Chapter 897: Aokiji Arrives
Ever since the World Government issued a demon-killing order to O'Hara 20 years ago and wiped , Aokiji has questioned justice, so he let Nico Robin go and has been secretly keeping an eye on her.
This behavior directly led to him being criticized by many One Piece fans as a lolita complex, but Aokiji was determined and had no regrets about it. He even maintained that attitude for 20 years, and did not change his expression even when the lolita grew up in front of him, which perfectly interpreted the spirit that a navy admiral should have.
After the "Rain God Saves the Country" incident in Alabasta, he learned that Nico Robin had left with the Wizard, so he asked for leave from Sengoku and began to look for Nico Robin in the paradise, in order to see once again the "son of the devil" whom he had let go that year, what kind of person he would meet this time and what kind of judgment he would make.
On the sea, Aokiji was riding his bicycle slowly towards the direction of the Seven Water City. A new newspaper was stuck on the front of the bicycle.
"Magicians... another group of restless people. Their existence has already disrupted the pattern of the new world. You are looking for them at this time. Are you finally planning not to run away?"
The development of the plot now is different from the original. Since Aokiji's eyes are always on Robin, he did not find Luffy and his crew, nor did he give the Golden Den Den Mushi that can launch the Demon Slayer Order to Spandam, but went directly to the Water Seven City.
After an unknown amount of time, Aokiji finally arrived at the outer city of Water Seven. Under the shocked gazes of the citizens, he moved the car from the ice to the ground by himself, and then casually left it in a store.
"A tsunami is coming, and your bike might be blown apart!"
"It's okay, I'll be back to get it soon!" Faced with the shop owner's kind reminder, Aokiji just waved it casually and turned to walk towards the city.
Half a day later, Aokiji took a blue plane and sailed along the river in the inner city, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Seven Water City.
Although the main purpose of his trip was to find Robin, he couldn't just stand on the street with Robin's wanted poster and ask a passerby "Have you seen this woman?", because he would really be regarded as a perverted lolita-loving uncle!
Even if he explained to passers-by that the photo was taken 20 years ago, he would still attract strange looks from them. Passers-by would not think that the girl was his sister or someone else, but would think that this perverted uncle had been following the loli for 20 years.
For the sake of secrecy, Aokiji could only search slowly. Anyway, he was on vacation this time, and instead of focusing on finding someone, he might as well enjoy the scenery and food of the Seven Water City.
"Mask Carnival? What an interesting culture... But aren't the Water Gods supposed to be here in the next few days? These people don't seem to be worried at all. Is it because they've gotten used to it?"
As a general, it is a necessary skill to remember the culture of key island cities. Water City is close to Judicial Island, has world-class shipbuilding craftsmen, and is also the birthplace of the sea train. Even if Aokiji's understanding of this place is not thorough, it is at least at a level that leaves a deep impression.
Finally, Aokiji saw several familiar figures on both sides of the street.
"A boy with cherry-colored hair, a girl with golden hair, a girl with twin ponytails, a cat that can fly and talk... their characteristics are exactly the same as what Smoker said... Those people should be the wizards who call themselves 'Fairy Tail', right?"
"Their appearance here means Nico Robin must be in this city too! So if I just follow them, I should be able to find her soon, right?"
Thinking of this, Aokiji no longer hesitated, turned around and followed Blue... and followed him.
Ten minutes later, at the unmanned port in the outer city, which was where Luffy fought Usopp under the moon in the original work.
"Be careful, we have been being watched since just now!"
Hearing Eric's reminder again, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Wendy and others who were having a great time were all stunned and looked behind them. Unfortunately, with just their eyesight, they couldn't tell who was following them from the group of strangers behind them.
"Could it be that those people just now refused to admit defeat and came looking for him again?"
Natsu sniffed the air and said, "I don't smell anything like those people just now."
"From the sound, it seems that there is only one."
Several people looked back, not daring to miss any clues, but after staring for a long time, they found that the people behind them were dressed normally, without the clothes unique to the Franky family, which would make them look like a pervert if they put them on.
