Chapter 50: CounterattackBang!Nami's tattered clothes, covered in scars, looked… [Meruem expressed that he didn't dare to look…].Her punch nearly knocked Usopp's eyeballs out: "He and Luffy have been fighting a Shichibukai! And what kind of crazy weapon did you make for me? When did I ask you to make me a party toy?!""The Clima-Tact… it still has a few functions that can be used against enemies.""I'll sentence you to death later… Meruem, where's Luffy? He disappeared again after running for a bit." Nami felt like stabbing the Clima-Tact into Usopp's head. It was indeed a genius idea, but only someone with a screw loose could design those functions. She calmed down without acting, then turned to Meruem and said."He went to deal with Crocodile. We just need to handle things here. For example…" Meruem's words trailed off as he vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of a Royal Army soldier, gripping his hand tightly so he couldn't pull the trigger: "Don't interrupt people when they're talking.""We, Baroque Works, won't let you stop us just like that!" The man, disguised as a Royal Army soldier and part of Baroque Works, gritted his teeth and roared.As soon as he finished speaking, gunshots rang out simultaneously from both the Royal Army and the rebel army, causing immediate casualties on both sides. Weapons that had just been put down were picked up again, and both sides stared at each other with bloodshot eyes."Does that guy Crocodile have such charisma? To make so many people fight for him?" Meruemcasually knocked him out and tossed him aside.Dust began to rise, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe even a short distance away. Gunshots and screams continued to echo, and the breathing of both sides grew heavy, veins bulging in their hands as they clutched their weapons.Koza and Vivi were still trying their best to restrain the armies, but the blood of those around them reflected in the eyes of their comrades, and gradually, Vivi's and their voices could no longer be heard.At this moment, another Koza appeared behind the rebel army, shouting loudly: "Don't believe that guy, it's a fake, it's a Royal Army conspiracy!" Immediately after speaking, a burst of blood bloomed on his chest, and he fell backward heavily.This scene directly caused the rebel army to lose their rationality, and they charged towards the Royal Army with angry roars."Stop! All of you, stop!" Vivi was still struggling to stop them, but the red-eyed rebels completely ignored her voice. Even Koza beside her was attacked by the rebel army."At this point… no one can hear my voice anymore, Koza, you should leave quickly!" Vivi knelt on the ground, staring blankly at the ground. The Royal Army and the rebel army had already clashed, and roars and screams were incessant.Koza gritted his teeth, standing behind Vivi, filled with unspeakable regret, and suddenly plunged his sword towards his own chest."What's wrong with you? We're in a battle. What kind of sense does it make to stab yourself to death first?" Meruem grabbed Koza's hand, looking helpless.Koza struggled fiercely but couldn't advance the sword even an inch. His eyes seemed to be on the verge of bleeding: "I am Alabasta's sinner. If it weren't for me, this situation wouldn't be happening!"Meruem pouted: "Vivi, if you keep spacing out like this, your childhood friend is going to be a goner…"Vivi snapped out of it, staring blankly at Meruem, then reacted, stood up, and slapped Koza across the face: "Can dying solve the problem?! Then you should kill me first!" Tears welled up as she spoke, but she still stared intently at Koza.He seemed to have been stunned by the slap as well. Both of them stood there in a daze, not speaking."Ahem… well, let's talk about romance later. Vivi, we heard your voice, so we're going in."Meruem's words made the two of them a bit awkward. He didn't dwell on it, continuing: "Sanji, Zoro, the three of us will handle the Baroque Worksofficers. If nothing unexpected happens, it should only be Mr. 1, Mr. 2, and Ms. Doublefinger there. Chopper and Usopp, you two are responsible for disarming the bomb. Nami, Annu, and… why are you here?!"Meruem looked at Mr. 3 Daz Bonez next to Annu, speechless. This guy looked at Annu like she was his daughter, and at him like he was a pig… "Forget it. Nami, Annu, and Daz Bonez, assist Chopper and Usopp. Daz Bonez, I'm warning you, if you try to be a spy or harm anyone, I will kill you. Then, Vivi and Koza, you two go command the Royal Army. Focus on defense as much as possible. This sandstorm incident can end once Luffy defeats Crocodile."After this analysis, Vivi and Koza finally recovered from the continuous blows, nodding heavily. Vivieven took two steps forward and bowed 90 degrees, startling everyone who quickly dodged. Nami helped her up: "Vivi, thanking pirates still needs to be practical~"Usopp looked at Nami in disbelief: "What else do you want to extort from this country?"Bang!It must be said, Usopp is truly resilient… "Alright, let's go. When Luffy returns, we'll have a feast. If anyone doesn't come, we'll eat their share for them! Everyone, come back alive…" Meruem extended his hand, bearing the mark of their comrades, and looked at everyone.Everyone grinned, extended their hands, and then ran off in their respective directions."Sanji, Zoro, let's finish this quickly, then go knock out those idiotic rebels." Meruem said without looking back, running at the very front."Okay." Sanji's voice came, but there was no reply from Zoro for a long time.The two of them turned their heads to look, and Zoro was already gone.=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇) Wh—=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇) —at!!![Do I have to keep Observation Haki active all the time when I'm with Zoro from now on?! That's too tiring!] In this emergency, Meruem wanted to grab Zoro and beat him… A whooshing sound rang out, and Meruem's running steps paused as a sharp spike flew past his eyes.He turned his head to see a sexy older sister, her index finger transformed into a spike, embedded in the wall.(♡⌂♡)Meruem glanced at Sanji's expression, took a deep breath, and said: "Sanji, go find the other two. I'll handle this one."Sanji's face showed a bit of struggle, and he reluctantly agreed, continuing to run forward.[One pervert, one with no sense of direction, what sin have I committed!] Meruem stood in place, looking at the sexy older sister: "Ms. Doublefinger? Pola?""Oh, little brother, not only do you know my codename, but you also know my name. Have we met before? Have you seen a vicious woman with orange hair? She knocked me out when I wasn't paying attention. I must find her and kill her." Pola's face held a lazy expression."…It seems Nami's injuries were your doing. But you should be grateful you were knocked out. If you had truly killed her, I don't know what I would do to you." Meruem placed his hand on his sword, his voice cold.
Chapter 51 The Sandstorm Stopped"Heh, little brother, is that malicious woman your lover? She's so innocent and knows nothing. Look at me, big sister. How about you help me kill that woman, and big sister will play with you?" Pola said, trying to provoke him while remaining on guard.Meruem's lips curved into an arc, and he slowly tightened his grip on his sword: "Even that perverted cook, Sanji, wouldn't agree to your suggestion. It's truly too fanciful.""Little brother, the pleasure big sister can give you is something that little bird can't," Pola continued, even pulling open her jacket slightly to reveal a breathtaking expanse of white skin."Auntie, I still want to keep working hard," Meruemsaid, stepping forward, leaning his whole body forward, and looking up with a smile.Pola froze at his words, her anger flaring. Indeed, being called 'Auntie' was a mental attack on most women. Her hair became exceptionally sharp and lunged towards Meruem."Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash."All the hair struck empty air, kicking up a cloud of dust. Pola's eyes widened, and she slowly turned her head. Behind her, the sound of Meruemsheathing his sword had already rung out."You…" Before she could finish her sentence, her body went limp and she collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness."Seriously, if you're going to try to seduce me, you should at least be prettier than Nami…" Meruemshook his head, his gaze sharpening as his Observation Haki activated at maximum power.Sanji had already begun fighting Mr.2 Benn, and Zoro and Mr.1 Bones were also in battle.The Royal Palace was making a sound like an explosion. Meruem gritted his teeth, still deciding to trust Luffy, and ran towards the battlefield… The battlefield is the place that tests human nature the most. The blood and death of comrades always make people unconsciously turn into beasts, charging at the opponent regardless of everything until victory or death.The Royal Army, under the command of Koza and Vivi, was defending with difficulty. The constant fall of their comrades around them made their command increasingly difficult, and their reddened eyes and mournful cries made rationality seem more and more distant.Even if Annu came over and used her ability, she couldn't stabilize the situation in a battlefield of hundreds of thousands of people. The yellow sand was stained with blood.Koza grabbed Vivi's hand: "What are you doing!""I'm going to the center of the battlefield! The ones dying now are my father's citizens! I can't just watch everyone continue to slaughter each other like this," Vivi cried out, her eyes red and her voice choked with tears.Koza held Vivi's hand tightly, his teeth clenched: "If anyone goes… it should be me… Everything today started because of me, and it should end with me.""I think both of you are being ridiculous… Everyone else is completing their tasks, and you two are discussing who's going to die?"Both of them turned their heads simultaneously. Meruem stood to the side, looking at them with a strange expression.Vivi clutched his sleeve, crying out as if she had found a lifeline: "Meruem… but what do you think I should do?""If you can block them, block them. If you can't, retreat… Why are you defending an empty palace?" Meruem said, shrugging his hands helplessly."...But, they will definitely pursue us, which will further increase casualties," Koza couldn't help but say."So Crocodile wasn't wrong about one thing: weakness truly is a sin. As one of the 20 royal families, it's really absurd how weak you Nefertariare," Meruem deliberately said in a teasing tone. "So, later, you will lead the Royal Army to retreat. I will hold the main gate of the palace.""You… you alone? How is that possible?!" Vivi's face changed drastically, and she said with difficulty."So remember to add more money, Princess Vivi. Our Straw Hat Pirate Crew is risking our lives," Meruem said, then disappeared in a flash, reappearing at the main gate of the palace."Princess Vivi commands! All Royal Army, retreat!" Meruem roared, slashing his black blade across the ground. Black flames rose, blocking the space between the two armies.The Royal Army, with reddened eyes, gripped their weapons tightly, breathing heavily, not moving an inch… This backfired. Meruem's face showed a bitter smile, then his gaze sharpened. Red murderous aura mixed with black demonic energy surged out without restraint, causing the charging rebels to pause. Their rationality was forcibly recalled, and the deepest fear in their hearts surged as they looked at Meruem in the center.If a demon god stood in the middle, they would either turn and run immediately, or kill him for the sake of this world.Vivi trembled, pushing through the crowd, cold sweat uncontrollably streaming down her face: "Royal Army, retreat!"The Royal Army, as if granted a great pardon, surged into the palace like a tide.Vivi and Koza, however, stood trembling in place, unwilling to leave.Meruem watched the red and black aura seep towards the two of them, then forcibly withdrew the terrifying aura, blood uncontrollably flowing from the corner of his mouth.However, the effect of doing so was quite obvious. The rebels stopped in place, not daring to advance a single step.But only for a moment, the clamor resumed, surging towards the three of them.Meruem's expression darkened, and he said in a low voice: "Go, don't stay by my side! I promise they will only be injured, not killed!"Vivi, drenched in cold sweat, gritted her teeth and pulled out her Peacock Slasher, standing firmly behind him.Koza gripped his longsword tightly with trembling hands, supporting his tottering body, unwilling to take a step back."You two…" Meruem shook his head with a bitter smile."How can you do something this cool without me?" Sanji strolled over, taking a deep, satisfying drag from his cigarette."The perverted cook has a point. How could I let you take all the credit?" Zoro said with a laugh, biting down hard on his bandage."Huh? What did you call me? Marimo Head?""Huh? Look at all your injuries, you should go rest. I can handle this alone.""I think you're the one who should rest!"Sanji and Zoro's faces were "intimately" pressed together when a pair of hands reached out and roughly pushed them down."Don't try to bear it all alone. You make us look useless… Sanji, Zoro, Usopp, get to it," Nami said, separating the two and pointing a finger."Waaah! Oh my god!""Na… Nami, I have a disease where I faint whenever I see people," Usopp said tremblingly, but he still stood behind Meruem."Meruem, you're bleeding from the corner of your mouth, let me check you quickly," Chopper rushed over, holding a stethoscope.Annu timidly tugged at Meruem's sleeve with her palette in hand.Mr.3 still looked at Meruem with that same expression.Meruem's bitter smile turned into a toothy grin, and the swirling sandstorm gradually subsided.
