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One Piece: Learn Conqueror's Haki Infusion
Ch. 36 / 554
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#36Adjusting the practice plan
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Chapter 36 Adjusting the Cultivation Plan
On the deck of the going merry.
Lin Ning glanced at everyone, first looking at Nami and Usopp.
He shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Your foundations are too weak; you haven't even reached the threshold of the Body Tempering Technique."
"Wh-what?!" Nami's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief, "I exercise every day! How could I not have reached the threshold?"
Usopp also panicked and quickly shouted: "Exactly! I'm the strongest sniper; there's nothing wrong with my physical fitness!"
"Stop making excuses," Lin Ning snorted coldly.
"Starting today, your physical training will be doubled. Running, push-ups, weight training... everything will be increased.
Additionally, try to practice Observation Haki. Although you won't see results in a short time, the training of mental will cannot be neglected."
Nami and Usopp immediately wailed: "This is practically asking for our lives!"
Regarding the training of mental will, it still requires being baptized by Lin Ning's Haoshoku, just like before.
Lin Ning is responsible for precisely controlling and oppressing everyone with Haoshoku, while Luffy chooses to use Haoshoku for defense, covering everyone.
This way, everyone can get sufficient mental training, and the intensity can be adjusted at any time.
Lin Ning ignored their complaints and turned to Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji:
"Your three training plans, daily mental will exercises, and Body Tempering Technique practice remain unchanged.
However, the training of Armament Haki and Observation Haki must be carried out simultaneously.
Additionally, 'Moonwalk' from the Six Powers is a mandatory skill.
Especially Luffy, your shortcomings are too obvious; Moonwalk can compensate for your deficiencies. This is a key point."
Luffy scratched his head, full of confusion: "What is Moonwalk?"
"Simply put, it allows you to walk in the air," Lin Ning patiently explained.
"There are countless strong individuals on the Grand Line, and some places are unreachable with your Rubber-Rubber Fruit abilities.
For example, the sea. You are a Devil Fruit User, and if you fall into the sea, it's over.
Mastering Moonwalk can greatly increase your flexibility and prevent you from being restricted by terrain."
"Wow! Walking in the air! That sounds so cool!" Luffy's eyes immediately lit up, eager to try, "I must learn it!"
"Don't get too excited too soon," Lin Ning said coldly.
"Moonwalk training is very difficult. Without strong physical support, you won't even touch the basics."
At this point, Lin Ning pulled something out of his pocket—a cold, metallic fragment, which was a piece of Sea Stone from the tip of Smoker's jitte.
Lin Ning had specifically collected it when he cut Smoker's jitte, intending to train Luffy's resistance to Sea Stone.
"This is..." Zoro's gaze sharpened, and he said in a low voice, "Sea Stone?"
"That's right," Lin Ning nodded, "In Loguetown, I specifically collected it. Luffy, this is for you."
"For me?!" Luffy looked surprised, "Are you kidding me! This thing will make me completely powerless!"
"Precisely because of that, it's for you," Lin Ning handed the Sea Stone fragment to Luffy, his gaze stern.
"If you want to become the Pirate King, the strongest in the world, you cannot have any weaknesses.
A strong person's weakness will be infinitely magnified in the eyes of other strong people. At that time, your weakness will kill you."
Luffy opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but seeing Lin Ning's stern expression, he finally closed it.
He took the Sea Stone fragment and immediately felt all his strength drain away as if it had been sucked out, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Ah... I can't... I can't move!" Luffy wailed loudly, his face miserable.
"Get up and try!" Lin Ning shouted coldly.
"Practicing the Body Tempering Technique in this state can yield twice the results with half the effort.
You must learn to adapt to the suppression of Sea Stone until you can ignore its effects!"
Luffy was full of reluctance, but he ultimately gritted his teeth and stood up.
His legs trembled as he painstakingly adopted the Body Tempering Technique stance and began his training.
"What a madman..." Sanji sighed, then turned to Lin Ning, "But, the madman's words actually make some sense."
Zoro nodded, a cold smirk on his lips: "Quite interesting. I'd like to see how long this guy can last."
Nami and Usopp, on the other hand, watched Luffy struggling on the ground with horrified expressions, seemingly foreseeing their own futures.
On the deck, Lin Ning stood with his back to the sun, his gaze coldly sweeping over Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy.
He tightened his grip slightly on his halberd, his tone calm yet undeniable.
"You three, listen carefully. For the upcoming training, you must give it your all.
After one round of Body Tempering Technique practice, the focus will be on Armament Haki and Observation Haki, especially Armament Haki."
Lin Ning's voice was deep and powerful, as if every word carried immense pressure.
