Chapter 158

Instantly.

An incomparably vast, searing power surged madly into his eyes!

Pain!

An indescribable pain!

As if his eyes were being incinerated by the sun, and his very soul set ablaze!

Even Luo En could hardly endure it. He pressed both hands hard over his eyes, letting out low, beast-like growls.

"Aaaagh!"

Boom!

His black hair whipped wildly, his aura fully unleashed, transforming into a gale that snapped the surrounding trees, tore up the earth, and swept outward in every direction!

His Conqueror's Haki, too, burst out involuntarily alongside his agonized growls. Blood-colored ripples spread across the entire island in an instant, and some of the weaker-willed civilians of Shedao were stunned into unconsciousness by that overwhelming presence!

Other, more resolute female warriors of Shedao were utterly shocked.

"Conqueror's Haki? Is it Snake Princess, my lord? Or…"

Above Shedao, the once-clear sky was instantly swept by violent winds. Dark clouds gathered, and blood-colored Lei She writhed within them, letting out ear-splitting peals of thunder!

In a tower of a distant palace, the Empress, who had been bathing in a hot spring, snapped her eyes open.

"Who is it?!"

Very soon.

Having changed her clothes, the Empress Boa Hancock arrived at the forest with Sandersonia, Marigold, and a host of Kuja warriors.

A clearing had appeared at the center of that stretch of forest.

In a crater at the center of the clearing stood a black-haired boy who looked about ten years old.

His black hair drifted, his eyes tightly shut, a trail of fresh blood sliding down from the corner of his eye.

"A child?"

A flash of doubt and shock crossed Margaret's eyes.

Could that astonishing Conqueror's Haki really have been unleashed by this child before them?

How could that be…

Under the gaze of everyone.

Empress Hancock spoke to Luo En: "Was that Conqueror's Haki just now released by you?"

Luo En, his eyes closed, heard her voice. His ears twitched slightly, and he turned his head toward her. "Who are you?"

"Child, don't you even recognize the Emperor of this nation, Snake Princess, my lord?"

Sandersonia called out to him.

The Empress?

Boa Hancock, then…

Luo En understood at once.

"To answer Snake Princess, my lord."

Marigold demanded sharply: "Was that Conqueror's Haki just now released by you?"

Conqueror's Haki?

Did I unconsciously release it just now?

No wonder it drew them here…

With his eyes shut and his vision gone, Luo En activated his All-Seeing World, and his perception grew sharper still—he could sense Hancock and the others' auras, the flow of their blood and qi, even their emotions and hostility.

These people seemed to bear him no hostility, only wariness and confusion.

Was it because of the way he looked now, like a little child?

Luo En wondered to himself.

Seeing he still hadn't answered.

"How rude!"

Marigold, the snake-tongued one, grew somewhat angry.

"Sister, let me go grab her."

She still took Luo En for a girl.

After all, everyone on this island was a woman, and ten-year-old Luo En, with his black hair half-long to his ears, was indeed somewhat hard to tell apart.

At this moment, everyone, Hancock included, believed the Luo En before them was a girl.

Hancock raised a hand to stop her:

"Someone who can unleash Conqueror's Haki like that isn't someone you can handle."

She stepped up before Luo En, looking down at him. "What's your name? What happened to your eyes?"

So this is the voice of the world's most beautiful woman?

He just didn't know what she looked like…

He should have taken a look first before fusing.

Luo En, eyes shut, tilted his head up and smiled at her.

"I'm Luo En, Traveler Luo En. Pleased to meet you, Pirate Empress."

"Traveler Luo En?"

Hancock was taken aback at the words.

It seemed she had heard that name somewhere before…

The next second.

A scene that stunned everyone unfolded.

The black-haired little 'girl' who had looked about ten years old suddenly transformed into a black-haired youth — slightly taller than Empress Hancock, with a well-proportioned, heroic build, handsome features, and a calm expression!

Having suddenly grown taller, he was extremely close to Empress Hancock, who hadn't yet reacted — their noses were almost touching.

"Has Bonney's ability worn off…"

"What a lovely scent."

Luo En said with a soft laugh, eyes closed.

Hancock, standing before him, slowly opened her eyes wide.

"A m-man?!"

Sandersonia's shocked voice rang out.

Only then did Hancock snap back to her senses. Her beautiful eyes instantly turned cold, and she raised her leg to kick!

Luo En raised his hand and caught her strike.

Boom!

Two massive forces collided, producing the thunderous roar of a pressure explosion. A ring of shockwave blasted outward from the two of them in every direction!

The rest of the Kuja Pirates immediately took up battle stances, nocking arrows and cloaking them in Haki, aiming at the bare-chested black-haired youth.

"So that's a man?"

Margaret, bow in hand, stared at Luo En, her eyes full of curiosity.

So a man can grow big and small?

"Traveler Luo En, this concubine remembers now — so it was you."

Hancock, her kick blocked, fixed her cold gaze on Luo En before her. "What exactly are you planning, sneaking into Shedao?"

Luo En, eyes still closed, smiled in her direction and said: "If I told you I came here to travel… would you believe me?"

Hearing this, Hancock's eyes turned cold and she leapt backward.

She then brought her hands together before her chest in a heart shape.

"Mero Mero Mellow."

The heart-shaped beam instantly struck Luo En.

But what Hancock and the others hadn't expected —

Luo En didn't petrify at all.

"It had no effect on him?"

"Is it because he kept his eyes shut the whole time and never saw my sister's peerless beauty, so his heart was never moved?"

A cold sweat rolled down Marigold's face.

"He knew of my sister's ability in advance and prepared a countermeasure. This guy… did he come prepared?"