Chapter 86 Departure "Thanks to "Username 2686853184491848" for the gift"The night's commotion eventually subsided, and everyone lay sprawled on the ground, their even breathing accompanying their sweet dreams. Meruem slowly made his way onto the Going Merryin the dark, softly saying, "Now we can find the best doctor for you. You'll definitely recover and continue to accompany us on our journey, right...?"Merry's phantom slowly solidified on the deck, and she said with some sadness, "I feel my life is gradually coming to an end. I might not be able to...""..." Meruem fell silent, leaning against the ship's rail. The wind gently rustled his black hair. He lit a cigarette, the wisps of smoke obscuring his expression, and then his calm voice was heard: "Tsukuyomi, think of something..."A phantom of "Meruem" floated out from Meruem's body, landed on the deck, did a few calisthenics, then reached out and pinched Merry's chin, saying teasingly, "Tsk tsk tsk, not even sparing a ship. You really are a scumbag..."Meruem rubbed his temples: "Stop your damn nonsense and think of a solution quickly. If you can't, then get back inside me."Tsukuyomi released Merry's chin, floated back to the ship's rail, and slowly moved his steps: "There's definitely a way, but this ship might not agree. The first way is for you to directly take it with your black blade, making it your blade spirit. But I don't really recommend this method; it's not good for either you or it. As for the second way...""Why don't you just say it? You're annoying..." Meruem said impatiently and indignantly.Tsukuyomi sighed, squatted on the ship's rail, propping his face with his hand, and said helplessly, "The second way is to find a new ship, and for you to act as the vessel, forcefully transferring it over. If you use this method, both of your colors of Haki will drop in rank. Forget about staying at Rank Two; staying at Rank One would be considered good luck... The Marineford War isn't far off. By our estimates, Ace should be encountering Blackbeardaround now."Meruem paused at these words, falling silent."Meruem, you don't have to do this. I'm very happy to have accompanied you all for so long. Just let me take you on one more journey~" Merry's voice sounded as if she didn't care about the life and death that humans cared about, still her cheerful self.Meruem smiled and stepped forward, gently caressing Merry's head, and softly said, "We're also comrades, don't you agree?""Of course I am~""Then you should go rest too. We're setting off tomorrow~""Mhm mhm~"Merry yawned and sank into the deck. Meruemleaned against the ship's rail, and with a wave of his hand, he absorbed Tsukuyomi into his body. Gradually, his breathing stabilized, and he fell into a deep sleep.It was that otaku-only room again.Meruem looked at the Straw Hat plushies and felt a headache... They were quite neatly arranged, every single one of them, but seeing people he spent every day with on plushies was truly too bizarre."I also have versions without clothes. Do you want to see them?" Tsukuyomi's voice sounded truly despicable, unashamed and even proud, truly asking for a beating.Meruem covered his face in agony, then rubbed it a few times and said, "Tell me the drawbacks of the first method...""...Still not giving up, are you? You really are something. The most important problem with the first method is that the guy is too weak. Even if he lives inside your blade, who knows how long he'll last. It's too late for you to reforge a new blade now. That guy's lifespan doesn't seem long, and for you, his living inside will likely lead to a more direct drop in your strength, after all, you idiot, the Armament Haki you infuse into your blade is more than your own existence.""I'll think about it myself..." Meruem's voice sounded conflicted and tired."What are you thinking about? At such a critical time, not only are you not progressing, but you're regressing. Are you not planning to participate in the Marineford War, or are you planning to go die?""...Shut up, I'm going to sleep.""...You're truly insane.""..."...Meruem slowly opened his eyes, then immediately closed them, and then stealthily opened them again. Nami's eyes were right in front of him. This scene, he didn't know whether to call it terrifying or heartwarming."You... what are you doing?"Nami looked at Meruem with a disgusted expression: "Sleeping like a pig. We're about to go down. If you don't wake up, I'm going to throw you in the hold and tie you up."Meruem rubbed his hair and got up, watching the Going Merry sail towards a hole in the White Sea, and casually asked, "How are we planning to go down?"Nami replied casually: "The Shandia gave us an octopus. They say it can float down like a hot air balloon. Huh? Where's the octopus?!"Usopp's face changed drastically at the words, and he exclaimed, "What? The octopus is gone?! Can... can we stop the ship now?!"Zoro and Sanji couldn't help but change their expressions, hurriedly furling the sails, trying to slow down the Going Merry's speed a bit.Chopper was completely stunned, mouth agape and unable to speak.Robin sat in a lounge chair, took a sip of coffee, and softly said, "It seems we're going to be smashed to pieces this time..."Luffy looked at the panicking crowd with a blank expression: "The octopus is right here." He then reached into his pants, fumbling around, looking quite perverted, and then pulled out an octopus and placed it on the deck. The octopus inflated like it was being pumped up, swelling rapidly and wrapping around the Going Merry."Wow~ So ama..." Luffy's words were cut short as Nami's fist landed on his head first, followed closely by Usopp and Chopper. Sanji and Zoro also gritted their teeth and joined the fray. Meruem wanted to join but there was no room.After a flurry of punches and kicks, the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates lay on the deck, bruised and battered. As the saying goes, don't hit someone in the face, but this guy definitely wouldn't learn his lesson if he wasn't hit in the face... Although even hitting him might not make him learn, at least it was very satisfying.The Going Merry sailed into the hole in the White Sea and began to freefall downwards. The feeling was incredibly exhilarating. Everyone couldn't help but cling to the Going Merry to avoid being thrown off. The surging wind inflated the octopus's head, truly making it look like a hot air balloon, and the speed stabilized, gently swaying as it drifted towards the sea.Nami gripped the ship's rail, looking at the vast sea, and couldn't help but exclaim, "So beautiful..."Sanji rushed into the kitchen, performing a series of actions like a tiger, then emerged with two exquisitely fragrant and colorful drinks, shouting, "Miss Nami, Sister Robin, how can such a beautiful view not be accompanied by a special drink~"The bruised and battered Luffy blocked Sanji: "Where's mine...?"Sanji frowned: "Tsk... Yours are inside, get them yourselves."Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper ran towards the kitchen, each displaying their unique skills along the way. Chopper transformed into a reindeer, Luffy used "Gomu Gomu no Rocket," and Usopp tightly gripped both of their legs, being flung into the kitchen, indeed reaching first, but seemingly having lost consciousness...
Chapter 87 Aokiji KuzanThe boys sat together, drinking beverages and enjoying the breeze, savoring the hard-won leisure. Of course, Sanji was definitely a traitor; he was diligently fawning over Robin and Nami. And then there was the unconscious Usopp… Chopperthoughtfully put a straw into Usopp's mouth. He was already passed out but could still suck; perhaps he was faking it."Luffy… if you put your straw into my cup again, I'll kill you, do you believe me?" Meruem squinted at Luffy, who was stealthily trying to insert his straw into Meruem's cup. His fists were clenched, eager for a fight, as he was still a bit regretful about not being able to join in earlier."…You're mistaken, I didn't." Luffy looked a bit dejected, turning his head and pouting, refusing to admit anything. Then, he stealthily inserted his straw into the blissfully unaware Chopper's cup… The sound of the straw sucking air rang out, and Chopper opened his eyes in surprise, seeing a straw hastily slipping out of his cup. Following the straw, he saw Luffy's cheeks puffed out. The culprit was caught red-handed, and the adorable Chopperinstantly transformed into a muscular Chopper, chasing Luffy in circles around the Going Merry… If you don't stir up trouble, you won't die. Wasn't Usopp unconscious? You should have stolen from him. What, isn't it less exciting if you don't steal from someone who can resist? Meruem finished his drink in one gulp, then swapped his cup with Usopp's, happily continuing to drink… The octopus balloon drifted out to sea, and everyone waved goodbye to the poor creature that Luffy had stuffed into his pants. An island was already visible in the distance, and the Going Merry continued its voyage on the Grand Line.Upon landing on the island, the first thing that caught their eye was… long, strip-shaped bears?! All sorts of strange, elongated creatures. Then, an old man on stilts appeared before everyone. Everything seemed so abnormal, as if they had encountered a madman."Um… could you help me? I have acrophobia, and I can't get down…" The old man's voice sounded genuine, his fearful, trembling tone making one wonder how he had climbed up there… Meruem and Zoro exchanged glances, walked over to the stilts, and smiled at the old man, their smiles appearing rather sinister."Clang!" The sound of unsheathing rang out. The speed and direction of their sword swings were as if cast from the same mold, showing incredible synchronicity. The height of the stilts steadily decreased. The two, caught up in the excitement of cutting, almost chopped the old man in half, but they managed to stop just in front of him.The old man was drenched in cold sweat, looking at the two men who were excited for reasons unknown to him, filled with lingering fear. The sharp blades had almost made him wet himself… "Old man, sorry about that…" Meruem was slightly embarrassed. He had mainly felt Zoro's challenge and progress just now, and in a moment of excitement, he almost couldn't stop his blade.Zoro's expression was conflicted and indignant. Despite his recent significant progress, Meruem's progress was even more noticeable. If this continued, he feared he would never be able to claim the title of the world's greatest swordsman. He sheathed his sword, planning to train more tonight… The old man watched the blades withdraw and breathed a sigh of relief: "…Thank you, if it weren't for your help, I don't know when I would have gotten down… My tribe has migrated, and my only companion, Sherley, was taken by the Foxy Pirate Crew…"…There are other pirates?! But I only steal money, not people. Meruem smiled and rubbed his fingers: "If you want my help…"Before he could finish, Luffy's voice chimed in: "Someone stole your companion?! I'll definitely help you get her back!"The old man was overjoyed, looking at Luffy with gratitude: "Really?"Meruem's finger-rubbing motion froze. Big brother, you're a pirate, aren't you? You go around helping everyone without taking money. Are you sick or something… Nami patted Meruem's shoulder, shaking her head helplessly. With an outsider present, they had to save face for the Captain. They would deal with him once they returned to the Going Merry.The group, like warriors in an RPG arriving at a village to accept a quest, marched grandly towards another part of the coast. Meruem followed at the rear, yawning, when his expression suddenly turned extremely grim.He wiped his face, trying to keep his expression and voice steady, before speaking: "Luffy, you guys go ahead. I'm a bit tired, so I'm heading back to the Going Merry.""Huh?! You sure sleep a lot… Go on, go on." Luffydidn't suspect anything and replied cheerfully.Only Sanji, Robin, and Nami looked at Meruem's retreating back with suspicion… "What are you trying to do…" Meruem sat on a rock, speaking softly towards a house in the distance."I didn't expect the New Generation pirates to be so formidable. I just wanted to observe you guys, and you actually discovered me." A tall figure emerged from the house, wearing an eye mask, his eyes heavy with sleep… "Kuzan?!!!" Robin's gasp of surprise came, making Meruem momentarily stunned. He turned to see Robin's face filled with shock and fear… No wonder she managed to escape for so long; her ability to conceal herself is truly formidable. Meruem was certain that his Observation Haki hadn't detected Robin just now. He had actually been followed by one of his own, which was a novel experience."Nico Robin, it's good that you're here. My target this time is you." Kuzan scratched his head, saying lazily, and slowly moved towards the two.Robin retreated two steps with Kuzan's approach, falling to the ground, barely able to muster the will to resist. Meruem sighed, stood in front of Robin, blocking Kuzan's view, and said: "I can't let you take Robin away just like that. How about you try stepping over my corpse?"Kuzan paused, then smiled broadly and said: "What an ignorant young man. This woman is an evil that shouldn't exist in this world. You actually want to protect her?""An evil that shouldn't exist in this world? Who decided that? The world is vast beyond measure; there's no existence it cannot accommodate…" Meruem was halfway through his sentence when he felt someone tugging at his clothes. He turned to see Robin struggling to get up, clutching his clothes and shaking her head: "Meruem… he's an Admiral, you must escape…""Oh~ an Admiral, huh? This kind of thing…" Meruemwas halfway through his sentence when he already appeared beside Kuzan, a dazzling flash of blade light slashing towards Kuzan's waist. The latter half of his sentence just reached Robin's ears: "I already knew!"The blade light struck, but there was no sensation of cutting human flesh, only like slicing through ice… Meruem clicked his tongue, his black blade rapidly slashing, shattering the Kuzan in front of him.
