Chapter 234: Can You Withstand This Strike That Costs Ten Years of Life?
Late at night.
After the banquet had ended…
The Penguin slowly departed from the central plaza, flying toward the lake at the heart of Ark Island.
On board were only Luo Han and Akatsuki.
Luo Han was heading off to fulfill his "silent support" duty as the man behind Queen Akatsuki.
Boom! Splash! The Penguin gently landed on the lake's surface, sending ripples across the still water.
...
Time passed quietly as the ship floated without a sound or sway.
Beneath the white moonlight, Luo Han sat cross-legged on the deck, eyes closed, his consciousness delving deep into his body.
Akatsuki watched from the side, her shy expression gradually turning anxious.
"Luo Han… maybe let's not… Don't push yourself too hard," she said worriedly.
Luo Han had declared he would "get bigger," to make her truly a woman.
But it had already been over thirty minutes and there was no change. She feared he might injure himself by pushing too far.
If anything went wrong, Ellis would definitely go berserk and come after her.
But Luo Han didn't hear her—his mind was deep within his body, unwavering in his pursuit.
This was a matter of pride. A man's resolve—he could not back down!
Thankfully, time wasn't wasted. Just as Akatsuki finished speaking, Luo Han opened his eyes.
"Whew… finally done."
He exhaled deeply. Controlling physical growth with mind powers was way more complicated than expected.
He had to cover every cell in his body with his consciousness. Otherwise, when enlarging himself, his face might grow lopsided—or worse.
"Did it fail?" Akatsuki asked, seeing no change. "It's okay, we can try again. I'm not going anywhere."
Fail? Never. Don't underestimate a man's willpower.
"Back up a bit," Luo Han instructed.
Akatsuki nodded and stepped back over ten meters.
"Mind-guided growth… begin!"
With a silent command, his mental power surged. His body began to tremble violently, as though gathering energy.
After about a minute, he stopped shaking.
Then—just like Ellis growing trees—his body visibly began to grow.
Crack! Crack! His clothes tore apart entirely. Perhaps he hadn't paid for the DLC, because no underwear appeared.
After a minute, Luo Han stopped expanding.
Now, standing on the deck was a 15-meter-tall giant Luo Han. Though a bit awkward looking, it was unmistakably him.
"It really worked!" Akatsuki exclaimed.
Even though he'd said it would, seeing it with her own eyes left her stunned. This wasn't a Zoan transformation—this was done purely through his own power.
Amazing.
But… something felt off.
Akatsuki, standing behind Luo Han, frowned. If he'd grown just for that reason, why was he standing still so calmly now?
"Luo Han, you—" She circled around and gasped. "What happened?!"
"Akatsuki," Luo Han said solemnly. "You better treat me nicely from now on. Do you know what I gave up to make you a woman?"
"Ten years!" he groaned. "Just for this one night!"
Akatsuki's expression shifted. She rushed over and grabbed his hand. "Come on. Let's go find the lantern fish—now!"
"No rush." Luo Han smiled and pulled her into his arms.
Since he'd already sacrificed so much, how could he not go through with the moment?
He was determined.
"Let go!" Akatsuki protested. "You're already this weak, and you're still thinking about that?!"
She struggled in vain and pleaded, "Please, Luo Han. Let's go find the lantern fish. If anything happens to you, it'll be my fault. I never should've agreed to this."
Akatsuki was furious with herself. She shouldn't have accepted his offer. They should've waited until he recovered.
Now his already-limited lifespan was ten years shorter… because of her.
And Luo Han…!
Tears fell from her eyes.
She hadn't cried since childhood.
"Alright, enough." Luo Han saw her tears and softened. "Don't worry. As long as I stay in this form, I'll be fine for at least twenty more years."
"Only twenty?!" Akatsuki's guilt deepened. Her tears flowed harder, like decades of sorrow finally bursting out.
Sigh Luo Han was also resigned. He hadn't expected that enlarging his body would cost him lifespan.
But it made sense. Cells can only divide a finite number of times. Unlike Zoan users, his rapid growth burned through those divisions.
Worst of all—he couldn't shrink back. That would also consume cell divisions.
Ten years lost… was just his guess. He didn't really know how much he'd used up.
Truly, desire is a double-edged sword. The ancients were right.
