Chapter 226: Doc Q's Apples!
Before long, Jaya Island came into view.
The island's shape resembled two rows of teeth. The western shore they approached was the port where Mock Town was located.
Meanwhile, Mont Blanc Cricket, whom the Straw Hat Pirates were looking for, was on the other side of the island.
Ace stood up.
"I'll get off here."
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lufia.
"This is my Vivre Card."
"No matter where we siblings are, you can use it to find me."
"If it burns, it means I'm in danger."
"But don't worry, it won't."
"Because I won't die!"
Lufia took the Vivre Card, looking at the paper slip.
"Ace... I will definitely become the Pirate King!"
Ace smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Then you'll have to work hard!"
He jumped off the ship.
"Let's meet at the pinnacle of pirates!"
He waved and turned to walk toward Mock Town.
Lufia stood at the bow, watching his figure grow smaller and smaller.
She didn't call out for him to stay.
Just as Ace wouldn't interfere with her adventure, she wouldn't force her way into Ace's battles either.
This was the unspoken understanding between them.
The Going Merry sailed along the island's perimeter toward the eastern side.
Ralph stood up.
"I'm going to check out the town."
Before anyone could react, he used Geppo to leap off the ship.
"Ralph, wait for me—!"
Lufia reacted instantly, launching herself with a Gomu Gomu no Rocket onto Ralph's back.
The two wobbled through the air as they flew toward Mock Town.
Zoro watched them and grinned.
"I'm going for a walk too."
Then, he also jumped ship.
Usopp and Chopper, seeing the crew's combatants disappearing one after another, panicked and clung to Sanji.
"Sanji—!"
"Why are you clinging to me?"
Sanji sighed helplessly.
"Two beautiful ladies are waiting for my service. Do you think I'd choose to watch two pirates fight instead?"
Usopp and Chopper were moved to tears.
"It's so great that Sanji is a pervert!"
"Why does that sound so weird?!"
Sanji tried to pry the two hangers-on off him, but they held on too tightly, and the three of them tussled on the deck.
Nami and Robin exchanged smiles.
And so, the Straw Hat Pirates split into two groups once again.
Although Zoro had jumped off the ship not much later than Ralph and Lufia, the moment he landed, the two were nowhere to be seen.
He looked at the surrounding forest.
Then at the sky.
Then at the path beneath his feet.
He nodded and set off in one direction.
That direction was completely opposite to Mock Town.
Ralph landed steadily on a street in Mock Town with Lufia on his back.
This was a town teeming with pirates.
On both sides of the street were taverns, casinos, and weapon shops, filled with oddly dressed, fierce-looking characters.
The air was thick with the smells of alcohol, blood, and gunpowder.
"Where's Ace?"
Lufia looked around.
"Didn't he come to town too?"
Ralph was also searching.
Ace's presence was so distinctive; he should have been easy to spot.
But the streets were too crowded, and for a moment, he couldn't be seen.
Weren't they supposed to be looking for someone?
How did they end up losing track of him?
Ralph carried Lufia forward.
They had only taken a few steps when—
Bang!
At the street corner, a burly man wearing a wrestling mask slammed someone hard onto the ground.
It was Champion Burgess.
Ralph paused for a moment.
Then continued forward.
He looked up—
Atop the tallest building in town stood a tall, lean man, aiming his rifle in a certain direction.
Van Augur.
He seemed to sense something and turned his head.
His eyes met Ralph's.
Van Augur glanced at him expressionlessly, then shifted his gaze away and resumed aiming.
Ralph withdrew his gaze.
A few steps further ahead, a sickly white horse approached, carrying an equally sickly-looking man on its back.
Blackbeard's ship doctor, Doc Q.
He rode on the horse, carrying a basket filled with bright red apples.
Ralph was about to warn Lufia not to take this guy's explosive apples—
Crunch.
A crisp chewing sound came from behind.
Ralph turned around.
Lufia had somehow gotten hold of an apple and was taking big, hearty bites.
"Where did you get that apple?"
"From that man's basket!"
Lufia pointed at Doc Q.
Ralph froze.
Doc Q froze too.
He had always been the one giving apples to others—this was the first time someone had stolen one.
Seeing that Lufia had bitten into his apple without it exploding, a flicker of disappointment crossed Doc Q's sickly face.
"This little girl has good luck…"
He said weakly,
"Sir, would you like…"
Before he could finish, Lufia stretched out her arm and shamelessly grabbed another apple from Doc Q's basket, offering it to Ralph.
"Here!"
Doc Q's frail body nearly jolted upright in shock.
On one hand, he was stunned that this little girl was a Devil Fruit User.
On the other hand, he had never seen someone so shameless.
Pirates would take money or lives.
But someone this brazen, taking apples right in front of him—this was a first.
Ralph looked at the apple offered to him, his lips twitching slightly.
Of course, he wouldn't eat it.
He took the apple and placed it back into Doc Q's basket.
"My luck has never been good, so I'll pass."
Doc Q's expression changed.
He gave Ralph a deep look.
This man had seen through his trick.
"That's… a shame."
He slumped over his horse and slowly rode away.
After putting some distance between them, "I almost forgot."
Ralph suddenly turned back and called out, "We should pay for the apple we took."
Doc Q turned his sickly head around, still processing the words—
A flash of gold!
A gold coin shot toward his basket, landing inside with perfect accuracy.
Then—
Boom boom boom boom boom—!
A series of explosions erupted on the street!
The massive shockwaves overturned nearby stalls, filling the air with smoke and scattering debris everywhere.
The man and horse at the center of the explosion were instantly blasted black, collapsing to the ground.
Chaos instantly broke out on the street.
Pirates panicked and fled in all directions.
"What happened?!"
"Someone else exploded!"
"Run!"
The pirates on the street buzzed with chatter, assuming this was just another unlucky soul who had taken an explosive apple.
Who would have thought it was the one giving out the apples?
Lufia, perched on Ralph's back, blinked as she watched the cloud of smoke.
"What happened to him?"
"Nothing."
Ralph said calmly, "Maybe his apples weren't very good quality."
Lufia nodded and continued munching on the apple in her hand.
Ralph strode forward.
Doc Q and his horse lay on the ground, charred black and motionless.
But Ralph knew this guy wasn't so easy to kill.
Still, that didn't matter.
What mattered was—
He turned the corner and spotted a small tavern.
A worn-out sign hung at the tavern's entrance.
Ralph pushed the door open.
Inside, the tavern was dimly lit and filled with smoke.
Several pirates were sprawled over tables drinking, while in the corner, some were gambling.
At the bar counter sat a burly man.
He had his back to the entrance, devouring a cherry pie in large mouthfuls.
That silhouette.
Ralph recognized it at a glance.
Marshall D. Teach.
Blackbeard.
Standing at the entrance, Ralph couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Was this fate?