Luo's Choice

Soon, Lu Zhuo arrived in front of Luo.

Luo was still sitting there, but a puzzled look crossed his face.

He hadn't taken the chance to sneak away while Lu Zhuo was fighting Zephyr. Instead, he and Bepo had waited right where they were.

"What just happened?" Luo asked.

Lu Zhuo didn't answer. Instead, he looked at the white bear beside him, Bepo.

"You're Bepo, right? I'm inviting you to join my Holy Sword Pirates. Do you agree?"

Bepo looked at Lu Zhuo's indifferent expression and couldn't help shivering. By nature, he wanted to agree at once.

But when he glanced at Luo, who stood silently beside him, he hesitated.

At last, his hesitation slowly gave way to resolve.

"I'm sorry. I... I'll follow the captain's lead."

Bepo said it cautiously, not daring to meet Lu Zhuo's eyes.

Seeing this, Lu Zhuo suddenly sighed, feeling inexplicably lost.

"Forget it. You two can go. I won't force the matter."

Lu Zhuo shook his head and turned to leave.

But just as they were about to disappear from Luo's sight, Luo suddenly called out, "How sure are you... that you can kill Joker?"

Lu Zhuo didn't look back, but his voice drifted over.

"One hundred percent!"

Hearing those words, a glint of resolve flashed in Luo's eyes. He called out, "Then I, Trafalgar Law, hereby declare the Heart Pirates disbanded. Trafalgar Law and the white bear Bepo are willing to join the Holy Sword Pirates!"

Lu Zhuo had already vanished into the forest, but a calm reply still drifted back.

"Come along, then!"

Aboard the Holy Sword, Lu Zhuo brought Luo onto the ship.

"Damn it, don't you dare get any ideas about her." Nami glanced at Ain, whose eyes were vacant and whose head was the only part visible above the Sea Cloud, then said to Lu Zhuo in a "fierce" tone.

Lu Zhuo spread his hands helplessly. "What are you thinking? She's just a talented person, and I want to invite her aboard."

With that, Lu Zhuo walked over to Ain and asked softly, "You have two choices. You can come with me and become the scientist aboard my ship, or you can die!"

Ain seemed not to hear him. Her eyes were vacant as she murmured, "How could this happen? Teacher Zephyr... Teacher Zephyr!"

Seeing this, Lu Zhuo snorted and shouted, "Zephyr is dead. Now, which path will you choose?"

The words seemed to jolt Ain back to her senses. She looked at Lu Zhuo, and a savage expression suddenly appeared on her face, making her beautiful features look terrifying.

"You damned pirate... You killed Teacher Zephyr! I'll kill you! I'll avenge Teacher Zephyr..."

Watching her frenzied expression, Lu Zhuo sighed and shook his head.

As expected, anyone who could stay by Zephyr's side and even betray the Marines had been completely brainwashed by him.

He really had hoped to recruit a beautiful scientist.

For the first time, Lu Zhuo felt helpless. So far, he had nearly everyone in this world dancing in the palm of his hand, but against someone who had been completely brainwashed, there was nothing he could do.

With another sigh, the sword in Lu Zhuo's hand trembled slightly. He took Nami by the hand and led her away.

A streak of blood slowly appeared across Ain's neck.

A look of relief crossed her face. She murmured, "Teacher Zephyr... I'm coming to join you!"

This was the first time Lu Zhuo had killed a beautiful woman. He'd seen many beautiful women by now, and his standards had risen accordingly. But he was still a shut-in from the twenty-first century, and he couldn't help looking troubled.

Nami silently watched the scene.

Robin, Conis, and Luo, who had just joined the crew, were aboard as well.

Luo only glanced over once, completely unfazed.

Robin chuckled. A dozen arms suddenly sprouted across the deck and gently tossed the body overboard.

"Ah, I thought I could talk her around." Lu Zhuo sighed and slowly walked away. Nami didn't know what to say; she could only stare blankly at Lu Zhuo's lonely figure.

With two new crewmates aboard, there was naturally cause to celebrate.

The crew held a party, and the new Holy Sword was filled with cheer.

Yet on the ship's deck, one person stared blankly at the sea in silence.

Ever since he had arrived in this world, Lu Zhuo had felt that he controlled everything in it, that it was all just toys in his hands.

Even when he'd been on the back foot several times, been defeated, and nearly died, he'd still believed this world was nothing more than his plaything. He had never truly considered himself a part of it.

Although he had killed Ain with his final sword stroke, leaving no loose ends, and Luo had ultimately joined his crew as planned,

he felt that everything had changed.

The people of this world weren't toys or NPCs. They had thoughts of their own and unwavering convictions.

Each of them had a path they wanted to follow.

Of course, in the world he'd come from, the author of One Piece, Oda, had created a manga that could be called a masterpiece.

Its characters were all vivid and distinctive.

But even so, it had its flaws and all kinds of plot holes.

Now, however, that manga world had become a real world. Everything was complete, and all the flaws had disappeared.

Because this was no longer an imaginary world created on paper. It was a real world, and its people had real souls!

With his hands behind his back, Lu Zhuo's thoughts rose and fell like the sea before him.

Just then, a beautiful melody sounded behind him.

The bright, lively music carried a soothing, joyful quality that gently eased Lu Zhuo's heart.

He knew who was playing without turning around.

Lu Zhuo said nothing. He listened quietly, his thoughts rising and falling with the melody. It seemed that all his unhappiness had been left behind.

After a long while, the last note's lingering echo still circled in Lu Zhuo's ears.

Lu Zhuo slowly turned around and looked at the little angel playing beneath the moonlight.

"Mom told me that when something makes you unhappy, you shouldn't dwell on it. Just think about your instrument and play the music you love, and all your troubles will drift away on the wind."

In the moonlight, Conis's adorable little face looked even more like that of a real angel.

Lu Zhuo looked at her and suddenly sighed.

You have a soul of your own, too!

Lu Zhuo slowly walked toward Conis and stopped less than a foot away from her.

Conis looked at Lu Zhuo, her little face turning slightly red.

"Are you angry with me for forcing you to come aboard my ship?" Lu Zhuo looked at her gently, then reached out and softly stroked her golden hair.

"At first, of course I was upset. But I soon forgot about it. Besides... Sister Robin and Sister Nami have both been very kind to me, and I've seen so many amazing things in the Blue Sea that I'd never seen before. I... I'm very happy."

Perhaps he had always been rather indifferent toward Conis.

Looking at Conis with her head bowed, quietly letting him stroke her hair, Lu Zhuo felt a faint pang of regret.