Chapter 16: Chapter Sixteen: Escaped

"My name is Kaido, and I offer online instruction."

"Let me give your other grandson a few swings—maybe he’ll become as strong as the Straw Hat kid."

Su Lin was now spouting nonsense, joking to himself—he wasn’t even using his own face.

Luffy rubbed his head, thinking seriously: "Come to think of it, that’s true."

Ace found these words somewhat enticing.

Ace: "So fast? Is that even possible?"

Garp: "Really?"

"Kaido": "......"

Sakazuki: "......"

Birds of a feather flock together.

The two legends of the Marines were now on the verge of clashing with one of the Four Emperors, Kaido.

Whitebeard’s main combatants had suffered little loss.

"Didn’t fall for it?"

As Akainu hesitated, the giant spider Daz Bones lunged from the side and swung a blade toward him.

"You bastard, Akainu!"

"How dare you deceive me!"

Akainu showed no displeasure at the exposure of his plan: "You don’t believe me?"

"Thanks to Jinbe, I didn’t fall for your scheme to sow discord!"

"Jinbe?!"

Akainu was baffled—how did the Marine Admiral Jinbe know?

If not for his interference, Whitebeard would already be wounded by now.

"Tch."

"Great Eruption!"

A lava fist, larger than even a giant, erupted instantly.

Fish-Man Karate

Jinbe seized the opportunity beneath the ice, using Fish-Man Karate to summon a massive waterspout that neutralized Akainu’s attack.

Vast amounts of steam filled the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the situation in Marineford was being broadcast worldwide by overworked seagulls and news insects from major newspapers.

500, 700, 1100, 1900... 3003!

The growth finally plateaued at 5000, then began to rise slowly.

"Hahahaha!"

"Kaido" threw his head back and laughed loudly.

Who cares—today’s entire bill is on me, Su the Young Master!

After obtaining this system, Su Lin had thought long and hard, and plotted extensively.

But even a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.

You have no idea how hungry I was just staring at those items in the shop.

I dreamed of them every night.

I’d even planned to become an internet celebrity, reviving the Shama style to earn some points.

Start from the most basic martial arts, exchange step by step, and gradually ascend to cultivation.

I never expected that in this world of One Piece, besides my ability, I could earn so easily.

Though the Straw Hat Luffy had tormented me badly, there’s a saying that fits.

After the storm comes the rainbow.

Five thousand points can accomplish many things in the system’s all-inclusive shop.

I can buy entry-level cultivation techniques like the Star-Undying Method, Taiyi Xuanhuang Scripture, or the Eternal Undying Decree—order them and they’re instantly learned, with free beginner spiritual energy and immortal power included.

I can also directly purchase techniques relying on insight and innate talent; many complete ones are available, but at 5000 points, their quality is limited, and I must learn them myself—if I fail, that’s my own problem.

Su Lin’s original goal was simple.

Longevity, power, pleasure.

Once this was over, I’d return to the everyday world of Blue Star and just chill.

As for whether the system or the chat group had some conspiracy—I didn’t care.

Why bother thinking so much?

I was just an ordinary person before; now I’ve gained these opportunities—I’m already the luckiest person alive. Why overthink? The items are right in front of you—do you take them or not?

Return to the city with this ability and immortality—gagaga~—I’d dominate the everyday world.

Of course, I had zero interest in the clichéd harem route after returning to the city.

Right now, I am the ancestor.

When I gain enough power later, I’ll trigger another spiritual revival, wear a disguise, and keep earning points from behind the scenes to grow stronger.

After all, my own world is my base.

Su Lin saw that the moment was nearly right.

Beyond the Haki covering his body for defense, he channeled the full limit of his Conqueror’s Haki around his spiked club.

Garp watched, uneasy, worried for Luffy’s safety.

Garp coated his fists in Armament Haki, ready to join Sakazuki in attacking Kaido.

Aokiji and Kizaru were also preparing to seize this chance to capture Fire Fist Ace and the Straw Hat kid.

"Take it, Luffy! This is my final Thunder Bagua !"

"Your graduation lesson!"

Black lightning, wrapped in Haki , coiled around the spiked club—but this strike was not aimed at Luffy.

Sakazuki and Garp, seasoned veterans both, never let their guard down for a moment.

Though surprised by Kaido’s sudden shift in target, they were prepared.

Yet this strike succeeded in halting them both.

"Hahaha, Kaido, you’ve learned some dirty tricks too!" Garp laughed heartily, feeling quite pleased.

He never expected Kaido would help his grandson—now Garp felt a weight lift from his chest.

At the same time, a new question arose in Garp’s mind.

Could Luffy really be Kaido’s student? Had Kaido trained him this well in just a few days? And why did Kaido come all the way to the Summit War to fight for him?

Impossible. No logic. Doesn’t make sense.

Garp’s mind felt overloaded—he sensed something off. The Haki was stronger than before, yet the martial style was undeniably Kaido’s.

Could Kaido have gotten drunk, fallen into the sea, and had his head kicked by a Sea King?

Though he couldn’t figure it out, Garp now felt strangely at ease.

All he had to do was beat Kaido—no more wrestling between family loyalty and Marine justice, no more accusations of holding back.

To thank Kaido, he’d unleash his full strength for the first time in years and pound him senseless.

Sakazuki’s head throbbed—he never expected Kaido had truly come to help the Straw Hat kid.

Now things were complicated.

The situation was unpredictable.

Moreover, the Beasts Pirates might arrive—perhaps they’d already arrived—now they’d have to guard against external attacks too.

They needed to resolve Kaido quickly.

Just as Sakazuki prepared to go all out and Garp prepared to pummel Kaido and stall for time—

Inside the chat group—

Su Lin: "F*** it!"

Boom—

Boom—

Massive drumbeats echoed across the battlefield.

"Farewell~." Su Lin waved to the stunned Garp and Sakazuki.

The next instant—

The "Kaido" before them, in the astonished gazes of all, transformed into a young man, leaving behind only a spiked club on the shattered earth, then dissolved into light and vanished into the sky.

"Fake?!"

"Damn it! We were tricked!"

Sakazuki snapped back to reality and turned his gaze toward the Straw Hat kid’s side.

But he saw—

"Gear Five!"

Somewhere on the sea in the latter half of the New World—

"Ah... so sudden, yet so nostalgic."

"After eight hundred years, I hear it again!"

"I hear the drums of liberation! Though the time and place differ from the prophecy."

"That voice—he's over there."

"Joy Boy has returned."

An immense, indescribable presence turned toward the location of Marineford.

In the distant past of this world, the Elephant Lord, who had committed an unforgivable sin, was commanded to keep walking without ever stopping.