Chapter 212: Pirates' Island (11 chapters)"You're courting death?""That's a pretty good name; I'll give you extra points for it."Arthur couldn't help but want to laugh when he heard the name, and in the end, he couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing.It would have been better if Arthur hadn't laughed, but his laughter actually made that Pirate retreat two steps.Because Arthur's smile was truly a bit sinister.That Pirate didn't know why, but that smile made him feel a hint of fear. It shouldn't be! She was clearly such a cute Little girl, how could she show such a cruel smile?The Pirate shook his head. No matter how he looked at them, these two people couldn't be strong.In their perception, how could there be very powerful Pirates among women in the East Blue?"Why aren't you giving this lord face? Then this lord will have to show you some color!"With that, the Pirate placed his blade on Arthur's neck.At this moment, everyone around them started to jeer."Wozhaosi, why are you, a big man, bullying a little girl? If you're going to bully her, do it in a room. What's the point of bullying her here?""Hahahahaha, Boss, don't forget our previous rules! Once you're done having your fun, you must let us have some fun too!"Seeing this, Arthur frowned, but at this moment, he endured it for a bit longer."I'll give you one chance. Disappear from my sight immediately, or else I'll make you truly disappear!"Arthur's eyes were cold, and just a glance made a lot of cold sweat appear on the Pirate's back."What a joke?""Why do I feel like I'm being stared at by a venomous snake just by being looked at by this Little girl?"But then he shook his head, "Impossible, this is impossible!""This old man is Wozhaosi, one of the top Pirates on this island!""Since you refuse a toast and prefer a forfeit, then let this Little girl taste my power."With that, he put away his greatsword. After all, it wouldn't be good to kill such a beautiful Little girl.Then, he raised his fist, ready to attack Arthur.Just as Arthur was about to make his move, a furious female voice suddenly rang out."Perfume Femur!"What happened in the next second left everyone on the street dumbfounded.The stunning woman who had been silent behind Arthur suddenly attacked, kicking the burly man from earlier.The burly man's abdomen began to petrify, and in the next second, a powerful force directly sent the burly man flying. The power of this blow exceeded everyone's imagination.Because they saw that the people and buildings directly in line with the burly man were all shattered.The street was silent."This…""Is this the strength a sick person should have?""Even if he used his full strength, he probably wouldn't be able to achieve this level of power!"At this moment, he was glad that he had not made an enemy of the woman in front of him.The title of Shichibukai was not just for show."You dare lay a hand on Arthur? Did you ask for this concubine's opinion?" Hancock said, pointing at the crowd with an arrogant look in her eyes.And when the surrounding Pirates saw this scene, how could they dare to speak?At this moment, Arthur walked up to a relatively shorter person."I'd like to ask if there's a doctor here. My friend is sick. Also, I'd like to ask what's going on with this island?"Arthur straightened up, looking at Hancock."..." The Pirate Arthur questioned fell silent. He didn't know what to say. How could the woman this woman was pointing to look sick?Could a sick person have such great strength? Is this scientific?"Why aren't you speaking?"Hearing Arthur's words again, he came back to his senses."Uh… there is a doctor here. If you go to the right, you'll see a sign for a medical hall. That's the only doctor on this island. And this island is Tortuga Island, a gathering place for East Blue Pirates.""A gathering place for Pirates?"That Pirate nodded."Everyone here is either a Pirate or someone who wants to become a Pirate. Because there's no place for Pirates in the East Blue, this is a paradise built by many Pirates themselves."Arthur nodded.He wasn't interested in such a place at all. Shouldn't Pirates be sailing the seas? Why would they be cooped up on an island?But the most important thing now was to find a doctor."Hancock, let's go. The medical hall is ahead. Let's go check on your condition first."Hancock nodded and slowly came to Arthur's side."Are you hungry?"Arthur shook his head."Are you thirsty?"Arthur shook his head again."You…"This time, Arthur stopped her words."Hancock, just take care of yourself. I'm fine. We'll be at the medical hall soon."Arthur hadn't expected Hancock to say such pointless things.Before reaching the medical hall, Arthur saw a clothing store. Then he looked at his own attire."It's time to buy some clothes, preferably something more masculine."At this time, the clothes he was wearing were still the Kuja Pirates' women's clothing. Although they were somewhat similar to men's clothing, the colorful patterns always made him feel a bit uncomfortable.Then Arthur led Hancock into the medical hall first.Buying clothes could be done anytime, but seeing a doctor required time.Upon entering the medical hall, there were many customers inside. These customers all had fierce expressions, and their injuries were all external wounds. Arthur noticed that these wounds were likely caused by swords or guns.These people were probably all Pirates. Fighting and killing among Pirates were unavoidable, and these wounds were likely sustained during their usual battles.The timing was perfect; the doctor had just finished his work.Arthur and Hancock walked up to the doctor. The doctor's eyes lit up when he saw the two women in front of him.After all, most of his patients were rough men; he rarely saw such delicate women."Two young ladies, are you here to see a doctor?"Arthur nodded, then pointed to Hancock beside him and said, "She's sick. Her temperature was frighteningly high just now. Please take a look and see what's wrong with her."Arthur understood things related to research very well, but he was completely clueless about common illnesses.Then, the doctor motioned for Hancock to sit down.The doctor was also a rugged, burly man. He looked at Hancock, and his gaze had already changed, as if he had been captivated by Hancock."Can't you turn off this charm aura? Look, everyone around you is affected by your charm aura."Sure enough, all the Pirates around were staring intently at the two of them.Their eyes had all turned into adoration."This concubine also has no way to control her abilities, and this concubine is inherently beautiful."
Chapter 213 Not Sick? (12 Chapters)Although affected by the Charm Aura, the doctor's medical ethics were still intact!After Hancock took out the thermometer, the doctor looked at the temperature on it and said, "This beautiful lady is very healthy and not sick at all, but I still hope she can receive treatment here. My medical skills are renowned far and wide!""..."If she's not sick, what's there to treat?!Arthur was a bit helpless; her temperature was terrifyingly high just a moment ago!Thinking of this, Arthur's hand once again rested on Hancock's forehead.Just then, the temperature of the thermometer Hancock held suddenly rose.Bang!The next second, the thermometer exploded directly."This..."This scene stunned the doctor as well. He had never encountered such a situation. How could a person's body temperature rise to the point of making a thermometer explode?After Arthur withdrew his hand, the doctor also wanted to place his hand on Hancock's forehead to check her temperature.But before his hand could reach her, he was kicked away by Hancock."Hancock, what are you doing? He's a doctor!""This concubine... how could this concubine let anyone touch her body?"Arthur was helpless once more!Forget it, it seems this fellow really isn't sick."How do you feel?" Arthur asked helplessly."This concubine... this concubine feels so happy right now!"Hancock said, her face showing a blissful expression."!!"This doesn't make sense, but it looks like Hancockshould be fine."Isn't this just a wasted trip?"Saying that, Arthur pulled Hancock, preparing to leave, because he couldn't stand the lecherous gazes around them anymore.And just as the two were walking on the road, the surrounding pirates actually started whistling at them.Bang!The door of the medical hall was shut, but everyone was still engrossed in the beauty."How can there be such beautiful women in the world? And there are two of them, isn't this double the happiness?""..."After leaving the medical hall, Arthur took Hancockto the shop they had just passed.Most of the items in the shop were men's clothing, which suited Arthur's intentions perfectly.Arthur quickly chose a piece of men's clothing, but when he wore it, it made him look even more like a woman.A woman disguised as a man.However, at this moment, Hancock's charm bonus indeed played its part.In the end, the two didn't spend a single Berry; the boss gave the clothes to Arthur for free.Freebie!It really was a freebie!So, the Charm Aura could be used this way!Now, Arthur found Hancock more and more pleasing to the eye. If he took her shopping next time, he should be able to save a lot of money, right?Just then, in the distant sea near the island.There were dozens of rows of Marine warships, and each warship was packed with Marines."Report, officer, ahead is the pirates' gathering place, Tortuga Island."A Marine respectfully reported to a Marine officer."Hahahaha, we've been investigating this pirate den for a long time. This time, our six Marine branches will enforce the law simultaneously. We must capture all these pirates in one fell swoop."This Marine officer was very young. His rank was Colonel, which was the highest rank achievable in the Four Seas branches. If he successfully completed this encirclement plan, his military merits would allow him to smoothly transfer to Marine Headquarters.In the East Blue, the Marines had dozens of branches, but most of the branch personnel were already corrupt, completely lacking ambition, simply waiting to die in the East Blue.But he was different. He was a Marine with a dream; he was determined to become a Flag Officer at Headquarters."We have already scouted. Although there are many pirates on Tortuga Island, there are only a few with bounties over ten million. The number of people we brought this time is enough to capture them all."The Marine officer nodded."All ships form an encirclement, completely surrounding the island. Since it's confirmed to be a pirate nest, we don't need to be polite. Should we start shelling directly?""Yes!"The Marine officer smiled as he looked at the island ahead. For this encirclement, he had truly humbled himself, borrowing many warships and soldiers from other branches.He believed that this encirclement would definitely succeed, and he would achieve fame and fortune, smoothly being promoted to Marine Headquarters."As long as I can get promoted smoothly this time, the first thing I'll do is drag those corrupt old-timers down. They're old and sit in high positions without doing anything."He clearly remembered the embarrassment he felt when he borrowed personnel from other Marine branches."The Marines are here!"On the island, Arthur and Hancock were about to return to the perfume yuda when they heard a lot of shouts nearby.Hearing this news, Arthur's brows furrowed."Why are the Marines here? Did they discover this island and come to encircle it?"Thinking of this, Arthur sighed.He had arrived at a very inconvenient time."Hancock, we need to leave here quickly. If the Marines attack, it will affect us too."At this moment, Hancock shook her head."Arthur, have you forgotten that I am a Shichibukai?"Arthur then realized that the Shichibukai were pirates acknowledged by the World Government, so he didn't need to worry about the Marines engaging them."Indeed, the Shichibukai are clever pirates. This status protects their actions very well.""Arthur, thank you for your compliment.""..."Never mind, let's just pretend I didn't say that.Just then, a cannonball suddenly flew towards them. Arthur immediately furrowed his brows, grabbed Hancock's arm, and moved her quickly."What's going on? This isn't a Buster Call, so why are they firing cannonballs right away? Don't these Marines fear harming civilians?"Under normal circumstances, the Marines rarely use cannon fire on islands to capture pirates, because islands are densely populated, and using cannon fire could easily injure innocent people."This concubine also doesn't know why, but don't worry, this is the East Blue. Even if the Marines attack us, they won't be our opponents."In the eyes of the world, the East Blue was the weakest sea, not only were its pirates weak, but even its Marines were very weak."Even so, we still shouldn't engage them right now, as it would affect our speed."On the other side, the Kuja Pirates saw that the Marines had not made a move, but the Marines' cannon fire was already heading towards them.
