Chapter 90: Crew Members Who Come Forward Voluntarily

Shambodi Islands, Island 55.

Night deepened; the moon shone bright, stars sparse.

On the deck of the Donghai Dihuang, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen stamped on Elaine Saint's buttocks, gazing far off at the navy fleet glowing with lights.

The entire sea area was blanketed by electromagnetic-enhanced Busoshoku Haki, leaving no movement undetected by Barzab.

Any attempt by Hyouzou or the navy to approach would be met with purple lightning descending from the sky.

On the Dog-Head warship, navy high-ranking officers carrying out the Shichibukai Order gathered around a round table, with Hyouzou reporting progress via Den Den Mushi to the Navy Headquarters.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's Busoshoku Haki coverage is extremely wide—whenever we attempt to cross the three-mile line, lightning strikes precisely from above."

"I just asked Vegapunk—"

"He said this is likely Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen amplifying his Busoshoku Haki's range and precision through airborne radio waves, even electromagnetic waves."

The Den Den Mushi mimicked Warlord's tone.

"I thought the guy was merely strong in Conqueror's Haki, never imagined his Armament Haki was also this elite—no wonder he's the Rumble-Rumble Fruit user. If so, we wait until dawn… to rescue Elaine Saint."

Akainu interrupted.

"When will Kuzan return?"

To avoid repeating the Ohara Shichibukai Order's failure, Akainu wished he could summon Warlord too—not out of lack of faith in the navy, but because he deeply realized this might be the last chance to eradicate the Morning Star Pirates.

Once Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and his crew head to the New World, the navy's influence there will never again offer such a divine opportunity.

"Kuzan won't return before three days at the earliest."

The Den Den Mushi paused, then continued: "We just received word from CP agents—the coating on the Donghai Dihuang and the yacht will be completed before dawn."

"This is our final chance."

Only the Five Elders and Navy Commander Warlord knew about the coating craftsmen being tampered with—at least, that's what the World Government believed.

They never imagined Master Tenghu's hearing was so sharp he could clearly hear CP agents coercing the coating craftsmen.

"Everyone rest early—we'll wait fresh and strike at dawn; we will surely crush the Morning Star Pirates."

Thinking of wiping out a Sea Emperor, the Marine Vice Admirals became frenzied, eyes blazing red, howling with excitement.

"Yes, Commander Warlord."

Karp, who had been sound asleep, was jolted awake by the synchronized responses—he sat up, glaring bitterly at the group of Vice Admirals.

You're still too naive.

Though Warlord surely has more tricks up his sleeve, Karp believed: given Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's level of chaos, he'll almost certainly escape unscathed to the New World.

After all, he's the one Roger recognized.

Of course, Karp himself recognized him too.

Otherwise he wouldn't have deliberately buried his cultivation insights in his own yard, waiting for Barzab Seven to dig them up—Rouji said they'd already been taken.

Hyouzou felt the same, because since Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen entered the navy's radar, the man had never lost.

The closest he ever came to victory—

Was two and a half years ago, when Hyouzou personally went to Skypiea and found Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and his crew.

On the Dog-Head warship's deck, the sea wind howled, whipping the back of Hyouzou's Justice cloak as he stared at the East Blue Dihuang and the giant yacht anchored far out.

Brother, how are you planning to escape this time?

In most cases, pirate ships dive to Fish-Man Island, ten thousand meters beneath the sea, then pass through a giant underwater cave to reach the New World.

For a man like Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, he won't take the usual path—the truth is obvious; Hyouzou silently lifted his gaze.

Fly over the Red Line?

Is it Master Tenghu's Heavy Burdens Fruit ability, or Gold Lion's Float-Float Fruit ability? If you could make the legendary pirate Gold Lion, whom you've captured, join you…

Then you're terrifying, brother.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, Mihawk, Master Tenghu—just these three are enough to give anyone a headache; if Gold Lion joins the Morning Star Pirates too…

So terrifying.

The only silver lining is that brother is about to head to the New World, to plague its pirates—like Sea Emperor Whitebeard, Kaido holed up on Onigashima, Charlotte Lingling who built the Whole Cake Island, and the great pirate Wang Zhi who controls Beehive Island.

As Hyouzou pondered, his peripheral vision caught a ship resembling Impel Down slowly docking near the Donghai Dihuang.

"Impel Down… who could it be?"

…

Deck of the Donghai Dihuang.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen regarded with interest the first crewman to voluntarily join him—

Three-point-four meters tall, powerfully built with balanced proportions, a cigar clenched in his mouth as if smirking, dressed in the uniform of an Impel Down chief warden, wearing a white overcoat behind him—the youthful version of Yuzhi Xiliu, the Rain.

