Chapter 186

As he opened his mouth with a trembling voice, that figure had already flown above this stretch of sea.

Xia Luote Krieger stared at the black-haired boy above, his expressionless face and the lifeless corpse of the Flame Disaster "Jin" dangling in his hand, frozen in shock, his heart reeling.

That Flame Disaster Jin… had been carried like a dead dog!

This can't be real!

That's one of the Three Disasters of the Beasts Pirates, the Flame Disaster, one of the Beasts Pirates' top pillars!

How could someone of his strength be reduced to this state?!

In his stunned gaze, the black-haired boy known as Kage halted above their ship.

A flat, emotionless voice came from above.

"You're from the Big Mom Pirates, aren't you? The show's over—why aren't you leaving?"

The pirates aboard the Thousand Islands ship stared at him and the limp Jin in his grasp, swallowing hard, sweat pouring down, too terrified to answer.

"Or… are you planning to become our enemies?"

The instant that cold, sharp voice fell.

A powerful, overwhelming aura of killing intent suddenly engulfed everyone on the ship—even Krieger, formidable as he was, felt a chill of dread.

"Minister of Cookies, we should retreat now."

"Yeah, retreating's better—Katakuri told us not to confront Kage Luo En directly."

"Let's find another chance later."

Hearing the panicked, trembling words of those beside him, Krieger quickly made up his mind.

"Then… let's retreat for now."

Upon hearing this, the pirates behind him rejoiced and immediately issued orders; the entire ship swiftly withdrew from the area.

Sensing the ship's departure through Haki.

Luo En retracted his killing intent, did not pursue, and flew back to the floating ship.

"Luo En."

"Captain!"

"Master!"

Gu Yina and Luo Bin, revived Konise, Bonney, Xiao Qi, and Yunhu Xixi all brightened upon seeing him—but when they saw the gravely wounded, near-dead Jin clutched in his hand, their expressions froze, flashes of hatred and fury passing through their eyes.

"Master! Xiao Qi thought she'd never see you again, waaah!"

Xiao Qi, the Kung Fu Sea Cow, wrapped in bandages like a mummy, rushed forward and clung to his legs, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Xixi~"

"This guy destroyed our ship and nearly killed all of us!"

Bonney glared at Jin: "We never even provoked him!"

"Yeah, Luo En, why did the Beasts Pirates' Flame Disaster attack us?"

Gu Yina also asked Luo En, puzzled.

"Doflamingo and Kaido made a deal—Kaido sent Jin, who can fight in the sky, to target us."

Luo En spoke.

He'd learned this from Jin during his beating.

"Sky Demon Doflamingo? Why would he go to such lengths to target us? We never crossed him."

Konise frowned.

"It's probably because of me."

Luo En's tone carried a hint of self-blame.

"Because of me, you've been put in this danger—if only I'd returned sooner… this might never have happened."

Hearing his self-reproach, the girls panicked.

Konise hurriedly said: "Captain, don't say that—it's not your fault at all. It's Doflamingo who's evil."

"Yeah, yeah, if it weren't for the Captain, we'd all be dead by now."

Bonney quickly added.

Luo Bin nodded in agreement: "I don't think this has anything to do with you, Luo En. Entering the New World is inherently dangerous."

"In the end, it's just that our strength is still too weak."

Gu Yina bit her silver teeth, her gaze fixed on the Jin in Luo En's grasp, her voice thick with frustration: "If we were stronger—even if you weren't here—we could've protected this ship."

The girls and Xiao Qi all wore expressions of bitter frustration.

If the battle at Drum Island had given them a sliver of confidence, Jin's power had now shattered it completely.

It had forced them to confront the truth of their own weakness.

Compared to the true powerhouses of the New World, they were still vastly inferior.

If they didn't grow stronger, incidents like this would keep happening, one after another.

Luo En sensed their shifting emotions and clenched his hand tightly, crushing Jin's skull with a crunching sound, blood oozing, his eyes bulging outward as if about to burst.

It made one's scalp crawl.

"Is he dead?"

Luo Bin couldn't help asking Luo En.

"Not yet. He's a Zoan Ancient Species Devil Fruit user—his vitality is still extremely resilient."

Luo En squeezed Jin's skull.

"Captain, are you sparing him because you're worried about Kaido?"

Bonney couldn't help asking Luo En.

"No."

Luo En said calmly. "I'll make Kaido watch as I crush his skull in my hands."

"Huh?"

Guina, Luo Bin, Konis, and Bonney froze in shock, then turned pale with alarm.

"Eh?!!!!!!"

Luo Bin was also deeply shaken by Luo En's words, her face draining of color.

"You're still going to find Kaido?"

"Killing烬 won't quench the rage burning inside me. Doflamingo is already dead—only Kaido himself can let me vent my fury."

Luo En's words stunned the women once more.

"That one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Sky Demon Doflamingo… died?"

Bonney stared blankly at Luo En.

"Yes. I killed him with my own hands. The Donquixote family has been wiped out."

Hearing his calm tone, the women stared at him in dazed silence, their hearts swept by a storm of shock.

In just one day away, he had slain a Warlord of the Sea—even while two Marine Admirals were hunting him…

Just how many impossible things will our captain do?!

"I'll first take you and this ship to a safe place, then go settle the score with Kaido."

As Luo En spoke, he directed the damaged Traveler, now about sixty percent ruined, hurtling swiftly in one direction.

Half a day later.

Luo En used the system's sea map to locate the dreamlike island he sought.

Wudao!

The moment Luo En landed the damaged Traveler on the mist-shrouded island atop the giant elephant Wudao, his feet touching ground.

A system alert chimed in his mind.

【Ding, detected host location—Wudao. Sign-in conditions met. Sign in to receive reward. Proceed?】

"Sign in."

【Ding, sign-in successful. Reward received: Blood Qi +10.】

【Sign-in condition unlocked: Advanced Armament Haki technique—Ryūyō】

In an instant.

Countless insights into Armament Haki flooded Luo En's mind, like a key unlocking the door that had long blocked his path.

Luo En stepped his feet across the threshold.

The massive bottleneck of the second stage of Armament Haki shattered outright.