"You wouldn't want to be suppressed and beaten by a Logia-type Devil Fruit User again, like in Loguetown, would you?"
Luffy scratched his head, his smile gradually stiffening.
Zoro tightened his grip on the swords at his waist, his gaze slightly darkened, and a hint of unwillingness appeared on his face as he recalled Smoker.
Sanji bit his cigarette, silent, but his slightly lowered head clearly indicated everything.
"Being suppressed and beaten by a Logia-type Devil Fruit User without any ability to fight back, don't you think that's a very shameful thing for you?"
Lin Ning's gaze swept over the three, his voice growing deeper.
"On the Grand Line, there are many Logia-type Devil Fruit Users like Smoker.
If you can't even defeat opponents like that, what's the point of chasing your dreams? What's the point of talking about becoming the strongest?"
Luffy's smile completely vanished; his head hung low, and his fists were clenched tightly, his knuckles making faint cracking sounds.
A hint of shame appeared on Zoro's face; his lips were tightly pursed, and there was an unwilling rage in his eyes.
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, his expression more serious than usual.
"Therefore, you must master Armament Haki next," Lin Ning raised his right fist, his gaze stern.
"This is your only way to defeat Logia-type Devil Fruit Users."
As he spoke, Lin Ning's fist was instantly covered with a layer of iron-black luster.
The Armament Haki current pulsed slightly on his fist, exuding a powerful sense of oppression.
Lin Ning had understood the specific usage of Armament Haki, and with his rich martial arts experience, he mastered Armament Haki in a moment.
However, the intensity of his Armament Haki was not yet comparable to the masters of this world; there was still much room for growth.
Luffy was stunned, his eyes instantly widening: "Wow! So amazing! Is this Armament Haki?"
"That's right, this is Armament Haki," Lin Ning retracted his fist, his voice calm.
"It can materialize your attacks, allowing you to directly hit the physical body of Logia-type Devil Fruit Users, leaving those who think they can evade attacks nowhere to hide."
"So that's how it is..." Zoro muttered in a low voice, a fiery glint in his eyes.
His hand gripped the three swords at his waist tightly, seemingly eager to master this power.
Sanji extinguished his cigarette butt, looked up at Lin Ning, and asked with a hint of seriousness: "Lin Ning, then how should we practice Armament Haki?"
Ch. 36 / 554
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Ch. 36 / 554
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Contents
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Copyright © 2022 - wtr-lab.comv1.10.13
One Piece: Learn Conqueror's Haki Infusion Chapter 33 - WTR-LABWTR-LAB
One Piece: Learn Conqueror's Haki Infusion
Ch. 37 / 554
6.7%
#37Apis
AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 37 Apis
Lin Ning glanced at them and slowly said, "Armament Haki is related to mental will, but more importantly, it's about the body's strength.
The body's strength and mental will determine the strength of Armament Haki.
And the three of you, through the cultivation of the Body Tempering Technique, your bodies have already met the standard.
Next, cultivate Armament Haki according to the methods in the Armament Haki book."
"However, I warn you. After you finish cultivating the Body Tempering Technique, I will personally train you with this fist wrapped in Armament Haki."
"Wh-what?!" Luffy jumped up directly, holding his head with both hands, looking desperate, "You're going to hit us with that fist?!"
Zoro frowned slightly, his mouth twitching: "You're really ruthless."
Sanji's expression froze for a moment, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure: "Lin Ning, isn't this you taking personal revenge?"
Lin Ning sneered, slowly raising his right fist, the black Armament Haki once again covering his fist:
"This isn't personal revenge; this is your training.
If you want to master Armament Haki, you must withstand my attacks.
In this process, you will suffer, you will want to give up, but if you don't persevere, then you will never step into the Domain of the strong."
As he spoke, he lightly swung his fist, and the force of the punch carried a heavy sense of oppression, directly cracking a wooden pillar on the deck.
Splintered wood flew, and everyone couldn't help but take a step back.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Lin Ning's gaze swept over the three, his voice low,
"You must be prepared and master the methods of cultivating Armament Haki. Until you learn it, I will not hold back!"
Luffy looked up and said loudly, "Okay! No matter how difficult, I will learn it! I want to become the Pirate King; how can I be defeated by these difficulties!"
Zoro gritted his teeth and said with a determined look, "Me too. To become the World's Strongest Swordsman, this pain is nothing."
Sanji sighed, lit a cigarette, and a slight smile played on his lips: "Forget it, who told me I followed a bunch of madmen. Lin Ning, come on, we're ready."
