Chapter 185 Recuperation"It's collapsing, Brook, can you still move?" Sanjistaggered to Brook's side."Yo ho ho~ *cough cough cough*... Ah, I feel like all my internal organs are shattered, even though I don't have any internal organs left to shatter~""Stop messing around, let's go!" Sanji hoisted Zoroonto his shoulder, took a deep breath, and ran towards the Sunny.He was merciless when they were bickering, but now his first reaction was to carry Zoro instead of Meruem. It's... truly speechless.Brook carried Meruem, following Sanji's pace. On the other side, Usopp was running on the ground, trying to catch the scurrying Luffy. He tripped over rubble and flew into the air, but he didn't care, holding the shrunken Luffy tightly in his arms."Boom..."With Shiki's death, the collapse of the floating island intensified. The sound of mountains shattering filled everyone's ears, and the earth-shattering scene was like the end of the world.Franky gulped down cola, his stomach began to swell. Then, with a fierce swing, his palm, connected to a chain, lashed out towards the three people running with their companions.The chain wrapped around them. Franky swung his other hand towards the cockpit and pressed a button."Coup de Burst!"The Sunny's stern began to glow, then it soared into the sky, heading towards that dreamed-of Grand Line... "Oh my god... these old guys are so fierce... If I went to sea alone and encountered them, I'd probably be dead meat." Meruem chugged an entire bottle of ice-cold cola. Beside him, Tsukuyomi was wearing headphones and typing on a keyboard, acting as a keyboard warrior.Wait a minute... a keyboard warrior?Meruem stared at Tsukuyomi in shock: "You... who the hell are you bickering with?"Tsukuyomi didn't even turn his head: "I'm playing a game using your memories. Luckily, you were a bit of an internet addict before, so I have enough samples. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to create so many AIs to play with me. I actually got flamed by an AI I created. Could you tolerate that?""...I thought you could connect to the internet. I even wanted to hire someone to go beat up that Oda guy, what a shame. Why are you still bickering with him, are you that bored? Couldn't you just delete it?" Meruem pouted, his hopes dashed, feeling a bit dejected."Pfft, what's the big deal about deleting an account? Today, I'm going to let this guy experience my true power.""Whatever makes you happy... I actually miss that world a bit. It's been eight years since I came here." Meruem's eye twitched slightly; he was helpless against this guy who seemed to be thinking about something different every day.Tsukuyomi typed a magnificent symphony on the keyboard, his elegant prose filling the screen. Seeing no reply for a long time, he pushed the keyboard away with a hand, a playful expression on his face, and said: "Have you ever considered that world was just a dream, and this is where you were always meant to be? Ten years old, critically injured and saved by Komugi. So, who exactly are you~ Meruem~"=͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)Who am I, where do I come from, where am I going... No matter how you answer this tricky question, it doesn't feel quite right. So Meruem... spread his hands and said: "Those are all unimportant questions. The key question is how to find Komugi, and if I get the chance, I want to take her to see that world.""Well~ who knows what the future holds~ And is it really not important...?"Tsukuyomi's voice seemed to carry a deeper meaning... Usopp was holding Chopper, followed by Nami and Robin in nurse outfits. They managed to wear them in two different styles, looking... quite alluring. Goodness knows how they even prepared such clothes."Hmm... Luffy, Meruem, and Zoro are the most severely injured. Their medicine needs a slightly higher dosage. Sanji and Brook are fine now." Usoppwas holding Chopper's face, squeezing it out of shape. Chopper's serious expression combined with this look was simply hilarious... Although Nami was wearing a nurse outfit, she didn't look like a nurse at all. She looked... like a bandit. She frowned as she assessed the trio's injuries, saying with a hint of worry: "The enemies we've encountered recently are becoming increasingly terrifying. When we reach the second half of the Grand Line, it's said to be a paradise for monsters, truly..."Sanji spun up from the bed, performing a 1080° aerial spin, and landed on one knee in front of Nami, saying with deep affection: "No matter what enemy we face, I am still willing to charge into battle for my Princess Nami and Princess Robin. Your knight fears nothing..."..."You" this, "you" that. Trying to win both of them over at the same time is a pipe dream. Who knows how Pudding will feel when she sees this scene in the future.Usopp looked at the three unconscious people, took a deep breath, and suddenly shouted: "Beautiful swordswoman with meat is here!""Meat!""Swordswoman!""Beauty!"Luffy and Zoro suddenly woke up, their eyes shining as they looked at Usopp... The remaining one with shining eyes, however, was not Meruem, but Sanji."That's not right... this guy usually likes looking at beautiful women too..." Usopp mumbled, seeing that Meruem hadn't woken up.The lie was exposed in an instant. The shining eyes turned somewhat sinister, making Usopp shiver involuntarily. He squinted, stealthily observing the expressions of the three idiots, then greased his feet and turned to run."You actually lied to us... You made me so excited!" The three idiots showed surprising teamwork at this moment. The two severely injured and one lightly injured immediately gave chase, showing no signs of injury at all.The noise instantly erupted on the Sunny, just like always... Meruem, woken by the commotion, still felt a faint ache. He sat up from the bed, holding his head, watching the god-tier Usopp single-handedly battle the Straw Hat Crew's three main powerhouses. Once on the ship, their combat power was simply too chaotic to watch."Meruem~ You're finally awake. When will Merrywake up?" Chopper, the unfortunate one, lay on the side. For some reason, while the others were lively, he was still confined to the bed, unable to move.Meruem gently stroked Chopper's head with one hand and touched the necklace on his chest with the other, saying with a smile: "Soon... don't worry."...It's been about two months of writing, and I've gained many friends. Thank you all for patiently reading this far. I feel like I've made a little progress. I'm currently revising the detailed outline for the Marineford arc, so this period will be daily updates with many plotlines not in the original work. I hope you won't flame me... The author is very fragile... needs care... Thank you all, mwah~
Chapter 186: Must Kill: Pepper Star"Really? Is Merry going to wake up soon? When?" Luffy's boisterous voice came from the battle. He pinched Usopp's nose with one hand, his neck stretched out suddenly, and his head appeared in front of Meruem… Anyone who knows you're a Rubber Man knows, but to those who don't, you look like a ghost. Meruem looked at Luffy, feeling an urge to slap him, but he held back and said, "Hmm… soon. Don't worry, but it needs a catalyst. Just leave it to me."Luffy nodded his head like a pecking chick, grinning as he said, "Then I'll leave it to you, Meruem!"As soon as he finished speaking, his head 'swished' back into the battle, continuing to fight the true god, Usopp."Sure-Kill. Pepper Star!"...This is a bit unsportsmanlike, but Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji ganging up three-on-one is even more out of line.Smoke instantly billowed, and a pungent smell filled the room… (ó﹏ò｡)The three idiots had surprisingly uniform expressions, their eyes red from the pepper powder. Usopp, wearing a gas mask, looked really punchable at this moment.A gas mask...???Meruem covered his mouth and got up from the bed, casually placing a towel over Chopper's face. His voice sounded somewhat muffled: "Usopp, where did you get that gas mask…""Oh, you mean this? I went to Shiki's storeroom and took a few interesting things," Usopp opened his backpack, revealing various potions and equipment inside."...Since you went to the storeroom, what about the treasure? He can't be completely broke, can he?" From the first sentence, he sounded like an old robber. Although he had only recently robbed Perona, one can never have too much money, especially since Luffy is truly a big eater. Meruemfrowned, feeling that this fight was a bit of a loss.Usopp paused at these words, secretly glanced around, and whispered, "...Don't we still have some? I checked, and there was only one giant golden lion statue that was valuable. I really couldn't move it… The situation got too critical afterwards, and I forgot.""Forgot?! Say that again, what did you forget?!" A voice like it came from hell rang out, and an orange figure appeared behind Usopp, her aura sending shivers down one's spine.━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) ━Usopp stiffened completely, slowly twisting his head to look behind him, seeing Nami's gloomy face. Her eyes, reddened by the Pepper Star, blazed with fury, and the veins on her tightly clenched fists bulged.Usopp swallowed, his voice a little hoarse: "Nami… this… we… don't… still have a lot of money?""That's all my personal savings. What you lost was public funds."???╭(°A°`)╮Meruem heard this and called it masterful. Namitruly had the potential to be a bank lawyer in his world."Na… Nami, isn't that a bit much?" Usopp cringed and took a step back, trying to distance himself from Nami in this state."Clack… clack…" Nami's fists clenched, making a crisp sound. She took a deep breath, and then… the pungent pepper powder was inhaled. The feeling was truly unique, quite stimulating.This… this… this… silence is tonight's Cambridge… bah, it's not that poetic.A group of red-eyed guys surrounded the masked Usopp. This scene was truly a bit eerie. Nami had originally come in to remind these guys not to make too much noise, but hearing Usopp's words made her heart ache. Thinking that everyone had worked hard through the battle, she took a breath, intending to let the matter go, but that breath… truly sent her spirits soaring."Bang! Bang! Bang!"Every hit was a critical strike, with bonus heavy damage and armor penetration. The Straw Hat Crew's top fighter was truly worthy of the title. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, the three good-for-nothings, were almost counter-killed, but the true god Usoppwas no match for Nami.The scene was extremely bloody and not suitable for minors. After a series of bone-jarring punches, Usopp lay unconscious on the ground, his eyes rolled back. Nami clapped her hands and said, "You guys better rest up. I'll be in charge of dinner tonight. Anyone who dares to cause trouble again, just try me."(♡⌂♡)"I can taste Miss Nami's homemade cooking? What kind of heaven is this!" Sanji clasped his hands, his face excited, automatically imagining Nami as a chef, forming a family with him. Drool was almost dripping down; thankfully, it wasn't a nosebleed this time.Luffy frowned at this, looking displeased: "Ah… I want to eat Sanji's cooking.""You can cook? I've never seen it…" Zoro also frowned, completely unable to recall Nami cooking. Even before they met the perverted cook, they either ate at restaurants or endured Meruem's inconsistent cooking.Meruem:???Fortunately, it was only Zoro's internal monologue; Meruem didn't know. Otherwise, there would have been a fight today, to let Zoro know what 'you can you up, no can no bb' means."Shut up, just wait to eat!" Nami tied her hair into a ponytail and walked towards the kitchen with a valiant stride. Her confident demeanor somehow made everyone feel much more at ease.Meruem suddenly remembered something, turned back, and snatched the towel off Chopper's face. He looked at Chopper, whose eyes were red and streaming with hot tears, almost having kicked the bucket, and felt a bit… speechless."Thank you…" Chopper took a deep breath, speaking weakly.Sometimes a towel can be as light as a feather, and other times it can almost reduce the Straw Hat Pirates' bounty by a full 50 Berries… When there's no danger, these Straw Hat Pirates are not to be trifled with. The greatest danger often comes from within, especially Luffy and Meruem… these two are more dangerous than the other… A strange smell began to waft through the Sunny, as if someone was researching biochemical weapons… "Usopp, what the hell are you and Franky doing?!" Meruemsuddenly pushed open the cabin door, covering his nose, his face full of disgust.The heavily injured Usopp was still wearing his gas mask, and Franky next to him was trying to put a gas mask on his own face. There was nothing strange in their room, and the smell didn't seem strong enough."Here~" Usopp casually threw over a gas mask, then continued, "…How about we discuss what to do later? The crisis of the Straw Hat Crew being wiped out is already upon us. The other guys are unreliable… and you're unreliable too… but since you're here, just make do."Make do???