"Captain Barzab Seven, the navy has gathered three Admiral-level forces to rescue the Celestial Dragon, then launch the Shichibukai Order against the Morning Star Pirates."

Xiliu expected to see even a flicker of panic or rage in Barzab's eyes—after all, the navy had assembled a Shichibukai fleet.

Yet Xiliu saw no panic; instead, he saw contempt and amusement in Barzab's eyes.

No wonder he's the captain I chose!

"Thanks, Xiliu."

Yuzhi Xiliu was slightly surprised: "A man like you actually knows who I am?"

Barzab did not answer that question, but pointed at the distant, brightly lit navy fleet.

"Navy hero Karp, Admirals Hyouzou and Akainu, unknown number of Vice Admirals, twenty navy warships, at least twenty thousand navy personnel."

"Even so, you still want to join the ship?"

Xiliu laughed even more wildly.

"To fight alongside a man like you is my honor, Yuzhi Xiliu—I crave worthy opponents, not the mindless drudgery of Impel Down."

"Captain Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, no matter what you plan to do in the future, I, Yuzhi Xiliu, wish to become your sharpest blade."

Saint Saint Saiwen extended his hand, a sincere smile on his face.

"Welcome to the Morning Star Pirates."

Yuzhi Xiliu stood stunned for a few seconds, then reached out to clasp hands.

Yuzhi Xiliu felt Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's hand was very soft, like a woman's, nothing like what one would expect from a Sea Emperor with a bounty of three billion.

Saint Saint Saiwen took out three Devil Fruits.

"Natural-type Swamp Fruit, Paramecia-type Teleport Fruit, Paramecia-type Explosion Fruit. Choose one."

In the original timeline, after Yuzhi Xiliu joined the Blackbeard Pirates, he consumed the Transparent Fruit eaten by Absalom, Moon Mooria's partner.

It was somewhat hard to understand.

What use does a swordsman have for invisibility? If you encounter a powerhouse like Master Tenghu who possesses top-tier Observation Haki, you'd be completely blind.

The radio waves and electromagnetic waves Saint Saint Saiwen could control would also completely counter the Transparent Fruit; invisibility is merely hiding, not making one's reflective surface disappear.

While Saint Saint Saiwen was complaining, a tremendous wave surged within Yuzhi Xiliu's heart: receiving a Devil Fruit upon boarding, and being allowed to freely choose one out of three Devil Fruits.

"Aren't you afraid I'm an undercover agent sent by the Marines?"

Yuzhi Xiliu stared intently at Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's gaze, trying to detect any hint of suspicion or scrutiny, but what met his eyes was only clear sincerity.

"I trust myself, and I trust my comrades even more."

Whether it was natural stupidity overcoming a scheming heart, or sincerity being the ultimate technique, it actually didn't matter.

What mattered was that Saint Saint Saiwen trusted in his own strength; no matter how far a traitor fled to the ends of the earth, they could not escape the fate awaiting a traitor.

His gaze flickered constantly toward the three Devil Fruits, but Yuzhi Xiliu ultimately shook his head.

"Captain, I feel my swordsmanship still has room for improvement in the future."

This answer surprised Saint Saint Saiwen somewhat; he hadn't expected Yuzhi Xiliu to refuse to eat a Devil Fruit, just like Mihawk.

After a moment of thought, Saint Saint Saiwen understood.

The current Rain Yuzhi Xiliu was only twenty-two years old, merely one year older than Mihawk, right in the most vigorous phase of life: the nuclear-powered ox-and-horse stage.

"Very well, then we'll discuss it later."

"Captain, I'll take the night watch."

Before coming, what Yuzhi Xiliu recognized was Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's bottomless strength and his state of mind that soared above all beings.

That was a strong one measuring and confirming another strong one out of instinct, a cold and realistic judgment, like a blade acknowledging the sharpness of another blade.

However.

When Yuzhi Xiliu truly stood before Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, what awaited him was not the expected equivalent exchange based on strength.

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen merely pushed them casually forward, and the three Devil Fruits, enough to stir up bloody storms upon the seas, were handed right to him.

No testing, no collateral required.

A giving so pure it was almost foolish, revealing not strength itself, but something even more astonishing above strength: the magnanimity of treating treasures as trivialities.

It was precisely this almost arrogant generosity that shattered the last barrier in Yuzhi Xiliu's heart.

Strength commanded awe, state of mind inspired admiration, and now this magnanimity surpassing all calculations made Yuzhi Xiliu willingly bow his head.

Saint Saint Saiwen nodded: "Good work."

Lifting the meat-padded Elaine Saint by the scruff, Saint Saint Saiwen went to the cabin to visit the Golden Lion, who was too excited to sleep after removing the ship's helm from his head.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

"Your ship... has been blessed?"