Ch. 141Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Key plot points and events

  • Adrian finds Cricket hiding from the giant snake. The snake recognizes Cricket’s ancestor, Mont Blanc Noland, and Adrian explains that it once befriended Noland and the warriors of Shandora before being carried into the sky by a Knock Up Stream.
  • Cricket, having reached the Golden Land he spent his life seeking, decides he would rather return to the sea than live on Sky Island. Adrian puts him to sleep with Dream Ghost: Sleeping Curse and stores him in the Impenetrable Fortress.
  • Adrian rides the snake to a nearby native settlement. After a “peaceful exchange,” he learns the location of Birka, where he hopes to find the legendary Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
  • On the way, Adrian claims an unknown reward and receives Golden Experience Requiem. It can reveal fragments of an unknown place’s or object’s history, but has a 30-day cooldown and gives him the Big Talker status, making others 80% more likely to think he is lying for seven days.
  • Hoping to use the skill to locate Devil Fruits, Adrian activates it on an illustration of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit in Ohara’s Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. It shows only a still image of a dark sky and full moon—no movement, fruit, or useful location clues. The skill goes on cooldown, leaving Adrian frustrated as Birka approaches.

Character developments and interactions

  • Cricket gets closure on his lifelong search for the Golden Land, but chooses his life at sea over settling in the sky. He is awed by Adrian’s knowledge and trusts his account of the snake’s history.
  • Adrian continues to treat others pragmatically: he reassures Cricket, then silences and stores him rather than hearing his plans. His excitement over a potentially powerful investigative skill quickly turns to irritation when it proves unhelpful.
  • The giant snake is revealed to be intelligent, obedient to Adrian, and connected to Shandora’s past. It helps him reach the Sky Island natives, who provide directions to Birka.

Significant themes

  • Dreams and what comes after them: Cricket achieves his goal but chooses to return to the life he knows.
  • History and lost civilizations: The snake’s memories link the present to Noland, Shandora, and the island’s arrival in the sky.
  • Power versus usefulness: Adrian gains a remarkable information-gathering ability, but its limitations and penalties make it frustratingly unreliable.
  • Trust and truth: The Big Talker status adds an ironic obstacle to Adrian’s plans by making others more likely to doubt him.

Ch. 142Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Adrian heads to Birka, a peaceful Sky Island that Enel will eventually destroy after becoming a self-proclaimed god.
  • Unable to locate Enel at first, Adrian suspects the boy is away from the island. He spots him returning by Waver with a basket of seafood.
  • Enel hides his catch and heads to an isolated hut, avoiding the other residents.
  • Adrian approaches and discovers that Enel has independently developed Observation Haki, though he does not understand what it is.
  • After Enel describes his painful childhood, Adrian tests his ability with a Twig. Enel fails to dodge the first strike but easily evades a slower one, confirming his latent power.

Character development

  • Adrian is practical and curious: he seeks Enel and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, but focuses on identifying the boy’s potential. A “Big Talker” debuff also makes others unusually likely to treat his statements as lies.
  • Young Enel is isolated, wary, and deeply hurt by years of mistreatment. Finding someone else without wings excites him, and his natural Observation Haki reveals exceptional promise.

Character interactions

  • Enel mistakes Adrian’s first remark for a trick, then insists they must both be Skypieans because they look alike.
  • Feeling a rare sense of kinship, Enel pours out his life story to Adrian.
  • Adrian challenges Enel’s claim that he could not fight back, then demonstrates that Enel’s supposed “dodging instinct” is a real ability he has yet to recognize.

Significant themes

  • Isolation and belonging: Enel’s persecution leaves him desperate for connection, making Adrian’s arrival immediately meaningful.
  • Hidden potential: Enel possesses a powerful skill without understanding it, suggesting that talent can emerge even under harsh conditions.
  • Trauma and vengeance: The chapter connects Enel’s childhood suffering to the possibility that he later destroys Birka in revenge.

Ch. 143Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

  • Enel learns Observation Haki: Adrian repeatedly attacks Enel with a Twig to force him to recognize and control the dodging ability he had used instinctively in Birka. After about half an hour, Enel finally senses an incoming strike and evades it. Adrian identifies the skill as Observation Haki—called Mantra on Sky Island. Enel is thrilled and immediately declares Adrian his master, though Adrian insists he is far too weak to teach.
  • Adrian recruits Enel as a guard: Adrian plans to make Little Sky Island, Weatheria, a place where he can relax, but he needs someone to protect its historians and their valuable ancient knowledge when he is away. Seeing Enel’s potential and newly awakened Haki, he invites him along. Enel eagerly accepts, still calling him “Master.” Adrian suspects his [Big Talker] debuff is affecting how Enel interprets his words.
  • Enel undergoes brutal training: Adrian flies Enel from Birka to Weatheria while the boy hangs from a rope beneath him, screaming. Adrian presents this “hanging flight” as training to build strength and courage. When they arrive, he praises Enel’s “King Engine,” then uses a Positive Hollow to remove his exhaustion and pain. Enel takes Adrian’s power as a Devil Fruit ability and vows to grow strong enough to become a “god.”
  • Ohara’s scholars arrive: Adrian brings Dr. Clover and the other historians from Ohara to Weatheria. Nico Olvia comes with them, hoping the island may offer clues to ancient history; her choice is motivated by that research, not by a change in her strained maternal priorities. Penelope and young Perona are also present, sharing a warm moment together.
  • Adrian and Clover discuss the rescue: Clover apologizes for the trouble and says Ohara owes Adrian a great debt. Adrian replies that he acted because he despises the World Government’s brutality, not to earn gratitude. Clover responds with a rueful smile.
    Character developments and themes: Enel shifts from an isolated, angry boy into an eager trainee, with a new goal of becoming powerful. Adrian acts as both a harsh mentor and a practical protector of the scholars, though his teasing and the debuff complicate his attempts to control how others see him. The chapter emphasizes growth through painful training, the importance of protecting knowledge from tyranny, and the contrast between chosen loyalty and personal motives. It also highlights Enel’s devotion to Adrian alongside Adrian’s reluctance to accept the role of “master.”

