Chapter 96: A Breakthrough in Power — The Never-Setting Sun Challenger Plans to Steal the Ship!New2 days ago
Sir Crocodile.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
A man who possessed the terrifying ability to control sand!
Within the desert kingdom of Alabasta, Crocodile had practically become a symbol of absolute power.
And yet...
That very man's corpse was now lying before the rebel army!
The sight left everyone completely stunned.
Whether they were ordinary rebel soldiers or Baroque Works agents secretly hiding among their ranks, nobody dared to make any reckless moves.
Some people even began quietly retreating, hoping to escape before anyone noticed them.
Among the crowd, Mr. 2 Bon Clay and Miss Doublefinger exchanged glances.
Then, without saying a word, they began discreetly making their way toward the edge of the rebel army.
After all, they'd only been carrying out Crocodile's orders.
Now that their boss was dead, there was no reason for them to continue risking their lives for him!
...
Seeing the unrest spreading through the rebel army, its leader, Koza, raised a hand and signaled his men to remain calm.
Then, he turned toward Vivi.
"Vivi..."
His expression was complicated.
"Is it really true?"
"Was Crocodile actually responsible for the drought in Alabasta?"
...
Nearby, Luo Qi glanced toward Vivi and Koza, who had begun discussing the truth behind the kingdom's suffering.
However, he didn't interrupt them.
Instead, he took a deep breath.
Then—
Observation Haki!
His senses rapidly expanded in every direction!
Luo Qi began searching for the massive bomb hidden somewhere within the capital.
If I remember correctly, that bomb should have a clockwork mechanism.
There should be some kind of ticking sound.
As long as I can detect it, I'll be able to find the bomb!
With that thought in mind, Luo Qi concentrated even harder.
Perhaps because of the Physique Points he'd obtained after killing Crocodile, he could feel that the range of his Observation Haki had increased slightly.
However...
Even with that improvement, covering the entire capital's central square and its surrounding buildings was still extremely difficult!
His Observation Haki simply couldn't reach everywhere at once.
Luo Qi looked toward Reiju and nodded.
Understanding his signal, Reiju immediately carried him in another direction.
Since his Observation Haki couldn't cover the entire area from one position, they would simply have to search while moving!
This was something Luo Qi had already discussed with her before arriving.
Meanwhile, Law remained beside Vivi.
His responsibility was to protect the princess in case anyone attempted to attack her.
...
Time continued passing.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes...
Gradually, the time Nico Robin had warned him about was approaching!
The bomb could explode at any moment!
Because of the prolonged use of Observation Haki, sweat began pouring down Luo Qi's forehead.
His expression grew increasingly tense.
Where is it?!
Where the hell is that bomb?!
The ticking sound...
I have to find it!
Luo Qi clenched his teeth.
He desperately extended his senses toward the surrounding buildings, searching every location he could reach.
...
Meanwhile, in the real world.
The viewers watching Dragon Kingdom's livestream naturally understood what Luo Qi was trying to accomplish.
And as the time approached noon, their anxiety began rising once again.
They had only just recovered from the fear of watching Luo Qi nearly die against Crocodile!
Now, they were witnessing another life-threatening situation!
If the bomb exploded, countless people could lose their lives.
And Luo Qi himself might be caught in the blast!
...
Reiju looked down at Luo Qi. His forehead was slick with sweat, and his face was visibly strained. Determination hardened her gaze.
Then...
Without warning, she changed direction!
Instead of continuing toward the center of the capital, she began running away from it!
"..."
Luo Qi immediately noticed something was wrong.
"Reiju!"
"You're going the wrong way!"
"That's the direction we came from!"
Although his eyes remained closed, he could still sense their surroundings through Observation Haki.
Naturally, he realized that Reiju was carrying him away from the capital!
"..."
Reiju didn't answer.
She continued running.
"Hm?!"
Luo Qi frowned.
He opened his eyes and looked toward her.
"Reiju..."
"Don't tell me you're planning to—"
"I'm sorry, Captain Luo Qi."
Reiju interrupted him.
Her eyes were filled with determination.
"Even if you blame me afterward..."
"Even if you decide to kick me out of the crew..."
"I'm still taking you away from here!"
"..."
Luo Qi stared at her.
Reiju continued firmly.
"There's almost no time left!"
"I don't want you to die here!"
Her expression softened slightly.
"Although we haven't known each other for very long..."
"I think I've already fallen for you."
She smiled faintly.
"So..."
"I absolutely refuse to let you die!"
...
In Reiju's opinion, continuing the search was practically pointless.
The explosion was imminent!
Luo Qi had already done everything he possibly could.
He'd fought Crocodile.
He'd defeated one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
He'd nearly died in the process!
As far as Reiju was concerned, Luo Qi had already done more than enough for Alabasta.
There was absolutely no reason for him to continue risking his life!
Therefore, even if Luo Qi became furious with her afterward, she was determined to carry him somewhere safe.
...
"..."
Luo Qi's brows knitted together.
Looking at Reiju's determined expression, he understood that trying to persuade her would probably be useless.
She had already made up her mind!
Damn it!
Are we really going to let that bomb explode?!
Luo Qi clenched his fists.
He had promised Vivi that he would help save her kingdom!
He couldn't simply abandon that promise now!
Despite Reiju carrying him away, he refused to give up.
Instead, he pushed his Observation Haki even harder!
Come on!
Just a little farther!
I have to find it!
He desperately expanded his senses!
And then—
CRACK!
A strange sound suddenly echoed inside Luo Qi's mind!
It was as though some invisible barrier had shattered!
"...!"
Luo Qi froze.
In the next instant, his perception suddenly expanded!
The range of his Observation Haki grew dramatically!
Not by a small amount.
Not even by half!
His sensing range had more than doubled!
What?!
Luo Qi's eyes widened.
However, before he could investigate the sudden breakthrough—
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
A faint, rhythmic sound entered his perception!
The sound of a clock!
"...!"
That's it!
THE BOMB!
A surge of excitement rushed through Luo Qi's heart!
He'd finally found it!
There was no time to think about why his Observation Haki had suddenly grown stronger.
"REIJU!"
"STOP!"
"TURN AROUND!"
However—
"No!"
Reiju shook her head firmly.
"I'm not stopping, Captain!"
"Even if you hate me afterward, I—"
"I FOUND THE BOMB!"
Luo Qi shouted.
"WHAT?!"
Reiju immediately looked down at him.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"I found it!"
Luo Qi raised his arm and pointed toward a distant location.
"It's over there!"
"Trust me, Reiju!"
"..."
Reiju stared deeply into his eyes.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then, she pressed her lips together.
"Alright!"
BOOM!
Her high-tech boots slammed against the ground!
She abruptly changed direction and accelerated toward the location Luo Qi had indicated!
...
Approximately five minutes later.
Following Luo Qi's directions, Reiju hurried through several streets and past numerous buildings.
Finally, in a concealed location, they discovered a large bomb!
A clocklike mechanism was attached to its surface.
Its pointer was constantly moving!
Tick! Tick! Tick!
It was the very sound Luo Qi had detected with his Observation Haki!
"...!"
Reiju's eyes widened.
"You actually found it!"
Although she was astonished, she didn't waste time celebrating.
After all, the bomb could explode at any moment!
Without hesitation, she tightened her hold on Luo Qi with one arm.
Then, she grabbed the bomb with her other hand!
WHOOSH!
Her boots accelerated once again!
This time, she headed straight toward Law's location!
...
Meanwhile, in Alabasta's central square.
The enormous wall of fire separating the royal army and the rebel army was gradually weakening.
