Chapter 76: My Fans Are All Over the East Blue [Combined]

In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed.

It was the agreed-upon meeting time.

Nojiko and Nami arrived at the square first, sitting at the entrance of a café on the western edge, idly waiting for their companions.

The sky had darkened at some point, with thick clouds gathering, and a light drizzle pattering on the café's awning, splattering into fine mist.

Nami held a coffee cup, her fingertips flickering with flames, unconsciously rubbing and heating the bottom of the cup. The dark brown liquid kept bubbling softly.

Occasionally, passersby with umbrellas noticed and cast surprised glances.

"It's so cold…" Nojiko complained. "With this rain, the temperature must have dropped by ten degrees. I should have bought myself a coat earlier."

"Has it gotten colder?" Nami asked, puzzled. "I don't feel it at all."

"Because you're a Devil Fruit Ability User!" Nojiko said exasperatedly. "Your body's made of flames now. How could you possibly feel cold?"

"Oh, right." Nami suddenly realized. "Want me to warm you up?"

Whoosh!

Her orange hair instantly burst into flames, the roaring fire like a dazzling bonfire in the gloomy, rainy weather.

Wow, it really is warm.

Nojiko's eyes lit up, and she raised her arms, about to move closer to warm her hands, when a scream came from inside the café—

"Fire!!!"

"Someone save that customer!"

Splash! Two large buckets of water were poured over Nami's head, instantly drenching her and the chair, but the roaring flames continued to burn.

"Not enough, hurry! Get more water!" the middle-aged café owner immediately directed the barista beside her.

"Pfft—" Nojiko couldn't help but slam the table and burst into laughter.

Nami sat frozen, still holding the coffee cup in one hand, her wet orange hair steaming, coffee dripping down her chin and onto her collar.

"Ahhh, you idiots!"

She raised her fists in frustration at the staff. "This is my ability! Haven't you heard of Devil Fruits? You can't just dump water on a customer's head without asking first!!!"

This girl is a Devil Fruit Ability User?

The people of Loguetown were well-informed, and the café owner quickly realized her mistake, hurriedly handing over a towel to help wipe Nami down. "I'm so sorry! The way your hair suddenly caught fire was just too shocking…"

"Never mind!"

Nami huffed. "I can handle it myself!"

She snapped her fingers.

The surface of her skin immediately began to glow with an orange-yellow hue, as if flames were burning beneath it. Heat seeped through her pores, continuously steaming and misting.

In no time, she was completely dry and clean again, save for the brown coffee stains.

The café owner and the baristas were dumbfounded.

"Ah, forget it. You meant well. I can't blame you."

Nami looked at the now undrinkable coffee and sighed. "Let's just settle the bill."

"I'm truly sorry!"

The café owner quickly bowed. "We've caused you so much trouble! How about this? We have a signature steak pizza combo on the second-floor private seating. It's lunchtime now, so please let us make it up to you. You can choose anything from the menu, all on the house. How does that sound?"

Free lunch?

Nami pursed her lips. Given the environment she grew up in, she wasn't exactly impressed by such a small gesture.

Seeing the female shop owner's anxious demeanor, Nami couldn't help but feel a bit mischievous. She grinned and said, "Really, it's free? But we still have several companions who haven't arrived yet."

"No problem, it's all on the house!"

The shop owner actually seemed relieved and smiled gently, "I'm just glad you agreed, otherwise I would have felt really bad..."

"Hey, Nami, don't bully the kind lady."

Nojiko poked Nami's forehead in exasperation, then turned to the shop owner and said:

"That's not necessary, just make it free for her alone. The rest of us, four people and a pet, will pay for what we eat. Really, trust me."

She knew all too well about her brother's appetite. If they really went for a free meal, this café would be left with nothing but their underpants.

And then there was Agin, who was also a big eater, but compared to her brother, he was almost negligible.

The shop owner was still hesitating when Nami, with a grin, pushed her into the shop, and she finally went off to busy herself with apologies.

As soon as Nami sat back down, she heard Nojiko's puzzled voice, "Strange, when did I start getting nearsighted?"

What did she mean?

Nami followed Nojiko's gaze and was also stunned.

—In the square not far away, there were actually two Kuinas, sharing an umbrella, walking hand in hand, side by side towards them.

Huh??

Am I nearsighted too? That doesn't make sense, Nami rubbed her eyes and looked again carefully, but there were still two of them!

She was utterly dumbfounded.

"Haha, I knew you'd make that face!"

Kuina, who had been trying to keep a straight face, couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.

"Ta-da!"

