One Piece: Start by Swallowing the Flame-Flame Fruit

Outside the East China Sea fishing village, when the boy was pierced through the chest by the bandit’s blade, a mechanical voice suddenly rang in his ears – ‘Host is detected to be dying, the devil fruit fusion system is activated! ‘

“Others are looking for fruits in the pirate world, but he is ‘eating’ fruits in the pirate world!

Flame-Flame Fruit?

Swallow it!

Exploding Fruit?

Swallow it!

They even dare to snatch the hearts of animal-type mythical beasts – the system will automatically generate a fusion plan anyway!

The so-called Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Four Emperors are nothing more than experience packs on the road to fusion. When he swallowed the natural, animal, and superhuman fruits on the Grand Line, this man who could fuse hundreds of fruits wanted to conquer

What is in your mind is never a sea, but an entire era bound by rules!”

One Piece: Start by Swallowing the Flame-Flame Fruit
Chapter 1: Crossing and Awakening
The afternoon sun slanted in through the glass of the library, and Li Xiaofei’s fingertips unconsciously stroked the spine of the “One Piece” volume.
This was the comic he had been following for ten years. He was now reading the page where Ace was executed. The flame of the Flame-Flame Fruit was dancing on the paper, as if it was going to burn him through.
“I feel dizzy…” he muttered, holding his forehead with his hand, his temple throbbing violently.
The words in front of my eyes suddenly twisted into light blue spots, and the Marinford Square in the comics surged in my field of vision. The salty sea breeze filled my nostrils with the smell of blood.
When he regained consciousness, he was lying on the gravel-covered mud.
The back of my neck felt burning and painful, as if it had been hit by a blunt object.
“Little bastard pretending to be dead?”
A hoarse, threatening voice exploded from above his head.
Li Xiaofei looked up suddenly and saw three pairs of blood-stained leather boots surrounding him.
The leading man had a scar on his beard. In his left hand he held a bloody iron whip and in his right hand he held a purple fruit – the shape was clearly the Flame-Flame Fruit!
“Boss Buck, this kid is the offspring of the pirates at the end of the village!” The henchman on the left poked his ribs with the tip of his knife. “The old guy ran away, leaving the little guy here, just killing the chicken to scare the monkey!”
Pirates? Parents?
Memories flooded back like a tide.
The original owner’s memories came flooding back: Three days ago, his parents were chased by a group of pirates wearing skull symbols. Before leaving, they stuffed him into the cellar and told him “Don’t come out.”
But this morning, bandits suddenly rushed into the village and he was caught red-handed.
“Crying?” Buck squatted down and wrapped the iron whip around his wrist, “Aren’t your parents good at running?
Now let me see if their offspring can survive for more than three breaths.
The moment the iron whip tightened, Li Xiaofei gasped in pain.
He looked at the villagers running around in panic, saw the old village chief being kicked to the ground with a hoe in his hand, and saw a girl in light blue cloth stuffing an injured child into a haystack – that was Ning Qing, the female doctor who was always decocting medicine in the medicine house in the original owner’s memory, with eyes like glass washed by rain.
“I can’t die.” His throat tightened.
The present scene suddenly flashed back: the night watching One Piece with roommates in the dormitory, the hot porridge cooked by my mother, and the panic when the professor called my name in class.
These vivid memories are clearer than those of the original owner, like a thorn piercing the heart.
The iron whip had already drawn blood.
Buck put his fingers on the back of his neck, his nails almost digging into the bones: “On the count of three–“
“one.”
“two.”
“three–“
“Host’s vital signs detected to be less than 15%, Devil Fruit fusion system activated.”
When the mechanical sound exploded in his mind, Li Xiaofei’s pupils contracted violently.
He saw a translucent panel appear in the upper right corner of his vision, with pale golden fonts flickering:
[Host: Li Xiaofei][Fusion degree: 0%][Evolution Progress: 0/100][Bounty-related rewards: Not activated][Currently devourable targets: Flame-Flame Fruit (complete fruit), Iron-Fisted Buck (ordinary human)]“System?” His lips trembled and his voice was stuck in his throat.
Buck’s iron whip was raised and a shadow was looming.
“Tip: Swallowing a complete devil fruit can activate the first-order single-fusion ability. Do you want to swallow it immediately?”
Li Xiaofei’s eyes swept over the Flame-Flame Fruit in Buck’s hand – it was hidden in the cellar by the original owner’s parents. He had seen it last night when he was rummaging for food, but he didn’t expect it to be found by bandits.
At this moment, the flame patterns on the surface of the fruit were glowing slightly, as if responding to his heartbeat.
“Swallow!” he roared in his mind.
The next second, the Flame-Flame Fruit suddenly disappeared from Buck’s hand.
Li Xiaofei felt a heat in his throat, and the sweet and fishy juice flowed down his esophagus. Flames exploded in his stomach, burning from his heart to his fingertips.
“My fruit!” Buck was furious, and the iron whip lashed towards his face with the sound of wind.
But Li Xiaofei had already seen it clearly.
He saw the heat floating in the air and the trembling trajectory of Buck’s muscles as he swung the iron whip.
When the iron whip was about to touch his cheek, he instinctively raised his hand –
Red flames gushed out from the palm of his hand.
“Ah!” The minion on the left had his arm splashed with flames and immediately let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
The flame was not like an ordinary flame, but was as hot as molten gold. In the blink of an eye, it burned a charred hole in his leather armor, and even his bones turned dark red.
Buck’s iron whip hung in the air.
He stared at Li Xiaofei’s hand, which was wrapped in leaping flames, but there was not even a trace of burnt marks.
“A devil fruit user?” He took a half step back, his voice trembling, “When… when did you eat the fruit?”
Li Xiaofei didn’t answer.
He could clearly sense the temperature of the flames and control them to condense into spears at his fingertips or form a ring of fire under his feet.
The system panel was jumping in the field of vision, and the degree of integration was increasing at a speed visible to the naked eye: [Fusion degree: 30%→50%→70%]“Flame-Flame Fruit…” he murmured.
In the original owner’s memory, was Ace’s flame like this?
No, it’s hotter and more aggressive, as if it had been purified by some force.
“Kill him!” Buck roared.
The remaining two minions rushed forward with knives raised, the blades shining coldly in the sunlight.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into vertical lines.
He dodged the attack from the left by leaning sideways, and the flames in his right hand condensed into claws, grabbing directly at the chest of the minion on the right.
The moment the flame penetrated the leather armor, the minions screams stopped abruptly – his heart was burned to ashes.
“You…who are you?” Buck turned around and tried to run, but was trapped by Li Xiaofei’s fire ring.
The flames formed a cage on the ground, crackling.
“I am…” Li Xiaofei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, “I am the one who wants to survive.”
He raised his hand, and the flames at his fingertips condensed into arrows.
Buck’s face was distorted in the firelight, and the iron whip hit the fire wall, splashing sparks but not leaving even a crack.
“No–!”
The moment the arrow pierced Buck’s throat, the system prompt sounded again: [Successfully swallowed the Flame-Flame Fruit, and the first-level single fusion was activated.
Current abilities: Elementization (primary), high temperature flame (melting point 3000℃), flame control (accuracy +20%).
Fusion degree: 100%]The surroundings suddenly became quiet.
The villagers hid in the corner. The old village chief stood up with the help of the wall. Ning Qing was holding the unconscious child, his eyes fell on him through his messy hair.
“Xiao…Xiaofei?” The old village chief’s voice trembled, “Are…are you okay?”
Only then did Li Xiaofei realize that he was shaking.
He looked down at his hand and saw that the flames were gone and his skin was intact.
The battle just now seemed like a dream, but the charred corpses on the ground and the smoking iron whip reminded him that this was real.
“I’m fine.” He forced a smile that was uglier than crying. “Village chief, Buck and the others… have all been dealt with.”
The old village chief wiped his tears, staggered over and patted him on the back: “Good boy, if your parents knew…” He suddenly stopped, glanced around, and lowered his voice, “Your parents were the ‘Flame Gunner’ Baron and the ‘Medical and Poison Master’ Camilla. They were hunted down because they refused to join the Rocks Pirates… I’ll tell you all this slowly tonight.”
When Ning Qing came over, he was holding a bottle of medicine in his hand.
Her skirt was stained with blood, but her eyes were surprisingly bright: “I’ll help you treat the wound.” She paused when her fingers touched his wrist, “Your body temperature… is much higher than that of ordinary people.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart skipped a beat.
He remembered the “hidden fusion feature” in the system prompt and quickly pulled his hand back: “Maybe I was too nervous just now… Thank you.”
Ning Qing didn’t ask any further questions.
She turned to help other villagers, and when the ends of her hair brushed against the back of his hand, a faint medicinal fragrance came with it.
As the night deepened, Li Xiaofei sat on the rocks outside the village.
The sea breeze lifted the corner of his clothes. He looked at the moon shattering into silver flakes on the sea. The system panel appeared again:
[Evolution Progress: 10/100 (Defeat Buck, bounty +500,000 berries, reward: fusion solution library unlocked)]“Fusion solution library…” he repeated in a low voice.
Ning Qing’s voice calling him back came from afar, and the tail end of the voice was gently swayed by the sea breeze.
He touched his chest, where the burning heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit still remained.
The cause of his parents’ death, the Rocks Pirates, the Grand Line…these words swirled in his mind.
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ActivityRegister as a Filo member and get 200 points![Register Now]Chapter 2: Aaron’s arrival, showing his prowess for the first time (old version)
Li Xiaofei was squatting on the rocky beach behind the village when the sea breeze wrapped in salty and humid air penetrated into his collar.
He stared at the dancing flames in his palms. The blue-purple flame core was like a living thing, growing and shrinking with his breathing – this was the result of his three consecutive days of practice. However, his fingertips still became hot uncontrollably, and this morning he even burned a scorch mark on the medicine bowl that Ning Qing handed to him.
“Are you fighting the flames again?”
There was a sound of cloth friction behind him, and Li Xiaofei suddenly withdrew his hand, and sparks “crackled” and exploded into stars.
Turning around, she saw Ning Qing standing five steps away with a medicine box in her arms. The ends of her hair were stained with morning dew, and her brows were slightly furrowed. “The village chief said that you have been squatting since sunrise and have not had breakfast.” She walked forward, and the bitter smell of wormwood and mint wafted out of the medicine box. “Reach out your hand.”
He spread his hands obediently.
Ning Qing’s fingertips stopped as soon as they touched his wrist – the temperature was higher than yesterday, like a piece of red-hot iron.
Three days ago, when the battle ended, he confessed the existence of the system to Ning Qing – this girl who always polished the medicine bottles until they shined was more perceptive than he thought.
At this moment, she was staring at the light red lines on his palm. It was a new mark that appeared after the fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit, and it gradually became clearer as she gained control of his abilities.
“Yesterday I was able to maintain the elemental transformation for three minutes.” He curled his lips, “But the accuracy of the flame is still not enough. Last time I almost burned the village chief’s clothesline.”
Ning Qing didn’t respond and took out a celadon bottle from the medicine box.
When the bottle was opened, a sweet floral scent mixed with medicinal aroma gushed out: “This is made from moonflowers from the coral reef. It can relieve burning sensations.” She poured out half a bottle, “Drink it, and then practice fire control with me.”
“You haven’t eaten the Flame-Flame Fruit…”
“I’ve read the Devil Fruit Illustrated Book.” She pressed the bottle into his hand and turned to walk towards the beach. “The essence of fire is the release of energy, which is the same as the principle of the spread of poisonous fog.” The sea breeze lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing a light pink scar on her calf – it was left by the Arlong Pirates when they looted the village last year.
Li Xiaofei suddenly remembered how her skirt was torn by gravel when she rushed out of the sea of fire holding her unconscious child three days ago.
He tilted his head back and drank up the medicine. The sweet liquid burned down his throat, but it was much gentler than the temperature of his palms.
“Watch this.” Ning Qing bent down and picked up a palm-sized reef. “Concentrate and let the fire follow the stone.” She shook her wrist lightly, and the reef drew an arc and flew towards the sea.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath.
A blue-purple flame rose from the palm of his hand and swam after the reef like an obedient snake.
The moment the reef fell into the sea, the flames accurately wrapped around it, burning a bright circle of fire on the water surface – which lasted for a full five seconds.
“Improvement.” Ning Qing’s eyes lit up as he turned around, “Yesterday I could only burn for two seconds.”
He was about to laugh when a sharp bird cry suddenly came from the horizon.
They both looked up at the same time and saw a group of seagulls fluttering over the rocks, their cries filled with panic.
“There is a boat.” Ning Qing’s voice suddenly turned cold.
She pointed into the distance, where a black sail was floating at the junction of the sea and the sky. A shark head was carved on the bow, shining coldly in the sunlight.
The back of Li Xiaofei’s neck straightened instantly.
He had seen the wanted poster – Arlong, the captain of the Fishman Pirates, with a bounty of 20 million Baileys, who was accustomed to slaughtering villages and looting treasures.
The news of the destruction of the Buck Pirates three days ago finally got out.
“Go back to the village!” He grabbed Ning Qing’s wrist and ran to the village, “Notify the old village chief and ask the villagers to hide their valuables in the cellar!”
The alarm bell at the entrance of the village rang as they rushed into the village.
The old village chief held the bell rope, his white beard blown by the wind: “Along’s boat!
According to the previous discussion, women and children go into the cellar, and the young and strong will move stones with me to block the road! “When he looked at Li Xiaofei, his eyes were a little more serious, “Xiaofei, this time…”
“I’ll hold them back.” Li Xiaofei interrupted him, and the system panel appeared in front of him: [Fusion degree 100% (first order, single fusion), current capabilities: elementalization (intermediate), high-temperature flame (melting point 3500℃), flame control (accuracy +30%)].
He touched his chest, and the burning sensation there became more intense as the crisis approached.
“Are all the traps set?” Ning Qing suddenly asked.
The old village chief nodded. “There are gunpowder packs buried in the sand on the beach, oil drums tied to the two old banyan trees at the entrance of the village, and piles of firewood soaked in fish oil in the back alley – all according to the diagram you drew.”
Li Xiaofei looked at Ning Qing.
In the past three days, they not only practiced fire control, but she also found the “Island Defense Notes” left by her father and drew twenty trap maps overnight.
At this moment, she was stuffing the last few bottles of medicine into the villagers’ arms. The wind blew her hair across her cheeks, but she was calmer than ever: “I’ll go to the cellar to look after the child, you…”
“Wait until I come back,” he said.
The tide was at its highest when Aaron’s boat docked.
Twenty murloc minions jumped onto the beach first, their flippers slapping the sand with a puffing sound.
The leading fishman was carrying a serrated sickle, with a shark tattoo on his forehead that was gleaming with oil. “I heard that loser Buck was dealt with by that brat?” He grinned, revealing his fangs. “Hand over the treasure, and I’ll leave you with your whole bodies!”
“The treasure is in the sand.” Li Xiaofei walked out from behind the reef, “Dig it yourself.”
The fishmen burst into laughter. The leader raised his sickle and rushed over. As soon as his flippers touched the beach –
boom!
The first explosion caused waves to form in the sea.
The gunpowder bags buried under the sand were triggered, and flames wrapped in rubble exploded into the air.
The fishmen’s flippers were stuck in the explosion pit, and screams mixed with a burning smell filled the air.
“Trap!” The leading fishman staggered to his feet, with half a burnt flipper still hanging on his sickle.
When he looked up, he saw the blue-purple flame dancing in Li Xiaofei’s palm.
“A Devil Fruit user?” His pupils shrank into pinpoints. “Go ahead!”
The remaining murlocs rushed forward with strange cries.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath, and flames shot from his fingertips toward the banyan tree. The oil barrel tied to the tree cracked open, and boiling hot lamp oil poured down.
He snapped his fingers, and flames pierced through the oil curtain like sharp arrows, and the entire beach turned into a fire scene in an instant.
“Ahhh! My scales!”
“Help! The fire is stuck to me!”
The fishmen rolled in the fire, their fins curled up from being burned.
Li Xiaofei approached on the hot sand, and the flames formed a protective layer around him.
System prompts kept flashing in front of my eyes: [Defeat 5 Murloc Soldiers, Evolution Progress +15] [Defeat 1 Murloc Captain, Evolution Progress +20]“That’s enough!”
The deep voice exploded like thunder.
Aaron jumped off the boat, and eight tentacles spread out behind him, each with a barbed chain wrapped around it.
His pupils glowed coldly, and his shark teeth flashed a faint blue in the firelight: “You are very brave to dare to kill my men.”
Li Xiaofei’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.
The aura of this murloc leader is more than ten times stronger than Buck’s, and the bulging muscles under his skin look like steel ingots.
He could feel that when the other person’s eyes swept over him, there was a cruel look as if he was sizing up his prey.
“Hand over the treasure and I will let you die quickly.” Aaron’s tentacles swung out violently, and the iron chain broke through the air.
Li Xiaofei rolled sideways, the chain brushed against his shoulder and hit the sand, the sparks burning his sleeves.
He gritted his teeth and condensed the flame. This time the flame was brighter than before, even with a hint of gold: “Want treasure?
You have to get past me first! “
The flames turned into a long whip and lashed at Aaron.
The fishman leader did not dodge or evade, and took the blow with his tentacles. His skin was burned and smoking, but he laughed in a low voice: “So what if I’m a naturalist?
My skin is harder than steel!” His tentacles wrapped around the fire whip and yanked it hard!
Li Xiaofei was pulled and staggered, and his back hit the reef heavily.
Aaron’s tentacles had already wrapped around his neck, with such force that they almost crushed his larynx: “If your parents knew that you died so miserably…”
“Do you know my parents?” Li Xiaofei’s eyes widened instantly.
Aaron paused, his shark teeth clattering, “Baron, that guy, rejected Captain Rocks’ invitation back then…” He suddenly tightened his tentacles, “But now, you don’t even have the chance to know how they died!”
An intense feeling of suffocation came over me.
Li Xiaofei’s consciousness began to blur, but he saw the system panel jumping wildly: [Fusion degree 100% (triggering the first-order limit), threat level detected: B+, automatically start potential burst]The flame in the palm of his hand suddenly surged.
Tongues of flames interwoven with blue, purple and gold penetrated Aaron’s tentacles, and a burnt smell mixed with the smell of blood hit his face.
Aaron screamed and let go, and several transparent holes were burned on the tentacles.
Li Xiaofei covered his neck and coughed, and flames formed a rotating ring of fire around his body.
He could clearly feel that the flames this time were hotter than ever before, and even had a certain…temperature of life.
“You…” Aaron took two steps back, black blood oozing from his tentacles, “This can’t be the power of an ordinary Flame-Flame Fruit…”
“Now, it’s my turn.” Li Xiaofei raised his hand.
The fire ring suddenly exploded, turning into millions of sparks that pounced towards Aaron.
The fishman leader turned and ran, but was caught up by Mars and the clothes on his back were instantly burned through.
When he jumped onto the boat, the sails had already been set on fire, so he had to cut the ropes and let the boat drift away with the tide.
“Just wait!” Aaron’s roar was shattered by the sea breeze. “When I recover from my injuries, I will come back and grind you to dust!”
The beach fell into silence.
The villagers poured out from the cellar. The old village chief wiped his tears and patted him on the back. Ning Qing pushed through the crowd, and the medicine box banged against each other, “Treating the wound first!
The marks left by the tentacles have turned purple…”
Li Xiaofei let her drag him to sit down and watched the villagers cheering as they cleaned up the battlefield.
A bonfire was lit in the night, the charred body of the fishman was dragged to the beach, and the children ran around with torches, their laughter breaking the silence of the night.
“Aaron seems to know something about your parents.” Ning Qing suddenly said in a low voice.
She was applying herbs to the marks on his neck, her fingertips as light as feathers, “Also, the fire just now…”
“I feel it.” Li Xiaofei looked at the flickering bonfire. The evolution progress on the system panel had jumped to 45%, and the icon of the fusion solution library was flashing. “It may be related to the system.” He touched his chest, and the burning sensation there became stronger. “But more importantly…”
“I want to leave the village,” he said. “I need to become stronger to protect the people I want to protect.”
He looked towards the horizon, where the smoke from Arlong’s ship was still floating. “I need to find more devil fruits, solve my parents’ secrets, and…”
“Become a being that can protect everyone.”
Ning Qing’s hand paused.
She looked into his eyes illuminated by the firelight, where something hotter than the flames was burning.
In the distance, she heard the old village chief calling her to help treat the wounded. She stood up and stuffed the last packet of medicine into his hand: “I’ll help you pack your luggage tomorrow.”
The sea breeze lifted her skirt, and the aroma of medicine mixed with the smell of campfire blew towards her face.
Li Xiaofei looked at her back and suddenly felt that the stars on this night were brighter than at any other time.
He took out the fusion plan library manual that the system rewarded in his arms. On the first page it was written: [Recommended fusion object: Explosion Fruit]Feilu novel, Fei will make you look good!
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Chapter 3: Embark on the Journey (Old Version)
As soon as the day dawned, the dock of Kekoyaxi Village became bustling.
Li Xiaofei squatted beside the boat to tie the last rope, his knuckles turned red from being tied by the thick hemp rope.
He heard the old village chief coughing behind him. He turned around and saw the old man holding a package wrapped in coarse cloth. The corners of the cloth were still stained with ashes from the stove – it was obvious that he had dug out something from the bottom of the box overnight.
“A Fei.” The old village chief stuffed the package into his arms and patted his shoulders twice, “This is the salted fish collected by the village, and half a bag of sea salt.
I asked Ah Fu to put three buckets of fresh water in the mezzanine of the boat, enough for you to drink until you reach the next island.
Suddenly, a hard object rolled out of the package. Li Xiaofei looked down and saw that it was a boiled egg wrapped in oil paper, still warm.
His throat tightened as he recalled how Aunt Wang secretly stuffed dried sweet potatoes into his pocket when they were saying goodbye to each household last night, Uncle Zhang forced his own copper whistle for going out to sea on him, and even the stingiest fishmonger, Old Zhou, threw a handful of silver coins into his canvas bag.
“village head……”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” The old village chief interrupted him, his wrinkled eyes glistening with tears, “You saved the lives of the whole village, and now you are going to venture into a more dangerous sea–” He suddenly raised his voice and shouted into the distance, “Xiaoqing!
The ship is about to sail!
Ning Qing ran over from the village entrance, and the medicine box hit his side with a “bang bang” sound.
She didn’t wear the washed blue cloth skirt today. She changed into shorts and had a dagger made by the old village chief on her waist. The ends of her hair were stained with morning dew. When she saw Li Xiaofei looking at her, her ears immediately turned red. “I gave half a box of medicine to the villagers. The rest is enough for us.”
She reached out to take the package, but Li Xiaofei stuffed the egg into her palm first: “Aunt Wang gave it to you, eat it.”
Ning Qing lowered her head and stared at the eggs, rubbing the oil paper lightly with her fingertips, and suddenly stuffed the medicine box into his arms: “I’m going to say goodbye to the grandmas.” When she turned around, her ponytail brushed the back of his hand like a frightened bird.
The noise on the dock suddenly died down.
Only then did Li Xiaofei notice that the villagers had gathered around him at some point.
A woman holding a baby, an old carpenter leaning on a cane, and the children he rescued yesterday, were all crowded on the breakwater, holding what they could afford: a bundle of dried kelp, half a bag of brown rice, and even a little kid threw his most precious shell necklace onto the boat.
“Brother Xiaofei, do you want to be a pirate?” Xiaokui, who had pigtails, shouted while standing on tiptoe.
“He’s not a pirate.” Li Xiaofei bent down to pick up the shell necklace and hung it around her neck. “He’s the one who can protect everyone—” He looked up at the gradually brightening sky, “The Guardian.”
The old village chief suddenly blew a long whistle. The tide had arrived, and it was the best time to sail.
Ning Qing squeezed back from the crowd, her eyes red and a pottery jar in her hand: “The old ladies brewed osmanthus honey, saying that we can drink it with water on the way…” Her voice suddenly choked, and she grabbed the oar and walked to the stern of the boat.
The cable snapped.
The boat was pushed away from the dock by the tide. Li Xiaofei stood at the bow and looked at the village that was getting smaller and smaller.
The figures of the villagers gradually turned into blurred silhouettes, only the old village chief was still standing at the end of the breakwater, his hands raised and never put down.
“Look to the left!” Ning Qing suddenly shouted.
Li Xiaofei turned around and saw Xiaokui holding a torch. Her voice sounded like a silver bell in the light of the fire: “Come back to see us!”
His throat tightened and he waved vigorously at the village that was gradually disappearing into the distance.
Ning Qing at the stern suddenly picked up a piece of rag with the tip of the oar. It was the flag of the Arlong Pirate Group, which she had burned to only half a skull, and it was fluttering.
“This way they won’t dare to chase us.” She said with her back to him, but the redness on her ears betrayed her nervousness.
The sea horizon spread out before my eyes, and the salty and humid wind blew into my collar.
Li Xiaofei touched his chest, the burning sensation there was even stronger than last night. The system panel flashed in his mind: [Fusion degree 45% (+3%)] [Currently fusionable object: Bomb-Bomb Fruit (need to devour the entire fruit/the heart of the ability user)]“Let’s go to Rogue Town first.” He turned to Ning Qing and said, “That’s the entrance to the Grand Route, there’s a lot of news there.”
Ning Qing turned the rudder to the right 15 degrees: “I checked the sea chart, if the seasonal wind is favorable, we can reach the destination in three days.” She took out a piece of oilcloth from the medicine box, “Wrap this on your hands, paddling will cause blisters.”
The oars cut through the water, and in the ripples, Li Xiaofei saw the reflections of two people – he was wearing the coarse cloth shirt given by Lao Zhou, and she was wearing a wild flower pinned by Xiaokui in her tied hair.
This was the first time since he traveled through time that he felt that the so-called “partner” was not the statistics on the system panel, but the girl behind him who would secretly slip him medicine and hand him osmanthus honey with red ears.
The accident happened in the evening of the next day.
The originally clear sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds, and the sea breeze, wrapped in the smell of rust, went straight into people’s throats.
Ning Qing raised his head and glanced at the dark clouds: “The weather is going to change, there may be a storm——”
Before he could finish his words, a huge wave hit the side of the boat.
Li Xiaofei was thrown to the edge of the boat and frantically grabbed the mast, then saw raindrops as big as beans falling down, instantly soaking the two of them like drowned rats.
“Fold the sails!” Ning Qing’s voice was torn apart by the wind.
She rushed to the rudder at the stern, but was thrown against a wooden box by a wave.
Li Xiaofei gritted his teeth and climbed up, with red flames burning on his fingertips.
The power of the Flame-Flame Fruit flowed through his blood vessels throughout his body. He could clearly feel every drop of rain evaporate into white mist when it got within ten centimeters of him.
Flames wrapped around his palms, and with a “crack” he tore off half of the torn sail.
“Catch me!” he roared, turning around to pull Ning Qing.
Ning Qing’s hand was still holding the rudder, and there was a blood mark on his wrist – he had just hit the corner of the wooden box.
She looked up and smiled at him: “I’m fine, look!”
Following her gaze, Li Xiaofei saw that the accumulated water at the bottom of the boat was sizzling due to the flames. The evaporating water vapor formed a transparent cover above their heads, isolating the heavy rain from outside.
A prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Awakening degree of the Flame-Flame Fruit ability +5%] [Currently can trigger “Flame Field” (primary): Automatically evaporate liquid water within a radius of 3 meters]The storm lasted all night.
When the first ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, the two men collapsed on the deck, their clothes baked stiff.
Ning Qing took out a ceramic jar and poured a cup of honey water. His hands were still shaking as he handed it to him: “Just now… I thought we were going to feed the fish.”
“No.” Li Xiaofei drank a mouthful of honey water, which was so sweet that his tongue trembled. “I promised to protect everyone, including you.”
Ning Qing’s ears turned red. She lowered her head to pack the medicine box, and suddenly froze: “A Fei, there’s someone!”
Chapter 4: Devil Crying Island, Melt Explosion Fruit (Old Version)
In the distance, on the sea, a ship with a black sail was heading towards them.
The skull and crossbones flag on the bow fluttered in the wind, and there were several corpses hanging on the mast – they were pirates dried in the sun, obviously used as a deterrent.
“It’s the Black Shark Pirates.” Ning Qing’s voice was tense. “I heard from Aaron’s men that they specialize in robbing merchant ships, and they don’t even spare women and children.”
Li Xiaofei stood up, flames dancing in his palms.
He could see swaying figures on the other side’s deck, some holding crossbows, some holding machetes, and the bearded man in the lead was staring at them through a telescope with a hideous grin on his face.
“Get ready for help!” The bearded man’s roar drifted in the wind, “That kid is on fire, keep him alive!”
“Hide behind me.” Li Xiaofei pushed Ning Qing into the cabin, and when he turned around, his whole body was covered with flames.
He could feel the system beating excitedly, and the progress bar of the fusion degree was slowly rising – every battle was an opportunity for evolution.
The Black Shark Pirates’ ship was getting closer and closer, and the first crossbow arrow broke through the air.
Li Xiaofei raised his hand and grabbed it. The arrow shaft instantly melted into molten iron in the flames, and when it dripped, it burned a charred hole on the deck.
“Devil Fruit User!” the crossbowman screamed and stepped back.
The bearded man jumped over with a harpoon in his hand. The tip of the harpoon was glowing with a faint blue light – it had been poisoned.
Li Xiaofei dodged sideways, and the flames wrapped around the bearded man’s wrist. The cloth carbonized instantly, revealing the skin underneath that was burning and greasy.
“I said -” He grabbed the bearded man’s neck, and the flames went into his throat, “You are the ones who are left alive.”
Amid the screams of the bearded man, Ning Qing poked her head out of the cabin, holding a medicine bottle in her hand: “I found a pocket watch!” She shook the silver watch engraved with an anchor pattern, “There is a note inside, saying ‘Devil Fruit is hidden on Devil Crying Island’.”
Li Xiaofei let go of his hands, and the bearded man collapsed on the deck like a ball of mud.
He took the note. The handwriting was crooked, like a record scribbled before death: “Ghost Crying Island, three days’ voyage to the northeast, there is… there is a guard…”
“Devil’s Crying Island.” He looked up at the horizon, where the clouds were a strange blue-gray. “That’s it.”
Ning Qing squatted down and applied herbs to the burns on the bearded man: “Guess why they are looking for devil fruits?”
“Because of greed.” Li Xiaofei folded the note and put it in his arms, “But this time, we are the greedy ones.”
Three days later, Devil’s Crying Island came into view.
The island is shrouded in thick fog, the reefs on the cliffs pierce the sky like fangs, and the waves hit the reefs, making a sound similar to howling – this is the origin of the “ghost cry”.
“Be careful.” Ning Qing pulled his sleeves tighter, “I smell a rotten smell, there might be a trap.”
The two walked along the beach towards the island when the gravel beneath their feet suddenly moved.
Li Xiaofei suddenly grabbed Ning Qing and threw him to the side, and saw a thorny vine suddenly emerge from the place where he had just stood, and hit the reef with a “snap”, and gravel flew everywhere.
“It’s the man-eating vine.” Ning Qing took out the powder and sprinkled it over. The vine immediately curled up and shrank back into the sand. “I’ve seen it in medical books. It likes shade and retreats when it encounters acid.”
The further you go into the island, the more traps there are.
There are poisonous needles hidden in tree holes, animal traps disguised as wild flowers, and even a seemingly gentle slope, but when you step on it you find it is just a thin layer of soil with sharp rocks underneath.
“We’re here.” Ning Qing pointed to the cave in front of them. There was a crooked skull carved on the top of the cave. “The note said ‘the highest cave’.”
The cave was dark. Li Xiaofei lit a fire, illuminating the marks on the cave wall – all were the names of pirates, and “Don’t touch the fruit” written in blood.
On the stone platform in the center of the cave, there was a dark red fruit. The patterns on its surface looked like burning flames, emitting faint energy fluctuations.
Just as Li Xiaofei was about to reach out to take it, the system panel suddenly flashed wildly: [Rare fruit detected: Boom-Boom Fruit (complete)] [Current fusion plan: Flame-Boom Fruit + Boom-Boom Fruit = Flame-Boom Fruit (first stage, single fusion evolution)]“Be careful!” Ning Qing suddenly grabbed his arm.
There were footsteps outside the cave.
Seven or eight pirates rushed in holding torches, led by a scarred man carrying a huge axe. He was the second mate of the Black Shark Pirates – it was obvious that the bearded man had a backup plan.
“Hand over the fruit!” Scarface pointed his axe at them, “Otherwise I’ll turn you into jerky and hang you on the mast!”
Li Xiaofei protected Ning Qing behind him, flames burning in his left hand, while his right hand reached for the dagger at his waist.
The system prompt exploded in my mind: [Fusion degree reaches the standard, do you want to merge immediately? ]“Fusion.” He muttered to himself.
Two streams of energy surged out from the chest, the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the violence of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit intertwined in the body.
Li Xiaofei felt like a ball of fire exploded in his blood vessels. His vision became unusually clear. He could see the gap on Scarface’s axe blade and hear Ning Qing’s heartbeat quickening due to nervousness.
“Now,” he grinned, flames shooting from his fingertips toward the cave ceiling, “it’s your turn.”
The battle was shorter than expected.
Before Scarface’s axe blade could be chopped down, it was blown into pieces by the fireball.
His men rushed over with knives raised, but when they were within three meters of Li Xiaofei, they were knocked against the wall of the cave by the sudden burst of air.
Ning Qing took the opportunity to sprinkle medicine powder to blind the remaining two people. Li Xiaofei’s flames went up and exploded two small fireballs at their feet – not fatal, but enough to make them lose their combat effectiveness.
“This…what kind of ability is this?” Scarface collapsed on the ground, looking at his burnt right hand, his voice trembling.
Li Xiaofei picked up the Explosive Fruit and took a bite.
The sour juice spread in the mouth, and a new prompt popped up on the system panel: [Fusion successful!
Obtained the Flame Explosion Fruit (first stage, single-fusion evolution)] [Ability: Flame can add explosive properties (power +300%)] [Awakening degree: 20% (evolvable)]Ning Qing squatted down and wiped the juice from the corner of his mouth: “Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt.” He looked at the sky outside the cave. The thick fog had dissipated without him noticing. The sun shone on his body, making him feel warm. “In fact… it’s even stronger.”
When we left Devil’s Crying Island, the setting sun dyed the sea blood red.
The two of them had just rowed half a mile when Ning Qing suddenly pulled his sleeve and said, “Look!”
On the horizon, a warship flying a naval flag was approaching at full speed, and the steel cannon on the bow was flashing a cold light.
“It’s a patrol ship from the navy.” Ning Qing’s voice was filled with nervousness. “Why are they here?”
Li Xiaofei narrowed his eyes.
He could see the bounty floating on the mast of the warship. Although it was far away, the figure holding the fireball in the photo was clearly himself.
The system panel pops up prompts at the appropriate time: [Bounty Update: 30 million Baileys] [Reward: Fusion Solution Library Unlocks New Options (Animal System·Dog-Dog Fruit·Wolf Form)]“Interesting.” He touched the heat flow of the Flame Blast Fruit’s ability flowing through his body, turned his head and smiled at Ning Qing, “It seems that our journey has just begun.”
The warship’s whistle was getting closer and closer, and at the end of the horizon, more turbulent waves were waiting.
Chapter 5: First Encounter with the Navy (Old Version)
The setting sun dyed the dock a honey color, and Li Xiaofei’s wooden boat also landed at this time.
Ning Qing jumped down holding his arm, and the soles of his boots rolled over a few pieces of broken shells, making a slight sound.
“Let’s go to a nearby pub first.” Li Xiaofei wiped the salty sweat from his face, the heat from the Flame Blast Fruit still flowing in his blood vessels.
Although the small group of pirates he encountered at sea just now was dealt with, he still felt a tightness on the back of his neck – the warship flying the naval flag did not appear by chance.
The wooden door of the pub was pushed open with a creaky sound, and the aroma of malt mixed with the sweet smell of rum poured out.
The tavern owner was bending over to wipe the counter. He looked up when he heard the noise, and his white beard trembled: “Is it you?” He glanced at the scorch marks on Li Xiaofei’s sleeves that had not been burned clean in time, his eyes suddenly narrowed, and he quickly walked around and closed the door.
“Keep your voice down.” The old man lowered his voice, his calloused hands pressed on the counter, “Captain Edmund has been patrolling these waters with three patrol ships for three days.” He fished out a wrinkled bounty from under the counter, the one with Li Xiaofei holding the fireball, “This guy was promoted to captain last month, and he’s eager to climb up the ladder with his achievements. I heard that he personally chases pirates with bounties over 10 million.”
Ning Qing clenched the medicine bag around his waist.
She could feel Li Xiaofei’s shoulders and back tense slightly, like a wolf ready to pounce.
“What does his ship look like?” Li Xiaofei’s voice was soft, but it was burning hot.
The tavern owner leaned closer and said, “It has a black mast, a golden eagle carved on the bow, and two new steel cannons on the deck.
That guy wields a silver-plated long sword, and it is said that he killed seven pirate groups in Rogue Town—”
“That’s enough.” Li Xiaofei interrupted him, tapping the counter unconsciously with his fingertips.
The system panel floated on the retina, and the newly unlocked Dog-Dog Fruit fusion plan flashed blue light.
He recalled how the aftermath of the fire explosion during the battle against the pirates had caused his palms to go numb – if he could integrate animal-type enhanced physical skills, perhaps he could fill this gap.
“Are you going to take the initiative to find him?” Ning Qing suddenly asked.
Her eyes glowed coldly in the dim light, but it was not a question, but a confirmation.
Li Xiaofei turned to look at her.
The girl’s hair was still stained with sea water, and her brows were slightly furrowed in worry, but deep in her eyes there was the same fire beating as his – that was the light in her eyes when he first released the Pyrobomb Fruit in the cave on Devil’s Cry Island.
“The system prompts that the fusion of the Dog-Dog Fruit requires a complete fruit or the heart of a user with special abilities.” He whispered, his knuckles gently touching the back of her hand, “Edmund’s ship may have what I need.
“And I want to try how far I can go now.”
He smiled, revealing some of the sharpness of youth.
Ning Qing was silent for a moment, then took out a celadon bottle from her medicine bag and pushed it over: “This is a medicine for reducing swelling. Apply it on your joints to relieve the pain after the flames have gone out of control.” Her fingers brushed across the unhealed burn on his palm. “We’re going to train on the beach tonight. I’ll help you keep an eye on it.”
As the moonlight climbed above the coconut trees, a cluster of orange-red flames rose on the beach.
Li Xiaofei knelt on one knee in the wet sand with his forehead resting on his knee.
The continuous explosions just now made his lungs feel like they were immersed in boiling water. The awakening degree on the system panel jumped from 20% to 23%, but the “insufficient physical and technical compatibility” in the prompt sound was like a thorn in his nerves.
“Breathe in and use your abdominal strength.” Ning Qing’s voice came from behind.
She was holding a pile of coconut trunks tied with vines and said, “Fire is your weapon, but your body is the handle.” As she said that, she swung a trunk over. Li Xiaofei instinctively turned sideways, and the trunk brushed past his ear and fell into the sand, raising a white mist.
He suddenly laughed.
When picking up the tree trunk, his fingertips touched the cotton wool that Ning Qing had specially wrapped around it – to prevent him from gripping it too hard and causing the wound to burst.
For the next two hours, muffled noises continued to be heard on the beach.
Li Xiaofei learned to wrap his fists with flames and detonate them the moment he swung them. He also tried to control the jet of flames while jumping, allowing his body to draw more tricky arcs in the air.
Ning Qing held up a broken copper basin as a timer. He blew a whistle every quarter of an hour and threw a cloth soaked in salt water.
“Pay attention to the end!” She suddenly raised her voice.
Li Xiaofei was about to kick the last tree trunk with the Fire Blast Kick, but he staggered two steps due to the shift in his center of gravity.
When he steadied himself, he found that the tree trunk had been blown into pieces, and half of a burnt pocket watch was embedded in the wood chips – it was Ning Qing who had put it there quietly.
“Too slow to react.” She stood in the moonlight with her arms folded, but the corners of her mouth curled up, “But it’s 0.3 seconds faster than half an hour ago.”
The system panel pops up prompts at the right time: [Physical skills compatibility increased to 45%] [Pyroblast Fruit awakening degree +5%]The sea breeze suddenly changed direction, bringing with it a salty and damp smell.
Ning Qing’s nose twitched and he looked up suddenly: “There’s a boat!”
The back of Li Xiaofei’s neck tensed instantly.
He looked at the dark shadow on the sea level that cut through the night sky, the black mast, the golden eagle bow, and the steel cannons on the deck that glowed with cold light – it was exactly the same as the description.
“Edmund.” He licked his dry lips, and the heat from the Pyroblast Fruit surged in his blood vessels like a war drum.
When the warship’s whistle pierced the night sky, Li Xiaofei was already standing at the bow.
Ning Qing stood behind him, with a medicine bag filled with sleeping pills and hemostatic powder, and her fingers quietly hooked on his belt – this was the secret signal they agreed on: if the situation was not right, she would pull it three times, and they would run away quickly.
“Hands up!
You are surrounded!” The voice from the loudspeaker sounded metallic.
On the deck, a man in a neat navy uniform slowly straightened up, his silver-plated sword drawing a cold arc in the moonlight.
He had a hooked nose and a crescent-shaped scar under his left eye. It was Edmund.
“Li Xiaofei, a criminal with a bounty of 30 million Baileys.” Edmund’s voice was like a knife tempered with ice. “Surrender obediently and put your hands behind your head. I can let you die with dignity.”
Li Xiaofei smiled.
He snapped his fingers, and a ball of dancing flames rose from his fingertips.
The flame was pure red at first, then it emitted an orange-yellow halo – this was the unique precursor to the explosion of the Flame Blast Fruit.
“Come and catch me,” he said.
When the first shell flew over, Li Xiaofei’s flames had already enveloped the entire wooden boat.
The blast caused the sea water to boil, but he used a fire barrier to block it three meters away.
The soldiers rushed over with rifles raised, and the bullets hit the flame barrier, like iron filings thrown into a furnace, and turned into green smoke with a “hiss”.
Edmund drew his sword.
The moment the silver light cut through the flames, Li Xiaofei felt like he was hit in the chest by a heavy hammer.
Only then did he see clearly that the opponent’s sword was not made of ordinary metal – the sword was wrapped with imperceptible armament color domineering, like a layer of transparent armor, isolating the heat from the burning flames.
“A natural ability user?” Edmund’s scar twisted with a sneer on his face. “Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many idiots who were restrained by Armament Haki.”
The sword stabbed again, but this time Li Xiaofei did not take it head-on.
He rolled sideways, flames exploding beneath his feet, and he slammed into Edmund like a cannonball.
The navy captain didn’t expect that he would give up his elemental transformation, and hurriedly raised his sword to block, but was knocked back three steps, and the heel of his boot plowed two deep grooves on the deck.
“Physical skills?” Edmund’s pupils shrank into needle points.
Only then did he notice that the opponent’s movements were as agile as a wolf – the roll just now was clearly a characteristic of an animal-type ability user.
“No, it’s fusion.” Li Xiaofei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
When they collided just now, the sword blade still scratched his shoulder, but the prompt on the system panel made his heart beat faster: [Armament color contact detected, Pyroblast Fruit awakening degree +10%] [Gained passive skill: Flame Hardening (can temporarily resist Armament color attacks)]The next second, a ball of purple flame rose from his palm – that was the color that appeared after the Flame Blast Fruit was awakened.
When Edmund’s sword came at him, he did not dodge, but met it with force.
At the moment the flames collided with the armed color, purple flames suddenly exploded. The huge impact force blew the navy captain away and broke the railings on the side of the ship.
“This is impossible…” Edmund lay on the broken wood boards, his sword falling at his feet.
He looked at his burnt uniform and the charred skin on his shoulders, “You are obviously only a natural science major…”
Li Xiaofei stepped on his wrist, flames dancing on his fingertips: “With me, there is no ‘just’.”
The system prompt sounded in my mind: [Defeat Navy Captain Edmund and get reward: Dog-Dog Fruit·Wolf Form (Complete)] [Fusion Degree +20%] [Bounty Update: 50 million Baileys]Ning Qing’s hand suddenly tugged at his belt – three times.
Li Xiaofei turned his head suddenly.
Under the moonlight, at the end of the sea level, three mast lights are breaking through the waves, like three pairs of eyes glowing with cold light.
“Let’s go.” He bent down and picked up Edmund’s sword, lifted Ning Qing’s waist and jumped like a boat.
Behind me came the roar of a warship exploding, and flames spread like a bloody carpet on the sea, but even more piercing was the sound of the whistle getting closer and closer.
Li Xiaofei heard Ning Qing say in his ear: “They are catching up.”
He looked at the system panel, and the fusion plan of the Dog-Dog Fruit was flashing an attractive red light.
“Then let them chase you.” He chuckled, and the flames rose again in his palms. “I want to see how many of them can catch up with me.”
Chapter 6 The Old Fisherman on the Reef (Old Version)
The moonlight shattered into silver scales on the sea. Li Xiaofei held Ning Qing’s waist with one hand. He controlled the boat according to his memory, imitating Ace.
From time to time, sea water would pour into the wound on his left shoulder, causing a burning pain. He could clearly hear Ning Qing’s rapid breathing – her fingers were digging into his collar tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh.
“How far is it?” Ning Qing’s voice was filled with anxiety.
Li Xiaofei turned his head and caught a glimpse of three mast lights flickering at the edge of his vision, like three will-o’-the-wisp fires that could pounce on him at any time.
He estimated the speed of the pursuers, and his Adam’s apple moved: “There is a group of reefs two miles to the east. Their warships can’t get in.”
Before he could finish his words, the whistling sound of artillery shells tearing through the air was heard in the distance.
A shell exploded five meters to their right, and a column of water wrapped in some debris fell on their heads.
Ning Qing suddenly closed his eyes, and Li Xiaofei accelerated again at the moment the water splashed.
When the outline of the reefs finally emerged into view, Ning Qing’s nails had already left bloody marks on his back.
The two of them rode the waves onto a reef covered with barnacles. As soon as Li Xiaofei put Ning Qing down, she staggered and held onto the reef and began to vomit – the sea water mixed with gastric juice left turbid marks on the reef.
Li Xiaofei wiped the water off his face and bent down to check her ankle.
The wound caused by the wood splinters when diving was still bleeding. He untied his belt to bandage her, but Ning Qing grabbed her wrist.
“Take care of yourself first.” Her voice was trembling, but her fingers were surprisingly steady. “The wound on your left shoulder has been soaked in sea water. It will get infected if it stays for a long time.”
Under the moonlight, Li Xiaofei could see his wound clearly – a deep gap that could see the bone extending from the clavicle to the shoulder blade. The violent movement just now had dyed half of his chest red with blood.
He was about to say “It’s okay” when Ning Qing pulled out an oil paper bag from his arms. Inside was dried herbs and thick thread. “This is what’s left over from treating old John’s harpoon injury last month. Bear with it.”
The moment the suture needle pierced into the flesh, Li Xiaofei’s back arched.
He stared at Ning Qing’s drooping eyelashes – the tip of her nose was oozing with sweat, and she had to hold her breath every time she sewed a stitch.
The muffled sound of a warship’s whistle came from afar, and he suddenly smiled: “You are more skillful than a naval doctor.”
“That’s because…” Ning Qing paused, “My father taught me.”
The sea breeze blew over the rocks with salty and humid air, and their conversation was interrupted by a cough.
“The little kids are really good at running.”
When the old fisherman emerged from behind the reef, Li Xiaofei’s flame had already risen in his palm.
But the other party just slowly put down the fish basket on his shoulder, revealing a few bluefin tuna still thrashing inside: “I have been fishing on this island for 30 years, and I know the movements of the reefs better than my own backyard.
The commotion you guys just made even my old seabirds fly away.
His face was blown by the sea breeze like a piece of old bark, and there were salt grains embedded in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, but he had a pair of surprisingly bright eyes.
Ning Qing quickly put away the needle and thread, and Li Xiaofei also suppressed the fire – there was no hostility in the other party’s breath, but instead a kind of calmness that came from having experienced many storms.
“If you need help, my shabby fishing hut can serve you for one night.” The old fisherman bent down to pick up the fish basket, “It’s better than feeding crabs on the rocks.”
The fishing hut was small, with a palm-leaf roof and faded nautical charts and rusty harpoons hanging on the walls.
When Ning Qing took out the old fisherman’s medicine box to treat his wound again, Li Xiaofei noticed that there was half a box of rum piled in the corner, with the words “West Sea Baltimore Chamber of Commerce” printed on the box – that was a smuggling brand that was active on the Grand Route thirty years ago.
“You used to be… a sailor?” he asked tentatively.