Ch. 144Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Dr. Clover explains that Ohara wants to repay Adrian with its knowledge. This triggers a panel quest: study ancient history and pass Ohara’s doctoral examination to earn the historian’s badge and unlock the Archaeologist profession.
  • Adrian eagerly accepts. He has long wanted a Scholar-type profession, which he expects to boost Intelligence—his key attribute for the Hollow-Hollow Fruit and its abilities.
  • Adrian asks Clover about the Void Century and the ancient Moon Kingdom, then shares what he knows about the scientist Tsukimi living on the moon. Clover reacts with interest but keeps his thoughts to himself.
  • Clover brings Ohara’s historians to Weatheria, where they begin exchanging ideas with the island’s meteorologists. Their discussions gradually transform Weatheria from a weather-research center into a broader hub of knowledge.
  • Adrian spends several months studying ancient history. After passing the examination, he receives Ohara’s golden historian badge and unlocks Archaeologist.
  • He immediately raises the profession to its level cap, invests all 20 newly earned free attribute points in Intelligence, and gains the specialty Theoretical Research, which speeds learning of knowledge-based abilities. He finds it helps not only with history but also with sword techniques from Oden’s scroll.
  • Reaching Archaeologist’s level cap triggers a new quest to upgrade the profession to Appraiser: identify the age and estimated value of three antiques. The reward will include the Appraisal skill.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian shows a strong appetite for ancient knowledge and is delighted to finally gain the Intelligence-focused profession he has wanted for years. He also discovers that the new specialty can improve his practical sword-study.
  • Dr. Clover offers Ohara’s knowledge as repayment, guides the historians to Weatheria, and is surprised by Adrian’s information about the moon.
  • The Ohara historians and Weatheria’s meteorologists quickly become enthusiastic collaborators, sharing discoveries and theories.
  • Penelope, Pepe, and Enel struggle to follow the scholars’ discussions; Robin notices their discomfort and politely interrupts the gathering.
  • Robin again shows attentiveness by recognizing that the less scholarly members have been left out.

Significant themes

  • Knowledge as both a gift and a source of power: Ohara repays Adrian through learning, while his new profession directly strengthens his abilities.
  • Collaboration across disciplines: The meeting of historians and meteorologists broadens Weatheria’s intellectual purpose.
  • Patient study and progress: Adrian’s months of work turn into a new profession, specialty, and opportunity for further advancement.
  • Hidden history and the unknown: The Void Century, the Moon Kingdom, and Tsukimi’s lunar presence hint at mysteries that remain unresolved.

Ch. 145Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Key plot points and events

  • Adrian’s new Archaeologist profession confirms that secondary professions vary greatly: some offer only attribute and point bonuses, while others grant distinctive abilities. He is pleased with the unusual abilities his new profession provides.
  • At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong convenes Sengoku, Zephyr, Garp, and Tsuru to discuss Golden Lion Shiki’s escape from Impel Down. The Marines expect Shiki to reconnect with Whitebeard and rebuild the remnants of the Flying Pirates.
  • Kong orders Garp and Sengoku to investigate Whitebeard’s territory and weaken the Flying Pirates’ remnants. Garp readily sets off, with Sengoku following.
  • Kong also asks about the White Ghost, who has been absent since the Ohara incident. Tsuru thinks he is likely acting alone and notes that his opposition has targeted pirates as well as unjust Marine and World Government actions. Kong insists the Marines remain vigilant.
  • The next morning on Weatheria, Louf sneaks into Adrian’s room and gleefully jumps on his bed, despite having already prepared breakfast. Adrian playfully scolds her and carries her out.
  • Adrian completes the Appraiser profession quest, reaches its maximum level, and unlocks the upgrade quest for Ancient Scholar. To advance, he must touch and read three Poneglyphs. He believes this is achievable, since he knows where several are.
  • The quest reward will be Divination, a skill that can indicate whether a near-future action is likely to go well or badly, though its results are not guaranteed. Adrian jokes about using it to become a “Half-Immortal” and imagines his odds of defeating Kaido.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian is increasingly invested in the Archaeologist profession and its advancement. He weighs the challenge of finding Poneglyphs, while his thoughts reveal his familiar focus on steadily building strength and reducing risk.
  • Louf shows playful affection by sneaking into Adrian’s room to enjoy his bed. Their teasing, familiar exchange underscores their close, comfortable relationship.
  • Kong takes a cautious, authoritative approach to Shiki’s escape and the White Ghost’s disappearance.
  • Garp remains irreverent and impatient with formal discussion, while Sengoku stresses the danger Shiki poses. Tsuru offers measured intelligence analysis, and Zephyr raises possible explanations for the White Ghost’s absence.

Significant themes

  • Power and preparedness: The Marines plan to limit Shiki’s ability to regain strength, while Adrian aims to improve his own odds against powerful foes.
  • Uncertainty and information: Shiki’s whereabouts and the White Ghost’s disappearance leave the Marines working from incomplete intelligence; Divination likewise offers guidance without certainty.
  • Hidden history and forbidden knowledge: The Archaeologist’s path leads toward Poneglyphs and potentially the Ancient Weapons, emphasizing the importance and danger of the world’s concealed past.

Ch. 146Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Adrian uses Golden Experience Requiem on an image of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. The result is another nearly useless, pitch-black image, but he suspects it may indicate that the real fruit is sealed away somewhere. He resolves to keep gathering clues.
  • After months of training and study on Weatheria, Adrian kicks Enel off Little Sky Island as an abrupt way to end their stay. They return to Jaya.
  • Adrian heads for Mock Town, intending to attack the pirate-filled settlement. On the way, he gives Enel his first chance to handle trouble.
  • Enel intervenes in a chase between a thief and an armed pursuer. He deflects the pursuer’s bullets, breaks the thief’s leg, then kills the pursuer and the thief when they threaten him.
  • Adrian praises Enel’s work only faintly, noting that the boy’s Observation Haki and Six Powers should make such opponents easy targets.
  • In Mock Town, pirates spot Adrian and Enel and discuss capturing them for the slave market. Adrian tells Enel to deal with them quickly; the chapter ends as they prepare to fight.

