Chapter 130: I Will Go on Your Behalf

What kind of person is Laffitte?

The original story provided Moda with little information. The only scene that left a lasting impression was when Laffitte single-handedly infiltrated the Warlords of the Sea roundtable meeting at the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.

At that meeting, heavyweights like Doflamingo, Kuma, and Mihawk were present on the Warlords' side, while the Navy was represented by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the advisor Tsuru. Facing such a lineup, Laffitte remained composed. Setting aside the methods he used to infiltrate Mary Geoise, his sheer temperament alone was extraordinary.

Beyond that, after several encounters with Laffitte in Mad Hatter Town, Moda couldn't claim they were friends. It was more of a mutual agreement to leave each other alone. In other words: you kill your targets, I hunt my prey. As long as resources were sufficient, we would both be fine. That was about the extent of it.

Therefore, even now, Moda remained unclear about the motive behind Laffitte’s sudden appearance to block Aokiji’s assault. Not only that, but he had even uttered the words, "Let me follow you." It was no wonder Moda doubted Laffitte's sexual orientation. After all, love at first sight and the "romance" factor were often used to explain irrational phenomena.

Laffitte fell silent for a moment before saying calmly, "I understand. So, is that a rejection?"

"..."

Laffitte's response made Moda take a step back. Is this guy really... you know?

Laffitte watched Moda’s retreat calmly and added, "Please set your mind at ease. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal."

"I see."

Moda relaxed and proceeded to ask the most critical question. "Then why do you want to follow me?"

Upon hearing this, Laffitte’s blood-red lips curled into an elegant arc. As he tilted his head slightly, the faint glimmer in his eyes grew brighter.

"Because I have taken an interest in the future you possess..."

"Oh?" Moda was somewhat surprised.

Laffitte stepped forward, his cane held horizontally before him, and smiled. "I am full of anticipation for it."

Hearing this, Moda finally understood the motive behind Laffitte’s intervention. He was planning to bet his chips on Moda’s future. But he wasn't Blackbeard... Furthermore, while the intention to pledge loyalty had been expressed, the attitude remained ambiguous. In other words, one could look forward to it, but it wasn't yet time for true allegiance?

Moda pondered. Whether or not to let Laffitte follow him wasn't his decision to make alone. Even if he agreed to the request, Sol would never allow an outsider to tag along. Moreover, he personally leaned toward refusing.

With this in mind, Moda looked at Laffitte. Just as he was about to voice his refusal, Sol suddenly hopped over.

"Sol?" Moda looked at the suddenly appearing old man in confusion.

Sol ignored Moda, looked up at Laffitte, and squinted. "Laffitte, is it?"

Laffitte watched Sol with caution and offered a modest, gentlemanly bow in response.

Sol stared intently into Laffitte’s eyes and said flatly, "Your reputation in the West Blue is quite loud. Even I have heard a thing or two."

"A mere reputation is not worth mentioning," Laffitte replied with calculated humility.

He was well aware of the strength of the little old man before him. Even with a missing leg and arm, he was not to be underestimated. However, what Laffitte found particularly noteworthy was not Sol’s strength, but those eyes, which hid a sharp glint within their muddiness.

"When it comes to reputation, too much humility is just hypocrisy. Come with me."

After dropping those words, Sol hopped away toward the nearby forest. Laffitte glanced at Sol sideways, hesitated for a few seconds, and then followed.

Moda watched Sol’s back, feeling completely bewildered. He didn't know what Sol was planning, but if he was handling it, it saved Moda the trouble. Moda shook his head and walked toward the shore.

Every time they stopped at an island during their voyage, they had to replenish supplies as much as possible. On inhabited islands, as long as you had money, you could easily buy essentials like fresh water, food, and strong liquor. On uninhabited islands like the one they were currently on, they could only rely on what they could find.

The Red Hair Pirates were remarkably efficient; they finished gathering supplies quickly and prepared to set sail. Moda boarded the ship first. About ten minutes later, Sol and Laffitte emerged from the woods, one after the other.

Then, Laffitte boarded the ship as well.

Moda was stunned. Could some shady deal have occurred in those short ten minutes? Moda looked at Laffitte, who simply smiled without a word.

"What's the situation here?" Moda turned to Sol.

Sol’s expression remained indifferent. He gestured to Benn Beckman nearby. Benn immediately understood and brought a lit pipe to Sol. Sol took a puff, looking relaxed, and said calmly, "Having him follow us isn't a bad thing, so I agreed."

"This..." Moda hadn't expected Sol to agree, so he couldn't help but glance at Laffitte.

Noticing Moda’s gaze, Laffitte adjusted the brim of his hat and offered Moda another smile.

Forget it... Moda shook his head slightly. Since Sol didn't have a problem with it, he didn't care either.

Sunny quietly came to Moda’s side and whispered, "Why did Sol let him come along?"

"I don't know." Moda glanced at Sunny.

Sunny hesitated, her voice dropping even lower. "Besides, I get the feeling he’s interested in you."

Moda replied, "I don't need your opinion on that..."

A few minutes later, the Red Force weighed anchor, raised its sails, and slowly pulled away from the island. Traveling from the West Blue to the East Blue was no easy feat, but for the Red Hair Pirates, it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Voyaging was actually quite a dull affair. Until they reached their next destination, their range of movement was very limited. To get Moda and his group to Momon Island as quickly as possible, the Red Force only stopped when necessary to restock.

During the monotonous voyage, Moda, having nothing better to do and recovering well from his injuries, began his daily training routine. During this time, Yasopp would constantly come over to bother him. His intention was obvious: he wanted Moda to change his mind and join the Red Hair Pirates. However, no matter how much Yasopp tried to persuade him, he couldn't sway Moda’s resolve. After a few attempts, Yasopp had no choice but to give up.

"Yasopp, it’s rare to be heading to the East Blue. Don't you want to go see Usopp?" Moda wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, glancing at Yasopp out of the corner of his eye.

Yasopp hadn't taken it seriously when Moda used "Usopp" as a pseudonym, and he had no qualms about talking about his son.

"That’s impossible," Yasopp said, picking up a bottle of strong liquor from the table and prying off the cork with his finger. "But, if he ever sets sail, that would be a different story..."

"Sets sail? That probably won't be for a few more years, right?"

"Haha, who knows." Yasopp laughed and poured two glasses. "Want a drink?"

"Sure." Moda walked over and took the glass Yasopp handed him.

"You actually really want to go home and see him, don't you?"

"Perhaps." Yasopp grinned. As an officer of the Red Hair Pirates, there were still certain things he had to be mindful of.

Moda watched Yasopp’s expression and suddenly said, "How about this? When I have some free time, I’ll go see him for you."

"What?" Yasopp froze, then looked at Moda with a suspicious gaze. "You brat..."

Although he could sense Moda’s good intentions, for some reason, Yasopp felt a vague sense of being set up.