Hearing the pirates’ cries, Norton turned toward Sanosuke in surprise.
Despite the sudden accident, Sanosuke remained remarkably calm, as though incidents like this had happened countless times before.
Noticing Norton’s gaze, he finally spoke.
“As you can see, Captain…
this is the misfortune I’ve carried since birth.”
“For the past twenty years, I’ve served eight different masters.”
“They all died.”
“Redbeard was the eighth.”
“You’re the ninth.”
Nami, still leaning against Norton’s back to steady herself, peeked around him.
The faint blush on her cheeks hadn’t completely faded.
“You’re saying the ship ran aground because of you?”
Sanosuke nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Interesting.”
Norton grinned.
“Then why did Redbeard keep you around?”
Before Sanosuke could answer, one of the pirates spoke up.
“Ever since Sanosuke joined our crew, nothing has gone right.”
“Everyone says he’s cursed.”
“But Captain Redbeard couldn’t bear to lose his strength.”
“Sanosuke was actually stronger than the captain.”
Nami blinked.
“If he’s stronger than Redbeard…”
“Why work under him?”
The pirate scratched his head.
“No idea.”
Norton looked back at Sanosuke.
“Tell me your story.”
Sanosuke hadn’t expected Norton to ask for his life story at a time like this.
The ship had run aground.
That meant they were stranded in the middle of the sea.
If rescue never came…
Everyone aboard would eventually die.
They could escape on the small boats, perhaps…
But those boats could only carry a handful of people.
There were far too many passengers.
Their supplies wouldn’t last.
“We should’ve brought our own ship!”
one pirate complained.
But it was pointless now.
Redbeard’s pirate ship had already been abandoned.
Norton had taken one look at its filthy condition and refused to claim it.
“What do we do now?”
The nobles and noblewomen began panicking.
“Let’s wait.”
“I’ve already sent the shipwrights to inspect the damage.”
the Duke replied.
As a luxury vessel, the ship naturally carried professional maintenance personnel.
The wealthy valued their own lives above all else.
None of them had finished enjoying life yet.
With nothing else to do, everyone’s attention shifted to Sanosuke.
After all…
Who wouldn’t be curious about someone cursed with such unbelievable bad luck?
The inspection would take time anyway.
Listening to a story wasn’t the worst way to pass it.
Sanosuke lowered his voice.
“I was born in a country that isn’t affiliated with the World Government.”
“Ever since I can remember…”
“I’ve never experienced good fortune.”
“My father died in a war while I was still very young.”
“Without anyone to protect her…”
“My mother was kidnapped by human traffickers.”
“The people in my village believed all the disasters began the day I was born.”
“They wanted to drive me out.”
“Eventually…”
“An old ninja took me in.”
“He had been my father’s master.”
“And he became mine.”
“My teacher told me…”
“If I wanted to change my fate…”
“I needed to find a master with overwhelming destiny.”
“Only someone blessed with enough fortune could suppress my curse.”
“So I left home.”
“I traveled across countless islands.”
“I served many different masters.”
“But the bad luck never disappeared.”
The crowd wore strange expressions.
A non-member nation received no protection from the World Government.
They paid no Heavenly Tribute.
In return…
The Marines offered them no protection whatsoever.
Norton knew even more.
Countries outside the World Government were often treated as hunting grounds by the Celestial Dragons.
Lawless.
Chaotic.
Infested with pirates and slave traders.
Survival there was never easy.
The Duke frowned.
“Have you ever considered…”
“That old ninja may have lied to you?”
“Perhaps he simply wanted an excuse to drive you out of the village…”
“…and take your bad luck with you.”
Sanosuke’s eyes turned cold.
Killing intent leaked from his body.
“Impossible.”
“My teacher once told me about someone who carried the same cursed fate.”
“He was called the Star of Calamity.”
“But after serving a wise king…”
“His bad luck was suppressed.”
The Duke’s expression changed.
“Are you talking about the legendary King Edward?”
“You know the story?”
Sanosuke looked surprised.
“Of course.”
The Duke sneered.
“It’s a famous fable.”
“But do you know how King Edward died?”
“He was betrayed by his queen and her lover.”
“He was overthrown.”
“Thrown into prison.”
“According to legend…”
“His executioners heated an iron rod until it glowed red…”
“…then drove it through his anus…”
“…burning through his internal organs until he died.”
“The world believed…”
“It was all because of that Star of Calamity.”
“The king inherited the cursed man’s bad luck.”
Nami’s face turned pale.
“…That’s horrible.”
Sanosuke stood frozen.
It felt as though everything he had believed in had collapsed.
Norton suddenly smiled.
“Looks like you’ve always had terrible taste in masters.”
“But fortunately…”
“You met me.”
He grinned confidently.
“I guess I’m the one destined to suppress your bad luck.”
Sanosuke stared at him.
“…You’re not afraid my curse will spread to you?”
His voice carried an unmistakable hint of hope.
“I like challenges.”
Norton shrugged.
“If I can suppress your bad luck…”
“Wouldn’t that prove I’m destined to become a wise king?”
Becoming a great king had always been his dream.
Something like this…
Naturally interested him.
Sanosuke found himself speechless.
Nami raised an eyebrow.
This man’s way of thinking is completely bizarre…
Everyone else avoided misfortune like the plague.
Yet Norton actually wanted to conquer it.
Just then—
Rumble!
The ship suddenly lurched violently.
Everyone staggered, struggling to keep their footing.
The stranded vessel…
Was being lifted.
Something enormous had risen beneath it.
“Sea King!!”
“It’s a Sea King!!”
someone screamed.
Holding the ship aloft was a gigantic flat-bodied shark-like Sea King.
Its entire body was crimson.
Looking over the railing, all anyone could see was an endless expanse of scarlet flesh.
It was unbelievably massive.
The enormous cruise ship occupied barely one-tenth of its back.
As the creature surfaced, its red body covered nearly the entire surrounding sea.
“It’s at least five hundred meters long!”
“How could a Sea King this size appear in the East Blue?!”
Sea Kings were the name given to the gigantic sea creatures that ruled the oceans.
They existed throughout the world but were most commonly found in the Calm Belt and the deep sea.
Compared to those regions, the Sea Kings inhabiting the Four Blues and the Grand Line were usually much smaller.
Creatures exceeding one hundred meters were already extraordinarily rare.
A five-hundred-meter Sea King…
Shouldn’t have existed here.
“It’s the curse!”
“It has to be Sanosuke’s bad luck!”
At that moment…
Everyone aboard reached the exact same conclusion.
Just then, one of the shipwrights finally emerged from below deck, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Your Grace!”
“The hull has a massive hole!”
“It’s beyond repair!”
“We’re taking on water fast!”
He looked around in confusion.
“What’s going on?”
“Why is the ship shaking so much?”
The Duke silently pointed beneath the ship.
The shipwright followed his finger.
His mouth slowly fell open.
The reef that had stranded their ship…
Was growing directly out of the Sea King’s head.