Character development

  • Adrian remains focused on finding the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, despite frustration with his unreliable information-gathering skill. He is also blunt and ruthless, treating Mock Town’s pirates as targets for “cleaning out.”
  • Enel has grown substantially stronger after months of training. He has learned key Six Powers techniques and awakened Observation Haki. Though still excitable and curious about the Blue Sea, he readily accepts violence and kills without hesitation.

Significant themes

  • Training and power: Enel’s rapid growth reflects Adrian’s intensive instruction and his own natural talent.
  • Violence and moral ambiguity: Adrian frames the attack on Mock Town as eliminating “trash,” while his own methods—such as kicking Enel off an island—are harsh and playful.
  • Uncertainty and persistence: Adrian’s search for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit yields only incomplete clues, but he continues trying to piece them together.
  • Culture shock: Enel’s fascination with the Blue Sea highlights how unfamiliar ordinary things are to someone raised in the sky.

Character interactions

  • Adrian and Enel’s relationship is that of a demanding, teasing master and an eager pupil. Enel seeks approval; Adrian gives him little praise while setting increasingly dangerous challenges.
  • Enel’s encounter with the two criminals shows his disciplined loyalty to Adrian’s expectations: he refuses the thief’s offer to share the money and turns on both men instead.
  • The pirates’ predatory assessment of Adrian and Enel sets up the coming clash in Mock Town.

Ch. 147Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Enel eagerly launches into his first unrestricted fight against people in Mock Town. Using his Prism Staff, Observation Haki, Iron Body, and Soru, he quickly kills the pirates nearby.
  • More pirates swarm in, encouraged by calls to overwhelm the lone boy. Enel welcomes the challenge and spends roughly half an hour cutting through the crowd, shrugging off most attacks.
  • Adrian watches the carnage with mild disapproval of Enel’s brutal, messy style, but chooses not to interfere or correct him.
  • Enel’s strength finally begins to wane. Several pirate captains, who have been using their sailors to exhaust him while observing the fight, step in together.
  • Two captains attack: one with paired daggers and another with a spiked club. Enel blocks their blows but is wounded, kicked hard in the chest, and knocked down.
  • Adrian’s unseen, scornful voice challenges Enel not to give up. Enel struggles back to his feet, spits out blood, and tries to recover.
  • As the club-wielding captain advances, the dagger-wielding captain sneaks around and launches a surprise attack at Enel’s back. The chapter ends as the blade closes in.

Character developments

  • Enel reveals both his excitement for combat and his formidable abilities, but also his inexperience with prolonged battles: his confidence and power give way to exhaustion and serious injury. Adrian’s challenge rekindles his determination.
  • Adrian remains detached from the fight, disliking its gore but respecting Enel’s freedom to fight as he chooses. He intervenes only verbally, pushing Enel to prove himself.
  • The pirate captains demonstrate patience and tactical cunning, sacrificing their men to tire Enel before attacking him themselves.

Significant themes

  • Power and its limits: Enel dominates through skill and strength, but stamina and numbers eventually matter.
  • Persistence under pressure: Enel refuses to stay down despite pain and exhaustion.
  • Cruelty and violence: The fight is depicted as brutal, while the pirates’ expendable sailors and Enel’s killing methods reveal different forms of ruthlessness.
  • Strategy versus force: The captains’ ambush and attrition tactic begin to overcome Enel’s direct, aggressive approach.

Character interactions

  • Enel treats the pirates’ attacks as an exhilarating challenge, while the pirates shift from fear to renewed confidence when they believe he is tiring.
  • The captains coordinate against Enel, with the dagger-wielder and club-wielder pressuring him from different angles.
  • Adrian’s private rebuke urges Enel to keep fighting; Enel responds by forcing himself back to his feet.

Ch. 148Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Chapter 148 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Enel battles two pirate captains who attack him together. He kills the thin captain by smashing his head with the Prism Staff, then defeats the burly captain after awakening Armament Haki and breaking his spiked club.
  • The effort pushes Enel past his physical limits. Although he remains standing, his body’s protective mechanism activates and he loses consciousness.
  • Adrian arrives and praises Enel for finally awakening Armament Haki after months of training and the battle.
  • Nine remaining pirate captains attempt to attack Adrian, but he effortlessly kills them using nine miniature White Hollows.
  • Adrian uses Observation Haki to survey Mock Town and determines that more than ninety percent of its pirates have been eliminated. He ignores the remaining drunks and cowards because their bounties are insignificant.
  • Adrian has Lumi transport the unconscious Enel into a protected space inside the fortress, while ensuring the boy’s blood-covered state does not dirty the ship.
  • Adrian visits Mock Town’s only bar. He kills several drunken pirates after identifying their pirate affiliations, then orders the town’s cherry pie.
  • The pie proves ordinary, disappointing Adrian and confirming that he is not connected to any “destiny” surrounding the famous dessert. He sends the unfinished pie to Enel for when he wakes up.
  • Adrian asks the tavern owner, Terry, whether he can exchange pirate bounties. Unable to pay for the enormous number of captured pirates, Terry agrees to help process their heads instead.
  • After nearly half a day, Adrian leaves Jaya Island aboard the Nether Abyss with numerous pirate heads, most belonging to pirates worth more than five million Beli.
  • He heads to the nearest Marine branch to collect the rewards. At the G-13 Branch Base, Vice Admiral Yamakaji is alarmed by Adrian’s arrival, and the two former acquaintances confront each other as apparent enemies.

