SWNOVELXO Chapter 177: Chapter 177
The morning after Nekomamushi's raucous celebration dawned bright but carried the distinct scent of damp earth and crushed foliage – souvenirs of yesterday's frozen assault. Marya, nursing a faint headache (courtesy of Cat Viper's insistence on celebratory "meow meow juice"), walked alongside Ikkaku and Jean Bart towards the Whispering Bamboo Grove. Jelly bobbed cheerfully beside her, seemingly immune to hangovers. Wanda led the way with her usual serene grace, while Atlas prowled watchfully and Carrot practically vibrated with leftover energy, recounting dance moves from the night before.
"…and then Lord Nekomamushi did the fish flop right onto the lasagna platter!" Carrot giggled, mimicking the move with a wobbly hop. Atlas rolled his luminous eyes but didn't comment, his gaze scanning the damaged canopy.
As they approached the sacred grove, the sight that greeted them was both unexpected and industrious. A team of diverse Minks – burly bulldogs, lithe squirrels, sturdy goats – were swarming over the massive submarine lodged high in the bamboo branches. Thick ropes woven from jungle vines were secured to its hull, anchored to the trunks of several colossal trees. Pulleys creaked, and coordinated shouts echoed as they carefully maneuvered the submarine free from its arboreal prison. The vessel groaned but shifted, inch by precious inch, away from the splintered branches that had held it.
Spotting the newcomers, a beaver Mink with goggles perched on his forehead paused his work on a winch and waved enthusiastically. "Garchu!" he called out, a wide grin splitting his furry face.
The call was infectious. "Garchu!" echoed a lynx Mink tightening a rope harness. "Garchu!" chirped a trio of squirrel Minks balancing on a branch. Then, as if a switch flipped, the entire repair crew abandoned their posts. Winches were dropped, ropes went slack, and a furry tide of gratitude surged down ropes, vines, and trunks towards the group.
Wanda stepped forward, raising a calming hand. "Now, everyone, there's work to—"
Atlas moved instinctively, positioning himself slightly in front of Marya and Ikkaku. "Hold on—"
Carrot brightened, "Ooh! Group hug!"
But there were too many, moving with enthusiastic Mink speed. They flowed around Wanda, Atlas, and Carrot like water around stones, converging on Ikkaku, Jean Bart, and Marya.
"Garchu for the sky-saver!"
"Thank you! Garchu!"
"So fluffy! Garchu!"
Ikkaku let out a surprised "Oof!" as a stout badger Mink wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his snout in her overalls. Jean Bart, the stoic giant, found himself engulfed by a determined weasel Mink clinging to his leg and a motherly rabbit Mink patting his massive forearm. Marya was the epicenter. A young fox kit hugged one leg, a deer Mink nuzzled her shoulder, and a particularly fluffy sheep Mink pressed its woolly side against her, effectively pinning one of her arms. Her cheeks were squished between furry heads.
"Wha— what is happening?" Marya's voice was muffled, her usual stoicism momentarily overwhelmed by sheer, fluffy proximity. Her golden eyes blinked rapidly from within the furry embrace. It was overwhelming, chaotic… and undeniably soft.
Carrot, seeing the mass cuddle, beamed and crouched, ready to leap into the fray. "Garchu time!"
Atlas snagged the back of her collar with lightning speed. "Don't you dare, furball," he grunted, holding her back effortlessly despite her flailing. "They're busy being grateful."
Wanda sighed, a mixture of exasperation and fondness on her face as she addressed the cuddle pile. "Everyone, while the sentiment is appreciated, the Garchu is usually reserved for close kin or after a shared meal. What are you all doing here now?"
The beaver Mink, who had initiated the wave, extricated himself slightly from Ikkaku. "We wanted to help, Lady Wanda! Garchu!" he explained earnestly. "The sky-saver protected Zou. Least we can do is fix her metal whale! Got the pulleys set, reinforcing the dented hull points next! Garchu!"
