Chapter 109: I Want to Ride on the Dragon's Back

Hanafza spat out a mouthful of blood, looking at the calm sea before him, which was utterly different from the Grand Line, and couldn't help but sigh in relief:

"Shouldn't we say it's no wonder the East Blue is called the weakest sea? What kind of powerful figures could such a gentle environment produce?"

"That old ghost's weapon is already damaged; he shouldn't be able to chase us here."

"Besides."

"Within the Marines, who besides that old ghost dares to go against the World Government's will?"

The words had barely fallen.

Hanafza's pupils suddenly contracted; he raised his hand and caught an incoming cannonball in his grip...

Boom!

Crimson fire exploded on the damaged pirate ship, and dust and smoke filled the air.

Immediately after.

A series of cannon strikes raced in from the distant sea surface, landing around the pirate ship and sending up a sky-high spray of water.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Seawater fell like raindrops on Hanafza, but his gaze remained fixed on the warship approaching from the distance, his face turning iron-green:

"When will this end!"

"Just the East Blue!"

"Who do you think I am!"

"Close in!"

The damaged pirate ship began to exert force, speeding rapidly toward the distant warship.

It was at this moment that Hanafza clearly saw a figure standing on the warship's deck.

A man with white hair, no eyebrows, two cigars in his mouth, and holding an exaggeratedly large ten-hand weapon was Smoker, stationed at Loguetown.

"I am one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea authorized by the World Government; are the Marines truly disregarding the World Government's orders by attacking me?"

Smoker remained unshaken:

"Even if you are a Warlord of the Sea, even if you have the World Government's plundering permit, the East Blue is not your sphere of influence."

"Either return to the Grand Line, or I will send you to Impel Down."

Smoker, previously severely injured by Gao Wen, already had a belly full of anger with nowhere to vent it; what good expression could he possibly show Hanafza for intruding into the East Blue without authorization?

Hanafza, cold and gritting his teeth, said:

"You seek death!"

The words fell.

Hanafza's figure suddenly swelled; within a few breaths, he had transformed into a carnivorous dinosaur with two short arms, standing over eight meters at the shoulder, causing the pirate ship to sink slightly under his weight.

Immediately, Hanafza stomped heavily beneath his feet, nearly pressing the bow into the sea, and shot toward the distant warship like a cannonball.

His massive jaws opened, emitting waves of bloody aura, possessing the spirit to swallow everything!

Yet his breath nearly halted in the next instant, for upon the distant sea, vast white smoke suddenly churned up.

"A Logia type?!"

Hanafza was stunned, but his killing intent grew even more intense:

"So what if you're a Logia type?!"

"Brat!"

"Haki is the power that decides everything on this great sea!"

Accompanying his words.

The sharp teeth in Hanafza's mouth were instantly wrapped in a layer of pitch-black Haki, and then...

Boom!

The giant dinosaur crashed headlong into the warship's deck, instantly swallowed by endless smoke and dust.

Upon the sea.

A battle that could be called brutal erupted.

Smoker, having just recovered from severe injuries, faced the Seven Warlord of the Sea Hanafza, who had been severely injured by Zephyr yet brimmed with killing intent...

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Within the smoke and dust.

Earth-shattering roars frequently rang out, leaving the people on the distant pirate ship dazed, daring not to venture into the center of the battlefield at all.

For once caught in the crossfire, not only would they themselves be destroyed, but the pirate ship beneath their feet, their only foothold, would be torn apart by Hanafza.

Just as they believed they were already safe, several cannonballs suddenly shot out from the distant white smoke, precisely hitting this pirate ship.

In an instant, flames rose on the ship's hull, and wails of agony rose one after another.

This battle did not last long.

Smoker, having awakened dual-color Haki and possessing a Logia-type Devil Fruit ability, was naturally a dimensional-strike force in the East Blue, and even on the Grand Line, he would count as a formidable expert.

Yet his opponent was, after all, one of the three great powers selected by the World Government to stabilize the sea's situation, standing alongside the Marines and the Four Emperors: a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Whether in ability development, body techniques, or Haki cultivation, the gap was unmistakably obvious.

Half an hour later.

Hanafza sat on the deck of the warship, his body newly marked with numerous wounds, blood oozing out in gurgling streams.

Beside him lay Smoker, pinned to the deck by Sea-Prism Stone shackles, already unconscious.

In silence.

Hanafza reached toward Smoker's neck, but his fingertips halted at the last moment, for a tall, burly, and overwhelmingly domineering man suddenly flashed in his mind.

"If the Navy initiates the attack, it is a different crime from killing a Navy officer."

"You should thank Lord Kaido's order, which forces me to preserve this Seven Warlords skin."

……

……

……

Several days later.

East Blue, Loguetown.

In the harbor located before the town, numerous guards had been added for routine inspections.

They looked around, gripping their flintlock muskets tightly, anxiously inspecting every person who arrived at the port.

The news that Smoker had been defeated by the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Hanafza, and that his life or death was unknown, had already returned; having lost this pillar, the branch Navy at this moment felt a sense of panic at the slightest sound.