The old fisherman was cooking fish soup on the stove. When he heard this, his hands trembled and the soup spoon hit the edge of the iron pot. “I was a soldier.” He turned his back to the two of them and suddenly lowered his voice, “I was a navy soldier.”
Ning Qing paused.
However, Li Xiaofei sensed a familiar tension in these two words—like the smoldering fire in his chest every time he thought of his parents.
“The navy is looking for a guy right now.” The old fisherman suddenly turned around, staring at Li Xiaofei with his cloudy eyes. “A reward of 50 million Baileys is offered. They say he killed Captain Edmund and blew up the warship. The man in the portrait looks 70% like you.”
The aroma of the fish soup spread throughout the room, but it couldn’t cover up the sound of Ning Qing gasping.
Li Xiaofei felt the wound getting hot, not because of pain, but because of excitement.
He looked at the old fisherman’s calloused hands and suddenly smiled: “So you want to hand me over to the navy in exchange for a reward?”
The old fisherman picked up a soup spoon and tapped his forehead: “When I was working in the navy, my boss asked me to wipe out a pirate group that protected civilians.
I didn’t. When I was kicked out of the army, the captain of that pirate group was stuffing the last child into the lifeboat.” He scooped a bowl of soup and stuffed it into Li Xiaofei’s hand, “The navy now… is no different from the past.”
I saw Li Xiaofei standing next to me, he had already finished his third bowl of fish soup.
When Ning Qing dozed off against the wall, the old fisherman took out a rolled-up sea chart and spread it on the table: “Want to go to the Grand Route?
This map was drawn when I followed the merchant caravan on the route. It shows the weak points of the doldrums and a few gaps for naval patrols. He poked the red dot on the chart with the tip of his harpoon. “But after you pass the Upside-Down Mountain, there won’t be such a nice old man to show you the way.”
For the next three days, Li Xiaofei trained on the rocky beach.
He was shirtless and let Ning Qing whip him with a whip soaked in sea water – the pain of the Armament Haki could stimulate the awakening of the Flame Blast Fruit. The numbers on the system panel jumped every day: [Fusion degree 35%] [Flame hardening (intermediate): can resist lieutenant general-level Armament Haki for 3 seconds].
When he tried to merge the wolf form of the Dog-Dog Fruit with the Pyrobomb Fruit, dark red scales appeared on the surface of his skin and the flames at his fingertips screamed like a wolf’s howl.
Ning Qing squatted on the reef and recorded: “During the third fusion, the flame temperature increased by 20%, but the maintenance time was shortened to 17 seconds.” Her notebook was filled with data.
Early in the morning of the day they left, the old fisherman stuffed half a bag of biscuits and two barrels of fresh water into their small boat.
He wrapped the sea chart in three layers of oil paper and stuffed it into Ning Qing’s arms solemnly: “When you get to Whiskey Peak, find the tavern owner named ‘Old Cripple’. He has a map to the Sky Island.”
When Li Xiaofei untied the rope, the old fisherman suddenly patted him on the shoulder and said, “The 50 million reward… is not a shackle.” He looked at the sea level in the distance, which was dyed golden by the morning glow, and said, “It’s a signpost.”
When the boat sailed away from the reefs, Ning Qing opened the nautical chart.
Next to the weak point of the doldrums marked by the old fisherman, there was a small triangle circled in red pen, with a line of faded small words written next to it: Baron Musketeer once stayed here.
Li Xiaofei’s fingers gently stroked the line of words, and the sea breeze lifted the loose hair on his forehead.
The system prompt sounded in my mind: [Important clues detected, fusion degree +5%] [Trigger hidden task: Find the footprints of Baron Musketeer]He turned to look at Ning Qing, who was looking at the red triangle on the nautical chart, his eyelashes casting tiny shadows in the sunlight.
Chapter 7 Mysterious Relics (Old Version)
On the first day when the boat cut through the waves, Li Xiaofei couldn’t help looking back.
The old fisherman’s rock house had long been out of sight, but the small words on the nautical chart, “Baron Musketeer stayed here,” were still echoing in his mind.
The fusion degree of the system panel stopped at 40%, and the prompt of the hidden task was like a thin needle, plucking the skin on the back of his neck again and again – that was the mark of his father, which made his heart beat faster than any devil fruit.
“The water temperature has dropped.” Ning Qing’s voice came from the stern.
She knelt down beside the pile of fresh water barrels, her fingertips dipped in the sea water, the ends of her hair stained with salty mist, “The wind smelled of rust.”
Li Xiaofei sniffed.
Indeed, the wind that originally carried the fragrance of seaweed now had a metallic fishy smell.
“Things are going to change.” They both spoke almost at the same time.
Before he finished speaking, a silver snake suddenly appeared in the sky.
When the first drop of rain hit the side of the ship, Ning Qing had already rushed towards the rope.
Her fingers were covered with calluses from years of holding the pestle, and she quickly tied the spare canvas to the mast to reinforce it.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow of the ship. The power of the Flame Blast Fruit and the Dog-Dog Fruit intertwined in his blood vessels. Dark red scales appeared on the surface of his skin, and flames ran through the gaps between the scales to form a translucent barrier.
“Hold on!” he shouted over his shoulder.
Ning Qing had just grabbed the copper ring on the edge of the boat when a wave as high as two people hit him.
The boat was like a crushed leaf.
Li Xiaofei’s barrier was twisted into a blood-red dome in the waves. The salty sea water poured in along the edge of the barrier and wet his trouser legs.
Ning Qing’s skirt was blown up by the waves. She gritted her teeth, took out hemostatic powder from her waist and sprinkled it on the bottom of the boat – not to stop the bleeding, but because the powder would coagulate into glue when it came into contact with water, which could give the slippery wooden board more friction.
“The degree of fusion increased by 2%!” The system prompt sounded mixed with thunder.
Li Xiaofei felt that the flame barrier suddenly became more resilient. The defense that could only last for half an hour originally became more stable in the heavy rain.
He turned to look at Ning Qing. The girl’s hair tie had untied at some point, and her wet hair stuck to her pale face. But she was still using her other hand to write down in the leather notebook she carried with her: “Under heavy rain, the defense strength of the fusion form is +15%, and the energy consumption rate is -10% – maybe it’s related to humidity?”
“Ning Qing!” Li Xiaofei suddenly raised his voice.
He caught an unusual roar – not the sound of waves, but the whistling of something hard tearing through the air.
Almost instinctively, he pulled Ning Qing and rolled towards the stern of the boat.
The next second, a rusty anchor smashed through the place where they were just now. Amid the flying wood chips, a few edges of the black sails brushed past Li Xiaofei’s nose.
“Black Sail…Wolf Head.” Ning Qing wiped the rain off his face, his voice trembling.
She pointed to the silhouette of a boat slowly emerging from the waves – it was the black sailing ship with a wolf-head figurehead that the old fisherman had seen in the distance when he said goodbye three days ago.
“They are catching up.” Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into wolf-like vertical lines.
He could smell an even stronger smell of rust on the wind—the smell of blood, mixed with some kind of rotten odor.
A warning suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Remnants of the B-rank pirate group Blood Wolf have been detected. Captain Hook Rogue has a bounty of 28 million Baileys and is good at using poisonous weapons.]“Poison?” Ning Qing’s eyes suddenly lit up.
She quickly took out a few ceramic bottles from the medicine box and sprinkled the dark green powder on the side of the boat. “If their weapons are poisoned, my 100 Dissolve can neutralize 70% of the poison.”
Another wave hit, cutting off her words in the wind.
Five ropes were thrown down from the black sailing ship, and six pirates wearing wolf-head masks slid down the ropes.
The leading man was missing half of his ear, and in his left hand was a shiny iron hook with dark green liquid dripping from the tip.
“Brat, hand over the chart.” Ironhook Roger’s voice was like a rusty gear. “Old Cripple said that two kids took the marked chart—” His iron hook suddenly swept towards the oilcloth bag in Ning Qing’s arms, “That’s it!”
Li Xiaofei stood in front of Ning Qing.
The flames of the Pyroblast Fruit condensed into wolf claws at his fingertips, and the animalization of the Dog-Dog Fruit made his muscles sharper. “Want it?” He pulled the corner of his mouth, “You have to get past me first.”
The battle was more intense than expected.
Hook Roger’s hook was covered with poisonous mist, and every swing left a burn mark in the air; his men held poison-coated daggers, the blades glowing a strange blue.
Ning Qing hid behind a wooden barrel at the stern of the ship and scattered the prepared antidote powder onto the battlefield. The moment two pirates stepped on the powder, green smoke suddenly came out of the wooden planks under their feet, and they staggered and fell in pain.
“It’s wood-corroding powder!” Ning Qing winked at Li Xiaofei, “I modified it. It can corrode the structure of wooden boats. Their anchor is still hanging on our boat. Wait…”
Li Xiaofei understood immediately.
He deliberately exposed a flaw, allowing the hook of Iron Hook Roger to cut his left arm.
The moment the blood oozed out, his flaming wolf form suddenly went berserk—the flames beneath his skin were no longer dark red, but burned with a blinding golden glow, and the flames on the wolf’s claws even ignited the poisonous mist on the iron hook.
“This is impossible!” Hook Rogue retreated in panic, “It’s impossible with an ordinary Flame-Flame Fruit—”
“Because they are fused.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was like a wolf’s howl.
His wolf claw pierced the opponent’s right shoulder, and the flames rushed into the pirate’s body along the wound. “Now, it’s your turn to experience the feeling of having your internal organs burned through.”
The rainstorm just stopped when the last pirate fell into the water.
Ning Qing emerged from behind the barrel, her hair still dripping with water, but she was already recording: “The Flame Wolf fusion form awakens new features during combat: flames can neutralize low-level toxins; Iron Hook Rogue’s poisonous attacks reduce damage to the fusion form by 40%—” She suddenly paused and looked up at Li Xiaofei, “Your wound?”
Only then did Li Xiaofei notice the scar on his left arm.
The wound, which should have been deep enough to see the bone, was now healing at a speed visible to the naked eye – it was the fusion effect of the animal-based regenerative ability of the Dog-Dog Fruit and the high temperature-accelerated cell activity of the Pyroblast Fruit.
The system prompt sounded at the right time: [Fusion degree increased to 48%, unlocking the “Flame Wolf Regeneration” feature: basic recovery speed × 1.5, flame burning can accelerate healing]“Profit.” He grinned.
At this time, Ning Qing suddenly pointed to the distance.
On the sea level after the storm, an island shrouded in morning mist is slowly emerging.
The reefs at the edge of the island are covered with corals, and in the deeper jungle, the outline of some kind of stone building can be vaguely seen – it looks very much like the mysterious ruins in the legendary Great Route.
“There is no mark on the map.” Ning Qing flipped open the sea chart given by the old fisherman and tapped the blank space with his fingertips, “But…you smell it.”
In addition to the salty smell of the sea water, there was also a familiar scent in the wind – that was the smell that could only be found in places with strong devil fruit energy.
The system panel suddenly vibrated, and a new prompt popped up: [High-concentration fruit energy reaction detected, triggering exploration mission: Uncover the secrets of the mysterious island]“Do you want to go up?” Ning Qing’s eyes were as bright as stars.
Li Xiaofei touched the nautical chart in his arms.
He hadn’t found any trace of his father yet, but the island before him clearly contained something that could make him stronger.
He bent down to pick up the iron hook that Ironhook Roger had dropped, roasted the poison off it with a flame, and handed it to Ning Qing: “Take it for self-defense.” Then he turned and walked towards the oars, “Dock.”
The morning mist just dissipated when the boat stopped by the coral reef.
The whole picture of the island appeared before the two people: among the lush jungle, half of a stone tower poked out from the treetops, and the tower was engraved with ancient characters that they had never seen before.
At the foot of the stone tower, there is a stone door half-hidden in vines, with a faint blue light shining from inside the door – as if some kind of energy stone is glowing.
“That is…” Ning Qing’s voice trembled.
“Let’s go in and take a look.” Li Xiaofei clenched his fists.
The flame of the Pyrobomb Fruit danced in the palm of his hand, roasting the surrounding mist into tiny water droplets.
He could feel that the degree of fusion on the system panel was slowly rising – not because of the battle, but because behind the door in front of him was a more powerful force that he had never encountered before.
When the two people’s footprints stepped on the land of the island for the first time, a slight “click” sound suddenly came from inside the stone gate.
Chapter 8 Absorbing the Energy of the Relics (Old Version)
The morning mist was baked by the flames into fine water droplets, which flowed down Li Xiaofei’s eyelashes.
He stared at the chain coiled around the stone door, his knuckles turning white from the strain – the chain was bluish, not ordinary metal, and he could smell a burnt smell when he got close, as if it had been tempered by the energy of a devil fruit.
“It’s seastone.” Ning Qing suddenly said, and his fingertips lightly touched the chain.
Her fingertips were red as she pulled her hand back, “The temperature is wrong. It’s colder than ice.”
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank slightly.
Seastone can suppress the power of devil fruits, but the system just indicated that there is a high concentration of fruit energy here… An orange-red flame rose from his palm, and most of the heat from the Pyroblast Fruit was absorbed the moment it touched the chain, and the flame shrank to the size of a bean.
The system prompt sounded in my mind: [Seastone lock detected, requiring fusion fruit energy to break through.
The current fusion degree is 48%. It is recommended to use the “Flame Wolf Regeneration” feature to assist.]The scar on my left wrist is still itchy, that’s the regenerative ability of the Dog-Dog Fruit at work.
He pressed his left hand on the chain, and a tingling heat flowed through his skin. The high temperature of the explosion penetrated through the cracks in the regenerated cells and penetrated into the veins of the seastone like a vine.
“Click.”
The first break was gentle.
Ning Qing looked up suddenly and saw spider-web-like cracks on the surface of the chain, and the faint blue halo was fading.
Li Xiaofei’s forehead was covered with cold sweat, but he laughed even harder: “I have to melt the seastone too.”
When the second crack occurred, the entire stone gate was shaking.
The vines rustled down from the cracks in the stone, revealing a dark corridor behind the door.
A faint blue light emerged from deeper inside, illuminating the two people’s shadows so that they looked like ghosts.
“Wait.” Ning Qing grabbed his sleeve.
Her fingertips were shaking, but she still raised the brass lamp she had brought from the ship. “I smell rust.”
Li Xiaofei’s nose moved.
Indeed, in addition to the sulfur, there was also a sweet fishy smell – like blood that had been soaked in the stone for hundreds of years.
He took out the short knife from his waist, and just as the blade entered the passage, he heard a crisp “ding” sound.
A bronze crossbow arrow brushed against the back of a knife and got nailed to the wall, the arrowhead still buzzing.
“Trap.” They said in unison.
The walls on both sides of the corridor suddenly cracked into countless small holes, and black arrows protruded from them.
Ning Qing pulled Li Xiaofei to the side, and his back hit the wet stone wall.
Her fingers groped in the cracks in the wall and suddenly touched a raised relief – it was an Ouroboros with a shallow indentation where the snake’s eye should be.
“Fire!” she yelled. Li Xiaofei immediately gathered the flame into a thin stream and shot it accurately into the indentation of the snake’s eye.
The sound of the mechanism turning came from underground.
The crossbow hole slowly closed, but the ground began to shake.
Ning Qing stared at the gap between the bluestone slabs under his feet, and suddenly pulled Li Xiaofei to jump onto the stone pier next to him: “Don’t step on it!”
Before he could finish his words, the place where they had just stood cracked with a “bang”, and three bronze spikes broke out of the ground, with dark brown mucus hanging from the tips.
“Poison.” Ning Qing pursed his lips, took out a medicine bag from his waist and sprinkled a handful of powder.
The spikes met powder and emitted green smoke, “Ancient relics often used snake venom to soak weapons.”
Li Xiaofei’s palms were full of sweat.
He watched Ning Qing bending over to examine the stone wall, her hair stained with moss fragments, and suddenly remembered the first time he saw her in Kekoyasi Village – at that time, she was squatting in a pool of blood to stop the bleeding of an old man, and she was also so focused.
“Come here.” Ning Qing waved.
There was a star map engraved on the stone wall in front of her, and the positions of three stars were polished to a shine.
She pressed the three stars in order, and the stone bricks above her head suddenly flipped over, revealing a hole that was only wide enough for one person to pass through.
“The altar should be up there.” She looked up, her eyes brightening dramatically. “I counted the steps. From the stone tower outside the island to here, it’s exactly the wheelbase of the ‘Tree of Life’ in the star map.”
Li Xiaofei climbed up first.
The wind from the cave entrance carried a stronger smell of sulfur, and when his toes touched the ground, he was shocked.
This is a dome-shaped hall with glowing energy stones embedded in the walls, illuminating the space like daylight.
In the center is a stone altar, on which is placed a dark blue gem the size of a pigeon egg, with galaxy-like patterns flowing on its surface.
The gem was surrounded by runes. He had never seen those words before, but he felt inexplicably familiar with them, like a code engraved in his soul.
“System!” he shouted in his mind.
[Ancient fruit energy core detected, can be fused to increase fruit strength. Do you want to absorb it? ]“absorb!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the gem suddenly floated up from the ground.
A faint blue light wrapped around Li Xiaofei’s wrist, and he felt a boiling liquid rushing up through his blood vessels, burning from his heart to his fingertips.
The animal pattern of the Dog-Dog Fruit appeared on his arm, entangled with the fire pattern of the Flame Explosion and climbed up his neck. The two energies actually began to jump and blend under the skin.
“Xiao Fei!” Ning Qing rushed over to help him, but was bounced back by a fire barrier.
She watched his pupils turn into a dark blue, and fiery red scales appeared at the end of his eyes. Her voice trembled: “Are…are you okay?”
Li Xiaofei was breathing heavily, and the system panel was jumping wildly in front of his eyes: [Fusion degree +12%, currently 60%!
Unlock the second-order twin stage!
The Pyroblast Fruit evolves into the “Star Flame Fruit”: the flame has a space-tearing effect; the Dog-Dog Fruit evolves into the “Star Wolf Fruit”: the beast form can control the gravity of the energy stone]A new prompt pops up below: [Awakening skill “Star Flame Shield”: Generates a flame barrier with energy stone as the core, which can absorb 50% of physical/energy attacks and convert them into its own energy]He suddenly laughed out loud, raised his hand and summoned, the energy stone on the altar “swooshed” into the shield, and blue light flowed on the surface of the barrier like a living thing.
Ning Qing reached out and touched the shield, and felt a warm touch on his fingertips, but no burning sensation.
“This is…” She widened her eyes.
“It can be used as a defense and a power bank.” Li Xiaofei moved his wrists, feeling that he had endless energy in his body. “Now, even if we are bombarded by the navy’s cannons, we can bounce back.”
Before he finished speaking, heavy breathing was suddenly heard from outside the cave.
“Boss! Those two brats must be in there, I smell them!”
“Shut up!”
Another hoarse voice said, “They can’t run away.”
Li Xiaofei’s smile froze instantly.
He dragged Ning Qing to hide behind the altar, and through the reflection of the energy stone he saw shadowy figures outside the cave – at least seven or eight people, wearing torn leather armor, with scimitars on their waists, and the fat man in the lead had a necklace made of gold teeth around his neck.
“Pirates.” Ning Qing’s voice turned cold, “We are being followed.”
“Blame me.” Li Xiaofei clenched his fists, and the Star Flame Shield condensed into a blue ball of light in his palms. “The flame was too bright when melting the seastone just now. We might have been discovered.”
From outside the cave came the sound of iron scraping against the stone wall.
The fat man’s voice got closer: “Smash it for me!
Smash this broken rock, I’m going to dig out that kid’s heart and liver to eat with wine! “
“Let’s go.” Li Xiaofei pulled Ning Qing and ran in another direction.
The entrance they came from had been blocked, so they could only go through the secret door on the other side of the hall.
Ning Qing took out a medicine bag and sprinkled out a handful of white powder. The powder exploded into smoke when it came into contact with the air, temporarily blocking the pursuers’ sight.
“How long can the shield last?” Ning Qing asked while running.
“I don’t know.” Li Xiaofei’s back was covered with cold sweat, but his eyes were bright as if they were burning. “But I can beat ten people now.”
Behind the secret door is a narrow escape passage with stone steps covered with moss.
Just as they ran three steps, they heard a loud bang behind them – the fat man split the stone door open with an axe.
“Little guy! Don’t run–“
Li Xiaofei turned around suddenly, and the Star Flame Shield unfolded in front of him.
The fat man’s axe hit the shield, emitting a dazzling blue light.
Ripples appeared on the surface of the shield, which actually absorbed all the force of the axe, and then bounced back with a “buzz”.
The fat man was blown away with a scream, and hit the stone wall and fainted.
The other pirates were stunned for a moment, then rushed forward with swords raised.
Blue flames danced on Li Xiaofei’s fingertips, and each flame tore tiny spatial cracks in the air – this was the new ability of the Star Flame Fruit, which could deviate the attack trajectory.
In less than half a minute, all seven pirates fell to the ground.
Li Xiaofei kicked away the last one who was still twitching and dragged Ning Qing out of the cave.
The morning mist had dissipated, but their small boat was still tied to the coral reef, and the waves beat against the side of the boat, as if urging them to die.
“Hurry!” Ning Qing jumped onto the boat and grabbed the oar.
Li Xiaofei was about to catch up when he suddenly stopped – he looked back at the ruins. The stone tower was blue-gray in the sunlight, like a sleeping giant beast.
The system prompt sounded again: [It is detected that the core energy of the ruins has not been completely absorbed. It is recommended to bring more fruits to fuse and explore next time]He touched his chest, where the warmth of the gem still lingered.
The moment the oars cut through the water, he heard a low horn sound coming from the distance – it was a larger fleet.
The boat cut through the waves, leaving the ruins behind.
When Li Xiaofei looked back, he saw the vines on the top of the stone tower suddenly shaking violently, as if something was waking up from a deep sleep.
Behind the reef that they could not see, three large ships flying the black skull flag were slowly approaching the shore. The dull sound of the iron anchors hitting the coral reefs mixed with the sound of the waves.
Chapter 9 Red Crown Atama (Old Version)
The morning mist dissipated faster than expected. When Li Xiaofei’s toes just touched the side of the boat, the salty and humid sea breeze wrapped in the smell of rust filled his nostrils.
His eyes were always glued to the reef area at the rear, where the outlines of three large ships with black skull flags were emerging from the fog. The skull eye holes carved on the prows glowed coldly, like three pairs of eyes staring at prey.
“They discovered us.” Ning Qing suddenly said in a low voice.
Her forehead was covered in sweat and her hair was dripping with water, but she still maintained a lookout posture – she had just sprinkled the last handful of love powder in the medicine bag into the wind, and was now using the direction of the sea breeze to identify the enemy’s whereabouts.
Li Xiaofei knew it without even looking.
He could hear the sound of oars becoming clearer and clearer, and could feel the growing malice in the air – that was the ruthlessness unique to pirates, the brutality of treating other people’s lives as worthless.
The system panel was flashing, and the number [Fusion Degree: 18%] was blindingly red, reminding him that he had currently only fused the Flame-Flame Fruit with the Star Fire Energy absorbed from the core of the ruins, and was far from being able to withstand a large group of pirates.
“The fire reserve is enough for three large-scale attacks.” He licked his dry lips and pressed his right hand on his chest.
There was still warmth from the relic gemstone, which was what the system called “core energy”. It was now flowing through his blood vessels into his limbs and bones, causing his fingertips to flicker with blue flames uncontrollably. “The first attack must be delayed as long as possible.”
“Wait until they get within 30 meters.” Ning Qing’s oars suddenly stopped, the boat rose high with the waves, and then slammed heavily into the wave valley. “The direction of the tide has changed. It’s now fifteen degrees to the left!” There was a fierceness in her voice, as if she was fighting with the waves, and also as if she was fighting with fate – three days ago, when the Arlong Pirates massacred the Cocoa Village, she also used this tone to bandage the villagers’ wounds, but at that time she was holding cotton wool in her hand, and now it’s a paddle.
Thirty meters.
This number exploded in Li Xiaofei’s mind.
He could see the figurehead of the first pirate ship, a shark with a bloody mouth and half a piece of bloodstained cloth hanging from its teeth.
There were more than a dozen pirates holding grappling hooks standing on the deck of the ship. The scarred man in the lead was holding a telescope. The moment he saw them, the telescope was crushed in his palm with a “click”.
“Give me your life, you little bastard!” The scarred man’s roar mixed with the sound of waves hit his ears.
Almost at the same time, several iron spears with barbs came through the air.
“Now!” Ning Qing suddenly screamed.
Li Xiaofei raised his right hand suddenly.
A dark blue flame gushed out from between his fingers, condensing into a fire python in mid-air, which accurately wrapped around the sail ropes of the nearest pirate ship.
The fire python exploded the moment it touched the canvas, and flames of red gold and dark blue leaped up the mast like a living thing, engulfing the entire sail in the blink of an eye.
The pirates’ screams pierced the sky. Some of them jumped into the sea with their arms on fire, while others used wooden buckets to scoop water to put out the fire. However, the flames became more intense when meeting the water, and with a “sizzling” sound, a hole was burned in the wooden barrel.
“It’s the Flame-Flame Fruit!” someone shouted.
The remaining two pirate ships paused, but only for a moment. The scarred man picked up a short axe and smashed it against the side of the ship, “Speed up, everyone!
Kill him, and the Flame-Flame Fruit will be yours! “
The boat pitched even more violently in the waves.
“They are trying to outflank us!” She suddenly tugged at Li Xiaofei’s sleeve, her fingertips cold, “Look ahead!”
Li Xiaofei looked up.
A black ship appeared on the horizon at some point. It was larger than the three ships in pursuit, with dark red stripes painted on its hull and a skull wearing a crown on its bow – that was the symbol of “Red Crown” Atama, a famous criminal in the East China Sea. He had a reward of 30 million berries and was said to have strung an entire fishing village on a mast and dried them into jerky.
“Ambush.” Li Xiaofei’s throat tightened.
He finally understood why the small group of pirates chased him so urgently – they were baits, and the real killer move was hidden ahead.
The current situation was like a piece of dough being hit from two sides: the three pirate ships in the rear were closing the encirclement, and the large ship of Red Crown Atama in the front was like a moving wall. The muzzles of the guns on the side of the ship had been turned, and the black muzzles were facing them.
Star flame energy was running wildly in his veins, and he could clearly feel the flames boiling under every inch of his skin, “You stay on the boat and row it into the reef area.
They want me, they won’t chase you for long.”
“Bullshit.” Ning Qing’s voice suddenly rose, carrying a fierce force, “Last time in Kekoyasi Village, you said I would cover the rear, but I was stabbed three times by the bandits.
This time, you have to drag me along if you want to die. “She took out a small porcelain bottle from her waist, tilted her head back and drank it. Her neck was as tight as a string as her Adam’s apple rolled. I drank the refreshing powder and could hold on for half an hour.”
“Hold on to me.” He squatted down, clasped Ning Qing’s waist with his left hand, and pressed his right hand on the side of the boat.
Flames burst out from his palms, leaving a charred palm print on the bottom of the boat. “Count to three.”
“three!”
The boat was suddenly lifted up two meters high by the flames.
Li Xiaofei held Ning Qing and used the force to leap towards the big ship of Red Crown Atama. The wind whistled in his ears. He saw the pirates on the side of the ship raising their guns in panic and saw sparks flashing from the muzzles – that was the gunner lighting the gun.
“Close your eyes!” He growled, and a star flame shield unfolded around the two of them.
The moment the blue light flashed, the shells hit the shield and exploded. The air wave almost blew them off their hands, but the shield only rippled and completely absorbed the force of the explosion.
“Good opportunity!” Ning Qing turned over in his arms, shook out seven poisoned flying needles from his sleeves, and accurately stabbed them at the seven nearest gunners.
Those people didn’t even utter a groan, and fell to the ground, holding their throats.
The moment Li Xiaofei landed on the deck, flames had already wrapped around his right hand.
He saw Atama – a fat man who was two meters and five meters tall, with a necklace of human bones around his neck. He was sitting on a tiger-skin chair at the bow of the boat, holding a jewel-studded wine jug in his hand.
“Not bad, little fellow.” Atama’s voice was like sandpaper scraping against stone. “Surrender obediently, and I will make your death a quick death.”
“Let’s see if you can catch this move first.” A ball of blue fire jumped out from Li Xiaofei’s fingertips. It was a new move that was fused with the energy of star flames. “Star Flame Explosion!”
The fireball hit the deck near Atama’s feet, and what exploded was not ordinary flames, but a dark blue sea of fire with space cracks.
The deck twisted and shattered in the sea of fire. Rogge’s tiger-skin chair was overturned, and he staggered and hit the mast, and his human bone necklace scattered all over the ground.
“I see you’re not going to accept my toast, so you’ll have to drink the punishment!” Atama’s face turned the color of liver.
He picked up the huge axe behind him, and there was black and purple mist wrapped around the axe blade – was it the Poison-Poison Fruit?
No, it’s more like domineering aura mixed with poison.
As the axe blew past, red marks immediately appeared on Li Xiaofei’s cheeks, which was a sign that the poison had entered his body.
“Ning Qing!” he shouted.
“Here they come!” Ning Qing had circled to the other side of the ship at some point. She threw out a ceramic bottle, and the green liquid inside splashed at Rogge’s feet, and thick smoke rose instantly.
Li Xiaofei took the opportunity to pounce, wrapped his whole body in a flame shield, and crashed into Rogge’s chest.
“Crack!”
The sound of the shield and the giant axe colliding was like thunder.
Atama’s axe blade embedded in the shield, but could not move forward even an inch.
Li Xiaofei could feel the shield absorbing the poisonous mist from the axe, and the energy bar was jumping wildly – was the system automatically fusing new toxins?
This may become the material for the next fusion.
“It’s my turn.” He grinned and put his left hand on Rogue’s axe handle.
The flames followed the metal lines up Atama’s arm, and the latter’s skin instantly turned black, making a sizzling sound like barbecue.
Atama screamed and let go of his hand, and the huge axe fell to the ground with a clang.
Li Xiaofei gave his opponent no chance.
He condensed a double flame in his right fist and punched Rogge in the throat.
The flame penetrated the skin, burned through the trachea, and finally exploded at the cervical vertebrae – this was the “flame penetration” that he had newly realized based on the system’s prompts, which was specifically designed to break through defenses.
Atama’s eyes widened and he slowly fell into a pool of blood.
The deck suddenly became quiet.
The remaining pirates looked at each other, dropped their weapons and knelt on the ground.
Ning Qing walked out from the shadows, her skirt stained with blood, her hair tied loose, but she remained calm, “Pile all the weapons at the stern. If you dare to play tricks, taste the poison on my needle.”
Li Xiaofei kicked Atama’s body and bent down to pick up the key from his waist.
The system prompt sounded at the right time: [Rare materials detected: Grand Line first half navigation map (incomplete), Bailey 200,000, advanced poison formula × 3]“It’s a good profit.” He forced a smile and turned to look at Ning Qing.
The latter was squatting on the deck, wiping the flying needle with Atama’s clothes. When he saw him looking over, he raised his eyebrows and said, “What are you daydreaming about?
Hurry up and pack your things. I just heard it.
“Whistle sound?” Li Xiaofei’s face suddenly changed.
He looked at the distant horizon where a white dot was approaching rapidly. Although he could not see the flag clearly, he was very familiar with the distinctive “woohoo” sound – it was the navy’s flute of justice.
Ning Qing’s hand paused, and the flying needle fell on the deck with a “bang”.
“Let’s go.” Li Xiaofei grabbed the nautical chart and stuffed it into his arms. “Let’s start the boat first. The faster the better.”
“Where are you going?”
“Grand Route.” Li Xiaofei looked at the gradually clear white dot, and a heat rose in his throat – that was the boiling energy of the star flame, and also the expectation of the unknown, “The navy is here, but the more exciting things have just begun.”
The sails were billowing in the sea breeze, and the newly replaced “Black Skull” flag (they had torn down the red crown flag of Atama) fluttered.
Behind them, the shadows of the naval ships grew larger and larger, like an approaching dark cloud.
Chapter 10: Defeat Edmund (Old Version)
The sound of the whistle was like a steel needle piercing the eardrum.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into needle points, and his right hand unconsciously clenched the flame core at his waist – that was the source of energy condensed by the system when he fused the Flame-Flame Fruit, and it was now heating up with his heartbeat.
The outline of the white dot on the horizon could be seen clearly. Three naval warships were pressing in in a V-shaped formation, and the Lion of Justice emblem on the bow was shining coldly in the sun.
“Three ships, each with at least thirty people.” Ning Qing’s voice was colder than the sea breeze. She half-knelt down, dipped her fingertips in the blood on the deck, and drew a simple nautical chart on the side of the ship.
The pirates of Atama often raid here, and the navy has been patrolling this area for a long time.
Li Xiaofei’s thumb stroked the texture on the surface of the energy source, and the system panel flashed on his retina: [Current fusion degree: 17% (Burning Fruit + Poison Mist Fruit), skills that can be released: Flame Bomb (Cooling down), Flame Shield (Remaining durability: 68%)].
He stared at the approaching warship, his Adam’s apple moving: “If we run, our speed may not be faster than the navy’s steam ship.”
“Then what should we do?” Ning Qing’s eyes swept across Li Xiaofei’s face, “Fight hard?”
“Fight.” Li Xiaofei suddenly laughed, a smile that was full of heat, “but not a hard fight.” He turned and rushed towards the gunpowder barrel at the stern, the fire element condensed into a lavender flame in his palm, “You are responsible for steering, I will use the Burning Fruit to create thick smoke,
Wait until they rush into the smoke screen, and then we’ll get close to them and engage in close combat.”
Ning Qing raised her eyebrows and said, “Okay.” Her fingers stroked the rudder gently, as if soothing a wild horse, “But you have to remember that the keel of this ship has been modified by Atama, and the draft will be half an inch deeper when turning left.”
The moment the thick smoke rose, the sea breeze was dyed gray and black.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow with his arms raised horizontally. Red flames spurted out from his fingertips, entangled with the sea fog in mid-air, and turned into a smoke screen that covered the sky and the sun.
He could hear the system’s prompt sound roaring: [Detected the fusion of flame and water vapor, fusion degree +2%, unlocked skill: Smoke screen concealment (can interfere with visual/thermal detection)]“Keep on course!” Ning Qing’s voice pierced through the thick smoke, and the rudder made a slight “creaking” sound in her hand, “Three degrees to the left!”
The ship shook violently and Li Xiaofei almost fell down.
He turned his head and looked through the gaps in the smoke. He could see the bow of the nearest naval ship raised, with white smoke emitting from the muzzle of a bronze cannon – the shell that had just passed by the side of the ship plowed a half-foot deep groove on the deck.
He pulled open his collar, and the temperature of the energy source was hot enough to sear slices of meat.
The system panel flashed wildly: [Warning: The naval warship is 800 meters away and is expected to enter the artillery range in 30 seconds].
He bit his tongue hard, the sweet and fishy taste of blood stimulated the Star Flame Energy to surge wildly, and his left hand pressed on the side of the boat.
“Burn it for me!”
The flames followed the grain of the wooden boards up the mast and exploded into a fireball with a diameter of twenty meters in mid-air.
The scorching air waves blew away the smoke screen, but also exposed the positions of the three naval warships.
On the deck of the leading battleship, a naval captain wearing golden epaulettes was holding a telescope, his eyes under the brim of his hat were like two poisoned knives.
“Edmund Hawke.” Li Xiaofei heard Ning Qing gasp, “The famous ‘Strangler’ in the East China Sea, who massacred the entire pirate group half a year ago, leaving no women or children alive.”
Edmund seemed to see them, too. He put down his telescope and raised his right hand.
“fire!”
When the first shell hit, Li Xiaofei’s flame shield was just formed.
A scarlet film of light spread out around the ship, and the moment the shells hit it, large sparks rose from the surface of the shield.
He could clearly feel the energy draining away, and every crack hurt like a knife.
The system prompt sounded as urgent as a death warrant: [Flame Shield Durability: 32%]“Full left rudder!” Ning Qing’s nails almost dug into the rudder, and the ship tilted violently. The second shell flew past the stern and exploded a ten-meter-high column of water on the sea.
She turned to look at Li Xiaofei, her hair fluttering in the wind, “They are forcing us into the shallows!
There are reefs ahead! “
Cold sweat broke out on Li Xiaofei’s forehead.
He stared at the approaching reef and suddenly grinned: “Shoal? Just right.”
He gathered two balls of flame at his fingertips and threw them at the two naval warships on the left and right.
“Wait until my flames blow up their anchors, then turn the rudder immediately!”
“clear!”
When the first ball of flame hit the mainsail of the left ship, the entire ship was engulfed in red.
The second ball of fire accurately penetrated into the chain locker of the right ship and broke three anchor chains with a “bang”.
Edmund’s warship finally reacted and adjusted its guns to aim at them – but it was too late.
“Turn!”
The ship groaned under the heavy load and the keel made a harsh sound as it scraped against the reefs.
Li Xiaofei could hear the sound of wooden boards breaking and smell the salty smell of seawater pouring into the bottom cabin, but he could also see Edmund’s furious face behind the telescope.
As their ship passed between the two burning warships, the third shell finally hit the stern.
“careful!”
Ning Qing rushed over and pushed Li Xiaofei away.
Amid the flying wood chips, he saw that the hem of her skirt was torn open on the back, revealing a bloodstain on her snow-white skin.
Rage surged to his head, and Li Xiaofei’s energy source suddenly emitted a dazzling light.
“System! Integrate the remaining energy of the Poison Mist Fruit!”
【bite!
An urgent fusion requirement is detected, and forced fusion is initiated – Burning Fruit (83%) + Poison Mist Fruit (17%) → Flame Poison Fruit (fusion degree: 100%), unlocking skill: Poison Flame Field (releases a burning area with a highly toxic poison)]Purple-black flames gushed out from his palms and rushed towards Edmund’s warship like a poisonous dragon.
Wherever the flames passed, the sails were instantly charred, the naval soldiers on the deck screamed, and their skin festered at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Edmund’s face finally changed, and he shouted “Retreat” at the top of his lungs, but the anchor had been melted into molten iron by the flames, and the warship could not move forward in the reefs.
When Li Xiaofei’s boat rushed out of the reef area, the fire behind him illuminated half the sky red.
Ning Qing slumped beside the rudder, bandaging the wound on her back with her torn skirt, blood dripping down through her fingers: “We… succeeded?”
“For now.” Li Xiaofei knelt beside her, pulled off his sleeves and bandaged Ning Qing’s wound.
“The Grand Line’s wall of fog is just ahead. The navy’s steam ships can’t get through that fog.”
The sails were inflated with a “crash” sound, and the fog on the sea suddenly became thicker.
The moment the bow of the ship broke through the fog wall, Li Xiaofei saw Ning Qing’s eyes light up – it was a kind of light he had never seen before, like a fire that had been suppressed in the darkness for too long and finally met the wind.
“We’re here,” she said softly.
Li Xiaofei stood up by the side of the ship. The temperature of the energy source finally dropped, but the prompt on the system panel made his heart beat faster: [Special magnetic field of the Grand Line detected, fusion system evolution conditions activated (requires fusion of more than 3 devil fruits)]Ning Qing suddenly tugged at the corner of his clothes.
She pointed to the depths of the fog wall, where the outline of an island was vaguely visible, with purple thunderclouds covering the top of the mountain, “That’s… Poison Miasma Island.
My master said that there is a high probability that there is an ancient devil fruit in the poisonous fog there. “
Li Xiaofei looked at the purple thundercloud and felt a familiar heat in his throat again.
He touched the energy source at his waist, which was vibrating gently with his heartbeat.
“Let’s go.” He turned around and held the rudder, the sea breeze lifted the corners of his clothes, “Let’s go to the Poisonous Miasma Island.”
Chapter 11 Return to Cocosia Village and Fight the King of the Sea (Old Version)
As the boat just cut through the fog in the direction of the Poisonous Miasma Island, Ning Qing suddenly let out a low cry.
Li Xiaofei was staring at the prompt “Fusion system evolution conditions activated” on the system panel. He turned around and saw her squatting with a blood-stained letter in her fingertips – the letter was untied from the leg of a carrier pigeon lying on the deck. A half fish bone was stuck in the pigeon’s right wing, and its feathers were soaked in dark red.
“Kekoyasi Village…” Ning Qing’s throat moved, and the letter rustled between her trembling fingers. “The King of the Sea… attacks every night… The villagers can’t hold on any longer.”
The last few words were almost squeezed out from between his teeth.
When leaving Kokoaxi Village, the old village chief stuffed half a bag of pickled fish into his arms. Xiaoli ran after the boat for half a mile and stuffed the shell necklace she had saved for three months into his hand.
At this moment, those images with the smell of the sea suddenly came to his mind, burning his heart.
“Turn the rudder.” The veins on his hand that grabbed the rudder bulged, and flames leaped up in his palms, wrapping the canvas of the sail – the heat from the burning fruit drove the sea breeze, and the wooden boat suddenly swung its tail, and the keel groaned under the heavy burden.
Ning Qing didn’t say anything, but quickly put away the letter and squatted down to bandage the pigeon’s wound.
The returning ship was several times faster than when it came.
When the outline of Kekoya West Village finally appeared in sight, Li Xiaofei’s nails almost dug into the rudder – the originally neat wooden houses were reduced to ruins, and the century-old banyan tree at the entrance of the village was broken at the waist, with sticky green juice dripping from the broken ends, mixing with sea water and leaving long marks on the beach.
“Xiao Li!” Ning Qing suddenly screamed.
Li Xiaofei followed her gaze and saw a small figure on the beach running towards the sea, her pink skirt mostly stained red with blood.
He jumped off the boat, and flames exploded under his feet when he landed, instantly shortening the distance by 20 meters. He pulled Xiaoli into his arms just as she was about to step on the reef.
“Big brother!” Xiaoli grabbed his collar with her blood-spattered hands, “Mom was thrown into the sea by a sea beast… Its tail is bigger than a house!”
Her forehead was incredibly hot, and Li Xiaofei then discovered that there was a wound on her left calf that was so deep that the bone could be seen, and the white fascia was turning outward.
His throat tightened and he looked up to see the old village chief stumbling out of the ruins, the copper whistle at his waist tilted on his shoulder and his usually neatly combed white hair a mess.
“Xiao Fei!” The old village chief rushed over and grabbed his wrist. “That beast comes every night at 11 pm, picking on villagers who are alone… Yesterday, the kid from Ah Fu’s family had half of his leg swallowed by it, and now he’s lying in my house crying…”
Li Xiaofei looked at the half-scaly paw print in the wood chips on the ground – it was twice bigger than his entire body.
The system panel suddenly vibrated, and a prompt appeared: [Current target detected: Protect Cocoa Village (Reward: Random Devil Fruit Fragment × 1)].
“Where is the old hunter?” He interrupted the old village chief’s sobs.
“In the woods behind the village!” The old village chief wiped his face. “The old man said he wanted to see the footprints of sea beasts, and he went out with his hunting rifle before dawn!”
Before he finished speaking, a hoarse shout came from a distance: “Stinky boy! I’m here!”
The old hunter came out from behind the broken wall, carrying a hunting rifle taller than himself on his shoulder, and his trouser legs were stained with dark brown slime.
He walked up to Li Xiaofei and slammed the gun on the ground: “That beast has a scar on his left eye, where I shot him three years ago.
The gill slits are on both sides of the neck, and they are exposed when the fins are retracted – that is soft flesh, and if you poke it, it will be so painful that it will turn over on its belly. “
Ning Qing stood beside Li Xiaofei without knowing when, holding a medicine box wrapped in a bed sheet in her arms, with sea water dripping from the ends of her hair: “I’ll go gather the wounded in the warehouse. The herbs and hemostatic powder will be enough for three days.” She paused, and gently touched Li Xiaofei with her fingertips, “You…be careful.”
The moonlight climbed up the ruins, and Li Xiaofei stood on the pile of rocks outside the village.
The old hunter squatted on his right side, loading his shotgun with bullets soaked in poisonous fog juice – that was the residual energy that Ning Qing extracted from his energy source overnight.
“Remember, when it rushes over, lead it to the left.” The old hunter lowered his voice, “I have buried a fishing net under the reef. It will be burned by your flames and will hurt it for a while.”
Suddenly, black waves appeared on the horizon.
Li Xiaofei saw half of a dark gray back emerging in the moonlight. It was as long as three merchant ships. The waves created when the dorsal fin passed through the water directly smashed the fishing boat twenty meters away.
“Here it comes.” The old hunter held the shotgun steadily in his hand, his pupils shrank into needle points.
When the head of the King of the Near Sea emerged from the water, Li Xiaofei finally saw the scar clearly – it ran from the corner of his left eye to his lower jaw, and half a rusty bullet was embedded in the hideous wound.
Its eyes swept across the ruins, and it suddenly opened its bloody mouth, revealing two rows of dagger-like sharp teeth, and rushed towards the warehouse in the center of the village.
“This way!” Li Xiaofei jumped onto the reef, and a purple-black poisonous flame rose from his palm.
Flames wrapped in poisonous mist exploded towards the left eye of the King of the Sea, and the smell of burnt meat mixed with rotten meat instantly filled the air.
The sea monster felt pain and swung its huge body violently. The waves swept up by its tail directly overturned three reefs.
Li Xiaofei was blown against the rock wall by the air wave, and felt a dull pain in his ribs, but he gritted his teeth and rolled into the waves. The flames condensed into a skateboard under his feet, and he rushed towards the neck of the sea monster against the waves.
“Gill slit!” The old hunter’s gun fired.
The bullet, with a faint blue flame, penetrated the poisonous fog and accurately pierced the left gill slit of the sea beast.
The sea monster let out a shrill cry, and its huge body slammed into the sea, splashing water that almost submerged half of the village.
Li Xiaofei took advantage of the situation and jumped onto its dorsal fin. The poison condensed into a sharp thorn in his palm and stabbed it fiercely into the old scar.
The system prompt sounded in my mind: [The fusion degree of Shao Shao Fruit has exceeded 90%!
Trigger the second evolution – Flame Cyclone (can manipulate flames to form a rotating cutting storm)]The purple flames suddenly spiraled into the air, forming a storm with a diameter of ten meters above Li Xiaofei’s head.
The wind blade wrapped in poisonous flames cut through the skin of the sea beast, and the charred pieces of flesh fell off.
The King of the Sea shook his body frantically, but he couldn’t get rid of the flames attached to his bones.
Finally, it uttered its last wail, and dived into the deep sea, dragging its burning wounds. The waves it created washed away all the wood chips on the beach.
“Won?” Xiaoli’s voice came from the direction of the warehouse.
He looked up and saw a crowd of villagers crowded at the door of the warehouse. The old village chief was holding a kerosene lamp, and the light made everyone’s face look glistening.
Ning Qing squeezed out of the crowd, the medicine box dangling beside her, but she held it steady.
“Are you hurt?” She squatted down, gently touched his bleeding arm with her fingertips, and quickly retracted her hand, “I…I’ll go get some medicine.”
Xiaoli suddenly rushed over and the milky hug almost knocked him into the sea.
The moonlight sprinkled on everyone, stretching the shadows very long, like a net, covering this night of survival.
A faint blue light suddenly flashed across the distant horizon.
Li Xiaofei touched the energy source at his waist, which was vibrating regularly with his heartbeat. On the system panel, the prompt [Residual energy of the King of the Near Sea Detected (Can be Devoured)] was particularly eye-catching in the night.
Chapter 12 Mysterious Sea Beast (Old Version)
The moonlight flooded over the roofs of the Kokoa West Village. The wooden fence that had been overturned by the sea beast was still lying on the ground, but it could not cover up the crackling scent of pine resin from the bonfire.
“Brother Xiaofei!” Xiaoli’s pigtails bounced in the firelight, and her sandy hands tightly grasped the corner of Li Xiaofei’s clothes. “I knew you could win! Yesterday I secretly buried the sweetest candy cake under the tree, saying that I would take it out after defeating the sea monster.”
“Xiao Li!” The old village chief came over with a ceramic bowl filled with steaming ginger tea. “Don’t pull on the wound.” He gently pressed his calloused hands on Li Xiaofei’s shoulders, the warmth of his palms seeping through his coarse shirt. “This kid, his ribs are all blue.”
Li Xiaofei leaned against the pillar of the makeshift wooden shed, with a taste of rust still in his throat.
When he was fighting with the King of the Sea just now, the place where his tail fin hit his chest was throbbing with pain, but he still managed a smile: “Village Chief, I’m tough.”
Ning Qing’s medicine box clicked open, and she squatted at his feet, her fingertips hovering above his bleeding arm. She shrank as if she was burned, then gritted her teeth and pinched the cotton wool: “Don’t move. Scream if it hurts, no one will laugh at you.”
“It doesn’t hurt.” Li Xiaofei stared at the red on the tip of her ear.