"Let's go to bed," Luo Han said, patting her back. "It's kind of chilly out here."
"You…" Akatsuki was flustered. "I'm not doing that again!"
"…"
Luo Han was innocent. "I meant just sleep. Do you want me to sleep naked out here on the deck?"
Uh… she glanced at the naked, oversized Luo Han and turned red. Okay, maybe not the best idea.
"Fine, let's go inside," she muttered.
...
Inside Akatsuki's large cabin
The two lay on the massive bed.
"Can you really find the lantern fish soon?" Akatsuki asked again.
"Definitely," Luo Han promised. "We've searched the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line. Only the New World is left. It has to be here."
"Alright," she said. "Then let me go with you. I can use future-sight Observation Haki. We'll have a better chance together."
"No need," Luo Han interrupted. "Let's sleep. I'll leave early tomorrow without saying goodbye to the others—less suspicious that way."
He added, "Don't tell anyone what happened. Pretend nothing happened at all."
Then he closed his eyes, refusing to continue the conversation.
"…"
Akatsuki had no choice. She turned and hugged him tightly, closing her eyes as well.
But she'd already decided. After bringing her people from Fishman Island, she'd go searching herself.
Luo Han had already told her what the lantern fish looked like.
If she could find it first—it would change everything.
With that hope in her heart, she drifted off to sleep.
...
Next morning
Luo Han ignored the "sleeping" Akatsuki in bed.
With a thought, he summoned his long-unused white telekinetic cloak to cover himself—still no underwear DLC, but the cloak was enough.
"I'm off," he said to her, then quietly left the room.
Stepping onto the deck, Luo Han blasted into the sky like a white flash of sword light.
Once he was gone, Akatsuki rose from the bed.
She needed to tell Ellis and the others about Luo Han's sudden departure.
Island Eight — where the others had rested last night.
Akatsuki informed Ellis that Luo Han had left early to continue his search for the lantern fish.
No one questioned it.
Then Akatsuki hurried off with Sora, a few fishmen, Ochoku (Wang Zhi), and Kyo (Silver Axe) —heading to Fishman Island.
From above, Ellis watched the departing ships with a strange feeling.
"Akatsuki seemed… anxious," she thought.
Still, since Akatsuki wasn't pestering her about Chaos Armament Haki, she brushed it off and returned to Ark Island.
Tucker had been sent out by her anyway. She wasn't planning on managing much herself.
She'd just quietly wait for Luo Han to return.
...
Meanwhile—
From dawn, Luo Han had been flying across the New World, frantically scanning for Sea Kings.
Any over 3,000 meters long were immediately hit with Bie Tianshen to control them and enlist them in the search.
But Bie Tianshen wasn't unlimited. The power needed to be recharged over time in his mental world.
With his current strength, he could control about eleven Sea Kings a day.
Even after using up Bie Tianshen, Luo Han didn't stop. He flew at full speed, spiritual senses fully open.
Still… one month passed.
"Damn it! Is the lantern fish programmed to only appear when the plot starts?!"
He was getting anxious. His confidence—once rock-solid—was cracking.
"Keep searching!"
No use panicking. Luo Han pushed on, even diving into the Calm Belt to search.
"I don't believe it. I'll control every Sea King in this ocean if I have to!"
With that resolve, he continued.
...
Fishman Island
Between travel and coating the ships, it took Akatsuki a month to return—much longer than usual.
When traveling with Luo Han, the journey between the Grand Line and New World took only days.
Now… it had taken a full month. Even Akatsuki was surprised.
...
"Hey, you headed to Blue Demon Plaza too?"
"Yeah!"
"Word is Princess Akatsuki's back—with huge news! She's found a suitable island in the New World for the fishmen!"
"She's taking a group to start building our new home!"
"Let's hurry—spots might be limited!"
...
Akatsuki's return shook the entire Fishman Island.
People flocked to Blue Demon Plaza.
Fishman District
Crowds gathered there too.
In a narrow alley, a group of young fishmen surrounded a red-skinned fishman.
"Big Brother Tiger!"
"Take us with you! We want to follow Princess Akatsuki too!"
Sigh—the red-skinned fishman, Fisher Tiger, patted their heads and said, "Jinbei, you and the others are still too young. I'll come back for you when you're older."
"Nothing's certain yet. Let me scout first and see if what Princess Akatsuki said is true."
