Chapter 142

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High in the sky, among the clouds.

The Voyager drifted through the sea of clouds like a flying ship.

Though Konis, Luo Bin, and Bonney had listened to Luo En explain his plan, now that they had truly escaped from Akainu and Kong and were freely soaring through the sky, they still couldn't help feeling it was all rather unbelievable.

"So that means, with the Captain's Float-Float Fruit ability, from now on we can go anywhere we want across the entire ocean?! We never have to worry about the Marines hunting us down anymore?!"

Bonney, after coming back to herself, was overcome with excitement and joy.

"As long as we don't run into any Devil Fruit users who can fly, that's basically true."

Luo Bin, seated at the table, gave a slight nod.

Bonney excitedly scooped up the cloud fox Sisi beside her.

"The Captain is just too amazing!! I knew hopping on this ship was the right call!"

"Sister Luo Bin, did you already guess how it would turn out? You look so calm, like—"

Konis hadn't finished speaking.

When she noticed Luo Bin's hand, the one lifting her teacup, trembling nonstop.

Looks like she wasn't as calm as she appeared on the surface…

Of course Luo Bin couldn't stay calm.

After all, this time Luo En had… deliberately chosen to run into Kong and Akainu, two of the top powerhouses on the sea, and then escape from them!

Even the most reckless pirate on the ocean probably wouldn't pull such a suicidal stunt…

Yet Luo En not only did it—he pulled it off!

And on top of that, he destroyed six Marine warships!

That was basically a hard slap right across the face of the Marines and the World Government!

"After this, the Captain's bounty is definitely going to go up again. How nice… I wonder if after this I might get a bounty too."

Bonney, with her face buried in the fluffy fur of the cloud fox Sisi, nuzzling and rubbing against it, said she was very envious and hopeful.

"A bounty?!! I heard Big Sis Luo Bin mention it—is that the thing that represents how strong you are?!"

Kung Fu Sea Lion Little Seven's eyes sparkled, its little tail wagging furiously.

"Can I get one too?!"

"Probably not, since we're not famous like the Captain and Sister Luo Bin."

Konis, leaning on the railing, smiled as she gazed at the sea of clouds ahead.

The wind stirred her loose golden hair behind her head, and combined with her pure, flawless face, she looked like an angel among the clouds.

"True enough."

Bonney and Little Seven immediately fell a little dejected at those words.

While they were chatting.

In the sky.

Luo En was flying toward the drifting ship, holding Kuina in his arms.

"Don't move, we're almost there."

Luo En said to Kuina, whom he was cradling princess-style in his arms.

Kuina kept her head tucked down, a faint blush coloring her delicate, spirited little face, her heart full of embarrassment.

"Why… do you have to hold me like this…"

"Haha, don't worry about it."

"How could I not worry about it! Luo En, you jerk, you did this on purpose, didn't you!" Kuina puffed up angrily, reached out, and pinched Luo En's cheeks, pulling them outward.

Luo En let her tug at his cheeks, his face still beaming with a bright smile as he gazed at her:

"It's really been so long, Kuina. I didn't expect to run into you here today… Did you get word and come all this way?"

Seeing his face overflowing with joy and delight, Kuina gently released his cheek, lowered her head, and hummed an acknowledgment—she had, in fact, followed the warships here.

"Thank you."

Luo En smiled at her, his eyes curving.

"Six years apart, and you've already grown from that tomboy into a graceful, lovely beauty."

Kuina's face flushed red at his words. Following his gaze downward, she immediately crossed her arms over her chest and snapped, embarrassed and annoyed: "Isn't the thing you're focusing on a little off?"

"Uh…I didn't mean that."

"Dummy Luo En!"

The hilt of the Wado Ichimonji in her arms smacked Luo En on the head with a sharp *pa*.

"Ow."

When Luo En returned to the ship drifting through the sea of clouds with Kuina, the three women aboard all froze.

"And this is…?"

