"I still need to keep earning money. My body technique level, swordsmanship, and three-color Haki all have room for improvement."
Luo Chen said to himself.
'Currently, my body technique hasn't reached the Admiral/Yonko level. I can only fight against Admirals and Yonko by relying on my many powerful ninjutsu and three-color Haki.'
'My swordsmanship has reached the Black Blade level, but above the Black Blade, there is a higher realm. This is the realm that the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye, is also pursuing. The system has given the price to learn it: 30 billion Beli.'
'After the three-color Haki reaches the top tier, there is no subsequent upgrade path, but there are enchantment options. For example, Conqueror's Haki enchantment can inflict soul damage on the enemy, can interfere with the use of Devil Fruit abilities, and can suppress the enemy's three-color Haki... Each enchantment ability requires at least 10 billion Beli. It's the same for Observation and Armament Haki.'
'"My three-color Haki has reached its limit. Enchantment is equivalent to breaking that limit."'
'"I've run out of training points. I'll think about it after I earn more money."'
Luo Chen muttered to himself, his expression suddenly freezing.
He felt one of his Wood Style clones dissipate.
According to the feedback, it had been killed by someone.
'What happened?'
Luo Chen closed his eyes to check the memory.
...
On Skypiea, inside a palace built upon the white clouds.
One of Luo Chen's Wood Style clones paused its tea-drinking motion.
He frowned and looked at the man beside him. "Enel, go down to Jaya and pick up Satori. He's being hunted."
Enel was lying lazily on a long chair. Hearing this, he sat up straight and asked:
"Your clone was taken out?"
Satori was one of his four God's Priests.
He had followed one of the four clones Luo Chen created to the Blue Sea to sell gold.
Luo Chen's clone nodded. "Mn, the gold was stolen too. Just bring the Priest back first."
'The four clones with the four Priests weren't very strong. After all, they are clones created by me, this clone. And after being created, they don't get "updated" with new skills as the main body gets stronger.'
He recognized the attacker.
It was several of the Yonko Big Mom's children.
One of them was one of the Three Sweet Commanders, the "Biscuit Minister," Charlotte Cracker.
Enel might not be able to beat him, but with the speed of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, bringing the Priest back wouldn't be a problem.
"What a pain," Enel complained, then turned into lightning and instantly disappeared from the palace.
Not long after, just a minute or two, he returned.
He solidified from his lightning state.
The white, ball-like Satori also appeared in the palace, covered in blood. He immediately knelt on the ground to admit his mistake.
"My apologies, Lord Luo Chen, Lord Enel. I lost a shipment of gold."
"It's fine. I expected this day would come. After all, 30 billion in gold has already been sold. It's hard for them to restrain their greed."
Luo Chen's clone shook his head, not pursuing the matter.
'The factions in the Blue Sea with the financial power to buy tens of billions in gold are few. A few underground giants of the New World, or the Yonko crews. None of these people are good. Robbery is commonplace for them.'
He glanced at the newspaper by the tea table.
"Today is the day of the public execution."
"I'm preparing to return to my main body to get ready for the great war."
"Enel, take the four Priests and head to Marine Headquarters, Marineford, to rendezvous with the main body."
Luo Chen's clone said slowly.
This clone of his had taken a good deal of the main body's stamina.
With the great war imminent, it was necessary to release the clone technique and let the main body return to his peak condition.
Enel showed interest and smiled. "The Blue Sea's great war is finally about to begin. Let this God see what powerhouses there are."
He looked at Luo Chen's clone. "Let's be clear. If your main body isn't strong enough, I'll take you out."
Luo Chen's clone smiled. "You can't even beat this clone of mine. Don't even think about messing with the main body."
Enel sneered. "This God has already learned Armament Haki. I'm much stronger than before. You aren't necessarily my match."
Luo Chen's clone shook his head.
He didn't know what his main body's strength was right now.
But a pay-to-win cheater was not someone Enel could catch up to.
"See you in Marineford." As Luo Chen's clone finished speaking, his body was enveloped in white smoke, finally turning into an ordinary wooden stick and falling to the ground.
Enel watched this, deep in thought.
Satori hesitated, then asked, "Lord Enel, are we really going? This is the perfect chance to get away from this person."
Back then, Luo Chen had come to Skypiea alone, defeating Enel and the four Priests.
He had threatened Lord Enel's life to make him submit.
Now that Luo Chen's clone was gone, it was the perfect chance to escape his control.
Enel telekinetically pulled his golden staff from beside the chair. Azure electrical arcs flowed over his body as he laughed:
"Get away? There's no need. The Endless Vearth this God has always yearned for is actually just a tiny moon."
"This God wants to fight the top powerhouses of the Blue Sea, become stronger, and become the God who rules over the Blue Sea."
"Let's go. Pilot the Ark Maxim. To Marine Headquarters, Marineford."
...
Impel Down. Luo Chen opened his eyes.
'So, I was robbed by Big Mom's people.'
'I'll let you hold on to that few billion in gold for now. Sooner or later, the entire treasury of Totto Land will be mine.'
Luo Chen noted down this grudge over the stolen gold.
In the future, he would empty Charlotte Linlin's treasury.
'The Wood Style clones scattered outside... I really should recall the ones that need recalling. To avoid interfering with the upcoming battle.'
'I'll leave the clone on the Straw Hat crew's ship for now. He might just end up at Marineford or Impel Down.'
Luo Chen thought quietly.
'If Luffy finds out Ace is being executed, he will definitely rush in to save him. Where exactly he'll go to save him, I can't predict. The plot has already diverged from the original story. It's possible Luffy and his crew haven't even reached the Sabaody Archipelago yet.'
Clang, clang...
The sound of chains pulled Luo Chen's thoughts back to reality.
He looked up. Warden Magellan, Vice-Warden Hannyabal, and Vice-Chief Guard Domino were opening the iron gate of the cell opposite him.
"'Fire Fist' Ace, it's time for your execution. Come out," Magellan said.
Ace, wearing Sea-Prism Stone handcuffs and leg cuffs, walked out of the cell.
He glanced at the three jailers, then at Luo Chen, and smiled. "I'm heading off first."
This sentence was a farewell.
Ace never thought he would survive.
Captured by the Marines, imprisoned in Impel Down.
No one could save him.
In the past, when the Straw Hat crew thought Luo Chen had been captured, he had advised Luffy not to act rashly to save him.
It was impossible to save him; it would only cost more lives.
Luo Chen smiled. "See you again."
Ace nodded, not thinking much of it.
He just thought this "see you again" meant seeing each other in the afterlife.
Magellan glanced at Luo Chen and said, "In three months, you will see each other in the afterlife."
Luo Chen was noncommittal and said nothing.
A moment later, Magellan, the other two, and a squad of jailers escorted Ace away.
The sound of the elevator's wheel shaft turning could be heard.
Luo Chen knew they were taking the elevator up to sea level.
'The plot really has changed. Luffy didn't show up at Impel Down.'
'In that case, I can make my move.'
Luo Chen thought silently, then waited quietly for another ten-plus minutes.
Estimating that Ace had probably been picked up by the Marine warship outside the prison, he slowly stood up.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]