Chapter 187 Nami's Biochemical WeaponMeruem casually took the gas mask and put it on his face, feeling insulted that Usopp, of all people, looked down on him. This was an unprecedented experience."So... it's not you guys... then it really might be over..." Meruem's voice trembled a little. If this smell wasn't a weapon aimed at enemies, then it was a crisis that would wipe everyone out. The room next to this one was the kitchen, and for such a smell to come from the kitchen was utterly absurd.Usopp and Franky both nodded, then Frankycontinued, "This smell is simply too super. I'm a bit curious about the recipe, but if it's meant to go into our stomachs, I'm afraid we won't find our parts at our next stop..."Usopp spread his hands, "I just secretly went to check, and the ingredients in that pot are actually very basic, but why they combine to make this smell, I don't know... Maybe it's just talent."...Talent, my ass. Talent for attacking teammates? Meruem sighed and said, "Don't mind the process, so what should we do now... She really put effort into it, so directly refusing wouldn't be good...""We just discussed it, and there are three plans. The first is to give it to Sanji and let that guy eat it all directly. But there's a problem with this method..." Usopp said, deliberating, stroking his beardless chin, which was still covered by the gas mask, looking as if he had everything under control."There's no problem, is there? Sanji should be able to eat it all, he's pretty strong." Meruem casually interjected, looking at Usopp and feeling like he wanted to punch him."Sanji certainly has no problem eating it all. The key issue is, after he eats it, how long can he last with that stuff in his stomach? If he collapses, will Namibe in charge of all our meals afterward?" As soon as Usopp spoke, Meruem was surprised. Usoppactually considered the subsequent problems, which seemed utterly out of place on this ship."Alright, that could indeed happen. Stop telling horror stories and tell me the next plan." Meruemraised his hand to stop Usopp. This couldn't be allowed to continue. If Sunny was enveloped in this smell every day, how could they possibly live?Usopp smacked his lips and continued, "Alternatively, one option is to let Luffy eat it all, but... he'll definitely say it's awful, and Nami will definitely keep making it until every one of us eats it. No matter how we respond, the days that follow are simply unimaginable... I even think we might die on the spot if we eat that stuff..."Meruem lifted the gas mask a tiny bit, felt the increasingly strong smell, and immediately put the gas mask back on. "And the last one..."Usopp sighed, somehow looking a bit tragic. "The last one... of course, is to secretly destroy that pot of food Nami made. If Sanji doesn't take over, I'll destroy all the ingredients... and then starve until the next island... I hear it's only three days, we can last."...Is this a matter of lasting or not? I think if you destroy the ingredients, Luffy and Sanji will probably kill you. Meruem was moved when he heard this last plan. This was sacrificing oneself for the greater good, a truly admirable spirit. Thinking of this, Meruem tightly grasped Usopp's hand and remained silent for a long time.Franky's tears flowed from his gas mask, and his hand also rested on Usopp and Meruem's tightly clasped hands. The whole scene looked like a farewell to a hero.Usopp's body stiffened. After all, he meant to say 'we,' but somehow, he omitted the 'we.' Meruemand Franky, those two, showed no intention of facing death together, and the atmosphere had been hyped up to this point. How could Usopp possibly change his words now?The expression beneath the mask was desperate and helpless. He fiercely shook off Meruem and Franky's hands, took off his gas mask, and walked towards the kitchen... It was truly a scene of "the wind sighs, the Yi River is cold; a brave man goes forth and never returns..." Just as Usopp reached the kitchen door, Nami's voice came out, "What's wrong? You're too impatient. Luffy isn't even here yet, and you're already here. Come and try my treasure soup~"Usopp was about to say something when a spoonful of something that looked very strange and disgusting was shoved directly into his mouth with lightning speed. He immediately clutched his throat, his eyes rolled back, his face turned crimson, and subtly began to turn green... "Oh~ No need to be so excited! I've watched Sanji do it a few times, and I didn't realize it wasn't that difficult. I made a lot, I guarantee you'll all be full. Come, try some more~" Nami's voice sounded truly terrifying. It was a happy voice, yet it sounded like a curse from hell... Meruemand Franky hid to the side, crossed themselves, and silently murmured 'Amen,' mourning the fallen sea warrior Usopp. He left so suddenly, catching everyone off guard, but the deceased is gone, and there's no need for excessive remembrance. The top priority now is to figure out how to save themselves... "It seems we can't do this alone. If we directly refuse Nami and argue a bit more, she might take us on a stormy ride, and we'll all go down together..." Meruem and Franky returned to the room, Meruem's tone a bit heavy."Yes... Looking at Nami's excited state, today probably won't end well. Let's go discuss it with the others. Who should we find first?" Franky was also uncharacteristically serious... Meruem thought for a moment and said, "Sanji is out first. I feel like even if Nami cooked poop, that guy would still gulp down three bowls... Brook, I don't know if he even has a sense of taste. Luffy would probably betray us without hesitation. Let's find Chopper, Robin, and Zoro... Those three should be on our side."Franky nodded, and with a wave of his hand, a video wall appeared, showing all areas of Sunny at a glance.Video wall???Meruem was stunned when he saw it, and asked incredulously, "When did you get this thing? Huh, there's none in the bathroom?"Franky glanced at Meruem and said, "I took it from Shiki's command room. I just installed it on the way back. Are you that perverted? You want to put a monitor in the bathroom too..."...You, who walks around in your briefs every day, are calling me perverted? Meruem was full of complaints, but the situation was urgent, so he forced himself to hold it in. He looked at the screen, pointed at Robin's image, and said, "What is Sister Robin doing?"
