Chapter 63: Imu's Attention
"Hurry up and get to it! Cook all the meat—move!" Tuck shouted with a grand wave of his arm.
"Yes, Captain!" the crew quickly dispersed like a swarm of bees.
Tuck went with them to help with the food preparations, leaving the deck empty and quiet. Only Luo Han and Cole remained.
Then—thud! thud!—the two collapsed side by side on the deck, gazing up at the moon, exchanging a silent smile.
Another crisis survived.
Reflecting on the battle, Luo Han was now fairly certain—the World Government didn't truly understand the nature of the Mind-Mind Fruit. The only thing they might know was its ability to guide the body into limitless evolution.
Otherwise, why would the three CP0 agents have gone out of their way to strike his body? They were likely trying to gauge its physical resilience.
How much they'd actually figured out was unclear. Still, based on when he and Cole joined the Rocks Pirates, they had probably deduced the region where Ring Tree Island was located.
A potential threat… Luo Han thought, frowning. In the end, it all comes down to strength.
He was frustrated. Power takes time, doesn't it?! At just 18 years old, he and Cole were nearly at vice admiral level—already monstrously strong. But since leaving Ring Tree Island—basically the beginner zone—it had been non-stop chaos. First, Ochoku (Wang Zhi)and Kyo (Silver Axe) , both vice admiral-level. Without their broken Devil Fruits, Luo Han and Cole wouldn't have stood a chance—and truthfully, they hadn't. They'd only scraped by through tricks and abilities. In terms of Haki, both were still too green, unable to pierce serious defenses.
Then they met Admiral-level Zephyr. Even working together, they were utterly outmatched. Only through the special properties of their Devil Fruits did they manage to hang on.
And now? Three CP0 agents and Zephyr. Four enemies, combining admiral and near-admiral level strength—teaming up to beat down two teenagers.
If it weren't for Cole 's ridiculous stamina, durability, and strength granted by his fruit, they might've actually died.
Thankfully, Luo Han had awakened Kyoka Suigetsu just in time. During battle, he secretly manipulated a Sea King. When he and Cole were finally knocked into the sea, that Sea King swallowed them, allowing them to evade pursuit. With so many large Sea Kings in the area, the CP0 agents didn't dare dive deeper to search.
That's how they escaped. Otherwise, even in the ocean, the CP0 team would have hunted them down and slapped seastone cuffs on them.
Had that happened, they'd have been doomed.
Sigh… Luo Han exhaled. Just give me a little more time. Let me hold out a bit longer and I'll… well, I still can't solo the world, but I'll at least be able to protect myself.
Time passed as Luo Han got lost in thought. Eventually, he and Cole got up and enjoyed a feast with Tuck's crew. Miraculously, none of those idiots had died in the battle—though a few were missing limbs.
But since no one had died, spirits were high. The celebration lasted late into the night before everyone finally went to sleep.
The next morning, the sun hung high in the sky.
Knock! Knock! Loud banging came from the door.
"Boss Luo Han! Wake up—we see an island!" Tuck shouted, banging on what used to be his own cabin door.
Click. Luo Han opened the door, rubbing his eyes. The sunlight stung. He winced and raised a hand.
"That's enough, no need to yell."
Ignoring Tuck, who looked like he wanted to say something, Luo Han walked to the side of the ship. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sea breeze brushing against his face.
Feels good… like I'm alive again.
He opened his eyes, extending his spiritual perception. Judging by the terrain, the maximum range still picked up nothing but dense forest.
A mid-sized island, maybe 500 kilometers wide?
Whoosh, whoosh! Waves rolled behind the ship as they sailed closer to the unfamiliar island, following Whitebeard's vessel.
…
At the same time, far across the sea, near Sabaody Archipelago, the towering Red Line rose into the sky. No clouds ever covered it—because the clouds all floated beneath it. Sunlight shone on it eternally, making it seem like the brightest, purest place in the world.
There, in the heart of the World Government's power, stood the Holy Land: Mariejois.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains into a grand office, where the Five Elders—Gorosei—stood or sat around the room. Before them, a black-cloaked figure knelt, delivering a report.
"In summary, we've confirmed that Phil Cole is a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. Vincent Luo Han appears to possess an unidentified force-field-based fruit," the kneeling agent said, lowering his head again. His tear-shaped mask was distinctive.
It was the same CP0 commander who had attacked Luo Han and Cole the previous day.
"I see. Then post the bounties," said the elder with the cane and hat, tapping the floor. "Now's the time to slow down Rocks' rapid growth."
"Yes, Elder," the CP0 commander replied, bowing lower.
Tap, tap. The elder with the curved mustache walked up to him.
"That's all. Inform the Navy to raise their bounties accordingly. You're dismissed."
"Yes, Elder," the CP0 agent said, rising and backing out slowly.
Once he left, the sword-wielding elder stood up as if about to speak—then suddenly froze.
A voice echoed, light and elusive.
"Is that so…?"
The Five Elders stiffened. Instantly, they turned, lowered their heads, and knelt in unison.
If anyone else saw this, it would shatter their worldview—five of the world's highest authorities kneeling together.
"Lord Imu, according to CP0's report, we have mostly ruled out the suspicion that either child possesses the Infinite Fruit," said the sword-bearing elder.
The mustached elder added, "However, the fruit has never been recorded in World Government archives. Its exact abilities remain unclear."
"So we can't completely eliminate the possibility that the boy's fruit is the one from legend," the blond elder said.
"There's also the chance it sank during that great storm years ago… or was taken to someone's homeland and hidden," the elder with the cane added. "Either way, we will uncover the truth, Lord Imu."
"Hm." Imu's airy voice drifted off into the distance.
The Five Elders remained kneeling, unmoving, for a full quarter of an hour.
When they finally rose, they looked at each other—each with a troubled expression.
(END CHAPTER)
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