Chapter 32 Island-class Sea King Appears in the Calm Belt"Can't use the wind? Then we can all row together, it's no big deal!"
Usopp scratched his head, innocently interjecting.
"You utterly idiotic! You think it's just a matter of no wind?"
Nami looked at Usopp with disdain, her voice trembling slightly with fear. "The real terror lies beneath this desolate surface!"
"This is the favorite lair of those colossal Sea Kings!"
"Colossal Sea Kings?"
Everyone was taken aback, not really grasping the concept.
Zoro scoffed, unconcerned. "Tch, how big can they be? Bigger than that sea monster Arlong and his gang brought back from the Grand Line?"
Nami was also a little unsure, after all, she had only read about them in books, never seen one in person.
"There should be...right? The books say the Calm Belt is several levels more dangerous than the Grand Line."
Just then, Buggy walked over with his arms crossed, looking arrogant, his tone full of mockery: "Sea monsters? Pfft—"
"Don't be ridiculous, okay? Those tiny shrimps that wouldn't even fill a Sea King's teeth dare to compare themselves to the rulers of the Calm Belt?"
"Let me tell you, the strongest sea monsters in the Grand Line are no match for even the smallest Sea King in this Calm Belt!"
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat: "Really? That exaggerated?"
Just as everyone was still half-believing, a gigantic Thousand-Year Dragon suddenly flew across the distant horizon.
Before anyone could see it clearly, the once calm water suddenly shattered, and a terrifyingly large, serpentine Sea King, like a demon emerging from hell, shot straight into the sky!
The gaping maw opened like a black hole, swallowing the thousand-year-old dragon, whose size rivaled that of a warship, whole, leaving not a trace.
As if sensing the commotion of its companion's feeding, the previously still sea instantly erupted in chaos, with colossal beasts, each the size of an island, emerging from the depths.
The people on deck stared in utter disbelief, their jaws nearly dropping to their feet.
Usopp's legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the deck, his legs trembling like a leaf: "Holy crap! I want to go home! This is no place for a human!"
Even the usually composed Zoro had beads of cold sweat on his forehead, staring intently at the apocalyptic scene in the distance.
Damn it, monsters of this level are practically cheating! Even if I used every ounce of strength I had, I could probably only manage a minor scrape, or at most a scratch.
The imposing warship beneath their feet looked tiny, like a toy, barely larger than a single scale of those colossal Sea Kings.
Luffy also emerged from the cabin, gazing at the magnificent spectacle in the distance, his heart pounding with awe. No wonder Sea Kings were ranked among the Three Ancient Weapons.
Luffy had initially thought that controlling Sea Kings was somewhat useless against truly top-tier fighters; after all, at Hawkeye's level, a simple attack could slice through meteorites.
But now, witnessing them in person, Luffy truly understood the terrifying power of Sea Kings. It was only because these creatures hadn't grown to the size of the Red Line that the world was in chaos.
Luffy even suspected that if he could fully control these behemoths, sweeping through the Celestial Dragons' stronghold wouldn't be difficult.
Of course, this was contingent on the three monster-level Admirals of the Marine Headquarters not intervening, and no one could fathom the true extent of the Celestial Dragons' eight-hundred-year reign.
Luffy began to reassess the true value of the legendary Three Ancient Weapons. He'd previously thought they were nothing special from watching the anime, but now he realized he'd been too hasty.
Perhaps they couldn't defeat a top-tier pirate in a one-on-one fight, but in terms of destructive power and strategic significance, even the Four Emperors and the Three Admirals combined probably wouldn't be as devastating as an awakened "Sea King."
After all, the sheer number of Sea Kings in the Calm Belt was appalling. Even if a strong individual could kill a thousand or ten thousand, could they possibly wipe out the entire Calm Belt?
Exhaustion can kill you.
"Hey... Luffy! Are we really okay sailing in this godforsaken place?"
"Is...is there a safer route to Marine Headquarters?"
Usopp, clinging to the mast, asked Luffy, his teeth chattering.
At that moment, a Marine captain emerged from the cabin, a professional smile on his face: "Please calm down, everyone. This warship is a special vessel inlaid with the latest Seastone technology."
"As long as we don't stay in one place for too long, those Sea Kings will mistake us for part of the ocean and won't be able to spot us."
"Also, please keep quiet. Making too much noise will attract these monsters."
The speaker was none other than Captain Joyce, the Marine Headquarters captain responsible for transporting Luffy and his crew.
