Chapter 74 Bonfire Party "Thanks for the gift from "I am the Willow in the Breeze""The two bickered and bickered, and in the end, Usopp reluctantly gave in, grumbling as he began to prepare for their journey the next day.Then Nami hugged Chopper and said gently, "Chopper, with all your injuries, you should just stay on the ship."Chopper was silent for a moment, then pouted and said, "I must go out! How can I get stronger without experiencing hardships?"Nami had no choice but to pat Chopper's head and agree, then looked at Usopp with a gaze as if he were trash.Usopp turned his head, his eyes meeting Nami's, then he took a deep breath, turned back, and said through gritted teeth, "Brave Sea Warrior Usopp is fearless! Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!"It turned out that Zoro had thrown the corpse of a Sky Shark onto the Going Merry from below the ship, its sharp teeth almost touching Usopp's nose, making him cry out in surprise.Nami pushed her glasses up with her hand: "Brave? Sea? Warrior?"Only Meruem gazed at Usopp, frowning and muttering, "The first one to awaken Observation Haki is actually this guy..."Robin heard Meruem's murmur and looked at Usoppin disbelief, first with anticipation and then with melancholy, giving a bitter smile as she softly said, "Although he is indeed a gifted fellow, he hasn't had enough time to grow. It's too early for him to make a name for himself on this sea..."Meruem's ears twitched, but he said nothing, smiling as he walked over to help Sanji prepare the Sky Shark.Luffy, standing beside the Sky Shark, was drooling, seemingly already looking for a place to take a bite... Night fell silently, and the large pot in front of Sanjiemitted an alluring aroma. Luffy ran over with a mushroom that was definitely poisonous and a plump rat, intending to throw them into the pot.Sanji, with a flick of his kitchen knife, stopped him and said, "No mushrooms. As for the other one, clean up its fur and guts for me."...I think you might as well put the mushroom in. Meruem walked over, carrying a little girl, and upon hearing this, his urge to complain surged violently.Luffy casually popped the mushroom... into his mouth, then threw the rat to Sanji, looked in Meruem's direction, and pouted, "Meruem... this one you found isn't edible."Bang!Nami's fist landed heavily on Luffy's head, then she said, "Meruem, why is there a little girl here? Don't carry people like that. Here, give her to me." As she spoke, she reached out to take the little girl.The little girl looked at Nami's astonishing punch, then at Nami's outstretched hands, and couldn't help but hug Meruem's leg, appearing very scared.Nami's forehead pulsed with a vein when she saw this, and she turned to punch and kick Luffy, who had just gotten up, presenting a brave image.Meruem picked up the little girl and held her in front of him, then casually handed her to Nami, scratching his head as he said, "I just found her spying on us in the jungle. She won't say anything, she might be mute."The little girl's face turned red, and she shouted loudly, "I'm not mute! I am Aisa, a brave Shandian warrior!"Upon hearing this, Meruem couldn't help but look at Usopp, who was still tinkering with something nearby, and asked in confusion, "What's the relationship between a Shandian warrior and a Sea Warrior?"Usopp scratched his head: "Maybe... Pfft, what relationship? Are you crazy?"Nami hugged Aisa and said gently, "So your name is Aisa. What are you doing here?"Aisa heard Nami's gentle voice as if it were the roar of a tiger, tears almost gushing from her eyes, trembling and struggling, yet not daring to use too much force, looking a bit pitiful... Nami grew angrier the more she thought about it, but Luffy was already lying on the ground with a head full of bumps, so it was really not good to hit him again. She could only laugh awkwardly, placing Aisa on the ground, afraid of accidentally hurting her... If only she were always this gentle. Meruem complained inwardly, then squatted in front of Aisa: "So what are you here for? If you don't tell me, I'll throw you into the pot."With a "plop," the black rat, now pink, was thrown into the pot by Sanji. He hadn't paid much attention to this side. Seeing everyone look at him, he smiled gently, brandishing a knife with flashy moves.Aisa, seeing such knife skills, couldn't hold back and burst into tears with a "Waaah!" Nami's fist followed the crying sound, landing on Meruem's head, as if keeping time with the sobs.Meruem squatted beside the prone Luffy, rubbing the bump on his head with a helpless expression. Nami and Robin smiled sweetly as they comforted Aisa, and it surprisingly turned into a harmonious scene of three people.Looking at Luffy... he was actually snoring evenly, seemingly sleeping very soundly.Anger surged from his heart, and malice arose from his guts. Meruem couldn't stand it, so he delivered a big slap to Luffy's bumpy head, making a crisp sound."Ugh ugh ugh... Sanji, I'm hungry, when's dinner?" Luffy stretched, his face bruised and swollen, shouting for food. Calling him an idiot felt like an overstatement... This made Meruem recall the moment he joined the crew, a past too painful to revisit."It'll be ready soon, go light the bonfire." Sanji's movements were continuous, flowing like water, comparable to a master chef from 'Chūka Ichiban!'. It felt like when he lifted the lid, golden light would burst forth, but 'Chūka Ichiban!' probably wouldn't have such a haphazard dish: shark stewed with rat, plus various edible (or not) ingredients found nearby... Gan Fall, wrapped in bandages and wearing a white robe, looked a bit like a charlatan. He walked behind Meruem and said, "Is peace impossible?"Meruem shrugged: "What does peace have to do with me? I'm a pirate. If he makes me uncomfortable, I naturally want to make myself more comfortable. Old man, you were overthrown because you were too weak. If you and your troops were strong enough, you wouldn't be in this situation now."What he said sounded somewhat reasonable, yet also somehow wrong, and saying these things with a big bump on his head always felt a bit odd.Gan Fall sighed and naturally walked over to Sanji, saying, "This pumpkin can be juiced. I love pumpkin juice the most."...Being overly familiar can also be called shameless, never mind. You did save Chopper once, I'm too lazy to bother with you. Meruem walked towards the bonfire, looking at the laughing and frolicking crowd, and his mood brightened.No matter what tomorrow brings, the banquet must be joyful.Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper stuck chopsticks into their nostrils, holding winnowing baskets and dancing the Straw Hat Crew's exclusive performance. Zoro and Gan Fall were competing in drinking. Aisa's eyes brightened with every bite. Sanji circled around Nami and Robin with an eager expression.Meanwhile, Meruem sat by a tree, propping his face with his hand, watching this scene with a smile as he drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 75 Enelu is coming"Uh, uh, uh…" Meruem stretched and stood up. The bonfire had already died out, and everyone was sleeping haphazardly on the ground. Usopp was spread-eagled, looking less like he was asleep and more like he had passed out."Dong dong!" A light and pleasant tapping sound reached Meruem's ears. He turned his head and saw a small child, holding a wooden hammer and wearing a raincoat, repairing the Going Merry.The tapping was cautious, as if afraid of disturbing everyone's sleep."...I guess I don't cherish the ship enough, so how can I see the Ship Spirit?" Meruem scratched his head, thinking with some surprise."This is one of my abilities, not very useful.""...Xiao Jian Jian, your abilities are truly unique.""...As things stand, these are all your abilities.""..." Meruem couldn't respond. He stepped onto the Going Merry, sat on the ship's rail, and watched the busy, petite figure.The Ship Spirit completely ignored him, still busy. Meruem scratched his head and softly said, "Hello."The Ship Spirit paused, looking left and right, then, after confirming Meruem was calling her, asked in disbelief, "Are you calling me?""...Of course, is there anyone else here who can hear me speak?""Besides that long-nosed guy, someone else can actually see me, it's incredible! Hello, my name is Merry~" The Ship Spirit looked very happy, skipping over to Meruem and extending her small hand."Hello, my name is Meruem. I don't know if this counts as our first meeting; you've been with us for a long time, but this is my first time seeing you." Meruem reached out and shook Merry's somewhat ethereal hand, saying with a bit of awkwardness."Hmm, because you really cherish me, I was able to be born, but it looks like I can't be with you for much longer..." The Ship Spirit lowered her head, a little lost, then looked up and said with a smile, "But I will definitely persevere until the very end."