"..."
Koza looked toward the dwindling flames.
Then, he turned back toward Vivi.
"Vivi..."
"About what you told me earlier..."
Before he could finish speaking—
"LAW!"
A familiar voice suddenly rang out!
"Hm?!"
Koza, Vivi, and the surrounding rebel soldiers immediately turned toward the source.
Reiju was rapidly approaching!
However...
The moment they noticed the object she was carrying, everyone's expression changed!
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
"IS THAT A BOMB?!"
"HOLY SHIT!"
"THAT THING LOOKS DANGEROUS!"
The rebel soldiers immediately erupted into panic!
"There's really a bomb?!"
"Then... does that mean Princess Vivi was telling the truth?!"
"Have we been deceived this entire time?!"
"Was Crocodile really planning to kill us all?!"
The rebels began shouting among themselves.
Seeing the enormous explosive device with their own eyes finally made them realize how serious the situation was!
Many soldiers instinctively began retreating.
Even those who had previously doubted Vivi's words were now shaken!
...
Meanwhile, Law's expression tightened.
He immediately raised his hand.
"ROOM!"
A large, transparent hemispherical field expanded around him!
At the same time, Reiju hurled the bomb toward him with all her strength!
"WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!"
"THEY'RE THROWING IT?!"
"RUN!"
The rebel soldiers were terrified!
Even Koza's eyes widened in shock.
He was already preparing to order his men to retreat!
However, before he could speak—
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Law swung Kikoku several times in rapid succession!
Within the operating room created by his Op-Op Fruit...
The bomb was instantly sliced into several separate sections!
Then, using his ability, Law carefully separated the explosive powder from the other components!
The mechanism was dismantled!
The explosives were isolated!
And just like that...
The crisis was finally resolved!
...
"Haa..."
Luo Qi let out a long breath.
"Finally..."
"It's over."
He gently patted Reiju's back.
"Reiju, you can put me down now."
Hearing this, Reiju carefully lowered him.
However, since Luo Qi still hadn't completely recovered, she supported him to keep him from falling.
"CAPTAIN LUO QI!"
Vivi immediately hurried toward them!
Her eyes were filled with gratitude.
"Thank you!"
She stopped in front of him and bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much!"
"I... I honestly don't know what else I can say!"
After everything Luo Qi and his companions had done, simple words of gratitude felt completely inadequate.
They'd defeated Crocodile!
They'd prevented the two armies from fighting!
And now, they'd successfully stopped the bomb from exploding!
Alabasta had been saved!
...
"Hehehe."
Luo Qi smiled.
"Don't mention it, Vivi."
He reached out and gently patted her shoulder.
"Besides, it's not like I'm helping you for free."
His smile widened.
"Remember to pay me afterward!"
"..."
Vivi blinked.
Then, she smiled through her tears.
However, Luo Qi wasn't finished.
"Oh, and one more thing..."
"Could you find somewhere for me to rest?"
"I really need to get some sleep."
As though to prove just how exhausted he was...
The moment he finished speaking, Luo Qi's eyes closed!
His body suddenly leaned forward!
And then—
THUD!
He lost consciousness!
"CAPTAIN LUO QI!"
Vivi hurriedly caught him before he could fall!
Her expression immediately filled with panic.
"LAW!"
"IS HE ALRIGHT?!"
"Don't worry."
Law approached calmly.
"The captain is simply exhausted."
He examined Luo Qi briefly.
"The battle against Crocodile already pushed his body almost to its limits."
"And then he spent so much energy using Observation Haki to search for the bomb."
Law shook his head.
"He probably exhausted the last of his stamina."
"That's all."
"..."
Hearing that Luo Qi wasn't in danger, Vivi finally relaxed.
"I see..."
She gently exhaled.
Then, she turned toward Reiju and Law.
"Miss Reiju, Law..."
"Please, come to the royal palace with me."
"Everyone deserves some proper rest."
...
Not long afterward.
News of Crocodile's defeat and the truth behind Alabasta's civil unrest began spreading throughout the kingdom.
Even the towns near the coast were soon filled with excited discussions.
"Have you heard?!"
"Apparently, the whole incident involving Dance Powder wasn't caused by His Majesty the King!"
"It was Crocodile's doing!"
"Of course I've heard!"
"They say Crocodile deliberately created the drought because he wanted to steal the kingdom!"
"That's right!"
"A Marine named Smoker has already clarified the situation!"
"We've been misunderstanding His Majesty the entire time!"
"Thank goodness things didn't get any worse!"
"The rebellion was stopped by a bounty hunter named Luo Qi and his companions!"
"I heard Luo Qi was injured during the fighting!"
"Fortunately, his injuries aren't too serious!"
"We really need to thank him properly when we get the chance!"
"Absolutely!"
"That young man saved our entire kingdom!"
...
Alabasta.
A coastal town.
"..."
A blond-haired man leaning against a wall suddenly frowned.
What?
Luo Qi isn't dead?!
His expression darkened.
And Crocodile was actually defeated?!
The blond man's heart sank.
Damn it!
This is bad!
He'd originally believed that leaking Luo Qi's information to Crocodile would be enough to get the Dragon Kingdom challenger killed.
However...
Not only had Luo Qi survived, but he'd also managed to kill Crocodile!
I can't stay in this country any longer!
I need to leave immediately!
The blond-haired man was none other than David, the challenger representing the Never-Setting Sun Country!
After reaching his decision, David immediately pushed himself away from the wall and hurried toward the coastline.
Several companions standing nearby exchanged glances.
Then, they quickly followed him.
...
Before long, David and his companions arrived at the harbor.
However, just as David was preparing to board his own vessel—
"Hm?!"
He suddenly noticed something.
"That ship..."
"Could it be Luo Qi's?!"
His eyes narrowed.
Not far away, on another stretch of the coastline, a small three-masted sailing ship was anchored.
Its appearance was almost identical to his own vessel!
After examining it carefully, David quickly reached a conclusion.
That's Luo Qi's ship!
The Explorer!
Then, another thought occurred to him.
Wait a minute...
Luo Qi and his companions should all be at the royal palace right now.
Doesn't that mean there's nobody guarding the ship?!
David's eyes suddenly brightened!
And if I remember correctly...
Luo Qi has earned quite a lot of Berries!
An increasingly greedy smile appeared on his face.
Despite both being challengers, Luo Qi had accumulated enormous wealth during his journey.
David, on the other hand, barely had enough Berries to support himself!
And now...
An opportunity had appeared right before him!
Hehehe!
Since I've already offended Luo Qi by revealing his information to Crocodile, what's the harm in offending him a little more?
If I can steal the Berries aboard his ship...
I might finally have enough money to recruit some genuinely powerful companions!
The more David thought about it, the more excited he became.
Without hesitation, he began jogging toward the Explorer!
However, he didn't immediately climb aboard.
First, he carefully observed the deck.
He looked for guards.
Crew members.
Anyone who might discover him.
But after watching for a while...
There wasn't a single person in sight!
Perfect!
David's lips curved into a delighted smile.
Looks like this is my lucky day!
With dreams of obtaining a huge fortune and recruiting powerful companions filling his mind, the Never-Setting Sun Country's challenger quietly approached the Explorer.
Then, after confirming once more that nobody was moving on deck...
He secretly climbed aboard Luo Qi's ship!
Chapter 97: Mikita — If I Capture You, Luo Qi Will Let Me Join His Crew, Right?New2 days ago
Because Luo Qi was still unconscious, Dragon Kingdom's livestream remained completely black.
