Chapter 155: Qingzhi Stunned

"A once-in-a-century genius?"

Qingzhi listened with a strange expression to Captain Kapu's words, then his gaze turned even more curious as he studied Lu En, filled with inquiry.

"Enough."

"Old man won't waste more words on you brat."

"Where are you going? I'll have someone send you there."

Captain Kapu waved his hand, clearly impatient.

"Then thank you, Captain Kapu."

Qingzhi smiled and said bluntly, "Please, Captain Kapu, send me to Chuanyu Island. Your ship is returning to Marineford anyway—it'll pass right by my destination, so it won't delay your voyage at all."

Chuanyu Island lies in the latter half of the first half of the Grand Line.

To its right lies the No-Wind Belt and Amazon Lily.

Ahead lies the approaching Enies Lobby.

To its left lies Changhuan Zhangdao.

In short.

Any naval vessel returning to Marineford Headquarters must pass through Chuanyu Island.

As Qingzhi said.

Going to Chuanyu Island won't delay the ship's journey.

"Chuanyu Island? What mission do you have there?"

Captain Kapu shifted tone, "Of course, if you'd rather not say, old man won't press further."

With that said.

Qingzhi chose not to conceal anything, openly revealing the mission he was sent to carry out.

"I received a message from the Marine branch stationed on Chuanyu Island."

"They reported."

"Recently, a powerful pirate crew has appeared on Chuanyu Island, planning to establish it as their base and freely plunder, burn, and kill across these seas."

"So far, two naval ships sent to suppress this pirate crew have gone missing and lost all contact."

"Moreover…"

"In recent days, countless merchant ships have been destroyed by this pirate crew. Countless civilians have suffered horrific fates at their hands."

"That's why I intend to go there personally and eliminate this pirate crew once and for all."

Qingzhi revealed the truth.

The disappearance of two naval ships investigating this pirate crew had drawn the attention and concern of Headquarters high-level.

Therefore,

Admiral Gugong Kong himself issued orders, dispatching Marineford Mid-Admiral Qingzhi to eradicate this pirate crew.

With Qingzhi's strength, eliminating a pirate crew in the Grand Line was no problem.

"There are pirates this brazen?"

Captain Kapu's eyes flashed, sharp and fierce.

For these utterly wicked pirate crews…

He had always despised them.

If he happened upon them, he would sink them without hesitation into this sea.

"Yes, when I first received the mission, I found it strange too."

"Over the years…"

"Since Pirate King Luo Jie spoke those words, the number of pirates across these seas has grown endlessly. Especially those most vicious pirates—they commit every evil under the sun."

Qingzhi sighed deeply.

Captain Kapu asked again: "Is there any intelligence identifying which pirate crew it is?"

"The Demon Man Pirate Crew!"

Qingzhi answered truthfully.

"The Demon Man Pirate Crew?"

Captain Kapu raised an eyebrow and snorted coldly, "So it's them. A pack of wicked scoundrels—if I run into them, I'll sink every last one into this sea."

"Does Captain Kapu have any familiarity with the Demon Man Pirate Crew?"

Seeing that Captain Kapu seemed to know something about the Demon Man Pirate Crew, Qingzhi felt a hint of surprise.

"Six months ago, when I captured a pirate crew, I crossed paths with the Demon Man Pirate Crew. But they escaped quickly and slipped right out of my grasp."

"Who would've thought…"

"In this short time, these pirates have grown even more arrogant and reckless."

"If I'd known, I shouldn't have let them go so easily back then."

Captain Kapu's tone grew grim.

Beside him,

Lu En listened in silence, saying nothing.

This kind of conversation between top-tier powerhouses…

He had no right to interfere.

"If I recall correctly…"

"The captain of the Demon Man Pirate Crew, Demon Man Aulun, is an Animal-Type Devil Fruit user, quite strong, with a bounty of sixty million Berries."

"Even within the Grand Line, Demon Man Aulun ranks among the top-tier pirates."