The bonfire boomed higher, reflecting the tear marks on the faces of the people.
The old hunter squatted on the other side of the fire, his hand pausing as he loaded gunpowder into the barrel of his gun. “The beast ran away, but it was badly injured.” His cloudy eyes narrowed. “I saw this kind of sea beast in the Grand Line. If the wound gets infected, it won’t survive more than three days.”
“But it just dived into the deep sea.” A fisherman rubbed his cracked palms, his voice trembling, “If it’s not dead…”
“I won’t dare to come again if I’m not dead!” Xiaoli suddenly raised her voice, holding up the sea beast scales she picked up from the beach as a weapon, “Brother Xiaofei has a fire whirlwind! It can burn it to ashes!”
Laughter spread out.
Li Xiaofei looked at the dancing flames, and the system panel flashed on his retina: [Residual energy of the King of the Near Sea: 37% (devourable)].
He touched the energy source at his waist, which was getting hot with his heartbeat – this was the core formed after the fusion of the Burning Fruit. Every time it swallowed a fruit, it would have an extra line.
Now there are three lavender marks crawling on it, like vines.
“From today on,” the old village chief suddenly raised his voice, the copper bell in his hand jingling, “the guardian of Kekoyasi Village is Li Xiaofei!”
The cheers broke the night.
Someone threw a handful of pine branches into the fire, and sparks shot up into the sky.
Xiaoli strung the shells she picked up into a necklace and insisted on hanging it around his neck: “This is a talisman!” The edge of the shell hurt his collarbone, but he lowered his head and touched it with his fingertips – in the original owner’s memory, this girl’s parents’ ship was sunk by pirates last month, and now the light in her eyes was much brighter than three days ago.
In the second half of the night, the crowd gradually dispersed.
When Ning Qing was packing up her medicine box, she suddenly stuffed a paper bag into his hand and said, “Apply the external medicine before going to bed.” She turned to leave, then turned back and added, “The internal medicine is in my room. I’ll boil it tomorrow morning.”
“Ning Qing.” Li Xiaofei called her.
The moonlight leaked through the gaps in the wooden shed, cutting a silver edge on her face.
Her eyelashes moved: “Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
She lowered her head and twisted the belt of the medicine box, the wild chrysanthemums in her hair swaying: “I should be thankful.” Her voice was as light as the wind, “If it weren’t for you…”
She didn’t finish her words and ran away with the medicine box.
Li Xiaofei watched her back disappear at the alley, lowered his head and opened the paper bag – the medicine powder was light green, mixed with the fragrance of mint and mugwort, and it smelled very much like the Chinese medicine cooked by his mother in the real world.
Just as the sky was getting light, there were knocking sounds coming from the east end of the village.
“Xiao Fei!” The old hunter came over carrying a newly cut oak log, “Would you like to go and see that shabby house of yours?
I brought a few guys with me and they can fix it before the rain comes.”
Li Xiaofei followed him to the end of the village.
Villagers were busy along the way: some were mending fishing nets, some were moving furniture washed ashore by the waves, Ning Qing was squatting by the well and treating Aunt Zhang’s hand that was cut by the reefs, and Xiaoli was chasing chickens with a bamboo broom, the tip of the broom was stained with ashes from last night’s bonfire.
“This kid,” the old hunter pointed at Xiaoli with his chin, “knocked on my door before dawn this morning and said she wanted to help clean her gun.” He took out a piece of baked sweet potato from his arms, “Here, fill your stomach.”
Li Xiaofei took a bite of the sweet potato and it tasted sweet.
A prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Fusion degree: 92% (Burning Fruit + Residual Poison Mist)].
He touched the energy source, and the lines there became deeper – last night, while the villagers were not paying attention, he secretly went to the beach and devoured the remaining energy of the King of the Sea.
Now he could clearly feel that there was a hint of sweet and fishy smell in the flames in his palms, like rotten seaweed, or some dormant power.
“Village chief! Village chief!”
The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the village.
Ah Fu, who was carrying a harpoon, was soaked with water, and his trouser legs were still dripping with seawater: “There is something on the reefs to the east!”
Everyone paused. The old village chief came over with his cane and said, “Speak slowly.”
“I went to cast the net before daybreak,” Ah Fu wiped the water off his face, “and saw a dark shadow behind the reef. It was bigger than the king of the offshore seas!” His throat tightened, “Its… its eyes were red, like red-hot iron!”
The embers of the bonfire were suddenly blown up by the wind and hit Li Xiaofei’s face.
He looked at the eastern horizon – there was a layer of blue-gray fog floating there, as if it was being pressed down by something.
The energy source began to heat up, and this time it was not the rhythm of a heartbeat, but a rapid, drum-like vibration.
“Afu,” the old hunter pressed his shoulder, “Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?”
“I saw it clearly!” Ah Fu stamped his feet anxiously, “Its tail hit the reef, and the splashing water overturned my boat!” He suddenly grabbed Li Xiaofei’s arm, “Xiaofei, you have to think of a way!”
There were gasps from the crowd.
Aunt Zhang’s little grandson burst into tears and was held in Ning Qing’s arms.
Xiaoli grabbed the corner of his clothes, her nails almost digging into his flesh.
Li Xiaofei looked at the sea fog in the distance, and the heat in his throat surged up again.
This time it wasn’t fire, but something heavier, like magma.
The system panel flashed wildly: [High-level energy fluctuations detected (danger level: B+)].
He touched the energy source at his waist, and the lines there were emitting purple light – this was a sign that the degree of fusion had broken through the critical point.
“Everyone, don’t panic.” He raised his voice and pressed his palm on the shell necklace on his chest, “Ah Fu, take a few people who are good at swimming and go to the west end of the village to get the spare raft.
Old hunter, please teach the young men how to assemble fortifications.
Ning Qing, prepare the medicine box and boil more medicine for injuries.
“What about you?” Ning Qing held the crying child in her arms, her eyes surprisingly bright.
Li Xiaofei looked at the surging sea fog in the east, and a purple-black flame rose from his palm.
There were tiny pieces of light in the flames, like crushed stars: “I’m going to try out my new ability.”
As night fell, a circle of torches appeared in the open space outside the village.
About twenty young men, holding harpoons and sticks, stood in two crooked rows.
Xiaoli held up a wooden spear that was half a head taller than her, with dust on the tip of her nose: “Brother Xiaofei, I want to learn too!”
“Okay.” Li Xiaofei took off the shell necklace from his waist and hung it around Xiaoli’s neck. “First learn how to hide.” He tapped her shoulder with his fingertips. “When the sea beast pounces on you, roll to the left and remember to protect your head.”
Ning Qing squatted beside him and drew a first aid diagram on the ground with a branch: “Don’t panic if you get scratched, press the wound first, like this -” She pinched her wrist to demonstrate, “Wait for me.”
The old hunter came over carrying a modified hunting rifle, with a cloth soaked in pine oil wrapped around the barrel: “This gun can penetrate three-inch thick whale bones.” He patted Li Xiaofei on the back, “If that beast dares to come…”
The sea breeze suddenly changed direction, bringing with it a strong fishy smell.
Li Xiaofei’s energy source began to heat up, and this time it was a burning pain.
He looked at the eastern horizon, where the fog had grown thicker, as if some gigantic monster was tearing through the clouds.
The system prompt sounded in my mind: [The degree of fusion has exceeded 95%!
Trigger hidden attribute: poisonous flame tracking (can mark the target, and the flame will automatically chase)]Purple-black flames rose from his palms, drawing an arc of light in the night sky.
Xiaoli looked up, with dancing flames reflected in her eyes: “Brother Xiaofei’s fire is more beautiful than the stars.”
Li Xiaofei looked at the sea fog in the distance, and the heat in his throat spread to his eyes.
He touched the shell necklace on Xiaoli’s neck, looked at the first aid diagram that Ning Qing was half-drawn, and the old hunter’s polished hunting rifle.
“Tonight,” he whispered, “I’m going to go to the beach.”
Ning Qing’s hand paused. The old hunter was about to speak, but was stopped by Ning Qing’s eyes.
“Don’t worry.” Li Xiaofei smiled, and the flame condensed into the shape of a dagger at his fingertips. “I will bring something back.”
He turned and walked towards the seaside, the moonlight stretching his shadow very long.
Xiaoli shouted from behind: “Brother Xiaofei, come back soon! I left some sugar biscuits for you!”
Chapter 13 Iron Phosphorus Beast (Old Version)
As the sea mist, wrapped in a fishy smell, drifted over the beach, the old hunter’s hunting boots made the shells crunch.
He looked back at the five young men holding harpoons behind him, two of whom had shaking hands – after all, they were still drying fishing nets three days ago, but now they had to row a leaky wooden boat into the sea monster’s lair.
“What are you afraid of?” The old hunter deliberately knocked the barrel of his gun until it clanged. The cloth strips soaked in pine oil shone sticky in the moonlight. “No matter how fierce that beast is, can it be more vicious than the sawtooth shark I encountered in the doldrums that year?”
Ah Niu, the strongest among the young men, wiped his sweat and said, “But…but I heard that thing is bigger than the King of the Sea…”
“That’s why we have to find out.” The old hunter lowered his voice, and the oars drew tiny ripples on the water. “Look at this sea water.” He squatted down and touched the waves with strange purple spots on his fingertips. “Two days ago, it was so clear that you could see corals, but now it’s all this damn stuff.” He suddenly put his hand with purple spots in front of his nose, and his pupils shrank suddenly. “It’s blood!”
The second pillar at the stern shuddered, and the wooden oar fell into the water with a plop.
The old hunter was about to curse when a sharp scream suddenly came from the distance.
Everyone’s heart tightened as Aniu’s harpoon fell to the ground with a clang – two things like red lanterns emerged from the fog wall on the horizon, lower than the moon and redder than torches.
“Go to the reefs!” The old hunter picked up his hunting rifle, and the tarpaulin strips on the barrel shot out blue flames. “Use the rattan net on the bottom of the boat to wrap the hull. The beast has thick skin, so just shoot it in the eyes and under the gills!”
The moment the wooden boat crashed into the reef, a loud bang was heard in the sea fog.
The moment the old hunter turned around, he saw a black shadow passing by the stern of the boat, and the waves it created overturned half of the reef – it was a sea monster at least twenty meters long, covered with dark purple scales, the barbs on its neck were like rusty swords, and when its tail fin swept across the water, it actually emitted a cold metallic light in the moonlight.
“Let’s go!” The old hunter kicked Ah Niu in the back, “Go back to the village!”
When the old hunter led his soaking wet team into the village entrance, Li Xiaofei was squatting beside the campfire tying a wrist guard for Xiaoli.
“Brother Xiaofei!” Ah Niu staggered over and grabbed the corner of his clothes with his hands soaked in seawater. “That beast…that beast has a scar on its neck! It’s exactly the same as the iron-scaled beast that the old fisherman at the east end of the village said slaughtered Fengche Village twenty years ago!”
He held Aniu’s shoulder and could feel the young man’s strong heartbeat: “Don’t worry, describe the general situation.”
“It’s two times bigger than the king of the sea!” The old hunter poked his rifle on the ground, seawater still dripping from the barrel. “Its skin is ridiculously thick. I shot it under the gills with a red-hot bullet and sparks flew.”
He wiped the water off his face and said, “Its eyes are soft! When it brushed past my stern just now, I saw that its eyeballs were bulging out like two purple grapes.”
Ning Qing had stood beside her at some point, the medicine box in her hand weighing her shoulders down.
She flipped open her animal notes and stopped at the page about the iron-scaled beast. “It’s recorded that this sea beast is afraid of fire, but there is a gland under its skin that secretes acid, so it will fester if scratched.” She looked up at Li Xiaofei, the light of the campfire reflected in her eyes. “I asked people to soak all the torches in lime water, and prepared alkali powder in the medicine box.”
“Okay.” Li Xiaofei stood up, the moonlight casting a shadow on his brow, “The sea beast will definitely come tonight.” He pointed to the coconut grove outside the village, “Aniu, take five people to bury thorns in the forest, Erzhu, take three people to the beach to build a fire wall – the fire must be big and dense, to lead it to the salt field.” He looked at the old hunter again, “You stay on the north side of the salt field, and wait for it to step on the trap and then shoot its eyes.”
Xiaoli tugged at his trouser legs, the shell necklace dangling around her neck: “Brother Xiaofei, can I…can I help Sister Ning Qing pass the medicine?”
“Of course.” Li Xiaofei squatted down and tidied her hair that was messed up by the sea breeze. “But if you see the fire turn green, run to the village office immediately. It’s the strongest place there.”
It’s late at night.
Li Xiaofei stood on the observation deck at the entrance of the village, and the burning pain from the energy source had spread to his chest.
He looked at the eastern horizon, where the fog was rolling, like a small mountain moving slowly under the water.
There were the sounds of footsteps behind him, and Ning Qing handed over a cloth bag: “Apply it on your hands to protect against acid.”
The ointment in the cloth bag had a pungent herbal smell. Li Xiaofei applied it twice and when he looked up, he bumped into her eyes.
Her eyelashes were stained with night dew, and her voice was as light as the sea breeze: “Be careful.”
“Yeah.” He responded, and when he turned around, he stuffed the cloth bag into her hand, “You have to be more careful.”
The sea fog was suddenly torn apart.
The first thing that catches your eye is the pair of eyes like red lanterns, followed by the surging purple scales, and finally the ten-foot-high waves stirred up by the tail fin hitting the water.
The roar of the Iron Scale Beast shook the coconut trees and caused fruits to fall. Xiaoli’s screams mixed in with it: “Brother Xiaofei!
It’s coming! “
“Wall of fire!” Li Xiaofei shouted at the top of his voice.
A wall of fire rose up on the seashore, and dozens of torches were lit at the same time, forming an orange-red barrier.
The Iron-Scaled Beast paused in its charge, turned its huge head toward the fire, and let out an angry growl.
But the next moment it crashed over, and the moment the purple scales brushed against the flames, a large cloud of green smoke rose – it was indeed acid.
“Lead it to the salt field!” Li Xiaofei jumped down from the observation deck, the purple flame in his palm condensed into a sharp sword, “Aniu!
Release the spikes!”
Ground spikes protruded from the coconut grove. They were sharpened tree trunks wrapped with red-hot iron sheets.
The Ironscale Beast’s front paw was stabbed, and it let out a deafening roar of pain.
It swung its tail, knocking down three coconut trees, one of which was about to hit Erzhu who was squatting behind the tree.
Purple flames suddenly rose up and condensed into a shield between the tree trunk and the two pillars.
Li Xiaofei’s figure flashed in front of the shield, and the patterns of the energy source had turned dark purple. “Go!” He shouted in a low voice, and the shield exploded, forcing the Iron Scale Beast to take two steps back.
“Look at the eyes!” Ning Qing’s voice came from the left.
She held up the medicine box and shone the torch in her other hand towards the iron-scaled beast’s head – its bulging eyeballs were emitting a cloudy light, and the scales around them were noticeably thinner.
Li Xiaofei’s breathing suddenly became hot.
The system prompt sound exploded in my mind: [Combat concentration detected to have exceeded 90%!
Fusion degree +5%!
Unlock new ability: Poison Flame Piercing (flames condense into solid spikes, penetration +300%)]A spiral of purple flame rose from his palm, and tiny black rays could be vaguely seen in the flame.
The iron-scaled beast pounced on him again, and the fishy wind made the corners of his eyes hurt, but he did not dodge. Instead, he rushed towards the pair of eyes.
“drink!”
The sound of the purple flame spikes piercing the air was like an arrow breaking through the wind.
Purple-black juice burst out of the Iron-Scaled Beast’s left eye and it let out an even more shrill roar than before. Its huge body slammed heavily onto the salt drying field, crushing half a row of salt piles.
“Go!” The old hunter’s shotgun roared, and the red-hot bullet shot accurately into the other eye.
Aniu led the villagers to rush forward, and harpoons and torches fell like raindrops.
The Iron-Scaled Beast struggled for a moment, and finally stopped moving. The acid flowing out of its wounds corroded holes in the ground that emitted white smoke.
Xiaoli was the first to rush over, and her shell necklace hit Li Xiaofei’s chest: “Brother Xiaofei won!”
The villagers’ cheers came like a tide.
Ning Qing stood at the edge of the crowd, with the medicine box slung over his shoulder, but his eyes curved into crescents as he smiled.
The old hunter patted Li Xiaofei on the back, the tarpaulin strips on the hunting rifle still smoking: “Boy, you are much more powerful than I was back then.”
But Li Xiaofei didn’t laugh.
He squatted down and used the tip of the knife to pick up the scar on the neck of the iron-scaled beast – the scar was not formed naturally, but was carved by some sharp weapon, and the pattern looked like… like the anchor emblem of the navy.
Chapter 14 Cradle of Flame? (Old Version)
“Boy, what are you daydreaming about?” The old hunter patted him on the back with incredible force, and the smell of burning tarpaulin entered his nose. “This sea beast skin is enough to make ten shields. Let Aniu peel it off and divide it among the people tomorrow.”
Li Xiaofei looked up and saw salt grains in the wrinkles at the corners of the old hunter’s eyes.
He forced out a laugh that was uglier than crying: “The scar of this iron-scaled beast…”
The old hunter’s hand suddenly stopped in mid-air.
The sea breeze lifted his faded hunting suit, revealing the flintlock rifle that he never left at his waist. The handle of the rifle was also engraved with a vague anchor emblem, which was exactly the same as the pattern on the neck of the iron-scaled beast. “Half a month ago, a fishing boat at the east end of the village salvaged half a ship’s plank.” The old man lowered his voice, his Adam’s apple rolling, “There was a mark of ‘Justice’ in the Navy on it, and… a fragment of a note from a sea beast experiment.”
The bonfire suddenly crackled and sparks flew to Ning Qing’s feet.
She came over at some point, the strap of the medicine box leaving a red mark on her palm: “I detected seastone powder in the beast’s blood.
Ordinary sea beasts would have their internal organs rotted if they swallowed half a gram, but this one was still alive and kicking…” She raised her eyes, her pupils reflecting the flickering firelight, “Someone is doing experiments on sea beasts, and the target… may be Kokoyasi Village.”
Li Xiaofei felt a chill on the back of his neck.
He touched his chest, where there was a faint purple flame – the energy source after the fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit, which was now as hot as a piece of iron being roasted by fire.
“I need stronger abilities.” He spoke suddenly, his voice drowning out the villagers’ laughter.
Xiao Li was still hanging in his arms, but she was sensitive to the change in the atmosphere, and she tugged at the corner of his clothes with a pouty mouth: “Brother Xiao Fei, can you not go far away?”
“Not far.” Li Xiaofei squatted down and wiped the dust off Xiaoli’s face with his thumb stained with animal blood. “Brother will go get some good things and come back to make you a glowing shell necklace.” The girl sniffed and finally burst into laughter. She grabbed the corner of his clothes and ran to Aniu’s mother who was holding the grilled fish.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, the old village chief came over with a cane.
The moonlight fell on his silver beard, like a layer of salt frost. “Twenty years ago, your mother Camilla said something similar when she treated my leg injury.” He patted the back of Li Xiaofei’s hand. “Go, I have someone repair the old wooden boat at the east end of the village. There is a nautical chart left by your father in the secret compartment at the bottom of the boat. He said that the island is the ‘cradle of fire’.”
When Ning Qing returned to the cabin, he had already poured the contents of the medicine box onto half of the bed.
When she looked up, the hair behind her ears was stained with powder, like a thin layer of snow: “Hemostatic grass, anesthetics, and serum against seastone toxins, enough to last for half a month.” Seeing him staring at her, the tip of her ear slowly turned red, “What? Don’t you believe me?”
“Letter.” Li Xiaofei grabbed the rag on the table to wipe his hands, and the system prompt sounded at the right time: [It is detected that the host’s crisis awareness has increased, and the temporary panel is opened].
A light blue light curtain spread out between the two of them. Tiny cracks surrounded the icon of the Flame-Flame Fruit, and next to it was marked “Fusion Degree 87% (Level 1 Peak)”. Below it, a line of bloody words popped up: [Need to devour a fruit of the same or different series to break through the bottleneck. Suggested targets: Animal-type·Raptor Fruit (improves dynamic vision)/Metahuman-type·Spring Fruit (enhances explosive power)]“That island…” Ning Qing suddenly pointed to the nautical chart spread out on the table, her fingertips stopping at a small dot circled in red somewhere in the East China Sea. “The ‘Cradle of Flame’ mentioned by the old village chief, I’ve checked ancient books, that’s the legendary place of the ancient weapon ‘Flame Demon’, there may… be undiscovered devil fruits.” Her fingers trembled slightly, “but there may also be…”
“There is a navy.” Li Xiaofei finished speaking for her, and his fingertips ran across the anchor-shaped mark on the nautical chart – exactly the same as the one on the neck of the iron-scaled beast.
He unbuttoned the second button of his shirt, the purple flame of the energy source flowing under his skin, “I must go.”
The departure was before dawn.
Xiaoli held his waist and refused to let go, her tears soaking the corners of his clothes; the old hunter stuffed a flintlock rifle into his arms, with a new flame pattern engraved on the handle; the old village chief stood on the dock, with torches held by the whole village behind him, like a string of stars connected to the horizon.
As the wooden boat cut through the morning mist, Ning Qing suddenly pulled his sleeve.
She pointed at the stern, where a piece of silver scale was floating – completely different from the iron-scaled beast, with fine serrations on the edges, like the armor of some larger creature.
“That is…”
“The scales of the king of the sea.” Ning Qing’s voice was as light as sea mist. “It didn’t appear yesterday, but I smelled blood in the tide.”
Li Xiaofei gripped the oar tightly.
The burning sensation of the energy source became stronger and stronger, and the small red dot on the system panel had turned into a glaring red.
On the sea level ahead, the outline of a black island can be vaguely seen, like a dormant beast.
“Speed up.” He whispered, and purple flames rose from his palms, condensing into blazing flame thrusters at the bottom of the ship.
The wooden boat cut through the waves and sped towards the island shrouded in morning mist.
Chapter 15: Fusion of the Complete Bakugo Fruit (Old Version)
When the wooden boat stopped by the reef, Li Xiaofei’s palms were already sweating.
The morning mist wrapped in the salty and humid sea breeze poured into his collar. He looked at the dark island in front of him – it was not an island, but it looked more like a rock mountain rising from the bottom of the sea. Vines were like green snakes wrapped around the cliffs, and the reef at the bottom was stained with dark brown blood, which smelled fishy in the morning light.
“The low tide line seems to be a little higher than the old village chief described.” Ning Qing squatted beside the boat, dipped her fingertips in the sea water, and sniffed it. “It smells like rust. It could be the ore in the cracks of the rocks, or it could be…” She didn’t finish her words, and her brows slightly frowned when she looked up.
As soon as the prompt [Unknown biological fluctuations detected, distance 500 meters] popped up, a “click” sound came from above my head – it was the crisp sound of vines breaking.
He suddenly grabbed Ning Qing’s collar and pulled him back. A piece of green vine as thick as an arm fell “pa” on the place where the two had just stood. There were barbs on the tip, and it was dripping with sticky transparent liquid.
“Poison vine.” Ning Qing immediately took out the medicine bag, pierced the tip of the vine with a silver needle, took a drop, and sipped it on the tip of her tongue. “It paralyzes the nerves. If the dose is enough, it can paralyze sea beasts.” She looked up at the cliff, and some mottled stone patterns were faintly visible in the area covered by vines. “These are not naturally grown. Someone deliberately cultivated them to guard the island.”
Li Xiaofei stared at the stone pattern for three seconds and suddenly raised his hand.
Purple flames shot out from between his fingers, accurately burning three vines.
The vines licked by the flames screamed with a burnt smell, and actually oozed dark red juice. “As expected of a legendary place of ancient weapons, it really has a backup plan.” He kicked away the broken vines at his feet, and raised his chin towards Ning Qingyang when he turned around, “Follow me closely, don’t touch anything that moves.”
As the two climbed up along the crack of the cliff, the morning mist gradually dissipated.
The sole of Li Xiaofei’s boot rolled over a raised piece of gravel, and the surface of the stone suddenly sank – it was a shallow pit the size of a palm, with crooked symbols engraved in it.
Ning Qing immediately squatted down and scraped away the stone chips with a dagger, revealing more scratches: “This is a variant of the Sky Island text. I have seen it in the medical book fragments… It means ‘inviolable fire.'” Her fingertips stopped on one of the scratches, “There is wear and tear here, as if it has been touched repeatedly. Maybe someone comes here often.”
“Navy?” Li Xiaofei rubbed the energy source with his thumb, “Or…”
Before he finished speaking, a muffled “boom” was heard from the front.
The two of them held their breath at the same time and followed the direction of the sound – on the rock wall twenty meters away, half of a bronze door was emerging from the vines. The relief on the door was of a giant holding a torch, with two dark blue gems embedded in his eye sockets.
“Burning.” Red flames rose from Li Xiaofei’s palm. The moment the flames licked the bronze door, the roar of gears turning came from inside the door.
Ning Qing suddenly grabbed his wrist: “Wait!” She pointed to the gap under the door, where a half-rusted key was stuck. “The door is locked from the inside. Could it be that someone went in and didn’t come out?”
A new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Devil fruit energy detected, purity 92%, distance 15 meters].
He did not hesitate any longer, the flames suddenly surged, the bronze door twisted and melted in the red light, revealing the dark cave behind it.
The air in the cave had a stale earthy smell. The floor was paved with bluestone slabs, and every three steps there was a luminous pearl embedded, lighting up the passage dimly.
Ning Qing took out the silver needle she carried with her and drew a mark on the wall every ten steps. “The mechanism should be on the ground.” She lowered her head and stared at the seams of the stone slabs. “These stone slabs are movable. If you step on the wrong position…”
As soon as he finished speaking, the stone slab under Li Xiaofei’s feet suddenly sank.
He immediately pulled Ning Qing to the side. Behind them came the sound of “swooshing” – dozens of poisoned short arrows brushed past the tips of their hair and pierced into the stone wall, with the arrowheads emitting a faint green light.
“It’s seastone powder.” Ning Qing pulled off the corner of her clothes to cover her mouth and nose. “The poison on the arrowhead can suppress the power of the fruit.” She pointed at the arrow marks on the stone wall. “These arrowheads are barbed. Pulling them out will cause secondary poisoning.”
The purple flame in Li Xiaofei’s palm flickered.
The system prompt of [Fusion Degree 91%] made his heart beat faster – as long as he took one more step forward, he would be able to break through the first-level bottleneck.
He bent down, picked up a piece of gravel, and threw it at the stone slab three steps away.
As soon as the gravel touched the stone slab, cracks appeared on the ground and a large amount of dark green mist gushed out.
“Poison mist.” Ning Qing immediately poured out two brown pills from the medicine bag and stuffed one into Li Xiaofei’s pocket. “Put it under your tongue to fight against neurotoxins.” She crushed the pill herself, and the medicine juice flowed down the corners of her mouth. “This mist can corrode clothing and cause ulcers if it touches the skin.”
The two men moved sideways along the stone wall.
Li Xiaofei’s back rubbed against a raised stone brick. As his fingertips touched the brick surface, the whole wall suddenly flipped over, revealing a bronze box embedded inside. The lid of the box was engraved with flame patterns and was slowly opening as the two people approached.
“Fruit!” Ning Qing’s voice trembled.
In the box lay a wine-red fruit, its skin covered with spiral patterns, each line glowing faintly, as if there was a living thing flowing inside.
Li Xiaofei’s system panel exploded with dazzling golden light: [Paradox-type Baku-Baku Fruit detected (complete), swallowing conditions met] [Fusion plan generated: Flame-Flame Fruit + Baku-Baku Fruit = Flame-Baku Fruit (first-order peak breakthrough)]The moment he stretched out his hand, the bronze box suddenly made a buzzing sound.
From deep within the cave came the sound of iron chains dragging on the ground, mixed with heavy breathing – it was a living person, or… something more terrifying.
“Take the fruit first!” Ning Qing grabbed his wrist and pushed it into the box.
As soon as Li Xiaofei’s fingertips touched the fruit, the system prompt sounded: [Swallowing completed, fusion progress 100%] [Awakening new ability: Fire Storm (can control all flames within a radius of 50 meters, explosive combustion produces shock waves)]The sharp pain spread from the center of my eyebrows to the back of my neck.
Countless fragments flashed before Li Xiaofei’s eyes: the red flame of the Flame-Flame Fruit wrapped in the golden light of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, melting into a rotating fireball deep in his sea of consciousness. The moment the fireball exploded, he heard a slight “crack” sound from his bones, and the purple flame under his skin became more intense, and even his breathing was accompanied by a scorching air wave.
“Let’s go!” Ning Qing pulled him out of the cave.
The sound of chains behind me was getting closer and closer, mixed with unclear roars, like the voice of someone with his throat cut.
The moment Li Xiaofei turned around, he saw two faint green lights flashing in the darkness – they were a pair of bloodshot eyes. The skin around the eye sockets had festered, revealing the white bone streaks.
When the two rushed out of the cave, the sunlight was so bright that they could not open their eyes.
Ning Qing suddenly staggered, and Li Xiaofei discovered that her skirt was cut open, and there was a bloodstain on her calf, oozing dark purple blood. “It was the poison arrow just now.” She took off her headscarf and bandaged it, “It’s okay, I brought the antidote.”
But the situation was even worse on the wooden boat.
The rope that was originally tied to the reef was gnawed to only half of its original size, and a few jagged silver scales were floating on the sea – exactly the same as the one at the stern of the boat when it set out.
Farther away, three pirate ships flying skull and crossbones flags were cutting through the waves. The emblem on the bow was a crossed bone knife with blood still on the blade.
“It’s the Bone Blade Pirates.” Ning Qing’s voice turned cold. “They hijacked three merchant ships in the East China Sea, and the bounty is 20 million Baileys.” She took out the poisoned dagger hidden in her hair, “I’ll take care of the one on the left, and you…”
“No need.” A red-gold flame rose from Li Xiaofei’s palm.
On the system panel, the icon of “Fire Blast Fruit” is flashing wildly, and the cooldown time of “Fire Storm” is displayed as 0 seconds.
He took a deep breath and raised his hand towards the pirate ship.
Red-gold waves of fire gushed out from the fingertips, sweeping across the sea like an angry fire dragon.
The pirate ship in the front was instantly engulfed in flames; its sails, planks, and even the skull and crossbones flag on the mast were twisted and melted in the flames.
Just as the pirates on the two ships behind were about to turn their bows around, a wave of fire wrapped in a shock wave hit them, and the hull was overturned. The pirates screamed and fell into the sea. Smoke rose as soon as their clothes touched the sea water – it was the residual heat of the fire storm, and even the sea water was boiled.
Ning Qing looked at the charred wreckage on the sea and his short knife fell to the ground with a clang.
When she turned to look at Li Xiaofei, he was panting with his hands hanging down, sweat dripping from the ends of his hair, but the light in his eyes was more blazing than fire. “Is this the ability after fusion?” she asked softly.
“The peak of the first level.” Li Xiaofei tore off the corner of his clothes to wipe his face. The burning sensation of the energy source finally turned into a warm current. “Swallow three more fruits and you can reach the second level.” He bent down to pick up the oar, and suddenly stopped – there was a blood-stained note on the bottom of the boat, with crooked handwriting, as if it was written before death: “Cradle of Fire… There are living weapons…”
The return trip was twice as fast as the trip there.
When the torches of Kekeya West Village reappeared in sight, Xiaoli’s scream had already pierced through the sea breeze: “Brother Fei!
Sister Qing! ” She rushed down from the dock barefoot and almost knocked Li Xiaofei into the sea when she threw herself into his arms.
He stared at the new prompt that popped up on the system panel, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up: [High-risk energy reaction detected, 100 nautical miles away] [Target characteristics: Navy vice admiral-level combat power, carrying seastone weapons]Chapter 16 New Sea Monster (Old Version)
The bonfire in Kekoyasi Village made the sea surface turn red. Xiaoli was still hanging on Li Xiaofei’s neck and refused to come down. Her little fingers stained with sweet potato residue were poking his hot earlobe.
“Village Chief! Uncle Afu from the east end of the village is back!”
A shout interrupted the excitement.
The one who ran in was Azhu, a young man who was on night watch. His trouser legs were stained with sea water, there were beads of blood on his forehead, and in his hand was clutching a half-bitten oar.
He stumbled and knocked over the bamboo basket containing dried fish. When the basket rolled to Li Xiaofei’s feet, he could see the tooth marks on the paddle – those were not the tooth marks of ordinary sea beasts at all. Each crack looked like it had been chopped by a sharp axe, with the edges charred and covered with mucus.
“Sea…sea monster.” Ah Zhu’s throat felt like it was stuffed with a piece of rag. “Uncle Ah Fu’s fishing boat was overturned. He floated back holding onto the planks. He said that thing was bigger than the king of the offshore and that it could crush the reefs into powder with a single slap of its tail.” He suddenly grabbed Li Xiaofei’s wrist. “Its eyes were red. When it stared at me, I couldn’t even move!”
The old village chief’s hand holding the cane was shaking, and his eyes behind the lenses were narrowed into slits: “Ten years ago… when I was a fisherman, I heard the elders talk about deep-sea monsters.
It is said that it lives on the edge of the doldrums and feeds on large sea kings. Even warships have to avoid it when they see it.
He suddenly started coughing violently, and Ning Qing immediately stepped forward to support him, tapping his back lightly with his fingertips.
Li Xiaofei squatted down and pried Azhu’s hand away from his wrist.
The young man’s palms were covered in cold sweat, and there was half a piece of scale armor stuck between his fingers. It was bluish-gray in color, and the edges were sharp enough to cut the skin.
He picked up the scale armor, and a prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Unknown biological energy detected, recommended swallowing level: B level (second-order fusion body required)]“Level 2,” he repeated in a low voice, his eyes sweeping across the progress bar of “Fusion Degree 37%” in the system.
“Xiao Fei?” Ning Qing’s voice drew his attention back.
She had changed into a plain shorts outfit at some point, and had three small celadon bottles on her waist, with poison ivy patterns engraved on the bottles – they were the paralyzing poison she had just made.
The moonlight shone on the poisoned dagger in her hair, and the blade trembled slightly, as if responding to some impending danger.
“Call all the villagers who can hold weapons.” Li Xiaofei stood up, the flame on his palm rose three inches high, burning the scales to ashes, “Old hunter, you take five people to the reef area north of the village, use fishing nets and iron chains to set up tripwires; Ah Zhu, you lead the night watch team to bury gunpowder barrels on the beach, and connect the fuse to the haystack at the entrance of the village – Ning Qing, prepare three sets of medical kits, and…” He paused and looked at Xiaoli who was huddled behind the old village chief, “Let Xiaoli take the children to the cellar behind the village, and you will keep the key.”
“I want to help too!” Xiaoli stamped her feet in anxiety, and the wild flowers on the ends of her braids were all crooked.
Ning Qing squatted down and used her fingers, which were stained with the scent of medicine, to straighten her braids: “Xiao Li’s task is the most important – if there are children crying in the cellar, you have to sing “Stars Falling into the Sea” to comfort them, right?” Xiao Li sniffed, nodded vigorously, and turned around to run to the cellar, not forgetting to turn around and shout: “Brother Fei must win!”
The night deepens.
Li Xiaofei stood on the highest observation tower, the sea breeze making the corners of his clothes rustle.
The beach underfoot has been arranged into a battlefield: thumb-thick steel cables are wrapped between the reefs, and the fuses of gunpowder barrels buried in the sand are crawling towards the haystacks like snakes; in the coconut grove outside the village, the old hunter and the villagers set up five homemade flame crossbows, whose arrows are soaked in resin and can be ignited at any time.
“There!”
Azhu’s roar pierced the night.
Black waves rose on the horizon, taller than a three-story building.
A gray shadow emerged on the crest of the wave, first with two red eyes as big as lanterns, then a dorsal fin covered with barbs, and finally a twenty-meter-long tail – it was not a sea beast at all, but a moving reef!
“Release the rocket!” The old hunter’s voice was calm and steady, which was unique to old hunters.
Five flaming crossbows were fired at the same time. Sparks drew five golden lines in the night sky and accurately pierced into the giant’s dorsal fin.
But the expected scream did not come. The giant monster’s skin was like a red-hot iron plate. The resin evaporated with a “sizzle” as soon as it touched it, without even leaving a white mark.
“Fire storm!” Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into needle tips.
He could feel the energy source getting hot, it was the fused Pyrobomb Fruit resonating.
The system panel jumped wildly: [Target Defense Level: A-, Suggested attack weak point: three fingers below the throat (presumably the heart)]The troll’s tail has already swung over.
“Get down!” Li Xiaofei pounced on the nearest villager, and the red-gold flames condensed into a shield behind him.
The moment the tail hit the shield, spider-web-like cracks appeared on the ground, and several coconut trees were uprooted.
When spider-web-like cracks appeared on the shield, he gritted his teeth and injected another stream of flame. Flames immediately burst out of the cracks and burned back towards the troll’s tail.
“Ouch!”
The roar made the eardrums hurt.
The giant monster stepped back in pain, the fierce light in his red eyes becoming more intense.
It opened its mouth, revealing a row of sharp, serrated teeth, each of which was half the height of Li Xiaofei.
“Look at its gills!” she shouted as she ran. “When the flames burned the tail just now, the gills contracted three times, which means that part is more sensitive!”
Li Xiaofei’s mind suddenly became clear.
He remembered the weak spot in the system prompts, three fingers below the gills… yes, that’s it!
He took a deep breath, clasped his hands together in front of his chest, and the energy of the Flame Blast Fruit surged through his body like a volcanic eruption.
The red-gold flame condensed into a fireball in his palm, with tiny golden sparks dancing on the surface – that was the “Fire Blast Bomb” that was newly awakened after the fusion of the Boom-Boom Fruit.
“go!”
The fireball tore through the night sky with a sound of breaking through the air and hit the giant monster precisely under its gills.
This time there was no evaporation or bounce. The flames penetrated the skin like a living thing and exploded inside the giant’s body.
It let out a dying wail, and its huge body slammed heavily onto the beach, with the waves it created almost submerging the haystacks at the entrance of the village.
“Detonate the explosives!” The old hunter roared with ecstasy.
Azhu pressed the lighter with his trembling hands, and the fuse burned with a “hissing” sound. After five muffled sounds, five puffs of black smoke rose on the beach.
Five bloody holes were blown in the giant monster’s abdomen, and its internal organs mixed with sea water gushed out.
It struggled twice and finally stopped moving. Its red eyes slowly went out, like two blown-out lanterns.
“Win!”
Xiaoli rushed out of the cellar, holding her favorite teddy bear in her arms, her tears wet her clothes.
The old village chief sighed as he touched the giant’s scales, saying that he would take a piece to carve an amulet; Ah Zhu squatted on the beach and picked up the wooden shoes that had just fallen off in fear, with the soles still stained with the giant’s slime.
Ning Qing walked to Li Xiaofei and handed him a kettle.
“The degree of integration has increased by 21%.” Li Xiaofei wiped the sweat from his face and looked towards the horizon.
The bonfire burned vigorously again, and the villagers began to share the roasted sea monster meat – the meat of the giant monster had a strange sweet taste, and the old hunter said it was a great tonic.
But Li Xiaofei didn’t move his chopsticks. He stared at the fragment of the sea beast’s heart in his hand. Suddenly, a new prompt popped up on the system panel: [Vice Admiral “Iron Wall” Gullit has arrived, 30 nautical miles away] [Suggestion: Increase the fusion level immediately]Chapter 17: Marked Islands (Old Version)
The bonfire crackled and a spark fell on the back of Li Xiaofei’s hand, but he was completely unaware.
Xiaoli was still hanging on his waist, and the teddy bear soaked with tears rubbed his fingertips, but he stared at the black needle-like mast on the horizon, and his Adam’s apple moved – that was the mainmast of a naval ship, moored thirty nautical miles away during the day, and now it looked even more eerie under the moonlight.
“Brother Fei, try this!” Ah Zhu came over with half a roasted, shiny sea beast leg, and the charred scales fell on the beach. “The old hunter said that this meat can strengthen the bones and muscles. After eating it, you can carry three buckets of rice tomorrow.”
“Azhu.” Ning Qing suddenly reached out and pressed his wrist.
“Brother Fei just finished a fight, his stomach can’t be empty, drink a bowl of hot soup first.”
The old hunter squatted beside the giant monster’s corpse, and the sound of the hunting knife scraping across the scales was sizzling. “There are fresh bite marks on the gill cover of this beast.” He suddenly spoke, and the back of the knife lifted up a piece of rolled flesh, in which half of a serrated sharp tooth was embedded. “It’s not something that an ordinary sea beast can bite.” The bonfire reflected the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and then they became bright and dark. “I have been drifting in the East China Sea for forty years. The last time I saw such tooth marks… was when Capone, the ‘sea beast master’ of the Rocks Pirates, went to sea.”
The noise on the beach suddenly weakened a bit.
A woman clutched her child tightly in her arms, and Azhu’s roasted animal leg fell into the sand with a “plop”.
“The sudden increase in sea beast activity cannot be a coincidence.” The old hunter put the sharp tooth into the leather bag. “The fishing net at the east end of the village was torn into strips the other day. Yesterday, the Zhang family’s fishing boat capsized at the mouth of the bay—” He looked up at Li Xiaofei, “Xiaofei, why do you think the warship stopped here?”
Li Xiaofei’s Adam’s apple rolled.
The system panel was jumping on the retina, and the prompt from [Vice Admiral Gulit] was like a thin needle piercing the temple.
He recalled what his father often said in the original owner’s memory: “The navy’s anchor chain will never sink into the doldrums for no reason.”
“Qing’er.” He turned to Ning Qing, who was wiping the blood off the dagger with herbs. He raised his eyes when he heard his name, his eyelashes still stained with seawater splashed during the battle. “Go and get the nautical chart I hid in the tree hole.”
Ning Qing didn’t ask any more questions. When she turned around, the corner of her skirt brushed across the bonfire, and sparks followed her shadow into the night sky.
Xiaoli tugged at his shirt. “Brother Fei, are you leaving?” The child’s voice was nasal, and her fingers were still stained with the oil from the roasted meat. “Xiaoli’s stuffed bear will miss you.”
Li Xiaofei squatted down and wiped the dust off her face.
The little girl’s tears welled up again and fell on the back of his hand. “When Brother Fei comes back, I’ll bring you the most beautiful shells in the East China Sea.” He touched Xiaoli’s head, and when he looked up, he saw the old village chief standing by the campfire, holding a shiny sea beast scale in his hand, the one he had just said he wanted to carve into an amulet.
“Go ahead.” The old village chief came over and stuffed the scale into Li Xiaofei’s palm. The edge of the scale still had body temperature. “Children from Keke Yaxi Village should never be trapped on the beach.” His palm was covered with calluses, and he pressed it on the back of Li Xiaofei’s neck. “But remember, you must come back alive.”
Ning Qing’s footsteps came from behind.
The cowhide roll she brought still had the fragrance of pine resin. It was spread out on the beach. In the moonlight, one could see the route drawn with cinnabar – that was the secret island that the original owner’s father had noted down when he was hiding from pursuit, with the scribbled words “Devil’s Seed” marked on it.
“The island the old hunter mentioned.” Li Xiaofei’s fingertips slid across the red cross on the map, and the system panel suddenly glowed with golden light. The prompt of [Potential Devil Fruit Energy Source Detected] made his heart skip a beat. “Qing’er, do you remember the old carpenter’s broken boat at the east end of the village?”
Ning Qing nodded. She had put her short knife into the leather sheath at her waist. The glass jars in the medicine box jingled. While everyone was dividing the meat, she had quietly put the commonly used medicinal herbs and hemostatic powder in. “I went to check it this morning. The keel is still strong. The canvas has been patched three times, but it can be used.” She squatted down and pointed her fingertips on the map. “From here to Hongcha, if the monsoon is favorable, it will take three days to get there.”
“Azhu!” Li Xiaofei raised his voice.
The young man who was picking up the burnt animal legs looked up suddenly and said, “Go and get two jars of coconut wine from behind the village, and find ten gourds for fresh water—it has to be freshly dried, not moldy.”
“Hey!” Ah Zhu ran away, making the shells on the beach crackle.
“Auntie!” Ning Qing turned to the woman who was roasting the meat, “Please fill half a sack with pickled dried fish and bring two pieces of bacon.”
The bonfire burned weaker and weaker, and when the eastern sky turned pale, the broken ship had already stopped at the mouth of the bay.
Xiaoli stood on the dock holding her stuffed bear, her eyelashes sticking to her eyes like a brush. “Brother Fei, keep your word!”
“Definitely.” Li Xiaofei touched her head, and when he turned around, he saw the old hunter standing behind the reef, throwing him a leather bag – the one that contained the sharp teeth of sea beasts, “If you encounter trouble, throw this thing into the sea, it can lure away those blind beasts.”
The moment the sail was blown up by the sea breeze, Ning Qing suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Her hands were a little cold from preparing supplies all night. She looked up at him, her eyes surprisingly bright in the morning mist.
The waves hit the side of the boat, and the salty mist hit my face.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow, looking at the gradually blurred Kokoa West Village. The system panel jumped on his retina: [120 nautical miles away from the target island] [Unknown energy fluctuations detected].
He touched the scales of the sea beast in his arms, and then touched the core of the Flame Blast Fruit on his waist.
The sun showed half of its face through the clouds in the east.
The patches on the sails were shining brightly, and on the distant sea level, a dark shadow was slowly emerging – that was the place marked by the red cross on the map.
Chapter 18 Fusion of the Hell Fruit (Old Version)
When the salty sea breeze with the fishy smell filled his nostrils, Li Xiaofei’s boots finally touched solid ground.
A series of dark brown marks on the beach were extending into the jungle. They looked like they were repeatedly hit by a blunt object, and the edges were covered with dark brown mucus.
He squatted down and touched the mark with his fingertips. The temperature had not yet dissipated.
A red light suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Residual non-human biological activity detected, danger level B].
“Is it a sea monster?” Ning Qing lowered his voice and shook the medicine box beside him.
She had specially stuffed half a bottle of Datura juice into the interlayer this morning, and now she could smell the bitter fragrance through the fabric.
“Not like it.” Li Xiaofei stood up, the core of the Pyroblast Fruit feeling hot in his arms.
This core, which is a fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, will resonate every time it comes close to an energy source.
He could clearly feel that the wave that excited the system was coming from somewhere deep in the jungle. “Go, follow me closely.”
The jungle canopy was as dense as a green curtain, and the sunlight that filtered through turned into fragments of gold.
Ning Qing used his short knife to push aside the vines that were blocking his way, and suddenly he uttered a “hmm”.
Li Xiaofei followed her gaze and looked over there – there were crooked symbols carved on the blue-gray stone wall, as if they were scratched out by claws. There was a charred round hole in the center of each symbol, as if it had been melted by high temperature.
“System, scan.” He said silently in his mind.
The analysis result immediately popped up on the retina: [Fragments of ancient Sky Island text, meaning: Forbidden place, stay away].
“Taboo?” Ning Qing’s fingertips ran across the symbols. “The people of Sky Island would not carve such warnings casually.” She suddenly grabbed Li Xiaofei’s wrist and pulled it to the side. A poisoned bone arrow “puffed” into the place where he had just stood, and the feathers at the tail of the arrow were still trembling.
They both held their breath.
Deep in the jungle came the sound of branches being crushed. It was some kind of quadrupedal creature, at least twice the size of a full-grown wild boar.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into thin lines, and the core of the Pyroblast Fruit condensed into a red-gold flame in his palm.
“Don’t do that.” Ning Qing suddenly pressed the back of his hand.
She squatted down, scraped off a little green powder from the arrow shaft, and sniffed it. “It’s made from the root of Datura, with coral snake venom added. This is made by humans.”
Before he finished speaking, a clear whistle was heard from the treetops.
Seven or eight figures leaped down from the treetops, led by a tall and thin man wearing a feather mask and a necklace of human teeth around his waist.
He glanced at the flame in Li Xiaofei’s palm, and his pupils shrank suddenly: “A devil fruit user?”
“Who are you?” Li Xiaofei took half a step forward and blocked Ning Qing behind him.
The system panel jumped wildly: [Detected that the target’s weapon contains residual devil fruit energy] [Danger level increased to A].
“Here to take my life.” The masked man snapped his fingers, and his companions immediately surrounded him in a fan shape.
One of the short-bearded men suddenly stared at Ning Qing and smiled: “This girl has delicate skin and tender flesh. If she is sold to the slave market, she can be exchanged for ten boxes of wine.”
“Shut up.” The masked man’s tone suddenly turned cold. “Let’s deal with the person with special abilities first.” When he raised his hand, Li Xiaofei saw a cold light breaking through the air amid the sound of the silver rings on his wrists colliding.
It was a bone spear, the tip of which was dripping with the same slime as on the beach.