"So... who are you following?"
"Look, that tall guy who's pretending to read a newspaper!"
Following Eric's outstretched finger, several people focused their eyes on Aokiji who was pretending to read a newspaper.
Happy flew forward, popped his head out from the side of the newspaper, and asked Aokiji almost right in the face, "Uncle, what do you want from us?"
Aokiji behind the newspaper fell silent: "..."
I'm exposed? What happened? My tracking... No, my tracking skills shouldn't have deteriorated, how did they find me? Should I pretend I don't know? Forget it... Since they've come to me, they must be quite capable. I'd better just speak my mind.
"Ahem... You guys are the ones who call yourselves wizards, right? You're really good at this..."
"Ohhhh!! Uncle, do you know us?"
Aokiji could only drop his disguise and nodded: "Smoker has told me a little about your situation, and... now there should be no one in this sea who doesn't know about the existence of the 'Wizard'."
Few people knew that he was talking about the situation in the New World.
"You are Uncle Smoker's friend? So you are also a marine?"
"But why is the navy following us? We are not pirates, and we haven't broken any laws so far, right? Could it be that you are the legendary pervert who stalks us?"
"You guys, are you following Lucy?!"
"Don't say that! Being followed by a gloomy middle-aged pervert like that sounds disgusting!!"
"Lucy, this is not a good thing, please close your mouth..."
"Gray-sama~Juvia is so scared~I need Gray-sama's embrace to feel at ease!!"
"Stop lying, you're just trying to take advantage of me!!"
Aokiji thought to himself, "What's wrong with these young men? Are they mentally ill? But it seems that they don't recognize my identity as a navy admiral? Why not just find an excuse to follow them and wait until I see Nico Robin?"
"I am indeed a marine, but I am on leave now..."
But before he could come up with his excuse, Eric interrupted him: "Nani?! Are you the admiral of the navy?!"
Aokiji was silent for a moment: I knew that in such a large group of people, not all of them would be so stupid! Well, now I don't need to waste time looking for excuses, I can only reveal my cards.
"Oh?! I was recognized after all? Yes, my name is Kuzan, and I came to you because I have something to do with Nico Robin. I heard that she is with you now, is that true?"
"Yes, do you know her?"
"It's not a big deal, it's just that I haven't seen her for 20 years and I want to see how she is doing and how she plans to live in the future."
"What? So that's how it is..."
Aokiji said this sincerely, and his tone sounded like an uncle who hadn't seen his niece for many years and was concerned about the growth of his younger generation. Therefore, Natsu and others instantly relaxed their vigilance, but Eric, who had been in the dark guild, keenly sensed that something was wrong. Even though he didn't hear any falsehood in Aokiji's heart, his doubts did not diminish in the slightest.
"I remember that Nico Robin is wanted by the World Government. In other words, she is an enemy of you, a Navy Admiral. Are you kind enough to come and see her?"
As soon as Eric asked the question, the way several people looked at Aokiji changed.
"Uncle, are you planning to follow us to find Robin-san and arrest her?"
"Oh my... I've already told you that I'm on vacation now, so I have no intention of catching her. Have you ever seen anyone working while on vacation?"
Aokiji thought that this statement would be recognized by the people in front of him , but he didn't expect that the other party's reaction was beyond his expectations.
"Working on vacation? The president always seems to be like this, right?"
"That's right! I often see the old man chatting with people from the Council about work during his vacation!"
Aokiji's inner thoughts: Huh? So the president of this magic guild called "Fairy Tail" is actually an old man? And he sounds like a workaholic? ?
Before he could take this discovery to heart, he heard Lucy's roar in his ears: "That's because you always destroy half a street, a clock tower, etc.! The reason why the president always has to work on his days off is to make trouble for you! ”
“Yes… yes?”
"We really feel sorry for the old man..."
"Thank you for your hard work, old man!"
Aokiji: “…”
I can always imagine how helpless that president is...