Character Developments

  • Enel: Demonstrates major growth by awakening Armament Haki during combat. His attack power increases dramatically, allowing him to destroy the burly captain’s weapon and kill him. However, the battle leaves him unconscious and physically exhausted.
  • Adrian: Displays overwhelming power and confidence, effortlessly eliminating the remaining pirates. He continues treating pirate hunting as a practical way to earn money while casually pursuing personal interests, such as tasting Mock Town’s cherry pie.
  • Lumi: Remains loyal and efficient, transporting Enel into the fortress and assisting with Adrian’s instructions.
  • Terry: Revealed to have once been a pirate, though he now operates Mock Town’s tavern. He is intimidated by Adrian but cooperates to protect himself and his business.
  • Yamakaji: Reacts with immediate seriousness and fear upon learning that Adrian has arrived, implying that Adrian’s reputation has become extremely dangerous and that their relationship has deteriorated.

Significant Themes

  • Growth through battle: Enel’s Armament Haki awakens only after intense training and a life-threatening confrontation, reinforcing the idea that true strength is forged through hardship.
  • Overwhelming power and helplessness: The pirate captains believe Enel is nearly defeated, but both he and Adrian quickly reverse the situation, emphasizing the vast gap between the major characters and ordinary pirates.
  • Pragmatism versus heroism: Adrian does not eliminate the pirates for justice or morality; he does it for bounties and convenience, turning mass slaughter into a business transaction.
  • Destiny and ordinary reality: Adrian’s disappointment with the cherry pie humorously undercuts the idea that every famous object or event must have extraordinary significance.
  • Changing relationships: The final encounter with Yamakaji suggests that old acquaintances can become enemies as loyalties, reputations, and political positions change.

Character Interactions

  • Enel and the two captains clash in a brutal battle that reveals Enel’s new Haki ability.
  • Adrian evaluates Enel’s performance and arranges for Lumi to care for him after the fight.
  • Adrian intimidates Terry, questioning his pirate past before casually ordering pie and negotiating bounty collection.
  • Adrian’s arrival at the Marine base creates immediate tension with Yamakaji, who recognizes him and reacts as though facing a serious threat.

Ch. 149Round Three Is About to Begin! (Continued)

Key plot points and events

  • Adrian arrives at the G-13 Marine Branch to collect bounties for pirates captured on Jaya. Vice Admiral Yamakaji refuses, but Adrian defeats him with one sword strike, leaving the Marines to pay. Adrian leaves with about 400 million Beli.
  • Adrian uses a Vivre Card given to him by Weatheria’s meteorologists to find the drifting sky island again.
  • Enel wakes after his battle in Mock Town. Adrian gives him a Haki-training scroll and the bounty money, then leaves him on Weatheria to train before going to sea.
  • Back out at sea, Adrian reads delayed news that Golden Lion Shiki has escaped Impel Down. He realizes this may signal the game panel’s approaching version 1.0 update and wonders how much time will pass during it.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian remains playful and confident, treating a Marine base’s refusal as an invitation to use force. He also takes a more deliberate approach to Enel’s growth, requiring him to strengthen his Haki before gaining sea experience.
  • Yamakaji confronts Adrian in defense of Marine justice, but the overwhelming difference in their strength ends the conflict almost instantly.
  • Enel emerges from his Mock Town ordeal in better spirits, apparently having shed some of his accumulated pain. He is eager to resume his role under Adrian and receives a path toward improving his Armament and Observation Haki.

Significant themes

  • Power and authority: Adrian’s strength overrides the Marines’ formal authority, while Yamakaji’s ideals cannot compensate for the gap between them.
  • Training and mentorship: Adrian sees Enel’s potential but insists that strength must be developed before he faces greater dangers.
  • A changing world: Shiki’s escape foreshadows major upheaval, while the anticipated game update raises questions about the future and the passage of time.

Ch. 150The first time was during the [Swordsman] advancement quest, which required serious study of ten works on swordsmanship schools. / The second was the [Archaeologist] unlock quest. …

Plot points and events

  • Adrian investigates the upcoming game-version update but finds almost no useful discussion on the official forum. He speculates about what the next era or version might be, then gives up until more information appears.
  • To complete his Ancient Scholar upgrade quest, Adrian studies three Poneglyphs: Ohara’s stone, one beneath Shandora’s Golden Bell, and the apology from Joy Boy on Fish-Man Island. He recalls what is known—and unknown—about the Ancient Weapons and wonders why the Road Poneglyph once at Fish-Man Island disappeared.
  • Returning to the game panel, Adrian unlocks Ancient Scholar, raises it to level 10, and gains attributes, skill points, and Divination.
  • Reaching the profession’s cap triggers a new quest to become an Erudite. It requires doctoral examinations in Meteorology and Oceanography, plus reading a Road Poneglyph. Adrian is irritated by the academic requirements, though he thinks the Poneglyph requirement may fit naturally into his plans involving Big Mom’s territory.

Character development

  • Adrian remains powerful and self-reliant, treating players mainly as a resource rather than companions. He is also frustrated by the game’s opaque systems and lack of reliable support.
  • His knowledge of the world’s history and future events helps him interpret the Poneglyphs, but the new quest forces him to admit that his profession’s path demands much broader study than he expected.

Character interactions

  • Dr. Clover warmly guides Adrian through Ohara’s Poneglyph and enthusiastically recounts the scholars’ history. Adrian patiently endures the long lecture before leaving.
  • Adrian politely declines King Neptune and Queen Otohime’s banquet invitation so he can study Fish-Man Island’s Poneglyph.

Significant themes

  • Knowledge versus action: Adrian wants to return to adventure, but progress repeatedly sends him back to study.
  • Uncertainty and hidden history: The missing Road Poneglyph, the Ancient Weapons, and the game’s unexplained update all leave Adrian with unanswered questions.
  • The game’s unpredictable rules: The panel’s odd profession requirements—and its apparent indifference to player progress—make its logic difficult to understand.

