Sailing at Sea: The Breath of the Day at the Start

Page 129

Compared to when he fought Aokiji a year and a half ago, his captain has become much stronger.

How could a mere pirate with a peak bounty of 500 million possibly be his match...?

Just now.

Ron's jet-black right fist unleashed a terrifying burst of power, instantly overwhelming Green Pepper's fist. In Old Cai's eyes, which were practically bulging out of their sockets, he sent the massive Green Pepper flying with a single punch!

"!!!"

"They actually managed to send the leader flying with a single punch..."

Old Cai, wielding his Yongdao sword, trembled as he stared at the composed and calm young man in black not far away, cold sweat pouring down his face. "Where did this guy come from?"

The green pepper, sent flying, crashed heavily onto the incredibly hard jade ice bed. When he opened his eyes again and looked at Ron, who hadn't retreated an inch, a look of shock appeared in his eyes.

"What terrifying strength... Could this guy have some special bloodline of giants?!"

Although he understood the power of the mysterious young man before him, Green Pepper had no intention of admitting defeat.

With a stomp of his foot, he shot out like a cannonball, rushing towards the black-clad youth. His flat head, hardened by Armament Haki, slammed down on him. Even before he got close, a powerful shockwave rolled towards Ron.

"Eight-Strike Fist, Head Strike!"

Looking at the attack that was about to crash into them.

Ron wasn't thinking about dodging or how to retaliate; he was thinking.

Could I punch him now and turn his flat head back into a sharp cone?

It should be fine.

Just pay attention to the angle.

As he pondered, the hardened, flattened head of the green pepper, hardened with Armament Haki, was already in front of him.

Ron raised his right arm, which was as black as steel, and struck out twice as fast as before, landing on Green Pepper's black, flat head.

boom!

With a deafening roar, a tremendous gust of wind swept outwards.

After Ron fully unleashed the terrifying power of his physique with its three thousand points of health, Green Pepper's jet-black flat head began to change, transforming from a flattened state back into a pointed cone shape, much like molten steel.

"Eh?!?!?!?!"

Old Cai, who witnessed this scene, almost had his eyes pop out of their sockets.

Connie, Robin, and Bonnie were also stunned.

A flat head... can it really be hammered back into a cone shape?

Ron's punch, even heavier than before, not only slapped Green Pepper's flat head back into its cone shape but also knocked him unconscious, sending him flying once more and crashing heavily into an ice peak.

The pointed tip, now reverting to a sharp cone shape, pierced directly through the hard ice peak, leaving the unconscious Green Pepper impaled on it, creating a truly unique sight.

…………

Half a day later.

On this crystal-clear, azure ice continent.

Green Pepper, who had transformed back into a cone-shaped head, led Lao Cai and the rest of the Eight Treasures Navy to kneel before Ron and his men.

"Such kindness is something I could never repay, even if I died ten thousand times! From this day forward, Your Excellency Ron will be the great benefactor of my Green Pepper family and the Eight Treasures Navy! If you have any orders, I, Green Pepper, will gladly die for you."

Green Pepper, kneeling on the ice, bowed his head and spoke to Ron.

Robin, Connie, and Bonney were deeply moved as they listened to the grateful words of the great pirate who had a bounty of 500 million Berries at his peak, and watched him and his crew kneel on the ground in a dark, imposing sight.

"Would I be willing to die a thousand deaths?"

Upon hearing his words, Ron chuckled and tapped the hard, crystal-clear ice surface with his foot, saying, "What if I said I wanted the vast fortune hidden below?"

Upon hearing this, Green Pepper paused for a moment, a hint of hesitation and confusion flashing in her eyes, but she quickly made up her mind.

He looked up at Ron and said seriously, "If Your Majesty Ron wants it, I will open this precious jade ice bed and take out this wealth of gold to give to you."

Compared to the immense kindness shown in helping to restore the cone head, this fortune is nothing at all!

