Chapter 132

The two women, both with time off, seized this rare opportunity to change into casual clothes and went together to the vibrant entertainment hub of the Shichibukai Islands.

Inside a café, Momta and Tina sat at a window table.

After finishing their work-related talk,

the two women shifted to discussing matters outside of work.

For instance, how Tea Boar's seventy-seventh confession to Momta had been rejected, and how Tina, while passing through the East Blue, had mercilessly mocked Smoker for something that had happened years ago while he was stationed there.

"Already three years…"

Momta Jiyuan, her delicate pointed chin resting on her hand, gazed out the window and spoke softly.

Tina, her pink hair falling over her shoulders and sunglasses resting on her forehead, sipped her coffee.

Momta turned her head and smiled at Tina across from her: "On this trip to the West Blue, I heard some things about him—want to hear them?"

"I heard plenty too, back in the East Blue."

Tina set down her coffee cup. "He really is just as he said—he's sailing a ship all over the world."

"Hehe, isn't that great? At least we won't have to meet him on the battlefield."

Momta Jiyuan's eyes curved gently, her tear mole beside the corner of her eye complementing her beautiful, maturely alluring face, radiating an irresistible charm.

Tina propped her cheek on one hand and gently stirred her coffee with a spoon.

"How long is he going to stay in the Four Seas? He's not planning to skip the Grand Line altogether, is he?"

"Who knows? If he does, we'll have even fewer chances to see him."

Momta said with a hint of regret.

Tina frowned. "Running around the seas with beauties on his ship, so leisurely and carefree—he's clearly forgotten both of us older sisters! Next time we meet, TINA will give him a proper beating."

"You weren't even his match three years ago, let alone now," Momta said, sipping her coffee.

Tina opened her mouth to retort.

Momta set down her coffee cup and spoke with a touch of reflection:

"His strength has grown tremendously. You know the Pepper Family, the violent gang led by the twelfth head of the Hakkai Navy in the West Blue—the one called Pepper?"

Tina nodded.

"The one whose head was crushed flat by Admiral Karp."

"Exactly," Momta nodded. "I don't know what happened, but Pepper seems to hold Luo En in the highest regard—even in the Flower Kingdom of the West Blue, no one is allowed to speak ill of him."

The commotion caused by that miracle ship in the West Blue was no less than that in the South Blue. The Hakkai Navy and Elder Pepper's extreme reverence for the ship's captain, the traveler Luo En, left the people of the West Blue deeply unsettled.

"That Pepper of the Cone…?"

Hearing Momta's words, Tina's face filled with shock.

"When he left, his strength was about equal to mine. Only three years have passed—could he have grown this much? TINA is astonished."

Tina said, her face full of disbelief.

Hearing this, Momta couldn't help but smile.

"When he first arrived at Marineford, he defeated Smoker. He was only eleven then. When he fought you, he was fourteen. Do you think his strength didn't grow during those three years in Marineford?"

Tina froze.

"You mean… when he fought me, he held back completely?"

Momta smiled and nodded.

"That guy hid his strength from TINA too! TINA is furious!"

Tina angrily drained her coffee cup.

"Hah."

Frowning, Tina glared at Momta, who sat across from her with a smile.

"Then… when he left Marineford, just how strong was he really?"

Momta sipped her coffee. "One month before he left Marineford, we had a sword duel. It was through that match that I learned his true strength…"

"Luo En's… true strength."

Tina stared intently at Momta, deeply curious.

Momta recalled the battle, lowered her gaze to the coffee in her cup, traced the rim with her finger, and whispered softly, eyes filled with reflection:

"At that time, his strength was already roughly equal to that of a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters."

"!!!"

Tina stared, dumbfounded.

Momta Jiyuan rested her cheek on her hand, glancing out the window, a faint smile appearing in her eyes as she remembered that day's sword duel.

Was that accidental first kiss between them truly unintentional?

No… probably it was just an accident…

After all, his mind was only on cultivation.

Thinking of this, Momta glanced at Tina with a smile.

Loving that guy must be exhausting, isn't it?

…

At dusk.

As the two women were about to leave the streets of the Shichibukai Islands,

the sky suddenly filled with countless newspaper hawks, and sheets of paper rained down from above.

Momta reached out and caught one.

The moment she read its contents, her pupils shrank sharply.

Her usually calm and composed face revealed unmistakable shock.

"This is…"

"What's wrong? Is there some big news?"

Tina curiously leaned over to look.

The instant she saw the headline on the front page, her heart could not help but jolt violently.

【Fierce Battle in the North Blue!】

【The legendary Flying Pirate, Golden Lion Shi Ji, reappears on the seas!】

【Latest news — after a seven-day fierce battle in the North Blue, Golden Lion Shi Ji was slain by the mysterious traveler who has been stirring up fresh legends across the four seas in recent years — Traveler Luo En!】

【Golden Lion Shi Ji, confirmed dead!】

Tina, her heart trembling beyond compare, looked toward Peach Rabbit; the two women locked eyes, each able to see the shock in the other's gaze.

……

The entire sea was set boiling by this single piece of news!

The name Traveler Luo En not only stirred up a storm of heated discussion across the four seas, which had long had their own legends, but in an instant spread throughout the Grand Line and the New World, ringing in the ears of those great figures and top-tier powerhouses!

……

【PS: Tomorrow's plot will be even more explosive. Begging for flowers, reviews, and monthly ticket subscriptions】

120. News That Shakes the Sea! (Part Two) (Double-length combined chapter)

The New World, the second half of the Grand Line.

The Whitebeard Pirates.

On the Moby Dick.

The man hailed as the world's strongest, Whitebeard — Edward Newgate — was also taken aback for a moment upon hearing this news.

"That Golden Lion Shi Ji, died in the North Blue? Who did it?"

"Old man, seems like it's some guy named Luo En."

"Sword" Vista said, looking at the newspaper in his hand.

"Luo En? Never heard that name before."

Whitebeard took a swig of sake and said: "Another rookie supernova popping up lately?"

"Nope, old man."

Sitting to one side, the phoenix Ma Erke, wearing glasses, gazed at the newspaper. "He's not a pirate."

"Not a pirate?"

Whitebeard was taken aback. "A Marine, then?"

Ma Erke shook his head: "Seems not, either."