Chapter 88 Unmatched"A good attack, but a little too childish, and your eyesight isn't very good…" Kuzan leaned down, clinging to Meruem's shoulder in a very intimate manner. If it weren't for the spreading ice, the two would have looked like old friends who had known each other for years.Meruem ducked and rolled away from Kuzan's embrace, his hand touching his shoulder. A bone-chilling cold emanated from his fingertips. Then he rested his black blade on his shoulder, and black flames surged from it, burning fiercely on the ice. The ice slowly melted, drenching Meruem's clothes, making him look disheveled.He twisted his shoulder with effort and said, "So strong… but I'm not dead yet, you still can't step over my corpse."Kuzan sneered and stomped his foot on the ground: "Ice Age…"Ice shot out from under his feet, spreading towards Meruem and Robin. Meruem's expression changed. He instantly appeared behind Robin, scooped her up by the waist, and in another step, he had leaped onto a tree, his gaze solemn as he looked at the large expanse of land covered in ice.Meruem gently placed Robin on the tree. The black flames on his sword burned Robin's ice-bound feet. He deliberately put on a relaxed tone and said, "You go quickly and tell Luffy and the others to run. I'll cover your retreat and catch up with you soon. You'll only hinder me here." As he spoke, he stroked Robin's soft black hair and smiled.Robin looked at Meruem with a complex expression, nodded slightly, and got up, running in the direction of Luffy and the others.Seeing that Kuzan didn't stop her, Meruem ran a hand through his hair. As he did so, his black hair turned white. He then plunged from the tree like a diver, performed a somersault, and landed steadily on the ice. Surging black flames ignited around him, burning a small clear space on the ice."Pirates are all so loyal and righteous. You truly make me feel like I'm seeing the era of Roger and Rocks. You are too dangerous. Today, I will arrest all of you." White mist rose from Kuzan's mouth. His tone showed no emotion and remained as languid as ever, but the coldness in his words was clearly palpable.Meruem twisted his neck, emitting a crisp "creak." He held the black blade with both hands in front of him, and black flames spread from the black blade onto his body, as if he had become a man of fire. He said, "This isn't loyalty; it's just that I don't want to go against my own will. If Sister Robin were ugly, I definitely wouldn't care, do you believe me?"As soon as he finished speaking, the black flames burned a long trail on the ice. Meruem appeared in mid-air, face to face with Kuzan. His excited expression made Kuzan frown."Sun Breathing, Tenth Form, Beneficent Radiance!""Flame Breathing, Fourth Form, Raging Blaze Vortex!"Two different sword techniques were unleashed from Meruem's hands. The black flames on the black blade surged out, even obscuring his own figure. Kuzan held his arms out flat, spread his fingers, and whispered, "Ice Shield…"A thick shield made of ice blocked the surging black flames. The black flames burned on it, but the speed at which the ice shield thinned was barely visible, inevitably causing a sense of despair.Meruem stomped on the air, his white hair tips turning blood-red. Moonlight patterns appeared on his exposed arms. He twisted his body in the air, knelt on one knee on the ice, and straightened his other leg, kicking fiercely. The black blade in his hand swung towards Kuzan's legs."Breath of the Moon, Ninth Form, Descending Moon, Successive Faces!"The surging crescent blades made Kuzan's expression change. A solemn look appeared on his face for the first time. He stomped his foot hard on the ice, and ice continuously spread upwards, enveloping his legs. His entire lower body turned into an ice pillar. The crescent blades struck it, producing a clang of metal.The black flames and crescent blades converged, clashing fiercely with the bone-chilling ice. Ultimately, due to a lack of sustained power, they slowly dissipated into the air, while the ice only felt like it had lost a few thin layers, leaving the gasping Meruem somewhat despairing."How can a pirate of this strength be so unknown at sea? But since I've met you today, then you shall die an unknown pirate…" Kuzan slowly raised one hand, and cold air continuously surged from it. Then, with a casual wave, he struck at Meruem.Meruem gritted his teeth, blood flowing from his mouth. Still half-kneeling on the ground, he flicked his black blade upwards, blocking the cold air. Several pieces of solid ice even formed on the black blade. Then, he propped himself up with one hand, performed several consecutive somersaults to dodge the cold air, and landed at the edge of the ice, panting heavily.Kuzan casually waved his hand, and the ice shield and the solid ice covering his body shattered into powder. Then he slowly stepped forward, each step making Meruem's heart beat faster."Your strength is truly commendable, but I don't know if Robin meeting you is her fortune or her misfortune. Block three more of my moves, and I'll let you go." Kuzan changed his previous statement, for reasons unknown. Then, a surge of cold air emanated from him, like an ice demon god descending to earth. He then held his arms out flat, fingers spread, and shouted in a cold voice, "Ice Ball!"Pillars of cold air spewed from his hands, shooting towards Meruem.Meruem took a deep breath, and the air he slowly exhaled turned into black flames. Black flames also seemed to burn in his pupils. The solid ice on his sword was devoured by the black flames surging from it. His white and red hair moved without a breeze, and he murmured, "Tsukuyomi, 100% amplification.""Oh!" With Tsukuyomi's response, a vacuum circle appeared around Meruem. Black flames burned and rotated at the edge of the circle, speeding up. His entire body was enveloped in black flames, drawing in the surging cold air.Then, Meruem's fingers twitched, and he gripped the black blade tightly. All the black flames around him were sucked into the sword. He smiled and said, "Then you must keep your word. This is the first move…" Then he stomped, shattering the ice, and shot towards Kuzan like a cannonball, his red eyes clear and transparent."Freezing Time!" Kuzan's languid eyes were gone, replaced by a surge of excitement. He opened his arms as if undefended, awaiting Meruem's attack. Cold air surged from around him, overwhelming Meruem like a tidal wave."Breath of the Moon, Fourteenth Form, Cataclysm, Ten Thousand Crescent Moons!"Countless crescent-shaped blade winds collided with the cold air. The blade winds were frozen by the cold air, but fortunately, successive blade winds continued to push forward."That's the second move!" Meruem fell from the air, spitting out a mouthful of blood, yet a curve formed on his lips as he smiled. He casually wiped his mouth; the blood and smile together made him appear somewhat tragic.
