Chapter 183: Impending
In the grand reception hall, King's Plateau, Dressrosa.
Don Chinjao, the commander of the Happo Navy, and the former commander of the Sanbao Navy, Jin Wu, sat in a casual posture on the sofa, sipping the tea served by the black-haired maid.
Around the two of them, a group of young pirates stood behind them, looking at their surroundings with curiosity. From the giant furniture, to the ceiling dozens of meters high, to the beautiful young women with pure white wings on their lower backs, who stood at their posts with faint smiles. All of this made the next generation of heirs from the Happo Navy feel quite amazed.
From the moment they set foot on Dressrosa, they realized that this place was different from the territories of the other monsters. Namely, the number of pirates here was extremely scarce. Based on their rough estimates, all the pirates in Dressrosa combined probably only amounted to a fraction of what other top-tier forces had.
Just then, a series of heavy footsteps sounded, attracting everyone's attention.
Immediately after, a figure with flawless white wings on his back and pale-golden hair appeared before everyone's eyes.
Jin Wu stared intently at Archangel Louis's appearance, as if wanting to burn it deep into his mind.
Beside him, Chinjao, who had dealt with Louis before, was different. "Little bro Louis! Long time no see!" Chinjao raised his hand and waved a greeting.
To the few people he had met once before, Louis replied casually, "Long time no see, Chinjao. And Sai, Boo—"
At these words, the two young men standing behind Chinjao were taken aback. They clearly hadn't expected the Archangel, who had already become such a great figure, to actually remember minor characters like them whom he had only met once. For a moment, their expressions gradually became strange.
The several people present all noticed this, but no one paid any attention to the young men.
Louis walked directly to the front of Chinjao and Jin Wu and sat down, cutting straight to the chase. "Jin Wu, have your people set out?"
The former commander of the Sanbao Navy, Jin Wu... his original name was lost to history. He was also a Buccaneer who had hidden his identity to become a pirate. Even among the Buccaneers, he was one of the older generation, one who knew everything about their origins, their grudge against the World Government, and their faith in Nika. Many years ago, he had lost a kinsman named Clapp, and because he felt he had no face to show his people, he had spent decades as a pirate, eventually even becoming the commander of the Sanbao Navy. But not long ago, after receiving a letter from his people, he decisively relinquished his duties and took Chinjao's ship to the New World.
Jin Wu heard him and nodded, replying in a slightly aged voice, "The clansmen have already left the Flower Country."
Their conversation made Chinjao and his two successors beside him extremely envious.
Chinjao even spoke in a sour tone, "Little bro Louis, you managed to get the Longbo to join you. Adding your already formidable subordinates, your power might now be able to rival the other monsters! You have to know, the power of the Longbo is very strong!"
Ever since the tribe known as the Longbo had appeared in the Flower Country, the few powers who knew of their existence had not stopped trying to invite them to join. But in the end, they had all returned empty-handed. Only Jin Wu at the time had proactively joined the Sanbao Navy, displayed his great strength, and eventually became its commander.
And now, Chinjao had to watch as the Longbo, whom he had coveted for decades, joined Louis's crew. This even gave him the feeling of watching his secret crush marry someone else. And Chinjao was certain that when this news reached the ears of the other navy commanders, they too would be heartbroken. But all they could do was rage in vain.
Chinjao believed that the already astonishingly strong Archangel, having gained the Longbo tribe, would fear no war.
"In that case, why don't you join my crew too? Then wouldn't you all be partners?" Louis said, teasing Chinjao, who was looking at him with envy.
"??"
A thoughtful expression appeared on Chinjao's face.
Then, Louis looked at Jin Wu again and posed another question. "Are you... prepared to return to the sea?"
Hearing this, Jin Wu did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned to the young men behind him and said, "You all go outside the castle first."
Sai, Boo, and the others nodded and then turned and walked toward the gate. As heirs being trained to take over, they understood that there were some things they were not yet able to be a part of, and it was best to obediently step aside.
It wasn't until the group of young men had disappeared from sight that Jin Wu finally replied in a deep voice, "We already have the necessary resolve and preparations. Everything else will require us to be transformed in battle!"
