden.

A stone tablet inscribed with ancient characters, its language understood by few in the present day, its very reading forbidden by the World Government. Those who knew of its existence referred to it as a "Road Poneglyph."

"...It's truly here. But..."

Kanata had been aware of this Road Poneglyph's existence, a faint memory from a distant past. However, she hadn't expected to find two.

One was a regular Road Poneglyph.

The other was crimson – a "Road History Poneglyph."

One of the four stones that pointed the way to the "final island." It had to be the last missing piece of the puzzle. Even Kanata was surprised to find it in this location.

"So… this is what's needed to reach the 'final island'."

She needed to create a rubbing of the Road Poneglyph, like a fish print, to decipher its message later.

To Kanata's knowledge, only the archaeologists of Ohara could read these ancient glyphs. She wasn't sure how Roger and his crew intended to decipher them, but considering she owed them a debt for saving her life, she was willing to cooperate.

Besides, it was best if this stone wasn't here, lest it fall into the wrong hands. Only Roger should reach the "final island."

At least, for now.

She needed to retrieve it.

She called Feiyun to her location, entrusting the transportation of the massive Road Poneglyph, a task too cumbersome for humans, to the giant girl.

As for where to store it on the ship, Kanata instructed Feiyun to simply place it deep within the treasury.

Most of the crew was exploring the city, leaving only a few on guard duty. They didn't seem particularly curious about what Feiyun was carrying, dismissing it as just another piece of cargo.

“…What’s this for?” Feiyun asked.

“Who knows? But it’ll be useful someday,” Kanata replied vaguely.

"Really?"

Even if Kanata and her crew didn't need it, it could be used as leverage against those seeking it.

She was bound to encounter Roger again in the New World. She could hand over the rubbing then.

No one else needed this stone. Only Roger should become the Pirate King.

She covered it with a thick cloth and encased it in Haki-infused ice, concealing it from prying eyes. It should be safe for a while, but she might need to inform George and Dragon about it.

She had also created a rubbing of the other Road Poneglyph, but that one wasn't particularly important, she recalled. Nonetheless, it was a valuable historical document and needed to be stored carefully.

“What are you doing?”

Gloriosa and Kaie, having returned from the city before the others, approached Kanata as she examined the rubbing of the Road Poneglyph in the dining hall.

Confused by the unfamiliar text, they stared at it with puzzled expressions.

“What is this?” Gloriosa asked.

“Ancient characters. The language inscribed on the Road Poneglyphs,” Kanata explained.

“Hmm… the World Government forbids the reading of these glyphs, doesn’t it? It’s the first time I’ve seen a real one,” Gloriosa remarked.

“…They forbid reading it?” Kaie tilted her head, bewildered.

Gloriosa replied, “Yes. Deciphering the ancient language will make you a target of the World Government. They claim it’s because it could lead to the resurrection of the Ancient Weapons.”

“Ancient Weapons?” Kaie’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. Apparently, weapons created in a distant past, on some unknown island. I don’t know the details… ”

“I don’t know much about them either, but they are dangerous, that much I know.”

Octavia seemed to possess information about the Ancient Weapons.

This meant that someone within the Rocks Pirates must have been able to decipher the ancient text. Judging by the fact that Shiki and Linlin hadn't obtained any Ancient Weapons yet, it was highly likely that whoever could read the glyphs was already dead.

Or perhaps, Octavia herself was capable of handling the ancient language.

“Are you going to search for the Ancient Weapons?” Kaie asked.

“It might be best to find and destroy them before they become a threat. But the search itself is dangerous,” Kanata replied.

The World Government would be relentlessly pursuing them, and it was possible that Shiki and Linlin, who were also aware of the Ancient Weapons' existence, were on the lookout for them as well.

In that sense, it was safer to leave the Ancient Weapons undisturbed. The very act of searching for them was a risk.

If Kanata and her crew antagonized countless enemies while destroying the weapons, only to be suspected of secretly possessing them, it could lead to a war.

“We’ll leave them alone for now. No one will find them anyway.”