Chapter 52 Ending"Are none of you afraid of death?" Meruem chuckled, sheathing her sword, and twisted her neck to look at the vast rebel army."Why bother with words? Just hold on until Luffywins." Sanji loosened his tie and flicked away his finished cigarette."I won't die until my name echoes in heaven," Zorosaid, standing to the side with his arms crossed.The increasingly heavy breathing echoed in everyone's ears. The rationality that the rebel army had just regained was disappearing, and they glared at everyone with a bone-chilling hatred."Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!" It was unclear if the roar came from a human or a beast, as a massive torrent surged towards them.With a mere ten people, they seemed insignificant, like a lone boat in a terrifying storm.But the steel torrent at the palace gate was met with a dam, becoming impassable.Meruem violently threw a person, who crashed into the crowd like a bowling ball, causing people and horses to tumble.He panted heavily, looking at the endless rebel army, a wave of irritation in her heart. Black energy surged from her chest, asking, 'Do you want to kill them all? I can help you.'"Shut up. Vivi's dream isn't to be a princess sitting on a pile of skulls… Why should I help her?""She's my companion… And for that flimsy reason, you're risking your life?""It's enough."Meruem's lips curved into a smile, the black energy erupting from her chest was forcefully reabsorbed, and she charged towards the rebel army… A rumbling sound came, and two figures flew out of the Funeral Hall: a fainted Crocodile and a grinning Luffy, presenting a beautiful picture before everyone's eyes.Thunder rumbled in the sky, and torrential rain poured down."It's raining! It's finally raining!" The exclamations from the rebel army came one after another."We won! Luffy won!" The Straw Hat Crew's cheers also rang out.The battlefield came to an abrupt halt… Kozastruggled to climb onto the high platform and pulled Vivi up with him."Everyone, the war is over! Please be quiet. I will tell you everything. I beg you to listen to me," Kozashouted with all his might, his voice hoarse."I beg all of you…" Vivi bowed 90 degrees to everyone.As Koza's words spread among the surrounding people, the army in the heavy rain gradually quieted down. Meruem knelt on the ground, panting heavily, one pupil turned red, and black patterns Strangelysurged around her eye sockets.A voice in her heart laughed wildly: "You're so foolish you don't even suppress me! What an interesting fellow! Hahahahahahaha!"She pressed her hand on the hilt of her sword, panting, but a smile curved her lips: "If I don't give it to you, dare you take it?""…What are you saying? We're all on the same side. No talk of taking; I'm just feeling it's not worth it for you.""After so many years, my chuunibyou now has a chance to come true. Although I'm afraid of death, if you seize my body and I live half-dead, I'd rather die.""Tsk, I don't see what's so bad about watching yourself ascend the throne…"Meruem took a deep breath, exhaled, and said, "I don't want to ascend any throne. I just want to live this life freely. No matter the cost, I want to do whatever I want. Right now, immediately, impatiently.""As you wish…"The black patterns on Meruem's face burrowed towards her heart. Her breathing became more rapid. A petite figure came into her arms and helped her up.Nami supported Meruem, her face smudged with dirt, but her smile was so radiant. She casually brushed her orange hair behind her ear, then said, "Meruem, let's go get our Captain~"The Straw Hat Crew stood up unsteadily. Mr.3, supported by Annu, also stood by. Everyone exchanged smiles and slowly moved towards the ruins of the Funeral Hall.Alabasta's King Cobra, carrying a unconscious Luffy, met them. Seeing Luffy's steady breathing, the heavy stone in everyone's hearts finally dropped.Cobra bowed slightly and said solemnly, "I, Nefertari Cobra, on behalf of all the citizens of the Alabasta Kingdom, thank you for everything you have done for this nearly shattered nation. I promise that Alabasta will always be your friend. No matter what orders the World Government issues, we will not stand against you."But only the rain heard his words. The Straw Hat Crew, their minds relaxed, were already lying scattered on the ground, washed by the rain, yet sleeping soundly… "Ughhh~" Meruem stretched comfortably, propping herself up from the bed. The spacious room and comfortable bed were a luxurious experience she hadn't had in a long time."You're awake? I heard Luffy woke up too. Let's go see him." Nami, who was sitting on a chair nearby, stood up with him and said.The two arrived at Luffy's room just in time to see Luffy… stuff an entire tray full of half-human-sized food into his mouth in one go. The tray, when pulled from his mouth, was as clean and clear as if it had been washed.=(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)━=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ‧̣̥̇)━Wipe!!!!Meruem's eye twitched slightly. Looking at Luffy's incredible feat, it felt like a miracle: "…Luffy, how did you train that skill?"Luffy was pulling bones out of his mouth one by one; the meat on them was completely gone, enough to make a dog cry. "Meruem~ I'm just eating, and I'm still so hungry.""I don't know what your grandpa taught you…" Meruem leaned against the door, pouting."Hmm… I don't think he taught me anything," Luffysaid, completely unconcerned, concentrating… on pulling bones. There was no telling how much food was in that pile; he'd been pulling for so long… Without your grandpa, you wouldn't have been able to sail the seas. You couldn't even beat the Lord of the Coast. Meruem grumbled inwardly and said no more.Chopper's serious demeanor looked adorable. He tidied his stethoscope, put it into his small backpack, and said earnestly, "It seems everyone's bodies are fine now."Nami gave him a thumbs-up and said with a charming smile, "Thank you, Doctor Chopper~""Even if you praise me, I won't be happy~ Fool~ Idiot~" Chopper's body swayed like a seaweed, twisting quite well… Just then, Vivi, in her princess dress, ran in and shouted, "Everyone, the banquet is ready. Let's go quickly."Igaram, behind her, was still anxiously advising her to mind her manners…
Chapter 53: Parting and Meeting"A banquet!" Luffy's eyes lit up at those two words. He sprang off the bed like a carp leaping from water, and in two steps, he was in front of Vivi, asking, "Where is it? Where is it?"He looked as if he hadn't eaten, and the bones on the clean, shiny tray silently accused him.Vivi smiled and pointed in a direction. With a "swish," Luffy was gone, taking the shouting Usoppand Chopper with him.Igaram raised a hand, wanting them to be more composed, but his hand was only halfway up when the three had already vanished.Vivi laughed happily, her eyes curved like two crescent moons. At this moment, all the gloom had been swept away, and her laughter was filled only with happiness and joy, nothing else."Tilagotan, it's alright. The palace today doesn't observe those formalities. You should go to the back kitchen.""Yes, Princess."Igaram—no, Tilagotan—bowed respectfully. Her etiquette was impeccable as she backed out of the room… So it wasn't Igaram in women's clothing after all. Are they really a married couple and not twins? Meruem looked at the face identical to Igaram's, lamenting the Creator's laziness. How else could two such identical faces, yet of different genders, have been made if not by slacking off?"Friends, let's go too~" Vivi's words interrupted Meruem's wandering thoughts. She grabbed Nami's hand and walked towards another palace… After everyone was seated, Cobra raised his wine glass: "Ahem… Today…""Let's feast! Cheers!" Luffy extended his wine glass, blocking Cobra's face. He interrupted a speech that someone had prepared for a long time, showing no manners at all."Father, they…" Vivi was a little nervous and stood up to explain.Cobra's words were stuck in his throat. Seeing Vivi's nervous expression, he waved his hand to stop her explanation, took a deep breath, and grinned, "Cheers!" With that, he was the first to chug his wine, "gulp, gulp."The rest of them exchanged smiles, raised their glasses, and shouted, "Cheers!"The atmosphere grew lively. Cobra tried several times to find an opportunity to say something but was always interrupted. Luffy fully utilized his abilities… snatching food. He also had eyes and ears everywhere, always managing to sneak a hand out and stuff food into his mouth when others weren't paying attention… Is this really not Observation Haki? Meruem had just said something to Namiwhen he found his plate completely empty. He glared fiercely at Luffy, but Luffy didn't even look at him. As long as their gazes didn't meet, nothing had happened… Isn't this a trick only a misbehaving dog would use? Luffy, is it really okay for you to be like this?…The lively banquet continued until the Moon hung high. As it broke up, Luffy patted his bulging belly and said, "Vivi, tomorrow we'll continue our voyage. We'll wait for your ceremony to finish, and then we'll continue our happy adventure together~"Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji clasped their hands together, their eyes burning with anticipation as they looked at Vivi.Cobra wanted to say something, but he swallowed it all. Poor King, he didn't have a single complete line all evening.Nami saw Vivi's troubled expression and pushed the four guys out of the banquet hall: "Hurry up and go rest!""Nami~ Vivi hasn't agreed yet~" Luffy clung to the doorframe, refusing to leave.Meruem and Zoro stepped forward to pry his hands off. Nami said impatiently, "Vivi will tell you tomorrow. Go to sleep.""Vivi~ I'll wait for you tomorrow~" Luffy's persistent shouts came from afar… Meruem sat on the rooftop, looking at the bright Moonlight. The rising flames lit his cigarette, and the hazy smoke made the Moon seem quite ethereal. He took a comfortable puff and smiled, saying, "Annu, I'm leaving tomorrow. Next time we meet, show me the coffee shop of your dreams."Annu appeared from behind him, her eyes looking a little conflicted, but she still trembled as she reached out and grabbed the back of Meruem's clothes, saying, "I… I want to…"Meruem took a breath, stood up, and pulled away from Annu's hand. He ran his hand through Annu's hair; the soft sensation was in his palm, and he could also feel the murderous gaze from afar."Annu, the day I entered the Grand Line, I decided to be the freest person in the world, so I need to keep sailing. And your dream is to open your own coffee shop, so you should also move towards your dream. People don't need to give up their dreams for others, and I'm also looking forward to seeing your coffee shop when I return after circling the Grand Line. You'll have to buy me a cup then."Annu looked up at the smiling Meruem, her eyes a little red, then she leaned forward and hugged him tightly, her voice a little choked