Chapter 214 Peaceful Resolution (13 Chapters)The Navy's artillery continuously bombarded Tortuga Island. Although the scale of the shells and warships was much smaller compared to a Buster Call, the power of being surrounded and bombarded by so many warships was not to be underestimated."Let's go back quickly! We'll be caught in this indiscriminate bombardment too!"Hancock nodded after hearing Arthur's words."Alright!"The two ran towards the shore, constantly dodging the incoming artillery fire.While ordinary artillery fire might not have much effect on them, it was a true disaster for the Pirates on the island.Under the bombardment, houses continuously collapsed, and the Pirates scattered, searching for safe locations.When Arthur and Hancock arrived at the shore, they found that the Kuja Pirates' ship was also under attack."What's going on? Didn't they see my flag?"Hancock's eyes showed some anger.They had an agreement with the Navy; as Shichibukai, they were not supposed to be pursued by the Navy."Don't be angry yet. It's possible that the Navy in the East Blue doesn't know about the existence of the Shichibukai, and they didn't expect a Shichibukai to come here."Arthur analyzed.Indeed, the Navy had no idea it was the Kuja Pirates' flag. They treated the Kuja Pirates as ordinary Pirates and bombarded them under the officers' command."Empress, what should we do?"Upon seeing Hancock's return, the members of the Kuja Pirates immediately asked."They dared to do such an excessive thing to me, so we must retaliate!"Arthur did not stop Hancock's words.Whether it was the Navy or the Pirates, a battle was inevitable once the two organizations met.This matter wasn't about right or wrong; it was simply that the two organizations had different stances.After hearing the Empress's command, the Kuja Pirates also began their counterattack.What surprised Arthur was that the Kuja Pirates' weapons for the counterattack were not cannons, but bows and arrows, which are cold weapons.How could bows and arrows have the power of cannons?Although Arthur thought this, he didn't say much. The next second, the arrows from the Kuja Piratesall shot towards the Navy's warships.Boom!Upon reaching the warships, the arrows instantly exploded."This... how is this possible? Bows and arrows, cold weapons, can achieve an effect that even cannons cannot!"Just then, Hancock came to Arthur's side and explained, "Although these are just ordinary bows and arrows, all of us in the Kuja Pirates can use Haki. Ordinary bows and arrows, when imbued with Haki, will gain unexpected power."Arthur nodded. Although he couldn't use Haki, he knew that Haki was a form of energy in this world, similar in some ways to Chakra in Naruto.The Navy, having been attacked by the Kuja Pirates, began to take them seriously. Previously, seeing that the Kuja Pirates' ship was full of women, they hadn't paid much attention to them, only intending to sink them with artillery fire."Captain, there's a very strong Pirate Crew on the coast of Tortuga Island. They've already destroyed several of our warships," a Navy officer said to the Captain."What?! They have people who can destroy our warships? Didn't you attack them with artillery fire?" the Captain said, frowning."All our artillery fire was intercepted by them!""What Pirate Crew are they? What does their Pirate Flag look like? Never mind, I'll go see for myself!"With that, the Navy Captain maneuvered his warship towards the Kuja Pirates' position.At this moment, the Captain took out his telescope and his jaw dropped when he saw the Kuja Pirates' flag."Oh come on, it can't be... Why would the Kuja Pirates appear in the East Blue?"Others might not recognize this flag, but this Captain was well aware of it.Because his goal was the Grand Line, he had previously learned about some of the Pirates there.The Shichibukai were also among those he had studied."Cease fire!"The Captain took out a Den Den Mushi and spoke to all the Navy warships.What a joke!They were Grand Line's great Pirates. How could their low-tier combat forces from the East Blue possibly be their opponents?Then, he took out his telescope again.This time, he saw a beautiful woman. The woman was wearing an off-white T-shirt, and her figure was relatively short. However, the Captain frowned even more after seeing her."How is this possible? Isn't that guy the Vice Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, who's been making such a commotion recently? Shouldn't he be in the Grand Line right now? Why is he here?"Cold sweat was already breaking out on the Captain's forehead.Five Vice Admirals of the Marine Headquarters couldn't kill him. This was a Pirate with a bounty of over 280 million. How could their Navy possibly contend with him?"Empress, the Navy has stopped shelling, and a warship is approaching us. Should we shoot it down?"The Empress waved her hand after hearing this news.They couldn't fall out with the Navy right now.The Shichibukai status still had some use for them. Hancock needed this identity to protect her country.The warship and the perfume yuda slowly approached each other.The Captain also stepped out."We, the Navy, are rounding up Pirates. We apologize for any unintentional offense. Please forgive us," the Captain said to everyone. He was a person who could bend and adapt. If he wanted to continue rounding up Pirates now, he first had to get these 'great Buddhas' to leave.The Empress nodded with a cold gaze.On the warship, apart from the Captain, everyone else showed an infatuated expression towards the Empress."I naturally don't wish to be your enemy, but since you damaged our ship, I believe you need to make some amends," the Empress said to the Navy."Don't worry! We in the Navy have the best shipwrights. You retreat to the rear, and we will have our shipwrights repair your ship as quickly as possible, then allow you to continue sailing."At this point, the Empress looked at Arthur.Arthur also nodded. What did the battle between the Navy and the Pirates have to do with them?Wouldn't not participating in the battle be the best choice for them?Moreover, they were getting free ship repairs.Subsequently, the perfume yuda slowly left the Navy's shelling range, and the Navy did not go back on their word. Indeed, a large number of shipwrights came to repair their ship.Arthur smiled. Although there were some twists and turns, hadn't their ultimate goal been achieved?Pirates asking the Navy for help to repair their ship—this was something Arthur never dared to imagine.Indeed, the position of Shichibukai was quite good.