Thinking of this, Green Pepper immediately used Armament Haki to harden the cone, concentrating the enormous power into a single point on its sharp tip, and then slammed the pitch-black cone head into the extremely hard ice surface below.

boom!

The earth shook.

A crack appeared on the smooth, azure ice surface at the point where the cone struck it, and then it split open with a loud crash.

A huge crack, hundreds of meters long and tens of meters deep, appeared on the thick ice surface.

What appeared before everyone's eyes was countless treasures radiating a precious light below.

"Wow!!"

Bonnie, who looked like a little girl, instantly had her eyes transformed into the symbol of Bailey.

Connie and Robin also looked surprised.

"So much treasure is buried down there..."

"How much money is here exactly?"

As far as the eye could see, within a radius of a hundred meters, there was a thick layer of gold and silver treasures.

Ron stood atop the glittering treasures and looked at the green pepper in front of him, saying, "I don't need to give you all of it, but I will take some when I leave this island."

Upon hearing this, Lao Cai and the other members of the Eight Treasures Navy all turned to look at Luo En with eyes full of gratitude and respect, their eyes moistening.

Some people were even moved to tears.

Your Excellency Ron, what a virtuous and noble person you are...

Upon hearing this, Green Pepper became somewhat anxious: "This, this won't do! Even if I gave you all the treasures here, it wouldn't be enough to repay your kindness. You're only taking a portion..."

"So I'd like to trouble you with another favor."

Ron pointed to a kung fu manatee named Xiao Qi, who was picking up gold coins and playing with them, and said, "That's my disciple, a kung fu manatee from Alabasta named Xiao Qi. Over the next few months, you'll help me teach it some boxing techniques."

Green Pepper was taken aback by what he heard and looked at the tiny manatee wearing a thick steel vest.

Hearing the two talking, Xiao Qi looked over, its little eyes sparkling as it stared at the green pepper, its tail swishing rapidly.

"Eh? Master! Is this amazing old man really going to teach me martial arts?"

Hearing its words, Green Pepper, Old Cai, and the others were taken aback.

Is the manatee... talking?

Ron looked at Xiao Qi and smiled, "Give them a full-force punch."

"learn!"

As Xiao Qi spoke, his expression turned serious, and he began to retract his fist.

Immediately, a scene unfolded that left Qingjiao, Lao Cai, and the entire Babao Water Army speechless, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

Armament Haki surged from the manatee's retracted right fist, instantly turning its small fist into a jet-black color like steel.

It threw a punch forward with a serious expression.

Boom!

The air in front of it exploded with a roar, and with the force of the punch, a powerful shockwave rushed forward, blowing away all the gold coins scattered on the ground within a dozen meters in front of it!

"…………Eh??!!!"

The 800s naval forces behind Lao Cai stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, their jaws nearly dropping to the ground in shock.

A manatee can actually master Armament Haki and fist techniques?!

Ron looked at Green Pepper and Old Cai, who were equally dumbfounded, and laughed, "How about it?"

"Since His Excellency Ron has spoken, then of course there's no problem. I will certainly impart all that I know to him!"

Green Pepper snapped out of his daze and assured Ron.

After taking 40% of the treasures, Ron left the icy continent with Robin, Connie, and Bonnie.

Kungfu Manatee Xiao Qi stayed by Qing Jiao's side, learning Iron Head Kung Fu and Eight-Strike Fist from him.

………………

Several months passed quickly.

After Ron and his companions finished their travels to the other islands in the Outer West Sea, they returned to Flower Island and picked up Xiao Qi from the Green Pepper Family. Xiao Qi had already learned many martial arts techniques, including the Eight-Strike Fist and Iron Head Kung Fu.

At the end of 1516 in the Sea Calendar, the Voyager departed from the Western Sea.

In early 1517 of the Haiyuan calendar, they arrived at the North Sea.

……

118, a floating island in the night sky above Beihai.

Haiyuan calendar year 1517.

In Windmill Town, East Blue, Ace bid farewell to Luffy, Makino, and the bandit Dadan, and set sail alone to begin his own adventure.