Chapter 51: Vice Admiral Zephyr
He had no intention of accepting the Sube Sube no Mi and the Bomu Bomu no Mi.
In truth, these two Devil Fruits could not be said to lack potential, but Ren had a lingering shadow in his heart because of a certain user of the Bomu Bomu no Mi who attacked with boogers. He found it utterly disgusting.
As for the Sube Sube no Mi, it could be described as a beauty-enhancing fruit. The future fat hag of East Blue, Alvida, relied on this fruit to transform into a beauty.
However, after consumption, its effect merely made the skin smooth. With some development, it could also scrape away excess fat from the body.
In short, it was meant for beauty and liposuction and could not achieve the effect of plastic surgery. From this, it could be inferred that Alvida's facial features were likely decent to begin with; if she had the willpower to lose weight, she might truly have become a beauty of East Blue.
But this had nothing to do with Ren. Without the Sube Sube no Mi, it was unlikely that the fat hag would ever diet.
'I'll take it back and see if Yukiko wants it.'
As he thought this, Ren noticed a Marine warship approaching from the distant sea.
"Lord Ren..." Yuriko also saw it.
"Don't be nervous. We and the Marines are not enemies. Oh, and have Shiyado hide in the cabin for a while. Among us, only she has a bounty on her head," Ren said calmly.
This calmness stemmed from his strength, not from trust in the Marines.
Soon, the two ships were about to meet on the vast sea. If the other party behaved properly, then so be it; if they intended to act, Ren would sink them without hesitation.
He did not care whether he gained a bounty. He would be staying in Wano Country for a long time, so printing a wanted poster for him would merely waste paper.
The territory of Wano Country was a place the Marines could not set foot in. At this time, even the World Government had no effective solution regarding Wano Country.
The barrier surrounding Wano Country was not truly impenetrable, but its centuries of isolation had caused many outsiders to forget it. The New World contained countless massive islands; who would pay attention to such a small nation?
Even if he were given a bounty, once he returned to Wano Country, no one would find him within the vast sea.
Due to the air currents above Wano Country, even News Coo found it difficult to approach. It was completely isolated from the outside world.
Soon, the two ships drew closer and closer.
The lookout aboard the warship had long spotted the approaching vessel and entered a state of alert. Encountering another ship on the open sea, even without a pirate flag, did not mean it was not a pirate ship.
Not every pirate openly displayed their identity; vile individuals were everywhere. However, although they were on guard, they were not overly concerned.
The reason was that the Vice Admiral stationed aboard this ship was Zephyr, a pillar of the Marines who had recently gained fame across the seas as "Black Arm" Zephyr.
Zephyr was only 35 years old and was still rising within the Marines. He was a prominent rising star whose reputation was no weaker than that of Garp or Sengoku.
There were even rumors that he might be promoted to Admiral within a few years. In terms of strength, Zephyr already possessed power close to that of an Admiral.
With such a strong figure in command, the Marines aboard this warship felt completely at ease. Especially in the first half of the Grand Line, any reckless pirates who sought trouble would merely be courting disaster.
Calling it courting death was not entirely accurate; Zephyr rarely killed pirates he captured. He was even known as the "Admiral Who Doesn't Kill."
However, those pirates whose lives he spared did not feel gratitude. For pirates, survival only prolonged their hatred, and the suffering endured after capture would forever remain etched in their memories.
If Ren were a Marine, he would not spare any captured pirate. In his view, Impel Down was unnecessary; only dead enemies were good enemies.
The World Government feared that the Devil Fruits of great pirates would return to circulation upon their deaths, but Ren did not consider this worth worrying about.
Take the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, for example—only 2 people had awakened it in 800 years. Even a powerful Devil Fruit in the hands of a weak person was merely a pearl covered in dust.
Conversely, a truly strong individual would remain strong even without a Devil Fruit.
Moreover, even if those great pirates were imprisoned, their lives would still end decades later.
"Vice Admiral Zephyr, there is an unmarked ship ahead. Should we inspect it?"
The Marine who had spotted Ren quickly reported.
Zephyr stood at the bow of the ship; his Observation Haki had already sensed Ren's presence.
It was a dangerous sensation. The aura emanating from that ship was not like that of a fierce beast, but more akin to a venomous snake.
At first glance, it did not appear overwhelmingly oppressive, yet it gave him an unsettling feeling.
"Dangerous fellow..." Zephyr said in a low voice.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, standing upright with short purple hair that gave him a vigorous appearance.
"Approach and inspect. Remain cautious," Zephyr ordered.
If he encountered an ordinary vessel on the open sea, he might ignore it. However, with such an aura present, it was his duty as a Marine to conduct a routine inspection.
Even without a pirate flag, it did not mean the other party was not a pirate. Moreover, the Marines' enemies were not limited to pirates alone.
Slave traders, organ trafficking groups, arms smugglers—these were all theoretically enemies of the Marines. Yet many of these underworld forces colluded with the World Government, making it difficult to act against them.
Zephyr, who had dreamed of becoming a hero since childhood, would not let such criminals go if he encountered them.
Ren watched as the warship adjusted its course and sailed directly toward them, yet he remained indifferent.
Zephyr could sense his presence, and Ren could sense Zephyr's as well.
Only when they were close enough did Ren recognize the figure standing at the bow.
'I didn't expect it to be him.'
At that moment, the Marine ship had already signaled them, and Ren made no aggressive movements.
"No aggressive behavior. So they aren't bad guys?" one of Zephyr's subordinates muttered.
"Do not lower your guard," Zephyr said, shaking his head. As the distance shortened, he could feel that Ren's strength was not merely superficial; beneath the surface lay something even more formidable.
"Ahead, sailing vessel. We are the Marines. We will now conduct an inspection of your ship."
The two ships were now only 10 meters apart.
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