Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 498: Chapter 497: The Real Harm of Secondhand Smoke

Although the number of Genesects had decreased, Queen felt more at ease. During communication earlier, Arceus’s location was undoubtedly Ghost Island, as he had heard Ulti and Page One’s screams.

This further assured him that Arceus definitely had a backup plan. Although he didn’t know what that backup was, it surely was much stronger than him.

Within the Hundred Beasts Pirate Group, the upper limit of Arceus’s power was a mystery. He rarely made a move, and when he did, it was always battles of cataclysmic proportions.

The highest known achievement was defeating an Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, coupled with numerous miracles. Queen was very aware that if Arceus wanted to deal with him, it would probably take just one move.

In that case, he could be even more reckless.

”Damn CP0, if it weren’t for those guys...”

Destroying the banana was an unredeemable hatred, now all living beings with ”CP” in their names were his mortal enemies.

However, unlike the grudge-bearing Queen, Yamato was particularly excited at this moment, and was full of anticipation for the future trip.

”Uncle Queen, where’s the place for the trade?”

”Beast Island in the North Sea, it will take a while to get there from here. Don’t worry, Miss Yamato, it’s just a simple trade, nothing unexpected should happen this time.”

”I’m not worried, I’m just happy. In this way, it seems like I’ve done something for Father and the others.”

That’s the real reason she was excited. In past excursions, someone always accompanied her, ostensibly for safety, but she felt more like a trialist, completing tasks set by others.

But this time was different. Although Queen was by her side, he didn’t provide much combat support. Before the CP0 factor emerged as an accident, Genesect had not intervened much.

The upcoming task was to trade two Devil Fruits for the Hundred Beasts Pirate Group. In the past, it was the responsibility of someone like Olga to handle such matters, making Yamato feel like she had grown up.

Now she could do things for others, instead of just watching and learning like a child.

Traveling from the East Sea to the North Sea required crossing the Red Earth Continent, but they did not head straight to the trade location and instead landed after crossing it.

Queen and Yamato were still human, needing to eat and rest normally. Just because they could endure battles for days and nights didn’t mean it was the norm. For these beings with monstrous stamina, daily eating and resting were extremely important.

It was precisely by storing large amounts of energy during leisure that they could endure longer in sudden battles, and Genesects also needed to recharge.

This is the difference between modified and complete versions. The six complete Genesects from GT-0 to GT-5 were no different from Pokemon; eating and resting would restore their energy, but the modified versions were different.

They didn’t need much rest because their mechanically modified bodies wouldn’t tire, similarly, they couldn’t replenish energy through eating but had to consume electricity and fuel like machines.

However, in this world of cutting-edge technology, even cola could be used as an energy source to develop specially designed engines; being a member of MADS, Queen naturally had some high-tech inventions.

The energy reserve of these Genesects was hybrid, using electricity, fuel, and even directly burning stones. Now those two Genesects were ”eating” stones to supplement their body needs.

If he weren’t reluctant to eat it, he might be able to develop a bizarre machine that used mochi red bean soup as energy.

While GT-6 and GT-7 were digging soil and eating stones, Queen and Yamato were enjoying local delicacies in town. Among all the officers of the Hundred Beasts, Queen was the epitome of a hedonist.

Choosing a more comfortable lifestyle, he would never opt for harsh living. The boar cart in Wano Kuni was a highlight. He could fly faster himself than letting a wild boar pull a cart, but for showing off, he always traveled proudly in his boar cart.

At this moment, he was sitting in a restaurant. Although large in stature, he wasn’t too conspicuous; ordinary people wouldn’t concern themselves with wanted posters.

Although the world had many pirates, most people’s lives had nothing to do with them, especially in these member states of the Four Seas.

In the circles of pirates and the Navy, Queen had a prominent reputation, but among civilians, it was not the same. The only pirate who was well-known globally was Gol D. Roger.

Even if discovered, many would turn a blind eye. Simply notifying the Navy wouldn’t bring much reward; without the ability to capture him directly, it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

If a fight broke out, it wouldn’t benefit them at all, and could potentially bring disaster upon themselves.

Alabasta was an example; Ace strutted around with Whitebeard’s flag without care. Except for bounty hunters, ordinary people had no interest in reporting them.

If the pirate ran away, there was no telling if there would be retaliation afterward.

While waiting for food, Queen was also looking around for any fun places. However, Yamato unknowingly backstabbed him, having picked up the cigar Queen had left on the table and had already cut it.

”Miss Yamato, this is not something you should touch.”

He felt a bit relieved that Yamato’s ability was ice rather than fire, otherwise, that cigar would have been lit.

”Is it not okay? I saw Aunt Riko likes smoking a pipe, and you’ve been smoking cigars all the way.”

This age is when curiosity is at its peak, and tobacco is most harmful to people of this age. Not knowing what a cigarette is leads to curiosity, and trying them leads to addiction, which is how many develop a smoking habit.

If nobody smokes at home or around them, the chances are greatly reduced. Among Hundred Beasts Pirate Group’s officers, only Queen had a severe smoking addiction, almost daily with a cigar in his mouth.

For beings with such monstrous physiques, second-hand smoke wasn’t an issue, but if Arceus found out Yamato learned smoking on a trip with him...

The next day, he would likely become the training target range. Setsuna only took his picture off it on the day of his engagement.

”Miss Yamato, believe me, Lord Arceus wouldn’t like you smoking, and for the sake of my survival, please don’t touch it, I beg you.”

Having raised her since childhood, some of her characteristics were already fixed, and for most things, Arceus had never refused her, though he had strictly prohibited tattoos last time. Hearing Queen’s earnest plea, she dropped the idea.

”Uncle Queen, how about we go to the cinema? Do you see if that’s Brother Tesoro and Sister Stella?”

Following the direction Yamato was pointing, a movie poster was hanging at the cinema entrance...