Leno was getting a little fed up with their chattering and said coldly, "Let go."
The three women immediately released his arms obediently.
But their eyes were still full of curiosity, and they didn't look particularly afraid.
"I already told you, I don't know what's going on either." Leno rubbed his temples.
"I don't even understand how I got this Devil Fruit in the first place."
"And are you seriously getting carried away? Isn't 300 million Beli enough to spend?"
He decisively changed the subject, unwilling to argue further.
"Enough with the nonsense."
"Get the ship fixed first. We'll stroll around Water 7 a bit, then head to the Sabaody Archipelago."
He looked at the three women seriously.
"I'm telling you—there's going to be a big war soon."
"You'd better improve your strength as fast as possible! Otherwise, don't blame me for not bringing you along when the time comes!"
Hearing this only made them even more curious, like cats clawing at their hearts.
Not only had they failed to get their original answer, now there was something new they wanted to know.
They couldn't help but shoot Leno resentful looks.
Leno ignored them.
Instead, he sank his mind into his consciousness.
He gazed at the two statues.
The statue representing Wrath still had its eye open, blazing with raging flames.
Beside it, the statue representing Greed—
on the altar beneath it, there now rested a Devil Fruit covered in strange spiral patterns.
"So… when emotions reach their extreme, new statues and fruits unlock?"
But he still remembered that awakening required battling the demon manifested from the statue.
Who knew whether the demons from these two statues would attack together?
Therefore, he didn't immediately eat the newly appeared Devil Fruit.
He didn't even know what ability it granted.
"Power… must be obtained steadily, step by step."
Suppressing the desire in his heart, Leno decided to fully develop the Chop-Chop Fruit first.
Then he brought his attention back to reality.
The most important thing now was handling matters in Water 7.
Soon, piloting the battered ship Leno had deliberately wrecked—
they sailed into the port of Water 7.
The moment they docked,
the seasoned shipwrights of Water 7 immediately lit up with interest.
With their experienced eyes, they could tell—
though the ship looked worn on the outside, its frame was absolutely top-tier material!
This was definitely a big job!
A shipwright quickly approached to inquire.
Leno didn't waste time and stated his request directly.
Repair the ship as quickly as possible—and completely alter its outward appearance.
"One day?!! Finish repairs and completely change its look in a single day? That's impossible!"
The shipwright shook his head repeatedly after hearing Leno's deadline.
"I'll pay more," Leno said calmly.
Thanks to the Celestial Dragon, he could afford to play the role of the "pay more" gentleman.
Of course, this time he was the one adding the money.
"It's not about the money… the time is just too—"
"The ship's keel is perfectly intact. You only need to replace the outer planks and decorations," Leno interrupted. "Two hundred million Beli. Get it done within a day."
The shipwright's face instantly showed strong temptation.
But after hesitating, he still felt the timeline was too tight.
After all, with such urgency, he'd have to compete with other yards for materials.
"Two hundred million… still a bit…"
"Three hundred million Beli." Leno raised the price directly. After all, it wasn't originally his money.
"Within one day. Fix it—and guarantee the quality."
"Deal! No problem! Leave it to me!"
Hearing the sky-high offer of 300 million, the shipwright immediately thumped his chest in agreement.
Any difficulty could be overcome!
Leno nodded, then his gaze sharpened.
A faint but heavy Conqueror's Haki swept across the shipwright like a looming mountain.
The man suddenly felt his breath hitch, as if stared down by some ancient beast.
Cold sweat instantly broke out.
He understood at once—the client before him was not someone he could afford to offend.
Any stray thoughts he might have had vanished immediately.
Leno's purpose had been simple: don't play any tricks.
He wasn't interested in those cliché face-slapping dramas.
The hounds were already catching his scent—he had no time for pointless games.
After handing over the three chests of 300 million Beli along with the ship,
Leno left the port with the three women and headed into the city of Water 7 for a stroll.
Not far away, at another shipyard—
At another dock, the Straw Hat crew's new ship—the Thousand Sunny—was nearing completion.
Luffy and the others stared at the brand-new vessel that would soon belong to them, their hearts swelling with excitement.
This would be their most important companion on the seas from now on!
A day passed peacefully.
After accompanying the three women around Water 7, Leno had fully experienced women's extraordinary stamina when it came to shopping.
Even with his monstrous endurance, he felt slightly worn out.
Yet the three of them remained brimming with enthusiasm.
Early the next morning—
as they prepared to head out, they noticed something was off about the atmosphere outside.
Many people were holding the latest newspapers.
They gathered in groups, whispering animatedly, their faces filled with shock, fear—and excitement.
The focus of their discussions—
was the explosive news that former Marine Vice Admiral Leno had slain a Celestial Dragon, and that Leno was the true culprit behind the destruction of Judicial Island!
On the front page was a crystal-clear photograph.
Leno was shown gripping the bubble-helmeted Celestial Dragon by the throat with one hand, his gaze icy and posture domineering!
Beside it was a sensational headline:
"The Fallen Former Marine Vice Admiral! Killer of World Nobles! Demon Leno!"
The moment Leno and his group appeared—
someone sharp-eyed compared him to the photo and recognized him instantly.
"Ah! It's… it's him! That Marine traitor! The Fallen Leno!!"
The man screamed in terror as if he'd seen a ghost,
his trembling finger pointing at Leno.
"It… it really is him!"
Another person clutching a newspaper confirmed it, his face turning deathly pale.
"Run!"
Someone shouted—
and the once lively street instantly descended into chaos.
People scattered like a receding tide, fleeing in panic as if they had encountered something utterly horrifying!
With just a single newspaper, Leno's ferocity had already burrowed deep into the public's mind.
Among those fleeing were even some fierce-looking pirates.
Just the sight of Leno's face was enough to send them running.
In a certain sense, that counted as a kind of "Face-Face Fruit" effect.
Leno watched the scene unfold, somewhat speechless.
The Fallen Leno? What kind of ridiculous nickname was that…
He casually picked up a discarded newspaper from the ground and skimmed it.
"Well, damn…"
Even he had to admit—Morgans' efficiency and photography skills were impressive.
The sequence of events, photographic evidence—everything was laid out clearly.
And the photo? Not bad at all.
A sharp angle that perfectly captured his cold, domineering aura.
But trouble came with it.
Now that the Celestial Dragons would know about this, given his current strength and influence—
if several Admirals came to hunt him down at once, it would still be extremely troublesome.
Calmly crumpling the newspaper into a ball, he said to the three women beside him,
"Let's go. See how the ship repairs are coming along."
They too understood the seriousness of the situation.
The relaxed mood from their shopping trip vanished instantly.
With solemn expressions, they followed closely behind Leno, heading swiftly toward the harbor.
✨ Bonus Chapter Goals ✨
• 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
• 100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read 60 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/CanonBreaker