On a small island at the entrance of the New World—
Blackbeard stared greedily at Jewelry Bonney's well-proportioned figure and smooth skin, letting out a sinister laugh.
"Hey, girl, have you made up your mind? Be my woman. The future of this world belongs to me!"
Bonney spat in disgust. Just as she was about to curse him out, something crossed her mind, and she instead sneered:
"Your era? Hahaha! Don't make me laugh!"
"You fat, useless bastard—last I checked, all your plans failed, didn't they?"
"At Impel Down, you ran away like a dog after running into the Fifth Emperor Luo Xing. At Marineford, you tried to steal Whitebeard's corpse, only to get stopped by Luo Xing's men again."
"The grand plan you spent decades building? In that man's eyes, it's nothing but a joke!"
"You're not even worth a single hair on his head, and you still dare claim the future belongs to you?"
Blackbeard's face instantly darkened.
Bonney's words were like pouring salt into his wounds.
If not for Luo Xing, how could he be left with only a handful of subordinates?
If not for Luo Xing, he would already wield darkness in one hand and earthquakes in the other—invincible across the seas!
Damn it!
The more he thought about it, the more furious he became, his chest burning with suffocating rage.
When he looked at Bonney again, killing intent flickered in his eyes.
But in the end… he held back.
He still needed her to trade with the Marines for a warship.
Grinding his teeth, Blackbeard snapped:
"What, you wanna be Luo Xing's woman?"
Bonney scoffed.
"Even being that man's woman would be a million times better than being yours—an ugly, disgusting, failed piece of trash!"
"You damn woman—watch your mouth!"
Blackbeard was on the verge of losing control, raising his hand to strike her—
But Lafitte quickly stopped him.
"Captain, the Marines have already sent someone. Getting that warship should be our priority."
Blackbeard suppressed his anger and asked:
"Who did they send?"
Lafitte gazed toward the horizon, his tone turning serious.
"They're almost here. It's Admiral Aokiji."
Blackbeard followed his gaze.
Sure enough, standing proudly on the deck of a Marine warship was Admiral Aokiji.
Blackbeard's expression darkened further.
The Marines had sent one of their top combat forces—clearly, they had no real intention of trading.
Damn it… he didn't have the time or strength to fight an Admiral right now.
His thoughts wavered.
He considered abandoning Bonney and fleeing—but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
He had suffered too many setbacks lately. He didn't want to swallow another humiliation.
On the warship—
Aokiji had already spotted the Blackbeard Pirates on the island… and Bonney, his primary objective.
This was the merit Sengoku had handed to him.
If he successfully rescued Bonney, the Five Elders' objections to his rise as Fleet Admiral would likely lessen.
After confirming that Bonney hadn't been harmed, Aokiji shifted his gaze toward Blackbeard.
This man—who had consumed the most vicious Logia-type, the Dark-Dark Fruit—was no small threat.
If not for Luo Xing's interference…
Blackbeard might very well have been the biggest winner of the Paramount War.
And even now, despite his failed plans, a man who had endured decades in silence and possessed such a mysterious ability would undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Aokiji's eyes flickered with thought.
No one knew what he was thinking.
His sense of justice… was never firmly tied to the Marines.
Ever since the Ohara incident, he had seen through the hypocrisy of the World Government.
The Marines were not his only path.
The reason he was now striving so hard to become Fleet Admiral—
On one hand, was to oppose Akainu.
Akainu had bombarded a civilian ship during Ohara.
To Aokiji, that extreme "Absolute Justice" was more harmful than beneficial.
He could not allow someone like Akainu to become Fleet Admiral.
On the other hand…
He wanted to carry out his own form of justice.
If he became Fleet Admiral, he could reshape the Marines according to his ideals.
But if he failed—
If Akainu took the position—
Then Aokiji would leave the Marines entirely.
He would roam the seas alone, searching for his own path of justice.
Just as Aokiji was deep in thought—
Just as Blackbeard hesitated between staying and fleeing—
A door suddenly materialized in midair not far away.
Aokiji's pupils shrank instantly. His scattered thoughts vanished as his body tensed.
"That's… the Anywhere Door?!"
The Marines had already obtained some intelligence about it.
But Blackbeard had no idea what he was looking at.
He stared blankly at the door that had appeared out of nowhere.
It opened.
Several figures stepped out.
At the front stood a tall, imposing man.
If it wasn't Luo Xing… who else could it be?
Blackbeard's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
You again… you bastard?!
Then he saw Shiryu of the Rain, Avalo Pizarro, Catarina Devon, Vasco Shot, and the others behind Luo Xing—
And an overwhelming sense of despair washed over him.
Those were supposed to be his future subordinates!
All of them had been taken!
Luo Xing's sudden appearance also shocked Bonney.
A strange expression flickered in her eyes.
Just moments ago, she had been mocking Blackbeard with Luo Xing's name—saying she'd rather be Luo Xing's woman…
And now—
That very man had appeared.
Luo Xing's presence finally pushed Blackbeard to make his decision.
Run.
Facing Aokiji alone was already dangerous.
Now with the even more terrifying Fifth Emperor Luo Xing here—
Staying would be suicide.
A low hum filled the air.
Dark vortexes spread across the island as Blackbeard activated the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, preparing to escape with his crew.
Luo Xing merely glanced at him.
Without needing any command—
Shiryu, Pizarro, Devon, and the others drew their blades, grinning viciously as they charged toward the Blackbeard Pirates.
Meanwhile—
With a single step, Luo Xing appeared in front of Bonney.
He casually untied the ropes binding her slender body.
As he did, his gaze lingered slightly.
The way the ropes had been wrapped around her form… carried a certain unusual aesthetic.
Something he hadn't seen before on any other woman.
If those ropes were replaced with something like pearl chains…
It might look even better.
A flicker of interest stirred in Luo Xing's eyes.
He had never tried such a thing before.
Bonney's situation had unexpectedly given him… new ideas.
The moment she was freed, Bonney tried to escape.
But Luo Xing caught her wrist effortlessly—
And snapped a pair of Seastone cuffs onto it.
Smiling faintly, he said:
"No need to rush off."
"When a knight saves a princess… the princess has to pay a price, doesn't she?"
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