Chapter 17: The Well-Informed Source

When Bardock returned, Sandersonia and Marigold were already awake. Shakky and Hancock were keeping them company. As soon as they saw Bardock enter, they all stopped talking and looked in his direction.

Bardock scratched the back of his head, feeling like the class teacher who had suddenly walked into a lively classroom—completely out of place.

"Bardock, I heard you were the one who saved us. Thank you!"

"Yes, thank you, Bardock."

Sandersonia and Marigold expressed their gratitude, breaking the awkward silence.

"Haha, it's nothing, really. I just brought you here. I didn't do much else."

"Bardock, I heard you awakened Conqueror's Haki too?"

Hancock looked at Bardock with suspicion.

Thinking back, she realized that the one who clashed with her Conqueror's Haki was likely Bardock. His Haki was only slightly stronger than hers. She fainted more due to the exhaustion from their final Haki clash. Who would save someone and then leave them on the side of the road? However, she had no concrete evidence.

"Well, just a little bit."

Bardock looked around, clearly nervous, like Luffy caught red-handed sneaking food.

Hancock understood but didn't press the matter. After all, she had been at her limit back then, unable to escape quickly with her two sisters. Reinforcements from the enemy could have arrived any moment. Although Bardock had knocked her out, he had also saved the three of them.

"Bardock, I heard you're going to find the Princess of the Dwarves?"

At this moment, Shakky chimed in, easing Bardock's awkwardness.

"Yes, that's right. I heard the Princess of the Dwarves has the ability to heal any injury. I want to invite her to be my companion for my adventures."

"I remember Shanks saying that your next journey was to the West Blue. Is the Dwarf Princess there?"

"No, not in the West Blue, but in Green Bit in the New World. Originally, I planned to apply for a passage through the Red Line to get to the West Blue, but there were too many applicants, and I couldn't get approval. So, I stayed in Sabaody for a while to train my abilities and planned to fly back myself."

Bardock shrugged and continued, "Later, I ran into a guy bragging in a restaurant. He claimed to be well-informed, saying there was nothing on the seas he didn't know. I believed him and asked, 'Do you know who I am?' You won't believe how he answered."

"How did he answer?"

Sandersonia was a great listener, completely engrossed in the story.

"He looked at me once, then again, and started mumbling things like, 'Impossible, it shouldn't be.' I thought he was just a drunkard, so I wanted to leave, but he wouldn't let me. He insisted on proving himself and told me to ask more questions. Guess what I asked him?"

"What did you ask?"

This time, Sandersonia and Marigold were both eagerly listening.

"I asked him, 'What is the Pirate King's treasure, One Piece?'"

"What did he say?" Hancock asked with interest.

"He said he couldn't tell me and asked me to pick another question. I almost kicked him out of frustration."

"I feel like kicking you right now," Hancock retorted angrily.

"Wait, there's more! I asked him a series of questions: 'How many sons does Whitebeard have? What's Garp's record for eating donuts? Who is Kaido's wife? What's the most powerful Devil Fruit? Did Big Mom and Kaido ever have a thing? How does Mihawk handle his... needs on that small boat? Does he row with his sword? And if a Snake-Snake Fruit user turns her legs into a tail, does she still wear underwear?'"

"What did he say?" Now Shakky was also curious.

Sandersonia and Marigold began blushing.

"He said Whitebeard's sons increase every year; Garp's donut-eating record keeps getting broken; Kaido's wife hasn't been decided yet, but his daughter's name is Yamato; the most powerful Devil Fruit is the Nika Fruit; Big Mom owes Kaido a great favor; you can ask Mihawk if his sword is sharp or not; and some questions should remain censored."

"That's like saying nothing at all! Nika Fruit? Never heard of it." Hancock scoffed.

Shakky, however, became more serious. She knew about the Nika Fruit, but that secret should only be known to a select few. This person was not simple.

"Bardock, did you ask anything else? How did you decide to go find the Dwarf Princess?"

"After that, he stopped letting me ask questions and began talking himself."

Bardock paused for dramatic effect, and when he saw the annoyed expressions on the others' faces, he grinned mischievously and continued, "He said the world's greatest swordsman would be Dracule Mihawk. He said there would be four emperors in the New World, and the last of the Four Emperors would be Shanks. He said a fruit that could perform the Eternal Youth Operation would appear in the North Blue, and the only healing power comparable would be that of the Princess of the Dwarves from Green Bit. He also mentioned things like the City of Gold on Sky Island, Shandora, and the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Shanks becoming an emperor is something I could foresee, but to be called an Emperor of the Sea? Old Rayleigh would be thrilled."

"Is there really such a thing as an Eternal Youth Operation?"

"Does the City of Gold really exist?"

"The most beautiful woman in the world?"

"Wait," Shakky was the first to catch on, "Some of the things he mentioned haven't happened yet. Could he predict the future? What was his name, Bardock?"

"Oh, he said his name was Oda, a manga artist."

"Oda, that sounds like a name from Wano Country. But a manga artist? That seems too casual. Is he still on the Sabaody Archipelago?"

"I don't know. I only met him that one time. But after seeing Mihawk and Shanks fight, I think what he said might be true. Anyway, I'm curious to see what the Dwarves are like, so I'm going to verify it for myself."

"Bardock, I'll go with you to find the Dwarf Princess."

Hancock said seriously.

"Sister, we'll come with you."

"No, you both have lost too much strength and need to rest properly, or it will affect your future potential."

"But—"

"Listen to me. I will find a way to erase the humiliation."

Hancock's expression was firm as she turned to Bardock, "Bardock, when are you planning to set off?"

"Me? I can leave anytime, but it'd be best to have a hearty meal and a good sleep first so I can depart in peak condition."

"Alright, then we'll set off together tomorrow."

"Deal. I'll leave my ship here for now and come for you tomorrow."

With that, Bardock took his leave. He had to pack his things and prepare for the journey.

"Shakky, I'm leaving my sisters in your care."

"Idiot, say that again when you're actually about to leave," Shakky replied gently, stroking Hancock's hair.