Except for Roger, who had somehow managed to read the Road Poneglyphs.

***

That evening, Tiger returned while they were preparing for a barbecue in a corner of the Sea Forest. He was carrying a large barrel of sake on his back, carefully placing it on the ground.

Behind him was an unfamiliar Fishman, younger than Kanata.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tiger said.

“Don’t worry about it. You were catching up with your friends after such a long time. Who’s the man behind you?” Kanata asked.

“This is my sworn brother, Jinbe. He insisted on coming when I told him I was joining the feast,” Tiger explained.

Jinbe, considerably younger than Kanata, seemed wary of the humans surrounding him, his eyes sharp and alert.

“He’s still on edge, even though I told him you were the crew I traveled with. Sorry about that,” Tiger apologized.

“Fufu, it’s fine,” Kanata chuckled.

Interracial tensions were often difficult to erase. From the perspective of Fishmen and Merfolk, humans were undoubtedly a source of conflict and resentment.

In that sense, Tiger was the outlier.

However, Jinbe remained relatively calm, considering Tiger's vouching for them. Perhaps he had simply come to observe the kind of humans Tiger considered friends.

“Come on, don’t just stand there. Take a seat. What would you like to drink?” Kanata offered.

“I brought sake from our homeland. There’s nothing better! Have a taste!” Tiger said proudly, placing the barrel on the table.

“Oh, you sound confident. I’ll take you up on that.”

Kanata had three cups prepared. It was a bit early for a toast, but she could see others already starting to drink.

The food was still being prepared, but they had snacks. She figured they might as well start before everyone returned.

The ones who were taking their sweet time were the crew members who had gone to the Mermaid Café. They must have been enjoying themselves.

Kanata took a sip of the sake Tiger had brought and nodded in approval. “Good sake.”

“Right?! It’s my favorite. Every time I return, I drink my fill of it.”

“You’re drinking too much, brother. You usually pass out on the first day back,” Jinbe commented.

“Ugh… Jinbe! I’m celebrating my safe return!”

“You were eating taiyaki and drinking sake, completely wasted.”

“Jinbe!!”

“Fufu… You two seem close. That’s good to see.”

Tiger, embarrassed by Jinbe’s revelations, hid his face in his hands, while Kanata laughed, enjoying a plate of carpaccio.

Merfolk didn’t eat fish, but Fishmen consumed both fish and meat. Being a nation in the depths of the ocean, they weren’t short on ingredients.

The taste depended on the skill of the cook, but it was undeniably delicious.

“How’s it feel to be back after so long?” Kanata asked Tiger.

“It’s been quite a while. It feels good to finally be home… The Fishman District where we grew up was originally a place for those who had nowhere else to go,” Tiger explained.

It was a place with orphanages and welfare facilities, but it had gradually become a haven for gangs and pirates.

Tiger, with his strength, had managed to unite them, but since he had become an adventurer, exploring different parts of the world, he hadn’t been able to visit often.

“Jinbe was the second strongest after me. He took care of things when I was gone.”

“You make it sound like I’m capable, brother. I can’t handle it without you.”

Tiger ruffled Jinbe’s hair affectionately. Jinbe, though embarrassed, didn’t seem to mind.

“The Fishman District… a slum, basically,” Kanata remarked.

“Well, yeah, you could say that. I was a bit worried, considering how long this journey has been, but it seems everything’s fine.”

“I was worried too. Arlong was too. It was unusually long this time.”

“Sorry about that. Things happened.”

Their ship had been damaged, forcing them to travel on Kanata’s vessel, and they had almost become wanted criminals. But they had finally reached Fishman Island safely.

Tiger, sipping his sake, recounted their adventures to Jinbe. By the time he finished, the night was deep.

The crew members who had gone to the Mermaid Café had finally returned, joining the feast, enjoying sake, fish, and meat.

George joined the conversation, and Gloriosa and Kaie listened intently. The atmosphere was lively and jovial.

Kaie, however, seemed sleepy.

“If you’re tired, go to sleep. I’ll carry you,” Kanata offered.