Chapter 215 Entering the Calm Belt (14 Chapters)The Marines finally repaired the damaged ship of the Kuja Pirates, and the Kuja Pirates, along with Arthur, did not stay but prepared to return.It's none of my business; I'll stand aside.This island itself was a pirate island, and it was expected that they would encounter a Marine encirclement now.Of course, these pirates were not to be trifled with, and a battle between the two sides was imminent.But none of this had anything to do with Arthur.Voyaging is a lonely endeavor; only with a group of companions does it hold its true meaning.However, the Kuja Pirate Crew was entirely different from the Straw Hat Pirates; there was a very strict sense of hierarchy on this ship.Empress Hancock, after all, was not only the captain of a Pirate Crew but also the queen of a country.Therefore, this ship was very quiet, with everyone doing their assigned tasks, forming a stark contrast to the lively Straw Hat Pirates.However, since he was considered a guest on this ship, Hancock did not assign him any work, and he continued to enjoy the leisurely time of voyaging in a lounge chair, just as he did with the Straw Hat Pirates.Because they encountered the Krieg Pirates as soon as they arrived in the East Blue, they did not reach the interior of the East Blue, but it would still take a few days of sailing to reach Amazon Lily.Their route was to first reach Amazon Lily and then travel from the kingdom to the Sabaody Archipelago.Since Arthur was unsure where Luffy was currently, waiting for them at the Sabaody Archipelago was the best option."Arthur~"As soon as Arthur opened his eyes, he heard Empress Hancock's voice from nearby.Since he was living under someone else's roof, Arthur immediately put away his lounge chair, stood up, and approached Hancock."What's wrong? Is there something you need me to do?" Arthur immediately asked.Hancock shook her head and said, "Of course not, I just wanted to come over and chat with you."Arthur shook his head helplessly; he was not a fool and he had, of course, noticed Hancock's change.Although he also thought Hancock was good, he had never considered anything in that regard.Perhaps he was used to being treated as a woman.He remembered being confessed to by many male classmates when he was on Blue Star.Perhaps it was due to his past insecurity about his appearance, which made him never consider finding a girlfriend, let alone now that he had transmigrated; this unstable world made him abandon that idea even more.Actually, he wasn't averse to women, it was just that he had looked in the mirror too much in the past and had face blindness.In his eyes, women were just women; there was no such thing as pretty or not pretty.(Here's an explanation: seeing Nami before was due to his idol-worshiping mindset.)Seeing Arthur remain silent, Hancock continued, "Arthur, can I have one of your fingernails?"Fingernail?What kind of fetish was this?However, Arthur did not refuse and then broke off a fingernail, handing it to Hancock.After receiving Arthur's fingernail, Hancock actually jumped up happily and then walked into her room."…"This woman… Arthur then shook his head. At this moment, he felt the air was a bit stuffy, and then he looked at the sea, frowning."I always feel this sea is too calm; something is about to happen."No sooner had Arthur spoken than the Navigator of the Kuja Pirate Crew rushed out frantically."Everyone, quickly lower the sails! The sea is about to get windy!" the Navigator shouted to everyone.And no sooner had she spoken than, before everyone could react, a fierce gust of wind suddenly struck, so powerful that it directly blew away the woman who was about to furl the sails.The next second, the Kuja Pirate Crew's ship began to shake violently, and the two snakes at the front of the ship swayed continuously; at this point, they had no way to stabilize the ship.Arthur immediately channeled Chakra, firmly gripping the deck with his feet, and then his hands transformed into countless small snakes, stabilizing the crew members of the Kuja Pirate Crew.Seeing the grateful looks from the Kuja Pirate Crewmembers, he shouted loudly, "Everyone, quickly find a way to furl the sails! If this continues, our ship will capsize!"Hancock rushed out, having now regained her Empress demeanor, and said to everyone, "Everyone, don't panic. Listen to Arthur and furl the sails first to keep the ship stable."Arthur sighed helplessly, seeing that everyone could no longer stand steadily, and then walked towards the sails himself.The strong wind had now completely blown them off course, and the Navigator no longer had time to check the log pose's direction.Slowly, a violent downpour began to fall from the sky, the entire ship started to get drenched, and everyone began frantically clearing the rainwater overboard.Arthur leaped up and used a rope to tie up the sails.After the sails were furled, their ship stabilized considerably, but it was still shaking violently, with waves crashing over them one after another, causing the entire ship to sway intensely.Fortunately, the Kuja Pirate Crew had two sea snakes helping to stabilize the ship's hull; if it were just an ordinary ship, such winds and waves would likely have capsized it."This wind must be at least level ten."The strong wind lasted for a full half-day. After the strong wind subsided, the waves did not recede; the sea continuously rocked the ship."Empress, we are about to reach the Calm Belt, but we have deviated too much from our original course…"The Navigator looked at Empress Hancock, awaiting her instructions.Hancock looked at the log pose, her brows tightly furrowed, but she still said, "We will first pass through the Calm Belt, and then continue sailing on the Grand Line to reach the Sabaody Archipelago."Originally, their plan was to first reach Amazon Lily and then go to the Sabaody Archipelago, but since plans change, dropping Arthur off at the Sabaody Archipelago first was also acceptable."Thank you, Hancock!"Upon hearing this news, Arthur was the first to express his gratitude.He thought for a moment, then added another sentence."I will find a way to repay you in the future!"The sea gradually became calm, and the surrounding environment slowly began to change, with no sea breeze blowing at all.They had now entered the Calm Belt.Hancock, standing nearby, flushed crimson. At this moment, because of Arthur's words, she had already imagined another version of events.And she was deeply immersed in that version, unable to extricate herself.After entering the Calm Belt, their propulsion came from the pulling of the sea snakes.The two sea snakes in front continuously pulled them forward.Seeing this scene, Arthur stroked his chin, thinking, if Little Green and Little White were used as propulsion, the Straw Hat Pirate Crew's ship should also be able to pass through the Calm Belt!
Chapter 216: The Terrible Bark (15 Chapters)The Calm Belt is a dangerous place for ordinary ships, but for the Kuja Pirates, the Calm Belt is like home, allowing them to come and go freely.The perfume yuda was very fast, and fortunately, they did not alarm any Sea Kings, so they safely passed through the Calm Belt.After they passed through the Calm Belt, the sky suddenly turned dark, and the surroundings seemed to be shrouded in mist, covering the area, and the environment became eerie."Where are we now?"Hancock asked the Navigator beside her."Empress Hancock, our current location should be the Florian Triangle."Unlike the Straw Hat Pirates, the Kuja Pirates had been sailing in the first half of the Grand Line for a long time. They were much more familiar with the environment and regions here. They had also been to the Florian Triangle before.Hancock nodded, then heard Arthur call out from beside her."Hancock, look! There's an island!"At this moment, everyone in the Kuja Pirates looked forward simultaneously. Sure enough, in the Florian Triangle, an island was lurking."This island always feels a bit familiar, but I've forgotten what it is exactly."Hancock frowned, looking at the island ahead. Then, she looked at Arthur."Arthur, should we go up and take a look?"Hearing the Empress's words, everyone in the Kuja Pirates looked at her.What was wrong with their Empress?This was the Kuja Pirates' ship, why was she asking an outsider for his opinion?This was illogical!Arthur looked at the island ahead and nodded. After all, although the island looked a bit eerie, it was so close. If they didn't go see it, it would feel like something was missing.When the Empress saw Arthur nod, she immediately smiled.At this moment, she was fantasizing about a perfect date.Then, Hancock turned her head and said to the Kuja Pirates with a serious expression, "Anchor the ship near the island. You all stay here to guard the ship. Arthur and I will go to the island to take a look together.""..."The members of the Kuja Pirates fell silent.Empress Hancock was right.The perfume yuda slowly approached the island. At this time, Hancock had also changed into a different outfit, a black and white dress with a lot of skin exposed. This time, she wasn't wearing high heels.Perhaps it was to accommodate Arthur's height."Hancock, this island looks so eerie, there should be a lot of insects. Are you sure you'll be okay dressed like this?"Arthur reminded her.Hancock shook her head and said with a flushed face, "I have Conqueror's Haki. Ordinary insects can't even get close to my body."What Arthur didn't know was that Hancock was currently immersed in Arthur's concern for her."Alright, in that case, let's go."Haki really is a good thing."Yes!"As Empress Hancock's voice sounded, she followed behind Arthur, and the two walked together towards the interior of the island.After the two stepped onto the island, they immediately felt that something was wrong with it, because the creatures on this island were particularly strange. Just after entering the island, Arthur and Hancock saw a three-headed dog ahead."What kind of creature is this, a dog with three heads?" Arthur looked at the creature ahead, stroking his chin.Hancock took the opportunity to grab Arthur's arm."I'm a little scared!""..."Come on, you're the Pirate Empress!What would you be afraid of with something like this?Arthur slowly walked forward. As Arthur and Hancock took a step forward, the three-headed dog retreated a step.The three-headed dog looked at the two people in front of it, and for some reason, it felt a little fear.Especially the way that short woman looked at it, it was even a little fervent.This guy isn't a pervert, is he?Having thoughts about a dog!Thinking of this, the three-headed dog wanted to run away, but how could Arthur let it have its way?The next second, countless small snakes appeared on the ground and surrounded the three-headed dog in an instant."Arthur, do you like snakes very much?" Hancockasked.Arthur nodded."Don't you think snakes are a very cute animal?"After hearing this, Hancock's body quickly warmed up."He actually said I'm cute. My title is Snake Princess!"Arthur saw Hancock like this and shook his head helplessly. Then he used the Body Flicker Techniqueand instantly appeared on the three-headed dog's head."It seems this three-headed dog didn't originally have three heads, but rather had three heads sewn onto it."Arthur looked at the stitches and threads on the three-headed dog and fell into thought."Artificial three-headed dog? Interesting. This island has something to it...""No, this creature has no life aura, but why can it move?"Then Arthur sniffed the scent on the three-headed dog, and indeed there was a smell of a corpse.Perhaps it was due to the environment here that these corpses hadn't rotted, but is it normal for corpses to move like normal living creatures?The three-headed dog trembled as it listened to Arthur's constant murmuring. Was this guy studying its body?He really is a pervert!"Currently, I can't figure out what's going on. But I think there should be more interesting things inside the island."Thinking of this, Arthur immediately jumped to the ground and said to Hancock, "Let's go further inside!""Okay~"And at this moment, another ship also appeared near the island."Luffy, this island is very dangerous. There might be ghosts appearing. We just encountered a skeleton. Such a terrifying thing has happened, so let's not go to that island!" Usopp, carrying a flag that said 'Evil Spirits Begone,' said to Luffy, whose eyes were sparkling.Just now, in this gloomy environment, they encountered a talking skeleton, and that skeleton was floating on the sea and entered the island ahead.Before the skeleton left, it warned them not to go to that island, but how could Luffy listen to such words?It was precisely because of that 'absolutely cannot go' that Luffy became even more interested.Meanwhile, Nami and Chopper were kneeling on the ground. Nami said, "Yes, yes, Luffy, let's not go. I've got a strange illness that prevents me from going to islands."Chopper tightly clutched the cross on his chest. This was something Usopp gave him, which he said could kill ghosts."Luffy, before we land on the island, we should resolve one thing. Look over there."Robin walked out and pointed to a Pirate Crew's ship docked by the shore.This was precisely the Kuja Pirates' ship.Zoro's brows furrowed when he saw the ship."Is it another Shichibukai's ship? The Kuja Piratesshould be the Pirate Empress's ship, right!" Zoro said."Pirate Empress!! Is it that Pirate Empress who is known as the most beautiful woman in the world!! Their ship being there means the Empress is also on the island, right? I've decided, I must go to the island!"Sanji seemed to be pumped up, saying to everyone."He's beyond saving!"Nami quietly shed tears.