Chapter 89: Severely Injured "Thanks for the gift from the Anxi Marquisate who loves sambal sauce""Indeed, you meet all kinds of people on the high seas. This is truly the first time I've encountered someone who ate that Devil Fruit and can still be like this. Kid, you're very good. Don't worry, for the last move, if you can just endure it, I'll let you go." Kuzan watched the cold air and blade winds cancel each other out, and seeing Meruem with a smile on his face, the excitement in his eyes grew more intense. Then, he raised one arm, and ice enveloped it: "Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"One ice bird after another shot out from his arm, flapping their wings rapidly, flying towards Meruemlike lightning.Meruem swallowed the blood in his throat, clutched his black blade tightly, and took a deep breath of cold air into his lungs. Then, he raised the black blade above his head and brought it down like a hammer."Breath of the Moon, Sixteenth Form, Moonbow: Half-Moon!"As he swung, giant blade winds, one after another, descended from above, smashing into the ice birds. The crescent blades thoroughly shattered them, but Meruem was truly exhausted, and the force of his swing was a little weaker. Two stray ice birds pierced through the blade winds and rushed before him. He held up his blade to block one, but the other crashed into his body. Meruem slowly began to freeze, maintaining his posture with the raised blade. The icy cold covered his face, but even so, no fear appeared on his face, only a slight regret.Kuzan slowly walked over to Meruem, looking at Meruem's ice sculpture with a somewhat complex expression, then slowly raised his leg, preparing to kick it to pieces."Gum-Gum Rocket!" A wounded Luffy instantly rushed to Meruem's side, hugged him, and used his own body to block Kuzan's kick, instantly freezing solid."Three-Sword Style. Oni Giri!""Mutton Shot!"Zoro and Sanji appeared on either side of Kuzan, unleashing their attacks mercilessly.Kuzan grabbed Sanji's ankle with his left hand and Zoro's elbow with his right, then spun his body and flung them to either side. Both were thrown to the ground, their ankles and elbows frozen.Then his kick continued towards Meruem's ice sculpture. Usopp was truly amazing; at the last moment, he took Meruem's ice sculpture from Luffy's hands and, with a slide, tossed it to Chopper.Chopper transformed into a strong man, using his body as a cushion to safely catch Meruem's ice sculpture. Gritting his teeth, he rushed towards the Going Merry.Robin crossed her arms, and hands emerging from the ground firmly grasped Kuzan's ankle. Namileaped into the air, and her Clima-Tact shot lightning towards Kuzan's body.Kuzan casually waved his hand, and the cold air swallowed the lightning. Then he stroked the back of his neck, saying helplessly, "Ah, ah, ah… I seem to have gotten too excited. I said three moves, and since that guy took it, I should keep my promise." With that, under everyone's gaze, he walked into the room, pushed out a bicycle, and leisurely rode towards the sea.As he moved, a thin line of ice, just wide enough for the bicycle, appeared on the sea surface, gradually fading into the distance… Everyone watched Kuzan's receding figure with vigilance until he was out of sight. Only then did they let out a sigh of relief and frantically rushed towards the Going Merry… A weak-looking Meruem curled up on the bed, wrapped in a small blanket, drinking coffee, looking at the disgusted Tsukuyomi with a sense of helplessness."Xiao Jian Jian, what do you mean by looking at me like that?""Looking at a warrior, of course. A little rookie challenging a top-tier fighter. Can I interview you about what you were thinking?"Meruem sipped his coffee in small sips. The warm vapor spread through his body, finally alleviating some of the cold. Then he spoke, "At that time, what thoughts could I have? Sister Robin was already terrified. If I didn't step up, was I supposed to just watch him take Sister Robin away?""…I suspect you're a pervert." Tsukuyomi snapped his fingers, instantly transforming into Robin's attire, and imitating Robin's voice, said, "Thank you, Meruem~ How about I offer myself to you…"Meruem turned to look, and the anger in his chest surged out, proving even more effective than the coffee. He said fiercely, "Don't you dare wear Sister Robin's clothes with my face, and say such disgusting things!""…My apologies, I'm not quite skilled yet. I forgot to change faces, but there are breasts, will you make do?""I'll make do with your mom…""So hard to please…" Tsukuyomi snapped his fingers again, returning to his original form, then continued, "You've seen the Admiral's strength. That guy barely used his true power except for the last attack. He played with you like he was teasing a child and still beat you up like this. Even so, do you still want to go to the Marineford War?"Meruem held his coffee cup and fell silent for a moment, then casually placed the coffee cup on the nightstand and said, "If I become one level stronger, and can activate a 200% amplification, I should be qualified to participate…""Tsk, tsk, tsk, you have no idea about the strength of those monsters. Unless your Armament Haki and Observation Haki firmly reach the third stage, plus a 400% amplification, you'd only have about a 40% chance against that guy just now. According to your memories, Akainu Sakazuki is even stronger than that guy," Tsukuyomi said with a playful shrug."It's fine, we'll take it one step at a time. Who knows what changes might happen because of my involvement…" Meruem shook his head, pulled back the blanket, and stretched his body: "It seems my consciousness can return now. I know you're incredibly excited, so stop pretending to constantly try and dissuade me."Tsukuyomi's playful smile became even more pronounced: "You found me out! Not participating in such a world-shaking event would truly be a lifelong regret…"Meruem scratched his head helplessly and sighed, "You're practically asking for chaos…""Hahaha, shouldn't I be? I just didn't expect this generation's nika fruit to be eaten by a pirate. What an interesting era.""I don't know what you're thinking… Anyway, talk to you next time. I need to go back and reassure those guys, otherwise, what if they think I'm dead?" Meruem waved his hand, leaving Tsukuyomi alone in the room… Meruem slowly opened his eyes, looking at the group of people gathered around him. Nami, seeing him awake, first let out a sigh of relief, then delivered a sharp rap on Meruem's head: "You better not do that again! You must tell us if anything happens! If Sister Robin hadn't come to inform us, you would have been dead!"The rap, more intimidating than damaging, made Meruem a little embarrassed. Then he heard Robin's gentle voice: "Meruem… thank you."…Sister Robin, did you leave out half a sentence? I can do it, don't hold back!
Chapter 90 Daily LifeMeruem yawned as he walked out of the cabin. This body was truly incredible; the severe frostbite and scratches from before had left no trace at all. He wasn't sure where the Going Merry had sailed to, but a comfortable spring breeze gently caressed him, making him feel increasingly sleepy. Meruemstretched languidly, then was bumped into the mast by a figure."Meruem~ You're alright!" Luffy's face was pressed against Meruem's back of the head, and Meruem's face was pressed against the mast... If you weren't Luffy, I'd definitely stab you. Meruem pulled his face away from the Going Merry's mast, rubbed his red and swollen nose, and turned to glare at Luffy, who was grinning.Seeing Meruem's expression and slightly swollen skin, Luffy's smile stiffened a bit. He stealthily tried to get off Meruem and darted to escape.A wicked hand grabbed Luffy's collar, and Meruem's cold voice rang in Luffy's ear: "Hm, I'm fine now. My body was a bit stiff from being frozen. Captain, why don't you join me for some exercise~""Ai... Meruem, I just remembered I have something to do. Go find Zoro to exercise with you..." Luffyunhesitatingly chose to sell out his crewmate."Hehehehe..." A gloomy laugh sent shivers down Luffy's spine. He wanted to escape, but Meruem's hand was like an iron clamp, gripping his collar tightly, as if fate had him by the neck."Ai..." Luffy didn't even finish his sentence before Meruem lifted him and slammed him onto the deck, forcing all his words back into his mouth."Tsk... This rag effect is really good..." Meruempressed Luffy's head against the deck, rubbing it around. The entire crew watched this scene, not only not stopping it, but even looking a bit eager. Was this the decline of morality or the distortion of human nature... "Here, Chopper said you need some warming food."Sanji, holding a cigarette in one hand, offered a steaming bowl of soup with the other. His attitude was simply... never mind, if he treated Meruem the same way he treated Robin and Nami, that would be truly terrifying.Meruem casually released Luffy's head, took the bowl, and drank it all in one gulp. All his taste buds were celebrating excitedly; whether it was for warmth no longer mattered. "Thank you" was on the tip of his tongue but didn't come out, replaced directly with: "Is there more?""Where's mine?" Luffy's voice overlapped with Meruem's. It seemed that having his face scrubbed on the floor had absolutely no effect on this guy. Meruem watched the drooling Luffy, his eye twitching, feeling his hand itch.Sanji took a puff of his cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and said smugly, "There's more in the kitchen..."Before he finished speaking, Luffy and Meruemvanished from their spots, each by their own means, and reappeared at the kitchen door. The stealthy Chopper and Usopp, having foresight, were already in the kitchen, happily holding bowls."...You guys stop that! That's for my treatment!" Meruem grabbed Luffy's clothes, but forgot to grab his head. Luffy, like a monster, stretched his neck out, his head flying towards the pot.Chopper took a delightful sip of soup, then spoke serious nonsense: "Meruem, I think one bowl is enough for you. You've just recovered, drinking too much will make you weak and unable to absorb the nutrients. We're helping you share the burden.""No need to thank us~" Usopp managed to say this between sips of soup. Who knows how his brain works.Meruem watched Luffy's head successfully enter the pot, sighed, and lost interest in fighting with the guy. He walked over to the ship's rail, leaning against it with a displeased expression."Are you alright now? You really didn't have to risk so much for me..." Robin's gentle voice sounded in his ear, and a steaming cup of coffee was offered.Meruem casually took it and said softly, "Everyone on this ship would risk their lives for this. Don't worry about it, and I'm really fine now."A true straight man. At a time when a slight change in wording could have been charming, one sentence completely obliterated all romantic possibilities. He was truly a unique individual.Robin's smile was a bit bitter. Perhaps in her many years of fugitive life, such a "foolish" group of people was rare to see. She remained silent, not speaking, her mind set on some unknown resolution.Meruem happily drank his coffee, completely unaware of Robin's abnormality. It had to be said that, in some situations, this dull fellow was practically cut from the same cloth as Luffy... Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, the trio, were munching on snacks and fishing. These three never seemed to catch anything normal, yet they proudly claimed it was to increase food reserves. If they really wanted to increase reserves, they should just fatten up Chopper instead... Meruem sat with his back to the trio, feeling the sea breeze, and Nami and Robinwere lying on deck chairs, sunbathing. Honestly, the sun was really bright and grand... Ah, no, Meruemmeant the sun was really long and thin.(♡ ⌂ ♡)Sanji was bustling around like a battle-wolf, holding a tray like a waiter. You could tell from his eyes that he was enjoying himself; his legs were almost a blur. This could be considered training in an environment he liked.Zoro was exercising with a giant dumbbell at the stern. He was probably the most diligent one on the entire ship. The faint whoosh of the dumbbell reached Meruem's ears. This calm voyage felt remarkably rare for some reason.That guy Usopp was bragging again, completely fooling Chopper. Luffy's gasp suddenly rang out: "...A freestyle frog!""...Luffy, don't you know why breaststroke is called breaststroke? How could there be a freestyle frog?" Meruem didn't even turn his head, indicating he didn't believe it at all. Besides, frogs weren't as good-looking as the sun.= ͞ ͟ ͟ ͞ ( ꒪ ᗜ ꒪ ‧ ̣ ̥ ̇ ) Holy ━ = ͞ ͟ ͟ ͞ ( Ŏ ◊ Ŏ ‧ ̣ ̥ ̇ ) ━ crap!!!!Chopper and Usopp looked in the direction of Luffy's finger and also gasped. Then the three of them frantically jumped off the ship's rail, one grabbing an oar, one turning the rudder, and one adjusting the sail, looking exceptionally excited.Meruem frowned, turned his head, and saw a brown frog covered in scars doing freestyle... It sounded quite absurd. This broken frog even had a hairstyle. He wondered if Sanji would be able to cook it."Don't just change course!" Nami felt her good mood was ruined by these guys, and she yelled with a fierce expression."Nami, I found a frog doing freestyle! Its meat looks so chewy, I'm going to make it tonight's dinner!" Luffy looked particularly determined as he rowed... Is my brain wired the same as Luffy's? The first thing I thought when I saw that guy was dinner, but there are no dishes like diving frog, roasted frog, or stir-fried bullfrog here. No, thinking about it makes me drool a little. Meruem squatted on the ship's rail, wiped his mouth, estimated the distance, and prepared to end that evening's ingredient's wicked life with one slice once they got closer.