“Qing’er!” Li Xiaofei turned around and pushed Ning Qing away. The bone spear brushed past his left shoulder and tore a bloody hole in his cloth shirt.
The flames of the blast instantly enveloped his palm, and he punched the nearest short-bearded man – the moment the red-gold flaming fist pierced through the man’s chest, the man didn’t even have time to scream before he was burned to ashes.
The rest of the people froze.
The masked man’s fingers clasped the bone knife at his waist, but stopped the moment he touched the handle.
He stared at the blood on Li Xiaofei’s shoulder and suddenly shouted something in Sky Island language.
Ning Qing’s eyes lit up: “He said blood sacrifice!” She quickly took out a glass jar from the medicine box, “Brother Fei, they want your blood!”
Li Xiaofei’s temple was throbbing.
A new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Remnants of an ancient blood sacrifice ritual detected] [Target attempts to obtain the blood of a person with special abilities to activate the ruins].
He looked at the blue-gray stone door that was gradually taking shape behind the masked man. On the stone door that had just been covered by vines, the charred round holes were emitting a faint blue fluorescence as his blood dripped.
“Burn the stone gate.” He gritted his teeth, and flames burst out from his palms.
The moment the red-gold flames licked the stone gate, the entire jungle began to tremble.
The vines curled up and pulled away frantically, revealing a crystal groove embedded in the center of the stone door – inside it lay a devil fruit with a purple-gold luster, and the patterns on its surface looked like burning flames.
“Fruit!” Ning Qing’s voice changed tone.
Just as she was about to rush over, the masked man suddenly let out a shrill scream.
His skin began to crack, revealing the blue-gray scales underneath, and his nails grew wildly into sharp claws: “The sacrifice dares to resist? Then you will be buried with the master!”
Only then did Li Xiaofei see clearly that these people had purple scales protruding from the back of their necks.
Their joints made teeth-grinding cracking sounds and instantly turned into half-human, half-beast monsters.
A snake-like creature crawled out from the ashes of the short-bearded man’s body, and was crawling towards the fruit with its hissing tongue.
“Qing’er, go get the fruit!”
He increased the fire power of the pyrotechnics to the limit, and his entire body turned into a stream of red-gold light and rushed into the group of monsters.
Wherever the flames passed, the monster’s scales sizzled and emitted a stench of burning flesh.
Ning Qing’s dagger flew under the monster’s claws.
She kicked away the wolf-shaped monster that pounced on her, and smashed the medicine box at the snake-like creature with her backhand. The moment the glass jar shattered, the datura juice and coral snake venom mixed into a green mist, and the snake-like creature screamed and curled up into a ball.
She took the opportunity to grab the fruit in the crystal trough. When she turned around, she was knocked off balance by the monster, but she held the fruit tightly in her arms.
“Catch it!” She threw the fruit to Li Xiaofei.
Li Xiaofei caught the fruit with his left hand, and the flame in his right hand condensed into a giant sword, which directly smashed the masked man’s head.
Amid the monsters’ screams, he felt the power of the fruit surging into his body like boiling magma.
The system panel exploded with blinding golden light: [Successfully swallowed the “Purgatory Fruit”] [Fusion plan generated: Pyroblast Fruit + Purgatory Fruit = “World Burning Fruit”] [Fusion degree increased to 37%] [Aquired skill: Firestorm (can summon a continuous sea of fire covering a three-kilometer range, the temperature increases with the fusion degree)].
“Let’s go!” He grabbed Ning Qing’s wrist and ran towards the beach.
There was a roar of a stone gate collapsing behind him, and the sharp claws of the last monster brushed past Ning Qing’s ear tip, leaving deep scratches on the tree trunk.
When they returned to the wreck, their robes were soaked with blood and sweat.
Ning Qing sat slumped on the deck, trembling as he took out the hemostatic powder and sprinkled it on Li Xiaofei’s shoulder injury: “Was that monster just now a human?”
“The transformed experimental subject.” Li Xiaofei stared at the red-gold flame dancing in his palm.
Now there is a hint of dark purple in the fire, like a burning ghost fire in the underworld. “The system says that there are ancient genes in their blood, which may be related to the blank history.”
The moment the sails were blown up by the sea breeze, three pirate ships with skull and crossbones flags suddenly appeared on the distant horizon.
The figurehead of the leading ship is a grinning fish head – the symbol of the Arlong Pirates.
Ning Qing’s hands suddenly tightened, and the powder scattered all over the floor: “How could they…”
“Because of the fruit.” Li Xiaofei looked at the approaching pirate ship, the world-burning flames jumping on his fingertips, “The energy fluctuations of the devil fruit can be transmitted a hundred miles away.” He turned his head to look at Ning Qing, with red-gold flames burning in his eyes, “Are you afraid?”
“I’m afraid, but I want to see you burn them even more.” Ning Qing tore off the corner of his clothes to bandage his wound. When his fingertips touched the flame in his palm, he only felt warmth.
The gun barrels of the three pirate ships turned at the same time.
The moment the first shell broke through the air, Li Xiaofei’s figure leaped onto the bow of the ship.
He opened his arms, and flames of red gold and dark purple burst out from his body, condensing into a flaming cloud in mid-air that blocked out the sky and the sun.
“Firestorm——”
A blazing rain of fire poured down.
The sails of the pirate ship burned instantly, and the wooden hull groaned in pain.
The minions of the Arlong Pirate Group screamed and jumped into the sea, but their skin was blistered by the sea of fire.
Ning Qing looked at this scene, and now she finally understood why Fei Ge always said, “In the world of pirates, strength is the qualification for survival.”
When the last wisp of black smoke dissipated, the broken ship had already sailed into the bay of Kokoasi Village.
Xiaoli’s stuffed bear was swinging on the dock. The old village chief’s walking stick made the bluestone slabs rattle. Ah Zhu ran over with a torch in hand, “Brother Fei! Sister Qing’er!”
Li Xiaofei picked up Xiaoli who rushed over to him. The tears on her face were still there.
As the night deepened, Li Xiaofei stood on the rocks behind the village.
A new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Large-scale energy fluctuations detected, direction: northwest] [It is recommended that the host increase the fusion degree to 50%]Chapter 19 Shadow Whale (Old Version)
The bonfire in Kekoya West Village made the bluestone slabs shine, and Xiaoli’s stuffed bear rubbed against Li Xiaofei’s arms.
The old village chief was about to ask someone to bring some hot fish soup when he heard hurried footsteps at the entrance of the village. It was the fisherman Ah Fu. Seawater was still dripping from his trouser legs, his chest was heaving violently, and his voice was trembling: “The boat in the northern fishing ground capsized!”
Li Xiaofei’s fingers stopped at the top of Xiaoli’s head.
Ning Qing was squatting at his feet sorting the medicine box. He looked up when he heard the words, and the medicine bottle left red marks in his palm.
“Tell me more specifically.” Li Xiaofei put Xiaoli down, and the stuffed bear fell to the ground with a “thump”.
Just as Xiaoli was about to pick it up, the old hunter grabbed her and held her in his arms, and the old man covered her ears with his calloused hands.
Ah Fu wiped the water off his face, digging his nails deep into his palms. “It happened in the middle of the night. Erzhu and his three fishing boats went to chase a school of silver hairtail fish, but… the sea monster jumped out of the water and flipped the boat over with a slap of its tail!”
Erzhu said that the thing was as black as ink, and its eyes were green, as if it could absorb people’s souls! “He suddenly grabbed Li Xiaofei’s wrist with such force that it hurt,” Brother Fei, it’s coming to our village! “
The bonfire crackled and sparks shot into the night sky.
Li Xiaofei looked at Ah Fu’s trembling Adam’s apple and remembered the prompt on the system panel last night – energy fluctuations in the northwest.
He squeezed Ah Fu’s wrist to make him let go, then turned to look at Ning Qing, who had already stood up, with his medicine box tightly closed: “The Shadow Whale may be related to the energy source detected by the system.”
The old village chief slammed his cane on the ground. “I saw something similar ten years ago. It overturned three merchant ships. The navy couldn’t do anything about it.” He stared at Li Xiaofei with cloudy eyes. “But it’s different now. We have you.”
“We’ll set up defenses tonight.” Li Xiaofei took off the flame-patterned headscarf from his waist and tied it around his wrist. Ning Qing sewed it with the skin of the sea beast he killed the first time. “The old hunter will take five young men to bury thorns in the woods outside the village. Ah Zhu and Ah Fu will be responsible for pulling the fishing nets in the reef area. If that thing washes ashore, the fishing nets can slow it down.” He turned to Ning Qing, his eyes softened. “Take the women and children to the stone house behind the village. Prepare some more hemostatic powder in the medicine box. The saliva of sea beasts may be poisonous.”
“I’m not going to the stone house.” Ning Qing stuffed the medicine box to Xiaoli who came over, pulled out a short knife from his waist and put it in his boot. “I want to be where you can see me.”
As the night deepened, the outskirts of Kekoyasi Village had changed.
The old hunter squatted behind the bushes and adjusted the angle of the ground spikes. The metal spikes shone coldly in the moonlight. Ah Zhu led people to soak the thick hemp ropes in fish oil and wrapped them around the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village. Li Xiaofei stood on the highest reef, with a red-gold flame rising from his palm. The flames licked the dry firewood that had been piled up in advance. In an instant, five bonfires formed a semicircle, like a crown of fire for the village.
“This is to lure it over here.” He explained to Ning Qing who came closer, the flames from his fingertips leaping to the ends of her hair and then extinguished, “Sea beasts usually attack at night, and the flames can stimulate their desire to attack.”
The sea breeze suddenly changed direction, bringing with it the fishy and sweet smell of blood.
The waves under the reef exploded suddenly, and a black shadow emerged from the water, as long as three merchant ships connected end to end.
Its skin was like cowhide soaked in ink, with a strange luster, and two dark green spots were shining in its eye sockets. When it swept across the campfire, a low roar like thunder came from its throat.
“Here it comes!” Azhu’s shout resounded through the night sky.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank into needle points.
He had seen sea kings near the coast, but this one was obviously different—there was a chain wrapped around its dorsal fin, with dark purple crystals embedded between the links, exactly the same color as the “energy fluctuations” on the system panel.
“Watch out for its tail!” the old hunter’s voice came from the woods.
Before he could finish his words, the giant whale’s tail fin had already slapped the nearest bonfire.
The flames were scattered into a rain of sparks, hitting the ground spikes that the villagers had just buried.
Li Xiaofei leaped into the air with his arms spread out, and flames of red gold and dark purple intertwined gushed out like a volcanic eruption – this was the “Fire Explosion Field” after the fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the Bomb-Bomb Fruit.
“Pyroblast Impact!”
The shock wave formed by the flames hit the giant whale, but only left charred marks on its skin.
The giant whale felt pain, opened its bloody mouth, and sprayed black mist from its throat.
Ning Qing suddenly grabbed the collar of the villager next to him and rushed backwards. The black mist passed over their heads and hit the old banyan tree – the bark rotted instantly and black blood oozed out.
“It’s corrosive liquid!” Ning Qing wiped the cold sweat from his face, took out a medicine bottle from his arms and threw it to Li Xiaofei, “Use this!
The anti-poison powder I prepared this morning can neutralize the corrosion when sprinkled on the flames!
Li Xiaofei took the medicine bottle and unscrewed it. Flames wrapped around the medicine powder and purple smoke rose up.
When the giant whale sprayed black mist again, the purple smoke wrapped around the poisonous mist like a net and dissipated with a hissing sound.
It seemed to be enraged, and its huge body leaped out of the water and pressed down towards the village.
“Ground thorns!” roared the old hunter.
The metal spikes buried in the sand popped out at the same time and pierced into the belly of the giant whale.
It let out a shrill scream, and blood mixed with sea water splashed all over the ground.
But the next second, the wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the dark purple crystals on the dorsal fin became brighter.
“Fruit energy!” Li Xiaofei suddenly reacted.
The system panel flashed before his eyes, and the prompt [Animal-type, Mythical Beast, Shadow Whale Fruit Energy Detected] almost burned his retinas.
It turns out that this is not an ordinary sea king, but a sea monster that has eaten a devil fruit!
The giant whale’s tail swept over again, and Li Xiaofei was knocked flying and hit the reef, his ribs making a crisp sound.
Ning Qing screamed and rushed over, only to see him coughing up blood, and the flames on his fingertips became even stronger – the ability of the fruit after the third-level fusion began to automatically repair his injuries.
“Look into its eyes!” Ning Qing suddenly shouted.
She squatted behind a broken rock. When the giant whale swung its tail just now, its left eye blinked and a light golden light flashed in the white of its eye – that was the position of its heart!
Li Xiaofei followed her gaze, and at the moment the giant whale leaped up again, he saw clearly: in the depths of the dark green pupils, there was a bright spot as big as a fist, flickering with the heartbeat.
“It’s the core!” He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a flame even hotter than before condensed in his palm – this was the “Ultimate Flame Core” after the fusion of five kinds of fruits.
“Flame Core Break!”
The red-gold flame turned into a sharp arrow, piercing through the giant whale’s left eye and accurately piercing into the bright spot.
The giant whale let out a deafening scream, and its huge body slammed heavily into the sea. The splashing waves overturned the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village.
The sea gradually calmed down, the body of the giant whale floated up, and the dark purple crystals on its dorsal fin began to shatter.
The villagers came out from hiding. Ah Fu rushed over with a torch and poked its skin with a harpoon. “Dead…dead?”
Xiaoli broke free from the old hunter’s arms and threw herself at Li Xiaofei’s legs.
He squatted down, but Xiaoli wiped the blood off his face first: “Brother Fei, does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt.” Li Xiaofei rubbed her head and looked up at Ning Qing.
She was squatting beside the giant whale’s corpse, picking off a dark purple crystal with a short knife, and squinting in the moonlight: “This thing… looks like it was artificially inlaid.”
A new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Special energy fragments detected, fusion recommended] [A mysterious ship appeared in the nearby waters, target: the corpse of the Shadow Whale].
Li Xiaofei looked at the sail looming at the end of the sea horizon, and the flame danced in his palm – what is more dangerous than sea beasts is never the monster itself.
“Qing’er.” He called out.
Ning Qing looked up and saw the red-gold flames in his eyes and the dark tide surging deeper inside. “Put away the crystal.”
Chapter 20: Carlos at the Wave Bar (Old Version)
As the moonlight shattered into silver foil on the sea, Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing walked on the slippery rocks back to Kekoya West Village.
“Brother Fei!” Xiaoli rushed out of the thatched cottage at the entrance of the village wrapped in a coarse blanket, and threw herself into his arms, bringing with her a gust of wind. “Uncle Afu made ginger tea and said that you will definitely freeze to death.”
Li Xiaofei squatted down and rubbed his palm across her red nose.
He could hear coughing sounds coming from the village – the villagers had hidden behind the rocks all night while fighting the giant whale, and were now sitting around the campfire, rubbing their hands and stamping their feet.
Ning Qing’s dagger was still on her waist, with half a dark purple crystal on the scabbard. She suddenly reached out and pressed his wrist: “Don’t rush to warm yourself up.”
Her fingertips were as cold as ice, but they made Li Xiaofei wake up instantly.
The system panel was jumping on his retina, and the prompt of [Mysterious Ship in Nearby Waters] had not disappeared. Just now, when she picked up the crystal with the tip of the knife next to the giant whale’s corpse, he caught a glimpse of tiny snake-like patterns engraved on the surface of the crystal – exactly the same as the tattoo on the murderer’s body when his parents were murdered three years ago.
“Go to the port.” He spoke in a low voice, so that only Ning Qing could hear him. “Carlos from the Wave Bar should know something.”
Ning Qing didn’t say anything, but put the crystal into the leather bag next to her body.
The ends of her hair were still dripping with sea water, staining the sides of her neck, but it was neater than usual.
The port was twenty miles away from the village, so the two men took a shortcut.
The sea breeze before dawn is like a knife, hurting people’s faces.
Li Xiaofei unbuttoned his coat and put it on Ning Qing’s shoulders. She did not refuse, but reached out and touched his ribs – the bones there that were broken by the giant whale’s tail were now healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and a faint golden light was glowing under her skin.
“The third-order fusion has the ability to repair itself.” He explained in a low voice, “But the consumption is too great. We need to find new fruits to replenish it as soon as possible.”
Ning Qing hummed and rubbed his fingers on the leather bag.
She knew that this thing might contain the truth about her parents’ death, or it might contain the key to further evolving Li Xiaofei’s abilities – but more importantly, it was the “mysterious ship” that the system had just mentioned.
As the neon lights of the Wave Bar flickered in the morning mist, Li Xiaofei’s heels rolled over the shell debris on the ground.
As the door opened, hot air mixed with the smell of rum and salted fish hit me in the face.
The bartender was wiping glasses behind the bar. When he looked up, the scar on his left eye twitched: “A stranger?”
“Looking for Carlos.” Li Xiaofei slapped the three Baileys on the bar – these were exchanged for the pearls he dug out from the dorsal fin of a giant whale, enough to buy the intelligence dealer half an hour’s time.
The bartender’s eyes swept across the flame-patterned scabbard on his waist, and then across the poisoned silver needle that Ning Qing pinned on his sleeve. The scar on his knife suddenly curved into a smile: “In the innermost room, the red curtain.”
Behind the red curtain is a smaller room, filled with the smell of sandalwood, which makes people feel stuffy.
Carlos was sitting behind a sandalwood table, calculating on an abacus. He didn’t even raise his head when he heard the noise. “If Baileys aren’t enough to buy intelligence, will lives be enough?”
Li Xiaofei pulled over a chair and sat down. His movement created a gust of wind that made the abacus beads rattle.
He stared at the emerald ring on Carlos’ finger – it also had snake-like patterns on it, exactly the same as the one on the crystal. “I want to know who is embedding devil fruit crystals into the bodies of sea kings.”
Carlos finally looked up.
There were fine lines at the corners of his eyes, but he smiled like a venomous snake: “Young man, if you ask dangerous questions, you will be targeted by danger.” His eyes fell on the leather bag on Ning Qing’s waist, “For example… where did you get the crystal of the Shadow Whale in your arms?”
Ning Qing’s hand instantly pressed on the leather bag.
Li Xiaofei leaned forward, and a cluster of red-gold flames rose from his palms. This was the “flame core” formed by the fusion of the Burn-Burning Fruit, the Bomb-Burning Fruit, and the Magma Fruit. The temperature was high enough to melt steel. “I can kill the sea beast, and I can also burn down this bar.”
Carlos’ pupils shrank.
He suddenly laughed out loud and took out a copper box from the drawer. When he opened it, a faint fishy smell wafted out – inside was half a dark purple crystal that was exactly the same as the one in Ning Qing’s leather bag. “Three months ago, the people from the Arlong Pirates exchanged this thing for information,” he said, “They wanted to find a sea beast that could withstand the energy of multiple fruits, saying they wanted to give the navy a surprise.”
Li Xiaofei’s flame went out.
He thought of Aaron’s iconic serrated shark teeth, and of what the fishermen in Kekoyasi Village often said: all the fish near the coast had disappeared recently – it turned out that the fish were not migrating, but had been transformed into weapons.
“But Aaron doesn’t have that ability.” Carlos tapped the copper box with his emerald ring. “The energy in this crystal is mixed with the technology of the Vegapunk Research Institute.” He suddenly lowered his voice, “I heard that… the World Government is secretly funding certain pirate groups to serve as ‘fruit experimental petri dishes’.”
Ning Qing pinched his fingers into his palm.
She thought of her parents who were thrown into the sea by Aaron, and the fishermen who had their tongues cut off – it turned out that Aaron was not a madman, but a chess piece.
“In exchange,” Carlos pushed over a yellowed map, “there are three islands marked on it. These are all places where fruit ability users have died recently.” He pointed to the skull mark in the corner of the map, “On the largest island, an animal-type mythical beast ability user was killed by pirates three days ago. The fruit should not have been eaten yet.”
Li Xiaofei’s system panel suddenly flashed, and the prompt of [Fusion Degree +5%] made his heart beat faster.
As he grabbed the map, he caught a glimpse of the snake tattoo on Carlos’s sleeve – exactly the same as the one on the crystal, the one that killed his parents.
“Aaron is going to attack the village of Kokoyasi.” Carlos suddenly said, “Three days from now, on the night of the full moon, he will use the village as a ‘testing ground’ to test the newly modified sea kings.”
Ning Qing’s breathing paused.
She thought of the bloody words left by A-Long on the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village, and the shark teeth picked up by Xiaoli yesterday – it turned out not to be a toy, but a declaration of war.
“Why tell me?” Li Xiaofei held the map tightly. “What do you want to see?”
Carlos started counting again, and the sound of the beads colliding was like a death warrant: “Because… you killed the Shadow Whale.” He raised his eyes and said, “The World Government wants living test subjects, and the dead ones… they will silence them. You are more dangerous than Aaron now.”
Suddenly, there was the sound of glass bottles breaking outside the bar.
Ning Qing lifted the red curtain and saw the bartender dragging a drunk man out of the door. The words “Keko Yaxi Village” and “Along” were faintly heard in the drunk’s cursing voice.
“It’s time to go.” Li Xiaofei stuffed the map into his arms, “Qing’er, take the crystal.”
The morning mist had dissipated when the two walked out of the bar.
She knew that when she returned to the village, the first thing she had to do was to move the villagers to the cave in the back mountain; the second thing was to teach Xiaoli how to use a slingshot to shoot poisoned stones; the third thing was to
“Brother Fei.” She suddenly called him, “If Aaron comes…”
“I will burn his boat.” Li Xiaofei looked at the dark clouds rolling in the east, and the flame in his palm burned more vigorously, “even his teeth.”
As they quickened their pace towards the village, they heard the wooden door of the bar creaking shut behind them.
Carlos stood at the second-floor window, looking at the two people’s backs, and took out his pocket watch to check the time.
Farther out at sea, three pirate ships flying the Sawtooth Shark flag were cutting through the waves. Aaron at the bow licked his teeth, looking at the thick smoke in the direction of Cocoa Village with a sharp smile.
Chapter 21 Three Days Later, Full Moon Night (Old Version)
The morning mist dissipated faster than expected as Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing ran towards the village on the sun-heated beach.
The veins on the back of Ning Qing’s hand bulged as he gripped the leather bag – it contained the crystal given by Carlos, and also the death notice of the Arlong Pirates’ bloodbath in the village three days later.
“Brother Fei,” she panted and tugged at his sleeve, the wind blowing the ends of her hair across his chin, “Let’s go to the old village chief’s house first. He went to the salt field this morning and I think he’ll be back by noon.”
The two turned around the coconut grove and the wooden roofs of the Cocoa West Village were already in sight.
Under the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village, Xiaoli was squatting on the sand drawing a slingshot. The shark teeth she picked up yesterday were strung into a necklace and hung around her neck, glowing coldly in the sun.
Ning Qing paused, suddenly bent down to pick up a broken shell from the ground, and squatted in front of Xiaoli: “Xiaoli, go and call the old hunter and the old village chief to the village office.”
Xiaoli raised her face, and Ning Qing’s tense mouth was reflected in her pupils.
She didn’t ask why, but just nodded vigorously, and her shark tooth necklace jingled as she ran.
When the wooden door of the village office was pushed open with a creaky sound, the old village chief was wiping the coarse salt he brought back from the salt field with a cloth.
His face was covered with wrinkles. When he saw Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing, the salt in his fingers fell down: “Qing girl, why are you so pale?”
Ning Qing gently placed A’long’s declaration of war – the shark tooth necklace – on the table: “A’long wants to use the village as a test site to test the modified sea king species. It will be on the full moon night in three days.”
The old village chief’s hand suddenly shook, and the coarse salt rolled into a crooked line on the table.
He held up his teeth and looked at them against the light. There were still dark brown blood stains on the roots of the teeth. “I should have thought of that when Aaron’s fishman patrol burned down the fishing village in the east last month.”
“Now is not the time to regret.” Li Xiaofei spread the map given by Carlos on the salt grains, “We need to relocate the villagers, set traps, and find helpers.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the door curtain was lifted and the wind carrying the scent of pine rushed in.
The old hunter stood at the door with his hunting rifle, his hunting dog Ah Huang was sticking out his tongue and pulling at his trouser legs – his deerskin boots were covered with fresh mud, obviously he had just come down from the back mountain. “Xiao Li went to call me, I knew something was wrong.” He leaned his hunting rifle against the wall, leaned in front of the map and squinted, “How deep is Ah Long’s boat? How big is the sea king?”
“We have to rely on investigation for specific information.” Li Xiaofei put his fingertips on his temple, and the system panel jumped on his retina. [Fusion Degree: 18%], “But first let the villagers know the danger. We will hold a meeting tonight, and the location will be in the village center square.”
The old village chief took out his pipe and struck the match three times before lighting it: “Okay.
I asked Zhu to hit the gong and say… that this year’s typhoon drill was brought forward.”
As the setting sun dyed the beach blood red, torches in the square were lit one after another.
Li Xiaofei stood on the stump of the old banyan tree, looking at the villagers who were packed tightly together below the stage – women holding babies, fishermen holding harpoons, and children holding the poisoned stones given by Ning Qing.
His throat tightened, and the scene of the original owner being hacked to death by bandits suddenly came to his mind, only to be dispelled by the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit.
“The Arlong Pirates will arrive in three days.” He raised his voice, the light of the torch dancing in his pupils, “They want to feed our village to the transformed sea kings.”
“But I tell you,” he raised his hand, a blazing flame rising from his palm, “I can burn their ships, burn their sea kings, and burn all the fishmen who dare to step in!”
There was dead silence at first, and then there were jagged shouts from the audience.
The old hunter raised his hunting rifle and shouted: “My gunpowder bullets can break the scales of fishmen!” The old lady selling wine shook the wine jar: “I have twenty jars of kerosene in the cellar, enough to burn half a boat!” Xiaoli jumped up with a slingshot: “Sister Ning, teach me to shoot the eyes with poisonous stones!”
Ning Qing stood under the tree stump, looking at Li Xiaofei’s profile shining in the firelight.
She touched the silver needle bag on her sleeve, which contained mandrake and sea snake venom collected from the back mountain – enough to make the merman warrior’s wounds fester for three days.
“The defense is divided into three groups.” Li Xiaofei pulled off the corner of his clothes and drew a map on the ground. “The first group will go to the seaside with the old hunter to set traps, such as caltrops, kerosene pits, and fishing nets. The second group will move kerosene with the old lady and pile it at the entrance of the village and on the roof. The third group will go to the cave in the back mountain with Ning Qing to transfer women, children and food.” He looked up at the old hunter, “Uncle, take two young men to scout tonight and look for A’long’s fleet along the eastern horizon.”
The old hunter patted the hound’s head and said, “Ah Huang can smell the fishy smell of pirates.
Leave in the second half of the night and return before dawn.”
When the moon was at its zenith, the old hunter’s reconnaissance team disappeared into the night.
Li Xiaofei squatted behind the reef at the entrance of the village, looking at the faint phosphorescence on the sea level – that was the trace of sea kings swimming.
The system panel suddenly flashed, and the prompt of [Fusion Degree +3%] made him frown – it seemed that Aaron’s fleet was closer than expected.
“What are you thinking about?” Ning Qing’s voice came from behind.
She changed into a coarse cloth shorts, tied her braids with hemp rope, and held a wooden box filled with medicine bottles in her arms. “I have inquired about the old pirate for you. He lives in a broken boat in the north of the village, and goes to the seaside to fish every day at 3 p.m.”
Li Xiaofei stood up, the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit running down his arm to his fingertips: “Aaron has fish-man warriors, modified sea kings, and maybe guns.”
He paused, thinking of what Carlos said about the World Government’s experimental subjects, his Adam’s apple rolled, “The old pirate was a gunner in the Rocks Pirates. His gunnery skills could blast through the scales of Sea Kings.”
Ning Qing handed him the wooden box, and her fingertips touched the warmth of his palm: “I’ll go with you.”
The broken ship in the north of the village was entangled by vines like a green tower, and the paint words “Giant Whale” on the side of the ship had mostly peeled off.
Li Xiaofei knocked on the board, and the sound of wine bottles colliding came from inside.
When the door curtain was opened, a gray-haired old man poked his head out, his left eye covered with a black cloth, and the flickering candlelight reflected in his right eye: “You little bastard, you come to smash my coffin in the middle of the night?”
“Aaron wants to massacre the Kokoa West Village.” Li Xiaofei said directly, “I need your artillery skills and your experience.”
The old pirate’s hand paused on the flagon.
He stared at the flame in Li Xiaofei’s palm for three seconds, then suddenly laughed out loud, his mouth with two missing front teeth wide open: “I also saw such a fire on the Lockes ship back then – your father Baron’s flame is three times stronger than yours.” He opened the door curtain, and the smell of alcohol mixed with rust poured out, “Come in. My cannon barrel has rusted a long time ago, but I still remember the formula for the gunpowder in my mind.”
In the early hours of the morning, clanging sounds were heard from the old pirate’s broken ship.
Ning Qing squatted on the rocks outside the boat, counting the stars in the sky – there were still two days and three hours before the full moon night came.
She heard the old pirate’s rough voice coming from the boat: “Kerosene must be mixed with rosin to make it sticky when burned; fishing nets must be soaked in sea water, fishermen’s scales are afraid of salt…”
When the first rays of morning light dyed the sea red, the old hunter’s reconnaissance team returned.
The hunting dog Ah Huang was soaked through, and the old hunter’s trouser leg was torn with blood oozing out – it was scratched by the fishman’s tail fin.
“Three main ships and twelve small boats.” He spread out the seawater-soaked map on the table in the village office and pointed at the bay in the east. “There are five sea kings. The largest one… is taller than the old banyan tree in the village.”
Li Xiaofei’s system panel was flashing wildly, and the prompt [Fusion Degree +12%] almost burned his retina.
He stared at the bay mark on the map, the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit boiling in his veins – this was the first time he saw the shape of death so clearly, and he also saw so clearly how he would burn it to ashes.
“Move all the kerosene to the entrance of the village.” He grabbed the gunpowder formula given by the old pirate, “The old hunter will lead the first group to bury the caltrops, the old lady will lead the second group to build kerosene towers, and Ning Qing will lead the third group to evacuate the villagers… Move now.”
When the sun set again, the appearance of Kokoasi Village changed.
The beach at the entrance of the village was dotted with pits filled with kerosene and resin and covered with camouflaged straw mats; kerosene jars were hidden under the tiles on the roof, which could be poured down by pulling the rope; in the cave on the back mountain, women and children were holding bedding rolls, and Xiaoli was using a slingshot to shoot fireflies on the rock wall, and the poisoned stones drew a faint green light in the darkness.
Li Xiaofei stood on the reef at the entrance of the village, looking at the black clouds rolling on the distant horizon.
He could hear the faint sound of whales in the wind – that was not the sound of seabirds, but the low roar of sea kings, approaching step by step with the rising tide.
Ning Qing walked up to him and said, “All the villagers have been relocated. The medicine box is at the entrance of the cave.”
“Qing’er,” Li Xiaofei turned around, fire flickering in his eyes, “After this is over, I’ll take you to find clues about my parents.”
Ning Qing smiled: “Let’s talk about it after we survive first.”
As the moon climbed above the treetops, Li Xiaofei gave the kerosene trap at the entrance of the village one last check.
The sea breeze brought a salty and fishy smell, which was stronger than during the day.
He heard footsteps behind him – the old hunter and his patrol came to relieve the guard.
“Go and have a rest.” The old hunter patted him on the shoulder, “I’ll keep an eye on you for the rest of the night.”
Li Xiaofei shook his head, his eyes never leaving the sea.
Chapter 22: The Eve of Battle (Old Version)
He squatted in front of the first kerosene trap at the entrance of the village and knocked on the soil covering the straw mat with his knuckles. The thickness of the camouflage layer was just enough to bear the weight of an adult, but it would shatter in an instant under the huge feet of a sea king.
The smell of pine resin mixed with kerosene penetrated my nostrils, stronger than during the day, like a piece of unburned charcoal blocking my throat.
“The straw mats for the third row of traps should be covered with a layer of seaweed.” The old hunter’s voice came from behind, and his hunting knife drew a silver arc in the moonlight. “The sense of smell of sea beasts is three times more sensitive than that of dogs. The smell of pine resin is too strong and will expose us.”
Li Xiaofei turned his head and saw the old man’s rough hands spreading a few tufts of salty seaweed on the straw mat.
The wrinkles at the corners of the old man’s eyes were still stained with mud from digging traps during the day, but they were brighter than ever: “When my grandson was three years old, he followed me to lure wild boars in the woods, but he didn’t cover himself well, and the pig broke half of the fence.”
The system panel flashed on his retina, and the prompt [Fusion Degree: 36%] made his throat feel hot.
This is the third time the old hunter has revised the details of the trap.
He took out a tinder and ignited a pine branch: “Try it?”
As soon as the flame touched the edge of the straw mat, the old hunter slapped it out with his palm: “Burn now to seek death.” The old man squatted down and picked up the seaweed with the tip of the knife. “Wait for the sea beast to step on it. The fire in your palm will be the most powerful fuse – the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit can make the kerosene explode instantly, but if it leaks out in advance…”
Before he could finish his words, he heard the sound of footsteps running behind him.
Xiaoli’s pigtails swayed into a blurry shadow in the moonlight. When she threw herself at Li Xiaohuai’s waist, the stuffed bear in her arms rubbed against his thighs and made him feel itchy: “Brother Xiaofei, I shot down all the fireflies in the cave!
Sister Qing said that this way we won’t attract seabirds and won’t be discovered by pirates.
The little girl’s voice became smaller and smaller, and finally buried in the corner of his clothes.
Li Xiaofei lowered his head and saw that the back of her neck was still covered with moss from the cave, and her fingertips were trembling slightly, like a leaf blown by the wind.
He squatted down and wiped the dust off her face with his thumb: “Are you scared, Xiaoli?”
“No!” Xiaoli raised her head suddenly, her eyes as red as crushed pomegranates, “I’m just… I’m just afraid that Brother Xiaofei will bleed like last time.”
The sea breeze suddenly blew in, making the torches at the entrance of the village crackle.
Ning Qing walked out from the firelight, and the medicine bag in her hair emitted the scent of wormwood.
She squatted down and tucked the scattered hair on Xiaoli’s face behind her ears: “Xiaoli, do you remember?
Last time when Brother Xiaofei used fire to drive away the bandits, you held up a slingshot and shouted “burn their butts” on the roof? “
The little girl sniffed and nodded.
“Today,” Ning Qing pointed to the haystack at the entrance of the cave in the distance, where ten boxes of medicine were neatly stacked, “Sister Qing will guard the medicine boxes, and Xiaoli will use poisoned stones to hit the sea beast’s eyes – we all have things to do, right?”
Xiaoli sniffed and took out a dark green stone from her pocket.
She had spent three hours grinding it in the cave during the day, tempered with sea snake venom given by the old hunter: “I, I can aim!”
“This is Xiaoli.” Li Xiaofei rubbed her pigtails and caught a glimpse of Ning Qing’s eyes when he stood up. The female doctor tapped the medicine bag on her waist lightly with her fingertips, which was the secret code for “the antidote is ready.”
His Adam’s apple moved and he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by the old pirate’s cough.
“Come here, kid.” The old pirate stood on the roof of the village office, the moonlight flickering on his half-missing front teeth, “Look at the angle of this homemade cannon.”
When Li Xiaofei climbed up the wooden ladder, he smelled a strong smell of gunpowder.
The old pirate was using an iron rod to poke the gunpowder in the barrel, sparks jumping on the back of his scarred hand: “Three rounds of gunpowder, the first round hits the sail, the second round hits the side of the boat, the third round…” The old man suddenly paused, squinting at the sea, “The third round is for the big guy.”
“Big guy?”
“The largest sea king.” The old pirate spat. “I’ve been in the Grand Line for twenty years, and I’ve seen sea beasts that can overturn warships. Their eyes are on the top of their heads, and their gills are on both sides of their necks. The flames of your Flame-Flame Fruit will penetrate into their gills, which are their vital points.”
The system panel flashed again, and the prompt [Fusion Degree: 38%] made Li Xiaofei’s fingertips hot.
He touched the gunpowder bag at his waist. It was sewn by the old pirate himself and lined with fireproof asbestos. “How do you know so much?”
“Because I once…” The old pirate’s voice suddenly dropped, “Because I also protected the people I needed to protect.”
From a distance, an old lady shouted, “The kerosene tower is ready!”
Li Xiaofei looked in the direction of the voice and saw seven one-meter-high kerosene jars lined up at the entrance of the village, fixed with hemp ropes and bamboo frames.
The old lady was standing on tiptoe to check the jar at the top. Her silver hair was messed up by the sea breeze, but she smiled like a child: “My granddaughter said that this is called ‘Flowers Scattered by the Goddess’!”
“We have checked everything that needs to be checked.” Ning Qing stood beside him without him noticing, holding the last tube of antidote in his hand, “The medicine box is in the deepest part of the cave, and there are three strong guys guarding it.
The old hunter led the patrol team to the west of the village, saying that they were on guard against pirates from behind.
“Qing’er.” Li Xiaofei’s throat tightened, and the heat from the Flame-Flame Fruit surged up through his blood vessels. “After this battle…”
“Finish this battle first.” Ning Qing interrupted him, and gently touched the dancing flame in his palm with his fingertips, “Look.”
He looked in the direction where she pointed – the beach at the entrance of the village glowed silvery white in the moonlight, the camouflage of the trap blended perfectly with the sand; the black muzzle of the earth cannon on the roof was pointed at the sea; Xiaoli’s voice came from the cave, she was teaching a few children to use slingshots in a crisp voice.
“They all believe in you.” Ning Qing said, “Just like I believe in you.”
The sea breeze suddenly changed direction.
The salty smell suddenly became ten times stronger, as if someone had piled rotten fish under his nose.
The system panel flickered wildly, and the prompt “Fusion Degree: 40%” almost burned my retinas.
“Here they come.” The old pirate’s voice was like a piece of cracked iron, “The sound of the sails, and… the sound of the tail fins of the sea kings hitting the water.”
Li Xiaofei grabbed the gunpowder bag at his waist and turned around to see that the villagers were already in their positions: the old lady was pulling the fuse with her knuckles turning white; the old hunter was squatting behind a reef with his hunting knife three inches out of its sheath; Xiaoli was lying in the grass at the entrance of the cave with her slingshot pulled into a full moon, the poisoned stones glowing dark green in the moonlight.
On the horizon, a dark shadow is tearing through the night.
That was the outline of the sails, three main ships and twelve small boats, like a flock of black crows flying close to the water.
Farther away, there was a gray behemoth surging, and the waves were stirred into white whirlpools – it was a sea king. The largest one, with its dorsal fin exposed above the water, was taller than the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village.
“Get ready.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was like a piece of red-hot iron, piercing the night sky. “Wait until they get close to the trap area… ignite it.”
Ning Qing stuffed the antidote into his palm and gently pressed his fingertips on the back of his hand.
That was a code that only they could understand: I’m here.
On the sea, the outline of the sail became clearer and clearer.
The logo of the Arlong Pirates unfolded in the wind, a jagged shark head facing the direction of Cocoa Village.
Chapter 23: The Murloc’s Trial (Old Version)
Li Xiaofei’s eyelids twitched violently as the black shadow on the horizon tore through the night.
“The sound of the sails catching the wind has changed.” The hoarse voice of the old pirate floated from behind the reef. This old pirate who had been in the Grand Line for ten years was observing with a telescope that was half broken. “The lead ship has slowed down. They are testing the trap area.”
Three days ago, he and the villagers buried twenty barrels of lamp oil under the beach, using seaweed and broken shells to disguise them as ordinary sand.
The moonlight was bright at the moment, and the trap area was glowing silvery white like the other beaches, but he knew that as long as the sparks fell, the entire beach would turn into tongues of fire licking the pirates.
“Qing’er.” He turned his head and saw Ning Qing squatting beside the earth cannon checking the fuse. The ends of her hair were lifted by the sea breeze, revealing a light pink scar behind her ear – that was left when the Arlong Pirates first looted the village.
She looked up, the mole at the end of her eye looked like blood in the moonlight, “The gunpowder is fine, the homemade cannon can penetrate a two-inch thick wooden board.”
“Xiao Li!” There was a rustling sound from the grass pile at the entrance of the cave, and a little girl with two ponytails crawled out of the grass pile. The poisoned stones on the slingshot rolled in her palms. “The stones are all quenched with aconitine. Anyone hit by them will fall down in three steps!” She raised her face covered with grass debris, her eyes shining like stars, “Brother Fei said that we must let A-Long’s lackeys know that Keko Yaxi Village is not a soft persimmon!”
The old hunter’s sudden, suppressed cough was like a needle, piercing all the noise.
Everyone’s breathing was held—the jagged lines of the shark flag on the lead ship could be clearly seen, the flickering torches on the deck reflected the outlines of the knife-wielding pirates, and one could even hear their curse words: “I said this lousy village should have been burned down long ago!
Last time that little girl ran away, this time I want to take her away…”
“Shut up!” The scarred man in the lead kicked the pirate who was talking, and raised the lantern with the tip of his knife to shine on the beach, “Everyone be careful, there’s a kid who plays with fire in this village recently, there might be an ambush!”
Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly contracted.
The system panel flickered on his retina, and the prompt [Fusion Degree: 48%] made his temples throb – this was a sign that the Flame-Flame Fruit was further integrated with his body.
He could hear his own heartbeat over the sound of the waves, each beat shouting: Wait until their boat hits the trap zone.
When the scarred man’s lantern light swept across the beach, Li Xiaofei felt cold sweat on his back.
But the next moment, the light was suddenly extinguished by the splashes of the waves – the pirates obviously couldn’t wait any longer, and three small boats slammed into the shallows. More than 20 pirates jumped down cursing, and the soles of their boots crushed the camouflaged seaweed.
“Now!”
Li Xiaofei’s roar resounded through the night sky.
The old woman pulled the fuse with her trembling hands, and the fuse buried under the beach hissed and sparks flew out.
The old hunter’s hunting knife drew sparks on the reef and fell accurately into the trap area on the left; the old pirate’s pipe was knocked and sparks splashed to the right.
Three sparks drilled into the sand at the same time, and the next second—
An orange-red wall rose across the entire beach.
The flame of lamp oil mixed with fish oil, wrapped in heat waves, rushed towards the sky. Twenty pirates rolled in the fire, screaming like shrimps thrown into an oil pan.
Those who were not burned jumped into the sea in a hurry, but as soon as the water reached their knees, they were greeted by Xiaoli’s slingshot: the poisoned stones pierced into the back of their necks, and the pirates who were hit staggered two steps and fell straight into the sea of fire.
“Wall of Fire!” Li Xiaofei shouted, and the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit erupted like a volcano.
He spread out his hands, and the fireball in his palms split into countless small flames, forming two red barriers in the air, blocking the remaining boats outside the trap area.
The wall of fire licked the sails, and the burned pirate rolled onto the deck with his burning arms. The wood of the hull crackled, and the smell of burnt food mixed with the smell of blood made it impossible to open one’s eyes.
“Get the cannon ready!” Ning Qing’s voice was eight octaves higher than usual. She picked up a torch and rushed towards the cannon. The ends of her hair were curled by the wall of fire.
The old lady had already loaded the gunpowder into the barrel, and the old fisherman’s hands were bulging with veins as he gripped the pull rope – this homemade cannon, which was modified from the keel of a fishing boat, was now facing the mainsail of the leading boat.
“put!”
“boom–“
The blast from the shell blew away Ning Qing’s straw hat.
Li Xiaofei saw the black shadow accurately penetrate the mainsail and smash a charred hole in the hull.
The mast of the lead ship broke with a “crack”, and the shark flag hung crookedly like a dead fish with its tail cut off.
“Fight back!
Kill them for me!” The scarred man’s roar drowned out the sound of the flames.
He stepped on the side of the boat and leaped onto the beach, the serrated knife in his hand glowing coldly – it was a weapon made from the teeth of a sea king, with half a bloody scale hanging on the blade.
“Brother Fei!” Xiaoli’s scream pierced her eardrums.
The moment Li Xiaofei turned his head, the scarred man’s serrated knife had already chopped in front of him.
He instinctively raised his arm, and the flame of the Flame-Flame Fruit condensed into a crimson armor on the surface of his arm. The blade chopped it, splashing sparks and making his palm numb.
“Interesting.” The scarred man narrowed his eyes and slashed the blade towards his waist and abdomen, “I thought it was some young boy…”
“Bang!”
The poisoned stone hit the scarred man right on the back of his neck.
Xiaoli rushed out of the cave holding a slingshot. Her hair tie was long gone and her hair was a mess. “Anyone who dares to touch my village will have to eat my stones!”
The scarred man paused, a grim smile on his face: “Little girl…” Before he could finish his words, his pupils suddenly dilated, and the hand holding the knife dropped limply – aconitine rushed to his brain through his blood vessels, he staggered, and fell straight into the fire.
“Good job, Xiaoli!” The old hunter jumped out from behind the reef and cut the throat of another pirate with his hunting knife. “Remember this, this is our village!”
The battle was like a tangled mess, but every thread was in Li Xiaofei’s hands.
“Qing’er!” He shouted, and at the same time burned the chest of the pirate who was rushing towards him with flames.
Ning Qing looked up, his face stained with blood, but he smiled at him.
After an unknown amount of time, a shrill whistle suddenly sounded on the sea.
The remaining pirates crawled towards the ship like a dog whose tail was stepped on.
The mainsail of the leading ship had been replaced with a new one at some point, and the sea king at the stern was paddling the water with its dorsal fin, and the waves it created almost capsized the boat.
“Retreat?” The old pirate spat out the grass stem in his mouth and looked through the telescope. “That’s the signal from the fishman cadre. They need to regroup.”
Li Xiaofei looked at the gradually receding ship, and the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit slowly faded away.
Only then did he realize that he was sweating all over, the clothes on his back were sticking to his body, and his calves were a little weak – these were the aftereffects of controlling so many flames at the same time for the first time.
“Brother Fei!” Xiaoli rushed over, holding a bloody stone in her hand, “I hit three of them!
The old hunter said I was better than his grandson!
“You are the best.” Li Xiaofei ruffled her messy hair and looked up at Ning Qing.
She was squatting beside the old fisherman, using antidote to treat the wounds of the bitten villagers. She looked up when she heard the noise, and the moment their eyes met, they both smiled.
“We were repelled in the first attack.” The old hunter wiped the blood off his hunting knife, “But Aaron won’t let it go. His fishman cadres haven’t shown up yet.”
The old pirate spitted: “That fishman can hold his breath underwater for half an hour. Maybe he is leading the sea kings around the village…”
He looked at the sails gradually disappearing into the night and heard his own voice mixed with the waves, as light as an oath: “Next time, I will not give them a chance to retreat.”
From the cave came the sound of Xiaoli teaching the children nursery rhymes, mixed with Ning Qing’s gentle comforting voice as she changed the bandages on the wounded.
The moonlight once again shone on the beach, and blue smoke was still rising from the burnt area, like a black scar – but underneath the scar, something was breaking out of the ground.
Chapter 24 A brief moment of peace (old version)
The moonlight made the charred marks on the beach appear white. Li Xiaofei squatted down and rubbed his fingertips over the wooden board that was burned by the flames – that was the shield he had just burned through, and a half of a rusty iron nail was still embedded in the charred wood.
The sea breeze blew, bringing the smell of blood and rust into his nose. Only then did he realize that the back of his left hand had been cut at some point, and blood was dripping down between his fingers.
“Brother Fei!” Xiaoli’s voice came from behind. The girl with two pigtails ran very fast, holding a piece of coarse cloth in her hand. “Sister Ning said she wants to bandage you!” She raised her face, and the tip of her nose was still stained with grass debris, which was rubbed against her when she was hiding behind the reef and throwing stones.
Li Xiaofei bent down to take the cloth and rubbed her head: “Xiaoli, the stones you threw today were more accurate than the eggs laid by seabirds.” The girl immediately smiled with her eyes curved into crescents, turned around and ran towards the entrance of the cave again – there were three little kids crying for candy there, and Ning Qing was squatting on a straw mat, scooping warm water from a ceramic bowl to wipe their faces.
“That girl is braver than my brat.” The old hunter came over with a hunting knife on his shoulder, with a half-torn pirate sleeve hanging on the scabbard. “Just now I saw her squatting on the edge of the cliff, and the pirates were running away with stones.” He wiped the blade with his sleeve, and Li Xiaofei’s pale face was reflected on the blade. “Don’t hold on, kid, your body can’t bear it.
Li Xiaofei pulled the corners of his mouth and smiled.
He could feel the heat from the Flame-Flame Fruit retreating from his dantian to his limbs, and was replaced by sore muscles, as if he had been hit with a sledgehammer all night.
