Chapter 46: Usopp's Shots and the Clima-Tact
The group, after leaving Loguetown, was not as lively as expected.
Everyone remained silent.
During this time, Chen Yu tried to find Nami many times, but unfortunately, he was turned away every time. Nami didn't even come out to eat during meal times.
Nami wouldn't even glance at the food Chen Yu sent. Helpless, Chen Yu could only ask Sanji to deliver it. When Sanji delivered it, Nami was willing to eat, whether it was to deliberately show Chen Yu, or simply because she didn't want to eat the food Chen Yu sent.
However, Chen Yu trusted Sanji greatly; he had faith in Sanji's character!
—During this period, Chen Yu's spirit was exhausted. Just now, Chen Yu leaned against the railing at the bow of the ship and fell into a deep sleep.
At this moment, Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy suddenly gathered together stealthily, chattering about something.
Midway, they also called Usopp over. The four of them chattered again, but it seemed they mentioned something that Usopp greatly feared, so Usopp quickly retreated, hiding far away from Luffy and the other two, as well as the sleeping Chen Yu.
Feeling that the deck was still unsafe, Usopp quickly took the supplies he bought and ran to the stern, dedicating himself to research.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji expressed deep disdain for Usopp's departure!
Coward!
Afterward, Luffy again tiptoed to Chen Yu, extending his palm and waving it in front of Chen Yu. Seeing no reaction from Chen Yu, Luffy even went further and poked Chen Yu's face, but Chen Yu still didn't react.
Luffy's face immediately lit up with excitement!
Sanji and Zoro's faces, however, completely darkened!
The aura of hatred emanating from the three of them seemed to catch Nami's attention.
Opening the door, Nami's eyes met the sinister faces of the three, and their sneaky postures as they tiptoed towards Chen Yu.
Luffy, Zoro, Sanji:
(▼へ▼メ)
Subsequently, Nami naturally saw Chen Yu sleeping by the railing, and his obvious dark circles under his eyes.
A look of exhaustion.
However, Nami at this moment seemed to have no reaction, as if it had nothing to do with her. Then she gently closed the door and locked it again.
The three men who had surrounded Chen Yu all raised their fists, which glowed with a black metallic luster.
Meanwhile, Usopp at the stern couldn't help but peek out curiously, looking excitedly in the direction of the four at the bow.
"Bang!"
"Thwack!"
"Wham!"
The three of them mercilessly attacked Chen Yu. Because they had discussed it beforehand, even when Chen Yu was woken up by the beating, he couldn't find an opportunity to strike back. Moreover, the three had initially handcuffed Chen Yu with three Sea Stone handcuffs.
Hehe, didn't expect that, Chen Yu! We have Sea Stone handcuffs!
They continued to punch Chen Yu for about ten minutes, leaving the three of them out of breath. Luffy even stuck out his tongue to cool down.
All three of their faces were filled with satisfaction, vengeance, and excitement!
Seeing that the three of them were out of strength, Chen Yu slowly got up. At the same time, Chen Yu also glimpsed Usopp at the stern, throwing left hooks, right hooks, and stomping his feet, constantly gesturing. A benevolent smile immediately appeared on Chen Yu's face towards Usopp.
In Usopp's eyes, Chen Yu, completely enveloped in Armament Haki, smiled so terrifyingly! He was so scared that his legs turned to noodles, and he collapsed to the ground, tears streaming uncontrollably.
Chen Yu deactivated his Armament Haki. Although he hadn't suffered very serious injuries, black eyesockets, a few inconspicuous small bumps on his head, and multiple bruises on his body were unavoidable.
Since they hadn't cuffed him too tightly, Chen Yu easily pulled off the Sea Stone handcuffs after getting up.
But honestly, wearing three Sea Stone handcuffs indeed weakened him a lot, and his Devil Fruit Ability was completely unusable. If he hadn't undergone special Seawater Anti-sensitivity Training, he would probably be sprawled on the ground by now!
In this world, perhaps only Kaido had undergone Seawater Anti-sensitivity Training, and that was unintentionally completed during his suicide attempts. Everyone else seemed to lack this awareness, or rather, they hadn't considered that the effects of Sea Stone and seawater could be overcome.
It seems that in the future, all Devil Fruit users on the ship must undergo sufficient Seawater Anti-sensitivity Training!
Also, where did these Sea Stone handcuffs come from?
Chen Yu quickly shook his head, and then that benevolent smile reappeared on his face as he looked at the trio.
Seeing Chen Yu's fists entirely wrapped in a large amount of Armament Haki, Luffy broke out in a cold sweat, pursing his lips and blinking at Sanji.
Zoro also glanced at Sanji, sweating cold.
Sanji himself was also sweating, but he still stepped forward and said, "Chen Yu! Don't get excited yet! We did this for your own good!"
"Oh? For my own good? Beating me up, and for a full ten minutes, and then saying it's for my own good? Fine! I originally only planned to beat each of you for five minutes, but now I'll also do you good, so ten minutes for each of you is unavoidable!"
"Wait! Chen Yu! Don't you want Nami to forgive you?" Seeing the crimson killing intent flashing in Chen Yu's eyes, Sanji's cigarette-holding hand trembled a few times.
And Zoro and Luffy, hearing Sanji's words, nodded rapidly like chickens pecking at rice!
"Alright, tell me! If you don't satisfy me, I'll give you an extra ten minutes!" Chen Yu didn't immediately attack; after all, they couldn't escape!
Usopp, who had already gotten up from the ground and was concentrating on making cannonballs, suddenly shivered.
However, Usopp didn't care. When he was sprawled on the ground, he thought about it: he didn't participate, so how could Chen Yu make things difficult for him? No, no!
Then he continued to mix gunpowder and test bombs.
"You don't need to listen to me, just watch us! We can make Nami-san feel better!" Sanji's cigarette-holding hand immediately stopped trembling, and he said with immense confidence.
