Shakky is extorting money from the hotel!
"What a rip-off!"
Wang Hao glanced at the bizarre name on the hotel sign and couldn't help but mutter a complaint. He stepped forward and pushed open the hotel door, only to be shocked by the scene inside.
"You still dare to hide money from others! What do you plan to do with all this hidden money? Are you planning to go to the red-light district again to have a one-night stand with those young girls?"
Shakky grabbed Rayleigh by the ear and slammed him against the table, brutally beating him until his pale fists were covered in blood.
Rayleigh, who has titles such as the right arm of the Pirate King Roger and Pluton, showed no class and kept screaming and begging for mercy.
The shop door opened, sunlight streamed in, and Rayleigh and Shakky's expressions immediately changed. Rayleigh straightened up and angrily cursed, "Are you blind? Can't you see the sign outside that says 'Closed Today'... Zephyr!"
Rayleigh was truly enraged. He didn't mind being beaten up by his Shakky, but he couldn't let outsiders see it. Otherwise, if word got out, how could he, the Dark King Rayleigh, maintain his reputation?
Before he could finish speaking, he froze when he saw the person's face clearly.
Shakky was also quite shocked, after all, this man was simply too powerful. Even Rayleigh would probably have had a hard time lasting ten moves against him.
They never expected this man to come here; he seemed to have ill intentions!
"I seem to have arrived at the worst possible time!"
He uttered apologetic words, but Wang Hao strode forward without ceremony, plopped down on a chair at the bar, and called out to the stunned Shakky, "Boss lady, a free glass of water, please."
He didn't bring any money with him this time, and there are obviously shady shops here, so it's best not to spend any money to avoid being accused of dine-and-dash.
Wang Hao's easygoing attitude put Rayleigh and his companion at ease, making them realize that the other party was unlikely to be there to cause trouble.
"Haha... Plain water, Zephyr, are you so old you don't even dare to drink alcohol now?"
With a hearty laugh, Rayleigh gave Shakky a wink and said, "Two Bloody Mary, on my tab!"
With outsiders present, Shakky gave Rayleigh face and swayed her hips as she walked to the back of the bar to start mixing Bloody Mary.
"Wipe it off!"
Wang Hao casually tossed a rag from the bar counter to Rayleigh. The guy was in a really bad state; one of his glasses lenses was shattered, giving him a black eye, his nose was bleeding profusely, and his cheeks were bruised and swollen.
If he hadn't sensed the opponent's immense power, he would have had a hard time recognizing him as his old rival Dark King Rayleigh.
Rayleigh wasn't embarrassed. He took the rag and wiped the blood from his face, saying in a deep voice, "I haven't been a pirate for many years, and I've already reformed and have a proper job."
To be honest, he was still quite timid in the face of his old rival. He was really frightened by that Kamehameha in the waters of the Sabaody Archipelago last time. His opponent's strength had risen to a level that he could hardly look up to.
This kind of person should never be made an enemy of!
"I know we're not here to arrest you, we just want to ask you some personal questions."
Wang Hao casually mentioned that he had indeed come to inquire about some things.
Please enjoy your meal!
Shakky pushed the prepared Bloody Mary in front of Wang Hao and Rayleigh, then tactfully left the bar, giving the two space.
What exactly is on the Laugh Tale?
Wang Hao asked bluntly.
This is a real world, so the plot of Pirate King Piece isn't very relevant. The secret of the Laugh Tale is the key to the entire trajectory of fate, and he needs to find out what it is in order to better complete the system's mission.
"I never expected someone from the Navy like you to be interested in that!"
Dark King Rayleigh, was also taken aback, clearly not expecting this man to ask this. After a moment of silence, he said, " The Laugh Tale is very mysterious. It can only be entered at a specific time, in a specific place, and by a specific person."
Only Roger entered the Laugh Tale, so we don't know what's inside, and Roger never said anything.
If an ordinary person asked him this, he definitely wouldn't tell, but this man was just too strong. If he stubbornly refused to tell, the consequences might not be good, so it was better to back down.
Upon hearing this, Wang Hao's expression became quite strange; the words sounded all too familiar.
He used similar words when he was fooling those big shots in the Smiling Proud Wanderer World of Swordsman Central Plains, and he never expected to encounter similar words again in this world.
However, this should be the truth; Rayleigh wouldn't dare to lie to him.
"Is that particular person D. Clan?"
Wang Hao seemed to be deep in thought. Roger himself was a member of the D. Clan, and so is the future protagonist Luffy. The common point between the two is that they are both D. Clan.
Rayleigh remained silent, which clearly meant he acquiesced.
"Did Roger say anything after leaving the Laugh Tale, or did he undergo any unusual changes?"
Wang Hao pressed for an answer.
Without a doubt, Roger was the protagonist of the previous era and ushered in this one. He must be connected to the ultimate secret of this world, and he needs to know that secret.
"After returning from the Laugh Tale, Roger's vitality and even his lifespan were mysteriously reduced, and he often watched the sunset alone and muttered to himself that the world's time was running out."
I asked Roger what he meant by that, but he just shook his head and never answered us. But we all knew he was carrying something on his mind. From then on Roger never smiled and always looked worried.
Rayleigh didn't hide anything and told everyone he knew.
Are you sure Roger meant that this world's time is running out?
Wang Hao grasped the key point of the words, his expression turned serious, and a very bad guess came to him.
If that's the case, things will become very complicated.
"That's exactly what they said, do you know what that means?"
Seeing the unusual expression on Wang Hao's face, Rayleigh was surprised, and at the same time even more confused.
Roger had the same expression back then, so why is this man making the same face now?
"We're in big trouble. No wonder Roger was willing to start the Great Pirate Era!"