Lin Ning looked at them, a cold smile appearing on his lips: "Don't be too happy too soon. Your training has just begun."
The sea was calm, the sun shone on the deck, and the going merry sailed slowly in the breeze.
However, the ship was in chaos.
"Bang!"
"Ah! Don't hit my face, Lin Ning!"
"Ah ah ah! I can't take it anymore! If you hit me again, my nose will be crooked!"
On the deck, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, blindfolded, were undergoing Lin Ning's "special training."
Lin Ning stood in front of them, his fists covered in pitch-black Armament Haki, each punch landing squarely on the three.
"Luffy, you not only have to use Armament Haki to block my attacks now!"
"You also have to activate Observation Haki to detect my attacks in advance!" Lin Ning said coldly, without any sympathy in his voice.
Luffy, though unable to see, instinctively raised his arm.
But with the Sea Stone fragments on him, his movements were clearly a beat too slow, and Lin Ning's fist directly smashed into his shoulder.
"Ah ah ah! My shoulder is going to break!" Luffy wailed loudly, falling onto the deck, collapsing into a puddle of mud.
"Stop yelling!" Lin Ning looked at Luffy lying on the ground, his tone unkind, "If you can't even endure this pain, how can you become the Pirate King?"
"Don't say it so easily! This really hurts!" Luffy hugged his shoulder, his face full of grievance, but he still struggled to stand up and continued to assume a stance.
Zoro and Sanji were no better; although they were agile.
But facing Lin Ning's fist wrapped in Armament Haki, and being blindfolded, they were beaten by Lin Ning, crying out for their parents.
"Hey, Lin Ning! Hitting Luffy is enough, don't involve me!" Sanji shouted while dodging haphazardly, a bruise already appearing on his face.
"Less nonsense! You're all the same; if you don't practice Observation Haki and Armament Haki well, you're just asking for death!" Lin Ning showed no mercy, throwing another punch at Sanji.
Zoro gritted his teeth, his brows furrowed, trying to activate Observation Haki to dodge Lin Ning's attack.
But Lin Ning's Armament Haki-covered fist struck his arm fiercely, forcing him back several steps.
"Tch... This guy is just looking for an excuse to beat us up!" Zoro complained in a low voice.
On the other side of the deck, Nami and Usopp were exercising.
While doing push-ups, they secretly peeked at Lin Ning and the trio's training scene, their expressions gradually twisting.
"Nami... do you think we'll also be beaten like that by him in the future?" Usopp's voice trembled, and cold sweat dripped down his nose.
Nami gritted her teeth; though she didn't want to admit it, she still nodded: "Probably... After all, Lin Ning never holds back."
"It's over..." Usopp directly collapsed onto the ground, looking desperate, "Can I still make it to the Grand Line alive?"
"Stop talking nonsense! Keep exercising!" Nami glared at him fiercely, but in her heart, she was already starting to fear for her own future.
Just as cries of agony filled the deck, Lin Ning suddenly stopped his movements and turned his gaze to the sea.
His brows furrowed slightly, his voice low: "Wait, there's someone in the sea."
"In the sea?" Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji simultaneously pulled off their blindfolds, following Lin Ning's gaze.
Indeed, a figure was floating on the surface of the sea.
"Luffy, save her!" Sanji said urgently.
Upon hearing this, Luffy immediately stretched out his arm, "Gum-Gum Rocket!"
His arm flew off like a spring, accurately grabbing the person and pulling her back from the sea.
It was a girl who looked about eleven or twelve years old, her face pale and her body soaked.
"It's a little girl." Sanji walked over, took off his jacket and covered her with it, his tone gentle, "Don't be afraid, you're safe now."
The girl slowly opened her eyes, and when she saw the people on the ship, her body trembled violently.
She widened her eyes, her face full of vigilance: "You... you're pirates?!"
"Yes, we are the Straw Hat Pirates." Luffy grinned.
"Ah!" The girl exclaimed, quickly backing away, looking terrified, "Pirates! Don't come closer!"
Nami quickly walked forward, waving her hand to comfort her: "Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you."
"That's right, we just saved you." Usopp echoed from the side.
After hearing their words, the girl's emotions calmed down a bit, and she cautiously asked: "You... you really won't hurt me?"
"Of course not." Lin Ning walked forward, his voice calm, "However, I'm very curious, why are you out at sea?"
The girl lowered her head, her expression a little flustered: "I... I escaped from a Marine ship; they are chasing me."
"Marines?" Luffy tilted his head, looking confused, "Why are the Marines chasing you?"
The girl bit her lip, silent with her head down.
"It's the Millennium Dragon, isn't it?" Lin Ning said lightly.