The system panel flickered on the retina, the number [Fusion Degree: 52%] glowed red, and a prompt popped up next to it: [First time a single fruit has been overused, it is recommended to supplement with high-protein food to speed up recovery].
He touched his stomach which ached with hunger and then he remembered that he had only drunk half a bowl of porridge since early morning.
“Deal with the wounded first.” Ning Qing’s voice came from the entrance of the cave.
When she stood up, the medicine box on the straw mat made a clanging sound, and the bottles and jars inside made a clinking sound.
In the moonlight, blood stains can be clearly seen on the hem of her skirt – they were splashed when she treated the wound of the old fisherman who was bitten by a fishman. “Old Zhou’s leg needs to be treated with snakeberry ointment for three days, Aunt Wang’s burn needs to be treated with aloe vera juice, and the little boy’s fright syndrome…” She paused and glanced at the back of Li Xiaofei’s hand, “Your wound needs to be washed with salt water, otherwise it will get inflamed.”
“Got it.” Li Xiaofei responded and turned to walk towards the old pirate.
The latter was sitting on an overturned wooden barrel, using a dagger to pick up blood from between his fingernails – it was from when he had entangled the pirate with a fishing net just now.
The old pirate squinted his eyes and looked at the sea, where there were several small boats that had been burned to the point where only their skeletons were left.
“That bastard Aaron didn’t send the fishmen officers. He was testing us.” The old pirate suddenly spoke, stabbing his dagger into the barrel. “The whistle for retreat just now was three long and two short. I’ve seen this kind of signal in the Grand Line – it was to send the outer soldiers as cannon fodder to test our bottom line.” He took out a piece of blackened tobacco and rolled it up. “The fishmen officers can hold their breath underwater for half an hour. They might be leading the sea kings around the village now.”
The hair on the back of Li Xiaofei’s neck stood up again.
He took out the map he had searched from the dead pirate captain Carlos and spread it out on the barrel.
The edge of the map was stained with blood, and several circles were marked with red pen – Kokoa West Village, the coral reefs in the east, and the mangroves in the south. “Carlos’s diary said that Aaron had to collect some money before the fifteenth of this month.” He pointed to the West Village on the map. “There are many fishing boats in our village, and the fish are valuable. They will definitely not withdraw easily.”
The old hunter came over to take a look, and pointed at the coral reefs on the map with his hunting knife: “The water depth here is five meters when the tide is high. The murlocs can get through here.”
“There are also cliffs behind the village.” The old pirate exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke, “When the tide is low, the reef is exposed and we can climb up.
The bandits took this route last time they came.
The three people’s heads were put together, and the moonlight stretched their shadows very long.
Suddenly, Xiaoli’s laughter was heard in the cave, mixed with the children’s shouting, “Brother Fei is the best.”
Li Xiaofei looked up and saw Ning Qing putting the last plaster on the old fisherman’s leg. He looked at him and nodded slightly.
“I’ll go do some reconnaissance,” the old hunter suddenly said, stroking the ivory handle of his hunting knife with his fingers, “and take two guys who can dive with us to check out the coral reef.
If Aaron’s boat is parked behind the reef, we need to know in advance.”
Li Xiaofei stared at the wrinkles at the corners of the old hunter’s eyes – those were the marks left by thirty years of hunting, more reliable than any map. “Take three people,” he handed over the fire starter in his arms, “set off a signal smoke every half an hour, if there is danger…”
“I know.” The old hunter interrupted him and put the tinder in his arms. “I chased a blind bear for 20 miles without getting hurt. What about a few fishermen?” He waved to the two young men squatting next to him. “Gousheng, Azhu, follow me.”
The three figures quickly disappeared into the night, leaving behind only a series of footprints of varying depths on the beach.
The old pirate looked at their backs and pressed the cigarette butt into the sand: “When he was young, that old guy could break a shark fin with his bare hands. He’s reliable.”
Li Xiaofei didn’t respond.
He squatted down and used the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit to ignite the dry firewood piled on the beach. The moment the flames rose, the system panel popped up [Energy consumption: +12%], but he didn’t care about that.
In the firelight, he saw Ning Qingzheng, Xiaoli and several women carrying medicinal herbs. The medicinal juice in the pottery jars gurgled, and bursts of bitter mugwort fragrance wafted over.
“We need to add a trap.” The old pirate suddenly said, “On the cliff behind the village, tie a rolling log with vines, and push the murlocs down when they climb up.
Over the coral reef, fishing nets were spread and soaked in squid juice, so they could not catch anything when their eyes were blurred. “He took out a rope and drew it on the sand,” and there were also fires, one every twenty steps. At night, they took turns to guard it and light it when they saw a shadow – the fire from the Burning Fruit can burn through the scales of the fishmen, and they are afraid of this.”
Li Xiaofei stared at the pattern on the sand and quickly calculated in his mind.
The system panel suddenly flashed, and the prompt [Fusion Degree: 55%] made him perk up – it seemed that the fusion degree had increased again when he used his ability just now.
He touched the short knife at his waist, which was seized from Carlos. The handle was engraved with the symbol of the Arlong Pirates. “We also need to teach the villagers how to use weapons,” he said. “Sharpen Lao Zhou’s spear, tie a wooden handle to Aunt Wang’s kitchen knife to make it a short axe, and Xiaoli and the others…” He paused, “Let them be responsible for passing stones and stay away from the battlefield.”
The old pirate grinned: “You are smarter than I was back then.”
As they were talking, there was a noise coming from the cave.
Ning Qing came out holding a medicine box, with water dripping from the ends of her hair. She had just washed her face by the well, and the blood on her face had all been washed away, revealing a pale but clean face. “The wounded have been taken care of.” She placed the medicine box on the wooden barrel. “Old Zhou said his leg doesn’t hurt as much anymore, and Aunt Wang’s burns have faded.” She glanced at the back of Li Xiaofei’s hand. “Why don’t you treat the wound?”
Only then did Li Xiaofei remember the injury on his hand.
Ning Qing had already squatted down, took out a celadon bottle from the medicine box, and poured out some light green ointment: “This is made with aloe vera and mint, it’s anti-inflammatory.” Her fingers were very cold, and it brought a cool feeling when she applied it to the wound. “When I used the flame just now, did I forcefully expand the burning area?”
“Yeah.” Li Xiaofei admitted.
He could smell the scent of herbs on her body, mixed with the salty and wet sea breeze. “This is the first time I’ve controlled more than twenty fireballs at the same time. The system prompts that the fusion degree has increased.”
At the entrance of the cave came Xiaoli’s voice calling “Sister Ning”, and he stood up and said, “Let’s go check on the children first.”
Chapter 25 Six-thorn Sea Urchin Man (Old Version)
As the moonlight faded, the old hunter returned.
His trouser legs were dripping with water, and half a fishman scale was draped over his shoulder – it had a faint blue sheen and jagged edges. “Aaron’s ships are parked behind the coral reef,” he threw the scale on the barrel, “at least five of them, with iron forks and fishing nets piled on the deck.
The fishman officer is at the bow, I see him—he has six spines on his back, like a sea urchin.
“Six-spined sea urchin.” The old pirate’s face darkened. “That’s Aaron’s right-hand man. He can hold his breath underwater for an hour and has great strength.” He tapped the fish-man’s scales. “This thing is three times harder than an ordinary fish-man. The fire of the Flame-Flame Fruit will have to burn for a longer time before it can penetrate it.”
Li Xiaofei pinched the scales, and the heat from his fingertips instantly made the edges of the scales turn black.
The system panel immediately popped up [Rare material detected: six-spined sea urchin scales (can be used to enhance weapons)], and his eyes lit up – this thing might be able to make something for Ning Qing’s medicine box, such as poisoned arrows.
“They may attack in the second half of the night,” the old hunter said. “I saw them carrying gunpowder barrels into the boat.”
The atmosphere on the beach suddenly became tense.
Ning Qing hugged the medicine box tighter, and Xiaoli huddled behind her, grabbing the hem of her skirt with her fingers.
The old pirate stood up and patted the wine gourd on his waist: “I’m going to teach the villagers how to roll logs. You kid…” He glanced at Li Xiaofei, “You should also get ready.”
“Okay.” Li Xiaofei responded.
He looked towards the sea, where he could already see a few flames – the sails of the Arlong Pirates were being raised again.
The [Fusion Degree: 58%] on the system panel flashed brighter.
Late at night, the villagers formed a circle on the beach.
Li Xiaofei stood on the reef, looking at the dozens of tired but determined faces below.
Ning Qing stood beside him, holding the medicine box in his hand, and glanced at every wounded person.
“Aaron will come again.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was mixed with the sea breeze. “They want our fishing boats, our catch, and…” He paused, “our lives.”
There was a sobbing sound from the crowd – it was Aunt Wang, her son’s arm was cut by pirates.
Ning Qing walked over and patted her on the back gently.
“But they don’t know,” Li Xiaofei raised his voice, “We have fire that can burn through the sea, spears that can pierce through murlocs, and stones that can be thrown more accurately than seagulls.” He pointed at the old hunter, “The old hunter just brought back murloc scales, I can burn through them with fire; the old pirate will teach you how to use rolling logs, which can smash the murloc’s head with one push; Ning Qing’s medicine can heal wounds faster than the tide recedes; Xiaoli…” He looked at the girl hiding behind Ning Qing, “Xiaoli’s stones can hit the pirate’s eyes.”
There were scattered laughs in the crowd. Xiaoli looked up, her eyes shining like stars.
“This is not an ordinary battle.” Li Xiaofei’s eyes swept across every face, “This is our home, our roots.
If they want to dismantle it, we will use our fists, knives, and fire to burn their boats clean.”
The sea breeze suddenly became stronger, making the torches on the rocks crackle.
Ning Qing looked at Li Xiaofei. His profile was red in the firelight and the heat in his eyes was hotter than the Flame-Flame Fruit.
She touched the medicine box in her arms – it contained freshly prepared snake venom ointment that could be applied to the arrows if necessary.
“I believe in Brother Fei!” Xiaoli suddenly shouted, “I want to throw more stones!”
“I believe it too!” Gousheng’s wife raised a kitchen knife, “I’ll use this to chop off their ankles!”
“letter!”
The cheers surged like waves.
Li Xiaofei looked at the shining eyes below and suddenly remembered the prompt on the system panel – [Villagers’ Trust: 87%].
He knew that this battle would not only burn through the scales of the murlocs, but also burn through the fear in their hearts.
When the meeting ended, it was already dawn.
The villagers returned to their posts: the old pirate took a few young men to tie logs on the cliff, the old hunter took people to the coral reef to cast fishing nets, and Ning Qing and Xiaoli stayed in front of the medicine shop in the cave to change the dressings for the wounded who had woken up early.
Li Xiaofei stood on the beach, looking at the sea which was gradually getting brighter.
A new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: [Fusion degree: 60%], with an additional line of small text next to it – [Potential fusion target detected: Poison-Poison Fruit (holder: Ning Qing)].
He turned his head to look at the cave. Ning Qing was bending over to feed medicine to the little boy, his hair swaying gently in the morning breeze.
“Brother Fei!” Xiaoli ran out of the cave, holding a roasted sweet potato in her hand, “Sister Ning said you didn’t eat, so she asked me to bring it to you!”
Li Xiaofei took the sweet potato, and the heat from it passed through his palms and warmed his heart.
He looked at the village which was becoming increasingly busy, and listened to the distant voice of the old pirate teaching the villagers to shout slogans. He suddenly felt that there was really something breaking out of the ground on the burned beaches – not grass, not flowers, but the hope of life which was more intense than the flames.
At the end of the sea, the sails of the Arlong Pirates are clearly visible.
But this time, Li Xiaofei did not frown.
He touched the dagger at his waist, feeling the heat from the Flame-Flame Fruit surging through his body. The numbers on the system panel were still jumping like a war drum or a horn.
Chapter 26 Aaron resists the attack (old version)
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and Li Xiaofei had been standing on the beach for two hours.
“Brother Fei?” Xiaoli’s voice came from behind, with a slight timid tremor.
He turned around and saw the little girl holding a coarse earthenware bowl in her arms, with white steam coming out of the hot porridge in the bowl.
Her pigtails were messed up by the sea breeze. The hairband was dyed green by Ning Qing using herbs, and there were a few stains on it that had not been wiped off – they were from when she changed the dressing on the wounded last night.
“Sister Ning said that we can’t go hungry at a time like this!” Xiaoli stuffed the bowl into his hands, her fingertips as cold as shells, “I… I blew on it for a long time, it’s not hot anymore.”
Li Xiaofei took the bowl, and there was half a piece of salted fish floating in the porridge.
“Xiao Li.” He squatted down and looked at the little girl, “After this battle, I will teach you how to roast sweet potatoes.
You have to pick the ones with the skin slightly burnt, the kind that oozes sugar and oil when you break it open. “
Xiaoli’s eyes lit up and she was about to speak when a low roar suddenly came from the horizon.
It’s a sail.
The three brigs of the Arlong Pirates cut through the morning mist like three dark knives.
On the mast of the foremost flagship, the jagged shark flag was rustling in the sea breeze, and the blood stains on the corners of the flag were dark brown in the morning light – they were splashed there during the last massacre, and there was no time to wash them off.
“Here…here!” Aunt Wang, who was drying fish, screamed and the bamboo plate in her hand slammed to the ground.
Several young men who had just tied up the rolling log stepped back subconsciously, causing the vines on the edge of the cliff to fall.
Li Xiaofei stood up suddenly, and the porridge in the bowl spilled at his feet, soaking his trouser legs.
He looked at the gradually clearer silhouette of the ship, and instead of feeling fear, he felt a sense of inexplicable excitement.
The system panel was jumping on the retina, the number [Fusion degree: 62%] was dazzling red, and the small words next to it [Poison-Poison Fruit Fusion Progress: 17%] were like a red-hot needle.
“Everyone, straighten your backs!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice mixed with the heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit and vibrating the reefs. “Forget the slogan the old pirate taught you? You treat stones as knives and waves as horses, how dare the murlocs come and feed them to the sandworms!”
The old pirate poked his head out from the cliff, his bronze face as tight as a drum.
He patted the log tied beside him. It was cut from three mature coconut trees, and the surface still had the barbs that were sharpened last night. “Remember, boys, when the boat reaches the third reef, untie the rope for me!”
The old hunter squatted behind the coral reef, his fingers running over the snake venom on the arrowhead – it was specially prepared by Ning Qing, which could soften the scales of the merman for half an hour.
“Brother Fei!” Ning Qing rushed out of the drugstore, the medicine box banging against his waist.
There was powder on her forehead, her hair was loose, and a few strands of black hair stuck to her sweaty neck. “The wounded have been transferred to the deepest part of the cave. I applied snake venom ointment to twenty arrows, and…”
“Enough.” Li Xiaofei interrupted her and reached out to tuck her loose hair behind her ears.
Ning Qing’s earlobe suddenly felt hot, as if it had been burned by fire – his fingertips had the unique temperature of the Flame-Flame Fruit, not scorching heat, but the warmth of a reef that had been exposed to the sun all day, so warm that it made people tremble in their hearts.
“You guard the pharmacy well,” he said. “If I get chopped, you have to sew me up.”
Ning Qing was just about to scold him for talking nonsense when the anchor chain of the main ship crashed into the sea.
When the first wave of pirates jumped onto the beach, the fishy smell they brought was enough to choke people.
They were shirtless, with scales spreading from their necks to their chests, and they held a variety of weapons in their hands: rusty hooks, barbed harpoons, and even bone blades sharpened from shark vertebrae.
Leading the way was A’long’s first mate Xiao Ba, whose octopus tentacles had six iron rings, and every swing of them could break a tree as thick as a bowl.
“Burn!” Li Xiaofei shouted in a low voice.
Red flames rose from his palms. These were not ordinary flames, but molten fire from the awakening of the Flame-Flame Fruit. The flames were orange-red mixed with gold, and when they licked the sand, they burned glass-like lumps into the ground.
The flames shot out along the hemp rope that had been doused with fish oil in advance, and in the blink of an eye, a wall of fire was formed on the beach.
Several pirates who were in the front stepped into the fire, their scales sizzling with black smoke, and they rolled into the sea with screams, but were entangled in the fishing nets on the coral reefs. The more they struggled, the deeper the barbs pierced them.
“Good!” The old pirate slapped his legs on the cliff, “Loosen the rope!”
The rolling logs rushed down the pre-dug channel, whistling in the wind.
The first one hit a small boat directly. The sound of wood breaking mixed with the pirates’ screams of pain scared the seabirds and made them fly in panic.
Xiao Ba’s tentacles hit the wall of fire, and the iron ring was melted into red hot water, burning him so much that he screamed and retracted his hand.
But this is just the beginning.
When Aaron appeared, the sea water suddenly surged.
The shark fin of this fishman cadre was half a person’s height, his skin had a cold blue-gray glow, and the serrated knife in his hand was still dripping with the blood of villagers from the previous villages.
He stood on the deck of the main ship, his mouth grinning to his ears, revealing two rows of dagger-like fangs: “Little bastard, do you think this little fire can stop me?
My sword can even split the navy’s warships! “
Li Xiaofei broke out in cold sweat on his back.
He could feel the system panel jumping wildly, and the prompt “Danger Assessment: 92%” almost burned his retinas.
Aaron’s breath was too heavy, like a millstone pressing on his chest – this was a true pirate, totally not in the same league as those minions before.
“Ning Qing!” he shouted, “Poison arrow!”
A silver light flashed in the crack of the rock.
Ning Qing held the old hunter’s longbow, his wrist as tense as a bowstring.
Her breathing was very light, as if she was counting her own heartbeats. The first arrow shot towards Aaron’s right shoulder, the second arrow flew past his shark fin, and the third arrow
“when!”
Aaron’s serrated knife deflected the third arrow, but fine cracks appeared on the blade.
The snake venom seeped into the metal along the arrowhead and was slowly corroding the weapon.
His pupils suddenly contracted, and finally changed from joking to serious: “Interesting, and you can use poison?”
Aaron’s figure suddenly became blurred, and when he reappeared he was already in front of Li Xiaofei.
The serrated knife chopped down with a bloody smell, and he instinctively rolled sideways. The tip of the knife grazed his left shoulder, cutting the cloth and blood seeped out immediately.
The heat from the Flame-Flame Fruit rushed madly to his right hand, and he clenched his fist and smashed it into Aaron’s waist and abdomen – the fist wrapped in molten fire hit the scales, making a dull sound of metal hitting iron.
“Is that all your strength?” Aaron grabbed his wrist with his backhand, and the fishman’s unique strength tightened like a pair of pliers. “I’ve crushed the bones of a navy captain before!”
The severe pain made Li Xiaofei’s vision go black.
He gritted his teeth and looked at the system panel. The number [Fusion degree: 78%] suddenly soared. After the prompt [Poison-Du Fruit fusion progress: 45%], a new option popped up: [Do you want to fuse Burning + Poison-Du?
Current success rate 63%】
“Let’s bet!” he roared in his heart.
Heat and coolness flowed through the body at the same time.
Purple mist began to rise from the molten fire of the Flame-Flame Fruit, which was the poisonous gas from the Poison-Poison Fruit evaporating.
Aaron’s hand that was holding his wrist suddenly felt a stinging pain. He looked down and saw bubbles appearing on the scales – the poisonous fire had corroded his defenses!
“You…you ate two fruits?” Aaron’s voice finally showed fear.
Li Xiaofei grinned, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth onto the sand.
He jerked his hand away and crossed his arms over his chest.
The molten poison fire condensed into a fireball in his palm, three times larger than before, and the purple mist on the surface twisted like a living thing.
Aaron tried to hide, but the heat from the fireball had already scorched his shark fins – this was a fused fire explosion, burning through the scales, burning away the poison resistance, and not even the moisture from the sea could stop it.
“boom!”
The fireball hit Aaron in the chest.
The air wave overturned three small boats, and the scorching air wave swept towards the pirates with poisonous mist.
Aaron was smashed into the sand, the scales on his chest shattered into pieces, revealing the bloody wound underneath.
He struggled to get up, but was pierced in the right hand by the old hunter’s arrow – the poison on the arrowhead had caused his muscles to spasm.
“General attack!” Li Xiaofei shouted at the top of his voice.
The villagers rushed out from their hiding places.
The old pirate led the young men holding harpoons, Gousheng’s wife waved a kitchen knife to chop the pirate’s ankles, and Xiaoli held a stone and smashed the head of a minion.
Ning Qing rushed over with a medicine box, bandaged Li Xiaofei, and cursed, “Are you trying to kill yourself?
The wound has turned red! “
But no one listened to her scolding.
Cheers surged like waves, mixed with the pirates’ cries and the crackling sounds of burning ships.
Li Xiaofei looked at the gradually extinguishing flames on the main ship, and suddenly remembered the new prompts on the system panel: [Villagers’ Trust: 100%], [Fusion: 85%], [Reward: Overlord Color Entanglement (Primary)].
“Brother Fei! Brother Fei!” Xiaoli ran over holding the serrated knife she had ripped off the pirate, “This is for you!
They said it was Aaron’s knife, and I stole it!”
Li Xiaofei took the knife and ran his fingertips across the crack on the blade – there was still A-Long’s blood on it.
He turned his head to look at Ning Qing. She was squatting on the ground applying medicine to the injured old pirate. The ends of her hair were stained with blood, but her smile was brighter than the morning sun.
“This is just the beginning,” he whispered, his voice drowned out by the cheers.
Chapter 27 Carlos’s Intelligence (Old Version)
The bonfire in the fishing village did not go out until late at night.
Li Xiaofei leaned against the wall of the wooden house, looking at the numbers jumping on the system panel – the degree of fusion was 85%, and it was only a step away from breaking through 90%.
“Are you thinking about those crappy maps again?” Ning Qing’s voice came from behind.
She was holding a medicine box, the ends of her hair still stained with blood from treating the wound during the day, but she stuffed a baked sweet potato into his arms, “You have to rest for a few days, the fever hasn’t even gone away.”
Li Xiaofei took the sweet potato, and the heat from it rubbed through the coarse cloth, making his palm itchy.
He looked at the villagers who were still cleaning up the battlefield in the distance, the old hunter who was sharpening Aaron’s serrated knife until it shined, and Xiaoli who was holding the pirate’s gunpowder barrel as a toy – these people finally didn’t have to huddle and shiver in the coconut grove anymore.
“I need intelligence.” He broke the sweet potato in half, and the syrup drew silver lines in the moonlight. “All kinds of real-time intelligence, the climate of the Grand Line, the patrol routes of the navy, the weaknesses of the Seven Warlords of the Sea… and…” He paused, his Adam’s apple rolled, “fragments of blank history.”
Ning Qing’s fingers left white marks on the buckle of the medicine box.
Of course she knew those legends – the lost century, the erased kingdom, and the question marks next to the names “Baron” and “Camilla” in the old diaries that Li Xiaofei always looked through late at night.
She squatted down, and the bottles in the medicine box clinked gently, as if sighing for her: “I’ll go with you.”
“Too dangerous.”
“Do you think I will let you go alone?” Ning Qing suddenly raised her head, her eyes bright in the night, “Do you think I am a female doctor who can only give acupuncture?”
Li Xiaofei looked at her cuffs stained with medicine – the cut that was made by the pirate’s knife.
He smiled and stuffed half a sweet potato into her hand: “Let’s go at dawn.”
The morning light had just risen above the coconut groves when the two of them had already entered the town on a horse-drawn carriage carrying fish.
The bars on the docks smelled of rum and salt fish.
When Li Xiaofei opened the door curtain, the wind chimes rang and caught Carlos’ sight.
The man leaned behind the bar, cleaning the crystal glasses. His gold earrings flickered in the candlelight, and he smiled like a fox that only saw fat meat. “What would you like to drink? Our Blue Rose is the best in the East China Sea.”
“I want information about the Grand Line.” Li Xiaofei sat directly on the wooden chair in the corner, his boot heels knocking against the floor with a crisp sound, “And clues to the blank history.”
Carlos’s hand paused.
The bottom of the crystal glass left a water mark on the bar. He walked around to the table and sat down, his knees almost touching Li Xiaofei. “Good appetite, young sir. A chart of the Grand Line, one is enough to buy half an island; blank history?” He lowered his voice, “That’s something that will be punished by the navy.”
“I have enough bargaining chips.” Li Xiaofei took out A-Long’s serrated knife, and there were dark brown blood stains in the cracks of the blade. “Take a look at this knife. Is it enough to exchange for your price?”
He stared at the knife, his Adam’s apple moved, and he suddenly laughed out loud: “It turns out to be the guy who caused a big fuss in Kekoyasi Village that day. Okay, I have the information.”
Ning Qing pinched him under the table.
Li Xiaofei didn’t seem to feel any pain, and tapped the table with his knuckles: “Let’s take a look at the goods first.”
Carlos snapped his fingers.
The men in black suits immediately brought a sandalwood box from the back hall. When it was opened, a musty smell of old paper wafted out.
Li Xiaofei glanced at the first page and his breathing suddenly tightened – it was densely packed with records of the location of the doldrums in the first half of the Grand Line, and even had a note saying “passable on the 15th of every month”; the second page was the rotation time of the Navy’s G5 branch, accurate to the hour; the third page… his fingertips trembled, and the words “Distribution map of the remaining forces of the Rocks Pirates” made his eyes hurt.
“How is it?” Carlos picked up the glass, “Are you satisfied, kid?”
As dusk permeated the wooden houses in Kekoa West Village, Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing had just turned around the bamboo rack where the fishing nets were drying.
The sea breeze brought the smell of salted fish into her collar. Ning Qing’s medicine box hit her calf, making a crackling noise – in addition to the medicinal herbs, it also contained the paralysis powder that she had brewed overnight.
Ning Qing put the medicine box on the stove, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the copper buckle on the corner of the box: “You said Carlos is selling stolen goods for the remnants of Aaron’s gang?” She paused, her eyes swept across the lavender lines under Li Xiaofei’s collarbone, which were the symbiotic marks left after the fusion of the Poison-Poison Fruit, “What does he want?”
“For the capital to survive.” Li Xiaofei pulled a rag to wipe the knife, the blade reflected his tense jawline, “Aaron robbed twenty ships of slaves and three boxes of ancient weapon fragments, but these things did not sink to the bottom of the sea with him. This means he may have a manifest in his hand – or, he is the name on the manifest.” He suddenly stopped, the blade reflected the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window, “Tonight’s dock transaction is a test.
But tomorrow, I have to make him feel like I’m a fish that can take the bait.”
Ning Qing walked up to him, a faint scent of wormwood emanating from the medicine box: “You want to go to the bar again?”
“With a bit of disguise.” Li Xiaofei pulled open his collar, revealing the light red pattern of the Flame-Flame Fruit on the back of his neck.
The system panel floated in his mind, and the prompt of 37% fusion degree flashed faintly – the second-order twin stage, he could temporarily simulate the external characteristics of other fruit abilities.
He pressed his fingertips on the poison pattern on his collarbone, and the two energies surged under his skin. After a moment, his pupils glowed with a faint green light, like a gem quenched with poison. “Carlos has seen my burn marks, but he has never seen the pupils of a poison user.”
Ning Qing reached out and touched his eyelids. The cool touch made Li Xiaofei blink: “It looks just like the ‘snake pupils’ of the North Sea drug lord.” She took out a celadon bottle from the secret compartment of the medicine box and poured out a vermilion pill. “Hold this in your mouth, and your breath will smell like datura. Let them smell it and it will be friendly.”
As the moonlight climbed up the eaves, the two men’s plan unfolded under the kerosene lamp.
Li Xiaofei was drawing the layout of the bar on a piece of torn paper, while Ning Qing was using a silver needle to poke small holes in another piece of paper – that was her secret technique for recording intelligence.
It was not until the night watchman rang the third watch and heard the screams of a wild cat outside the window that the two of them lay down on their straw mats.
Li Xiaofei stared at the crack in the roof and listened to Ning Qing’s even breathing. Suddenly, the system prompt sounded in his mind: [It is detected that the host is about to perform a high-risk task, and the “danger warning” function is turned on. There is no threat within 50 meters at present].
Chapter 28: The Hidden Room in the Tavern (Old Version)
At noon the next day, the sun heated up the wooden sign of the bar. The words “Sea Whale Tavern” faded like a piece of moldy bread.
When Li Xiaofei opened the door, the smell of alcohol mixed with sweat hit him in the face.
Carlos was standing behind the bar, cleaning the cups. When he saw him, his eyes lit up and the cup fell onto the bar with a clang. “I want more information.” Li Xiaofei leaned against the bar, his snake pupils glowing in the shadows.
He noticed the drunk in the red hat at the third table on the left, staring at him.
The scent of datura emanated from between his teeth, the drunkard’s nose twitched, and his eyes suddenly became eager.
Carlos paused while wiping the cup, and his smile became even brighter: “As much as you want, as long as you can afford it.” He raised his chin towards the inner room, “Come, try the new rum, and we’ll talk slowly.”
Li Xiaofei followed him through the corridor where fishing nets were hung, and his eyes swept across the wooden wall on the right – there was a very shallow gap, which was darker than the other wooden boards.
The system warning popped up in my mind: [Spatial anomaly detected, investigation recommended].
He calmly kicked the wine barrel at his feet, let out a “ouch”, held onto the wall, and pressed the gap with his fingertips – it was a movable wooden board.
“Be careful!” Carlos turned around and supported him, his eyes wrinkled with smile, “This old house is not solid at all.” He pressed his hand on Li Xiaofei’s shoulder with a force as heavy as a rock.
“Thank you.” Li Xiaofei took two steps back and his serpentine eyes swept over Carlos’s hands – there were calluses on the palms of his hands, which were the marks of holding the rudder for many years.
Among the officers of the Arlong Pirates, the first mate “Anchor” Jack has such hands.
For the next half hour, Li Xiaofei listened to Carlos talking about the business of the “South China Sea Spice Merchants”, but his eyes were always drifting towards the wooden wall.
Until the drunk man in the red hat staggered into the corridor, burped and patted Carlos on the back: “Old Carlos, it’s time to move the goods in the warehouse. Don’t keep the customers waiting.”
Carlos’ smile froze for a moment, then he slapped the drunk’s hand away: “Go away, can’t you see I’m entertaining guests?” When he turned around, a ray of light leaked from the gap in the wooden wall – someone was walking inside.
The opportunity has come.
As Carlos was dragged out the door by the drunk, Li Xiaofei pretended to bend down to tie his shoelaces, with his fingertips clasping the edge of the movable wooden board.
The system prompt sounded quickly: [Hidden space detected, do you want to start scanning?] He clicked “yes” in his mind, and a three-dimensional projection appeared in front of him – there was a downward staircase behind the wooden wall, wooden boxes were piled in the basement, and there was a pile of documents on the innermost table.
“Guest?” Carlos’ voice came from outside the door. “Where’s the boy?”
Li Xiaofei bent down and crawled into the wooden wall, then closed the wooden board with his backhand.
The musty smell hit him in the face, and he took out a lighter from his pocket and lit the stairs.
There were fresh mud marks on the steps, left this morning.
The basement was larger than he had imagined. Ten wooden boxes were stacked in two rows. One of the boxes was not covered tightly, revealing half a chain – iron shackles used by slaves.
On the innermost wooden table, documents were piled up like a small mountain. The top one read, “Cargo List of the Arlong Pirates: 120 slaves, shipped to the Navy G5 Branch; 3 boxes of ancient weapon fragments, temporarily stored in Warehouse No. 3 at Cocoa West Pier…”
The sound of metal collision exploded above my head.
Li Xiaofei raised his head suddenly, and light leaked through the cracks in the wooden wall, followed by Carlos’ voice: “That kid was sneaking around just now, he must have entered the secret room.
search!”
The heartbeat roared in my ears.
Li Xiaofei grabbed the document and stuffed it into his arms. The system panel flashed wildly: [Danger level increased to SS, immediate evacuation is recommended].
“Here!” Footsteps rushed down the stairs.
Li Xiaofei hid behind a wooden box and watched three men in black suits rush into the basement with guns raised.
The leader was the drunk in the red hat who had followed them yesterday. At this moment, he was no longer drunk and the muzzle of his gun was shining coldly: “Carlos said you are a big fish, I want to see how big a wave you can make!”
“Fish?” Li Xiaofei licked his lips, and the dark green in his snake pupils faded to a fiery red. “I’m still with Yuan Hua.”
He raised his hand and pressed it on the wooden box. The high temperature of the Burning Fruit instantly penetrated the wood. With a “bang”, the wooden box exploded, and the flames and sawdust flew toward the ceiling.
Li Xiaofei took the opportunity to rush towards the stairs, but his ankle was hooked by the guy in the red hat – the guy’s grip was so strong that there were black blood stains in the cracks between his nails.
“Want to run?” The red-capped man grinned, and his other hand reached for the dagger at his waist, “Master Aaron’s secret room, anyone who enters must…”
Before he could finish his words, he suddenly covered his throat.
A lavender mist emanated from Li Xiaofei’s fingertips. It was the “miasma” formed by the fusion of the Poison-Poison Fruit.
The man in the red hat’s pupils dilated instantly, and the dagger fell to the ground with a clang.
As soon as the other two men in black suits got up, they were forced back to the corner by the flames.
“Let’s go!” Li Xiaofei broke through the wooden wall and rushed into the corridor.
Carlos was standing at the door with a gun in hand. When he saw the documents in his arms, his face turned pale instantly: “You dare!”
“I dare.” Li Xiaofei threw the dagger in his arms, and the shark-tooth pattern cut through the air and nailed Carlos’ feet.
The residual heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit spread along the blade, and smoke rose from the floor. “Tell the remaining members of Aaron that Kokoyasi’s fish is about to bite back.”
He turned and rushed into the street, hearing Carlos’s roar and gunshots behind him.
The blinding sunlight made him squint, but he saw Ning Qing standing in front of the dyeing workshop on the corner of the street, turning the medicine box in his hands – that was the safety signal they agreed upon.
“Here.” Li Xiaofei stuffed the document into her arms, sweat dripping down his chin onto the bluestone slab, “Go back to the house and look at it.”
Ning Qing’s hands were shaking as she opened the file. The signature at the bottom of the first page made her gasp: “Navy…Colonel Smoker of the G5 branch?”
Li Xiaofei paused.
In the distance there came a siren-like sound on the wind; it was the whistle of a naval patrol boat.
He looked back at the bar and saw Carlos rushing out of the door with the gun still smoking in his hand.
“Let’s go.” He pulled Ning Qing and ran.
The wind blew the corner of the document page, and a yellowed piece of paper fell to the ground.
The three words “Demon Slaughter Order” were circled in red pen on it, and they looked shocking in the sunlight.
Chapter 29 Demon Slayer Order? (Old Version)
As the setting sun dyed the wooden roofs of Kokoa West Village blood red, Li Xiaofei grabbed Ning Qing’s wrist and rushed into the abandoned hunter’s cabin at the end of the village.
He leaned his back against the door, his ears still buzzing – Carlos’s bullet had grazed the back of his neck as he ran past the church, gouging a charred hole in the brick wall.
“Documents.” His voice was hoarse, and sweat from his forehead dripped into his collar.
Ning Qing was already squatting in front of the earthen stove, lighting the dry straw with a flint, and the yellowed paper pages unfolded one by one in the flickering flames.
Her fingertips were stained with blood – they were scratched by the stone wall when she dodged the bullet just now. Now they were shaking slightly as she flipped through the contents of the document.
“This is the inventory of the Arlong Pirates for the past six months.” She pulled out a piece of paper covered with shark marks, “Fish-Man Karate Training Manual, twenty boxes of gunpowder, three ships of whale blubber…” When she turned to the last page, she suddenly paused, her eyelashes trembling violently, “Here, the signatures of the guarantors for each transaction are-“
“Smoker.” Li Xiaofei leaned over, his Adam’s apple rolling.
He remembered this name, having heard it in the tavern three days ago: the chain-smoking colonel of the G5 branch, famous for his iron-fisted approach in wiping out pirates in the East China Sea.
But the signature on the document was fresh, clearly having been signed a month ago.
“And this.” Ning Qing pulled out another piece of coffee-stained letter paper, with the three characters “Demon Slayer Order” circled in red on the corner. “It says, ‘If the Fishmen Group can control the waterway from Cocoa West to Rogue Town before the full moon, a special operation codenamed Demon Slayer Order will be launched.'”
The barking of an old dog could be heard outside the cabin.
Li Xiaofei raised his head suddenly, and hot flames rose from his palms.
But the next second, there was a knock on the door, three short knocks and one long knock.
“It’s Old Jack.” Ning Qing breathed a sigh of relief and got up to open the door.
The hunchbacked old pirate was holding onto the door frame, with half a loaf of black bread in his left hand – that was his stored food hidden in the beams of the attic.
His calloused fingers traced over the shark symbol on the document, and his half-missing front teeth made a clattering sound when biting. “I saw these fishmen cubs in the Grand Line ten years ago. That guy Aaron always said he wanted to establish a kingdom of fishmen, but without the support of the navy, they can’t even take over a small fishing village.”
“Why would the Navy help them?” Li Xiaofei clenched the document until his knuckles turned white.
He recalled that in the original owner’s memory, his father Baron once said that there was a group of “rats in suits” in the upper echelons of the navy who specialized in doing shady deals.
Old Jack took out a copper pipe from his trouser pocket and lit it, sparks splashing on the three words “Demon Slayer Order”: “The Demon Slayer Order is used to deal with big troubles like O’Hara. Is it used to clear out the fishing village? Unless…”
His cloudy eyes suddenly lit up. “Unless there is something underground in Kokoa West. When Baron fled here, did he take anything with him?”
The original owner’s dying memory suddenly came to his mind: on a rainy night, his father stuffed an iron box with flame patterns into his arms, shouted “Let’s go to Kokoa West to find the old shipbuilder”, and then was pierced through the chest by seven harpoons.
“The iron box.” He blurted out, “The iron box left by my father, it may be in the old dock east of the village.”
Ning Qing put her hand on the back of his hand, and the warmth came through the cuffs that were blackened by gunpowder: “So Aaron wants to control this place, and Carlos follows us, all for the iron box. And the navy wants to use them to get the things, and then use the Demon Killing Order to silence them.”
Old Jack stuck his pipe on the ground and said, “We must first eliminate the traitors in the village tonight. Aaron has planted at least three spies in Cocoaxi. Yesterday I saw the fat lady from the rice shop sending a carrier pigeon to the beach.”
“Use false information to lure them in. Just say that I’m going to the dilapidated warehouse in the south of the village to get important supplies, and have Ning Qing put the poison mist bomb in the corner of the warehouse.”
When the moon rose above the willows, the wooden door of the broken warehouse in the south of the village creaked open.
Li Xiaofei huddled in a pile of straw and could hear his own heartbeat – this was the first time he used a trick to lure a snake out of its hole.
Old Jack once said that pirates’ inner traitors are often afraid of death and are more anxious than sharks seeing blood once they smell profit.
Sure enough, a quarter of an hour later, three dark shadows crept in along the wall.
The leader was the fat lady from the rice shop, holding a torch in her hand, illuminating the fishman’s short blade on her waist. “Where is the iron box that kid mentioned?” She kicked the broken wooden box in the corner, and in the dust that was raised, a lavender mist was slowly spreading from the bottom of the box.
“Here.” Li Xiaofei jumped down from the beam, and the high temperature of the Burning Fruit instantly ignited the hay on the beam.
Aunt Fat turned around and tried to run, but was choked by the poisonous mist and started coughing, and her short blade fell to the ground with a clang.
The other two traitors – the lame bartender of the tavern and the apprentice of the blacksmith shop – were about to draw their knives when they were caught by old Jack from behind with a fishing net.
“How do you know…” Aunt Fat collapsed on the ground, digging her nails into the mud.
“Because a real traitor would not put less salt in the porridge that the villagers drink.” Ning Qing walked out from the shadows, turning the medicine box in his hands. “For three consecutive days, the brown rice in the rice shop has been short of weight, and your pigpen suddenly has two more fat pigs.”
Villagers came from all directions holding torches.
The old woman’s scolding and the child’s crying mixed together, and Aunt Fat’s face flickered in the firelight.
Li Xiaofei looked at the old boatman who was clenching his hoe in the crowd, and suddenly remembered that in the original owner’s memory, this old man had given him ginger tea when he had a fever.
“Detention in the warehouse east of the village.” His voice was not loud, but it was like a nail that pierced into the night.
For the next three days, the abandoned pasture behind the village became a training ground.
“Remember, fishmen are afraid of fire.” Li Xiaofei swung the flame fused with the explosive fruit, blasting a charred pit on the ground. “Their skin is thick, but their joints are soft. Stab here.” He pointed at his knee, red flames dancing in his snake pupils.
“Brother Xiaofei!” Xiao Shunzi from the village came running over breathlessly, with the carrier pigeon in his arms flapping its wings and a blood-stained cloth tied to its leg ring. “The lookout on the beach said that A-Long’s sail has appeared on the horizon!”
The setting sun was suddenly obscured by dark clouds.
Li Xiaofei touched the short knife at his waist, which was forged from the original owner’s father’s pistol. The flame pattern on the handle was still warm.
“It’s a full moon tonight.” Old Jack tapped his pipe against the sole of his shoe. “Aaron chose to come at high tide, hoping to use the sea water to break through the defense line.”
“Then let them have a taste. The fire of Kokoaxi is hotter than the tide.” Li Xiaofei turned and walked towards the old banyan tree in the center of the village, which was already filled with villagers holding weapons.
He stood on the tree stump, looking at the faces that were illuminated red by the firelight – there was a widow with red eyes from crying, a young girl holding a kitchen knife, and an old man leaning on a cane.
“Aaron said we were fish waiting to be slaughtered.” He raised his voice, “But fish can also bite through fishing nets!
Tonight, we are here to guard our home! “
In response to him, there were shouts one after another.
Ning Qing held the medicine box tightly on his back and winked at him; Old Jack patted his shoulder, and the sparks from his pipe splashed into the haystack, producing a small flame.
As the moon climbed above the treetops, Li Xiaofei knocked on the door of the old pirate’s cabin.
The smell of dried salted fish wafted through the room, and there was the crisp sound of papers flipping – Old Jack was marking the locations of traps on the map.
“Smoker’s ship may arrive three hours later than Aaron.” The old man said without raising his head, “But the activation of the Demon Slayer Order requires five warships, and they can’t arrive that fast.”
“Then we have time.” Li Xiaofei took out the iron box from his arms.
Chapter 30: Capturing an A-Long (Old Version)
The dark shadow on the horizon grew larger and larger, and the sawtooth shark logo on the sail gradually became clear in the morning mist.
Li Xiaofei stood under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, his shoes rolling over the caltrops that had been newly laid last night. The feeling of the metal thorns piercing the soles of his shoes woke him up – this was not a dream, A’long’s boat had really arrived.
“Everyone, look up!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice breaking through the villagers’ sobs.
More than twenty villagers crowded behind him, some holding sharpened harpoons, some holding pottery jars filled with stones, and Aunt Zhang at the edge had half a bag of salt in her arms – that was what he specifically instructed, as fishermen’s gills are most afraid of salt grains.
A little baby suddenly cried out and his mother covered his mouth.
Li Xiaofei’s eyes swept across the crowd and fell on Old Jack in the front row.
The old pirate stood straight, and his hand, which was missing three fingers, was moving the lighter towards the fuse of the gunpowder barrel.
He nodded at Old Jack, and the old pirate gave him an almost invisible raise of his eyebrow – the code word for “ready”.
There was a dull thud as the anchor hit the shallows.
“Here it comes.” Li Xiaofei reached for the dagger at his waist. The flame pattern on the scabbard glowed with blood in the morning light.
The system prompt sound rolled in my mind: “Fusion degree 75%, natural energy fluctuations detected, it is recommended to activate the characteristics of the Twin Flame Fruit.”
The first to rush ashore were six fishmen, with green-scaled arms carrying hammers and cursing.
As they stepped onto the bluestone slabs at the entrance of the village, the one in front suddenly screamed – the caltrops pierced the soft flesh of his feet.
The second person tried to jump away, but his ankle was entangled by the vine net at his feet, and he stumbled into his companion.
“Set fire!” Old Jack’s roar mixed with sparks.
The salt in Aunt Zhang’s arms smashed over them. The moment the salt grains penetrated into the fishmen’s gills, their screams were sharper than the wails of manta rays.
At the same time, flames rose from the direction of the abandoned fish hold at the west end of the village – that was the dry seaweed that Li Xiaofei had people pile up in the fish hold last night and poured half a bucket of lamp oil on it.
Tongues of fire rolled up into the air with black smoke, making the scales of the fish people look scarlet.
“A trifle!”
A roar so loud that it shook the beams to dust came from the boat.
Aaron jumped onto the shore, swinging his two arms, which were fins thicker than his thighs, followed by four trusted aides carrying iron chains.
His shark-head hat was tilted to one side, revealing three scars under his left eye – they were caused by a cut by the navy three years ago, and were now twitching with the corners of his twisted mouth.
The wound on Aaron’s chest has mostly healed, and only some broken scales can be seen.
He could feel two currents of heat running through his body, one was the burning heat of the Flame-Flame Fruit, the other was the vibration of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, like two snakes entwined in his blood vessels.
The system panel suddenly popped up: “Twin Flame Fruit awakening degree +10%, can release ‘Pyroblast Impact’.”
“You little brat, do you think these broken traps can stop me? This time I will make you pay!” A Long kicked the subordinate who was stabbed by the caltrops, and the fin swept across the ground, bringing up a piece of gravel. “I’m going to hang you on the mast and watch your girlfriend being…”
Li Xiaofei unsheathed his dagger.
Crimson flames wrapped around the blade, but this time the flame was different from before. There were tiny golden sparks dancing inside, like a layer of gunpowder that was about to explode.
The moment he rushed out, he caught a glimpse of Ning Qing sticking his head out of Aunt Zhang’s window, and the silver needle in his hand flashed in the firelight – that was the signal that “the villagers have evacuated to the safe house.”
Aaron’s fins slapped the ground, causing the stone slabs to crack into spider web patterns.
Li Xiaofei dodged sideways, and the tip of the knife grazed A’long’s chin, leaving a charred mark on his face.
The fishman captain’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he realized that the opponent’s flames were accompanied by crackling sounds, which looked very much like –
“Explosive Fruit?” Aaron took two steps back, his gills opening and closing rapidly, “You are too weird, kid!”
Li Xiaofei licked his lips that were dried by the flames. The system prompt sounded in his ears: “Fusion degree 78%. It is recommended to stack “Pyroblast Impact.” He could feel the twin flame fruits boiling in his body.
Before he finished speaking, a blinding white light suddenly appeared on his right hand.
The high temperature of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the impact force of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit condensed into a fist-sized fireball in the palm of his hand. The golden sparks on the surface crackled and the air was distorted by the burning.
Aaron’s expression finally changed. He tried to shield his face with his fins, but saw the fireball suddenly accelerate – it didn’t attack in a straight line, but seemed to be pulled by some force and bypassed his defense.
A fireball exploded behind Aaron.
The air wave blew off his shark hat, and the charred scales fell off. The burns on his back spread radially, and even half of his tail fin was blown off.
He staggered and fell into a roadside ditch, splashing water mixed with blood foam.
“Boss!” Four confidants rushed over, and the iron chains made a sound in the wind.
“Old Jack!” Li Xiaofei roared without turning his head.
The old pirate’s powder keg exploded at the right moment.
The sound of metal colliding was heard in the thick smoke. It was the caltrops thrown from the roof by the old hunter and the villagers.
The fishmen’s chains got entangled in the barbs of the caltrops, and the more they struggled, the deeper they pierced.
“Put down your weapons!” Ning Qing’s voice came from the direction of the safe house.
She stood on a high place holding a medicine box, and in her other hand she held a modified blowgun – the mouth of the blowgun was dipped in the anesthetic she had just prepared, “If you move again, I’ll give you an injection!”
The battle ended faster than expected.
When the last fishman was tied up like a dumpling and thrown in front of the village office, the morning light had already flooded the salt field.
Li Xiaofei squatted in front of A Long with the dagger against his throat.
Aaron still glared at him fiercely: “If you kill me, the brothers in Yuren Street will not let you go.”
“I don’t want to kill you.” Li Xiaofei lifted A’long’s chin with the tip of the knife.
“etc.”
A slightly hoarse female voice came from behind.
Li Xiaofei turned around and saw a woman wearing the uniform of the Arlong Pirates standing at the entrance of the alley.
There was a tear on the chest of her uniform, revealing the blood-stained floral dress underneath, and there was a bruise on the left side of her face – it was Nojigo, Aaron’s intelligence officer.
“I have something to say.” Nojigo took two steps forward, and the iron chain on her wrist made a slight sound. “Regarding the treasure hidden by Aaron in the orange orchard, and the evidence of his collusion with the navy…” She glanced at Aaron who was tied up like a dumpling, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. “I will help you, as long as…”
“Just what?” Ning Qing walked over.
