The profound techniques of the Waterbending scrolls flashed through Li Ke's mind, merging with the insights he'd gained from moving water in the stagnant Calm Belt.
The two environments were polar opposites—one of absolute stillness, the other of violent motion. The waters of the Calm Belt and Reverse Mountain sat at the far extremes of nature.
Li Ke stopped trying to "grip" the water. He abandoned the conventional approach of using mental force to hold the liquid in place. Instead, he radiated his will outward, letting it permeate the surging torrents surrounding the ship.
If he couldn't grab the water, he would make the water find him!
At that moment, his Observation Haki became terrifyingly sharp. He could feel the "Breath of All Things" with crystal clarity; every atom of the world was whispering to him, laying bare its secrets.
His Waterbending reached an unprecedented height. Against all odds, he successfully "caught" the rhythm of the most violent current on the planet.
"Hold on tight!" Li Ke roared.
In the next heartbeat, he used his own reserve of water to manifest a massive ice sled, fused perfectly to the ship's hull. The unyielding ice bore the brunt of the sea's fury, but Li Ke angled the structure with such precision that the force was redirected into pure lift rather than destructive impact.
Though the ice was being pulverized by the friction, it held long enough. The ship didn't just sail; it launched into the sky, soaring high above the terrifying silhouette of the Island Whale!
From his vantage point in the air, Li Ke saw the full scale of the beast—its colossal frame and the crisscrossing scars that told a story of immense power and suffering. But he had no time for sightseeing. He immediately split the remaining ice into cushions of water, wrapping them around everyone on deck to brace for impact.
A second later, the ship slammed back down into the waters of the Grand Line. The water orbs absorbed the shock, sparing the crew from the bone-shattering collision.
The ship, however, wasn't quite as lucky.
While the hull remained intact, everything inside that wasn't bolted down was tossed into a chaotic mess. Barrels on the deck went flying into the sea, and the cabin interior sounded like a landslide. It was, by all accounts, a disaster of a landing.
"Whew… I really thought we were dead!"
Soaked to the bone, Nami stared back at the receding silhouette of the whale with lingering terror, her hands already flying over the railings to check for structural damage. Beside her, Robin lay flat on the deck, completely drained, each breath a visible struggle. Nojiko was in slightly better shape, but she sat huddled against the mast, clutching her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart.
"That was… intense."
Li Ke was breathing hard, staring at his palms with a look of disbelief. He gave his hands a casual flick, and the water clinging to the three women suddenly took flight. It spiraled into the air, coalesced into a sphere, and then—with a sharp crack—solidified into a jagged shard of ice in his grasp.
"I can control ice now?"
He was stunned. Ice was technically just a phase shift of water, but despite dozens of previous attempts, he'd never been able to force the change. This time, it had happened as easily as breathing.
Did the insight from my Haki force a breakthrough in my training?
Li Ke clenched his fist. He realized that while Armament Haki was the raw shield and spear of the strong, Observation Haki was the true key to perceiving the fundamental nature of the world.
The hyper-lucid state he'd just experienced was fading, though. That absolute clarity—where the world stripped itself bare for him—felt like a burst of potential triggered by the life-or-death crisis. In that split second, amidst the cacophony of a thousand whispers from the environment, he had caught one distinct sentence:
"There is no destiny… there is only choice…"
Li Ke didn't know whose voice it was, but the words echoed in his soul.
Is my Observation Haki really the 'Voice of All Things' variety?
He was almost certain now. The only reason he couldn't hold full conversations like Roger or Luffy yet was likely just a matter of his current power level. He wasn't strong enough to keep the channel open.
Turning his head, Li Ke glared back at the massive whale, Laboon.
He remembered the story—it was supposedly a touching, tear-jerker of a backstory. But right now? He didn't give a damn how "touching" it was. All he knew was that this overgrown fish had almost sent them all to a watery grave. In that violent current, there was no such thing as "surviving" a shipwreck. It was total annihilation.
"Are you going to kill it?"
Li Ke drew his sword, the cold steel reflecting the dark intent in his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for animal documentaries. He was in the mood for payback.
"It's called an Island Whale," Robin noted helpfully, her voice calm as she provided the necessary intel. "Actually, it's still just a calf. If you're serious about killing it, it's definitely within your power."
Li Ke didn't know how to feel about a world where a creature that size was considered a "calf," but he didn't care for the biology lesson. All he cared about was the threat it had posed.
Dragonfire erupted around him, coiling like a living thing and surging toward the blade in his hand. The sword—a piece of gear from Arad that had already been put through the wringer—groaned under the sudden heat, fine cracks spiderwebbing across the steel. Li Ke didn't blink; he had plenty of spare blades, and he hadn't spent his time at sea just lounging around.
"I'm giving you one strike, Laboon. Whether you live or die is up to you!"
The flames condensed, white-hot and compact, while his Armament Haki instinctively wrapped around the edge, forming jagged black patterns. Li Ke locked his Observation Haki onto the massive target, his focus absolute.
