Just as Xia Chen finished collecting the treasure and was about to leave.
Boom!
Boom!
Several thunderous explosions rang out.
Then the ship began to list and rock.
"Huh?"
Xia Chen opened the cabin door and stepped onto the deck.
Several Marine warships were stationed out at sea.
They were firing at them nonstop.
"Koby, didn't you say you wanted to join the Marines?"
"Go over there now!"
Luffy's voice rang out.
"Are you kidding? Forget enlisting in this situation."
"I'll end up in prison!"
Koby's irritated voice rang out.
He was supposed to run over from a pirate ship and tell the Marines he wanted to join them?
Wouldn't he just be handing them another achievement?
"Hahaha... then let's run for now!"
"I'm a pirate, after all!"
"Xia Chen, let's go!"
Luffy laughed heartily.
"Got it, Captain!"
A faint smile appeared on Xia Chen's lips.
He had to admit, escaping right under the Marines' noses felt pretty good!
Luffy tossed a small boat straight off the ship, then jumped down after it.
Just as Xia Chen was about to jump down too, he saw Koby trembling beside him as he stared below.
"What are you doing?"
"I... I'm scared. It's too high!"
At those words, Xia Chen couldn't help putting a hand to his forehead.
Koby really was something at this early stage...
So Xia Chen grabbed Koby's collar with one hand and gave him a wicked smile.
"It's fine. I'll help you overcome your fear!"
Then Xia Chen jumped down with Koby in his grasp.
"Aaah!"
Some time later...
The three of them finally escaped the Marines' pursuit.
They sat in the boat, laughing happily.
"Mr. Luffy, what are you going to do next?"
"Next, huh!"
"Hmm..."
"I'm going to find lots of strong crewmates. I need a cook and a navigator."
"Most importantly..."
"I need a musician too!"
"How can you have a banquet without a musician?"
Luffy's eyes turned into stars as he said this.
"Oh, right! Let's start by finding that really strong Pirate Hunter you mentioned!"
"If he's really strong, I'll make him my crewmate!"
A day later...
Xia Chen looked at the Marine town faintly visible in the distance.
He nudged the sleeping Luffy with his foot.
"Hey, Luffy!"
"Get up. We're almost there!"
"Huh? What's wrong, Xia Chen? Is it time to eat?"
Could this idiot Luffy think about anything besides eating?
But speaking of eating...
He was a little hungry too!
"We'll go eat meat once we reach town!"
"Meat!"
(☆▽☆)!
"Yeah, yeah!"
A little drool even trickled out of Luffy's mouth as he spoke.
Xia Chen instantly backed away a meter and looked at Luffy in disgust.
"Gross!"
Some time later, Xia Chen and Luffy finally set foot on the island.
The instant he stepped ashore, the system's long-absent voice rang out in Xia Chen's mind.
[Successfully checked in on Shells Town island. Obtained Six Powers (ultimate mastery level).]
A flood of knowledge instantly poured into his mind.
In that single instant, he mastered the Six Powers.
Xia Chen was extremely excited.
Although the Six Powers became rather commonplace later on.
At least in the early stages, they were still extremely powerful!
Besides, they were more a matter of technique.
The greater one's mastery, the more powerful techniques one could develop.
Such as Life Return and Rokuogan!
Their power, however, depended on the user's own strength.
Didn't even someone as powerful as Garp still use the Six Powers?
So it wasn't that the Six Powers were weak, only that their users were weak.
And the ultimate mastery level of the Six Powers Xia Chen had obtained through his check-in was the highest level.
In other words, Xia Chen's understanding of the Six Powers had now reached its peak.
He could also use techniques such as Life Return and Rokuogan.
His mastery was even greater than Lucci's.
Honestly, Xia Chen was very happy to obtain the Six Powers now.
So far, his fruit had only given him an extremely powerful physique.
His means of attack, however, were somewhat lacking.
The appearance of the Six Powers now made up for that weakness perfectly.
He was now terrifyingly strong!
There just wasn't anyone to test his strength on for the moment.
Morgan?
No, no, no!
He was afraid Morgan would die from a single punch.
Suddenly, Xia Chen seemed to think of something. A smile appeared on his lips.
"If it's him... it should work!"
"Burp..."
"Woohoo, I'm stuffed!"
The three of them rubbed their round bellies and spoke in unison.
"Xia Chen, where did you get all that Beli?"
"From Alvida's ship, of course," Xia Chen replied casually as he sipped his drink.
"Huh? But I never saw you carrying it."
Xia Chen rolled his eyes at that.
"I used my ability to create a space, then put all the treasure on the ship inside!"
"(⊙o⊙)..."
"Amazing! Xia Chen, you're incredible!"
"You're a Devil Fruit User too?"
"Why didn't you mention it before?"
"You never asked!"
After eating and drinking their fill, the group set off to take care of business.
Their destination-the Marine Base!
Some time later, they arrived at the entrance to the Marine Base.
"Can I finally join the Marines?"
Beside them, Koby's eyes brimmed with tears.
Then he said emotionally:
"Mr. Xia Chen, Mr. Luffy, this is where we part ways!"
"Although our time together was short..."
"Stop!"
Xia Chen cut Koby off.
Looking at Koby with a faint, ambiguous smile, he said:
"No need to get so excited yet. You might change your mind in a bit!"
This was the Marine Base under Morgan's rule, after all. The Marines here could no longer be called just.
Every last one of them was rotten to the core.
Koby, on the other hand, was someone devoted to justice.
Who knew what he would think when he saw the situation here?
While Xia Chen was thinking, he heard the sound of someone landing.
Luffy, who had been beside him, had disappeared at some point.
He had jumped into the execution grounds.
You... sure move fast!
Without thinking further, Xia Chen jumped in too.
Only Koby remained, standing in the wind in bewilderment.
As soon as he entered.
Xia Chen saw Luffy talking to a man wearing a black bandanna, tied to a frame.
"Boss Zoro! I finally get to meet you!"
Xia Chen murmured, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
Then he slowly walked toward them.
"Hey, you, be my crewmate!"
"Become a pirate with me!"
"No! I don't want to join the forces of evil!" Zoro said, curling his lip.
"But people already call you an evil bounty hunter!"
"All right, whatever!"
"I've already decided to make you my crewmate anyway."
"I heard you're a swordsman, right?"
"Where are your swords?"
"The captain's idiot son took them!"
"Oh!"
Luffy clapped his hands when he heard that.
"Then I'll help you get your swords back, and you'll be my crewmate! Otherwise, I won't give them to you!"
"You bastard!" Zoro gritted his teeth.
Well, well, he actually dared to threaten me?
"All right, off I go!"
With that, Luffy ran toward the base.
Meanwhile, Xia Chen slowly walked up to Zoro.