Chapter 248: Divine Avoidance, But I Do Not Avoid

"They're actually coming?!"

On the deck of the Raven, Yu Gaowen gazed into the distance.

With his eyesight, even at a distance of over ten kilometers, he could clearly see a massive pirate ship running at full speed, charging straight toward him.

Such behavior on the high seas was no longer mere provocation; it was barefaced contempt.

"It's people from Totto Land!"

Van Augur leaped down from the crow's nest, hurried to Yu Gaowen's side, and asked:

"What do we do, Captain?!"

"Fight or retreat?!"

Yu Gaowen remained silent, casting a glance at him.

He saw that Van Augur had already deftly removed Senriku, pulled several special Seastone bullets from his pocket, loaded them, and now wore an expression of eager anticipation.

"Aren't you quite tempted?"

"No."

Van Augur raised his gun, the corners of his mouth curling into a ferocious smile:

"I absolutely obey the Captain's orders!"

"So do we!"

To one side.

Zoro drew his three swords, their blades flashing with cold light, his eyes filled with towering fighting spirit.

Behind Kuro, a long tail tipped with a blade twitched uneasily.

Argin had already activated the power of the Bone-Bone Fruit, his entire body covered in a layer of jet-black bone armor.

The rest of the crew likewise had fire in their eyes.

Clearly, after staying in Alabasta for a month or two, apart from the internal ranking battles within the team, they hadn't experienced a proper fight; the great swords in their hands were already itching for blood.

The corner of Yu Gaowen's mouth twitched; he turned to look at the approaching ship in the distance, his gaze shifting unpredictably.

He was clear about the goal of this journey.

To bring Luqi back intact while avoiding being dragged into the struggle over the Pluton blueprints surrounding Water Seven as much as possible.

At this moment, even wearing the guise of the Marines, engaging in battle with people under the banner of Totto Land would yield no benefit whatsoever and would only invite a heap of trouble.

The loss would outweigh the gain.

Thus, after only a moment's hesitation, Yu Gaowen made his decision.

"We retreat—"

The word "retreat" had not yet fully left his lips.

When suddenly, a volley of cannon fire erupted from the sea surface in the distance; shells with a caliber exceeding twenty centimeters crossed the distance between the two ships in an instant, landing in the sea near the Raven...

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Towering columns of water rose up around the Raven.

One shell whizzed past Yu Gaowen's face, only to be kicked away by Kuro, likewise plunging into the water.

Had Kuro's action been even a split-second slower, that shell would have struck the Raven's fragile propulsion system.

That was something Luqi had spent a long time repairing before he left.

Once impacted, this ship would likely be completely paralyzed!

As a sky-full of spray rained down, soaking Yu Gaowen's clothes, his gaze turned cold at that very moment.

I retreat to save you face; since you don't want it, then fill the gap with your lives!

"Looking for death!"

Bang—!

Accompanied by a loud explosion, Yu Gaowen suddenly exerted force with his feet, crushing a depression several meters in diameter into the Raven's deck, causing the hull to tilt forward at that instant.

Such tremendous force resulted in even more astonishing thrust, so much so that Yu Gaowen vanished from sight in an instant, skimming across the water surface as he sped toward the distant Totto Land pirate ship!

He was unwilling to seek trouble, but when the other side pressed right up against his face, he didn't mind directly eliminating every possible threat!

Totto Land...

Even if Big Mom herself were present, one would only know who was strong and who was weak after fighting!

"The Captain is too cunning!"

"He wants to monopolize all the opponents for himself!"

Realizing this, Zoro couldn't help but purse his lips, his tone carrying an indescribable dissatisfaction.

During this period, Zoro hadn't encountered a single worthy opponent; his mouth was so bland he could taste birds, and sometimes he couldn't help but start missing his experiences at the East Blue Martial Arts Tournament.

Although losing to Kuro in the end was somewhat embarrassing.

But to be honest, that time was truly exhilarating, especially...

Thinking of something, Zoro subtly touched the small knife at his waist, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he couldn't help but start reminiscing.

"Boring..."

Sanji saw through Zoro's thoughts at a glance; after rolling his eyes, he intended to step forward to support Yu Gaowen.

But at that moment, Kuro Solemn's grave reminder came to his ears:

"Nobody move!"

"Fall back!"

"I have a bad feeling... Lieutenant General Lancelot is going to get serious this time!"

"What do you mean?!"

Bepo froze, unable to help but gaze toward the distant sea, vaguely feeling a sense of heart-pounding terror.

Something... was coming!

"This is a warning!"

On the Totto Land pirate ship, Snug slowly drew the katana from his back.

During the time since becoming one of the Three Sweet Commanders, he had been frustrated at every turn, and countless flames of anger had long accumulated in his heart.

Right now, he urgently needed to vent, and this group of Marines before him was the perfect target.

Barbaroa looked toward the distant sea surface, unable to help but swallow hard:

"Snug, maybe we should just let it go."