Unable to observe their challenger's condition, the viewers from Dragon Kingdom began flooding into the Never-Setting Sun Country's livestream instead.
And there were two reasons for this.
First, the Never-Setting Sun Country's challenger had previously attempted to sabotage Luo Qi.
Second, that very challenger was currently in Alabasta!
Naturally, the viewers wanted to keep an eye on him.
However, they weren't the only ones watching.
Dragon Kingdom's government was also closely monitoring his movements!
If he attempted anything suspicious, the authorities intended to warn Luo Qi as soon as their communication cooldown expired.
...
[Look at that foreign bastard! Why is he running toward the coast in such a hurry? Is he trying to escape?!]
[Hmph! Everyone in Alabasta is talking about how Brother Qi successfully stopped the rebellion. Now that this guy knows Brother Qi is still alive, of course he's going to run away!]
[I'll bet he was waiting to see whether Crocodile would succeed. If Crocodile had killed Brother Qi, this bastard probably would've gone straight to him to claim credit!]
[WAIT A MINUTE!]
[WHAT THE HELL AM I SEEING?!]
[THAT BASTARD JUST CLIMBED ABOARD BROTHER QI'S SHIP!]
[WHAT IS HE TRYING TO DO?!]
[HOLY SHIT! IS HE PLANNING TO STEAL SOMETHING?!]
[Brother Qi brought everyone with him to deal with Baroque Works! He didn't leave anyone behind to guard the ship!]
[And doesn't the Explorer have a huge amount of Berries aboard?!]
[Although a hundred million Berries might only take Brother Qi a few bounty-hunting jobs to earn, that's an enormous fortune for challengers from other countries!]
[DAMN IT! THAT BASTARD IS ACTUALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BROTHER QI'S ABSENCE!]
[Wait! Everyone, look!]
[THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE INSIDE THE CABIN?!]
[WHO IS IT?!]
...
Meanwhile, in the One Piece world.
Aboard the Explorer.
After climbing onto the deck with his two companions, David, the challenger representing the Never-Setting Sun Country, immediately began sneaking toward the cabin.
However, before he could get close—
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps suddenly sounded from inside!
"Is that Captain Luo Qi returning?"
A clear female voice came from the cabin.
Someone's here?!
David's eyes widened in alarm!
He'd been certain that the ship was empty!
For a moment, he instinctively considered jumping overboard and escaping.
Unfortunately, before he could act, a young woman wearing an orange-yellow dress stepped out of the cabin.
It was Miss Valentine, Mikita!
...
[IT'S MISS VALENTINE!]
[MIKITA IS ACTUALLY HERE!]
[Wait, didn't Brother Qi already release her? Why did she return to the Explorer?!]
[Could it be that, like Reiju, she realized she'd be better off staying with Brother Qi's crew?]
[Whatever the reason, it's a good thing she's here!]
[With Mikita around, that bastard shouldn't be able to cause any trouble!]
[Exactly! Mikita might not be as strong as Brother Qi, or even Bepo, but dealing with a few guys like these should be easy enough for her!]
...
The moment Mikita appeared, Dragon Kingdom's viewers erupted into cheers.
Their excited comments flooded the Never-Setting Sun Country's livestream.
However, surprisingly few local viewers attempted to argue with them.
After all, the situation had changed dramatically.
Not long ago, the Never-Setting Sun Country's government had publicly issued a statement condemning its own challenger's actions.
Meanwhile, Dragon Kingdom had begun evacuating its citizens from the Never-Setting Sun Country.
And with Dragon Kingdom's newly acquired powers and resources, its military strength was becoming increasingly intimidating!
The viewers from the Never-Setting Sun Country were genuinely afraid that Dragon Kingdom might send soldiers enhanced by Physique Enhancement Cards and the Sand-Sand Fruit to their homeland.
As a result, they barely dared to challenge the comments from Dragon Kingdom's viewers.
For a while, the Never-Setting Sun Country's livestream practically became another Dragon Kingdom chatroom!
...
"Hm?"
Mikita looked at the blond-haired man standing before her.
Her brows knitted together.
"You're not one of Captain Luo Qi's people."
"Who are you?"
"Hahaha!"
David quickly forced a friendly smile onto his face.
"Hello there!"
"You must be Miss Mikita, right?"
He approached her with an apparently courteous expression.
"..."
Mikita looked at him suspiciously.
"You know me?"
Hearing him call her by name only made her more confused.
"Of course I do!"
David chuckled.
"How could I not know you?"
"Mr. Luo Qi told me all about you!"
"Captain Luo Qi?"
Mikita blinked.
"You know Captain Luo Qi?"
...
[HOLY SHIT!]
[THAT BASTARD IS TRYING TO TRICK MIKITA!]
[DAMN IT! I FORGOT HE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT BROTHER QI AND HIS COMPANIONS!]
[Mikita is still wearing the same outfit as before! Anyone who knows Brother Qi's crew could recognize her!]
[DON'T TELL ME THAT BASTARD IS ACTUALLY GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS?!]
...
"That's right!"
David smiled confidently.
"Actually, I'm here on Captain Luo Qi's orders!"
He even performed an elegant gentleman's bow.
"Captain Luo Qi knows you're staying aboard the Explorer to guard the ship."
"That's why he sent me here to invite you to Alabasta's royal palace!"
David continued smoothly.
"Crocodile has already been defeated!"
"And Captain Luo Qi wants you to join him and the rest of his companions for a celebration!"
He spoke with complete confidence.
After all, he believed his explanation was perfectly reasonable.
However...
David failed to notice the subtle change in Mikita's expression.
Her initial confusion was gradually turning into suspicion.
Then, a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Let me make sure I understand something."
Mikita looked directly at him.
"You just said Captain Luo Qi asked me to stay behind and guard the Explorer, right?"
"That's right!"
David nodded.
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"And..."
Mikita slowly stepped toward him.
"You also said I'm one of Captain Luo Qi's companions, didn't you?"
"Uh..."
David hesitated.
"Yes?"
He blinked.
"Is... is there a problem?"
At that moment, he finally sensed that something was wrong.
Unfortunately, it was already too late!
"Heh!"
Mikita let out a cold chuckle.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Her speed suddenly increased!
Before David could react, she leaped forward and delivered a powerful kick directly into his abdomen!
BANG!
"GAHH!"
David was sent flying backward!
His body slammed violently against the Explorer's railing!
"UGHH!"
He doubled over in pain!
Although David had completed several exploration objectives and received some physical enhancements, his strength was still barely approaching the threshold of Bronze-tier.
Mikita, on the other hand, was already a Bronze-tier combatant!
In a direct confrontation, David was simply no match for her!
...
"CAPTAIN!"
Seeing their leader attacked, David's two companions immediately reacted!
They quickly drew their firearms and aimed them toward Mikita!
However—
"Too slow!"
Mikita moved again!
Before either man could pull the trigger, she rushed forward and struck them!
BANG! BANG!
Two more heavy impacts echoed across the deck!
Both men were sent crashing into the ship's railing!
Their eyes rolled backward.
And almost immediately...
They lost consciousness!
...
"W-Why...?"
David clutched his abdomen.
His face twisted in pain as he struggled to look toward Mikita.
"Why would you attack me?!"
"Why?"
Mikita sneered.
"Captain Luo Qi never asked me to guard the Explorer."
"And he certainly never said I was one of his companions!"
"...!"
David's expression changed.
Mikita crossed her arms.
"Besides..."
"I heard that someone secretly revealed information about Captain Luo Qi and his companions to Crocodile."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Apparently, that information even included details about me."
She slowly approached David.
"And that person..."
"Wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"
"..."
David's face turned deathly pale.
He finally realized his mistake!
When he'd seen Mikita aboard the Explorer, he'd automatically assumed that she was a member of Luo Qi's crew.
After all, why else would she be guarding his ship?!
That assumption had led him to invent a story about Luo Qi assigning her to watch over the vessel.
Unfortunately...
He'd guessed wrong!
Mikita had never been ordered to guard the Explorer!
Nor had she officially joined Luo Qi's crew!
His attempt to deceive her had exposed him instead!
Damn it!
How could I make such a stupid mistake?!
...
"Hehehe!"
Suddenly, Mikita began giggling.
Her expression brightened considerably.
"Wonderful!"
David looked toward her in confusion.
"W-What...?"
Mikita smiled sweetly.
"If I capture you..."
"Captain Luo Qi will definitely let me join his crew, won't he?"
"...!"
David's eyes widened.
But before he could say anything—
BANG!
A powerful blow struck his head!
His vision immediately darkened.
As his consciousness began fading, he finally understood why Mikita had returned to the Explorer.
So that's it...
She stayed here because she wants to join Luo Qi's crew...
His thoughts grew increasingly sluggish.
But why...?
Why does every powerful person seem to want to join Luo Qi's crew?
With that final question lingering in his mind...
David completely lost consciousness.
Chapter 98: The Heavenly Demon's Surprise!New2 days ago
Meanwhile, in the real world.
The Never-Setting Sun Country's livestream.
[HAHAHAHA! What a pathetic fool! He actually tried to deceive Mikita! Didn't expect that, did you? She's not even an official member of Brother Qi's crew yet!]
[Well, that's what happens when your government doesn't provide you with the latest information. If the Never-Setting Sun Country had updated its challenger, he would've known that Brother Qi never assigned Mikita to guard the ship. He actually released her and told her she could leave!]
[I'm guessing the Never-Setting Sun Country already used its communication opportunity to give that guy information about Brother Qi. The cooldown probably hasn't ended yet, so they couldn't send him any updates.]
[And their government is still denying that it gave him those instructions! Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore. That bastard is finished!]
[Not only is he finished, but I think the Never-Setting Sun Country deserves punishment too!]
[Anyway, congratulations to the Never-Setting Sun Country! You're about to receive your second challenger!]
[HAHAHAHA! CONGRATULATIONS!]
[Looks like it's time to start over!]
...
Because David, the Never-Setting Sun Country's challenger, had fallen unconscious, his livestream had also turned completely black.
However, that didn't stop Dragon Kingdom's viewers from flooding the chat with sarcastic congratulations.
They were practically celebrating the Never-Setting Sun Country's impending loss!
Meanwhile, the Never-Setting Sun Country's government and citizens had fallen into a state of despair.
They understood perfectly well what was likely to happen.
Their country was probably about to receive its second challenger.
Even their own citizens no longer believed David had much hope of surviving.
Once Luo Qi returned to his ship, there was almost no chance he'd spare the man who had nearly caused his death!
And even if Luo Qi killed David in front of everyone watching from the real world, public opinion would almost certainly favor him.
After all, David had deliberately betrayed Luo Qi's information to Crocodile!
He'd attempted to get another country's challenger killed!
And after failing, he'd even tried to steal from that challenger's ship!
Under those circumstances, who would defend him?
Even countries that didn't have particularly friendly relations with Dragon Kingdom might refuse to support the Never-Setting Sun Country.
...
Inside the Never-Setting Sun Country's leader's office.
"DAMN IT!"
"DAMN IT ALL!"
The country's leader was practically tearing his hair out in frustration.
Unfortunately, he didn't have much hair left to lose!
He'd been trying repeatedly to contact the leadership of Lighthouse Country and Dragon Kingdom.
However, neither side had been willing to engage in meaningful discussions with him!
The situation was becoming increasingly desperate.
"Those bastards from Lighthouse Country!"
The leader gritted his teeth.
"THEY DECEIVED ME!"
"I DID EVERYTHING THEY TOLD ME TO DO!"
BANG!
His fist slammed against the desk!
BANG! BANG!
He struck the desk several more times, as though doing so might somehow relieve the frustration building inside him.
However, before he could calm down—
"LEADER!"
His assistant suddenly rushed into the office.
The man's face was deathly pale.
His hands were trembling.
"Something terrible has happened!"
The leader's expression darkened.
"What now?!"
The assistant swallowed nervously.
"Sir..."
"The mysterious red mist in the northwestern region of our country has suddenly erupted!"
"..."
The leader froze.
"What?"
"The area covered by the red mist has expanded tenfold almost instantly!"
The assistant's voice trembled as he continued reading the report.
"All the soldiers we stationed near the mist have been swallowed by it!"
"We've completely lost contact with them!"
"And that's not all!"
"Because the mist expanded so quickly, half of a nearby town was engulfed!"
"We don't know whether the residents trapped inside are alive or dead!"
"...!"
The leader's eyes widened.
The assistant continued.
"Approximately five minutes after the expansion, large numbers of strange creatures began emerging from the mist!"
"Zombies!"
"Skeletons!"
"And other unidentified monsters!"
"They've begun attacking the townspeople!"
His voice grew increasingly frantic.
"Sir..."
"After something this serious..."
"I'm afraid we can no longer conceal the existence of the red mist!"
...
"WH-WHAT?!"
The leader stared at his assistant in disbelief.
"What did you just say?!"
The assistant had no choice but to repeat the entire report.
This time, the leader listened to every word.
And when the assistant finished...
He collapsed back into his chair.
His face was filled with despair.
"H-How..."
"How could something like this happen?!"
He slowly raised his trembling hands.
"There are mysterious red mists all over the world!"
"Why..."
"WHY DID THE RED MIST IN OUR COUNTRY HAVE TO ERUPT?!"
His voice grew more desperate.
"Has heaven decided to destroy the Never-Setting Sun Country?!"
...
Meanwhile, in Dragon Kingdom.
Inside a modest office.
"I assume everyone has heard about the red mist eruption in the Never-Setting Sun Country?"
One of the elderly officials looked toward his colleagues.
"Of course."
Another elderly man nodded gravely.
"An incident of this magnitude is impossible to ignore."
He sighed.
"Information about the mysterious red mist has already been circulating online for some time."
"Until now, governments around the world have managed to suppress most of the reports."
"But after an incident like this..."
"I'm afraid keeping the matter secret will no longer be possible."
"Then we won't keep it secret anymore!"
Another official immediately spoke.
"We should tell our citizens the truth!"
"And at the same time, announce that we're preparing to send our soldiers into the red mist to investigate!"
His expression became serious.
"If the red mist can erupt at any moment, then we no longer have any reason to ignore it!"
"I agree!"
Another elderly man nodded.
"Right now, we don't have time to concern ourselves with the Never-Setting Sun Country."
"Dealing with the red mist is far more important!"
"Exactly!"
"We already have a hundred physically enhanced super soldiers!"
"And several of our soldiers are Devil Fruit users!"
"With their abilities, I'm confident we'll finally be able to discover what's hidden inside the red mist!"
Another official added thoughtfully.
"Furthermore, according to our researchers, the items obtained from the Forbidden Zone emit the same unusual wavelengths as the red mist."
"That means Devil Fruits and Germa 66 Raid Suits might actually help our soldiers survive inside it!"
"At the very least, they're worth testing."
...
After discussing the matter, the elderly officials gradually turned toward the leader seated at the head of the room.
They were waiting for his decision.
"..."
The elderly leader considered their suggestions.