...Cherish? Meruem looked at the somewhat battered Going Merry, a little speechless.Merry skipped towards the main mast, laboriously lifting the broken mast. Meruem walked over and silently set the mast upright. Merry gave Meruem a brilliant smile, which only made Meruem's mood more somber.The clinking and clanking continued, but it didn't feel noisy at all; instead, it had a pleasant quality, merging with the wind in the deep night to become a lullaby that brought smiles to the faces of the Straw Hat Pirates. Who knows what beautiful dreams they were having.Merry wiped the sweat from her forehead, put her hands on her hips, looking like a job well done, and waved goodbye to Meruem with a smile, gradually merging into the Going Merry and disappearing. Meruem looked at the patches on the ship and murmured, "So we are already a Pirate Crew of nine people...""Thank you for being willing to treat me as a companion, Merry is very happy~" The joy was evident in her voice, drifting through the air... "Wah wah wah~ The Going Merry is fixed! Did you do it, Meruem?" Luffy shouted excitedly, hugging the Going Merry's main mast.Usopp looked at Meruem, recalling the scene he saw last night, feeling a bit doubtful of himself, unsure what to say.Chopper looked at the patches on the mast with teary eyes, gritting his teeth and muttering some vow.Meruem spread his hands and said, "It wasn't me, but it was one of our companions. I'll introduce you when we have a chance."Everyone exchanged suspicious glances, but if Meruem didn't want to say anything, no one would force him, so they temporarily kept it in their hearts and began preparations for departure."I told you to go this way, our destination is to the east!" Luffy shouted, walking west."I looked at the map, it's clearly to the left!" Zorostubbornly walked in his chosen direction... east.Nami looked at Meruem, then at Sanji, whose eyes instantly turned into hearts when their gazes met, and shouted to Robin in another direction, "Please, Robin!"Robin smiled, crossed her arms, and countless hands emerged from the ground, lifting Luffy and Zoro to her side. She said gently, "Our destination is to the south~ Let's go together first."Zoro's face flushed red. He looked up at the clouds in that direction, planning to walk towards them later.Luffy grinned, "Oh oh oh, so it's south, let's go, let's set off!"Usopp and Chopper exchanged a glance, already worried before they even set off. These two big legs might not be reliable; they definitely needed to stick close to Robin's pace later.The group of five walked into the jungle, gradually disappearing from sight.Meruem hadn't slept much in the latter half of the night and couldn't help but start yawning, leaning against the ship's rail and dozing off... A moment later, Meruem suddenly opened his eyes. Aisa, who was chatting with Nami, also sharply turned her head. Both looked simultaneously at the ship's rail beside them. Lightning gathered in the air, forming a human figure.Eneru appeared abruptly, sitting on the ship's rail, propping his head with his hand, looking half-asleep. With his other hand, he tapped and said with a smile, "The former God, the Shandian child with innate Mantra, and a few Pirates from the Blue Sea. Do you know what punishment awaits those who trespass into my territory?"Gan Fall, who was lying on a deck chair, a little later than Meruem and Ann, also noticed Eneru's arrival. He struggled to get up and retrieve his armor, but a pain in his chest made him fall to the ground. He shouted angrily, "Eneru! I will definitely drive you out of Skypiea and restore peace to everyone."Eneru heard this and his smile clearly showed mockery: "The whining of a defeated dog always sounds so grating. I kept my promise not to attack you, but since you dared to break the agreement, don't blame me for being impolite."As he spoke, he raised an index finger, and lightning gathered at its tip, gradually forming a small thunderball which he casually flicked towards Gan Fall, as if playing.Sanji appeared beside Gan Fall, embraced him, and rolled to dodge the small thunderball. The deck, where the thunderball made contact, exploded into fragments.Immediately after, Sanji delivered a roundhouse kick towards Eneru. Eneru caught Sanji's calf with one hand and said calmly, "Good power, stronger than my useless priests... but this speed is truly negligible."With that, he clenched his hand tightly, and a surge of lightning erupted. Sanji let out a painful wail... "Clang!""Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash!"Black lightning passed through Eneru's arm. He involuntarily released Sanji's leg and dodged the slash. Meruem pulled Sanji into his arms, looked at his face, charred black from the lightning strike, then at the hole in the deck, and pointed his black blade at Eneru, saying coldly, "Want to play?"
Chapter 76 ShandiaEneru's expression grew excited, and he laughed, saying, "Hahaha, you actually want to challenge a god. I wonder who gave you the courage?"...Liang Jingru did.Meruem vanished and reappeared beside Nami, gently placing Sanji on the deck. Then, he slowly walked towards Eneru, smiling, "And who gave you the courage to call yourself a god? These trials are nothing but a game in your eyes, which is why I asked if you wanted to play."Eneru lightly traced his finger over his lips, his smile widening. "It seems you also have the potential to become a god. Indeed, for me, everything happening now is just a game. Just like today's survivor elimination match, I only allow five people on this island to survive and stand before me to receive my judgment.""That's not enough, so I'll have to kill you, the one who tries to make the rules, to forcibly change the course of this game." Meruem shrugged and placed his hand on his black blade. Taking a step forward, his clothes flapped despite no wind, and he charged at Eneru like a dark bolt of lightning.Eneru stood up, performed a backflip, and stopped steadily in mid-air, avoiding the black lightning. He smiled and said, "Don't be too hasty. I said only the five people who survive can reach me."Meruem ignored him, stomping heavily on the air, and continued to rush towards Eneru. With a flash and an dodge, the two gradually moved away from the Going Merry and disappeared into the jungle.Nami strenuously carried Sanji on her shoulder and slowly walked towards the ship's cabin, devoutly praying for the safety of her companions.It's a pity that Sanji was already unconscious, otherwise he would have been so excited he'd want to cry..."I told you, you have to participate in the survivor elimination match first before you can challenge me!" Eneru roared, somewhat indignantly, as he rolled through the air, dodging the dazzling sword light.Meruem landed nimbly on a tree branch, slightly out of breath. He pointed his sword at Eneru and provocatively said, "Didn't you say you'd accept my judgment? I beg you, judge me now... NND, do you only know how to dodge?!"Eneru felt like he must not have checked the almanac before leaving today; his divine majesty had been shattered to pieces. He had only intended to come out and show off his presence, and he hadn't even brought his Golden Trident. He had never seen someone of Meruem's strength on Sky Island. "...If you're so capable, take my lightning strike head-on! Don't you dodge either!""...Do I look like an idiot?!" Meruem regulated his breathing, crouched slightly, then propelled himself towards Eneru like a cannonball. "Breath of the Moon, First Form, Dark Moon: Evening Palace!"The crescent blade covered all the space in front of them. Eneru gritted his teeth, extended both hands, fingers splayed. "Inazuma!"Pillars of lightning shot out from Eneru's hands, slamming into the crescent blade and causing a violent explosion in mid-air, sending both of them flying backward...You clearly lack culture; look at Zoro's move names, then look at yours. Pfft, how embarrassing.Meruem performed a backflip and landed on a branch, his clothes showing traces of the explosion, and a cut on his cheek, from which blood slowly flowed.Eneru landed on a branch on the other side, panting and looking at Meruem with a resentful expression. "You bastard..."Before he could finish, a loud shout rang out."Burning Sword!"The sword's flame drew a beautiful arc, splitting Eneru's body in two. He turned his head and looked at the shirtless Shandia man with wings on his back, with an expression of disgust. "Huh? You don't want to follow the rules either?"After saying that, he unleashed his frustration by transforming his fist into lightning and striking at the newcomer.Despite being split in two, he was completely unaffected, which greatly startled the Shandia man, who shouted with all his might, "Wiper, retreat!""Clang!" The lightning fist struck the black blade, producing a crisp sound. Meruem's red pupils appeared beside the blade, and he looked at Eneru, excitedly saying, "We're not done yet, are we?"Eneru gritted his teeth and said helplessly, "You're a madman, aren't you?...You just wait for me!" With that, he retreated rapidly, and after a flash of lightning, he vanished without a trace.Meruem started to chase but suddenly remembered Nami on the Going Merry. He reluctantly stopped, glanced at the Shandia sitting on the ground nearby, sheathed his sword, and walked towards the Going Merry...Towards... Where the hell is the Going Merry? Meruem activated his Observation Haki, but couldn't find the Going Merry's location. That Eneru's Observation Haki, combined with his electrical waves, had an terrifyingly large range, but Meruem's Devil Fruit was mostly useless, which was very..."You bastard, you call me useless just because you're a weakling! Come on, I'll give you a 100% boost, I'm sure... it should be enough to find it!""Xiao Jian Jian... you just lost your confidence.""...I think you should go south.""Don't change the subject, and... where is south...""..."Meruem helplessly covered his forehead, crouched down, and said to the Shandia man, "...Brother, do you know the way to the sacrificial altar? Oh, by the way, my name is Meruem, what's yours?""K-know, my name is Kamakiri... a Shandia, codename Mantis." Kamakiri shrank back half a step, stammering his reply.Meruem immediately broke into a wide smile, warmly pulling Kamakiri up and even thoughtfully brushing off the dust. "Your family's Aisa is also over there, and besides, I just saved your life. You don't mind taking me there, do you?""What?! Aisa?! How did that guy sneak onto God's Island again?!" Kamakiri immediately threw his earlier fear to the back of his mind and ran towards the Going Merry's direction.Meruem yawned and slowly followed him..."Big Brother, do we really have to make a move?""Second Brother, my Mind Network shows that there's only a heavily injured Gan Fall and an unknown man on the ship right now. The rest are a weakling woman and a child. At worst, we can knock them out and send them away. That way, God won't have much to say about us, and that terrifying guy probably won't come after us either...""Big Brother's foresight is profound, Third Brother is impressed!""Then let's act quickly!""Second Brother makes a good point, Third Brother gives a thumbs up!""Hmm... I think what you're saying is pretty good, but two straight men and one funny man isn't the right combination. How about I help you chop one of them to death?" Meruem's playful voice rang out, causing the three spherical brothers below to freeze in place.The three spherical brothers rigidly turned their heads to look at Meruem like un-oiled robots, their expressions... as if they would burst into tears at any moment."Big Brother, Second Brother, what should we do? Third Brother is a bit panicked..."