"How did you know?!" The girl suddenly looked up, staring at Lin Ning with a shocked expression, "How do you know about the Millennium Dragon?"
Lin Ning's gaze was deep, his voice low: "I have the talent to foresee the past; some scenes from your past were captured by me."
When everyone heard this, they all showed understanding expressions. They already knew that Lin Ning's foresight talent was an extremely rare form of Observation Haki.
"Because Observation Haki has made some progress." Lin Ning's tone was calm, "Even foreseeing the past has become much stronger."
The girl looked at Lin Ning, her eyes full of awe: "You... you're amazing! Please, help me!"
The girl bit her lip, tears glistening in her eyes: "Help Old Dragon! He's about to die of old age.
I want to send him back to the Dragon's Den, which is the Lost Island, but I don't know where it is..."
"Millennium Dragon? Dragon's Den? Lost Island?" When Luffy heard these words, his eyes instantly lit up, "Sounds so interesting! Alright, we'll help you!"
"Really?" The girl was stunned for a moment, then her face filled with joy, "Thank you! Thank you!"
Lin Ning looked at the excited Luffy, a slight smile playing on his lips: "It seems we have a new adventure."
Ch. 37 / 554
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Ch. 37 / 554
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Contents
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Copyright © 2022 - wtr-lab.comv1.10.13
One Piece: Learn Conqueror's Haki Infusion Chapter 33 - WTR-LABChapter 38 Arrival at Gunkanjima
The going merry sailed steadily on the sea, the sea breeze gently caressing its sails, and the cool air invigorated everyone.
This time, there was a new face on board—Apis.
She sat on the edge of the deck, hugging her knees, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon.
The matter of the Millennium Dragon weighed heavily on her mind, and Lin Ning and the others had readily agreed to help her fulfill the old dragon's wish, now heading towards Battleship Island.
For several days, besides practicing the Body Tempering Technique, the few people on the ship had been frantically training their Observation Haki and Armament Haki.
On the deck, Lin Ning had just retracted his fist, which was enveloped in Armament Haki, and stood aside, watching the others with a cold gaze.
Zoro stood opposite him, panting as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
During that round of training, he had finally managed to dodge Lin Ning's attacks twice.
Although he was still knocked to the ground several other times, it was already a rapid improvement compared to his previous aimless dodging.
"It's good that you can use Observation Haki, but you're using it too forcefully," Lin Ning commented indifferently, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.
Then his gaze swept towards Sanji and Luffy on the other side.
The two leaned against the mast, gasping for breath, their faces covered with bruises, clearly having taken many hits earlier.
"Can you still hold on?" Lin Ning raised an eyebrow, his voice not loud but carrying a sense of oppression.
"Don't look down on us!" Sanji gritted his teeth, jumping up from the ground. "Again!"
Although Luffy was shouting, "I can't do it anymore," his body still involuntarily stood up.
"Very good," Lin Ning smiled slightly. "Then let's continue."
However, just then, Apis suddenly stood up, pointing to the sea in the distance and exclaiming:
"It's... it's those Marines! The ones who caught me, they're chasing us!"
Everyone was startled by the sound and turned to look at the sea.
In the distance, seven warships were lined up, approaching the going merry.
The muzzles of the cannons on the warships gleamed with a metallic luster, and the next moment, the booming sound of cannon fire instantly erupted.
Cannonballs cut through the sky, landing on the sea around the going merry, raising huge columns of water.
The ship rocked violently, and even the training on deck was forced to stop.
"It's Marine cannon fire!" Nami's face changed, and she immediately rushed to the helm to steady the ship's direction.
The sound of a loudspeaker came from the warship, and the Marines shouted sternly:
"Pirate ship ahead, stop immediately and surrender! Otherwise, we will open fire!"
"Hey, hey, this is endless!" Zoro gripped his sword hilt, a hint of impatience in his tone.
Lin Ning's expression turned cold.
He stepped onto the bow of the going merry, his movements as easy as if he were taking a stroll.
Standing on the goat head at the very front of the going merry, his figure appeared particularly tall and straight in the sunlight.
Lin Ning raised the halberd in his hand, coldly sweeping his gaze over the group of warships ahead, his tone filled with disdain: "Surrender? By yourselves?"
He suddenly swung the halberd, which traced a semicircle, and the next moment, a huge slash swept out!
The slash was like a giant blade cleaving the heavens and earth, directly striking the group of warships.
The sea instantly parted, a deep ravine winding out, the seawater churning endlessly, and the waves roaring.
"Boom—!"
When the slash landed, six of the seven warships were instantly swallowed by the waves.
The massive hulls were overturned like toys, then gradually sank into the sea.