Then, he firmly slapped the desk.
"Alright!"
"We'll send our soldiers to investigate the red mist!"
His voice was decisive.
"However, the soldiers who recently consumed the Sand-Sand Fruit and the other Devil Fruits haven't had much time to familiarize themselves with their abilities."
"For this first operation..."
"Have Zhou Qiangping lead the team!"
The officials nodded.
After all, Zhou Qiangping had already obtained the Drunk-Drunk Fruit and had more experience using his abilities than some of the newer Devil Fruit users.
The elderly leader continued.
"Once he's completed his preparations, the exploration operation will begin!"
"And at the same time..."
"Make an official announcement to our citizens!"
"Tell them about the existence of the mysterious red mist!"
"And make sure they understand that Dragon Kingdom is determined to deal with this threat!"
"Understood!"
The officials immediately began preparing to carry out the orders.
...
Meanwhile, after David's livestream went black, the viewers from Dragon Kingdom gradually returned to their own country's livestream.
Luo Qi was still unconscious.
Therefore, the screen remained black.
With nothing else to watch, the viewers began chatting among themselves while waiting for their challenger to wake up.
However, after a while, a particular comment suddenly attracted everyone's attention.
[HOLY SHIT! HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS?!]
[Apparently, a town in the Never-Setting Sun Country has been engulfed by some kind of mysterious red mist! A bunch of people have gone missing!]
[Huh?!]
[Wait a minute... Did our country's Devil Fruit users finally take action?!]
[Red mist? I think I've heard about that before. Wasn't there something about it on an urban legend website?]
[Don't tell me it was real all along?!]
[GUYS! CHECK DRAGON KINGDOM'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE!]
[The government just released an announcement!]
[THE RED MIST IS REAL!]
[And apparently, mysterious creatures really do emerge from inside it!]
[However, everyone can relax! The government has announced that our Devil Fruit users will investigate the red mist!]
[They're determined to prevent an eruption like the one in the Never-Setting Sun Country from happening here!]
...
The livestream immediately became lively.
[So the red mist really exists?!]
[Damn, that's actually pretty scary...]
[But after reading the government's announcement, I feel a lot better!]
[With our soldiers protecting us, I'm sure they'll figure out how to deal with it!]
[Exactly!]
[We already have a hundred super soldiers!]
[I still can't believe Brother Qi managed to obtain a reward like those hundred Physique Enhancement Cards!]
[And don't forget the Devil Fruits!]
[The Sand-Sand Fruit alone is incredible!]
[So the rewards obtained from the Forbidden Zone can actually help us deal with dangers in the real world too?!]
[AMAZING!]
[BROTHER QI IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!]
...
Naturally, Dragon Kingdom wasn't the only nation paying attention to the announcement.
The leaders of other countries quickly received the information as well.
And almost immediately, the entire international community began watching Dragon Kingdom's next move!
This was especially true of the countries that had already attempted to explore the mysterious red mist.
After all...
Until now, no country had successfully completed a thorough exploration of the mist!
Every attempt had ended in failure.
Exploration teams had repeatedly suffered enormous casualties before the survivors were forced to retreat.
The mysterious creatures inside were simply too dangerous!
And conventional methods had proven largely ineffective.
But now...
Dragon Kingdom was preparing to send Devil Fruit users into the mist!
Naturally, the other countries wanted to know what would happen.
Could these extraordinary abilities obtained from the Forbidden Zone succeed where conventional methods had failed?
Could Dragon Kingdom finally uncover the secrets hidden inside the red mist?
Those questions had suddenly become extremely important.
Especially since the Never-Setting Sun Country had just experienced a devastating red mist eruption!
For a time, the eyes of the world were focused on Dragon Kingdom.
...
Meanwhile, in the One Piece world.
Dressrosa.
Inside the royal palace.
"Doffy!"
"DOFFY!"
A familiar voice suddenly echoed through the room.
Trebol, one of the highest-ranking officers of the Donquixote Family, hurried toward Doflamingo.
His expression was unusually excited.
"Doffy! Something big has happened!"
"Hm?"
Donquixote Doflamingo slowly raised his head.
He glanced toward Trebol.
"What's the matter, Trebol?"
Trebol approached him.
"It's about Crocodile!"
"Crocodile?"
Doflamingo raised an eyebrow.
"What about him?"
"He's been exposed!"
Trebol spoke excitedly.
"Sir Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was secretly responsible for inciting a rebellion in Alabasta!"
"The truth has already been revealed!"
"And because of his actions, the World Government has expelled him from the Seven Warlords!"
"Oh?"
Doflamingo's interest was piqued.
However, Trebol wasn't finished.
"And that's not all!"
"Crocodile..."
"HE'S DEAD!"
"..."
For a moment, Doflamingo stared at Trebol.
Then, a grin spread across his face.
"Fuffuffuffu..."
"Well, well..."
"To think something like that would happen."
He leaned back in his chair.
"So someone actually managed to kill that Crocodile bastard?"
His smile widened.
"Interesting."
"Who killed him?"
...
"Doffy!"
Trebol's expression became even more animated.
"You know the person who did it!"
"Hm?"
Doflamingo looked toward him.
Trebol immediately unfolded the newspaper in his hands.
Then, he placed it in front of Doflamingo.
"Take a look!"
"The man who killed Crocodile..."
"IS THE SAME MAN WHO TOOK BABY 5 AWAY!"
"...!"
Doflamingo's expression changed.
Trebol continued.
"He's also the man responsible for killing our officer, Machvise!"
"His name is Luo Qi!"
...
"What?!"
Doflamingo's brows knitted together.
He immediately grabbed the newspaper and examined it.
And when he saw the photograph and name printed there...
His expression darkened!
Luo Qi!
The man who had escaped from his grasp!
The man who had taken Baby 5 away from the Donquixote Family!
And the man who had killed Machvise!
CRACK!
Without realizing it, Doflamingo tightened his grip on the wineglass in his hand.
The glass shattered!
Fragments scattered across the floor.
However, Doflamingo paid them no attention.
His gaze remained fixed on the newspaper.
"..."
Trebol watched him carefully.
Then, he suddenly remembered something else.
"Oh, right, Doffy!"
"There's another piece of interesting information!"
"Hm?"
Doflamingo looked up.
"That kid Law has appeared too!"
"...!"
Trebol pointed toward another photograph in the newspaper.
"Look!"
"Trafalgar Law!"
"He's currently traveling with Luo Qi!"
...
For a moment, Doflamingo remained silent.
Then—
"Fuffuffuffu..."
A low laugh escaped his lips.
"Fuffuffuffuffu!"
His laughter gradually grew louder.
"Interesting!"
"How very interesting!"
Doflamingo leaned forward.
"To think those two men would actually end up together!"
His grin widened.
"Luo Qi..."
"And Trafalgar Law..."
"Fuffuffuffu!"
"Looks like I've gained yet another reason to kill Luo Qi!"
He glanced toward the newspaper again.
"Still..."
"The fact that he managed to kill Crocodile proves he possesses some genuine strength."
Doflamingo's expression grew colder.
"However..."
"Anyone who kills an officer of the Donquixote Family must pay the price!"
His voice was filled with unmistakable killing intent.
...
"Doffy."
Trebol leaned closer.
"Should we send someone after them?"
"Perhaps we could dispatch a few of our people to the first half of the Grand Line and eliminate Luo Qi before he becomes any more troublesome."
However—
"No need."
Doflamingo shook his head.
"Hm?"
Trebol looked confused.
"We're just going to let him go?"
"For now."
Doflamingo smiled.
"I have a feeling..."
