One Piece: Alucard the Immortal-Chapter 498 - 497: Why Is It You Again?

On one of the seven magnetic routes in the first half of the Grand Line, situated on the island closest to Ilisia, lies the Kingdom of Niflheim, another member nation of the World Government.

Though nicknamed the "City of Water," it is not the same place as Water 7. Rumor has it that King Alder has a particular fondness for the color white, resulting in most of the architecture being a shimmering silver-white. Coupled with its famous fountains, the city is also known as the "White Water City."

"Hey, have you heard? War has broken out in the Kingdom of Ilisia."

"What happened? Tell me, tell me!"

"I only heard rumors, but apparently the two princes, both heirs to the throne, started a civil war over the succession. It’s caused massive casualties. The Government has already stepped in to investigate."

"How terrifying... brothers turning against each other for a throne."

"Ahaha! If I had even a fifty-percent chance of becoming King, I’d do the same. Who wouldn’t want to sit in that seat?"

Loli A sat in a famous bar in the White Water City. Unlike the rough, shirtless, foul-mouthed thugs she usually encountered, this place was near the city’s waterways with a beautiful environment. The patrons were mostly ordinary civilians.

The topic they were currently obsessed with was the disaster that had struck the neighboring Ilisia a few days ago.

As of now, the Government had not officially reported the incident. Those on that street who had seen her and Dragon fighting were mostly dead. The remaining citizens of Ilisia only knew of the princes’ civil war or had heard whispers about the Revolutionary Army.

The death of the "World’s Worst Criminal," Dragon, was a monumental event that couldn’t be broadcasted lightly. If the Government announced "Dragon is dead" before conducting a thorough investigation, and then Dragon popped up later to cause more trouble, wouldn’t that be a massive slap to the Government’s face?

"Kyaaa!! Cavendish-sama!!"

Suddenly, a chorus of female screams erupted from the waterway. Loli A and the other patrons turned to look. They saw a handsome, blonde man wearing a plumed cowboy hat, a white shirt, and capri pants. He was sitting ostentatiously at the bow of a boat, eyes closed in self-indulgence as he sniffed a rose. Behind him was a lone, struggling boatman.

The screams came from a group of women on several logging boats following him, their eyes transformed into red hearts as they shrieked Cavendish’s name.

"Who’s that? That flashy guy?"

A man with spiky hair watching from the bar spoke with irritation, his tone laced with jealousy. Internally, he grumbled, "Stupid pretty boy..."

A bartender replied, "That’s Cavendish. They say he’s a pirate captain. He’s only been in Niflheim for two days and he’s already famous throughout the city."

"Because of that face of his," the waiter added in a whisper, clearly envious of Cavendish’s popularity.

"Nfufu~~"

Cavendish’s shoulders twitched as he looked down, his cowboy hat obscuring his smirking face. He was ecstatic: "As expected, my popularity is unmatched! First, I’ll conquer this city with my beauty, then I’ll draw in the reporters, and then I can..."

He had arrived two days ago but wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Instead, he was busy finding ways to "accumulate" his popularity. As Cavendish opened his eyes from his daydream, he happened to spot a familiar figure in the waterfront bar across the way.

"That brat!"

Cavendish snatched up his sword resting beside him. Even though his boat had already drifted over a dozen meters away, it was no obstacle for someone of his skill. He leaped across the water toward the bar entrance.

Bang!

Just as Cavendish’s foot lightly touched the ground, intending to make a magnificent entrance, a gunshot rang out. The bullet struck the pavement right by his feet.

"Ah!!"

Caught off guard, Cavendish panicked. His footing faltered, and he tumbled backward into the great waterway.

Splash!

As water sprayed everywhere, the women following him cried out in distress: "Oh! Cavendish-sama!"

"Are you alright?"

"Who could be so cruel?!"

The patrons in the bar were startled by the sudden shot. After a moment, they turned to see a young girl in white sitting at the bar. She held a white pistol, the muzzle pointed exactly where Cavendish had just been standing.

A hand reached out from the waterway to grab the steps of the bar. A drenched Cavendish scrambled out of the water, his hair standing on end. "Damn it! You brat! You keep making me lose face over and over again!"

Finishing his outburst, Cavendish looked around anxiously. "Are there no reporters, right? If they caught that on camera, it would definitely be a permanent stain on my future career as a star!"

Seeing the stunned gazes of the crowd, Cavendish quickly began jumping between the buildings, leaving behind a harsh parting word: "Don’t you dare leave! Wait until I change my clothes, then I’ll come back and settle the score with you!"

With that, Cavendish disappeared into the city alleys. Loli A tucked the gun back inside her coat and sneered, "That kid is as hilarious as ever."

From their first meeting, Alucard had found Cavendish quite interesting. Having grown used to ruthless pirates and Marines, seeing such a "living treasure" sparked his interest to keep watching.

Since he had nothing better to do, Loli A remained at the bar, savoring the red wine while waiting for the other’s return.

The surrounding customers, however, quickly paid their tabs and got the hell out. For them, the mere fact that she carried a gun was enough reason to stay away.

Cavendish was fast. Half an hour later, he reappeared in a fresh white suit. This time, Loli A didn’t fire, and the bar was now empty, even the staff had fled.

"What’s the performance this time, kid?" Loli A asked with interest.

"Shut up! It’s all because of you that I lost so much face back in Ilisia!" Cavendish barked, baring his teeth.

"So? Do you want to fight?" Loli A asked playfully.

Cavendish remembered that this girl had handled Hakuba, who was twice as strong as himself in swordsmanship, with ease. Realizing he was likely no match, he puffed out his cheeks in a sulk. "Hmph~ Fine, I’ll forgive you. But... you have to tell me what happened in Ilisia."