"Initiating an attack on the Marines; if anything goes wrong, we'll be punished by Mama."

"And for some reason, I keep having this feeling of heart-pounding terror right now."

"You think I'll lose?!"

Snug sneered disdainfully.

It was true that he was the youngest among the current Four Sweet Commanders, but that did not mean his strength was weak.

On the contrary, anyone capable of sitting in this position was a ruthless fighter who had killed their way out from among countless competitors.

Strength and weakness depend on who you are comparing against.

Compared to a monster like Katakuri, he naturally fell far short, but could he possibly capsize against some Navy Lieutenant General who popped up out of nowhere?!

Do you underestimate me too much?!

"Wait a second... what is that?!"

Barbaroa let out a cry of surprise, subconsciously raising a hand to rub his eyes, yet his breath stagnated in the next instant:

"It's here!"

"What's here?!"

Snug froze for a moment, feeling only the hairs on his back standing straight up; the sense of crisis detected by his Observation Haki made alarm bells ring loudly in his heart.

Snug had encountered this feeling before.

That was several years ago, during a naval battle where Big Mom, the leader of Totto Land, clashed with high-ranking Navy officials, unleashing Haki!

He stared blankly, looking up toward the distant sea.

He saw only a figure speeding across the water's surface, moving even faster than a fired cannonball.

The silver blade in the newcomer's hand approached from afar, while Haki heavy as a mountain range pressed down upon this Totto Land pirate ship.

From Snug's perspective, he even saw crimson Lei She dancing wildly in the air!

"It's the same as Mama's—!"

"Bright Moon!"

Accompanied by Yu Gaowen's cold and sharp voice, a beam of silver light entwined with crimson Lei She appeared before Snug's eyes, instantly filling everything in his field of vision...

There was no mistake; this was Conqueror's Haki coating, just like Mama's! Since when did the Navy gain another monster comparable to a Navy Admiral?!

Wait...

There's something wrong with this ship!!!

Could it be that this guy was never a Marine from the very beginning?

A warship with a strange shape could be the vessel of a high-ranking Navy official, but naturally, it could also be a pirate ship...

Damn it!

It's a trap!

Snug suddenly woke up to reality, but he no longer had much opportunity to think, because in the next instant, he felt a chill in his chest.

Zing!

A piercing humming sound erupted suddenly.

A silver-white line, at this moment, nearly split the entire heaven and earth apart.

From the Totto Land pirate ship, to the Sea Kings leaping out of the water in the distance, to the pure white clouds in the clear sky...

Violent shockwaves spread in all directions; the Totto Land pirate ship was directly shattered and dismantled by the aftermath of this single slash.

Yet the intensity of the impact did not weaken in the slightest, continuing to pour out toward the surrounding sea; the sea surface within several hundred meters around them suddenly sank at this moment.

The howling wind and waves even launched a fierce impact toward the Raven several kilometers away, to the point that those with weaker strength on the ship could not even stand steady!

Bepo directly sat down on the deck with a thud, looking toward the turbulent sea in the distance, and at Yu Gaowen, who had wings growing from his back, quietly hovering above the sea surface while sheathing his blade.

"Is this the power of Lieutenant General Lancelot? Even Jin Shizi could only reach this level at most, right?!"

Bepo swallowed hard, yet his mind began to race at this moment.

If I could obtain such powerful strength, even while facing Jin Shizi's firepower, I could bring Law to escape calmly!

No!

To become a true pioneer, one must obtain power like Mr. Lancelot's!

Even...

If he could be made to act against Jin Shizi, wouldn't Law be able to escape ahead of schedule?

Even letting Law board this ship would be better than continuing to stay on Jin Shizi's ship!

Thinking of this.

Bepo slowly took out a Vivre Card from his bosom, glanced at it carefully, and then put it back into the bag close to his chest.

To one side.

A-Jin withdrew his shocked gaze, turned to look at Xiang Keluo, and couldn't help but swallow hard:

"So the captain you faced back in Alubarna was of this caliber?!"

"I can now understand why even you were shocked to that extent..."

"No!"

Xiang Keluo shook his head; his tail, which had been wagging incessantly, fell limply onto the deck, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and even his eyelids were twitching:

"Last time, Yu Gaowen absolutely could not achieve this level!"

"Absolutely!"

"What the hell, how has he advanced even further in such a short time?!"

Seeing a companion grow stronger, especially when Yu Gaowen, who had already pulled ahead, widened the gap even more, Xiang Keluo's feelings were extremely complex.

He feared his brother would suffer, yet he also feared his brother would drive a Land Rover!

A-Jin laughed wryly:

"Now you have someone to chase, oh, and Zoro too."

Zoro's tiger-like body trembled; he silently glanced at A-Jin, and instantly felt that the small knife at his waist had lost its appeal.

A few minutes later.

The turbulent sea gradually calmed; the ships of the myriad nations had completely fallen apart, with only numerous wreckage fragments floating on the surface.