"Alright, I'll watch your performance!"
Immediately, the three of them walked towards Nami's room, while Zoro and Luffy nervously glanced at Sanji, as if asking, "Are you sure this will work?"
Hitting someone felt good for a moment, but they hadn't thought about the aftermath!
Sanji ignored the two of them, instead knocking on the door a few times, then saying, "Nami-san, it's Sanji."
A moment later, Nami's room door actually opened, making Chen Yu's heart stir with excitement as he looked at Nami with anticipation.
After Nami came out, her gaze swept over the three people at the door, not sparing a glance for a certain someone.
Then Chen Yu saw Sanji chattering something to Nami, and then pointed at Chen Yu. Only then did Nami look at Chen Yu.
As soon as Nami saw Chen Yu's miserable appearance, her first reaction was to laugh, to laugh as she usually would, but she forcibly held it back, replacing it with a cold glance at Chen Yu, then nodding to Sanji.
Immediately after, Nami walked out of her room, went into the kitchen to get a glass of juice, then re-entered her room and locked the door.
Chen Yu's expression changed from anticipation to disappointment, and then back to anticipation.
Nami walked out of the room. Wasn't things developing in a positive direction? If he could get Nami to talk to him, what if he got beaten a few more times? But Chen Yu didn't say that out loud!
Looking at the closed door, Chen Yu calmly threw a sentence at the trio: "This time, you're lucky!"
Then he ignored the three and walked towards Usopp.
---"Pat-a-tap~"
Usopp heard footsteps and instinctively turned his head to look.
However, what met his eyes was Chen Yu's beaten face!
For a moment, Usopp thought of many things, and his legs began to tremble again.
Normally, Chen Yu was very approachable, and they were all good brothers. But now Usopp felt very guilty! Although he hadn't participated, Chen Yu had ultimately discovered his schadenfreude! And his explanations and topic-shifting techniques had never worked on Chen Yu! He would definitely get every punch he deserved!
Chen Yu was amused by Usopp's posture for a moment. He wasn't a dictator; if Usopp didn't act, he wouldn't make things difficult for him.
However, Chen Yu had a peculiar idea.
"Sit still! Don't tremble!" Chen Yu suddenly said sternly.
Usopp, who had been trembling like noodles, immediately stiffened! He sat firmly on the ground, looking like a good child.
"Not only did you not warn me just now, but you also gloated."
"Do you think I should beat you once or twice?"
Hearing this, Usopp started trembling again. He couldn't help but tremble! He was scared! Chen Yu's punches really hurt! And it was the kind that hurt for a week even if it was only a minor injury after ten minutes of beating!
"Sit still! Don't tremble!" Chen Yu said sternly again.
Usopp stiffened and straightened up again!
"I'll give you a task: help me make a weapon. If you make it, we'll call it even, how about that?"
"Deal!" Usopp immediately stood up, full of vigor. Of course, he believed Chen Yu's words! He never doubted Chen Yu's words!
Chen Yu was very satisfied with Usopp's confidence. In the original story, Usopp didn't develop the Clima-Tact until almost Alabasta. Chen Yu only needed one of its functions; the other flashy features were unnecessary, so it should be made earlier.
"Make me a weapon, a staff, divided into three sections. One section can produce cold air bubbles, one can produce hot air bubbles, and the last section can produce a strong wind current. And make the wind current as powerful as possible!"
"I only need these functions, and the material must be hard! It's for fighting! And do it quickly!"
"I won't hide it from you, I plan to give it to Nami, so you can use Nami as a standard for reference regarding its length."
After speaking, Chen Yu glanced at Usopp, gave him an affirming look, then turned and left.
Just as Chen Yu left Usopp's sight, he returned again and threw another sentence at Usopp.
"If you finish it to my satisfaction, I'll give you another 2 million Berries!"
This time, he really left.
Usopp, hearing Chen Yu's last words, was initially nervous, but then jumped up excitedly!
Well said! In the future, you should say more things like that!
However, Usopp only dared to keep these words forever in his heart; he would never say them even if he were beaten to death.
The weapon Chen Yu described happened to coincide with the idea in his mind, but could it be used as a weapon? His idea was a magic wand, for performing!
Forget it! He'll just follow Chen Yu's requirements and make it sturdy. Listening to Chen Yu is always right!
And his Usopp Shots were also nearing completion!Chapter 47: Sea Battle, Commence!
In the room, Nami held her juice with a bewildered expression, taking sip after sip.
Why did it come to this?
The Chen Yu of the past cherished and protected me so much; how did we end up like this?
Nami was willing to go out partly because she genuinely didn't want to stay cooped up in the room anymore; where she went was her freedom. The only person she currently didn't want to see was Chen Yu. Over the last few days, Crew Members had come to check on her one after another, and she felt their concern.
On the other hand, she was the Navigator, so she also had responsibilities to the rest of the crew.
This was inherently Chen Yu's fault, and she had kept giving him chances, but he never seized any of them... Coincidence? I prefer to believe Chen Yu's heart has changed.
Where are there so many coincidences in the world?
Everything started with that Yellow-haired Youth. What I never understood was, why, when someone had already approached and hit on me, when someone had already started demanding things from Chen Yu, when someone was pushing their luck to the limit! Why did Chen Yu show no reaction? I wasn't some monstrous murderer; I just wanted to see Chen Yu's reaction, just wanted to see how he would act. Even if Chen Yu had reservations and was just angry, why would I have gotten so angry? Furthermore, if the old Chen Yu encountered someone flirting with me like that, not killing them meant he was in a good mood. And if there was truly a misunderstanding, shouldn't Chen Yu have immediately stopped me and chased after me to explain everything clearly after I ran off? But the next time I saw Chen Yu, he was already on the Merry... Why did Chen Yu change so completely in such a short time? Was it because he felt he already had me, so he didn't need to bother anymore? Or was it as I suspected, that he already had another woman outside? I had clearly made up my mind to break up with him, I had already decided to let it go, but why do I still care so much about this? Could it be that I really can't bear to leave him?