Chapter 91 Seven Water CityThe Free-Swimming Frog's speed was no joke; Luffywas rowing his wooden oar like crazy, and even with Chopper, Zoro, and Sanji helping, they didn't close the distance much.Meruem's ears twitched, and he shouted, "Stop rowing! Look!" Everyone rushed to the side of the ship and saw a steam train roaring towards them. The Free-Swimming Frog took a sumo stance, blocking the train's path, perhaps performing a show of 'a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot.' The steam train collided with it, sending it flying. How it got all those injuries was perfectly clear... Oda, are you crazy? A steam train running on the sea? Why not an airplane?Meruem watched the steam train roar away, looking exasperated.Luffy pouted and shouted, "Catch him!" at the culprit who had knocked his dinner to who-knows-where.No one interfered with the Captain's choice of route. After a flurry of activity, the Going Merry set off in the direction of the steam train.Before long, a small station appeared in their sight. As soon as they docked, Luffy jumped off the ship excitedly, shouting, "Who told you to knock my dinner flying!"...This behavior still had a bit of a pirate vibe, but it might be slightly better if the target were treasure instead of food ingredients."Meow! Meow!""Kokoro, some pirates are looking for trouble."A cat... or perhaps a rabbit, looked fierce... it thought it looked fierce, but it actually looked a bit silly. It stared at Luffy, meowing incessantly.The little girl next to it had an expression similar to this strange creature, glaring fiercely at Luffy, but without any fear."Hiccup~ Chimney, Gonbe, let me see which idiot is so oblivious to death." Kokoro held a bottle of alcohol, her drunken eyes fixed on Luffy. The smell of alcohol on her was so strong that even Meruem, quite a distance away, could smell it.Luffy retorted indignantly, "I'm not looking for trouble. I'm here to ask why you knocked my food flying—that delicious-looking, free-swimming frog!"Meruem pinched his brow. Luffy's words were so riddled with absurdities that he didn't even know where to begin to comment."You mean Yokozuna? He's not your food! Yokozuna has been working hard for so many years to stop the Puffing Tom. How can you, a guy like you, eat him!" Chimney heard this, ran a few steps, and, along with her strange animal Gonbe, jumped onto Luffy, pulling at his mouth."Is that so? Such a hardworking fellow, then I won't eat him." Luffy immediately changed his mind after hearing this, faster than a slap to the face."...What exactly is your diet made of? You won't even eat something Chopper would want to bite?" Meruem squinted at Luffy, looking completely baffled but greatly shocked."I won't eat hardworking people!" Luffy's mouth was being pulled all over the place, but it didn't stop him from speaking.Meruem clicked his tongue, feeling that this was probably a fruitless topic for discussion. Since it wasn't essential to eat it, he decided to temporarily set it aside and asked, "Um, I wanted to ask, are there any good shipwrights nearby? Our ship needs some repairs...""Hiccup~ Why should I tell you?" Kokoro smiled and took another swig of alcohol.Meruem frowned, pulled out a gold bead from his waist pouch, and handed it over, feeling a chilling, eerie gaze from behind him.Kokoro accepted it unceremoniously, twirling the gold bead between her fingers as she examined it. "Hiccup~ What a sensible fellow. Just follow the Puffing Tom's tracks all the way, and you'll reach Water 7, where you'll find the best shipwrights in the world. I can give you a letter of introduction and a drawing. Go find the person in the drawing; if he can't fix it, no one can." Saying this, she went into the room, retrieved the items, and handed them to Meruem.Meruem reached out and took them. The letter of introduction seemed fine, but when he looked at the drawing, he was stunned... Is this what a human can look like? I actually gave money to a drunkard. Is there something wrong with my head? Meruemlooked at the drawing from left to right, but couldn't make out a human form. In the end, he could only say helplessly, "Well, thank you then. Luffy, time to go get the Going Merry fixed.""Oh!" Luffy casually pulled Chimney and Gonbe, who were hanging on him, off and walked towards the Going Merry... Following the sea train tracks, the Going Merry arrived at an incredibly prosperous island. Everyone, having never seen such a sight before, felt their spirits rise, like country folk arriving in the city... "Alright, now to distribute the spending money for going ashore~" Nami's voice sounded like heavenly music at this moment.The Straw Hat gathered in a circle. Luffy, as Captain, seemed the most excited, which was truly embarrassing... "I'll exchange the gold for Berries on the island later, but this money will first be allocated for the Going Merry's repair costs, so it's untouchable. Everyone gets 100,000 Berries. As for Meruem's share, it's mine." Nami divided the money into several stacks, then unceremoniously stuffed the stack in front of Meruem into her own pocket.???...Although it wasn't a lot of money, giving him nothing at all was a bit much. Meruem opened his mouth to say something, but then he saw Namilooking at his waist pouch teasingly, which made him involuntarily shiver and swallow all his words."Wow~ Nami is so generous~" Luffy was truly embarrassing. As someone with a bounty over 100 million, he held 100,000 Berries as if he had found treasure, showing off and waving it around.Nami clapped her hands and said, "Alright, that's it. Luffy and Usopp will come with me to convert the gold into cash. Everyone else is free to do as they please. We'll meet back on the Going Merry this evening."Everyone joyfully disembarked, leaving only Zoroand Meruem on the ship, unsure where to go."I'm going to take a nap first..." Zoro said, leaning against the ship's rail and quickly falling into a deep sleep. His sleep quality was truly enviable.Meruem thought for a moment and decided to go exchange his gold for Berries as well, but definitely not with Nami, or else he wouldn't even see a shadow of the Berries he exchanged.With that thought, Meruem slowly disembarked and walked towards the interior of the island... "Esteemed guest, thank you for your trust. Here are 15 million Berries. Please check them~" The beautiful woman in a business suit smiled charmingly as she pushed the money towards Meruem, her fingers lightly tracing the table, the seductive implication needing no explanation.Meruem casually stuffed all the Berries into his waist pouch and walked out with a yawn, leaving the beautiful woman with a stiff smile glaring resentfully at his back."Nico Robin, we are CP0." As soon as he stepped out, he heard a guy wearing a strange mask speaking into Robin's ear.
