"Believe me! This time it's different!"
"No! I still have things to do, I need to pay back the money I owe Teacher Kaido as soon as possible!"
"Then listen to me, my method is definitely the fastest! And your best friend Zoro has also been put on a bounty, if you keep dragging your feet, you'll be caught up to very quickly."
"Mm..." Kuina was speechless.
Two months had passed since Kuina challenged Big Mom. After they returned to Nicuss for a rest, Nero decided to set sail again.
But Kuina unexpectedly threw a tantrum and refused to go to sea.
Children grow up and are hard to manage, Nero felt a little melancholic.
If it were the old Kuina... she wouldn't have had the right to throw a tantrum at all.
But now that she's grown up, she naturally deserves appropriate respect.
"Then Teacher, tell me clearly where we're going and what we're doing this time!" Kuina, for once, was firm, though her tone was still timid.
"Hmm, you don't have the right to know!" Nero's patience vanished. If respect was offered and not taken, so be it.
"As your creditor, even if I sold you, you wouldn't have the right to know where you're being sold to!"
"???"
Kuina was bewildered. What happened to me? Such a quick change of face?
One second she was speaking kindly, the next she was planning to sell me?
Kuina, who was afraid to go to sea because she was half-paralyzed last time and had a psychological trauma, seeing Nero's expression, immediately reverted to her soft nature, pouting and muttering, "Then, then can we wait two days? My last injury isn't fully healed yet..."
"Do you think I'm very idle?" Nero lifted her chin, deepening her nasal tone.
'Isn't she?' Kuina grumbled inwardly.
Unable to openly resist Nero, she could only meekly agree in the end.
"Hmm, very good! Then prepare quickly, we set sail in an hour."
"Yes!"
...It took an hour to finally prepare Nero's luggage, and Kuina was panting, leaning on the railing of the golden rose.
Nero had so much luggage, one hour was really too tight.
As for Kuina herself, a small backpack was enough.
Hathaway and Nero sat under the deck's parasol, with tea and snacks on the table.
"Do we have a destination this time? Or are we just wandering?" After pouring Nero's tea, Hathaway asked about the purpose of this voyage.
"Of course, time is short, and old friends meeting one less time means one less time."
Nero's cowlick swayed, and Hathaway saw anticipation on her face.
"Old friends... Rayleigh? Or Newgate?"
"Pfft pfft! All wrong!" Nero crossed her arms and made a big 'X'.
"It's Kaido! Strictly speaking, this guy should be considered a junior, but after so many years, he's become of the same era as us."
An unexpected answer, Hathaway thought for a moment in confusion and said, "Kaido? We're not very familiar with him. His territory seems to be in Wano Country."
"Hmm, it is Wano Country..."
Kuina suddenly raised her hand, interrupting Nero's speech: "Um, Teacher, I don't know why my stomach suddenly hurts. I might have some serious illness, I'll go see a doctor first."
"Don't worry, Nicuss's best doctor is right here. Tell me, where do you feel unwell?"
Nero wiggled her fingers, her sharp dragon claws seemingly slicing through the air.
Kuina immediately cowered: "N-nothing, I'm fine. Let's set off quickly."
"Hmm, then let's set sail!"
Kuina dejectedly walked into the cockpit, and the golden rose set sail again.
Hathaway and Nero continued their previous conversation.
"Why did you think of looking for Kaido this time? Are you having Kuina challenge all of the Four Emperors?"
"Mukukuku!" Nero covered half her face with one hand and let out a strange laugh: "My eyes have seen the future!"
"Ah... I know."
"Kaidou! He possesses a method that can quickly make Kuina a Four Emperors-level powerhouse!"
"..."
Hathaway didn't respond, but her expression clearly showed disbelief.
What kind of person was Kaido? He obtained his territory through schemes and tricks, only because he encountered that fool Oden.
If this got out, the prestige of the Four Emperors would drop a notch.
If Kaido were replaced by Nero, it would have some credibility.
"What I said is true! In the future, there will be a teaching match. Compared to that guy Rayleigh's hard work for two and a half years, Kaidou is the true master teacher!"
Seeing Hathaway's disbelief, Nero excitedly stood up and gestured with her hands.
"Teacher Kaido wields the divine weapon hachisai-kai, one strike of Ryuo, two strikes of Conquerors Haki Infusion, and three strikes of Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit awakening!"
Finally, Nero concluded: "Among all the teachers I've encountered in this world, no one is stronger than him. I, Nero Claudius, declare Kaidou to be the strongest!"
Hathaway's mouth twitched, full of unspoken complaints.
However, what was certain was that Nero was still planning to send Kuina to get a beating.
And Nero was still incessantly praising Kaido, saying things like 'incompetent teacher Rayleigh misleads students,' and 'Teacher Kaido is the true master teacher'... and that if they encountered a suitable Devil Fruit for Kuina in the future, she would let her receive Teacher Kaido's discipline again... Hathaway couldn't help but mourn for Kuina in her heart for three minutes, but it was the second time, and His Majesty's bone-setting skills had also become much more proficient.
And after Kuina heard about this, she said nothing, silently contemplating the possibility of jumping ship and escaping.
Kuina pondered... Kuina gave up... Kuina prepared herself for a beating.
Days passed, and finally, today they arrived at a chaotic sea area.
Strange rocks stood tall, with disordered and violent waves, and surging undercurrents beneath the water.
"Hmm, Wano Country is up there, Hathaway, do you want to come along?"
Nero glanced upwards, remembering that Wano Country had been ruined beyond recognition by Kaido.
They only planned to stay there for a few days, and the living environment above was certainly not good.
Hathaway also knew the situation inside Wano Country, so when she heard Nero's question, she directly refused.
Compared to Wano Country, the golden rose was a grand villa and a thatched hut.
Although she was somewhat interested in the 'Teacher Kaido's teaching' that Nero kept mentioning, Hathaway felt there was no need to specifically experience the suffering of the common people in a country where even eating was a problem.
"Alright, then I'll wait for you two on the periphery and guard the ship. Your Majesty, when you're done, you can just use Observation Haki to find me."
"Hmm, then it's decided." Nero's red horns grew, and dragon wings extended, transforming her into a three-meter-tall Little Dragon Person.
Grabbing the lifeless Kuina, her wings gently vibrated as she flew into the air: "Then Kuina and I will be back shortly."
"Alright, have a safe trip!"
"Hmm!"
Filling Kuina's mouth with wind, Nero carried her by her slender waist and flew rapidly towards Wano Country.
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