No! Nami suddenly slapped her cheeks, which had only just regained some color.
I set out to sea to fulfill my dream, to make up for childhood regrets. Chen Yu is just someone I met on the journey to achieving my dream. Why should I hide in a room because I don't want to see him?
While Nami was deep in thought in her room, Chen Yu and the others had already spotted the Red Line in the distance.
Chen Yu immediately ordered them to halt, rest for the night, and set sail tomorrow morning!
It was already approaching evening, the sun was gradually setting, and the distant sunset had already dyed half the sky red.
Just then, a sharp roar sounded from the side of the ship.
"You!"
Having been at sea for some time, everyone immediately recognized the sound of an incoming cannonball.
Everyone looked in the direction the sound came from.
Chen Yu, Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy's eyes immediately glowed red, especially Chen Yu, whose gaze was filled with fierce light. The grievances he had suffered recently seemed to have found an outlet.
Usopp and Nami, who came out upon hearing the noise, were a step behind in reacting.
Johnny and Joseph were slower to react. It couldn't be helped; with their half-baked Observation Haki, they could only occasionally sense danger nearby. This was the result of Chen Yu personally training them; otherwise, given their talent, they probably wouldn't even have brushed against the shadow of Observation Haki.
But they were never discouraged. They always kept one sentence from Chen Yu firmly in mind: "We won't give up on you. Once you're on the ship, everyone is a partner, unless you give up on yourselves!" Later, they did not disappoint Chen Yu, training day and night, practicing with each other. Their Haki progressed slowly, but their martial arts, swordsmanship, and physical strength all saw significant improvements—these were areas they could grasp!
"Sanji, don't waste that cannonball, no problem, right?" Chen Yu lit a cigar, not even looking up, his tone indifferent.
"Watch my performance!" Sanji pinched his cigarette between his index finger and thumb, exhaled lightly, tapped the deck with his right toe, and said confidently.
As soon as he finished speaking, Sanji leaped up, cigarette clamped in his mouth, spun once in mid-air, and kicked the incoming cannonball back, hitting the opponent's bow squarely.
"Boom!"
The cannonball, instantly infused with Haki by Sanji, exploded. The eagle-like ornament on the opponent's bow, along with the entire bow section, instantly blew into fragments.
Several pirates near the bow were killed instantly by the blast, and several others were swept into the sea by the shockwave, their fates unknown.
The remaining surviving pirates rushed towards a Curly-Haired Youth standing near the main mast, wailing, "Lord Pazji! The Straw Hat crew fears no cannonballs. One kid in a black suit kicked our cannonballs back, but the power of the returned cannonballs seemed even greater!"
"And the bow of our ship has been completely blown open!"
"Idiots! I can see it! Hurry up and get someone to fix it!" The Curly-Haired Youth's originally deep brown, dark skin instantly turned even darker.
"Black suit? That must be Chen Yu, the Straw Hat crew's first mate? The power of the kicked-back cannonball increased, and coupled with the newspaper reports, he can also control flames."
"It must be a Devil Fruit we haven't seen before, very likely an Ancient Zoan, just like our Captain," Pazji rubbed his chin with two fingers, thinking seriously.
As for why Chen Yu was called Fire Fist, they didn't know, but they believed it was just a trick by the Marines. They were aware when Fire Fist Ace became famous throughout the world, so Pazji didn't believe Chen Yu had a Logia-type Devil Fruit like Ace.
However, in his heart, he didn't take the Straw Hat crew seriously. It only took a mere cannonball for Chen Yu, who was suspected to be the strongest with the highest bounty, to take action. Hmph!
Back when the Straw Hat crew became famous across the four seas, it was also when their crew gained notoriety, but because the Straw Hat crew's fame overshadowed them completely.
"No need to worry! Our Captain will handle it! Halt the bombardment and slowly bring the ship closer!" After tossing out this sentence, Pazji turned and walked into a room to ask permission from his Captain.
Aboard the Merry, Chen Yu saw them stop firing and begin sailing toward them, unable to help but let out a cold sneer.
"Flying Pirates, a minor pirate group that gained fame around the same time as us. They were reported in the papers for annihilating a Marine base and slaughtering several small towns—a bunch of scum, not worth worrying about."
"However, the Captain is suspected to be a user of the Avian-Avian Fruit—Ancient Zoan—Harpia form, meaning he can fly, which is a bit troublesome," Chen Yu explained word by word to everyone on board.
"Usopp! Didn't you say your Usopp弹 was successfully developed? Bring it out for a test run!"
"Chen Yu! Just leave it to Master Usopp!" Usopp gave himself a thumbs-up and immediately ran to the firing platform to prepare the Usopp弹.
The Flying Dutchman was four to five times the size of the Merry, a giant sailing vessel. In the Captain's cabin, Captain Pamela, first mate Koni, and the just-mentioned Pazji were gathered discussing matters.
"I fired a shot just now to test the Straw Hat crew, and first mate Chen Yu personally took action. It seems just as we thought, their bounties are just inflated!"
A tall, thin man wearing glasses took over: "Exactly! It looks like they must have offended the Marines somewhere, otherwise, their first bounties wouldn't have been so terrifying! And everyone being wanted! The lowest is 17.5 million—that's completely unreasonable!"
"My bounty as first mate is only 25 million, and Big Brother, despite being an Ancient Zoan user, is only 30 million."
"You must remember that we earned these amounts by slaughtering countless Marines and civilians. What about their crew? They have no actual achievements! What does it matter if they are evenly matched with that so-called Shichibukai Hawkeye? If Big Brother made a move, he could definitely slaughter that Hawkeye!" first mate Koni adjusted his glasses and continued confidently.