Chapter 92 Robin leaves "Thanks to Ma Hongyun who loves Hunan pork elbow for the gift"Robin's face changed drastically upon hearing this, a look of terror on her face as she followed the Masked Man around a corner."Where are you taking our historian?" Meruem, leaning against the wall, asked playfully just as they turned the corner, even waving hello to Robin.Robin looked at Meruem with a complicated expression, then said coldly, "Thank you for bringing me here, but the journey ends now. I am leaving the Straw Hat Pirates today. Everyone, let's go our separate ways from now on, and don't bother me anymore."...Sister Robin, you're treating me like a lapdog. Meruem scratched his head in annoyance, saying helplessly, "Sister Robin, there's no need to say that. I know this guy next to you is the World Government's CP0, but none of us will care. Even if we're going to disband, let's wait until we reach the end of the Grand Line.""Tsk tsk tsk, what an ignorant pirate. You know my identity and still dare to shout here. Who gave you the courage?" The Masked Man's voice sounded a bit like fingernails scraping a blackboard, making one shiver, and more so, feel disgusted... How many times do I have to say it? Liang Jingru gave it to me! Meruem picked at his ear, then instantly appeared right in front of the Masked Man's face, the distance between them just a hair's breadth. A black blade, carrying a crescent moon, aimed for the Masked Man's neck. Such a disgusting voice made Meruemnot want to leave him in this world.But the blade's light stopped abruptly midway. Robin forcefully stepped between the two, and the icy black blade halted at Robin's neck. Meruemsuffered a slight backlash from forcibly retracting his blade, and his chest tightened."...Sister Robin, was what I just said not clear enough?" Meruem frowned, looking at Robin in front of him, not understanding why she would block the blade for this person, even seeming as if she was seeking death.The sharp blade made Robin's hairs stand on end. She gritted her teeth and said, "I told you not to bother me again! If you keep this up, don't blame me for being impolite!""...Sister Robin, I don't think you can beat me. Move aside, I don't want to hurt you. If I hurt you, I'm afraid Sanji will poison my food." Meruem said with some annoyance, retracting his blade and stepping back two paces, speaking helplessly."Daring to lay a hand on me, this is a death sentence." The Masked Man touched his neck with some fear, yet his words were still so provocative.Robin quickly turned her head and said, "It's just a small problem. I guarantee they won't stop us again. Let's go now, don't forget our agreement."Then Robin moved to Meruem's front, reached out, pulled out an envelope, gently tucked it into his embrace, and then tidied his clothes: "Meruem... I've written everything in the letter. You'll understand once you read it patiently. All good things must come to an end; we are destined to only go this far. You all continue forward, I must stay here..."...You make it sound like you're breaking up with me. Meruem reached out to grab Robin, but his body went limp, and he collapsed into Robin's arms, unconscious. A hand, which had appeared from behind Meruem at some unknown point, had struck him on the neck. He had no guard against Robin at all, and thus was hit in a vital spot, losing consciousness.Robin supported him, setting him against the wall, gently tidying his hair, then stood up and said coldly, "Let's go...""Ga ga ga, truly worthy of being Nico Robin, the Demon Child..."Robin didn't reply, silently following behind the Masked Man, disappearing into the alley... "What the heck, I was ambushed?! Xiao Jian Jian, why didn't you do anything?!" Meruem glared at Tsukuyomi with a furious expression, wanting to punch him, but lacking sufficient reason, he could only rage impotently.Tsukuyomi spread his hands, saying helplessly, "If I stopped you here, how would you go to Enies Lobby? How would you make a grand appearance before the whole world? As my owner, being so obscure is simply embarrassing...""So you're saying you could have stopped it?!" Meruem clenched his fists, looking at him with ill intent.Tsukuyomi scratched his head, a bit awkward: "Well... not really. If I forcibly took over, your body would be damaged. No need for that, right~"Meruem looked at him suspiciously, always feeling like this guy was lying to him, but he had no evidence. He closed his eyes and tried twice; his consciousness indeed couldn't return to his body. He could only lie on the bed in frustration, staring blankly... "Ahem, after all, a situation that clearly isn't life-threatening doesn't require my appearance. You were stupid enough to be ambushed, so don't blame anyone else." Tsukuyomi made a grabbing motion in the air, and two cups of coffee appeared in his hands. He placed one on the bedside table and curled up in a chair with the other.Meruem painfully messed up his hair into a bird's nest, picked up the coffee, and chugged it down, saying indignantly, "...Dare to ambush me, I'm definitely going to catch that guy and spank him! How old is he, can't he communicate?!"Tsukuyomi clapped and cheered, "Exactly, exactly, he really should be spanked! How about I give you an illusory version to practice on first~""Practice your sister... Never mind, it seems I can return. I need to go tell Luffy and the others." Meruem gave Tsukuyomi a disgusted look, but glaring at his own face was rather odd, so he said nothing more, closed his eyes, and vanished from the room... Meruem stood up from the ground, rubbing his neck. Even with Observation Hakiactivated, he couldn't find Robin's location, but he did find Chopper, so he walked towards Chopper's position."Meruem! Robin is missing! Could she have been kidnapped by human traffickers?!" The muscular Chopper, smelling Meruem, ran over excitedly, crying out in grief... Human traffickers could only kidnap a fool like you, but you can only buy half a newspaper with 50 Berries, no, you're not even worth 50 Berries now. Meruem felt a bit uncomfortable looking at the sobbing, muscular version of Chopper. A figure even taller than himself crying and wailing was simply unbearable."Something happened. Let's go back to the Going Merry first...""...Alright."The two walked together towards the Going Merry. Just as they boarded, they saw a guy who looked exactly like Usopp descending from the sky, nonchalantly hammering and tapping on the ship.Meruem looked at the comfortably sleeping Zoro, wanting to punch him, and asked, "...A stranger is on the ship, aren't you going to get up and check?""Yawn~ What stranger? Isn't it just you, Chopper, and Usopp?" Zoro replied groggily, then suddenly did a carp flip, springing up from the ground and drawing his sword, asking, "What are you doing on someone else's ship?!"The guy who looked exactly like Usopp replied gently, "I apologize for disturbing your sleep. I am Kaku, and I'm a shipwright~"
Chapter 93 Franky Family... Kaku? CP9? The guy who just took Robin was CP0. I don't remember CP0 appearing here, do I? And why does this guy look so much like Usopp? Meruem felt that it must not be his bad eyesight, but that this guy looked too similar; maybe they were relatives.Kaku ran up and down the Going Merry, then said with a regretful expression, "With all due respect, even we are powerless. Even if we managed to repair it... the possibility of it sailing to the next island... is zero."Zoro and Chopper froze in place upon hearing this. Meruem quickly took two steps forward, grabbed Kaku's collar, and frowned, saying, "What did you say? What's the reason... Is it a money problem?""The keel is already damaged. If you replace the keel, would this ship still be the same ship you had before?" Kaku's expression seemed genuine and very serious.At this moment, Merry's phantom appeared, but only Meruem could see the entire Going Merry.Merry floated to Meruem's shoulder and whispered, "I know my own condition. There's no need to be so sad. All good things must come to an end, but you and I will meet again."Hearing that sentence twice in one day was truly enough. Meruem's gaze was very somber, but he still released Kaku and walked into the cabin... "...Is there really no way at all?" Meruem sat in the darkness, his voice sounding a bit low.Merry gently shook her head, then broke into a brilliant smile: "Meruem~ There's no need to be like this. It's not bad to make my final bow in this beautiful and prosperous place.""...The curtain call is too early. The audience might feel it's not worth the ticket price. Give me some time, I'll think about it again."Merry pouted, whining like a child: "Meruem, Meruem, I really think making my final bow here is good. Actually, following you guys is a bit tiring. You need to switch to a better ship. In the future, there are some places I wouldn't be able to take you to."Meruem covered his forehead, rubbing it hard. Suddenly, a commotion started outside the cabin. Merry gently pulled Meruem's hand, urging him out: "Go quickly. Who knows what trouble these guys are getting into now.""Alright, Merry, when you're truly about to make your final bow, I'll make a decision. You'll also have to make a choice then. I look forward to your answer at that time." Meruem stepped out, saying with a gentle expression."Honestly, I've already made my decision. Following you guys is really tiring." Merry pushed Meruem out of the cabin and closed the door, then whispered, "But it's a happy kind of tiring..."Meruem didn't know if he heard that last sentence, smiling a bit bitterly.Outside the cabin, Kaku was nowhere to be seen. Besides Robin, everyone else was present. The battered Usopp looked particularly striking, and a surge of anger flared up in Meruem's chest.He quickened his pace to join the others and spoke coldly, "Who did this..."Usopp, despite his injuries, didn't wail from the pain. Instead, he apologized with a remorseful expression: "Everyone... I'm sorry, I didn't protect the 100 million Berries. It was stolen, I'm sorry..."Seeing Usopp's injuries, everyone was a little silent. Nami took a deep breath before responding to Meruem: "It should be the Franky Family... They should be on the West Blue coast. Meruem, please..."Meruem closed his eyes and twisted his neck, a crisp sound echoed. Luffy covered his Straw Hat and said with a somber expression, "Let's go!""Oh!" Zoro and Sanji responded in low voices. Chopper wanted to follow but was stopped by Meruem."Chopper, you and Nami take care of Usopp. We'll be back soon.""...Alright, you must get revenge for Usopp. These guys were too brutal." Chopper looked like he was about to cry.Meruem turned and gave an "OK" gesture, following Luffy towards the Franky Family's hideout... Harsh cheers entered the ears of Luffy and the three others. An artistic-looking house came into their view. The noisy sounds made their mood even more irritable.Luffy stopped at the entrance, stretching his arms back."Gum-Gum Rocket!"The door shattered under Luffy's attack, and the cheering crowd was stunned. Meruem walked out of the smoke and dust, casually fanning it away: "Their leader doesn't seem to be here. Should we kill them all, or what?""Even if we kill them, wait for Usopp to decide. Take them all back." Luffy's somber voice rang out, the Captain's authority fully displayed at this moment.Meruem pouted, shrugging noncommittally, and shouted loudly: "The Captain said to capture all of you guys and bring you back. Please cooperate a little, otherwise, don't blame me if you get hurt."The atmosphere fell silent, then a wild laugh erupted: "Hahaha, just four of you think you can make us surrender? Aren't you a bit too overconfident?"Laughter broke out after his words. Meruemimpatiently picked at his ear: "What a noisy bunch.""Don't worry, they'll quiet down in less than a minute." Zoro put his wado ichimonji into his mouth, striking a starting pose.Sanji lit his cigarette, tapping his foot on the ground and twisting it, saying teasingly, "Huh? I only need 30 seconds.""I only need 15 seconds!"...You two really are a match made in heaven. Meruem's anger was significantly dampened by these two clowns. Then he saw Luffy stepping forward, walking faster and faster, gradually breaking into a run."Gum-Gum Pistol!"He punched the instigator into the wall, and the signal for battle appeared so abruptly. Roars and wails merged, composing a fierce symphony.After only a moment, Meruem, with a cigarette in his mouth, tied everyone's hands together one by one, then gave a hard pull, leading the large group towards the Going Merry.Luffy's expression was still grim, not his usual optimistic self. Perhaps this battle wasn't enough to quell the anger in his chest, while Zoro and Sanjiwere still arguing about who knocked down more people, appearing particularly childish.Nami on the Going Merry breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the four return, shouting, "Did you get the money back?"...Are you crazy? That's your first question?! Meruemtied the group of people to a tree like sheep, and replied, "...Their leader isn't here. We'll bring them back first and wait for their leader to come ransom them with money. If he doesn't pay double, I'll chop all these guys to death."Everyone paused, even the grim-faced Luffy looked at Meruem with a dumbfounded expression... So that's what you were thinking.