As a Buccaneer, Jin Wu understood that the tribe's current strength was not as great as the several navies assumed. The skills they had honed by fighting wild beasts must be transformed in the cruel sea, in battles against pirates and Marines. The legendary special ability of their tribe had not been awakened by anyone in decades. The only one who had mastered it, Holden, was already over a hundred years old and had long since forgotten his combat skills, including his racial talents.
Jin Wu believed that in the midst of cruel slaughter, the younger generation might be able to awaken the special abilities of the Buccaneer race.
Hearing their conversation, the smile on Chinjao's face gradually disappeared. He began to realize something was wrong. "Jin Wu, what are you talking about?" he asked subconsciously, feeling that his friend of decades was suddenly a stranger.
To this, Jin Wu first glanced at Louis. After getting his silent approval, he explained in a somewhat apologetic tone, "Chinjao, have you heard of the Buccaneers?"
"Buccaneers—" Chinjao was taken aback, subconsciously repeating the word. Soon, he reacted. His pupils constricted, and his face was filled with disbelief.
"You... you all..."
At this moment, Chinjao finally understood why the Longbo were so unwilling to go to sea.
The Buccaneer race. The descendants of a race that had once committed a great crime against the World Government. They were born slaves. According to rumors, they had the blood of the giant race flowing in their veins.
"No wonder... no wonder your strength is so great."
"No wonder you were willing to hide in that small valley..."
At this moment, Chinjao's expression was extremely complicated. In the end, he said, "I'm not so envious of little bro Louis for gaining your power anymore."
The Longbo were Buccaneers, a tribe wanted by the World Government. Their eight navies simply couldn't handle them. If they really had them join, and their identities were exposed, it would mean the end of their entire navy. It was a matter of great importance. Even the king wouldn't say half a word for them, but would decisively sever ties and just re-establish a new navy after the storm had passed.
After Jin Wu's explanation, Chinjao no longer spoke, nor did he dare to ask too many questions. He even wanted to propose leaving, lest he hear too much and be silenced. But Jin Wu spoke up, signaling him to stay.
"..."
"In that case, after they enter the Calm Belt, I will also arrange for my subordinates to follow their Vivre Cards and greet them," Louis said after some thought, giving his decision. Hajrudin and the others had passed through the Calm Belt to the West Blue more than once and were quite familiar with the situation there. The four of them, along with Yelena, would be enough to deal with most situations. Besides, after the two sides met, their route would be changed to the sky, which was enough to avoid the sight of countless people. Coupled with the escort of the "old muscle-head" Amit and Asmodai, and the support of the Calm Belt tribe members, it would be enough to allow the Buccaneers and some of the Lunarians to reach Dressrosa without a sound.
Jin Wu heard this and nodded. He fully approved of Louis's arrangement.
Seeing this, Louis called the personnel who would be participating in this operation via Den Den Mushi. Soon, the fully armed Yelena, and Hajrudin and his group, who had been waiting for a long time, pushed open the various gates and came directly into the main hall.
Yelena, wearing her gas mask, stood with her arms crossed, her scarlet eyes sweeping over the group from behind the lenses. When her gaze stopped on Chinjao, she nodded slightly, which counted as a greeting.
Then, under everyone's gaze, Louis casually handed two Vivre Cards to Yelena. "One of these is the old muscle-head's, and one is mine."
The Vivre Card for the old muscle-head was for Yelena and the others to accurately find the group setting out from the other side. And Louis's own was for them to come directly back.
Yelena took the Vivre Cards and nodded, then turned to leave. Nearby, the group of giants saw this and decisively followed.
After they had left, Chinjao's gaze once again fell on Jin Wu, a puzzled look on his face. "There's... nothing for me to do here—so why did you tell me so much?"
"In the future, you'll know—" Jin Wu said with an unreadable smile.
Meanwhile, the Land of Wano.
A giant dragon shadow crossed the inland sea, landed directly on the island with the giant skull, and transformed back into human form.
Kaido shouldered his Hassaikai and walked on Onigashima, which had not changed significantly, his face gradually becoming strange. Because, in his Observation Haki, this place was as noisy as ever, showing no sign that anything had happened at all.
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