Noqi Gao’s eyes fell on the dagger on Li Xiaofei’s waist, and the flame pattern danced in her eyes: “As long as you take me away from here. I’m tired of being their dog.”
Li Xiaofei didn’t say anything, just stretched out his hand.
Nojigo hesitated for a moment, then put his hand holding half of the map on it.
“Deal with the wounded first.” Ning Qing pulled his sleeve, “Aunt Zhang’s leg was hit by a fish fin, and the old hunter’s arm was cut…”
“You go and help.” Li Xiaofei let go of Nuo Qigao’s hand and turned to walk towards the village office. “I’ll go and interrogate these prisoners.”
The wooden door of the village office creaked.
The merman soldiers tied to the bench suddenly became agitated. One of the yellow-scaled merman shook his head desperately, making an indistinct “gurgling” sound in his throat.
Li Xiaofei narrowed his eyes and found an unnatural bulge near the gill slit of the fishman – as if something was stuffed in it.
His dagger slashed across the back of the fishman’s neck, and a small wax-sealed bamboo tube fell to the ground.
“Interesting.” Li Xiaofei picked up the bamboo tube and rubbed the fishman characters on it with his fingertips. “Along, how many secrets do you have left to tell?”
The morning light shines through the window paper, casting a shadow on the bamboo tube.
Chapter 31: Strange Sea Chart (Old Version)
Inside the village office, the morning light pierced through the window paper, casting an eerie shadow on the small wax-sealed bamboo tube.
The flame on Li Xiaofei’s fingertips flashed and the wax seal of the bamboo tube melted quietly, revealing a roll of carefully rolled oil paper.
He did not check immediately, but his eyes swept across the yellow-scaled fish man with a bamboo tube stuffed in his throat.
The fishman trembled all over when he looked at him.
“It seems, Captain Aaron, your men are much more ‘loyal’ than you thought, and they are hiding more secrets that you don’t know.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was not loud, but it pierced into the heart of every prisoner like an ice cone.
He turned to the tied-up Aaron, whose fierce look had been replaced by a look of doubt.
“What is this?” Li Xiaofei shook the bamboo tube in his hand. “Something you don’t want the navy to know, or even your backers in the Grand Line to know?”
Aaron’s pupils shrank suddenly, and then he forced himself to remain calm: “I don’t know what you are talking about! Just a kid from the East China Sea…”
“Still talking tough?” Li Xiaofei sneered and ignored A’long. Instead, he walked up to the yellow-scaled fishman and pressed the cold blade of his dagger against his wet cheek. “Tell me, what’s in here? What did you hide? If you don’t tell me, I don’t mind letting you experience the feeling of being roasted by fire. Believe me, my flames can do more than just burn ships.”
Flames suddenly rose at the tip of the knife. The scorching air waves made the yellow-scaled fishman whimper in pain, and a fishy burnt smell began to spread.
The other fishman captives were trembling with fear, looking at Li Xiaofei as if he were a demon crawling out of hell.
“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you!” The yellow-scaled fishman finally broke down and screamed, “It’s… it’s the information about the ‘key’! It’s the ‘key’!”
“Key?” Li Xiaofei raised his eyebrows, “What key?”
“It’s… it’s the stuff in that big house in Xiluobu Village! Captain Aaron asked us to get it, but Captain Clo wouldn’t let us tell anyone! He said it was something more important than treasure, and it was related to… related to a big plan!” The yellow-scaled fishman shouted incoherently, fearing that he would be swallowed by the flames if he was a second slower.
Li Xiaofei’s heart moved. Xiluobu Village, Captain Clo?
He remembered that it was Usopp’s hometown and also the base of the Black Cat Pirates.
It seems that Aaron’s ambition is far more than just enslaving a few villages.
He unfolded the oil paper, on which were drawn some strange symbols and a simple map, pointing to the direction of Xiluobu Village, and with several special marks.
“Aaron, are you in collusion with Clo?” Li Xiaofei’s eyes locked on Aaron again, “What is your ‘big plan’? To overthrow the East China Sea? Or… is there someone behind you?”
Aaron’s face turned pale and he kept his mouth tightly shut.
But from his flickering eyes and suddenly accelerated breathing, Li Xiaofei already got the answer.
These pirates entrenched in the East China Sea are by no means as simple as they appear. They seem to be planning some deeper and more terrifying conspiracy.
Just then, Nojigo walked in under the guard of two villagers. Her face was still pale, but her eyes were much firmer.
“I know some of their secret bases,” she said directly, her eyes sweeping over the captives. “Aaron didn’t just hide treasures and slaves in Kekoyasi Village. In order to prevent us ‘cadres’ from turning against him, he imprisoned some disobedient villagers, and… some hostages he thought were valuable, in several secret places.”
Li Xiaofei’s eyes shone, and he looked at Nojigo: “Can you lead the way?”
“I can.” Nojigo nodded affirmatively. “It is guarded by his trusted followers, but there are not many of them. They thought that Kokoasi Village was impregnable, and most of the fighting forces were left here.”
“Very good.” Li Xiaofei made a prompt decision. “Ning Qing, you stay and take care of the wounded. Continue to interrogate these prisoners, especially the information about Clo and the ‘key’. Make sure to pry their mouths open.” He also pointed to a few villagers who were still quite skilled and had just performed bravely in the battle. “You guys, follow me!”
Without further ado, Li Xiaofei, along with Noqigao and several strong villagers, immediately set off for the back mountain of Windmill Village.
Nojigo was very familiar with the terrain, and he led them through many detours, avoiding the secret sentries that might be set up by the Arlong Pirates, and headed straight for the abandoned mine.
As expected, there were only four fishmen guarding the entrance to the mine. When they saw Li Xiaofei and others appear like a god of death, they were killed by Li Xiaofei’s swift attack before they could even sound the alarm.
Now that he has integrated the Flame-Flame Fruit, his physical skills and explosive power far exceed those of ordinary people, and he can easily deal with these miscellaneous soldiers.
The scorching fist wind whizzed past, and the fishman guard was blown away before he could even scream.
Rushing into the mine, a damp and foul smell hit us in the face.
Deep in the mine, they indeed found more than a dozen imprisoned villagers, including the wife of the old fisherman Zhang Bo.
Most of these villagers were pale and thin, with numb expressions, and it was obvious that they had suffered a lot.
“Aunt Zhang!”
“It’s Xiaofei! Xiaofei is here to save us!”
Seeing Li Xiaofei, the desperate villagers’ eyes were rekindled with light.
The rescue process went extremely smoothly. Li Xiaofei asked the villagers to support the weak hostages while he quickly searched the mine.
Since it is a secret base, perhaps something is left behind.
Sure enough, he found a waterproof leather bag on the body of a fishman who looked like a guard leader.
It was a nautical chart made of special leather. The edges were a little damaged, but some routes and islands were marked on it with strange symbols. One of the marked points emitted a faint blue light, which seemed to point to a distant and unknown sea.
In the corner of the nautical chart, there is a blurred signature. The handwriting is old and weathered, and the word “guide” can be vaguely recognized.
Night fell on the village of Kokoyasi again, but this time, there was no fear or despair. Instead, there was a calmness after surviving the disaster and hope for the future.
The villagers spontaneously lit a bonfire and shared their limited food to celebrate this hard-earned victory.
Li Xiaofei did not participate in the celebration. He stood on the roof of the village office, looking at the dark sea in the distance.
The sea breeze blew his hair, and the dagger in his hand shone coldly in the moonlight.
He knew that defeating Aaron was only his first step into this cruel world.
A bigger storm is brewing in the distance.
Chapter 32 The Call of the Grand Line (Old Version)
That strange leather nautical chart exuded a faint coolness in Li Xiaofei’s hands.
The damage on the edges tells of the ruthlessness of time, while the marking points on the map that flash with faint blue light and the blurred signature of the “guide” in the corner all indicate that this nautical chart is extraordinary.
This is by no means an ordinary sea chart, it is more like an invitation, a mysterious call from a distant and unknown sea.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath and suppressed the waves in his heart.
He knew that this nautical chart might be the key to his entry into the Grand Route.
But he couldn’t understand any of the symbols on it, and the faint blue light was full of mystery.
“This thing… is very old.” Nojigao came closer. She was once a member of the Arlong Pirates and was quite knowledgeable, but she was also confused by this sea chart. “I have never seen such a marking method. The signature of ‘Guide’ seems like a legendary title.”
“Legend?” Li Xiaofei’s heart moved.
“Yes,” Nojigo recalled, “It is said that in some ancient fishing villages in the East China Sea, there are legends about ‘guides’. They are navigators who truly understand the secrets of the sea and can draw sea charts leading to the land of miracles. But those are just legends, no one has actually seen them.”
Li Xiaofei looked at the nautical chart again, and he had a vague direction in his mind.
He needed to find someone who could interpret this chart, someone who truly understood the sea.
With the guidance of the villagers and the piecing together of Noqigao’s memories, they learned that there was indeed a strange old man living in seclusion on a remote island across a reef-covered sea to the east of Kokoa West Village.
It is said that he was once a great navigator who suddenly came here decades ago and never left.
The local fishermen kept their distance from him and just called him “Lao Ha”.
Without further ado, Li Xiaofei decided to visit this “Old Ha” immediately.
The island is desolate, with only a simple stone house standing on the edge of the cliff, as if it would be blown down by the sea breeze at any time.
An old man with gray hair, dark and thin skin, and deep wrinkles on his face was sitting in front of the house, silently gazing at the turbulent sea, his eyes as deep as the ocean itself.
“Old man, we are…”
Before Li Xiaofei could finish, the old man’s hoarse voice rang out: “Are you here for that picture?”
Li Xiaofei’s heart trembled, it seemed that this person was indeed not simple. He handed over the Shanghai map respectfully.
The old man, Harrison, took the chart, and a barely perceptible gleam of light flashed in his cloudy eyes.
His fingers were rough and powerful, gently brushing across the leather surface, as if he was touching a rare treasure.
“The Guide’s Star Map… It’s been so many years, I didn’t expect to see it again.”
Harrison’s voice was filled with endless vicissitudes: “Young man, this map points to the most mysterious and dangerous route in the Grand Route. Where it leads, there are endless treasures, but also countless bones. Are you ready?”
He did not ask about Li Xiaofei’s background, nor did he ask why he possessed this map. He just looked at him with those all-seeing eyes.
Li Xiaofei met the old man’s gaze and said firmly, “I must go! Please give me some advice, old man.”
Harrison grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. “It’s not like I gave you any advice. You can’t get through the Grand Line just by relying on others’ advice. There are upside-down mountains, sea kings in the doldrums, unpredictable climates, and pirates and navies that are a hundred times more powerful than those in the East China Sea. Every island could be a test of life and death.” He paused and looked at Li Xiaofei. “But there are also opportunities to make you stronger, the truth of the world, and everything you want.”
The old man’s words were full of magic, as if a door to a new world was slowly opening in front of Li Xiaofei.
He narrated the wonders of the Grand Route, described islands and phenomena that existed only in legends, and mentioned powerful beings that were feared.
Li Xiaofei’s blood boiled after hearing this, and his yearning for the great route became stronger.
He knew that that was the stage that belonged to him!
Finally, Harrison pointed to the mark on the nautical chart that was emitting a faint blue light and said, “This is the ‘Island of Departure’, the starting point of the legendary guide’s chart. Follow the guidance of the star map and the record pointer, and you will be able to find it. But remember, on the Grand Line, believe in yourself, believe in your partners, and believe in this map even more.” The old man returned the nautical chart to Li Xiaofei, and took out an old permanent pointer from his arms, which always pointed in one direction. “This is the permanent pointer to Rogue Town. From there, you can enter the Grand Line more smoothly. Just think of it as a small expectation from me, an old man, for the younger generation.”
With Harrison’s guidance and the precious permanent pointer, the fog in Li Xiaofei’s heart suddenly cleared up.
He thanked the old man solemnly and returned to Kokoyasi Village with Ning Qing and Nuoqigao.
After returning to the village, Li Xiaofei immediately announced his decision to enter the Grand Route.
Although the villagers were reluctant to let him go, they knew that Li Xiaofei had no intention of doing this and expressed their support.
What follows is the intense preparation work.
Ning Qing carefully counted and replenished a large amount of medical supplies, various medicines for injuries, antidotes, and even some special medicines that she tried to prepare based on the pharmacological knowledge she remembered.
She knew that the dangers of the Grand Route were far greater than those of the East China Sea, and adequate medical care was crucial.
Nojiko used some secret channels she had established in the past when she was in the Fish-Man Pirates and traveling around the East China Sea to collect the latest intelligence about the entrance to the Grand Line, ocean current maps, and some naval patrol patterns.
Although the Arlong Pirate Group was destroyed, her former identity and connections can still play a role in certain gray areas.
Li Xiaofei was responsible for the repair of ships and the purchase of supplies.
With the help of the villagers, the ship was soon renovated and the cabin was filled with food, fresh water, weapons and ammunition, as well as various sailing necessities.
After a few days, everything was ready.
On the day of departure, the sun was shining and the sea breeze was warm.
The villagers of Kekoya West Village spontaneously gathered on the beach to see Li Xiaofei and his party off.
“Li Xiaofei, take care on your journey!”
“Miss Ning Qing, Miss Nuoqi Gao, you have to be careful too!”
“We will always remember your kindness!”
Li Xiaofei looked at these simple villagers and felt a warm feeling in his heart.
He said solemnly: “Don’t worry, Kekoyasi Village will always be my home! I will come back! During the time I’m away, you must be on high alert. If you encounter a danger that cannot be resolved, immediately send someone to find me through this route!” He left a relatively safe route map.
“We will!” the villagers responded in unison.
After bidding farewell to the reluctant villagers, Li Xiaofei, Ning Qing and Nuo Qigao boarded the newly renovated “Qihang” – this was the name Li Xiaofei gave to the new ship.
“set sail!”
Following Li Xiaofei’s order, the sails were filled, carrying the dreams and hopes of the three people, and the “Hanging Ship” slowly sailed away from the coast, heading east, towards the vast, more mysterious and more dangerous great route, breaking through the waves.
The sea was calm for several days. Although they encountered several storms along the way, they were able to get through them safely thanks to Li Xiaofei’s powerful strength that combined multiple abilities, Nojigo’s increasingly sophisticated sailing skills, and Ning Qing’s careful assistance.
Occasionally, there would be some short-sighted small groups of pirates trying to rob, but they were all dealt with cleanly and efficiently by Li Xiaofei, which in turn became a trace supplement to the system’s integration.
Their first target was the town of Rogue, which was pointed to by the permanent pointer given by Harrison. It was called the “town of beginning and end” and the real entrance to the Grand Line was nearby.
Chapter 32 The appearance of a mysterious person (old version)
As the ship got closer and closer to Rogue Town, the air seemed to be filled with a tense atmosphere that was completely different from the East China Sea.
The number of ships traveling on the sea has increased significantly, including ferocious ships flying pirate flags and heavily guarded naval warships.
Just when the “Qihang” was only a few nautical miles away from the island where the town of Rogue was located and the outline of the island was almost visible, a patrol ship painted with standard naval emblems suddenly came from the side and front at high speed, blocking their way.
On the deck, a young officer wearing a naval lieutenant uniform and with eyes as sharp as an eagle, held a telescope and carefully observed the “Hanging Ship” for a moment, then his eyes locked on Li Xiaofei.
“The ship ahead, stop immediately for inspection!” The voice of the navy lieutenant came through the loudspeaker Den Den Mushi, with unquestionable majesty, “Captain Li Xiaofei, you have been issued a wanted notice by the navy for suspected attacks on the navy branch, slaughtering pirates, and disrupting the order of the East China Sea! The bounty is 8 million Baileys! Surrender obediently and do not resist in vain!”
Li Xiaofei raised his eyebrows. He didn’t expect that his actions would be heard by the navy so quickly, and a bounty would be offered for his life.
Eight million baileys is not a low amount for a newcomer who has just gone to sea.
“Finally you’re here.” Li Xiaofei sneered.
If you want to enter the Grand Line, it seems you have to fight.
He clenched his fists, and the power of the devil fruit in his body began to stir.
Ning Qing and Nuo Qigao also came to his side with serious expressions, ready for battle.
On the naval patrol ship, dozens of naval soldiers raised their muskets and pointed the black muzzles at the “Hang Sail”.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense and a big war seemed to be about to break out.
Li Xiaofei was about to order a counterattack when his eyes swept across the young but determined face of the naval lieutenant, thinking in his mind how to solve the trouble at the lowest cost.
At this moment, something strange happened!
A black shadow, moving extremely fast, seemed to appear out of thin air and landed silently on the top of the mast of the “Hanging Ship”.
The figure stood facing the wind, his cloak fluttering in the sea breeze. An indescribable aura of horror instantly enveloped the entire sea area, and even the air seemed to freeze.
The navy lieutenant and Li Xiaofei were both startled and looked up suddenly!
The dark shadow stood on the top of the mast like a ghost, and the wide black cloak was fluttering wildly in the biting sea breeze. The edge of the cloak occasionally brushed against the cold metal mast, making a subtle but heart-pounding friction sound.
An indescribable terrifying pressure, like a huge wave in the deep sea, swept across the sea area.
The originally surging sea breeze seemed to stagnate at this moment, even the sunlight seemed to dim a little, and the air was so heavy that it made people breathless.
“Who is it?!” The navy lieutenant’s pupils suddenly shrank, and the determination on his face was instantly replaced by horror.
He had been through many battles and had encountered fierce pirates, but he had never felt such a suffocating feeling of oppression.
This aura far exceeds any powerful person he knows!
The naval soldiers behind him turned pale, their hands holding their muskets trembled unconsciously, and some even made a slight sound of teeth chattering.
Li Xiaofei’s heart was also in turmoil, and every cell in his body was sounding the alarm.
What a strong breath!
This person… is definitely a strong man who has entered the Grand Line level, or maybe even stronger!
The power of the devil fruit in his body had been ready to go, but at this moment it seemed to be under some invisible suppression, and its operation became a little sluggish.
The figure on the mast slowly lowered his head, the shadow of the cloak obscuring his face. Only a pair of sharp eyes that seemed to be able to see through people’s hearts were flashing a cold light in the shadows.
His gaze first swept across the naval fleet that was facing a formidable enemy, with a hint of barely perceptible contempt, and then turned to Li Xiaofei and the other two on the “Qihang”.
“It’s interesting that a newcomer with a bounty of 8 million yuan can appear in the East China Sea.” A hoarse and low voice sounded, like sandpaper rubbing against each other, with a metallic texture, clearly reaching everyone’s ears, “Navy kids, do you want to catch him?”
The naval lieutenant suppressed the shock in his heart, gripped the sword at his waist tightly, and shouted sternly: “Who are you? This is the navy performing official duties, arresting the wanted criminal Li Xiaofei! Unrelated people will step back immediately, otherwise they will be regarded as accomplices and arrested together!” Although the other party’s momentum was terrifying, the navy’s duty and honor did not allow him to retreat.
“Wanted criminal?” The mysterious man chuckled, his voice full of mockery, “Just you guys?”
Before he finished speaking, he moved!
No one could see clearly how he moved. The black shadow disappeared from the top of the mast in an instant, like a bolt of black lightning that tore through space.
The next moment, he appeared on the deck of the naval patrol ship like a ghost and stood in front of the lieutenant.
“Too slow.” A cold voice seemed to ring in my ears.
The naval lieutenant felt a strong wind blowing in his face and instinctively drew his sword to block it.
“clang!”
There was a sharp sound of metal clashing and sparks flew!
The lieutenant only felt an overwhelming force coming from the blade, his knuckles instantly cracked, blood splattered, and the standard military knife in his hand was actually bent and deformed!
The whole person was like being hit by a high-speed train. He flew backwards in a panic, knocking over seven or eight naval soldiers in succession before he fell heavily on the deck, spitting out blood.
“Lieutenant!” The surrounding naval soldiers exclaimed, their faces filled with fear.
“It’s vulnerable.” The mysterious man withdrew his hand. In his hand, there appeared a long sword of ancient shape. The sword was long and narrow, flashing with a cold light. Obviously, he didn’t even draw the scabbard just now.
He looked around, and wherever his eyes went, the navy soldiers avoided him, not daring to look him in the face.
“I say again, I am here to help you.” The mysterious man’s voice sounded again, and this time it fell clearly into Li Xiaofei’s ears, with a hint of unquestionable meaning, but the word “you” made Li Xiaofei raise his eyebrows.
Who to help?
Li Xiaofei’s mind raced. This person’s strength was unfathomable. If he was really an enemy, he would probably have no chance of winning.
But at this moment, he took action to repel the navy, and his words did not seem to be directed at himself.
Could it be that…
Just as the lieutenant struggled to get up and the other navy soldiers raised their guns and aimed, but were too afraid to fire, the mysterious man spoke again, his voice cold: “I’m not interested in the navy, but I’m a little interested in this guy. I’ll protect him. You, get out.”
The navy lieutenant’s face turned pale and blue. The opponent’s strength crushed their own side. Continuing to fight would only increase casualties.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with reluctance and humiliation, but in the end reason overcame impulse, and he squeezed out a few words from between his teeth with difficulty: “Let’s… retreat!”
Under the relieved yet fearful gazes of dozens of naval soldiers, the damaged naval patrol ship turned its bow in embarrassment and quickly sailed away.
It was not until the shadow of the naval ship disappeared on the sea level that the terrifying pressure that shrouded the sea surface slowly dissipated.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath and said to the mysterious man who was still standing on the deck of the naval patrol ship: “Thank you for your help! I don’t know your name, and why you are helping us?”
The mysterious man flashed and when he reappeared, he had landed silently on the deck of the “Sailaway”, as if he had been standing there.
Ning Qing and Nuo Qigao immediately stood in front of Li Xiaofei and stared at the uninvited guest vigilantly.
The mysterious man didn’t care about the hostility of the two women. He looked at Li Xiaofei with interest. After a moment, he reached out and took off the cloak on his head.
Under the cloak was a weather-beaten but still well-defined face, about forty years old, with eyes as sharp as an eagle and a carefully trimmed short mustache on his chin. He exuded the toughness and calmness of a veteran in the battlefield.
He was wearing dark tights that made it easy for him to move, and the ancient long sword was hanging at his waist.
Chapter 33 Black Sails Calvin (Old Version)
“My name is Leo.” He started to speak, his voice still hoarse, but less cold than before, “As for why I help you… because you are blocking my way, and also because… we may have a common enemy.”
“Common enemy?” Li Xiaofei keenly captured the key information.
Leo nodded, his eyes deep: “I’m tracking an extremely brutal pirate group – ‘Black Sail’ Calvin. Intelligence shows that he has been active on the edge of the East China Sea recently, and it seems that he wants to replenish some supplies and manpower from here, and then enter the Grand Line. The navy warship just now was also searching for Calvin’s traces, but they were so useless that they even got the direction wrong.”
“Black Sails Calvin?” Li Xiaofei searched the memory in his mind. This name did not seem to appear in the original book. It was thought that he was a strong man derived from this world, or a character that had not yet been touched on the timeline.
However, since he is described as “extremely cruel” by a figure like Leo, his strength and influence must not be underestimated.
“You have the scent of a devil fruit on you, and more than one kind, very mixed, but vaguely blended, quite interesting.” Leo’s eyes seemed to be able to see through Li Xiaofei’s secrets, “There are also many people with special abilities in the Calvin Pirates, and the fruit abilities of several of them are quite tricky. It’s a bit difficult for me to deal with their entire gang alone.”
Li Xiaofei instantly understood Leo’s intention. He wanted to find him as a helper!
“You mean, you want to join forces with us?” Li Xiaofei asked directly.
Leo nodded in appreciation. “It saves effort to talk to smart people. That’s right. Calvin is greedy and bloodthirsty. If he really moves around near Rogue Town, I’m afraid the civilians there will suffer. My target is Calvin and several key cadres under him. As for the others, once you get rid of them, the bounty and spoils will be yours. Moreover, as far as I know, Calvin seems to have an animal-type devil fruit that has not been eaten yet, which may be useful to you.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart moved.
The devil fruit fusion system lacks the fruit the most!
If the animal-type fruit can be integrated with one’s existing abilities, it may lead to unexpected evolution!
Moreover, cooperating with a strong man like Leo will undoubtedly greatly improve the survival and success rate of one’s side, and also allow one to understand the cruelty of the Grand Line in advance.
“How strong is Calvin? How many subordinates does he have?” Li Xiaofei asked in a deep voice.
If you want to cooperate, you must understand your opponent’s background clearly.
“Calvin himself has a bounty of 96 million berries, close to 100 million. He is a user of the ‘Bull-Bull Fruit·Bull Form’ ability, and has extremely strong strength and impact. He has three main cadres under his command: ‘Hypnotist’ Domino, who has the superhuman ‘Hypnotist Fruit’; ‘Cutter’ Blade, who has no fruit ability but has strange swordsmanship; and ‘Gunner’ Baz, who is proficient in various artillery and is said to have obtained a devil fruit related to explosions, but the details are unknown. The total number of pirates is about 300, and they are all desperate criminals.” Leo told the information one by one, and it was obvious that he had conducted an in-depth investigation into the Calvin Pirates.
Ninety-six million Baileys!
Li Xiaofei was secretly shocked, this was almost twelve times his own bounty!
It’s indeed a tough nut to crack.
However, risks and opportunities coexist.
He glanced at Ning Qing and Nuo Qigao beside him. Although the two women had serious looks in their eyes, they did not retreat at all.
Ning Qing is proficient in pharmacology and may be able to deal with Domino’s hypnosis.
Nojiko is familiar with the pirates’ style of operation and can provide tactical advice.
“Okay! Let’s cooperate!” Li Xiaofei stretched out his hand, “Calvin’s head is yours, and we want 70% of the rest!”
Leo smiled and shook hands with Li Xiaofei: “Deal! But, boy, you are quite greedy.”
“If you don’t value yourself highly, how can you survive in this ocean?” Li Xiaofei grinned, full of confidence.
Next, the four of them began to formulate a detailed battle plan against the Calvin Pirates on the deck of the “Sailaway” based on the nautical chart.
Leo provided the possible supply points and patterns of action of the Calvin Pirates. Based on this information, Li Xiaofei secretly activated the system, analyzing the devil fruits contributed by several small pirates in his devouring space, and thinking about the best fusion plan to deal with various possible battles.
Ning Qing carefully inquired about the details of the abilities of the “hypnotist” Domino, and began to look through the herbs carried on the ship, preparing to prepare some potions that could refresh the mind and resist mental interference.
Based on Leo’s description of the Calvin Pirates’ style of operation, Nojiko made some suggestions on utilizing terrain and surprise attacks.
Just as they were discussing heatedly and a preliminary encirclement and suppression plan was gradually taking shape, a news bird chirped and descended from the sky, dropping a copy of the latest newspaper.
The newspaper’s headline read, with a shocking title – “Brutal! ‘Black Sail’ Calvin raids Coco Island, the coastal town of Mira is in danger!”
Mira Town!
It was a peaceful and prosperous town that they had heard about from a small group of pirates before, and it was only half a day’s sail away from their current location!
Li Xiaofei grabbed the newspaper, quickly browsed the contents, and his face instantly darkened.
The Calvin Pirates acted faster than they expected and have already begun attacking innocent civilians!
“Damn it! There’s no time for detailed deployment, we must set off immediately!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed coldly, and he gave a decisive order, “Target, Mira Town! We must not let Calvin succeed!”
Leo’s expression also became solemn, with murderous intent in his eyes: “It seems that this guy wants to have one last carnival before entering the Grand Line. Humph, then let this carnival become his funeral!”
The “Setting Sail” immediately adjusted its course and rushed at full speed towards Mira Town, braving the gradually gloomy sea breeze.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the distant skyline, where he seemed to be able to smell the smoke and blood.
He knew that a battle far more dangerous and brutal than the encounter with the naval patrol ship was waiting for them ahead.
This time, they are not only doing it for themselves, but also to protect those innocent lives.
He clenched his fists and swore secretly in his heart that he must win this battle, and win beautifully!
But an inexplicable premonition cast a faint shadow on his heart. Calvin might be even more troublesome than Leo described.
Chapter 34 Crisis in Mira Town (Old Version)
The sea breeze was howling and the waves were rolling. The “Hailbreak” was like an arrow shot from a bow, breaking through the turbid sea surface and heading at full speed towards Mira Town.
In just half a day, the smell of blood and burning in the air could be clearly heard. The originally quiet town was now shrouded in thick smoke, and faint screams and the pirates’ crazy laughter could be heard.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow with his fists clenched.
The atrocities committed by the Calvin Pirates have already touched his bottom line.
This is not just a conflict between pirates, but also a trampling of innocent lives!
“Prepare for battle! Ning Qing, protect yourself and be ready to treat the wounded at any time!” Li Xiaofei’s voice was low and decisive, and there was no room for doubt.
“Understood!” Leo drew out the long sword from his waist. The blade flashed a cold light under the gloomy sky, and his eyes were as sharp as a hunter locking onto his prey.
Nojiko also drew out the short blade she carried with a serious expression. She knew too well the brutality of pirates, and the tragedy of Cocoasi Village must not be repeated in Mira Town.
Ning Qing took a deep breath and took out several packets of prepared medicine powder and bandages from the medicine bag he carried with him. He said with a firm look in his eyes: “I will do my best.”
Before the “Qihang” had completely reached the shore, Li Xiaofei had already rushed out like a cannonball.
He tapped the side of the ship with his toes, leaped high, and directly crossed a distance of dozens of meters. He landed on the open space of the town’s dock with a loud bang, stirring up a cloud of dust.
The scene before my eyes was like hell on earth.
Houses were burning, shops were looted, pirates holding knives and guns, chasing unarmed civilians with grins on their faces, and people fell down from time to time with screams.
The air was filled with despair and fear, making it suffocating.
“Stop!” Li Xiaofei shouted angrily, his voice like thunder, shocking several pirates nearby who were about to attack a woman holding a child and stopped in their tracks.
“Where did you come from, little brat, and how dare you interfere in the business of your master Black Sail?” A pirate with a face full of flesh and holding an axe spat with disdain, raised the axe and chopped at Li Xiaofei on the head.
Li Xiaofei’s eyes became fierce, and he did not dodge or evade.
Just before the axe was about to hit his body, his right arm suddenly lit up with dazzling flames, and a wave of hot air burst out instantly.
“Fire Fist!”
The burning fist, carrying the more explosive power generated by the system’s fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit, struck last but not least, and hit the pirate’s chest hard.
With a dull thud, the pirate didn’t even have time to scream before he flew backwards like a kite with a broken string. His chest was charred black and he was dead when he landed on the ground.
Flash sale!
Pure instant kill!
Li Xiaofei didn’t even use his deeper fusion ability. He only used the basic power of the Flame-Flame Fruit. After being strengthened by the system, it was far beyond the ability of these small pirates to resist.
This sudden scene stunned the surrounding pirates and fleeing villagers.
“He…he killed Axe Three?” a pirate shouted in disbelief.
Li Xiaofei glanced coldly at the pirates in front of him, and his voice seemed to come from the underworld: “Now, get out, or die!”
Before he finished speaking, he moved again and rushed into the group of pirates like a ghost.
Every punch he throws is filled with scorching flames, and every kick is packed with tremendous force.
He showed no mercy. Only thunderous means could scare these unscrupulous pirates.
“Bang!” “Crack!” “Ah——!”
Screams rang out one after another, but in just a few dozen seconds, the dozen or so pirates near the dock were wiped out by Li Xiaofei alone.
There was a little smoke and dust on his body, but his eyes became brighter and brighter. A powerful aura rose from him, which made the originally panicked villagers involuntarily give birth to a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
“Hurry! Get out of here! Find a place to hide!” Li Xiaofei shouted to the stunned villagers, and then his eyes turned to the depths of the town, where more pirates were wreaking havoc.
At this time, Leo and Nojiko have also landed.
The long sword in Leo’s hand flashed with a cold light, and he took care of several pirates cleanly and neatly.
Nojiko used his familiarity with the terrain to guide some of the less injured villagers to a relatively safe place, while at the same time using the short blade in his hand to take out a few lone pirates.
Ning Qing followed closely behind, quickly checking the injuries of the fallen villager, and skillfully bandaged and provided preliminary treatment.
“His leg is broken and needs to be fixed!” “He has lost too much blood and the bleeding must be stopped immediately!” While she was giving the first aid, she calmly directed several young people who still had the strength to help.
Li Xiaofei’s strong appearance was like throwing a piece of ice into boiling oil, temporarily curbing the arrogance of the pirates.
But soon, louder footsteps and roars were heard from the center of the town.
“Who is it! Who dares to touch my Black Sail Pirates!” A rough and angry voice came from far away, carrying a heart-pounding sense of oppression.
Li Xiaofei’s eyes fixed, he took a deep breath, secretly activated the devil fruit fusion system, and felt the power of several fruits in his body stirring.
In addition to the Flame-Flame Fruit, he also fused several miscellaneous fruits that he had swallowed from the small pirates he had defeated before. Although they are not very powerful individually, they can provide some unexpected auxiliary effects after being optimized and integrated by the system.
For example, a “light body fruit” allows him to move faster, and a “hardening fruit” allows his skin to withstand some damage at critical moments.
At the end of the dusty street, a burly man with a hideous scar on his face and a huge black anchor on his shoulder walked slowly towards them, surrounded by a group of ferocious pirates.
Chapter 35: Battle against Black Sail Calvin (Old Version)
He is the captain of the Black Sail Pirates, “Black Anchor” Calvin, with a bounty of 98 million Baileys, and he is considered a notorious figure in the East China Sea.
Calvin stared at Li Xiaofei with his bloodshot eyes. When he saw the corpses of his men all over the ground, the muscles on his face twitched violently with anger.
“Little devil, did you do this? You are so brave!”
Li Xiaofei sneered, “They deserve to die. So do you.”
“Arrogant!” Calvin roared, and suddenly lifted the black anchor on his shoulder, and with a whistling sound, he smashed it towards Li Xiaofei.
The anchor weighed hundreds of pounds, but in his hand it seemed light as a feather, which showed how powerful it was.
“Be careful!” Leo warned and rushed forward to help.
“Brother Leo, leave this guy to me!” Li Xiaofei growled, and instead of retreating, he advanced.
He knew that he had to establish his authority in this battle and completely destroy Calvin’s confidence in order to truly save the town.
Faced with the powerful and heavy anchor, Li Xiaofei did not confront it head-on.
His steps were mysterious and his body seemed to have no bones. He avoided the direct impact of the anchor at an incredible angle.
At the same time, his right fist ignited with flames again, but instead of attacking directly, he pressed it hard on the ground!
“Fire net!”
Flames gushed out and spread rapidly on the ground, forming a web of flames that instantly enveloped Calvin and several of his trusted pirates behind him.
The high temperature scorched the air, causing the pirates to scream in surprise.
“A mere trifle!” Calvin roared, and the huge anchor swept across, smashing the fire net under his feet into pieces, with flames splashing everywhere.
But he was also blocked by this sudden attack, and his offensive paused for a moment.
The time is now!
A gleam of light flashed in Li Xiaofei’s eyes, and his left hand, which had been ready for a long time, suddenly stretched out with five fingers spread out, and an invisible suction force suddenly emerged – this was an ability of an unknown superhuman fruit that he had fused, temporarily named “Traction Fruit”. Although the suction force was not strong, it was enough to affect the opponent’s balance at close range.
Calvin only felt a force pulling at his body, causing his forward momentum to pause and his lower body to become slightly unstable.
When masters fight, victory or defeat often happens in a split second.
“Now!” Li Xiaofei shouted, and the flame in his right fist condensed instantly, the color changed from red to deep orange, and the temperature suddenly rose several times.
This is the advanced move that the system prompted him to advance after he fused the Flame-Flame Fruit – “Explosive Flame Fist”!
This punch, as fast as lightning and with an unstoppable momentum, hit Calvin’s weak spot due to losing balance – his side!
“puff!”
With a dull thud, Calvin’s huge body flew sideways as if hit by a heavy hammer, knocking over several of his men behind him before he fell to the ground in a mess, spurting out a mouthful of blood, staining his shirt red.
He looked at Li Xiaofei in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why this unknown boy possessed such strange and powerful abilities!
“Captain!” The pirates around were horrified.
Li Xiaofei succeeded in his attack, but he did not stop. He knew very well the principle of giving the downtrodden dog a beating.
The figure flashed and was about to give chase.
“Stop him!” Calvin shouted hoarsely, holding his painful side.
Several capable men around him, such as “Quick Knife” Jack and “Iron Arm” Basong, roared and rushed towards Li Xiaofei.
These people are all desperate criminals who live on the edge of a knife and are very powerful.
Seeing this, Leo snorted coldly, drew his sword, and faced “Quick Knife” Jack.
“Your opponent is me!” With the flash of swords and the shadow of sabers, the two of them instantly engaged in a battle.
Nojigo also used his agility to entangle an enemy who was using a chain.
Ning Qingze was in the rear, treating the wounded while keeping an eye on the battlefield.
She found that although Li Xiaofei had the upper hand, the Calvin Pirates had a large number of people and would inevitably fall into a war of attrition over time.
She took out a small packet of light yellow powder from her medicine bag, quietly approached the upwind side, and sprinkled it into the air when no one was paying attention.
This is a specially made irritating powder. Although it cannot cause direct harm, it will make people dazed and slow to react after inhalation.
Li Xiaofei faced the siege of several pirate leaders without fear.
He became more and more proficient in using the abilities of several fruits integrated into the system.
Sometimes flames explode to force back the enemy; sometimes the body moves erratically to avoid attacks; sometimes the weak suction of the “traction fruit” is used to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm.
He was like an experienced hunter, moving calmly among the wolves, constantly looking for the enemy’s weaknesses.
“Puff!”
Another pirate leader was hit by Li Xiaofei’s “Explosive Flame Fist” and flew backwards with a scream. His chest was charred and it was obvious that he was not going to survive.
Calvin watched his trusted men fall one after another, and his heart was broken.
He realized that he might have hit a wall this time.
This kid’s strength is far beyond his imagination!
Especially the fire ability, which is simply unheard of in power!
“Retreat… retreat!” Calvin was finally scared. He knew that if the fight continued, all the men he had would be killed here.
He endured the pain, got up from the ground, and roared unwillingly.
The pirates who received the order felt as if they had been pardoned. They made a feint and began to flee towards the dock.
“Want to leave? Have you asked me?” Li Xiaofei’s eyes were cold. He would not give Calvin a chance to make a comeback.
At this moment, the rescued villagers saw the pirates retreating. I don’t know who took the lead first, but they picked up the sticks and hoes beside them and rushed towards the fleeing pirates with roars.
Although their attacks did not cause much damage to the pirates, their shared hatred of the enemy made the already demoralized pirates even more panicked.
“Kill! Revenge for our dead relatives!”
“We can’t let them get away!”
The villagers’ anger was ignited. Although they were weak, the power of their unity should not be underestimated.
When Li Xiaofei saw this scene, his heart was slightly moved.
He used the exquisite control of flames granted by the system to create several walls of fire, blocking the pirates’ retreat, and shouted loudly: “Everyone be careful, don’t fight hard! Just harass them!”
While giving orders, he once again activated the “Explosive Fist” and blasted away several pirate leaders who tried to break through.
Ning Qing also took the opportunity to command the villagers to tie up some injured pirates.
Nojiko cooperated with Leo to completely subdue the stubborn “Quick Knife” Jack.
The battle became one-sided.
With the desperate protection of several of his trusted aides, Calvin escaped in a panic onto a small boat and hastily fled to the open sea.
“Don’t chase a desperate enemy!” Li Xiaofei stopped Leo who wanted to chase.
The crisis in Mira Town has not yet been completely resolved. It is more important to eliminate the remnants and appease the people.
The sun sets, and the setting sun is as red as blood.
The battle in Mira Town finally came to a temporary end.
The pirates were either dead or captured, and only Calvin escaped with a few others.
The villagers looked at their devastated homes and the heroes who fought to protect them, with mixed emotions, and came forward to thank Li Xiaofei and others.
Li Xiaofei directed everyone to clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded.
Thanks to the super strong physique granted by the system, he hardly felt tired.
On the contrary, because of this exhilarating battle and the energy fed back by the system after devouring the hearts of several small bosses, he felt that the degree of fusion in his body had improved.
Leo walked up to Li Xiaofei and said in a deep voice: “Calvin is a vengeful person. Although he escaped, he will never give up. We must prepare early.”
Li Xiaofei nodded. He naturally understood this truth.
Just when everyone breathed a sigh of relief and thought they could take a break, a villager who was on guard suddenly ran over in a panic, shouting out of breath: “No… It’s bad! Master Li Xiaofei! Those pirates who escaped… They didn’t go far! Someone… Someone saw them regrouping in the black pine forest outside the town! It seems… It seems that there are other pirate ships approaching over there!”
What?!
Li Xiaofei’s heart shuddered, and the ominous premonition before the battle began came to his mind again.
Calvin found reinforcements so quickly?
Or was this a bigger conspiracy from the beginning?
I’m afraid the real test has just begun!
He looked towards the direction of the black pine forest, where an even more ferocious and dangerous aura was quietly spreading.
Chapter 36: Crazy Calvin (Old Version)
The murderous aura from the direction of the black pine forest seemed to turn into a tangible shadow, pressing down on everyone in Mira Town.
The villagers’ hearts, which had just been relieved, instantly rose to their throats again. The blood drained from their faces, and was replaced by deeper fear.
Li Xiaofei clenched his fists suddenly, and his knuckles turned slightly white due to the force.
Not only did Calvin not escape far, but he came back so quickly. There must be something fishy behind this!
He took a deep breath, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes, but his voice was unusually steady: “Why panic? If an enemy comes, we will stop him; if a flood comes, we will block it with earth! Since they dare to come, we will make sure they never return!”
He knew that he was everyone’s backbone at the moment and he couldn’t panic.
Li Xiaofei strode towards the village entrance and carefully observed the surrounding terrain.
Mira Town is backed by a small hill, with relatively flat terrain on three sides and a narrow passage at the entrance of the village.
He thought quickly in his mind: “We must use the terrain advantage to consume the enemy to the maximum extent!”
“Everyone listen!” Li Xiaofei’s voice spread throughout half of the village. “Move all the wood and stones that can be used to the village entrance and build simple fortifications! Take out the tiles on the roof, the tables and chairs at home, anything that can be used! Dig more traps and set up obstacles on the road between the village and the black pine forest!”
Although the villagers were tired and frightened, under the command of Li Xiaofei and the organization of Nojigo, their desire to survive overwhelmed everything.
They all took action, men, women, old and young, moving stones, digging holes and sharpening wooden stakes.
For a moment, the entire Mira town was brightly lit, and the sound of tinkling bells was endless, forming a tense and tragic prelude to the war.
Li Xiaofei demonstrated it himself. Relying on the strong physique granted by the system and precise control of strength, he easily lifted the huge stones and piled them at the most critical position at the entrance of the village.
His actions undoubtedly instilled strong confidence in the villagers.
Just as everyone was busy, a slightly embarrassed but still agile figure suddenly flashed out from the dense forest outside the village and ran straight towards Li Xiaofei.
“Who?!” The villager on guard immediately raised the makeshift weapons in his hands nervously.
“Don’t do it! It’s me!” The man lifted his hood, revealing a slightly smoky but still beautiful face. It was Calvin’s former right-hand man, Lilith!
Li Xiaofei fixed his eyes and signaled the villagers to stay calm.
Lilith’s appearance at this moment was too strange.
Lilith was still catching her breath as she said in a hurry, “Li Xiaofei! That madman Calvin didn’t just gather the remnants of his men in the Black Pine Forest! He also contacted the Blood Shark Pirates! They are planning to completely destroy Mira Town tonight, leaving no one alive!”
“Blood Shark Pirates?” Li Xiaofei frowned, he had heard of this name before. It was a force in the nearby waters that was more brutal and powerful than the Black Sail Pirates. The captain, ‘Blood Shark’ Vals, was a pirate with a bounty of nearly 10 million Baileys!
“How do you know all this? And why are you telling me?” Li Xiaofei stared into Lilith’s eyes, trying to discern the truth in her words.
Lilith smiled bitterly: “Calvin lost the battle and took his anger out on his men, killing several of his brothers. I almost got involved. He’s gone mad, and following him will only lead to death. And…” She paused and glanced at the busy villagers, “I don’t want to see innocent people die tragically because of his madness. This is their intelligence, including the approximate number of people and firepower configuration of the ‘Blood Shark’ pirate group.” She took out a wrinkled parchment from her arms and handed it to Li Xiaofei.
Li Xiaofei took the parchment and glanced at it quickly. The information on it was so detailed that it shocked him.
If what Lilith said was true, then tonight’s battle would be several times more brutal than he had expected.
“I’ll trust you this time.” Li Xiaofei said in a deep voice, “But if you make any unusual moves, I promise you’ll be in a worse situation than falling into Calvin’s hands.” His tone was cold, with an unquestionable deterrent.
Lilith shuddered slightly and nodded, “I understand. Now, I just want to survive and make Calvin pay the price.”
“Very good.” Li Xiaofei put away the parchment, “Are you familiar with the combat methods of Calvin and the Blood Shark Pirates?”
“I know a thing or two.”
“Then you stay and help us set up defenses.” Li Xiaofei made a prompt decision.
One more person who is familiar with the enemy means a greater chance of winning.
The addition of Lilith undoubtedly added some variables to the tense preparations, but it also brought crucial intelligence.
Soon, Leo also brought back the results of the investigation, confirming part of Lilith’s statement – there were indeed pirates in the direction of the Black Pine Forest who far exceeded the remnants of Calvin, and there were shadows of at least two large pirate ships approaching the coast.
“The situation is worse than expected.” Leo’s face looked extremely ugly.
Li Xiaofei combined the intelligence brought by Lilith with Leo’s reconnaissance results and quickly outlined the enemy’s general outline in his mind.
He took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with determination: “Since the enemy is so powerful, defending the village will only lead to death! We must adjust our plan!”
He gathered Ning Qing, Nojigo, Leo and Lilith who had just joined together.
“The enemy outnumbers us by a huge margin. It will be difficult for us to defend all directions if we forcefully attack Mira Town.” Li Xiaofei spread out a simple map of Mira Town and its surroundings. “My idea is to divide our forces! The main force will still rely on the village fortifications and traps to delay and consume the enemy’s main force. At the same time, we will organize an elite team to go out from the back mountain path. The goal is to raid the enemy’s headquarters, or… set fire to their ships!”
This is a bold and even somewhat crazy plan.
If the raiding party fails, the village’s defense pressure will be even greater.
Ning Qing frowned slightly: “It’s too risky, Xiaofei. The enemy is numerous and we are few. Will dividing our forces…”
“No risk, no gain.” Li Xiaofei interrupted her, “If we fight head-on, we will suffer more casualties, or even be wiped out. Only by taking advantage of the situation can we have a chance! Leo, Nojigo, what do you think?”
Leo nodded and said, “I can lead a raid.”
Nojigo also nodded and said, “I can be responsible for commanding the defense of the village and cooperate with Lilith’s intelligence to delay time as much as possible.”
Lilith added: “I know that Blood Shark Vals is suspicious by nature. His command ship usually won’t dock easily, but if the battle situation is tense, he might come closer to boost morale. If we can create chaos, there may be a chance.”
Li Xiaofei looked at Ning Qing: “So, Ning Qing, the frontal battlefield in the village and the treatment of the wounded will be left to you. I will lead the assault team.”
Ning Qing looked at Li Xiaofei’s determined eyes, knowing that he had made up his mind, and nodded: “You… must be careful.”
The plan was finalized and everyone split up again.
As the night deepened, the air became increasingly chilly, as if foreshadowing the approach of a brutal bloody battle.
Li Xiaofei stood on the highest watchtower temporarily built at the entrance of the village, looking towards the black pine forest.
There was already a faint sound of noise and fire coming from the other side. The enemy’s vanguard might have already started to move.
He clenched his fists, feeling the surging power in his body due to the increased degree of fusion, but the ominous premonition before the battle in his heart was stronger than any time before.
He knew that this battle would be the most severe test he had faced since he traveled through time. It would not only concern the survival of Mira Town, but also whether he could truly gain a foothold in this cruel ocean.
Chapter 37 The villain dies because of talking too much (old version)
The night was like a rag soaked in ink, weighing heavily on the roofs of Mira Town.
Leo pulled the double-handled rib chopper at his waist, and the scabbard and leather armor made a crackling sound when they rubbed against each other: “Nineteen poisoned daggers, all tied to my calves.” There was an old scar at the corner of his eye, which twitched slightly as he spoke – it was caused by a sea beast bite in the North Sea last year. “Besides, if I really meet a tough guy, my knife…” He pulled out a half-inch blade, and the cold blue light instantly licked Li Xiaofei’s chin.
