Chapter 183: Cat Trial

The news from the Gate of Heaven Amazon Grandma arrived, and a group of seven Qinghai people entered Angel Island from the Gate of Heaven.

"Prince, we've been waiting a long time!" Zuo Meiyi said softly, as if sighing, "But it doesn't matter; let's go for a walk in Apa Ya Duo!"

Priest Zuo Meiyi's robes fluttered, her bearing spirited and vigorous; being a mere priest was naturally no problem. The cat beside her was icy cold, disdainful of everyone, possessing an air of a divine beast.

The kitten's gaze fixed on the sole green spot in the sky. People here are inexplicably drawn to it, the only forest in the sky. Within the monotonous white cloud layer, this forest is dreamlike.

This forest contains many unimaginable places—giant trees, giant beasts—everything exceeds the norm. Zuo Meiyi knew these things were not this size in Qinghai; they had changed due to some environmental factors. Perhaps because of stronger solar radiation, these trees and birds mutated, but this obviously cannot explain everything.

In Apa Ya Duo, many things are larger than in Qinghai, but the indigenous Shandi Ya people have not grown larger; instead, over several hundred years they evolved wings… or perhaps not wings, but they captured women locally and bore winged offspring.

Speaking of evolution, there are also some accidents; even the original inhabitants of Sky Island do not all have wings. Perhaps it's because Sky Island people abducted Shandi Ya women and bore wingless offspring. If time permitted, Zuo Meiyi could study whether wingedness is a dominant or recessive gene.

However, having spent a long time on Sky Island, she no longer had the leisure to study such trivial matters; it was time to leave this small area and explore the true mysteries of this world.

"Priest Mei Yi, Lord Enel summons a gathering!"

"Well, let's go, Prince!"

Zuo Meiyi, brandishing her peach wood sword, lifted a tabby cat onto her shoulder. The cat was extremely unwilling, a sour face fully revealing its mood—truly a master of expressions.

The divine summoning was no big deal.

Under various operational guidance, Sanji, Usopp, and Luffy were to begin trial selection; those who insult the gods must accept divine punishment.

As the host of the Cat Trial, Zuo Meiyi could not be absent at this time, but she knew that, if nothing unexpected happened, the three would choose the Ball Trial, which was originally their choice. Of course, now there is one more of her, so it's unknown whether they will choose the ball or the cat. Either way, her Cat Trial could easily attract playful enemies. However, that doesn't matter; with their current strength, wanting to defeat her would truly be harder than becoming the Pirate King.

The other four priests eagerly awaited the few people entering their own trials, not knowing if it stemmed from some bloodthirsty nature; however, setting aside appearance, all four were brutal men.

Like what comes. Perhaps the cat, associated with cuteness, easily overcame the Ball Trial's 'playability'; after discussion, Luffy's group still chose Zuo Meiyi's hosted Cat Trial.

"Heh heh! The Cat Trial seems unimpressive; they're all treating it like a game! Heh heh!"

"Yo, Shadelie, you're really lucky—you don't have to die so early!" Seeing Luffy's trio finally switch from the Ball Trial to the Cat Trial, Zuo Meiyi said to the spherical Shadelie beside her.

"Huh? … Zuo Meiyi! What are you saying? I'll die?" Shadelie was instantly enraged by Zuo Meiyi.

Zuo Meiyi certainly wouldn't argue with him; she quietly walked toward her trial site.

"Come back, Zuo Meiyi, I'll turn you into a ball and kick you to Bai Bai Hai!" Shadelie was instantly enraged.

"Broom Sword Technique!" Shadelie couldn't dodge at all, but Zuo Meiyi promptly withdrew her move, leaving a stunned Shadelie.

"Huh?" Zuo Meiyi glanced indifferently at the remaining three.

"Heh heh..." Apparently unhit and not sent flying, Shadelie began to celebrate.

"Cat Claw!" Zuo Meiyi whispered softly to Shadelie.

"……!"

The claw flashed like lightning; Shadelie could not dodge.

"Boom!" Zuo Meiyi changed claw to finger, lightly flicking Shadelie.

Even such a strike, Shadelie couldn't withstand it, being flung far away like a golf ball swung.

"Hey, Mei Yi, what do you mean?" Priest Shura couldn't help but speak up.

"I… I don't like noisy men!" Zuo Meiyi quietly stepped away, approaching Luffy and the others.

Zuo Meiyi's appearance was very simple: she lay on a cloud seat, stroking the cat, looking down from above at the three arriving by boat.

At this moment she had waited a long time, but she couldn't resist teasing and intimidating the man who claimed he would become Pirate King.

"Yo, three, welcome to the Cat Trial grounds; I am the obstacle you must overcome—meaning, if you can't beat me, you cannot rescue your companions! But before that, who are you?" Zuo Meiyi chatted for a while.