Unfortunately, this still could not compete with the East Blue nobles' frenzy for this auction.

In the harbor.

Ships of various sizes, all exquisite and magnificent, were packed tightly; a crowd of nobles dressed in exquisite and refined attire, surrounded by servants, slowly descended from the decks.

"It is said that this time, even rare goods obtained from the Grand Line are here; perhaps even a Fish-Man."

"Previously, I was fortunate enough to taste the Mink Tribe; that feeling was simply... simply..."

"Indescribable."

A noble waved his arms and legs, telling his companion beside him of his experience, instantly drawing agreement from the crowd.

Before long.

Laughter filled with lust spread from all around.

Gao Wen, carrying a suitcase, stood aside, listening to the crowd's discussion, his eyebrows gradually furrowing.

"Even in a place like the East Blue, is this unavoidable? These people are already accustomed to it."

"Truly... a world beyond cure."

Speaking thus.

Gao Wen shook his head, then, carrying the box in his hand, slowly descended from the ship.

This is a plague of the entire world; it will not change by his personal will, at least not now.

Immediately, Gao Wen turned his attention to his goal.

The purpose of this journey was to buy a treasure at the auction sufficient to draw the East Blue's attention at the Martial Arts Tournament; wealth, famous swords and guns, or Devil Fruits were all good choices.

Moreover, Gao Wen saw the anxiety regarding strength in Arkin.

If asked which subordinate under Gao Wen had the highest loyalty to him, it was undoubtedly Arkin.

Realizing one's true heart and breaking through one's beliefs requires luck and also an element of gambling one's life, but Devil Fruits are already a proven path to raise one's upper limit.

"If a suitable Devil Fruit can be bought, Arkin could choose first."

In the midst of speech.

Gao Wen slowly walked into the harbor.

In an instant.

A large group of people appearing to be guides, wearing either cunning or fawning smiles, swarmed up.

"Mr., I know everything about Loguetown; for five thousand Berries, I can take you anywhere you wish to go."

"I offer four thousand five hundred!"

"I offer three thousand!"

……

At that moment.

The crowd argued until their faces turned red.

Gao Wen's gaze, however, fell upon a young girl outside the crowd.

Twelve or thirteen years old, her clothes were tattered, layered with thick patches, barely covering her body; she looked timidly at the people disembarking around her.

Noticing Gao Wen's gaze, a glimmer of hope ignited in the girl's eyes; she forced her way into the crowd and, summoning her courage, said:

"M-Mr., my name is Mira... I only want two thousand!"

"When my father was alive, he was a Marine in this area; I followed in his footsteps and have been to every place here."

"I even know where every manhole cover is on this road."

Gao Wen naturally saw Mira's predicament; for him, it mattered little who guided him, so he immediately pointed at Mira:

"It's you."

The words landed.

The crowd surrounding Gao Wen scattered with a roar, shifting their targets to other people nearby, and the area around Gao Wen suddenly emptied out.

"Follow me."

Mira wiped the mud from her face with her sleeve, a bright smile curving her lips; she then turned and led Gao Wen toward the interior of Loguetown.

As the last town where the East Blue meets the Grand Line, Loguetown, though not as prosperous as the city of Gao Wen's past life, possessed the charm of a coastal small town.

In the air, the scent of the sea breeze was everywhere.

Shops lined the street, and nearly all the specialty products of the entire East Sea could be seen here.

Gao Wen even spotted oranges, a specialty of Cocoyasi; it seemed that after Nami left, Nojiko had managed the orchards there quite well.

"This is ale produced in Yanan. They say the taste is rich and the texture is smooth; most importantly, it has plenty of foam."

"This shop's Caomei Sect is the most famous in Loguetown. To be honest, it's not expensive; few locals eat here, it's mostly a scam for tourists."

Mira walked cheerfully ahead, constantly introducing Gao Wen to the customs and culture of Loguetown, familiar with everything here.

Clearly, he had not lied before.

Gao Wen listened quietly, but his steps suddenly halted as his gaze fell on a doll shop nearby.

The doll shop was small, yet its transparent window was filled with four-legged, two-winged demon dragon dolls of all sizes, dazzling and attracting many boys and girls who gathered before the window.

For a moment.

Gao Wen inexplicably felt as though he were seeing his own figurine:

"Red Dragon Doll?"

Mira looked at the shop's name, paused slightly, and a shy smile appeared on her face:

"Speaking of which."

"I once thought that one day I could ride on the back of a giant dragon."

"Legend says the mythical demon dragons possess countless treasures; if one could obtain those things, even kidnapping me would be acceptable."

Gao Wen's mouth twitched; for a moment, he had words he didn't know whether to speak or not.

"After all, as long as there is money, Mother won't have to work outside every day, and my younger brothers and sisters can go to school."

Saying this, Mira chuckled foolishly, scratched her head, and then her eyes suddenly lit up:

"I can also pursue my own dreams. Mr., did you know? I sing very well!"

Seeing that Gao Wen had little interest in this, Mira continued:

"Speaking of which, the auction house in Loguetown recently changed owners; it is said the new owner came from the Grand Line."

(End of this chapter)