"This is the vice-captain of this ship I told you about before—Kuina."

Luo En introduced her with a smile.

Kuina, standing beside him, looked at Luo Bin and the other two women, glanced at Luo En, and said flatly, "I didn't expect all your crewmates to be beauties…"

Uh…

Luo En scratched his cheek with a finger and gave an awkward smile.

Upon learning that the female swordsman before them—wrapped in a black robe, hair tied in a high blue ponytail, dashing and spirited, with a delicate face—was the vice-captain Luo En had mentioned before, Luo Bin and the other two women showed looks of realization.

After a round of self-introductions.

Kuina also gained a general understanding of the ship's members.

Luo Bin, Konis, Boni, and the kung fu sea cow Xiao Qi learned that she had come specifically after hearing the Navy was coming to capture Luo En, even attacking the warship from behind—and their gaze toward Guina changed completely; the faint barrier from their first meeting vanished entirely, their eyes filled with warmth and a touch of respect.

What kind of determination and courage must it take to choose to stand against the Navy and side with Luo En in such a situation?! Is this truly the first mate Luo En has never stopped thinking about?!

At that moment, the three women silently acknowledged Guina's identity as first mate.

At dusk.

The Traveler drifted like a tiny boat, aimlessly floating amid clouds and colorful auroras.

"After I left Windmill Village, I wandered the East Blue for a while, then joined a pirate ship and headed for the Grand Line..."

Luo En and Guina sat beside the deck table, recounting what had happened to each of them during their six years apart.

The wine cups before them held the fruit wine Magino had given Luo En when he left Windmill Village—he had never dared to drink it, but today was perfect to open it.

Konis bustled in the kitchen, while Luo Bin and Boni helped her; tonight's banquet to welcome Guina required fine cuisine to be prepared properly.

The kung fu sea cow Xiao Qi went to the gravity chamber to train; after witnessing Luo En's and Karp's punches, it felt even more acutely its own weakness.

In truth, Xiao Qi had already mastered several fist techniques including Eight Impact Fist, as well as Shave and Tempest Kick, and had awakened Armament Haki—on the open sea, it was by no means weak; it simply traveled with Luo En, surrounded by people too strong, and only felt inadequate in comparison.

The cloud fox Xixi lay comfortably asleep on the grass beneath the deck tree.

On this ship floating among the clouds, all was peaceful and warm.

Yet on the open sea at this moment, another colossal storm had erupted!

127, Five Emperors potential? The sea that stirred a storm!

【Wanted: Traveler Luo En, 430 million Berries—encountered Akainu and Kong in a sea region of the North Blue! Escaped successfully!】

【Traveler Luo En confirmed to have inherited the Gura Gura no Mi ability of the Golden Lion!】

【The six warships led by Akainu and Karp were destroyed by his Devil Fruit ability! Over fifty Navy personnel injured, none dead! Traveler Luo En and his companions escaped unharmed!!】

【Traveler Luo En caught a punch from Vice Admiral Karp, blocked Admiral Akainu's attack with a single sword, and split the sea for thousands of meters! Confirmed to possess Great Sword Saint-level strength!】

【A blue-haired girl suspected to be Luo En's accomplice attacked a warship—suspected to possess Sword Saint-level strength…】

【Traveler Luo En issued a direct warning to the World Government and Navy: Don't regret this in the future!?】

【The storm-tossed sea—the terrifying power of the Gura Gura no Mi!】

【A seventeen-year-old top-tier powerhouse, a free ship sailing the skies—will a fifth Emperor emerge upon the sea?!】

…

As one explosive rumor after another spread from the North Blue, the entire sea erupted in a massive uproar!

Everyone now understood one thing.

On the sea… another young top-tier powerhouse had been born.

Not like Red-Haired Shanks of old—no, he had stormed into the eyes of every powerful figure and faction on the sea with even greater shock and speed!

The legendary Traveler Luo En, once whispered of across the Four Seas, now stirred storms across the Grand Line and even the New World!