One Piece: From Ninja To Pirates Chapter 285: Why Do You Have to Bring Up the Sore Subject?!

"Hey, why are you all so hostile?" Rayleigh said helplessly, looking at Kikyo, who was staring him down. "I don't have any ill intentions."

If his skills had been even a little worse, he would have been done in by her arrows, which were imbued with Armant Haki.

"No ill intentions?"

Kikyo glanced at her sisters who had fainted beside her and said with an ugly expression, "This is what you call no ill intentions?"

He had taken down several of her sisters with a strange ability in a single encounter, and now he was claiming to have no ill intentions?

Who would believe that?!

"If I didn't quiet them down, I wouldn't have even had a chance to speak," Rayleigh said, rolling his eyes.

The mont he climbed out of the water, he was hit with several attacks imbued with Armant Haki. Where was he supposed to go to reason with them?

Hancock, who had just arrived, heard Rayleigh's words and said irritably, "So you used Conqueror's Haki to knock out my warriors?"

Looking at the old man with glasses, Hancock's face was filled with displeasure.

Glancing at Hancock, Rayleigh smiled. "Yo, Hancock, you're here."

"Ah, and Gloriosa, too."

After greeting them, Rayleigh explained, "I already told them I was looking for iser and Luffy, but not only did they not believe , they even shot at with their bows..."

"So I had no choice but to do this."

If they hadn't initiated the attack, he wouldn't have bothered to stoop to the level of these young ladies.

"Lady Serpent Princess, he..."

"Yes, this man is an acquaintance of mine. He's not dangerous," Hancock said, nodding to Kikyo.

"An acquaintance of Lady Serpent Princess."

Kikyo gave Rayleigh a sowhat surprised look, not expecting that he was actually telling the truth.

Seeing this, Rayleigh shrugged. He really hadn't been lying.

Kikyo fell silent for a mont, then said, "Lady Serpent Princess, then what about them..."

"They've only fainted temporarily. They'll wake up after a while," Hancock said.

After speaking, Hancock glanced at Enishida and continued, "Take so people and help Kikyo carry them back."

"Yes, Lady Serpent Princess!" Enishida replied.

She then led a few people to quickly run over to the fainted warriors.

"Uncle Rayleigh!!"

"Ah, Sandersonia and Marigold are here too," Rayleigh said with a laugh. "Haha, you've all grown into young won."

Looking at these three young won, a sense of nostalgia appeared in Rayleigh's eyes. Had so many years really passed in the blink of an eye?

"That's right, we're now warriors who can stand on our own!" Sandersonia said.

"Not bad, not bad," Rayleigh chuckled. "If Shakky saw you now, she would be very happy."

"Hehe~"

Being praised by Rayleigh, the two sisters imdiately started smiling.

Just then, Hancock said, "You're here to find iser, right? I'll take you to him."

With that, Hancock turned and walked into the distance.

"Hmm?"

Watching Hancock's back, Rayleigh showed a thoughtful expression.

"Let's go."

Seeing Rayleigh still standing there, Granny Nyon said, "Don't tell you're expecting us to formally invite you?"

Rayleigh, who had been lost in thought, nodded upon hearing this. "Alright, let's go then."

The sooner he saw Luffy and iser, the sooner he could ask them about their plans.

If they wanted to take a break and learn Haki from him, he would play the role of a teacher.

If they didn't want to...

He wouldn't stop them from going to the New World either. After all, it was their own choice, wasn't it?

"By the way... how did you know iser and Luffy would return here?" Granny Nyon asked. "Did iser call you two, or did you guess?"

If he could figure out that iser and Luffy were here just by guessing, then... could the World Governnt also guess this?

If that were the case, it would be a disaster for them on Kuja Island.

"iser didn't contact us," Rayleigh said, shaking his head. "I guessed."

"You guessed?"

"Mhm," Rayleigh nodded. "I watched the entire battle at Marine Headquarters, but I didn't see any sign of rry."

"So... I figured that little girl must have been left behind on Kuja Island."

"I see," Granny Nyon said. "So you determined that iser and Luffy would definitely co back to Kuja Island to pick her up."

"Correct."

Granny Nyon fell silent for a mont upon hearing this, then said with so emotion, "Your mind is still as sharp as ever."

"Hahaha."