Ch. 151The third time is this [Scholar] advancement quest. (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Adrian considers advancing his Archaeologist profession by studying oceanography at Weatheria or the Kingdom of the Future, but is unsure what the latter teaches and questions the value of the quest’s Rational Analysis reward.
  • He tests his newly gained Divination skill by flipping a coin. It lands upright, which he playfully interprets as a sign that he’ll get special mermaid milk tea.
  • Adrian spends all 40 attribute points from reaching Ancient Scholar on Intelligence. Crossing 2,000 Intelligence triggers a new skill, Spiritual Pressure, associated with the Hollow-Hollow Fruit.
  • Testing it, he releases a tremendous force that knocks nearby sea creatures unconscious. He then projects his spirit far from Fish-Man Island and tests the ability at greater strength. Spiritual Pressure can spread over a vast area, produce visible energy, and form a pale, solid lightsaber.
  • Adrian concludes he needs a worthy opponent to measure his full strength. He returns to Fish-Man Island, finding it peaceful.

Character development

  • Adrian remains curious and analytical, comparing new powers with what he knows from other stories and wondering what higher Intelligence thresholds might unlock.
  • His power has grown substantially: he now wields Spiritual Pressure as more than a mental aura, though he has not yet tested it against an opponent.
  • His playful side shows in his improvised divination and eagerness for milk tea.

Character interactions

  • No other characters appear directly. Adrian’s main “interaction” is with the panel, whose updates grant him new skills, and with the creatures affected by his Spiritual Pressure.

Significant themes

  • Power and discovery: Adrian experiments with unfamiliar abilities and tries to understand their limits.
  • Knowledge versus uncertainty: His story knowledge helps him assess potential training paths, but the new skill’s meaning and future upgrades remain unclear.
  • Genre-crossing abilities: Spiritual Pressure resembles the powers of Soul Reapers, prompting Adrian to joke about how far his abilities might eventually diverge from the pirate world.

Ch. 152The third time is this [Scholar] advancement quest. (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Adrian’s immense Spiritual Pressure in the Sea Forest is contained to nearby Sea Kings. Queen Otohime senses it and asks whether he met a powerful opponent; Adrian calmly reassures her while enjoying mermaid milk tea at the Mermaid Café.
  • Players receive an official announcement: the Version 1.0 update begins in five in-game days, and accounts will be unable to log in during maintenance. The notice gives no details about the next version.
  • The level-20 cap frustrates players, but their enthusiasm for the game’s freedom, immersion, and unexplored seas remains strong. They rush to finish quests and find safe places to log out.
  • Players’ abrupt return to islands unsettles local residents, who view the immortal “Undying Drifters” with a mixture of appreciation and suspicion.
  • On Oatfee Island, nearly two thousand player-members return to the Razor Gang. Tommy worries they may pose a threat and considers restricting and redistributing them—but they begin logging out before he can act.
  • Across the Four Blues, tens of thousands of players vanish at once. On Fish-Man Island, Adrian notices the mass logout and opens his panel.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian stays composed when questioned by Otohime, concealing the significance of his earlier display of power. His final reaction suggests he recognizes the players’ disappearance.
  • Queen Otohime, whose special Observation Haki gives her unusually keen senses, detects Adrian’s aura and directly questions him.
  • Tommy values the players’ combat strength but distrusts their loyalty. His concern for the gang’s security leads him to plan restrictions, though events overtake him.
  • Players are shown as deeply invested in the world: they joke and complain on the forum, scramble to prepare for maintenance, and log out wherever they can.

Significant themes

  • Immersion and player attachment: The game feels real enough that its players remain devoted despite the level cap and uncertain updates.
  • The divide between players and natives: Locals benefit from players’ help but find their immortality, odd behavior, and sudden arrivals unsettling.
  • Unintended consequences of game mechanics: A routine maintenance notice appears to the natives as a mass, unexplained disappearance—one that could be mistaken for a coordinated threat.
  • Power and trust: The Razor Gang relies on the players’ strength while questioning whether they can be controlled or trusted.

Ch. 153The third time is this [Scholar] advancement quest. (Continued)

Chapter summary

A Version 1.0 update shuts down Adrian’s game forum, with Version 2.0’s release date still unknown. Adrian reflects that he misses how easily he could exploit other players.
At Marine Headquarters, Garp raids Sengoku’s snacks. Their joking turns to Edward Weevil, the huge young man aboard Whitebeard’s ship who calls Whitebeard “Dad.” Sengoku suspects Weevil is closely related to Whitebeard, while Garp is more interested in who Weevil’s mother might be.
The Marines had recently searched for Golden Lion Shiki’s missing Flying Pirates and discovered that an occupied island had vanished—almost certainly due to Shiki’s Float-Float Fruit. They then confronted Whitebeard, who confirmed that Shiki had visited him and openly described his plan to lie low before terrorizing the new era. Whitebeard deliberately passed this warning on, at Shiki’s request.
Vice Admiral Tsuru arrives with intelligence. Several more islands have disappeared along the Grand Line and appear to be moving toward the Calm Belt, possibly giving Shiki a refuge beyond easy Marine reach. Tsuru also reports that the Undying Drifters, a group of immortals, have all vanished.
Her investigation connects them to White Ghost and the West Blue’s Razor Gang. White Ghost helped bring down the Capone Gang, after which the Razor Gang formed under Tommy Shelby, who possesses the Bomb-Bomb Fruit. The gang’s strength largely came from the Undying Drifters, and it maintains unusual commercial ties with the Donquixote Family while avoiding most criminal trade beyond arms dealing. Tsuru believes White Ghost helped establish the gang but does not control it.
With the Drifters gone, the Razor Gang may come under attack from rival forces and might seek White Ghost’s help. Tsuru plans to quietly stir up trouble and watch for his appearance, though she admits the theory is uncertain. Garp recalls White Ghost’s recent exploits near G-13, including clearing pirates from Mock Town and demanding bounty payments from a Marine branch.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian is left waiting for the next game update and reminisces about exploiting players.
  • Garp and Sengoku shift between comic banter and serious discussion. Garp’s appetite and blunt humor contrast with Sengoku’s methodical concern over Shiki and Weevil.
  • Tsuru demonstrates her careful, evidence-based approach, distinguishing confirmed facts from speculation and presenting White Ghost as the Marines’ best current lead.
  • Whitebeard and Shiki are linked through Shiki’s visit: Whitebeard cooperates with the Marines by sharing information, but only because Shiki wants them to live in fear.
  • Sengoku’s reaction to the Donquixote name hints at personal significance connected to his adopted son.

