Chapter 261: Kizaru Appears: "So Scary~"
Upon returning!
Luo Han immediately took the Door-Door Fruit from Cole and had Bond eat it. The fruit had been stored in Cole 's stomach this entire time.
From then on—
The three Devil Fruits obtained in God Valley had been distributed:
The Mythical Zoan-type Nature Spirit Fruit went to Aishi .
The Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit went to Bond.
And the remaining Logia-type Fruit—special in its own right—had yet to be assigned.
In the following days,
Luo Han followed a strict routine:
Morning—training, guiding his body's evolution.
Afternoon—completing his daily Sea King control quota, then using Bond's body to test the Door-Door Fruit.
Evening—well, let's just say "joyful physical exercise."
As for the issue of Bie Tianshen energy, Luo Han was still trying to find ways to increase his daily capacity.
But so far, no progress. Over the past few months, Luo Han discovered that Bie Tianshen energy was produced from a light radiated daily from his soul—a sort of passive skill.
He named this energy the "Light of the Soul."
It radiated passively, consistently, and could not be increased by active training.
...
And so, Luo Han remained on Ark Island, repeating this cycle and waiting.
A year passed in the blink of an eye!
In that year—
Ark Island developed at breakneck speed. Thanks to Stussy's administrative efficiency, as well as resource influx from both the World Government and underworld giants—
Within a year, Islands 1 through 8—the First Island Chain—was fully constructed.
Countless merchants flocked to the area.
The New World's largest Pleasure Street, the largest black market exchange, and a host of trade centers flourished here.
Evernight City had become the safest place in the New World—bar none.
Tuck's elite guard patrolled the islands, each equipped with Luo Han's telekinetic-armored rings. All were at least Vice Admiral-level fighters.
And with the ability to fly—well, let's just say all those who underestimated the city ended up digging rocks in the mines overseen by Ochoku (Wang Zhi)and Kyo (Silver Axe) .
Underwater, Sea King armies led by Niu Niu and the crocodile-like giant Sea King, Soton, patrolled day and night.
Soton, over 10,000 meters long, was one of the newest Sea Kings Luo Han had recruited from the Calm Belt.
Their job? To eliminate unauthorized submarines or intruders entering Evernight's domain.
With such security and joint cooperation from the underworld and World Government, everything became available in Evernight City.
Anything but slaves could be bought, sold, or enjoyed here.
Casinos, auctions, Pleasure Street, gourmet food, theme parks—Evernight had it all. And in grand scale.
In one year, Luo Han's vision of a global trade hub had begun to take shape.
...
During that same year—
The New World's political landscape stabilized. Luo Han, Cole , Akatsuki , and the others faded from the newspapers, their names forgotten.
Instead, the four stationed outside—Ochoku (Wang Zhi), Kyo (Silver Axe) , Monk Sanlong, and the World Destroyer Bundy Wald—had become infamous.
All four had showcased terrifying strength!
After all, each had received Luo Han's "steel balloon" physical enhancement. Power was inevitable.
Ochoku (Wang Zhi)and Kyo (Silver Axe) fought the Golden Lion Pirates to a standstill—neither side victorious.
Afterward, the New World grew even more fearful of Evernight City.
Meanwhile—
Bundy Wald battled the Red Count, who had come seeking a fight with Cole . Again, no clear winner.
This stunned the world. The man who once fought Whitebeard to a draw… was now under Luo Han's banner?
Evernight City's reputation surged once again!
As for Monk Sanlong—
He clashed with Sengoku on a newly discovered iron ore island.
But the real showstopper wasn't Sanlong, despite proving himself worthy of his reputation.
The star was a Marine rear admiral who had only just appeared in the New World—
Borsalino, wielder of the Glint-Glint Fruit, better known in the future as Admiral Kizaru.
At this point, few knew he would become an admiral.
He had previously only operated in the first half of the Grand Line—this was his first appearance in the New World.
His dazzling speed and devastating light-based attacks immediately reminded many of the fear once instilled by the Crimson King.
Though still young and not quite at that level, the people believed Borsalino would catch up.
They weren't wrong.
Thanks to Kizaru, Sanlong's subordinates were swiftly annihilated.
Sanlong simply ignored it, keeping his full focus on fighting Sengoku.
When all other threats were gone, Kizaru grew cocky. He began to think New World pirates were overhyped.
He even disregarded Zephyr-sensei's warning: Don't rush into the New World too soon.
Then Sanlong gave Kizaru a rude awakening.
Clang!
After exchanging blows with Sengoku, Sanlong turned a cold eye to Kizaru.
