In One Piece, as Hashirama Senju

[21] Royal Flush

Chapter 21: Royal Flush

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"Listen, do as I say, go to the casino and make it go bankrupt. Otherwise, our plans are a bust." Mikita said in a mocking voice, copying what Robin had said earlier. "What sorta bitch says that sorta thing? Does she have any idea how casinos work? What a weird bitch– ak!"

Walking out of the call booth, Hashirama poked her side with his elbow, making her grunt in pain.

Her eyes went teary as she glared at him, but he didn't heed her and said, "Don't bad mouth her in front of me. I am in an alliance with her."

"...Tsk." Mikita turned to stare forward, her lips pressed together as if she was about to cry. She didn't find it amusing being bullied like this, it hurt being poked in the ribs, and she couldn't even yell in retort.

Hashirama ignored her, noting mentally to hold back his laugh if she actually cried. That would be funny, but he couldn't break the weirdo psychopathic teen façade yet.

"Anyhow." Mikita sighed and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"The reasoning behind her suggestion made sense, she has a point. So we are going to do as she said." Hashirama told her firmly.

While speaking, he and Mikita faded within the crowd and then escaped the busy city through an alleyway, Mikita leading the way to one of the secluded parts of the city.

Hashirama continued. "Miss All Sunday theorized that Sir Crocodile might not come to Rain Base at all and rather directly go to Alubarna, which indeed would make our coming here meaningless. But we can't just leave here and go to Alubarna either since then there is the chance that he will actually come to the Rain Base."

"So we are to do something to attract his attention, to warn him that we are here. But we can't just start an all-out fight either since then it will be us against the entire city. All Sunday's take on this is for us to make some big money in the casino. The bankrupt part was merely an exaggeration."

"Hah?" Mikita still sounded doubtful. "Yeah, but like, that woman told me to do all the playing. I mean I am good at some of the gambling games, but I am not that great. Moreover, not in this place where the house's people cheat openly and pretend otherwise."

By then, Hashirama and she had stopped on a spot and Hashirama was doing his thing by clasping his hands—and as he did, a wooden something started to creep out of his shadow. Mikita watched as that 'something' took the shape and form of Hashirama in real-time, and soon a copy of Hashirama stood behind him.

The Copy-rama didn't wait to exchange any words and just jumped from his spot, dashing away from the spot to somewhere Mikita couldn't guess.

"What are you doing?"

"Sending a clone to Alubarna. I put enough chakr... energy into it for it to stay active for five days, though it won't be able to fight. Its job is to disperse itself and warn me if it senses Crocodile coming toward Alubarna. So, even if we do fail to attract Crocodile's attention, we would at least know when Crocs goes there."

"Hah. Neat power you got there, kid-" she paused when she saw his glare and quickly corrected herself, "Boss."

"Or so people tell me," Hashirama held back a smile. "Now come on, let's go to the casino and try some games. It's been a while since I tried those games."

"Have you been there before?" Mikita asked while he and she started to walk towards the main city again.

Was that why he was so confident? Because he was familiar with the games?