Ikkaku's eyes lit up despite the furry face currently pressed against hers. "Reinforcing? That's great! We'll need sealant paste, high-tensile steel plating – about ten sheets – rivets, hydraulic fluid..." She started listing off items rapidly.
Wanda nodded. "Such supplies are typically found in Kurau City's main forge. Access is..." she hesitated, "...technically restricted to outsiders, gara. However, given the circumstances, an exception can be made. We will provide an escort."
"Me! Me! Pick me!" Carrot yelled, waving her arm frantically even while still dangling from Atlas's grip. "I'll take them! I know the best shortcuts! And the bakery near the forge has amazing acorn tarts!"
Wanda smiled. "Very well, Carrot. You may escort Ikkaku and Jean Bart." She looked at the still-squished Marya and the stoically enduring Jean Bart. "Apologies for the... enthusiasm."
Atlas released Carrot's collar, causing her to stumble slightly before bouncing upright. He crossed his arms. "I'll stay here too. Keep an eye on the repair crew. Make sure they don't 'garchu' the sub into the ground." His tone was dismissive, but his sapphire eyes flickered towards Marya with professional interest.
"Very well, Atlas," Wanda agreed. Her ears suddenly twitched. A faint, familiar sound drifted on the breeze – the gentle slosh of water, accompanied by a light spray of mist that dusted the leaves nearby. It wasn't the torrential downpour of yesterday, but something... off. Wanda's serene expression tightened almost imperceptibly. "That spray... it shouldn't be coming from that direction, gara." She looked sharply at Carrot and Atlas, a silent command passing between them.
"Right!" they said in unison. Carrot's playful energy vanished, replaced by focused alertness. In a flash of white and rust-red, they shot upwards, leaping with incredible agility, scaling the tallest trees in seconds to gain a panoramic view of Zou's vast back.
From their high perspective, Atlas pointed, his voice sharp. "Look. There."
Carrot gasped, her ears flattening. "Oh no! Zunesha sprayed the side! Not the back! That's... that's not right!"
Atlas nodded grimly. "The water flow pattern... it's wrong. Like the Rain-Ruption targeted the flank."
They dropped back down, landing lightly beside Wanda. Carrot was practically vibrating with worry now. "Oh no, Wanda! It's awful! Zunesha sprayed the side! The water hit the flank!"
Atlas confirmed, his usual smirk absent. "The angle was completely off. Looks like the Rain-Ruption malfunctioned, gara. Sprayed the side, not the back."
Wanda's face grew serious. "I see. Thank you." She turned, her posture radiating purpose. "I must inform Lord Inuarashi immediately, gara. Carrot, proceed with Ikkaku and Jean Bart to Kurau City. Atlas, oversee the repairs here." With that, she was gone, moving with swift, silent urgency back towards the Day King's domain.
Carrot took a deep breath, puffing out her chest, trying to recapture her earlier enthusiasm. "Okay! Kurau City, here we come! Acorn tarts and steel plates! Let's hurry before the next weird rain thing happens!" She gestured for Ikkaku and Jean Bart to follow.
Marya finally managed to gently extricate herself from the last lingering Mink hug (a reluctant young otter). She smoothed her leather jacket, the Heart insignia slightly askew, and watched Wanda disappear into the jungle. The playful chaos of the 'garchu' was replaced by a prickle of unease. Zunesha spraying its side? That wasn't just weird Zou weather. That felt like a symptom. She adjusted the hilt of Eternal Eclipse, her golden eyes thoughtful as she turned back to watch the Minks resume their careful work on the sub, Atlas now barking orders with surprising efficiency. The detour on Zou was proving far more complex than a simple hull repair.
The path to Kurau City wound through towering bamboo trees still dripping from yesterday's chaos, the air thick with the scent of wet earth, crushed greenery, and the distant, metallic tang of a working forge. Marya walked beside Atlas, her boots crunching on damp moss, while Carrot and Jelly formed a bouncing, chattering vanguard ahead. Ikkaku and Jean Bart followed, accompanied by a few of the earnest repair-crew Minks – the beaver with goggles ("Gasket," he'd introduced himself), a sturdy goat Mink named "Anvil," and the fluffy sheep Mink, "Fleece," who kept casting shy glances at Jean Bart.