Chapter 217 Licked (16 chapters)"Arthur is on the island?"The Straw Hat Pirates all shouted at the same time.At this moment, they had already made contact with the Kuja Pirates because the Kuja Pirates recognized the flag of the Straw Hat Pirates, so the two sides did not fight but communicated face to face."What did you say? Arthur is with the Empress!"These words came from Sanji's mouth.He admitted he was a little envious."Yes, only he and Empress-sama are on this island, but they've been up there for a long time and there's no news yet," said the older of the Snake sisters."They've been up there for so long, aren't you worried?" Nami asked.The Snake sisters both waved their hands."My sister's strength is the strongest in our kingdom; no one in the first half of the Grand Line will be her opponent."After hearing this, the Straw Hat Pirates fell silent.That's right, she is a Shichibukai; if she were to be defeated so easily, then this Shichibukai title would be worthless."Let's go up and find Arthur!" Luffy said to the others, holding a net.This net was a tool he had prepared; he wanted to go to the island to catch ghosts.And the Straw Hat Pirates heard the best news they had received in a long time today.Arthur is really alive."Since that's the case, let's go up quickly. It's been a long time since I last saw that guy, Arthur."Zoro smiled, saying eagerly."Depart!"Inside the island at this moment, Arthur and Hancock were still advancing, both almost reaching the interior of the island.At this point, there was a graveyard ahead. Arthurjust glanced at it, intending to continue forward.But the graveyard seemed to sense someone's arrival, and a withered hand reached out from beneath the ground.Seeing this scene, Arthur unconsciously took a few steps back, bumping right into Hancock's embrace."A zombie?"No sooner had Arthur finished speaking than a zombie crawled out of the graveyard.Arthur's brows furrowed.He wasn't scared; instead, he was somewhat excited."Are these creatures all like that dog?"Thinking of this, he broke free from the Empress's embrace and came before the zombie.Then Arthur grabbed the zombie's arm and gently applied force.The zombie's arm was thus directly broken off by Arthur."What the heck, it's so fragile. I barely even used any force!"The next moment, a large number of zombies crawled out from underground, emitting a decaying smell.Arthur covered his nose and punched the zombie in front of him.Without any surprise, the zombie's head was directly knocked off by Arthur's punch.But what was terrifying was that the headless zombie could still move."Is this an undead creature?"Arthur directly grabbed a zombie, then pried open its mouth, finding nothing strange inside."No, what is this black thing?"Then Arthur reached out and pulled the black object out of the zombie's mouth.Arthur then looked at the lively black humanoid object he was holding in his hand and fell into thought."Is this the source of the zombie's movement?"Sure enough, after the black thing was pulled out, the zombie completely lost its ability to move.At this moment, Hancock came to Arthur's side, watching his actions without any disgust, but rather finding it very interesting.After Arthur released his hand, the black humanoid object flew directly away, disappearing from his sight.Subsequently, to study the origin of the zombies, Arthur continuously chased after them, and the zombies were also frightened by Arthur's actions.Is this person a pervert?Shouldn't others be scared when they see them? Why does this seemingly delicate woman look at them with such excited, burning eyes?After dismantling several zombies, Arthur sighed.He still had no clue."Damn it, I still can't figure out what this black thing is!"Arthur sighed, then said to Hancock, who was in a daze: "Let's continue deeper into the island. I absolutely won't leave this island today if I don't thoroughly research this thing. If you want to leave, you can go first.""This concubine... this concubine is willing to accompany you to the ends of the earth!" Hancocksaid shyly to Arthur, holding her cheeks."...Then thank you!"The zombies breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the two women leave."They finally left. There are such perverted people in the world!""Yes, yes! If he catches us, we'll definitely be torn to pieces."After watching the two leave, the zombies crawled back into their original graves.The two continued to advance, and at this point, the atmosphere of the forest had become quiet."Hancock, do you feel anything strange watching us?" Arthur asked.Hancock shook her head; she didn't feel anything strange.Arthur wouldn't have noticed me staring at him, would he?Too embarrassing!Arthur looked at Hancock's behavior and patted his head, and just then, he felt a trace of damp heat, and then something suddenly hugged him."This..."A wild beast's scent came, and immediately after, a large amount of drool appeared on his face."Hancock!"For this unknown thing, Arthur immediately called out Hancock's name."Arthur, you..." Hancock didn't finish speaking; she immediately furrowed her brows.And now she had activated her Observation Haki.Within the coverage of Hancock's Observation Haki, she sensed a figure with a beast's face licking Arthur's cheek."Hahahaha, my bride, Absalom, has finally arrived. What I like most are weak brides like you."Arthur suddenly heard words coming from beside him, as well as the roar of a beast.Bride?It seems I didn't encounter anything unclean, but rather a transparent person who can turn invisible is in front of him, only he can't see him!Arthur immediately analyzed, then he used his strength to directly break free from the transparent person's embrace.And after Arthur broke free, Hancock directly kicked the transparent person next to him.The speed was so fast that even Arthur couldn't see it clearly."Perfume Femur!"Bang!The nearby trees quickly collapsed, and the transparent person's figure slowly appeared before the two.This was a beast that looked like a lion. Arthur had just heard him say his name was Absalom."It looks like the opponent shouldn't be a zombie? Because I just felt the breath of life; this guy should know something." Arthur was about to go and ask Absalom some questions.He then saw Hancock rushing towards Absalom."You hateful guy, to do such an excessive thing to Arthur, then accept my wrath!""Great Perfume Femur!"
