Chapter 246: Rebecca
In Kin'emon's eyes, Kanjuro was a kind and selfless person. He could bravely sacrifice himself to protect his comrades. For his lord, he was willing to lay down his life. Whenever he saw someone in need, he would use his abilities without hesitation to help strangers, whether they asked for it or not.
Like all samurai, Kanjuro possessed a strong sense of honor. He was willing to do anything to protect the reputation of Kozuki Oden.
Such a person... How could he possibly be a spy? Kin'emon couldn't believe it. Rodney's words were like a nerve being struck.
"It's your choice not to believe me. I've said my piece. This young master Momonosuke is utterly useless. He's not living up to his role as the son of Kozuki Oden. To put it bluntly, he's a coward. You've been protecting someone who's truly disappointing."
"What do you intend to do with the young master?!" In his urgency, Kin'emon no longer referred to Momonosuke as his son.
"I won't do anything to him. He's just a brat, not worth killing. My call was merely to inform you to be cautious of that traitor. I'm only expressing my disappointment on behalf of Kozuki Oden. I've said all I needed to." Rodney hung up the phone, stood up, and said, "Let's go, Ro. Nami, sail the ship to Dressrosa."
"But the Marines..." If the Straw Hat crew's ship appeared in Dressrosa, the stationed Marines would surely attack them.
"Don't worry, I'm here. And we can use some disguise," Rodney replied. He extended his chakra and formed hand seals, then declared, "Transformation!"
Boom! The Thousand Sunny ship suddenly transformed. Its overall shape didn't change much, but its color shifted from white to bright red. The sheep's head at the prow turned into a lion's head, and the Straw Hat pirate flag became an ordinary banner.
"What... What is this...?" Rodney was amazed. Could they really do something like this?
"I've used my power to alter the appearance of the Thousand Sunny. It only looks different, but Nami, go ahead and sail. We'll proceed boldly."
"Understood," Nami said excitedly as she piloted the ship. Chopper looked at the changing ship curiously. He tugged on Rodney's pants and asked, "Mr. Rodney, can you also transform into other things yourself?"
"Of course," Rodney replied. Chopper's current form was quite amusing. He pinched his face, transforming into an identical long-horned reindeer...
"Wow, that's amazing!" Chopper's eyes sparkled.
Boom! Rodney changed into Nami, then Luffy, Zoro, and others. When he became Roronoa Zoro, the swordsman, Rodney was genuinely surprised. This ability was incredibly convenient. He could even turn into a Celestial Dragon if he wanted to, although he had no intention of doing so. Maybe he didn't possess that ability due to his inherent arrogance?
He glanced at Momonosuke, who was unconscious on the deck, and asked, "What should we do with this kid?"
Momonosuke was trouble. If they didn't find a way to deal with him, they might attract the attention of the Beast Pirates, and even the Big Mom Pirates. Rodney didn't want to take that risk.
"I need him to go to where the Mink Tribe is," Rodney explained. He still needed one of the Road Poneglyphs to complete the set. Momonosuke could serve as a bargaining chip.
"By the way, Chopper, is there something mentally wrong with this kid?" Rodney asked.
Chopper nodded and said, "He must have suffered significant psychological trauma in the past. Whenever he's left alone, he's prone to delusions. That's why Nami's been staying with him."
It was likely a combination of losing his parents and the time-traveling experiences that had left him in this state.
"In that case, it might be better to leave him like this," Rodney said suddenly, smiling. He crossed his fingers. "Wood Release: Wood Pillar Barrier!"
Rows of wooden pillars curved up from the ground, enclosing Momonosuke. He was now sealed inside.
"What's this for?" Chopper asked.
"He seems to enjoy having delusions when he's alone, right? Let's see how far his imagination can take him. He won't hear anything from outside because of this soundproof barrier," Rodney explained.
Momonosuke couldn't measure up to his father in his youth. By this age, his father was already exploring the Red Light District. However, he did inherit one thing from his father: his fondness for women.
"But this could lead to unpredictable consequences. What if his mental state deteriorates because of his fantasies?" As a doctor, Chopper felt this approach was risky.
However, Rodney responded, "We can't treat mental illnesses easily, can we? Not all methods work for such conditions. Rodney is just using the quickest and simplest method. It's a bit extreme, but whether he can overcome his psychological trauma and grow stronger depends on him. We must defeat the demons in our hearts to truly mature. Rodney believes this."
Rodney had his own inner drama playing out. However, he had no idea that Rodney could seal away Momonosuke's memories with a single look. This was just a way to make Momonosuke endure some hardship. What happened to this kid didn't concern him.
Hurting a child like this was something Rodney couldn't bring himself to do. But giving him a little lesson was fine. They could lock him up at the back of the ship for a while...
The Thousand Sunny ship anchored, and Rodney and Ro disembarked, returning to Dressrosa and the colosseum. The place was bustling with activity, probably because the decisive moment of the tournament had arrived. Rodney had a plan in mind, and he suggested, "Shall we go inside?"
"What's the point of going in now? Don't you have a plan?" Ro asked.
"I'm interested in seeing Bartolomeo's Bari Bari no Mi abilities," Rodney said. "If you don't want to go in, I'll just go by myself."
"The arena's main entrance is closed now. How do we get inside?" The arena's doors and windows were reinforced with Seastone, and Rodney's Devil Fruit ability might not work on them.
Rodney chuckled, "That's not a problem."
He walked confidently to the entrance, narrowed his eyes, and the guards let them in without hesitation.
Ro looked at the guards, who were all smiles, and praised Rodney, "Your ability is truly dangerous, Captain Rodney."
"Come on, my abilities have always been used where they're needed. Speaking of which, I'm looking for my clone." From the beginning, his clone had been let inside. It had used its real name to participate in the tournament, giving many the impression that Rodney the monster was fighting as well.
Yes, the arena had started its tournament. The clone sensed the presence of the original and said to the young girl with only a few cloth strips on her body, "My original has arrived. Please wait here."
"Huh?" The girl nodded
. She suddenly saw Rodney disappear, but soon after, he reappeared and said, "Hello, Miss Rebecca."
(End of this chapter)