Chapter 67: Live On, My Knight!

"No, don't say it, you really shouldn't say it… this thing is more interesting than I thought!"

"It's just that the actress they found doesn't really match Captain Knight."

"Is this the Captain's past experience? It was made directly into a movie—this level of legend, no one else can compare."

"Wang Fei is really beautiful."

"This actress won't do, I've seen real photos in the newspaper, she's ten times more beautiful than her!"

"Hiss! The Captain sure is blessed with romance~"

……

The crowd watched and commented, even casting teasing glances at Gao Wen from time to time. Seeing his dark expression and silence, they grew even more delighted.

"No, what's there to watch in this kind of thing?"

Gao Wen's forehead veins twitched.

Zoro, Xiang Keluo, and Ah Jin had overdone it and were seriously injured; even with the badge's boost, they'd need two or three days to recover.

Experience points couldn't be gained.

Gao Wen thought about holding a banquet to let everyone relax.

Who knew Nami would suddenly suggest showing everyone a movie—he didn't think much of it and agreed right away.

As a result, this bastard had been waiting for this moment.

Logically he could have just run off, but these brats had locked the cabin door tight, insisting on putting on this show.

He couldn't exactly jump into the sea, could he?

Gao Wen turned to look at the life buoy that had long been put away, instantly abandoned that thought, and could only let them run wild.

He broke out in an awkward case of goosebumps; his current mood was regret—utter, absolute, extreme regret!

Amid the crowd's laughter, Gao Wen felt every second stretch into eternity.

He barely managed to endure until the movie ended, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the deck fell quiet.

Only then did Gao Wen let out a long breath.

But Nami suddenly walked to his side and asked teasingly:

"Captain, what kind of past do you and Queen Guinevere actually share?"

"Is it really like what the movie showed?"

Gao Wen thought for a moment—with this ridiculous movie around, the things his predecessor left behind would only get more and more distorted as they spread; better to take the initiative and explain himself.

After briefly recalling, he began:

"I can no longer remember that woman's face. I only remember the last order she gave me."

"She said."

"I want you to live well, survive at any cost, because only by living is there hope."

"She also said."

"She was the most favored Wang Fei; even the King wouldn't dare do anything to her."

Nami was stunned, instinctively clenching her sleeve:

"And then?"

Gao Wen paused, then continued:

"I believed her."

"I fled with my men, and three months later I heard the news that she had been executed."

"A year ago I led my men to prepare to take revenge on the Goa Kingdom, but the King who had ordered her death fell ill and died just a few days before I began my operation, and Sterry inherited the throne."

"That's pretty much how it was."

Saying this, Gao Wen paused slightly:

"What's wrong with you?"

Nami's eyes had already reddened, her lips pressed tight, looking on the verge of tears.

"Captain, I'm sorry, I didn't know your past would be like this…"

"Waaaaaaaah~"

The next second.

Nami completely broke down, large teardrops sliding from her eyes, utterly moved—and it left Gao Wen flustered and at a loss.

His predecessor's soul had long since dissipated; Gao Wen held no special feelings for that woman either—if anything, it was gratitude.

After all, if he hadn't preserved the predecessor, he himself wouldn't have had the chance to come here.

But Nami clearly didn't think that way:

"Wang Fei was so pitiful~"

Gao Wen, somewhat at a loss, instinctively opened his mouth to comfort her:

"It's all in the past now."

"Mm."

Nami nodded heavily, rubbing her eyes:

"From now on you have me, Vice-Captain Xiang Keluo, Ah Jin, and that new green-algae-head."

"We'll be with you."

Gao Wen was stunned, reached out and patted Nami's head, and something else stirred in his heart:

"Ah."

"Before I find my treasure, how could I possibly fall?"

Gao Wen recalled the question Kamon had asked that day, looked at the Nami before him, and seemed to have found his answer.

……

……

……

Gao Wen's subsequent voyage went smoothly.

The trio of grinders, after recovering their energy, once again began a new round of internal competition.

This time, having learned from the previous lesson, all three held back somewhat—though only a little, limiting themselves at most to a state where they wouldn't fail to get up the next day.

Zoro, who had only just joined not long ago, felt as if he had inexhaustible energy. In the past, he could only train for twelve hours before collapsing from exhaustion, but now, with nearly double the training volume, he could maintain roughly the same duration.

After a bout of thought yielding no results.

He directly attributed all of this to his own extraordinary talent—after being brutally beaten down by Gao Wen, he had grown considerably stronger again.

At this moment.

Inside the training room.

Zoro felt the changes in his body, the corners of his mouth gradually curling up:

"Now it seems, to reach the captain's level, I might not even need three years!"

Xiang Keluo glanced at him and said coolly:

"You're still far from it!"

"That guy wasn't taking your fight seriously at all—neither Shao Si nor Conqueror's Haki was used."

"Shao Si? Conqueror's Haki?"

Zoro, hearing the new terms from Xiang Keluo's mouth, paused briefly, then showed not a hint of discouragement on his face:

"After all, he's a man hailed as the greatest swordsman of the East Sea—how could he do without a powerful set of skills?!"

"Only a man like that is worth me staying here!"

"Hmph!"

Xiang Keluo snorted coldly:

"Arrogant little brat!"

"Old man, aren't you just waiting to be surpassed by the newcomer?"

Zoro did not back down in the slightest.

Over the past few days of getting along, though they often bickered, the distance between them had actually grown considerably closer.

And their recognition of each other's will was even more absolute.

Off to the side.

Ajin watched the two bickering and silently carried on with his own training.

These past few days.

Training alongside Xiang Keluo and Zoro, he could not help but feel that his rate of progress was far inferior to the two of them.

Especially Zoro—at his current growth rate, in at most a few months he would be able to catch up to him.

This also gave rise to a vague sense of urgency in his heart.

He did not wish to be like Zango, the Cat Brothers, and the other companions who, unable to keep pace with Gao Wen's footsteps and adapt to the intensity of the Grand Line, had no choice but to stay behind in the East Sea.

There had not been many experiences during this period, but they had moved him far more than the several years spent following Crocodile.

This man is different—I must become his right and left arms!

Thinking of this, Ajin gritted his teeth and subjected himself to training even harsher than Zoro's.

The three chased and competed with one another.

In the end, naturally, it was all to Gao Wen's benefit.

When this pirate ship reached Pala Island, his Swordsmanship and Physique had each risen by one level, reaching LV-7 and LV-8 respectively.

Even Shao Si had advanced a step further, rising to LV-4—one more level and it could awaken its exclusive trait, just like Physique and Swordsmanship.

And the advancement of Shao Si, which specialized in speed, would inevitably bring speed-related traits.

Gao Wen looked forward to this immensely.

(End of this chapter)