Kaie, held in Kanata’s arms, tried to stay awake, rubbing her eyes, but soon drifted off to sleep, her body swaying gently.

“♪~”

Kanata hummed a lullaby. The crew, who had been boisterous just moments ago, fell silent, captivated by her unexpected song.

The quiet was unnerving, especially considering Kanata’s usual demeanor.

“…What happened? You were all so noisy just a moment ago.”

“It’s just… it’s unusual to hear you sing a lullaby… And you should probably never sing again,” Scotch said, avoiding her gaze.

“Why?!”

“…Well, you know?”

“Yeah,” Scotch nodded, taking a sip of sake.

“Your lullabies sound like… cursed songs,” George explained.

“I don’t intend for them to sound that way,” Kanata protested.

“Even if you don’t intend it, that’s how they sound! Imagine hearing that in the dead of night! I wouldn’t even be able to go to the bathroom!”

They were in a forest, far from the city, surrounded by darkness. The lullaby, though innocent, had created a chilling atmosphere.

Kanata pouted, and Scotch, declaring that he needed another drink to calm his nerves, asked the musician to play “Binks’ Sake.”

The music resumed, the atmosphere becoming lively once again. However, they decided to take Kaie to the ship, lest she be woken by the noise.

Gloriosa carried Kaie to her cabin, and Kanata returned to her conversation with Tiger, taking another sip of sake.

“…You’re the captain of this ship, right? Is it always like this?” Tiger asked.

“Hmm? Well, yeah,” Kanata replied nonchalantly.

“Don’t you care about… captainly authority?”

“It’s not that important. Besides, it’s tiring to be serious all the time.”

A crew that couldn't support their captain in times of need would crumble, but they would unite when necessary. As long as they knew their place, Kanata had no intention of being overly strict.

She had strict rules, but only when it came to basic morals and conduct.

Those who truly looked down on Kanata weren’t on this ship. They lacked the courage to even try.

“Even you, Tiger, become a mess when you drink,” Kanata pointed out.

“…True,” Tiger conceded.

He was swaying, his arm around Scotch’s shoulders, singing "Binks’ Sake." Jinbe, who seemed to be taking it easy, was only slightly flushed.

He no longer seemed wary of the humans, enjoying the festivities. Perhaps he had been swayed by Kanata’s camaraderie with Tiger.

“We were always told that humans are terrifying creatures,” Jinbe said.

“Being human or Fishman is irrelevant. What’s the point of discriminating based on skin color or physique?” Kanata replied.

Regardless of race or gender, there would always be people she disliked and those she could befriend.

Generalizing based on categories like "human," "Fishman," or "Mermaid" only clouded one’s judgment.

“It would be nice if everyone thought that way, but it’s not that simple. Humans aren’t all bad, but they’re not all good either,” Jinbe acknowledged.

“Learn to protect yourself. If you’re weak, you’ll lose everything.”

It was a world of survival of the fittest.

Power, violence, dominance – strength prevailed above all else. To protect what was precious, one had to fight, regardless of the battlefield.

Kanata, too, had fought to protect what she held dear.

“Will I be able to become strong enough to be someone brother Tiger can rely on?” Jinbe asked.

“I think he already relies on you… but if you want to be stronger, come see me tomorrow. I’ll train you.”

“Really? Is it alright?”

“You’re Tiger’s sworn brother. I won’t refuse.”

However, Kanata’s fighting style was mostly self-taught. It would be better for Jinbe to learn Fishman Karate and Fishman Jujutsu from a more experienced teacher.

She would primarily teach him about Haki.

He could refine his fighting style through experience, finding what suited him best. This training was about strengthening his foundation.

She also needed to train the new recruits from Water Seven. The New World wasn't a place for those with weak resolve.

“Thank you. I’ll be in your care.”

Jinbe bowed his head respectfully.

Kanata took another sip of sake. How strong Jinbe could become depended on his willpower. After all, Haki was literally the manifestation of one’s “strength of spirit.”

They needed to recoat their ships to enter the New World. That would take a few days. She would use that time to train Jinbe.

 

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