Chapter 169: Shocking Burst of Conqueror's Haki

At this moment.

Even Aokiji sensed the unusual commotion coming from behind.

He turned his head,

and saw a scene that left him completely dumbfounded.

He saw,

that at some unknown point, Lu En had already left the protective circle of the Marines, and was now walking alone toward the group of pirates who resembled a pack of wolves and fierce tigers.

At that instant, Aokiji was stunned.

"What's going on?"

"Didn't I tell that kid Lu En to stay put inside the protective circle?"

"What on earth does he want to do?"

"Charging alone into a group of over three thousand pirates? Is he looking to die?"

"He's completely mad!"

Even Aokiji was scared stiff.

He had never seen…

such a brave person!

A child of only four, facing that group of vicious pirates, not only showed no trace of fear, but instead met the challenge head-on, walking of his own accord toward the pirates' position.

Vaguely, Aokiji felt as if he were hallucinating.

"Kid Lu En, have you lost your mind?"

"Fall back now!"

"That group of pirates is not something you can handle."

"And besides…"

"There are a full three thousand-plus pirates — what can you possibly do about them? Even if you could handle one or two of them. But don't forget, the size of this pirate group reaches as high as three thousand!"

"You're going there to die!"

Aokiji grew anxious.

Three thousand-plus vicious pirates — even if he were to step in personally, it would still take him several minutes to completely wipe out this group of pirates.

As for Lu En, who was only four years old?

Aokiji did not for a moment think

that the other party possessed the strength and capital to single-handedly take on more than three thousand pirates.

That was simply a fairy tale!

Absolutely impossible!

In any case,

Aokiji felt this was unrealistic.

Even back when he had just eaten the Ice-Ice Fruit at the age of 890, he had not had the courage to face a vicious pirate group of over three thousand alone.

Let alone…

Aokiji understood.

The Lu En before him, only four years old, was not a Devil Fruit user.

A four-year-old brat who was not a Devil Fruit user, charging alone into a vicious pirate group of over three thousand — what kind of consequences would he face?

The answer was self-evident.

Aokiji did not dare imagine that cruel scene.

"Damn it!"

Watching Lu En steadily approach the pirates, Aokiji prepared to step in and forcibly intercept him.

"Make your move!"

Just before Aokiji was about to act, a great shout rang out from the demon-man Oren.

Immediately after,

an incomparably massive boulder slammed down viciously toward the spot where Aokiji stood.

Boom—

Accompanied by an earth-shattering roar.

Like thunder in the ears,

deafening.

The enormous boulder smashed heavily onto Aokiji's position, blasting the entire ground down into a half-meter-deep depression.

Crack!

Crack!

The surface shattered,

the earth split apart.

Crisp sounds rang out in all directions.

Spiderweb-like fissures spread densely across an area of more than ten meters in every direction.

The spot where Aokiji had been standing was now riddled with damage, a scene of utter devastation.

A wisp of grayish-white cold air rose curlingly…

In an instant,

Aokiji's body froze into ice, and the damaged parts gradually began to restore themselves.

Less than a moment passed.

His battered body, struck by massive boulders, had fully restored to its original form.

He gazed coldly at Oren ahead, expressionless, his eyes glinting with intense killing intent.

Huh!

With a light exhale, the air currents before Qingzhi seemed to freeze into ice.

"You're looking for death!"

Qingzhi rarely became angry.

But Oren's actions just now had prevented him from intercepting Lu En, causing Qingzhi to feel anger—an emotion he rarely experienced.

"Boys, attack!"

"Catch that brat!"

"Whoever captures that brat, I'll make him captain of the Fourth Division and reward him with thirty million Berries!"

"Hurry up and act!"

Feeling Qingzhi's gaze filled with killing intent, Oren panicked completely.

Yet…

Seeing Qingzhi's earlier urgency to act, Oren actually breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment,

he could be certain of one thing.

That brat…

was Qingzhi's vital weakness!

If they captured that brat, the desperate situation ahead could be broken!

Threatening Qingzhi with that brat's life…

would surely force this monster to retreat.

This was the only chance to survive.

It was also the only hope for the Demon Man Pirates.

From start to finish, Oren never believed.

That the Demon Man Pirates possessed the strength to directly confront Qingzhi.

Only by resorting to this desperate measure…

could they secure their chance to survive through vile and treacherous means.

"Boss, don't worry—even if Qingzhi is that strong, killing us will take him several minutes."

"And in just a few minutes…"

"That brat will surely be captured by our men."

"Then Qingzhi will have no choice but to surrender."

Homa took a deep breath, suppressing his inner fear with self-reassurance.

"You're right."

Oren nodded, but his expression remained solemn and heavy.

At this moment,

they suddenly saw it.

The brat they had regarded as a soft target…

had actively left the Navy's protective circle!

This sight struck their eyes, causing them to instinctively glance at each other in stunned confusion.

"Is he insane?"

Homa's throat dry, he blurted out.

"That brat is walking straight into death!"

Oren's eyes lit up, his heart swelling with wild joy.

Pausing,

he grinned savagely: "Perfect. Since this brat is willingly walking to his death, we'll oblige him—let him become our perfect leverage against Qingzhi!"

"Now, I'm starting to believe. (cjde)"

"That brat is most likely a pampered noble."

"Under these circumstances, he dares to recklessly leave the Navy's protection. Such audacity is truly unexpected."

Beside him,

Captains Green and Jia Jia Er Sen also revealed cruel grins.

They seemed to already see

the four-year-old brat…

captured by their three thousand-plus men.