Chapter 402: Barrett: No One Understands Involution Better Than Me!

Barrett lowered his head, gazing at his own massive hands and the granite-like muscles covering his body, his eyes filled with nothing but unspeakable determination and excitement:

"I will redeem every ounce of my potential, even surpassing the limits of my own bloodline!!"

Just then, a muffled roar echoed from the distance, as if countless wild beasts were unleashing their instincts to the fullest.

"Ura!!!"

Boom—rumble—!

Upon the earth, a trail of dust surged past Barrett's eyes at high speed.

He saw it clearly.

It was unmistakably a white-furred tribe member over eight meters tall, with extremely bulging muscles, dragging a dilapidated pirate ship more than fifty meters in length, running wildly through the mountains and forests.

Merely the vibrations caused by his running startled countless birds and beasts, so much so that the very ground trembled.

"That is..."

"Bepo, the navigator of Gao Wen's crew?!"

Barrett's face was full of astonishment.

The figure that had just flashed by was someone he had seen not long ago; he was one of the officers under Gao Wen's command.

Covered in pure white fur and especially adept at apologizing, this furred tribesman had left an indelible impression on Barrett.

Although Bepo was not a member of the Round Table Knights, he was still an elite combatant under Gao Wen's banner.

According to the rating system of Gao Wen's crew, he was approximately at the Silver level, which would be sufficient to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the Navy.

"Is he cultivating?!"

Barrett was somewhat uncertain.

Back when he was with the Luo Jie Pirates, he had once performed similar cultivation on a certain island, but that was a very long time ago.

"Among Knight Gao Wen's subordinates, there are also those who cultivate so diligently?!"

"If that is truly the case, I might be able to offer some guidance."

Towards the strong, or rather, towards the strong who dare to challenge him, Barrett never spared his guidance.

Just as Barrett could spare Smoker's life out of admiration for his courage and will, he could naturally extend a helping hand to guide that self-improving furred tribesman in the distance.

While lost in thought,

Barrett could not help but take a step forward, only to freeze in the next instant.

This was because another equally towering figure, dragging a warship even larger than Bepo's, came charging wildly from the distance before roaring away again.

The newcomer wore antlers atop his head and possessed a robust physique that lost nothing to that of the furred tribesman, yet he was not anyone Barrett had ever seen before.

It was only when he noticed the pink hat atop the newcomer's head that a petite and demure figure inevitably came to mind.

"Tony Tony Chopper?!"

"Beneath that harmless appearance hides such a muscular body?!"

"Interesting!"

Barrett stood in place, looking up to gaze at the two figures in the distance.

Chopper, immersed in cultivation, was utterly focused.

Even though his entire body was soaked in sweat and covered in countless bruises, not a trace of pain showed on his face; instead, he appeared to be enjoying it immensely.

That excitement, stemming from the depths of his heart, simply could not be suppressed.

"These two can actually transform the pain of cultivation into enjoyment?!"

"Such willpower is truly impressive."

Barrett nodded slightly, but his gaze suddenly condensed; he raised his eyes to look into the distance and made further discoveries.

In the distance,

powerful impacts continuously erupted from the earth, shaking the entire valley.

Pebbles flew everywhere, and dust filled the air.

Several auras, far stronger than those of Chopper and Bepo, collided frequently, and one of these auras felt familiar to him.

"Kuro of the Hundred Plans?"

"Could it be..."

Barrett vaguely guessed in his heart, yet found it hard to believe.

After all, having sailed with Luo Jie for many years and subsequently defeated countless strong figures across the seas, his impression of pirates had long become fixed.

Among those pirates, which one was not a hedonist living only for today's wine and today's joy, indulging in pleasure?

Even within the Luo Jie Pirates, the only one who truly devoted all his thoughts to cultivation was himself; could it be that the officers under Knight Gao Wen's command all cultivated so hard?!

Barrett could not help but swallow hard, a strange sense of anticipation arising in his heart; he concealed his aura and walked quickly toward the distant valley.

Looking down from above, the terrain was open and rivers converged; this place, which should have been covered in vegetation, had now been completely flattened.

Several figures were continuously clashing and trembling within the valley, occasionally leaving deep impact craters all around, their force so strong that it had even altered the valley's terrain.

Obviously, apart from not aiming to kill, these people were already using their full strength!

Barrett scanned the area.

He finally confirmed that the people cultivating below were indeed Gao Wen's subordinates, and most of them were members of the Round Table Knights.

Flying slash attacks, turbulent air currents, kicking techniques wreathed in flames...

Countless astonishingly powerful skills erupted within the valley!

They were entangled in combat, slaughtering each other, doing their utmost to crush the opponents before them!

Boom—!

A red lotus bloomed within the valley, illuminating Barrett's face in a deep red glow.

His attention also fixed upon the two figures clashing at the very center of the valley.

One man was surrounded by surging currents of air, his posture relaxed and effortless, yet his entire being radiated a sharpness akin to a blade's edge.

It was none other than Xiang Keluo, who had previously clashed with Barrett inside Impel Down.

The other figure was enveloped in jet-black skeletal armor; no, it was not armor at all, but a layer of bone, its black hue resulting from being coated in Armament Haki of exceptionally high quality.

In terms of pure quality, this Armament Haki was no inferior even to Barrett's own!

"Interesting!"

"Setting aside the Hundred-Technique Xiang Keluo for now, could the other person be the Ghost Man—Ah Jin, whom I have yet to meet?!"

"As the right-hand man and left arm of the Knight Gao Wen, these two are already qualified based solely on their combat power."

"Worth a fight!"

A gleam of delight at finding a worthy opponent flashed in Barrett's eyes.

During their previous encounter in Impel Down, Barrett and Xiang Keluo had failed to determine a victor.

Yet he remained confident that if the battle continued, the one who would emerge victorious was surely himself!

Barrett's gaze gradually intensified, and an invisible fighting spirit began to surge around him.

Meanwhile, the group fighting below had, at some point, ceased their movements, all looking up toward the towering, muscular figure above the valley that exuded such overwhelming pressure.

"Ho ya~"

Zoro held a blade in each hand, the corners of his mouth stretching into a sinister grin:

"Did the newcomer find their way here on their own?!"

"This is a first."

"According to Xiang Keluo, a formidable individual has arrived this time, once a subordinate of that Pirate King, Luo Jie."

"I'm truly curious; just how strong are you, fellow?!"

Zoro had not witnessed the battle between Gao Wen and Barrett that day, having only heard from Xiang Keluo that this newcomer's combat power was not beneath his own.

Just that single fact was enough to ignite Zoro's interest, making him eager to engage.

Whether it ended in victory or a crushing defeat.

Looking down from above, Barrett met Zoro's gaze, a hint of appreciation evident in his eyes:

"Not bad eyes."

"But to fight me, this level is not enough."

As he spoke,

Barrett's gaze sharpened, and within his line of sight, a figure wreathed in flames shot up abruptly from below like a meteor.

A fierce, heavy kick came charging forth, aiming straight for Barrett's face!