In the main seat, a middle-aged man wearing a Captain's hat, with a long chin, a sharply hooked nose, and piercing eyes, nodded, clearly agreeing with this assessment. He then spoke, "The Straw Hat crew is not worth worrying about, but we must still be cautious. I will handle Chen Yu, their strongest member; the rest of you deal with them yourselves!"
Although these three shared no blood ties, they were incredibly united. The first mate and the Captain, in particular, addressed each other as brothers!
Captain Pamela, being the user of the Avian-Avian Fruit—Harpia form, naturally possessed the most formidable strength. He delighted in slaughter and was extremely cruel, finding pleasure in killing people.
first mate Koni, the user of the Avian-Avian Fruit—Owl form, ranked second in strength and served as the crew's strategist. He was fond of treasure.
And Pazji, the user of the Dog-Dog Fruit—Teddy form, ranked third in strength. He had bronze skin, curly hair, a sturdy and powerful build, a slender waist, and was extremely lustful.
Since their desires differed, they never quarreled, remaining perfectly united both internally and externally.
The Captain and the first mate could both fly; that was the foundation of their confidenceChapter 48: Usopp's Cannonballs Show Their Might, the Enemy first mate Can't Handle It!
"Boom!"
Having finished aiming, Usopp decisively fired the cannon.
A cannonball emblazoned with a long-nosed face spun at high speed, striking Flying Dutchman in an instant. The explosive power was twice that of the one Sanji had just kicked back, and that was just the cannonball's base power!
A massive hole was instantly torn into Flying Dutchman, though it was concentrated on the upper part of the ship. Flying Dutchman seemed to ignore it, continuing its advance toward the going merry.
Chen Yu smiled at the sight, while Sanji looked at Usopp in surprise.
"See that? This is my true power! And I haven't even used Haki yet!" With that, Usopp aimed once more. This time, he coated the cannonball in a layer of Haki and fired another ruthless shot.
"Boom!"
The cannonball struck Flying Dutchman's mainmast directly. The mainsail collapsed, and Flying Dutchman instantly lost momentum, coming to a halt a hundred meters away from the going merry.
"Awesome!!" Seeing Usopp's second shot blast a huge hole through the mainmast and the deck, Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement as he clamored to fire a shot too!
This shot was nearly twice as powerful as Usopp's previous one without Haki.
Feeling the ship rocking violently, Pamela and the other two rushed out of their room, only to see Flying Dutchman in a state of ruin.
"No!!" first mate Koni's pupils dilated instantly, his eyes bloodshot and wide with fury. He was clearly beyond enraged.
Before anyone could say a word, Koni transformed into an owl with a six-meter wingspan and a height of nearly three meters. He soared upward before diving straight toward the going merry.
"You animals! You actually destroyed my Flying! Do you have any idea how expensive this ship is?" Roaring as he dived over the Straw Hat crew, Koni shifted his form and extended his long, 1.8-meter legs, clawing toward the going merry's deck!
*Clang!*
The sound of clashing metal rang through the sky as Zoro, wielding the Sandai kikoku and yubashiri, blocked Koni's sharp claws.
"What tough claws!" Zoro noted that his blades couldn't slice through Koni's talons. He immediately infused them with Haki and swung one hand toward Koni's long legs above him.
Unfortunately, having regained his composure, Koni quickly flapped his wings and retreated back into the sky.
The powerful air currents generated by Koni's wings sent the going merry rocking from side to side. The surrounding seawater surged, relentlessly battering the ship.
Seeing this, Nami immediately took Sanji to the helm to stabilize the ship.
Watching Koni circling in the sky, Chen Yu was extremely annoyed; he really wanted to roast him with a burst of fire!
However, he hoped the Straw Hat crew could learn something from this battle, as only he and Usopp possessed anti-air capabilities.
"Usopp! Fire at their ship immediately! Lure that bird in the sky back!" Chen Yu commanded Usopp, having heard Koni's words clearly.
"Luffy! Take Zoro and Johnny over there and deal with the pirates on their ship!" Chen Yu then turned to Luffy.
"Leave it to me!" Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat, then immediately stretched his arms to grab the other two, preparing to slingshot them over.
"Gomu Gomu no... Rocket!"
Chen Yu stayed behind to guard the ship himself!
Watching everything from the command room, Nami felt a sharp pang in her heart again.
Chen Yu was still as meticulous and reliable as ever, so why had his attitude toward her changed?
Sanji looked up and noticed the change in Nami's expression.
Following Nami's gaze to Chen Yu on the deck, he immediately understood what was going on.
"Nami-san! Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but there might be a misunderstanding between you two. I believe in Chen Yu." Sanji's gaze was incredibly serious as he met Nami's eyes before looking back at the distant sky.
After seeing a man awaken Haoshoku just because she was being bullied, Sanji simply couldn't imagine Chen Yu having a change of heart!
If Haoshoku were so easy to awaken, it wouldn't be called the Disposition of a King!
Oh, Nami-san! That guy Chen Yu developed the ambition to become a king for your sake—or rather, for you, he's willing to make the whole world his enemy... In this day and age, isn't aiming for the top the same as making enemies of the world, the Marine, and the World Government?
Hearing Sanji's words, Nami fell into a rare silence. In the past, whenever anyone mentioned Chen Yu, she would react violently and interrupt them, rather than falling silent.
Seeing Nami's silence, Sanji knew he had done all he could. He turned and walked out of the command room toward Chen Yu.
"Chen Yu, what do you need me to do?" Sanji asked casually, handing Chen Yu a cigarette.
Chen Yu took the cigarette and took an enjoyable puff, not directly answering Sanji's question. "Tell me, how do you think you can win against someone who can fly?"