The sheer temperature of the Red Dragon's fire caused the seawater on the deck to hiss into steam instantly. Li Ke stood at the center of a distortion in the air, the wood beneath his boots beginning to char. At the peak of his power, he swung the shattered remains of the blade.
CRA-AAK.
The sword disintegrated under the stress, the metal melting into droplets of molten iron that rode the edge of a violent, soaring slash. The projectile hurtled toward Laboon with a roar.
The whale sensed the danger a second too late. It barely began to turn its massive head when the slash connected—but instead of the sound of rending flesh, there was the screech of grinding steel followed by a pained wail.
"Wait, that's not right..."
Li Ke blinked. Through the gash in Laboon's side, he didn't just see blubber and bone; he saw reinforced steel plating and structural beams. Sitting right in the middle of the "wound" was a stunned old man holding a newspaper.
Li Ke remembered then: this old guy had basically turned the whale's insides into a floating fortress.
"That's some high-level engineering," Li Ke muttered, looking at the ten-meter gash he'd left. He felt a bit annoyed. If he had closed the distance and cut it by hand, he could have sliced through that steel like paper, but his flying slash just wasn't there yet. It was great for slaughtering grunts, but against real armor or high-tier opponents, it lacked the necessary "bite."
The dragonfire clinging to Laboon's side continued to burn with a fierce, unnatural intensity. Watching the flames lick at the whale's massive frame, Li Ke knew that even if the beast didn't die, it was in for a hell of a recovery.
"Payback's a bitch," Li Ke snorted. He wasn't like Luffy; he didn't have that "forgive and forget" shonen protagonist gene. If something tried to kill him, he made sure it felt the consequences.
"Wow. Since when did you get this strong?" Robin asked, her eyebrows arching in genuine surprise. Leaving a ten-meter gash from dozens of meters away was a feat that placed him far above the average Grand Line rookie.
"Strong enough. But we need to move," Li Ke said, tossing the useless hilt of his broken sword back into his inventory. He slammed his foot onto the deck, and the water surrounding the hull began to churn and surge under his command, forcibly propelling the ship forward.
He wasn't worried about himself, but Nami and Nojiko were glass cannons at best, and Robin was a Devil Fruit user—a total anchor in the water. If he stayed to finish the job and the ship got smashed, he'd be fine, but the girls would be in deep trouble.
Sure enough, Laboon let out a soul-shaking wail as the dragonfire continued to sear its hide. Driven by agony, the Island Whale began to turn, its massive bulk cutting through the sea as it prepared to ram them with the force of a mountain.
Li Ke drew another blade—just a standard one he'd picked up in bulk—and regulated his breathing, recovering his stamina for a follow-up strike. He was ready to drop the beast for good if it closed the distance. But before the collision could happen, two figures on a small scouting boat intercepted the path, and the old man inside the whale must have hit a kill-switch. Laboon's momentum died instantly, and the gargantuan creature groaned to a halt in the middle of the sea.
"Tch. It stopped?" Li Ke grumbled, sounding almost disappointed.
He knew exactly who the old man was—Crocus, the former doctor of the Roger Pirates. He wasn't sure if the old man had seen the news about Roger yet, but out of respect for the Pirate King, Li Ke was willing to let the whale go.
However, his attention was immediately diverted to the small boat approaching them.
On board was a man dressed like some budget prince and a woman who looked like she'd crawled out of a neon-lit club. If his memory served him right, they were both members of Baroque Works.
The man, Mr. 9, was a rank-and-file agent. But the woman, Miss Wednesday, was something else entirely. Behind that code name was Nefertari Vivi, the crown princess of Alabasta.
Her full name was Nefertari Vivi. She was the princess of the kingdom that Sir Crocodile, the "Sand Crocodile," was plotting to seize, and she had gone undercover to investigate if the Warlord was truly the mastermind behind her country's turmoil.
Li Ke didn't stop them from boarding. Instead, he watched them with a look of detached amusement.
The moment they stepped onto the deck, the man dressed like a budget prince addressed Li Ke directly.
"You lot. Interested in a partnership?"
Though he was addressing the group, his eyes were locked on Li Ke. He had seen clearly that Li Ke was the one who had wounded Laboon. He moved quickly to state his terms.
"If you're willing to help, we can give you a cut of the profits."
In his mind, the only reason Li Ke would attack a whale was to hunt it for meat or oil, so there was no reason to refuse their offer.
But Li Ke just let out a sharp laugh and looked toward Vivi, who was decked out in her "Miss Wednesday" street-punk gear.
"I couldn't care less about Baroque Works," Li Ke said, his voice cold. "You're nothing but errand boys for a Warlord. I only let you on my ship because I was curious—I wanted to see just how much the great Nefertari Vivi is willing to sacrifice for her country. After all, a man like Crocodile must seem like an insurmountable god to someone like you, right?"
The words hit like a physical blow.
Vivi was paralyzed with sheer terror. This man had just casually dropped her real name, her secret investigation, and her hidden identity—all things she had risked her life to keep buried.
The man beside her, however, was oblivious. "What 'Crocodile'?! We are Baroque Works! I am an elite among elites! An agent of the organization!!"