Chapter 218 Meeting (17 chapters)"Hancock, you..."Go easy on him!Arthur's words were cut short by a thunderous boom, and the entire ground seemed to tremble.It was clear how powerful Hancock's kick was.Arthur's eyes widened."Damn it, how terrifying is this woman? Wouldn't a kick like that just kill me?!"Meanwhile, Usopp, Nami, and Chopper had just arrived at the zombie graveyard. Just as they were about to flee in terror, they heard that thunderous boom.The trembling ground nearly made all three of them fall."What's going on?" Usopp asked, holding a garlic clove and swaying from side to side."An earthquake?" Nami said, clutching her head."It should be man-made. I feel the source of the vibration is straight ahead," Chopper said, now in his deer form, to the others."Ahead? Should we take a detour? After all, someone who can cause such a tremor must be quite formidable."Nami and Chopper nodded in agreement with Usopp's words.When Arthur arrived in front of Absalom, he was already on his last breath, constantly frothing at the mouth.Arthur placed his hand on him and breathed a sigh of relief."This guy's vitality is quite strong; he's still not dead after such a powerful attack? But if he's not treated in time, he probably won't be far from death."Hancock covered her mouth as she watched Arthurapproach."What should I do? Will he think I'm too violent?"At this moment, Hancock's mind was racing, constantly thinking of how to explain herself.Arthur summoned a small snake, placed Absalomon its body, and then said to Hancock, "Let's keep going. This guy's current state probably won't yield any information, and there might be even more interesting things inside the island."He didn't blame me?Sure enough, he likes me too!Hancock suddenly broke into a shy smile.After Arthur finished speaking, he walked straight ahead, ignoring Hancock who was still lost in thought."Wait for me..."The two continued onward, and there were many more zombie creatures in the forest. The zombie creatures automatically steered clear of them, not daring to approach.Because they were scared. Whether it was Hancock's kick that knocked out their leader, or Arthur's previous torment of their companion's body.They all witnessed it.It's better not to provoke such individuals.Just as Arthur took two steps, he heard a woman's scream from behind."What's going on? Why does that voice sound a bit familiar?" Arthur pondered the familiar voice, stroking his chin."A woman's voice! Familiar?"Hancock's mind immediately recalled some sad memories.At this moment, Arthur and Hancock turned their heads simultaneously.They saw two people and a deer fleeing frantically, and these three were people Arthur knew.Usopp, Nami, and Chopper."Usopp! Nami! Chopper!"Arthur let out an excited smile upon seeing the three and shouted loudly.Hearing their names called, the three immediately turned around and rushed towards Arthur."Arthur!"The three were equally excited to see Arthur, and they all simultaneously pounced on him.Thump!Arthur ultimately couldn't withstand the combined weight of the two people and one deer; he was directly knocked to the ground by the three."I knew it, you definitely weren't dead!"Nami and Chopper both shed tears.Hancock, meanwhile, was stunned by this scene. In her eyes, Usopp and Chopper had completely vanished; she only saw Nami pouncing on Arthur.For some reason, at this moment, she felt like crying."Alright, alright! How could I possibly die? Am I not perfectly fine right here? Why are you crying?" Arthur said, patting Nami and Chopper's heads.Soon, the two recovered, and then everyone stood up together."Arthur, why are you here?" Nami asked first.Then, Arthur pointed to Hancock beside him."Originally, I planned to wait for you all at Sabaody Archipelago, but there was a situation in the East Blue, so the route changed, and I ended up here. This is Hancock; she's the one who brought me here.""Thank you!" Nami, Chopper, and Usopp all bowed to Hancock and said.But for some reason, Nami felt a hint of hostility in Hancock's gaze towards her.Was it a hallucination?"Where are Luffy and the others?"Arthur, sensing the awkward atmosphere, immediately changed the subject."Luffy and the others should be behind us. I don't think their adventurous spirit would let them stay on the ship," Usopp said, waving his hand."In that case, let's keep going. I feel this island is very interesting, and I want to explore the secrets of these zombies.""What?!"Hearing Arthur's words, the three immediately spoke up; they had been quite frightened by these zombies."Don't do that! How terrifying that would be!" Chopper said with tears in his eyes.Arthur waved his hand."Since we're already here, I don't think Luffy would let us leave so easily. If that's the case, we might as well investigate thoroughly."The three were a bit helpless.Because they all knew Luffy's personality."Alright, then let's keep moving!"Nami sighed.Afterward, the group continued forward, and soon they arrived in front of a castle."I remember that bat monster just now said that the carriage we were on was going to Doctor Hogback's castle. Doctor Hogback is a famous doctor!"At this, Chopper's eyes lit up."In that case, let's go in!"Arthur said with a smile, sensing that there must be secrets about the zombies inside.Then, Arthur opened the door first, Hancockfollowed closely by his side, and the group slowly walked into the room.And in this room, Doctor Hogback, whom Chopperhad mentioned, was already waiting for them."Welcome to my castle, my friends."Doctor Hogback smiled upon seeing the group, as if genuinely welcoming friends."Doctor Hogback!"Upon seeing Hogback, stars appeared in Chopper's eyes, and everyone could feel Chopper's admiration for Hogback.Just then, a woman similar to the zombies outside walked out, carrying food and placing it on the table.Arthur saw the zombie and observed her carefully for a moment.This female zombie seemed a bit different from the other zombies, but mostly they were the same."My friends, you've arrived at a perfect time. It's dinner now, so let's enjoy supper together!"
Chapter 219 Hogbak (18 chapters)Arthur walked to the dining table and tossed Absalom's body aside."Doctor Hogback, this guy was accidentally kicked by my friend, and it seems he's not dead yet. Can you treat him?"Hearing Arthur's words, Chopper also chimed in.After all, Chopper also wanted to witness Hogback's medical skills.Hogback frowned as he looked at Absalom on the floor. Others might not know who this person was, but how could he not?This guy, who was still a colleague, was so easily defeated by someone else?Hogback looked at Arthur, his serious expression slowly turning into a smile."Hahahaha, why not? Just leave him to me!" Saying that, Hogback ignored the food on the dining table and carried Absalom's body into a room."You can explore this castle freely, but there's only one place you cannot go, and that is my Research Institute!"Before leaving, Hogback said to everyone.A place they couldn't go?Arthur stroked his chin. In his opinion, this forbidden place should be the key to everything."Arthur, what are you thinking about?" Nami asked, looking at Arthur in thought.Arthur shook his head."I'm wondering if the zombies here are related to the doctor from earlier."After hearing Arthur's words, Nami also sighed and said, "It's too crowded and there are too many eyes here. I think it would be more comfortable to take a hot bath first.""Then go ahead!" Usopp said to Nami."Do you really have the heart to let a weak girl like me bathe alone in such a strange place?"Nami looked at everyone with a pitiful expression."Are you suggesting that we should bathe with you?"Arthur joked.But before Nami could speak, Hancock, who had been silent for a long time, sternly declared in a loud voice."Absolutely not!"Upon hearing Hancock's words, everyone's gaze immediately shifted to Hancock."What I mean is, I plan to bathe with you. How could I possibly let these men bathe with me?"At this moment, Hancock's gaze turned to Arthur.It was as if she was telling Arthur: If it were you, I wouldn't mind!Nami was naturally very happy to hear that Hancockwanted to bathe with her.In her eyes, since Hancock was Arthur's friend, she was also her friend.Moreover, she knew Hancock's identity; she was the only female Shichibukai.If she didn't have strength, Nami would absolutely not believe it.With such a powerful person accompanying her, there would definitely be no problems."In that case, Hancock-jie and I will bathe together. You guys just guard the door for us!"Nami said playfully....In the end, Arthur, Usopp, and Chopper still waited at the bathroom door.Inside the bathroom, Hancock and Nami were bathing together.Outside, Arthur's mind had long since wandered to the Research Institute that Hogback had mentioned was off-limits.At this moment, a small snake slowly appeared in Arthur's hand.He planned to use this small snake to investigate the so-called Research Institute.Nami's voice suddenly came from inside the bathroom."I think Arthur is right. This castle is filled with a strange aura everywhere, and I think Hogbackshould be the most suspicious person on this island. The appearance of the zombies is definitely related to him."Everyone outside the bathroom nodded.Hancock, inside the bathroom, had also calmed down. Then she remembered something and said, "I recall now. If I'm not mistaken, this ship should be Thriller Bark, the ship of one of the Shichibukai, Gekko Moriah. I just didn't expect that after all this time, Gekko Moriah would be hiding in the Florian Triangle?"Nami stared intently at Hancock after hearing her words."Why are you looking at me?"Hancock felt a little embarrassed by Nami's stare. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't mind, but this was Arthur's companion.Nami was a little dazed."Jie-jie is indeed the most beautiful woman in the world. Even I am a little captivated."Nami's words were not a lie; it was her genuine feeling.Observing her at such close proximity, she felt the aura of charm emanating from Hancock.Moreover, the other party was inherently so beautiful.What Nami didn't know was that Hancock, upon hearing this, was not happy at all. In her mind, she had already imagined a scene of a rival in love provoking her.Outside the door, Usopp and Chopper's mouths were wide open after hearing Hancock's words."Another Shichibukai?"Usopp was on the verge of tears. He wondered why every pirate they fought was always a Shichibukai-level pirate.Their ship seemed destined to encounter the Shichibukai. As soon as they reached the Grand Line, they encountered Crocodile, who was a Shichibukai.Then they also had Empress Hancock, who was a Shichibukai, by their side.And now they had encountered Gekko Moriah, who was also a Shichibukai.Couldn't there be some small-time pirates so that Grandpa Usopp could also experience the thrill of crushing weaklings?"Hancock, do you know Gekko Moriah's abilities?" Arthur asked."Although we are all Shichibukai, our interactions are not frequent, and as pirates, how could we easily reveal our abilities to each other?" Hancock said.Pirates wouldn't easily reveal their abilities to each other?That shouldn't be right!He had met so many pirates, and before fighting, they would all tell their opponents their abilities.For example, Luffy would say before a fight:"I'm Luffy, I'm a Gum-Gum Fruit user."Soon, Hancock and Nami had finished bathing. After coming out, they had already changed into new outfits.Arthur could not fathom where they got these clothes from."Since you've both finished showering, let's go check out Hogback's Research Institute next!"————After bidding farewell to Arthur and the others, Hogback first treated Absalom, and then immediately went into Moriah's castle."What? Straw Hat Luffy, a pirate with a bounty of 300 million, has arrived here, and Empress Hancock, also a Shichibukai, is on this island?""Moriah-sama, there's absolutely no mistake. The pirate we swallowed this time is none other than Straw Hat Luffy. As for why Empress Hancock is here, I don't know, but Absalom's injury should have been caused by the Empress. I think it's probably because that boy lusted after the Empress, which led to this result.""Heeheeheehee, so many people have come here, it seems my place is about to get lively. But this is perfect, the candidate for my strongest masterpiece has been decided! The night raid is about to begin, Hogback, you go back for now."