Only one warship barely survived due to Lin Ning's deliberate restraint.
Everyone on the deck was stunned.
"This... this is too exaggerated!" Usopp's mouth hung open, unable to speak for a long time.
Sanji's mouth, with a cigarette dangling from it, also twitched slightly: "This is Lin Ning's strength..."
Zoro gripped his three swords, muttering in a low voice: "What a monster..."
Currently, Zoro could only unleash a small slash with all his might, which was far from comparable to Lin Ning's slash.
However, Lin Ning was completely unconcerned by this.
He slung the halberd over his shoulder and said indifferently:
"There's no need to kill them all. These Marines are just following orders. Leaving them alive is enough."
At this moment, on the sole surviving warship, the Marines were all in extreme panic.
The soldiers who had fallen into the water swam towards the surviving warship, drenched and their eyes filled with the fear of having narrowly escaped death.
And a Marine officer standing on the warship looked at the distant going merry with a pale face, his lips trembling, unable to speak.
"This... this is the Straw Hat Pirates... and that Lin Ning with a bounty of 100 million Berries..."
As he spoke, he unconsciously reached out to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
On the warship, a middle-aged man with thin glasses stood with his arms crossed, his expression grave.
His gaze fell on Lin Ning's figure, and he said in a deep voice:
"A pirate crew with a 200 million Berries bounty... even they are interested in the Millennium Dragon. It will be troublesome to obtain the dragon bones to make the elixir of immortality now."
On the distant going merry, Lin Ning ignored those gazes.
He lightly jumped off the bow, returned to the deck, and said to everyone: "Alright, continue training. Don't get distracted by such a small matter."
"Still training?" Usopp almost jumped up. "Did you think we didn't see what just happened? You don't need us at all!"
Lin Ning glanced at him, a smile playing on his lips:
"What I need are reliable partners, not a bunch of burdens who can only hide behind me."
Everyone was shaken by his words, and their fighting spirit ignited.
The going merry slowly approached a unique small island, shaped like a giant battleship.
The distribution of mountains and vegetation made it look like the deck and mast of a ship, and the island was surrounded by huge reefs.
Waves crashed against them, splashing white foam.
By the distant port, a few ancient wooden houses were scattered, emitting faint wisps of cooking smoke, appearing quiet and rustic.
"Is this Battleship Island?" Luffy stood at the bow of the going merry, hands shielding his eyes from the sun, his face full of curiosity.
"It really looks like a ship! How amazing!"
"Wow, this kind of terrain is really rare." Nami looked at the island ahead, a hint of admiration in her eyes.
"It seems that the people living here must have experienced many storms."
The going merry slowly docked, and some villagers by the port were cautiously observing them.
Their clothes were simple, their skin tanned dark, and they held harpoons and wooden sticks, their eyes filled with vigilance.
"Hey, people over there! We're good guys!" Luffy waved excitedly, shouting loudly.
"Good guys?" An elderly villager snorted. "Who would believe pirates are good guys?"
"Wait!" Apis jumped off the ship and hurried to the villagers, explaining: "They're not bad guys! I asked them to come!"
The villagers' gazes softened a bit when they heard Apis's voice.
An elderly woman stepped forward, took Apis's hand, and said with a hint of anxiety in her voice:
"Child, why did you come back? The Marines have been looking for you, you need to be careful!"
Apis nodded, her eyes filled with determination: "I know, I won't be caught by them again."
Apis bid farewell to the villagers, and under her guidance, everyone passed through dense forests and narrow caves, heading towards the back mountain of the island.
The Millennium Dragon, which was about to die of old age, resided there.Chapter 39 The Thousand-Year Dragon
The back mountain of Battleship Island was covered by large areas of vines, and the mountain walls were full of moss, hiding a secret cave.
At the mouth of the cave was a giant banyan tree, its roots entwined on the rock wall, like a natural barrier, protecting the cave entrance tightly.
"Is this the place?" Zoro stood in front of the cave entrance, frowning slightly, "It doesn't look like there would be anything big here."
Apis nodded gently and whispered, "It's inside."
Everyone followed Apis into the cave, where the light gradually dimmed, and a scent of ancientness permeated the damp air.
The further they went, the wider the cave became. Crystal clear water droplets hung on the surrounding rock walls, dripping onto the ground, echoing with crisp sounds.
When they finally reached the depths of the cave, Luffy couldn't help but widen his eyes.
"Wow! So big!"
It was a giant Millennium Dragon, lying quietly in the center of the cave, its massive body almost occupying the entire space.
