Chapter 173

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151, Zephyr's Question

"So this is your current strength!"

The burly old man with purple short hair and sunglasses bellowed at Luo En.

His voice was as hard and heavy as steel.

The force of his downward smash surged abruptly.

The wooden deck beneath Luo En's feet shattered and split in an instant, and both his legs sank into it.

The air between the two of them groaned under the strain, just like the wooden planks beneath their feet.

Luo En felt the astonishing force transmitted from the crusher and said, somewhat helplessly, "Don't break my ship, now."

"Then take this old man's fist properly!"

The tail of the giant crusher on the burly old man's arm opened and suddenly fired; the powerful reaction force caused the downward force of the crusher to surge once more.

Luo En instantly activated lv4 of the Extremity of Strength; a single right arm emitted blood-colored steam, and rolling waves of heat coiled around the pitch-black fist hardened with Armament Haki. The force of that fist likewise surged by a large margin.

Boom!

The hull shook violently; rolling gusts of air spread outward past the two of them. Luo Bin and the others had to grip the railings to steady themselves. The tables on the deck were blown away, and even a few trees showed signs of being uprooted and sent flying.

The gale subsided.

Luo En, his black hair whipping wildly, pressed his fist against the front end of that huge, grotesque crusher, completely blocking the strike. No matter how the giant crusher fired, it could not advance even a fraction further!

Watching this scene, a flash of shock and emotion passed through the eyes beneath the sunglasses of the burly old man with purple short hair.

"That young man from back then has already grown to this point…"

He really had grown old, after all…

He slowly retracted the giant crusher made of sea-prism stone, removed his sunglasses with his intact left hand, and, gazing at Luo En before him, said, "It's been a long time, kid."

Luo En, his eyes closed, nodded at him with a smile. "Mm, it really has been a long time, hasn't it? Must be seven years now, Mr. Zephyr."

Hearing his words, Luo Bin's eyes suddenly widened. "Zephyr… Could that be the Black Arm Zephyr?!"

"That former Admiral of the Marines?!"

"Eh?!! An Admiral of the Marines?!"

Konis and Bonney both turned pale with shock at his words. Cold sweat streamed down Xiao Qi's forehead, and she unconsciously assumed a boxing stance. Kuina, too, wore a grave expression as she stared fixedly at Zephyr, her hand falling onto the hilt of her blade.

Zephyr's gaze swept over them, and when it reached Xiao Qi, a flash of surprise and wonder crossed his eyes.

"So this is that talking sea cow kung-fu practitioner on your ship, the one rumored to know two colors of Haki and boxing, right?"

Xiao Qi was stunned at his words.

This former Admiral of the Marines actually knew about her?!

"Her name is Xiao Qi. She's my disciple."

Luo En said with a smile.

"Taking in a sea cow as a disciple—you really do nothing ordinary, do you."

Zephyr gazed at him and said with feeling.

Suddenly, his brows drew together.

A powerful aura suddenly radiated from his body, forming a heavy pressure that bore down on everyone's shoulders.

"Kid, what's the matter with your eyes?"

"They're not blind. I'm just training my Observation Haki, that's all."

Luo En, his eyes closed, said to him with a smile.

Zephyr was taken aback for a moment at his words, then observed him carefully and found that Observation Haki was indeed coiled around Luo En's body.

He grinned, and that pressure vanished in an instant.

"Training Observation Haki this way? Hah, only you could come up with something like that."

"How are the results of training this way?"

Luo En hadn't yet had time to answer him.

A woman's voice came from ahead.

"Teacher!"

A ship slowly drew closer.

Luo Bin, Kuina, and Konis looked over and could see a young beauty standing on that ship's deck, draped in a black cloak, with a gun and a sword at her waist, her hair a tumble of sea-blue curls.

"That voice… Is that Ain?"

Luo En turned his head toward that direction.

Ain on that ship's deck also caught sight of him standing before Zephyr, and her bright, spirited eyes widened slightly.

"Ro… En."

…………

After the two ships drew near.

Ain leaped and landed on this ship.

"Luo En!"

Under the watchful gazes of Kuina, Luo Bin, and the others, their expressions strange, Ain, her face full of delighted surprise, ignored them and walked straight up to Luo En.

"Ain… it's been a long time, hasn't it."

Luo En, his eyes closed, smiled toward her as she approached.

"Yes, it's been a long time. You've already grown so tall…"

Ain had only just opened her mouth to say something when she noticed his tightly shut eyes, and her expression instantly hardened. "Your eyes…?"

GLOSSARY:

【Zephyr, Black Arm Zephyr, the Black Arm, Mr. Zephyr, Ain, Luo En, Luo Bin, Kuina, Konis, Bonney, Xiao Qi, the Root】

"It's nothing."

Luo En said, turning toward Konis's side: "Konis, could you go make something to eat? We have guests today."

"Got it."

"Then Bonnie and I will go help too." Luo Bin said, pulling up Bonney—who had been standing nearby with her arms crossed—and following Konis toward the kitchen.

"I'll go get the wine."

Kuina headed toward the storage room.

"I'll go too."

Xiao Qi followed along with her.

Only Luo En, Zephyr, and Ain were left on the deck, along with the Cloud Fox Sisi sleeping nearby.

"It's been a long time since this ship had any visitors. Looks like things are going to get lively today."

Entering the kitchen, Konis laughed as she tied on her apron.

"Guests? That's the Navy's former Admiral, known as the Admiral Who Does Not Kill, the Black Arm Zephyr—even I've heard of him."

There was a trace of shock and emotion in Bonney's tone. "I never thought he would actually look like he has such a good relationship with our captain."

Luo Bin helped tie the strap on Konis's back as she spoke up: "Maybe it's because Luo En met him back when he was a specially recruited intern in the Navy."

"But that was in the past, wasn't it? Now the captain and we are priority wanted criminals of the World Government. Since he's a former Navy Admiral, who knows if he might make a move against us? Shouldn't we be a little more cautious?"

Bonney asked Luo Bin.

"Mm… in any case, let's just see what the captain thinks."

…………

On the deck.

Luo En invited Zephyr and Ain to sit down at the table.

Kuina and Xiao Qi fetched the wine, set it on the table, and left without disturbing them.

"Not only you, Mr. Zephyr, but Ain and Binz—you've all left the Navy as well?"

Luo En was somewhat surprised to hear this news.

Ain smiled and nodded: "We've now formed a pirate guerrilla squad with Teacher Zephyr, specifically to strike at pirates."

"Is that so."

Luo En picked up the wine on the table and took a sip.

For a moment none of the three spoke—perhaps they had nothing to say.

A few seconds passed.

Zephyr spoke up, breaking the silence.