Chapter 167

Hmm… it's probably about thirty years or so.

The unique flavor of Fish-Man Island…

Not bad…

Shark Star, seeing Luo En with his eyes closed yet moving as if perfectly normal, was greatly surprised.

"Lord Luo En, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened to your eyes? Were they injured in the battle against Admiral Huang Yuan on Drum Island?"

"Prince Shark Star knows quite a bit about affairs on the sea," Luo En smiled. "But no. I'm afraid I can't answer about my eyes."

Upon hearing this, Shark Star did not press further.

After taking another sip of wine, Luo En turned toward Neptune and said: "Now, King, you can tell me what favor you wish me to do."

Shark Star and the two ministers tensed instantly.

Through the Transparent World, Luo En keenly sensed their emotional shift, and a flicker of curiosity stirred within him.

What exactly do they want me to help with?

After a moment of thought, Neptune looked at Luo En and said: "Lord Luo En, if possible, I would like you to help me find someone."

Upon hearing this, Shark Star and the two ministers froze.

Huh?

This sudden shift in their emotions made Luo En even more curious.

"Who?"

"A vile man named Fan De Dai Ken the Ninth."

Neptune said gravely.

Luo En's heart stirred slightly—he recognized the name. It must be the man from the original story who haunted Princess Bai Xing.

"I have a young daughter named Bai Xing. When she was six, she saw Fan De Dai Ken the Ninth once—and then he fixated on her. That bastard is a user of the Target-Target Fruit…"

Neptune spoke heavily, recounting to Luo En and the others how Bai Xing had been terrorized and attacked over the years by Fan De Dai Ken the Ninth using his fruit ability.

"By the end of this year, Bai Xing will have spent six years locked inside the Shell Tower, unable to even attend her mother's funeral."

"Myself and Prince Huang Xing, along with Prince Fanche Xing, have been relentlessly hunting that bastard with the Sea King Army—but he's too cunning, and being a Devil Fruit user, we've never managed to catch him!"

Crown Prince Shark Star clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, his hatred for Fan De Dai Ken the Ninth burning fiercely.

After listening to their words, Luo En calmly finished his wine, then spoke, meeting Neptune's expectant gaze:

"I understand your meaning. I can help."

Neptune and the others immediately lit up with joy.

"But…"

Luo En raised his head, smiling at Neptune: "Besides this matter, you must have another favor to ask of me, correct?"

Neptune and the others froze instantly.

"I assume you already know about my attacks on Mary Geoise and Marineford. I'm now a thorn in the World Government's side—and yet you still choose to court me… This must be of immense importance to Fish-Man Island."

Luo En smiled at Neptune.

His expression stiffened, sweat beaded on his palms, and he didn't know how to begin.

"Attacks on Mary Geoise and Marineford?"

Gu Yina, Luo Bin, and the others, upon hearing Luo En's words, were momentarily stunned, their gazes all locking onto him.

"I forgot to mention this to you. Roughly the day before we left the Sabaody Archipelago, I moved two islands—one crashed into Mary Geoise, the other into Marineford."

Luo En addressed them.

Plop.

Bonney dropped her bread, forgetting to chew the bite already in her mouth.

Luo Bin, Gu Yina, and Konis were all stunned into silence.

Xiao Qi still didn't understand what had happened.

In the opulent banquet hall, silence hung unnaturally thick.

"My bounty must have risen again—do you know by how much?"

Luo En's voice shattered the quiet.

Shark Star swallowed hard and nodded: "It's reached 1.34 billion Beri."

"One point three four… billion…"

Luo Bin felt dizzy.

While the women were reeling in shock,

Neptune took a deep breath and spoke to Luo En:

"Lord Luo En, besides dealing with Fan De Dai Ken the Ninth, we do indeed have another request. But it's too… fantastical. More like a dream, impossible to achieve, than a practical task."

"It was the greatest dream of my late wife, Yi Ji."

"That is… to move the entire Fish-Man Race to the surface of the sea, to build a new world where we live in peace with humans, under direct sunlight!"

Hearing this, Luo En finally understood completely.

"So you want me to use my Gura Gura no Mi ability to float the entire Fish-Man Island up to the sea surface?"

Upon hearing this, Konis, Bonney, Gu Yina, and Luo Bin—all still stunned by Luo En's earlier feats—turned to him in unison, their eyes wide with astonishment.

"Is something like that even possible?!"

Neptune, Shark Star, and the two ministers stared intently at Luo En.

Under all their gazes, Luo En thought for a moment and said: "Technically, it should be possible. But my current strength isn't enough. Moving a small island a kilometer across is easy, but moving a medium-sized island is already taxing. For an island like Fish-Man Island—roughly medium-sized—I could use my ability to lift it, but I couldn't sustain it long enough to reach the surface."

"But I can still flip the Fish-Man Island upside down."

"Please, absolutely do not do that!!"

Neptune, Shark Star, and the two ministers shouted in unison, utterly terrified.

"Just a joke."

Only then did Neptune and the others exhale deeply in relief.

Luo En skewered a piece of meat with his silver fork and put it in his mouth, chewing as he said: "Besides, I have no obligation to help Fish-Man Island with such a favor."

"That… is true."

Neptune bowed his head and sighed.

Indeed.

Why would a powerhouse like this help Fish-Man Island with such a huge favor for no reason?

Though Long Gong holds great treasure, could even that move a warrior of such strength?

It seems I was indeed too fanciful…

"Lord Luo En!"

Shark Star said to Luo En with serious expression: "If one day you gain the power to float Fish-Man Island to the ocean's surface, will you come back to Fish-Man Island then?"

"Hey, Shark Star! Let this end here—do not press Lord Luo En further…" Neptune frowned.

Luo En, however, showed some interest, smiling toward Shark Star: "If I come back then, what will you use to sway me?"

"I haven't thought of anything yet."

Shark Star said seriously, "But as long as there is even the slightest hope, Fish-Man Island must grasp it."

"That's a fine thing to say."

Luo En, with his eyes closed, gave a slight nod. "Alright. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will return to Fish-Man Island."

Upon hearing this, Shark Star's face lit up with joy and gratitude.

"Thank you!"

…………

After the banquet.

Under Shark Star's guidance, Luo En arrived at the Shell Tower where Princess Bai Xing resided.

The iron door was already scattered with numerous weapons.

"This is it."

Shark Star pushed open the door, revealing a vast chamber, many areas submerged underwater, with a massive bed at its center, draped in long curtains, equipped with a nightstand and two bedside lamps, and above it, an intricately carved chandelier.

On the massive bed lay a mermaid with pink hair, beside her a shark.