"…and then," Carrot chirped, pirouetting mid-air, "there's carrot creeps! But also honey-nut creeps! And berry-burst creeps! But the carrot ones are the best! Especially with extra whipped cloud-cream! Do they have cloud-cream on islands? It's made from thunder-sheep milk, zappy and sweet!"
"Bloop-bloop!" Jelly echoed her excitement, morphing his shape into a wobbly approximation of a pastry.
Atlas kept pace with Marya, his usual competitive smirk replaced by a thoughtful frown. He glanced sideways at the dark hilt of Eternal Eclipse peeking over her shoulder. "So," he began, his voice low, almost hesitant, "how do you fight like that… did the Hawk-Eye teach you? All of it?"
Marya's lips curved into a faint smirk, her gaze fixed ahead on the chaotic energy of Carrot and Jelly. "Yeah," she admitted. "He made sure I knew which end of a sword to hold before I could walk straight. Basics, forms, footwork… drilled it in." She adjusted the collar of her leather jacket, the Heart insignia catching a dappled sunbeam.
Atlas nodded slowly, his sapphire eyes sharp. "Looks like you learned more than just which end to hold. That sky-splitter… that wasn't just basics. It was…" He struggled for the word, a flicker of grudging awe in his tone. "...controlled annihilation."
Marya shrugged, a ripple of movement beneath her jacket. "You don't learn everything from one person. Had… others. Helped shape the edge." Her thoughts flickered briefly to Law – the precise incisions, the cool logic that had saved her life and contained the void, a different kind of blade-work altogether. And the Consortium masters, with their dusty libraries and lethal pragmatism. And Scopper Gabbon, his in-depth instruction on Haki.
"What's it like?" Atlas asked abruptly, shifting gears. "Being a pirate? Sailing wherever? Answering to no one but your captain?" His voice held a raw curiosity, a hunger that went beyond his usual competitive bluster.
Marya chuckled softly, a dry sound. "Right now? I'm technically committed. Heart Pirate insignia and all." She tapped the Jolly Roger on her chest. "But… sort of in the middle of something personal. Once that's settled?" She met his gaze for a moment, her golden eyes unreadable. "Maybe. The world's a big place, Atlas. Full of islands that make Zou seem tame, seas that laugh at maps, and things…" Her gaze drifted towards Carrot, now trying to convince Jelly that pastry shapes mattered, "...unexpectedly interesting things, hidden in plain sight."
Atlas absorbed this, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. The idea clearly resonated. He opened his mouth, perhaps to ask about the "something personal," but was cut off by Carrot's ecstatic shriek.
"WE'RE HERE! KURAU CITY!" She skidded to a halt at the edge of the bamboo forest, pointing dramatically.
Perched like a weary crown upon the ancient curve of Zunesha's spine, the ancient city unfolded before them, where the colossal vertebrae meet the whispering emerald chaos of the Whale Forest. A testament etched into the very hide of the Living Continent at its approximate heart. The air hums with a unique energy – the deep, resonant pulse of Zunesha beneath their feet, the damp, fecund breath of the forest, and the ever-present, metallic tang of anticipation before the sky opens.
The city was sculpted not just for living, but for surviving the heavens. Kurau wasn't built; it was engineered. Its architecture, a blend of sturdy, weathered stone and surprisingly elegant timber structures (often reinforced with salvaged ship parts or giant bone), rose in layered tiers. Wide, cobbled streets, surprisingly clean despite the constant threat from above, sloped deliberately towards immense, grated drains that yawned like stone gullets at every junction. Overhead, dominating the skyline, weren't just buildings, but aqueducts. These weren't mere channels; they were colossal arteries of stone and wood, arching across avenues and integrating seamlessly into rooftops, forming a skeletal canopy. They spoke of generations mastering the "eruption rain" – the sudden, violent deluges that could drown a careless settlement in minutes.