as she said, "Then… then you must come back."Meruem didn't know why, but he thought of Laboon. He shook his head, pushing the thought out of his mind: "Mm, let's pinky swear. I'll definitely come back to drink your coffee."Annu stood up from Meruem's embrace, extended her finger, and hooked it with Meruem's. She smiled with red eyes, which made Meruem feel a little guilty… Not long after, Annu fell asleep from exhaustion. Meruem picked her up and carried her towards the girls' room."Thank you. If you ever need help in the future, I will risk my life to assist you once." Mr.3's voice came from the shadows.Meruem didn't look back: "You're so weak, I really don't know how you could help us…"This time, there was no reply from the shadows, but a grinding of teeth could be heard… "Why isn't Vivihere yet…" Luffy was sprawled on the ship's railing, looking towards the shore, his eyelids drooping, a look of unhappiness on his face.Sanji's hands trembled like he had Parkinson's: "The ceremony probably hasn't started yet. Just wait a little longer…"Nami also looked eagerly towards the shore, biting her lip and waiting.Meanwhile, Meruem sat in the ship's cabin, propping his hand and looking with interest at Ms. All Sunday, also known as Nico Robin, without speaking.Robin mimicked his posture, looking back at him, her eyes seeming to speak, making him directly retreat."Ahem… Boarding the ship without telling the Captain, that's a bit impolite." Meruem turned his head away, feeling a little shy."After all, your Captain caused me unbearable distress, so he has to take responsibility for me." Robin's face wore a smile, and the look in her eyes at Meruem was truly irresistible."…If you keep looking at me like that, I won't be polite!""Oh, and how won't you be polite?""…Sister, I was wrong."
Chapter 54 Towards Their Own IdealsBang!The Going Merry swayed, Meruem opened the cabin door and saw fleets of Marine warships approaching them.Luffy, who was crying his eyes out nearby, seemed a little over the top… "What's wrong? Is Vivi not coming? Then let's hurry and set off." Meruem was full of questions, looking at Luffy like this, he couldn't understand."Meruem… Mr.2 Xiao Feng went to block the Marines for us, he really moved me." Luffy spoke in gasps, still sobbing."That's quite manly. I'll go over there quickly. You all prepare to set off. I'll be right back." Meruem said without waiting for their reply, he leaped off the ship's rail in two steps and rushed towards the clashing warships… "Black Spear Formation!""Okama Kenpo: Grand Swan Dance!"Black Cages continuously emerged from the pink-haired woman's palm, transforming into giant black spears that shot towards Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng's thick-legged kicks struck the black spears, creating a series of roars, but he could only retreat step by step.Suddenly, Xiao Feng's foot slipped, and his continuous kicks could no longer be maintained. The black spears were about to pierce his body when Meruem appeared in front of him in a flash. With a block from his black sword, he cut the black spear in half."You… Who are you?" Xiao Feng fell to the ground, looking at Meruem with disbelief."Luffy is my Captain. When you all met before, I 'borrowed' some food from you. Consider this me repaying you now." Meruem didn't look back, pointing his sword at the pink-haired woman, his face full of vigilance."So it was you! Next time you borrow, could you please say something and leave a little? My crew and I were hungry for days…" Xiao Feng breathed a sigh of relief, got up from the ground, and stood behind Meruem."Cough… Next time, for sure." Meruem replied a bit awkwardly, as what he did was indeed not honorable."Tina is very angry. As pirates, you are too rampant." Two more Black Cages emerged from the pink-haired Tina's palm, which she held in her hands, her gaze somewhat gloomy.Smoker walked out from the side, biting two cigars, his gaze complex as he looked at Meruem. He clenched his Jitte and then released it, saying, "The Alabasta incident actually required you pirates to resolve it. It's simply a disgrace to the Marine."Meruem shrugged, glancing at the Going Merry on the other side, which was already swaying away from the shore. On the shore, two figures riding ducks were sprinting."There's not much time left, Xiao Feng, I'll take you with me."Xiao Feng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes and smiled, saying, "Although I still don't know your name, from this short time together, I think you're a great person. You go, I want to be with my crew."…What to do when an Okama says you're great? Waiting online, it's urgent."…My name is Meruem. It was a pleasure meeting you. We'll meet again if fate allows." Meruem was silent for a moment, then said with a smile, and rushed towards the ship's rail."Gabble Feather Cage! Tina hasn't said you can leave yet!"Black fence-like iron branches extended from Tina's arms, surrounding Meruem and blocking his path."Mist Breathing, Seventh Form: Obscuring Mist…"Mist emanated from Meruem's black sword, obscuring his figure. When he reappeared, he was already standing on the ship's rail. He waved to everyone, then vanished again."Tina is very angry!" Tina gritted her teeth and said, preparing to chase after him, but Smoker stopped her, shaking his head at her.In that instant, Xiao Feng had already blocked Tina's path, grinning and saying, "I haven't been caught by you yet."…"Really… Could it be that some mysterious force is at play, and even if I intervene, I still can't change anything?" Meruem arrived next to the Going Merryand flipped himself onto it."Meruem… Where's Xiao Feng?" Luffy looked at Meruem coming aboard and immediately looked behind him."…He refused to leave. He said he wanted to be with his crew." Meruem sighed and replied."Xiao Feng…" Luffy's eyes welled up with tears again, and he hesitated, looking in the direction of the warships, as more and more Marine warships were gathering.Meruem shook his head and said, "Prepare to set off. Don't let others' efforts be in vain."Luffy, "But Vivi hasn't come yet…""Luffy!"Vivi's voice came from the shore, she was shouting towards the Going Merry."Hurry and dock, Vivi is here! Annu is here too!" Luffy's expression brightened considerably, and he shouted loudly.Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji were all preparing to furl the sails and turn the rudder, their faces filled with excitement."Keep sailing… Luffy." Nami reached out to stop everyone, looking at Vivi's attire, and said seriously."Why, Nami!" Luffy stared at Nami with wide eyes, saying in disbelief."Meruem! Nami! Sanji! Zoro! Usopp! Chopper! I really, really want to continue sailing with you all! To see this vast ocean." Vivi shouted, her eyes red, attracting everyone's attention."But… I also deeply love this country that gave birth to me and raised me. It is injured now, and I need to stay and take care of it! Please forgive my greedy request. When we meet again, will you… call me a friend again?"Annu stood beside Vivi, not saying a word, just looking at the departing Going Merry with red eyes, wanting to firmly engrave everyone's faces in her heart.Everyone on the Going Merry fell silent. Sanji took out a lighter and lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. The smoke he exhaled obscured his expression.Luffy covered the upper half of his face with his Straw Hat. After a while, he grinned, preparing to reply to Vivi.Zoro stopped him, saying, "We can't let the Marineknow about our relationship with Vivi… She is the Princess of Alabasta, and we are pirates. If she gets involved with us, it would be negative news for her."Meruem reached out and tore off the bandage on his hand, revealing the "X" mark, and smiled as he looked at everyone.Everyone looked at each other and then smiled, simultaneously untying their bandages and standing in a row on the ship's rail, raising their hands high.Vivi didn't hear a reply and cried sadly, covering her face. Annu gently tugged at her skirt, pulled off the bandage on her hand, then untied her own, pointing in the direction of the Going Merry.Karoo the duck also bit off his bandage, looking at Vivi.Vivi stared blankly at the Going Merry, slowly stood up from the ground, raised her hand high, tears still on her face, but smiling brightly.Annu and Karoo also raised their hands (wings), grinning. Karoo's companion, a duck who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that he couldn't understand this scene at all.The Going Merry drifted further and further away…
Chapter 55 News from Sky Island"So lonely…" Everyone except Meruem and Zorowas leaning over the ship's railing, crying as they watched the disappearing coastline."If you missed her so much, you should have just dragged Vivi onto the ship by force…" Zoro's eye twitched as he looked at the group, speechless.Chopper: "You savage…"Nami: "Terrible…"Sanji: "Marimo Head…"Luffy: "Three-Sword Style…"Usopp felt his emotions were disjointed and retorted, "Hey, hey, Luffy, Three-Sword Style isn't an insult…"Luffy: "Four-Sword Style…""Four-Sword Style isn't either!" Usopp no longer wanted to curse Zoro; he just wanted to open Luffy's head and see what was inside.Meruem looked at everyone, scratched his face, and pointed to the cabin, saying, "Shouldn't we discuss what to do with this person first?"Everyone followed his finger to see the cabin door open, and Robin walked out carrying a sun lounger.Zoro immediately gripped his sword, frowning as he said, "Are you trying to avenge Baroque Works?"(♡ ⌂ ♡)Sanji's eyes immediately turned into heart shapes, his hands clasped in front of his chest, swaying like seaweed in the wind: "Beautiful big sister~"Chopper sat on Usopp's head, continuously shouting into a megaphone: "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"Luffy pouted and said, "What, so you're still alive? I didn't see you when I woke up, so I thought you were dead."Robin spread her hands, and two arms sprouted from Zoro's arm, tightly pressing down on his hands, preventing him from drawing his sword: "Don't point such a dangerous thing as a sword at me~"Usopp was almost in tears, hiding in a corner, and righteously declared, "Please get off the ship immediately, or I'll call the Marine."