Its scales and feathers were dark green, with a metallic sheen at the edges. Although it already looked somewhat dim, its former majesty was still discernible.
Its huge wings hung on the ground, the wing membranes severely damaged, as if they had endured countless storms and battles.
Its eyes were half-open, with a deep and weary look in its golden pupils. It was about to die of old age.
"Is this the Millennium Dragon?" Nami whispered, a hint of shock in her tone, "It really exists..."
Zoro tightened his grip on the Dao at his waist, a bit of vigilance in his eyes: "It's so big; if it goes crazy, it would be terrifying."
"Don't worry." Apis stepped forward, gently stroking the Millennium Dragon's wing, and whispered, "It's already very old; it can't even fly anymore."
"What a big fellow." Sanji leaned against the cave wall, lit a cigarette, a hint of emotion in his tone, "But, it also looks quite pitiful."
The Millennium Dragon slowly raised its head, its gaze sweeping over everyone, emitting a low sound from its throat.
Although they couldn't understand what it was saying, a hint of moisture flashed in Apis's eyes.
"It's saying thank you," Apis turned her head, looking at Lin Ning with pleading eyes,
"I know this is a lot of trouble, but please help it find the Dragon's Lair. It wants to return to Lost Island to end its life there."
Lin Ning looked at the Millennium Dragon, silent for a moment, and finally nodded gently: "Since we're already here, let's see it through."
Luffy waved his hand excitedly upon hearing this: "Alright! An adventure to find the Dragon's Lair sounds really interesting!"
Zoro and Sanji didn't speak, but both tacitly stood aside, clearly ready.
The Millennium Dragon closed its eyes, its body slightly curled, looking as if it had finally let go of a burden in its heart.
Lin Ning stood in the center of the cave, looking up at the giant Millennium Dragon before him.
Its massive body rose and fell slightly, its breathing low and long, carrying an indescribable ancient rhythm.
The Millennium Dragon's golden eyes showed weariness and vicissitude, as if telling of its long years.
Lin Ning's gaze narrowed slightly, and a red glow appeared in his pupils.
Lin Ning activated his Observation Haki. Ever since Lin Ning learned Observation Haki, not only has Lin Ning's ability to foresee the past become much stronger.
He can even control its activation freely. Lin Ning can automatically filter out minor threats that don't pose a danger to him, which is much more convenient.
In an instant, images of the Millennium Dragon's past flooded Lin Ning's mind.
Scene after scene flashed by, unfolding before his eyes like yellowed scrolls.
Lin Ning saw the Millennium Dragon in its youth, soaring high in the sky, nesting with its companions on a vast island.
That island was surrounded by azure sea water, and next to it was another island, which was Battleship Island.
However, according to later images, only the high-altitude Battleship Island remained standing there.
Lin Ning slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and calm. He looked at everyone and said, "I know where the Dragon's Lair is."
"Really?!" Apis's eyes were full of anticipation. She rushed to Lin Ning, "Brother Lin Ning, where is the Dragon's Lair?"
"It's on Battleship Island," Lin Ning said calmly, his gaze turning to the old Dragon, "To be precise, it's east of Battleship Island. The Dragon's Lair has long been submerged by the sea, hidden beneath the seabed."
"Seabed..." Nami repeated softly, a hint of shock flashing in her eyes, "No wonder Lost Island hasn't been found for so many years; it turns out it's not on land at all."
The old Dragon slowly raised its head, a glimmer of light in its golden eyes.
It let out a low sound from its throat, and Apis translated: "It says it also recalled some images, and Lin Ning is right."
Everyone was silent for a while, only Luffy showed an excited expression: "Great! We found the Dragon's Lair! Let's go now!"
"Not so fast." Lin Ning glanced at Luffy, "The old Dragon is too old to fly. We need to build a large raft for it and take it to the surface above the Dragon's Lair.
After it dies of old age, we will sink its body into the Dragon's Lair on the seabed."
Upon hearing this, Apis could no longer hold back. She covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
She rushed to the old Dragon's side, hugging it tightly, sobbing uncontrollably: "Why... why do you have to leave..."
The old Dragon gently nuzzled Apis with its head, its golden eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance.
Just then, a harsh laugh came from outside the cave.
"Hahaha, what a touching scene! Too bad, none of you will leave here alive today."
Everyone turned to look, and a thin man in a blue suit slowly walked into the cave.
His steps were light, a mocking smile hung on his lips, and his narrow eyes were full of contempt.
"Who are you?" Luffy asked loudly.
"Me?" The man let out a strange laugh, raised his head, revealing a set of white teeth,
"I am Whirlwind Erik, who ate the Scythe-Scythe Fruit! To be honest with you, this Millennium Dragon is my prey. You'd better be sensible and get out of here.
