Chapter 63 Preparing to Go to HeavenMeruem gestured with his eyes: "Can't you see for yourselves? They are taking care of that sick old man. Are you trying to kill him with all this noise?"Shoujou and Masira looked on, propped up on their heads, then sniffled, and started crying on cue, tears and snot flowing freely. Meruem couldn't help but take a few steps back and said to the room: "...Luffy, come handle this quickly."Luffy, carrying a basin of water, set it down casually and walked out, swinging his arms. Before he could even strike a pose, the snot- and tear-streaked Masira and Shoujou tightly hugged him, looking incredibly grateful. It was just... a bit disgusting, with the snot on Luffy even reflecting light.But Luffy didn't mind at all, grinning as he chatted with them.Zoro walked to the window, watching the scene, and his eyelid twitched: "...Why do I feel like they get along quite well."Usopp pinched his chin, striking a pose like Conan Edogawa, a smug smile on his face: "There is only one truth, and that is they are of the same race!"Meruem slapped Usopp on the head: "If our Captainis a monkey, then what are we...""But don't you think they got familiar with each other very quickly..." Usopp said stubbornly, holding the back of his head."...Maybe Luffy is just a social butterfly." Meruemdidn't know what else to say. It really was strange social ability... "The old man is awake!" Chopper's loud shout attracted everyone's attention.Luffy ran in from outside in two or three steps, shouting loudly: "Diamond-faced old man, I want to go to Sky Island!"???Meruem looked at Luffy in shock. What kind of social skill was this? While "diamond-faced" was accurate, wasn't it an insult? And by saying it so directly, wouldn't others think he was crazy?Cricket was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, "Hahaha, you guys believe there's a Sky Island."Nami's temper flared up at his words, and she clenched her fists, wanting to give Cricket a hard hit. Usopp stopped her: "Nami, stop it, he's a patient after all..."Cricket just laughed and continued: "Who knows if there's a Sky Island... However, I know someone who said there is, but that person is a world-renowned liar, and his descendants are still ridiculed by the world because of him."Everyone unconsciously looked at Usopp... = ͟ ͟ ͞ ͞ ( ꒪ ⌓ ꒪ * )"It's not me!" Usopp said with a speechless expression.Cricket ignored everyone and continued in a calm tone: "I am a descendant of that great liar. Our family was exiled and lost face because of him. Even today, people still point fingers at my family members. But even so, no one in the family hates him for it... because to my family, he was never a liar."At this point, Cricket took out a logbook from a nearby bookshelf. Judging by its material and degree of damage, it was very old. He casually flipped to a page and handed it to Nami: "Look here..."Nami took it, quickly scanned it, and said excitedly: "He said there's a Sky Island! And it also records unheard-of creatures and artifacts from Sky Island."Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper's eyes instantly lit up, and the three of them held hands and started doing a strange dance... While it's true there might be one, you're looking at a world-renowned liar's logbook and saying there is, and you're so sure, I really don't understand you guys. Meruem covered his face, feeling like there were so many things to complain about, he didn't even know where to start.Cricket looked at the excited crowd and smiled: "I can't guarantee if these are true, and I don't care if you believe them or not, but I will tell you everything I know."Luffy nodded seriously: "Mhm, I'll believe it.""Boss... he hasn't even said anything yet, it's truly my good fortune to have you as Captain." Meruemcouldn't hold it in anymore and blurted out.Luffy grinned at Meruem: "It's my good fortune to have you as a companion too.""..." Meruem was at a loss for words.Cricket scratched his head and continued: "In some sea areas around here, very strange phenomena sometimes occur. It might be daytime, but in an instant, it's shrouded in darkness.I believe the true nature of the sudden darkness is a thick shadow of clouds. There's a theory that they are cloud fossils that have been floating high in the sky for thousands or even tens of thousands of years. If Sky Island truly exists, I firmly believe it must be up there!Of course, you don't have to believe it."Luffy raised his arms and cheered: "Really? I understand, we're going above the clouds! Get ready to set off, companions!"Usopp was also so excited he was dancing: "Let's go, let's go~ Off to Sky Island!"Chopper bowed respectfully: "Thank you, old man, for telling us."Meruem watched the three of them with a shocked expression. He probably, perhaps, should not have mentioned how to get there. Did he miss something?Meruem stepped forward, delivered two "bang bang" punches, and dragged Luffy and Usopp back by their collars, then calmly said to Cricket: "Please continue."Cricket took a puff from his cigarette and said seriously: "Now for the important part. First, let me warn you, you must be prepared to die."Luffy, with a bruised and swollen face, said: "I'm already almost dead..."Cricket ignored him and continued: "There is a phenomenon called the Knock Up Stream. Theoretically, if you follow that current, you can ascend to the sky, but... the Knock Up Stream is, in essence, a disaster, a natural killer that everyone avoids if they can.That means, if you fail to go up, you will fall from a great height, with no chance of survival. Even if you do go up, if there's no Sky Island, the outcome is the same."Upon hearing this, the excited Usopp immediately activated his musical talent, playing a retreat drum that was truly impressive."Alright! I understand! Luffy, it's really a shame, this kind of one-in-a-million chance, ah, no, one in ninety-nine, one in nine hundred ninety-nine, one in ten thousand chance, let's just forget about it... It's good to be alive."Luffy didn't care at all, grinning: "It's fine, let's get ready to go!"Usopp put on a long face and turned to look at the others.Nami was a bit conflicted: "They say there's countless gold up there..."Chopper was still excited: "An island in the sky~"Zoro yawned: "Decided? When do we leave?"Sanji lit a cigarette: "Looks like I'll get to see ingredients I've never seen before~"Robin propped up her face: "I wonder if Mr. Long Nose's nose would split in two if he fell from a great height..."Usopp looked utterly despairing and finally looked at Meruem. Meruem walked over, patted his shoulder, and whispered: "Well, you were the one who said you wanted to go in the first place..."
Chapter 64 Bellamy's AttackUsopp looked at the sky in despair, indicating that he didn't understand this world. They were about to risk their lives, yet no one among them seemed to care.Cricket smiled and continued, "Today, the phenomenon of day turning into night occurred, which means tomorrow, there will be an Updraft Current to the south. While I can't be 100% certain, the probability of it appearing tomorrow is very high. If you've made up your minds, Shoujou, Masira, and I will reinforce your ship tonight."Usopp seemed to accept his fate, shook his head, and said with a laugh, "It looks like tomorrow will be the last day of my life. I'd better have a few extra drinks tonight..."If his legs hadn't been shaking so much that they blurred, his words might have sounded a bit more heroic.Luffy grinned and said, "Then we'll leave it to you, Uncle!"Nami noticed Cricket's words and asked doubtfully, "Once we're out on the Grand Line, there's no north, south, east, or west. How will we find that Updraft Current to the south tomorrow?"Cricket paused, then walked towards the room. "Come with me, I'll show you something. Shoujou, Masira! We've met some foolish dreamers. Tonight, we feast!""Oh oh oh!" Luffy perfectly blended in with those two guys; he really didn't look very human. "Hahaha, the sake tonight tastes especially good!" Crickettook a big gulp of sake, the flush on his face a mix of intoxication and excitement. He pulled out a bird-shaped golden statue and laughed, "This is the golden statue of the South Bird. These creatures can still be found in the forest. If you catch one, you can find the Updraft Current to the south."The moment Nami saw the gold, her eyes lit up. As she touched the golden statue of the South Bird, she felt an itch, not just in her heart but in her hands too."...You need to control yourself," Meruem whispered from the side.Nami's face turned red as she glared at Meruem, but she still took her hand off the statue and said, "Let's go find that South Bird. We need to hurry."Hearing this, Luffy began to use his special skill again. After a blur of movement, most of the food had disappeared. Chopper looked at his plate, then at Luffy, almost in tears."Let's go! Let's go!" Luffy shouted excitedly.Meruem leaned against the wall of the room and yawned. "You guys go ahead. I'll wait for you here; I want to rest for a bit." With that, he fell asleep.Chopper frowned, scampered over on his short legs, listened with his stethoscope, and then made a "shush" gesture to everyone.Everyone nodded and tiptoed out. "Xiao Jian Jian, what's going on? Why does he have this problem with excessive sleepiness?""Can you not use that name? Insufficient body energy reserves; it's normal to replenish it by sleeping. Look at how much your Captain eats; isn't he also storing energy?""...Do I have to eat like that too? I can't do it.""Or you could switch to a different sword. To be honest, I think that sword is suppressing your strength; it's a bit disobedient.""...Is it a good sword?""...It's a cursed sword.""It doesn't matter, as long as I get stronger.""As you wish. When you can truly wield it, your strength will indeed skyrocket.""Then will I be able to cut down Blackbeard Teachwith one strike?""I advise you to stop dreaming. By the time you can wield it, that guy will have become much, much stronger.""You're so useless...""I'm... You're... You're weak, and you blame me?! How about I give you a 1000% boost for 5 seconds? I guarantee you'll chop him down with one strike.""...Never mind. I think you're trying to kill me.""You're not wrong.""