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Chapter 78 is out!!!! +40 advanced chapters monthly
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"Captain!"
The panicked shout of an underling shattered the silence on deck.
A split second later, a suffocating, immensely powerful aura crashed down over them. The very air seemed to freeze. Every pirate on the ship felt as if an invisible hand had clamped around their throats, choking the sound right out of them.
"Yo. Hello there, Krieg."
A casual, youthful voice echoed from just ahead. Don Krieg forced his stiff neck to tilt up. The moment his eyes registered the figure standing before him, he froze completely, rooted to the spot.
He finally remembered who this was.
The realization hit him like a physical blow. His blood ran cold, and he felt as though he'd been plunged naked into a freezing abyss.
"Ronel... Bai Shui!"
Krieg's voice trembled uncontrollably as he forced the name out. He was drenched in sweat, completely soaked as if he had just stepped out of a torrential downpour.
Fear. It was an emotion that the mighty Don Krieg rarely, if ever, allowed himself to feel. But Bai Shui possessed the kind of overwhelming strength that commanded absolute terror.
"Judging by that look in your eye, you were planning on robbing my ship. I've got to hand it to you—you've got some serious guts to try and target me!" Bai Shui crossed his arms over his chest, looking entirely too relaxed.
It was just a casual glance, but beneath Bai Shui's gaze, Krieg felt like he was teetering on the edge of a bottomless trench.
"Wh-What... no, no! How could I... ever... dream of robbing you?" Krieg stammered, frantically pasting a sycophantic smile on his face. "You... you must be joking, Bai Shui!"
A week ago, Krieg might not have recognized the man. But for the past few days, the newspapers had been absolutely plastered with headlines about him. Bai Shui had single-handedly captured the "Fierce Tiger" Chris and "Sabertooth" Torsen alive.
Capturing Chris was one thing—the man had a bounty of 50 million Berries. Strong, but not monstrous.
Torsen, however, was a completely different beast. He was a New World-tier pirate with a bounty easily over 100 million. A Rear Admiral from Marine Headquarters would have to put their life on the line just to stand a chance against him. Yet, Bai Shui had captured Torsen alive, with his bare hands.
Just how monstrous was his true strength?
Krieg didn't know the full extent of Bai Shui's power, but he knew one thing for certain: wiping out the Krieg Armada would be child's play for him.
"Oh? Is that so?" Bai Shui's lips curled into a half-smile, clearly amused by the pirate's pathetic backtracking. "If that's true, then why are you still here? Are you trying to force my hand to sink your ship? You better think long and hard about the consequences of standing in my way."
Krieg let out a massive breath of relief, mistakenly believing Bai Shui was giving him an out. "Oh, right, right, right! We're turning around immediately! Hard to port, right now!"
In the original timeline, Krieg had been arrogant enough to pick a fight with Dracule Mihawk—but only because he had been completely ignorant of the Warlord's true, god-like power. Ignorance breeds false courage.
But this time was different. Krieg had a very accurate, very terrifying understanding of exactly who Bai Shui was. He wouldn't dare act out of line.
"Well?! Turn the damn ship around! Are you idiots made of wood?!" Krieg roared at his crew, ready to murder them himself as they stood paralyzed like stone statues.
"R-Right away, Captain!" Jolted awake by the scream, the helmsmen scrambled over each other to follow the order.
The massive galleon slowly began to veer away. During the agonizingly long turn, Krieg didn't dare tear his eyes away from Bai Shui for even a second. He was utterly terrified that the moment he blinked, a lethal strike would obliterate him.
But Bai Shui just stood there. He didn't make a single move, even as the ship fully completed its retreat.
Krieg felt his shoulders sag. Thank God.
"Since that's settled, I suppose this is where we part ways," Bai Shui said suddenly, leaning back as if preparing to jump away.
Krieg finally exhaled the breath he'd been holding.
But would Bai Shui really just let a piece of human garbage like Don Krieg sail away?
Of course not.
He had run right into him. Why in the world would he let a violent menace sail off to continue butchering innocent civilians?
