"Gyahahaha, I didn't think the famous Ghost Sword Lu Zhuo would know who I am! Blackbeard, huh? Is that my nickname? I like it!"
Teach stood at the bow of a small boat, laughing as he approached.
Lu Zhuo's expression turned cold. This guy was a bona fide villain, and Lu Zhuo really didn't want to deal with Teach. Still, he needed Teach's help to accomplish certain goals. After all, with the world's guiding hand at work, Teach should still get the Dark-Dark Fruit after joining the Whitebeard Pirates.
Using the Dark-Dark Fruit's power to take the Devil Fruit abilities Lu Zhuo wanted was one of his goals. That was why he'd told Nami he would find her any ability she wanted.
"How could I not know you? You're Teach, the vicious pirate who destroyed a Marine Branch and has a bounty of 130 million Beli." Lu Zhuo stood up and smiled faintly as he replied.
"Gyahahaha! How about a drink?" Teach seemed extremely excited. It was his first time meeting a newcomer from the same era who was just as powerful, and he was already thinking of recruiting him.
At this point, Teach's pirate crew wasn't called the Blackbeard Pirates yet. It was the Darkness Pirates, and it had even fewer members than Lu Zhuo's Holy Sword Pirates—just two.
Of course, those two were no weaker than Fire Fist Ace, who had also made a name for himself across the seas and now had a bounty of 140 million Beli.
The group went ashore. Lu Zhuo gave Nami and Robin a discreet glance, and they immediately grew wary.
The two groups came together. Lu Zhuo accepted the drink from Blackbeard and, without hesitation, took a hearty swig.
Cough, cough!
After taking a drink, Lu Zhuo coughed several times. His face flushed slightly, and he said with a smile, "That's strong stuff. I like it!"
"Gyahahaha! I like your personality even more! Lu Zhuo, come aboard my ship. How about being my first mate?" Teach laughed loudly, took a swig, and revealed what he wanted.
Lu Zhuo smiled faintly. "Do you think you'd agree if I asked you to be my first mate?"
"Gyahahaha! Good, good!" After hearing Lu Zhuo's words, Teach laughed and said "good" twice. But he didn't look disappointed.
He knew that someone like Lu Zhuo could hardly be recruited.
They would all be standing on the stage of the new era!
"Roger died seventeen years ago. Golden Lion escaped from prison and lost both legs. I hear Whitebeard's stamina has been declining badly, and he's hooked up to an IV every day to recuperate. Red-Haired lost an arm in the East Blue, while the Marines continue to grow stronger. The new era... has already begun!"
With a sigh, Lu Zhuo slowly uttered words that stunned everyone present.
If those words had come from Whitebeard or Red-Haired, true giants of the world, they would undoubtedly have triggered a magnitude-twelve earthquake across the globe!
Everyone passing by was stunned by what he'd said. Pirates and civilians alike!
The news spread fast, soon traveling across the entire sea!
"Gyahahaha! I hope we'll meet again on the stage of the new era!" After his surprise passed, Teach let out a loud laugh, as if releasing his ambitions, and spoke with equal bravado.
Lu Zhuo gave him a long look, then turned and left. Only after he'd led Robin and Nami far away did the people around them come back to their senses.
"That brat Lu Zhuo sure has big ambitions. Not bad!" When Whitebeard heard the news, he laughed heartily, not at all angered by Lu Zhuo's comment about his declining stamina.
Red-Haired, one of the Four Emperors, held a newspaper, his expression somewhat grave.
"Another extraordinary figure has appeared. He's bound to stir up the world. I wonder... when will Luffy set sail?"
A moment later, he shook his head and burst out laughing. "Let's drink! What's the point of worrying about all that?"
At his side, a glint flashed in Mihawk's eagle-like eyes.
Lu Zhuo, huh? A powerful swordsman who could unleash strength close to that of a Great Swordsman despite being only a swordsman. Interesting!
At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood by the window, gazing at the sky with a grave expression.
"His eyes see through everything. It seems I underestimated him. This man could become as dangerous as Roger!"
"Pass the order: Admirals, Vice Admirals, Rear Admirals, and all other Marine officers are to be rotated! Also, begin recruiting Marines across the entire world!"
The world, shaken by a single remark from Lu Zhuo, became more lively than ever.
Meanwhile, Lu Zhuo, the one who'd set it all off, was gathering every bit of information about the surrounding sea with the two beauties.
Lu Zhuo didn't seek out the person from the original story who knew about the Knock-Up Stream. Instead, he worked with Nami to take the measurements themselves.
Based on the general area, it took Lu Zhuo less than three days to pinpoint where the Knock-Up Stream would appear.
Standing at the bow and gazing at the enormous whirlpool ahead, Lu Zhuo looked a little tense.
Was it about to begin?
Robin seemed to notice his expression. She came over to him and smiled softly.
"Hehe, my dear captain, you get nervous too?"
Tsk, why did that sound so cheesy?
Lu Zhuo glanced at Robin. With the Knock-Up Stream about to come, she was wearing only a camisole on top.
The sight of all that pale, ample flesh nearly blinded him...
He reached out and quickly brushed a hand across Robin's cheek, catching a whiff of her fragrance.
"Does that mean you're saying you're my woman?" Lu Zhuo teased, watching Robin's cheeks flush.
"Hehe, do you want to pursue me? A few Poneglyphs won't be enough to win me over." Robin giggled. A fragrant breeze swept past, and her body vanished before Lu Zhuo's eyes, dissolving into countless petals.
It was a clone...
It seemed his teaching had paid off. After three months of intensive training, Nico Robin, who used to spend all her time reading, was definitely no weaker than she'd been in the original story when she reunited with the others two years later. In some respects, she might even be stronger.
As for Nami, though Lu Zhuo doted on and cherished her in every way, he still made her train her body so she could quickly develop her Devil Fruit into a powerful ability once she got one.
Lu Zhuo pursed his lips. As he watched the huge whirlpool ahead slowly come to a stop, his expression turned serious. "Quick, it's coming!"
"Right!" Nami answered, her expression grave as she watched the sea begin to bubble ahead and quickly steered the ship toward it.
Although Lu Zhuo had already explained the general nature of the Knock-Up Stream to her, and they'd discussed how to navigate it, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous now.
Lu Zhuo walked over and took her small hand, giving her a calm smile. Nami immediately felt reassured.
Skypiea... what a miracle! What kind of wonder would it bring him?
Unfortunately, although the original story mentioned other routes that could be used to get there, it never explained them in detail. They had no choice but to take this dangerous route.
Just as Lu Zhuo was thinking this, the current beneath them erupted with a roar, sending a massive white torrent surging toward the sky!
The Holy Sword was swept into the air by the current in an instant!
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