Chapter 220 Strange Creatures (19 Chapters)"Found it!"Arthur, who was about to move, suddenly smiled. With the little snake's ability, he had already located the Research Institute."Found what?" Nami asked."Hogback's Research Institute."Upon hearing Arthur's words, Chopper, Nami, and Usopp all widened their eyes."Arthur, maybe we shouldn't go to the Research Institute. After all, this place is so eerie."Hancock, beside Arthur, said nothing, adopting a stance that she would go wherever Arthur went."You can go back first if you want. The little snake just sent me a message that there seems to be an incredible treasure here.""!!!!"Nami suddenly grabbed Usopp and Chopper's shoulders and said, "Since we're already here, how can we not investigate thoroughly? I've decided, I'm going on an adventure with you all!"Usopp and Chopper looked at the changed Nami, on the verge of tears.Was she just bought off like that?"Since Nami has decided, then let's go!"Arthur led the way, walking through the castle corridor.There were several portraits in the castle, all exuding an eerie feeling."Did you feel it? These portraits seem to be moving!" Usopp suddenly exclaimed.At this, everyone looked at the portraits."Usopp, have you been scared silly? How can portraits move?" Nami said, arms crossed, looking disbelieving."It's true!"Arthur shook his head and naturally passed through the castle corridor, entering the main hall.After they passed, the eyes in the portraits moved from the center to the side, as if staring at everyone.Usopp turned his head to look at the portraits, then suddenly shrieked and followed the others."Usopp, can you stop being so jumpy? It's really scary!" Chopper said, trembling."But the portraits really are moving!""How is that possible?"Everyone turned to look at Usopp, but just then, they heard a huge sound right behind Usopp."Ah!"Nami and Chopper cried out simultaneously.Hancock didn't scream, but she grabbed Arthur's arm."This concubine is scared...""..."I'll believe you when pigs fly.Usopp nervously turned his head, then saw the portrait actually step out of its frame. He then fled frantically into the main hall.However, what he didn't expect was that the portraits in the main hall were also capable of moving, just like that one."Ah!"Usopp, with Nami and Chopper, fled, but no matter where they went, zombie-like monsters stared at them."How could this be!!!"Finally, the three found what they considered a safe spot, running to stand between Arthur and Hancock.But the zombie creatures did not stop moving; they immediately surrounded Arthur and Hancock.Arthur looked at these zombie creatures and smiled."What strange things. They clearly have no life signs, yet they can move like people. Can you tell me what method allows you to move?"The zombie creatures saw that Arthur was not afraid and continued to make frightening grimaces, but it was still useless. Seeing their grimaces, Arthurbecame even more excited."You won't tell us?"Seeing that the zombie creatures remained silent, Arthur balled his fist, Chakra instantly condensed, and his monstrous strength activated.Bang!Arthur knocked a zombie creature to the ground with one punch.On the other side, Hancock was not idle either, likewise kicking a zombie creature.However, unlike Arthur, after Hancock kicked a zombie creature down, its body quickly petrified. But the zombie creature knocked down by Arthur stood up as if nothing had happened."It's no use, we can't feel pain!"The zombie creature knocked down by Arthurslowly stood up and continued to pounce on Arthur."Perfume Femur!"Just as the familiar creature was about to reach Arthur, Hancock suddenly struck, kicking it to the ground."What's going on? Why is my body stiffening?"The zombie creature looked at Hancock in disbelief."This concubine possesses the ability to petrify people. Although ordinary attacks have no effect on you zombie creatures, petrification can make you lose movement."Following that, Hancock transformed into a war goddess, continuously attacking these zombie creatures."Slave Arrow!"Hancock's finger lightly traced her lips, and a giant heart appeared. She then pulled the heart, and countless arrows shot out.The zombie creatures hit by the arrows slowly stiffened and turned into stone."So powerful!"Nami exclaimed loudly.Indeed, none of the Shichibukai were to be underestimated.At this moment, Arthur approached a zombie creature that hadn't fully petrified yet and grabbed its head."Now, can you tell me? You are clearly dead, so why can you still move like ordinary people?"The familiar creature's expression turned to fear."It's Lord Moriah. Lord Moriah possesses the ability to control shadows. After our bodies were stitched together by Doctor Hogback, and then Lord Moriahinjected shadows into us, we gained the ability to move like people."Arthur nodded.If he guessed correctly, controlling shadows should be a Devil Fruit ability.Subsequently, the Sage Art Chakra within Arthur's body continuously condensed, then covered the zombie creature. As expected, a black object within the zombie creature's body slowly struggled outward.Arthur's hand, covered in Sage Art Chakra, grabbed the shadow."So it's a black thing, a shadow! If I release it, will these shadows return to their original bodies?"Thinking this, Arthur released his hand, and the shadow immediately vanished before everyone.Then, he stood up and said to everyone, "Now the truth is clear. The zombie creatures on this island are the work of Gekko Moria and Doctor Hogback. If I'm not mistaken, these shadows are controlled by Gekko Moria, which means these zombies are the troops of Gekko Moria, one of the Shichibukai."Arthur slowly walked towards the hidden location of a secret passage, then gently pushed, and the passage opened."This should lead to Doctor Hogback's Research Institute. The zombie creatures should have been created here."After saying this, Arthur walked directly into the secret passage. Now that he knew the origin of the zombie creatures, he wanted to see for himself how these zombie creatures were actually made.Arthur was particularly curious about the manufacturing process of the zombie creatures.[There are definitely many typos, I will revise them all tomorrow. I sent out 30 chapters at once and didn't have time to revise. Please understand
Chapter 221 General (20 chapters)Seeing Arthur and Hancock enter the secret passage, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper immediately followed them.Because only these two people would bring them a sense of security.After entering the secret passage, there were also countless portraits within it. Arthur didn't even need to think to know that these portraits also contained Zombie creatures.However, as they continued to advance, these Zombie creatures were no match for Hancock.As soon as a Zombie creature appeared, Hancockwould kick it.And after being petrified, the Zombie creatures were unable to move at all."I'm really troubling you, Hancock!"Arthur said to Hancock with a smile. If it weren't for her, dealing with these Zombie creatures would indeed be a bit difficult."No... you're welcome. Your business is my business," Hancock said softly, shaking her head while cupping her cheeks.Nami, who was beside them, was shocked.What was going on with this guy, Arthur?What exactly happened during this time? A Shichibukai was actually so obedient to Arthur?Also, why did she see admiration in Hancock's eyes?What was wrong with this world?However, she didn't think about it anymore, because at this moment, everyone had already reached the front, and she immediately followed them.Everyone arrived in front of a door. Perhaps because Hogback knew that no one would come here, the door was not tightly shut, but rather had a huge gap.Then, instead of rushing in directly, they watched Hogback's actions inside from the outside.Hogback was seen holding a needle and thread, continuously stitching together the corpse of a monster."This work is almost complete! It's truly a perfect work, just one last step!"After Hogback finished speaking, the maid beside him said, "Then I wish you trouble in the final step!""..."Everyone outside watched Hogback and the maid bicker indifferently. Arthur saw that the body was already stitched up, but the stitched body wasn't moving. It should still be lacking the most important thing.If he wasn't mistaken, this most important step should be completed by Gekko Moria, which was to inject a shadow into this corpse.Chopper outside widened his eyes. Doctor Hogback, whom he had once admired so much, would actually do such a thing that went against the laws of nature. Those Zombie creatures were not the legendary resurrection from the dead at all."If I'm not mistaken, the origin of these shadows is probably extracted from living people," Arthur said.Hearing Arthur's words, Usopp suddenly remembered something and said to everyone, "Before we arrived at this island, we met a strange skeleton man. That skeleton man said that his shadow was taken away by someone. If what you say is true, his shadow must have been taken by Gekko Moria, one of the Shichibukai, and then placed inside a zombie's body."As soon as Usopp finished speaking, everyone heard a burst of laughter."Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"Then, a zombie holding a sword appeared in front of everyone."Oh ho ho ho ho, if you want to watch, you can go inside and watch. Why peek from here?" the zombie said to everyone.Then, the zombie came in front of Arthur, Hancock, and Nami and said, "Three beauties, may I be so bold as to ask if I can admire your underwear?""!"All three were shocked simultaneously.Arthur was a bit helpless. If he wanted to look at underwear, then look at underwear, what did it have to do with him? Why drag him into it?Moreover, he had even forgotten what color he was wearing... *Bang!*The next second, the zombie was kicked flying by Hancock. Then, she bent down, pointed at the zombie, and loudly declared, "To ask such an abominable question of this empress, this empress will absolutely not forgive you!"And because Hancock's voice was too loud, coupled with the equally loud noise made by the flying zombie, Doctor Hogback in the room also noticed that someone was peeking at them from outside.Then, the door was immediately opened."You actually came! Didn't I tell you not to enter my Research Institute no matter what?"After Hogback finished speaking, before everyone could reply, he shook his head and continued, "Forget it, since you've all come here, it doesn't matter anymore. You should know that it's almost time for the Night Raid, and you won't be able to escape from here at all!"Then he looked at the clock above. It was only a few minutes until midnight."Night Raid, what's that?" Arthur asked curiously."The Night Raid is a paradise for all Zombie creatures. They will capture all the living people on this island, and of course, you are no exception."As soon as Hogback finished speaking, the Zombie creature that Hancock had kicked flying slowly walked out."Oh ho ho ho ho ho, the beauty has great strength. If I hadn't blocked in time, that kick would probably have broken my zombie body, even though I don't feel pain."The Zombie creature slowly walked in front of everyone."Hahahahaha, Empress Hancock, I don't know why you, a Shichibukai, would come here, but even a Shichibukai like you will absolutely not be a match for Lord Gekko Moria, who is also a Shichibukai. And this zombie in front of you is not an ordinary zombie; it is made from the body of a legendary General from Wano Country, incomparable to the previous zombies! Zombie General, take them down!""Gladly!"After Hogback finished speaking, the Zombie General drew the sword in his hand, and then he rushed towards everyone at a speed that was impossible to catch with the naked eye.His speed was so fast that even Arthur couldn't see clearly.However, the unfortunate thing was that they had a powerful Shichibukai, Empress Hancock, here.As soon as the Zombie General appeared, Empress Hancock's Observation Haki had already enveloped the Zombie General. She would absolutely not allow anyone to harm Arthur.*Bang!*The next second, the sword in the Zombie General's hand collided with Empress Hancock's leg, and what surprised Hogback was that the sword in the Zombie General's hand was the legendary Black Blade, yet it did not harm Empress Hancock's leg in the slightest."How is that possible? How can a human body withstand a sharp weapon?" Hogback said in disbelief."Oh ho ho ho ho, is she a true powerhouse?" The Zombie General looked at Hancock and became a bit serious.Hogback was right; this body was originally that of a legendary great figure. Although in its current state it couldn't exert its full strength, his perception would definitely not be wrong.This woman in front of him was extremely powerful!
