42 42. Xingqiu Finished His Novel?

Beidou read the manga after Luffy punched the idiot son called Helmeppo and met Zoro who was crucified on the wooden cross.

***

"Hey!" Luffy waved his hand.

"You again? If this is about me joining your pirate crew, my answer is still no."

"Call me Luffy! I'll untie you if you join my pirate crew, okay!" Luffy didn't seem to hear what Zoro said.

"You don't listen to me, do you? I've got my own mission and it doesn't involve becoming a stinky pirate!"

"Are you telling me you're too good to be a pirate? You're a bounty hunter, no? Everyone thinks of you as some sort of demon."

"I don't care what people think. I live by my own Bushido. I've never done anything I regret and I don't intend to in the future. Which is why I'll never be a pirate."

Even though Zoro said so, Luffy pretended not to hear him as if Zoro's words were passing through from one ear to the other.

"But I've made up my mind! You're gonna join my crew!"

"I don't care what you've decided!" Zoro yelled.

Then, Luffy asked again.

"I heard you can use swords!"

"Humph! If I wasn't tied up, I'd show you."

"So, where are your swords now?"

"They took them from me. The Captain's idiot son. Next to my life, those swords are my dearest treasures."

"Treasures, huh? Too bad they took them." Then, Luffy pointed to Zoro. "I know. I'll get your swords from the idiot son."

"What?"

Then, Luffy laughed.

"Shishishi. If you want your swords back, you'll have to join my crew!"

"YOU LITTLE…!"

***

As she read up to this point, she suddenly laughed.

"Looks like I have to use Luffy's way to recruit a new crew."

Kazuha rolled his eyes after hearing that. He knew that Beidou was interested in Ryūhei. So, she probably wanted to try just like how Luffy invited Zoro.

On the other hand, he found the interaction in the manga was so funny. So, he couldn't help but read it together with her.

But then, Kazuha widened his eyes when Zoro showed his past.

Zoro once had a friend and she was called Kuina. Because of her gender complex, she got frustrated while saying the older a woman was, the weaker she was than a man. The girl was jealous of Zoro for being born a boy and she wished she was born the same gender. But, Zoro snapped. Zoro was strong, but couldn't defeat Kuina even after training hard in order to beat her.

He wouldn't forgive her if that became a reason she lost against him in the future.

After that, they promised to become the greatest swordsman ever. And they will fight each other for that title. Unfortunately, Kuina died and failed to keep the promise. Since then, he carried her will to become the greatest swordsman.

"This story…" Kazuha somehow saw the shadow of his friend who died in the duel after reading the manga. And he didn't even notice that he was shedding tears.

Beidou suddenly slapped his shoulder while saying.

"Get a grip, pal!"

"Ah. I'm sorry. Somehow this scene in the manga reminds me of my friend. And apparently, Zoro is a bit like me. He's like the rise and fall of a mountain path, at times, the struggle was all but too much to bear, but there would always be moments when one would touch the clouds. In addition, this scene… it must be a turning point in Zoro's life. But how about me?"

"Hahaha. What's wrong with that? You said to me at that time, "There will always be those who dare to brave the lightning's glow", and, am I here right now? Don't you think you've already met the turning point of your life? And don't forget your friend who owned that shop. If my memories serve me well, he's on the Kamisato clan's side, the opposing faction of The Raiden Shogun. So, you're not alone."

"You're right. Sorry."

"Haha. Don't fret. Anyway, there's a guest here."

Without looking at her back, she knew there was someone looking for her. That person was a woman with the appearance of being in her 20s with a height of around 160 cm.

Beidou knew her. She is Ganyu, the secretary at Yuehai Pavilion. She has fair skin and pale blue hair that naturally bunches in the middle and fades into a darker shade at the ends. She has black-red horns that bend back along her hair. But, she always said that those were her accessories.

"Forgive me if I bother you, Lady Beidou. Do you have time?"

Beidou felt strange when someone called her "Lady". Then, she replied.

"No need for formality, miss secretary. You can call me Beidou."

"Umm, it would be rude of me if I call you that."

"Ah, you're not fun, miss secretary. Then, do you need something? Is it as usual?"

Ganyu nodded.

"Yes, Lady Ningguang asked you to visit the Jade Chamber."

"Alright. I'll be there for a moment." Then, Beidou glanced at Kazuha. "How is it, do you want to visit the airborne palace?"

"I'll pass. I'm —"

Before Kazuha finished his words, Ganyu interjected.

"Umm, Mister Samurai, Lady Ningguang also needs your presence."

Those words naturally surprised him. He didn't know why the Tianquan wanted to meet him. But, since the Tianquan wanted to meet him, he didn't dare to refuse.

— — — —

A blue-haired youngster put his pen down on the table as he finished his writing.

"Fuuh. I finally finished my novel. It's time to find Ryūhei."

This youngster was none other than Xingqiu. He finished his novel with the title "A Legend of Sword" written on the cover. After he put the script inside the bag, walked out of his room, intending to meet Ryūhei in his shop.

Not long after, he arrived at Manga Impact. But, he didn't see Ryūhei's shadow inside the shop.

"Atsuko, where's Ryūhei?" He asked the woman who was looking after the shop.

"Umm, the boss has important business with someone, but he didn't say where he was going." Atsuko could only answer what she knew.

And then, Xingqiu clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, he's been too busy lately. I rarely meet him in person."

Since Xingqiu didn't have anything to do, he decided to wait in the shop while checking the script of his novel.

Not long after that, Hu Tao visited the shop, but Xingqiu didn't even notice her arrival.

Hu Tao saw Xingqiu inside the shop, wondering what he was doing. As she wanted to prank him, she crept in his direction.

However, before Hu Tao cried "boo" to frighten him, Xingqiu noticed someone behind because he felt someone's breath, then turned around and hid his script behind him.

"Hu Tao? Why are you here?"

"Why? Of course, I want to meet the owner. But, I happened to notice you. Hehe, you're hiding something, right? Don't you want to show it to me?"

"Not even!"

Although Xingqiu expressed his disapproval, Hu Tao smirked.

"Hehe, I'm getting more and more interested."

"Hey, stop!"

Xingqiu tried to stop her, but she didn't seem to listen as her hand tried to reach his script. And, their chase began.

Atsuko didn't know what to do since both of them knew her boss well.

But at that moment, someone appeared in a flash. His left hand grabbed Xingqiu's head and his right hand grabbed Hu Tao's face simultaneously. That person was none other than Ryūhei.

"What the hell are you two doing?" His tone sounded irritated.

"Ouch, ouch, it hurts!" Xingqiu whimpered at Ryūhei's grip.

Meanwhile, Hu Tao struggled to get out of Ryūhei's grip.

"Stop… stop… stoooop!!!"

Somehow, Hu Tao's plea— sounds unique. It was as if he heard a similar plea somewhere. But, he couldn't recall where he heard it.

A moment after, he immediately released both of them.

"Then, why are you guys running around in the shop? Do you know you can scare customers? Look, even Atsuko becomes nervous because she didn't dare to stop you two."

Ryūhei reprimanded both of them because of what they did.

"Uuu, Xingqiu seems to be hiding something, so I wanted to take a look."

"But I don't want to!" Xingqiu responded.

"But, just a little is fine, right?"

"No means no!"

Seeing their arguing, Ryūhei slightly understood. The only thing Xingqiu didn't want to show others was his novel. That was why Xingqiu insisted on not showing it to Hu Tao.