Chapter 77: Luffy, Reunion "Thank you for the gift from 'I am a swordsman. I will enter the way.'"The eldest and second brothers exchanged glances, took a synchronized step back, then continued to stare at each other, faces flushed."Second brother! How could you bear to let your elder brother die! I am a priest, and you are my subordinate; I order you to take a step forward!""I quit! Is that how a brother acts?!""…"The two first argued, then, without clearly knowing who threw the first punch, one landed a fist on the other's eye, after which they started fighting fiercely, seeming to hit each other even harder than Meruem.The third brother stood awkwardly to the side, smiling at Meruem, and slowly shuffled a step back as well.Meruem scratched his head, thinking it was truly humiliating to lay hands on these three clowns: "Ahem… I remember you guys are called Satori, Xiao Bian, and Xiao Niao, right? Now get out of my sensory range, or you're dead."The eldest and second brothers immediately stopped fighting upon hearing this, bowed perfectly to Meruem, each grabbing one of the third brother's hands, and vanished in a flash… Meruem shook his head speechlessly, feeling as if he had been tricked, but didn't dwell on it, and walked towards the Going Merry with Kamakiri."…Kamakiri, were you also captured?" Aisa asked, pouting, as she lay on a deck chair on the deck, holding a rather nice-looking drink.Sanji, nearby, had tidied his hair, but the scorch marks on his face hadn't faded; he was bandaged and fawning over Nami, while Nami held a map, her expression fluctuating… Also? You look like you've been captured? Meruem almost wanted to pick up this little brat and spank him after hearing that.Kamakiri breathed a sigh of relief seeing Aisaunharmed, silently bowed to Meruem, then walked over to Aisa and spoke in a low voice."Is it resolved…?" Nami immediately asked when she saw Meruem return.Meruem shook his head: "They ran too fast, I didn't dare chase too far."Nami smiled wryly and nodded: "It's good that you're alright; that guy's strength is terrifying. I'm wondering if we should call everyone back and leave quickly.""Hmm… I don't think Luffy would agree," Meruemreplied casually, spreading his hands."True… Meruem, do you think Luffy can beat that guy?" Nami thought for a moment, still only able to reluctantly agree with that statement.Meruem smiled and said, "Luffy is the future Pirate King; how could there be anyone he can't defeat in this great sea? And I'm here too, so don't worry so much.""But…" Nami subtly glanced at Sanji, then said no more.Meruem sighed and patted Sanji's shoulder, making Sanji feel like putting Meruem on the menu; that last battle was truly a bit embarrassing.Sanji looked at Nami with shame, then at Meruemwith an unconvinced expression, tapping his foot as Armament Haki covered his Black Leg… Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji awakened Armament Haki, Usoppawakened Observation Haki, plus Robin and me. Meruem smiled at Nami: "I'll go find everyone. Let's resolve this quickly; we still need to find a shipwright for the Going Merry."Nami didn't quite understand why he suddenly said that, but still nodded: "Then I'll leave it to you… You absolutely must bring back the gold! Otherwise, you'll owe me 300 million!"Meruem gave a wry "ok" gesture, looked around, and froze in place."What's wrong?" Nami, who was about to continue studying the sea chart, asked, puzzled, when she saw Meruem stop."…Uh, which way did they go?" Meruem was a bit embarrassed. Is not knowing the way a common affliction for swordsmen?Nami covered her face, took a deep breath, pointed with her hand, and didn't want to speak."I'll go with you… I should still be of some use," Kamakiri said, stroking Aisa's head, standing up with a determined expression."Use…? What use are you when you're so weak?" Meruem looked at him, his face full of disdain.Nami took out the map, pointed to a location, and asked: "Do you know where this is? Can you find it?"Kamakiri frowned, looked at it, and said with a wry smile: "Of course I know; that's also our Shandiapeople's destination.""…You're also here to steal the gold?!" Nami gritted her teeth, her mind racing, never having cared about anything else so much."Gold? We just want to drive out the guy who invaded our homeland. We're not interested in the gold you speak of.""That's fine then. This guy knows the way, let him take you… Go for it!" Nami made a cheering gesture, her eyes turning into "$" signs… I must practice Observation Haki harder and give this sense of direction back to that Three-Sword Style user. Meruem shook his head helplessly, picked up Kamakiri, and rushed off in the direction Nami had just pointed… This is the first time I've heard such a fresh and refined reason to practice Observation Haki… Xiao Jian Jian, shut up, it's all your fault…??? Are you a person? What does it have to do with me!…I don't care, it's your fault… Are you a tsundere high school girl?Meruem, running, suddenly paused, standing still with a fluctuating expression. Kamakiri, whom he was carrying, experienced such speed for the first time and was on the verge of throwing up, asking groggily: "…Is it time to point the way? The direction is correct… Ugh…"Meruem held his arm out straight, letting the useless guy vomit further away, then continued to fight Tsukuyomi in his mind… You're the tsundere, you're the high school girl… You're becoming more and more like it… I %&#*(Too vulgar to pass review, but it was very 'mother'-heavy.)…Tsk, he's rattled.Meruem closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and was about to find another way to turn defense into offense when a loud boom entered his ears. His Observation Haki instantly spread, and he vanished from his spot, rushing towards the source of the sound… "Anyone on my homeland is my enemy!" Wiper roared, pulling the trigger, and the RPG in his hand let out a huge roar, firing towards Luffy.Luffy struck a pose and said confidently: "Want to fight? Then come on!" With that, his arm instantly stretched, grabbing a tree branch, and he swung to avoid the cannonball… He really is a monkey, confirmed."Devil Fruit user," Wiper gritted his teeth, then flung his RPG and shield aside, and the strange shoes on his feet spewed clouds of vapor, rushing towards Luffy at high speed."Rubber Whip!" Luffy swung onto a tree branch, his leg stretching out in a horizontal sweep towards Wiper.Wiper's soles spewed vapor, narrowly dodging Luffy's sweep, then with a "bang," the vapor erupted, and Wiper instantly appeared before Luffy, roaring: "Re…"His roar was only half-spoken when Meruemdirectly threw Kamakiri at Wiper's face, and the two tangled together and fell."Meruem~ You really couldn't resist coming out for an adventure too~" Luffy hung from the tree branch, grinning.Meruem squatted on the tree branch, looking at this monkey Captain, wanting to strangle himself…
Chapter 78 Luffy was swallowed by a snake"Who exactly are you people?! Kamakiri?! How are you?!" Wiper's three fatal attacks landed on empty air. Luffy completely ignored him, happily sharing his recent Observation Haki experience with Meruem. As for the others, he shamelessly claimed they got lost.Based on their direction, he was the one who got lost… Meruem scratched his nose, "Why are you here fighting this idiot?"Luffy swung back and forth on a tree branch, "Hmm, I don't know. He just came at me, maybe he mistook me for someone else."Kamakiri slowly regained consciousness and said weakly, "Wiper… finally found… ugh…"It was… unbearable to look at. Wiper, bare-chested, originally had beautiful muscles and tattoos, but now he was covered in vomit. It was… hard to describe.Wiper looked at the vomit on his body, then at the weak Kamakiri. His pent-up rage had nowhere to go, and he glared fiercely at Luffy and Meruem on the tree branch."I'm warning you, if you dare come closer, I'll kill you… You should hurry and find somewhere to wash up, it's really too disgusting." Meruem's eye twitched as he looked at Wiper, his body subtly shifting backward a little. After all, that whole… sight just made one not want to cut into him.Luffy, however, looked a bit dejected, "What a waste…"Meruem turned his head and looked at Luffy with a shocked expression, "You… you're really strong.""Of course, I'm the Captain, after all.""…I wasn't complimenting you.""You just said I was strong."Meruem covered his face, feeling defeated by this thick-headed guy, completely speechless.Wiper gritted his teeth, watching them. Unable to contain his anger, he picked up Kamakiri and turned to leave.Meruem breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Luffy. Activating his Observation Haki, he cried out in horror, "Give me back my navigator!"No sooner had he spoken than Meruemsomersaulted 1080° in the air, landing steadily. Before he could even take a step to chase, a large pit instantly appeared in the ground, and he sank downwards with an incredulous expression."Meruem!" Luffy followed right behind him, and the two plummeted rapidly underground.After falling perhaps a hundred meters, the two appeared in a cave, completely devoid of light.Meruem covered his face and said, "My dear Captain, you could have easily grabbed me by extending your arm just now. Why did you jump down with me? What were you thinking?"Luffy picked his nose, "You could have also stepped on the loose dirt to come up, couldn't you? Didn't you also not jump up yourself? I thought you found a great place for an adventure, so I followed."