He whipped out his steel baseball bats, striking what he clearly thought was a heroic pose.
"M—"
Li Ke's fist connected before he could finish the sentence. The self-proclaimed "M" prince hit the deck in a heap, out cold before he even knew what had happened.
"I get it, you're an 'M'. No need to shout your kinks at everyone," Li Ke muttered, shaking his head. He found these small-time characters in this world fascinating—their confidence always seemed to be ten times higher than their actual combat ability.
"So? Miss Nefertari Vivi, do you feel like answering me now?"
Vivi didn't answer with words. She lunged backward, instantly dousing herself in a cloud of perfume. She pulled out her wire-bound Peacock Slashers and, utilizing her graceful physique, began to sway and dance rhythmically in front of Li Ke.
"Come on! Get a good whiff of my scent! The Hypnotic Dance of the Seducing Perfume!"
Instantly, a psychedelic fragrance wafted into Li Ke's nose. He felt a wave of numbness wash over his body, but that wasn't the only thing. As Vivi's striped outfit blurred in a dizzying display, his eyes were drawn to a much more... substantial distraction.
Wait... Vivi's chest is actually larger than Nami's and Robin's right now?!
As expected of the 'D' clan!
Li Ke's eyes widened, but he wasn't about to make a fool of himself. His Dragonfire surged through his veins in a quick pulse, incinerating the toxins in his blood instantly. Just as Vivi wore a triumphant smirk, thinking she had him, Li Ke reached out and firmly grasped that "Will of D."
However, the moment his hands connected with the strength of the Nefertari bloodline, Li Ke's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He felt a power that defied common sense! A look of pure shock crossed his face.
"No... this isn't the Will of D anymore. It's the power of E..."
Vivi's expression froze. She had thought Li Ke was on his last legs, but she quickly realized something was very wrong.
First, Li Ke was squeezing way too hard. Second, he didn't look hypnotized or charmed in the slightest!
"EEEEEEHHH?! You didn't fall for it at all!!"
She pointed at him, trembling with rage, but Li Ke just reached out with his other hand to secure the other "D"—no, "E"—and spoke with absolute, deadpan seriousness.
"No, I'm definitely hypnotized. Totally under your spell."
His tone was so earnest that Vivi actually hesitated. Especially since Li Ke was staring at her chest with such soul-piercing intensity, she momentarily wondered if her technique had actually worked in some weird, hyper-focused way.
"Wait... really?"
She was genuinely confused for a second, but then she heard a collective sigh from the sidelines. Robin and Nami both looked pained, while Nojiko leaned against the railing and muttered:
"You really are a piece of work, Li Ke. An absolute scumbag."
The words snapped Vivi back to reality. She leaped backward, escaping his reach, and grabbed her unconscious partner by the collar, ready to bolt. Even if Mr. 9 had heard her real name, she knew his brain was too smooth to actually process it as the truth—she could still salvage her cover!
But then...
"Princess Nefertari D. Vivi, aren't you even a little curious how Crocodile is actually dismantling your country? Or do you honestly believe the World Government is going to lift a finger to help you?"
Li Ke's voice made her stop dead. At that moment, Robin set down her magazine and let her hood fall back, revealing her face clearly to the princess.
"M-Miss... All Sunday!"
Vivi's entire body turned to stone. Seeing the Vice President of Baroque Works standing there, only one thought raced through her mind:
It's over. I'm dead.
It's over. Exposed!
The realization hit her like a tidal wave. These people had to be here to kill her.
"You really are something else..." Robin sighed, shaking her head as she watched Li Ke. "I knew what you were planning, but men truly are all the same—not a shred of chivalry. Crocodile knew her identity all along and let her live just to use her as a tool, and here you are, planning to make a princess sell herself to you."
Robin turned her gaze toward the trembling Vivi. "Don't be so tense, Princess. I've officially resigned from my post, so we aren't here to assassinate you."
At this point, Vivi knew the charade was dead. If the Vice President of Baroque Works had called her by her royal title, then her infiltration had been a failure from day one. It meant Crocodile had been playing with them like cats with a mouse the entire time.
She edged cautiously toward the side of the ship. Even though Li Ke and Robin didn't seem to be moving to attack, she remained on high alert. Still, her curiosity was piqued—who was this man, and what did "Miss All Sunday resigning" actually imply?
"What... what do you want?" Vivi stammered.
Li Ke didn't mince words.
"Give me your virginity and be my mistress for ten years, and I'll take down the Sand Crocodile for you. As for whether I'm working for him? You can judge that for yourself later. However, I collect a deposit upfront. If you want me to move against Crocodile, you start by giving me a blowjob. If I successfully kill him, then you sleep with me—I'm sure by then you'll understand that it's bad form to dodge a debt. So, how does that deal sound?"
Li Ke gave her a cheerful thumbs-up, flashing a toothy grin. He figured since she was a princess, he should be a little "accommodating" with the terms.
"Huh?"
Vivi stared at him, her mind going completely blank. She couldn't believe her own ears. This man... wanted her?