Chapter 108

Adrian's strength attribute increased by 400 points, almost doubling his original strength attribute!

In addition, the Heavy Strike Specialization obtained from Bigm grants an additional 1.2 times the Strength bonus when attacking a target.

When Adrian uses Swordplay, his strength attribute can reach almost a thousand points!

Even if it can't compete with those Top Powerhouse, it's still at the absolute top level of the ocean!

In addition, Adrian's Stamina attribute is also doubled.

Although Adrian has never experienced the benefits of having a high Stamina attribute...

Well, the war with the mermaid ladies of Fish-Man Island doesn't count!

After all, given Adrian's fighting style, even if he couldn't defeat the enemy, there was no need to drag it out to the point where he had to compete with others in Stamina; he could simply use his Ghost Body's flight ability to slip away.

However, Stamina is still an important aspect of strength.

At least Stamina is no longer a weak attribute.

Adrian was thrilled to have acquired such a powerful top-tier Specialty after just one encounter with Whitebeard.

"If I could fight Whitebeard every day, wouldn't I quickly become a smaller version of the World's Strongest?"

"Forget it, forget it, let's stop daydreaming."

"My relationship with Whitebeard isn't as deep as I thought. The reason I was able to get such a powerful Specialty this time is probably because my combat performance score was maxed out on the panel. After all, Whitebeard didn't make any effective counterattacks throughout the entire mission. By the time he really wanted to get serious, the mission was already over."

"As expected, I was more clever; I set the battle duration well before the battle even began."

"As everyone knows, on this vast ocean, the battles between truly top-tier experts can last for three to five days; otherwise, they'd be embarrassed to show their faces in public."

"Well, except for the Child of Destiny."

"However, if we encounter the Whitebeard Pirates again after this, we'll probably be the World's Strongest at full power!"

"But fortunately, I didn't leave myself completely without any backup plans..."

My thoughts were racing.

Adrian stood atop the rocky cliffs of Hand Island, silently awaiting Lumi and Louf's return.

Long before he encountered the Whitebeard Pirates, the Little Fox had been taken by Lumi to the Mokomo Dukedom behind Zunesha.

Having finally found Zou's location after much effort, how could Louf resist going home to check on him?

Of course, the Little Fox also made a special promise to Adrian that she would never coldly abandon him!

The third-in-command cook's smug words naturally earned her several sharp rebukes from Adrian.

Lumi once expressed his desire to fight Whitebeard alongside Adrian.

As the Ship Spirit, Oro Jackson accompanied the Roger Pirates on their Grand Line adventures, Lumi knew Whitebeard's terrifying strength better than most people in the world.

However, Adrian politely declined Lumi's offer and allowed it to accompany Louf to Zou.

Although Louf's physical abilities were not weak, she was still much slower than the Ship Spirit who could soar freely in the air.

If Louf were to travel alone to the Mokomo Dukedom by climbing Zunesha's thigh.

It's estimated that by the time Adrian and Lumi finish fighting Whitebeard, the Little Fox won't have climbed even halfway up the elephant's leg.

"Judging by the time, Lumi and Louf should already be inside Zou by now, right?"

Adrian thought to himself.

Around dusk, a massive three-masted sailing ship, the Nether Abyss, slowly sailed towards Hand Island, cutting through the waves.

Adrian took to the air and flew rapidly toward the deck of the Nether Abyss.

Louf and Lumi were standing near the figurehead, skipping and waving at him.

Adrian landed on the deck of the Nether Abyss, and the Little Fox, looking overjoyed, practically pounced on him.

"Adrian- sama! Long time no see!"

Louf was about to give Adrian a big hug when her little nose suddenly twitched, as if she had smelled something.

"Sniff sniff, wow, such a strong masculine scent!"

The transformative changes brought about by the Peerless Strength Specialty also resulted in excessive fluid loss.

Adrian, speechless, reached out and tapped Louf's head hard with his finger.

"Little Fox, what happened when you went home? Why does your way of speaking seem so much more mature?"

Louf stuck out her tongue.

"That's not the reason... because I'm originally a fox Mink Tribe, and my sense of smell is very keen!"

"So why don't you just say it smells like sweat?"

Lumi asked with a mixture of nervousness and concern, "Oh dear, Adrian, were you injured while fighting Whitebeard?"

"Actually, I don't get that much exercise."

Adrian waved his hand.

"Alright, you two, stop worrying about why I'm sweating so much. My battle with the Whitebeard Pirates isn't as tough or difficult as you think."

"Now, Louf, find me a change of pajamas, then run me a bath, and then cook dinner!"

"As for Lumi, hoist the sails, find the course, and we're heading to our next destination!"

The "next stop" Adrian mentioned naturally refers to Wano Country.

Wano Country is a large and powerful nation located deep in the New World. For hundreds of years, it has adhered to the tradition of isolation and never receiving outsiders, and it has never even joined the World Government that rules the seas.

Thanks to its unique geographical location and marine environment, the method of entering Wano Country is extremely difficult and secretive.

Without knowing the specific methods, even the navy's Iron Battleship cannot enter the Sea Area of Wano Country.

Both the Poneglyph that record centuries of hidden secrets and the Seastone that can restrain Devil Fruit User are produced in Wano Country, a country known for its abundant talent and resources.

"I wonder how long it will take to sail to Wano Country from here."

"I wish I could step from Hand Island all the way to Wano Country in one go."