..."...The noise woke Meruem from his sleep. He was clearly displeased, and his morning grumpiness made him want to cut someone.A red glow flashed in his eyes, and his anger surged. He pushed himself up, and with a shift of his feet, he vanished from the room."Look, this statue... such beautiful gold." Bellamyheld the statue of the South Bird, praising it with a smile."Hmph... hmph... You have no right to touch that gold..." Cricket sat on the ground, his face covered in blood, speaking breathlessly.Shoujou and Masira lay beside him, their blood staining the ground.Sarquiss of the Bellamy Pirates wore a disdainful smile. "Right?" He drew the large dagger from his waist, rushed forward, and slashed at Cricket. "I'd like to know if this counts as having the right."Cricket gritted his teeth, wanting to dodge, but his illness held him firmly in place. Shoujou struggled to his feet, scrambling to shield Cricket."Shoujou! Get out of the way!" Cricket reached out to pull Shoujou away but felt utterly powerless. His expression changed drastically, and he looked at Shoujou in front of him with despair."Hahaha! I'm much stronger than you!" Accompanied by Sarquiss's arrogant laughter, the glint of the dagger reflected Shoujou's emotionless eyes as it swung towards him."Clang!" The dagger was blocked by a black blade. Meruem coldly stared at Sarquiss in front of him, then reached out with his other hand, grabbed Sarquiss's head, and slammed it violently into the ground.Boom!!Sarquiss's face made negative-distance contact with the ground, creating an explosive roar.Meruem sheathed his sword, casually picked up Sarquiss's dagger, and lifted Sarquiss's now-deformed face to his own. "A piece of scum dares to say he's stronger than others?"Then he casually plunged the dagger into Sarquiss's shoulder and twisted it violently.As the wail began, Meruem slammed his head back into the ground, and the wail abruptly stopped.Bellamy casually put down the golden statue of the South Bird and said with a sinister smile, "How dare a small pirate with no bounty touch my First Mate? You're also a companion of that Straw Hat waste, aren't you? I saw you walking together on the street today."Meruem used Sarquiss's head to wipe the splattered blood on the ground, but it only made it dirtier. He pouted and said, "So, you're the one who hurt the Captain today?""Hahaha! Of course it was me! Your Captain didn't even fight back..." Before he could finish, Bellamystared blankly at his abdomen. A black blade emerged from it, dripping with fresh red blood.Meruem's cold voice came, "Being able to beat the Pirate King should be the highest honor of your life. I don't quite understand why they stood there and let you hit them; perhaps they were just fulfilling a promise. However, if that's the case, then you all must take responsibility."Bellamy opened his mouth to speak, but it was full of blood, making it impossible to utter a complete sentence. There was something on the black blade that continuously destroyed his internal organs.Meruem casually withdrew his sword, and Bellamyknelt on the ground, blood flowing incessantly from his abdominal wound."It's over, I'm a bit excited. What should I do?" Meruem smiled as he looked at the remaining members of the Bellamy Pirates, the curve of his lips looking somewhat cruel.
Chapter 64 KillingMeruem twisted his neck and stepped on Bellamy's head: "Seriously, you hit my Captain, then dared to try and steal the gold that even our money-grubber wouldn't touch, and then you dared to interrupt others who were helping us reinforce our ship. Truly, not sentencing you to death would be inexcusable."After speaking, he thrust his blade towards Bellamy's back."Spring-Spring Fruit. Spring Hopper!" Bellamy's legs turned into springs, and he pushed off the ground, lunging forward, narrowly dodging the black blade.Meruem clapped his hands, smiling, and said, "Now this is a bit more interesting~"Bellamy clutched his abdomen, panting as he looked at Meruem: "How could that useless Straw Hat's ship have such a strong monster."At this moment, a Bellamy Pirates crew member nearby tremblingly handed over a wanted poster: "B-Boss, that Straw Hat was... was given a 100 million Berries bounty. He defeated the Shichibukai... Crocodile. And that green-haired swordsman was given a 60 million Berries bounty."Bellamy snatched the wanted poster and was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said: "That Straw Hat who couldn't even fight back, it must be a mistake. This monster must have done it, and the Marine put it on that guy's head."Meruem shrugged, casually twirling his blade: "Is that your last will? How boring."Bellamy gritted his teeth and roared: "Lads, get him! Spring-Spring Fruit. Spring Snipe!"The Bellamy Pirates all raised their guns, and the continuous gunfire rained bullets down on Meruem.Meruem's eyes flashed red, and he slowly walked towards the Bellamy Pirates, occasionally tilting his head and body, literally walking out of the hail of bullets completely unharmed."Seriously, I've been encountering monsters so much lately that I almost forgot there were weaklings like you in the Grand Line. And not only are you weaklings, you're also so arrogant. Don't you think you're just asking for death?" Meruem said helplessly as he walked, sheathing his blade.Bellamy sprang towards Meruem with a fierce impact, the sound of rushing wind whistling."Don't rush, you're all sentenced to death. Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash. Sixfold!" Meruem took his starting stance and declared."Clang!" The sound of a blade being drawn rang out, and a black lightning bolt bypassed Bellamy's charge, rushing towards the Bellamy Pirates. They turned to flee, but just as they turned, a line of blood appeared at their throats, blood gushing out, and their bodies began to lose control, collapsing to the ground, unable to move."Two left." Meruem turned and said with a slight smile, then took a step and appeared in front of Sarquiss, who had just struggled to his feet, a wide smile on his face: "You were too arrogant. Be more careful in your next life."As soon as his words fell, Sarquiss's head flew into the sky, and his headless corpse staggered back two steps before falling down.Bellamy was gritting his teeth so hard they almost shattered, but he already understood that the Meruem before him was not an existence he could currently contend with.He glared fiercely at Meruem, as if to engrave his appearance firmly onto his soul, then his leg springs compressed violently, and he suddenly sprang away into the distance.The result... a black blade appeared in his escape path, and using his own momentum, the black blade pierced through his heart. Meruem held the blade, smiling as gently as ever: "I told you I sentenced you to death, how could I let you escape?"Bellamy looked at the black blade, at Meruem's somewhat cruel smiling face, his face filled with unwillingness, yet he felt life slipping further and further away, the strength in his limbs disappearing. He wanted to say something, but besides sounds of "Uh... Ah..." nothing came out.The Bellamy Pirates were completely wiped out... Meruem casually flicked his blade, and all the blood was flung onto the ground, leaving the blade completely clean.Cricket, Shoujou, and Masira stared blankly at everything that had just happened. The Bellamy Pirates had all perished in a flash of lightning. When Meruem looked in their direction, Masira's body couldn't help but tremble... To hell with the Shichibukai, to hell with Crocodile. I actually tried to rob these people and even damaged their ship, what was I thinking? Masira felt a bit desperate, a bit like strangling himself with his 25 years of uncut hair.Meruem took a deep breath on the spot, suppressing all the agitation back into his heart, and asked doubtfully: "Xiao Jian Jian, are you playing tricks? I get excited as soon as I see blood, and I'm not a vampire.""Your mom... Forget it, you're the weird one, okay? Your blade loves fresh blood, if you kill more, maybe it'll even be more obedient, but you're actually suppressing it with your raw strength. Also, I'm a devil, okay? If you kill more, it'll be good for both you and me, but look how few you've killed so far.""...Hmm, why do I feel like you're trying to fool me?""...You figured that out. Pfft, I'm not fooling you.""...Are you treating me as deaf?""Alright, killing more people is good for me and the blade. As for you, you definitely won't get as many benefits as the two of us. But you kill people without any expenditure, isn't pure profit good?""...I still feel like you're not telling the truth. Forget it, let's take it one step at a time."Meruem slowly walked towards the three, Cricket, Shoujou, and Masira, squatted down, and whispered: "Later, you guys clean up. I don't want them to know about this. Hmm... no problem, right?""No problem, no problem." Shoujou and Masiranodded their heads like chickens pecking rice, not showing any signs of objection.Cricket looked at Meruem with complex eyes, then said: "Shura's methods, Bodhisattva's heart... I really don't know how someone like you would follow that group of people. I don't even dare to say whether they are dragging you down, or you are dragging them down.""Yawn~ Mutual burden is what partners are all about, right? It's really fun being with them, Uncle, don't you think so? I'm sleepy, remember to wake me up if anything happens." Meruem yawned as he walked towards the room, answering casually."It is indeed quite fun..." Cricket mumbled softly, then smiled and said: "Shoujou, Masira, get to work. The reinforcement of their ship is still a bit short. We can only repay the life-saving kindness with some interest for now.""Oh, oh, oh!"..."Meruem~ Meruem~ Wake up quickly, we're setting off!"Meruem groggily opened his eyes and saw Luffycarrying him towards the Going Merry, the jostling making him a bit nauseous."...Luffy, put me down." Meruem said, covering his mouth."Oh, oh, oh, right away!" Luffy grabbed the Going Merry's sheep's head with one hand and flew onto the Going Merry, then... Meruem fell onto the deck."Hehehe, Meruem~ Are you okay? We're about to set sail!""..." Meruem ran to the ship's railing in a few steps... and threw up.