...What the hell is 'call the Marine'?Meruem indicated that he wanted to open Usopp's head and see what was inside.Robin smiled brightly at Luffy and said, "I originally wanted to die, but you saved me, leaving me nowhere to go. So you have to take responsibility and let me become your companion~"=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇) Holy—=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)—crap!!!!!"What?!" Except for Sanji and Meruem, everyone's expressions were surprisingly uniform, their eyes wide as they stared at Robin.Sanji nodded frantically in agreement.Meruem yawned, indicating he was sleepy.Luffy frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, since that's the case, there's nothing for it. I'll agree. Everyone, don't worry, she's not a bad guy."Nami tugged on Luffy's hand and whispered, "Luffy… shouldn't we reconsider…"Robin casually tossed a small pouch to Nami: "This is my savings from working at Baroque Works. It's for you~"Nami opened it and her eyes instantly turned into "$" signs. She took two steps forward and draped herself over Robin's shoulder, looking very intimate: "Welcome, big sister~""This is a special drink, Miss Nami, beautiful big sister, please enjoy~" Sanji, like a god, brought out two drinks from the kitchen, his face full of excitement.Usopp folded his arms and spoke to Meruem, Zoro, and Chopper with a serious expression: "We need to stay vigilant. We don't know what her true intentions are."Chopper nodded with a serious face.Robin smiled and with a wave of her hand, two arms sprouted from Luffy's Straw Hat.Luffy's facial expressions exploded as he imitated Chopper's tone: "I'm Chopper~"This made Usopp and Chopper roll on the ground with laughter.(#｀dish´)Zoro looked at the few people with displeasure. Meruem patted his shoulder: "The Captain has decided; there's no need to say more.""Mm." Zoro nodded somewhat reluctantly, no longer bothering with the noisy group."Ugh, ugh, ugh~" Meruem stretched lazily, feeling something suddenly fall into his palm. He brought it closer to his eyes and saw it was a skull. He looked up and saw a ship… descending from the sky, rushing towards them.He swallowed, then patted Zoro's shoulder again."What's wrong?" Zoro looked at Meruemsuspiciously, found he didn't reply, and followed Meruem's gaze… =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇) Holy—=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)—crap!!!!!"Clang!" Three swords instantly appeared. Zoroshouted, "Look up!"The noisy group was confused and looked up… "Please return my remains to Syrup Village… Thank you." Usopp lay down on the spot and began his last words."Gum-Gum Rocket!""Three-Sword Style: 108 Pound Phoenix!""Mutton Shot!""Cien Fleur: Big Net!""Breath of the Moon: Fifth Form, Moon Spirit Calamity!""Sakura: Hoof Mark!"The group's attacks struck the "flying" ship in the sky, shattering it into pieces. The falling debris was caught by a net made of arms and thrown into the sea.Nami supported her knees, panting heavily: "W-why would a ship fall from the sky… And is the Log Pose broken? Why is it pointing upwards?!"The series of sudden events made everyone feel a bit exhausted… Robin looked at the sky, her expression a little grim: "The Log Pose isn't broken… It's had its direction taken by an island with stronger magnetism… The legendary Sky Island.""Sky Island… an island in the sky? How is that possible? I still think the Log Pose must be broken." Nami looked at the clear blue sky, unable to believe it."I smell adventure!" Luffy's nose twitched, like a little puppy ready to go out. He dragged Usopp and Chopper towards the wreckage of the "flying" ship.Robin's eyes also held a hint of excitement: "Where the Log Pose points, an island must exist. Miss Navigator, the problem now should be how to get to that island."Nami was still a bit disbelieving, as this truly challenged her worldview. She vigorously shook the Log Pose, but it was completely useless."Look! I found a map of Sky Island!" Luffy came back onto the ship, his face excited, followed by an equally excited Chopper and Usopp."Dream Island!" Chopper shouted excitedly."Let's go! To Dream Island!" Usopp looked smug and very punchable.Nami reached out and took the map, frowning as she said, "This doesn't prove anything. There are tons of fake treasure maps in this world."(ó﹏ò｡)The three's expressions instantly changed, as if their dreams had been shattered. They looked at Namiwith despair, on the verge of tears.That look gave Nami goosebumps all over. She could only say helplessly, "Ah, I'm sorry… Yes, yes, yes, there must be…"Meruem frowned at the black blade in his hand, then sheathed it after a while, calming his mind, and said, "So… we don't have a record now, and we don't know how to get to Sky Island. Where should we go?"Everyone was struck by lightning, turning to look at him blankly…
Chapter 56: Old BusinessNami frowned tightly: "It seems we need to find more information about Sky Island."Usopp spread his hands: "That ship probably had a lot of information, but it was smashed too much by these guys and a lot of it sank… They're really a bunch of impulsive fellows. They should learn from me, the great Captain Usopp."...Are you saying we should lie down and say our last words like you?Meruem and the others who had just acted glanced at Usopp, making cold sweat appear on his forehead.Nami suddenly waved her hand: "How simple! If it sank, then salvage it!""Yay yay yay yay!" Luffy was the first to raise both hands in agreement, with Sanji and Usopp following closely."If it's so simple, go salvage it yourself!" Zoro looked at Nami, the words "vicious woman" appearing in his mind.Nami covered her face, her voice becoming pitiful: "How can you bear to let a weak woman like me go into the deep sea and encounter those terrifying events?"Sanji turned and stared fixedly at Zoro, his curly eyebrows looking as if they were about to ignite, his feet twitching on the ground."...You perverted cook, do you have to be so stupid?" Zoro mumbled speechlessly, but said no more, silently going to put on a diving suit.Usopp raised his hand and said: "I am a weak man, suffering from a disease where I'll die if I go into the sea, so I beg you all~"As soon as he finished speaking, Zoro's scabbard and Sanji's sole appeared on both sides of his cheeks, knocking him out directly.Sanji dragged Usopp aside, put a protective suit on him while he was unconscious, and said: "Needless to say for the two ladies, Luffy, Meruem, and Chopper are all Devil Fruit users, so it's better for the three of us to go down.""Ah?!" Luffy, half-dressed in his diving suit, looked at Sanji with an unhappy expression, feeling that he was utterly inhumane.Sanji ignored him completely, shook Usopp awake, casually threw him into the sea, and then dove headfirst into the ocean.Zoro followed closely, disappearing beneath the surface.Luffy looked at the remaining people with a wronged expression, then lunged forward, intending to rush into the sea. Chopper immediately transformed into his Heavy Point form, grabbed Luffy by the back of his collar, and lifted him to the ship's rail where the ropes tied to the waists of the three who went into the sea were located.Chopper sternly told Luffy to hold the rope drum, then picked up a Den Den Mushi and said: "This is the Going Merry, please respond if you hear me, please respond if you hear me..."Luffy pouted, looking unhappy, but he held on tightly."This is Usopp, requesting to return. Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh..."After a struggle."This is Sanji, no wreckage found, we are continuing to dive, over."Chopper loosened the rope: "Be careful, over."Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Meruem sat on the deck, leaning his back against the ship's rail, and began to converse in his mind... "Hey, are you there...""I'm not 'hey', I'm Chu Yu... bah, I'm Tsukuyomi. If you don't like that name, you can call me daddy.""...Why is Breath of the Moon so much easier for me to use now, while things like Sun Breathing, which I mastered better before, have weakened in power? Is this your doing?""Is that how you ask questions? You're not even willing to call me daddy.""...If you talk any more nonsense, I... I can't do anything about you, but calling you daddy is impossible. I'll call you Xiao Jian Jian.""If I didn't know I'd fall into slumber for who knows how long if I killed you, I'd really want to stab a knife into your dog-head and see if your brain is full of shit.""My brain is full of you...""I'm going to..."After a string of beautiful and pleasant language, Xiao Jian Jian finally calmed down and said: "Yes, I did it. What are you going to do about it, bite me? You'll feel it more and more as time goes on."Meruem felt this dog was a bit childish: "But I've generally gotten stronger. Do you have this function too?""...Now you know how amazing I am, right? If you call me a useless fruit again, I'll sue you for defamation."..."Salvaging is good~ Salvaging is wonderful~ Salvaging makes you quack quack~""Clang clang clang clang clang clang~"Strange yet catchy music woke Meruem. A red glow flashed in his pupils, and his expression became very subtle."Is this where the shipwreck is?""Yes, Sir, Captain, this is it!""Captain? Then you're calling me, right? You're calling the great Captain of the Shoujou Pirate Crew, Shoujou, that's me! Minions, prepare to salvage! All shipwrecks belong to me! Ooh-ooh-ooh!""Yes, Sir! All shipwrecks are yours~"Meruem listened to this somewhat terrible conversation, shifted his feet, and jumped onto the rail of the Shoujou Pirate Crew's ship, looking strangely at a ship full of... monkeys.Shoujou saw Meruem, made a pose like a muscular man flexing, and loudly said: "Nameless nobody, state your name! I am Lord Shoujou, Captain of the Shoujou Pirate Crew, with a bounty of 23 million Berries. Ooh-ooh-ooh..."Meruem's figure disappeared from the ship's rail, and he fiercely struck Shoujou's head with his scabbard, knocking him to the ground, his foot on his thick back: "If you 'ooh-ooh-ooh' again, I'll cut off your head...""Ooh... Big Brother, what do you want? The shipwreck is yours, I don't want it anymore." Shoujoustruggled for a moment, found himself unmoving, and knew he had probably hit a brick wall."Hmm, you just said you have a bounty of 23 million. Give me 30 million and I'll let you go." Meruem said with a smile. The one he was stepping on was a client, so he had to provide service with a smile."Are you robbing me?!" Shoujou almost cried when he heard that number. There was no way he could gather that much unless he sold himself."Clang!" A crisp drawing sound rang out, and a black blade appeared in front of Shoujou's face, embedded in the deck.Meruem, with his foot on Shoujou, one hand gripping the sword, and the other resting on his knee, spoke with a hint of confusion: "...Otherwise, what do you think I'm doing?"Shoujou's tears flowed uncontrollably: "B-Big Brother, I really don't have it...""Save the Captain!" A discordant voice rang out. Meruem waved his hand and with one slash, cut the clothes off the person who made the sound, revealing a hairy body, without harming him in the slightest.With just one strike, the surrounding crowd immediately fell silent, afraid to make any sound that might attract Meruem's attention.Meruem pushed the black blade closer to Shoujou's head, looking at him with a smile: "Do you have it now?""B-Big Brother, I really don't have it..." The cold air from the blade continuously invaded Shoujou's skin, giving him goosebumps that almost caused trypophobia."Why are they so poor?" Meruem was a bit unhappy, feeling like he had encountered a Waterloo in his career.