"It's one thing if they can just fly, but if they can fly and use long-range attacks, how do you win then?"
Sanji didn't say anything, falling into deep thought instead.
"Well, the one in the sky can certainly fly and use long-range attacks."
Chen Yu saw Koni flap his wings, sending a dense barrage of feather arrows toward the going merry. He prepared to make his move.
Koni, meanwhile, turned and flew back toward Flying Dutchman.
"Fire Fist!" Chen Yu called out the technique name in an unfazed, calm voice.
Bright yellow flames erupted, engulfing the feathers in the air.
"Crackle, pop!"
The sound of burning feathers filled the air, accompanied by a charred stench.
Chen Yu decisively used the maximum temperature he could achieve without Haki, incinerating the feathers in the sky while intentionally leaving a few behind for an experiment.
The temperature Chen Yu's fruit could currently reach was around 2,500 to 2,600 degrees; with Haki, it could exceed 3,000. He wanted to test the feathers' maximum heat tolerance to prepare for the enemy Captain who had yet to appear.
Oh! He's already appeared! He's fighting Luffy right now—or rather, he's toying with him.
The Flying Pirates still haven't taken the Straw Hat crew seriously!
Koni's feathers could withstand burning at nearly 800 degrees; above that, the vanes began to burn, and it took about 1,000 degrees to completely incinerate the shafts.
In that case, the feathers of that Ancient Zoan would definitely be able to withstand even higher temperatures.
Having gathered the data, Chen Yu looked at the still-contemplating Sanji. "I've heard that there are physical combat experts at Marineford who, through extensive leg training, can kick the air so fast they create flying slashes similar to Hawkeye's."
"This technique can even be used to step on the air. By kicking the air many times in a short burst, one can walk in the sky, treating the formless air as a solid surface."
"I hope that gives you some inspiration."
After hearing Chen Yu's description, Sanji's eyes lit up, looking like he had gained a great deal of insight.
"I'll send you over. Zoro can't handle that owl on his own; he can't even land a hit. You two team up to take him down first, then go help Luffy. I'll stay and guard the ship."
Seeing Sanji nod in agreement, Chen Yu immediately created several steps of fire in the air, gesturing for Sanji to walk across.
After sending Sanji off, Chen Yu stared fixedly at the battle until he heard footsteps approaching from beside him.
Chen Yu looked toward the sound and saw someone wearing overall shorts over a white T-shirt with black stripes. Her long legs were truly eye-catching.
Seeing who it was, Chen Yu's eyes lit up. Thinking Nami was willing to talk to him, he immediately took a step toward her.
To his surprise, as Chen Yu moved forward, Nami took a step back.
It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on Chen Yu's excitement. The light of hope in his eyes dimmed visibly. Disappointed, he withdrew his foot and turned his attention back to the battle.
Nami saw the change in Chen Yu's expression clearly, but in her stubbornness, she didn't give an inch despite her heartache. She still believed that even if there was a misunderstanding, a mere room couldn't have kept Chen Yu away.
If one wants to do something, they'll create the conditions to do it; if they don't, they'll always find an excuse.
Nami's appearance caught the attention of not only Chen Yu, but also Pazji on Flying Dutchman, who had yet to show himself.
Pazji, who had been watching the going merry, had his eyes light up the moment Nami appeared. He looked like a hungry wolf that had spotted its prey, salivating with greed.
However, no one from the Straw Hat crew noticed this at all.
Even Chen Yu couldn't keep his Observation Haki active all day long.Chapter 49: Sanji and Zoro Cooperate Against an Enemy for the First Time!
Mid-air, stepping on the flame steps created by Chen Yu, Sanji quickly boarded the Flying Dutchman.
Seeing Zoro struggling against the enemy but failing to inflict any damage, Sanji couldn't help but mock, "Zoro, you've slashed so many times, but I haven't seen you hit the enemy once?"
"And you mastered Haki before me."
Sanji: (◐◡◐)
"Bastard, what did you say? You think your Soft-Leg Kicking Technique is amazing?" Zoro, who was fighting, immediately jumped back a big step, walked in front of Sanji, and said unhappily.
"Idiot lost-path! Who the hell are you calling Soft-Leg Kicking Technique??" Sanji's face instantly changed, his eyes turning into a burning flame, slightly raising his right foot in a stance ready to cripple Zoro.
"Curly-Haired bastard! Who are you talking about?"
"Mosshead! You're such trash, taking this long to deal with a mere mottled bird. Even Chen Yu got impatient and called me over! If it wasn't you, who else could it be?"
"Soft-Leg Shrimp, you want to fight, huh? Come on, let's spar! See if I don't slice you into pieces!"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who, Green Hair lost-path!"
With that, the two hesitated not at all, enveloping themselves in Haki, and started brawling as soon as words failed.
Chen Yu on the Merry was extremely speechless, covering his eyes. What is going on? Weren't they united against me before? Now when you need to be united, you start infighting?
Koni in the sky saw the Green Hair and Yellow Hair below start fighting as soon as they met, and couldn't help but mock internally: Low-level pirates are just low-level pirates. Their strength isn't great to begin with, and yet he was wary of the newcomer Yellow Hair, only for this to happen? With the great enemy present, he starts infighting as soon as he arrives?
However, their infighting was only beneficial to him! Realizing this, Koni couldn't help but be pleased. Their bounties total 75 million Berries; if he takes care of them quickly and then harvests the other members of the Straw Hat crew, his losses will instantly be recovered, and he'll make a nice profit!
Koni immediately flew high into the sky, deciding to take down the two below with a single dive.
As Koni silently spread his wings and soared high, reaching a height that satisfied him, he turned head-down and plummeted towards Sanji and Zoro.
As he got closer and closer to Sanji and Zoro, Koni decisively stretched out his claws, aiming for their heads.