"Well, I had a blockhead for a captain, you know," Rayleigh laughed heartily.

If he hadn't been a bit smarter, the Roger Pirates would have been long gone.

After his big laugh, Rayleigh took a letter out from his coat and handed it to Granny Nyon. "Here, this is a letter from Shakky for you."

"A letter, is it?" After opening the envelope and taking a look, Granny Nyon smiled. "That girl... she really is the sa as always."

It seems that girl is doing well. That's good... that's very good!

With this thought, Granny Nyon put the envelope away in her clothes and then led Rayleigh into the distance.

"Let's go."

"Alright."

"And that's what happened," iser said, sitting next to Luffy.

"I can't believe you went through so much at Marine Headquarters," Margaret said, looking at iser in shock.

To be able to retreat from such a terrifying battlefield completely unscathed... it seed these two were even stronger than she had imagined!

After listening to iser's account, Luffy, on the other hand, wore a shocked expression and said, "Shanks ca too?!"

"Yes."

iser nodded, then said with so emotion, "It's a pity you were asleep at the ti, otherwise you could have t him."

"Shanks..."

A regretful expression appeared on Luffy's face. He had been so close to seeing Shanks.

But Luffy quickly cheered up and said, "It's okay. We'll be going to the New World sooner or later anyway. I can just see him then."

By that ti... he would have beco a great pirate, one that would surely surprise Shanks!

At this thought, Luffy grinned, baring his teeth.

"You're certainly optimistic," iser chuckled.

That was true. If Luffy got discouraged by sothing like this, he wouldn't be Luffy.

"By the way, where did Ace and the others go?" Luffy asked.

"Them..."

iser recalled what Marco had told him earlier and said, "They should have returned to the New World by now."

Several days had passed; those guys should have already made it back to the New World.

"They've already gone back, huh," Luffy said, scratching his head. "Well, I'll just go find Ace after we get to the New World."

He had been thinking of having a good chat with Ace, but since he had already gone back... he would just put it off for now and deal with it in the New World.

"After getting to the New World, huh."

Recalling the expressions on Marco and the others' faces as they left, a trace of solemnity appeared in iser's eyes.

After losing Uncle Whitebeard, will Marco and the others be attacked by the other Four Emperors?

I hope they'll be alright, iser murmured to himself.

Just then, Little rry raised her hand and said, "Now that Luffy's awake, shouldn't we get ready to go to the Sabaody Archipelago?"

Their other crewmates might go to the Sabaody Archipelago to look for them at any ti, so rry felt it was best to go back sooner rather than later.

"We should indeed start preparing," iser said, stroking his chin.

It would take a few days to get to the Sabaody Archipelago from here, so it was better to set off as soon as possible.

"You're leaving already?" Margaret said with a disappointed expression. "So soon?"

They had only just returned less than a day ago.

"Our crewmates are waiting for us, so we have to go back soon," Luffy said.

"Is that so..."

Margaret fell silent for a mont upon hearing this, then turned to look at rry and said, "Then what about your snake egg?"

"I heard from Granny Nyon that the weather outside changes drastically. What if..."

"That is a problem."

Little rry wore a troubled expression, clearly not having thought of a good solution either.

"The climate here is indeed different from the outside," iser said, turning to glance at the weather outside.

If they went outside, there was no guarantee the snake egg would hatch.

But... they really didn't have ti to stay here.

"Does that an I have to give up on this little guy?" rry said, a little dejected.

She had finally gotten Granny Nyon to find her a green snake egg, but now she couldn't take it with her...

At this thought, rry's eyes filled with disappointnt.

Just then, Granny Nyon and the others walked in from outside, imdiately attracting the attention of everyone in the room.

"Uncle Rayleigh?!"

Looking at Rayleigh standing beside Granny Nyon, iser was montarily stunned, clearly not expecting him to be here.

Shouldn't he be enjoying his retirent on the Sabaody Archipelago? Why had he co to Kuja Island?

Luffy, however, showed a look of pleasant surprise. "Uncle Rayleigh, what are you doing here?"

"Hahahaha, I ca looking for you, of course," Rayleigh laughed.

"Looking for us?"

iser was a little confused, not knowing what he had co to find them for.

"Uncle Rayleigh!!"

Seeing rry greet him, Rayleigh smiled. "Long ti no see, little one."