Significant themes

  • Threats and uncertainty: Shiki’s disappearance and unexplained island movements leave the Marines confronting a danger they cannot locate.
  • Intelligence versus proof: Tsuru must build a case from connections and patterns while acknowledging that her White Ghost theory remains speculative.
  • Family and belonging: Weevil’s “Dad” distinguishes his relationship with Whitebeard from the crew’s usual “Pops,” prompting questions about blood ties and family.
  • The blurred line between crime and order: The Razor Gang’s comparatively respectable conduct complicates the Marines’ view of gangs, even as Tsuru argues that they remain much like pirates.

Ch. 154The third time is this [Scholar] advancement quest. (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku and Tsuru discuss how to deal with Adrian, the “White Ghost,” whose bounty exceeds 1.6 billion Beli. Tsuru rejects a Buster Call as ineffective and proposes that Sengoku and Garp travel secretly to West Blue to watch for a chance to eliminate him. Garp doubts the need; Tsuru warns that he underestimates Adrian’s difficulty.
  • On Fish-Man Island, Adrian turns from leisure to planning his next steps. His main advancement trial is only 520/1,000, and he believes he needs to fight top-tier opponents to make progress. Whitebeard is a poor option because of reduced rewards and his unpredictable whereabouts; Golden Lion Shiki is tempting but equally hard to locate. Adrian sets the trial aside for now.
  • Adrian also postpones advancement in his academic and Archaeologist professions, since they would require substantial study. Instead, he focuses on the nearly completed Wind Tamer advancement quest: only one route remains, so he plans to sail from Fish-Man Island to Twin Capes.
  • In West Blue, a coalition of criminal gangs launches a nighttime attack on Oatfee Island, targeting the Razor Gang and its leader, Tommy Shelby. The gangs hope to capture Shelby and sell him as a slave, valuing powerful Devil Fruit users highly.
  • The Razor Gang had grown dominant with help from the “Undying Drifters”—players who have now mysteriously vanished. Their disappearance weakened the Razor Gang, prompting rival gangs to ally and attack.

Character developments and interactions

  • Tsuru emerges as the cautious strategist, arguing that Adrian’s unusual abilities make conventional military force inadequate. Sengoku accepts her assessment and goes to consult Fleet Admiral Kong. Garp remains skeptical.
  • Adrian is pragmatic but restless: he wants greater strength to face the World Government’s unknown forces, yet struggles to find worthwhile opponents and reliable ways to locate them. He chooses a manageable quest over an uncertain hunt.
  • Tommy Shelby is presented as a formidable Devil Fruit user and the Razor Gang’s powerful leader, now vulnerable because his player allies have disappeared.
  • The rival gangs, once too weak to challenge the Razor Gang, seize the opportunity to unite. Their alliance is driven by resentment, ambition, and the prospect of profit.

Significant themes

  • Power and preparedness: Adrian’s strength is considerable, but he believes it is insufficient against the World Government’s highest levels.
  • Uncertainty and opportunity: Missing players disrupt the balance of power, creating openings for enemies and complicating Adrian’s plans.
  • Adaptation and strategy: Tsuru favors covert action over brute force, while Adrian chooses a practical objective rather than chasing elusive opponents.
  • Ambition and exploitation: The gangs’ attack reflects a criminal world where power—and even people with valuable abilities—are treated as commodities.

Ch. 155The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • A large, coordinated fleet approaches Oatfee Island. Its forces divide, with the strongest contingent heading for the island and other ships targeting surrounding islands. The gangs intend to destroy the Razor Gang, not merely punish it.
  • Tommy wakes to a sudden bombardment. After recognizing that the attackers are several rival gangs, he realizes the Razor Gang is badly outnumbered.
  • Tommy considers calling an important contact through a Transoceanic Den Den Mushi, but decides to try to face the crisis without asking for help.
  • The next morning, aboard the Nether Abyss, Adrian receives Tommy’s call. Injured and battered, Tommy asks him for assistance.
  • Adrian’s updated status panel establishes that he is now level 80, with extensive combat abilities, major legends, and several unfinished quests.

Character developments and interactions

  • Tommy moves quickly from surprise to strategic alarm, recognizing the attack as a deliberate campaign against the Razor Gang. Though he is hesitant to summon outside help, the gang’s predicament ultimately forces him to contact Adrian.
  • Adrian is introduced practicing swordsmanship when Tommy’s call interrupts him. His response to the request is not shown.
  • Tommy and Adrian: Their interaction signals that Tommy trusts Adrian enough to seek help in a desperate situation, despite his initial resolve to handle the invasion independently.
  • The rival gangs act as a unified attacking force, while the Razor Gang’s guards rally to defend the island and protect civilians.

Significant themes

  • Coalition and overwhelming force: The gangs coordinate to eliminate a rival organization, demonstrating how alliances can radically shift the balance of power.
  • Pride versus survival: Tommy’s reluctance to call for help reflects his desire to prove the Razor Gang can endure on its own, but the scale of the invasion tests that pride.
  • Consequences of earlier events: The disappearance of the Undying Drifters may have encouraged the rival gangs to move against the Razor Gang, though Tommy realizes this too late.
  • Power and reputation: Adrian’s extensive abilities and legendary exploits contrast with the immediate vulnerability of the Razor Gang, foreshadowing a potentially decisive intervention.