Life pulsed here. The rhythmic clang of a blacksmith working Zunesha-scale metal blended with the chatter of mink traders hawking vibrant Whale Forest herbs and polished river stones. The air carried the scent of wet fur (rabbit, dog, cat, a hundred others), roasting nuts, damp earth, and the ozone sharpness preceding a downpour. Lanterns, crafted from bioluminescent fungi or hardy glass, cast warm, swaying pools of light, especially crucial when the dark storm clouds rolled in. And always present, a reassuring bastion of order: the Inuarashi Musketeer Squad. Their patrols were precise, vigilant, their sharp eyes missing nothing, their postures radiating the disciplined strength that had protected Kurau for centuries. They weren't just guards; they were the city's steadfast heartbeat.
Carrot spun, her eyes wide with pastry-induced fervor. "Marya! You HAVE to try the creeps! Right now! The BEST ones are at Nana Nutshell's stall! Come on!" She grabbed Jelly's wobbly form. "They have CARROT ones! Bloop-approved! Hurry before the lunch rush!" And with that, she and Jelly became a white and blue streak, darting into the bustling cityscape towards a stall emitting particularly delicious smells and a cloud of powdered sugar.
Atlas sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Uncouth," he muttered, watching Carrot nearly bowl over a badger Mink carrying a basket of glowing fruit.
Marya chuckled, the sound genuine this time. "You heard the expert, Atlas. Creeps first. Priorities." She shot a glance back at Ikkaku and Jean Bart. The engineer looked torn, her gaze already scanning for the direction of the main forge, her fingers twitching as if mentally listing supplies. Jean Bart's stoic expression hinted at a similar focus on their objective.
"Crew bonding, Ikkaku," Marya said dryly, a hint of a challenge in her tone. "Essential maintenance. Also, Carrot might eat them all."
Ikkaku hesitated for only a second longer before a reluctant grin spread across her face. "Fine! But only one! Then FORGE!" Jean Bart gave a single, heavy nod of agreement, a ghost of amusement in his eyes.
As they followed the path Carrot and Jelly had blazed, they spotted them already at a vibrant stall draped with colorful bunting. Carrot was bouncing on her toes, pointing excitedly at trays of golden-brown pastries – some filled with bright orange paste, others oozing berries or nuts. Jelly was vibrating beside her, shaped like a giant, wobbling creep. Carrot spotted them and waved frantically, her voice piping over the city hum.
"HURRY! SAVE THE CARROT CREEPS!"
Laughing, Marya, Atlas, Ikkaku, Jean Bart, and their Mink companions quickened their pace, the scent of sweet pastries and the promise of a momentary, absurdly delicious reprieve pushing the unease about Zunesha and the complexities of Zou into the background. For now, the mission was clear: secure the carrot creeps.
The warm, buttery sweetness of the carrot crepe was a welcome anchor in the bizarre tapestry of Zou. Marya savored a bite, the bright orange filling bursting with earthy-sweet flavor, a surprising counterpoint to the vibrant chaos of Kurau City. Carrot, beside her, was practically inhaling hers, powdered sugar dusting her nose like snow. Jelly had morphed into a wobbly, translucent replica of a crepe and was slowly absorbing a berry-filled one, making soft bloop-gulp sounds. Ikkaku nibbled thoughtfully, her eyes already scanning the architecture for clues to the forge, while Jean Bart stoically consumed his like fuel. Atlas ate with precise, almost feline neatness, though his sharp eyes constantly scanned the bustling crowds moving along the stone bridges along the aqueducts.
Gasket, Anvil, and Fleece chattered happily about pastry techniques. The city itself was a marvel – the air hummed with the rhythmic clang-clang of distant forges, the chatter of commerce, and the sweet scent of baking that mingled with the damp, green smell of the jungle.
But beneath the vibrant surface, whispers flowed like a hidden current. As they walked along a broad, cobblestone platform lined with stalls selling luminous fruits and intricate bamboo crafts, snippets of conversation drifted past:
"...third Rain-Ruption missed this week, gara..."
"What does it mean? Zunesha never forgets..."
