[147] The Plan Unfolds Uninterrupted

Chapter 147: The Plan Unfolds Uninterrupted

Author Note: I am sure I posted 147 last week, but well well well, it slipped past me. Anyway it means an accidental 2 chapter post, enjoy. Don't forget to vote guys 😞

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"So what's the plan?"

The Senju crew was gathered on the deck of the Kuja Pirates' ship. They sat on the smooth wooden deck of the ship, feeling the cool ocean breeze wash over them. The breeze carried with it the gentle rocking and movement of the ship as it cut through the sparkling waters of the sea. 

Looking out, one could see the glistening moonlight shimmering on the surface of the waves, illuminating their crests as they rolled in towards the ship. In the distance, there was a school of whales swimming lazily through the water, while birds flew overhead, soaring in the air currents and enjoying the openness of the blue sky.

It was a tranquil sea journey, and they were half an hour away from Dressrosa already. The eight members, including the duck, sat on the floor in a circle. Hancock was there too, partaking in the meeting.

Nami was the one to ask the question, and everyone looked at Hashirama who looked at Tsunade for the answer. Since she was in the Marines, a Vice Admiral at that, she had to know the best course of action to stay away from a search party.

"Since we have already left Dressrosa, the chance that they'd find us is low," she said. "However, it's not as if we are running to safety, we are heading right to them. We are going to pass the Red Port. Where marines are guarding. I am sure reports reached the higher-ups' ears that Hancock partook in the war, and while I doubt she'd personally face any consequences, they'd most likely check the Kuja ship thoroughly for any suspicious activity. So to return to Red Port right away will not be wise."

"Can't we just, uh," Mikita raised her hand, unsure. "Beat them up? And then pass."

"No," replied the other newest member of the crew, Marianne. "We are strong enough to beat the usual people who stand guard in Red Port, sure, but there might be people stronger than usual positioned there. Even if there aren't, by the time we beat them up, an Admiral will come before we escape the vicinity. It's very close to Marineford, after all. On top of that, the Pirate Empress will be in trouble even if we manage to escape."

"Oh, true," Mikita hit herself in the head for asking a stupid question.

"So… what's the plan?" The main question was repeated by Hashirama. "There has to be some way."

"There is," she said. "We'll roam around this part of the Grandline for a bit. Let the waters calm down. While we do that, you'll be the one to bring the ship back to us."

"Huh?"

"A clone, dummy," she said with a sigh. "You take a few days to stock up a large sum of chakra and make a clone with it. The clone will leave the Kuja ship, and it will pretend to be a Kuja Pirate by using the Transformation Jutsu. Since you managed to fool Tsuru using it a few years ago, by pretending to be Robin, even if someone checks the ship nobody will notice you. Then the clone will return to Amazon Lily and bring back the ship. It will take more than a few days since you'll be using the Fishman Island route, and you might meet pirates on the way, but since the clone will have enough chakra there isn't anyone on that side of Grandline who'll be able to stop you."

"But I ain't a navigator…" Hashirama said with a frown, and Tsunade pressed a weird compass on his hand. "Eternal Pose. It leads to Dressrosa. The clone can keep the ship docked there until we return to pick it back up."

"Hmmm," Hashirama pondered over it for a moment and then nodded. "Makes sense. I think I can do it. Pretty solid plan, sis."

"Hehe," Tsunade rubbed her nose. 

"I don't want to be that guy, but," suddenly, Marianne spoke in a hesitant tone. "Can't you just make a new ship? With your power, you can just make a new one…"

"Ah, Marianne," Tsunade shook her head. "The matter of ships is different for pirates and marines. We upgrade to new, larger, and better ships and feel joy, but pirates just upgrade their first ship for the most part. When you travel for a time in a ship as a pirate, it becomes a part of the crew. He can't just abandon it and make a new one."

"Oh… t-that makes sense." Marianne cleared her throat and nodded.