"I promise—if we really have a home out there, I'll return for you. I swear on my honor."
"…"
Seeing how serious he was, Jinbei and the others looked at their small hands and bodies. They stepped back, disappointed.
"You have to come back for us, Big Brother Tiger!"
Tiger paused, then raised an "OK" hand sign behind him, making them all smile again.
...
At the site where Luo Han had once defeated Captain John, a massive 100-meter coral statue now stood.
It had a nine-step base, each a meter high.
Akatsuki sat on one of the steps. Sora, Ochoku (Wang Zhi), and others lounged nearby.
"Eight years have passed," Akatsuki murmured, gazing at the statue. "They actually built one this big for Luo Han."
She hadn't expected it. A race that once hated humans and pirates… had erected a monument to honor a human pirate.
The statue depicted Luo Han pointing forward with two fingers—exactly the pose he struck before firing the golden spear that killed Captain John.
Clearly, this was how the fishmen chose to honor his legacy.
...
Time passed.
Four hours after Akatsuki's return, the plaza was packed.
Many fishmen couldn't even get in—so they stood on coral reefs around it.
"There they are—Ochoku (Wang Zhi)and Kyo (Silver Axe) ! They were legends like Captain John!"
"Can't believe it's true—they really serve under Princess Akatsuki now."
"There's a bunch of humans in her crew too!"
"And they all get along!"
"Maybe… we really can be friends with humans."
"Yeah…"
...
Hearing these comments, Akatsuki's heart eased. Though some disapproved of her bringing humans, most supported her.
When the crowd was full, Akatsuki gave the order: "Hand out the photos."
"Yes, Captain!"
Her crew opened crates and passed out stacks of photos into the crowd.
They were images of Island Five—both wide shots and close-ups.
After Luo Han offered a permanent island to the fishmen, Akatsuki had chosen Island Five, the first one she visited.
She had her people photograph it in advance, knowing pictures would be more convincing than words.
But—
"What is this?"
"Sabaody Archipelago?"
The photos puzzled many.
Sabaody was both a dream and a nightmare. Many fishmen had been captured and sold there.
Why was Princess Akatsuki showing that?
Had she conquered Sabaody? That didn't seem likely.
...
An hour later, most had seen the photos.
The plaza buzzed with confusion. Akatsuki waited for it to peak.
Then she spoke loudly:
"You're wondering why I showed you pictures of Sabaody."
"That's not Sabaody."
"That is an island in the New World—a new home for fishmen!"
BOOM! The plaza exploded with excitement.
A new Sabaody! A new dream—one they could actually live in.
"I'm going!" someone roared. It was Fisher Tiger.
"Princess Akatsuki, I want to live on that island!"
His declaration lit a fire in the crowd.
"I'm going too!"
"Me too!"
Akatsuki raised her hand for silence. "It's a new island—no one's lived there. We haven't even named it yet."
"I need architects, designers, planners to help build it first."
"After that, we'll bring people over in waves."
"If you have those skills, sign up with Fat Tiger up front. We depart in three hours."
"I'm an interior designer!"
"I'm a carpenter!"
...
One after another, they stepped forward.
"Sora," Akatsuki said, "watch things here. I'm going to see my father."
"Got it," Sora nodded.
ZAP! A flash of lightning—Akatsuki vanished.
No one was surprised. They were used to it.
...
High above Blue Demon Plaza, the aging King Ryugu and Neptune floated in the air.
ZAP! Akatsuki appeared before them.
"Father!"
She stood silently, gazing at her elderly father with sorrow in her eyes.
Neptune scowled. She hadn't even looked at him—eight years apart, and she didn't say a word.
"Is it true?" King Ryugu asked with a trembling voice.
"Yes…" Akatsuki hesitated. "The island was made using Sister Ellis's power."
"A Devil Fruit ability?" he frowned. "Then you can't take people there. If something happens to the user—"
"No!" Akatsuki quickly explained. "Her power accelerates plant growth. She doesn't create them. The island won't disappear."
"It will last."
Sigh "I can't stop you," the king said. "Just don't let them down."
He looked down at his people with weary eyes, then called Neptune.
The two drifted away toward the palace.
Neptune looked back several times, hoping she'd say something.
She never did.
Sigh He shook his head and flew away.
...
(END CHAPTER)
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