Chapter 65 Blackbeard is chasing"Kid! This is where I say goodbye to you all! One thing is absolutely certain: no one has ever proven that the Golden City or Sky Island doesn't exist! Perhaps some will mock this as twisted logic, but what does it matter! It's precisely because of dreams that romance can be achieved!" Cricket said with a smile.Usopp gripped the ship's railing tightly, his legs trembling nonstop, muttering, "...Chasing romance with our lives, I don't know if it's right or wrong."Luffy grinned, and Meruem, who had finally recovered, glared at him with an unfriendly expression, but in the end, he could only sigh and say to Cricket, "You should pay more attention to your health. Wouldn't it be too regrettable if we proved Sky Island exists, but you couldn't go up?"Cricket spat, replying discontentedly, "Don't meddle in my business. Just make sure you don't lose your own lives.""Oh! Mates, let's go!" Luffy nodded, shouting excitedly.Meruem leaned on Usopp's shoulder, laughing, "Let's go find death~"Usopp grabbed Meruem's neck with his backhand: "I forbid you to say that again!""...Isn't that what you usually say?""I'll take on all the despair of the entire ship myself!""...Awesome."...The Going Merry sailed on the sea, with Shoujou's and Masira's ships on either side, like guardians.Meruem leaned against the ship's railing, with a South Bird standing beside him. Luffy reached out and turned the South Bird's head to the side, and then... *Duang*, the South Bird's head returned to its original position, stubbornly facing south... In the Grand Line, where even compasses are useless, this guy is truly amazing from a certain perspective. Meruem expressed a desire to learn this, and also to have Zoro learn it, so they wouldn't have to worry about getting lost in the future.Just then, a gigantic whirlpool appeared in front of them. Shoujou laughed loudly, "Hahahahaha! It seems our luck is good this time. This is an unprecedented massive eruption. Let us give you a ride."With that, a lasso extended from both Shoujou's and Masira's ships, hooking onto the Going Merry. Then, a synchronized shout was heard, and the Going Merry subtly lifted off the sea surface, rapidly plunging into the whirlpool... This looked very much like repaying kindness with enmity. Meruem gripped the ship's railing tightly with his hands, complaining wildly internally."No one said we were going into a whirlpool! This is fraud!" Nami's astonished voice sounded somewhat desperate."Hahahaha, off to Sky Island!" Luffy's eyes gleamed, completely unfazed by the gigantic whirlpool that threatened to swallow them."Help..." Usopp was already rolling his eyes and blowing bubbles. Chopper, in his Strong Point form, held him tightly, while his other hand gripped the ship's railing, his teeth chattering slightly: "Is... Is this really... the way?""It seems we'll all be dismembered this time." Luckily, Robin's mouth wasn't blessed, otherwise, this crew would have died countless times."Straw Hat, you stop right there!" Blackbeard Teach's voice came from beside the whirlpool.Meruem's gaze sharpened, staring intently in Blackbeard's direction."Ah! You're here too, kid! This time, I'll make you pay the price." Blackbeard Teach noticed Meruem and laughed even more happily, his missing teeth looking quite comical."Isn't that the strange guy we met in Mock Town... I hate him." Luffy looked in the direction of the voice, saying unhappily."Huh, he's holding two bounty posters. Let me see... Oh my, Luffy, you're wanted for 100 million Berries, and Zoro for 60 million Berries!" Usopp, who had fainted, woke up just as quickly. He was already standing on the ship's railing, pulling down his scope from his head and saying."Tsk, only 60 million Berries, I'm really underestimated." Zoro said with a smug expression."Hehehe, I'm one step closer to becoming the Pirate King." Luffy smiled very happily."What are you happy about! 160 million, do you know how many people will be after us!" Namisuffered a double blow and felt like she couldn't take it anymore."What about me? I performed very brilliantly!" Sanjiheld a telescope, but he couldn't even see Teach's face, let alone the bounty poster.Chopper stared at Usopp with anticipation: "What about me, what about me...""...It seems it's only the two of them.""Hmm... Nami, our ship's current bounty should be 239 million Berries. The number of people targeting us might have doubled." Robin said with a calm expression.Upon hearing this, Sanji and Chopper squatted sadly to the side, drawing circles.Nami covered her face, not wanting to speak... You guys are too relaxed. Meruem's eye twitched as he watched Usopp, who had derailed the conversation with a single sentence, feeling a bit helpless."You all stop right there!" Blackbeard Teach's voice sounded a bit exasperated.Upon closer inspection, the two ships were getting further and further apart. The Going Merry, heading towards the center of the whirlpool, had a distinct feeling of going straight to hell."I told you to stop!" Blackbeard Teach was still shouting, sounding a bit like a police officer... Meruem walked to the stern, no longer participating in the Straw Hat's excited discussion about the bounty posters, and coldly watched the Blackbeard Pirates vigorously chasing after them."Damn it! Dark Water!" Seeing the distance between them growing, Blackbeard Teach bit his teeth unwillingly, then waved his hand, and an overwhelming darkness surged towards the Going Merry."50% amplification! Breath of the Moon, Fifth Form, Lunar Vortex Calamity!"With a "clang," Meruem drew his sword and unleashed a blade of light. The blade of light rushed towards the darkness, appearing somewhat insignificant in comparison.However, the colliding darkness and blade of light in the air produced a massive roar, distinctly splitting the sky in two, drawing the attention of the "unreliable" Straw Hat. They looked towards the stern.Meruem, with his white hair, stood holding his sword, and in his silhouette, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood seemed visible.Luffy, however, paid no mind, running to Meruem's side in two or three steps: "Oh oh oh! Meruem~ You're so amazing. Is that pitch-black mist that strange guy's technique? It looks really uncomfortable."All the anomalies on Meruem's body slowly receded, and he said with some fatigue, "Yes, that guy is indeed a bit troublesome. Luffy, I'll leave him to you from now on.""Oh! Leave it to me, don't worry!" Luffy tightened his Straw Hat and said with a grin."Everyone! The Knock Up Stream is coming!" Namilooked at Meruem with a somewhat complex gaze, her body trembling slightly as she sensed the change in the ocean, and shouted."Luffy, let's go! Don't mind that annoying guy, let's head in our direction." Meruem said, somewhat weakly, leaning on Luffy's shoulder."Oh! We'll have a chance to meet again someday." Luffy reached out and hugged Meruem tightly, walking towards the deck. The sky behind them, gradually losing its distinct separation, earnestly served as their backdrop, looking very cool.
Chapter 66: Newton's coffin, Oda, you must have been crushed to death"Damn it! You guys stop right there!" Blackbeard Teach roared, darkness surging in his hands, but he could no longer touch the Going Merry."Captain... let's retreat, if we keep this up, the ship will capsize," Laffitte said, sharply turning the helm and steering away from the vortex.Blackbeard Teach gritted his teeth, then smiled and said, "Straw Hat, I'll let you off this time. My men, let's go find bounties again. I must fill Crocodile's vacant Shichibukai position.""Oh!"...At the center of the vortex, a pillar of water shot up, carrying the Going Merry with it, soaring straight into the sky. Luffy, with one arm around Meruemand the other holding the Going Merry's sheep figurehead, excitedly shouted, "Charge! Towards Sky Island!""...Newton's coffin lid must have been nailed down by Oda, this scene is just too outrageous," Meruemwas still a bit weak, but experiencing something like this firsthand, he couldn't help but inwardly complain.Sanji glanced at the water pillar, his expression changing drastically: "It doesn't look like it's going to be that smooth, the ship is about to leave the water pillar."Usopp hugged the railing, thought for a moment, then looked at Sanji with an innocent expression: "...Could you explain?"Robin crossed her arms, and several hands extended from the deck, gripping her ankles to fix her to the deck: "If we leave the water pillar, we'll fall down and have no place to be buried."Usopp rolled his eyes, hugging the railing tightly: "Kaya, it seems I won't be able to come back and tell you my stories...""Hoist the sails immediately! Quick!" Nami grabbed the railing, pointed a finger, and confidently declared: "This is the sea! Not an ordinary water pillar! It's a sky-reaching current. Also, the wind blowing from below is generated by geothermal heat and steam explosions... an updraft. If the objects are wind and sea, I have a way! Who do you say is the navigator of this ship?"Everyone was stunned, then looked at each other, grinning in unison: "It's Nami (Miss)!"Meruem grabbed the ship's rail, watching everyone move according to Nami's commands, and couldn't help but say in his heart."So cool, Xiao Jian Jian, don't you think?""I see your mom... I see Tsukuyomi, do you want to die by calling me by my name...""If you don't like it... Xiao Yuè Yuè is fine too.""Your memories are shared with me, don't think I don't know the Xiao Yuè Yuè meme...""If you didn't know, I wouldn't have said that.""...Pfft."With everyone's actions, the Going Merry steadily caught the sky-reaching current and surged towards the towering sky.Then the Going Merry plunged straight into... the sea?! No one had expected that there would be another sea at such a great height, and the surging seawater made it impossible for them to breathe.Meruem covered his mouth, struggling to look at the surrounding seawater, his pupils continuously dilating, even showing bloodshot eyes. Experiencing this for the first time, he couldn't help but pass out... "Cough, cough, cough..." Meruem struggled to open his eyes, the Straw Hat scattered across the deck. He staggered to his feet, surrounded by a vast expanse of white, the Going Merry aimlessly drifting on... the clouds... Floating on clouds, this was simply too much. Meruem took a few deep breaths, then turned to look at the others who were gradually waking up."Huff huff... Is everyone here?" Zoro breathed with difficulty, his first words sounding particularly reliable."Hey! Everyone look! We're here!" Luffy had just woken up, did a carp jump, and excitedly shouted... which made him seem a bit unreliable. Having such a Captain still seemed a bit unfortunate."