Ning Qing suddenly pressed the back of Li Xiaofei’s hand.
Her fingers were pale blue from long-term medication, but now they were as cold as ice: “I just went to see the wounded. Grandma’s son has a high fever, and the antipyretic medicine is only enough to last until dawn.” When she looked up, her eyelashes cast a trembling shadow under her eyes, “Are you sure you want to leave now?”
“Sure.” Li Xiaofei held her hand in reverse, the warmth of his palm passed through the rough bandage – that was the wound left when he blocked the knife for the villagers yesterday. “Calvin’s fleet must sink in the sea tonight, otherwise his cannons will blow the village into a sieve after dawn.” He scanned the nautical chart spread out on the table, his finger stopped at the small bay at the edge of the black pine forest, “Lilith said that their ship’s anchor chain uses a new capstan, which burns slowly, so we have to blow up the gunpowder depot directly.”
“The gunpowder magazine is commanding the hold, that’s right.” Lilith’s voice was like a piece of thin ice. She leaned against the door frame, half of her pale face was exposed under her red headscarf – that was the fire mark branded by the Arlong Pirates. “But that old guy Vals changed his sentry last night. Now the guards at the third and seventh posts are his personal guards, using barbed spears.” She suddenly laughed, her knuckles against her chin, “But… I put mandrake in their beer.”
Nojigo was loading poisoned arrowheads onto his crossbow. Hearing this, he looked up and asked, “How long can it last?”
“By the third quarter of the morning.” Lilith lifted her headscarf, “It’s long enough for you to reach the side of the boat.”
There were sounds of dogs barking outside the village, short and sharp.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly contracted, he let go of Ning Qing’s hand and stood up: “It’s time.” He grabbed the flame gloves on the table – they were special leather armor tempered with the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit. When he put them on, he could clearly feel the heat flowing under his skin. “Ning Qing, the defense of the village is left to you and Nokigo. Let’s go. If we don’t make any movement in half an hour, you will retreat according to the second plan.”
“I know.” Lilith opened the door, and the cold wind blew in with the bitter scent of pine needles. “I hope you guys have a great fry.”
The darkness before dawn is thickest.
Li Xiaofei crouched as he walked through the waist-high wild ferns, and the dewdrops crushed by the soles of his boots condensed into ice beads on his trouser legs.
Leo walked in front, with his dagger half an inch out of its sheath, and every step was as precise as a cat; behind him followed two villagers carrying bags of explosives, their breathing as heavy as bellows, and particularly harsh in the silent forest.
“Stop.” Leo suddenly raised his hand. Everyone froze instantly.
Twenty steps ahead, two pirates holding lanterns were staggering towards them.
The light from the lanterns revealed the wine gourds on their waists – Lilith’s mandala was taking effect, and the two men’s shoulders swayed as they walked, and their spears dragged on the ground, creating sparks.
“I’ll do it.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was lighter than the night breeze.
He took off the flaming glove and held it in his left hand, while his right hand reached for the short blade at his waist.
The power of the Flame-Flame Fruit was boiling in his blood vessels, and he could clearly feel the temperature of his palms rising.
When the two pirates’ figures overlapped in the shadows of the trees, he moved.
The sound of the short blade cutting through the throat was lighter than expected, like cutting a piece of gauze.
Warm blood splashed on the back of his hand, and before it had time to coagulate, it was burned into a dark red scab by the flames.
Leo dealt with the other one almost at the same time. His knife pierced from the back of the neck, accurately avoiding the spine – so that the corpse would not twitch and make any noise.
“Let’s go.” Leo wiped the blade with the corner of the pirate’s clothes, “The bay is ahead.”
The smell of the sea suddenly became stronger.
Li Xiaofei pulled aside the last bush, and the scene before him made his blood freeze: three black sailboats were like three dormant giant whales, and the anchor chains were glowing coldly in the moonlight; and on the beach beside the ship, twenty barrels of gunpowder were neatly stacked – not hidden in the bottom hold, but piled directly in the open!
“We’ve fallen into a trap!” he blurted out.
Almost at the same time, torches lit up from all directions.
Hundreds of pirates emerged from the bottom of the ship, from behind the reefs, and even from the sand. The tips of their spears glowed with a faint blue light, obviously poisoned.
The leading man was wearing a scarlet cloak and had a scar running from his left eye to his jaw. He was none other than Calvin, the captain of the Black Sail Pirates.
“Welcome, Li Xiaofei.” Calvin’s laughter sounded like sandpaper rubbing against iron. “I knew it, how could a guy who could overthrow Aaron in the East China Sea not have some tricks up his sleeve?” He clapped his hands, and two pirates dragged in a woman covered in blood – it was Lilith!
Her headscarf was torn off, and the fire mark looked particularly ferocious under the torch. “You think your little trick can fool me? Mandragora? I have been drinking poisonous wine for twenty years, and this amount… is enough to make me sneeze.”
Leo’s knife came out of its sheath with a buzz: “Xiao Fei, I’ll cover you, you carry the explosives…”
“Shut up.” Li Xiaofei’s eyes were burning with red-gold flames – that was the characteristic of the third-level fusion of the Flame-Flame Fruit. “Calvin, do you think you can threaten me by capturing Lilith?” He pressed his left hand on his chest, and the system panel appeared on his retina: fusion degree 87%, evolution progress 92%.
There was a burning pain in the heart, which was the resonance of the fused fruits.
“I don’t want a threat.” Calvin pulled out the serrated knife from his waist, “I want your heart.” He swung the knife fiercely, “Kill it!”
When the first wave of pirates rushed up, Li Xiaofei moved.
His figure turned into a streak of red flame in the firelight, and the flaming glove on his left hand spewed out a tongue of fire a meter long. Wherever it passed, the pirates’ leather armor melted, their hair burned, and even their spears were twisted and deformed.
Leo’s knife was faster. His two ribs were like two silver snakes, shuttling back and forth in the crowd. Every time he stabbed, blood would bloom.
But there are too many enemies.
Li Xiaofei’s flame began to weaken – he could feel the system madly devouring the surrounding heat, but the temperature in the dark was simply not enough.
Calvin took the opportunity to rush forward, and the serrated knife cut his left arm. Blood splattered on the sand and was instantly charred by the flames.
“Is that all you can do?” Calvin pressed his knife against his neck. “I heard you have fused several kinds of fruits. It turns out they are all true!”
“So much nonsense!” Li Xiaofei suddenly shouted.
His pupils turned completely golden, and dragon-scale-like fire patterns appeared on the surface of his skin—that was the precursor to fourth-order fusion!
The evolution progress bar on the system panel filled up quickly, and the reminder sound of the third evolution of the Flame-Flame Fruit exploded in my mind: “Ding!
Desperate situation detected, the Flame-Flame Fruit (Level 3) evolves into the [World-Burning Flame Dragon Fruit], gaining the ability: Fire Storm! “
Heat waves exploded from the soles of his feet.
The sand on the beach instantly melted into glass, and the ten pirates closest to it were burned to ashes.
Calvin’s cloak burst into flames and he stepped back screaming. The serrated knife fell to the ground and the blade had melted into a pool of molten iron.
“Now…” Li Xiaofei’s voice was like magma rolling, “It’s my turn.”
He raised his right hand, and suddenly red-gold clouds gathered in the sky.
A storm of fire poured down from the clouds, burning the masts of the black sailing ship red. The gunpowder barrels exploded one after another under the high temperature. Amidst the deafening roar, fragments of the ship’s planks fell like a rainstorm.
But at this moment, hurried footsteps were heard in the distance.
It was not the shouting of pirates, but the muffled sound of hundreds of people running at the same time.
Li Xiaofei’s flames suddenly stagnated – that was… the sound of footsteps larger than Calvin’s fleet.
Calvin suddenly laughed. Half of his face was burned, but he laughed like a madman: “Do you think it’s just me?
My big brother, Blood Shark Vals’ fleet is just three miles away! When they hear the explosion, they will…”
“Shut up!” Leo yelled.
But the footsteps were getting closer, mixed with the roar of the waves.
Li Xiaofei wiped the blood off his face and looked towards the east – the sky there was already turning pale, but on the horizon farther away, there was a shadow darker than the night, and its outline was slowly revealing itself as the footsteps approached.
Chapter 38 Hidden Mission: Righteous Flag (Old Version)
In the pale sky, the shadows gradually became clearer.
There was still a lingering red-gold flame on Li Xiaofei’s fingertips, but he trembled slightly when he saw the people coming – how could that be an ordinary fleet?
Twenty two-masted warships were lined up in a goose formation, with blood shark heads carved on their bows. The decks were densely packed with black-armored pirates, and the front row was holding bronze horns, and the deafening buzzing sound came with the fishy and salty sea breeze.
“It’s the ‘Iron Guard Battalion’ of the Blood Shark Group, but it doesn’t look quite like it.” The tip of Leo’s knife dangled on the sand, leaving a half bloody mark.
The system panel flashed before his eyes, and the energy bar of the Burning World Dragon Fruit was only one-third left – the fire storm just now almost drained all his heat reserves.
He turned his head to look at Ning Qing. The girl was half-kneeling and bandaging the knife wound on Leo’s left arm. The hemostatic herb in the medicine bag was crushed into pieces and her knuckles turned white from the force. Nojigao leaned her back against the charred wreckage and fired her two guns alternately. The bullets accurately pierced the pirate’s throat, but the ammunition bag on her waist was already half deflated.
“Qing’er, can you hold on?” he asked in a low voice.
Ning Qing raised her head, her hair stuck together by the blood, but she gave him a faint smile: “I’m fine.” Her fingertips fumbled in the medicine bag, took out a small celadon bottle and threw it over, “This bottle of Bingpo Powder, sprinkled in the flame can temporarily lower the surrounding temperature – you need more heat sources.”
The moment Li Xiaofei caught the porcelain bottle, the system suddenly made a slight sound.
He lowered his head and scanned the panel, his pupils suddenly contracted – the fusion progress bar had risen by 5% without him noticing, and small words appeared in the remarks column: “Detected that the companion’s trust has increased, additional activation of ‘Resonance Amplification’: When the host is less than five meters away from Ning Qing, the consumption of fire skills is reduced by 15%.”
“Leo!” He stuffed the Ice Soul Powder back into Ning Qing’s palm with his backhand, “I’ll use the flames to knock down the chain hammermen in the front row later, and you can take the opportunity to cut their hamstrings – the armor of the Iron Guard Battalion can protect the upper body, but the knees are the weak point!
Nojigo, save the bullets for the shield bearers, they are going to form a shield formation!
Before he could finish his words, the first wave of attacks arrived.
The whistling sound of the spiked chain hammers cutting through the air mixed with the sound of the poisoned short spears breaking through the air, smashing down like a rainstorm.
Li Xiaofei stomped his left foot on the sand, and the ground that had melted into glass cracked again. Red-gold flames sprang up along the cracks, burning the three nearest chain hammers red. The pirate holding the hammer screamed and let go, and the molten iron chain wrapped around his wrist, instantly scalding it and forming charred blood blisters.
“Good opportunity!” Leo’s sword is sharper than fire.
He bent down to avoid a short spear that flew past his ear, and the tip of the knife poked at the pirate’s knee on his left.
The fine iron scales were like paper under the blade. The moment blood splashed, the pirate staggered and fell into the sand pile. His companions behind him were tripped by him, and the first gap appeared in the shield formation.
But the number of enemies was too great.
Li Xiaofei saw at least three hundred pairs of black leather boots crushing the beach, and amid the roar of iron shields colliding, Vals’s men came over like a tide.
A bearded captain rushed to the front holding a studded club, and the club made a sound of wind when it was swung: “Kill the boy who played with fire! Lord Vals wants his heart and liver to go with his wine!”
“Pour your mother’s wine!” Noqigao’s gun fired.
The bullet penetrated the bearded man’s right eye, and his club smashed into the sand, creating a gust of wind that caused the corner of Li Xiaofei’s clothes to flutter.
But before Nojigao could reload, four pirates with spears suddenly jumped out from the left, with the tips of their spears flashing a faint blue light.
Ning Qing’s movements were faster than Li Xiaofei’s.
She rushed forward and pushed Nojigo away, but her right arm was cut by the tip of the spear.
The moment the blood oozed out, she turned her hand and scattered the Ice Soul Powder into the air. The fine powder wrapped in flames rose into white mist. The moment the temperature dropped suddenly, Li Xiaofei clearly heard the swallowing sound of the system – the surrounding heat was drilling into his body through the skin, and the energy bar of the Burning World Flame Dragon Fruit began to slowly recover.
“Qing’er!” Li Xiaofei’s throat tightened.
He grabbed the nearest pirate’s wrist with his backhand, and flames burst out from his palm. The pirate’s arm was instantly carbonized, broken into two and fell to the ground.
He used this force to spin around, and the flames wrapped around the cold air from the Ice Soul condensed into a fire dragon, which crashed directly into the group of people who were forming shields.
The shield formation exploded.
The fine iron shields were twisted and deformed by the burn, and several pirates’ hair and beards were on fire. They rolled on the ground screaming.
Leo took the opportunity to charge into the gap. The light of his sword formed a silver net in the crowd, and blood beads appeared every time he retracted the sword.
Nojigo reloaded his bullets and targeted the small leader holding the flag – without a commander, the pirates’ offensive was obviously in disarray.
But Li Xiaofei knew that this was only temporary.
He could feel his strength draining away, and the energy bar of the World-Burning Flame Dragon Fruit dropped to a dangerous level again.
A prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: “The host’s life is in danger. The second-level fusion permission is open: Do you want to fuse the Poison-Poison Fruit? After fusion, you can obtain the ‘Poison-Fire Twins’ state. The flames will be accompanied by neurotoxins, and the consumption will be reduced by 30%.”
His eyes swept over Ning Qing.
The girl was gritting her teeth and applying herbs to the wound on her right arm. Her pale face was sweating because of the pain, but she was still making gestures to him – three fingers together, pointing to the archers who were gathering on the left.
“Qing’er, come here!” he suddenly shouted.
Ning Qing was stunned for a moment, then he understood what he meant.
She grabbed the medicine bag and rolled to his feet, with sand still on the ends of her hair.
Li Xiaofei looked down at her and could smell a faint herbal scent mixed with the smell of blood on her body.
The system prompt sounded again: “Fusion confirmed, binding started——”
“etc!”
Lilith’s voice came from the right.
The female gunner from the Black Sail Regiment who was rescued by Li Xiaofei was jumping down from the charred wreckage. The fire had burned a hole in her skirt, but she was holding a piece of blood-stained parchment in her hand: “I searched Calvin’s box! Half of these Iron Guards are East China Sea villagers captured by Vals, and their families are being held hostage on Blood Shark Island!”
Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly shrank.
He snatched the parchment and glanced at it. It was filled with names and villages – Kokoasi Village, Orange Town, Windmill Village…all places he had been to.
“They don’t want to fight!” Lilith panted. “Just now I heard a few small leaders swearing, saying that these ‘strong men’ can’t even hold a spear!”
The sea breeze lifted up the strands of hair on Li Xiaofei’s forehead.
He looked at the approaching crowd and suddenly shouted at the top of his voice, “Are you Ah Fu from Keke Yaxi Village?
Your sister Xiaokui is still waiting for you to come home at the village entrance!
Old John from Orange Town, your son was picking up shells at the beach yesterday!
The footsteps on the sand suddenly stopped.
The wrists of several men holding shields trembled slightly, and the iron shields made dull sounds when they hit the sand.
The tip of a young pirate’s spear dropped. He raised his head and the blood on his face was washed away by tears, leaving two white streaks – it was clearly a face still with baby fat, and he was no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.
“Your family is waiting for you!” Li Xiaofei pursued the enemy with flames dancing in his palms without hurting anyone. “Put down your weapons. I will take you to rescue them! There is a blood shark mark on the sail of Vals’ ship. Look!”
He pointed to the warships in the distance.
The carvings of blood shark heads glowed coldly in the morning light, but the sails of several ships suddenly began to shake – someone was pulling the sail ropes.
Next to the bearded captain’s body, a small leader wearing a silver ring raised his knife and slashed at the young pirate: “If you dare to stop, I will kill your whole family!”
But his knife failed to fall. Nojigo’s bullet pierced his throat.
The air on the beach seemed to freeze.
Li Xiaofei could hear his own violent heartbeat mixed with the roar of the waves.
The young pirate knelt down trembling, and his spear fell to the ground with a clang.
Then, the second, the third… More and more soldiers from the Iron Guard Battalion laid down their weapons, and their eyes changed from fear to expectation, like drowning people finally grabbing a piece of driftwood.
Angry curses were heard from the crowd, and several real pirates rushed over with knives raised, wanting to kill the “traitors”.
But more “strong men” picked up weapons on the ground – this time, they pointed their spears at their former masters.
Li Xiaofei looked at the increasingly chaotic battlefield, and a new prompt suddenly popped up on the system panel: “The split of the camps has been detected, triggering the hidden task [Flag of Righteousness]: Convince more than 100 coerced people to defect, and you will be rewarded with a chance to merge at the third level.”
Chapter 39: Divide the Enemy (Old Version)
The smell of rust and blood wafted in the sea breeze, and Li Xiaofei’s knuckles turned bluish-white under the reflection of the flame in his palm.
The pirate leader who was mixed in with the able-bodied men rushed over brandishing a blood-stained dagger, the tip of the knife almost piercing the young man’s back.
Noqigao’s gunshot was sharper than the sea breeze. The bullet penetrated the leader’s ear and splashed blood on the young man’s trembling neck.
Many people in the crowd turned their heads suddenly and saw Nojigao squatting behind a reef to reload his bullets, his silver hair messed up by the sea breeze.
“What are you standing there for?” Li Xiaofei took a step forward. “Think about your families. They are waiting for you to come back home!” He raised his voice deliberately.
Li Xiaofei’s powerful words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in the hearts of the coerced villagers.
Their hands holding the weapons trembled slightly. Yes, they were born by their parents and had wives, children and elderly parents. Why should they be accomplices to the evil and help the tyrant to commit atrocities?
“System prompt: Camp differentiation progress 37/100.”
“What are you all standing there for! Kill them! Only by killing them can you survive!” Calvin roared in frustration, his sinister eyes emitting a venomous light like a poisonous snake.
He felt an unprecedented crisis. These untouchables, these ants that he usually bullied, actually dared to waver!
However, fear cannot completely suppress the instinct for survival and the desire for freedom.
Li Xiaofei’s voice was like a spark that ignited the long-extinguished hope in their hearts.
“Stubborn!” Li Xiaofei snorted coldly. Seeing Calvin’s men still rushing towards him fiercely, he suddenly clasped his hands in front of his chest and shouted, “Firestorm!”
boom–!
The red flames erupted like a volcano, with Li Xiaofei as the center, and suddenly swept around!
The scorching waves instantly engulfed the pirates at the front. Their screams were shrill and piercing, but were quickly drowned out by the roar of the flames.
The high temperature distorted the air, as well as the ferocious faces of the enemies, and formed an insurmountable fire barrier between the villagers and the pirates.
Chaos instantly enveloped the entire battlefield!
“Now!” Li Xiaofei growled at Leo.
Leo understood what he meant, and the moment the fire storm started, he rushed out like an arrow!
His target was very clear, they were the small pirate leaders who were holding muskets, supervising the battle in the rear and posing the greatest threat.
“call out–!”
A cold light flashed, and Leo’s figure shuttled through the chaotic crowd like a ghost. The dagger in his hand was accurate and deadly. Every swing was accompanied by a groan and the fall of an enemy.
Those small leaders who had been showing off their might just now now fell to the ground like cut wheat, with disbelief and fear still in their eyes.
“Put down your weapons! Calvin is doomed! How long are you going to work for him?” Li Xiaofei’s voice rang out again, like a wake-up call, striking in the hearts of every hesitant villager.
Seeing Li Xiaofei’s side advancing like an unstoppable force, seeing Calvin’s men being defeated one after another, especially the terrifying fire storm and Leo’s elusive assassinations, the balance in people’s hearts began to tilt sharply.
“Dang!”
The first villager dropped his weapon and squatted on the ground with his hands on his head.
Immediately afterwards, the sounds of “clang, clang” were heard one after another, and more and more villagers chose to surrender.
They saw the situation clearly. Not only were Li Xiaofei’s people very powerful, but they also kept their word and were truly trying to rescue them.
When Calvin saw this scene, he was so angry that he trembled all over and his face turned blue.
He knew that the game was over.
These damn villagers actually rebelled!
His anger almost burned his sanity, but his remaining experience told him that once morale collapsed, even the most powerful army would be defeated.
“Waste! A bunch of waste!” Calvin roared, his voice trembling with an undisguised tremor. “Hold on! Hold on!”
However, his orders seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.
He once again mobilized the power in his body, and another fire storm roared out. This time, he deliberately controlled the range and direction of the flames, like two huge flaming sickles, dividing the remaining stubborn enemies into several small pieces.
A gleam of light flashed in Leo’s eyes, and he immediately led a group of villagers who had just surrendered, who still had strength left and had determined eyes, and pounced on the small groups of enemies that had been separated like a wolf among a flock of sheep.
These villagers had just laid down their weapons, but now they picked them up again, but their targets had changed from their former companions to the pirates who oppressed them.
This change of identity allows them to burst out with amazing energy in battle.
Calvin watched his men fall one by one, either being killed or surrendering, his heart filled with endless despair and resentment.
Everything he had worked so hard for was completely destroyed in such a short period of time by Li Xiaofei who appeared out of nowhere!
He is unwilling! How can he be willing!
“Li Xiaofei!” Calvin stared at the young man in the flames with his scarlet eyes, roaring hoarsely, “I want you to die!”
At this point, he has no way out.
Only by killing Li Xiaofei with one’s own hands can there be a glimmer of hope and only then can one deter the rebellious villagers and enemies.
Calvin pulled out a peculiarly shaped scimitar covered with barbs from his waist, kicked his foot hard, and shot towards Li Xiaofei like a cannonball.
He is also a battle-hardened pirate leader whose strength should not be underestimated. This pounce was filled with madness and determination to die together with his enemies.
“Come on!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes were full of fighting spirit.
He needed a hearty battle to thoroughly establish his prestige, and he also wanted to try out to what extent he had reached after combining the Flame-Flame Fruit and the mysterious power granted by the system.
Instead of retreating, he rushed forward towards Calvin.
“clang!”
There was a sharp sound of metal colliding and sparks flew.
The standard long knife in Li Xiaofei’s hand collided fiercely with Calvin’s barbed scimitar.
A huge force came from the blade, causing Li Xiaofei’s arm to slightly numb.
This Calvin does have some brute strength.
But the fire power in Li Xiaofei’s body, which was integrated with the special energy of the system, seemed to have found an outlet and was surging.
He only felt a force far beyond that of an ordinary person rising up from his body, and he suddenly exerted force with his arms.
“What?!” Calvin’s face suddenly changed. He felt an overwhelming force coming from the opponent’s knife, and his own scimitar was actually pushed back inch by inch!
How could this kid’s power be so terrifying? !
Li Xiaofei took advantage of the situation and launched an offensive like a storm.
What’s even more terrifying is that he seems to have endless energy, and his attacks are getting more and more powerful.
Calvin was forced to retreat again and again. His proud swordsmanship could not be fully utilized under Li Xiaofei’s violent attack, and he could only block in a desperate manner.
Although his barbed scimitar was strange, it seemed a bit flashy in the face of absolute power and speed.
“Damn it! Damn it!” Calvin was like a madman, waving his scimitar desperately, trying to turn the disadvantage around.
He even went so far as to exchange injuries for others, wanting to use his rich combat experience to make up for his lack of strength.
However, Li Xiaofei handled it with ease.
He has fused the Flame-Flame Fruit and has begun to gain control over fire.
During the battle, a ray of red flame would occasionally ignite on his sword, making it difficult for Calvin to defend himself.
“It’s over!” Li Xiaofei seized a flaw in Calvin’s impatience and pushed his left hand forward fiercely.
“Fire Barrier!”
A scorching wall of fire appeared out of nowhere, blocking Calvin’s escape route and trapping him in a small space.
Calvin was horrified and wanted to retreat, but found himself trapped in a “fire cage”.
Just as he was stunned, Li Xiaofei’s figure approached like a ghost, and the long sword in his hand, with the force of thunder and flames, chopped fiercely at Calvin’s head!
Calvin let out a desperate roar and raised his knife to block.
The barbed scimitar broke with a sound.
The flaming long sword slashed down without any hindrance.
Calvin’s movements came to an abrupt halt. He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the charred wound on his chest that was so deep that the bone could be seen.
His tall body fell down with a loud bang, stirring up a cloud of dust.
With Calvin’s fall, the last resistance on the battlefield collapsed.
The remaining pirates completely lost their fighting spirit, threw away their weapons, and knelt down to beg for mercy.
“System prompt: Faction differentiation progress 103/100, hidden mission [Flag of Righteousness] completed.
Rewards a third-level fusion opportunity (can fuse any type of fruit, fusion degree +20%). “
Leo, Ning Qing and Nojigo also came over. Although they were tired, they also had smiles on their faces.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the rescued villagers burst into deafening cheers.
They rushed towards Li Xiaofei, some cried bitterly, some bowed their heads, expressing their gratitude in the most simple way.
“Benefactor! You are our savior!”
“We are willing to follow you! We will go through fire and water without hesitation!”
Li Xiaofei looked at these simple villagers and felt deeply moved.
He helped an elderly villager up and said loudly: “You don’t have to do this! From now on, you are free!”
He glanced at the crowd and then looked into the distance, where was their next target – the small garden.
Chapter 40: Departure to the Little Garden (Old Version)
The smoke of war has not yet dissipated, and the air is still filled with a mixed smell of burning and blood.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath. The smell stimulated his nerves, but also made him more sober.
He glanced at his companions who were fighting side by side. Nojigo and Lilith were carefully checking every inch of the ship’s plank. The ship that carried their dreams had also suffered a lot of impact in previous battles, and now they had to ensure that there were no problems.
Ning Qingze meticulously counted the medical box, sorting various herbs, bandages, and medicines into different categories.
Leo, the taciturn swordsman, was sitting alone on the side of the boat, wiping the sword that he regarded as his life over and over again with a soft cloth soaked in special ointment. The blade flashed with a cold light in the afterglow of the setting sun, and every friction brought a slight and rhythmic “rustling” sound.
Li Xiaofei walked over to Leo and patted him on the shoulder: “Are you ready?”
Without even raising his head, Leo spoke in a low and firm voice: “The sword never retreats.”
Li Xiaofei grinned, this guy is still so cool.
He turned his head and looked in the direction of the village. There, the villagers gathered spontaneously, holding simple but thoughtful food and water in their hands.
When the ship was about to set sail, the villagers gathered at the shore.
The leader stepped forward, holding a small box wrapped in coarse cloth in his hand: “Master Li Xiaofei, and all the benefactors, this is a small gift from us. It is not a token of respect, but I hope you will accept it.”
Li Xiaofei did not refuse, he knew that this was their most sincere emotion.
He took the box and said solemnly, “I accept your kindness. But please remember that the real guardian is you. Be strong and brave, protect it with your own hands and don’t let tragedy happen again.”
His voice was not loud, but it carried a convincing power.
The villagers nodded with tears in their eyes.
The sadness of parting permeates the air, but there is more hope for a new life.
“Set sail!” Li Xiaofei gave an order, the anchor was slowly pulled up, and the sail swelled up under the blowing of the sea breeze.
Amid the villagers’ reluctant gazes and endless blessings, the boat slowly left the harbor and headed towards the small garden.
The color of the sea gradually changed from turquoise near the shore to deep blue, and the sea breeze became stronger and stronger.
The voyage went smoothly at first, but after entering the middle section of the Grand Route, the weather became like a child’s face, changing at any time.
“Boom!” A loud thunder exploded in the gloomy clouds, raindrops as big as beans poured down, and huge waves instantly rose on the sea.
The “Qihang” was like a helpless boat in the strong winds and huge waves, swaying violently from side to side, and the hull made a creaking sound, as if it would fall apart at any time.
“Hold the boat steady!” Lilith gritted her teeth and held the steering wheel tightly with both hands, trying to find a trace of balance in the raging waves.
Several people worked together to try their best to gather the sails that were torn by the strong wind.
“Puff–” A huge wave suddenly hit the side of the ship, and the ship tilted almost forty-five degrees in an instant. The debris on the deck rolled down. Ning Qing staggered and almost fell, but fortunately he was grabbed by Leo who was quick-eyed and quick-handed.
“No, the waves are too big! The boat can’t hold on any longer!” Nojigo shouted anxiously, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the wind and rain.
Li Xiaofei stood at the bow, letting the strong wind and rain whip his face, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle.
He knew very well that at times like this, panic was the biggest enemy.
His brain was working rapidly, the system panel unfolded before his eyes, and the icon of “fruit fusion ability” was flickering.
“Got it!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed.
He pressed his hands hard on both sides of the ship and shouted, “System, fusion – hull reinforcement, wave-breaking mode!”
An invisible energy surged out from his palm and quickly spread to the entire hull.
A faint green halo appeared on the surface of the hull of the “Hanging Ship”, and the originally ordinary wooden structure seemed to be infused with the toughness of steel.
The bow of the ship miraculously deformed slightly, becoming sharper and smoother, like the spindle-shaped body of a fish, able to divide water and break waves more effectively.
“Boom!” Another huge wave hit, but this time, the “Sailaway” only shook slightly and then steadily cut through the wave, and the shaking of the hull was greatly reduced.
“It’s…it’s amazing!” Lilith was pleasantly surprised to find that the steering wheel in her hand became much more stable.
Nojigo also breathed a sigh of relief, a smile of surviving a disaster appeared on his face.
Ning Qing quickly checked everyone’s condition and after confirming that no one was injured, he gave Li Xiaofei a reassuring look.
Leo remained vigilant at all times, his sharp eyes scanning back and forth across the dim sea to prevent any unknown threats from taking advantage of the situation.
Relying on Li Xiaofei’s magical fruit fusion ability, the “Qihang” safely passed through the stormy area.
After several days of arduous sailing, they encountered harassment from several blind sea kings, but they were all killed cleanly by Leo’s sword and turned into a snack for the crew.
Finally, one morning, when the first ray of sunlight pierced through the sea fog, a strange island appeared in everyone’s sight.
It was an island completely covered by virgin forest. The trees on the island were extremely tall, and each one seemed like a towering giant. The dense branches and leaves blocked out the sky, forming a huge green dome.
The air is filled with the rich fragrance of plants and trees, as well as an indescribable mysterious atmosphere that belongs to the ancient times.
Faintly, you can hear strange roars like the sound of a huge bell coming from the depths of the island, which is heart-shaking.
“Is this… the small garden?” Nojigo murmured to himself.
Lilith was also surprised: “What a big tree! And those sounds, what kind of creature is that?”
The corner of Li Xiaofei’s mouth curled up in excitement.
He could feel that the island was full of unknown dangers, but also full of opportunities.
The adventurous gene in his body was stirring, and an inexplicable sense of excitement rose from the bottom of his heart.
“Leo, you, Nojigo, and Lilith stay on board and keep alert.” Li Xiaofei quickly gave the order, “Ning Qing, come with me, we will go to the island first to explore the surrounding environment, and make plans for the next step after ensuring safety.”
“Yes!” everyone answered in unison.
Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing took a small boat and carefully approached the shore of the small garden.
As you step onto the soft sand, a primitive and wild breath hits you.
They went deep into the jungle, taking every step carefully. The plants around them were much larger than those in the outside world, and all kinds of strange insects and small creatures flew past them from time to time.
Just as they were passing through a patch of ferns, a loud earth-shaking noise suddenly came from not far away, followed by a crash like a landslide and a deafening roar!
“boom–!”
“roar–!”
Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing looked at each other and saw seriousness in each other’s eyes.
This kind of noise is definitely not something that an ordinary wild beast can make.
“Let’s go and take a look!” Li Xiaofei made a quick decision, lowered his body, and sneaked in the direction where the sound came from.
Passing through layers of huge trees, the sight before them made both of them gasp at the same time.
On a flattened piece of land, two figures as huge as mountains were engaged in a shocking fight!
One giant was wearing animal skins and holding a huge axe. Every time he chopped, he had the power to split mountains and crack rocks. The other giant wore a horned helmet and wielded a mace. Every time he swept across, he brought up a strong wind that uprooted trees that were as thick as a man’s embrace!
Every time they collided, the earth shook violently, gravel flew, and smoke and dust filled the air.
The aftermath of the terrifying power spread, and the surrounding trees fell down in large numbers, as if doomsday had come.
“That’s… a giant!” Ning Qing cried out in disbelief, his face full of disbelief.
Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he recognized the two giants – the blue ghost Dongli and the red ghost Broki!
Chapter 41 The Peace of Giants (Old Version)
The deafening roar was like thunder from the sky, exploding continuously over the small garden.
The ground was shaking violently under the feet of the two monsters, as if it would collapse at any time.
The towering old trees were like fragile wheat stalks, swaying in the turbulent wind, with broken branches and flying soil and rocks scattering everywhere.
“Are these two guys trying to tear down the entire island?” Leo frowned. He could feel the terrifying power emanating from the two giants, which was far from ordinary.
Ning Qing said in a deep voice: “Their vital signs are very strong, but their emotions are extremely unstable and full of violence. If this continues, I’m afraid both sides will suffer.”
Li Xiaofei’s eyes focused, and his aura suddenly rose.
He could not sit idly by and watch these two powerful lives go to destruction because of a meaningless fight. What’s more, this land could not withstand such torment from them.
“We must stop them!” he said decisively, “I’ll attract their attention!”
Before he finished speaking, Li Xiaofei suddenly clasped his hands together, then pushed them forward and shouted: “Flame Dragon Breath·Fire Storm!”
In an instant, blazing flames burst out from his palms, transforming into a roaring fire dragon that swept towards the center of the battlefield at an astonishing speed.
The fire dragon suddenly exploded in mid-air, transforming into a vortex of flames that covered the sky. The high temperature instantly distorted the air, sweeping away the smoke and dust, and even enveloped the two giants.
“Roar!” “Ah!”
The sudden attack of flames made Dongli and Broki, who were in the midst of killing, roar in shock and anger at the same time.
They instinctively blocked with their strong arms, and their skin sizzled as it burned. Although this little damage was nothing to them, the sudden interference made them furious.
In the chaos, Li Xiaofei’s figure shuttled like a ghost, and after a few take-offs and landings, he was approaching the edge of the battlefield.
He took a deep breath and gathered all his strength: “Hey! My two giant friends! What is the reason for you to fight to the death? Is there some deep hatred that requires you to completely destroy the land that gave birth to you?”
His voice was not loud, but it had a strange penetrating power and was clearly heard by Donli and Brockie.
The fire storm gradually subsided, revealing the slightly embarrassed figures of the two giants.
They temporarily stopped the attack, and their two pairs of giant eyes like copper bells, with a hint of surprise and confusion, stared at the tiny human on the ground who dared to challenge them.
“Little…little one?” Broki said in a muffled voice, with two streams of white air coming out of his huge nostrils. “Are you talking to us?”
Dong Li also grinned, revealing his uneven teeth, and said jokingly: “After so many years, this is the first time a villain dares to interfere in our duel! Aren’t you afraid that we will crush you into a pulp?”
Li Xiaofei showed no fear. Instead, he took this opportunity to take a few steps forward and said loudly, “It’s easy to crush me to death, but will that help you solve the problem? I just don’t understand why you, with your strength, would carry out such meaningless destruction? Tell me, what kind of hatred is there between you that cannot be resolved?”
The two giants looked at each other, and a complex emotion flashed in their eyes.
After a long while, Dongli said sullenly, “There is no deep hatred between us. We are just competing for who is the strongest warrior in Elbaf!”
“The strongest?” Li Xiaofei was slightly stunned, then asked.
Broki took over the conversation, his voice carrying a hint of vicissitudes: “Yes, for this title, we have been fighting here for thirty years! We fight every day, just to prove that we are stronger than the other side!”
Thirty years!
Li Xiaofei was shocked.
Just for the illusory title of “the strongest”, they could actually keep fighting for a century!
What kind of obsession is this, and how absurd it is!
“Thirty years…” Li Xiaofei shook his head slowly. “Thirty years is enough to change the world. But you wasted this precious time on endless internal friction. Don’t you think this is pathetic?”
His words were like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of the two giants.
The violent look on their faces gradually faded, replaced by a hint of bewilderment and confusion.
Yes, in the past thirty years, they seemed to have forgotten the original purpose of fighting, and only mechanical fighting remained day after day.
Li Xiaofei saw their inner hesitation and struck while the iron was hot, saying, “True strength is not just about crushing one another in terms of strength. If you really want to decide the winner, why do you have to use this method of mutual destruction? How about we try to compete in a more fair way that better reflects our true strength?”
“Competition?” Dongli and Broki became interested at the same time, and the fighting spirit rekindled in their eyes, but this time, there was less madness and more anticipation in their fighting spirit.
“That’s right,” Li Xiaofei smiled, “A competition that can truly prove who has the better skills. The winner will win the honor of being the ‘strongest’, and the loser should also be convinced. From now on, let’s put down our weapons, how about that?”
The two giants were silent for a moment, and then their huge heads slowly nodded.
“Okay! Little one, we listen to you! Let’s have a fair competition!” They were tired of this endless fighting. Li Xiaofei’s proposal undoubtedly gave them a step, an opportunity to end this century-old farce.
The first event is a showdown of strength.
But it is not a direct fight, but a competition to see who can throw a huge rock weighing tens of thousands of pounds farther.
Dongli and Brockie took turns to throw the ball, and every throw caused the earth to shake and dust to fly.
Li Xiaofei was measuring the distance accurately, Ning Qing was preparing potions to restore his physical strength, and Leo was observing his surroundings vigilantly to prevent any possible accidents.
The second event is a competition of skills.
They needed to use their respective weapons to accurately hit a fist-sized leaf marked with flames by Li Xiaofei a hundred meters away.
This test is not only about strength, but also about control over weapons and eyesight.
After several events, the two giants won and lost alternately. The scene was extremely intense, but it lacked the previous brutal fight to the death.
They are more focused on showing off their skills and enjoying the long-lost, pure fun of competition.
Finally, in the last “hunting” project, the two worked together to capture a giant beast that was considered a dominant force in the small garden.
When they dragged back their prey, they all had hearty smiles on their faces.
Li Xiaofei looked at them and spoke at the right time: “Two seniors, after these rounds of competition, I believe you have a clearer understanding of each other’s strength. In my opinion, you both have your own strengths and it is hard to tell who is the best. The so-called ‘strongest’ may not have only one definition. Senior Dongli’s strength is unparalleled, and Senior Brocki’s skills are at the pinnacle. If you can join forces, who on this sea can be your opponent?”
Dongli and Brockie looked at each other and saw a hint of relief in each other’s eyes.
Yes, they have been fighting for a hundred years, but they have never thought that the so-called “strongest” may not exist at all, or they are already the strongest in their respective fields.
“Hahaha!” Dongli was the first to laugh and stretched out his huge palm like a palm leaf fan. “Brocki, it seems that we are all getting old and confused! We have been fighting for so many years just for a name!”
Brockie also smiled, and stretched out his hand, shaking Dongli’s hand tightly: “Yes, Dongli! Today, thanks to this little guy!”
The two giants looked at each other and laughed. A century of estrangement and obsession disappeared at this moment.
The small garden seemed to feel the joy as the sun penetrated the clouds and cast a warm glow.
Li Xiaofei looked at them shaking hands and chatting happily, and an indescribable sense of accomplishment surged in his heart.
Just as he was thinking about his next plan and preparing to say goodbye to the two giants, a carrier pigeon with bright feathers fluttered down from the sky and landed precisely on his shoulder.
Li Xiaofei was slightly startled and took off the small mailbox from the pigeon’s anklet.
When I unfolded the letter, a line of familiar handwriting came into view. It was left by an old businessman before.
The content of the letter was short and hurried, but it made Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrink suddenly.
“Be careful! Baroque Works has listed you as a high-level elimination target, codenamed ‘Firebird’, and is mobilizing elite forces to plan a secret assassination against you. Their methods are ruthless and they will do anything to achieve their goals…”
The letter slipped lightly from Li Xiaofei’s fingers, and the relaxed look on his face was instantly replaced by a cold and solemn expression.
An invisible chill seemed to seep out from every word on the letter and spread quietly.
Chapter 42 Baroque Workshop (Old Version)
The cold wind blew through the dilapidated camp, making a whimpering sound.
Li Xiaofei tightly held the secret letter from the old businessman. The edge of the letter paper was slightly wrinkled by the force of his fingertips.
Under the dim oil lamp, his face was as solemn as water, and his eyes were so deep that they seemed to swallow the light around them.
“Baroque Works…assassination…” His deep voice broke the silence in the tent, and every word was like a heavy stone hitting his companions’ hearts.
Ning Qing frowned slightly, and a trace of worry flashed in her cold eyes: “Is the news reliable? Why would the old businessman take such a big risk to warn us?”
Lilith’s expression was serious: “Baroque Works has always been secretive and ruthless. If they are targeting us, then we will be in big trouble.”
Li Xiaofei raised his hand to signal Leo to calm down. He pondered and said, “Since Baroque Works has set its sights on me, they will not give up easily.” He glanced at everyone, “The letter only mentioned the assassination plan, but the specific time and place are unknown. We must get more information first.”
He looked at Ning Qing and Lilith: “Ning Qing, Lilith, the two of you go to the old merchant’s residence immediately and make sure to pry more detailed information out of him. Remember, go and come back quickly and pay attention to safety.”
“Understood!” The two answered in unison, without any delay, and immediately stood up and prepared.
Li Xiaofei stayed in the camp, his brain working fast.
Crocodile, the leader of Baroque Works, is a ruthless and ambitious Shichibukai.
My recent actions may have touched upon some of his core interests, which led to his fatal disaster.
He took a deep breath and his eyes gradually became sharper.
Since you can’t avoid it, just take it with dignity!
As the night deepened, the old businessman’s residence was brightly lit, but there was a depressing atmosphere.
As soon as Ning Qing and Lilith stepped in, the old businessman came up to them eagerly, with beads of sweat on his forehead.
“Finally you two are here! The situation is urgent, very urgent!”
“Please speak, old sir,” Ning Qing said calmly, yet with a calming force, “What exactly does Baroque Works have planned?”
The old businessman led the two men to sit in the inner hall, and lowered his voice very low: “That madman Crocodile has already known that Mr. Li Xiaofei’s existence is a huge threat to him. He… He has ordered that this potential threat must be eliminated at all costs!” He paused, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes, “I finally found out that they might launch a surprise attack on you tonight!”
“Tonight?!” Lilith was shocked. She didn’t expect time to be so tight.
“Yes, tonight!” the old businessman said affirmatively, “They seem to have roughly locked down the scope of your temporary camp. The assassins are good at stealth and raids, and you must be prepared immediately!” He also revealed some possible characteristics and tricks of the assassins, hoping to be helpful to Li Xiaofei and others.
After receiving this life-and-death information, Ning Qing and Lilith did not dare to delay for a moment. After quickly thanking the old businessman, they disappeared into the night like two phantoms and rushed back to the camp as fast as they could.
“Take action tonight?” Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed coldly after hearing the detailed information brought back by Ning Qing and Lilith.
Sure enough, Crocodile would not give him a chance to breathe.
He spread out a crude map and pointed at several key locations around the camp. “Now that we know the time and the approximate target, we can’t just sit there and wait for death.”
His eyes fell on a faint and strange mark on his wrist. That was the ability given to him by the mysterious system he obtained after traveling through time and space – fruit fusion.
This ability can combine the characteristics of different devil fruits to a certain extent, creating unexpected effects.
“Baroque Works wants to assassinate me, so I will prepare a big gift for them!” Li Xiaofei raised a cold arc at the corner of his mouth.
He looked at Ning Qing and said, “Ning Qing, you are responsible for preparing all the medical supplies, including bandages, medicines, and antidotes. Nothing can be missing. During the battle, I’ll leave the treatment of the wounded to you.”
“Leave it to me.” Ning Qingzheng nodded, his eyes full of determination.
He turned to Leo again: “Leo, your mission is the most important. From now on, carefully monitor all movements within a 500-meter radius around the camp. Don’t let go of any disturbances and make sure there are no other potential enemies or spies they have planted in advance.”
“Leave it to me! Even if a mouse slips past, it can’t escape my eyes!” Leo promised, patting his chest.
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath, his fighting spirit rising in his heart: “Very good! This time, we must let Baroque Workshop know that we are not lambs to be slaughtered! Only by unity can we defeat the enemy!” His words were sonorous and powerful, instantly igniting everyone’s fighting spirit.
The night was as dark as ink, shrouding the entire earth in deep darkness.
The wind in the wilderness seemed to become even stronger, making people’s hair stand on end.
Li Xiaofei and his companions had already followed the predetermined plan and were hiding behind a hidden pile of rocks outside the camp.
The terrain here is slightly higher, with a wide view and natural cover.
In several seemingly ordinary places near the entrance of the camp, there grew countless dense, tough vines with barbs, which were intertwined and formed a hidden thorn trap.
In another area, the texture of the land is as soft and sticky as a swamp. Once you step in, you will be deeply trapped in it and unable to extricate yourself.
He slowly opened his eyes, feeling the solemn atmosphere in the air, and thought to himself, “Baroque Workshop, come on!”
Everything was quiet, with only the sound of the wind whistling in my ears.
As time passed, everyone’s nerves were stretched to the limit.
Just when everyone almost thought that the intelligence was wrong and the assassin would not appear, a very low bird cry suddenly came from the direction where Leo was hiding. This was the alarm signal they agreed on!
Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed, here it comes!
Almost at the same time, a very light yet extremely clear sound of footsteps, like a life-threatening drumbeat, came from the darkness outside the camp, rapidly approaching the direction of their ambush.
The moonlight occasionally penetrates the clouds, casting a few faint rays of light, illuminating several ghostly black shadows.
They held strange weapons that flashed with cold light, and their movements were swift and strange. They approached silently and were obviously experienced top assassins.
The leading assassin seemed to have noticed something and suddenly raised his hand. His companions behind him immediately stopped and looked around vigilantly.
At the entrance of the camp, the hidden thorny vines entangled the two unsuspecting assassins like poisonous snakes. The sharp barbs instantly pierced their flesh, causing them to scream miserably!
Almost at the same time, several assassins on the other side who were trying to bypass them suddenly lost their feet and fell into a swamp trap with screams. The more they struggled, the deeper they sank!
“Damn it! There’s an ambush!” The assassin leader roared and jumped back with extremely fast reaction.
The battle suddenly broke out at this moment!
Li Xiaofei did not hesitate at all. His figure rushed out from behind the rocks like lightning, and his arms were instantly covered with a layer of hard wooden shell. This was a manifestation of his fusion of some defensive fruit ability.
He punched out, hitting the chest of an assassin who had just broken free from the vines and tried to fight back.
“Crack!” The sound of broken bones was clearly audible. The assassin was hit by a heavy hammer, spurted out a mouthful of blood, and flew backwards. It was obvious that he was not going to survive.
In the blink of an eye, with the help of carefully arranged traps and the assistance of the system, Li Xiaofei successfully eliminated several assassins who rushed to the front.
However, the expression on his face did not relax at all, but became more solemn.
Chapter 43 Baroque’s Assassination (Old Version)
In the shadows of the forest, dozens of black shadows shot out like ghosts, with the flashing cold weapons in their hands pointing directly at the vital points of Li Xiaofei and his group!
These assassins are obviously well-trained and have good coordination. Every move they make is a fatal one, leaving no room for maneuver!
“Come on!” A cold light flashed in Li Xiaofei’s eyes. Faced with the crisis, he was instead aroused to fight.
In an instant, a burst of scorching energy gathered in his palm, and a crimson fireball whizzed out, accurately hitting the first few assassins who rushed over.
The fireball exploded, and the scorching air waves mixed with the assassins’ screams spread in all directions. The assassins were instantly engulfed by the flames, turned into charcoal and flew backwards. A pungent smell of burning filled the air.
However, this brief shock did not stop all enemies.
More assassins were fearless and ruthless, with crazy light flashing in their eyes. They surrounded the enemy from all directions again like bloodthirsty wolves!
“Looking for death!” Leo shouted angrily, and the long sword at his waist was suddenly unsheathed. The bright sword light drew deadly arcs in the dim forest.
His body was as fast as lightning and his sword was as swift as the wind, and every sword pierced the enemy’s throat or heart with incredible precision.
Phew!
Blood spurted out, and several assassins at the front fell to the ground, but the following enemies continued to come in an endless stream, as if they could never be killed!
The battle situation is intense and murderous!
Although Li Xiaofei’s fire attack was extremely powerful, its consumption was also astonishing. After releasing it several times in a row, he already felt weak.
Leo is extremely brave and has superb swordsmanship, but facing the enemies that come in like a tide, he is at a loss and in danger.