…You make so much sense that I have no words. I was actually rendered speechless by Luffy. What was I even doing just now? No, it must be the fault of the one who dug the pit. Are they sick? Who digs such a deep hole? Is that even human? Meruemknelt on the ground, wondering if his brain had gone soft. As a cool, decisive protagonist, he had actually become like this. Was it the decay of morality or the distortion of human nature… Luffy walked casually, feeling something underfoot. He reached down, picked it up, examined it carefully, then shouted with surprise, "Meruem! I found gold!"Meruem took it, looked at it, and casually tucked it into his fanny pack. He fumbled around on the ground for a while, picked up something, examined it closely, then angrily threw it away… Why do I only find skulls! Damn it!Meruem watched as Luffy picked up gold with perfect accuracy, stacking piece after piece, while Meruem, even with his Observation Haki activated, picked up things with perfect accuracy… but never gold. The bones he picked up could form a skeleton army, and there were even all sorts of strange things, like… slippery, unknown objects.After a while of trying, Meruem completely gave up. He rummaged through Luffy's spoils of war, picking and choosing what to put into his fanny pack, all while shouting, "Go, go, go!"Luffy grew more and more excited as he picked up items. Suddenly, he hugged a half-human-sized bell and excitedly shouted, "Ai—"He only got halfway through before stopping abruptly. A hissing sound echoed in the darkness. Meruem immediately drew his black blade, the red glow in his eyes shining brightly in the dark. A giant snake, nearly a hundred meters long, appeared where Luffy had just been standing. A human figure could vaguely be seen sliding towards its abdomen within its body."Holy cow, Luffy!" Meruem stomped his foot on the ground and charged towards the giant snake, like an ant rushing towards a human."Hiss hiss…" The giant snake instantly opened its massive mouth and lunged at Meruem. Its throat looked like the entrance to a deep, dark cave.Meruem's feet stepped on empty air, forcefully elevating his body to appear above the giant snake's head. The black blade cut through the air, aiming directly for the snake's head.However, to his surprise, despite its enormous size, the giant snake was incredibly agile. It twisted its body to avoid the black blade, then whipped its body towards Meruem.Meruem raised his blade to defend but was struck by the massive snake body and sent flying into the air. He gritted his teeth, performed a backflip in mid-air, curled his body, then stomped his feet heavily. A sonic boom rang out, and strands of his hair turned white in the air. "Hiss!" He fiercely inhaled air into his lungs: "Breath of the Moon, First Form, Dark Moon. Moon Song!"The first completely self-created technique took shape in his hands. Crescent blades continuously left traces behind him, forming a musical score that extended towards the giant snake.They crossed in the air. Flesh and blood burst from the snake's neck, but it didn't break. The intense pain made the giant snake struggle wildly, and the rumbling sound was incredibly jarring."…That's really f***ing tough." Meruem flexed the fingers of the hand holding the black blade, then clenched it tightly, breathing in large gulps of air. He positioned the black blade behind his back, adopting a starting stance.But to his surprise, the struggling giant snake's eyes rolled back, and then it fainted. Inside the snake's body, a human figure could be seen running with large and small bundles of things.Luffy pushed open the giant snake's mouth with both hands and shouted excitedly, "Meruem! There's even more gold in its belly, I got it all out! Let's take it back to the Going Merry first. This should be enough to make the Going Merry like it was before."Meruem was momentarily stunned by his words and murmured, "So the adventure was just a side quest. Raising 'medical funds' for the Merry was your primary goal all along.""Hehehe~ Hurry, Meruem, I can't carry it all by myself." Luffy felt like he was about to be buried in gold.Meruem looked at all the gold on the ground and thought that even with two more hands, he probably couldn't carry it all back. Then, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he started stuffing the gold into the giant snake's mouth."Meruem, what are you doing?!""We'll stuff the gold in here, then take this giant snake back. We'll have Sanji cut it open, just in case you missed anything. And don't you want to eat snake stew? It's very fresh, you know…"Luffy's mouth was practically watering at the thought…
Chapter 79 The direction seems wrongMeruem and Luffy worked together to stuff all the gold into the great snake's mouth, closing it with a thud, like closing a suitcase.Luffy rubbed his nose, tugged on the snake's exposed teeth, and walked in one direction."Luffy, do you know the way back to the Going Merry?""No idea.""Then why are you walking that way...""...Isn't this the only path?"...It really seemed to be the only way. How did he get stumped by the monkey Captain again? Was his combat power declining today? It was bad enough he couldn't win an argument against Xiao Jian Jian, but now he'd been stumped by Luffy twice. Meruemcovered his face and silently followed behind Luffy. "I think you must have a screw loose...""Shut up, Xiao Jian Jian.""How about we go to the hospital for a check-up? You shouldn't avoid seeing a doctor for an illness."...Meruem once again lost the war of words with Tsukuyomi, following Luffy with a lifeless expression.After walking for a while, Luffy quickened his pace and shouted, "Meruem, I see the exit!"The two went from a fast walk to a run, rushing towards the light. The great snake bumped into who knows what along the way, making various crashing sounds. But one thing's for sure, the quality of its teeth was excellent; they didn't loosen at all despite Luffy pulling on them."Finally out!" Luffy bounced out happily, with Meruem close behind. Strange gazes gathered on them and... that giant snake head."Huh? Zoro, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, you're all here! And that guy who got the wrong person, and this... who are you?" Luffy greeted everyone with a grin, then looked at Eneru and asked with confusion.The moment Meruem saw Eneru, all his internal frustration vanished. He thought, 'All my displeasure today must be this guy's doing. If I don't beat him until flowers bloom, he won't know why flowers are so red!'...Eneru indicated he wouldn't take the blame.Eneru looked at Meruem's shining eyes and sneered, pointing his golden trident at Meruem: "I was wondering where you had hidden, you scoundrel. This time, I'll definitely show you what a true God is!"Luffy picked his nose and looked around, spotting a super-giant golden bell, probably tens of meters tall. His eyes lit up, then he frowned and said, "Meruem... that thing must be very valuable, but the Going Merry probably can't fit it. Meruem? Meruem!"Meruem beside him didn't answer. He reached out and clapped, but it was a mere afterimage. The clang of metal in the sky immediately followed, reaching everyone's ears.Wiper watched the movements that his eyes couldn't follow, staring dejectedly at his bandaged hands, gritting his teeth with unknown thoughts.Zoro tried to keep his eyes wide open, his hand on his sword, eager to act.Usopp and Chopper huddled together, trembling, silently retreating two steps.Robin watched the battle in the sky with complex eyes, something long extinguished within her rekindling, though faintly, as if it could be snuffed out by a mere breeze."Clang!" "Boom!"Meruem's black blade was plunged into the ground. The immense impact caused the blade to carve a crack in the earth, and he retreated all the way back to Luffy's side, panting heavily but with an excited expression.Eneru landed on the ground and retreated several steps, propping himself up with his trident embedded in the rock behind him. He gritted his teeth and said, "You didn't go all out last time, you scoundrel!"Luffy tilted his head and asked in confusion, "...Meruem, what's going on now?"Meruem propped himself up with his blade, steadied his breathing, and said, "He's the guy who used lightning on Conis at Angel Beach, just severely injured Sanji, sent his subordinates to hurt Chopper and damage the Going Merry, and said he was going to judge us."Luffy paused, pulled his Straw Hat down a bit, obscuring his eyes, and said calmly, "Are you sure?"Meruem shrugged without speaking, then twirled his blade and shouted at Eneru, "Your game failed, you know. Look how many people are just here!"Eneru narrowed his eyes at Meruem, a smirk forming on his lips. He smiled and said, "Oh? Is that so?"As he spoke, Eneru pointed a single finger at the sky. A nearly invisible electric arc shot upwards, and the clear blue sky instantly became overcast, dark clouds gathering. Thunder rumbled faintly within the clouds."God's Judgment!"A chilling voice came from Eneru's mouth. Bolts of lightning, as thick as buckets, surged towards everyone alive on God's Island, whether Shandia, Straw Hat, or even Eneru's own priests—none were spared.Meruem dodged backward, but the lightning seemed to have eyes, following him closely. He had no choice but to swing his blade, unleashing a crescent-shaped attack that neutralized the lightning. However, among the others, only Zoromanaged to shatter the lightning; everyone else was struck directly, and a faint scent of cooked meat wafted through the air.In the distance, Nami's pained cries for Sanji could faintly be heard.Luffy was also struck directly, but he maintained his posture, holding his Straw Hat. Lightning crackled all over his body, but it caused no harm."Zoro, take those three and meet up with Nami and the others... take that guy too, he knows the way." Meruem gestured with his chin towards Wiper, stretched his limbs, and stood beside Luffy, looking at Eneru."Hm. Actually, I can find it without him..." Zoro still retorted stubbornly, carrying Robin on his back, with Usopp tucked under one arm and Wiper under the other, Chopper in his mouth, he ran directly in the opposite direction of Nami's voice... 'I definitely need to teach you Observation Haki.' Meruem covered his face and shouted, pointing in a direction: "That way!"Zoro's face reddened, and he ran in the direction Meruem pointed, shaking Wiper awake as he ran, telling him to lead the way.Luffy's voice sounded in Meruem's ear: "Meruem... why would he do that? Why doesn't he even cherish his own companions...?"Meruem turned his head to look at Luffy. With half his face obscured by the Straw Hat, Luffy had lost his usual silly demeanor, looking even a little handsome. He scratched his head and replied, "Who knows? Maybe he's crazy... But it's simple. If we defeat him, Sky Island will be clear sailing for us."Luffy tilted his head left and right, twisting his neck, his bones making crisp sounds. He smiled and said, "It's quite simple, indeed."Meruem placed his hand on the hilt of his black blade, gripping it loosely, and also smiled: "When in doubt, ask the spring breeze. If the spring breeze is silent, follow your heart. Luffy, keep walking towards your goal. Leave matters of right and wrong to your own heart. I will follow behind you."Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat backward, saying with a confident look, "Meruem, let's go. I will never let go of anyone who hurts my companions.""Oh!"
