Chapter 829

"I forgot I'm a Devil Fruit user…"

Little Lufei was on the verge of tears.

It was quite normal for him, always so carefree, to forget he was a user.

But this time,

because of his carelessness, he ignored the fact that he was a user, causing him to sink into the sea with not a single hope of survival.

At this moment,

Red-Haired also saw the despair on Little Lufei's face and let out a bitter laugh.

"Now you're afraid?"

"Where were you when it mattered?"

"From now on…"

"Remember this recklessness of today!"

Carrying countless thoughts in his heart, Red-Haired dared not delay—he rushed toward the sea where Little Lufei was.

When he saw Little Lufei,

he casually shut off his Observation Haki, focused all his attention, and advanced toward Little Lufei with full concentration.

Meanwhile,

in a place Red-Haired didn't notice…

beneath the sea,

a massive shadow flickered in and out of view.

The enormous shadow possessed a body as vast as a mountain range.

It radiated an overwhelmingly terrifying pressure!

Upon closer inspection,

it resembled a supermassive crocodile…

Fierce and menacing,

its appearance was grotesque.

It had a pair of blood-red eyes, filled with murderous intent, its form hidden in the dim sea.

At this moment,

it seemed to have locked onto Little Lufei, who was struggling helplessly on the sea's surface.

It viewed Little Lufei as prey!

If the villagers of Windmill Village could see it now,

they would surely

involuntarily let out a terrified scream…

King of the Near Seas!

That's right!

It was a famously enormous Sea King near Windmill Village.

Its fearsome reputation spread far and wide,

it was legendary!

It bore an extremely illustrious title.

The villagers of Windmill Village called it—King of the Near Seas!

This title meant…

It was the undisputed, unshakable sovereign of these waters!

The forbidden overlord among Sea Kings!

At the same time.

Windmill Village.

Thud-thud-thud!

A hurried pounding of footsteps and knocking startled Lu En, who was training in his room.

"Hm?"

Lu En slightly raised his brow and slowly opened his eyes.

Immediately,

he ended his training.

He picked up the towel hanging by the window and wiped all the sweat from his body.

He walked step by step to the door.

Creak!

A soft sound.

He pushed open the door.

Then,

Lu En saw a stranger standing outside the door.

The man seemed to be…

a crewman of the Red-Haired Pirates?

Lu En had a good memory.

He vaguely recognized this man.

Probably...

Yesterday, in the tavern, I saw his figure when I clashed with the Red-Haired.

"What is the Red-Haired's reason for sending someone specifically to me?"

"My ties with the Red-Haired aren't that deep."

"Or perhaps—"

"This isn't an order from the Red-Haired? But rather, this man acted on his own?"

Lu En's eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the man at the door with a casual gaze.

Holding his inner confusion, he asked: "Did the Red-Haired send you to me? What for?"

As Lu En spoke,

the man at the door, "One-Five-Three," seemed momentarily stunned.

At this moment,

Lu En was bare-chested,

golden sunlight poured down upon him.

Illuminating the bulging lines of his muscles.

Veins like centipedes sprawled across Lu En's body, making his figure appear towering and terrifying, radiating an unmatched, overwhelming pressure.

His back bore a pattern,

as if branded by a demon.

Delivering a powerful visual impact.

At this moment,

the pirate crewman from the Red-Haired Pirates, standing at the door, was frightened by Lu En's entire muscular frame.

"S-So strong a presence!"

"Fist Demon Lu En..."

"Indeed, his reputation is well-deserved."

"Terrifyingly strong!"

"Just this aura of pressure alone is beyond what an ordinary person could withstand."

This crewman of the Red-Haired Pirates was a pirate with a bounty of seventy million Berries.

In the New World, a seventy-million-Berry bounty might be insignificant; but in the first half of the Grand Line, he was unquestionably among the elite great pirates of considerable strength.