Ch. 156The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • The Razor Gang is on the verge of defeat after three days of fighting against the West Blue gangs. Tommy Shelby has held the gang together through tactical leadership, but its members are exhausted and supplies are nearly gone.
  • Adrian arrives just as the attackers prepare another assault on the gang’s central building. His flight and Ghost Body astonish the rival gangs; their bullets pass through him harmlessly.
  • Adrian unleashes thousands of Mini Hollows, routing the attackers and killing their leaders, including the Gambino boss and the Kolo leader, who is revealed as a leopard Zoan user. The surviving gang members flee or lose the will to fight.
  • Tommy emerges with the Razor Gang and apologizes to Adrian, relieved but apprehensive.

Character developments

  • Adrian demonstrates overwhelming power and a ruthless willingness to eliminate threats. He had been pursuing his Wind Tamer quest, but abandoned it when Tommy called because he values the Razor Gang as both a useful ally and a link to the players.
  • Tommy is shown as a capable, resourceful commander who keeps the gang resisting despite severe disadvantages. His composure is wearing thin, and he is deeply deferential toward Adrian.
  • The rival gang leaders underestimate Adrian and mistake his arrival for an opportunity to claim a valuable prize. Their confidence collapses once they recognize him as the White Ghost.

Themes

  • Power and reputation: Adrian’s name and abilities turn a prolonged battle into a one-sided rout.
  • Loyalty and obligation: Adrian interrupts his own quest to protect an ally and preserve a connection to the players.
  • The limits of ordinary strength: Conventional weapons and tactics are useless against Adrian, while even a powerful Zoan user cannot challenge him.
  • Fear as a force in battle: Once their leaders fall, the attackers’ morale breaks and the remaining forces scatter.

Character interactions

  • The rival gangs attempt to shoot and capture Adrian, prompting his immediate attack.
  • The Kolo leader recognizes Adrian as the White Ghost but is killed before he can rally the others.
  • Adrian spares many ordinary gang members, whose deaths would yield little experience, but deliberately targets leaders and officers.
  • Tommy greets Adrian with an apology, underscoring the difference in status and the Razor Gang’s dependence on him.

Ch. 157The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Key plot points and events

  • Adrian reassures Tommy that the Razor Gang’s recent defeat resulted largely from the players’ sudden disappearance after a game update, not from Tommy’s failure. He lets Tommy take charge of finishing off the invading gangs.
  • Adrian earns a West Blue Legend Point for eliminating the leaders of several gangs. He also notices an older world-level Legend Point for facing the Ohara Buster Call.
  • Tommy reports that other attacks are underway nearby. Adrian sends him to defend the surrounding islands and orders him to keep Oatfee Island’s civilians away for five days.
  • Vice Admiral Borsalino arrives. Adrian recognizes that Borsalino is buying time and deduces that Marine Headquarters has sent a powerful backup—likely Garp.
  • Borsalino tests Adrian with Yasakani no Magatama, but Adrian uses Future Sight to evade the barrage.
  • Adrian reveals a new ability: immense, pale Spiritual Pressure that overwhelms people across the waters around Oatfee Island. Borsalino struggles under its force.
  • A flashback explains that Fleet Admiral Kong rejected Sengoku and Tsuru’s proposal to send both Sengoku and Garp, considering such a deployment excessive.

Character developments

  • Adrian shows confidence in Tommy, sharp strategic instincts, and growing power. He quickly reads Borsalino’s stalling tactics and demonstrates advanced combat ability as well as his newly revealed Spiritual Pressure.
  • Tommy is portrayed as a capable leader who kept the Razor Gang functioning through a crisis. He responds to Adrian’s orders by prioritizing the surrounding islands and civilian safety.
  • Borsalino remains evasive and calculating, using conversation to delay the fight while awaiting support. Despite his laid-back manner, Adrian’s power visibly unnerves him.
  • Kong is established as cautious about committing major Marine forces, underestimating the level of threat Adrian poses.

Significant themes

  • Adaptability and responsibility: The Razor Gang’s setback stems from circumstances outside Tommy’s control, and Adrian distinguishes that from personal failure.
  • Power and reputation: Adrian’s Legend Points reflect how his actions shape his standing across the seas.
  • Escalation and underestimation: Marine leadership considers a major response unnecessary, while Borsalino faces a far more dangerous opponent than expected.
  • Protection amid conflict: Adrian’s order to evacuate civilians suggests he anticipates a major confrontation and wants them out of harm’s way.

Character interactions

  • Adrian comforts Tommy, then entrusts him with the remaining gang members and nearby defenses.
  • Adrian and Borsalino trade teasing, probing remarks: Adrian mocks the Vice Admiral’s “work,” while Borsalino jokingly invites him to join the Marines.
  • Their banter gives way to a direct clash when Adrian identifies Borsalino’s hidden support and Borsalino attacks.
  • Borsalino’s thoughts reveal that he hopes to hold out until Garp arrives, while Adrian’s overwhelming Spiritual Pressure shifts the balance of the encounter.

Ch. 158The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Plot points

  • Marine leadership sends Vice Admirals Garp and Borsalino to capture White Ghost on Oatfee Island. Sengoku cannot be spared because, as the only active Admiral at Headquarters, he is responsible for Mary Geoise’s security.
  • Borsalino had opposed the mission, both because he respects White Ghost and because he feared fighting him. He now realizes Adrian has become even more powerful than expected.
  • Adrian opens with a devastating Spiritual Pressure attack that tears a huge crater through Oatfee Island and carves a trench toward the coast, nearly splitting the island.
  • Borsalino avoids the blow by transforming into light, then uses ranged attacks and rapid repositioning to keep Adrian at a distance. He intends to stall until Garp arrives rather than try to defeat Adrian himself.
  • Adrian attempts to close in, but Borsalino’s caution and speed frustrate him. Adrian switches from close-range swordsmanship to a Ghost Energy Cannon, blasting through Borsalino’s light bullets. The beam eventually dissipates, and Borsalino evades Adrian’s next shot by turning into photons. The confrontation continues unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

  • Adrian/White Ghost demonstrates overwhelming destructive power and adapts when his preferred close-combat tactics prove ineffective. He is irritated by Borsalino’s evasive strategy but responds by changing weapons.
  • Borsalino/Kizaru is unusually wary and pragmatic. Remembering his previous near-defeat, he refuses to engage Adrian in swordplay and focuses on buying time while conserving stamina.
  • Their exchange is a tactical contest: Adrian tries to force a decisive fight, while Borsalino prioritizes survival and delay. Adrian mocks his opponent as “Admiral Play-It-Safe,” while Borsalino maintains his nonchalant manner despite his fear.

