Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 974: Chapter 973: Olga and Red Hair’s Updated Battle Record

There were contingencies within Wano Kuni; this was the best opportunity.

It’s rare for high-level forces to be deployed so completely, and even the Five Elders don’t know when a similar opportunity will arise again.

Orders were being sent out from Mary Geoise to the outside world, and the Red Hair, questioned by the Five Elders, had also begun his own actions recently.

Among the pirates, Shanks was the one least eager to witness a war at the summit. So when Ace set sail, he tried to persuade Whitebeard to bring Ace back, but he was unsuccessful.

Even upon receiving news of the war at the summit, he wished to control the scope of the conflict, preventing too many forces from being dragged into it.

Among the many forces on the Sea, Kaidou was the most likely to get involved in this war, and thus Red Hair wished to persuade Kaidou to stop.

However, Kaidou currently had plenty of subordinates, enough to split his forces into three and accomplish his objectives. No matter how much Shanks wanted to block him, he couldn’t do it.

There were too many routes from Wano Kuni to Navy Headquarters; he couldn’t keep an eye on Kaidou and could only try his luck at the meeting point between Kaidou’s and Whitebeard’s territories.

If Kaidou wanted to invade Whitebeard’s territory, this route couldn’t be avoided.

Red Hair had tried to contact Kaidou by phone, but as soon as he spoke, Kaidou hung up, demonstrating that persuading Kaidou not to intervene in such a conflict was a pipe dream.

While Shanks was setting up, Olga and Jack had already successfully converged.

”Sister Olga, do we really have to do this?”

Jack would follow the instructions of anyone stronger than him, and presently Olga wouldn’t win against him in a head-on confrontation. Yet if they really fought, Jack estimated he couldn’t even touch her.

The ability to create illusions was not friendly to someone like him who focused on close combat, but Olga also wouldn’t find it easy to defeat Jack, since his skin was thick.

”Yes, you lead your men around from the side, I’ll scout ahead by myself. If there’s anyone blocking the way, I’ll handle it.”

The Navy wouldn’t intervene in this matter; the only ones capable of interfering with the Hundred Beasts’ actions were the Red Hair and Charlotte Linlin.

If it happened to be Charlotte Linlin, they would definitely choose a temporary alliance and divide Whitebeard’s territory first without worrying.

The only one who would genuinely obstruct them was Shanks, as only the Red Hair himself knew what he was thinking.

To avoid delaying the team’s journey, Olga separated her forces once again.

”Red Hair is... a pirate as famous as Brother Kaidou. Can you handle him alone, Sister?”

”Don’t worry, don’t worry, it’s just Red Hair. My record against him is 2:0; he and his little brothers are no match for me.”

Among the high-level officials of the Hundred Beasts, the most impressive record wasn’t from Queen escaping Akainu, nor King battling groups like Momousagi, but Olga - a woman who once toyed with the Four Emperors Shanks twice.

This was not a lie but an objective fact, although the events were some time ago.

Nevertheless, no matter what, this was something prestigious to boast about.

To maintain this glorious record, she had ensured no further conflicts with the Red Hair ever since; by avoiding combat, she remains forever at 2:0.

”Furthermore, I’m not planning to fight him. If he appears here, it shows he doesn’t have time to stop Captain Kaidou; by then, telling him Captain Kaidou’s whereabouts wouldn’t matter since Captain Kaidou doesn’t reject extra combatants at the battlefield.

You just need to seize the chance to bypass him quickly.”

Under Olga’s arrangement, the Shadow Fox took the lead, while Jack temporarily followed behind, deciding whether to face combat directly or find another path depending on the situation.

At this moment, they’ve reached the maritime boundary, but the Shadow Fox had stopped; now only the illusions were navigating forward.

...

”Big Chief! It has appeared, it’s Kaidou’s Hundred Beasts King, Kaidou is onboard!”

Simple Observation Haki was ineffective against Olga’s illusions, but if it were Roger or Otohime with special Observation Haki, able to capture the inner voice of targets, then they could detect the anomalies in the illusions.

However, future sight doesn’t work; Olga’s illusions are realistic, special illusions, even if one sees the future minutes ahead, those illusions would still remain on the sea.

Moreover, even if Observation Haki were trained to a level capable of seeing the future, it wouldn’t be feasible to anticipate that far ahead, thus discerning the real from illusions through observational means is impractical.

Either their abilities target effectively, or overwhelming firepower conducts indiscriminate attacks to locate Olga’s true form, otherwise breaking the illusions is exceedingly tough.

Whether seen by the naked eye or sensed by Haki, appearing before them was a genuine fleet led personally by Kaidou.

...

”Kaidou, go back; participating in this battle does you no favor. Your territory is large enough, isn’t it?”

Shanks’s powerful voice reached Olga’s ears, but she didn’t respond, merely manipulating the Kaidou illusion to perform an action.

If she responded, she’d have to apply her abilities to deceive Red Hair’s hearing.

Her crafted illusions wouldn’t be seen through by typical Observation Haki, but manipulating someone’s perception would be different. If done, Red Hair would soon discover the anomaly, so she said nothing, simply stalling for time.

Initially, Shanks hadn’t noticed anything was wrong; the illusionary Kaidou’s gaze was realistic, his drinking action matched Red Hair’s understanding.

But Kaidou’s continuous drinking without response made Shanks uneasy; considering Kaidou’s personality, striking directly would be normal.

”Big Chief, something feels off...”

”Yes, something is off, better change the way we introduce ourselves.”

Realizing some oddity, Supreme King Haki pressured the illusions upfront. Under this force, Kaidou’s form became an apparition, and Hundred Beasts King turned into a worn-out sailboat, the dilapidated railing shattering under Shanks’s Haki’s impact.

”Big Chief, it’s fake!”

”It deceived us all... Where’s the real Kaidou?”

”Cough, cough, hey, listen up, here’s a friendly reminder; currently, Captain Kaidou might already be at Marinfanto.”

From the worn wooden ship, Olga’s voice emanated from a set phonograph. She hadn’t intended to appear before Shanks, merely controlling her illusions from an extreme distance.

”Additionally, let me remind you, you and that red-nosed have lost to me twice before; but if you’re hearing this recording, it means this time you’ve found the issue, so let’s call it a draw~”