However, ever since Koni descended to a certain height, all his movements had fallen within the perception range of Sanji and Zoro. After Koni extended his claws, Sanji and Zoro exchanged a glance, temporarily halting their fight. The two slightly bent over, easily dodging Koni's dive.
Koni:???
Koni, having flown back up to the sky, looked down at the two who had started fighting again and contemptuously curled his lips: "I was nervous for a moment, thinking my killing move was dodged! Turns out these two Idiots just got lucky."
Zoro and Sanji, who had resumed their brawl, frowned again when they sensed Koni attacking from the air: This Bird-Man is too annoying! Can't even fight in peace!
The two men both took a step back, once again dodging Koni's dive.
Immediately after, Sanji and Zoro continued to brawl, not even glancing at Koni. For some reason, the more they fought, the more energetic they became, feeling an inexplicable exhilaration, as if this was how they were always meant to fight.
Koni in the sky:???
"I don't believe it! You can be that lucky every single time!"
Saying that, Koni dove down again. To prevent Zoro and Sanji from coincidentally squatting or stepping back to dodge, this time he flew lower.
As he approached the two, Koni saw the Yellow Hair and Green Hair both turn their heads to look at his position, and simultaneously roared: "Are you f***ing annoying or what? You won't even let people fight properly?" His mind went blank for a moment.
In that moment of distraction, a black longsword flashing with silver light and a long leg suddenly appeared before him, growing larger in his sight. Two words flashed in his mind: Trouble!
"Bang!"
Zoro slashed Koni's Beak with his sword, cleanly severing half of it.
Sanji swept his leg past Koni's head, kicking him in the chest, sending him directly into the superstructure of the Flying Dutchman, his fate unknown.
"I cut him!"
"I kicked him!"
The two, still holding their attack poses, spoke in unison.
"Nani!" x2
Sanji and Zoro exchanged a look, and a feeling of displeasure simultaneously arose in both their minds.
"You bastard!" x2
After saying this, the two started brawling again. At this moment, neither thought of finishing the job; it was as if the person right in front of them was the biggest enemy!
Johnny and Joseph were fiercely harvesting the Minor karamai on the Flying Pirates, taking one down with every few moves, their coordination perfectly tacit.
Luffy looked distressed; the Giant Eagle in the sky had just flown away mid-fight!
Captain Pamela, seeing her first mate sent flying, immediately flew towards Koni nervously. Pazji, who was secretly peeking at Nami, noticed Pamela flying over and his eyes lit up! He had already conceived some ideas!
Pazji, observing secretly, witnessed Chen Yu making his move. He suddenly felt that Chen Yu's strength seemed to have been underestimated; he couldn't handle Chen Yu alone.
But he truly desired Nami! This woman's beauty was simply the best he had ever encountered in his life! He absolutely had to obtain her!
Thus, he began plotting against his Captain and first mate.
After Koni fell, Pazji immediately detected his injury: severely injured, but still able to fight. However, there was one thing he noticed: Koni's Beak when fully beast-transformed! Koni often boasted to him about his Steel Claws and Iron Beak. Although they couldn't compare to Pamela's, their hardness was enough to pierce iron plates, and their durability was no less than some fine swords. Yet today, it was actually broken by a swordsman, in a single cut!
Something is wrong! This Straw Hat crew seems more and more off!
Afterward, he also observed the fight between the Green Hair and Yellow Hair. The power they unintentionally unleashed during their fight was already comparable to his own full-power, fully beast-transformed state!
What kind of concept was that?
He was ranked third on the Flying Pirate Ship, yet his full-power strike was only equivalent to one of their casual attacks.
Moreover, he noticed that the Captain and first mate had never been hit when fighting enemies. The only time one was hit was Koni, who had his Beak broken by one sword strike and kicked into severe injury by one kick.
It seemed Pamela and Koni's fight relied solely on their ability to fly, and their attacks had not truly injured the Straw Hat crew yet!
"Idiot Koni even calls himself the strategist! Blabbering on, analyzing a bunch of flawed information!"
Pazji was now immensely glad he hadn't rushed to attack, but instead observed Nami secretly.
"As expected, women are my true pursuit!"
He didn't know about Pamela, but Koni, like him, was an ordinary Zoan type. If Koni couldn't last even one move against their opponent, how long could he last against the Straw Hat crew's first mate? And he couldn't fly!
Speaking of flying, Pazji immediately broke out in a cold sweat!
He wasn't brainless, he was just lustful!
If, let's just say if, the Straw Hat's strength was truly as formidable as he imagined, living up to their reputation, then Pamela and Koni could fly away at any moment. What about him?
Thinking of this, Pazji already had thoughts of retreating, yet he couldn't bear to part with a beauty like Nami!
It could be said that his entire life had been spent pursuing such beauty!
He was an orphan, having grown up eating handouts from everyone. His childhood sweetheart and the older sister next door, in particular, took great care of him.
When he was 10 years old, his gratitude towards his childhood sweetheart seemed to change flavor! His body instinctively wanted to stay close to his childhood sweetheart, rather than just secretly watching her bathe.
It was also in that year, at age 10, that he first tasted a woman—his childhood sweetheart. From then on, Pazji knew how wonderful women were! He became completely consumed.
First his childhood sweetheart, then the sexy older sister next door, and then the Village Chief's concubine—he had tasted them all! However, when he was 12, he messed with the Village Chief's concubine. He tried to use threats and coercion to keep her quiet, just as he had with his childhood sweetheart and the neighbor sister, but unfortunately, the matter was exposed. The Village Chief, in a rage, decided to kill him on the spot. But by then, the Village Chief was already quite old, and in a moment of carelessness, Pazji successfully counter-killed him!
Forced to leave his home, he visited the Village Chief's concubine one last time before departing. This time, the concubine was not tearful and defiled like last time; instead, she actively accommodated him. Her fear and obedience gave Pazji an idea!
Strength!