Chapter 57 Oh My GodShoujou watched the Black Blade in front of him, not daring to move, afraid that Meruem would accidentally slip.Meruem pouted and said helplessly, "There's a shipwreck down there now. If you can salvage it, I'll let you go. Of course, everything will be mine.""Yes, yes, yes, absolutely!" Shoujou cautiously crawled out from under Meruem's feet, instantly perked up, and shouted, "My lads! Time to work!""Meruem~ How are things over there?" Luffy's hand was still on the rope, and he swung his head to the edge of the ship."They're all good people, ready to help us salvage the shipwreck. Quickly, let Sanji and the others come up." Meruem said with a harmless smile."Oh, oh, oh! Truly..." Before Luffy could finish speaking, his head sprang back, and he and Chopper began pulling the rope."You're the one forcing us..." Shoujou grumbled from the side."Clang!" The blade of the Black Blade grazed Shoujou's fur, scattering some loose hair. Meruemdidn't even turn his head: "Hmm?"Shoujou shivered in fright and shouted, "Work hard, no more grumbling!" As he spoke, he shifted his body to the side."Hurry up, if you're not up by dark, see how I deal with you." Meruem leaned against the ship's rail, smiling.Shoujou personally got to work, throwing a strange grappling hook into the sea in a few swift motions: "Start salvaging!"Then he took out a very large plastic tube, stared with wide eyes, and blew with all his might, his face turning red. He slowly began to reel in the rope attached to the grappling hook... What kind of lung capacity was that? If he used that breath to play a suona, he could probably blow people away."Clank, clank, clank." Halfway through reeling in the rope, it got stuck on something. No matter how hard Shoujou's Pirate Crew tried, it wouldn't budge."What's wrong?" Meruem leaned over and asked.Shoujou shivered and replied, "It might be a Sea King. I'll go down and check." As he spoke, he started warming up, three circles to the left, three circles to the right, wiggling his butt... It looked a bit disgusting.Then, with a lunge, he rushed off the ship's rail and plunged into... a wide-open mouth.???A sea turtle, 100 times the size of the Going Merry, emerged from the sea, still chewing on the wreckage of the shipwreck."Ah! You actually dared to swallow the good Shoujou who was helping us salvage the shipwreck!" Luffy's hand was rotating, ready to act at any moment.Wait, act?! Meruem looked at the sea turtle, then at Luffy, and shouted, "Sanji, Zoro, stop Luffy!"The two who had just climbed onto the Going Merry's rail were also looking at the giant sea turtle in shock. Hearing Meruem's shout, they turned their heads, not having time to think, and directly pounced towards Luffy.Seeing Luffy stopped, Meruem lowered his head and let out a sigh of relief. Then he felt himself covered by a shadow.Looking up, three towering figures appeared in his line of sight, thousands or tens of thousands of times larger than the Going Merry... Meruem lunged and leaped back onto the Going Merry, kicking Usopp squarely in the face – it was unclear how he had gotten mixed up in the brawl between Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro."Stop messing around... Look over there..."Everyone looked in the direction Meruem was pointing.=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇) Holy—=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ‧̣̥̇)—crap!!!!!A figure that felt taller than the sky raised a long spear in their hand towards their direction, looking ready to attack at any moment.Even Luffy was scared this time... The group worked together to paddle, and the Going Merry fled at an unprecedented speed... "What the heck was that just now..." Meruem sat on the deck, panting heavily, his face filled with lingering fear."It was really a bit too terrifying." Nami looked like she was about to cry.Usopp was already blowing bubbles on the ground... "It was indeed terrifying." Shoujou's voice came.Everyone turned their heads in unison, looking at this thing that shouldn't have been there.Shoujou scratched his head and said sheepishly, "I know I'm handsome, no need to look at me like that~ It's really a little embarrassing.""..." Meruem got up, grabbed Shoujou by the scruff of his neck, dragged him aside, and wall-slammed him... Ah, bah, but the posture was indeed like that. He whispered, "The shipwreck wasn't salvaged, so tell me... what now?"Shoujou's body trembled non-stop, and he stammered, "B-Brother, can't we be reasonable? The shipwreck actually came out... but that giant sea turtle stole it. You should go find trouble with him."Meruem thought about the sea turtle's size just now, his eye twitching a bit, and he gritted his teeth, "Do you think I'll be reasonable?""...No. Brother, I really can't do anything." Shoujoulowered his head in despair, beginning to fantasize about his next life, determined to be a handsome ape again, and strong, so he could beat this robber until he called him dad. As he thought, he even started smiling... Is this guy an idiot? Meruem looked at Shoujou's smile and felt a headache. Bullying such a fellow brought a clear sense of guilt. He casually said, "Leave everything on you and get out!"Shoujou looked at Meruem in disbelief. He had just been fantasizing about marrying ten beautiful and strong ape women, and suddenly he was interrupted like this. But it's better to live poorly than to die well, so he quickly stripped naked, then turned and jumped into the sea. His two red buttocks looked quite eye-watering... Hopefully, he wouldn't get a stye. Meruem took a deep breath, picked up Shoujou's belongings from the ground. Besides a Permanent Log Pose, everything else was garbage... such as a "Flower Boy Shoujou" magazine, a whistle with un-wiped drool, tight diving suits, and so on.Meruem held the Permanent Log Pose in front of his eyes and saw that it wasn't pointing to the sky. He walked over and casually tossed it to Nami: "That guy just now was crazy. He said it was too hot and he was going for a swim, and he gave me this. See if you can use it?"Nami took it and looked at it, her tearful face changing like a mask, instantly clearing up: "Meruem~ You're still the reliable one.""If we go to another island, won't the record for Dream Island be overwritten?... Then we won't be able to go to Dream Island?!" Usopp said with a look of unwillingness.Upon hearing this, Luffy immediately reached out to grab the Log Pose, with Chopper cheering him on from the side.Nami dodged and weaved, displaying a flexibility that didn't match her strength... Robin sat with one leg crossed over the other, resting her face on her hand: "Recording an island still takes time. We should be fine if we leave before it's full."Nami was exhausted and lay on Robin's lap, looking at her with gratitude.Luffy also stopped messing around, pointed a finger and said, "Then let's go gather information first.""Oh!" Usopp and Chopper responded seriously.It was as if the three of them weren't the ones making a fuss just now...