...Why can we be on clouds?" Nami stared dumbfounded at her surroundings, the scene before her redefining her worldview."...Why not? Clouds can be ridden on, right?" Luffylooked at Nami in confusion, wondering why his navigator would ask such a foolish question.This time, the Straw Hat crew was unusually in sync: "...Clouds cannot be ridden on."Luffy's face looked like he was constipated, his mouth pursed, not wanting to speak.Meruem, who had been smiling and participating, suddenly changed his expression, red light bursting in his pupils, and he low-growled, "Someone's coming!"Everyone paused, looking in the direction Meruemwas staring. A person with wings on their back, holding an RPG-like cannon in one hand, a shield in the other, and a strange mask on their face, was treading on the sea of clouds and rushing towards them."I'll eliminate you..." The newcomer's words were filled with killing intent, he said coldly.He suddenly jumped, landing on the edge of the Going Merry, the RPG in his hand emitting a huge roar, and a cannonball flew towards them.Meruem lifted his leg to step, but it slightly weakened. He gritted his teeth and pushed again, charging towards the cannonball."Clang!" The flash of the black blade passed, and the cannonball split in two, exploding in the air.Luffy's fist shot out from behind Meruem, striking towards the Masked Man.The Masked Man twisted his body in mid-air, kicking away Luffy's fist with a raised leg.Just then, a strange figure in armor flew through the air, riding on a large bird, and shouted, "This is far enough! Sky Knight Gan Fall is here!"Meruem's face was grim, his eyes turned red, and a terrifying aura surged out, heading towards the Masked Man."One after another! You're looking for death!"Saying this, Meruem stepped forward again: "Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash!"A black flash of lightning streaked past, rushing towards the Masked Man. In just an instant, the Masked Man could barely block with his shield, but the blade's light cut through, splitting the shield in two instantly.Gan Fall jumped off his bird, and with a kick... kicked the Masked Man, sending him flying back into the Sky Sea.Meruem stood on the ship's rail, coldly watching Piere, not making another move. After all, this Piere seemed to be a friend, not an enemy.Gan Fall used the Masked Man for leverage, did a backflip, and also stood on the ship's rail. He subtly moved two steps away from Meruem, who was radiating killing intent, and said, "Ahem... You are Blue Sea people, right? Blue Sea people is a general term for those who live below the clouds. This place is the White Sea, 7000 meters above the Blue Sea, and the even higher White White Sea is as high as 10,000 meters. Generally speaking, people from the Blue Sea become immobile when they reach here, as the air is too thin."Luffy took a few deep breaths, did some calisthenics, and jumped: "Great! I've finally gotten used to it!"Zoro was in a ready stance but had no chance to move. He twisted his neck: "Indeed, it's much better than before."The red in Meruem's pupils receded, and he exhaled a deep breath: "So it was because of the air. It's fine now."Gan Fall stared at them, dumbfounded, and said with a helpless expression, "This... this is impossible."
Chapter 67 The money is gone but the person is still alive"Cough cough... A small issue. I'm here to offer you a service. I am a free mercenary, and this is a dangerous ocean! Those unfamiliar with aerial combat can easily be hunted down by the guerrillas we just saw and end up as food for sky fish! For a whistle and 5 million Aegis Berries, I will come to your rescue," Gan Fall said solemnly."..." Everyone looked at Gan Fall with question marks above their heads. Luffy looked foolish, "What are you talking about, old man?"Gan Fall's eye twitched, "...This is already the lowest price. Don't haggle. I need to live too."Sanji took a puff from his cigarette, wondering if the thin air would make it taste different, "...We don't even know what a whistle or Aegis Berries are.""You... Aren't you from the top of the Western Sky? In that case, you should have passed one or two islands to get here!" Gan Fall looked astonished.Nami's eyes widened, "From your tone, there are other ways to get to this Sky Sea? And there's more than one Sky Island?"Gan Fall was even more astonished, "You came up on that monster current? I never thought there would still be such brave people..."Nami covered her face, wanting to cry, and mumbled, "I knew that route wasn't normal."Meruem yawned, "It's fine, we made it anyway."Nami reached out, grabbed Meruem's collar, pulled him in front of her, and looked at him with teary eyes."Nami, you..." Meruem hadn't finished speaking when Nami violently shook him."We almost died! We could have slowly gathered information and chosen a safer way to come up!" Nami's anger level was maxed out, making people afraid to challenge her.Luffy had originally wanted to agree, but seeing this scene, he showed no loyalty. He clasped his hands behind his head, turned his face away, and whistled, as if he wasn't the one who decided to take this route.Nami finally calmed down. Meruem, affected by a mysterious force, was completely powerless to resist. Thrown to the side, he leaned against the ship's railing... and threw up again.He had thrown up twice in a single day, probably from drinking fake alcohol... Gan Fall looked at these still-joking fellows, somewhat helplessly took out a whistle, threw it on the deck, and then said, "A 'whistle' means blowing this whistle once, and I will descend from the sky to rescue you. This time... this time it's free."With that, he stood up, jumped upwards, and the large bird from earlier appeared beneath his feet, carrying him away into the distance."Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Meruem can't handle it, so will calling that guy over really help?" Chopperasked doubtfully."Chopper, I think if I can't handle it, he won't be able to either," Usopp said helplessly."Eh, is he that weak?!" Chopper was surprised, casually picked up the whistle, and looked at it with disdain.Usopp looked as if he had been struck by lightning, "...I think you're insulting me."Robin nodded, "I think he's telling the truth."...The Going Merry continued forward, and before long, arrived at a place that looked like the entrance to paradise. A plaque above the gate read "Heaven's Gate.""This... It feels like if we go in, we'll be dead," Usopplooked at the words, his eye twitching as if he was having a seizure.Zoro laughed and said, "Maybe we were all wiped out just now."Sanji, for once, agreed with Zoro, "Possibly. That would explain why this world is so strange."Chopper, who was examining Meruem, couldn't help but turn to them, "Ah... Are we dead?!"Meruem stood up and rubbed Chopper's head, "Then you don't need to examine me. I'm too sleepy. I'll go in and get some sleep. Call me if anything happens."Chopper instantly reverted to his doctor's nature, "Ah, Meruem, you do look just tired. Go and rest then."Meruem yawned as he walked towards the cabin, casually waving his hand... "...This is too much. If I keep sleeping like this, won't I get swollen, Xiao Yuè Yuè?""...You should still call me Xiao Jian Jian. I can't handle that title.""Okay, Xiao Yuè Yuè~ No problem, Xiao Yuè Yuè~""My goodness... Forget it, you're truly incorrigibly cheap."Meruem got up from his hammock, yawning. The noise outside the cabin door was pretty much the same as when he went to sleep. What a lively Pirate Crew. A group of people who had just faced a life-and-death crisis were now acting as if nothing had happened. He didn't know whether to call them carefree or just abnormal."What's going on here?" Meruem opened the cabin door and asked doubtfully."That old woman said it costs 8 billion Aegis Berriesto go to the White Sea, which is 800,000 Berries. We're checking how much money we still have," Zoro didn't even turn his head, staring intently at Nami."What kind of exchange rate is that? So that Gan Fall guy could be called at any time for 500 Berries? Then his strength is simply appalling..." Meruempulled out 1 million Berries from his pouch and handed them over.Nami, who was meticulously counting money, instantly appeared in front of Meruem. With a swipe of her hand, the money was in her grasp. Then she stared intently at Meruem, "As the financial officer of this ship, I believe you should hand over all your Berries."???...I remember you said you were the navigator not long ago. Meruem felt he must not have been fully awake to reveal his wealth so easily in front of Nami; it was practically courting death: "Didn't Robin give you a bag of gems...? It can't be that you can't even produce this little money."Nami said as a matter of course, "The prices in Mock Town were so low, how could I easily sell them? The 500,000 Berries Vivi gave us, you know how hard it was to make it last until here with a surplus?"Luffy, picking his nose, suddenly remembered he was the Captain of this ship and righteously said, "I'm not trying to criticize you guys, but don't you know how to save a little?"Nami didn't even turn her head, but her fist accurately landed on Luffy's face. She gritted her teeth and said, "It was all eaten by you!"Meruem watched with a twitching eye as Luffy was sent flying to the ship's railing. He unhesitatingly opened his pouch, pulled out the remaining 3 million Berries, handed them to Nami, and then placed the pouch in front of her, "This is all I have. The people from Baroque Works are quite poor. I looted many people and only got this much. I haven't converted the remaining gems... I forgot about them earlier."Nami reached out and took them. Then she opened the pouch and, as if by magic, the gems inside instantly vanished without a trace. Satisfied, she blew on the Berries and walked towards the old woman inside "Heaven's Gate," giving her the Berries with a bit of a pained expression.That expression... it was as if she was giving away her own life.
