Lucifer's struggle was understandable.
The "Collector of Ten Thousand Worlds" required becoming the strongest in the world.
He was not Luffy aiming to become Pirate King, nor Drac overthrew the Celestial Dragons and the dark World Government.
So his current dilemma was natural.
He had to consider which path—Marine or Pirate—would be smoother for him.
If just wanting to grow stronger, the Marine path was slightly better.
But the Marines had too many rules and less freedom.
Pirates were freer but lacked security and stability.
Simply put, without some extraordinary "luck" or "destiny" to cover expenses, the pirate route meant living day-to-day precariously.
Once reaching the latter Grand Line, monsters were everywhere.
Any day, Lucifer could be targeted by some monster.
While the Marines were restrictive, their safety was undeniable.
They had three Admirals and Garp, a ceiling few dared challenge.
If you didn't act recklessly, survival was guaranteed.
They also faced strong opponents almost as much as pirates.
This was why Lucifer was so torn.
Also, the Chris family, regardless of its real purpose, was under World Government jurisdiction and recognized as world nobility.
If he joined the pirates, the government's attitude might change unfavorably.
Lucifer most feared endangering his family because of himself.
Having lived two lives, he disliked causing trouble for others most of all.
Filled with such thoughts, Lucifer went easily to the old steward Morris's room and knocked.
"Oh, young master Lucifer, what brings you to your grandpa steward?"
The door opened to reveal a tall, thin old man, roughly two meters tall, his face full of wrinkles and hair mostly white, signs of his age.
"Grandpa Morris, I might go to sea in a few days, and I came to ask you to help custom-build a single-mast sailboat."
Lucifer looked at the tall but thin old man as he spoke.
"Ah? Going to sea? You're still just a child..."
Morris was surprised.
"Grandpa Morris... I'm not small anymore.
Don't forget all the wild beasts and sea monsters near the town I personally dealt with over these years..."
Lucifer said helplessly.
"Oh, yes, young Lucifer is already a strongman..."
Morris worried but cared deeply — he had served three generations of the Chris family.
Not only did he regard Mage and Lucifer as family, but they too considered him family.
"Well then, since it's a request from you little rascal, tomorrow I'll go to the old ship captain God in town and inquire."
The old Morris smiled kindly.
"Please take care of it, Grandpa Morris..."
Lucifer smiled and thanked him.
After exchanging a few more words, Lucifer left Morris's house but did not return to his room.
Instead, he went to town.
Having a ship wasn't enough to go to sea.
Various supplies were necessary, not to mention sufficient equipment.
Food and drink, plus a compass.
The compass held great importance in the pirate world—any One Piece fan knew that well.
As a diehard pirate fan, Lucifer understood the compass's importance.
However, the One Piece world's magnetic fields were chaotic.
Simply having a compass wasn't enough for navigation.
That's why the pirate world had numerous kinds of compasses.
This time in town, Lucifer bought a "Recording Compass."
The "Recording Compass" was essential for sailing the Grand Line, used by navigators onboard ships.
It could record magnetic fields between islands in the Grand Line, aiding in finding directions.
Although Lucifer didn't intend to head directly to the Grand Line, the Four Seas also required compasses.
Relative to the Grand Line, the Four Seas sometimes needed "Permanent Compasses."
The Grand Line's weather, currents, and other factors often behaved unpredictably.
Permanent compasses always pointed to a specific island and never changed.
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T/N:
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