Chapter 188 The First Anticipated AdventureFranky looked in the direction Meruem was pointing, and his whole body froze. He stammered, "Th-that's the cabin of merry 1 that I built, a sloop. Th-this guy wants to run away!"Oh boy, Nami is truly amazing... Meruem took off running, not bothering to say another word. The fourth plan had finally appeared, and he made his choice without hesitation. Franky followed close behind, joy filling both their eyes. The hope of survival was right before them... the cabin of merry 1.Robin's nose twitched, then she immediately covered it, stepping resolutely onto merry 1, preparing for departure."Sister Robin... take us with you..." Meruem's voice came from behind. He was carrying the unconscious Chopper in his hand, with Franky and Zoro following behind him, all rushing towards merry 1.Robin immediately understood, nodded, and gripped the sail. The moment everyone stepped onto merry 1, the sail was released, and they sailed towards the blue ocean.Meruem pulled off his gas mask and shouted to Luffy, who was in Sunny's exclusive seat, "Luffy! I found an island! Let's go check it out! Tell Nami not to wait for us for dinner!""Aren't you guys going to eat dinner?! Seriously, don't make me worry so much!" Luffy seemed a bit conflicted. The rumbling of his stomach made him uncomfortable, but the unknown adventure made him incredibly eager. He was torn."Don't worry! Sister Robin is with us! You guys can come find us after you finish eating!" Meruem waved happily. This was a course towards happiness... "You guys really are... I'll save some for you!" Nami, dressed as a chef, appeared at the ship's railing, holding a ladle with some green, unknown liquid still clinging to it.━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━Robin, Zoro, and Franky stared intently at Meruem, their fists clenched tightly, a surging anger continuously building.Meruem felt a chill from behind him and wanted to slap himself. In the end, he was soft-hearted. He had thought Luffy would follow without hesitation upon hearing about an adventure, but he didn't expect the guy to choose to eat first... The atmosphere on merry 1 was a bit heavy. The joy of escaping had vanished. Meruem tried several times to say that he would take care of Nami's leftovers alone later, but remembering that taste, he just couldn't bring himself to say it... He just couldn't let them know~It's just that simple, I can't do it~Bah... The silent atmosphere felt a bit awkward. Fortunately, merry 1 soon docked. Meruem took a deep breath and said, "Zoro... Franky... The three of us will split Nami's monstrosity later. I'll take 50%, and you two can each take 25%..."Zoro and Franky heard this and squinted at Meruem, then turned to look at Chopper, who was still unconscious, and Robin, who looked pitiful (it was probably an act, but it was very effective). They both nodded with difficulty.Meruem breathed a sigh of relief and said with a solemn expression, "Thank you, two great ones... So where should we go now..."The purpose of going ashore had vanished. The four looked at each other, not knowing what to do... Just then, a small figure appeared in the jungle by the shore, thinking he was well hidden, but in Meruemand Robin's perception, it seemed a bit ridiculous.Meruem glanced at Robin and frowned, saying, "That little guy seems to be injured. Should we have Chopper take a look...""Injured? Who's injured? There's a doctor here." Chopper suddenly woke up, looking around. (Was this guy faking unconsciousness just now?)...Oh boy, a beautiful swordswoman arriving injured with meat could wake up at least four people on the ship at once.If you add treasure and rare metals, you could wake up two more... Usopp, Robin, and Meruem wouldn't be so easy to wake up.Robin covered her mouth and laughed. This scene eased the pain in her heart from being tricked by Meruem. She said, "We really are a nosy bunch. Captain will definitely help, so whatever..."They had just almost been wiped out helping Shiki, yet this group was completely unaware... Meruempouted, pointed a direction for Chopper, and watched Chopper's short legs rush over, then followed helplessly."Ah ah ah ah! I didn't mean to! Mr. Raccoon, don't chase me!" The child's voice sounded somewhat desolate, truly a bit pathetic.━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━"I'm not a raccoon!" Chopper suddenly transformed into his strongman mode, catching up to the child in two strides, lifting her in his hand, his eyes fixed on the wound at the edge of her skirt, his brow unconsciously furrowing... Hey, hey, hey, you don't look so good doing that. Meruem looked at the scene and felt a bit exhausted.He didn't even think... about how he always lifted little lolis by the scruff of their necks... The little girl fainted directly, after all, Chopper in strongman mode was not cute at all; instead, he looked a bit creepy."What's wrong, Chopper, look, you've scared someone unconscious." Meruem's voice sounded a bit mocking; in other words, he was asking for a beating.Chopper, however, still frowned deeply and said coldly, "It's man-made... and there are many old injuries. I don't know who is so cruel to lay hands on such a small child."At his words, the expressions on everyone's faces changed. A red light flashed in Meruem's pupils, and he sneered, "It seems this trip to the island will be very worthwhile... You go back to merry 1 first to help the little girl with her wounds. Zoro, Franky, let's go check out the center of the island first. Sister Robin, please guard the ship for us~"Robin nodded, helping the little girl tidy her messy bangs. She also sensed something was off about this island. Guarding merry 1 and waiting for Sunnyto arrive was also a very important task."Then let's go..." Zoro and Meruem took a step forward and ran towards... different, wrong directions.Franky looked at their actions and was momentarily stunned. He didn't know who to follow. Did they just say they were splitting up? Did a part in his ear malfunction?Robin covered her forehead. Two arms stretched out from the bushes and grabbed Meruem and Zoro by the scruff of their necks. She said, "Franky, you go guard the ship. I'll go with these two. These guys... are really too much."Meruem was also startled when he was grabbed by the scruff of his neck. Red light flickered in his pupils, and his face was full of self-doubt... He had clearly confirmed the direction just now, yet he still ran the wrong way. How had his condition worsened?
Chapter 189: Saint Chalma"It's really impressive that you can still go in the wrong direction even with Observation Haki…" Zorosaid with a look of disdain, his tone full of teasing.Meruem squinted at Zoro, his tone no better: "How can you have the nerve to criticize me? You didn't even know where we were, so why did you charge forward with such a determined look on your face…?"Meruem and Zoro walked behind Robin, poking at each other, acting completely like two childish idiots. They were both big brothers of navigation, neither better than the other, yet they still wanted to prove who was superior. They must have been truly sick in the head.Robin walked ahead with a helpless expression, feeling as if she were on a spring outing with kindergarten children. Most of her attention was on these two, afraid they would get lost, and she felt exhausted."Here it comes!" Robin and Meruem said in unison, and then… Meruem looked at Zoro with a smug expression, as punchable as could be.Zoro's face turned crimson, and he had an impulse to draw his sword and cut Meruem down.So what if he didn't have Observation Haki?What was so great about it?What was he showing off for?The fatal triple question echoed in Zoro's mind. If it weren't for their long journey together and the deep "friendship" they had forged, only one of them would have survived today.Eight gaunt men carried a wooden plank. On the plank lay a human-like creature wearing a diving helmet, so fat that calling him a pig would be an insult to pigs. He was stuffing fruits and vegetables into his mouth, juice flying everywhere."Huh? Someone I haven't seen before? I'm in a good mood today, so I grant you the opportunity to be my slaves. Thank me!" The corpulent human-like creature waved his hand casually, as if truly bestowing a favor. He waited for Meruem and the other two to kneel and thank him… Was he insane? Meruem frowned and scratched his face. This opening line was a conversation killer; he had no idea how to respond. Drawing his sword immediately also didn't feel quite right.Robin's expression, however, became somewhat complex. She murmured, "Celestial Dragons…"Zoro picked his nose, his god-like image completely shattered. He didn't take the corpulent human-like creature's words to heart and asked softly, "He looks a bit disgusting. Can I just cut him down?"Just as Robin reached out to stop him, Meruem's voice rang out."Hmm… I kind of want to too. Don't kill him yet, just scare him. I still want to ask him something. Let's go!"As soon as he finished speaking, Meruem and Zoro, who were behind Robin, vanished simultaneously. When they reappeared, both were standing on the wooden plank, and the blade glints of kitetsu and Shusui appeared by the corpulent human-like creature's neck.Zoro stood behind him, holding his sword in a reverse grip, looking incredibly cool.As for Meruem, he was holding kitetsu with three fingers, squatting in front of the guy, looking every bit like a hooligan teasing a young girl.Meruem: You're the hooligan, your whole family is hooligans."This is a robbery! Hand over all your money!" As the saying goes, love what you do. This opening line, not spoken for a long time, sounded so natural coming from Meruem's mouth.Zoro was momentarily stunned. He covered his forehead with his other hand and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to ask him something? Is this what you wanted to ask?"Meruem was also momentarily stunned by Zoro's words. He chuckled and said, "Oops… My bad. Putting a sword to someone's neck just makes me act unconsciously. Occupational habit, occupational habit~ Now, what was I supposed to ask?"Who the hell knows what you want to ask!Zoro instantly felt his intelligence far surpassed this idiot, and a sense of superiority arose. He felt that he must be on the reliable side of this ship.The corpulent figure seemed unable to believe the scene before him. He rubbed his eyes, felt the chill by his neck, swallowed, and said, "Wh-what are you doing? I… I am a descendant of the Creators, the great Celestial Dragon Charlos Saint…"Charlos Saint? Why does that sound familiar… [He's the one who bombed the Second Brother into amnesia.] Tsukuyomi's voice sounded very professional. Ugh, a very professional squeaky voice… Are you sick? Speak properly![Meruem-sama~ I am your secretary~]Meruem shivered at the sound, and kitetsu twitched at Charlos Saint's neck, almost sending him to his grave.It was truly disgusting!Zoro looked at Meruem suspiciously and asked uncertainly, "You know this guy?""Not exactly know him, but it's a bit of a surprise, running into him here," Meruem said with a smile, collecting himself and pushing that professionally disgusting Tsukuyomi out of his mind."You doing this will cause us trouble… Declaring war on the World Government and provoking a Celestial Dragon are completely different concepts," Robinsaid, walking over to them, her tone somewhat helpless.Meruem sheathed kitetsu, grabbed Charlos Saint by the back of his collar, jumped off the plank, and threw him to the ground. He spread his hands and said, "It doesn't matter, Luffy won't mind."Zoro followed, jumping down. He always felt that these two spoke strangely. If something looked uncomfortable, just cut it down and be done with it. He didn't know why they were still babbling… He also didn't know why this guy thought he was reliable.Robin thought about her Captain, sighed, and nodded in one fluid motion, then continued, "So what now? What are you going to do with this guy?"Charlos Saint was about to say something when Meruem kicked him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Only then did Meruem speak: "I originally thought he was an acquaintance who wouldn't listen to reason, lording it over this island, but now the situation seems a bit different. Still, let's go take a look. Zoro, carry this guy~""Just leave him here, alright? And if you want someone to carry him, you carry him yourself. What do you mean by making me carry him?" Zoro pouted, looking displeased, but he still grumbled as he hoisted Charlos Saint onto his shoulder, like carrying a pig.Meruem grinned, "Because someone can't hold out anymore. I'll go ahead. Sister Robin, you know the way. I'll go wait for you…"As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished from his spot. In Robin's perception, Meruem abruptly turned back in the jungle before rushing in the correct direction… Robin pinched her brow. She always found the fact of being directionally challenged incomprehensible. She stepped forward towards the center of the island, with Zoro following closely behind. After all, the paths on both sides were blocked by Robin's Devil Fruit ability, leaving no other way but to follow her. The eight gaunt men still stood motionless, carrying the wooden plank in a daze. The entire scene appeared extraordinarily eerie, and also somewhat infuriating.The storm on the unnamed island began to brew, with wind and rain on the horizon.