"Wow wow wow, what a lovely lady—could this be the Love Trial?" Sanji truly turned into a lovestruck state, leaving Zuo Meiyi speechless, especially since this only proved she wasn't an ugly girl.

"No! This is the 'Cat Trial'!" Zuo Meiyi smiled faintly; this Sanji truly was as lecherous as in the original.

"I'm Luffy, the man who will become Pirate King!" he said, full of confidence.

"I, I'm Usopp, Captain Usopp!"

"Sanji!" Sanji struck a pose, lit a cigarette, extremely flamboyant.

From Zuo Meiyi's intuitive sense, they were far from impressive; perhaps even the three combined couldn't match her cat. With such strength to roam the seas, they'd truly need the author's own son-level protection.

"My name is Zuo Meiyi; intimates call me Mei Yi (Sami). Remember that—perhaps this name will become a nightmare you can't escape! Well, heart-to-heart ends here—I'm on a mission, so you must also remember that this trial concerns your dreams, companions, and even your own little life!" Zuo Meiyi said.

"Kidnapping my cute… Nami-san… Robin-san, even if they're ladies, it's unforgivable; today this demon wind kick will be stained with ladies' blood!" Zuo Meiyi's aura left Sanji unable to gauge strength, but that very feeling made his heart race.

Who said Sanji doesn't hit women?

"Hmph." Zuo Meiyi naturally scoffed, "The more fierce and evil the man, the more he's a pushover—come at me all together!"

"Sanji, let me have a go!" Luffy declared firmly, "Gum-Gum Pistol!" He attacked mercilessly at where Zuo Meiyi sat. Such speed and power would pose no danger to her, even if increased tenfold or a hundredfold; yet Zuo Meiyi wouldn't let him land a punch.

Zuo Meiyi slightly sidestepped; the fist narrowly missed.

"How boring!" Zuo Meiyi reached out and grabbed Luffy's arm, applying slight pressure; Luffy felt his bone snap, then was directly pulled over. Zuo Meiyi's left palm lightly patted, sending him crashing like a cannonball into the massive tree roots behind, kicking up dust heavily.

"Ah! It hurts..." Luffy hadn't felt such real pain in a long time; Zuo Meiyi's palm flung him, leaving him dizzy and barely able to stand.

"Yo, pretty weak, aspiring Pirate King!" Zuo Meiyi felt a bit disappointed; what kind of fighting power is this?

"Luffy's clearly a rubber man—how can he feel pain!" Sanji also sprang in surprise, ignoring Luffy's single-challenge remark, he kicked out with a jump, speed not slow, leaping to attack.

No need for Zuo Meiyi to lift a finger.

"Meow!" The Prince leapt up, extending his forepaws to grab Sanji, leaving three shallow blood marks on Sanji's face; had he not adjusted his body in time, those marks would have marred his handsome looks.

Sanji showed a surprised expression!

"Not over yet!" Zuo Meiyi jumped midair, raised her long leg, imitating a certain general's classic move, appearing slow but actually swift as she swept toward Sanji's cheek, subtly reducing force.

"Whoosh!" Sanji instantly lost control of his body, slamming hard into the tree roots, kicking up clouds of dust or bas.

"Really quite weak!" Zuo Meiyi lamented.

What a bunch of pitifully weak losers!

"Sanji! Gum-Gum Gatling!" Assuming Sanji had suffered serious injury, Luffy hesitated no longer, unleashing this nonsensical fierce barrage.

Zuo Meiyi lightly leapt down from the cloud seat, drew the side‑arm‑length peach wood sword less than a meter long, and struck each incoming fist. Luffy felt pain, but once the Gatling started, he couldn't easily retract it.

Zuo Meiyi forwent blocking the incoming fist, closed in, and in the instant Luffy couldn't react, her fist struck his body.

The force pierced the entire giant wood. Zuo Meiyi realized that if she didn't control it, such a blow could really kill someone, even if he were a rubber man. Zuo Meiyi still controlled the blow's position and force well, so as not to cause him any internal injury.

"Luffy! Luffy!" Sanji flung aside dirt and broken wood, shouting loudly on the side.

"Luffy?" Usopp's hands and feet trembled as he called out Luffy's name.

By now, the three all knew the enemy before them could no longer be underestimated! This wasn't someone who made them feel troublesome by relying on strange abilities. This was a monster that completely surpassed them in hand-to-hand combat.

"How did you get this strong today, Pirate King?" Zuo Meiyi continued to tease.

Luffy was already furious, his technique becoming even more chaotic.

"At this level, not only can't you save your comrades, you can't even protect yourself!" Although Luffy's punching speed seemed faster, it was obvious that the speed Zuo Meiyi could tolerate was far higher than this.