Upon hearing this, Usopp and Nami quickly covered their mouths tightly, terrified of making a sound.
Luffy clicked his tongue in amazement as he looked at the colossal creatures in the distance, thinking that if he possessed Li Jing's ability to catch blades bare-handed, he might be able to annihilate these handless behemoths.
But now, even with the terrifying Observation Haki boost from his "Blitzkrieg King" template, against beasts of this size, even the fastest reaction was useless. A single slap from one of them was a map-wide attack, leaving nowhere to dodge.
Unless he could boost his speed to the peak of "Li Ren Bach," relying on supersonic movement might offer a sliver of hope.
Bugsy, meanwhile, smugly looked at the terrified crowd: "Hmph, look at your pathetic state! Captain Roger used to eat Sea Kings like sashimi with his drinks!"
As a former apprentice who had worked alongside Roger, Buggy, though lacking in strength, certainly had the MVP-caliber experience.
"Those Navy guys are really something, managing to develop a warship that can sail sideways in the Calm Belt..."
Buggy stroked the hull with envy, watching the Sea Kings around him completely ignore the warship, his eyes gleaming with greed.
If I could get my hands on a ship like that, wouldn't I be able to roam freely on the Grand Line?
Usopp was still a little uneasy, asking Joyce with trembling hands, "Are you sure this thing is reliable? It really won't be discovered?"
Joyce patted his chest confidently: "Don't worry, this technology has been tested countless times, it's incredibly reliable."
Luffy couldn't help but sigh, "Only the Navy, backed by the World Government, could be so wealthy as to use precious Seastone as a coating on the ship's hull."
You have to understand, the cost of one of these Seastone warships is equivalent to that of a Pacifista. Don't be fooled by how common they become later; in the early days, they were boss-level machines.
When they first appeared, they chased after the Supernovas of the Worst Generation all over the place. Only Urouge showed any real strength and managed to destroy one.
The others could barely manage a 50/50 fight.
This combat power is basically close to that of a captain of a Grand Fleet under a Yonko.
The most terrifying thing is that these things can be mass-produced!
And the fact that the cost of a single warship is equivalent to this war machine speaks volumes about its exorbitant price.
Joyce smiled and flattered Luffy, "I believe that with Luffy-sama's potential, he'll soon be issued a personal vessel like this."
According to Navy rules, one would need to reach at least the rank of Vice Admiral to be eligible to apply for such a high-class warship.
Luffy shrugged, looking nonchalant, "Thanks for your kind words."
Just then, a series of deep, resonant buzzing sounds exploded in Luffy's mind.
"Has the time... come?"
"The King... has been born..."
"How much longer...?"
"Let's wait a little longer..."
"That little shrimp on top of me... looks delicious, should I swallow it whole?"
"No... I must wait for the King's order..."
Luffy instantly felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat poured down his back.
"Holy crap!"
Everyone was startled by Luffy's sudden reaction: "What's wrong? Are you having a fit too?"
Luffy waved his hand, but his expression became extremely serious.
Listen to the voice of all things!
It's those colossal Sea Kings communicating!
Luffy never dreamed that he would stumble upon the legendary ancient beasts that pulled Noah's Ark.
These creatures, who have lived for countless years, possess extremely high intelligence. The illusion created by Seastone was completely ineffective against them; the entire crew had narrowly escaped death without even realizing it.
Luffy breathed a sigh of relief, secretly vowing that once he reached Fish-Man Island and cleared Shirahoshi's dungeon, mastering the power of Poseidon, even the Five Elders would have to think twice before trying to harm him.
"Speaking of which, if I awakened my Nika form, would it match Shirahoshi's size?"
Luffy's thought process suddenly veered in a strange direction, a lewd expression appearing on his face.
"Hey! Look! What's that?"
Usopp suddenly pointed at a blurry black shadow on the distant horizon and screamed.
Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a sinister, terrifying sea castle standing alone in the very center of the Calm Belt, like a tombstone!
"Impossible! This is the Calm Belt!"
Nami stared at the enormous, indistinct creature, covering her mouth in shock.
Luffy narrowed his eyes, staring at the black shadow: "So it really is there... Impel Down."
Joyce smiled and nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "I didn't expect Lord Luffy to even know about such a secret place. Then I won't waste any more time explaining."
"Imperial Castle? What's that for?"
Everyone looked at Luffy with curiosity.