Chapter 58 Demon Valley TownThe Going Merry was sailing in the direction indicated by the Log Pose."Miss Nami, Sister Robin, the 'Ladies Only, Unprecedented Takoyaki' is here~" Sanji spun out of the kitchen, the takoyaki on the tray firmly fixed, not moving an inch, looking as if he'd nailed down Newton's coffin lid... How are you going to say "Buy him~" next? Meruem's desire to retort, watching Sanji's eyes turn into hearts, reached an all-time high."Sanji, where's ours~" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, with expectant faces, blocked Sanji's path.Sanji stopped spinning, adjusted his tie with a serious expression, and said coldly, "Kitchen, go get it yourselves."As soon as the three left, Sanji started spinning again, truly a master of changing faces.Meruem took the takoyaki Chopper handed him, casually picked one and put it in his mouth, then made the same "So delicious" expression as the Luffy trio... He seemed to be very assimilated."Ahem... Nami, how much further is it?" Meruemstuffed the remaining takoyaki into his mouth in two or three bites, asking calmly, trying to salvage a bit of his image.Nami looked at the Log Pose and then through her telescope: "The weather is stable, we should have entered the waters of Jaya Island, which this Log Pose points to."Meruem rested his hand on the ship's rail, enjoying the gentle sea breeze and the lingering aftertaste in his mouth, the happiness of sailing filling his heart."It's so warm and comfortable~ The seagulls still look very happy~" Chopper lay on the deck, the sea breeze ruffling his fur. This weather made people involuntarily lazy.Suddenly, a red glint flashed in Meruem's pupils. His hand involuntarily went to his sword hilt as he looked towards the bow of the ship.The seagulls Chopper had just mentioned began to fall onto the deck one after another like rain, startling Chopper... Van Auger, Blackbeard Pirates. I didn't expect to meet you so soon. If I kill you, will there be no Summit War? Meruem's gaze subtly grew excited, and black lines crawled out from around his left eye."Meruem... what's wrong?" Zoro frowned at Meruem, asking in confusion.Meruem wiped his face, returning to normal, and shook his head, saying, "I just thought of an acquaintance, it's nothing big."Zoro looked at him suspiciously but didn't ask again... After a while, the Going Merry finally reached the shore, but unexpectedly, the shore was openly lined with a row of Pirate Crew ships, with no attempt to conceal them."I once read in a navigation log that there's a small town on the west coast of Jaya Island, home to self-indulgent outlaws. It's an area not governed by the government, a town full of violence called Mock Town. It looks like we might not come back alive once we go ashore," Robin said blandly, crossing her legs.Nami immediately decided: "Alright, let's head for Sky Island!"Usopp patted her shoulder, covering his face and pointing. Nami looked in the direction he pointed, and Luffy, Zoro, and Meruem were already walking on the dock, looking around like country bumpkins.Nami was utterly exasperated with these three. They left without even a greeting. She gritted her teeth and said, "No, I have to follow them, lest those three guys stir up trouble here again."With that, she lifted her leg and followed them."Oh, Miss Nami, are you going ashore too? I'll go with you to protect you~" Sanji went to check the food storage, and seeing Nami, he prepared to follow, but his body didn't move. Looking down, Usopp and Chopper were tightly hugging his two legs, crying out, "You can't go, you have to protect us...""..." Sanji looked at them speechlessly. He turned to look at Robin, who also had no intention of going ashore, and thinking of the three people with Nami, he could only stay on the ship... "Listen carefully, we absolutely cannot cause trouble on this island. We're just here to gather information about Sky Island," Nami said seriously to the three."I'm not someone who causes trouble..." Luffygrumbled discontentedly."What if a swordsman challenges me...?" Zoro fell into deep thought.Meruem turned his head to the side, whistling, pretending not to hear.Nami covered her forehead: "You guys swear to me."Luffy said solemnly, "I swear I will never fight in this town."Nami pointed her chin at the other two: "Zoro? Meruem?""Hmm, I swear," Zoro pouted and replied casually."Hmm, not in this town." Meruem emphasized the last three words, but Nami didn't pay attention and followed the three into the town."Ah ah ah ah..." A man in a large coat fell in front of them. Beside him stood a tall horse. He said breathlessly, "I'm spitting blood. Please, gentlemen, can you help me up?"Luffy didn't doubt him, immediately picked him up onto the horse. Zoro said with a strange expression, "This guy is just too lazy to get up himself..."...Doc Q. Meruem scratched his forehead, looking at Doc Q in front of him. This sickly, dying appearance, he wondered if he was just putting on an act."Ah, thank you so much. I'll treat you to apples." Doc Q pulled out a basket filled with bright red apples, which looked very appetizing.Before Meruem could stop him, Luffy casually picked one up, said "Thank you," and put the apple in his mouth.Boom!The sound of an explosion and people's exclamations came from the other side."Just now, a strange man gave them apples to eat. After they ate the apples, all five of them exploded!"Nami's face changed drastically upon hearing this. She grabbed Luffy's neck, put her hand into his mouth, and shouted, "Luffy, spit it out quickly!"Zoro gripped his sword hilt, looking at Doc Q with an unfriendly expression: "Bastard, what do you want to do?!"Doc Q's lips, however, curved into an arc: "He's truly a lucky fellow. The first bite of the 'Exploding Apple' explodes, and he passed safely."With that, he staggered away.Nami breathed a sigh of relief, wiping her arm on Luffy's clothes: "What kind of hellhole is this? What kind of people are these...?""Well, it's fine anyway, no need to worry~" Luffystuffed all the remaining apple into his mouth in a few bites, saying indifferently."You almost died just now! Can't you be more careful? Meruem, you tell him too. Meruem? Meruem!" Nami shouted fiercely, then suddenly turned her head. Meruem, who had been standing there, had vanished without a trace.Seeing Nami turn around, Zoro casually pointed in the opposite direction from where Meruem had left: "He said he saw an acquaintance and went to say hello, then ran that way."... [PS: New game, yesterday's urges to update: 130. If it exceeds this number tomorrow, I'll add an extra chapter.]
Chapter 59 Blackbeard. First Encounter"That guy…" Nami's molars were practically grinding, her fists clenched tightly. Luffy and Zoro exchanged glances, indicating it was best not to provoke Namiin this state.Meruem, trailing far behind Doc Q, shivered involuntarily. He mumbled, "It's so warm today, what's going on…?"But he didn't pay it much mind. Watching Doc Q slowly enter the jungle, he continued to follow… "You've been following me for so long, do you want an apple too?" Doc Q stopped in an open area and said with a smile."Bang!" A dull gunshot was immediately followed by the clang of metal.Meruem's Black Blade was held in front of him, the bullet at his glabella still spinning, trying to drill in.Van Auger emerged from the nearby woods and said coldly, "It seems fate says you still have a little time left.""Doc Q, it looks like you've brought a formidable fellow." Laffitte, with wings sprouting from his back, floated in the air and said with a wide smile… These guys' strength seems to be far more than anticipated. Meruem twisted his neck, then jumped down from the tree with his sword. "What a bunch of strange-looking guys. You're trying to kill me before even talking. Isn't that a bit rude?"Laffitte grinned, "Thanks for the compliment~ But sweet talk won't make me let you go, you know."With that, he flipped in the air and swooped down towards Meruem, pulling a pistol from his pocket."Bang! Bang! Bang!" After three gunshots, bullets flew towards Meruem in a triangular formation, while he himself drew a rapier from his cane and flew towards Meruem along with the bullets."Bang! Bang! Bang!" Van Auger's large sniper rifle also roared, covering Meruem with a rain of bullets.Doc Q licked the blood from his lips, revealing a sinister smile, and threw an entire basket of apples at Meruem.With attacks coming from all directions, Meruemhad no way to dodge. He crouched slightly, then suddenly lunged towards Laffitte. With a flash of his blade, three bullets shattered in the middle, all in an instant."Clang!"Meruem's Black Blade clashed with Laffitte's rapier, a roar erupted, and a violent explosion unleashed its power behind him."Oh, you're quite good, young man. It's surprising your strength isn't famous in this world." Laffitte's rapier trembled, but a playful smile was on his face."Aren't you the same?" Meruem's Black Blade also trembled, but he wasn't to be outdone, replying with a smile."Bang!" Meruem slid downwards, fine sparks blooming where his Black Blade met the rapier, and a bullet appeared where Meruem's head had been just moments before.Laffitte pulled his rapier back, then launched a series of continuous thrusts at Meruem.Meruem propped himself up with one hand on the ground, performing several backflips to dodge the thrusts, but several sword marks appeared on his clothes."Young man, I'll compliment you again, you're truly amazing. Doc Q, your attacks are indiscriminate, go quickly and tell the Captain that I sense the aura of a Devil Fruit from this young man." Laffitte said while thrusting, his eyes growing brighter."Are you overthinking it? Do you really intend to kill me?" Meruem parried with his blade, using the momentum to spin his body, and fiercely gasped for air: "Breath of the Moon, Second Form, Pearl Flower Moon Viewing!"Two blade winds erupted from the Black Blade, carrying countless crescent moon blades.Laffitte's expression changed. He stomped his foot, then quickly retreated two steps, avoiding the attack range of Pearl Flower Moon Viewing."Breath of the Moon, First Form, Dark Moon, Evening Palace!"Meruem's body vanished from its spot, reappearing in front of Laffitte. The blade swept out horizontally. Laffitte raised his sword to block, but his face was grazed by the blade wind, leaving a trace of blood.The veins on Laffitte's hands bulged. He licked the blood from his face, grinning savagely, "Young man, I'm not waiting for the Captain anymore. I'm going to kill you right now."With that, he quickly drew his pistol. Bullets wreathed in black light flew towards Meruem, and black light also spread from his palm onto his rapier."Waltz Sword Dance!" Laffitte retreated, then charged towards Meruem with a waltz-like pace, continuously swinging his rapier."Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"The clang of metal continuously rang out. Meruemwas breathing heavily, his left eye gradually covered in strange patterns, and his pupils turned red."Tsk, it seems your ability to cause trouble is not to be underestimated either~""What the hell are you talking about? Your turn or mine?""Heh, you go. I still prefer bullying weaklings. This guy is a bit strong, be careful…"Meruem started talking to himself like a madman. As soon as he finished speaking, the left half of his hair turned pure white from the roots, and the speed of his Black Blade's swings increased by more than 10 times.Offense and defense instantly switched. Laffittegritted his teeth, continuously swinging his rapier. Although he had no fatal injuries, small blood marks appeared one after another.He flapped the wings on his back, and his figure instantly retreated. Meruem was relentless, stepping out and reappearing in front of Laffitte: "Sun Breathing, Tenth Form, Благодатное сияние."Though he said "Благодатное сияние", what spewed forth were eerie black flames, heading towards Laffitte.Laffitte was first greatly startled, then a mocking smile appeared on his face. He joined his fingers and flicked them at his brow: "Magic Escape~"His figure instantly vanished from its spot. The gushing black flames struck empty air, burning stubbornly on the ground. Meruem, surrounded by the black flames, was like a demon god descended.Laffitte stood beside Van Auger, hands on his knees, panting heavily: "Where did this monster come from? Why isn't he in the New World, what's he doing wandering here…"Van Auger's gaze remained calm, looking at Meruem. He raised his gun to aim, and black light surged into the barrel: "Secret Art, Armor-Piercing Bullet!""Bang!" It could no longer be called a gunshot, but rather the sound of a cannon. Van Auger himself was pushed back half a step by the recoil.The red glow in Meruem's pupils burst: "Sun Breathing, Seventh Form, Solar Heat Haze!"The tip of the blade and the sharp black light at the bullet's tip collided, emitting a harsh cracking sound. The sharp black light at the bullet's tip continuously disappeared, until finally, only a yellow-orange bullet remained, striking the blade tip and instantly splitting into two."Cough, cough, cough…" After the attack, Meruemcouldn't help but half-kneel on the ground, coughing violently. The white part of his hair became half-black and half-white, his red pupils flickered on and off, and the patterns on his face also dimmed considerably."Burgess~ Champion~""Ah ha ha ha! I just met an interesting person, and now I've met another! Ah ha ha ha!" Blackbeard Teach's arrogant and disgusting laughter carried over.