Chapter 94 QuarrelEveryone gathered around the kitchen of the Going Merry.Nami thought for a moment and then said, "...Why don't we wait for their boss to come back before we go look for them? These guys are just wasting food here.""It's fine, no need to feed them. If they starve to death, I can give that guy a discount," Meruemreplied casually.This answer stunned Nami again, and she didn't say anything more. After all, even Usopp, who was covered in bandages, hadn't spoken, so she felt it wasn't her place to add anything.Luffy, who had been looking down, in a gloomy state completely unlike his usual self, suddenly looked up sharply: "I've decided, I'm getting a new ship."This statement made the breathing in the room almost freeze. Usopp, who was still making his Tabasco Stars to get revenge on the guys who hurt him, heard Luffy's words and said in disbelief, "Lu...Luffy, what did you say?! Do you know what you're saying?! Are you abandoning your crewmates?! Is it because of money? Give me some time, I'll definitely make up for the money that was stolen this time."Nami gently stroked the hull of the Going Merry, her voice sounding a little sad: "Usopp...it's not because of money. It's because the Going Merry is exhausted. She really can't sail anymore.""So you're just going to abandon crewmates who can't keep up? In that case, you're going to abandon me..." Usopp's words were cut short as Meruemreached out and covered his mouth, saying coldly, "You'd best think carefully before you speak. You're not calm enough right now. I think you need to let your emotions settle down first."Usopp angrily tried to pry Meruem's hand away, but Meruem's hand was like an iron clamp, unmoving. Nami wanted to persuade him but didn't know where to start.Seeing the complex emotions in Usopp's eyes, Meruem also felt a bit helpless. He calmly said, "I probably can't convince you. I'll find someone else to talk to you. There's another problem right now: what about Sister Robin? That's more urgent."There was really nothing else to do, so Meruemcould only change the subject. With his other hand, he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Luffy.Luffy was confused but still took it. He opened it and saw it was just a blank piece of paper, but it had traces of being wet with water."Ah...a lady's tears. This scent is truly infuriating." Sanji took the blank paper and sniffed it like a pervert. God knows how he could smell that the water stain was tears, and even distinguish gender...Damn it, I was fooled again. Meruem saw the blank paper and knew that Robin was also deceiving him. He said angrily, "That Robin said she wants to leave the Straw Hat Pirate Crew, but since Luffy hasn't agreed, it doesn't count, of course. Luffy, you still need to go talk to her yourself.""Ah! Sister Robin?! Meruem, what did you do that she wants to leave?!" Sanji's voice sounded very noisy...Does almost chopping her to death count? Of course, he couldn't tell Sanji that, otherwise, if the Luffy vs. Usopp drama was stopped today, Meruemvs. Sanji would have a grand opening. Meruem, seeing that Usopp was no longer struggling, also let him go and shrugged helplessly, saying, "Probably..."Just then, a commotion started outside, interrupting Meruem. Vague shouts about capturing the Straw Hat Pirate Crew could be heard.Meruem, Luffy, and Usopp's gazes simultaneously sharpened, and then Meruem said, "Tsk, it seems there's a change of plans. Luffy, you guys break through and go find that Robin. Usopp and I will hide the Going Merry. Captain, is that alright?""Oh!" The continuous changes of events made Luffy's little head unable to react. Hearing Meruem's words, he didn't doubt him at all, readily agreed, and rushed out of the ship's cabin.Once the others had left, Meruem raised the anchor, and the Going Merry swayed unsteadily towards the Franky Family's direction... "Meruem...thank you just now." Usopp touched the ship's railing, his voice low and complex."...It's nothing. I just hope you don't make decisions impulsively when you're emotional. Whatever decision you make when you're calm, no one else can say anything about it." Meruem inhaled the smoke into his lungs, exhaling a large cloud of smoke that obscured his expression.Usopp gave a heavy "Mhm" and then said, "You just said you'd find someone else to talk to me. Who is it? Sister Robin? What's going on with that Robin? She's not at all like someone who's not calm.""Some rotten excuse about protecting us, I suppose. She needs to sacrifice herself to protect us. I don't want that kind of protection. Do you?""...That guy would actually be willing to do that? Of course I don't want it. How can a brave warrior of the sea let others sacrifice themselves? If there's going to be a sacrifice, I should be the first.""Tsk, tsk, tsk, Usopp, you've grown up! Well, it seems today was worth it then." As he spoke, Meruem put two fingers together like a sword and plunged them straight into his chest. The gushing blood instantly soaked his hand."Meruem! What are you doing?!" Usopp stared dumbfounded at the scene before him, crying out in terror.Meruem waved his other hand, indicating he was fine, and slowly but firmly pulled his fingers from his chest. The red blood gradually turned into a black liquid, forming arcane symbols in the air, and then burst forth with dazzling light. Merry appeared on Meruem's shoulder, somewhat annoyed, complaining about him."Meruem...paying such a price isn't worth it.""Can't be helped, can it? This guy is as stubborn as a mule. You go and talk some sense into him. I'm a little tired." Meruem finished speaking, walked past Usopp, patted his shoulder, said nothing more, and stumbled towards the ship's cabin...Otaku's Room."Yo~ the guy who stabs himself is here. I just told you how to do it, and you plunged it in without a moment's hesitation. Tsk, tsk, tsk, truly incomprehensible~" Tsukuyomi's smile looked very smug, making one want to hit him.Meruem touched his chest, which had no wounds at all, and let out a breath: "It's just a temporary solution, not a permanent cure. You still haven't told me how to save Merry."Tsukuyomi's smile gradually disappeared, and he said coldly, "Spending such a price to protect a ship spirit, are you out of your mind?""Maybe I got infected by Luffy. Hurry up and tell me, I'm too lazy to look it up myself...""...You can already develop Devil Fruit abilities on your own? Your growth rate is truly terrifying. I can't do anything about you. I can tell you, but I advise you to think about it again."Meruem scratched his head, fell silent for a moment, and then smiled brightly: "If I can't even protect the things I want to protect, how can I call myself free?"
Chapter 95: Franky "Thanks to the King of Fighters for the Gift"Tsukuyomi fell silent for a moment, then began to laugh, a hearty laugh.Meruem, with his open and honest laughter, and Tsukuyomi, with his sinister and awe-inspiring laughter, stood facing each other.Their faces were identical, yet they conveyed completely different feelings; no one would ever mistake these two for the same person."So willful.I've given you the method.With your death-seeking personality, I feel like it won't be long before I have to find a new host."Meruem shrugged, replying casually, "I originally intended to lay low, but it seems that has failed.If I could do it over, I wouldn't have boarded Luffy's ship, but now they are my indispensable companions.This isn't seeking death; it's just paying a price for the freedom I desire.""Tsk tsk tsk, whatever you say.Anyway, I'm immortal.When your death anniversary comes, I'll definitely burn paper offerings for you.""Then you'll have to burn a lot; I won't have to do my old profession anymore.""No problem, I'll burn you into the richest man.""Then I thank you in advance."...Meruem opened his eyes from the bed, touched the wound on his chest, which had mostly healed, and looked down to see a distinct scar remaining, which wouldn't unscientifically disappear like before.He didn't pay it any mind, got up, stretched leisurely, and walked out of the cabin.Usopp, with a complicated gaze, was chatting with Merry.Seeing Meruem come out, the two of them hurried over to Meruem.Usopp, without a word, immediately pulled open Meruem's clothes, frowning at the scar on his chest."...If you do that again, I'll report you for sexual harassment," Meruem pushed Usopp's hand away, looking at him with disdain, and changed the subject with a single sentence."First, hide the Going Merry in the abandoned shipyard, then go find Luffy and the others."Usopp nodded, walked to a place Meruem couldn't see, pulled a mask from his pouch, put it on, and then returned to Meruem's front, his tone changing: "I'm not Usopp; I am Sogeking from Sniper Island!"...Are you taking me for a fool?Meruem pinched his brow, then slapped Usopp's head: "Be serious, we're about to dock.Merry, come help."Merry grinned happily, completely devoid of sadness that her life was nearing its end, her body floating around with exceptional agility."...My disguise actually failed?"Usopp touched the large bump on his head, looking somewhat incredulous.The two of them disembarked from the Going Merry, waved at Merry by the ship's edge, and then saw a pervert in a large coat and blue briefs rummaging through a pile of scrap...Damn, it looks even more perverted in person.How does this guy manage to be so unashamed?Is it that a gentleman is open and honest, while a petty man hides his junk?Meruem's eye twitched wildly, then he let out a loud shout: "Franky! Pay up!"Franky turned his head in confusion, but Usopp's distinctive features were clear enough, exactly matching his subordinates' descriptions, so he understood.He put his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, and said smugly, "I've already spent those 200 million Berries!Dream on if you want me to pay it back!"...Damn, my eyes!You even puffed out your chest!Once we get Robin back, I'll definitely make you experience despair!Meruem painfully covered his eyes, feeling like he was about to get a stye, and replied impatiently, "What 200 million?You clearly owe me 400 million.If you can't come up with the money, I'll kill all your subordinates, turning the Franky Family into just Franky.""What did you do to my subordinates!"Franky swung his arm, and a fist, attached to a chain, flew out towards Meruem.Meruem dodged by tilting his head, then gripped the chain tightly, thinking silently for a moment: "...I don't think I said what I did to your subordinates.I said if you don't pay me back, I'll kill them.Why did you completely ignore the option of paying me back, and you acted like you didn't hear anything about the 400 million either!"Franky frowned, thought for a moment, scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, and then erupted in anger again, like a lunatic.After confirming their gazes, he was indeed a member of the Straw Hat."I don't have any money to pay you back, so you're definitely going to kill my subordinates, aren't you?!"...What you said makes so much sense, it goes straight to the core of the problem.Meruem felt the chain in his hand getting stronger and stronger, grinned, and with a fierce tug, directly pulled Franky off the ground, sending him flying towards him."Waaahhhhhhh..."Franky's abnormally thin legs flailed in the air, complete with leg hair, which was quite unbearable.Meruem raised his leg above his head, and his size 42 foot landed squarely on Franky's face...Speaking of which, this guy is also a target of the World Government.If I protect him, will I not have to go to Enies Lobby?That Buster Call thing is no fun at all.Meruem looked at the unconscious Franky, frowning in thought, when suddenly a red light burst from his pupils, and with a "clang," his black blade was unsheathed, blocking a kick from behind.Lucci, the pigeon man, had his pant leg sliced open, revealing his leg, which was gleaming with black light.The black blade collided with it, emitting a metallic clang.And the strange Masked Man who had taken Robinearlier, clapped his hands, and a mocking and disgusting voice rang out from the side: "Tsk tsk tsk, very good.I didn't expect Robin's ship this time to have a monster like you.I originally thought my opponent would be the former Shichibukai Crocodile, but it turns out to be you little pirates who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth."Meruem's upward-slashing black blade and Lucci's downward-chopping leg were locked together.He frowned and shouted, "Usopp, take this guy and go find Luffy and the others.I'll cover your retreat here!"Usopp was startled by this series of events.Although his Observation Haki could barely keep up, his physical movements were still far behind.Hearing Meruem's shout, he didn't hesitate to run to Franky's side, helped him up, and began to run outwards.Lucci stomped three times in the air with his other leg, completely breaking free from the black blade's attack range, then charged towards Usopp.Meruem spun on one foot, then took a step forward, once again blocking Lucci's path.The black blade he swung spewed forth fierce black flames, a vast expanse of black flames overwhelming everything, as if splitting space in two.Usopp looked at this attack with a slight daze, then gritted his teeth and quickened his pace by two points.The strange Masked Man pulled down the robes that concealed his figure, revealing a lean and muscular body before Meruem's eyes, with a terrifying scar on his throat, which was likely the cause of that disgusting voice."I didn't notice before, but I didn't expect that blade to be in your hands.Do you know?It should have been mine!"The voice gradually grew more intense, and the last sentence became like a roar from the abyss.