Before the Village Chief died, he was extremely worried about being discovered, and all those women were unwilling, wearing faces as gloomy as if their parents had died! But now, after killing the Village Chief, not only was he freer to do as he pleased, but even the woman beneath him was completely obedient!
Twelve-year-old Pazji seemed like a different person from that day forward. He stopped sneaking around. As long as he had enough strength, there was no woman he couldn't have!
Pazji left that year anyway. The women in the village were not attractive enough for him; he sought more, higher-quality women!
After spending time with the concubine at the Village Chief's house, he turned and left without hesitation, but the concubine died on the bed. After thinking it through, he didn't blame the concubine. If she hadn't informed others, Pazji might have remained hidden in that small village his entire life, dying without distinction.
He killed the concubine simply because she was too compliant, which made him feel less exhilarated than before, so he killed her.
After that, whenever he arrived at a village or small town, he would 'hunt' periodically. He thoroughly enjoyed that thrill! Especially the mental and physical pleasure derived from tasting the tears shed by women amidst fear and humiliation!
The better the appearance, the more excited he became; the more violent the resistance, the more satisfied he felt!
Moreover, his body seemed rather special. From hunting at age 10 until age 16, although he couldn't change brides every night, nightly revelry was a certainty, yet his body showed no signs of discomfort!
On his sixteenth birthday, after 'hunting' a Marine's wife, he was discovered on the spot by that Marine, whom he then killed by surprise attack with a gun. At that time, Pazji knew that killing a Marine would bring big trouble, unprecedented trouble. After killing the Marine, he was anxious to leave, so he forgot to kill the Marine's wife. As a result, he was surrounded by pursuing Marines on a desolate mountain, and he hid in a cave, trembling in fear.
In the cave, Pazji inadvertently looked up and discovered a strange fruit growing inside. Desperate from hunger and thirst, he didn't care about anything else and swallowed it in a few bites. After eating, he found his body uncontrollably growing dense, curly hair. His original straight, jet-black long hair instantly turned brown and curly. Finally, he completely transformed into a Curly-Haired creature resembling a wolf or a dog, and his subconscious told him that this creature was called a Teddy!
Although initially panicked, Pazji quickly discovered he could switch between human and Teddy forms. Furthermore, his height had increased significantly—his original height of 1.7 meters instantly became 1.9 meters. His waist, in particular, became much thinner and far more powerful and strong than before; he was enhanced in every aspect!
He felt he had been favored by the gods!
Relying on this strength, Pazji easily broke through the Marine encirclement and left the town overnight.
At that time, he believed he was the Child of Destiny! Otherwise, why would he receive such immense power on his birthday! He made up his mind! He would become the king of this world! He would make all women fall beneath his crotch!
Later, he discovered that once a night was far from enough to satisfy him; even seven times was not his limit!
After that, he awakened several more 'operations' [abilities/forms], occasionally switching to single-batch for a change of taste. This change further solidified his conviction to become king!
However, shortly after escaping the Marine pursuit, Pazji discovered he was on a Marine wanted poster, worth 1 million Berries.
Forced to, Pazji became a pirate, following one ship after another, though he never sailed out of the East Blue. While being a pirate, he also understood many things: he wasn't the Child of Destiny; he had just eaten a Devil Fruit. However, being a pirate was much freer; he could just snatch any woman he wanted! No one would say anything!
It wasn't until last year that he joined the Flying Pirates.
That's right, he had only been a member for a year. He felt no attachment to this ship; it was just that he had no conflicts of interest with the Captain and first mate on board, so he planned to settle down and follow them to the Grand Line to savor more exciting flavors.
Now! Pazji no longer planned to follow the Flying Pirates to the Grand Line!
Nami, so close at hand, already made him unable to resist. He had never seen such an exhilarating catch; that gentle wildness, that soul-stealing figure, that charming face—all captivated him!
Therefore, upon seeing Pamela fly back, he devised a plan: lure Pamela towards the Straw Hat's first mate. While they were fighting fiercely, he would take the opportunity to knock Nami out, then sneak away with her. The Captain and first mate, deep in battle, likely wouldn't notice him. Even if they did, the Flying Pirates wouldn't be able to pursue him. As long as he hid Nami well, the Straw Hat wouldn't bother with him for a while.
Once he was gone, he could focus on enjoying this peerless delicacy!
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Pazji made an immediate decision and walked towards Pamela and Koni.Chapter 50: As Expected, the Only One Who Can Defeat Me Is Myself!
"Pfft!"
Koni, helped up by the arriving Pamela, spat out a mouthful of blood that had been congested in his chest.
"Big Brother! The Blondie and Green Hair from the Straw Hat crew are playing me!"
"They're playing me!" Without even having time to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, Koni couldn't help but complain to Pamela.
Hearing this, Pamela's brows furrowed tightly: "You mean the Straw Hat crew's strength is very formidable?"
Pazji, walking over from the side, thought to himself that this was bad and hurriedly stepped forward: "first mate! Don't blame me for being talkative."
"As for me, I witnessed your entire battle."
"I take the liberty of asking you a few questions." After saying this, Pazji looked at Pamela. Seeing her nod, his gaze finally landed on Koni.
"Ask!" Koni was originally a bit displeased. Since when was it this Curly-Haired dog's turn to comment on his battle? But since Big Brother had spoken...
Koni could fly, which had always been his pride. Therefore, he only respected Pamela, who flew faster than him. As for Pazji, who only thought with his lower body, he looked down on him from the bottom of his heart; however, for the sake of the pirate crew's harmony, he had never shown it. But Koni usually loved to show off his wings, steel claws, and iron beak to Pazji, which gave him a huge sense of superiority!
Pazji didn't care about Koni's tone either. He naturally knew that his first mate was extremely proud, but he didn't sense that Koni looked down on him; he only knew that Koni liked to show off to him.