The pirate crew controlled by the demon man Oren numbers over a thousand, making it a large pirate crew. And this is still the intelligence I obtained half a year ago.

Judging by their conduct over the past half year, the size of the Demon Man Pirate Crew has surely reached no less than several thousand.

Captain Kapu frowned deeply, sinking into thought.

"As you, Admiral Kapu, have suspected."

"Three months ago, the Demon Man Pirate Crew began growing steadily, their methods growing increasingly extreme and brazen. Even when encountering our Navy ships, they dared openly attack them."

"This extremely extreme conduct has drawn countless pirates from across this sea, all rushing to join the Demon Man Pirate Crew."

"Under these circumstances, the Demon Man Pirate Crew has expanded at an terrifying speed."

"Now, as it has developed, even across the Grand Line, few pirate groups can stand up to the Demon Man Pirate Crew head-on."

"To date, the intelligence I have gathered indicates."

"The size of the Demon Man Pirate Crew has exceeded three thousand!"

Iceburg's gaze carried a degree of gravity.

Then,

he continued: "If the expansion of the Demon Man Pirate Crew is not swiftly checked, given time, it may become the largest pirate crew on the Grand Line!"

"At that point..."

"It may become extremely troublesome to act against the Demon Man Pirate Crew."

"Even if we deploy the Navy, we may need to send five ships at once to completely eradicate the Demon Man Pirate Crew."

The Navy could not possibly tolerate,

the continued expansion of the Demon Man Pirate Crew.

Regarding this pirate crew whose methods are extreme, whose ambitions are vast, and who are steadily gathering the countless infamous pirates of the Grand Line,

the Navy has always held a zero-tolerance stance!

They would never allow,

the Demon Man Pirate Crew to grow into a super-large crew of ten thousand!

Therefore,

the Navy decided to dispatch Iceburg to handle it.

You know…

Now, although Iceburg has not yet become a Navy Admiral, he is merely a Navy Vice Admiral, it must be admitted that he remains the Navy's most prominent top-tier strength.

Sending Iceburg to handle the Demon Man Pirate Crew, the Navy high command can rest completely assured.

If even Iceburg cannot resolve it...

then the Demon Man Pirate Crew is truly terrifying.

"In short."

"The Demon Man Pirate Crew has gathered over half the villains of the Grand Line!"

"A group of utterly wicked men have banded together, forming the Demon Man Pirate Crew as it stands today."

Iceburg's gaze carried a degree of malice.

He was usually mild-mannered and lazy...

but facing a pirate crew that had gathered countless villains of the sea, he too wished to eradicate it immediately!

Iceburg, unlike Sakazuki, does not have an extreme personality or zero tolerance for pirates, nor does he uphold absolute justice.

Yet, when confronted with a pirate crew as utterly wicked as the Demon Man Pirate Crew, Iceburg would certainly never tolerate its continued growth.

"By the way."

"Since your target this time is the Demon Man Pirate Crew,"

"here, I'd like to entrust you with something."

Captain Kapu's eyes gleamed, suddenly changing the subject.

"Admiral Kapu, speak freely—I will do my utmost for any task within my ability."

Iceburg gave no hesitation at all, agreeing immediately and decisively.

A request from his idol, Captain Kapu...

he naturally would not refuse.

"Iceburg, you little brat—I knew I wasn't wrong about you."

Captain Kapu burst into loud laughter.

Then,

he pointed to Lu En standing beside him and entrusted him to Iceburg: "I hope you take this boy, Lu En, with you, so he can see the world."

"The Demon Man Pirate Crew is a true top-tier pirate crew on the sea! A powerful force composed of the most ruthless pirates!"

"And..."

"Their captain, the demon man Oren, is a genuine monster of strength. His bounty half a year ago was already sixty million Berries!"

"This time, since you're going to deal with the Demon Man Pirate Crew,"

"I hope you take my grandson Lu En along, so he can witness just how powerful and terrifying a top-tier pirate on this sea truly is!"