Bai Shui casually raised his left hand, aiming his index finger like the barrel of a gun. His voice dropped to a glacial chill.
"Photon Torrent."
BOOM!
Before Krieg's brain could even process the attack, the deafening crack of splintering deck planks and the terrified screams of his crew filled his ears. A blistering wave of heat washed over the ship, so intense he was forced to squeeze his eyes shut.
The galleon pitched violently. Losing his footing entirely, Krieg slammed hard onto the deck.
If the Captain couldn't stay upright, the crew had no chance. Pirates tumbled like bowling pins, crashing into a tangled, bruised heap of limbs.
"Why?!" Krieg roared, genuine fury mingling with his panic. He couldn't understand why a powerhouse like Bai Shui would go back on his word.
"Why?" Bai Shui's voice carried over the chaos, utterly devoid of sympathy. "If you want to know why, go down to hell and ask the innocent people you've slaughtered."
When it came to scum like the Krieg Pirates, Bai Shui had a simple rule: if he saw them, he ended them. No exceptions.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gap in raw power was absolute. In a matter of minutes, the infamous Krieg Pirate Armada was completely annihilated.
It wasn't that Krieg hadn't tried to fight back, but his resistance was about as effective as tossing pebbles at a hurricane. Bai Shui didn't even bother leaving a corpse behind; he reduced Krieg to ash, letting the ocean wash away the remains.
The only proof that the armada had ever existed were the burning splinters of wood bobbing on the sea's surface.
The entire massacre had taken less than five minutes.
"Finally, some peace and quiet," Bai Shui muttered, clapping the dust from his hands as he landed back beside Aki.
"Why didn't you just arrest them?" Aki asked. She didn't flinch at Bai Shui's ruthless methods; growing up near the coast, the one thing she loathed more than anything else in the world was pirates.
"I just didn't like the look of him." Bai Shui shrugged casually.
The truth was, he hadn't bothered arresting Krieg because the man simply wasn't worthy of being officially claimed as his prey. Besides, if he wanted a pirate dead, he killed them. Who was going to complain?
By the time they reached Kuro Island, the sun was sinking low on the horizon, casting a hazy golden glow over the sea.
Bai Shui had intended to slip in unnoticed, but unfortunately, their method of transportation was a bit too eye-catching. The moment they entered the waters near Kuro Island, the local lookout spotted them.
So much for a stealthy arrival.
Seeing the massive shadows pulling the vessel, the islanders assumed a monstrous pirate crew was attacking. Pure panic erupted. Villagers scattered in every direction, running for the hills. It wasn't until Bai Shui and Aki actually stepped off the ship onto the docks that the lookout realized who it was.
What a massive misunderstanding.
The flustered lookout frantically rang the "All Clear" bell, but the terrified villagers didn't return immediately. Instead, they sent a scouting party creeping out from the treeline. Only after confirming the coast was truly clear did the town cautiously emerge.
Naturally, the poor lookout got an earful from the townsfolk, bowing and apologizing profusely.
Meanwhile, Bai Shui and Aki used the distraction to slip away and head straight home.
The moment they arrived at the island, Bai Shui had released the five Sea Kings he'd wrangled to pull their ship, letting the massive beasts return to the depths. The Marine patrol unit that usually monitored the area was also nowhere to be seen, likely having been recalled under orders from Captain T-Bone.
Kuro Island was exactly as they had left it.
Quiet.
Isolated.
Assuming they could ignore the townsfolk who occasionally popped by to gossip, Bai Shui and Aki were looking forward to a very comfortable, very cozy life here. Bai Shui hated being alone, but he also despised crowded, noisy places. Having Aki by his side was enough. Just sitting together, holding hands, watching the stars and the moon—that was all he needed.
No one wants a third wheel in their private sanctuary.
Aki's recent bout of illness had completely derailed Bai Shui's plans to sail the seas for the next few years. Instead, he had firmly decided to stay grounded and take care of her.
"Here, Aki. Try one of my special, custom-made dumplings. Let me know what you think!"
