Chapter 174

"Kid, I already know about your attacks on Mary Geoise and Marineford. You've reached the New World now—what are you planning to do next? Are you aiming to challenge the Four Emperors and become the fifth Emperor of this sea?"

"If I say yes, what will you do, Master Zeff?"

Luo En smiled at him.

Zeff gripped his massive crusher in his right hand and sneered coldly: "Then I'll crush this ship without mercy, then snap your legs."

"That would be unfortunate."

Luo En smiled and handed him a bottle of alcohol.

"Good thing—I have no interest in becoming the fifth Emperor. Looks like I won't have to fight you, Master Zeff."

"You don't plan to become the fifth Emperor?"

Zeff's eyes widened. "Don't tell me your goal is the Pirate King's throne."

Luo En sighed helplessly.

152, go settle accounts with Doflamingo

He was about to say something, but Zeff had already reached out and taken the bottle he offered.

"No need to answer—I know you have no interest in that position. I was just speaking offhand."

He spoke, then crushed the bottle's neck and poured the liquor straight into his mouth.

"Luo En, you know how deeply I hate pirates, don't you?"

"Mm."

Luo En certainly knew—Zeff's wife and child had been killed by pirates.

"Among pirates, there are countless scoundrels who cling to the strong and bully the weak," Zeff said gravely. "If you become a powerful pirate, even if you do nothing, many pirates will still admire and cling to you. Whether you admit it or not, they'll use your reputation to commit atrocities, act without restraint—because you're a pirate, the embodiment of evil on the sea, the collective of wickedness. False fame draws real evil. It takes root and grows black flowers of crime in places you'd never expect."

"Even if you do nothing, you might still bring catastrophic suffering upon innocent people."

Zeff spoke, then took another large gulp of liquor, murmuring as if to himself:

"This is fine—just as a traveler. Even if you attacked Marineford and Mary Geoise and became a criminal beyond pardon by the World Government, I'm not disappointed or angry with you. But… don't become a pirate."

Luo En sipped the liquor, lost in thought over Zeff's words.

A hero is one who saves others and the weak in times of crisis.

Protecting the lofty World Government has never been something Zeff considers or cares about.

His gaze has always been fixed on the weak common people.

In Zeff's eyes, most pirates are evil; their existence is a disaster to the people. Even if a few are exceptional, it cannot change the nature of the group.

A large pirate crew often draws countless smaller ones around it. The big crew may not commit crimes—but what of the small crews? Just the Arlong Pirates alone could terrorize the East Blue. What atrocities could those malicious small crews commit, emboldened by their powerful pirate patrons?

The very term "pirate"—a symbol of evil—gains greater menace with every powerful pirate's emergence! It deepens fear and dread among ordinary people, and emboldens malicious pirates to act without restraint, committing crimes unchecked.

This is what Zeff cannot tolerate.

Any pirate—good or bad, weak or strong—is his enemy.

And he does not want Luo En to become a pirate. That's why he came here today, specifically to meet him.

Luo En and Zeff drank in silence; the three sat in silence for a while longer.

"By the way!"

Ain suddenly remembered something and immediately spoke to Luo En: "Luo En, you need to leave here quickly. Word of your presence in this sea has spread—the Marines will act soon. They may already be on their way."

Zeff snapped back to attention and nodded to Luo En: "The Marines are serious this time. Kuzan and Huang Yuan have both come."

"Two Admirals dispatched…?"

Luo En frowned slightly, then extended his Observation Haki over tens of thousands of meters, instantly spotting several warships approaching.

"They're here."

Hearing Luo En's words, Zeff and Ain tensed instantly.

Zeff extended his Observation Haki—but sensed nothing.

"Kid, how far does your Observation Haki reach?"

"About sixty thousand meters."

"!!"

Zeff and Ain stared, dumbfounded.

"Observation Haki can extend this far? Are you a monster?!"

"Unbelievable!!"

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Since the Marines are here, you should leave quickly—use your Paramecia ability to float away into the sky," Ain recovered and urged him.

Luo En thought for several seconds: "If the Marines know my ability and still chose to hunt me down, sending two Admirals, they're likely prepared. The sky may not be safe either."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Zeff, cloaked in his black coat, asked.

"I can leave first and draw them away. Their main target is still me."

As Luo En spoke, he checked the system map with his mind, confirming his location. When he "saw" the name of an island on the map, he froze for a moment, then a faint smile curled his lips.

"Old man Zeff, want to go somewhere with me?"

"Where?"

"Dressrosa."

Upon hearing the name, Ain's eyes sharply contracted.

Zeff's gaze hardened, and a wave of killing intent radiated from his body.

He gripped the bottle, the glass cracking under his grip, and spat out a name through gritted teeth.

"Doflamingo…"

Ayn, her eyes filled with the same fury and hatred toward the Heavenly Nightlord, looked at Luo En with grave seriousness:

"Luo En, what do you plan to do in Dressrosa?"

"What do I plan to do?"

Luo En's hand lightly rested on the hilt of his black blade, his tone calm: "Naturally, to settle accounts with Doflamingo over what happened back then."

"Settling accounts with him doesn't concern you—it's me who truly owes him a reckoning," Zefa said to him solemnly. "But why, after all these years, have I never struck at him? Do you know why?"

"It's not because I value this old life of mine, but because Doflamingo isn't easy to deal with—his web of influence and power is too vast, and behind him looms a far greater shadow, far beyond just being one of the Seven Warlords. Now he's even the king of Dressrosa; if we move against him, the entire Dressrosa will erupt into chaos…"

"I know all this."

Luo En, eyes closed, slowly rose to his feet, his voice level: "But how does any of that relate to what I intend to do?"

At that moment, Zefa remembered.

This man before him was the one who dared to attack Mary Geoise—a reckless, audacious fool!

Whatever he wanted to do, he did it. If he couldn't do it yet, he waited until he could.

How could a man like him possibly care about consequences?!

All the things I've worried about all this time—perhaps to him, they mean nothing at all…

What a madman…

Zefa's lips curled into a grin, and his previously hesitant heart hardened in this moment.

"Fine. I'll go with you to Dressrosa and settle the old score with that Doflamingo."

"I'm coming too!"

Ayn's face was resolute: "I've waited for this day too long."

She had never forgotten the scene of that day!

153, Level 5 Conqueror's Haki! Shaking heaven and earth!

At that moment, the several warships drew even closer, rising above the distant horizon.

"They're getting closer."

Hearing his words, Zefa and Ayn both rose from their seats and gazed toward that direction.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Guina stepped out from the cabin, saw the scene, and asked Luo En in confusion: "What's going on?"

"Kuzan and Huang Yuan are about to arrive."

Guina's expression instantly hardened.

"Kuzan and Huang Yuan together? Coming for us?"