Otherwise, I wouldn't mind taking two heads worth 100 million Berries each!"
"Your arrogance is laughable." Lin Ning crossed his arms, a slight smirk on his lips, "Do you think no one here can deal with you?"
Zoro stepped forward, a grin on his face, and said coldly, "Talk big after you can take one of my slashes."
"Hmph, you dare to provoke me?" Erik shrieked, flicking his finger, "Scythe Wind Blade!"
A transparent wind blade shot out from Erik's fingertip, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, heading straight for Zoro.
However, Zoro merely raised his hand lightly, his hand covered in black Armament Haki, and casually deflected it.
"Bang!"
The wind blade instantly veered off course, hitting the cave wall and leaving a deep cut.
"What?!" Erik's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, "You... you actually have Armament Haki?!"
"Less talk." Zoro spat out these three words coldly, his feet moved, and his figure instantly disappeared from his original spot.
Before Erik could react, Zoro's figure had already appeared behind him, and the wado ichimonji slowly slid into its sheath in his hand.
"One Sword Style: Iai." Zoro said in a low voice, his tone as cold as a blade.
"Hiss—"
A huge gash suddenly appeared on Erik's chest, blood gushing out like a fountain.
His body stiffened for a second, then he fell to the ground weakly, his eyes rolling back, completely losing consciousness.
Zoro turned around, sheathed his wado ichimonji, glanced coldly at the fallen Erik, and said faintly, "Next time, don't be so arrogant."
The cave was silent, with only the low breathing of the Millennium Dragon echoing.
Luffy scratched his head and grinned, "Zoro is amazing! That guy couldn't even say another word!"
"Tch, such a minor character is not worth wasting time on." Zoro said indifferently, his gaze turning to the Millennium Dragon, "Alright, what's next?"
"Build a raft and send it to the sea surface above the Dragon's Lair." Lin Ning said, a hint of seriousness in his eyes.Chapter 40 The Lost Island
Outside the cave, Luffy and the others were chopping down trees, collecting thick tree trunks to make a raft.
Lin Ning stood to the side, arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over the busy crowd, and said in a displeased tone, "Hurry up, we've already wasted a lot of time."
"Got it! Don't rush us!" Luffy complained, using his Gomu Gomu no Mi ability to break several trees, "Lin Ning, why don't you lend a hand too!"
"Your training time has already been wasted for too long, and you still dare to slack off now?"
Lin Ning gave Luffy a cold look, his voice not loud but full of deterrent power.
Zoro, carrying a thick tree trunk on his shoulder, his mouth twitching slightly: "All these tree trunks combined are almost like a small mountain. Who can carry them?"
"Don't complain about such small matters." Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, kicked a broken sapling from the woods and said lazily,
"If you can't carry it, go back to the going merry and drink some milk."
"What did you say?!" Zoro turned and glared at Sanji, "You try it then!"
"Bring it on!" Sanji stepped forward, unwilling to show weakness, and stomped on a tree trunk, "Do you think I can't do it?"
As the two were bickering, Lin Ning's cold snort interrupted them: "Enough, what are you arguing about! The raft isn't even built yet, and you're already fighting amongst yourselves?"
Usopp skillfully tied the tree trunks together with ropes, constantly tightening the anchor points.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and complained, "What can these guys do besides argue? I'm building this raft all by myself, and they don't even appreciate it."
"Stop rambling, just get it done quickly." Nami stood to the side, arms crossed, directing, "Don't forget, we still have to rush to the coast to bring the going merry over."
Usopp glared at her but still silently sped up his movements.
Soon, a huge raft was built, its wide surface large enough to carry the massive body of the Millennium Dragon.
"How do we get it down now?" Nami looked up at the raft, which was larger than the cave entrance, and frowned, "Carry it by hand?"
Lin Ning nodded, his tone implying it was a matter of course: "That's right, Luffy and Zoro will carry it, Sanji will be in charge of swapping, and I'll clear the way."
"Huh?!" Luffy and Zoro shouted in unison, their faces instantly turning green, "Are you kidding me?!"
Sanji also looked at Lin Ning with a dark expression: "Are you out of your mind? Carrying something like this up a mountain? And having to carry the Dragon?"
"Stop talking nonsense. This is such a good opportunity for training, aren't you going to cherish it?"
Lin Ning said unhurriedly, his voice low and calm, "You didn't have time to train today, now is the best time to make up for it."
Luffy jumped up and pointed at Lin Ning: "Lin Ning! You're taking personal revenge, aren't you!"