Chapter 80 Who is God? "Thanks to "User 26868531" for the gift"Eneru's face contorted in an exaggerated expression, as he looked in disbelief at Luffy, who had taken his "God's Judgment" head-on without a scratch: "How is that possible?!""Because I'm a rubber man! Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffyplaced his hand on his shoulder, his fist cutting through the air, sounding the battle's horn.Meruem slightly tilted his head and easily dodged, a black crescent blade immediately appearing behind him."Breath of the Moon, First Form, Dark Moon: Evening Palace!"The black crescent blade tore through the air, engulfing Eneru. He gritted his teeth and swung his trident fiercely, the "creak, creak" sound of their collision ringing in his ears, sickening and dangerous.He flew towards the sky, his trident covered in blade marks."Tsk, such high-density gold, you're really wasting it, and you don't even know Armament Haki, yet you call yourself a god?" Meruem said mockingly, his face full of scorn.Eneru gritted his teeth and released electricity, his scarred trident instantly looking brand new: "Defeat me before you talk big. I'm still unharmed right now.""Gum-Gum Gatling!" Luffy leaped into the sky, his fists raining down on Eneru.Eneru casually tilted his head and twisted his body, effortlessly dodging the rain of fists, and asked in confusion: "Why is this guy the Captain of this ship?"Meruem scratched his head and shouted: "Luffy, this guy's Observation Haki is pretty good. You won't hit him like that. Use your heart to hit him.""Heart???" Luffy panted, holding his knees, looking at Meruem with a bewildered expression.Meruem covered his face, saying helplessly: "I mean, rely on instinct… that doesn't seem right either. Anyway, just hide your hostility. Look at me!" As soon as he finished speaking, in Luffy's eyes, Meruem seemed to disappear. Killing intent instantly erupted beside Eneru, and the blade light flashed. Eneru's gaze sharpened, and he narrowly dodged, losing his previous casualness.Meruem flipped his body in the air, avoiding Eneru's subsequent trident. His toes landed on the trident, and he swiftly wielded his black blade, the killing intent only exploding right when he was about to strike Eneru. And this distance was visibly getting closer… Eneru's face turned extremely grim. He swung his trident impenetrably, lightning constantly flashing between the two. The black blade light and the bright lightning continuously collided and canceled each other out, producing a cacophony of noise.Luffy's eyes lit up, and he turned into… an idiot?! With a dazed expression, he swayed towards the battlefield. Lightning striking him automatically dissipated, and the golden trident stabbing at him was also swayed past. He then threw a punch that hit Eneru's cheek.Eneru was sent flying backward, tumbling in the air and falling to the ground. His facial expression became even more dramatic, looking as idiotic as Luffy: "What kind of move is that?!"Meruem's blade struck empty air. Looking at the dazed and silent Luffy, he painfully covered his face. His killing intent was no longer coherent, and the anger that had filled his chest was now stuck, making him feel incredibly uncomfortable.Eneru gritted his teeth and climbed up from the ground, his arm transforming into lightning that enveloped his trident and shot towards Luffy. Although Luffy looked silly, he narrowly dodged every stab. Back and forth, the scene looked a bit comical, as if the two had planned it, like a circus act… Eneru frowned and silently began to change his attack. The constant "rumbling" sounds began to subside, and the sound of the trident cutting through the air also grew fainter. Unbeknownst to Luffy, the bloodstains on his body began to increase.Just as the trident was about to pierce Luffy's abdomen, Meruem instantly appeared, blocked the trident, and slapped Luffy on the head."…Stop playing around. You'll get yourself killed sooner or later fighting like this."Luffy was slapped directly to the ground. He got up, holding his head, and said aggrievedly: "…Didn't Meruem you teach me this?""…If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll sue you for defamation.""But I hit him just now!"Meruem couldn't help but slap Luffy on the head again: "Look at all these injuries on you!"Luffy looked down: "Ow ow ow ow… When did I get so many injuries, Meruem… did you do it?"Meruem painfully pinched his brow: "If I really did it, I would have stabbed you to death directly, and definitely wouldn't give you a chance to yell here…"Eneru felt so angry he was about to explode. These two guys really disrespected people… and disrespected a god too much. They started fooling around in the middle of a fight, completely disregarding him."Let me tell you the difference between a god and a human! Raigō!"Eneru's entire body transformed into lightning, constantly expanding, becoming the size of a Giant Race. The lightning around him was dazzling and blinding, and the ground where he stood was scorched black by the lightning."Thirty Million Volts: Lightning Beast!"A fierce beast made of lightning ran out from Eneru's palm, its mouth wide open but without any roar, only the "rumbling" sound of thunder echoing through the sky.Meruem leaped to the side, avoiding the Lightning Beast's claw attack, and looked at the giant Eneruwith a disgusted expression: "Luffy, now you won't miss. Is this guy an idiot or something…?"Luffy quickly ducked down, avoiding the attack. His legs pumped like a water pump, and high temperatures appeared on his legs, making his face turn red.He felt it slightly, then compressed the air in his body with even more force. The temperature grew higher and higher. He took a step, his speed more than double what it was before, and instantly appeared in front of Eneru: "Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"Luffy's hands forcefully struck Eneru's body. Although the lightning didn't harm him, the high temperature generated by the lightning was scorching Luffy's hands."Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!" Luffy screamed in pain, but his hands remained pressed firmly against Eneru's body, pouring all his strength into it."I am a god! How could I be defeated by you!" The giant Eneru's feet left deep imprints on the ground as he retreated little by little. He extended his hand, and a giant golden trident appeared in his grasp, which he thrust fiercely at Luffy.Meruem's black blade carved a crescent blade in the air, like a barrier, blocking the trident mid-air, preventing it from advancing an inch.The enormous body of Raigō Eneru finally couldn't hold on, retreating three steps, each step creating an earth-shshattering tremor.A god's body was repelled by two mortals. Who, then, was truly the god?Luffy's hands were blackened, whether from scorching or the coverage of Armament Haki, was unclear. The temperature of his body continuously rose, gradually turning his skin pink. He clenched his fists and took a starting stance: "Meruem, let's go!"
Chapter 81: Fierce Battle... Gear Second? Meruem looked at Luffy's pink skin with some excitement. His own thigh had improved, giving him a sense of déjà vu, like a hard-nurtured ADC finally starting to carry."Oh!" Meruem brushed his hair back, and as he did, his hair gradually turned white, with a few strands of blood-red hair subtly mixed in. He casually held his sword behind him and, following Luffy's steps, charged towards Eneru."Thirty Million Volts. Thunder Bird!" Eneru stretched out his enormous palm, and countless Thunder Birds formed from lightning surged towards the two of them.Luffy clutched his Straw Hat, drawing 'Z' shaped afterimages on the ground, dodging the Thunder Birds while charging forward.Meruem followed behind him, slicing apart any Thunder Birds that were unavoidable, ensuring no attack landed on Luffy."Rubber. Gatling!"Fists rained down on Eneru, lightning flashing continuously on his body, forcing him back several steps. A Rocket followed, blasting into him, even lifting his legs off the ground.Eneru gritted his teeth, wanting to counterattack, but every time his trident swung out, it was parried by Meruem's black blade. The lightning striking Luffy had minimal effect."You... who exactly are you two?!" Eneru's trident swung more frantically, the 'clanging' of metal on metal sounding intense.Meruem parried with his black blade, then flipped and jumped, landing on the trident: "If you are a god, then treat us as gods too~"Luffy's high body temperature gradually receded. He leaned on his knees, panting, his body covered in dense black ash: "Meruem... this guy is too tough.""Hmm... Luffy, you rest for a bit, let me play with this guy~" Meruem's voice sounded a bit excited. The guy who called himself a 'god' was indeed unscientific. He only knew Observation Haki among the three types of Haki, yet he had reached his current level purely by his Devil Fruit power."Oh!" Luffy responded, sitting directly on the ground to rest.Eneru's face was very grim. His figure rapidly shrank, turning into his normal-sized 'Thunder God' mode: "Lightning Iron!"The giant trident was enveloped in lightning, transforming into thousands of normal-sized tridents that shot down from the sky towards Luffy."Breath of the Moon, Eighth Form, Moon-Dragon Wheel Tail!" Meruem swung his black blade, unleashing a massive horizontal slash, sweeping away everything in front of Luffy. A dragon composed of crescent blades devoured all the golden tridents shot at them."I said I'd play with you~"Eneru enveloped all the trident fragments with lightning, suspending them in the air. He was practically gnashing his teeth: "You... what exactly do you want to do?!""Hmm... you're the one who dragged me into your game, and said you'd judge me, and now you ask me what I'm doing? I suspect there's something wrong with your brain..." Meruem slowly walked towards Eneru, effortlessly dodging the scattering lightning.Eneru lowered his head in silence for a moment, then looked up and laughed loudly: "Indeed, this Sky Island is very boring. There are plenty of interesting people in the Blue Sea. I will go to the Blue Sea to be the god of this world after I judge you two."