Chapter 60 Marshall D. TeachMeruem propped himself up with his sword, then pointed it at Teach: "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Marshall D. Teach."Marshall D. Teach, with a few missing teeth, a rugged appearance, thick body hair, and a burly physique, had brown skin, black, fluffy hair, and wore a bandana.He wore a white shirt, unbuttoned, exposing his chest.He grinned, his right hand transforming into surging black mist: "What do you want with me, little brother? You don't even have a bounty. You're not my target.""After all, you're the target my Captain's brother, Ace, is pursuing, so it's only reasonable for me to help," Meruem took a few deep breaths, regulating his breathing, and his hair and pupils returned to their original colors.Teach was momentarily stunned, then shook his head and laughed: "You little guys always treat piracy like a children's game, it's ridiculous. Dark Water!"Meruem's body involuntarily flew towards Teach... "Kid, this guy's ability is quite interesting. It feels like you might not be able to handle him.""How will I know if I can handle it if I don't try? Xiao Jian Jian, give me 50%.""If you call me Xiao Jian Jian again, I swear... I swear I can't do anything about you. Are you sure about 50%? Is it really worth risking your life like this?""I think dealing with the current Blackbeard Teach is easier than dealing with Akainu Sakazuki... Marineford War is too terrifying, I don't want to go.""My point is, is it worth risking your life for others?""It's really fun to be with them. If the Captain is gone, wouldn't there be nothing to play with? I told you, my freedom means doing whatever I think of, immediately, right now.""As you wish, 50% activated. You only have 3 minutes, though. After that, you'll probably lose consciousness."...Meruem, flying in mid-air, closed his eyes and then snapped them open, his pupils now crimson, white hair extending from roots to tips, black markings spreading across his face, and a wide, uninhibited grin on his lips.Moonlight patterns appeared on the black blade, black flames surged forth, and with a step on thin air, he shot towards Teach like a cannonball.Teach leered at the charging Meruem, twisting his body slightly, enduring the black blade as it plunged into his shoulder, and his dark, surging right hand grabbed Meruem's arm.Even with his arm caught, and surging darkness covering it, Meruem's grin widened, and the amusement in his eyes intensified; he fiercely twisted the black blade in Teach's body, then stomped on Teach's face.Teach cried out in pain, involuntarily releasing his grip, and Meruem performed a backflip, landing steadily."You... why didn't your ability disappear! It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts!" Teach screamed in terror, collapsing to the ground, writhing and wailing."Yeah, why not~" Meruem casually twirled his sword, flicking the blood onto the ground; the black blade instantly became clean and bright, then he took a step, charging back towards Teach.Two figures flashed in front of Teach.Van Auger held up his large sniper rifle, and Laffitteaimed his rapier at Meruem, who appeared before Teach."Secret Art: Bursting Bullet!""Magic: Instant Blade!"Meruem turned the back of his blade behind him and said coldly: "Breath of the Moon, Sixth Form, Solitary Moon of the Long Night. Infinite!"He swung his blade, concentrating rapid, intersecting slashes on the same spot, unleashing multiple blade winds accompanied by countless crescent blades.Bullets shattered upon contact with the blade wind, producing a violent roar.The rapier blocked a few crescent blades before being knocked away, spinning in the air before sticking into the ground.Just as the blade winds were about to shred the two, Teach, from behind them, reached out, flung them aside, and sustained numerous bloody cuts from the blade winds.But this time, he didn't cry out in pain; he grinned savagely and slammed his hands onto the ground: "Dark! Hole! Path!"He used the Dark-Dark Fruit's ability to release a wide-ranging darkness onto the ground; anything touched by the darkness was sucked in and pulled down, then crushed.Meruem, relying on his body's abilities, forcibly crushed the air, elevating his body and achieving a Moonwalk-like effect, yet with subtle differences from Moonwalk.The surrounding forest was continuously swallowed by darkness, and broken branches floated in the air."Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash. Sixfold!"Black lightning flashed by, and Meruemcontinuously used the floating broken branches for leverage, charging towards Teach.Teach leered at Meruem: "Kid, isn't it a shame you haven't made a name for yourself yet...?" Then he fiercely raised both hands upwards.A surging wall of darkness formed in front of him, like a hedgehog, making it impossible to attack, and this wall was still moving towards Meruem."Meruem! Retreat quickly! You can't handle him within the time limit!"Meruem gritted his teeth, blood seeping from around his eyes and lips; he swung his hand, unleashing a flurry of crescent blades, and retreated rapidly, disappearing without a trace in a few bounds.Teach gasped for air, his wounds, though not deep, caused him visible pain on his face due to the double pain amplification: "It hurts, hurts, hurts... Kid, one day I'll repay you twofold."...Meruem's hair had turned back to a mix of black and white; he knelt on one knee beside a tree, clutching his chest, the surging pain almost engulfing his consciousness."It's unbearable... this is only 50% and it hurts this much. What would those higher percentages feel like, especially the 1000% you mentioned?""Kid, your current body can only support up to 80% for one minute. Don't even think about anything beyond that; you're still too weak."Meruem gasped for breath, his other hand gripping the tree, leaving deep indentations, and he murmured: "I always thought I was quite strong...""That guy probably hasn't had his Devil Fruit for long. In another two years, he'll be even more terrifying.""It seems freedom is truly a difficult thing...""Keep getting stronger. Compared to when you first got me, you've made significant progress.""You're really sweet-tongued...""I'll go to Ni..."Meruem coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood, thinking about the future Marineford War, his gaze a little somber.He wiped his mouth casually and staggered towards the Going Merry... "Why are Luffy and Zoroinjured, and you're injured too...? What on earth did you guys go and do?" Chopper meticulously examined Meruem's body with a stethoscope, grumbling."...Would you believe me if I said I fell?" Meruemreally didn't know how to explain, so he just bluffed.Chopper gave Meruem a sidelong glance, as if to say, "Are you treating me like an idiot? I'm actually incredibly shrewd."