Kuina proudly pushed the bespectacled girl in front of her, "Ta-da-da-da, let me introduce to you all, the first-class soldier of the Navy branch in Loguetown! The Sword Maniac girl who looks exactly like me, Tashigi!!!"

"Nice to meet you all for the first time!"

Tashigi fumbled to adjust her glasses, the books in her arms almost falling, "Kuina, please don't introduce me like that, I'm not a Sword Maniac! I just have a deep respect for the swords that uphold justice..."

"Still denying it?"

Kuina chuckled and wrapped her arm around Tashigi's shoulders, "Hey, let me tell you, you have no idea how funny she looked when she found out I was a Master Swordsman, drooling like a creepy old man, pestering me with questions all the way, until my mouth was dry from talking..."

She casually grabbed Nami's coffee from the table, took a sip, and immediately spat it out:

"Yuck, what is this! It tastes like bathwater!"

"Pretty much, that's more like shampoo water," Nojiko said with a smirk, "You're unusually animated today, but it's all a bit confusing, maybe you should start from the beginning..."

"That's true... sorry, I got a bit too excited," Kuina slapped her forehead.

...

A few minutes later.

Tashigi, slightly blushing, sat obediently across the table with her books, while Kuina finished recounting how they had met.

"So, you two just happened to meet in a bookstore? You've never seen each other before?"

Nojiko and Nami exchanged glances, their eyes filled with astonishment.

What a coincidence in the world.

Two girls born thousands of miles apart, with no blood relation, looked exactly alike, even their height was identical.

Moreover, their interests were quite similar—both enjoyed practicing swordsmanship, appreciated Japanese aesthetics, loved famous swords, and enjoyed reading…

From the moment Tashigi noticed the Wado Ichimonji, the two of them opened up and chatted more and more, feeling as if they had met too late in life.

Of course.

Upon learning that Kuina had already mastered the Iron-Cutting Realm and become a Master Swordsman, it was mainly Tashigi asking questions and Kuina answering.

Despite being around the same age, the gap in their swordsmanship skills was immense.

Kuina casually offered a few pointers, which greatly benefited Tashigi, and she effortlessly shared various miscellaneous knowledge about swordsmanship.

Instantly, her status in Tashigi's eyes soared, and even her address changed to "Your Excellency."

"So you said she's a Sword Maniac, and you weren't wrong…"

Nojiko glanced with interest at the thick stack of books Tashigi was holding.

Titles like "Complete Atlas of Fast Swords," "Sword Forging Essay," "When Famous Swords Fall into Evil Hands! The Pain Ace and Ten Clouds Left the World"…

Huh, Ace?

She frowned slightly, vaguely recalling that among the group of young lads her brother had befriended in the Goa Kingdom, there was one with that name.

Probably just a coincidence…

As she pondered, Kuina sighed, "What a pity, we're about to set off for the Grand Line soon, otherwise, I would definitely take her back to Shimotsuki Village to see if my father could tell us apart! He would probably be so shocked he wouldn't be able to close his mouth!"

"I doubt Master Koshiro would be fooled."

Nojiko shrugged, "Not just him, even Nami and I were only initially taken aback by you two. After observing for a while, it's easy to tell you apart."

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Nami nodded in agreement.

Indeed.

These two looked almost identical, but their auras were worlds apart.

Sister Kuina often had a gentle smile on her face, seeming very approachable.

But in reality, she was ambitious, with a cool and aloof air about her, a testament to her absolute confidence in her swordsmanship talent and strength.

As for this Tashigi…

Hmm, perhaps because her glasses prescription was stronger, she seemed a bit ditzy, always a little muddled.

She also seemed quite timid; even after chatting this long and getting to know the sisters, she still clutched her books nervously, appearing shy and uneasy.

Such a girl, according to Kuina, was actually a Marine apprentice?

"Meeting is fate, Tashigi, how about joining us for lunch? Our treat. By the way, Kuina, did you see my brother on the way?"

Nojiko glanced at her watch, "It's 11:52, only eight minutes left until the agreed time. Really, where is he?"

"Didn't run into him."

Kuina shook her head, "No need to rush, let's wait a bit longer. Master Xiano is always punctual and trustworthy. If he said to meet at noon, he'll definitely be here before then."

"You really have unconditional faith in him."

Nojiko was momentarily speechless, about to say something when Tashigi beside her suddenly let out an exclamation, her face flushed with excitement: "—Huh??? Wait, wait!"

"Lord Xiano?! Are you talking about that Lord Xiano who became famous in the East Blue a few years ago? He, he... is your brother?"

"To be precise, he's their brother."

