Chapter 176

Boom!

Below the two, the sea instantly split into a long, deep trench due to the collision of their qi and aura, and several warships rocked violently in the surging waves.

"Huh…"

Aozaki exhaled a breath of cold air.

"Ice World."

As his words fell, the sea beneath the warships froze instantly, spreading outward in an instant to freeze the entire ocean surface, stabilizing the warships completely.

Luo En, airborne, was kicked sideways by Huang Yuan for dozens of meters, then swung his blade downward at him.

It was merely one slash.

Yet the black slash that erupted was dozens, even hundreds of them.

Huang Yuan's glowing form flickered repeatedly through the kilometers-long barrage of slashes, raising his glowing finger and aiming it at Luo En as light converged.

He fired a high-penetration laser beam at Luo En, powerful enough to destroy a mountain.

Luo En, eyes closed, tilted his head slightly, and the laser beam skimmed past his scalp.

"So these won't work on you after all…"

Huang Yuan said, gathering light in both hands, condensing it into a photon-formed Totsuka Sword, its surface wrapped in powerful Armament Haki, radiating an overwhelming pressure.

"Come, let's finish the duel we started on Drum Island, Traveler Luo En."

He held the three-meter-long light sword, glancing sideways at Luo En in the distance.

At this moment, the aura emanating from him was even stronger than when he was on Drum Island!

"The Marine Admirals really are all strong."

Luo En smiled.

Boom!

His entire body erupted in scorching crimson steam, white vapor enveloping him, his black hair whipping wildly, his coat flapping.

The frozen sea below trembled from the clash of their auras, cracking into massive fissures.

Their figures vanished in an instant.

The black blade met the light sword.

In that instant.

The sky above them and the frozen sea below were instantly split by a colossal cross-shaped crack stretching tens of thousands of meters!

Even from far away, the torn sky could be seen.

The great battle began!

…………

Time moved to the next day.

On the sea, twenty-some kilometers from the island of stone rings, Dressrosa, a ship lay anchored; Zefa, with short purple hair and sunglasses, stood on the deck gazing at the distant sea.

"Master Zefa, he hasn't arrived yet—could something have happened?"

A'in walked to his side, her tone worried.

Though she knew he was now strong, extremely strong, their opponent was two full Marine Admirals.

Zefa said nothing, his expression grim.

Suddenly, he grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.

"That kid's here."

"What?!"

A'in immediately turned her head toward that direction.

There, far out on the sea's surface, a black dot shot down from the clouds at incredible speed, heading straight for them.

As A'in saw the figure drawing nearer, a flash of delight and excitement passed through her eyes.

…………

"The Land of Love, Passion, and Toys," Dressrosa.

Three outsiders walked along the bustling city streets.

A handsome, blind black-haired youth in black clothing, a black blade at his waist.

A burly old man with sunglasses and a massive shredder on his right arm.

And a blue-haired, curly-haired beauty wrapped in a cloak, a gun and sword at her waist.

【Ding, detected host location—Dressrosa, check-in available. Check in?】

"Check in."

【Check-in successful. Reward received: Blood Qi +10.】

"How are things with Huang Yuan and Aozaki?"

Zefa asked Luo En beside him.

"I fought Huang Yuan for half a day; Aozaki hadn't even intervened yet when I found an opening and escaped. They chased me for a long time."

Luo En spoke lightly.

"Just as I suspected—the Marines came prepared. They've apparently developed a new weapon based on Huang Yuan's ability, capable of firing laser beams, highly effective against aerial targets."

Hundreds of laser beams shooting skyward at once—yes, the scene was truly spectacular.

"Is your right arm injured?"

Zefa glanced at his right arm; A'in also turned to look at Luo En.

Luo En didn't hide it, nodding: "Took Huang Yuan's kick head-on—probably some bone cracks. I'll drink more milk later, should heal in a while. Nothing serious."

"Drink… drink milk to heal?"

Aiyin was a little bewildered.

What kind of constitution is this, exactly?!

Hearing his words, Zephyr nodded. "A small injury like a bone fracture is no big deal. Just eat more meat, and it'll heal after a while."

"Eating meat… even Instructor Zephyr too…"

Aiyin was a little speechless.

Is this how men think?

"Huang Yuan, Aokiji, and Akainu—those three are all my students. Of every student I've taught in my life, only those three are at monster level."

"Huang Yuan's personality is a bit annoying, but his strength is quite formidable. Usually, you rarely see him go all out."

Walking along, Zephyr said to Luo En beside him: "But relying too much on his Devil Fruit ability and not focusing on basic physical training has always been his greatest weakness."

"As for Aokiji, his temperament is fine, but he's too lazy and doesn't take most things to heart. His Devil Fruit ability development and Haki training are both strong enough; what he's lacking is also basic physical conditioning. Otherwise, his strength would be on another level."

"Akainu, on the other hand, is strong all around. His two types of Haki are powerful enough, his physique and taijutsu are also strong, and his Devil Fruit ability is astonishingly destructive. Among the three, his strength should be the greatest, and his killing intent the heaviest. If you become his enemy, there's a good chance he'll kill you."

"Even among the Admirals of the Marines throughout history, those three count as an extremely powerful cluster."

Listening to Zephyr's words, Luo En's heart stirred slightly, and he asked a question: "If it were you at your peak, old man Zephyr, compared to those three, who would be stronger?"

"Those three."

Zephyr answered without hesitation. Then he glanced at the giant crusher made of sea stone on his right hand and grinned: "But, if I'd had this weapon that specifically counters ability users at my peak, it would be hard to say."

Haki only lets you hit Logia users, but sea stone truly counters Devil Fruit users.

The three chatted as they walked along Lovers' Avenue toward the highest point where the Dressrosa Kingdom lay—King's Plateau.

Along the way, Luo En also told Zephyr and Aiyin some secret intelligence about this country.

"Kid, is everything you said true? Doflamingo used some Devil Fruit ability to steal this country, manufactured artificial Devil Fruits here, and secretly traded with one of the Four Emperors—Kaido?!!!"

Zephyr was quite shaken by Luo En's words.

Aiyin was also utterly shocked.

After receiving Luo En's affirmative answer.

Zephyr gritted his teeth.

"Pirates stealing a country… just how much evil has that bastard Doflamingo done…"

……

Inside the palace on King's Plateau.

Doflamingo, draped in a pink feather coat, sat on the throne in the dim light with one leg crossed over the other, propping his cheek with one hand.

His hand rested on the armrest of the throne, his fingers tapping lightly.

Standing before him were the Donquixote Family executives: the Glint-Glint Fruit user Trebol, the Stone-Stone Fruit user Pica, the Swim-Swim Fruit user Senor Pink, the Glare-Glare Fruit user Violet, and the Hobby-Hobby Fruit user Sugar.

"Still no word?"