"Didn't I tell you before? Those pirates who get captured experience a living hell. That's what hell is."
Luffy chuckled, a chilling undertone in his voice: "Imperial Castle, Impel Down, known as the Navy's most formidable prison, has six levels. Someone like Arlong, with only a 20 million bounty, doesn't even qualify for the third level."
"It holds the most heinous criminals the Navy has captured in centuries. It's a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all pirates."
Because of Impel Down's existence, many powerful pirates dare not easily confront the Navy. After all, death isn't scary; what's terrifying is being imprisoned and tortured.
Everyone stared in awe at the magnificent architecture, their eyes filled with shock. They simply couldn't fathom how the Navy had built such a fortress in the Calm Belt, teeming with Sea Kings.
"Weren't we going to Marine Headquarters? How did we end up in the prison?"
Zoro frowned, looking at Luffy with confusion.
"I think we need to use that Marine-only high-speed passage."
Luffy gestured in a direction with his chin. Looking up, everyone was horrified to find that a colossal gate, seemingly reaching into the clouds, had appeared beside the warship!
The Gate of Justice!
This was the super-hub connecting Enies Lobby, Marine Headquarters, and Impel Down!
"My god! This gate is huge!"
Everyone stared dumbfounded at the massive gate before them. With a muffled rumble, the gate slowly opened.
Behind the gate, towering waves and swirling eddies created a striking visual contrast to the deathly stillness of the Calm Belt.
Luffy turned around, waved to the group with his back to them, and headed straight for the cabin: "Once we're out of the Calm Belt, we'll be at Marine Headquarters. You guys better catch up on some sleep. This trip to Marine Headquarters probably won't be as much of a vacation as you think."
"Huh?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances.
Joyce, watching Luffy's departing figure, looked on with awe.
"Truly worthy of being Lord Luffy, he even sees through this deeper meaning."
Everyone turned to look at Joyce, their eyes demanding an explanation.
Joyce scratched his cheek awkwardly. "With Luffy's strength, becoming a Commodore is a sure thing."
"But in terms of seniority, Luffy only has the one notable achievement of defeating the Arlong Pirates. And this award ceremony was broadcast globally, with such a grand spectacle; even I think the higher-ups went a bit overboard."
"Not to mention those arrogant troublemakers within the Navy, they're all itching to give Luffy a hard time when he lands."
"What? Is that even possible? Is it too late to buy a ticket home?" Usopp's face turned green, trembling with fear.
"A challenge from other powerful Navy members?"
Upon hearing this, Zoro's eyes blazed with a fierce fighting spirit, his grip on the Kitetsu sword cracking loudly. "Perfect! Let's test my new sword's speed on them!"
Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaling a smoke ring, completely unconcerned. Having been trained by Zeff, he was currently brimming with confidence, believing himself to be second to none.
Only Luffy entered the cabin, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.
What was this?
Trying to lecture me?
Luffy knew perfectly well that his displayed strength was already on the Five Elders' desks.
For eight hundred years, the World Government had failed to reclaim the Gum-Gum Fruit. Although he was now disguised as a Marine, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, these old fogies were clearly planning a bluff to kill him.
The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind.
He was originally a nepotism recruit who got in through Garp's connections. Being promoted to Commodore before even entering the Grand Line would definitely make those junior officers, who had worked their way up from the bottom, resentful.
If he didn't have real skills to maintain order, building his own faction within the Navy would be a pipe dream.
After all, nobody wants to follow a spoiled brat who rose to power through his grandfather's connections.
If this were the Luffy from the original story, any Marine Headquarters officer could easily defeat him.
Those Marine Headquarters officers are all masters of both types of Haki.
Like Zoro, who returned after two years of training, thinking he could dominate with Haki, only to be utterly shocked when he saw those lowly soldiers in Dressrosa wielding black swords.
Unfortunately, the current Luffy has undergone a complete transformation. Having experienced two template restorations, plus the monstrous boost from Blitzkrieg, his strength is now miles ahead of the original.
Luffy strolled into the training room, glanced at the target in the center, casually flexed his wrist, and then swung his right hand like a pressure pump.
Luffy's skin began to redden, and billowing steam erupted from his pores, like a volcano about to erupt.
"Gear Second!"
Luffy took a deep breath, and his figure vanished into thin air in a flash!
Bang!
"Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!"
With a low shout, his arm shot out like a cannonball and retracted in an instant, leaving a clearly visible fist imprint on the incredibly hard wall of the training room!