???Kaido, Shanks, Charlotte Linlin, Whitebeard, Akainu Sakazuki, Kizaru Borsalino, Aokiji Kuzan... Meruem's mind flashed with names and the playful faces of those people. He covered his face and said: "...Whatever makes you happy, but I suggest you try another planet. This one probably isn't realistic."Eneru heard the disdain in Meruem's words but didn't explain. A smirk played on his lips as he instantly appeared before Meruem, extending his right hand forward.Meruem frowned, a hint of shock in his eyes. A black blade light flashed between the two, barely parrying Eneru's lightning-strewn palm."Good reaction~" Eneru's voice echoed in the air. The 'Eneru' in front of Meruem exploded, revealing it was just an afterimage formed by lightning... This speed is so outrageous?! Is this an enemy Luffy can handle at this stage? Oda, are you insane... If Meruem ever gets back, the first thing he'll do is beat up Oda. It's truly ridiculous.To outsiders, Meruem and Eneru seemed to have mastered Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, with more and more afterimages appearing densely across the plaza.Black crescent blades and white lightning clashed continuously, emitting a cacophony of sound. Suddenly, a deafening sound erupted. Meruemmaterialized in the air, did a backflip, and landed on the ground, his black blade piercing the ground and creating a crack. Tiny cuts on his body bled, and a broken trident was embedded in his shoulder. Panting, Meruem's hair turned a mix of black, white, and red. To be honest, it was a bit... unconventional.Eneru landed on the ground, half lightning and half his original body, retreating several steps. He propped himself up with the broken trident, also panting, a long sword wound on his chest, flesh exposed, blood flowing freely."...What kind of existence are you among the people of the Blue Sea?"Meruem finally managed to even out his breathing. His black hair disappeared again, the white and red hair becoming more distinctly intertwined, and the black patterns on his heart faintly visible. He forcefully pulled out the trident, blood spurting, but he paid it no mind, saying with a playful look: "Me? On the vast sea, I'm just a nobody. People stronger than me are as numerous as carp crossing a river."Eneru couldn't help but freeze. The boast he had just made turned into a slap to his own face, and the slap came so quickly... Meruem exhaled, then fiercely sucked air into his lungs. He stomped on the ground, which instantly shattered, sending flying stones in all directions, and shot towards Eneru like a black lightning bolt."Thunder Breathing, First Form, Thunderclap and Flash. Moonlight!"Eneru reacted immediately. The flying fragments in the air merged with the broken trident in his hand, restoring it to its original form. The lightning on his body re-gathered, and the 'Thunder God' mode reactivated. White lightning immediately collided with black lightning.Meruem's eyes and Eneru's eyes were mere millimeters from touching. The trident and black blade locked together, the trident continuously breaking and reforming.Meruem's lips curled into a smirk, and he softly said: "Success need not be mine..."The black blade slid across the trident, creating a trail of sparks. The trident, no longer blocked by the black blade, directly pierced Meruem's abdomen. Blood uncontrollably flowed from his mouth, and then he plunged his sword into Eneru's abdomen.Both their weapons appeared inside the other's body...
Chapter 82 Sun Rising and Moon SettingThe madness in Meruem's eyes made Eneru a bit fearful, causing him to involuntarily step back a few paces and pull the black blade from his body. Meruem, clutching the trident tightly, half-knelt on the ground and softly said, "Luffy, it's your turn... If you can't beat him like this, I'll chop you to death!""Oh!" Luffy appeared behind Meruem, placed his Straw Hat on Meruem's head, and looked grimly at Eneru, his fists clenching with a 'creaking' sound.Luffy slammed his fist into the ground, his entire skin rippling like a pump, turning pink. High heat emanated from his body, and the Armament Haki on his hands was closer to his elbows than before.Eneru gritted his teeth and reached out to touch his wound. The bloodstain was covered by lightning, temporarily congealing together. "What a lunatic! Do you think an injury like this is enough for this guy to beat me?!"Meruem smiled without speaking, leaning against the nearby ruins, his hair turning black, visibly weakening.Luffy walked a few steps with some difficulty, then gradually sped up, breaking into a run, with red steam trailing behind him. "I will definitely send you flying!""Then come on! Ten Thousand Volts!" Enerusneered, rising into the air and pointing a finger at the sky. Sheets of lightning poured down from above. Luffy couldn't help but turn his head and urgently shout, "Meruem!"The lightning rushed towards Meruem. He looked up, but his hands and feet could no longer move, seemingly headed for a grand finale."Three-Sword Style, Tornado!""Crush!""Mille Fleur. Shield!""Black Cloud Tempo!""Secret Art. Fire Star!""Fur Enhancement!"Chopper's fur became thick, and he unhesitatingly blocked in front of Meruem, shielding all the lightning from Meruem's sight.Everyone's attacks blocked all the lightning. They slowly walked to Meruem's front. Zoro tapped his sword and said, "How can we let you hog all the glory, you guy?"Sanji took a puff from his cigarette, tapping his foot. "Though I'm very reluctant, Marimo Head is right this time.""??... What did you say, love cook?!""What do you want, idiotic swordsman?"Zoro and Sanji's faces were pressed together, looking very 'intimate.' Nami appeared just in time to knock them both to the ground, angrily saying, "Can you two be quiet?! Look at Meruem... Meruem? Is that gold stuck in your stomach?!"Usopp waved his hand to block Nami's view. "...Your focus is all wrong, you guy!"Robin shook her somewhat sore hands. After all, she had blocked at least 50% of the Ten Thousand Volts just now. She squinted, smiling at everyone, finding the novel experience quite interesting."Meruem... your injury is so severe! Doctor! We need a doctor here! Ah... I am the doctor..." Chopperreturned to his original form, his body smelling a bit like roasted meat. He frantically spun in a few circles, suddenly remembering his identity as a doctor. He pulled out a pile of bottles and jars from his small bag, no one knew how they all fit... Luffybraked abruptly, leaving deep skid marks on the ground. Seeing Meruem rescued by everyone, he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. He squatted down to stretch his body, then charged towards Eneru, who was suspended in mid-air, shouting, "I'm leaving Meruem to you all, I'm going to send that guy flying!"Zoro chased for two steps but couldn't catch up, gnashing his teeth in annoyance, planning to add a thousand more squats tonight.Sanji ran a bit further ahead, but still had to stop, looking at Zoro behind him with a mocking expression... You didn't catch up either, did you? That mocking expression is poisonous.Meruem watched Chopper and Usopp carefully pull out the trident, blood from the corner of his mouth still flowing, and the complaints in his heart were also uncontrollable.Chopper suddenly turned into a giant, grabbing Usopp's head and lifting him. "You move aside... If you pull out Meruem's, he'll most likely not survive.""Wuwuwuwuwu... (If you keep squeezing me like this, I won't survive either...)" Usopp's mouth was covered by Chopper's large hand, making him unable to speak. Chopper, still squeezing Usopp's head, examined Meruem's wound more closely, completely unaware that Usopp was rolling his eyes.Then Chopper casually put Usopp aside, reached out, grabbed the trident, and softly said, "Meruem... bear with it..."Meruem nodded slightly. Chopper gripped it, then threw the trident aside. Various medicinal powders immediately followed, sprinkled onto Meruem's wound. Bandages were tightly bound within a minute, almost miraculously."Chopper, is Meruem alright? Should we take him to the Going Merry first?" Nami's voice came from the side.Meruem had originally intended to feign a bit, turning his head to say he was fine, but as soon as he turned, his eye twitched uncontrollably. "...Put those things down before you speak."Nami was laboriously dragging the trident and painstakingly gathering the gold taken from the great snake's belly, drenched in sweat... Meruemshook his head, no longer bothering with this guy who couldn't move when she saw money. He turned to Zoro: "Didn't I tell you guys to go back to the Going Merry first? Why did you come over?"Everyone's gaze collectively shifted to Nami... Meruem covered his face, understanding everything. This was truly prioritizing money over life... To dare to approach here with the terrifying power of "Divine Punishment.""Never mind... I'll sleep for a bit..." Meruem nodded repeatedly, then leaned back and was enveloped by sleepiness, falling into a deep slumber."...Do you really have to play with your life like this, you guy? It's getting more and more excessive.""Xiao Jian Jian, what was the amplification you gave me just now? I feel like I can't quite handle it. Even if I hadn't taken that hit... I would have fallen asleep.""...80%. Nika can give almost 100% amplification. If you don't work harder, you won't catch up.""So Second Gear is 100%... What level would Fourth Gear be then...?""...Roughly 400%, I guess. Don't worry, the maximum is only 800%. My upper limit is quite high~""...You have the nerve to say I'm playing with my life? What you just said makes it sound like my life isn't worth anything.""Ahem... well, when the time comes, I'll give you a 999% amplification, so you can experience the power of a god. And with nine hundred ninety-nine deaths and one life, there's always a chance to survive, right~""Please just be a human, you...""Why should I be a human...? I'm a Devil Fruit, are you thinking too much by asking me to be human...?""...Never mind. We'll talk about it if there's a real need. You might as well just be called the Life-Playing Fruit.""How can a dignified Moon God Fruit have such an unpleasant name? Kid, are you sick...?""If I weren't sick, could I eat you?""You make a good point..."