Chapter 68 Angel BeachMeruem weighed his waist pouch, and sure enough, it was empty, and even the seemingly valuable gems in the other small pouch had disappeared. He sighed, looking at the Straw Hat crew, who were gazing at him with worshipful eyes, feeling a tiny urge to jump into the sea."Meruem… I'm not saying anything, but how can you hide a secret stash? Are we still partners?" Luffywalked over, his face swollen, and said with dissatisfaction, in a "I am the Captain" manner.Meruem gritted his teeth… and punched Luffy on the other side of his face. Watching Luffy fly backward, he felt much better inside.The old woman, who had received the money, instantly transformed her sinister face into a brilliant sunflower. She snapped her fingers and said, "Distinguished guests, I wish you a pleasant journey~"With her snap, a giant lobster appeared beneath the Going Merry. It looked like it had a lot of meat… Its two claws clamped onto the Going Merry, ascending along the sea of clouds, which looked completely unscientific.Seeing this, Luffy completely disregarded Nami and Meruem beating him. With a swollen face, he hugged his exclusive seat and shouted excitedly, like a monkey… After giving the money, Nami looked at the remaining Berries and the gems that had just belonged to Meruem with a goofy smile. She took off her T-shirt and wrapped them all up, completely unconcerned that her bikini was a bit too much to handle… Then she walked into the girls' dormitory, letting out an inexplicable laugh.Meruem shivered, touched his nose, and could only helplessly accept his fate. As the saying goes, wealth gone, people at peace… What a load of crap. It should be said that money is a hero's courage. Meruem, with not a single coin on him, felt a bit anxious. He was determined to make a fortune in the White-White Sea. Isn't Luffy going to fight that god, Eneru? This time, he would just follow behind and snatch all of that guy's inventory.Chopper looked at the pensive Meruem and couldn't help but tremble, quietly hiding behind Zoro, looking uneasily at Meruem… Although it seemed he had hidden in the wrong direction, he could only hide his two hands well, with his entire body exposed.The meaty lobster's speed was truly impressive. After a lightning-fast journey, the Going Merryarrived at a seemingly tranquil island. The golden beach, white sea of clouds, and curling smoke formed a beautiful painting. This was the meaning of sailing.Luffy jumped off the Going Merry first… completely unafraid of falling into the sea, even though he was a Devil Fruit user, he seemed to have no idea he would sink.However, this time, whether it was good luck or the lobster being diligent, Luffy landed on the sea of clouds with his jump, and ran towards the beach like a wild horse.Usopp also jumped down, performing a triple-somersault in the air, with a difficulty coefficient of 9.0. His graceful appearance was like a professional diver; who knows what he practiced every day. Immediately after… he plunged straight into the sea of clouds, straighter than a steel bar… "Usopp!" Chopper suddenly transformed into a strong man, jumped down right after, and pulled Usopp out like a radish, diligently fulfilling his duty as a doctor.Robin couldn't help but exclaim, "I never thought sailing and landing could be so much fun."Meruem twisted his neck and said with a smile, "This is the meaning of your boarding the ship."Robin looked at Meruem with a complex gaze and softly hummed.Meruem noticed her gaze, stepped onto the ship's rail, and said without looking back, "Everyone on this ship will achieve their dreams. Our Captain will go all out for our respective dreams. Hmm, actually, I don't mind going all out either, but you need to call out loudly when you need help. We are partners, not accomplices~"After speaking, he leaped down and ran towards the group of fools, looking not too smart himself.Robin looked at their backs and their playful antics, and couldn't help but let a smile curve her lips. She softly said, "Meeting you all is indeed wonderful. I don't mind going all out either."Her words dissipated in the wind, unheard by anyone."Oh oh oh oh oh oh!" Chopper was treating Usoppwhen a snow-white fox suddenly stood nearby, startling him and drawing everyone's attention.Nami, who was nearby, slapped… Zoro's head, pointed her finger, and said, "Zoro! An unknown species, and so cute, it must be very valuable! Catch it quickly!"Zoro felt his eyeballs were about to pop out. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'm not that perverted cook, don't try to order me around!"(♡ ⌂ ♡)"Miss Nami, please rest assured and entrust it to your knight. I shall surely offer it to you~ Marimo Head, if you shout at me again, I'll kick you to death!" Sanji's traditional exaggerated expressions were simply astonishing. On one hand, the hearts in his eyes seemed to be bursting out when he faced Nami, while on the other hand, his gaze towards Zoro was like looking at trash.As soon as he finished speaking, Sanji started running on the beach. The fox shivered and fled in a hurry. Sanji chased after it in a few steps and pounced forward, landing in empty space… He looked up, and his whole body froze.He saw a beautiful woman with golden hair, wings on her back, dressed in white, standing in front of him. She held the fox and looked apologetically at Sanji: "I'm sorry, Cloud Fox Shushu didn't mean it. I'm a resident here, my name is Conis. I apologize to you on its behalf."Sanji remained sprawled on the ground, his head tilted upwards, staring intently, with a faint trickle of nosebleed from his nostrils.Conis was stunned for a moment, then her face instantly flushed red. She clutched her skirt and retreated three steps, stammering, unable to speak.Meruem scratched his head in distress and lightly kicked Sanji… but there was no reaction at all. Meruem felt he really couldn't stand this guy anymore. He took a deep breath, leaned down, and delivered an uppercut to Sanji's face. Sanji, rotating three hundred and sixty degrees in the air, flew towards the sea of clouds like a meteor."Cough… well, sorry, this guy might have some issues in the head," Meruem said awkwardly. As Sanji's partner, feeling embarrassed at this moment was appropriate."Meruem~ Look, this is completely sealed, help me crack it open." Luffy ran over, holding an… iron coconut. The metallic reflection on its surface was quite dazzling.Conis only blushed slightly, then quickly returned to normal. She smiled, took the coconut from Luffy's hand, lightly picked at the bottom of the coconut with a knife, and took out a straw from her backpack to insert it: "This will do. Please~"Luffy took it without thinking anything, took a big sip, and his eyes lit up as if a flashlight had been turned on: "Delicious~"…After seeing a lovesick fool, then making you see a glutton, I'm truly sorry. Meruem felt that today might be a bit unlucky.
Chapter 69 God?Meruem was momentarily distracted, and Sanjiinstantly appeared beside Conis, kneeling on one knee and taking her hand. He said passionately, "Ah, you appeared by my side like an angel. I just want to say thank you..."As he spoke, he tried to kiss Conis's hand. Meruem's face twitched a bit, but he couldn't stop him. For a simp like Sanji... no, for a 'wolf warrior' like him, this might be his true ideal."Bang!"A small foot appeared on Sanji's face.Nami delivered a perfect side kick, sending Sanjiflying back into the Cloud Sea. She apologized to Conis, "I'm sorry... he really has some issues with his brain. Please don't mind him."Conis's face, which had turned crimson because of Sanji, gradually relaxed. She clutched her chest and said, "It's... it's alright. You must be from the Blue Sea, right? This is Angel Island, the God's Land of the White-White Sea. Welcome!"Luffy was guzzling coconut water, a pile of empty shells around him, and two more tucked into his waist. Luckily, trees couldn't be eaten, or they might have gone extinct today. He asked in confusion, "God's Land?"Conis smiled and replied, "That's right. This is the land ruled by God Eneru. Under God's glory, everyone will find peace and happiness."When she mentioned "peace and happiness," Meruem always felt Conis's voice was a little strange, carrying a hint of fear.Zoro grinned, saying indifferently, "God? I don't believe in any god. I only believe in myself."Conis didn't mind and continued, "Besides Angel Island, there's another island in this White-White Sea called God's Island. That's a forbidden zone here, a place you absolutely cannot go. If you step foot there without God's permission, you will be killed.""Oh? There's a place you absolutely can't go to~" Luffy's voice was already excited... Usopp, who had only recently woken up, heard this conversation and his face changed. He immediately grabbed Luffy's clothes, his voice trembling as he said, "Hey, hey... Luffy, I know what you're thinking. We're here for adventure, not to seek death!"Luffy didn't even look at Usopp. He gazed at the vast Cloud Sea and repeated, "A place you absolutely can't go to~"Meruem and Nami exchanged glances, instantly understanding... this guy would definitely go.Meruem scratched his chin and asked, "By the way, never mind that so-called God. Do you have any places here where gold can be found everywhere? I promised to help someone look..." Nami, hearing this, also looked at Conis with anticipation."This..." Conis looked a bit troubled. Before she could speak, a loud shout interrupted her."So-called God?! I can't pretend not to hear that. You have committed a Level 3 crime in God's Land, the crime of disrespecting God, and will be punished with the Cloud Stream Punishment! Or you can choose to pay a fine of 5 billion Egus Berries." A guy wearing a white beret, with scars on his face, who didn't look very bright, shouted loudly.Conis's face changed dramatically: "Oh... oh no, why is the White Beret Unit here? You... you guys should run quickly."