Bai Shui sat down next to her on the sofa, holding a steaming plate. He picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks, blew on it gently to make sure it wouldn't burn her, and fed it to her.
Aki chewed thoughtfully, her face melting into an expression of pure bliss. "Mm! It's delicious! I had no idea such simple ingredients could taste this amazing. You're incredible, Bai Shui!"
She looked completely genuine, showing no signs of disgust at the flavor.
"Really? Is it actually that good? Let me try one," Bai Shui chuckled, pleased by her praise. He grabbed another dumpling and popped it into his mouth.
"Ugh!"
The moment the dumpling hit his tongue, the hopeful smile vanished from his face.
Delicious? Who was she kidding? The instant he bit into it, his mouth was assaulted by a tidal wave of pure, concentrated salt.
Smack!
Without any warning, Bai Shui landed a light, crisp swat right on Aki's rear.
"Hey! What was that for?!" Aki protested instantly, pouting her soft lips. Her hands shot out, mercilessly pinching the soft flesh at Bai Shui's waist. "I tell a white lie to spare your feelings and I get hit?!"
"Ow, ow, alright!" Bai Shui broke into a sweat, hastily setting the plate down and swatting her hands away from his sides.
It was a universal truth: every woman in the world seemed to possess this innate pinching ability. They didn't even need to be taught; they were just born knowing how to aim for the most sensitive spot on a man's ribs.
"I was just trying to support you!" Aki said, slipping into his arms like a contented cat. "You spent so much time in the kitchen. If I told you it tasted awful, you'd be upset and feel like you failed. Isn't that right?"
Noticing the faint disappointment in Bai Shui's eyes over his failed cooking, she nuzzled her head playfully against his chest. The soft, tickling sensation instantly melted his defenses.
"You really are a captivating little tease, you know that?" Bai Shui sighed, shaking his head with a helpless smile. Beneath the exasperation, a warm feeling bloomed in his chest. Aki was incredibly sweet.
"Once you're completely better, I'll take you to see the Grand Line. How does that sound?" he murmured, stroking her hair. "We've got all the time in the world, and we aren't short on Berries. It'd be a shame not to see what's out there."
"I'd love that. Whatever you decide," Aki smiled, her eyes curving into adorable, happy crescents.
Sometimes, Bai Shui really felt like Aki was a gift sent straight from heaven. Where else in the world could he find a girl as gentle, elegant, and fiercely loyal as her? He was endlessly thankful that he had decided to stop and settle on this island. If he hadn't, he never would have found his perfect match.
But, as history constantly proves, peaceful days like these are never meant to last.
Just as the two of them were completely immersed in their quiet romance, a Marine warship dropped anchor in the harbor, utterly shattering the tranquil atmosphere.
Especially when Bai Shui spotted the figurehead at the prow—and more importantly, the loud, boisterous old man wearing a dog hood leaping off the ship. Bai Shui's face instantly darkened, invisible storm clouds gathering over his head.
Garp.
Nothing good ever came from a visit from Garp.
"BWAHAHAHA! Bai Shui, my boy! I've come to see you!"
Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp was exactly as he always was: loud, completely lacking any of the dignity expected of a legendary Marine veteran, and loudly crunching on a fresh bag of senbei rice crackers. He strolled right into Bai Shui's house like he owned the place, booming with laughter.
"What do you want?" Bai Shui deadpanned, looking utterly thoroughly annoyed.
Anyone would be pissed off having their romantic alone time with their wife crashed by a loudmouthed old man.
"What kind of greeting is that?! Can't an old man just drop by to see his favorite brat without an ulterior motive?" Garp complained, instantly offended by the cold reception, crossing his arms and pouting.
The sheer ridiculousness of the legendary Hero of the Marines acting like a petulant child was too much for Aki. She covered her mouth, a bright, silvery giggle escaping her lips.
"You really expect me to believe you just came to visit?" Bai Shui asked, raising an eyebrow. Believing Garp was here just to say hello was like expecting pigs to fly or hell to freeze over.
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