Chapter 83: The Bell of Sky Island "Thanks for the Gift from "Blue Dream Purple Ice Butterfly""Meruem slowly walked forward and sat in front of the Bone Throne, looking up at his increasingly expressive self, feeling a bit speechless."Can't you change your face, you guy? Every time I see you like this, I feel a bit creepy..."Tsukuyomi's blood-red hair moved without a breeze, the black crescent pattern on his brow extended to both sides, forming strange patterns around his eyes. He leaned back on the throne, propping his face lazily as he said, "Too much trouble... How about I transform into a naked Nami for you? But I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to control yourself, and then it would really be a masterpiece...""You can transform into that?!""I treat you like a brother, and you actually want to get on me?!""...What the hell did I say??""You didn't tell me not to transform.""I think any normal person wouldn't tell you not to transform..." Meruem squinted at Tsukuyomi, a look of disgust on his face."...Luffy wouldn't want it." Tsukuyomi struggled for a moment, then a flash of inspiration hit him, and he said excitedly."...He'd expect you to transform into Nami, and whether she's clothed or not, he wouldn't mind.""...You have a point."Meruem finally won a round and felt much better. He waved goodbye, "I feel like I can move my body now. Let's talk after this is over."Tsukuyomi waved back, then pulled out a copy of "The Art of Thick Black Theory" from the air, a book Meruem had been reading for three years without finishing. He read it, exclaiming in wonder.Meruem looked at him helplessly, then closed and reopened his eyes, finding himself lying on Chopper's back, walking through the jungle."Meruem, you woke up so fast. Your breathing has already stabilized. Your body's recovery ability is amazing." The giant Chopper's voice was quite cute... This must be what an online romance sounds like... Aren't you guys, who just got struck by lightning, also lively and kicking? I just got stabbed a few times. Everyone has Life Return, so there's no reason why I, the protagonist, wouldn't have it. Meruem smacked his lips, adjusted his posture slightly, and lay more comfortably on Chopper's back. Honestly, the feel of his fur was just wonderful. Then he calmly asked, "What's the situation now?""Not sure, the thunder keeps rumbling. Zoro and Sanji went to help. We can't see any of the three of them. We're on our way to the Going Merry, almost there." Usopp, with his bag slung over him, took off the binoculars from his head and shook his head.Nami, holding a trident, looked quite imposing... You might not be able to make her carry a sack, but she could even run while carrying gold. She said with a confident expression, "Those three guys can't possibly lose, especially when fighting someone who's already severely injured.""With things like lightning strikes, one careless move and there'll be nothing left but bones..." Robin's reverse Crow's mouth activated.Chopper's body started to tremble. Despite his sturdy, masculine appearance, he looked at Robinwith teary eyes and choked out, "Luffy... Zoro... Sanji..." This tough guy crying was really a bit unsettling.Meruem massaged Chopper's shoulder, comforting him, "Robin is just that sharp-tongued. And from experience, as long as she jinxes them, they'll definitely be fine."Robin was stunned by his words, then fell into thought. Her jinxes used to be quite accurate, but they really had no effect on this group of people anymore, and she didn't know why."Ai... Meruem, really?" Chopper's choked voice sounded a bit miserable."Mhm, mhm, don't worry, those three guys will definitely win. Let's put away all this gold first, this is Merry's medical expenses." Meruem couldn't resist, constantly rubbing Chopper's fur, like he was petting a cat.No one paid attention to the difference between "Merry" and "Going Merry." Hearing this, they couldn't help but quicken their pace. Usopp even tightened his bag, his face visibly beaming with joy.Nami showed no change upon hearing this. When it came to accumulating wealth, she seemed to prefer having treasures pass through her hands before spending them all at once. Although she was a money-grubber, she wasn't stingy. And if it weren't for her, the Straw Hat crew, who had no concept of money, would probably starve to death at sea.Before long, everyone arrived near the Going Merry. Wiper and Kamakiri stood opposite Gan Fall, creating a subtle standoff.The group quickly stuffed all the gold into the ship's cabin, then neatly lined up along the ship's railing. Usopp even went to the kitchen to grab some food, looking ready to watch the show.However, these guys didn't control their "watching the show" distance very well; they were too close. Gan Fall and the others' tense standoff instantly became a bit awkward.Aisa climbed onto Meruem's shoulder in a few movements, like climbing a mountain, and hugged his head, saying fearfully, "Meruem... quickly stop them, they don't need to be hostile."???Are we that close? You want to order me around now? Meruem frowned, but didn't make Aisa get down. He flipped over and sat on the ship's railing, shouting loudly, "Judge Meruem is online! Each state your case, and I'll make a ruling for you."Usopp glanced at Meruem, muttering, "How come you're so popular with little girls? Every time you catch one, she's closest to you... And you're the one who caught them, too."Meruem was stunned by his words. He scratched his face and turned to look at Robin and Nami. He took a deep breath, and there was still no problem; he was still normal, not some pervert who should have his tools of crime confiscated."I just want to stop them from participating in your battle with Eneru. I believe their strength is insufficient to contend with Eneru... And there's also the long-standing dispute over the ownership of God's Island." Gan Fall's voice interrupted Meruem's thoughts.Meruem frowned and said, "...Actually, to be fair, what does your business have to do with us? What's in it for us to defeat Eneru?""...Aren't we friends?""Old man, you're a bit shameless! Who's friends with you?!" Meruem looked at Gan Fall with a disgusted expression. At this moment, Chopper, who had returned to his normal state, gently tugged at Meruem.Meruem thought for a moment, then said awkwardly, "Ahem... Alright, so what's the problem with the ownership of God's Island?"Gan Fall's face turned red, too embarrassed to speak again. Wiper interjected, "We Shandians are the original inhabitants of this Jaya Island. Four hundred years ago, an unknown force lifted this place, which they call God's Island, into the White-White Sea. They want to occupy this island, and my ancestors told me that we Shandians must wait for the arrival of a hero. How could we hand it over to them? We must also ring that golden bell to guide the hero.""...Gan Fall, that's not right. For you to claim someone else's place like that is a bit unethical."
Chapter 84 The Bell RingsGan Fall spread his hands helplessly. "But this is the only island with land, and for the future development of God's Island, the Sky Island natives need this land. Actually, the peace talks were almost successful before, if only I hadn't been driven down by Eneru..."...Since you haven't fought over this gold, it's not really right for me to take it. I haven't leveled up to the point of robbing a country yet, so for me, Enerudid me a big favor. But thinking that way feels a bit unethical.Meruem propped his hand on the ship's rail and said helplessly, "...So now it seems you just want to ring the bell, and the old man is for the development of his country. Now the question is, do the Shandiawant to establish a nation?"Wiper was stunned by the question, then fell silent. After a long while, he shook his head and said, "The Shandia are peace-loving. We have no interest in establishing a nation. Our goal is simply to fulfill our ancestors' dying wish at the appointed time."...This might be a bit of a blow to you, but your ancestor died many years ago, so the hero you're waiting for has long since turned to dust in history. However, his descendant, Cricket, happens to be someone we know, and he's the one who told us about the Knock-Up Stream. As for that bell, Luffywill ring it. That's our promise with that old man Cricket.Meruem expressed that he completely couldn't understand this guy's obsession....Is the hero dead too? Wiper murmured blankly....Aren't you stating the obvious?Meruem walked into the cabin, pulled out a children's picture book titled "Noland the Great Liar," and threw it to Wiper, saying calmly, "Take a look. This is the hero you've been waiting for. This involves topics like your territory, and it's not my place as an outsider to speak on it. You can resolve it yourselves, but only after the bell rings."Wiper opened the picture book, tears streaming down his face, and murmured, "So the hero's name was Noland..."This was the first time Aisa had seen him like this. The terrifying War Demon Wiper was crying like a child, his hands unconsciously clenching tightly....If you pull out my hair, I'll spank you.Meruem felt that if he let Aisa keep clutching his hair like this, he might go bald. In the world of pirates, going bald doesn't seem to make one stronger.Aisa anxiously let go, then buried her face in Meruem's hair, feeling the warmth of her tears.Meruem wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say. He wondered if four hundred years of steadfastness had any meaning, and how they would live their lives in the future was not something an outsider could interfere with."Gum-Gum Golden Rifle!"Luffy's roar, accompanied by the melodious ringing of the Golden Bell, echoed throughout God's Island. From afar, a figure could be seen being sent flying. Eneru's unconscious form appeared in Meruem's sight....It's finally over, Merry. Our next stop, we'll find a doctor for you. You just have to hold on a little longer.Meruem's murmured voice was unheard by anyone, yet a soft response appeared in his ear.Meruem forced a smile and shouted loudly to Gan Fall and Wiper below, "You guys continue! Our work is done. Let me just say, all the gold we found is ours! Anyone who dares to try and steal it, I'll cut him down!"After speaking, he was about to flip over and jump off the ship's rail, but Nami grabbed him and immediately began scolding him, "What's wrong with you, you idiot? You're so heavily injured, and you're not resting? Where are you trying to run off to now?"