Wang Hao finally vaguely understood Pirate King Roger's thoughts. If it was really as he thought, then starting a brutal Great Pirate Era was indeed a way to deal with the situation.
After all, compared to the terrifying consequences that were speculated to be, the Great Pirate Era was really nothing.
" Rayleigh, can I trust you?"
After a moment's thought, Wang Hao looked up at Rayleigh, his sharp gaze piercing the other's eyes.
Based on his predecessor's memories, he was fairly certain that Rayleigh was a decent person and someone he could entrust with important matters.
The secret he learned today truly startled him. His previous plans were no longer appropriate; he needed to implement a more radical plan, and the person chosen was none other than Dark King Rayleigh before him.
"You, a navy officer, come to me asking if I can be trusted? Is there anything more ridiculous than that?"
Taking a sip of Bloody Mary, Rayleigh was indeed amused by Wang Hao's words, but upon seeing Wang Hao's serious expression, his face gradually became solemn. After a long silence, he finally uttered a single word.
"Able!"
"These are the various techniques and martial arts I've created recently. I need you to select people of decent character among the pirates to pass them on, in preparation for the ultimate battle, the battle for survival!"
As he spoke, Wang Hao reached out and touched Rayleigh's forehead, transmitting all the techniques and martial arts secrets he had created and compiled over this period to him using Observation Haki.
Due to the limitations of his own identity and power field, he could only spread the cultivation techniques he created to righteous forces such as the Navy.
However, a single navy cannot cope with future major crises, so he needs to win over more targets, and the pirate camp is a good choice.
Of course, he was referring to those pirates who claimed to be pirates but were actually just adventurers, such as Luffy, the protagonist of Pirate King.
This is the kind of person he wants to win over, but it's inconvenient for him to do it personally, so he can only ask his old rival from his predecessor to come out of retirement.
"How could you, old monster, create such a heaven-defying cultivation method, and so many of them? Are you buying them in bulk?!"
Rayleigh, his face contorted in shock, rubbed his forehead. He was truly overwhelmed by the massive flood of information, feeling as if his head was about to explode, but more than anything, he was horrified.
The flood of information that appeared in his mind consisted of countless cultivation techniques and martial arts skills, all of which were extremely powerful, far surpassing even his own cultivation method.
Anyone with decent talent can eventually reach the level of Marine Admiral through training, and it's not impossible to even reach the ultimate level like the Four Emperors.
It's truly astonishing that this man created so many top-tier secret techniques.
"When you reach my level, you'll be able to easily create cultivation techniques at this level."
Wang Hao casually remarked, then continued, "Those with average potential, you should look for suitable cultivation methods among them and pass them on."
For those with exceptional potential, write down their information and desired future development direction and send it to me via Den Den Mushi. I will then create exclusive martial arts techniques and skills specifically for the individuals you select, based on the information you provide.
Is the situation really that serious?
Rayleigh's expression turned serious again, sensing that things might really be getting serious.
" Roger is right, our world truly doesn't have much time left. Whether we can survive the future catastrophe depends on our own efforts!"
"By the way, this is the Netherworld Sword Instruction that I created based on your physical condition, and your Phantom Divine Art, madam, consider it payment for this."
He casually tapped Rayleigh and Shakky's foreheads, transferring the newly deduced and created technique to them as payment for this.
After Shakky had barely managed to review the Phantom Divine Art in her mind, she discovered that Wang Hao had already left, while Rayleigh sat there in silence.
Has he taken that step?
Shakky couldn't help but ask, because the cultivation technique Wang Hao had given her was far too powerful, and it seemed that he had casually created it after arriving, which was truly astonishing.
"It probably hasn't happened yet, but it's definitely coming soon."
Rayleigh knew what Shakky was asking, and after a moment's thought, he offered his opinion.
Possessing such immense power, coupled with the ability to effortlessly conjure up a cultivation method that defies the heavens, their cultivation level must have already surpassed their own.
Even Roger himself didn't reach that level back then, otherwise he wouldn't have died in the end.
However, that man will definitely be able to break through that realm. In terms of talent in cultivation, he is far more terrifying than Roger!
After a slight shift in his thoughts, Rayleigh turned his attention to Wang Hao's earlier words, and his expression gradually became more serious.
Roger was like that before, and now that man is like that too. This is no coincidence; a great catastrophe is surely about to arrive, an unprecedented catastrophe that could endanger the entire world.
The thought of this gave him a headache.
"I'm just born to be a workaholic. When I was young, that bastard Roger treated me like a donkey, and now that old bastard Zephyr is treating Zephyr livestock. When will this hell ever end!"
Rayleigh was gloomy, but he still had to shoulder this burden; such was the helplessness of life!
"Old ghost, what are you still sitting there for? Let's go!"
Shakky dragged a suitcase out of the room and changed her clothes, as if she was going on a long trip.
Are you going too?
Rayleigh was stunned, never expecting that his lover would be willing to abandon this business and go to sea with him.
"Can you manage on your own without my help?"
Shakky glanced disdainfully at Rayleigh, Shakky rather helpless.
She knew very well that what Zephyr and Rayleigh were going to do would inevitably attract the attention of the World Government, and she couldn't stay here any longer. Rather than waiting to be found by CP's agents, she might as well go to sea with this old ghost.
Moreover, her intelligence network is indispensable if she wants to fulfill that man's request as soon as possible.
"No, absolutely not. But wait a minute, let me pack up all the alcohol in the store and take it with me!"
Rayleigh decisively shook his head, indicating he couldn't do it. He was joking; how could drifting alone on the high seas compare to the exhilaration of traveling with a beautiful woman?
Moreover, the Netherworld Sword Instruction that old guy Zephyr gave him also included a matching dual cultivation technique, which he could try out with Shakky on the ship.