**Chapter 145: Crocodile Playing Around in Anotherworld!**
"Hey, look, what's that!"
On the City Wall, dozens of meters tall, a Soldier with a Gun standing guard next to a Garrison Cannon suddenly heard a loud alert from a nearby comrade. He quickly snapped to attention and looked outwards.
Sure enough, he saw a figure slowly approaching along the Track.
This was too strange. How could someone be walking here from the wilderness? It was full of Kabane out there!
"What should we do? Should we open the Gate?" a Soldier asked hesitantly.
This City Gate was also a Drawbridge. Normally, it would only be lowered in advance when a 'Hayajiro (Iron Fortress)' was approaching, but now it was just one person.
"Let's go ask Lord Shinshi. I can't make that call."
"Right."
Soon, Shinshi Takuya, the Samurai on duty guarding the City Gate tonight, received the News. After listening, he looked at the Soldier who had come to Report with a suspicious Expression.
"Are you sure it's not a Kabane staggering over here?"
"Uh, Lord Shinshi, he doesn't have the red glow, and his walking seems very steady."
"This..."
Shinshi Takuya hesitated. In the end, he decided to go up and see for himself. But just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. This made him frown deeply. At the same time, he cautiously moved his Right Hand to his Scabbard, then quickly walked over and shouted loudly, "What's the Matter!"
"Lord!"
"Th-that, that person, the one walking from the wilderness... he, he's already come up..." the Soldier who ran over said tremblingly.
"Huh?"
Shinshi Takuya was stunned for a moment, then said furiously, "You dared to open the Gate for him without permission!!"
"N-no, we didn't."
Meanwhile, on the City Wall, twenty-odd Soldiers with Guns stared in horror at the ridiculously tall Giant before them, mouths agape, completely forgetting they even held Guns.
This man had clearly slicked-back black hair, golden earrings, a black Shirt, brown Pants and leather shoes, and a very large Fur Coat draped over his shoulders.
The reason they called him a Giant was because his Height was estimated to be well over two meters, probably around two and a half meters!
This was incredibly awkward for them, who averaged one meter seventy, with some even shorter. They had barely seen anyone over one meter eighty in their lives.
But the most shocking, even terrifying, Matter was that this person had just jumped directly up from outside the Defensive Pit below the City!!!
"Hey, what place is this?"
Suddenly, the Giant was the first to speak. The surrounding Soldiers exchanged glances. Although his accent and grammar sounded strange, they actually understood him.
"Th-this, this L-Lord, this is Ya... Yashiro Station," a braver Soldier replied, mustering his courage.
"Oh~~~"
Crocodile looked over in surprise. He hadn't actually expected these people to understand him; he had just tried asking on a whim.
"Alright then, where do you sell Food here?"
"Uh, it should be the Shopping Street to the north. It's the Night Market there now, with many vendors selling food."
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Crocodile casually tossed out a Koban. He had picked it up from the Living Dead on his way here.
It was clearly the Currency of this World. As a Pirate, he was particularly sensitive to such Matters, whereas people from CP9 wouldn't specifically search every Living Dead.
"Ah, thank you, thank you, Lord!"
The Soldier who answered was instantly surprised and delighted to receive a Bounty, which made the other Soldiers envious and regretful.
Meanwhile, Crocodile looked towards the northern part Inside the City and indeed saw a brightly lit Zone. Then, under the astonished gazes of the Soldiers along the way, he casually walked down the Stairs from the City Wall.
"Who are you!"
But just as he was about to head towards the so-called Night Market, he saw a Samurai holding his Scabbard, leading a dozen or so Soldiers with Guns, blocking his path.
"Th-this, this, this..."
However, when Shinshi Takuya noticed Crocodile's Height and Body Size, he subconsciously stopped in his tracks. But he had already successfully attracted Crocodile's attention.
"Samurai?"
Crocodile glanced down at him condescendingly. But just that one glance instantly made the latter retreat in terror, as if he had seen some horrifying Screen Feed. He even stumbled back, knocking over several Soldiers behind him.
Although the former didn't possess Conqueror's Haki, the Strength of Haki itself was related to a person's Spirit, Killing Intent, and other Mental Strength. This made the originally intangible Aura manifest as a nearly tangible deterrent force in Experts from Planet Sea.
"So weak..."
Seeing how pathetic this Samurai-dressed person was, Crocodile disdainfully shook his head and left.
He was hungry.
"Who, who is he? Did he undergo Inspection!" After Crocodile's figure disappeared in front of the City Gate, Shinshi Takuya stood up in shame and anger, shouting furiously.
At the same time, he angrily questioned himself internally. He was just big, that's all. Could he really handle so many Muzzles? What was he even afraid of?
How embarrassing!
Inspection was a full-body check required for outsiders entering the City. It involved queuing up, stripping off all Clothing, and being observed naked by several people to check for any Wounds.
"Uh, no, he didn't, but..." Just then, a Soldier with a Gun leaned into his ear and whispered, "Lord, but he jumped up onto the City from below!"
"?????"
Shinshi Takuya looked at him with a puzzled Expression, as if saying 'Are you taking me for a fool?', but the latter helplessly pointed to the other Soldiers and said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask them. Many people just saw it. This person ran at full speed from outside, crossed the Defensive Pit, and jumped onto the city tower!"
"That's right, that's right!"
"Yes, yes, yes, we all saw it!"
"Please, whatever you do, don't provoke him. We just used the Searchlight to illuminate the direction he came from. The entire path was densely packed with Kabane Corpses!"
Shinshi Takuya fell silent instantly. His Three Views were being severely challenged, and he even felt dizzy and breathless. It took him a long time to force himself to calm down.
"You guys go keep an eye on him, but just observe from a distance. Don't act rashly. I'm going to see the Chief Steward immediately!"
"Yes!"
The Night Market should be the brightest and most lively place in a City after nightfall. It was filled with a faint Lively Atmosphere, the enticing aroma of Food, and the cheerful, pleasant laughter of young women.
The clamor of the stalls and vendors was incessant. Men and women, young and old, wearing various colored Yukata or coarse cloth clothing, came and went with temporary joy on their faces.
But a tall figure that abruptly intruded caused gasps of surprise along the way. Wherever he went, the bustling crowd automatically parted.
It was like a Crocodile entering a school of fish, with the startled fish scattering in avoidance.
Crocodile paid no mind to this. Following the smell of Food, he arrived at a stall selling Grilled Chicken Skewers. After observing the quality of the Chicken Meat, he placed an order with the stunned vendor.
"Ten skewers of Chicken Meat, a cup of Alcohol, any kind is fine. Also, a plate of Ketchup. By the way, do you know what Ketchup is? If not, just give me a Tomato and a Bowl, and I'll make it myself."
(End of this chapter)