Chapter 190: Merman, MermaidLuffy's eyes were rolled back, and green liquid dripped from his mouth. If he weren't still breathing, it would be clear he died of poisoning without an autopsy.Sanji, next to him, looked even worse, his eyes rolled back in blissful agony, his entire face green. Heaven knows what he must have eaten to end up like that.Usopp was sprawled on the ground. If Meruemwere here, he would know this guy was playing dead, but unfortunately, the only one on the bed who knew he was faking it was Brook.Brook was holding a steaming cup of milk, looking content. The food on the table had been completely devoured. Nami, in her chef mode, was washing pots and dishes, grumbling, "Luffy and Sanji eat too much! They ate everything, didn't leave a single bite for the others. Honestly. And then they just slept. It seems they were really exhausted from Strong World too."If Meruem heard this, he would probably do a 1080° aerial flip and slide on his knees to Luffy and Sanji. Anyway, he finally managed to cling to their coattails, which was incredibly moving.Luffy and Sanji, already unconscious... were sleeping soundly, regardless. An unnamed island was already in sight... Franky, wearing swim trunks and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, and Chopper, in his strongman mode, were surrounding a little girl. This scene would make anyone who saw it call the police.Hello, 911? There are two perverts here, quickly arrest them, it'll be too late otherwise... Chopperwiped the sweat from his forehead, a look of tender concern on his face, and whispered, "It should be fine now. She just needs some rest. Franky, come take a look. What's this mark on the little girl's back? It looks like it was just branded."Franky tilted his head to look, then froze. He then ran a hand through his pompadour and laughed, "A Celestial Dragons' slave mark. It looks like this will be another super exciting adventure. I haven't heard any shouting yet; I wonder if those three have run into the other party.", As he spoke, he pressed a small, pre-arranged missile into his arm, looking exactly like a bandit.The little girl slowly woke up, saw the two of them, and promptly fainted again. This... was just unbelievable.Chopper and Franky exchanged glances, both with an expression of "you're the one who scared her," which made the merry 1 seem a bit quiet... What the hell, turning off Observation Haki makes me take the wrong path. Why is my condition getting so serious? Will Observation Haki stop working on me later?Meruem slammed on the brakes, leaving deep marks on the ground. Amidst the swirling dust, his expression looked very displeased. After all, awakening such a cursed attribute was somewhat depressing.[Are you trying to make me laugh myself to death and then inherit my Huabei? No... I don't have Huabei. Meruem, let's start a Forty Thieves company! We'll definitely become CEO, marry a rich, beautiful woman, and reach the pinnacle of life. Aren't you excited just thinking about it?]Tsukuyomi's voice was particularly sarcastic. This damned Devil Fruit was practically useless... What the hell is a Forty Thieves company? Do others gather merchants while I gather robbers? They'd travel far and wide, fulfilling their mission, showing up without an order to rob me clean? If the situation weren't so urgent, I'd definitely enter the Sea of Consciousness and fight Tsukuyomi. Meruemreplied, then frowned, increasing his speed again. Deep footprints appeared on the ground, and Meruem's figure disappeared into the jungle amidst the swirling dust..."Oh~ this Fishman is pretty good. I want her to be my wife. That human slave over there isn't bad either, bring her to me!" A man wearing a diving helmet and looking very perverted stood in front of a group of slaves bound by chains, pointing and gesturing as if picking out goods."My dear son, whatever you wish. I'll just tell Rosward Saint when he returns," an old man wearing sunglasses said, gently patting the perverted man's back with a doting expression."Father, let me handle the escaped slave that Rosward Saint captured," a woman wearing sunglasses said casually as she loaded a bullet into her gun.The man with sunglasses stroked the woman's head and said with a smile, "I know you can't stand slaves escaping, so I'll leave it to you later."These three were none other than the Celestial Dragons family that should have been encountered on Sabaody Archipelago: Rosward Saint, Saint Charlos, and Saint Shalria.Saint Charlos, hearing Rosward Saint's approval, reached out and pinched the Fishman's face in the water tank, his perverted smile looking somewhat disgusting."Mmm mmm mmm..." Her mouth was sealed, and her body was tightly bound by layers of chains. The octopus Fishman wanted to stop Saint Charlos's actions, but she could do nothing.The Fishman's eyes welled with tears as she glared hatefully at Saint Charlos. The situation, where she couldn't even commit suicide, was truly despair-inducing.As Saint Charlos's hand moved downwards, about to touch an indescribable place, a flash of blade light passed by, and Saint Charlos's palm detached from his arm.Meruem sat on the water tank, twirled his blade, catching all the scattered blood, and said with a smile, "Hatchan... it seems you all have received your just punishment."The octopus Fishman was none other than Hatchan, whom they had met in Cocoyasi Village. He stared at Meruem's face in astonishment; this sudden reunion was completely unexpected."Bang!""Clang!"Rosward fired a shot with the cane in his hand. The flying bullet was blocked by kitetsu, emitting a crisp sound."You commoner, what have you done? I'll make you experience a fate worse than death," Rosward said through gritted teeth, pulling out a Den Den Mushi."Whoosh!"Meruem sat on the ship's railing, disdainfully tossing the palm aside. He held the Den Den Mushi and looked at Rosward with a smile, "It seems not all of your slave dealings are presentable... Aren't you underestimating me a bit by not letting anyone accompany you and still trying to call for help?"Rosward's palm and Charlos's palm fell to the ground. One lost his left hand, the other his right, truly a family, perfectly matched.Saint Shalria aimed her gun at Meruem, but she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. The fear, almost never seen on her face, had now consumed her expression.Meruem casually tucked the Den Den Mushi into his pocket, made a "shush" gesture to Saint Shalria, and whispered, "1, 2, 3... 18. Hmm, all the dead ones are humans, no Fishman or mermaids. Did you kill them all? Hmm... and... you three are truly disgusting."His voice grew increasingly sinister. Killing is one thing, but torture always makes one feel somewhat irritated.
Chapter 191 RescueMeruem walked behind a "garbage pile" in the woods, scratching his head and lighting a cigarette, sighing, then walked back in front of the Roswald family. The wails of Roswald and Charlos sounded quite noisy, even Sharluria, who was used to hearing slaves wail, felt a bit uncomfortable. After all, this might be the first time she heard her own relatives wail, a feeling completely different from hearing slaves wail."I didn't expect to not see you Celestial Dragons for so many years, and to meet again in such a disgusting scene. Do you have some kind of illness? Did those guys provoke you?" Meruem squatted down and plunged a blade into Charlos's leg, then raised a finger to signal "Shhh."The wailing stopped abruptly, turning into muffled groans. A never-before-experienced fear spread through the three of them. Meruem, in front of them, was like a demon preying on humans, completely disregarding their noble status.Their jaws trembled, unable to say anything. Meruem clicked his tongue, pulled out kitetsu, and swung it backward. A thin crescent blade cut the chains on Hachi's body, then Meruem beckoned to Hachi.Hachi watched the chains fall to the ground, his expression somewhat complex. He walked behind Meruem, clenched his fists, and after a moment of silence, asked, "Arlong... was it you who killed Big Brother Arlong?""It was me, not us. I'm not sure if they even know... It's perfectly reasonable for me to kill Arlong, who killed so many people. Furthermore, he also killed Nami's foster mother, so I had no reason to let him continue living." Meruem didn't even turn his head, his tone very calm, without guilt or hatred."You... then why did you save us? The Fish-Man Race and the Merfolk Race should be your enemies..." Hachi's expression became even more complicated. After a period of wandering and his companions constantly disappearing, he finally realized how excessive his past actions were. With mixed emotions, he gritted his teeth and said this.Meruem scratched his head. After all, killing Hachi would be a bit against his values; otherwise, in such a situation, he would just swing his blade. He sighed and continued, "Enemies or whatever... let's not talk about it. I don't discriminate against or hate your race. I'm not the kind of trash who elevates individual actions to a racial level. Of course, what Nami thinks is her business. If you appear before her and she wants to kill you, I'll probably lend a hand."Hachi nodded and said, "It's only right. The Fish-Man Race owes her too much. If I get the chance, I will definitely compensate her. If she wants to kill me, I have no complaints.""You're resolute... Let's not talk about that. Tell me what these three guys did." Meruem's mind flashed with the corpses he had just seen. He felt some distant memories drilling into his mind, and the pain constantly stimulated his nerves, making him instinctively cover his forehead, looking somewhat distressed."...We were brought here by another guy, and only arrived yesterday. We were supposedly going to be taken to the Sabaody Archipelago for an auction. All the dead ones over there were humans, some because they couldn't be sold, some because they would cause trouble at the auction... And some were 'wives' that this guy played to death, and some were killed because this woman disliked them... If you hadn't come, Keimi would probably have been in grave danger too." Hachi's voice echoed in Meruem's ears... Killing intent... Rage... Sadness... Despair... Different emotions resonated in Meruem's mind. The impact of these emotions made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and he became increasingly terrifying.At this moment, a cool sensation emanated from Meruem's chest, transforming into two small hands gently massaging his temples. After a long while, the emotional onslaught finally weakened, allowing him to calm down."Thank you... Merry." Meruem mumbled softly, then looked at the Roswald family as if they were trash, beginning to consider what kind of death would be appropriate for them... Sunny docked.Nami and Brook walked towards merry 1. Usopp, who was playing dead on the ground, secretly opened his eyes and saw Sanji's face, happily rolling his eyes and tinged with green.=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇) Holy—=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)—crap!!!!!This scene was honestly no different from seeing a ghost. Usopp suddenly sprang up from the ground, leaning against the wall and taking several deep breaths before recovering. Luffy, rolling his eyes, and Sanji, rolling his eyes, lay sprawled out, as if dead."Good thing I was smart and pretended to sleep after a couple of bites, otherwise, without their physique, I'd probably go straight to heaven." Usoppmumbled, checking Luffy and Sanji's heartbeats, and breathed a sigh of relief... Franky and Chopperexchanged glances. The little girl surrounded by them woke up and fainted several times. They didn't know to stay away from others, which seemed quite absurd... "What are you doing!" Nami rushed over, giving each of them a hard flick on the head, and hugged the little girl, looking at them as if they were perverts.(ó﹏ò｡)Franky, however, was accustomed to such looks and completely unfazed, even wanting to strike his signature pose. But Chopper had never received such an expression before; he reverted to his original form, his tearful expression looking incredibly pitiful.Nami also felt a bit sorry for her impulsive behavior just now. She touched the spot where she had hit Chopper and said, "I'm sorry, Chopper... That scene just now was really a bit... Don't hang out with these guys in the future; they'll corrupt you sooner or later.""Yo ho ho ho~ You're right, come with me, I'll teach you to play the piano~"Nami glanced at Brook, who was speaking, with an unreadable look in her eyes, and said sternly, "Especially don't hang out with Sanji, Franky, and Brook..."━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━"Wh-why..." Brook looked shocked, though it was unclear what he was shocked about. A guy who constantly wants to see other people's underwear, wanting to educate children, what on earth would he teach them... Robin sighed, using her palm to completely block a path, and turned her head away, no longer looking. Zoro's face also showed some embarrassment, as in such a short distance, he himself had already forgotten how many times he had seen Robin use her ability to block the path. Although Robin said nothing, it was as if she had said everything.Crossing the human-high grass, they just saw Meruem swing a blade of light. A trail of blood appeared on the necks of the three Celestial Dragons, and they fell backward.Zoro casually threw Charlos on the ground and said discontentedly, "If you were going to kill him, you should have just slaughtered this guy earlier... Why make me carry him over? Are you trying to help me exercise?"