Chapter 222 Franky and Robin (21 chapters)I will absolutely not let you harm him!Empress Hancock said with a deep frown, then she and the Zombie General continuously clashed, going back and forth for a while, neither gaining an advantage.Oh ho ho ho, I didn't expect a beauty of this caliber to be so strong. What a pity, I'm just a zombie now.Great Perfume Femur!Bang!Just as the Zombie General was speaking, Hancockkicked him flying.The force was so great that it directly knocked down countless walls.Seeing Hancock's powerful strength, Usopp quietly walked over to Arthur and said, "Arthur, where did you find such a powerful person?"I was saved by them. If it weren't for them, I would probably have died in the sea.Doctor Hogback, who was nearby, saw that Empress Hancock was so strong, so he simply abandoned the zombies and decided to sneak away.At this moment, Nami, Chopper, and Usoppdiscovered Doctor Hogback trying to escape.That guy actually wants to run away, damn it!The three of them were surprisingly brave at this moment and immediately chased after Doctor Hogback.Doctor Hogback himself wasn't strong in combat, so Arthur didn't pay him much mind and let them leave.After a while, Hancock slowly walked over.Did you defeat him?Hancock shook her head and said, "That guy got away, I'm really sorry."Hancock's expression was a bit dejected.It's alright, there's no rush right now anyway.At this point, Arthur noticed that Usopp and the others hadn't returned, so he was a bit worried.Let's go find Usopp and the others first. They went to chase Doctor Hogback, who was trying to escape just now. I'm afraid they might be in danger.By the way, if you are in a hurry to go back, you can go back first. Just leave this to us.After all, he had already found the Straw Hat Pirate Crew, so he couldn't trouble Hancock any further."It's fine. Although you've found your companions, I still want to stay with you for a while longer," Hancock said.Thank you.Arthur smiled, then turned and walked outside, with Hancock following closely behind.After arriving outside the castle, they realized that the castle they were currently in was only a small part of it, and behind them was a much larger castle.What a huge castle, but that place should be the highest point. Do you want to go up and take a look?Arthur said to Hancock.Of course, but how do we get up?Hancock looked up. The height of the castle was not something they could reach by jumping; they could only climb up floor by floor.Come onto my back and hold tight!Arthur said.!!Upon hearing Arthur's words, Hancock was slightly stunned, then a little at a loss.Really... can I really?Arthur sighed, then immediately scooped Hancockup in a princess carry, amidst her shyness.Then, with Chakra covering his feet, he directly rushed towards the top of the castle.Hancock's face, in Arthur's arms, had already turned as red as an apple, and her body became stiff as if petrified, unsure how to move.To move or not to move?After struggling for a while, Hancock rested her face on Arthur's chest.Arthur didn't think much of it, and in a moment, they arrived at the highest point of the castle.From here, they could see the entire island.This castle was connected by huge bridges, and at this moment, he saw two figures below the bridge: Robin and Franky.So Franky also joined our Pirate Crew? But thinking about it, our Pirate Crew indeed lacks a qualified shipwright.Then he saw countless zombie creatures chasing Franky and Robin from behind.It seems they've run into trouble.Arthur didn't hesitate and immediately jumped down with Hancock in his arms. At this moment, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't put Hancockdown when they were at the top of the castle.Hancock, hold on tight!Hancock nodded shyly at his words.Arthur immediately activated the wind-attribute Chakra within his body, then he spread his arms and glided through the air.We're about to land!Below, Franky and Robin were fighting a zombie spider.Damn it, these creatures just can't be killed!Zombie creatures felt no pain, and Franky's equipment had no effect on these zombies whatsoever.The same was true for Robin; her moves were particularly strong against living people, but almost useless against these dead ones.Immediately after, the zombie spider sprayed out a large amount of webbing, sticking Robin and Frankyto the ground.Hahahaha, my webbing won't let you break free easily. You will now offer your shadows, just like your companions.Damn it, these guys are really annoying!Franky said angrily, but she couldn't break free from the webbing covering her.Just at this critical moment, the two of them only saw a flash of white and red light, followed by a huge sound.Boom!The zombie spider, which had been cackling moments before, was slammed hard into the ground.At this point, the two also clearly saw who had arrived.Arthur...After Robin saw Arthur's face, she was speechless for a moment, but she quickly calmed down.It's good that he's alive.It's actually you, Little girl! I didn't expect you to actually still be alive, boo hoo hoo hoo~Franky's reaction upon seeing Arthur was much greater than Robin's.This big man actually started crying loudly.Franky, why are you here?Arthur asked, feigning ignorance.Oh, well, I'm your companion now, but can you rescue us first? And who is this beautiful woman you're holding?Franky shouted.At this moment, Arthur suddenly remembered Hancock in his arms, so he gently put down the seemingly petrified Hancock.For a moment, Hancock clung tightly to Arthur's chest, not wanting to leave.Just then, the spider on the ground began to move again.Be careful, zombies can't be killed!Franky loudly warned.And the next second, Hancock, sensing a hint of danger, leaped directly from Arthur's arms and then kicked the spider.After being attacked by Hancock, the spider's body quickly petrified.Damn it! I was having a tender moment, and you monster dare to interrupt us? I'm really angry!Boom!