"Will it happen again? Or... will it stop forever? What then? The back rivers..."
"Has anyone heard from Lord Inuarashi? Is he... doing anything?"
"And yesterday! First the metal whale falls from the sky, then giant hail? Like the heavens are angry..."
"Never seen the Dog-Storm look so troubled, meow..."
Each overheard fragment landed like a small stone. Marya's enjoyment of her crepe faded. She saw Ikkaku pause mid-bite, her engineer's mind likely calculating the implications of a missing "Rain-Ruption" for Zou's ecosystem. Jean Bart's expression, always stoic, seemed to harden further. Carrot's chewing slowed, her ears drooping slightly. Atlas's gaze grew sharper, his playful rivalry with Carrot forgotten. Even Jelly pulsed a subdued blue.
The mood turned solemn, reflective. The absurdity of giant hail and a submarine stuck in a tree was overshadowed by the growing unease about their host – the living island itself. They passed a patrol of Inuarashi's Musketeers, their leopard-spotted fur distinctive. The Minks stopped their patrol, their eyes – sharp, assessing – locking onto the group, lingering on Marya and her distinctive sword hilt. There was no hostility, only a deep, wary intensity. Atlas met the gaze of the lead musketeer and gave a curt, acknowledging nod. The musketeer returned the nod, his expression unreadable, before the patrol moved on, the tension easing only slightly.
Carrot, subdued, nudged Atlas. "Atlas...?" Her voice was small.
"There's nothing we can do right now, right? We just have to... wait and see? Hope Lord Inuarashi figures it—"
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
The frantic, urgent ringing of a large brass bell shattered the city's hum and Carrot's sentence. It echoed from the direction of the massive, vine-draped archway that served as Kurau City's main entrance – the Welcome Gate.
Instinct took over. Atlas dropped his half-eaten crepe. "Wait here!" he commanded, his voice sharp, already coiling to spring. His sapphire eyes scanned the rooftops for the fastest path.
"Like hell," Marya stated calmly, tossing her own crepe to a surprised-looking squirrel Mink vendor. Her hand instinctively brushed the hilt of Eternal Eclipse. "I'm coming too."
"Me too!" Carrot yelled, bouncing on the spot, Electro crackling faintly at her fingertips.
Atlas shot her a fierce look. "No! Stay with Ikkaku and Jean Bart! Escort duty remember? Keep them safe!" His tone brooked no argument.
Carrot's face fell into an instant, dramatic pout. "Awwww! Right... escort duty." She slumped, shoulders drooping.
Atlas's gaze snapped back to Marya. A competitive spark ignited in his eyes, cutting through the urgency. "Think you can keep up, Pirate?" he challenged, a feral grin touching his lips.
Marya met his gaze, a slow, dangerous smirk spreading across her own face. The worry about Zunesha, the strangeness of Zou – it all condensed into this moment, this challenge. "Let's find out," she said, her voice low and steady.
Atlas didn't wait. He exploded upwards, a streak of rust-red fur and blue Electro, leaping from a vendor's awning to a balcony railing, then onto a thick vine cable, ascending the vertical cityscape with breathtaking, lynx-like agility.
Marya didn't use Electro. She moved with the lethal, precise grace of a swordsman. A single, powerful leap carried her onto a low roof. She ran along its edge, boots finding perfect purchase on the polished bamboo shingles, then launched herself towards a higher bridge, tucking into a roll and landing in a sprint. She flowed through the city, her path seemingly impossible yet effortless, a dark shadow cutting a direct line towards the source of the alarm, keeping pace with Atlas's electrified ascent.
Below, Ikkaku, Jean Bart, Carrot (still pouting but alert), Jelly (now a bouncing ball of anxiety), Gasket, Anvil, and Fleece stared upwards, the remnants of their sweet reprieve forgotten, replaced by the chilling echo of the bell and the sight of their protector and the sky-splitting pirate racing towards an unknown threat at the edge of the world on an elephant's back. The carefree moment was over; Zou's mystery had sounded an urgent call.