"Damn, you're a pirate at heart, you know everything," Vivi looked at her sister-in-law, impressed. 

"Hehe, I've been a pirate for 16 years, dear, and a marine for only three. I was born and grew up on a pirate ship," Tsunade told the kids stories, as they looked at her in awe. Even Robin listened with a smile on her face, happy to finally find a person near her age in this goddamn circus. 

"Really, Tsunade," Mikita said. "Uh, can I call you by your name? Or do I have to use honorifics? Anyways, welcome to the crew. I'm looking forward to living together!"

"Just Tsunade is fine, or you guys can call me sister too if you want," she shrugged. "Especially Vivi and Mikita. Since you two are, uh, with Shira, it should be the right thing to call me."

"Sister-in-law?" It wasn't any of the two mentioned girls who said that, as heads turned and focused on Hancock who had just blurted it out. Silence fell and she got up. "Uh, I'll head in… I forgot something." Then she quickly left the scene.

"Anyway," Tsunade cleared her throat. "It's good to finally be here. I and Marianne will be in your care. Shira, you stop lazing around and start gathering chakra, you need to make a clone who-"

[Wood Clone Jutsu]

A wooden copy of Hashirama rose from the floor, and Tsunade paused. She stared at him while he shrugged.

"What?"

Robin answered in Tsunade's stead, "She said it needs enough chakra to operate for a few days. Maybe the one you just created isn't enough?"

Hashirama didn't address her, he didn't even look at her and replied to Tsunade. "I spent 80% of my chakra into this, it can hold for a month or two. Unless it gets into a big fight like what happened in Dressrosa, but even then it will hold for a week. You think too little of me, hah, my chakra pool isn't as small as yours."

She gave him a dry look before shaking her head. "In that case, Hancock." She called and Hancock was suddenly back to the gathering. The Empress sat beside her ex-marine friend. "Please drop us off on a nearby island, then you can leave."

"Oh…" Hancock looked sad. "I thought we were going to stay together for a few more days?"

"Yeah, that was the plan but," Tsunade shot Hashirama a look. "His chakra reserves are deeper than I thought. We will have to part ways for now."

Hancock was sad, but she had no other choice. With a depressed expression, she ordered the ship to move faster and they soon reached a nearby island.

The Prodence Kingdom, after dropping the Senju Pirates there, the Kuja Pirates left.

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The Prodence Kingdom was a kingdom of Europe-type architecture. It was ruled by King Elizabello II, the performer of King's Punch. Unlike the country of Alabasta which was gigantic, this kingdom was bean-sized. 

Dressrosa itself was small by Hashirama's Earth standards, it only had five cities within it, but Prodence was even smaller. It only had three cities, though each was bigger than the average island.

Hashirama and crew reached here after two days of sea travel, and after they looked around the Port city for a bit, they left for the capital city at the center.

"Shit, damn," Hashirama cursed as he sat on the driver seat of a carriage, behind two wooden horses that were pulling a carriage that carried the crew. "How did I forget to ask Chinjao about a Hasshoken manual? I even forgot to ask King Elizabello about his secret technique. Lucky, I am in his country now, maybe he will give me the secrets if I ask nicely."

"I doubt it," said Tsunade, who sat beside him. Everyone else was inside the carriage. "But why'd you need those two though? I'll teach you Marine Six Techniques."

"Nah, yours are kinda wacky," Hashirama said. "Hasshoken is great. I have a vision that I want to fulfill using it." To make his Thousand Armed Buddha use it to nuke an island in one go. "King Punch is also super strong, too. Do you think the King will let me in his castle if I do meet him?"

"He did thank us because we saved him from being stuck as a Toy forever, but he has a daughter. After what he heard you do to the princesses of Dressrosa, I doubt he'd let you in his home." Tsunade laughed as he hit him in the shoulder.

Hashirama clicked his tongue rapidly and looked ahead. They had been dropped in the dock city earlier, and were heading to the capital through the carriage now. They were close, from here, above a hill, they could see the city just below.

