One Piece: Shanks' Little Jasmine

Chapter 140 The Purpose Revealed

The journey from the naval base to the pirate base was almost a huge loop, taking quite a bit of time. Regardless, they had to get back before the battle meeting ended. Moko's room was very close to the two admirals' rooms, and they could tell without even using their senses that Moko wasn't in her room. Moko didn't want to be misunderstood as having been kidnapped, which would become common knowledge.

Because of the fierce battle, the once flat island had been bombed into an uneven surface, filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood. A deathly chill permeated the air. When she arrived at a part of the battlefield, a faint groan of pain caught Moko's attention. Moko did not want to meddle, but she could not move her feet to leave.

"Pfft~"

Mika nestled on Moko's shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. Aside from Shanks, Mika was the second person Moko understood best. With just a gesture or a glance, Mika could clearly tell what Moko was thinking. The worst thing on the battlefield is to be soft-hearted, but at this moment, there was no battle, and the groan Moko heard was not for help, but a simple "I'm sorry."

Feeling the soft touch on her cheek, Moko pursed her lips, finally sighed, and turned to walk towards the sound of the groan.

On the battlefield strewn with corpses, a man with faint breathing was hiding in a corner. He wasn't wearing a navy uniform, so he seemed to be on the pirate side. The man was too weak to hold onto the photo he was holding due to blood loss. As if by divine arrangement, the biting wind blew the photo to Moko's feet. Upon seeing the photo, Moko lowered her eyelids, pulled her black robe tighter, and then knelt down beside the man.

The wound on his chest was the most serious, with blood gushing out. If the bleeding wasn't stopped in time, death would be imminent. Since she hadn't brought any medicine with her when she came out, Mo Ke helplessly placed her hand two inches above the man's chest. Tiny white healing energy fell into the wound, and the blood that was previously unstoppable seemed to be blocked, gradually stopping its seepage. The hideous wound slowly began to heal.

Am I... dead?

After a while, the man lying on the ground gradually regained consciousness. His voice was hoarse as he forced his eyes open. The moon in the sky struggled to peek out from behind the dark clouds, but the light it shone down was still weak, and he still couldn't see anything clearly.

The man opened his eyes and met Moko's gaze as she wore a black robe. However, the man's eyes were filled with despair and regret. Moko was backlit by the moonlight, so his expression was not clear, but the moonlight behind her cast a hazy glow on her, making the man feel as if he was already dead. Otherwise, why would he feel as if he saw the Grim Reaper coming to take him away?

"Don't worry, you won't die. You'll be fine. Your family is waiting for you at home."

Moko's voice was soft and gentle, so beautiful in the desolate and terrifying battlefield, like a ray of light in the darkness, pulling people back from the mire of despair. He could go home, that was wonderful, he could see his family again, that was truly wonderful...

Seeing the man fall into a coma again, Moko lowered her eyes, a complex emotion flashing in them. Once the wound had healed to a point where it wouldn't be fatal, Moko withdrew her hand, placed the photo that had fallen to the ground back into the man's hand, and without pausing, resolutely turned and left.

As Moko left, a tear welled up in the man's eye, rolled down his forehead, and fell to the ground, disappearing without a trace into the ravaged land.

Taking advantage of the still-dark night, Moko returned to the warship smoothly. With the agility of a cat, she flipped up the balcony. Ella, who had been waiting, quickly unlocked the door, and Moko slipped into the room in a flash. The whole process did not disturb anyone.

As soon as she entered the room, Moko quickly changed out of her black robe and went into the bathroom. The next moment, the sound of running water began, washing away the smell of gunpowder and blood on her body. Only then did Moko lie down in the bathtub and enjoy a comfortable bath.

Mihua and Ella, wearing their own swimming rings, floated on the water. Ella's playful antics were just like Mihua's in the past. Taking a bath was like swimming for her; she splashed her paws trying to catch the little yellow ducks floating on the water. The whole bathroom was filled with the sounds of Ella playing.

Moko didn't stop Ella's behavior. Instead, she reached out and pushed the flowers on the water's surface toward Ella. The beautiful, fragrant flowers immediately attracted Ella's attention. Without hesitation, Ella abandoned the little yellow duck and rushed toward the flowers. The rising water splashed all over Mihua. Mihua swam steadily with the current, showing no signs of life. In the hazy mist, Moko's eyes softened even more.

