Chapter 389: Energy Source

Thinking thus, the smile on Fujitora's face inevitably brightened a few degrees more.

Although Smoker had joined the Marines far longer than he had, Fujitora viewed him with the eyes of one looking at a junior.

"As Zephyr's last and most valued disciple, Smoker is impeccable when it comes to conviction and character alone."

"It is just that his style of action is slightly too impulsive; he still needs some tempering, and in this regard, he can find supplementation under Captain Gao Wen."

"After all, no matter how peaceful an era may be, various public security incidents will inevitably need handling."

"Compared to pirates who can be directly slain, these cases, though less severe in nature, are far harder to untangle and undoubtedly more grinding."

"However."

"If things go smoothly, perhaps in another three to five years in Britannias, there will be another figure like Zephyr."

"It truly makes one feel a hint of anticipation."

Amidst his words.

A trace of nostalgia inevitably floated before Fujitora's eyes.

He still remembered clearly how, when he had first found Zephyr and heard of the latter's bold conception and plans, he had felt a shock emanating from his very soul.

After undergoing countless calamities, this man's conviction had become ever more radiant.

Fujitora nodded silently:

"Smoker ought to be just like..."

Before his voice could even land, at the far end of the street, a group of bare-chested giants displaying exaggerated muscles came jogging closer.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized; bearing oversized weights on their bodies, they shed sweat under the setting sun.

Yet the smiles on their faces grew stranger the more one looked at them.

That was not a smile forcibly suppressed while enduring pain, but a smile arising from the heart, from the depths of the lungs.

They... were enjoying all of this!

The commoners around had long grown accustomed to this, and there were even bold women who actively whistled at the group of giants.

But it was like casting coquettish glances at a blind man; not a single person paid her any heed.

The air was sweltering, with only the scent of hormones rushing toward one's face!

Fujitora's expression froze for a moment.

He sensed Smoker's aura, and the latter also saw Fujitora, yet he merely nodded to Fujitora before leading the crowd in cultivation with a face full of enjoyment!

Smoker...

He had already sensed that pleasure beyond imagination, breaking through the body's limits and witnessing his own growth!

It was simply, simply, simply...

Intense!

Were it not for minding Fujitora's presence, Smoker would have been unable to suppress a roar.

He finally understood why A Jin and Xiang Keluo could grow to such a level within two years.

It was simply because cultivation, for them, was no longer something to be stubbornly endured, but something in which they delighted, looking forward to the pain of every muscle tear and the tingling sensation when they knitted back together.

That was a pleasure surpassing all imagination!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Moving in unison, their feet left footprint after footprint on the floor, stretching all the way to the limit of everyone's line of sight.

Only then did Fujitora come to his senses; turning his head to gaze in the direction where Smoker had vanished, he strained to sense that completely different aura emanating from the latter.

For a moment, Fujitora did not know what expression to make.

Why did it feel as though Zephyr's successor had grown somewhat askew, having completely taken on the shape of Gao Wen's faction?

Although every aspect under Gao Wen's command was quite good, the only point that could be called a shortcoming seemed to be the existence of a kind of mental contamination, causing everyone who came into contact with it to become irretrievably addicted to cultivation.

I...

Fujitora imagined himself bare-chested, like those cultivation maniacs, desperately pumping iron, and could not help but shudder.

At this moment, he felt even more strongly that his decision to abandon the position Gao Wen had offered him and choose to travel within the borders of Britannias was an incomparably correct choice.

He could see more, and at the same time return to his old trade, gambling across...

I mean investigating nationwide exactly which gambling halls were non-compliant and existed with cheating situations.

Fujitora nodded.

"This humble one is here to punish evil and promote good, absolutely not a person addicted to gambling!"

As his voice landed.

Fujitora left the money for wine on the table, then leaned on his cane and departed quickly, fearing that if he were even a step slower, he would be completely assimilated by Smoker and his group.

That kind of thing...

Absolutely cannot happen!

Camelot.

Municipal Building.

Gao Wen, Xiang Keluo, Franky, and a few others gathered here, while standing before them was War Taowan, his hands bound in shackles.

"It's no use asking me; I, your grandfather, don't know where Old Man Vegapunk is right now either; perhaps he has already perished in the vast sea, who knows,"

War Taowan said with considerable self-mockery.

More than a month ago, after he was captured by Xiang Keluo, he was taken to Britannia.

After seeing Xiang Keluo, as agreed, set Ivankov and his companions free, he also relaxed.

Back then, when he served as bait to draw away the World Government's pursuers, he had already been prepared to die; but to implicate his benefactor because of himself was, to him, something completely unacceptable.

Thus, the last resentment in his heart toward Gao Wen and his group also vanished.

Seeing that Gao Wen and the others still would not give up, War Taowan sighed and spoke directly to reveal the truth:

"Two years ago, Water Seven erupted into a war over the blueprints for Pluton, even provoking a figure as great as Golden Lion to take action."

"Among the Pluton blueprints that circulated, the old man once saw one."

"His assessment was that it was half true and half false."

"At that time, the only ones with the ability and the motive to do such a thing were Gao Wen and his group."

"In other words, the reason you want to find the old man is also to have him take action and build Pluton, right?!"

Xiang Keluo was slightly stunned, and a few traces of dangerous aura appeared in his eyes.

Building Pluton to balance the ancient weapon controlled by Imu could almost be said to be the greatest secret of Gao Wen and his group now.

Once exposed, even at the risk of the entire world spiraling out of control, the World Government would, without hesitation, turn its spearhead against Gao Wen and his group.

And no one understood the power of that suspected ancient weapon, the Seraphim, better than Britannia, who had witnessed the Seraphim's attack with his own eyes!

Only an ancient weapon can counter an ancient weapon.

This was the greatest lesson that disaster left for Gao Wen and even the entire Britannia.

Even as strong as Gao Wen, he did not believe he could withstand the Seraphim head-on.

Although Gao Wen himself could naturally escape without any problem, what awaited the vast majority of those under Gao Wen would only be annihilation within the Seraphim's light pillar!

This was something neither Gao Wen nor Xiang Keluo could accept, and it was for this reason that they chose to temporarily endure and lie low.

But now, their plan has been seen through at a glance...

"Gao Wen!"

Xiang Keluo raised his hand, adjusted his glasses with his palm, and in the air, a thick, almost solid killing intent began to rise.

Clearly, he had taken a killing mind.

"Put away your astonishing killing intent, Xiang Keluo!"

Gao Wen reached out, placed his hand on Xiang Keluo's shoulder, and immediately, invisible Haoshoku Haki spread out, instantly suppressing the killing intent surrounding Xiang Keluo.

Xiang Keluo reluctantly pouted:

"Understood, Captain."

Gao Wen responded with a sound, then turned his head to look at War Taowan and asked:

"Then besides that, what else did Vegapunk say?!"

"The old man also said that after you saw the Pluton blueprints, you were probably planning to use the power of Devil Fruits to overcome the difficulties of technology and materials, right?!"

Gao Wen nodded.

Vegapunk is, after all, the smartest person in the world; being able to see this layer is not strange.

But what War Taowan said next made Gao Wen's expression darken:

"It's useless."