Significant themes

  • Caution versus aggression: Borsalino’s restraint counters Adrian’s direct power.
  • Adaptability in combat: Adrian shifts from Spiritual Pressure and swordplay to Ghost Energy when his original approach fails.
  • Power and responsibility: Marine deployment is shaped by the need to protect Mary Geoise, limiting even the Marines’ strongest officers.

Ch. 159The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Plot points and events

  • Adrian uses repeated Ghost Energy Cannon shots to keep Borsalino distracted while secretly forming a White Thousand-Armed Buddha. He conceals its construction with Transparent Ghost and disrupts Borsalino’s Observation Haki.
  • The Buddha unleashes a vast barrage. Borsalino barely escapes, taking only minor injuries, and heads toward Garp’s approaching warship.
  • Adrian sends another barrage after Borsalino, but his true target is the Marine ship. Garp blocks the attack by hurling a huge iron ball into the air and coating it with powerful Armament Haki. The ball withstands the entire barrage, protecting the ship.
  • Adrian recognizes Garp’s exceptional strength and receives an S-Rank “Navy Hero” challenge through his game panel, but has no time to focus on it.
  • Garp urges Borsalino to attack Adrian’s Buddha so the Marines can complete their mission. Though reluctant and still somewhat injured, Borsalino uses Yata Mirror to launch himself skyward. The chapter ends as he races along the Light Rail.

Character developments

  • Adrian demonstrates patience and tactical skill, disguising his real plan before unleashing a wide-area attack. He is eager to test himself against Garp, but also targets the Marines’ ship to apply pressure.
  • Borsalino proves difficult to catch thanks to his speed and Logia abilities, though Adrian’s attacks manage to graze and injure him. He would rather rest than keep fighting, but Garp pressures him into action.
  • Garp appears utterly confident under fire. His formidable Armament Haki and physical strength let him protect the warship while joking and giving orders.

Significant themes

  • Strategy versus raw power: Adrian’s carefully prepared ambush contrasts with Garp’s overwhelming strength and direct defense.
  • The cost of duty and hierarchy: Borsalino is reluctant to fight on, but Garp’s authority leaves him little choice.
  • Strength as a measure of reputation: Adrian’s reaction confirms that Garp’s legendary status is backed by extraordinary ability.

Character interactions

  • Adrian and Borsalino engage in a tactical battle of attacks and evasions, with Adrian trying to pin down the faster opponent.
  • Garp arrives, protects his Marines, and casually teases and orders Borsalino to confront Adrian’s Buddha.
  • The Marines watch anxiously as Garp shields their ship and look to Borsalino as their best hope of countering Adrian.

Ch. 160The Third Time—This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

Key plot points and events

  • Adrian uses the Thousand-Armed Buddha’s Ghost Energy Cannons to attack Garp’s giant iron ball while also keeping Borsalino from returning to the fight.
  • With Future Sight, Adrian anticipates Borsalino’s movements and steers him through the air, preventing him from mounting an effective counterattack.
  • Adrian lures Borsalino into an invisible web of Transparent Ghosts, then swaps positions among them so Borsalino senses him everywhere.
  • Adrian ambushes Borsalino with his Ghost Energy Sword and uses Emotion Swordsmanship to overwhelm his senses. Borsalino resists by shutting his eyes and relying on instinct and Observation Haki.
  • The ghosts fire a massive volley from every direction. Garp throws his Haki-coated iron ball into the converging blasts, shielding Borsalino but losing the ball in the explosion.
  • Borsalino survives but is gravely wounded and collapses unconscious. Garp challenges Adrian to fight him one-on-one, while Adrian remains aloft.

Character developments

  • Adrian demonstrates the tactical reach of Future Sight: rather than merely dodging or predicting, he uses it to guide Borsalino into a trap. He also shows he can fight two formidable opponents at once, though he deliberately prioritizes disabling Borsalino.
  • Borsalino proves resourceful under pressure, countering Adrian’s sensory illusions through instinct and Observation Haki. However, Adrian’s strategy leaves him badly injured and exposes the limits of relying on his Devil Fruit.
  • Garp acts decisively to save Borsalino, then turns his anger toward Adrian. His instincts also tell him that the Marines may be unable to prevent Adrian from escaping.

Significant themes

  • Prediction as control: Future Sight becomes a way to shape an opponent’s choices and engineer a desired outcome.
  • Strength and strategy: Adrian’s layered planning and coordinated abilities overcome Borsalino’s speed, while Garp’s timely intervention prevents a likely fatal result.
  • Dependence versus adaptability: Borsalino can evade and attack through his Light powers, but Adrian’s assault forces him to rely on instinct and Haki instead.
  • Rescue and responsibility: Garp risks his own weapon to save Borsalino, then confronts Adrian directly.

Character interactions

  • Adrian repeatedly taunts and pressures Borsalino, using attacks and illusions to manipulate his movement and perception.
  • Borsalino tries to counter Adrian with Light Rail, Light Bullets, his Heavenly Cloud Sword, and Observation Haki, but is ultimately overwhelmed.
  • Garp protects Borsalino with the iron ball, criticizes his reliance on his Devil Fruit, and challenges Adrian to face him.
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