Chapter 148 - Raizo!

Along the way, Momonosuke, who was no longer tired and sick, kept running around like an energized kid. After all, he was supposed to be one.

No one begrudged him that as they all smiled at him. Happy that he was for one, acting his real age.

Momo for his part was also aware that the others were encouraging him to play. As he had at first been a bit apprehensive about that, but when he looked at Kin'emon and he found him encouraging him to do as he wanted, he started to try.

He would jump on Luffy and kick him and punch him and then run after Luffy follows after him furiously.

Luffy himself knew that Momo was just playing so he was mainly acting. Mainly… but if gets his hands on that little guy, he was going to pinch his cheeks painfully!

Momo would then hide behind someone nearby and taunt Luffy from behind them.

After which the person would punch Luffy for picking on a guy, as Luffy would cry tears of anime at this.

This all was hilarious to Ian but what he focused more on was the presence he had been feeling so far.

Although it was not strong the moment he had stepped on Zou, it was in fact there.

And the closer Ian got to the hidden room with the Road Poneglyph, the more Ian felt the presence get stronger. Ian for one was excited to found out who it belonged to. He knew for a fact that the ninja hiding there was not that presence.

Simply for the fact that he could also feel his presence there in the same room.

Not to mention that this presence somehow felt different. Ian couldn't put his head around that difference though. Still, there was no need as just when Ian finished the thought, Nekomamushi who was at the lead of the group stopped.

"We have reached our destination!" He told the people following behind him.

This place was in fact hiding right at the tail of the whale-shaped tree.

It was indeed a good hiding place, and no one would suspect it at all. Not to mention that even if they did, the door was a hidden one, so they were unlikely to find it.

Following this Nekomamushi stepped in followed by the rest.

All of a sudden distant crying voices reached their ears.

And Nekomamushi remarked about that with a grin.

"That's the ninja's voice!" He said as he told them. A grin of anticipation on his face. He couldn't wait to see their faces after they see Raizo for the first time!

Then Luffy, Usopp, Chopper started getting excited at hearing the voice of the Ninja.

"Ninja?" all three exclaimed in surprise.

They then started running down the stairs furiously trying to outran the others and see the ninja first.

Even the giant robot Franky had joined them at one point.

Then just when they reached down to the ground, they came face to face with the ninja's crying face.

Their various images of how a ninja should be shattered completely as they fell to the ground comically.

Nekomamushi remarked again as he tried to hide the smirk of satisfaction he had.

"That's the Ninja Raizo!" He introduced him to them.

"There you are Nekomamushi!" Raizo spoke up towards him with a yell as he was still crying.

All there focused on him.

"Why didn't you let me fight with you? I would have been of some help to you! And you wouldn't have to shoulder that burden on your own!" he spoke up.

He didn't want them to fight his battles for him. Or at the very least he wanted to fight with them.

"What about the country? Don't tell me it was destroyed!" Raizo finished with a yell.

A bit of silence followed at this proclamation of his. As everyone appeared from the stairs and took in the appearance of Raizo. Even Ian was a bit surprised at seeing such a weird human being.

"Answer me!! Just what the hell happened outside?" At seeing this Raizo yelled out again. He was desperate to know what happened. As he was chained in the room to the Poneglyph.

Nekomamushi sighed at this.

"Forgive me, Raizo! We had no choice! However, don't fret, Emperor Ian helped us out. He had Disposed of Jack himself! The country is safe!" He told him again.

Nekomamushi wouldn't usually call Ian as such. Rather he called him Captain Ian, which to him was like a more intimate way of calling him. However, he called him an emperor this time to impress upon him Ian's status.

Although he knew Ian didn't care about that, he knew an emperor deserved this much respect at the least.

And at this Raizo closed his eyes. He knew what Nekomamushi meant. He had told him this when Jack had first appeared. Raizo had wanted to help them, but they refused, and when he insisted they bound him in chains. As first of all they knew that he couldn't fight with them otherwise it would be proof to the beast pirates that he was indeed here.

And second of all, if anything happened to him, they wouldn't know how to explain that to his companions and Lord.

He understood all this. But he still wanted to be of help. Still, now that he was assured that they were safe, he relaxed a bit.

He looked at Ian and gave him a deep look.

'This man is as strong as Kaido?' He thought to himself.

And then he moved past that thought and bowed his head to Ian in thanks for saving the minks.

Ian smiled at him after recovering from his shock.

The guys disappointed in Raizo were each either lying on the ground or shook their faces at the image of his crying face.

Some of them started insulting him, saying how his face was huge. And the like.

At that, Raizo noticed that a lot of people were there. And before he could ask who they were, Kin'emon came up to him and greeted him.

"Raizo!" He happily said as he walked to him.

Raizo himself was happy as he saw them

"You all are here!" He said.

And then Kin'emon steeped closer and started to release the chains holding him.

"Just wait a bit. I'll get you out of those chains!" Kin'emon told him.

And after a bit, he stood up and massaged his wrists that were sore from the chains.

And then Raizo noticed that everyone had been eying him up disappointedly.

"What's the deal with you bastards looking at me like that?" He angrily questioned them.

At the side, Robin who was near Ian saw the crest of the Kozuki family that was imprinted on the wall.

"That's the same as Kin'emon!" She muttered to herself.

Inuarashi was the one to confirm this for her.

"It has existed for several centuries!" He said to her.

And then Robin turned to look at the Poneglyph with stars for eyes.

"Is that the Road Poneglyph you told me about Ian?" She asked Ian who was near her as she latched to his arm like a child asking for candy.

And Ian who heard her nodded while laughing, as he too then looked at it.