As the saying goes, if there's no conflict of interest, we can speak harmoniously. I can quietly listen to you act cool, as long as you don't fight me for women!
"I'll just ask three questions—three problems I discovered as an observer."
"First, I want to ask if the first mate fought with all his strength? Or was he just playing around?"
"Second, I want to ask why the first mate only used the dive technique?"
"Third, I want to ask why the first mate attacked from the same direction every time he dove?"
Koni's expression froze instantly upon hearing this.
Seeing this, Pamela knew that this guy had played around too much and messed up. Helplessly, she reached out and patted Koni's head: "As the old saying goes, even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit! We want the whole world to see our formidable power!"
"Moreover, as you said, it's not impossible that they were playing you, but the possibility is too small—it can even be ruled out."
"The Captain of the Straw Hat crew was played by me until he was in a state of incompetent rage. Although that one in the straw hat is also a Devil Fruit user, he can't hit me at all. I don't think their strength is really that formidable!"
Although Pamela felt that the one in the straw hat was a bit strange and seemed able to predict her actions, she was extremely fast in the air and managed to dodge every time without danger. She didn't think, nor did she want to believe, that the weak Straw Hat crew would have the ability to predict her actions!
Pazji's eyes lit up. Good heavens! I didn't even need to guide them. As expected, those who can fly are all so arrogant! No, it can already be called conceited!
"Yes, yes! The Captain is right. We are the Flying Pirates, how could we lose to a pirate crew that doesn't live up to its reputation!"
"first mate, you haven't forgotten the ten pieces of evidence you listed proving the Straw Hat crew doesn't live up to its name when we discussed them before, have you?" Pazji added, feeling he needed to egg Koni on further.
Hearing this, Koni's old face couldn't help but flush with embarrassment, but he was mostly dissatisfied with Pazji.
What status do you have, Pazji?
"Cough! Of course I know! I don't need your reminder! As the first mate and the strategist, of course I know these things. I just wanted Big Brother to be more careful! After all, she still has to deal with that mysterious straw hat first mate, Chen Yu!"
Long-term arrogance made Koni fundamentally disbelieve that the Straw Hat crew really had the strength to defeat him. Moreover, Pazji was right—he hadn't used his true strength at all!
As for his beak being cut off, he was originally scared, but now that he had come to his senses, he realized that Green Hair was just relying on having a good sword. Furthermore, the huge force generated by his high-altitude dive caused his beak to collide with the opponent's sword.
"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction! I still understand that much!"
"That's why I was seriously injured by that Blondie's kick. It had nothing to do with the opponent's strength; rather, it was because my speed was too fast! I ran into that Blondie's foot myself!"
"This time, I was the one who defeated myself!"
The more Koni thought about it, the more it made sense. He pushed himself up with both hands and cheered up again.
This time, he decided to go all out! Quickly take down the Straw Hat crew!
Beside him, Pazji was overjoyed to see Koni full of confidence again!
However, Pazji was suddenly extremely grateful. Fortunately, the thought of betrayal had occurred to him early! Otherwise, he would have been killed by these two idiots!
After his moment of relief, Pazji's eyes rolled again as he made a sincere suggestion to Pamela: "Captain, I have a suggestion, why don't you listen to it?"
"That Straw Hat Captain is nothing to fear. The priority right now is that first mate, Chen Yu, who hasn't really made a move yet."
"Also, our ship has been blown to pieces like this! We need to seize their ship, otherwise, we won't be able to head to the Grand Line."
"And, Captain, you know me!"
Pazji gave Pamela a look that every man understands, then continued: "I can first take the woman from the Straw Hat crew hostage. That way, the Straw Hat crew will surely be hesitant to act!"
Looking at Pazji's lust-driven appearance, both Pamela and Koni sneered disdainfully in their hearts. At the same time, their evaluation of Pazji dropped a few more notches: He can't make it to the big leagues! He can't handle heavy responsibilities!
However, Pamela still said in a flat tone: "If you're horny, do it yourself. No need to bring me into it! Who do you think I am? Do I need to use such underhanded methods for a mere brat?"
"As for Chen Yu, I said I would deal with him, so I will. You don't need to worry!"
Now, even if you killed Pamela and Koni, they would never believe Pazji would betray them! Why betray when it's a guaranteed win?
Seeing his goal perfectly achieved, the agitation in Pazji's heart couldn't be stopped! He wanted it too much! That woman was like a drug; he was already unable to extricate himself!
Watching Koni and Pamela flap their wings and leave one after another, the smile on Pazji's lips couldn't be suppressed!
"Idiots!"
With that, Pazji threw the small boat he had prepared in advance into the sea. Once the battle between Pamela and Chen Yu broke out, it would be his time to strike!
Luffy, with nothing to do, looked at Sanji and Zoro who were still fighting, his mind full of confusion.
Hiss~ Could it be that Zoro has someone else on the side? Otherwise, why would Sanji start fighting Zoro as soon as he arrived?
Luffy, unable to figure it out, gave up on trying.
---"Straw Hat Luffy! We're taking that 60 million Berries!" Just as Luffy was confused, six mocking voices came from behind.
In Luffy's Observation Haki perception, he saw six identical-looking swordsmen lunging at him.
"So cool!! Clone Jutsu!!!"
Luffy was truly shocked by the Six Swordsmen Brothers. Luffy, who had never even seen twins before, used his limited brain to mistake the sextuplet swordsmen brothers for a ninja's Clone Jutsu!
Luffy, unable to contain his curiosity, had no choice but to scuffle with the Six Swordsmen Brothers, and for a while, they were evenly matched!
At the same time, Luffy thought to himself: "Chen Yu probably won't find me out, right!"
Luffy: (?﹃?)
At the same time, Pamela flew above the going merry.
The battle between Pamela and Chen Yu was on the verge of breaking out!