On the deck of the "Fallen Star Godfall," Luo Chen's ears twitched.
He had heard every word of Granny Nyon's speech.
If he were just an ordinary Four Emperor pirate...
Or even the stronger Pirate King, Roger, or Rocks...
...his fate might truly be as Granny Nyon predicted.
Facing Imu, facing the World Government that had endured for eight hundred years, the only end would be defeat and death.
'Too bad for them, I have hacks,' Luo Chen thought.
He didn't take Granny Nyon's words to heart.
The future would reveal itself soon enough.
Since Hancock had led her entire nation to join him, he would be responsible for their safety.
The World Government's executioner's blade would never fall upon them.
'I need to get stronger as fast as possible, just in case.'
'The construction of our territory, I'll leave that to Robin to manage.'
'I just need to provide the general direction.'
Luo Chen was already thinking about how to establish his own territory.
Not just the pirate crew and other combatants...
...but the ordinary citizens within his sphere of influence.
Hancock, snuggling against his side, asked, "Are we going to Sabaody Archipelago?"
Luo Chen shook his head. "We're going directly to see Whitebeard."
He had the permanent Log Pose Marco had given him.
He could fly directly to the New World island.
As for the transaction at Sabaody, a clone would handle it.
Luo Chen glanced at Kalifa, who was chatting with Robin in a corner of the deck, and whispered in Hancock's ear:
"Come on, come back to my room with me. We won't be coming out for a few days."
Hearing this, Hancock's beautiful face turned crimson.
Her voice was a mix of pleasant surprise and shyness:
"Luo Chen, after so many days... will we... will we make a baby?"
Luo Chen couldn't help but chuckle. "Not just yet. Let's wait a few more years."
He wasn't opposed to having children.
But now was not the time.
The pirate crew was newly formed, and the World Government's attitude was ambiguous.
A child born now would easily become a weakness, a constraint.
The reason Rocks had died at God Valley back then, it seemed, was to save the young Teach and his wife.
He would only consider having children after he became invincible.
Hancock showed no sign of disappointment.
For her, just being with Luo Chen was the greatest happiness.
After being apart for the last four or five days, she had felt an emptiness, as if a piece of her heart had been dug out.
The two snuggled as they walked into the ship's cabin.
In the corner, Kalifa, who was talking with Robin, inadvertently glanced over.
A few minutes later, she saw Luo Chen walk out of the cabin again.
This time, he was alone.
Aokiji and Kizaru were bound by wooden vines, lying on wooden stretchers.
The two Marine Admirals were bruised and swollen, covered in blood. Every breath they took brought a look of pain to their faces.
Kalifa's clear eyes, behind her glasses, flickered with curiosity.
'Is Captain that fast? Finished in just a few minutes?'
'And who beat up Aokiji and Kizaru?' she wondered.
Robin smiled lightly. "I don't know about the first question. You should go ask the Captain."
"As for Aokiji and Kizaru, Luo Chen had someone beat them up yesterday. It was to prevent them from escaping and attacking them directly, so they were severely injured."
She added, as if casually, "The Captain is going to handle the transaction and pick-up personally this time. He doesn't want to be ambushed by the Marines or the World Government."
Kalifa's eyes flickered.
'Luo Chen is going personally?'
No wonder he had Aokiji and Kizaru beaten up before releasing them.
Kalifa didn't suspect this was a trap set for her by Robin and Luo Chen.
After all, her "record was clean."
There was no reason for them to deceive her.
After a few more words, Kalifa made a casual excuse and left.
Robin watched her back, a faint smile on her face.
This blonde lady was actually an agent from the World Government's CP9.
If Luo Chen hadn't told her, she wouldn't have noticed a thing.
No wonder Kalifa had requested to stay and work by Luo Chen's side.
It was all to be a mole.
Robin looked at the "Luo Chen" who was leaving with the Marine Admirals, deep in thought.
'That must be a clone.'
'After all, Luo Chen isn't that fast.'
It wasn't that she had experienced it, but she had "overheard" things before.
Luo Chen lasted for quite a long time.
'Nami is probably drawing sea charts. She's going to throw a fit when she comes out and can't find Luo Chen,' Robin thought with resignation.
She had been asked to keep Nami in the dark.
If Nami found out Luo Chen was spending several days alone with Hancock, she would definitely be angry.
So, on this ship, only she and Hancock knew that the one who left was a clone.
...
Sabaody Archipelago, an island composed of seventy-nine trees.
The massive roots of the trees form the land.
People live here, building houses and facilities, which formed the Sabaody Archipelago.
Today, Sabaody Archipelago was swarming with reporters.
They had heard that, in a rare event, all eleven Supernovas had gathered at Sabaody Archipelago.
A "Supernova" refers to a rookie pirate whose bounty has exceeded 100 million Berries in a short period.
The Fifth Emperor, Luo Chen, had vanished after the battle at Marineford.
These reporters had come to Sabaody, originally hoping to find a trace of Luo Chen.
Because Marineford had sunk, and Sabaody Archipelago was not far from Marineford's original location.
Moreover, Sabaody Archipelago is a necessary stop for all pirates entering the New World.
They either pass through Fish-Man Island, 10,000 meters below Sabaody, to enter the New World...
...or they cross the Red Line.
But the Red Line is the territory of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
It's impossible for pirates to pass through.
Actually, there is a third route to the New World.
That is to fly over the Red Line.
But flying is impossible for 99.9% of pirates.
So, this group of reporters came to Sabaody Archipelago to try their luck, attempting to find Luo Chen.
Unexpectedly, they didn't find Luo Chen.
But this year's Supernovas had begun to appear one after another on the archipelago.
"Hurry to the Human Auction House on Grove 1!"
"Straw Hat Kid, with a bounty of 150 million, punched a Celestial Dragon there! Quick, I want the firsthand scoop!"
Luo Chen's clone stood on the side of the street, eating local barbecue.
Two reporters ran past him in a hurry, their boss's shouts echoing from the Den Den Mushi in their hands.
Watching the two run off, Luo Chen's clone had an odd expression.
He didn't expect that after all this, Luffy would still punch a Celestial Dragon.
But this time, the one coming to deal with them would be Akainu, right?
After all, Kizaru, who was used to slacking off, was still locked in his Kamui dimension.
"Perfect, I'll go take a look."
Luo Chen's clone lazily walked towards Grove 1.
He hadn't found the World Government's transaction contact yet.
Rather than wait around, he might as well go watch the show.
As for saving Luffy, Luo Chen felt it was unnecessary.
On the island was the former vice-captain of the Pirate King, the "Dark King" Rayleigh.
"This time, if Rayleigh isn't early, Luffy and the others will be corpses."
"Akainu probably won't 'raise his leg and wait for a whole episode'."
Luo Chen's clone joked to himself.
In the original storyline, Kizaru was in a position to kill Zoro with one kick, but he simply didn't deliver the killing blow.
He kept his leg raised for more than an episode, until Rayleigh arrived to save the day.
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