Where Is Everyone?

Chapter 194: Where Is Everyone?

"Magician Rodney?" 

Mihawk's hawk-like eyes stared at Rodney, then shifted to his waist where Shūsui was hanging.

"It's me. Do you need something? Hawkeye Mihawk." 

Rodney stood up and locked eyes with Mihawk.

Unconsciously, their eyes formed the shape of Mangekyō Sharingan, and the two pairs of unique pupils locked onto each other. They remained silent, while Doflamingo on the side chuckled to himself, not wanting to disturb them.

Mihawk was the first to speak, "You're a swordsman?"

Rodney thought he was up to something but realized it was for this reason. He shook his head and said, "No, it's just a weapon, Great Grade Sword number 21, Shūsui! A black blade once wielded by the swordsman of Wano, Ryuma!"

He drew Shūsui, and the gleaming black blade earned Mihawk's praise, "Indeed, it's a fine sword. I wish I could have crossed blades with its original owner, but alas, I never had the chance." 

He shook his head regretfully. He had thought Rodney was a swordsman and considered sparing some time for a duel, but now he knew better.

"A good sword, but I hope you won't let this precious blade gather dust."

"For me, it's just a weapon and one that's sturdy, at that. Ordinary weapons wouldn't hold up to my style." 

Rodney reattached Shūsui to his waist and tossed a bottle of alcohol to Mihawk, saying, "Care for a drink?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll pass on the drink. I'll accept the alcohol, though." 

Mihawk glanced at Doflamingo. Clearly, he didn't want to engage in conversation with him. Their personalities were too different; they could hardly see eye to eye.

"Hehehe, Mihawk, you really are boring," Doflamingo remarked as he sipped his drink. 

"With a few days left, are you planning to spend your time like this? Don't you find it dull?"

"Not at all. I plan to go fishing with Vice Admiral Garp and attend a barbecue party with Admiral Kuzan in the evening."

"Your life is quite colorful," Doflamingo couldn't help but comment. He had to admit that this kid knew how to have fun, and he had also managed to get along with Garp and the others.

"All right, time's about up. I'm leaving." 

He checked the wall clock, then jumped out of the window. Only he could run around like this; once he entered Marineford, it felt like home.

"Haha, Rodney, my boy, here I come!" 

Garp, holding a thick wrist-sized fishing rod, walked over. The quality of the rod was exceptional, and he was accompanied by a familiar, tall figure behind him, emanating the scent of a true layabout. He wore an eye patch and moved like a lifeless corpse, walking purely on instinct.

Rodney couldn't help but say, "Admiral Kuzan, aren't you supposed to be working now? Our barbecue party is in the evening."

He had originally planned to go fishing with Garp and let the old man relax a bit, which is why he didn't understand why this guy appeared here.

"Oh, Rodney, my boy, don't say that. I saw Vice Admiral Garp here and decided to join the fun." Kuzan spoke softly, clutching the foldable chair. He was simply slacking off. As for work, he had Sakazuki and Borsalino to handle things.

"Enough of the chatter; it's time to go fishing." 

Rodney shrugged, and under Garp's guidance, they found a spot with fewer people. Marineford was an island surrounded by the sea on all sides, making it a great place for fishing.

Garp found a good spot, sat down, took out a piece of meat, hooked it, and cast his line into the sea. As for Kuzan, he set up his foldable chair, lay down, and started snoring with his eye patch on. 

Rodney didn't have a fishing rod, and he couldn't find one either. So, he reached into his bag, took out a long steel wire, broke it into the right length, tied it with the wire, and added a piece of dried meat to it. In this world, there were many fish that preferred cooked food over raw, and he wasn't sure how their stomachs worked.

After attaching some weights, he threw them into the sea.

"Hahaha, Rodney, how can that possibly..." Garp was about to tease Rodney, but he felt a powerful force tugging at his fishing line. Clearly, something big had taken the bait.

"It's here, it's here!" 

Garp quickly reeled in the line, showing off his skill as he engaged in a tug-of-war with the fish. Of course, ordinary fish didn't stand a chance against Garp.

In no time, he pulled it out, and a crimson-colored fish leaped out of the water, glistening brilliantly in the sunlight. Garp burst into laughter, extremely satisfied with the fish he had caught. But in the next moment, a massive creature emerged from the water and devoured Garp's catch in one gulp.

Garp: "…"

Rodney: "…"

Kuzan: "…" This one is really beyond saving!

"Darn it! How dare you eat my dinner!" 

Garp cracked his knuckles, prepared to take on the sea monster. Without wasting any time, he charged forward and delivered a powerful punch to the sea king's sturdy head.

Crack!

It sounded like the skull had shattered. Rodney instinctively covered his head, feeling a dull pain in the same spot.

"Ahaha, Vice Admiral Garp, your punches are as mighty as ever," Kuzan commented, finally removing his eye patch. He knew that Garp had taken out his frustration on the sea monster, providing the old man with some relief.

Soon, Garp managed to haul the giant sea king ashore. He slapped his hands together, satisfied. 

"Hahaha, tonight's dinner is sorted! Rodney, it's your turn to cook!"

"Me? Admiral Garp, are you joking? Ever since I caused an explosion in the kitchen, Robin hasn't allowed me near it, and she, Leju, and Lester issued a strict ban forbidding me from even approaching the kitchen. Otherwise, I'd sleep on the streets at night."

That's why he was the lowest-ranking member in his organization!

"What did you do to cause a kitchen explosion that led to such a strict ban?" Kuzan couldn't help but ask.

"Seriously, how bad is your cooking that it resulted in a kitchen explosion? Who would issue such a decree unless your cooking is absolutely terrible?"

"What? Young people like you can't even cook a meal? Unbelievable! Kuzan, you do it." Garp handed off the task without further ado.