"Enjoy killing just now, brat?"
With a flick of his wrist, the ring on his hand glowed—
A full-body Telekinetic Armor materialized.
"That's Luo Han's ability!!" Sengoku cried in alarm. "So the intel was true!"
This was his first time witnessing the rumor that Luo Han could share his powers.
"Mr. Sengoku, is this a problem?" Kizaru asked casually. The armor didn't seem like Haki, and he had full faith in his own strength.
"He's not doing it to fight us," Sengoku muttered, then suddenly shouted, "Borsalino, I'll hold off the monk—evacuate the troops, now!"
"Move!!"
Kizaru hesitated. Weren't they the ones cornering the pirates? Why was he being told to run?
In that brief pause—Sanlong smiled darkly.
"Too late."
He zipped past Sengoku and Kizaru before they could react.
Landing in the midst of the Marines, he began his slaughter.
"Help!"
"Kill him!"
"He's just one guy!"
Panic erupted. Sengoku and Kizaru charged after him.
Even before they could catch up, Kizaru fired a laser beam—
Shing!
The beam struck Sanlong's armor, scattering sparks, but only made him flinch.
Boom! Boom!
Wielding an eight-meter black staff, Sanlong weaved through the troops like a shadowed monkey, speed amplified by his armor.
Despite being chased by two Marine legends, he continued his massacre unimpeded.
Only when Sengoku ordered a full retreat did some lives get saved.
Out of three warships, only one remained.
Of 450 Marines—just over twenty survived.
If Sengoku hadn't acted quickly, none would have.
On the retreat, Kizaru asked numbly, "Is… everyone in the New World this crazy?"
He couldn't forget Sanlong's wild killing spree—or that shield which ignored both his and Sengoku's attacks.
"This is the New World," Sengoku sighed. "That's why Zephyr didn't want you to come so soon."
His voice dropped. "If you hadn't been fast enough, he would've chased you too."
Kizaru's heart sank.
Back in the first half of the Grand Line, his speed had saved many lives.
But here, it could only save himself.
And perhaps because he had slaughtered Sanlong's crew… the monk unleashed his wrath on every other Marine.
At that moment, Kizaru felt deeply exhausted.
What should've been a clean operation ended in disaster.
His eagerness had only made things worse.
He thought of Zephyr—who had refused to kill, and whose wife and child were murdered by pirates he spared.
Truly...
Maybe being lazy isn't so bad. The pay's the same. Why risk your life?
Unless they offer better wages.
Kizaru stroked his fuzzy chin, rethinking his life's trajectory.
Meanwhile, Sengoku was still tense. "You saw that armor. It ignored all our attacks."
"That's why he could kill so many."
He clenched his fist. "Damn it all!"
Suddenly Kizaru asked, "Mr. Sengoku… you said that shield was someone else's power?"
"And who is Luo Han? Is he… famous?"
He'd noticed fear and frustration flash through Sengoku's eyes when that name came up.
"Luo Han… you don't know him?" Sengoku blinked—then realized why.
Back when Luo Han was making waves, Kizaru and his generation had still been cadets.
And now, Luo Han hadn't made a public move in nearly ten years.
Most young Marines had no idea who he was.
Only the legends who lived through the Rocks era knew how terrifying the Blue Demon truly was.
Sengoku's eyes darkened. "He's a madman. Ten years ago, he and his brother attacked the Holy Land of Mariejois together."
"Blue Demon and the Beast King," Sengoku finished.
Kizaru blinked, then smirked.
"How scary~"
That incident—more than anything—shook the World Government's foundations.
Not the nobles, not the pirates…
But the Marines—especially those stationed near Mariejois.
They had always believed the World Government to be untouchable.
No pirate had ever dared attack the sacred land.
But Blue Demon and the Beast King not only dared—they succeeded—and lived to tell the tale.
Their names were forever etched in Marine memory.
Yet over time, those names faded.
Even Kizaru, hearing "Luo Han," didn't recognize him.
"Let's return to HQ," Sengoku said at last. "Those soldiers need psychological therapy before they can set sail again."
Kizaru looked around.
The remaining Marines sat in dazed silence, eyes hollow, minds broken.
No wonder.
Not even Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Navy's strongest rookie could stop that man with the black staff.
That image—of that staff slashing through comrades—
Would haunt them forever.
Sigh...
"So scary~" Kizaru sighed deeply.
"…"
Sengoku was speechless. Then he said nothing more.
The warship quietly headed for G1 Base.
...
(END CHAPTER)
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