Kuina, holding a cup of black tea, sighed with a hint of envy:

"Jealous, aren't you? I've been jealous for a long time. Why is it that they got to grow up with Lord Xiano every day, while I only had two annoying idiots who kept arguing around me?"

"Did you add lemon slices?" Nojiko asked Nami, shaking her coffee cup suspiciously.

"No, why would I add lemon to coffee? It's not cola," Nami replied, puzzled.

"Then why does it suddenly taste so sour?"

The two sisters burst into laughter, while Kuina glanced at them sideways: "Whatever, now that we're all on the same ship, I get to see Lord Xiano every day too. It's no different."

"I, I really want to meet him too!"

Tashigi suddenly clapped her hands together, pleading, "Where is Lord Xiano? Is he on this island? Will he come here? Please let me see him with my own eyes, I beg you! I've been his loyal fan since I was a child. I've read those reports about him over and over again! The reason I took up the path of swordsmanship was also because of his influence!"

As she spoke, Tashigi seemed to suddenly remember something and frantically pulled out her wallet.

At the top of the wallet's inner layer was a photo from the report on the Asakura Island incident. It showed a handsome black-haired boy holding a bamboo sword, standing proudly on a wooden platform, surrounded by a crowd of cheering spectators.

"Here, look at this."

"That was such a long time ago..." Kuina took the photo, her expression a bit strange.

"It's been five years, hasn't it? Did you cut this out from a newspaper? You've kept it all this time? It's even starting to yellow..."

She wouldn't mention that she had also cut out the same photo back then.

However, she hadn't kept it with her but had carefully pasted it on her beloved desk lamp, so she could see it every time she looked up while reading.

Unfortunately, a year later, some damned thief stole her lamp, leaving her furious and with no outlet for her anger, so she ended up taking it out on Zoro by giving him a good beating.

"It's very old... but he's so cool, isn't he?"

Tashigi adjusted her glasses, her eyes filled with longing as she recalled the past.

"Do you know? When I saw that report back then, I immediately carved my family's clothesline pole into a bamboo sword! I practiced diligently every day, and later joined the Navy, dreaming that one day I could be like him, using the sword of justice to protect the peace of this sea..."

The once shy and reserved girl suddenly burst out with such a passionate and excited monologue, leaving Nojiko and Nami somewhat taken aback.

"Hey, listen."

While Nami was still engrossed, Nojiko couldn't hold back anymore and whispered into Kuina's ear:

"She's just like you. Are you sure you two aren't related? Should we call Koshiro right now and ask?"

"Get lost!"

Kuina pushed her away in annoyance, then turned to Tashigi with a smile and said:

"Don't worry, today is the day your dream comes true. He'll be here in just a few minutes, and you can look at him all you want. You might even have lunch with him."

Huh? Lunch together?!

Tashigi's glasses slid down to the tip of her nose, her breathing suddenly became rapid, and her face turned as red as an apple:

"R-really? Why am I so lucky today? Am I dreaming? First, I met Lady Kuina, and now I get to have lunch with Lord Xiano..."

Ahhh! The young girl covered her face, feeling so overwhelmed with happiness that she was about to faint.

Just as she felt like she was floating up to the clouds like a bubble, she was abruptly interrupted by a thunderous roar in her ear.

"Recruit Tashigi!"

The Petty Officer with a face full of rough features happened to pass by and noticed her, shouting sternly:

"Why are you still wandering around? Haven't you received the news? Colonel Smoker's warship has returned early and is about to dock!!"

"All personnel at the base have had their leave canceled, and that includes you. Hurry back to the base! Change into your uniform and head to the dock immediately to stand by!"

What? At this very moment!

Tashigi felt as if she had been struck by lightning, looking up at her superior in disbelief. Her mood, which had just been soaring in the clouds, plummeted to the depths.

"Why, Petty Officer?"

She was on the verge of tears, trying to make one last plea, "Colonel Smoker has never been one for such formalities, why would he issue such an order?"

"This isn't Colonel Smoker's order, it's from higher up. I'm not sure who exactly."

The Petty Officer gave Kuina a strange look, then turned back and said coldly:

"Anyway, I heard some very important personage is arriving. The magistrates and administrators of Loguetown have already rushed to the dock to welcome them. You're just a lowly recruit, don't worry about it too much, just follow orders!"

As per the editor's notice, tomorrow

is the third river, and next Wednesday is the release. I need to start writing more drafts daily to have enough for the release day, aiming to update several chapters at once for everyone's enjoyment.

If you're running out of books to read, you can also check out my previous works. This one is the Pirate King of the East Sea, and the last one was the Sea King of the East Sea.

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