Chapter 235: The Red Meteor That Pierced Through the New World!
Time passed.
After three hours of selection, Akatsuki chose around a thousand fishmen to board the ships—most of them skilled craftsmen.
She then departed with them.
Those who weren't selected were disappointed but didn't complain—there would be a next time… and a time after that.
Except Fisher Tiger was dumbfounded. He thought he was strong enough, but somehow an elderly craftsman had been chosen over him.
"What do I do…"
Tiger hesitated, turning back toward Fishman District, then stopping again.
"I promised Jinbe and the others I'd come back and take them to the island."
"If I go back now, I'll be breaking that promise!"
Blushing, he still didn't dare return—not just because of the promise, but because of pride. He'd just made big declarations, only to be rejected. Walking back home in shame was just too much.
"Maybe… I could go on my own!" His eyes lit up. After all, didn't Big Brother Fat Tiger and the others also set off to find Princess Akatsuki by themselves?
"I'll do the same. And I'll make it part of my own adventure."
And with that, Tiger left Fishman Island alone, venturing into the endless seas.
...
New World
Calm Belt
Luo Han hovered in midair. Below him, fifty Sea Kings—each over 4,000 meters long—gathered together.
These were newly controlled using Bie Tianshen over the past few days.
"Groups of five. Once you find the lantern fish, leave one to notify me."
His voice rang coldly in their minds. "The rest of you—go in and kill it. Tear it apart. No mercy!"
"Understood, Boss!" Several childlike voices responded in unison.
"Go!" Luo Han commanded.
A wave of spiritual energy spread out. The fifty Sea Kings split into ten teams and scattered in all directions to search.
"Still not enough…"
Luo Han's eyes narrowed. He continued traveling along the Calm Belt. Every few miles, he would control fifty more Sea Kings to search the surrounding seas.
...
One year later
Luo Han had completed an entire circuit of the Calm Belt in the New World, effectively sealing it off with his Sea King legions.
If the lantern fish was within the New World or tried to pass through the Calm Belt, it would be found.
And when it was… it would experience the terror of a thousand Sea Kings attacking all at once.
Because Luo Han had later changed his orders: no need to notify him—kill first, then report.
Even after commanding so many, there was still no trace. Luo Han's patience began to crack.
At first, he'd wanted to control the lantern fish. Now, he just wanted to find it and kill it.
After a moment of reflection—
"Time to check the other Calm Belt."
With that, Luo Han flew toward the other side of the New World, continuing his Sea King control operation.
...
Meanwhile
Akatsuki had also been searching for a long time.
One day, she arrived at a calm stretch of sea to continue her hunt for the lantern fish.
Flying at a steady pace high above the surface, she suddenly paused.
Crackle! Sparks danced across her body. She maintained partial elemental form, hovering midair.
"This shouldn't be a Sea Beast nest…"
She frowned. The water here wasn't deep. The surroundings were flat, except for one area—a thousand-meter-high undersea mountain.
Many Sea Beasts were resting around it, along with large fish species, all coexisting peacefully.
As the mermaid princess of Fishman Island, Akatsuki knew these waters well. That many large predators peacefully coexisting was unheard of.
"Something must be attracting them."
That mountain, maybe?
Using her Observation Haki, she scanned the area—but sensed nothing unusual.
She was about to leave—curiosity only goes so far. Finding the lantern fish was her priority.
Crackle! She resumed flying forward, Haki expanded to its max range.
Just as she was about to fly out of range of the mountain—
Her brows furrowed. She stopped again.
"Was that… movement?"
"No. I'm sure I saw it move. My Observation Haki isn't wrong."
Because of her fishman heritage and unique traits, Akatsuki's Observation Haki allowed her to perceive shapes underwater.
She was sure—something had moved.
She waited. She didn't even know why. She just felt that if she left now, she'd miss something important.
Five minutes passed. She suddenly saw it in the future—within five minutes, the mountain would split open at its sides, then close again.
"A Sea King?"
She guessed.
In the vision, the opening resembled gills, like a fish breathing.
Five minutes later, she hovered above the underwater mountain.
Rumble... A deep sound echoed from below. The mountain split slightly, and something was expelled from within.
"It's just like in the vision... but still…"
She grew even more confused.
It must be a Sea King—but her Haki picked up no sound, no sign of life. It was like sensing a real mountain.
Crackle… A white thunder spear formed in her hand.
"If it's a Sea King, we'll know soon enough."
She lifted the ten-meter spear high above her head—and thrust it downward.
Whoosh! A white streak pierced the sea.
BOOM! Crackle! The moment it hit, it exploded like an underwater thunderstorm. A blinding, hundred-meter-wide lightning sphere lit up the depths.
Then—RUMBLE! The mountain shuddered. Muck slid off, revealing mottled brown skin beneath.
A moment later, the middle of the "mountain" split open into a massive black maw, sucking in nearby stunned sea creatures.
Then something golden and round emerged—radiating blinding light even in the deep sea.
Akatsuki's eyes sparkled with tears of joy.
"I finally found you… lantern fish!"
Now that its mouth was open, she could sense its life force clearly. The size and shape matched Luo Han's description.
"No wonder Luo Han couldn't find you after four years…!"
Based on her Observation Haki, she realized: when this creature stayed still with its mouth shut, it gave off no life signals. You simply couldn't detect it.
And once covered in mud, it was just a mountain.
She'd only noticed it because of a subtle gill movement—and her gut told her to stay.
That instinct had paid off.
"I need to tell Luo Han right away!"
She reached behind her—then froze.
She'd forgotten her Den Den Mushi.
"…And Luo Han doesn't carry one either."
Disaster.
She had snuck out alone after Sora warned her: the lantern fish could drive the Celestial Dragons mad.
