Pirates: Vice Captain of the Nine Snakes Pirates!

Four days later.

The area behind the bell.

Now the Nine Snake Pirates have arrived here, but no one knows why Koshiro asked Kuina to come to Wano Country.

Because they were afraid of missing any clues, the Nine Snakes Pirates walked the entire way.

Suzugo, one of the regions of Wano Country, is located southeast of the Flower Capital, adjacent to Nozomi and Shiramai.

The Linghou area is divided into the Northern Cemetery, the Robbery Bridge, and the Return Port.

The former Shimotsuki family was the daimyo of Suzuho, ​​and was famous in Wano Country.

In stark contrast to the Flower City where it is spring all year round, the climate in Linghou seems to be shrouded in eternal winter. The heavy snow all year round makes this land extremely cold and bitter, making it difficult for humans to survive here.

The most famous thing about the Bell Tower area is the haunted Northern Cemetery.

However, the Nine Snakes Pirates did not find anything unusual here, and found nothing except cemeteries and ruins.

"Sister Snake, let's leave. This place is deserted and I really don't know what my father is thinking." Kuina muttered softly.

For several days in a row, they didn't meet anyone here, and they couldn't even find any trace of the big snake's guards. All they saw before them was a cold and desolate scene.

The reason why the Nine Snakes Pirates came to this place was because of Kuina's personal affairs.

The empress smiled slightly, like a spring breeze blowing on her face: "Let's look for it for a few more days. Jellal once said that your father was a powerful swordsman. I think your father must have his own reasons for asking you to come to Wano Country."

"That's right, Guina, we are partners. This little bit of cold is nothing to fear for us. You don't have to feel embarrassed." Persian patted Guina's head, and the girls nodded in agreement.

And now that I'm here, I have to gain something before I can return.

"Okay then, thank you guys~" Kuina's voice was clear and pleasant.

"You are being so polite to us again. If you want to thank me, then let me hold you for a while. Hehe~ It's so comfortable to hold Kuina~" Harriet said as she rushed forward, hugged Kuina tightly, and buried her head in her chest.

At this moment, Kuina turned into a cute rabbit person, covered with fur, like a well-behaved little rabbit, making people want to hug her.

The crowd became noisy again, with laughter and joy rising one after another.

Seeing this joyful scene, Gerard and the Empress couldn't help but smile. They were very happy to see their crew members being so harmonious.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Kuina's rabbit ears shook slightly.

The girls noticed her unusual movement and let her go, their expressions becoming serious.

Everyone followed Guina's gaze and saw a figure appear on a tombstone not far away.

Jellal narrowed his eyes, secretly guessing in his heart that the strength of the person in front of him might be extraordinary.

He made a prompt decision and took the lead, walking towards the direction of the mysterious man.

The rest of the Nine Snakes Pirates followed closely behind.

The mysterious man did not dodge, he seemed to be waiting for the arrival of the Nine Snakes Pirates.

He was full of doubts. This was the Suzuho region, a famous eerie cemetery in Wano Country. Why would these people come here?

It was not until the Nine Snakes Pirates came to a place not far from him that his pupils suddenly contracted and his eyes instantly became sharp.

His eyes were fixed on the Wado Ichimonji in Kuina's hand!

Gerard and his group approached the mysterious man and finally saw his appearance clearly.

He is thin, wearing a long cloak and the ancient samurai costume of Wano Country, exuding a mysterious aura.

This is a samurai with a strong ancient atmosphere of Wano Country!

"Little girl, where did the Wado Ichimonji in your hand come from?" The mysterious man's voice was hoarse, as if it had been polished by time.

Kuina responded immediately. She keenly felt that her father might have asked her to come to Wano Country just for the person in front of her.

"This was passed down to me by my father. Who are you? Why do you recognize Wado Ichimonji?" Kuina asked back, her eyes sharp.

The mysterious man looked at her deeply, and after a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "My name is Shimotsuki Hanyu, and I am the gravekeeper of this place."

Ever since he saw the Wado Ichimonji in Kuina's hand, he guessed Kuina's identity. He thought she must be a member of the Shimotsuki family.

"Shimotsuki Hanyu?"

When they heard this name, everyone was shocked. They felt that they had found the right person this time. This person might be the one that Kuina was looking for.

"Gravekeeper... I wonder if there are zombies here..." Robin murmured softly, his eyes flashing with curiosity, and he was full of interest in the profession of gravekeeper.

"Shimotsuki? Kuina, you have the same last name as me..." Harriet said.

"It was my father, Shimotsuki Koshiro, who asked me to come here. Senior Hanyu, do you know the reason?" Kuina looked at Shimotsuki Hanyu, with a gleam of hope in her eyes, as if she was expecting him to solve the mystery in her heart.

This warrior gave her a sense of warm familiarity, perhaps this was what Jellal meant by blood connection.

"Come with me."

Shimotsuki Hanyu did not answer Kuina directly, but turned around and led the Nine Snakes Pirates forward.

Kuina looked at Jellal out of habit, and after seeing Jellal nod, she immediately followed Shimotsuki Hanyu.

Although everyone had doubts in their hearts, they still followed Kuina and Shimotsuki Hanyu.

The group moved forward in the cold wind and frost.

Not long after, Shimotsuki Hanyu led the Nine Snakes Pirates to a huge tombstone.

Amid everyone's puzzled looks, Shimotsuki Hanyu walked to the small tombstone next to him and pressed a mechanism.

Only a rumbling sound was heard, and the huge tombstone began to move!

Immediately afterwards, the entrance to an underground palace appeared in front of everyone.

Shimotsuki Hanyu walked down first, and everyone followed slowly.

Compared to the wind and snow outside, the underground palace was much warmer, but it was filled with a smell of decay.

The underground palace was unusually spacious, with candles lit all around for lighting.

"This is the ancestral land of the Shimotsuki family, and it is also the final resting place of successive daimyo of Suzuho..." Shimotsuki Hanyu said as he walked.

The group did not stop until they reached a large hall.

The hall is not illuminated by candles, but by a crescent-shaped light source, which emits a light that looks like soft moonlight.

The Nine Snakes Pirates stared at the crescent-shaped glowing object, and a strong curiosity surged in their hearts.

At this moment, the Wado Ichimonji in Kuina's hand began to tremble slightly.

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on the Wado Ichimonji in Kuina's hand.

This was the first time that Kuina encountered such a situation.

"Your father asked you to come back just for this!"

Shimotsuki Hanyu pointed at the crescent-shaped light in the hall and spoke in a heavy tone.