After soaking for a while, Moko walked out of the bathroom with her long, wet hair cascading down her back. Her skin was pink and radiant, and her white silk nightgown made her look like a pearl from the sea, crystal clear and smooth.

Mihua and Ella were wrapped in clean towels. When Moke dried the two little ones, their fur stood on end. They were already chubby, but now they looked even more round and fluffy, which was really cute.

With a smile in her eyes, Moko placed the two little ones by the fireplace and sat down on the deck chair by the window. The azure moon finally broke free from the shackles of the dark clouds, and the cool moonlight spread over the entire island. The path she had just left and returned along was clearly visible. It was a flat road, with unnamed wildflowers nestled together by the roadside. The places where they bloomed were the first spots on the island to be exposed to sunlight.

Whether they are navy personnel or pirates, no matter which path they take, at least on the way home, Momo hopes it will be a bright and warm road, a prosperous road full of flowers. This is her only remaining compassion and equality for all people in the world.

The island stalemate lasted for nearly two months. Sengoku would conduct strategic command every day through Den Den Mushi, and the meetings never stopped. As a result, whenever there was a meeting, Borsalino and Kuzan would wear an impatient and sour face. They were not only annoyed by the war that wasted their long rest time, but also by the various boring meetings.

After the meeting ended again at the beginning of the third month, Borsalino was visibly happy. Usually, apart from being nice to Moko, he always had an impatient and irritable face that made people want to stay away.

Kuzan followed slowly behind, yawning as if he hadn't woken up yet, his voice full of drowsiness. If you gave Kuzan a recliner, Moko had no doubt that he would fall asleep on the spot.

"It's finally over, what a boring tug-of-war."

"Do I need to go to the base this time?"

For the past three months, aside from that one time she sneaked out, Moko hasn't even left the warship. Borsalino and Kuzan say that pirates will infiltrate the base to launch attacks, and Moko only needs to stay on the ship and give orders. If she gets injured, Garp can just turn them into punching bags and throw them around for fun.

(Garp: (?｀∧′))

Thinking about how the two of them would look like sandbags, Moke chuckled. Well, it did look like something her grandfather would do.

"Young lady, you should just stay on the warship and protect yourself."

"Yes, Miss Moko, just take good care of yourself. I've left people to guard the base, and I'll be back soon."

Regarding Moko's safety, Kuzan agreed with Borsalino's statement that the delicate and frail Miss Moko should just stay on the warship and wait for them to return. They would handle any dangerous situations, and Moko didn't need to take any risks.

Noticing the weariness in their eyes, Moko tilted her head, feigning thought, but her smile was particularly charming. "We just received an invitation from Morning Star. How about we celebrate our victory there?"

"An invitation from the Morning Star??" Borsalino and Kuzan were stunned, their shocked expressions clearly indicating that they knew about the Morning Star.

"Yes, Tina said she wanted to try the morning star cider last time, so I got a copy."

Now Borsalino and Kuzan were looking at Moco with the same eyes they used to look at Pele. Everyone knew about the Starry Night Wine Shop; its wines were delicious but ridiculously expensive, and there were purchase restrictions on all kinds of wines. Even with Pele, you might not be able to buy them. But for those with invitations, these restrictions were completely ineffective.

However, obtaining an invitation is no easy task. Not only do you need money, but you also need status. Nowadays, an invitation on the black market is worth as much as 100 million Berries. After all, the value of an invitation is not just the wine, but more importantly, the power behind Morning Star. It is a high-end wine company that can quickly gain a foothold in the world market. The power behind it should not be underestimated. If you have the opportunity to make friends with them, it would be a great help.

Although they didn't know how Moko got the invitation, Borsalino and Kuzan at least realized one thing: Moko was very wealthy, at least richer than both of them.

Actually, there are quite a few wealthy people in the Navy. After all, the living conditions for ordinary Navy personnel are harsh, and if they want to live a better life, they have to spend their own money. In addition to the villa area where the Admirals live, there are also many detached villas on the outskirts, which are specially prepared for these wealthy people. It is also allowed in the Navy to spend money to purchase better living conditions. Otherwise, the little bit of Beli given by the World Government would not be enough to support these Navy personnel.