...Is this the trouble with religion? But Eneru is quite fond of money; he must have a lot saved up. I need to find a way to get my hands on it. Meruem thought this, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards Nami."10,000 Egus Berries is 1 Berry, so 5 billion Egus Berries is 500,000 Berries... A newspaper costs 100 Berries, so that's 5,000 newspapers, one a day for 14 years. Plus the 800,000 Berries for the entrance ticket, we'll have to spend 1.3 million Berries before we even make any profit..." Nami grew angrier the more she calculated. Her furious gaze met Meruem's, making him involuntarily take a step back.Meruem whispered, "Do you think if we obediently pay the money, Luffy will still go to that forbidden zone, or will he cause trouble? I think... we shouldn't have paid for that ticket at all..."Nami froze, looked at the increasingly excited Luffy, and immediately felt a prickling sensation in her forehead. She covered her forehead with her hand and said, "...I was careless. It's all Meruem's fault. You now owe me 800,000 Berries, remember to pay me back."???Meruem looked at Nami with an incredulous expression: "...You just stole 4 million Berries and several gems from me, and now you're saying I owe you 800,000 Berries? What kind of ridiculous logic is that?"Nami said seriously, "If you had given it to me a little later, we wouldn't have been able to afford the ticket, and we could have saved 800,000 Berries. So it's all your fault."...It sounds somewhat logical, but isn't it just being unreasonable? Meruem indicated that he couldn't even respond to that."You actually won't surrender obediently? It seems you want to defy God, White Beret! Arrest him!""Oh, oh, oh!"Feather arrows, trailing white cloud streams, shot towards Meruem, completely disregarding Nami's life beside him.Meruem reached out and embraced her. This waist is so fair... Ah, bah! Meruem wrapped an arm around Nami's waist, shifted his feet, dodged the feather arrows, and then charged towards the White Beret Unit.Luffy took a deep gulp, and the coconut in his hand instantly became completely empty. He puffed out his cheeks and followed Meruem, charging forward.Zoro shook his head, his hand on his sword hilt: "As expected, this is our normal way of doing things." With that, he also charged forward.Usopp, trembling, led Nami, Chopper, and Robinbackward. According to him, he was preparing to occupy an advantageous sniping position; if he weren't shaking, his credibility might be much higher.The cloud streams trailing the feather arrows condensed in the air. The White Berets' strange shoes allowed them to step on the cloud streams like they were skiing, charging towards Meruem and the others.Meruem sprinted, then stomped heavily on the sand. Dust instantly covered his figure. The next moment, he was already beside the most talkative member of the White Beret Unit, plunging a sword into his shoulder. He smiled and said, "You said you wanted to arrest me?"Luffy leaped into the air, turning into... a ball?! Then, upon landing, countless punches and kicks were unleashed: "Gum-Gum Firework!"...I really don't know what kind of brain circuit could come up with such a move."Two-Sword Style: Seventy-Two Pound Phoenix!" Zoro put his two swords behind his back, then swung them heavily, and the blade light shot out like a cannon.The White Beret Unit, who had performed a series of fierce maneuvers, didn't even last one round against the three of them... They lay scattered on the ground.The guy Meruem had pinned down laughed maliciously, "We are the most gentle unit in the entire God's Land. You have offended God and will face retribution!"Meruem gently spun his black blade, smiling very gently: "Is that so?"
Chapter 70 Heavenly punishment?As Meruem's black blade spun, the blood surged even faster. Zoro watched without speaking, and Luffy tried to dissuade him, "Meruem... don't do that."Meruem shrugged, casually pulling the blade out of the guy's body. The spraying blood stained the golden beach with a mottled pattern. Then, he said, "Luffy, the path to becoming the Pirate King won't be smooth sailing. More and more people will want our heads. We don't need to leave these guys alive to be an eyesore."Luffy was silent for a moment, then grinned and said, "If I can defeat them once, I can defeat them a second time. As long as I get stronger and stronger, they won't be able to catch up to me."Meruem looked at Luffy's smile and couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself, "So you just need to keep moving forward, and I'll clear all the trash behind you.""...Why are nika fruit users always like this? I'm so unlucky, either I meet a good-for-nothing or a lunatic like you.""Xiao Yuè Yuè, you'll help me, right?""...If you don't call me Xiao Yuè Yuè, I might consider it.""...That's not possible.""My god..."Conis, with a complicated expression, helped up the guy Meruem had stabbed, and said to Luffy, "You... you should run away quickly. No matter how strong you are in the Blue Sea, your strength will be greatly reduced here, so you can't contend with God Eneru."That guy, who didn't know his place, was still spouting nonsense: "Conis, am I to assume you are helping criminals? Those who help criminals are as guilty as the criminals!"Meruem casually flicked his blade and said calmly, "That's truly tragic. I should just kill him." As he spoke, he stepped forward, ready to swing his blade.This time, Luffy looked at Conis, then at Meruem, and did not stop him.But Conis spread her arms, blocking Meruem's path, gritting her teeth and saying nothing.Nami's voice came from afar: "You guys, get on the ship! We need to leave!"Zoro sheathed his blade, no longer bothering with the standoff, and ran towards the Going Merry.Meruem, holding his blade, pointed at Conis: "He's about to condemn you, and you're still protecting him? What are you thinking?"Conis's eyes were red, but she said nothing. Luffypatted Meruem's shoulder and said, "Forget it, Meruem, let's go. We're going on an adventure~"Meruem frowned, tilted his head slightly, and dodged a kick. Sanji appeared in front of Conis with a backflip, dashing... if he wasn't completely soaked, he might have been considered dashing as he tossed his head: "Meruem, how can you point your blade at my beautiful Miss Angel?"Meruem wiped the water from his face, sheathed his blade with a "clank," and said helplessly, "Honestly, I really don't understand your logic. Whatever..."Luffy grinned, slung his arm over Meruem's shoulder, and walked towards the Going Merry. Sanji struggled for a moment, looked at Nami and Robin by the ship's rail, then at Conis, his expression looking very pained. Finally, he clutched his chest, waved at Conis, tears welling up in his eyes like he was in a soap opera, and followed in Luffy and Meruem's footsteps.Suddenly, that super meaty lobster reappeared below the Going Merry, clamped onto the Going Merry, and scurried away... Luffy watched dumbfounded, his jaw practically on the ground: "My... my Pirate Crew left without me getting on board! I'm the Captain!"Meruem immediately gave chase, but as soon as he stepped into the seawater, his body involuntarily went limp, and he almost fell into the sea. He gritted his teeth and retreated to the shore.Conis covered her mouth, looking at the guy lying on the ground, and said indignantly, "You... where did you send them?!"Meruem appeared instantly, his black blade unhesitatingly plunging into the guy's body, a surge of killing intent erupting and making Conisinvoluntarily stumble back two steps and sit on the ground.Luffy frowned at the guy on the ground, his fists slowly clenching. He, too, arrived beside them in an instant, grabbing the guy by his collar: "So it was you! Where did you take my comrades?!"Sanji lit a cigarette and silently walked in front of Conis, blocking her view."Hahaha, to the sacrificial altar, of course! Criminals should, of course, be sentenced to extreme punishment! You three will also be annihilated under divine judgment!"Red light burst from Meruem's pupils. He looked up to see a hundred-meter-wide beam of lightning pouring down. Without any hesitation, he pulled the blade from the body of the guy who was asking for death. His hair instantly turned snow-white, his pupils crimson, and a crescent moon mark faintly appeared on his forehead."Sun Breathing, Eleventh Form, Halo Dragon: Head Dance!"The black blade in Meruem's hand seemed to transform into a burning black dragon, unleashing countless slashes in a single second. Several black dragons soared into the sky, desperately holding off the lightning.The black flames and lightning exploding in the air were like fireworks, emitting dazzling light. The enormous roar made Conis reflexively cover her ears.Gradually, the black dragons and lightning dissipated. From afar, a voice of interested laughter seemed to be heard. Meruem's white hair slowly turned black. He turned his head towards the direction the Going Merry had departed, a gentle smile on his face. He gently placed his index finger to his lips and murmured, "Shh, you're about to stop laughing."Then he turned to the guy who was asking for death and said softly, "It seems your god can't punish me. Now, what are you going to do?"The guy looked as if he had gone mad and could no longer utter a single word.Gan Fall appeared behind Conis at some point, his grizzled beard trembling as he looked at the three standing figures and said, "...It seems I won't be able to charge you this time either. I didn't expect you to be so strong."Luffy urgently asked, "Old man, do you know where the sacrificial altar is? Take me there quickly! Namiwill pay you!"Gan Fall was silent for a moment before continuing, "Even if you resisted the divine judgment, I don't believe you can truly defeat God, so..."Meruem's voice appeared behind Gan Fall: "If you don't tell me, I will slaughter everyone I see here. Perhaps starting with you would be a good choice."Gan Fall's eyes narrowed. It wasn't until Meruem's voice appeared that his Mind Net (which is Observation Haki, the Sky Island's alternate name) detected Meruem's presence. If Meruem were to attack, the chance of blocking it would be almost zero.Conis clutched Gan Fall's armor, as if afraid he would disappear, and cried out, "Come back quickly, our God, Lord Gan Fall!"Luffy and Sanji were stunned. Luffy, rubbing his fists together, said, "So you're the God, you guy! Give me back my comrades!"Sanji twisted his ankle: "But Luffy... this guy doesn't seem like the kind of person who could have unleashed that attack just now."
