Chapter 32: Hanamaru Muteki #32
Author's note: I am once again asking for your support... donate those power stones!
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Standing before the freshly laid gravestone of his son, Wolf let out a heavy sigh, his heart weighed down by sorrow. "You were a disobedient son to the very end... making an old man like me bury his own flesh and blood," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. With trembling hands, he knelt down and gently placed a flower atop the mound of earth.
"I can almost hear your mother's curses echoing from the other side... you stubborn bastard. Why couldn't you have just done as I said?" he lamented, his emotions a turbulent mix of grief, anger, and disappointment as he reached out to touch the engraved stone.
For a moment, the graveyard was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Then, the sound of approaching footsteps pierced the stillness.
Wolf turned to see Law approaching, his face etched with solemnity, a single flower clutched in his hand. Without a word, Law placed the flower beside Artur Bacca's grave, a silent tribute to the fallen pirate.
Taking a seat beside Wolf, he sat cross-legged, offering his silent support.
Wolf regarded him with a bitter smile. "What's with that expression, kid?" he teased lightly, though the weight of grief still lingered in his voice. "Your face looks even wrose than mine, and I just buried my son yesterday," he remarked, a hint of gentle reproach in his tone.
Not wishing to burden Wolf with his own concerns, Law shook his head. "It's nothing important..."
Wolf's stern gaze bore into Law, refusing to accept such evasion. "I'm not so fragile that I can't handle hearing a troubled brat out," Wolf retorted firmly. "Quit stalling and tell me what's on your mind," he insisted, his tone brooking no argument.
Relenting under Wolf's unwavering gaze, Law sighed heavily, weariness etched into the lines of his face. "It's about Blake... the young man, who helped us, the one with the big wolf. He's planning to leave soon and he's asked me to join him," Law confessed, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "I'm just not sure what I should do at this point, Garakuta-ya," he admitted hesitantly.
Though he harbored a desire to leave the island and venture out to sea, abandoning Wolf in his time of need didn't sit well with him. Moreover, he couldn't shake his doubts about Blake and his own reservations about the young man's intentions.
"Hmm? And what's your assessment of this Blake fellow?" Wolf inquired, his curiosity piqued. Law took a moment to consider his response, furrowing his brow in thought before speaking.
"He's undoubtedly strong. And he's shown a willingness to shoulder the burdens of others, as evidenced by his actions at the docks," Law acknowledged. "I believe he has the makings of a good captain, but..." he trailed off, his uncertainty lingering in the air like an unspoken question.
"But?" Wolf prodded gently, his tone encouraging Law to elaborate further.
"He seems to know a lot about me, definitely more than he lets on," Law replied, his brow furrowing in contemplation. "I'm not entirely certain what to make of that," he admitted, his uncertainty evident in his voice.
Wolf stroked his chin thoughtfully, considering Law's words. "And is that such a bad thing?" he queried, arching an eyebrow inquisitively.
Law shook his head. "Not necessarily," he conceded. "It's just that... I can't quite get a read on him... he's a bit too strange," he confessed with a sigh, his thoughts drifting.
A chuckle escaped Wolf's lips at Law's remark. "Can't figure him out, you say? Well, if that's the case, the solution is simple," he declared with a nonchalant shrug. "Go along with him, observe him closely. If you find him wanting, you can always go your separate ways," Wolf suggested, a hint of wisdom in his words. "The other kids will follow your lead, regardless of your decision," he added matter-of-factly.
A wry smile tugged at Law's lips in response to Wolf's advice. "You make it sound so simple, Garakuta-ya," he remarked, shaking his head in amusement. "We don't even have a ship, and here you are talking about parting ways as if it's a foregone conclusion," he remarked with a touch of exasperation.
Wolf snorted dismissively at Law's protest. "Don't lecture me, boy. If I say it's simple, then it's simple," he retorted, rising to his feet. "Come, I have something to show you," he announced, gesturing for Law to follow him as he headed towards his house.
...
Following behind Wolf, Law found himself standing before a reinforced steel door inside the house, adorned with a glaring red "do not enter" sign.
"Isn't this your lab, Garakuta-ya?" Law inquired, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. "I distinctly recall you warning us never to set foot in here," he added, his curiosity piqued.
Wolf offered a cryptic smile in response. "Today is an exception, so just follow my lead and keep quiet, boy," he instructed, unlocking the door with his key and stepping inside.
Law followed behind Wolf and couldn't help but pause. The interior of the lab greeted him with an array of devices and contraptions neatly categorized and arranged, most of which appeared to be weapons.
"Well, what do you think?" Wolf asked with a grin, his pride evident as he gestured towards his creations. "This is the culmination of a lifetime of tinkering," he boasted.
Law cleared his throat awkwardly, eyeing the gadgets with a hint of skepticism. "They do look impressive... assuming they don't malfunction on first use," he remarked dryly. "Your track record with inventions thus far has been far from perfect," he added with a nonchalant shrug.
Wolf's expression darkened at Law's comment, his pride wounded. "You impudent brat! What do you take me for?" he retorted angrily. "Those were merely failed prototypes. Only my finest works are stored here!" he protested vehemently.
Law chuckled lightly. "Well, if everything here functions as it should, then count me impressed. But I'm still not quite getting why you brought me here," he remarked, his tone tinged with puzzlement. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" he queried, shooting Wolf a quizzical glance.
The annoyance on Wolf's face dissipated instantly. "Ah, right, I did want to show you something, didn't I? Blast it all, it slipped my mind because you had to go blabbering!" he accused, shaking his fist playfully at Law. "What I wanted to show you is further inside. Follow me," he instructed, gesturing for Law to accompany him as he ventured deeper into the lab.
Still perplexed, Law trailed behind Wolf as they made their way through a tunnel at the lab's end. Though well-maintained and illuminated with artificial lighting, it bore more resemblance to a naturally formed cave than a man-made passage.
To Law's astonishment, they spent over fifteen minutes traversing it before finally reaching the end, where the unmistakable sunlight filtered in from the exit.
Emerging from the tunnel, Law found himself staring at a grotto cave at the shore of the island. What attracted Law's attention the most was the small dock built below, a yellow ship docked there.
Unlike any ship Law had seen, it was mostly made out of metal, though the upper decks consisted of wood blanks. No matter how hard Law looked, he couldn't find the staring wheel of the ship on the three-layered upper deck.
All he could see were two masts and an entrance at the very top that led to the interior.
"This is...?" Law muttered as he turned to Law, his confusion reaching its peak. Wolf's grin was wider than ever, and it oozed with pride. "This is the Hanamaru Muteki, our island's one and only giant swallow-fish urban legend," he said, spreading his arms widely.
"I've been using it to explore the bottom of the sea for my research, and ended up causing all kinds of tall tales because of its shape..." he added, gesturing toward the small wings on the sides of the ship.
"Are you saying this ship can travel underwater...?" Law asked, to which Wolf nodded without heistation. "How did you even build something like this...?" he asked in an exasperated tone.
Wolf casually shrugged his shoulders. "I used what remained of Lagoda's treasure after I rebuilt the town twenty years ago... genius inventor, remember?" He said, gesturing toward himself.
"In any case, if you decide to follow that Blake fellow, I'll give this ship to you..." Wolf offered, pointing at his creation. "That way you'll have all the cards in your hand. You'd be able to leave without any worries with a ship and a crew at your disposal if you find him lacking as a captain..."
...
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