Again she swept Luffy away with a palm. Zuo Meiyi added a little force, and the time it took Luffy to get up from the ground grew a bit longer.

"Luffy… hmph! What a formidable woman!" Sanji said this with his mouth, but his heart felt otherwise; he resolved to use all his strength.

If you don't even have the confidence to defeat her, boasting about not kicking women is just empty talk, and you might even be looked down upon by the lady before you. A gentleman's attitude only has meaning when contrasted with a weaker woman; otherwise it's just foolishness and arrogance.

"Devil Wind Kick!" Sanji twisted, his right foot turning into a burning lump of iron.

I have to say, making fire by drilling wood in this world is too simple.

I ask myself, you are the strongest woman I have ever seen; even though I once swore not to kick women, I will give you my all, especially when I bear responsibility for my comrades' safety!" Sanji spoke nonsense, like dying words.

"If this is your full strength, then your comrades are in bad shape!" Zuo Meiyi mercilessly mocked.

"Devil Wind Kick: Broken Oath Kick!" Speed and power increased, and it struck straight at the vital point.

The burning Devil Wind Kick stopped just two inches before Zuo Meiyi's shoulder, unable to advance even an inch. A wooden sword appeared out of nowhere, blocking the killing blow.

"Good timing!" Usopp aimed at Zuo Meiyi's position: "Finishing Move: Gunpowder Star!"

Zuo Meiyi leisurely withdrew her finger and lightly flicked the gunpowder star.

"Boom!" The gunpowder star returned the way it came, and the blown-up Usopp promptly feigned unconsciousness.

"Neck meat!" Sanji attacked from a different direction, but the attack's position was clearly off, really making Zuo Meiyi feel the victory was unearned.

"Setting sail with this ability, your future is as dark as a pitch‑black night where you can't see your hand in front of your face!" The peach‑wood sword pressed against Sanji's raised foot; no matter how he exerted force, he could not advance an inch.

He understood in his heart that even if this kick's power were greater and its aim more accurate, it could not break through her simple defense; he didn't know why, but he felt that way. As he wandered in thought, a darkness surged into his mind, leaving no room for struggle.

"This fight is destined to be unfair—let's end it here!" In the instant no one could react, Zuo Meiyi's elbow lightly struck his neck.

Sanji fainted.

Because he was worried about the two of them, Usopp could no longer keep pretending, and he hurriedly rolled up from the ground.

Zuo Meiyi stepped step by step toward Usopp, who was loudly shouting Sanji's name.

Facing an enemy whose strength far surpassed his, Usopp really couldn't think of any way to win in battle.

"Finishing Move: Gunpowder Star!" Usopp took out his slingshot and fired in Zuo Meiyi's direction.

Zuo Meiyi would never be careless toward any opponent.

"Huh…" Usopp turned his head toward the sound and saw a huge black‑spotted leopard opening its bloody maw at him.

This time he really passed out!

"Sanji! Usopp!" Luffy woke up afterward, but he never expected things to be like this.

"You seem to be looking for new comrades!" Zuo Meiyi's words hinted that the two were already dead.

"What did you do to them?" Luffy almost went mad.

"You still can't see it!" Zuo Meiyi said indifferently.

"Ah! Usopp! Sanji!" Luffy's eyes were about to burst.

He was really easy to deceive.

"If you fail, your other comrades will die too!" Zuo Meiyi continued to provoke.

"I will definitely defeat you!" — a look of firmness and anger.

"You still can't see it!" Zuo Meiyi vanished from her spot, appeared before Luffy, and threw a punch at his forehead.

Luffy had no power to resist.

But he still struggled to rise, steadfastly gazing at Zuo Meiyi.

"Even though you deny it, you are still not my match!"

Luffy did not launch another reckless attack.

"On this road you will meet many opponents you cannot defeat with your current strength; mere firm will won't even let you pass my level!" Zuo Meiyi felt a bit like a teacher.

"Jet-impact gun!"

"Sometimes one move loses and you lose everything!" At a speed and angle Luffy could not perceive or gauge, Zuo Meiyi landed a heavy punch on his belly, shattering a huge tree as well, and Luffy spat blood.

"I will absolutely not… lose to you!" Luffy forced himself to stand, his face pale, his eyes somewhat serious, a posture of fighting to the death.

With Zuo Meiyi's strength, even if he released Conqueror's Haki, it would not affect her in the slightest, let alone this crude gaze.

"Maybe so, but you will lose now; if you lose now, you may never get another chance to win, because you are going to die now, and if you die there will be no chance at all. Remember, not every checkpoint can be passed by luck and bravado! I think this trial should teach you something."

"Monkey D. Luffy, Cat's Trial, failed!" Zuo Meiyi softly said to the fallen Luffy who could no longer stand.

"How does she know my full name?" That was Luffy's final thought as he fainted.