Chapter 223 Skull Afro (Chapter 22)"Yohohohoho, it seems I'm not needed here anymore."At that moment, a skeleton slowly walked out from the side. This skeleton wore a black tuxedo and had a head of wild, explosive hair.However, when he saw Hancock, his hollow eyes stared fixedly at her."How can there be such a beautiful lady? May I be so bold as to ask a question?""No!"Arthur shouted loudly after hearing this."This young lady, although I also really want to see your underwear, seeing underwear requires a proper order!" Brook said."..."I really want to punch him.Arthur's refusal just now was certainly not to protect Hancock, but to protect the skeleton in front of him.He knew that a similar fellow had asked that question earlier, and he wondered how it was doing now."Don't ask that question yet. Compared to those zombies, what exactly are you, a skeleton?"That's right, Arthur was very interested in Brook.It seemed he was not the same type of creature as the zombies. Were skeleton creatures also undead?"Me? I'm an old fellow who's lived for 80 years. I cry every day, well, even though I don't have eyes."After saying this, Brook started spinning in circles on the ground."Welcome to my skeleton jokes!"Then Brook didn't continue speaking, but instead took out some granular particles and threw them into the mouth of the spider that had just been petrified.Immediately after, the shadow quickly flew out of the zombie spider's mouth."Yohohohoho, I can start telling you my skeleton jokes!""Stop the nonsense, you stinky skeleton! What was that thing you just had in your hand? How could it subdue these zombies? And what exactly is going on with these zombies?" Franky interrupted the skeleton's words."Ah, I'll start by explaining these zombies. These zombies are monsters created by Doctor Hogbackby stitching together the corpses of strong individuals or animals. Then, using the ability of one of the Shichibukai, Gekko Moria, the shadows of living people are separated and injected into the corpses. That's how these zombie creatures came to be. And because these zombie creatures are created using Gekko Moria's Devil Fruit ability, the thing I'm holding in my hand is sea salt. Using this salt, shadows can be separated from the bodies of the corpses," Brook explained.Arthur nodded. These matters were exactly as he had expected."Oh no, our companions were captured by Moria! Doesn't that mean their shadows will be taken away!"Robin and Franky said simultaneously."Who was captured?" Arthur frowned."Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro were just with us, but now they've all disappeared. They've probably been captured," Robin sighed and said.At this moment, Brook waved his hand."Your companions will definitely be fine. The zombie army Moria creates requires the shadow's owner to be alive to be complete. If the shadow's owner dies, then his zombie army will also cease to exist. In general, after Moria takes a person's shadow, he throws the original person back to their own ship. If your companions were really captured by Moria, then you should go check on your ship now.""Is that so!"Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and at this moment, Arthur continued to ask, "What kind of situation occurs if one's shadow is taken away?"Brook paused slightly, then said, "If a shadow is taken, the person whose shadow was taken can only live in eternal darkness. If they see the sun, the person whose shadow was taken will turn to ash.""What a terrifying method...""To get your shadow back, you can only defeat that guy, or personally defeat your own shadow."Arthur stroked his chin, lost in thought.In the worst-case scenario, the missing people have already had their shadows taken. In that case, the place they should go now is not to defeat Gekko Moria, but to first return to the ship to check on Luffyand their situation.It seems that although the skeleton in front of him had his shadow taken, his body showed no ill effects. So Luffy and the others should be the same.Gathering with them first, then finding a way to defeat Moria, that is the best approach."Then what's your story?" Arthur asked his curiosity. Why was this skeleton in front of him still alive?No matter how he looked at it, this skeleton felt more interesting than the zombie creatures."Me? I ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Underworld Fruit). Actually, I died a long time ago, but my soul returned to this world, so I'm still alive now."Soul?Arthur now possessed Orochimaru's research knowledge. How could he not know about such a thing as a soul?However, the ability for a soul to inhabit a skeleton like this was something he was very curious about.Indeed, Devil Fruits were the most miraculous things in this world.Because of Arthur's return, Franky and Robin both looked at Arthur at the same time.After all, with the Captain absent, trusting the Vice Captain was a matter of course."Since this skeleton has already said that our companions will return to our ship, let's go back to the ship first and check!"Upon hearing that Arthur was going back to the ship, Franky directly put his hand on Arthur's shoulder."Hahahaha, Little girl...""I'm a man!""??"After hearing Arthur's words, Franky stroked his chin, constantly scrutinizing Arthur.Hmm, flat."Hahahahaha, I'm sorry, I misjudged. You really are a pervert, being a man but looking like this."Pervert... For some reason? Arthur, who hadn't gotten angry in a long time, almost couldn't hold back."I think you're the pervert!"In the end, Arthur still retorted."Hahaha, you figured that out? As expected of our Vice Captain!""..."Hey! I'm insulting you!Robin, who was beside them, saw this scene and secretly chuckled.Hancock didn't interject. Although she wanted to speak, this was an internal matter of Arthur's Pirate Crew, and it wasn't her place to interfere.At this moment, Brook suddenly walked over and said, "You say you're a man, but I don't believe it, unless you let me see your..."Bang!Brook was sent flying by a punch from Arthur."I've put up with you for too long, you explosive skeleton head!"Arthur finally swore.Hancock was a little surprised to see this scene. She knew that when he was on their ship, he always gave the impression of being cold and expressionless, and even when he smiled, it gave people a creepy feeling. But now that he had found his companions, he could actually become like this."Hahahahaha, alright, alright, don't be angry. I'll take you to see our new ship, the Thousand Sunny!"Franky finished what he hadn't said earlier
Chapter 224 Method (Chapter 23)"Skeleton, aren't you coming with us?" Franky asked Brook."No, I've decided that even if it means death, I will retrieve my shadow this time. My shipmates are all dead, and now only I remain. I must return to that place to fulfill my promise to my friends. I must break through this fog!" Brook's eyes were resolute.Although he had failed countless times, he still wanted to challenge that guy."Now that you mention it, I think I've seen your shadow." Arthur suddenly remembered that Brook's laughter and the zombie creature's laughter were somewhat similar."You've seen that guy? Is it a zombie holding a black sword?"Arthur nodded again."Yes, its laughter is similar to yours, and it asked you the same question.""Where is he? My shadow is on him!" Brook said excitedly.At this moment, Arthur looked at Hancock.Hancock just shook her head."This concubine is not sure. This concubine only remembers kicking him away, and then this concubine couldn't see any trace of him.""..."Brook looked at Hancock again. He knew the strength of his shadow."It's normal to have such strength. This woman in front of us is Pirate Empress Hancock, one of the Shichibukai!" Robin said."Shichibukai? Are they on the same level as Gekko Moria?"Everyone nodded.Is he introducing me to his companions?Then should I say something?Hancock's mind became more and more chaotic."Since that's the case, let's hurry and find Luffy and the others. Time waits for no one!"In the end, the Straw Hat Crew, Hancock, and Brookwent their separate ways.The group was currently below the castle. They had to first ascend the castle before they could return to the shore.Because of Arthur and Hancock's addition, their combat strength greatly increased. Moreover, Brookhad given them a bag of salt before they left, so they were no longer afraid of zombies.On the other side, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were hiding inside Perona's giant bear doll.Because Perona didn't let her doll speak, the three were temporarily safe, and the doll didn't reveal that there were people hidden inside its body.Meanwhile, Gekko Moria was holding the shadow he had cut from Luffy's body."Hehehehe, now let my strongest zombie, Oars, appear."He then placed the shadow into a huge body, which was the Oars that Gekko Moria had spoken of.After the shadow was placed into the huge body, the huge body slowly opened its eyes.The chains that bound it were easily broken."Meat!"This was the first thing Oars said upon waking.And after he spoke, a strong hurricane was generated around him, showing Oars's power."Ah!"Nami and the other two also screamed because of the hurricane.At this moment, they were exposed, but because of the hurricane, they were instantly blown out of the room.Seeing that someone had infiltrated, the zombies immediately began to move, chasing after them.At this time, Absalom's injuries had been healed. When he saw Nami, his eyes immediately turned into heart shapes.He had been observing the Straw Hat Pirates' bounties for a long time. He now knew that the person he had licked before was a strong individual with a bounty of 280 million, and this woman in front of him met his criteria for a spouse."That's right, she will definitely be my wife."Absalom immediately gave chase.Just as the three thought they were about to escape the encirclement, Absalom had caught up. He ignored the others and directly grabbed Nami."Excellent, this is the scent! You'll be my bride obediently!"Usopp and Chopper, seeing Nami captured, immediately prepared to attack, but their strength was far inferior to Absalom's.What's more, Absalom had no intention of fighting. So, he grabbed Nami and activated his Devil Fruitability. The two immediately disappeared from everyone's sight."They disappeared!"Chopper and Usopp said in surprise.And just then, Arthur and his group also arrived here. Around them were countless zombie troops."Arthur!"Chopper and Usopp saw Arthur and shouted.At this time, they were surrounded by zombies, but Arthur and his group had completely mastered the method of eliminating zombies, and with the salt provided by Brook, they easily dealt with the zombies."Where's Nami?" Arthur asked, seeing only two of them.After all, there were originally three people, and now only two remained."Nami, she was taken by a guy who can turn invisible. He said he wanted Nami to be his bride," Usopp said.Arthur looked at the countless zombie army and was silent for a moment. Since Nami was taken to be a bride, her life was definitely not in danger. The most important thing for them now should be to find Luffy and the others, and then collectively figure out a way to deal with Moriah."Don't worry about Nami for now; she won't be in danger. Let's find Luffy and Zoro first, and then figure out how to deal with Gekko Moria."Hearing Arthur's words, everyone nodded.The Straw Hat Crew's combat personnel had not yet gathered. If they directly attacked Moriah, it would be easy for them to be wiped out.Their companions were captured; they couldn't possibly ask Hancock for help, could they?This was Arthur's thought.In Arthur's eyes, although Hancock was a friend, she should not interfere with their Pirate Crew's affairs.Moreover, things had already become chaotic. Now that it had escalated into a struggle between the Straw Hat Pirates and Gekko Moria's forces, Hancock, as a fellow Shichibukai, should even less participate.After all, in everyone's eyes, the Shichibukaibelonged to the same organization."Luffy and the others should have been sent back to the Sunny. Let's go back to the Sunny first," Frankysaid.Then, the group quickened their pace and headed towards the shore.Along the way, Usopp told everyone everything they had seen.Whether it was the giant Oars or Luffy's shadow.And Franky and Robin also recounted everything they had seen.After hearing everyone's words, Arthur helplessly patted his head."The Straw Hat Crew's combatants were so easily dismantled by them?"Then Arthur sighed. These guys usually liked to mess things up; perhaps he should get used to it."Since you've all seen it, and we already know how to deal with zombies, then next we will go to war with Gekko Moria, one of the Shichibukai."Arthur smiled. In fact, he quite liked Gekko Moria's zombie team, but now they were enemies