Chapter 166

"Father, if this news is true… the traveler Luo En has moved an entire island to a height higher than the top of Red Line Continent! If he can do something like that, then what about moving Fish-Man Island up to the ocean's surface?! Could that also be possible?!"

Neptune heard this and froze, then his eyes widened slightly, his heart instantly surging with turbulent waves.

"Prince, what are you talking about?" the Left Minister was confused. "What do you mean by moving Fish-Man Island to the ocean's surface?"

The Right Minister suddenly recalled a possibility, his pupils shrinking violently as he trembled and looked at Shark Star: "D-Do you mean… the thing Lady Eki dreamed of?!"

Upon hearing his words, the Left Minister turned to look at Shark Star and Neptune, his face drained of all color.

"No way… wasn't that just an unreachable dream?"

"It was indeed just a dream before, but now I see hope."

Shark Star gazed firmly at Neptune and said, "Father, I wish to invite the traveler Luo En to a banquet at Long Gong!"

After a moment's thought, Neptune looked at him and said, "Whether or not this is possible, at least befriending him is certainly beneficial to Fish-Man Island. I'll go with you."

"K-King…"

The two ministers wanted to say more.

Neptune raised his hand toward them and said, "No more words. Go prepare the banquet immediately."

"... Yes."

…………

By the time Luo En and the others emerged from the Sea Forest.

As they neared the Giran Kode Square.

A golden light flared above.

The fish-men and merfolk in the square looked up and, seeing Neptune and Shark Star riding on a whale, were utterly stunned.

"W-Why would this lord come down to the Undersea?!"

"I've never seen this before…"

"The King, and Prince Shark Star!"

Amid the stunned gazes of the surrounding fish-men and merfolk, the King of Long Gong, Neptune, and the Crown Prince Shark Star flew to stand before Luo En and his group.

"Could it be… that the King and Prince Shark Star came here specifically for these humans?"

But what stunned the surrounding merfolk and fish-men even more was Neptune's next words.

He spoke to the black-haired boy among them, eyes closed as if blind: "You must be the traveler Luo En, correct?"

Through the commotion around him, Luo En already knew who stood before him.

He tilted his head up and said to Neptune: "King of Long Gong, what do you want with me?"

"There is indeed something I wish to ask of Master Luo En. I have prepared a banquet within Long Gong City. Would you and your companions have time to be our guests?"

"!!!"

Hearing Neptune's words, the eyes of the surrounding fish-men and merfolk bulged as if about to pop, their jaws nearly hitting the ground.

This lord had come down in person… just to invite a few humans to a banquet at Long Gong?!

The surrounding fish-men and merfolk stared at Luo En and his group with utter awe.

Who exactly are these humans?!

Luo En was slightly surprised by Neptune's invitation—he hadn't expected the King of Long Gong to come personally to invite him.

Something to request… hmm…

After thinking for a moment, he turned to the women beside him: "What do you think? Want to visit Long Gong?"

Guina said indifferently: "I'm fine either way."

Luo Bin nodded: "If it's an invitation, I'd actually like to go see it."

"I want to go too."

Kones smiled.

"Such a fluffy beard…"

Xiao Qi stared at Neptune's big beard and said.

"It seems my companions are mostly in favor. Then let's go."

Luo En, eyes still closed, spoke toward Neptune: "We have another companion resting at our lodging. Would you mind waiting a moment for us?"

"Of course not."

Shark Star immediately said.

Luo En nodded, then led Luo Bin and the others toward Fish-Freely Manor, leaving Neptune and Shark Star waiting behind.

This sight further stunned the surrounding fish-men and merfolk.

"To make that lord and Prince Shark Star wait here together…"

"What an enormous favor…"

"Can anyone tell me who those humans are?"

"Could it be… that guy is…"

A human pirate who had just arrived on Fish-Man Island stared at the direction Luo En's group had gone, his eyes trembling violently, his heart in turmoil.

"The traveler, Luo En!"

The captain of the pirate ship, with an 80-million-Berry bounty on his head, felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his forehead.

"W-Why is this guy on Fish-Man Island…?"

"Aren't his companions all dead, killed by the Tyrant Bear? Then why…?"

As a group of human pirates who had only recently arrived on Fish-Man Island, they had heard of the great event Luo En had triggered—shocking the entire sea.

The mastermind behind the attacks on Mary Geoise and Marineford, the one who had stirred the seas into a storm, was now standing here before them, whole and unharmed, alongside his supposedly dead companions!!

One of the captain's pirates swallowed hard, his voice trembling with awe: "Is he planning to use Fish-Man Island to enter the New World…?"

Hearing his words, the rest of the pirates were all deeply shaken within.

Could it be… that a fifth Emperor was truly about to appear on the seas?!

After calling Bonney over, Luo En and his group followed Neptune up to the upper Dragon Palace City, while down below in Fish-Man Island, the matter continued to ferment and spread, and the identities of Luo En and the others were exposed by those human pirates.

The fame of the traveler Luo En — bounty of 1.34 billion Berries, who had attacked the Holy Land of Mariejois and Marine Headquarters Marineford — spread across Fish-Man Island in an instant.

Upon learning that that handsome, gentle-looking, black-haired, blind youth was actually a major criminal with a bounty exceeding one billion, the fish-men and mermaids of Fish-Man Island who had come into contact with him all stood dumbfounded, unable to believe it.

The starfish boss who had sold the mansion to Luo En, taking 35 million Berries from him, was even more trembling with fear.

That blind youth who looked so rich and generous… turned out to be such a terrifying fiend?!

He had actually taken his money, and at a price even higher than normal…

The more the starfish boss thought about it, the more afraid he became.

"That sum of money… perhaps it'd be better to return it."

……

146, "First meeting, Lord Luo En…" (combined chapter)

Dragon Palace City was truly far, far more splendid and majestic than Fish Folly Manor; compared to it, Fish Folly Manor — the most upscale place in Fish-Man Island below — really amounted to nothing.

When Luo En and the others entered the grand luxurious palace of Dragon Palace with Neptune, a banquet had already been laid out in the enormous banquet hall.

At the center of the banquet hall was a shell-shaped stage, where the fish-men's singers and musicians would stand to perform.

"This is Dragon Palace of Fish-Man Island — truly as resplendent and magnificent as the books describe."

Luo Bin gazed about and praised.

Konis pressed her hands together before her, eyes sparkling with stars: "It's really luxurious. This is my first time coming to a place like this."

Bonney, who had still been feeling unwell from last night and listless and lacking energy, the moment she caught sight of the Dragon Palace delicacies on the table that seemed to glow, her eyes instantly lit up, and she snapped right back to her usual self.

"Today, Lord Luo En and all of you are honored guests of our Dragon Palace. Please do not stand on ceremony."

First Prince Shark spoke to them, inviting them to take their seats.

After Luo En and the others were seated, the banquet officially began.

In the luxurious banquet hall, besides Luo En and the others, there were only King Neptune, First Prince Shark, and two ministers to his left and right.

After tasting a bite of a dish before her, Konis couldn't help but praise: "Delicious."

Luo Bin, after a sip of fresh soup, nodded: "Worthy of Dragon Palace's cuisine."

Bonney and Xiao Qi had already been digging in heartily, each quickly piling up plates beside their seats.

"Ohohoho, I'm so glad it suits your tastes."

Neptune stroked his beard and said with a chuckle.

Luo En, eyes closed, picked up the wine cup on the table and took a sip.