"That man Luo Qi will eventually come to the New World."
He leaned back in his chair.
"And when he does..."
"We'll deal with him then."
"Fuffuffuffu!"
Trebol considered his words.
Doflamingo continued.
"Besides, there are still plenty of matters in Dressrosa that require our attention."
"We can't simply abandon everything and travel thousands of miles to the first half of the Grand Line just to hunt him down."
After all, the sea was vast.
And the Grand Line was notoriously unpredictable!
Finding one particular person somewhere along its enormous routes would be extremely difficult.
Even with the Donquixote Family's considerable influence, locating Luo Qi wouldn't necessarily be easy.
Therefore, Doflamingo had decided to wait.
Rather than wasting resources searching for Luo Qi across the first half of the Grand Line, it would be far more convenient to deal with him after he entered the New World.
Once Luo Qi approached the Donquixote Family's territory...
Finding him would become much easier.
And when that time came...
Doflamingo had no intention of letting him escape again.
"Fuffuffuffuffu!"
A sinister smile spread across the Heavenly Demon's face.
"Luo Qi..."
"Let's see how long you can keep running."
Chapter 99: The Warlords and Marine Headquarters Take Notice!New2 days ago
"Luo Qi has already grown strong enough to kill Crocodile?"
Dracule Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman, slowly lowered the newspaper in his hands.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
"Looks like my judgment wasn't wrong."
"He's certainly a promising talent in the way of the sword."
Mihawk recalled the two talented young swordsmen he'd encountered in the East Blue.
Luo Qi.
And Roronoa Zoro.
"Perhaps..."
"You're even more qualified than Zoro to challenge my black blade."
Thinking about the potential of those two young swordsmen, Mihawk's smile widened slightly.
He was becoming increasingly interested in Luo Qi's future.
...
Elsewhere.
Bartholomew Kuma.
The Warlord known as the Tyrant was also reading the latest newspaper.
"This man..."
"His growth is truly extraordinary."
Kuma's expression remained calm, but his thoughts were far from indifferent.
In such a short period, Luo Qi had developed enough strength to defeat Crocodile!
Even if he'd received assistance from his companions, such an achievement was still remarkable.
And that wasn't all.
Luo Qi had willingly risked his life to save Alabasta from Crocodile's conspiracy.
To Kuma, that suggested something important.
He seems to possess a genuine sense of justice.
Perhaps...
I could recommend him to the Revolutionary Army.
Kuma slowly raised his head toward the sky.
For once, he was seriously considering the possibility of inviting Luo Qi to join the Revolutionary Army.
...
Meanwhile.
Thriller Bark.
"KI-SHI-SHI-SHI!"
Gecko Moria stared at the newspaper in his hands and burst into laughter.
"Crocodile is dead?"
"How useless!"
"To think one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea would actually get himself killed by some upstart!"
Moria grinned mockingly.
"Crocodile really has become pathetic!"
However, after looking at Luo Qi's photograph again, another thought occurred to him.
"Still..."
"If I could get my hands on Luo Qi's shadow..."
"Perhaps it would make my zombie army a little stronger!"
"KI-SHI-SHI-SHI!"
Moria continued laughing.
...
At the same time.
On the other side of the sea.
North Blue.
Germa 66.
BANG!
Vinsmoke Judge slammed his fist against his desk!
"That bastard!"
"So he's already escaped to the Grand Line?!"
Judge stared furiously at the newspaper in front of him.
What irritated him even more was the photograph accompanying the article.
Vinsmoke Reiju!
His own daughter!
"Reiju!"
"Why the hell is she helping our enemy fight?!"
Judge's expression grew increasingly unpleasant.
"Just what did that man do to her?!"
"Did he somehow manipulate her into following him?!"
He considered the possibilities for a long time.
However, no matter how hard he thought, Judge couldn't come up with a satisfactory explanation.
Finally—
"Fine!"
"The Grand Line, is it?!"
Judge abruptly stood up.
"Then I'll personally make a trip to the Grand Line!"
With that declaration, he strode toward the door, preparing to issue orders for Germa 66 to set sail.
...
Meanwhile.
Marineford.
Marine Headquarters.
Inside a large conference room, numerous Vice Admirals had gathered for an important meeting.
Seated near the front were the three Marine Admirals.
Admiral Kizaru — Borsalino.
Admiral Akainu — Sakazuki.
Admiral Aokiji — Kuzan.
Also present were the legendary Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp, and the Great Staff Officer, Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Originally, the meeting had been convened to discuss the Marine Headquarters' response to the Four Emperors and their pirate crews in the New World.
However...
An unexpected report concerning Crocodile had completely disrupted the agenda!
At the head of the conference table, Fleet Admiral Sengoku slowly lowered the Den Den Mushi in his hand.
Then, he looked toward his assembled colleagues.
"You all heard that report just now."
"Captain Smoker has sent us information about the situation in Alabasta."
Sengoku's expression was exceptionally serious.
"Sir Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was secretly plotting to overthrow the Kingdom of Alabasta, a member nation of the World Government."
"Furthermore, he was attempting to obtain information about the ancient weapon..."
"Pluton."
The atmosphere in the conference room immediately became heavier.
Sengoku continued.
"However, Crocodile has already been killed."
"The person responsible is a bounty hunter named Luo Qi."
He looked around the room.
"So..."
"What does everyone think about this man?"
...
For a moment, the Vice Admirals exchanged glances.
However, nobody immediately spoke.
After all, this incident was far more complicated than an ordinary pirate being defeated.
Crocodile was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!
His position had been officially recognized by the World Government!
And yet, he'd secretly attempted to overthrow a nation affiliated with that very government!
If news of such a conspiracy spread throughout the world, the reputation of both the Marines and the World Government would undoubtedly suffer.
Worse still...
The person who'd resolved the crisis wasn't a Marine!
It was an independent bounty hunter with no official connection to Marine Headquarters!
Of course, Smoker and Tashigi had participated in the confrontation against Crocodile's forces.
However, anyone familiar with the incident understood what had actually happened.
Smoker had been seriously injured.
Tashigi's strength was relatively limited.
The people who'd played the decisive role were clearly Luo Qi and his companions!
In fact...
Luo Qi had even rescued Smoker from Crocodile!
The entire situation was rather embarrassing for the Marines.
...
"Well..."
Seeing that nobody was speaking, Aokiji finally broke the silence.
"Judging from the information we've received, this Luo Qi seems like a decent person."
Kuzan leaned back in his chair.
"Sure, he might have accepted the job because Alabasta promised him a reward."
"But even so..."
"Someone willing to risk his life to save an entire country can't be all bad."
He paused briefly.
"I'd say he has a genuine sense of justice."
Although Kuzan had never personally met Luo Qi, his words revealed a certain degree of approval toward the young bounty hunter.
However—
"Hmph!"
Akainu suddenly snorted.
"I don't think we should be so quick to trust him."
Sakazuki's expression remained stern.
"Although Luo Qi helped save Alabasta, his relationship with the Whitebeard Pirates is still unclear."
"According to the report, Fire Fist Ace appeared during the confrontation and actively helped him."
Akainu's eyes narrowed.
"That alone is enough to warrant suspicion."
"In my opinion, we need to conduct a thorough investigation into this Luo Qi."
The possibility that an independent bounty hunter might have connections to one of the Four Emperors was something Akainu had no intention of overlooking.
...
"Hmm..."
Kizaru slowly rubbed his chin.
"How troublesome."
Borsalino glanced toward Kuzan.
Then, he looked toward Sakazuki.
"Well, what Kuzan said makes sense..."