"Yeah!" Zoro also clenched his fists, "Such a big thing, why don't you carry it yourself?"
Lin Ning slowly raised his fist, and the dark Armament Haki instantly covered it, black and red lightning dancing in the air.
He said coldly, "If you don't want to do it, stop talking nonsense. Are you carrying it or not?"
Luffy and Zoro exchanged glances, their expressions stiffening.
Finally, the two of them, one on the left and one on the right, gritted their teeth and lifted the raft carrying the Millennium Dragon.
"Ugh ah—so heavy!" Luffy's legs trembled slightly, his forehead covered in sweat, "Lin Ning, you're a devil!"
Zoro gritted his teeth, the heavy raft on his shoulder making his muscles tremble slightly: "Stop talking nonsense, just carry it, stop complaining!"
"I'm here to swap." Sanji walked up from behind, skillfully took Zoro's place, and carried the raft forward.
He had a cigarette in his mouth, and although his face was grim, he steadily took his steps: "I really don't know how I got dragged into this kind of manual labor."
Lin Ning walked at the very front, holding his halberd, and with a light swing, the thorns and branches blocking the way were swept aside.
His steps were steady, his gaze calm: "Keep going, the East Blue coast isn't far. Don't let me look down on you."
"Lin Ning! You're really a devil!" Luffy's complaint came from behind.
After more than an hour of long trekking, the group finally arrived, panting, at the East Blue coast of Battleship Island.
Luffy and Sanji almost simultaneously put down the raft and collapsed directly onto the ground, looking as if they had been pulled out of the water.
"Finally here..." Sanji looked up at the sky, gasping for air, "I'm never carrying anything again!"
Luffy lay slumped next to him, muttering, "Never again... My back is about to break..."
Although Zoro was standing, the sweat on his forehead had already soaked his bandana.
He stretched his shoulders and snorted coldly: "You two can't even handle this much?"
"You have the nerve to say that?" Sanji glared at him, "Who was shouting louder than anyone when they swapped shifts just now!"
Lin Ning stood to the side, watching them calmly: "Alright, hurry up and push the raft into the sea."
The three reluctantly stood up and slowly pushed the raft into the sea.
The huge raft floated with the waves, and the Millennium Dragon lay peacefully on it, its eyes slightly open, looking at the ocean before it, a hint of relief in its gaze.
On the other side, Nami and Usopp had already sailed the going merry to the East Blue coast and saw Lin Ning and the others.
Nami waved and shouted, "You're finally here!"
"Quick, help tie the raft to the stern!" Usopp shouted from the deck.
Everyone worked together to secure the raft to the stern of the going merry, and the raft swayed gently with the ship.
Luffy sat on the deck, panting, and said, "Finally done..."
"The path of the strong is never easy," Lin Ning said coldly, his gaze fixed on the distant sea.
The going merry, towing the raft, sailed on the calm sea, sunlight scattering on the water, shimmering.
After some time sailing, some peculiar landforms gradually appeared on the sea surface:
Underwater reefs were faintly visible, shaped like ancient stone pillars that had been carved;
There were also some broken stone fragments scattered in the water, as if telling of the area's past glory.
"Is this above Lost Island?" Nami stood at the bow, her gaze sweeping around, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Lin Ning stood beside her, arms crossed, his gaze calm: "That's right. The bottom of this sea area is the Dragon's Lair."
"Will it really be here?" Usopp leaned over to look at the sea, a hint of nervousness in his tone,
"It just looks like an ordinary sea, how is it like a Dragon's Lair?"
"Not being able to see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Lin Ning said lightly, "The Millennium Dragon's memory won't be wrong."
Just then, the sea surface suddenly began to undulate slightly.
The sea breeze grew cold, and the surrounding currents seemed to be slowly flowing in a certain direction, as if attracted by something.
"This sea... is a bit strange." Zoro stood by the deck, his gaze vigilantly scanning his surroundings. His hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist.
"Don't be nervous, it's probably just due to the underwater terrain." Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, his tone relaxed, but his eyes were also observing the movements around him.
The Millennium Dragon lay on the raft, its golden eyes slightly open. It raised its head, its gaze fixed on the distant sea.
Suddenly, it let out a low roar, its voice seeming to carry a hint of excitement.
"Brother Lin Ning!" Apis excitedly grabbed the edge of the raft, looking up at Lin Ning, "Grandpa Dragon says this is the Dragon's Lair!"
Lin Ning nodded, his gaze fixed on the Millennium Dragon's reaction, and said softly, "Then it must be here."
"Hmm? A fleet is coming!"
As Lin Ning's words fell, dozens of massive warships slowly emerged from the horizon