Chapter 187

He could clearly feel his Armament Haki flowing wherever he willed it within his body.

Like cherry blossoms swirling and dancing through the air.

【Armament Haki Lv7!】

"This is the third stage of Armament Haki—the realm of Flowing Cherry."

Luo En's lips curled slightly as he closed his eyes.

After breaking through that bottleneck, he could clearly sense the brand-new power within him.

Even without testing it, he knew.

His current strength was undoubtedly far stronger than before the breakthrough!

"Wait for me here on this island."

After speaking to Kuno and the others, Luo En stamped his foot, seized Jin, and shot skyward, twisting sharply in midair before speeding off in one direction.

Target—

Wano Country, Kaido!

……

【PS: I'm really busy before the New Year; updates might be slow. I'll make up for it after the holiday==】

165, Kaido, come out!

Wudao Island atop the giant elephant Zou.

Luo Bin and Kuno watched as that streak of light pierced the sky, shattered the cloud sea, and vanished beyond the distant horizon.

"Do you think the captain will be alright?"

Konis's gaze carried faint worry—after all, he was going after one of the Four Emperors of the strongest seas.

"Master won't have any trouble!"

Xiao Qi clenched her fists firmly in belief.

"Yeah, he'll definitely be fine," Boni said, one hand on her hip as she scanned the surroundings: "Instead of worrying about him, we should focus on ourselves."

They were now halfway up a Shanfeng on Wudao Island, with a wide view of the surroundings.

"Wait, are we really standing on the back of that enormous elephant?"

The others were equally astonished.

They never imagined such a colossal elephant existed in the world.

And atop its back lay an entire island.

It was simply too unbelievable.

"If my guess is right, this must be the legendary mobile phantom island—Wudao Island. I never thought it would be on the back of a giant elephant…"

Luo Bin gazed around, her tone filled with wonder.

Kuno turned to her: "Luo Bin, do you know this island?"

The others also looked at her.

Luo Bin brushed aside a strand of hair blown by the wind: "Not exactly—I've only read legends about it in books."

"It's a magical island that moves constantly, never staying in one place; you can't find it with a Log Pose. And… legend says a race that despises humans dwells there."

"Despises humans… does that mean we're in danger?"

Boni's eyes widened slightly.

Kuno suddenly turned her head toward a direction, eyes narrowing.

"Who's there? Show yourself."

Shuu.

Amid their alert gazes, a dark shadow swiftly approached from the forest and landed on the grass before them.

It was a small, slender humanoid creature with short golden hair, rabbit ears, and a body covered in white Mao Fa—furry and delicate!

In Kuno, Luo Bin, and the others' stunned stares,

she tilted her head and spoke in human speech: "Hairless… monkey?"

…………

New World.

Across the vast ocean sky, thunderous roars echoed repeatedly.

A streak of light tore through the heavens.

"W-what is that…?"

On several pirate ships outside Wano, crew members heard the noise and looked up, staring at the streak of light in shock.

"Is it a meteor…?"

One member on a pirate ship was a Pupa Pupa no Mi user, his head shaped like a camera, with no combat ability—he only handled auxiliary tasks aboard ship.

Now he activated his ability, zooming his vision until he captured the true form of the "meteor."

A photograph emerged from above his head.

The moment he saw the photo, his eyes snapped wide open.

"T-this is…!?"

"Mopas, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"What's so great about that photo? Is it a meteor?"

"Let me see too."

The crew gathered around.

When they saw what was on the photograph.

Their eyes shrank sharply, expressions stunned, hearts violently shaken.

"Impossible… right?!"

In that extremely clear photograph.

Eyes closed, the boy in a white short-sleeved shirt had his jet-black hair blown backward by the gale, revealing a handsome, delicate, and unremarkable face.

Almost no pirate currently active on the seas would fail to recognize that face.

The notorious criminal, Traveler Luo En, who at just eighteen years old killed the Golden Lion, caused the North Blue incident, the Drum Island incident, attacked Mary Geoise and Marineford, and is wanted by the World Government!

In this photograph, what truly stunned and paralyzed these pirates was not him, but his right hand gripping the head of a man, as if holding a dead dog.

Even though that man had been beaten into an unrecognizable mess, his physical features allowed these pirates, who had spent time in the New World, to identify him.

The top commander of the Beasts Pirates under the Four Emperors Kaido, the foremost of the Three Disasters — 'Blaze Disaster' Jin!

"T-That Blaze Disaster… was beaten into that state?!"

Someone swallowed hard, unable to believe it.

"Traveler… Luo En, what a terrifying man…"

"Wait, his direction seems to be toward Wano Country…"

"Could it be…"

The pirates exchanged glances, each seeing the shock on the others' faces.

………………

Wano Country.

Komurasaki Village in Kuri Region.

Four-year-old girl A Yu sat atop a hill, blowing in the mountain breeze; she propped her hands on the grass below, her large purple eyes gazing far off, filled with anticipation.

"When will Brother Ace come again? By next year, can I become a seductive female ninja…"

Gurglegurglegurgle.

She patted her stomach and said softly, "Stop making noise, Master will be back soon."

Boom—!

A thunderous roar echoed through the sky.

"Thunder? It's a perfectly clear day."

A Yu looked up in confusion.

In the sky, a streak of light flew in from the distant horizon.

In the eyes of A Yu and countless others in Wano Country who looked up, the streak of light shot straight across the sky above Kuri, then slanted toward Onigashima in Wano Country.

A Yu stared at the direction where the streak of light vanished, blinked her eyes, tilted her head, her adorable face brimming with puzzled curiosity.