Chapter 71: Island of Gods "Thanks for the gift from "I'll Become Stronger When I Draw UR""Meruem was stunned, carefully searching his memories. Wasn't Eneru the God of Sky Island at this time? And Conis had just mentioned Eneru's name.Gan Fall said with some embarrassment, "I... I am the former one. It wasn't me who took your companion.""...How did someone as weak as you become the former God?" Meruem felt his emotions disconnect, his killing intent vanishing without a trace.Sanji puffed on his cigarette, "Maybe it's a hereditary system..."Luffy's face was puffed up with anger, and he slammed his fist into his palm, saying, "Since it's not you, then hurry up and take me there! How dare he take my companion without permission! I'm going to punch that guy flying!"Conis felt as if she had said something wrong, standing timidly behind Gan Fall, still clutching the corner of his clothes tightly.Gan Fall felt that these three guys really didn't respect their elders at all. Couldn't they see his gray beard and wrinkled face?! But looking at the expressions of these three guys—one disdainful (that was Meruem), one jocular (that was Sanji), and one furious (that was the monkey, ah, no, that was Luffy)—he could only sigh helplessly and say, "Since you've already decided, I'll take you there. I sincerely hope you can come back alive.""...Don't worry, the current God is doomed. Maybe you can even re-employ as a retired worker and continue to be your God. 'You are my God?' Why does that line feel a bit cheesy..." Meruem was a little sleepy, forcing himself to speak with vigor.Gan Fall's wrinkles seemed to be dancing, trembling quite a bit. He no longer paid attention to the strangely speaking fellow and led everyone to a boat by the sea that didn't even have a sail.Once everyone was seated, Gan Fall stepped on the boat, and it sped off... Oda, you really are something. How can there be such unscientific things in the age of sailing ships?! The boat's speed was a bit fast, clearly not going to kindergarten... Ah, no, it was indeed a bit too fast, making Meruem a little uncomfortable.Luffy was indeed excited and wanted to take the helm, seemingly not caring about the lives of the other five, or even his own and Meruem's. Fortunately, Sanji held him down tightly, otherwise, the chances of an early ending were quite high.Before long, a Sky Shark appeared in front of the small boat. Gan Fall straightened his knight's spear and pierced it with one thrust, then waited with an expectant look for something that would never come.Meruem was leaning over the boat's edge, feeling a bit nauseous, while Luffy, still suppressed by Sanji, was eager to replace Gan Fall.Gan Fall sighed helplessly, continuing to control the boat seriously. Sure enough, expecting these three guys to praise him was like dreaming of eating farts... Truly, in the past, the glorious years were bountiful, but now he was merely old and frail... Luffy finally settled down, lying at the stern with his legs crossed, muttering something. Sanji, whose clothes had dried, was now soaked with sweat again. He helplessly unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, sitting aside and gasping for air, while Meruem was asleep, slumped over the boat's railing... The distant island was already in sight. Luffy held his hand up to his eyes, gazing at it, then grinned, a laugh that made Sanji pause. Then he saw two hands rapidly rushing towards the big trees on the island, embracing them tightly."Luffy, you...?" Sanji turned his head and saw Luffyhad already flown in front of them, gripping him and Meruem between his legs, flying together towards God's Island."Old man, this is far enough! Didn't you say it's dangerous here? We'll go by ourselves! See ya!" Luffy's voice drifted through the air. Meruem, who was... indeed between his legs, had his eyes tightly shut as if having a nightmare, while Sanji looked utterly resigned.Gan Fall slowly stopped the boat, watching the three rush into the jungle with complex emotions. He shook his head and chuckled softly, "If they can truly change this Sky Kingdom, that would be wonderful. But... it's really difficult, Straw Hat. I also need to go and do my part. I hope we can meet again."...Luffy threw Sanji and Meruem through the air... he really wasn't acting like a human. Sanji landed steadily with a backflip, while Meruem, still asleep, tumbled through the air and crashed into the jungle.Sanji frowned and rushed into the jungle, complaining, "How can this guy sleep so much... Have the two idiotic swordsmen parted ways?"Before he could run in, Meruem walked out, scratching his head, looking utterly filthy... He hadn't been this disheveled since he transmigrated. He glared fiercely at Luffy, "Next time, you can wake me up properly. I don't like this way of waking up."Luffy turned his face away, rolling his eyes and muttering, "It's not my fault you sleep so much... How can you blame me?"Meruem truly had the urge to draw his sword, but in the end, he could only sigh, saying helplessly, "What do we do now? Go separately or together?"Sanji offered him a cigarette and said, "Let's go separately. It's more efficient that way. We'll meet up at the Going Merry in the end."Luffy heard this and grumbled, "I'm the Captain. Why aren't you asking for my opinion?"Meruem and Sanji looked at him with disdain, then exchanged glances and walked off in different directions.Luffy shouted, "You guys are so disrespectful to the Captain! When everyone's together, I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson!"There was no response. A Crow flying overhead cawed, "Fool, fool." Meruem pulled a leaf from his hair, thinking that next time he had the chance, he would definitely give Luffy a good beating. That guy was getting more and more out of line."Xiao Yuè Yuè, what's going on with this place? My Observation Haki range is so small.""...""Xiao Yuè Yuè?""...""Xiao Yuè Yuè, I'm your dad!""You motherfucker... Can't you use a different name?!""See? You responded, didn't you?""You motherfucker... Forget it. These trees and jungles will block Observation Haki's detection. It's a good place for practicing Observation Haki.""No wonder I'm encountering guys with Observation Haki even before reaching the New World."Meruem grumbled inwardly, then his gaze sharpened. He tapped his toes and did a backflip, landing behind him. A Ball Cloud appeared where he had just been, emitting a bomb-like roar, like a small cannonball."Heh heh~ I am Satori of the Forest, a Priest of the Sky Sanctuary. I am here to pass judgment on you for trespassing on God's Island~" Ohm, who looked like a ball and didn't seem very smart, stood lightly on a tree, saying cheerily. His expression and voice were friendly, but his words were cruel.Meruem twisted his neck, looking at this guy, and said inwardly, "Xiao Jian Jian, 30% amplification.""??? Is that really necessary? You're using amplification to fight this guy?""He actually dared to 'heh heh' me! Today, I'm going to make him see why flowers are so red!"
Chapter 72 I'm Angry"...Actually, I don't think he meant what you think he meant.""I don't care. He dared to 'hehe' me. I'm going to teach him a good lesson.""...Alright."Meruem's hair tips turned white, his pupils became black and crimson, and with a stomp of his foot, he charged at Ohm. The sound of wind breaking and the 'clang' of a sword being drawn rang out simultaneously. By the time it reached Ohm's ears, the blade's glint was already before him.Ohm's expression changed. He hunched down like a turtle, narrowly dodging Meruem's blade, but he couldn't evade Meruem's subsequent kick. His face made intimate contact with Meruem's size 42 foot, sending him flying sideways.Meruem took Ohm's place, squatting on the tree, tapping his sword lightly against his back, and calmly said, "Not bad, you actually managed to dodge the blade. Now it's my turn to pass judgment on you. If you don't take me to the Living Sacrifice Altar, you will die immediately."The round glasses on Ohm's face were shattered by Meruem's kick, and his nosebleed flowed uncontrollably. He roared, "I am the God Official! Second Brother, Third Brother! Come help me!"Three identical spheres appeared in front of Meruem."Hehe~ I am Forest Edge, Deputy Divine Soldier Captain~""Hehe~ I am Forest Bird, Deputy Divine Soldier Captain~"...Triple hehe. My goodness, Xiao Yuè Yuè, 50% amplification!...Okay.Meruem's hair turned snow-white, cutting a black streak through the air. Like lightning, he rushed towards the three... spheres. After a torrential downpour, the three spheres, now noticeably plumper and less perfectly round, were trampled under Meruem's feet. He said coldly, "So... do you want to die now, or will you take me to the Living Sacrifice Altar?""...""