She didn't bring a Den Den Mushi in case someone overheard her.
"What do I do now?!"
Luo Han hadn't returned in a long time. Everyone knew how important the lantern fish was to him.
Nobody pressured him to come back. They all just hoped silently.
Below her, the lantern fish—having sensed no danger—settled back down. Its massive tail stirred, and like an excavator, it began covering itself with mud again.
Soon, it looked just like before.
"It didn't leave!"
Akatsuki's eyes lit up—but then she shook her head.
"I still can't go. I have to stay and keep watch. This is too important!"
Luo Han can't afford any more setbacks. She had to make sure nothing went wrong.
"There's only one option left…"
She took off the ocean-blue ring from her finger. It was beautiful.
"Please… get here fast."
She clenched her hand.
Crack… crack! The ring cracked.
Snap! It shattered into seawater and dropped into her palm.
...
At the same time
Luo Han, mid-flight, froze.
He immediately summoned a Vivre Card—Akatsuki's.
He had a card for everyone who received a ring, just in case one broke.
It also let him monitor their life signs.
"Good. No immediate danger."
But with her strength, for Akatsuki to break the ring… she must be in serious trouble.
He narrowed his eyes. He was about to fly off—but hesitated.
The Vivre Card kept drifting downward—too imprecise at high altitude.
He descended to about 100 meters above sea level and checked again.
Then, with a thought, he formed a conical telekinetic shield.
BOOM! With a sonic boom, he blasted forward at Mach 3 toward Akatsuki's direction.
"So far, the direction hasn't changed."
That wasn't good.
If someone had managed to trap a Rumble Fruit user like Akatsuki, either they had overwhelming numbers—or a barrier-type power that neutralized her mobility.
"Either way, she's in danger. I need to get there—fast!"
His eyes gleamed.
He fully immersed himself in controlling his psychic flight.
Faster… faster… FASTER!
With his singular focus, friction between his shield and the air ignited flames.
Luo Han became a streaking red meteor, flying just 100 meters above the ocean.
But he wasn't at max speed yet.
...
New World
A peaceful sea. A pirate ship sailed along.
Up in the crow's nest, a lookout scanned the horizon.
Suddenly, a red light flashed across his vision—and grew larger.
And it was coming straight for them.
"Captain! Captain!!" he shouted, pointing to their port side. "There's a meteor headed this way!"
"A meteor? Where?!" The captain grabbed a telescope.
"It's real…" he began—but then the red meteor streaked overhead, just 80 meters above.
"So fast…" the lookout whispered in awe.
Boom… boom… A strange rumble followed.
The lookout turned—and wet himself.
Behind the meteor's trail, the sea looked like a giant serpent had smashed through it. The water dropped a hundred meters deep in a long, wide line, waves surging outward.
"This is bad—!"
He didn't even finish the thought before the pressure wave hit.
Their ship shattered under the sudden downward force. Pirates vomited blood from the shock.
As they floated amid debris, barely alive—
"Wait… why is it getting darker?"
"What the hell is that!?"
A giant tsunami loomed behind the shockwave.
Before it hit, gale-force winds lifted them into the air—then threw them into the wave.
The tsunami grew with every island it passed, consuming five islands in total.
A red beam pierced a mountaintop.
The moment people wondered what it was, a pressure wave flattened buildings—then a 500-meter wave swallowed everything.
...
Luo Han had no idea. His speed left devastation in his wake.
He only focused on one thing: Akatsuki's Vivre Card.
"Almost there…"
Up ahead, a massive white whale-shaped ship sailed slowly. It was directly in his path.
The Moby Dick.
The Whitebeard Pirates were having a banquet.
Minutes later—
Whitebeard stood, frowning.
"What is that?"
A red glow grew on the sea's horizon.
BOOM! He leapt to the bow.
"Pops?!"
Marco and the others followed, startled.
The glow grew to the size of a basketball.
"Prepare for battle!" Whitebeard roared. "Whatever it is—it's dangerous!"
"Yes, Pops!" Marco responded, eyes sharp.
"It's here!"
Just as Whitebeard raised his fist—
The red meteor passed 70 meters overhead.
"…"
He silently lowered his fist.
Then—
Boom boom! Wind howled.
Without hesitation, Whitebeard punched forward. The atmosphere shattered like glass.
"Pops…" Marco started to ask—
BOOM! A shockwave slammed into them, splitting in two around the ship.
Water to either side dropped 100 meters.
"What… was that?"
"Had to be that red streak!"
Just as the sea calmed, Whitebeard shouted again.
"Not over yet!"
The sky darkened.
A 1,000-meter tsunami approached.
"This is bad…" Marco panicked. They weren't strong enough to stop it.
Wind hit first.
Whitebeard braced, then punched again.
Crack! The shockwave shattered the wind.
Still not enough—the wave loomed closer.
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed. With a second punch—
Whomp… Space rippled like water.
The tsunami froze.
Then—CRASH! It collapsed, waves surging but dissipating.
...
After passing Whitebeard, Luo Han flew for thirty more minutes.
Flash! He stopped twenty meters in front of Akatsuki.
"Hm? No enemies?"
He scanned the area—nothing. Just Akatsuki.
"Luo Han!" she cried, rushing into his arms. "I found it, I—"
She stopped. Her senses flared.
Pressure approached fast. Lightning sparked across her body.
"Relax," Luo Han said calmly, halting the wind and wave with a thought.
Everything went still.
He looked at her. "What's going on? You broke the ring—I thought you were in danger."
"I found it!" she pointed downward, eyes gleaming. "I found the lantern fish—it's right below!"
Lantern fish!
Luo Han was overjoyed.
He scanned below—then frowned.
He turned to her, speechless.
"…Are you messing with me? There's no lantern fish down there."
(END CHAPTER)
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