Chapter 192 Gift"Clang!" kitetsu was sheathed, and Meruem smiled ingratiatingly at Zoro: "Well… this guy is a gift we're giving away, thanks for your hard work~"Zoro squinted at Meruem, always feeling that if this guy didn't carry it himself, it was because he wanted to show off, and he was being used as a fool… Huh? Did he actually notice?Meruem looked at Zoro's eyes and immediately… went full male-on-male, clinging to Zoro's shoulder without speaking, trying to break through Zoro's defenses with an ingratiating smile… Meruem: If you keep writing nonsense, author, I'll let you test the strength of kitetsu.Cough, cough, cough… Back to the main topic… Robin pinched her brow, feeling helpless about these two audacious guys, but it was also understandable. Pirates who dared to declare war on the World Government wouldn't likely be afraid of the Celestial Dragons.She scanned her surroundings and said, "What about these guys? Meruem, you should have made them lose consciousness first. Now, it might be impossible not to kill them…"…Robin is still more ruthless. Meruem looked at the bound, completely defenseless guys and said, "No need, right? I think they probably won't talk.""I know you can't bring yourself to do it. You have other things to attend to. I'll handle this here," Robinsaid, crossing her hands, ready to act without any hesitation."Wait… can you leave these guys to me? Nico Robin, Roronoa Zoro, and Meruem…" A figure suddenly appeared. He wore a top hat and noble attire, had a scar over his left eye, and gentle, wavy golden hair. He also carried a pipe on his back… Armament Hakiat the peak of the third stage, just one opportunity away from the fourth stage, and Observation Hakiat the peak of the third stage. His pure physical combat was on par with Ace. Compared to them, you, the protagonist, Luffy, are really weak.Meruem frowned as he sensed the energy fluctuations of the man in front of him, slightly astonished. This strength was almost catching up to Shiki, yet his age was so young."Oh~ I forgot to introduce myself. I am Sabo of the Revolutionary Army. Nice to meet you~" Sabo, seeing no one speaking, immediately added, his polite demeanor seeming much more reliable than that guy Luffy.Luffy: Stop mentioning me!Robin took a step back, her hands still crossed, and said, "Why is the Revolutionary Army here…"Meruem stepped forward, blocking Sabo and Robin, and after some thought, said, "Giving them to you isn't impossible… but you'll have to pay…"━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━Robin felt her emotions were a bit disjointed. It was one thing to rob pirates, but Meruem had now upgraded to robbing the Revolutionary Army. Next, was he going to rob the Marine? It was like a mother of absurdity opening the door for absurdity—utterly ridiculous.Sabo, hearing this, was also stunned. He never expected such a reply. Then he covered his stomach and started laughing, clearly having a low threshold for humor. After laughing for a while, he said, "Kuma said you were very interesting, and he was right. I also really want to invite you to join the Revolutionary Army. How about it, consider it?""Slap!"Koala slapped Sabo on the head with a backhand, angrily saying, "Who told you to talk about being connected to Kuma in public! Oh dear~ Brother Hachi, long time no see~" The first half of her sentence was full of rage, while the latter half was gentle. Women, such creatures, their ability to change expressions is truly exceptional.But even that isn't as exceptional as Sanji… Sanji: Are you going to mention everyone one by one?"K-Koala, long time no see, you've grown so much…" Hachi, who had been scared by Meruem's slash, finally recovered and looked at Koala with a surprised expression. He didn't know what day it was, but all sorts of reunions made Hachi a bit flustered… Saying you were reliable was my oversight! Is the Revolutionary Army not asking for death by making you chief of staff?!Meruem's eye twitched slightly, and he slowly said, "I don't want to join the Revolutionary Army. I'm quite happy being a pirate with Luffy right now~" After speaking, he stared intently at Sabo's face, with a hint of expectation.Sabo rubbed his head, straightened up, adjusted his hat, and was about to say something with a smile when he glanced at Koala, then walked next to Meruem and whispered, "Kuma couldn't recruit you for so long, I was just saying. How about a different condition? Our Revolutionary Army also has a big funding gap, so we really don't have money."…It seems he really can't remember. Meruem quietly sighed, his voice unconsciously lowering, "Then what can you offer…"Sabo frowned, thought for a moment, then unfastened the pipe from his back and handed it to Meruem, looking heartbroken.(･᷄ὢ･᷅) Hmm?…Are you sick? Can't you see the kitetsu at my waist? What would I do with your pipe? No matter how powerful your thing is, can it be more powerful than kitetsu, one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords? Meruem felt that the brains of the ASL brothers must have been collectively kissed by a husky; their bizarre thought processes were truly mind-boggling."Forget it… Since you're willing to take them, then take them away. There's another one on the shore. Sister Robin, take their people over and have them pick him up too," Meruem said through gritted teeth, barely resisting the urge to slap Sabo's face.Sabo, hearing this, ignored the tone and chuckled, snapping his fingers at Koala and nodding towards Robin.Robin looked at Meruem with some doubt, always feeling that this guy shouldn't be so easy to talk to, but she still nodded and walked towards the merry 1 with Koala.Meruem indicated that it wasn't that he was easy to talk to; it was mainly because he couldn't win. If he could have won, the money would have to be paid today. He never thought that someone who always told others to be wise would one day be wise himself. It was truly karma, what goes around comes around.Then Sabo clapped his hands, and a group of Revolutionary Army members in uniform ran out of the jungle, untying the bound slaves one by one and leading them to the other side.Zoro looked at Meruem, then at Sabo, completely uninterested. He yawned and leaned against a rock, pretending to nap.Tsk… This official feeling, why does it seem a bit exciting? Meruem watched a group of people being directed by Sabo, feeling a little envious… After all, who in the Straw Hat Crew would want to be in charge? They would surely be angered to death by Luffy, then assimilated by him.Sabo… pulled out a pair of nail clippers and said with a smile, "Meruem, give me some of your nails~"What… if I don't join your Revolutionary Army, are you going to curse me? And I have to voluntarily provide the materials for you to curse me? Your business skills are really lacking.
