Chapter 1162: Original Intent

Chapter 1162 -1144: Original Intent

The patter of the rain did not cease, and the croaking of the Croagunk intermittently echoed from the marshland.

Raindrops gathered on the leaves, weighed them down under gravity, and finally converged into a trickling stream on the ground.

The flow of people on the streets thinned out, everything seemed so natural, and the land before his eyes was still Wano Kuni, yet this nation continued to spawn scum.

“Something’s off with these footsteps…”

Even a bottom-tier Admiral can be described as a monster, their strength has long surpassed human limits, this limit is not only reflected in strength and speed but also in their heightened senses.

Kuzan’s sight and hearing are sharper than an average person’s, and anyone trained in Observation Haki would have their senses heightened, as Observation Haki itself is an extension of the eyes and ears.

Even if someone is blind, as long as they are skilled in Observation Haki, they can move as freely as a normal person, albeit unable to see human faces, everything in the world appears to them as vague black shadows.

Alleyways were separated by walls, making it impossible to see the details within them with the naked eye, but this only applied to ordinary people.

To Kuzan, standing still was enough for him to sense the situation over there.

Kuzan couldn’t combine Observation Haki with Fruit Ability like Enel to expand his perception range across the entire island.

This unique combination of talent and fruit is hard to replicate, but sensing an alley dozens of meters away was no problem.

The little girl’s footsteps changed from steady to flustered, and finally vanished, replaced by a heavier stride.

A northerly wind blew by, scattering a few fine ice shards into the puddles, quickly melting under the rain.

Kuzan’s figure had vanished the moment he sensed the anomaly, the shattered ice flowers on the ground were the only evidence of Kuzan’s presence.

…

At that moment in the alley, a familiar floral umbrella lay on the ground, and the girl was being pressed into the muddy ground by someone.

A man reeking of alcohol was on top of her, pressing a large hand over her mouth, preventing any cries for help.

Judging by the traces around them, she tried to escape when faced with danger but wasn’t successful.

When it came to matching strength against an adult, she was overwhelmed, ultimately getting trapped in this alley.

The man hadn’t premeditated this, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision fueled by alcohol, discovering the girl taking a shortcut home in an empty area.

The slippery roads in the rain made him fall, the girl kindly tried to help him up, but he developed malicious intent.

Wano Kuni had numerous surveillance facilities, but most were outward-facing or ensuring Queen’s laboratory security. While these acted as a deterrent to common citizens, they couldn’t prevent illegal activities entirely.

If surveillance alone could solve such issues, there would be no tragedies in the world.

But just as he wore a perverted grin and intended to continue, he lost control of his body.

“I’d advise you not to move, or you’re done for if it breaks.”

Kuzan appeared behind him, his hand resting on the man’s shoulder, and with that, most of the man’s body was turned into an ice sculpture by Kuzan.

Fear washed over him, clearing his head in an instant, he knew his actions were wrong, yet desire clouded his judgment.

“I…”

Crack…

The ice spread, and Kuzan wasted no words. He merely further engaged his ability and encased the man entirely in ice, avoiding affecting the girl beneath with a sudden freeze.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Grandma always said goodness begets goodness.”

The girl’s voice quivered slightly, with a hint of relief.

She found Kuzan peculiar and thus wanted to offer him her umbrella. Their brief encounter led to the unfolding events, which were precarious, yet in the end, her unintentional act earned her further assistance from Kuzan.

“From now on, be cautious when you go out… It’s good to be more wary of strangers, and it’s best not to take these small alleys.”

Seeing that the girl’s mental state didn’t seem too poor, Kuzan felt slightly relieved but still offered his advice.

To be honest, he didn’t want to say such things. The girl had a benevolent side of human nature in her, and the thought of selflessly helping others could make society more beautiful.

But he had to say it because human nature is unpredictable, even in this Wano Kuni, scoundrels like this man still existed.

Here, there was a stable living environment, countless opportunities, and directions for efforts, yet he chose the most despicable act.

People like him were rare in Wano Kuni, but individuals like him could spoil a good pot of soup, and no one dared gamble that their kindness wouldn’t invite similar trouble. If such an incident happened to one’s own family, it would be a Nightmare.

The only way to protect oneself was to withhold that benevolence.

Society’s conscience was gradually worn away in front of such people.

“Let me see you home. I’m quite formidable, wouldn’t fear a hundred more like him.”

The girl seemed fine, yet Kuzan noticed her legs trembling slightly; she was putting on a brave face.

Not knowing what the girl had been through didn’t matter to him; he was willing to lend her a hand.

A small icy pony appeared out of thin air in Kuzan’s hand, the lively little horse dispelling the girl’s fear.

…

The girl was right; her home really wasn’t far, Kuzan soon escorted her back, where they met the elderly lady waiting for her at the door.

“Where are the child’s parents?”

“At work. They’re working overtime to buy a new house in the Flower Capital, so they’ve left the child in my care.

Thank you so much, subordinate of Lord Kaidou.”

“Lord Kaidou…”

Kuzan didn’t dwell on the title. He’d settled in Wano Kuni, so it’s reasonable to be mistaken as Kaidou’s subordinate.

After returning the girl, Kuzan explained the earlier events, and then the grandmother sincerely invited Kuzan to come in, bringing about this scene.

At this moment, the girl was changing clothes inside, while the elderly lady entertained Kuzan with everyday chatter and stories of Wano Kuni’s past changes.

From such commonfolk, Kuzan gained a deeper understanding of the drastic changes in Wano Kuni over the past 20 years.

“They should keep a better eye on the child, such things are too dangerous.”

“It’s actually rare, I haven’t heard of similar incidents in years. Times have become so good; why are there still people who are not content….”

“Granny, it’s not about contentment; it’s just… human nature, I suppose.”

Kuzan was at a loss for words, simply standing up to leave. There were many people in the world, and even more in need of help; he couldn’t establish close ties with everyone. Most encounters were merely fleeting.

After Kuzan left, the girl changed into clean clothes and came out again, intending to continue helping her grandmother with her medication.

“Hanako… Grandma may have taught you something wrong, focus on protecting yourself outside before helping others. Goodness is not always there.

Your parents might be right; it may be better to go into business with them than to become a doctor.”

“I understand Grandma, but I still prefer being a doctor. More good people exist, and saving a good person would mean one less bad person too.”

The hearts of the young weren’t yet tainted with complexities, only wanting to move towards their ideals. Whether they can maintain this purity in the future remains to be seen.

After leaving Hanako’s house, Kuzan returned to the alley. Earlier, he’d only frozen the man, refraining from shattering him before Hanako.

But upon his return, he found several people there, with two Mightyenas prowling around the ice statue.

Surveillance couldn’t ensure instant prevention of accidents, but it provided more assistance in handling incidents…