Chapter 96 DefenseLucci was forced back by the black flames, and he frowned, saying, "Officer Butt, are you planning to take action yourself?"Butt scratched the wound on his throat with one hand, even breaking the skin, and mottled blood stained his fingers; with the other hand, he slightly unsheathed the sword at his waist and said with a hint of impatience, "Of course, this guy almost cut off my head before, and I already sentenced him to death. Now he's holding a sword that should belong to me, and if I don't personally kill him, I'll be unhappy."Lucci frowned, seemingly recalling his superior's past deeds, and looked at Meruem with a hint of sympathy. He shifted his feet and ran in Usopp's direction.Meruem was a bit confused by the current situation, but he also knew what he should do. He instantly flashed into Lucci's path, drew his sword, and struck."Clang!"A black and red sword parried Meruem's black blade, and Butt's crazed eyes suddenly appeared before him.Butt licked his tongue, and a barrage of overwhelming slashes followed, engulfing the space around Meruem, leaving no room for evasion.Meruem's gaze sharpened, his hair instantly changed color, and the black blade in his hand followed, almost dancing into a blur. Within three feet, countless sword lights erupted. Neither of them could think of anything else, only continuously speeding up their slashes, as if a slight increase in speed would bring victory.Bloodstains appeared one after another on Butt's body, but he seemed completely unfazed. The excitement and madness in his eyes intensified, and his swordplay became even more open and sweeping, even trading fatal wounds for minor injuries on Meruem.Meruem, who had never seen such a frenzied fighting style, could only retreat step by step. In a short while, he had retreated near the Going Merry. He extended his foot backward and stomped heavily on the ground, directly shattering the bluestone pavement. He caught Butt's sword with his left shoulder, and the air he inhaled turned into black flames. With his right hand, he wielded his sword single-handedly and swung it horizontally."Breath of the Moon, First Form, Dark Moon: Moonlight!"The black blade seemed to vanish in Butt's eyes and perception. This made his crazed expression involuntarily freeze. His body unscientifically tilted downward, his back and legs directly folding into a right angle, narrowly dodging the suddenly appearing black blade, but a long wound was cut across his chest, and blood flowed profusely.His reaction was terrifying. If he hadn't dodged, that strike would have cut him in half.Meruem frowned, looking at this guy who was even more terrifying than Eneru. He covered the wound on his shoulder, and the red blood was like fuel, causing black flames to rise. In the blink of an eye, the wound solidified, appearing charred black."Hahahaha, it seems you haven't disgraced this sword after all, but that was just a warm-up. Are you ready?" Butt licked the bloodstains on his sword, becoming even more excited. A chilling demonic aura surged from his body, somewhat resembling an enhanced version of Zoro's technique."Whether it's disgraced or not is not for you to judge. Coincidentally, my warm-up is also complete. This time, I will definitely cut you down." Meruemused his Observation Haki to sense that there were no longer any people within a kilometer radius. He reached for his heart and pulled outwards, and a chain of black flames was thus pulled out by him.Killing intent erupted from his heart, and the air seemed to become viscous. His pupils turned the color of blood, two crescent moons burst forth with dazzling light, and his hair looked as if it had been washed in blood. Black markings appeared on his forehead, like an ugly scar, and his tone of voice became completely different."You should have been unleashed long ago. The old you was a military butcher, yet you were willing to suppress yourself like this...""After all, killing is not something that makes one happy..."Meruem, conversing with himself, appeared increasingly eerie. The air he exhaled was scorching black flames. He pointed his sword at Butt from afar and softly said, "Are you ready?""It's you! The legend of the demon in the Goa Kingdom. I never thought I'd encounter you here. It seems I have an even greater gain besides that sword!" Butt was so excited he was almost deranged, frantically scratching his skin, completely oblivious to the disgusting wounds appearing."I never thought I was a legend. I just couldn't stand them killing the farmers who took care of me. I didn't expect to kill more and more. I don't think that can be blamed on me." As soon as Meruem finished speaking, he had already appeared in front of Butt. The black blade, imbued with red killing intent, unleashed white Moonlight, whistling through the air.Butt's sword, infused with a chilling demonic aura, blocked Meruem's blade. He said mockingly, "Just the guard of a small country in the East Blue. I've killed several times more people than you. Your killing intent won't affect me at all!""...Are you talking about these red things? My apologies, those are just remnants I can't control. I said I'd cut you down, so don't even think about making me lose face." The two seemed to be mocking each other, speaking while their swords showed no signs of slowing down. The continuous clang of metal filled the air, and the surrounding atmosphere became sharp. Any debris swept up by them would immediately turn to powder if it got too close.More and more demonic aura surged from Butt's body, gradually forming the phantom of armor, and a demon's mask appeared on his face. His lean figure began to swell, transforming into that of a burly man. The sword in his hand seemed like a toy, but enveloped by the demonic aura, it gradually turned into a giant blade."Demon. Command the Three Armies!"Butt raised the giant blade in his hand above his head, then brought it down heavily. Hundreds of thousands of vengeful spirits burst forth from his sword. Meruem at this moment was like a single man facing a thousand armies, appearing particularly tragic and solitary."Breath of the Moon. Moonlight Night!"Meruem held his sword horizontally in front of him, raising the Moonlight upwards. The brightness of the entire space dimmed by three parts. The circular moon blade tore all the vengeful spirits into fragments. Their two swords clashed together, and even the seawater was stirred into waves by the aftershock.Butt's imposing figure was like a fierce general, pressing down from above onto the comparatively tiny Meruem, but his sword could only remain in mid-air, unable to advance an inch.Meruem's Red Hair flew wildly, blown by the aftershock. The veins on his hands bulged, and his feet did not bend an inch, yet the ground directly cracked under the impact."Aren't you going to cut me down? You can't cut me down by just defending!""Don't rush, I just haven't unleashed myself like this in five years, so I'm a little unaccustomed."Meruem's smile was somewhat cruel. He changed from supporting his sword with both hands to using only one, like Butt. With his other hand, he wiped the blade, and the black blade diagonally grazed Butt's sword, creating a series of sparks.