...""I'll take you!""Third Brother?!"Meruem's lips curved into an arc. Leading the three fellows like he was walking dogs, he headed into the jungle... "Stop destroying our ship!" Chopper, covered in blood, roared sadly and angrily. The whistle to summon Gan Fall had already been blown.A somewhat lewd-looking fellow with a small mustache, dressed in pilot's attire, plunged a knight's spear into the mast of the Going Merry. Flames instantly erupted. Hearing Chopper's lament, he replied disdainfully, "First you tell me not to attack your companions... then you say you're afraid to die... then you tell me not to destroy the ship... you're making it very difficult for me. I've never seen anyone as willful as you. It's making me furious! Do you think you can survive without making any sacrifices? Some people live, some people have to die... Just go ahead and die obediently. As a sacrifice, I won't touch this ship again!"As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled out the knight's spear and fiercely stabbed towards Chopper."Clang!" The sound of clashing metal was like heavenly music to Chopper's ears. Gan Fall's knight's spear blocked the other fellow's spear. He said calmly, "Long time no see, Heavenly Knight Shura..."Shura's lips curved into a smile: "It has indeed been a long time. I heard you're now called Sky Knight Gan Fall. I feel you're insulting me with that title. But you dared to step onto God's Island. Finally, I have a reason to pass judgment on you, the former God. I'm so happy I almost want to cry...""If you want to judge me, come and try!" Gan Fallexerted force with his hand, changing his grip on the knight's spear and thrusting it towards Shura. Shuratilted his head to dodge, replying with a sneer, "It seems you really have grown old, Gan Fall!"No sooner had he spoken than he thrust a spear at Gan Fall. He could only dodge clumsily, stumbling, yet he was tripped by something, leaving him awkwardly standing there."Rope Trial! To dare to enter my domain so recklessly, Gan Fall, you're still as naive as ever!" Shura sneered, raising his spear to stab again. This time, the knight's spear plunged fiercely into Gan Fall's chest. The blooming blood reflected Shura's smiling face. Then Shura lifted Gan Fall with the knight's spear, smiled, and tossed him towards the Cloud River.Chopper's face was filled with despair. Without thinking, he immediately rushed off the ship's edge after Gan Fall, wanting to catch Gan Fall's body. He might have forgotten that he was a Devil Fruit user, and doing so was utterly meaningless."Swish!" Meruem appeared on the deck, holding Chopper in one arm and Gan Fall in the other. He gently placed them on the deck, softly stroking Chopper's blood-stained fur, and asked gently, "Does it hurt, Chopper?"Chopper saw Meruem's face, first stunned, then burst into tears, hugging Meruem's leg and crying, "Meruem... I'm sorry! I couldn't even protect the Going Merry!"Meruem looked at Chopper's still bleeding wound, feeling his own leg already wet with tears. The anger in his heart surged upwards, his hair moved without wind, and the color of his pupils subtly shifted towards crimson. The killing intent gushing outwards made Gan Fall and Shura tremble involuntarily.He knelt down, gently pushed Chopper away a little, and softly said, "Chopper, close your eyes obediently. You're still a child, and some things aren't suitable for you to see right now. Wait for me for a minute; I'll deal with this annoying fellow very quickly."Chopper, still sobbing, obediently closed his eyes. Meruem gently stroked his head, then stood up, wiped his face, and looked coldly at Shura: "You guys are truly disgusting, judging this and judging that. Who gave you the courage to do these things? I'm angry..."Shura curled his lip, about to say something, but nothing came out... Meruem had already appeared behind him. A 'clang' of a sheathed sword rang out, and a line of blood appeared at Shura's throat, but no blood gushed out. Instead, black flames erupted."Sun Breathing, Sixth Form, Burning Bone Sun..."The black flames gushing from Shura's throat consumed his entire body, burning him to ashes in just a few seconds, leaving only the knight's spear in his hand remaining in the world.Gan Fall clutched his chest, staring blankly at Meruem, stammering, not knowing what to say.Meruem closed his eyes, then opened them again, restoring them to black. He raised his index finger to his lips, making a "shush" gesture, then slowly walked to Chopper and said, "Chopper, it's alright now. Go quickly and treat your and this old man's wounds."Chopper opened his eyes, looked at the knight's spear on the deck, said nothing more, nodded heavily, and helped Gan Fall towards the ship's cabin.Meruem sat on the ship's edge, lit a cigarette, and waved for the three spherical brothers below to scram.The three spherical brothers, as if granted a great pardon, scrambled away from Meruem."Tsukuyomi, doing this truly makes me feel much better.""...You even tricked me, you bastard, look me in the eye!"
Chapter 73: Reunion"...When I'm this serious, I even call you by your real name, you know.""Damn it, you think it's easy for me to regulate your power, don't you! You're pouring Armament Hakiand whatever the hell that other Haki is into your sword. No wonder you haven't made any progress since we met. You generate a tiny bit, and you pour it in. What's your deal?!""...Because I thought it was your problem that you hadn't noticed.""I'm not constantly regulating your power, you idiot! What problem could I possibly have? Are you sick for not refining yourself and just refining the sword instead?!""...Because this thing is very greedy, I wanted to see if I could make it explode.""...You want to make a sword explode? You really are sick, and badly so.""...Alright, alright, I get it. I'll start refining myself today, okay? Honestly, that tingling sensation isn't a good experience at all.""...It's only because your gathering speed is so abnormal. Others don't feel anything special, but you actually get feedback.""I'll take that as a compliment, Xiao Yuè Yuè~""Hmph!"Meruem sat on the ship's rail, slowly looking up. The guy in his mind snorted and then stopped talking. He looked at the lush jungle with a smile. Luffy and Zoro walked over, Nami pulling their ears, followed by Usopp, Robin, and Sanji."Holy crap... you actually know the way?" Sanjiexclaimed in disbelief, looking at Meruem, then mumbled, "A swordsman who can navigate? That's unscientific."Meruem looked at Zoro, who was still defiant despite Nami pulling his ears, and felt that this blame definitely had to fall on him. How could he be directionally challenged? How could he not even tell north from south... Well, okay, he really couldn't tell, but he could definitely find the way. Yes, definitely... It definitely wasn't because he couldn't navigate that he caught those strange spherical triplets.Usopp climbed onto the Going Merry, staring blankly at the broken mast, gently caressing the break with his hand, his sadness visible to the naked eye.Chopper, wrapped in thick bandages, walked out of the cabin. Seeing Usopp's expression, his own eyes welled up with tears. He opened and closed his mouth several times but said nothing. After a long while, he finally said guiltily, "I'm sorry..."Before he could finish his apology, Usopp gently stroked Chopper's hat and said softly, "That guy must have been very tough to deal with. I should have stayed with you. I'm sorry, it's all my fault."Chopper looked at Usopp's rare serious face with tear-filled eyes, secretly vowing in his heart: "I must become stronger, I must..."Luffy picked up the knight's spear on the deck, paused, and then said, "When we leave here, let's find a professional shipwright to properly repair the Going Merry."Usopp chimed in, "Although I'm the backbone of this ship and everything depends on me, it's still better to find a specialized shipwright. Captain Usopp says these matters should be left to the professionals."The two immediately began discussing what kind of guy to find. Luffy even lifted Chopper and placed him on his neck. The three guys huddled together, and the sad atmosphere instantly dissipated, replaced by an excited look.Zoro touched the black ash on the deck, stood beside Meruem, leaning against the ship's rail, and quietly said, "You've gotten stronger again.""Hmm, just a Devil Fruit," Meruem said with a shrug, noncommittally."I'm talking about your sword. Can you tell me how you do it?" Zoro turned his head to the side, his voice almost inaudible, a little tsundere... Meruem was momentarily stunned, then turned to Zoro and said with a smile, "Want to learn? I'll teach you."Meruem, after making a bad pun, jumped off the ship's rail, drew his black blade, and began to meticulously explain to Zoro how to practice Armament Haki and how to infuse Armament Hakiinto a sword.Zoro drew wado ichimonji, his entire face flushed red. Only the hilt of his sword showed a black ring, and it disappeared after barely a minute. He looked at his wado ichimonji, then at Meruem's completely black blade, and decided to add a thousand more sword swings tonight.Nami put on her glasses, successfully becoming a glasses-wearing girl... bah, she looked very intellectual. She slapped two sea charts onto the deck, drawing everyone's attention."Cough... After my recent reconnaissance, I can confirm that the Golden City discovered by Cricket's ancestor 400 years ago is indeed here. It didn't sink to the bottom of the sea but ascended to the sky. An unknown mysterious power split Jaya Island in two, and one half is where we are standing right now! To prove to Cricket that the Golden City truly exists, we must get all the gold here!"...Saying it's to prove the Golden City to Cricket, you're clearly just greedy for gold, bah, shameless. Meruem could only think this to himself. After all, Nami's combat power on the Going Merry was infinitely close to Roger's, and he wasn't Luffy. Getting beaten black and blue really was a bit embarrassing."Oh, oh, oh, I smell adventure! Let's have a bonfire party tonight! We'll go on an adventure tomorrow!" Luffy's drool was almost dripping... The double temptation of food and adventure almost made him lose control.Usopp frowned at him: "Isn't that a bad idea... We're in enemy territory right now."Nami stroked her chin and considered for a moment: "Hmm, alright. You guys will only work hard if you're well-rested~"No sooner had she spoken than Sanji had already set up a grill on the shore. This speed would make Kizaru exclaim in admiration. As a battle-hardened guy, reaching this level truly commanded respect.Robin said with a smile, "I'll go with you tomorrow too. I passed by some ancient ruins today, and I want to take a good look tomorrow~"Nami nodded and said, "Then let's prepare for the bonfire party now. Tomorrow, Luffy, Zoro, Robin, and Usopp will split up to search for the Golden City. The rest of us—me, Chopper, Sanji, and Meruem—will be responsible for guarding the ship.""I... I want to go find the Golden City too." Chopperraised his hand, a little scared but also resolute."I... I have a disease where I'll die if I get off the ship for a bit." Usopp, predictably, chickened out.Nami looked at Usopp with disdain: "You're actually that cowardly."Usopp felt like he was being manipulated, stammering speechless, then suddenly looked up and shouted, "Then why aren't you going to find the Golden City?!"Nami put her hands on her hips and said proudly, "Because I'm the weakest on this ship!"Meruem looked at Nami's puffed-out chest, thinking about the force of her punches, and felt that she was truly being a bit shameless.