novelnext Chapter 115 The Losers of Magic Valley Town
Chapter 115 The Losers of Magic Valley Town
Three days later...
As the Dawn Breaker broke through the cool sea mist and its anchor chain sank into the harbor of Mogok, Gaya Island, the wind carried the scent of autumn. Golden and red maple catkins were blown everywhere, and stepping on the bluestone slabs of the dock could crush a layer of dry sycamore leaves. Even the sea breeze had lost its damp saltiness and was mixed with a touch of melancholy from withered wood and soil.
This is an island nailed to death by autumn. Even the sunlight that falls has a faint, dim yellow hue, shining on the crooked tavern signs on the shore and the dusty sails of the ships moored at the dock, making the whole town seem shrouded in a layer of decay and death.
When Bai Yu and his group stepped onto the dock, the first thing they felt was not the autumn chill, but the gazes cast upon them from all around them. Those gazes, hidden in alleyways and leaning against wine barrels, were numb, resentful, and even carried a hint of reckless abandon.
Most of them were unreliable pirates. Their sails were torn, some even had rusted swords, and some were missing arms or legs. They leaned against the wall, drinking cheap rum and cursing. They complained about the bad weather on the Grand Line or their bad luck in encountering a powerful enemy. Every word was an indictment of their fate, without mentioning their recklessness during the voyage or their usual laziness.
Connor clutched Retsu Unohana's sleeve, his brow furrowed, his eyes sweeping over the dejected crowd. He asked softly, "Retsu, why do they all look so unhappy?"
Unohana Retsu raised her hand and ruffled her hair, her expression still gentle, her voice soft: "They just blamed their failures on the incompetence of others."
Retsu Unohana's gaze swept over a pirate on the street who had smashed a wine jar and was cursing at the sea. Her eyes remained completely calm, as if she had seen many such people before.
In Soul Society, many of the lower-ranking Rukongai souls have this self-destructive attitude, and very few souls make any special effort to change themselves.
Rangiku crossed her arms, a few strands of her long golden hair fluttering in the autumn wind. She glanced at the complaining fools, a mocking smile playing on her lips, and turned to Shiraha beside her, saying, "Shiraha-kun, this is Demon Valley Town, this is the legendary Island of Losers. The air is thick with the smell of despair, worse than moldy wine."
"A person who has lost self-confidence cannot even see the road ahead; they can only stare at their own shadow and complain about everything."
Robin didn't think much of these people either; they didn't have the courage to start over.
The group walked along the stone-paved road deeper into the town, searching for a guide to the Sky Island. Bai Yu knew that they first needed to find the descendants of Montblanc Noland, namely Montblanc Kulikai.
They encountered wave after wave of pirates along the way.
Bai Yu and his group did encounter a one-armed pirate who blocked the alley entrance, trying to rob their supplies. Before they could exchange more than a few words, he started complaining, saying that he was once a powerful figure in the East Blue, but he met a Logia-type Devil Fruit user on the Grand Line and ended up like this. As he spoke, his eyes reddened, as if the whole world owed him something.
Bai Yu merely glanced at him indifferently, yet that single glance caused the pirate leader to instinctively take two steps back, losing even the courage to reach out.
Along the way, groups of pirates gathered at the tavern entrance. Seeing that the group had an outstanding demeanor, unlike the down-and-out people on the island, they surrounded them, spewing world-weary words from their drunken mouths: "I'm talking about you guys. Don't go any further. The Grand Line is a place that eats people. No matter how strong you are, you'll fall sooner or later. You might as well stay and drink, so you don't end up like us."
"Exactly! What's the point of striving for merit or seeking fame? In the end, it's all for nothing. We were just as full of vigor as you were back then, but what happened? Weren't we worn down by this godforsaken place?"
"Don't waste your energy; a loser's fate is predetermined!"
Their voices grew louder and louder, filled with negative emotions, as they tried to swarm Bai Yu and his group with their self-destructive and world-weary sentiments like miasma.
Connor shrank back, annoyed by their noise, while Rangiku stepped forward, her fingertips already touching the Zanpakuto at her waist, her golden eyes gleaming with displeasure: "Shut up."
Bai Yu raised his hand and pressed down on Rangiku's wrist, signaling her to calm down.
He took a step forward, standing ramrod straight, the autumn wind ruffling his clothes. His gaze swept over the group of dejected pirates before him: "The Grand Line is not a place that devours people; what devours people is your own surrendering hearts."
These words were like a stone thrown into the muddled hearts of the pirates, instantly causing an uproar.
"What did you say, you brat?!"
A burly pirate roared and reached out to grab Bai Yu's collar.
"Dare to laugh at us? I'll show you what's what!"
Before his hand could even touch Bai Yu's clothes, it was flung away by a force.
Robin stood beside Bai Yu, and with a flick of her finger, the pirate was lifted up and slammed heavily to the ground, causing the sycamore leaves on the ground to rustle.
Her eyes were still curved in a smile, but her tone was cold: "Using violence against people is not an excuse for losers, and how dare you?"
Seeing his companion being attacked, another pirate, his eyes red, swung his sword at him. The wind from his blade carried a hint of anger and frustration, but it was completely chaotic.
Rangiku's figure blurred, and she instantly appeared in front of him. With a light flick of her Zanpakuto, the pirate's sword was knocked away with a clang.
The blade pierced the trunk of a nearby maple tree, making a buzzing sound.
Rangiku raised her hand and grabbed his wrist. With a little force, the pirate winced in pain: "You can't even hold a sword properly, and you dare to call yourself a pirate? Your former high spirits were probably just an act."
Several pirates tried to rush forward, but Matsumoto Rangiku stepped forward slowly, casually raising her hand and brushing her fingertips across their wrists. Each touch was accompanied by a muffled groan.
The pirates felt a numbness in their wrists, their swords fell to the ground, and they didn't even have the strength to lift their hands. Two of them even had their arms dislocated.
Matsumoto Rangiku simply stood there, but the pirates looked at her as if they had seen something terrifying, instinctively backing away, their resentment turning into fear.
Bai Yu stood at the very front, his cold gaze sweeping over the group of people sprawled on the ground. His voice remained calm: "What you lost was not the Grand Line, nor luck, but yourselves. You retreated when faced with strong enemies, and blamed fate when you suffered setbacks. You didn't even have the courage to face failure, nor the inclination to reflect on yourselves. People like you will be losers wherever you go."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the town's desolation, and continued, "The path of the Grand Line has always been one that you forge yourself. What you fear is not the difficulties, but losing the confidence to keep going. You've trapped yourselves in this Demon Valley Town, trapped in your own failures, blaming others and complaining. You're just running away."