Moko's usual behavior clearly indicated her wealth, but Borsalino and Kuzan hadn't paid much attention until this moment. They began to think about it carefully. It seemed that Moko's clothes and jewelry were made of extremely expensive, high-grade materials. For example, the hairpin she was wearing was made of gilded wood. Wait, gilded wood? No, there really were people who carved expensive gilded wood into hairpins to wear. For the first time, Borsalino and Kuzan deeply felt their own poverty. Their monthly salary was only enough for half of Moko's hairpin. Maybe they should ask the Marshal for a raise, or even some overtime pay.

(Warring States Period: No way! o(｀w′*)o!)

"The victory celebration is still to come; now General Borsalino and General Kuzan must set off first."

Moko handed the two cloaks to them, completely ignoring their dazed state. The two men put on the cloaks that belonged to the admirals, but their lazy eyes were once again filled with fighting spirit. They were excited to drink the Morning Star wine at the victory celebration. Why couldn't these pirates leave on their own? They were really wasting their time!

With a mix of anticipation and resentment, Borsalino and Kuzan led a large number of marines to the battlefield. Seeing how excited the two were, Moko shook her head helplessly. They usually drank the same kind of wine as the Morning Star, just with fewer varieties. Why were they so happy this time? Is it true that free wine tastes better?

"Miss Moko, today's newspaper."

While he was thinking, the naval officer who had come to report brought over the newspaper. Corazon, who was standing nearby, quickly snapped out of his daze and took it. As expected, Corazon was also stunned by Moko's boldness.

"Thank you."

Moko turned her gaze away from the battlefield, smiled at the navy officer delivering the newspaper, and the officer quickly saluted and turned to leave, though he walked away somewhat in sync.

Moko took the newspaper from Corazon and sat down in the soft chair to read it carefully. When she saw one of the news items, she was stunned for a moment, and then a faint smile appeared on her lips. No wonder the pirates suddenly had the intention to retreat. So their goal has been achieved?

Doflamingo robbed a ship that was supposed to be tribute to the Celestial Dragons from various countries – how audacious! No wonder this riot has affected the whole world; it turns out that's what he was planning. While everyone's attention was drawn to the riot, the real mastermind began to act. Regardless of whether the island was occupied or not, the ultimate beneficiaries have already obtained the benefits they wanted. It seems that Doflamingo will definitely have a place among the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Noticing Moko's gaze, Corazon also looked at the newspaper, and his eyes froze immediately. Doflamingo, stealing the "Celestial Gold"? What exactly is he trying to do?

Cora clenched her teeth, struggling to control the surging emotions within her. What exactly do you want to do... Brother...?

Sensing the unstable emotions of the person beside her, Moko turned her head to look at Corazon in confusion. Just as she was about to ask something, a huge explosion suddenly rang out next to the warship.

"boom!"

"Enemy attack!"

Explosions continued one after another, and the widespread shockwaves kicked up huge plumes of smoke and dust, instantly obscuring clear vision. Moko turned her head away uncomfortably and closed her eyes, while Corazon quickly stepped in front of Moko the moment the explosions began.

"Miss Moko, are you alright?"

Corazon's anxious and worried voice rang out. Moko calmed down for a while and felt a little better before opening her eyes. Her eyes were misty in the smoke and dust, as if she was crying. Corazon's heart tightened. Seeing the worry in Corazon's eyes, Moko gently shook her head.

"I'm fine. Was it a pirate attack?"

"Hmm, it seems like a group of pirates is sneaking in from behind, and the final battle is finally approaching."

As he said this, Corazon's eyes narrowed dangerously, but when he looked at Moko, the danger in his eyes had completely disappeared, leaving only tenderness.

"Miss Moko, please go back to your room. It's not safe on the deck right now."

"Okay, Xiaomiguo, you be careful too."

Her current setup doesn't allow her to fight, so Moko naturally wouldn't insist on staying on the deck and causing trouble for the others. After all, the pirates outside are just a decoy; the real enemy has already infiltrated the warship.

"Don't worry, Miss Moko, I'll take care of it as soon as possible."

Corazon made it sound so easy. These pirates arrived at just the right time. He was just feeling a surge of anger and had nowhere to vent it. This wasn't a fight he could go off to, and Daisenbei certainly wouldn't blame him.

Moko lowered her eyes in exasperation. It seemed she would have to ask about what had just happened later.