Chapter 193 PromiseHmm?Meruem looked at Sabo with a disgusted expression, his hand itching to slap him. This trait—wanting to slap someone even when you know you can't win—must be unique to the ASL brothers. Under the influence of the world's power, he was having a little trouble controlling himself.Sabo, however, ignored Meruem's gaze. He pulled out a nail clipper—who knew why this guy carried nail clippers everywhere—took Meruem's hand, and started clipping.Mmm... so comfortable~Ah, spit!Sabo directly suppressed Meruem with his aura. Meruem wanted to struggle free but couldn't do it silently. If he caused any commotion, it would be quite embarrassing. After all, Sabo was skilled at using his aura, confining it between the two of them, so the outside world couldn't detect it at all... Luckily, Sabo only clipped a little, then squatted down and started tinkering, mixing all sorts of strange materials with Meruem's nail clippings... =͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)...You're not just doing it, you're doing it right in front of me. Are you crazy? Meruem felt this was truly a bit much."Idiot..." Tsukuyomi came to assert his presence again. This guy must be familiar with the 'Tang-style acting' principle... roles are snatched!...Idiot, who are you calling an idiot? Meruem, of course, couldn't let it go and immediately retorted."Idiot, I'm calling you an idiot... Ah, spit... You goddamn..." This Tsukuyomi didn't seem very bright.After a while, the exasperated Tsukuyomi took several deep breaths and finally calmed down. He gritted his teeth and said, "This guy is making you a Vivre Card. Technology these days is really advancing by leaps and bounds; he can finish it so quickly... Back in my day..."...Don't you dare talk about 'back in your day.' You call this technology? Meruem's eye twitched as he watched Sabo, who looked like a goddamn alchemist, his urge to complain growing stronger."This *is* science. Don't you know chemistry? Are you illiterate?"...Chemistry my ass. Meruem wanted to continue arguing with Tsukuyomi, but at that moment, Sabostood up with a Vivre Card, tore off a corner, and handed it to Meruem, saying with a smile, "Kuma asked me to give this to you. If you're in danger and I'm nearby, I'll definitely come to save you. Then you can consider whether or not to join the Revolutionary Army~ That's all for today; I'll be going now.""Wait, don't you want to meet my Captain?" Meruem held the Vivre Card, remembering Kuma, who was terrifying when serious and like an idiot when smiling. His expression was unreadable as he reached out and grabbed Sabo, trying to say something.Sabo smiled, pulled his hand free from Meruem, and said, "Never mind; my matters here are quite urgent, and the Revolutionary Army and pirates aren't on the same path anyway." With that, he turned and left."Why didn't you just tell him?" Tsukuyomi's voice sounded very confused... I tried, but I always felt some power warning me. I don't know if I can speak, and even if I could, I don't know what would happen. Meruem frowned, standing still, the throbbing in his heart only disappearing after a while. It seemed even that last sentence he spoke might have crossed a line."Tsk, what a bunch of boring guys..."Meruem let out a breath, ignoring the complex emotions in Tsukuyomi's words. Just then, Zoro's voice came over: "Done? Let's go back.""Mm." Meruem replied, following Zoro forward... ━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━Who the hell took the guy carrying the signboards away?!Why the hell am I following Zoro?!Meruem activated his Observation Haki; there was no one else around. Zoro walked with a determined expression, as if he really knew the way.Anyone who believes him is an idiot... You can't follow Zoro, no matter who else you follow. If he hadn't been a bit distracted just now, he wouldn't have done such a thing. Following Zoro, he must have lost his mind... "Wait, don't you dare walk any further." Meruem grabbed Zoro, covering his forehead, feeling a bit tired. God knew where they were now; it would have been better to just wait where they were. Robin might have come to pick them up, but now Robin didn't even know where they were... Zoro smugly pointed two fingers like a sword to his forehead, then pointed to the sky and said, "Don't worry, I've already memorized that cloud in the direction Robin left. As long as we walk towards it, we can get back to merry 1. I'm not an idiot."Hmm?Ah, spit!You goddamn say you're not an idiot. What normal person navigates by following a cloud? That thing doesn't stay still.Meruem truly had an impulse to split open Zoro's Marimo Head with a sword to see what was inside. Why was he still so smug? Meruem covered his forehead and squatted down, feeling that bringing Zoro out without Franky was a mistake... Zoro saw Meruem suddenly squat and asked confusedly, "What's wrong? Do you suddenly feel unwell? Come, I'll carry you, let's quickly go find Chopper."...Find your goddamn yo-yo. Meruem didn't want to talk anymore; thousands of grass-mud horses galloped through his mind. Looking at the lush jungle, he felt very tired.Suddenly, Meruem straightened up and shouted, "Follow me!" then ran towards the direction of the cloud."I told you it was this way..." Zoro mumbled, following him... "Meruem knows the Revolutionary Army? Luffy is even the son of the Revolutionary Army's leader. Our Pirate Crew isn't going to turn into a group of Revolutionary Army members as we go, are we...? Also, why aren't those two back yet?" Nami's voice sounded a bit complex. She felt that being involved with the Revolutionary Army was quite troublesome for pirates.Robin, who had been listening to Nami speak with a smile, found her smile freezing on her face when she heard the last sentence. The nightmare of taking kindergarteners on a field trip, which she had just experienced, resurfaced. She sighed and said, "Brook, let's go find those two. If nothing unexpected happened, they're definitely lost..."Nami covered her forehead and said, "The collateral damage of these two swordsmen is just too much... Hurry up, it'll be troublesome if the Log Pose gets overwritten. Wait... Brook, you're not directionally challenged, are you...?""Yohohoho~ Not all swordsmen are directionally challenged, and besides, I'm a musician, not a swordsman~" Brook replied, following Robin into the jungle... Meruem and Zoro squatted on a tree branch, looking at the "Kuma" below. Meruem's gaze was somewhat grim, his hand resting on kitetsu, the sound of his gritted teeth indicating great anger.Zoro's expression, however, was serious. He also rested his hand on his sword and said in a low voice, "Shichibukai Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma. We met him last time on Thriller Bark. I didn't expect to see him again so soon...""That's not Kuma... Such trash doesn't deserve that name..."
Chapter 194 Heading towards the Sabaody ArchipelagoZoro was taken aback by Meruem's words, feeling the anger and sadness in his voice were too obvious. He wasn't sure how to respond, opening and closing his mouth several times. Just then, the tree branches trembled… Looking closely, Meruem had already appeared behind the Pacifista, his kitetsu slowly sliding into its sheath. He waved to Zoro with his back to him, softly saying, "Let's go…"…"Amazing… You two actually walked in completely opposite directions. Come on, let's go back. We need to get ready to set off." Robin sighed, having to force her way through the jungle to the other side of the island's coast before she found the two guys staring blankly at the sea.Time rewound two hours… "Is this the correct direction you mentioned? Where are they?" Meruemsquinted at Zoro. Sure enough, gambling was not advisable; this gamble had clearly backfired… Heaven knew where the two of them had ended up.Zoro covered his mouth, looking at the sea with a serious expression. After a long while… he finally spoke, "Meruem… do you think it's possible they've already sailed away…?"(꒪ Д ꒪)ノMeruem suddenly pounced on Zoro's back, grabbing his throat and shaking him repeatedly, grinding his teeth as he yelled, "Is this the same shore we landed on?! You're clearly wrong, but you're still trying to force it! What's wrong with you?!"Zoro's face turned crimson, whether from Meruemchoking him or from shame. He mumbled, "Alright… alright, my mistake. Then you lead the way this time! You tell me which way to go!"Half an hour before Robin found them.( ･ ᷄ ὢ ･ ᷅ ) Hmm?Meruem looked at the all too familiar coast, lost in thought. Could it be that all the coasts on this broken island looked the same, no matter the direction?Zoro stepped onto the beach, looked at the mark he had drawn with his sandai kitetsu on the ground, then looked at Meruem with a look of disdain.An hour and a half… Starting from this coast and returning to it five times. Anyone unaware would think they were playing some survival sandbox game where the system had a bug and couldn't refresh new maps.Meruem saw Zoro's gaze, then looked at the mark on the beach, turned his head… and started whistling, looking completely unconcerned, as if it had nothing to do with him.Zoro sighed, looking out at the azure sea, and mumbled, "Now that the clouds are gone, how will we ever find them?"Meruem heard his mumbling, wanted to complain but felt awkward. He walked over to Zoro's side and stared blankly at the blue ocean, silent."Sigh…" Their simultaneous sighs sounded a bit melancholic.A man who never knew where he was going + a man who always returned to the starting point no matter which way he went, together they were a tragedy.Time rewound to when Robin found them.Upon hearing Robin's voice, their expressions were surprisingly synchronized.(ó ﹏ ò ｡)They both turned their heads, tearfully looking at Robin, who seemed to have a glowing aura. At this moment, Robin was simply a dazzling goddess.Oh~ Kami-sama, did you hear our prayers~Straw Hat Kindergarten is off again! Teacher Robinis taking little Zoro and little Meruem on their adventure~…On the Sunny."There are only compressed biscuits left on the ship. You can have these for now. We should reach Sabaody Archipelago in at most a day, then we can have a proper meal… It's all these two guys' fault, they ate everything." Nami took out a box of compressed biscuits and placed it on the table, her expression towards Luffy and Sanji filled with disgust.As for the others… Meruem, Zoro, Chopper, Robin, and Franky looked at Luffy, never having felt Luffywas so reliable. He was truly worthy of the Captain's position, and even Sanji seemed to have donned a hero's cape, standing in front of everyone, bathed in blood, appearing so tall and magnificent.Usopp glared angrily at Meruem and Franky. These two guys were truly disloyal; when he sent out a pleading look, they actually ignored it, truly inhuman… Meruem avoided Usopp's gaze, stuffing a compressed biscuit into his mouth. It had been quite a while since he had eaten, so the compressed biscuit tasted especially delicious. At a time like this, even Nami… never mind, still no. If Nami brought over such a thing, it always gave him a "Big Brother, time for your medicine" déjà vu.Nami looked at everyone munching on biscuits and said with some concern, "I'll make it again if I get the chance. I'll make sure you all get to taste it."━ Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━Duck not necessary!Meruem and the others were still trying to come up with a reason to refuse, but Sanji, with a carp-like flip, stood before Nami like a javelin, saying affectionately, "Oh~ Food filled with love always makes one feel satisfied, Miss Nami, please make it for me next time too~"=͟͟͞͞( ꒪⌓꒪*)…You were practically knocked out by food full of "love," and you still dare to eat it? What strange thing have you awakened?Meruem, with a compressed biscuit in his mouth, slowly gave a thumbs up. This was simply… awesome plus… Not long after the Sunny departed, a large man appeared. He had a sturdy build like a wrestler. His face and hairstyle resembled a girl's, with a scar from his eye to the corner of his mouth on his left cheek. He wore a red bellyband on his upper body, with a three-tomoe and a pattern in the middle. A huge knot was tied around his waist, and he wore shorts on his lower body. His right hand and left foot were both bandaged. He crouched in front of the Pacifista and mumbled, "One sword… What on earth happened on this island? It's not far from Sabaody Archipelago. I need to inform the old man quickly. And apply for a few more PX-3s from above. PX-1s are still not enough, let alone for the New World; their strength isn't quite sufficient even here…"…Night fell.Meruem leaned against the ship's rail, looking at the sparkling sea. The cigarette in his hand burned, releasing hazy smoke. He gently stroked the necklace on his chest, as if caressing Merry's soft hair."Kuma, we're going to meet again… This time, what should I do? I only have a few friends in this world, and I don't want to lose any of them…"As he spoke, his body slowly slid down, and he fell into a deep sleep… "Why did you call me? I'm in an emo mood…" Meruem pouted, looking at his surroundings. God knows what Tsukuyomi had been watching lately; the environment looked like the living room of a luxurious villa, but he was all alone."Meruem!" A small figure suddenly pounced on Meruem, hugging his head tightly, making it difficult for him to breathe.Tsukuyomi emerged from the side, picked up the small figure by the back of its collar, and said with a wry smile, "You're too rowdy… If you keep this up, I'll kick you out."The small figure was none other than Merry, her tiny arms and legs flailing in the air, glaring resentfully at Tsukuyomi, looking very displeased.