It was a place right out of 1800s England, with an intricate waterway running through its landscape. In the center, a massive castle was surrounded by an empty circle, walls, and then the other buildings. That royal castle was weird even from this distance. From what Hashirama could see, the castle was built with a statue of King Elizabello towering over it. The statue was flexing its muscles and frowning.

It was quite the sight even from this far.

"Let's stop here," Tsunade said after a bit more traveling. They were at the gate of the city where guards were blocking passage. "We'll walk from here."

"Alright," Hashirama said by the time the horses slowed down. Hopping off the driver seat, he slapped the side of the carriage. "We are here, get down."

The girls grunted from inside and slowly came out one by one, stretching and some of them rubbing their eyes. Karoo looked much energized though, having been carried for once instead of carrying others.

"Mhm, pretty," Vivi rubbed her eyes and said. Her princess senses found this foreign architecture beautiful. "We should get some of these designs implemented in Alabasta."

"Rich girl talk," Mikita yawned as she said from behind Vivi. She walked over and kissed Hashirama good morning, making the princess frown. 

"Y'all gonna catfight again or should we go eat breakfast? I'm hungry." Nami said as she walked over to the guards to bargain the price to enter.

"Ugh, I'm in severe need of coffee," Robin rubbed her eyes as she said.

Robin followed Nami, and Vivi and Mikita grumbled before doing the same. Marianne waited beside Tsunade like a good minion, and Tsunade took in a breath of air.

"Not a bad place. Nothing like our home, Wano, though." She said, smiling at Hashirama. "We need to visit Wano soon. You wanna go?"

"Sure, I guess," he agreed. "But not yet. It's Kaido's territory and he's already mad at us for killing his cock rider Dofla- ak!"

"Language," Tsunade hit his forehead.

"It's true though," Hashirama rubbed his head and shrugged. "But yeah, we'll see. For now, after the ship is here, we'll search for calm belts. I guess I haven't told you yet, but we are actually in search of the legendary Emerald City. Let's go, I'll explain while we talk."

Tsunade and Marianne listened to him with interest as they went inside the city and ate their breakfast. The Senju Pirates had some trail on where the Emerald City was, and that's why they were looking for it in the Calm Belts. Only two calm belts remained now, after searching the two in Paradise. By the time the meal ended, he had given them enough detail about the situation.

The crew gathered outside the restaurant they had just eaten in, as Tsunade heaved a bright sigh. "Phew. Looks like you guys enjoyed your journey. Not bad. The search should be easier with me now, I can have you guys fly with my wind powers, and freeze the sea with my ice powers to make the sea kings not bother us. The search will be faster."

"How reliable," Hashirama scoffed. "Let's forget about this topic for now. What do we do? Lodge a place to stay? Or what?"

"Lodge, yes," Tsunade nodded. "Ah, you and Robin go and rent some hotel. I'll take the girls to look around for a bit, it'll help us get to know each other better. I would have taken Robin with me too, but since you are so unreliable, I'll leave her with you. Hmm, or should I leave Marianne with you? You guys can talk about Fuinjutsu. You know, recently she's been researching this particular Fuinjutsu that was very special to Grandfather."

"Erm…" Marianne looked histant. It was true that her Fuinjutsu talents were extremely impressive, and Hashirama was interested in them too, but his plan would fail if she came instead of Robin.

"It's alright, I'll go with him." Thankfully, Robin agreed to go with a laugh. 

Hashirama gave his sister a fake frown for her words, but internally he was thankful, this situation was perfect. From what he knew about Robin, this was the perfect chance for her to confront him about his ignoring. It was time they talked.

The crew left with Tsunade to look around and enjoy this foreign land, while Robin led Hashirama to find a hotel. She made some attempts to talk, but only for hums in reply.

Soon, they found what they were looking for. A place with nice beds.

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