Chapter 61: Back to the old job "Gift Thank You Chapter"Chopper meticulously applied the potion to Luffy's wound, then bandaged it up, though he felt it probably wouldn't make much difference.Luffy grinned, "Nami, don't be angry anymore, isn't it all over now?"Nami's face was full of rage: "How could I not be angry! They beat both of you up like that, why didn't you fight back! We should have leveled that town!"Zoro looked at her with a strange expression: "You weren't saying that just now..."Nami glared at him fiercely, unable to fully vent her anger, so she turned to glare at Meruem: "Meruem, you bastard, you just disappeared while walking! And you came back covered in injuries! You must give me a reasonable explanation right now!"=(͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)"I... I got lost on the path of life..." Meruem scratched his head, making up a casual excuse with an embarrassed look.Nami, with the speed of a Baidu Netdisk member, grabbed Meruem by the neck with both hands and shook him violently: "Let you get lost! Let you get lost!"The invincible Buff instantly took effect, and Meruem was powerless to resist, his eyes rolling back from the shaking."Ah ah ah ah ah! Meruem is going to die!" Choppercovered his face and shrieked from the side, but didn't dare to intervene. The camaraderie of the Straw Hat vanished at this moment; his failure to help was simply too much."Oh, by the way, did you find any news about Sky Island?" Usopp, also a scoundrel who didn't help, asked while picking his nose.Nami's gaze darkened, and she turned to look at Usopp. Her cold eyes made Usopp shiver involuntarily, goosebumps rising all over him.Then Nami casually tossed the already unconscious and bubble-blowing Meruem aside. Chopper, with tears streaming down his face, rushed over to treat him. Nami said helplessly, "Sky Island? The moment I mentioned it, everyone in the shop burst into laughter! Oh, and it's all your fault, Robin! It's because you talked about Sky Island that I made such a fool of myself! If that island doesn't exist, if you don't compensate me with a bag—no, two bags of gems—I won't let you off!"Robin propped her face with her hand and said with a smile, "I just heard that there's an old man named Mont Blanc Cricket, a banished dreamer, on the opposite side of Mock Town. I think we might be able to get some information from him."Luffy sprang up from the ground upon hearing this and excitedly said, "Let's go!"Meruem finally woke up, shaking his head as if from a hangover, and cautiously moved a little further away from Nami... "This is 'Deep Sea Diver' Number Four! Reflective sound waves detected! Identified as a small sailing ship in transit!"In front of the Going Merry appeared a figure wearing a black, tight-fitting diving suit with a long black 'beard' on his head, looking suspiciously like a sperm. It was hard to imagine how perverse one would have to be to accept such an outfit.He had his back to the Going Merry, reporting to a ship that looked very similar to Shoujou's, completely oblivious to the row of people standing on the Going Merry's rail, watching him with strange expressions."Bang!"A small wooden barrel smashed onto the head of the perverted diver: "What are you detecting, you idiot? Do you think I'm blind?!"His head wasn't even big, just an ugly, flat face, eyes so small they were barely visible. His shirt was stretched tight across his chest but couldn't hide his oily skin and dense body hair. It was none other than Masira, Captain of the Masira Pirate Crew, known as the "King of Underwater Exploration."He looked at the Going Merry disdainfully: "I thought it was someone important, but it's just a few small-time pirates. You gave me quite a scare."Luffy looked at him with a strange expression: "You look a lot like a gorilla... What kind of creature are you?""Are you an idiot? Of course I'm human!" Masiraclaiming to be human, it was hard to say if it was some kind of twisted humor. A ship full of sperm-diving suit perverts and a Captain who looked like a gorilla... it looked even more disgusting than Shoujou's Pirate Crew... Masira sighed: "Never mind, never mind. You must know that Crocodile, one of the Shichibukai, is finished, right? In terms of strength, I should take his place. You probably don't know how amazing I am yet... I'll tell you! Since I was born, I haven't cut my hair in 25 years! How about that? Aren't you surprised?"Meruem stared at him with a strange expression: "...You look like you were born more than 25 years ago. Are you lying about your age?"Masira's gaze darkened, and he looked down at him: "Listen well, if you anger me, a vast sea of blood awaits you!"Meruem pouted and turned to look at Luffy.Luffy said impatiently, "Get out of my way, I need to continue sailing.""How dare you! This entire sea area is my territory! If you want to pass through, leave your toll money!" Masira roared... Robbery? What a coincidence~ Meruem's lips curved into an arc, looking at Masira's oily body as if he saw floating Berries.Nami pointed, looking heroic: "You actually want to steal my money! Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Meruem, go get them!"Zoro glanced at her: "...When did all the money on this ship become yours?""At your command, Miss Nami, your knight shall lead the charge!" Sanji slicked his hair back, thinking himself handsome, and winked at Nami.Luffy was picking his nose: "But he looks so weak..."Meruem instantly activated his Observation Haki, intending to first check how much money they had. One shouldn't stumble in the same place twice.Usopp and Chopper, having changed into cheering outfits at some point, stood behind them, performing strange dances to cheer them on.Meanwhile, Robin looked up at them, smiled, and then continued to read the book in her hands.Masira looked at the Straw Hat with annoyance: "You really don't know what's coming. Activate sound waves! Destructive Roar!"He held a microphone and emitted strange sounds. Under the sound waves, his own ship began to be destroyed.The perverts on the ship, wearing sperm diving suits, tried to persuade Masira: "Captain, you can't use this ultimate move on the ship..."The sound spread too quickly, and the Going Merryalso began to show damage. Seeing this, Luffy's eyes narrowed, and he looked coldly in that direction, punching his palm: "Let's go!"Zoro, Sanji, and Meruem stood on the ship's rail, crouched slightly, then sprang up, leaping towards the Masira Pirate Crew's ship.Luffy stretched his arm, grabbed the other ship's figurehead, then retracted his elastic arm and flew over.The sperm-diving suit perverts saw them coming and rushed towards them with various weapons. Luffy's figure appeared in the air. He spun his arm a few times, then violently swung it, and his hand... went into Masira's throat, giving him a PCR test.
Chapter 62 Kulik"Ugh, ugh, ugh..." Masira's throat was attacked, and the sound waves stopped instantly.A group of sperm-diving suit perverts charged fiercely at Meruem and the other two, but they were no match for them; in just one encounter, they were instantly knocked head over heels."You actually dared to damage my Going Merry!" Luffy's hand tightened, gripping Masira's… tonsils, looking very angry.Masira still couldn't believe what was happening. He grabbed Luffy's hand with both of his, pulling hard, but Luffy's hand seemed to be rooted in place. No matter how hard he tried, it had no effect.Gradually, Masira's eyes rolled back. Seeing that he wasn't responding, Luffy squeezed even harder."Speak up! Why did you damage my Going Merry!""Ahem… Luffy, I think if someone has a hand shoved into their mouth and squeezed like that, being able to speak would be considered a rare talent." Meruem really couldn't bear to watch anymore. He walked over to Luffy and patted his shoulder, saying.Luffy's expression turned strange. He released his grip and pulled his hand out of Masira's mouth; the saliva on his hand looked a bit disgusting. He casually wiped it on Masira's clothes, then grabbed Masira by the collar: "Now tell me! Why did you damage my Going Merry!"But by this time, Masira's eyes had rolled back, and he was no longer capable of answering him.Meruem sighed: "Let's head to our destination first. We'll take this guy to Chopper to have a look. When he wakes up, we'll make him pay."…Thump, thump, thump… Usopp was diligently repairing the ship, or rather, not quite repairing, but patching up the damaged areas."I don't know when this ship started to become so dilapidated… Should we get a new one?" Zoro said casually while hammering rivets.Usopp immediately turned his head and said unhappily, "Don't talk nonsense! You're heartless!"Meruem casually placed the repair materials on the ground: "We still need to find a shipwright. Things like ship repair and maintenance should be left to professionals."Luffy was also hammering rivets, grinning: "The Going Merry is also an important companion of ours. We must fix her, no matter what. I just don't know where we can find a shipwright willing to sail with us."…You'll never encounter eager people like Robin and me again. Meruem thought about his first encounter with Luffy, feeling a bit downhearted.Usopp, hearing Luffy say that the Going Merry was also a companion, was moved beyond words. He wiped away tears with his hand, saying emotionally, "Luffy, you really are a…"Crack… Luffy might have used too much force, and a piece of the ship's railing directly cracked, causing more damage than Masira had just done… "Idiot!" Usopp finished the second half of his sentence, hitting Luffy on the head with a hammer. His tears of emotion turned into tears of heartache… The Going Merry is indeed quite miserable following you guys. Meruem covered his face, not wanting to speak… Since it was just across the shore, it didn't take too long for the Straw Hat to reach their destination.A magnificent "palace" appeared before everyone's eyes."Wow, I didn't expect there to be such a beautiful palace here. That dreamer Cricket must be a big rich man." Luffy exclaimed, the large bump on his forehead from Usopp's hit looking quite comical.Sanji lit a cigarette and said with a look of disdain, "What dreamer… I think he's just vain! This guy must be a poor bum. Sister Robin, is it really meaningful for us to look for this guy?"After the Going Merry docked, everyone disembarked and saw that the magnificent palace was merely a huge canvas, with a pitifully small house behind it.Robin spread her hands and said with a smile, "I just heard that Jaya Island is buried with a large amount of gold, and this Cricket has clues to the gold."Nami's ears instantly perked up: "Gold! Chopper, dig for me!""Huh? Can I just dig it up?" Chopper immediately transformed into his reindeer form and obediently began digging.Meruem looked at the diligent Chopper, not knowing what to say. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure emerge from the sea, kicking towards him."You're here for the gold, aren't you? Go to hell!" With a chestnut on his head and a cigarette, lit at some unknown point, in his mouth, a gloomy Cricketattacked without a word.Meruem dodged the kick with a slight sidestep, his head full of questions: "Uncle… are you attacking me because I look easier to deal with…?"Cricket didn't respond at all. Seeing that the kick missed, he immediately dropped down, supporting himself with one hand, and the missed kick instantly turned into a sweep.Meruem pouted, lightly jumped, and stood on Cricket's spear-like leg, saying helplessly, "Why don't you listen to people, you guy?""Bang!" Cricket supported himself with one hand, pulled out a gun with the other, and immediately fired. Who knew how this flintlock could fire when he had just climbed out of the sea?Meruem suddenly squatted down, dodged the bullet, and threw a punch at Cricket's face, preparing to defeat him first, otherwise, he wouldn't even have a chance to speak.The punch was still 0.01 centimeters from Cricket's face, but it never landed. Cricket, however, rolled his eyes and slumped to the ground… This is a staged accident. Meruem stood aside with his hands raised, indicating that he hadn't touched him.Nami only reacted when she heard the gunshot. Seeing Cricket fall, she yelled, "Chopper, you're so noisy, what are you doing! Come over and check on this guy. If he dies, where will we find clues?"Chopper looked at Nami with disbelief, then at the small pit he had diligently dug, falling into self-doubt. But fortunately, his doctor's instinct kicked in. Seeing someone collapse, he still transformed back to his original form and scurried on his short legs towards Cricket… "...Diving sickness. This uncle must be diving back into the sea every day before the diving bubbles have disappeared from his body. It's no wonder he gets sick by being so reckless every day." Chopper said seriously, holding a stethoscope… I find it quite incredible that people still get sick in this world. Is it because the species are all different? Meruem stood by the window, seeing the awakened Masira jump off the ship and run towards the house. Shoujou also ran out of the jungle and met up with Masira.Meruem leaned his hand on the windowsill, cupping his face, watching the two anxious figures.Shoujou and Masira finally noticed him. Their steps involuntarily paused, and they looked at him with complex expressions, then rushed over at an even faster speed."What have you done to the old man!" Their voices sounded exceptionally indignant.