...Uh, there's a lot of gold over where Luffy and the others are. Getting more money will help Merrybetter.With each movement and pull, Meruem's wound subtly started to seep blood again, staining his bandage.Nami fell silent at his words. She wanted to hit Meruem but couldn't bring herself to. She yelled, "Usopp, Robin, let's go get Captain! We don't even know if those three guys can be found. Chopper, you stay here and keep an eye on Meruem. Don't let him run around!"Meruem weakly raised his hand and said, "I... I think I'm fine."Nami eyed Meruem, not saying a word, with a look that clearly said, "If you say you're fine one more time, I'll make sure you're not."Meruem's eye twitched. He cautiously glanced at Nami's clenched fist and yelled, "Chopper, hurry up and change my bandage! It's seeping through!"After speaking, he could only watch helplessly as Nami and the other two disappeared into the jungle. Then he glared resentfully at Gan Fall, Wiper, and Kamakiri, rubbing his fingers together and saying with ill intent, "We solved such a big problem for you. Don't you think you should show some appreciation?"Wiper was startled, then generously pulled a small pouch from behind his waist and tossed it to Meruem with a flick of his wrist. Seeing this, Kamakiri also fumbled and threw out a small pouch.Meruem caught them, opened them, and secretly glanced inside. His face bloomed like a flower as he smiled and quietly tucked the two small pouches into his waistband."Thumbs up for you guys! Old man, aren't you going to show some appreciation?"As Gan Fall, who only charged 500 Berries for each sortie, his pockets were truly empty. He patted himself all over but couldn't find anything. He opened his mouth and said, "...I'll give you my armor and knight's spear."Meruem looked at him with disdain. "...You're weak, you don't have an army, and most importantly, you're poor. How dare you call yourself a god? Even if you're the former."Gan Fall's face successfully turned red like Guan Yu's. He stammered, not knowing what to say, and finally argued, "You should at least respect your elders and cherish the young!"...Why should I respect you? Respect you for being old or respect you for not bathing?...I do bathe...." Meruem didn't expect this old man to be so shameless. He couldn't say anything more. He reached down and felt his waistband. The bulging waistband made him feel incredibly secure. This time, he had to be careful of that Nami… Speaking of which, there was also an old woman who robbed him of 800,000 Berries. No, he had to go get it back. Meruem frowned, completely selectively forgetting that it was for the entrance fee. He asked, "Where did that old woman guarding the entrance put the money she collected?"Gan Fall confidently replied, "See? The knowledge an old man possesses is something you young people could never have. According to the timeline, all the money she collected has already been transferred to the national treasury, and the national treasury is located where the Golden Bell is."...You can shut up. Isn't that the direction Nami and the others went? What does that money have to do with me anymore?Meruem lost his idealism and lay speechless on a deck chair on the deck... resting his head on Aisa, a limited-edition loli pillow. Who knew this guy hadn't even gone down yet?The lingering sound of the bell accompanied Meruem's inner sadness. He had made money, yet he was still so melancholic.
Chapter 85: Sky Island. EndNami, carrying Luffy on her back, was unbelievably walking at the very front. Meruem was still wondering why Nami was carrying Luffy when he saw the others, laden with bags big and small, trudging towards the Going Merry… This… If the Going Merry's load capacity wasn't limited, the Golden Bell might have been carried back by these guys. Really… they did a great job. Being poor pirates is simply disgraceful… However, there was a somewhat buggy point: from an ownership perspective, all this gold should rightfully belong to the Shandia, but neither Wiper, Kamakiri, nor Aisashowed any change in their expressions. They even watched the group with interest, ready to lend a hand.Gan Fall, that old man, had a strange look on his face, clutching his chest with a pained expression. Meruem took off his loli-limited pendant from his head, jumped beside Gan Fall, and clasped his shoulder: "What's wrong? It's not yours, so why are you so reluctant to part with it?""...What exactly do you plan to do to the Going Merry? This amount is enough to build the entire Going Merry out of gold, isn't it?""Hmm, after all, Merry is our companion, so how can we not go all out for her?""...You're emptying the treasury of the Kingdom of God.""If you keep talking nonsense, be careful or I'll accuse you, old man, of slander. This is clearly our spoils of war from defeating Eneru. What does it have to do with your Kingdom of God's treasury?""..." Gan Fall sighed and said nothing more."Meruem! You're running off again!" Chopper, transformed into a giant, rushed behind Meruem in one swift movement, delivering a heavy blow to the back of Meruem's head, knocking him to the ground. Then he scooped him up and hurried towards the Going Merry… How should I put it? He truly inherited Dr. Kureha's teachings… "Yo, you're here again~" Tsukuyomi didn't appear on a throne of corpses and blood, but instead appeared in… a room with a strong otaku vibe, surrounded by a dazzling array of Pirate King merchandise, with dense textual annotations beside them.Meruem pressed his hand to his neck, twisted it a few times, and said, "Your ability is getting stranger and stranger, what kind of trick is this now…"Tsukuyomi casually brushed his red hair back and replied, "It's all because your memory is bad. To prevent you from forgetting me again, I had to make some notes. From the looks of it, you still need to get stronger for the Marineford War."The word Meruem had been avoiding was spoken by Tsukuyomi, which made Meruem pause, then he said with a bitter smile, "I know… Just Eneru made me struggle so much. How terrifying must Akainu Sakazuki be, who is said to have the strongest attack power in the entire world? And then there's Whitebeard, who is rumored to be the strongest, but he's an ally, so that's fine."Tsukuyomi spread his hands and said playfully, "With your current strength, I doubt you could win even with the maximum amplification. Saving Aceseems like a dream…"Meruem clicked his tongue, casually lay back in a computer chair, feeling a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time, and said helplessly, "The boat will straighten when it reaches the bridge. If I can save him, I will. If I can't, then that's just how it is…"Tsukuyomi waved his hand, and a thick book instantly appeared in his hand. He opened it and pointed to a page, saying, "Different colors of Haki, according to the tiers, should awaken to Tier 5, and the legendary Divine Tier. Looking at the previous Pirate King Roger, all three colors were Divine Tier. Akainu Sakazuki's Armament Haki should also be Divine Tier, Observation Haki around Tier 4, and Haoshoku unknown.Looking at you, by my estimation, your Armament Haki and Observation Haki should both be Tier 2, approaching Tier 3. Haoshoku is not awakened, and I even think you won't have Haoshoku.Luffy's Armament Haki and Observation Haki have only just awakened, and he also doesn't have Haoshoku. The gap is despairingly large. The strongest you've encountered so far is Blackbeard Teach. All three colors of his Haki should be Tier 3. However, he obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit, which allows him to possess another Devil Fruit. As long as he gets one more Devil Fruit, his strength will skyrocket. So, if you want to make things easier, preventing him from getting the 'Tremor-Tremor Fruit' also needs to be done by you."Meruem scratched his face and chuckled, "I'm still pretty 'strong.' The Marineford War is coming soon, and time seems to be running out. If you gave me three more years, I would definitely be much more confident participating in Marineford."Tsukuyomi snapped his fingers, and the book in his hand instantly disappeared: "Indeed, your growth rate is almost the same as Nika's. So, why don't you just not go then?"Meruem was silent for a moment, then a curve appeared at the corner of his mouth: "How will I know if I don't try? I want to experience this magnificent sea, I want to spend every free day with those guys. If I have something I want to do but cower and don't do it, how boring would that be?"With that, he brought his two fingers together at his brow and vanished instantly.Tsukuyomi scratched his head in annoyance, then smiled: "To risk your life for fun, you truly are my most interesting iteration. In the future, I will…"No one could hear Tsukuyomi's murmur… Meruemopened his eyes and looked at the lively surroundings. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp were once again sticking chopsticks up their nostrils and dancing with dustpans. After seeing it a few times, he actually got used to it; it had a very joyful meaning.Robin, sitting beside him, propped her face with her hand. She didn't turn her head, but the joy and satisfaction in her tone couldn't be hidden: "You're awake? We're currently in the Shandia's Cloud Hidden Village. These guys have been making noise for quite a while now, so noisy~"Meruem propped himself up, stretched his body, and replied with a smile: "Yes, so noisy~ But these kinds of scenes always make people happy and full of satisfaction, don't they~"Robin's face seemed to redden slightly. She didn't reply, picked up her wine glass, and took a sip.Zoro and Nami were having a drinking contest with the Shandia. Zoro was chugging down drinks, his bandages particularly eye-catching; it felt like he might accidentally drink himself to death there. Nami's bold demeanor always made people unconsciously feel good about her.Sanji was showing off his cooking skills, eliciting exclamations from a group of pretty girls, which made him completely lose control of himself, feeling a bit giddy.Meruem and Robin's tranquility formed a stark contrast with the surrounding clamor. Also seemingly very tranquil were Gan Fall and Wiper, who sat opposite each other, discussing something in low voices.Aisa carefully walked up to Meruem, took out a small pouch from her bag, and handed it to Meruem. Meruem took it with a puzzled expression, opened it, and saw a pocketful of dirt, which filled his head with question marks."This is the earth, my most cherished treasure. I just wanted to say thank you…" Aisa's voice sounded a bit shy.Meruem let out a silent laugh, tied the small pouch tightly, solemnly put it into his waist pouch, and then said, "You're welcome~"