"But Sakazuki's concerns aren't entirely unreasonable either."
He turned toward Sengoku.
"So, Fleet Admiral Sengoku..."
"What do you think?"
"..."
The corners of Sengoku's mouth twitched.
This guy!
Both Kuzan and Sakazuki have at least expressed their own opinions!
And you, Borsalino...
You're just repeating what they said and throwing the question back at me?!
For a moment, Sengoku felt rather irritated.
However, he was already familiar with Kizaru's personality.
In the end, his dissatisfaction turned into helpless resignation.
Before he could respond—
"Ahem!"
Garp suddenly cleared his throat.
"Sengoku!"
"I think I should make a trip myself!"
"Hm?"
Sengoku turned toward him.
Garp continued.
"Since Luo Qi seems to have connections with both the Marines and pirates..."
"Wouldn't it be better if we simply recruited him into the Marines?"
He grinned.
"Once he becomes a Marine, his relationship with pirates will naturally come to an end!"
"Besides..."
"He's a rookie from the East Blue who has already managed to defeat one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
"You should understand what that means for his potential!"
Garp's expression became a little more serious.
"And if he joins the Marines, you won't have to worry about how to handle the credit for defeating Crocodile, will you?"
"..."
Hearing those words, Sengoku fell into thought.
Garp had raised an important point.
Just moments earlier, the World Government had already contacted Marine Headquarters.
Their intention was clear.
They wanted the credit for defeating Crocodile and saving Alabasta to be attributed to Smoker!
After all, the truth was deeply embarrassing.
A Warlord appointed by the World Government had attempted to overthrow one of its member nations.
And the man who'd stopped him wasn't even a Marine!
If the government publicly acknowledged that an independent bounty hunter had resolved the crisis, it would only further damage the reputation of the Marines and the World Government.
Therefore, they intended to present Smoker as the hero responsible for defeating Crocodile.
That way, at least some of their reputation could be preserved.
However...
Garp's suggestion offered another possibility!
If Luo Qi joined the Marines, there would be no need to transfer his achievements to Smoker!
They could simply credit Luo Qi directly.
After all, if Luo Qi became a Marine officer, his victory over Crocodile could naturally be counted as an accomplishment of the Marines!
It would resolve several problems at once!
...
Akainu frowned slightly.
He wasn't entirely satisfied with Garp's proposal.
However, Garp was a legendary Marine Hero.
Even Sakazuki was willing to show him a certain amount of respect.
Therefore, he didn't immediately voice his objections.
...
"That certainly is an option."
Sengoku slowly nodded.
"However, Garp..."
"You still have work to do."
"There's no need for you to make the trip yourself."
"Huh?"
Garp looked toward him.
Sengoku continued.
"Once we've finished discussing this matter, I'll personally contact Luo Qi through a Den Den Mushi."
"I'll invite him to join the Marines myself."
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku believed that if he approached Luo Qi reasonably, explained the benefits of joining the Marines, and offered him sufficient incentives, there was a genuine possibility of persuading him.
After all, Luo Qi was a bounty hunter.
He wasn't an ordinary pirate who had openly declared himself an enemy of the World Government.
Recruiting someone like him shouldn't be impossible.
However...
Sengoku wasn't particularly enthusiastic about letting Garp handle the matter.
After all, Garp's way of doing things could be rather rough!
Sometimes, the man's straightforward and forceful approach created more problems than it solved.
If Sengoku sent Garp to recruit Luo Qi, there was a chance the legendary Marine would actually make the young bounty hunter even less willing to join!
That would be counterproductive.
So Sengoku decided to handle the invitation personally.
...
After briefly discussing the remaining arrangements concerning Luo Qi, the officers finally returned their attention to the meeting's original purpose.
The Four Emperors.
The New World.
And the growing threats posed by their pirate crews.
Soon, the conference room was once again filled with discussions about the Marine Headquarters' future operations.
...
Meanwhile.
Alabasta.
Late at night.
Inside the royal palace.
"..."
Luo Qi's eyelids trembled slightly.
After sleeping for an unknown length of time, he finally began to regain consciousness.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Hm...?"
His gaze wandered around the unfamiliar room.
The surroundings were luxurious.
The bed beneath him was soft and comfortable.
And beside the bed...
A familiar blue-haired girl was resting quietly.
Princess Vivi.
"..."
Luo Qi looked at her for a moment.
Then, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"I see..."
"So I'm inside Alabasta's royal palace now?"
Chapter 100: Nami: Luo Qi, Am I Really That Useless?New2 days ago
After thinking for a moment, Luo Qi finally understood his current situation.
Vivi, who was sleeping beside his bed, had probably exhausted herself while taking care of him.
He gently lifted the blanket covering his body and touched his bandaged chest.
Perhaps it was because of Law's extraordinary medical skills.
Or perhaps it was thanks to his exceptionally powerful Physique.
Whatever the reason, Luo Qi was surprised to discover that his injuries barely hurt anymore!
Not bad.
Looks like I've recovered quite a bit.
Then, he silently issued a command.
Open Status Panel!
A familiar translucent screen immediately appeared before him.
[CHALLENGER STATUS]
Name: Luo Qi
Age: 25
Physique: 10,500
Points: 4,560
Abilities: Intermediate Observation Haki, Intermediate Armament Haki...
Companions:
Baby 5 — Combatant
Trafalgar Law — Doctor
Bepo — Helmsman
Vinsmoke Reiju — Captain's Assistant (Silver-tier)
Nami — Navigator
Nojiko — Cook
Active Objectives:
Defeat Bronze-tier enemies: 7/20
Defeat Black Iron-tier enemies: 2/15
Defeat Silver-tier enemies: 1/10
Eliminate the Seven Warlords of the Sea: 1/7
Fleet Level: 2
Maximum Crew Capacity: 10
"Hm?"
Luo Qi raised an eyebrow.
My Observation Haki has actually advanced to the Intermediate level too?
Its detection range and observational precision have both increased significantly?
He couldn't help feeling pleasantly surprised.
The improvement in his Armament Haki was something he'd already expected.
After all, he'd received a Silver Treasure Chest for becoming the first challenger to kill one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
And the reward from that treasure chest had been Intermediate Armament Haki!
However...
Observation Haki?
When did that improve?
Luo Qi frowned thoughtfully.
Then, something suddenly occurred to him.
Wait a minute...
Could it have happened when I was searching for the bomb in Alabasta's capital?
He clearly remembered what had happened.
At the time, he'd been desperately trying to locate the bomb before it exploded.
As the deadline approached, he'd pushed his Observation Haki beyond its limits.
And then...
Its detection range had suddenly expanded dramatically!
So that wasn't just a temporary increase?
My Observation Haki actually broke through to a higher level!
The more Luo Qi thought about it, the more reasonable the explanation seemed.
After all, in the original One Piece story, Usopp had awakened Observation Haki during an extremely dangerous situation in Dressrosa.
If Usopp could awaken Observation Haki under extreme pressure, then it wasn't particularly strange for Luo Qi to improve his own Observation Haki in similar circumstances.
Not bad at all!
A satisfied smile appeared on Luo Qi's face.
After setting that matter aside, he clenched his fists and carefully examined the strength of his newly enhanced body.
Then, he decided to test another ability.
Armament Haki!
Whoosh!
An invisible force rapidly surged into his arm!
His originally fair skin suddenly began darkening.
And within moments—
His entire arm turned completely black!
"..."
Luo Qi stared at his arm with considerable interest.
"So this is what Intermediate Armament Haki looks like when used for hardening."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"Finally..."