"Is Sister Shakky doing well?"

"Yes, she's doing great." Recalling what happened a few days ago, the corner of Rayleigh's mouth twitched slightly. "She couldn't be better."

rry: ???

Why does Uncle Rayleigh have that expression?

Although she didn't know what was going on, it probably ant that Sister Shakky was doing very well.

Thinking this, rry nodded. "That's good."

"Lady Serpent Princess..."

Seeing Hancock walk in with Rayleigh, Margaret imdiately went into the courtyard and stood there respectfully.

Hancock glanced at Margaret upon hearing her and then said, "What are you doing here?"

"I..."

"Sister Margaret ca to keep company," rry said.

"Is that so."

Glancing at rry, who was looking at her with pleading eyes, Hancock nodded and said no more.

Realizing she wasn't being reprimanded, Margaret let out a sigh of relief.

She was really afraid that Lady Serpent Princess would be angry with her for coming here, because... there were two n here!

"Let's go inside first," Granny Nyon said.

With that, Granny Nyon headed towards the living room.

After entering, she looked at Margaret and said, "Go pour a few cups of tea."

"Yes, Granny Nyon."

Receiving the order, Margaret left without the slightest hesitation.

"Speak, Uncle Rayleigh," iser said, sitting beside Hancock and looking at Rayleigh. "What did you co here to find us for?"

Rayleigh didn't speak right away, but instead glanced at the two of them sitting side by side.

Hancock's expression seems a bit off...

Rayleigh muttered to himself, Could it be that this kid iser has already won Hancock over?

No, isn't this a bit too fast?

This is even more exaggerated than back in the day!

As if he had thought of sothing, Rayleigh fell into deep thought.

iser: ???

Hey, what's the aning of this?

What's with just staring at the two of us without saying anything?

Sandersonia and her sister, standing behind iser and Hancock, exchanged a glance, both showing a look of confusion.

Clearly, they didn't understand what Rayleigh was doing either.

"What on earth are you trying to do?" Hancock said, frowning at Rayleigh. "If you have sothing to say, say it. Don't waste iser's ti!"

Rayleigh: ...

Alright, alright, so you're protecting him like this.

It seems my guess was right. This brat really did win Hancock over.

Having figured this out, Rayleigh first shot iser a look of admiration before finally saying, "I did co to find you about sothing, but whether you do it or not is up to you."

"What is it?" Luffy asked curiously, squatting on a stool.

Rayleigh didn't answer imdiately, but asked in return, "You're heading to the Sabaody Archipelago next, right?"

"Yes," Luffy said firmly. "I want to see my crewmates!"

"That's right, we're going to the New World with our crewmates!" rry also said.

As if imagining a certain scene, a smile appeared on rry's face, clearly already looking forward to their future adventures.

"I bet those guys are also eager to go to the New World together," iser also smiled.

Especially that perverted cook, Sanji. He was very much looking forward to the adventure on Fish-Man Island.

"Is that really a good idea?" Rayleigh asked.

"What do you an?"

"You should all rember what you encountered on that island," Rayleigh said.

As soon as he said this, the expressions of the three of them froze.

Yes, they rembered.

It was a battle filled with despair.

It could be said that if it weren't for outside help, very few of them in the Straw Hat Pirates would have survived.

Everyone...

Recalling the image of his crewmates disappearing one by one before his eyes, Luffy's face turned grim.

If I hadn't awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, I probably wouldn't have survived either, iser murmured to himself.

After all... his raw strength hadn't truly reached the level of a Marine Admiral.

If it weren't for his Undying Body, Kizaru would have killed him, one hundred percent!

"Nami..."

Recalling the scene where Nami hid her, rry burst into tears with a "Waaah."

To trade the lives of Nami and the others for her own... what a despairing decision that was!

If it weren't for the fact that Kuma wasn't an enemy, Nami and the others would have died!

Seeing the bawling rry, Granny Nyon held her in her arms with a pained heart, then turned to glare at Rayleigh.

Her gaze seed to say: You bastard, why do you have to bring up the sore subject?

However, Rayleigh paid no mind to Granny Nyon's glare. He continued to stare at Luffy and iser before him.

After all, this kid Luffy's dream was to beco the Pirate King!

Therefore... there were so things they had to experience