[Chapter 190 Kaido Appears! (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)]

More than half a year ago, Adrian devoted himself to Swordplay training at the East Blue Isshin Dojo and successfully reached the level of Swordmaster.

He once received a quest called [Last Wish] from his Master, Shimotsuki Koshiro, and this quest had been lying quietly on his quest panel for more than half a year.

Decades ago, Shimotsuki Kozaburo left the closed-off New World of Wano Country and established Shimotsuki Village in the peaceful East Blue, never setting foot back on his homeland again in his lifetime.

Decades later, unable to bear leaving the people and things of Shimotsuki Village, Shimotsuki Koshiro chose to entrust his father's Last Wish to Adrian, who was visiting the dojo.

Adrian remembers one thing very clearly.

When Wano Country is mentioned and specifically appears in the original work, the Shimotsuki Family is left with only two lonely heirs, and the younger heir is even an adopted daughter.

But that was in 1522 of the Sea Circle Calendar.

Wano Country was ruled and suppressed by Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi for nearly twenty years.

The Shimotsuki Family's situation may be somewhat better at this stage.

Although the reward for the [Last Wish] quest seems insignificant now, Adrian did it for more than just the reward.

It wasn't just because his Master, Shimotsuki Koshiro, imparted all his knowledge without reservation that enabled him to successfully master [Breath of All Things] and acquire [Ryuo], a technique usually reserved for Wano Country samurai.

Furthermore, Wano Country is currently undergoing an unprecedented upheaval!

In this upheaval, an unprecedented battle is taking place between the new forces invading Wano Country and the old forces that rule Wano Country!

Adrian had no intention of interfering in this shift in the ruling power.

He felt no goodwill whatsoever towards either Kaido or Kozuki Oden.

Kaido is alright.

Regardless of his background, the initial impression he left on people was that of a "Great Sea Emperor" and a "brutal Great Pirate."

No matter what atrocities Kaido commits, even if you don't like it, you can understand it.

But in Adrian's heart, there was only disgust and loathing for Kozuki Oden.

Let's take a closer look at the bizarre and imaginative things that Kozuki Oden of Wano Country, did in the original story.

He started frequenting brothels at the age of six...

Cough cough, that doesn't count.

Because he was blacklisted, he directly burned down Gangster's casino and violently assaulted people, ultimately leading to his arrest and imprisonment.

When Wano Country fell into drought, it arbitrarily altered the waterways, causing Wano Country to flood again;

While living in seclusion in a temple, he routinely abducted Commoner women and established a harem, a practice known as the "Harem Rebellion" by the people of Wano Country...

There are other miscellaneous things, but I won't go into detail.

Of course, these actions are completely unacceptable from the perspective of the "Crown Prince of Wano Country".

After all, the future of this country originally belonged to him, and he could ruin it however he wanted; no one else had the right to interfere.

But after finally turning over a new leaf and deciding to revitalize Wano Country, even the subordinates he recruited during his travels began to aim to protect Wano Country.

This man, who will surely become the supreme ruler of Wano Country [Shogun], has actually chosen to go on an adventure at sea?

Why insist on shamelessly joining the Whitebeard Pirates, even after being explicitly refused?

Adrian simply couldn't understand how Kozuki Oden's thought process worked!

Even after serving as a follower of two of the world's top Pirates crews, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates.

Aside from his strength and age, Kozuki Oden showed absolutely no improvement in any other aspect.

For some inexplicable reason, Kozuki Oden made Promise with Kurozumi Orochi, who had usurped the position of Kurozumi Orochi, and Kaido of the Beasts the resources of Wano Country.

Thus, he became a laughingstock, known as the "Fool Prince," dancing every day in just a loincloth beneath the city walls.

Adrian had no idea what "Kozuki Sukiyaki" thought of Kozuki Oden, that brain-dead son.

If he were a "Kozuki Sukiyaki" fan, he should have shot it right onto the wall back then!

It is said that when Kozuki Oden and the Nine Red Scabbards went through the "Boiling Pot Execution together, the people of Wano Country were even moved to tears.

???

Adrian simply couldn't understand how these Wano Country folks could think like that.

Ultimately, wasn't it all Kozuki Oden's own doing that he ended up in such a state?

And of all the terrible things Kozuki Oden did, weren't the ones who suffered the most the most—the common people who wept for the "death of the Fool Prince"?

Before his death, Kozuki Oden cried out, "I wish to become a laughingstock, a source of drinking pleasure; I ask for nothing more. What can boiling oil and scalding soup do to me? The more I'm boiled and simmered, the more flavorful I become!"

It's certainly enough to make it a laughing stock, but it's a bit too much.

But providing alcohol for people is another matter.

It would make you too nauseous to drink it!

As for "Kozuki Momonosuke," who is cursed daily by millions of One Piece fans across the dimensional barrier, Adrian doesn't feel any ill will towards him.

He never sentences someone to death at this stage based on the evil deeds they might commit in the future.

No need.

It's really unnecessary.

Just cut it off.

Cut off the root of afflictions, understand the principles and cultivate the mind.

I believe that Momonosuke will surpass his father and become an excellent ruler of Wano Country, continuing to perpetuate this closed-off, brain-dead feudal kingdom.

After a period of sailing.

The Nether Abyss finally arrived in Wano Country.

This is a unique island nation situated on a towering "plateau".

Surrounded by raging waterfalls on all sides, ordinary ships simply cannot reach Wano Country by climbing the falls.