Chapter 87: The Nature of a Pirate
The father said nothing. He simply stared from afar—not at Luo Han, but at the meat in his hands, eyes filled with longing. Yet he didn't take a single step closer. None of the other villagers did either. Though the aroma of roasted meat drew them near, they all stayed at what they perceived as a safe distance, unwilling to move closer.
Just then, a few rowdy pirates with blades in hand sauntered over to the villagers, their expressions unfriendly.
"Hey, hey! Could you guys back up a bit more? You're ruining our appetite!"
The villagers sensed danger in their eyes and immediately fled back to the village. The father grabbed his daughter in his arms and bolted.
"Hahaha! Run faster, will ya!"
One of the pirates, his face twisted with malice, let out a disgusting laugh and quickly chased after the father and daughter. At his speed, he caught up in an instant.
He raised his blade, a flash of white light filling their terrified eyes—the sword slash was about to cut them down.
From the two pirate ships, no one moved. Their cold, indifferent expressions showed only one thing: they were used to this. Even Whitebeard and Sister Shao acted as though they hadn't seen a thing.
"Is this what it means to be a pirate? To turn a blind eye to life? You don't have to feed the hungry—but killing them outright?" Luo Han muttered, confused. He stopped Cole, who was about to step forward, then acted himself.
With a thought, he suspended the attacking pirates in midair. Their bodies twisted unnaturally as bones cracked and joints buckled. They couldn't even scream—the pressure was immense.
The young girl, spared, now stared wide-eyed in curiosity, even a little excitement flickering in her eyes. But her father quickly snatched her up again and fled back to the village.
"Newgate. Sister Shao…" Luo Han turned to them, wanting to speak, but in the end said nothing. He sat down in silence.
Whitebeard had seen everything. A trace of pain flickered in his eyes. He knew what Luo Han wanted to ask—but didn't know how to answer.
Sister Shao, looking both pained and helpless, stepped forward to explain.
"Luo Han, this world is far more cruel than you imagine. Even the weakest and most despicable people… are still loved by someone."
"Most pirates are ruthless and cunning by nature. You did the right thing stopping them. But we've grown numb. We've seen what happens when you stop them—the brutal retaliation from their comrades. That's why… we don't always know what to do."
"Sometimes, we step in. Sometimes, we don't. You may say you acted with a clear conscience today. But once you've seen the consequences, that clarity fades."
"This is the harsh reality of the New World. The world of the strong… is a cold and brutal place."
Luo Han's expression darkened. He didn't speak. He stared at the village, lost in thought. His spiritual sense picked up the fear still lingering among the villagers—a constant, bone-deep dread of death.
That fear made his mastery of the Mind-Mind Fruit feel smoother… but he had no interest in that right now.
With a thought, he released the pirates suspended in the air. To Luo Han, they were just small fry. But to the villagers, they were grim reapers.
The pirates, once dropped, thanked Luo Han profusely for sparing their lives. None of them showed the slightest resentment. Luo Han didn't care. This only confirmed to him: most pirates weren't good people. Years of bloodshed and endless drifting at sea drove people insane.
"No wonder Rocks forces conquered islands to send their strongest to join the Rocks Pirates… and always assigns looting missions afterward. He's not just building a crew—he's eroding their humanity. Turning them into full-fledged pirates."
Luo Han let out a bitter smile. He said nothing more and simply sat down to eat. He trained to grow stronger. As for the island's fate? That was out of his hands. In the end, he simply wasn't strong enough.
Seeing Luo Han silently eating, expression blank, Sister Shao felt uneasy.
"You alright, Luo Han?" she asked gently.
He forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine, Sister Shao. Don't worry. I'm still me."
Sensing his thoughts, she felt heavyhearted but said nothing. This was the kind of world where the strong ruled without consequence.
"Alright then. Finish eating—we'll leave this island soon."
Luo Han nodded. "Okay."
After finishing their meal, the group set sail, heading toward Battleship Island for supplies and repairs before continuing their pursuit of the Roger Pirates—orders directly issued by Rocks himself that morning via Den Den Mushi.
…
Three days later, they arrived at a medium-sized island called Battleship Island—an exclusive shipbuilding facility for the Rocks Pirates.
After disembarking, Whitebeard headed to the shipyard to choose a new vessel. Luo Han and Cole went with him, curious about the factory. Sister Shao went off to buy some women's necessities—after all, there are always a few uncomfortable days each month.
Walking along the skybridge above the docks, Luo Han looked down at the rows of ships bearing the Rocks Pirates' insignia and was deeply impressed.
"This is industrial standard…"
These were the finished ships. On the left, others were still under construction. Workers were placing keels with cranes, and the rhythmic clang of hammers echoed through the air.
"Terrifying…"
For the first time, Luo Han truly felt the scale of the Rocks Pirates' power.
"This isn't just about top-tier strength. This is world-conquering strength. These standardized warships aren't just for maintaining control over their conquered islands—they're the key to rapid expansion. It's terrifying."
By the end, Luo Han understood why Rocks dared to challenge the World Government. With industrial power like this—dedicated shipbuilding and likely weapons manufacturing too—it was clear Rocks was gearing toward full militarization.
"At this rate, they could raise an army of hundreds of thousands overnight. With the World Government's limited control in the New World, they won't be able to do much to stop him."
Luo Han pondered silently. Then he noticed Cole beside him looking sluggish.
"What's wrong?"
Cole looked at Luo Han weakly, eyes dull.
"I'm hungry, Han bro…"
Luo Han glanced ahead. "Almost there. We'll eat right after."
Soon, the two of them and Whitebeard arrived before a 500-meter-long standard warship of the Rocks Pirates. Its design was a little different from the previous one—they realized it now closely resembled the warships used by Garp and the Marines.
(END CHAPTER)
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