"I've reached this level."
A delighted smile spread across his face.
Previously, although Luo Qi could already use Armament Haki, he hadn't been able to perform visible hardening.
He could coat his weapons and attacks with Haki, but he couldn't turn his skin completely black the way experienced Armament Haki users could.
Now, however...
Things were different!
Although he hadn't tested his new abilities in an actual battle yet, Luo Qi estimated that the offensive power of his Armament Haki had increased by at least twice as much!
Hehehe.
Looks like killing Crocodile really was worth it.
...
However, while Luo Qi was happily examining his new abilities, the viewers watching from the real world were completely dumbfounded!
After all, his arm had suddenly turned black right before their eyes!
[HOLY SHIT!]
[BROTHER QI'S ARM JUST TURNED BLACK!]
[WAIT! DON'T TELL ME THE POISON STILL HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY REMOVED?!]
[What kind of nonsense are you talking about?! Didn't you hear Brother Qi say it was because of Armament Haki?!]
[I heard him, but I still don't really understand how it works!]
[So this is what happens when Armament Haki reaches a higher level?!]
[Exactly! Remember that Silver Treasure Chest Brother Qi opened? He received an Armament Haki upgrade from it!]
[With his current strength, I honestly think Brother Qi could completely dominate another Warlord!]
[I don't know whether he can dominate every Warlord, but one thing is certain...]
[BROTHER QI JUST GOT EVEN MORE AWESOME!]
...
After spending some time familiarizing himself with his current strength, Luo Qi finally deactivated his Armament Haki.
His arm gradually returned to its normal appearance.
Then, he picked up a coat lying nearby and draped it over his shoulders.
Once he'd finished dressing, he turned toward Vivi.
The blue-haired princess was still sleeping beside his bed.
Seeing her exhausted expression, Luo Qi couldn't help smiling.
Looks like she's been taking care of me for quite a while.
He reached out, intending to help her onto the bed so she could rest more comfortably.
However, just as he was about to touch her—
Tap! Tap! Tap!
A series of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the room!
Then—
"LUO QI!"
A familiar voice rang out!
"YOU'RE AWAKE!"
Baby 5 appeared in the doorway!
She was carrying a tray filled with delicious-looking food.
The moment she saw Luo Qi sitting upright, her face lit up with delight!
She immediately hurried toward him.
If she hadn't been carrying the tray, Luo Qi had absolutely no doubt that she would have thrown herself straight into his arms!
"Hehehe."
Luo Qi smiled warmly.
"Good morning, Baby 5."
He reached out and took the tray from her hands.
Then, he glanced toward the doorway.
Two more familiar figures had entered the room.
Nami!
And Nojiko!
Just like Baby 5, both women were carrying trays of food.
...
"Hm...?"
Perhaps because Baby 5's excited shout had disturbed her sleep, Vivi finally began waking up.
She rubbed her eyes and slowly raised her head.
Then, she noticed Luo Qi sitting on the edge of the bed.
"...!"
Her eyes immediately widened.
"Captain Luo Qi!"
"You're awake!"
Seeing that he was conscious and apparently recovering well, Vivi let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness..."
Luo Qi smiled at her.
Then, he looked toward Baby 5, Nami, and Nojiko.
"Did you prepare all this food for me?"
"Of course!"
Nojiko smiled brightly.
"I brought Nami and Baby 5 along to help me prepare it."
She placed her tray on a nearby dining table.
"After everything you went through during that battle, I figured you'd be starving when you woke up."
"So I decided to make you something delicious."
Nojiko chuckled.
"I just didn't expect you to wake up right as we arrived!"
After she set down her tray, Nami and Baby 5 also placed the food they'd brought onto the table.
Before long, an impressive spread of dishes was waiting for Luo Qi.
"Perfect timing!"
Luo Qi grinned.
"I really am hungry!"
He casually pulled out a chair and sat down.
Then, he looked toward the women.
"Don't just stand there."
"Come on, everyone. Let's eat together!"
However, Baby 5 shook her head.
"You go ahead, Luo Qi!"
"We've already eaten!"
"Is that so?"
Luo Qi nodded.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
He really was starving!
After using so much energy fighting Crocodile, nearly dying from poison, and desperately searching for the bomb, his body was practically demanding food!
Without further hesitation, he began eating heartily!
...
"Oh, right."
After taking several bites, Luo Qi suddenly remembered something.
"Where are Reiju and the others?"
"Why haven't I seen them?"
"Miss Reiju and Bepo went to Rainbase."
Vivi approached and sat beside him.
Resting her chin on her hands, she watched Luo Qi eat with a happy smile.
"As for Law, he's currently helping treat people who were injured during the rebellion."
"I see."
Luo Qi nodded.
However, he soon looked puzzled.
"Wait..."
"Why did Reiju and Bepo go to Crocodile's territory?"
Hearing this, Vivi suddenly looked a little embarrassed.
"Well..."
"Miss Reiju said Crocodile probably had quite a lot of treasure hidden away."
"So she wanted to go there and investigate."
Vivi's cheeks turned slightly red.
"After all..."
"Our kingdom really doesn't have that many Berries available right now."
"Miss Reiju thought that if she could find some treasure or valuable items in Crocodile's possession, we might be able to use those instead."
She hesitated briefly before continuing.
"Oh, and..."
"Miss Reiju also said we shouldn't let Smoker and the Marines get their hands on Crocodile's treasure before we do."
"..."
Luo Qi blinked.
Then he smiled.
Hehehe.
Not bad, Reiju!
He wholeheartedly agreed with her decision!
After all, he'd gone through an enormous amount of trouble to defeat Crocodile.
He'd even nearly lost his life in the process!
There was absolutely no reason to let the Marines come along afterward and confiscate all of Crocodile's wealth!
I worked hard to defeat that bastard.
Why should the Marines get to collect his treasure?
The thought alone was ridiculous!
Luo Qi nodded approvingly.
Then, he suddenly turned toward Nami.
"Speaking of which, Nami..."
"Hm?"
Nami looked at him.
"Why didn't you go with Reiju and Bepo?"
Luo Qi smiled teasingly.
"I thought you loved Berries more than anything."
"Shouldn't you be the first person rushing off to search Crocodile's treasure vault?"
"..."
Nami smiled faintly.
"Reiju and Bepo should be enough."
She glanced toward him.
"Besides, I figured it would be better if more people stayed here to take care of you."
"I see."
Luo Qi nodded.
However...
Something about Nami's smile bothered him.
Unlike her usual cheerful expression, the smile on her face seemed somewhat bitter.
There was even a faint trace of sadness in her eyes.
Luo Qi immediately noticed the difference.
He frowned slightly.
"Nami."
"Hm?"
"Is something bothering you?"
"..."
Nami lowered her head.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then, she slowly shook her head.
"It's not that anything particularly troublesome happened..."
Her voice became quieter.
"It's just..."
She pressed her lips together.
Then, after hesitating for a moment, she finally looked toward Luo Qi.
"Hey, Luo Qi..."
"Am I..."
"Am I really that useless?"
"...?"
Luo Qi stared at her in surprise.
Nami lowered her head again.
"Whenever there's a battle..."
"I can't do anything to help."
Her hands tightened slightly.
"Everyone else can fight."
"Baby 5 can fight."
"Law can fight."
"Reiju and Bepo can fight too."
"But me..."
"I can't do anything."
Her voice trembled.
"If I were stronger..."
"If I could fight alongside everyone else..."
Nami slowly raised her eyes toward Luo Qi.
They were filled with guilt.
"Maybe you wouldn't have been hurt so badly."