Chapter 97 AttackThe black swordlight bloomed in silence, as captivating as the long-lost Moonlight, and the allure of that single strike was truly irresistible.Butt's entire face was obscured by a demonmask, so his expression was unreadable.His sword was embedded in the ground, and it was impossible to pull it out and block again.He watched as his body rapidly shrank, and he kicked the sword hilt with his leg, leaning backward into a "T" shape as the swordlight grazed his nose.Butt's sword was kicked into the air, spinning.He reached out and accurately grasped the hilt, the blade sweeping towards Meruem's chest.The eerie demonaura transformed again, and a ghastly green swordlight burst forth, forming the image of a Shura."Evil demon. Shura Slash!"Meruem's figure instantly vanished from his original spot, reappearing crouched on Butt's sword.His body was like a massive vortex, drawing in the surrounding red killing intent and fiercely inhaling it into his lungs.The crescent moon in his pupils gradually changed from white Moonlight to red, and the black swordin his hand whistled towards Butt.The red killing intent on the swordwas ignited, transforming into black flames, so hot they seemed capable of evaporating even the air."Sun Breathing, Blazing Sun!"At this moment, within the Observation Hakiperception of both men, the killing intent was laid bare; neither was willing to conceal even the slightest bit, unafraid that the other would perceive it and dodge.The black flames and the green demonshadow collided, devouring each other, followed by a resounding "Clang!"Both retreated about ten meters.Meruem knelt on one knee, supporting his body with his sword, his violent gasps tinged with blood, and the areas on his body tainted by the demonaura even began to fester.Butt struggled to stand, but his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground, his madly triumphant expression vanished, replaced by deep solemnity, his body covered in patches of burns from the intense fire."...Why did I encounter such a monstrous opponent before even reaching the New World? I'm already at full combat power," Meruem gritted his teeth, thinking angrily."No, you're not.You still have me.Your body can now withstand a 130% increase.Do you want to activate it?" Tsukuyomi's voice sounded a few shades more serious."...If I push it higher, I might lose control of myself.""...Compared to my own death, I'd rather others die, no matter how many."Meruem's eyes were somewhat complex.At this moment, the seawater also began to grow restless, the surging waves becoming increasingly noisy, as if unleashing their wrath upon the one disturbing their peace.A fierce gale suddenly appeared, blowing violently around the two, making their clothes flap.The abandoned shipyard's broadcast blared: "Aqua Laguna, the Water Gods, is about to strike!All residents, please seek shelter!Repeat, Aqua Laguna, the Water Gods, is about to strike!All residents, please seek shelter!"Accompanying the broadcast, the fierce wind intensified, various debris was blown into the sky, and the surging waves caused the Going Merry by the shore to bob up and down, swaying precariously like a sampan in a storm."It seems..." Butt's sentence was unfinished as Meruem appeared before him, the black swordin his hand slashing directly at his neck.Butt supported himself with one hand on the ground, then suddenly did a backflip to dodge the strike, continuing, "Do you want to perish together? Or do you not know the power of the Water Gods at all?I'm not confident I can kill you before the disaster strikes, and I believe you aren't either.Why don't we call a truce?"Meruem silently gripped the swordin his hand, his eyes filled with unconcealed killing intent, and a hoarse voice emerged from his mouth: "As long as I hold you back, I can solve a huge problem for everyone.If I have to die today, that's fine too; at least it has some meaning.Before meeting Luffy, I encountered disgusting messes everywhere.It's not bad to pay for this period of happiness.""Tsk, it seems you really are a madman, crazier than me.But I still have unfinished business, so I can't go to the underworld with a little guy like you right now."Butt said, pulling out a Den Den Mushi and pressing it.A door suddenly appeared beside him, and he stepped through it, grinning, "The kitetsu is temporarily entrusted to you.Don't die before I kill you."Meruem gritted his teeth and charged again, but was blocked by the swordaura Butt unleashed after speaking, forced to watch as the door vanished into the void."...Blueno's ability?" Meruem glared hatefully at the spot where Butt had disappeared, his body went limp, and he fell to the ground.The whistling wind and surging waves grew more intense, yet he lay on the ground and pointed a finger at his chest.A dense network of chains appeared at his fingertips, tightly encasing his heart.The red killing intent was scattered by the fierce wind, and the suffocating atmosphere on the scene was swept away.Meruem struggled to get up, grabbed the Going Merry which he shouldn't have been able to touch, and then stumbled towards the inland of Water 7...Tsukuyomi's room had grown increasingly large, even featuring a Switch and a PS5; heaven knew how he managed that.When Meruem appeared, Tsukuyomi was furiously mashing the controller, the "GAME OVER" on the screen unusually prominent."...You're becoming more and more like a shut-in, just like before I came to this world," Meruem found a chair, lay down, and said with a helpless expression.Tsukuyomi casually tossed the controller aside, picked up a nearby iced cola, and drank it with loud gulps, shrugging: "The efforts of so many people are for me to play.How can I not play well and live up to their efforts?""...You make such a good point, I'm speechless."The two fell silent for a while, then Tsukuyomispoke with a mischievous smile: "Don't be sad.The past was mainly because you hadn't met me.Luffy and those guys weren't there either.If we had been, we wouldn't have let you fight alone.Besides, didn't you kill them all cleanly?"Meruem pouted: "Forget about Luffy and the others.If you had been there, I probably wouldn't have just slaughtered an army, but a whole country.The Goa Kingdom would probably have been erased from this world.""You praise me so much, I'm getting shy~" Tsukuyomi said with a smug look, not appearing shy at all.=_=͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)"You're truly shameless.When did I praise you?Xiao Jian Jian, why do you think this world is so chaotic..." Meruem clasped his hands behind his head, lying on the chair, his tone full of helplessness.Tsukuyomi smiled, knowing Meruem didn't actually want an answer.He snapped his fingers, and the room lights dimmed slightly.Meruem, lying on the recliner, then fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 98 Extra: Time Travel "Thanks for the gift from "Qi Yumian who loves boiled sweet potatoes"""...Oda has fallen from his pedestal, Wano Countryis just too bad.""I actually think it's pretty good. For a work of so many years, a small flaw is hardly a blemish."...Lu Feng, feeling a bit depressed, shut down his computer. Watching the netizens argue, he felt like everyone had a point, and it did nothing to ease the bitterness in his heart.It was late at night. He left the internet cafe, ran to a nearby convenience store, bought several bottles of liquor, and with a fierce look in his eyes, chugged all of them.Unemployment and a breakup hit him one after another.He had merely mentioned a small flaw of Oda on his company's self-media account, which led to an overwhelming barrage of ridicule. The netizens' keyboards became sharp swords piercing his heart. His boss, very considerately, "protected" him by telling him to go home, rest, and find a new profession.His girlfriend also heartlessly broke up with him, using the excuse that he was "too childish for being obsessed with the two-dimensional world.""Why bother with those excuses? I'm not oblivious to the fact that your boss's son is pursuing you... I've been in this line of work since graduation, so suddenly calling me childish is too ridiculous, isn't it?" Lu Feng, his eyes blurred with drunkenness, mumbled as he looked at the brightly lit streetlights.The streetlights suddenly flickered, alternating between bright and dim, appearing very eerie. Then they went completely dark, even the Moonlight was blocked by dark clouds, and the pitch-black night, where he couldn't see his own hand, enveloped Lu Feng... "You're awake~ Hurry and eat something."A tender female voice sounded. Lu Feng, clutching his head, sat up from the bed, his face filled with disbelief as he looked around.It was clearly a Japanese dojo, one he had seen countless times in anime. There was no way such a place could exist near where he lived, and the female voice was speaking Japanese. He, whose Japanese was only good enough to understand a few words, could now understand it perfectly."Where... is this?" The words that came out of his mouth were also in Japanese. Lu Feng felt like this world had become incomprehensible; everything before his eyes was shattering his worldview."This is the Sun Moon Dojo. Why were you lying in the jungle? If I hadn't gone to pick fruit there yesterday, you would have been carried off by wild beasts. Oh, by the way, my name is Endo Aya, you can call me Komugi. What's your name?" Endo Aya's voice sounded very gentle.Endo Aya... Komugi... Togashi Yoshihiro? Is this a joke? Lu Feng's eye twitched slightly. He didn't know who would go to such great lengths to prank him. He spoke indignantly, "My name is Meruem. I also don't know why I'm here."As he spoke, he reached for the bowl by the bed. The moment he saw his hand, he froze again, then scrambled out of the room and ran to a pond. Seeing the reflection of a child no older than 10 years old, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him... This shouldn't be a prank anymore, right? So, I've transmigrated? It must be transmigration! He desperately searched his memories. According to Togashi Yoshihiro's setting, Komugi should be from a poor family and couldn't appear in such a large dojo, so... where the hell is this?"Meruem... what's wrong with you?" Komugi looked at the child in front of her, a little confused. Did she pick up a lunatic? Grandpa would scold her for this.Meruem (Lu Feng) took a deep breath and softly replied, "It's nothing... I just seem to have encountered something bad, and my memory seems to have some issues. I can't remember many things."Komugi lowered her head sadly upon hearing this, then, as if making a decision, she said firmly, "It's okay, this will be your home from now on. I'll go tell Grandpa right away to adopt you!""...Komugi, it's one thing for you to pick up small animals, but now you're picking up people." An old and helpless voice entered their ears. A thin old man stood behind them, scratching his head with a troubled expression."Grandpa~ He's so pitiful, he can't even remember his memories. Please adopt him~" Komugi skipped over to the old man, hugged his arm, and swayed it back and forth. How could anyone resist that?"...Alright, alright, whatever Komugi says. Kid, come with me." The old man, with a helpless look, waved at Meruem and sighed as he walked into the dojo.Komugi secretly made a face at Meruem and followed first.Meruem pouted, wiped his face, and took a step, following her. This step was the first step towards a legend... "Kid, you are now my disciple. From now on, you will live in this dojo." The old man sat in the center, looking smug, and on his wrist, which extended from his sleeve, were terrifying scars.Meruem looked at the old man in front of him with suspicion, always feeling that something was off about the beginning of this transmigration.Being doubted by a child, the old man's face dropped a little. He reached for a bamboo sword nearby and gently tapped Meruem three times.Meruem's body involuntarily went soft, and he knelt on the ground. The disdain on his face, however, turned into surprise... Is this how protagonists are treated? Encountering a hidden big shot at the very beginning. Meruem prostrated himself on the ground and respectfully shouted, "Master, please accept your disciple's bow."This sentence stunned the old man. He shook his head and laughed, "Just call me 'teacher.' I will teach you with all my heart. To survive in this world, you need some strength. Don't cause trouble, but don't be afraid of it either.""OJBK... I mean, alrighty!" Meruem smiled fawningly, looking like someone who had never seen the world... "Swing! Chop! Parry!" Accompanied by the old man's roar, Meruem, drenched in sweat, trained with the bamboo sword. One ordinary move after another cut through the air with whooshing sounds...No one told me training was this tiring. Meruemmechanically performed the movements, his mind constantly complaining, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid."Adjust your breathing!"The old man's voice exploded in Meruem's ear. His body followed the rhythm faster than his consciousness. Air hissed into his lungs, and Meruem swung the bamboo sword fiercely. A faint flame appeared on the trajectory of the swing, drawing a beautiful arc.Meruem and the old man both froze, watching the faint flame dissipate into the air."Cough... not bad, not bad, continue training." The old man pinched his slightly trembling hand and walked to the side, muttering, "...This guy's talent is so monstrous? How did he end up in this godforsaken place? But I'm a swordsmith, there's no way this guy can surpass my craftsmanship! Hmph hmph..."As he spoke, his gaze drifted to a mottled sword hanging on the wall in the center of the dojo, looking at it as gently as he looked at Komugi, appearing somewhat neurotic.