Chapter 195 Meili wakes upMeruem took Merry and placed her on his shoulder. Merry fluttered, continuing to act as Meruem's exclusive hat, as always. Then Meruem asked, "When did Merry wake up? Why didn't you tell me?"Tsukuyomi spread his hands and said, "I saw how hard you and Zoro were working. How could I bear to disturb you?"(=͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*))Meruem squinted at Tsukuyomi, with a'say that again and I'll kill you' expression, then changed the subject, saying, "Can Merry only appear here? When can she go out?"Tsukuyomi snapped his fingers, and then... summoned a microphone: "Lost, lost, completely lost~ I'm utterly trapped in this fog..."One line of a song, and three people fell silent. The effect was outstanding.Merry: So bad... Meruem: I want to hit someone... Tsukuyomi:...Am I tone-deaf?!Meruem and Tsukuyomi looked at each other, their mutual disdain so perfectly in sync, then just as perfectly, they looked away. After all, life had to go on, and what else could they do? "Ah~ In a few hours, it'll be ready. The body is almost complete. However, my strength has decreased a bit, but following you and being taken care of should help me recover quickly. Speaking of which, I gained a lot of insights this time. Next time, I'll make one for myself and go out to play~" Tsukuyomi followed the change in topic, but having just sung, it felt a little forced.Meruem frowned upon hearing this, looking at Tsukuyomi with an expression like he was seeing a pervert, and said with disdain, "You made it?"Seeing Meruem's expression, Tsukuyomi reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and angrily said, "If I don't do it, will you? Besides, I'm not as perverted as you; I have no interest in such a little thing!""Ehh..." Meruem hugged his chubby self... bah, he hugged himself, and his eyes became even more disapproving. It was no longer just looking at a pervert; he cast an even more disgusted gaze upon Tsukuyomi and whispered, "Could it be that you're interested in me? I'm warning you, I'm straighter than rebar..."╭(°A°`)╮Tsukuyomi moved a finger, and Merry landed on the nearby sofa. Then he lunged directly at Meruem, resulting in a 'man on man' situation.The two rolled on the ground, all sorts of moves aimed at the lower body. Combined, the two couldn't even make up one face; they had no martial ethics whatsoever.After a long while, the two lay on the carpet in front of the sofa, panting heavily. Their disheveled clothes and hairstyles made them look somewhat disheveled. Merry lay on the sofa, watching them with burning eyes, looking very excited. It was unclear if she had awakened some incredible attribute."Thank you..." Meruem's voice was almost inaudible, but it still reached Tsukuyomi's ears, making him freeze.Tsukuyomi's lips curved slightly upwards, then immediately returned to normal. Lying on the ground, he waved at Meruem and said in a very disgusted tone, "Scram, scram, scram! Take this little thing and get out of here quickly... This old man is exhausted. Don't bother me for a while."Meruem propped himself up and smiled, placing Merry on top of his head. With lightning speed, he pinched a ticklish spot on Tsukuyomi's waist, then immediately vanished from the spot."You damn..." Tsukuyomi's body involuntarily sprang up. He looked at the empty room and smiled, then murmured, "Honestly... my old friends from back then would probably have their eyes pop out if they saw me like this. But I'm really tired... Ugh..." As he spoke, he stretched, lay down on the carpet, and fell into a deep sleep. The room slowly began to darken, as if not wanting to disturb its master's sleep... Meruem slowly opened his eyes and saw Merrylooking at him with a smile. The morning air was incredibly fresh, and the cloudless sky and sparkling sea surface both spoke of today's good weather.Meruem lifted Merry with one hand, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Long time no see~ Merry.""Long time n—" Before she could finish, a scream interrupted Merry's words."Merry!""Bang!""I told you not to lift people by their collars like that!"Screams, bonks, furious shouts... Clearly, this was the ship's highest combat power, the invincible queen, Nami-san.Her series of actions were as fluid as flowing water. She hugged Merry in her arms, smiling very happily.(ó﹏ò｡)Meanwhile, Meruem clutched his head, feeling a lump rise there. All the Armament Haki he had painstakingly cultivated were ungrateful; they automatically dispersed when Nami attacked, not a single one protecting him.Nami's scream woke everyone up, and the Sunnyinstantly became noisy."Merry!" That was Usopp... "Merry~" That was Chopper... "Merry!!!" That was Luffy... The three guys lunged at Merry, looking like some kind of terrifying oddities. Fortunately, Nami was holding her, and with her agile movements, she dodged them all perfectly. Her agility was simply terrifying.Sanji stood by the railing at the galley door, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said with a smile, "Phew~ She's finally awake. Too bad we don't have ingredients, otherwise, we could have another feast.""I owe that guy so many times... But we can thank him a little with a feast, you perverted cook. You can make anything delicious, right?" Zoro bit wado ichimonji into his mouth. This action made Sanjipause, not even fully reacting to the 'perverted cook' title."Of course—" Sanji's words were cut short by a furious roar. A small Sea King burst out of the sea next to the Sunny, its eyes ferocious as it glared at the people on the Sunny.It was considered the overlord of this sea area and greatly enjoyed the fearful eyes of weak humans before they died. It surveyed them one by one.Usopp, Chopper, and Nami's trembling bodies greatly satisfied it. It felt it should save these three for last. Then it continued to look...Robin's smiling expression... Franky's neck-twisting motion... Brook's feigned fear that was truly unconvincing... Zoro crossing sandai kitetsu and Shuusui in front of him, crouching on the railing... Sanji scrutinizing it with his gaze... Meruem clutching the lump on his head with a 'finally something to vent on' face... and... Luffy, who had started drooling.(ᇂ_ᇂ|||)A Sea King, I'm a Sea King, do you know what a Sea King is? What's with the drooling?! The Sea King's expression gradually became blank, then increasingly furious. It was clearly a disaster-like existence in this sea area, and these guys were simply too disrespectful to humans... bah, too disrespectful to Sea Kings. Today, it would make them repent in hell...Zoro had awakened Observation Haki, but Meruemfelt that it couldn't cure his sense of direction. Meruem twisted his neck, looking very experienced.
Chapter 196 The Make-up Banquet"Meruem! Marimo Head! Brook! You three go! Only cut the throat! If you kill him in one blow, you're amazing!" Sanji, who had pulled out a frying pan and a cleaver from who knows where, and was wearing a chef's hat, shouted loudly."You're amazing?""Is this what a man's wager is?"Meruem really wanted to scoff, but these words, influenced by some mysterious power, made him slowly rest his hand on kitetsu, his aura surging."Breath of the Moon. Iai. Palace of the Sky!""Three-Sword Style. Oni Giri!""Humming Three-Verse. Arrow Tail Slash!"A small Sea King roared and charged towards the Sunny. In an instant, Meruem, Zoro, and Brookappeared behind it simultaneously, sheathing their swords. There were no sword marks, as if nothing had happened... The small Sea King's wide-open mouth just charged towards... Usopp.━ Σ ( ﾟ Д ﾟ | | | ) ━Usopp stood still, looking very calm, but if his legs weren't shaking like a sieve, he would have seemed quite brave... "Swish!" A gust of wind blew past.The small Sea King's head separated from its body. If it's over, it's over; there's no talk of all these years of sentiment.The head smashed onto the deck, and Usopp's closed-eyed head appeared at the severed neck, covered in blood. It wasn't handsome; it was truly disgusting... On the other side, Robin crossed her arms, and countless hands appeared all over the small Sea King's body. With a sharp twist, blood gushed from the severed neck like a faucet, and Franky below set up a line of buckets to collect the blood.Sanji leaped into the air, and with a few "swish swish" cuts, the small Sea King's body was transformed into chunks of meat. Merry spread her hands to form a magic circle and blew a cool breeze, covering the meat chunks with a thin layer of ice. Chopper, in his strongman mode, carried several large pots and loaded the meat into them.Luffy stretched out his hand, grabbed a piece, and... stuffed it into his mouth.( ･ ᷄ ὢ ･ ᷅ ) Hmm?Everyone else is working, and you're sneaking food. What kind of Captain is this?"Delicious~" Luffy took a bite, and the icy-cold sensation instantly filled his mouth. He reached out to grab another piece, but Nami gave him a sharp knock on the head, knocking Luffy unconscious. Then she announced, "Everyone! To celebrate Merry's return, let's have a feast!"These words weren't spoken by the Captain, but no one found anything wrong with it... "Clang!"The sound of clinking glasses rang out, smiles adorned everyone's faces, and the aroma of beer and rich roasted meat wafted across the Sunny.Luffy raised his glass, grinning from ear to ear, and shouted, "To Merry's return! Cheers!""Oh!" "Gulp, gulp...""To our victory against the Golden Lion Fleet! Cheers!""Oh!" "Gulp, gulp...""To almost reaching the halfway point of the Grand Line! Cheers!""Oh!" "Gulp, gulp... *hic*~"Having drunk a bit too fast, Meruem couldn't help but let out a hiccup, and seeing Merry pouting and drinking juice, he couldn't help but smile.The daily gathering of the entire crew always made one spontaneously let go of their burdens, not thinking about what would happen tomorrow. No matter how difficult the road ahead, this moment always allowed for hearty laughter."Yohohoho~ Yohohoho~Binks' Sake, delivered to your side~Like the sea breeze, freely, riding the waves~On the other side of the sea, the sunset is bustling, birds' songs draw circles in the sky~Farewell, harbor, land of silk~Let's sing a song, a song of setting sail~Golden waves and silver ripples, also turn into splashing water~We leave only for the ocean~Binks' Sake, delivered to your side~"Brook played his guitar and sang, and everyone hummed along softly. The beautiful melody and sweet, lingering song echoed over the sea; such moments were priceless... Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp once again stuck chopsticks into their nostrils and started dancing the Straw Hat Crew's exclusive dance. Merry struggled for a moment, then quickly joined in. The four of them danced in perfect synchronization, looking very joyful, but also truly silly... Brook accompanied them, a faint smile on his skeletal face, seemingly lost in some distant memory. If one could forget all sadness and only remember happiness, the rest of life's journey would surely be a little easier.Zoro and Franky were having a drinking contest. Franky's pompadour had turned into an explosion of hair, and he was still showing off. Who knows what those two guys were betting on... Maybe it was "You're amazing~"Sanji, that guy, was of course acting like a simp for Robin and Nami. It felt like if they threw him a bone now, Sanji would eagerly fetch it back... But of course, he wouldn't do something so insulting to his companions. Nami and Robin softly thanked him, and it felt like Sanji's spatula and mixer were about to spark from his efforts. Plates of special food and drinks piled up on the table in front of Nami and Robin.Meruem wanted to grab a cup to try, but Sanjiglared at him with murderous eyes. He felt that if he dared to take one, there would be bloodshed in the boys' quarters tonight... = ͟ ͟ ͞ ͞ ( ꒪ ⌓ ꒪ * )Fine, I won't take it, stingy... The clamor lasted from evening until midnight. Nami and Robin took Chopper and Merry to bathe and sleep, while the remaining guys lay sprawled on the deck, resting under the starry sky.Wait... Chopper... Why the hell can you bathe with them?!Meruem just looked at the bathroom with a strange expression, but Sanji was so envious he looked like he was about to cry. He bit his clothes, listening to the laughter from the bathroom, his eyes bloodshot, he was simply... "Sanji~ Can I eat these?" Luffyasked, pointing to the special food Nami and the others had left."Eat... don't waste it..." Sanji didn't even turn his head, his eyes fixed on the bathroom, bloodshot. Who knows if he was trying to practice his wall-penetrating gaze.Hearing Sanji's reply, Meruem grinned, ready to try some, and then felt his vision blur. All the edible things in front of him vanished... = ͞ ͟ ͟ ͞ ( ꒪ ᗜ ꒪ ‧ ̣ ̥ ̇ ) Wh— = ͞ ͟ ͟ ͞ ( Ŏ ◊ Ŏ ‧ ̣ ̥ ̇ ) —at the heck!!!!...Are you doing magic?! Meruem stared intently at Luffy, then saw him pull out of his mouth... a plate?! Who knows how that guy stuffed it in there.Luffy patted his bulging stomach and fell backward. Perhaps it was the moment he lay down that even breathing sounds began to echo. This trick was truly amazing; most people would never learn it.Meruem took a deep breath, patted Sanji's shoulder, walked to the ship's rail, and sat down. He looked up at the starry sky, just like the sky he had seen many years ago... Slowly, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep... The Sunny gradually quieted down, sailing towards the Sabaody Archipelago... continue.
Chapter 197 Why is it you again?"Ugh…" Meruem stretched and got up from the deck, feeling that ever since Tsukuyomi moved into his sea of consciousness, he hadn't slept so comfortably in a long time. Before, he was either pulling all-nighters playing games with that guy or pulling all-nighters playing games with that guy… =͟͟͞͞(꒪⌓꒪*)Alright… that guy's a goner. All he does is play games all day… his gaming skills have improved by leaps and bounds; even Meruem, a seasoned shut-in, can barely beat him anymore."Sanji, breakfast! Breakfast!" Luffy's voice rang out. This guy starts yelling the first thing he does after waking up, which is absolutely infuriating.Looking at Sanji, he rubbed his bloodshot eyes and got up, yawning. After all, he stayed up until the girls' dormitory lights went out last night, and even waited a few more hours before sleeping, not knowing what on earth he was waiting for… "Haaah~ We're out of ingredients. We should reach Sabaody Archipelago by early afternoon. You'll just have to bear with it."━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━Sanji's words were like a sharp sword piercing Luffy's heart. Such a blow was unbearable for Luffy; he clutched his chest and fell to his knees, one hand reaching out towards Sanji, a hint of tears welling in his eyes, and then he said with great pain: "As… as the Captain, I must seriously… seriously tell you all, how can the ship run out of food?"…When did this guy get so dramatic? Meruempouted, then… delivered a spinning kick to Luffy's face, gritting his teeth and saying, "Who told you to eat it all last night!" This was also revenge for last night's food-snatching.Then Meruem looked at Sanji and casually asked, "I remember there was still a cake, wasn't there? Bring it out and share it."Sanji shook his head, stating with certainty, "That's for Sister Robin and Miss Nami. How could I possibly give it to you guys?"(･᷄ὢ･᷅) Hmm?Listen, is that even a human thing to say?Meruem frowned at Sanji, saying nothing, then flashed towards the kitchen. Sanji, having anticipated this, also flashed and blocked the kitchen door.The Great Cake Defense Battle thus began. The evil Meruem, along with Usopp and Luffy, continuously assaulted the kitchen, while the righteous knight Sanji dodged and weaved, repeatedly foiling the three guys' attempts."Zoro! We're holding him off! Hurry up!" Usoppjumped onto Sanji's back, wrapping around him like an octopus, his voice sounding quite tragic.Looking at Zoro… he merely opened one eye for a glance, then yawned and went back to sleep… he had absolutely no sense of teamwork… The Sunnybecame noisy again; it seemed peace had never existed… "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"Luffy, Meruem, Sanji, and Usopp squatted in a row, clutching the bumps on their heads. Standing before them was a terrifying humanoid creature, the invincible presence of the Straw Hat Crew – Nami.Nami clenched her fists, her face clearly showing morning grumpiness. As an ordinary person, she couldn't be like these guys who could make a ruckus after only two or three hours of sleep. And most importantly… Nami had dreamt of arriving at a huge treasure vault, only to be woken up, all the treasures vanishing into thin air. How… how could Nami not be angry… Luffy, Meruem, and Usopp all hung their heads in apology after being hit. After all, disturbing someone's sweet dreams is a grave sin, and they indeed had been a little too much just now. But how to put it… the three of them looked very much like kindergarten children being punished by their kindergarten teacher, outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant… Looking at Sanji, heaven knows what strange attribute this guy had awakened; he actually had a blissful expression after being hit by Nami, as if he had perfectly applied the saying 'a beating is a sign of affection, a scolding is a sign of love'.(･᷄ὢ･᷅) Hmm?|ू•ૅω•́)ᵎᵎᵎLuffy, Meruem, and Usopp's faces froze for a moment, then simultaneously brightened. The three guys exchanged glances, and Meruem whispered, "Breakfast is here… who's going to make the move?"Usopp patted Luffy's shoulder and righteously declared, "Of course, we leave it to our strongest Captain."Luffy's muscles flexed, and he grinned, "Oh! Leave it to me!"Nami watched the three rustling guys, feeling her anger rise again. Just as she was about to hit them again, a huge shadow enveloped her. Turning her head, she saw a giant sea rabbit appear behind her.=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̥̇) Woa━=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ‧̥̇)━h!!!Nami reached for her Clima-Tact, but only found air. After all, the first thing she did after waking up in the morning was deal with these noisy guys.The sea rabbit pounced at Nami, its gaping maw looking terrifying."Gum-Gum… Revolver!"How could food hurt someone? Luffy's punch directly… gave the sea rabbit a PCR test. The impact stunned the sea rabbit, and the discomfort in its throat made it… start vomiting in mid-air. This technique was a bit unprofessional; making someone vomit during a PCR test.The vomit falling from the sky drenched Nami, and a mermaid and a starfish also fell, landing on Sanji, who was currently annoyed that he still hadn't awakened Observation Haki."How was that punch?" Luffy asked with a playful grin, retracting his fist.Meruem and Usopp exchanged glances, immediately pretending not to know him and retreating three steps.(･᷄ὢ･᷅) Hmm?"What are you guys doing?" Luffy's tiny brain was full of big question marks."Crack…" The sound of a clenched fist rang out, making all the question marks in Luffy's head disappear. He instantly froze in place. He turned his head with difficulty, looking at Nami, who was covered in a mess: "Na… Nami… let me explain… I'm…"His voice cut off abruptly, leaving only the sound of fists meeting flesh. Luffy reached out to Meruemand Usopp for help, but the two guys turned their heads away."Usopp, the weather's nice today, isn't it~""It is~ Meruem, this wind feels so good~"…(♡⌂♡)Sanji had never felt such happiness. A woman, a real woman. The soft touch on his chest, the fragrance wafting to his nose, all told him that this might be the paradise of his dreams. He would willingly sleep forever if it meant staying like this."Ah… so stinky, why is it you again… Weren't you taken away by the Revolutionary Army? Sanji, are you alright? You couldn't even dodge that?" Meruempinched his nose and lifted Keimi by the back of her collar. A very fishy seafood smell continuously assailed Meruem's nostrils, smelling truly disgusting.The touch… was gone!!! Sanji suddenly opened his eyes wide, staring intensely at Meruem. He felt that such a look was only necessary if there was a deep-seated hatred like parricide or the theft of one's wife.(･᷄ὢ･᷅) Hmm?"Why are you looking at me like that?" Meruem was bewildered. He casually put Keimi into the pot he had just prepared for cleaning the sea rabbit and swished her around a couple of times.