Snag had long vanished without a trace; only crimson blood stained the water, attracting schools of bloodthirsty sharks that swarmed over, greedily gnawing on corpse after corpse.

"Hm?!"

Yu Gaowen's gaze fell upon the sinking wreckage in the distance.

There, two figures struggled to climb out of the water, clutching tightly to wooden planks before them, gasping deeply for fresh air.

One was tall and burly, with a pair of horn-like ornaments on his head; the other was much slimmer, yet possessed a long, square nose and a face somewhat resembling a puppet.

Both were bare-chested, their bodies covered in scars, looking utterly wretched.

But their physical features were so distinct that Yu Gaowen recognized their identities at a single glance:

"Are these... Kaku and Blueno?!"

He turned to look at the pirate ships of the myriad nations around him, which he had shattered with a single slash, and immediately understood why the other party had attacked him without explanation.

"So it was guilt making them fearful, worried the news would leak, and they mistook me for pursuers, is that it?!"

"Consider yourself unlucky."

Yu Gaowen shook his head, then fixed his gaze on Kaku and Blueno in the distance, who had barely escaped with their lives.

After a brief moment of thought, he leaped forward, grabbed each by the neck, lifted them up, turned, and flew toward the Raven.

Having previously endured endless torment, merely surviving was a testament to their strong will; at this moment, they possessed not even a shred of strength to resist.

"Kaku? Blueno?!"

Miss Kalifa saw the two familiar figures and couldn't help but let out a startled cry.

As far as she knew, at this point in time, these two should still be in Water 7, carrying out the mission to find the blueprints for Pluton.

The reason Roubo Luqi had chosen to leave Yu Gaowen's pirate crew alone was partly to search for traces of these two.

After all, they were companions who had grown up together, supporting one another.

Even between Roubo Luqi and Jabura, two who argued the moment they met, there existed some degree of affection.

Not to mention Kaku, who had always silently followed behind Roubo Luqi, almost inseparable from him.

But now that these two had appeared here, it could only mean that events had taken an unexpected turn.

"Miss Kalifa?"

Kaku opened his mouth, coughing up a mouthful of blood; a hint of surprise also appeared in his eyes, but due to the instincts of a CP organization member, he did not ask aloud.

"It's fine; everyone here is trustworthy."

Seeing this, Kaku immediately put his mind at ease; the string that had been constantly tensed in his heart finally relaxed, and his head tilted to the side as he instantly lost consciousness.

Blueno, standing nearby, possessed far less strength than Kaku; he had already fallen into unconsciousness back when Yu Gaowen lifted him up.

Seeing this, Yu Gaowen knew that no matter how many questions he had, he could only wait for now; what truly concerned him was whether these two had ever seen Roubo Luqi.

Fortunately.

A few hours later, Yu Gaowen's question received an answer.

Covered head to toe in bandages, his injuries alleviated and having regained consciousness, Kaku shook his head in response to Yu Gaowen's question:

"No."

"More than half a month ago, we were attacked by a group of pirates."

"Their objective was extremely clear; they came specifically for me and Blueno. The intelligence regarding our mission has likely been leaked; we just don't know how much has been exposed."

"Is that so..."

Yu Gaowen nodded, instructed Miss Kalifa to look after the two, then turned and walked out of the cabin onto the deck, falling into deep thought.

Now that Kaku and Blueno had temporarily escaped danger, the situation in Water 7 would only grow more rotten as time passed.

Yu Gaowen had some interest in the blueprints for Pluton.

But Vegapunk had stated personally.

With the technology of this era, it was fundamentally impossible to reconstruct an Ancient Weapon.

Although in Yu Gaowen's view this matter was not absolute, it basically indicated that under normal circumstances, this approach was unfeasible.

On the contrary, intervening in the affairs of Water 7 at this point in time would bring far more trouble than any potential gain.

"First, let's try to contact Roubo Luqi through the CP organization's channels..."

……

Time flew by, and it was already deep night.

The traces left by the day's battle had long been swallowed by the sea; even the wreckage of the pirate ship that had originally floated on the surface was gradually sinking.

Only a few hungry sharks lingered unwillingly in the surroundings, searching for any possible scent of blood.

Suddenly.

These sharks scattered in all directions as if startled.

Splash—!

Barbaroa, who had narrowly survived, surfaced from beneath the water, looking around vigilantly, his eyes filled with terror.

His clothes had long since been shed, revealing the conspicuous gills on his shoulders.

Only after confirming that Yu Gaowen and his group had long departed did Barbaroa finally exhale a long breath; yet whenever he recalled the scenes of the day, his heart was filled with unspeakable fear.

The oppressive pressure Yu Gaowen exerted on him was even far greater than that of Katakuri; within the Big Mom Pirates, the only one comparable to him was Big Mom herself, one of the top pirates of this era.

"A fellow like this absolutely cannot be some nobody!"

"I have definitely seen him before, and it was not long ago; where... just where was it?!"

"No!"

"The Marines... do the Marines truly have such a figure?!"

(End of Chapter)