“We can’t go on like this!” Li Xiaofei gritted his teeth, watching more and more assassins break through the blockade of flames and sword light and gradually approach. He was extremely anxious.
He took a deep breath, forced down the discomfort in his body, and started thinking quickly, trying to find a way out.
“Got it!” His eyes flashed, “System, fuse the wind attribute and the fire attribute to maximize the range!” He thought of a new tactic – use the system’s powerful fusion ability to create a controllable fire storm, disrupt the enemy’s formation, and create opportunities for Leo to defeat them one by one!
However, just as Li Xiaofei was concentrating his mind and preparing to mobilize the little energy left in his body to launch this fatal attack, a bone-chilling murderous intent suddenly attacked him from behind!
A short assassin, who seemed to blend into the shadows, quietly came up behind him at some point, holding a dagger that was tempered with a dark blue poisonous light, like the fangs of a venomous snake, and stabbed Li Xiaofei’s back!
“Xiao Fei! Be careful!” Nojigao was the first to notice it and screamed in surprise!
There was a dull sound of a sharp blade entering the flesh, accompanied by severe pain. Li Xiaofei only felt a strong force coming from behind, and he staggered forward uncontrollably and fell to the ground!
Everything went dark before my eyes, and my consciousness became blurry for a moment.
“Li Xiaofei!” Leo’s eyes were bloodshot. He turned around and forced back the enemy in front of him with a sword. He wanted to rescue him, but he was entangled by several assassins and couldn’t get away at all.
It’s over!
A shadow of despair shrouded everyone’s heart.
Once Li Xiaofei falls, they will be doomed with their limited manpower facing so many elite assassins!
A gleam of satisfaction flashed in the eyes of the assassin who had succeeded in the sneak attack. He raised the dagger again, ready to end Li Xiaofei’s life once and for all!
“Don’t even think about it!” At this critical moment of life and death, Li Xiaofei, who was lying on the ground, bit his tongue hard. The severe pain made him sober up instantly.
He felt the burning pain on his back, and an unprecedented anger and unwillingness surged in his heart!
“I can’t die here!” he roared in his heart.
“Ding! The host is detected to be in critical condition. The will to survive is strong. The residual energy of the strange fire is integrated to trigger the potential evolution – Flame Cyclone!”
The system’s prompt sounded in Li Xiaofei’s mind like the sound of nature!
In an instant, a tremendous fire force far exceeding that before suddenly erupted from his body, like a volcanic eruption, instantly sweeping across his body!
The severe pain in the wound seemed to be burned and purified by this hot energy!
“Ah——!” Li Xiaofei let out an earth-shaking roar and suddenly jumped up from the ground!
His eyes were bloodshot, and blazing red-gold flames were burning all over his body. These flames were no longer simply spraying out, but were spinning at high speed with him as the center, forming a terrifying fire tornado that was several meters high!
“Fire Whirlwind! Get up!”
call–!
The violent tornado of fire swept wildly in all directions with the momentum to destroy everything!
The assassins who surrounded them had no time to react and were instantly sucked into it, emitting sharp screams. They were like ice cubes thrown into a furnace, quickly turned into ashes by the high temperature and tearing force!
The entire battlefield seemed to have turned into a flaming inferno!
“Good opportunity!” Leo’s eyes flashed with brilliance when he saw this. He no longer wanted to fight, but relied on his keen sense of the battlefield to shuttle around the edge of the whirlwind of fire like a ghost. The long sword in his hand accurately stabbed at those fish that were thrown into disarray by the whirlwind of fire and tried to escape, especially those assassins who looked like the leader!
The tornado of fire raged for a full half minute before gradually subsiding. Li Xiaofei was sweating all over, breathing heavily, and his face was as pale as paper. It was obvious that the previous blow had exhausted all his strength, but he still managed to stand, his eyes as sharp as a knife.
The battlefield was in a mess.
Most of the assassins were reduced to ashes in the whirlwind of fire. Only a few who were stronger or luckier were seriously injured and fell to the ground, barely surviving and losing their combat effectiveness.
The battle is finally over.
“Huh… I won…” Nojigao let out a long sigh and sat down on the ground.
Leo sheathed his sword, walked quickly to Li Xiaofei, and supported his shaky body: “How are you?”
“I…can’t die yet.” Li Xiaofei grinned, with a hint of fatigue and fear in his smile.
Chapter 44: Deep into the Tiger’s Den (Old Version)
The tied-up assassin was trembling all over, and sweat soaked his black nightgown.
“It’s… it’s Crocodile-sama… the highest order from Baroque Works…” The assassin’s voice was hoarse and full of fear, “He wants to eliminate everything… everything that may threaten him in Alabasta… no, the potential threat to the first half of the entire Grand Line!”
Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed, it was indeed a sand crocodile!
He had long anticipated that an ambitious Shichibukai like Crocodile would never tolerate any uncontrolled powerful force rising up under his nose.
This assassination is just a beginning, a warning, and even a signal – either surrender or be destroyed!
“His interests? His plans?” Leo snorted angrily, veins bulging on his sturdy arms, “Are we going to take human lives for these?”
Ning Qing frowned slightly and said softly, “It seems that we have been regarded as a thorn in Crocodile’s side. If we don’t take the initiative to attack, we will only fall into endless passivity.”
Li Xiaofei nodded slowly and said, we can’t just sit there and wait for death.
His voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable power.
He knows very well that only by completely destroying this dark organization can he truly protect the safety of himself and his companions and have a place in this dangerous sea.
“We must take the initiative!” Leo’s copper-bell-like eyes were burning with anger!
Ning Qingqing’s cold face also showed a rare solemnity: “Crocodile’s power is intertwined, and a head-on confrontation may be…”
Li Xiaofei’s eyes were stern, and he said firmly: “If it doesn’t work outwardly, then we will disintegrate from within! I will go to the headquarters of Baroque Works and expose their conspiracy completely!”
“Count me in!” Lilith licked her lips, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Nojigo also nodded firmly, silently expressing his support.
Inside the camp, dim lights flickered, illuminating everyone’s serious faces.
A simple map was spread out in the middle, and Li Xiaofei’s fingers slowly moved across it, carefully considering every possible entrance, patrol route, and firepower deployment point.
His eyes finally fell on Lilith and Nokigo: “Lilith, Nokigo, you two are the most agile and the best at hiding. The first step is for you to sneak into the outer base of Baroque Works and find out their specific troop distribution and the latest defense dynamics. Remember, safety first. Once exposed, retreat immediately.”
Lilith smiled confidently: “It’s a piece of cake.” Nojigo silently checked his tools with a focused look.
The night is like thick ink and cannot be dissolved.
Two ghostly figures, Lilith and Nojigo, took advantage of the sparse starlight and undulating sand dunes as cover and quietly approached the outskirts of the heavily guarded headquarters of Baroque Works.
This place is more like a small fortress than a camp. The searchlight on the watchtower is like the eye of the god of death, scanning back and forth.
Lilith took out a more delicate piece of parchment from her arms. This was a sketch of the internal structure that she had obtained through special channels. Although it was not complete, it was crucial enough.
She whispered to Nuo Qigao, “Pay attention to the sentry at three o’clock and the patrol at seven o’clock. Their shift change time is fifteen minutes.”
Nojigao nodded, and the two of them merged into the darkness like shadows. After a few jumps, they crossed a sand wall, quietly avoided a team of yawning patrolmen, and successfully sneaked into the edge of the camp.
The brightly lit tents intertwined with shadows formed a dangerous picture.
At the same time, Li Xiaofei and Leo were lurking behind a sand dune hundreds of meters away, like two cheetahs ready to pounce, staring sharply at the lights in the distance.
There was an oppressive tension in the air, and time was passing by every second.
After an unknown amount of time, Lilith and Nojigo returned quietly, bringing back exciting yet frightening information.
“We have made a major discovery!” Lilith lowered her voice with a hint of excitement in her tone, “We overheard a conversation between several senior agents. Crocodile is secretly preparing a major operation. The target seems to be the capital of the Kingdom of Alabasta, Albana! And…” She paused and glanced at Li Xiaofei, “His highest order executor, Nico Robin, codenamed Miss Sunday, seems to have some reservations about this plan and even showed a hint of dissatisfaction.”
Nico Robin!
He was familiar with the name. According to rumors, she was the only survivor of O’Hara and the child of the devil who could decipher the original text of history.
If we can win over such a key figure…
“Crocodile wants to attack Albana?” Li Xiaofei’s eyes suddenly became sharp as a knife, “He wants to completely subvert a country!” This information is too horrifying. If it succeeds, the entire Alabasta will be devastated.
However, just as Li Xiaofei adjusted his breathing and prepared to sneak in taking advantage of the commotion created by Lilith and the others, a burst of dense and rapid footsteps accompanied by the harsh sound of weapons rubbing against each other suddenly came from behind the sand dunes behind them!
“Oh no! There’s an ambush!” Leo growled and instantly entered combat state.
Under the moonlight, dozens of dark shadows emerged from behind the sand dunes like ghosts and surrounded their hiding place.
The leader was a burly man with a ferocious metal mask on his face and a huge axe flashing with cold light in his hand. It was Mr. 1 of Baroque Works, Daz Bonis!
Behind him were Miss. Two Fingers (Miss Two Fingers), Miss. Golden Week (Miss Golden Week) and other senior agents!
“Humph, a rat has sneaked in as expected.” Daz Bonis’s voice was as hoarse as the friction of metal. “Mr. Crocodile had long expected that you would be restless, so he made us wait here for a long time!”
Li Xiaofei’s heart sank. Crocodile’s alertness was far beyond his expectations!
This was not only an ambush against their infiltration operation, but more like an elaborate trap!
Not only does he have to face the encirclement and suppression of this elite team, but he also has to be on guard against enemies that may emerge from within the headquarters.
There was no sign of retreat in Li Xiaofei’s eyes. Instead, he was burning with a strong desire to fight.
“It seems like tonight is destined to be a restless night.” Li Xiaofei raised a cold arc at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes swept across the enemies in front of him, finally fixing on the brightly lit Baroque Works headquarters in the distance, “Well, let me see how powerful you are!”
Leo’s sword moved first.
The iron-cutting sword drew a silver arc and instantly cut off the two killers’ swords.
Ning Qing threw out the smoke bottle, and purple smoke exploded in the crowd. Three people immediately squatted down, covering their throats.
Li Xiaofei took advantage of the situation and threw out a fire fist. Daz Bonis was not afraid at all and split the fire fist in half with an axe.
“Is that all you can do? Then I’m coming!”
Li Xiaofei’s fingertips lit up a second flame, this time it was a dark blue flame, “How about trying this?”
Taking advantage of the gap just now, Li Xiaofei has completed the accumulation of power, and a huge fire tornado has taken shape.
Seeing that the situation was not right, “Retreat!” Daz Bonis roared and turned around, and the remaining killers followed him.
“Hurry, let’s run while they are in a panic!” Li Xiaofei said anxiously.
This ambush was so precise that it seemed as if their every move was seen through.
In addition to the vigilance within Baroque Works, are there other eyes watching them in secret?
Chapter 45: Under the Sandstorm (Old Version)
The strong wind swept up the yellow sand, wreaking havoc in the vast desert of Alabasta like a hungry beast.
Li Xiaofei and his group were now trapped in this yellow ocean of despair.
He, Ning Qing, and Leo had long lost the high spirits they had in Rogue Town, and were now dressed in dusty caravan attire.
However, things did not go as planned. A sudden sandstorm engulfed them with overwhelming force.
As far as the eye can see, there is nothing but rolling yellow sand, and the sky and the earth seem to be thrown into chaos by an invisible giant hand.
The camel’s cries were torn apart by the strong wind, and the people felt as small and helpless as ants in the sandstorm.
“Hold on tight! Don’t get blown away!” Li Xiaofei roared at Ning Qing and Leo behind him, braving the strong wind that was almost blowing him away.
As soon as his voice came out, his mouth was filled with sand.
Ning Qing gritted her teeth, her pretty face covered with sand and dust. She held Leo tightly with one hand and tried to grab Li Xiaofei’s outstretched hand with the other.
Leo was in even more of a mess. This man, who was usually as strong as a bear, was now tortured by the power of nature to the point that he could hardly open his eyes.
Just as they were about to be completely blown away by the strong wind and despair surged into their hearts like a tide, a vague black shadow appeared in the yellow sand.
The black shadow didn’t seem to be affected too much by the sandstorm. Instead, it moved slowly towards them.
“Over there! There seems to be a building!” The sharp-eyed Ning Qing was the first to notice the clue, and his voice trembled with a hint of survival.
Li Xiaofei looked in the direction she pointed, and sure enough, in the interval when the wind and sand stopped, the outline of a dilapidated ancient relic was vaguely visible.
It looks like the skeleton of a giant beast crawling in the desert, exuding a desolate and mysterious atmosphere.
“Let’s go! Let’s take shelter over there!” Li Xiaofei made a prompt decision. The three of them supported each other and moved towards the ruins with difficulty against the wind and sand.
An unknown amount of time had passed before, as they stumbled into the ruins of the ruins, the roar of the sandstorm outside began to weaken slightly.
The three of them collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, and were glad that they had escaped for the time being.
“Ahem… this damn place almost buried us alive.” Leo spat out a mouthful of sand and said with lingering fear.
Ning Qing looked around vigilantly.
This relic had obviously been abandoned for a long time, with dilapidated stone pillars, mottled murals, and a dusty and musty smell in the air.
Suddenly, a cold female voice sounded behind them: “It seems that you are in a lot of trouble.”
The three of them were startled and turned back suddenly.
They saw a mature and mysterious woman wearing a dark dress and a cowboy hat, leaning against a broken stone pillar, looking at them leisurely.
Her appearance was silent, as if she had always been there, yet also as if she was a ghost appearing out of nowhere.
“Who are you?” Li Xiaofei stood up quickly, protecting Ning Qing and Leo behind him, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.
He could feel that this woman was not simple.
The woman raised a faint smile and did not answer his question. Instead, she said, “This sandstorm will continue for a while. If you don’t want to be buried alive, you’d better find a safer place.” Then she turned and walked deeper into the ruins. “Come with me. I know a place to shelter from the wind.”
Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing looked at each other and saw vigilance in each other’s eyes.
But in the current situation, they seem to have no better choice.
The woman’s calmness and composure formed a sharp contrast with the violent sandstorm outside, which made people involuntarily feel a sense of dependence.
“Follow her and be careful.” Li Xiaofei whispered to the two of them, then followed.
The woman led them through many twists and turns and finally arrived at a relatively intact stone chamber.
This seems to be the central area of the ruins. Although it is also covered with dust, its structure is solid and effectively isolated from the wind and sand outside.
“Thank you.” Li Xiaofei said, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.
The woman took off her cowboy hat, revealing her long black hair. She looked at Li Xiaofei with her deep eyes and said with a hint of amusement: “It’s just a piece of cake. But you don’t look like an ordinary desert business traveler.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart trembled, but he remained calm: “We just want to cross the desert and do some small business to make a living. But why are you alone in this deserted ruins?”
The woman smiled lightly and answered the question irrelevantly: “The desert of Alabasta is not a good place. It has been unpeaceful here recently. Especially for those… who are trying to find out some secrets.” Her eyes seemed to be substantial, as if to penetrate Li Xiaofei’s disguise.
“Oh? What do you mean?” Li Xiaofei continued to play dumb.
The woman walked aside, brushed the dust off a stone slab, and sat down, crossing her long legs in an elegant yet dangerous posture.
“I heard that a remarkable newcomer has recently appeared on the sea, and his fame has even spread to this desert.”
Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly shrank, but then returned to normal.
Chapter 46 Robin Joins (Old Version)
A tense atmosphere permeated the stone chamber.
Ning Qing and Leo also noticed something was wrong and became secretly on guard.
At this moment, Li Xiaofei’s attention was attracted by a huge stone tablet in the corner of the stone chamber.
The stone tablet was half buried in the sand, its surface covered with strange symbols, ancient and weathered.
His intuition told him that this thing was not simple.
He pretended to walk over casually, brushed off the dust on the stone tablet, and looked at it carefully.
The symbols were twisted and strange, and did not belong to any type of writing he knew.
“This is…ancient writing.” The mysterious woman who had been silent suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of inexplicable fluctuations.
She walked to Li Xiaofei, stretched out her slender fingers, and gently brushed over the cold symbols. “I have seen similar records in some ancient books.”
“Oh? Girl, do you recognize these words?” Li Xiaofei’s heart moved.
The woman nodded, her eyes becoming somewhat distant: “What is recorded here seems to be related to ‘ancient weapons’ and a piece of ‘historical text’ that has been erased.”
Ancient weapons!
Historical text!
Isn’t this another important goal of his trip to Alabasta, besides destroying Baroque Works?
He had always suspected that the Kingdom of Alabasta was hiding key clues to the blank hundred years of history.
I didn’t expect to come into contact with it here and in this way.
He suppressed his inner excitement and remained calm on the surface: “Ancient weapons? Historical texts? It sounds like something from a myth.”
The woman looked at him deeply, and the mysterious smile on her lips reappeared: “Myths often come from reality. Some truths are just deliberately covered up by people.” She actually took the initiative to translate the contents of the stone tablet in a low voice.
Although the speech was intermittent and vague, the information it revealed was enough to make Li Xiaofei’s heart surge.
He listened calmly, and at the same time secretly activated the system to copy the inscription on the stone tablet in its entirety, preparing to study it carefully after returning.
Who is this woman?
Why does she know this?
What is her purpose?
Just as the woman finished translating a paragraph, the atmosphere in the stone chamber eased a little, and Li Xiaofei was ready to find an excuse to take Ning Qing and Leo away from here first and make plans later –
“call out!”
A sharp sound of breaking through the air sounded without any warning!
An arrow with a cold blue glow, like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue, broke through the window outside the stone chamber and aimed directly at Li Xiaofei’s chest!
This sudden arrow was so fast that people had no time to react!
“Be careful!” Ning Qing and Leo exclaimed at the same time.
Li Xiaofei’s heart also tightened, and his sense of crisis instantly overwhelmed him.
He was about to dodge, but he saw that the mysterious woman next to him was faster than him!
She just raised her arm and several arms suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking the arrow like blooming flowers. With a crisp “ding” sound, the fatal arrow was firmly clamped between the “petals”.
He is a devil fruit user!
Li Xiaofei’s pupils shrank, but what frightened him even more was the look in the woman’s eyes at that moment.
The eyes that originally contained inquiry and amusement now turned icy cold, like ten thousand years of ice.
She slowly turned her head and looked at Li Xiaofei, saying word by word: “It seems that my judgment is correct. You are indeed not an ordinary ‘traveler’, Mr. Li Xiaofei.”
Identity exposed!
Li Xiaofei took a deep breath, knowing that it was meaningless to pretend any longer.
He slowly straightened his back, met the woman’s cold gaze, and said frankly: “Yes, I am Li Xiaofei. I came to Alabasta to find the truth of history.”
“Just you?” There was a hint of undisguised contempt in the woman’s tone.
Li Xiaofei did not get angry. He calmly stretched out his hand with his palm facing up.
The next moment, a faint but pure energy halo appeared in his palm, in which countless fine runes could be vaguely seen flowing, emitting a heart-pounding aura.
This is a manifestation of part of the power granted by his system. Although it is only the tip of the iceberg, it is enough to prove his extraordinaryness.
“I’m not pursuing illusory power, nor am I trying to satisfy my personal ambitions.” Li Xiaofei’s voice was firm and powerful. “I just want to know what happened in this world. What are the truths that have been covered up?”
The woman looked at the energy halo in Li Xiaofei’s palm, and the coldness in her eyes loosened slightly, replaced by deeper scrutiny and suspicion.
She was silent for a long time, and the air in the stone chamber seemed to freeze, leaving only the whistling sound of wind and sand outside the window.
After a long moment, she sighed quietly, and the cold aura that kept people at a distance gradually dissipated.
She whispered, “History is not so easy to touch. It is heavy and dangerous. But if you really want to understand it…”
She paused, raised her head, and looked at Li Xiaofei with complicated eyes: “Maybe, we can cooperate.”
At this moment, it seemed as if an invisible hand was turning the gears of fate.
But her proposal was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
The woman seemed to see through his doubts and smiled faintly. There was no longer only mystery in that smile, but also a hint of imperceptible relief.
“My name is Nico Robin.” She held out her hand, “I am… someone who is also obsessed with history.”
Li Xiaofei looked at her outstretched hand, and then looked at her eyes that seemed to see through everything.
He knew that once he held this hand, the road ahead would become more treacherous and more…closer to the truth he was looking for.
Finally, he reached out and gently shook Robin’s slightly cold hand.
“It’s been a pleasure working with you.”
Robin took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. She turned around and looked at the still dim sky outside the ruins.
“Come with me,” she said in just three words, but her voice was full of unquestionable power, “We are going to a place that even Baroque Studio is very secretive about.”
The corners of her mouth curled up in a mysterious arc.
“That may be the starting point of the storm landing.”
Chapter 47 Undercurrents Under the Ice and Snow (Old Version)
The night was as dark as ink. The cold wind blew snowflakes, which hit the window frames of the simple shelter on Drum Island hard, making a humming sound.
Inside the shelter, the atmosphere suddenly froze due to the intrusion of the uninvited guest.
Li Xiaofei’s sharp eyes wandered over the young man who claimed to be a doctor’s assistant.
The boy was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a childish face and a bit of panic, but his eyes were unusually clear, and at this moment, they were flashing with an urgency and determination that did not match his age.
“I… my name is Tony Tony Chopper, and I’m really a doctor’s assistant! Doctor Hiruluk taught me a lot of medical skills, and I can help save people!” He tried to straighten his thin chest, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness, but with an unquestionable seriousness.
“Hiluluk?” Dalton raised his rough eyebrows and said in a deep voice: “He is indeed a respectable doctor.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart moved slightly. How come Chopper came to him on his own initiative?
He remained calm, with a meaningful smile on his face: “Since you are a doctor’s assistant, you are welcome. However, the situation is critical right now, so you have to stay close to us and don’t cause any trouble for us.”
When the young Chopper heard this, a relieved smile immediately broke out on his face and he nodded vigorously: “I understand! I will never hold you back!”
Li Xiaofei secretly winked at Ning Qing, who understood and temporarily pulled Chopper to his side.
“Time is running out, everyone. Let’s go over the plan again.” Li Xiaofei’s voice drew everyone’s attention back.
He spread out a crude map looted from a Wapol soldier and pointed his fingertips at several key locations on it.
“Leo, your mission is the most critical and dangerous.” Li Xiaofei turned his gaze to the tough Leo. “According to the intelligence we gathered during the day, the city gate’s defenses have at least three interlocking mechanisms. Once a forceful attack is launched, the internal alarm will sound immediately. You must disable them quietly and in the shortest possible time. This is the key to whether we can successfully enter the town and catch Wapol off guard.”
Leo grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, his eyes flashing with bloodthirsty excitement: “Don’t worry, I’m a professional in dealing with these iron lumps. I guarantee that they will be turned into a pile of scrap copper and iron, without even making a sound!”
“Very good.” Li Xiaofei nodded, and looked at Ning Qing and Dalton, “Ning Qing, you and Captain Dalton will lead some villagers to rescue the patients in the clinic and seize medicines. Remember, save lives first and avoid unnecessary battles. Chopper, you follow Ning Qing, your medical skills may come in handy.”
Chopper nodded vigorously, his face tense and full of responsibility. Ning Qing also responded, “Understood.”
“As for me,” Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed with cold light, and an invisible domineering aura emanated from his body, making the air around him seem a little heavier, “I will go straight to the palace, the target is – Wapol!” The power of the “Frost Fruit” that he had just swallowed was stirring in his body, and a bone-chilling force flowed through his limbs and bones, bringing with him the illusion of controlling everything.
He could feel that if he wanted, this room could instantly turn into an ice cellar.
“Before we set off, let’s check the time one last time.” Li Xiaofei raised his wrist and looked at the watch he “borrowed” from the Wapol soldier. “At 2 a.m., three routes will move simultaneously. The signal… will be the first explosion from the direction of the palace. If I resolve the battle ahead of time, three consecutive gunshots will be used as the attack signal.”
Everyone looked stern and responded in unison: “Understood!”
The lights in the shelter were deliberately dimmed, with only a few faint candlelight flickering in the cold wind, illuminating the determined or nervous faces.
Li Xiaofei’s eyes never left the young man who called himself Chopper.
He discovered that when the boy heard words like “royal palace” and “Wapol”, his little fists would unconsciously clench and a trace of deep hatred would flash across his eyes.
This is definitely not the reaction an average physician assistant would have.
“Interesting.” Li Xiaofei thought, “It seems that there are still many secrets hidden on this Magnetic Drum Island.”
He took a deep breath, suppressed his thoughts, and said in a deep voice: “Everyone, Wapol’s tyranny must end. The future of Drum Island depends on this! For those innocent lives, for freedom, we…”
Before he finished his words, a stronger gust of cold wind mixed with heavy snow hit the window, making a heart-pounding sound.
It seemed as if even the heavens were creating a solemn and murderous atmosphere for their next actions.
“Action!” Li Xiaofei shouted in a low voice and took the lead in pushing open the door of the shelter.
The biting cold wind scraped across my cheeks like a knife, and the snowflakes instantly blurred my vision.
Li Xiaofei’s figure blended into the wind and snow like a ghost, sneaking towards the center of the town.
He deliberately slowed down his pace and used the preliminary ability of the “Frost Fruit” to condense a very thin layer of frost on his body surface, which perfectly blended into the snowy night, and his breath became almost imperceptible.
At the same time, Ning Qing and Dalton, with a small group of strong villagers and the slightly uneasy Chopper, took advantage of the cover of night and houses and quietly moved towards the medical center.
Although Chopper is young, he moves with the agility of a wild beast, which makes Ning Qing secretly amazed.
Leo, on the other hand, chose a completely different path from Li Xiaofei and Ning Qing.
He moved nimbly between the snow-covered rooftops and dark alleys. Every rise and fall was silent, and his target was directly at the tall and heavy city gate at the outermost part of the town.
The wind and snow were getting stronger and stronger, and visibility was extremely low.
Wapol’s patrolling soldiers also became lazy because of the bad weather. They huddled in twos and threes in sheltered corners, cursing the damn weather.
This undoubtedly provided excellent cover for Leo’s infiltration.
Like a ghost, he bypassed several teams of drowsy patrols and, relying on his memory of the day’s reconnaissance, soon arrived near the mechanism control room inside the city gate.
The light here was dim, with only a solitary hurricane lamp swaying. Two guards were dozing against the wall, their snoring sounding particularly clear in the wind and snow.
Leo sneered and took out two specially made silenced blowguns from his waist.
Holding their breath and concentrating, they heard two barely audible “whoosh” sounds, and the two guards groaned and collapsed to the ground, without a sound.
He slipped swiftly into the control room, his eyes quickly scanning the intricately intertwined levers, gears and chains on the walls.
His eyes were focused and sharp, and his fingers moved nimbly on the cold metal components.
Time passed minute by minute, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he was unaware of it.
The release of each steel cable and the disassembly of each gear require extreme precision and patience.
The sound of wind and snow covered up the subtle sounds of his operations.
He was completely focused, with only those cold machines in his eyes.
Finally, when he dismantled the last core linkage device, his movements paused slightly.
This is the core of the entire defense system. If there is a mistake, all previous efforts will be wasted.
He held his breath and carefully inserted his fingers, feeling the subtle structure inside.
The night was getting darker and darker, and the cold wind was howling, like a prelude to death.
At this moment when everything was silent and only the snow and wind were raging, a slight but unusually clear sound suddenly rang out in the control room of the agency.
Snap——
The crisp sound of breaking metal, in the dead silence of the snowy night, was like a thunderclap, foreshadowing the breaking of some kind of barrier, or like a key that was about to open the floodgates of chaos.
Chapter 48: Wapol (Old Version)
The moment the city gate burst open, Leo’s figure flashed in the smoke and dust. He had completed his mission, and what remained was Li Xiaofei’s battlefield!
“Kill!” Li Xiaofei shouted loudly, his body was like an arrow shot from a bow, wrapped in the dual aura of ice and fire, and he rushed towards the group of frightened Wapol guards in the center of the town.
“Stop him! Stop him quickly!” The guard leader screamed at the top of his lungs. He had never seen such a strange invasion method, nor had he ever felt such a terrifying power.
There was a cold arc on the corner of Li Xiaofei’s mouth. The power of the fused “Flame Frost Fruit” would fully bloom here today!
He suddenly pushed his left hand forward, and a burst of blazing, violent flames swept out like a roaring fire dragon, burning the air and making crackling sounds. The dozen guards at the front didn’t even have time to scream as they were instantly swallowed up by the high temperature, their armor melted, their flesh and blood evaporated, and turned into charcoal!
“Monster!” The enemies in the rear were frightened out of their wits and their formation was instantly in chaos.
“Want to run now? It’s too late!” Li Xiaofei’s right hand was filled with cold air, and he clenched it in the air in the direction the enemy was trying to escape. There was a “crackling” sound of freezing that made one’s teeth ache, and a several-foot-thick ice wall rose from the ground. It was crystal clear, but it exuded a bone-chilling coldness, completely blocking their retreat.
What’s worse, the accumulated water under their feet solidified instantly, freezing many people in place, unable to move.
Flames burn the formation, ice blocks the road!
In just a moment, the defense line carefully arranged by Wapol was torn into pieces by Li Xiaofei like paper.
He walked in as if he were in an empty land. Wherever he passed, enemies were either killed or injured, and wailing was everywhere.
At the same time, in the ruins of a medical clinic at the other end of the town, Ning Qing held his breath and carefully pushed aside a crumbling wall.
Amid the strange smell of gunpowder and herbs, she finally saw the figure – a little reindeer wearing blue shorts and a pink flannel hat, standing on its hind legs, clumsily but seriously bandaging the wound of an injured villager.
“Doctor Chopper?” Ning Qing called softly tentatively.
The little reindeer was startled by the sound, and raised his head vigilantly, his big black eyes full of vigilance: “Who are you? Are you also a bad guy of Wapol?” He spoke in human language, his voice was childish but with a hint of unquestionable firmness.
“No, I’m here to help you.” Ning Qing tried to make his voice sound gentle. “It’s too dangerous here. Wapol’s reinforcements will arrive soon. You must come with me.”
Chopper shook his head stubbornly, his face full of anxiety: “No! I can’t leave, there are still many patients here who need my treatment! They are all good people who were injured by Wapol!”
Ning Qing sighed inwardly, this little guy is indeed as kind as the legend says.
But the situation is urgent and there is no time to waste.
Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps came closer and closer.
“Over there! I see a figure!” The voice of the pursuers could be heard clearly.
Ning Qing’s eyes flashed, and she said to Chopper without hesitation, “I’m sorry!” She moved like lightning, and several poisoned silver needles shot out, accurately piercing the acupoints of several pursuers, making them fall to the ground instantly, unable to move, but without endangering their lives.
Taking advantage of this brief gap, Ning Qing picked up the still struggling Chopper and stuffed him into the special large first aid box he carried with him without saying a word. He closed the lid and whispered, “I’m sorry to have wronged you. I’ll let you out when it’s safe!” The space inside the medicine box is not small and there are ventilation holes.
After doing all this, she picked up the medicine box and quickly disappeared into the shadow of the ruins.
In the center of the town, the battle has become increasingly fierce.
Li Xiaofei’s bravery completely angered the ruler of this town.
“Who is it! Who dares to act wildly on my territory!” A roar like muffled thunder came from the depths of the town. Then, a bloated and fat, strange figure with a disproportionately large mouth came down with a tyrannical aura.
It was Wapol!
He saw Li Xiaofei and his men lying in a mess on the ground at a glance, and he was so angry that his fat body was shaking.
Without saying a word, he grabbed a metal statue beside him and swallowed it down with a few crunches like eating a biscuit. Then he grinned and said, “Little devil, are you ready to be baptized by my wrath?”
Before he finished speaking, Wapol suddenly opened his mouth wide, and black shells spurted out of his mouth, hitting Li Xiaofei like a rainstorm!
“Swallow Swallow Fruit!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes narrowed. This guy actually turned what he ate into a weapon!
He quickly dodged the bombardment with great risk, leaving deep pits on the ground and filling the air with smoke and dust.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Wapol was like a mobile artillery. Every part of his body could be transformed into a gun muzzle, continuously firing powerful explosives.
For a moment, Li Xiaofei was so flustered by the heavy bombardment that he was at a loss what to do. His body was also scratched by the aftermath of the explosion in several places, which caused burning pain.
“Hahaha! Little boy, why aren’t you so arrogant anymore? In front of my ‘explosive food’, you are nothing!” Wapol laughed wildly in triumph.
Li Xiaofei’s eyes were cold, but he was calculating rapidly in his mind.
The attack range of this Wapol is too large, and the explosive power is quite strong. You will not get any benefit if you fight it head-on.
I must find a way to restrict his actions, or… make my own power break through again!
“System!” Li Xiaofei muttered in his mind, “Analyze the fusion evolution mechanism for me! Is there any possibility of evolution?”
“Ding! The host is detected to be in a high-pressure combat state, and the control of flames has reached the current extreme bottleneck!” The cold system prompt sounded, “The prerequisites for the fourth evolution of the Flame-Flame Fruit are met… Evolution… Start!”
An indescribable burning sensation erupted from deep within Li Xiaofei’s body, as if a volcano had awakened in his soul!
The color of the flames on his body suddenly changed, from the original crimson red to a deep blue, emitting a heart-pounding high temperature. Even the surrounding air was distorted by the extreme temperature.
The temperature of this dark blue flame has risen to a terrifying level that is enough to evaporate the thick layer of ice in an instant!
“What kind of fire is this?!” Wapol’s laughter stopped abruptly. He instinctively felt a deadly threat from the blue flame.
“It’s time to end!” Li Xiaofei’s voice seemed to come from the underworld, carrying a cold murderous intent.
He stomped his foot, and his whole body turned into a blue line of fire. Instead of retreating, he advanced and took the initiative to face Wapol!
Seeing this, Wapol thought that this move was enough to blow Li Xiaofei into pieces, and a ferocious smile appeared on his face.
However, Li Xiaofei’s lips curled up into a wise sneer. His goal from the beginning was not to take this move head-on!
At the moment when the giant bomb was about to hit him, he bent his body strangely and actually brushed the edge of the bomb, avoiding it by a hair’s breadth. At the same time, with the powerful impact force generated by the explosion, he led Wapol to a place on the ground that he had observed in advance!
It was a patch of cracked ground caused by the battle, with a faint red light coming out from underneath and a smell of sulfur – it was actually a dormant underground fire spring!
“Now!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes flashed with brilliance, and the dark blue flame power poured into his feet without reservation, and he stepped fiercely towards the edge of the crack!
“Give me…explode!”
Boom——!!!
The magma that had been accumulating underground for a long time was aroused by Li Xiaofei’s violent power and gushed out like an awakened dragon!
The hot magma torrent, the explosion shock wave of Wapol that had not yet dissipated, and the extremely cold ice air that Li Xiaofei intentionally guided over, all three collided violently!
High temperature and ice, fire and explosion, formed an unprecedented violent chain reaction in this small space!
The terrifying energy storm swept in all directions, and even the buildings in the distance trembled and shook under the impact.
“No–!” Wapol’s screams were drowned out by the deafening explosion.
His obese body was the first to be hit. He was blown away by the mixed force of magma, ice and explosion. Like a kite with a broken string, it drew a messy parabola in the air and fell heavily into the ruins in the distance. He opened his mouth and spurted out several streams of blood mixed with internal organs. His breath instantly weakened.
Li Xiaofei suppressed the surging blood in his body and pursued the victory. The dark blue flames wrapped around his fist again and he punched Wapol hard on the head.
“Bang!” Before Wapol could even make a sound, his eyes rolled back and he fainted completely.
The battle finally subsided, leaving only a devastated battlefield and thick smoke.
At this time, Ning Qing, a small figure carrying a medicine box, walked out from a hidden corner.
It was Chopper.
When the little reindeer doctor saw the miserable condition of Wapol, he looked at the survivors around him who were relieved but still frightened, and a complex emotion flashed in his big eyes.
He quickly ran to Li Xiaofei, carefully took out a fruit that was completely emerald green and exuded a strange breath of life from his small backpack, and handed it to Li Xiaofei.
“This… is for you.” Chopper’s voice was still a little timid. “This is the ‘Healing Fruit’. I heard from the elders in the village that it…it may be able to revive the dead…”
Li Xiaofei took the strange fruit, it felt warm in his hand, and a pure life energy emanated from it, which boosted his blood which had been depleted due to the battle.
Resurrect the dead?
Li Xiaofei’s heart was shocked. He looked at the fruit in his hand with complicated eyes, and then looked at the little reindeer in front of him that seemed innocent and harmless.
Chapter 49 Chopper Comes to Your Door (Old Version)
Wapol’s face, distorted by greed and fear, was frozen in the anger of the residents of the Drum Kingdom.
The once invincible tyrant is now just a prisoner, tied up like a dumpling with thick hemp ropes by the angry people, waiting for the judgment of justice.
The smoke of gunpowder had not yet dissipated, and among the ruins, cries and cheers of the survivors were mixed together.
Li Xiaofei stood on the ruins of the palace, watching all this coldly.
The soldiers under his command were systematically collecting weapons from the remnants of the Wapol faction and maintaining the fragile order.
“Lord Li Xiaofei! Please be our king!” A man with a broken arm, tears in his eyes, was the first to kneel on the ground.
“Yes! Only you can lead us to rebuild our home!”
“Please, Your Majesty!”
The calls came like a wave, and hope was written all over the faces that had suffered so much.
They were fed up with Wapol’s brutal rule. At this moment, in their eyes, Li Xiaofei was a savior who came from the sky.
Li Xiaofei frowned slightly. He was not here to be a king.
His eyes swept across the crowd and finally landed on the old village chief who was walking towards him tremblingly.
The old village chief is a highly respected person on Magnetic Drum Island, and is also one of the few brave men who dares to speak up for the people under the tyranny of Wapol.
“Everyone!” Li Xiaofei’s voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone, with an unquestionable power. “I, Li Xiaofei, am not here to be king. Magnetic Drum Island is your home, and its future should be decided by you.”
He stepped forward and helped the old village chief up, and said in a deep voice: “Old man, Wapol has been eliminated. Next, how to restore order and restore people’s livelihood depends on you and the villagers.”
As he spoke, he handed over part of the property confiscated from the Wapol treasury to the old village chief in public as start-up capital for reconstruction.
“This…how can this be done!” The old village chief was so excited that he was at a loss.
Li Xiaofei smiled slightly: “The will of the people is better than thousands of troops. I believe that under your leadership, Magnetic Drum Island will soon be able to recover.”
His refusal to claim the title of king and his move to hand over power to the people’s representatives was like a stream of clear water, washing away the last trace of doubt in everyone’s hearts.
Admiration and gratitude gathered on Li Xiaofei like substance.
They may not understand Li Xiaofei’s grand ambitions, but they can feel his heartfelt respect.
At this moment, an invisible bond was quietly established, laying a solid foundation for possible alliances in the future.
Even Dr. Kuleha, who is usually mean, looked at Li Xiaofei with a strange brilliance in his eyes.
The chaos was temporarily settled, and Li Xiaofei finally had time to examine the “healing fruit” he had snatched from Wapol.
This fruit was crystal clear all over, exuding a gentle breath of life, which was completely different from the devil fruits he had previously known.
Under Ning Qing’s protection, he carefully used his mental power to explore.
In an instant, a huge stream of information flooded into his mind!
The inside of this fruit seems to contain a miniature universe, and its core possesses a peculiar energy structure that can analyze and repair damage to biological cells, and even… under certain conditions, reverse the process of cell apoptosis!
“This… this is simply a super repair system!” Li Xiaofei’s heart was filled with shock.
Repairing cell damage means serious injuries can be healed; reversing apoptosis means the dead can be resurrected, right?!
But he quickly calmed down.
Such a miraculous ability must be accompanied by an unimaginable price.
There is no free lunch in the world, he understands this truth better than anyone else.
He tried to simulate the use of this power and immediately felt a terrifying suction force, as if it was going to drain all the source of his life.
“The price… is indeed huge.” Cold sweat broke out on Li Xiaofei’s forehead.
If this thing is used properly, it is a miracle; if it is used improperly, it is a death warrant.
He took a deep breath and solemnly handed the fruit to Ning Qing.
“Qing’er, this thing is too strange. Please keep it well for me. Remember, no matter what happens, you must never use it lightly unless it is absolutely necessary.” His tone was more solemn than ever before.
Ning Qing was very smart and naturally understood the pros and cons of this. She nodded solemnly: “I understand, Brother Xiaofei.” She could feel the terrifying power contained in this fruit and the deep meaning in Li Xiaofei’s words.
During the team’s rest period, Chopper, the little blue-nosed reindeer, mustered up the courage to find Li Xiaofei.
“Mr. Li… Mr. Li Xiaofei,” Chopper spoke timidly, rubbing his two little hooves nervously, “I… I want to go to sea with you! I want to learn more medical skills and help more people in need like those on Magnetic Drum Island!” There was a pure light flashing in his big eyes.
Li Xiaofei looked at the reindeer in front of him that possessed human-like intelligence and secretly admired it in his heart.
He could feel Chopper’s reverence for life and dedication to medical skills, which were the most important qualities to become a great doctor.
“Oh? You want to be a doctor?” Li Xiaofei asked calmly, his sharp eyes seemed to see through Chopper’s heart.
“Yes! Dr. Hiruluk…my benefactor, his lifelong dream was to save this country with medical skills! I want to inherit his legacy!” Chopper’s voice became firm.
Li Xiaofei nodded, then changed the subject and asked casually, “Chopper, since you have lived on Magnetic Drum Island for so long, have you ever heard of… anything about the ‘historical text’?”
Upon hearing this, Chopper’s body suddenly stiffened, then he shook his head, but his eyes unconsciously drifted away: “History…historical text? I…I don’t know what that is…”
Li Xiaofei did not ask further questions, but just looked at Chopper meaningfully: “It’s not easy to follow us. There are dangers everywhere on the sea.”
“I’m not afraid!” Chopper puffed out his chest.
“Okay, I promise you.” Li Xiaofei said with a smile, “Your medical skills will definitely come in handy in the future.”
Chapter 50: Deep in the Drum Mountains (Old Version)
A few days later, under the leadership of the old village chief, Li Xiaofei, Ning Qing, Chopper who had just joined, and several strong villagers, went to the depths of the Cigu Mountains together.
According to the old village chief, there is a relic hidden there that is older than the history of the Drum Kingdom. It is a holy place passed down by ancestors from generation to generation. It is said to contain the secrets of ancient civilization. However, the entrance is covered by ice, snow and rocks all year round, and few people know about it.
After passing through the precipitous frozen canyon and bypassing several natural mazes, they finally found a deep cave behind a huge ice wall.
The entrance of the cave is carved with strange patterns, which are ancient and mysterious, and are out of tune with the surrounding natural environment.
“This is it,” the old village chief panted, with awe in his eyes, “Legend has it that this is where life first originated on Drum Island.”
Li Xiaofei could feel a strange wave coming from deep in the cave, faintly echoing with the system power in his body.
He had an idea and walked in first.
The interior of the cave is wider than expected, and the stone walls are covered with traces of artificial excavation, which obviously shows that a highly developed civilization once operated here.
The air is filled with the dust of time, as if every grain carries a thousand-year-old story.
At the deepest part of the cave, in the center of a huge circular stone hall, stood a black stone slab several meters high.
There are densely packed symbols engraved on the stone slab, which are 70% similar to the historical inscription that Li Xiaofei obtained deep in the Alabasta Desert!
It’s just that the symbols here seem older and more primitive.
“This… this is…” Li Xiaofei’s pupils suddenly contracted and his heart began beating violently uncontrollably.
Could it be that there is also a historical text here?
Or, is it some kind of record related to the historical text?
He suppressed his excitement and slowly stretched out his hand, his fingertips about to touch the cold and rough stone slab.
He could feel that an invisible force was circulating around the stone slab, like a sleeping beast about to be awakened.
The moment his fingertips touched the stone slab—
“Buzz!”
In Li Xiaofei’s mind, the system that had been silent for a long time suddenly roared!
【warn!
A highly consistent ‘blank historical fragment’ was detected, containing incomplete ancient will!
Do you try to absorb and complete it? 】
[Warning! The absorption process may trigger unknown energy tides and is highly uncertain! ]Li Xiaofei’s heart seemed to be grasped by an invisible big hand!
Blank historical fragments!
This thing can actually be absorbed by the system?
What to complete?
What is the ancient will?
He took a deep breath. Opportunities often coexist with risks!
Didn’t he come to this world just to explore these unsolved mysteries and gain more powerful strength?
“Absorb!” He used all his strength to roar these two words in his heart.
In an instant, all the ancient symbols on the stone slabs seemed to come alive, bursting out with an extremely dazzling blue light!
A beam of light as thick as a dragon shot up from the stone slab, penetrated the thick rock layer, tore through the dark clouds over the Magnetic Drum Mountains, and went straight through the sky!
The entire Magnetic Drum Island, no, the nearby sea areas, felt this sudden and terrifying energy fluctuation!
The sky changed color and the sea was raging, as if some forbidden power that had been dormant for thousands of years was completely awakened at this moment!
And in a mysterious sea in the distant new world, on an island floating in the air, a mysterious man wearing a black cloak and with an unclear face was leisurely sipping black tea.
He suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of Drum Island, with a meaningful arc at the corner of his mouth.
“Oh? The sleeping ‘key’… is finally waking up? Earlier than expected. Haha, those idiots of the World Government are probably going to have a headache again…” His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of teasing, but more of it was the calmness and expectation of being in control of everything.
When the light faded, Li Xiaofei felt an indescribable amount of information and strange energy pouring into his body, resonating violently with something hidden deep within the core of the system.
His consciousness seemed to be pulled into a boundless chaotic space. Ancient images emerged like a tide, but they were blurry and difficult to capture.
After releasing all the energy, the symbols on the surface of the black slab gradually faded, and finally turned into an ordinary black rock, breaking in the middle and shattering all over the ground.
Li Xiaofei’s body shook violently, his eyes widened, as if he had seen some incredible sight, and as if he was suffering a huge impact.
The power in his body is undergoing some unknown, earth-shaking transformation… and all this is just the beginning.
The pillar of light that penetrated the sky and earth was like a signal, announcing that the prelude of an ancient era was about to be played again.
Chapter 51: Forbidden Valley (Old Version)
The ancient symbols in his mind emerged and receded like a tide. Li Xiaofei felt dizzy and almost fell down.
“Brother Xiaofei! How are you?” Ning Qing was quick to support his staggering body, his voice full of anxiety.
Li Xiaofei’s face was frighteningly pale, with dense beads of cold sweat oozing from his forehead.
“It’s okay, I’m fine.” Li Xiaofei took a deep breath and forced himself to suppress the churning feeling in his body.
The symbols on the stone slab seemed to have produced some unknown resonance with the system in his body, causing a strong reaction.
At this moment, Leo, who had been vigilantly observing his surroundings, suddenly shouted, “Look over there!” He pointed to the top of a towering snow-capped mountain in the distance.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and saw a faint but not negligible red light against the backdrop of the white snow, flickering faintly on the top of the mountain like the single eye of a dying beast.
A trace of deep fear flashed across the old village chief’s cloudy eyes, and his voice was hoarse and solemn: “That is the ‘Forbidden Valley’… The elders in the village have passed down from generation to generation that there is a terrifying monster sleeping there that can devour everything. Anyone who approaches will be devoured by it along with his soul!”
An all-devouring monster?
Li Xiaofei’s heart moved, thinking of the violent vibration of the system just now and the ancient symbols that emerged in his mind, a strong premonition came to his heart – that red light, that so-called monster, might be inextricably linked to the abnormality of his system, and even to the secret of this relic!
“We must go and take a look!” Li Xiaofei’s eyes were firm and unquestionable.
He could feel that the system in his body was agitated by the red light, as if it was guiding him where to go.
Ning Qing looked at him worriedly: “But, Brother Xiaofei, your body…”
“I’m fine.” Li Xiaofei interrupted her, his tone firm, “There are some things that must be clarified.” He had a hunch that this trip might be full of crises, but it might also contain huge opportunities.
Leo said in a deep voice: “I’ll go with you. The Forbidden Valley sounds very interesting.”
The old village chief sighed, knowing that he could not persuade these young people, so he could only remind them again: “Be careful, that place… is very evil.”
The journey to the Forbidden Valley is far more difficult than imagined.
The snow-capped mountains are steep and the wind is as cold as a knife, making every step extremely difficult.
Li Xiaofei endured the discomfort caused by the shock of his body’s system, and led everyone to climb with extraordinary perseverance.
“Boom boom—”
Suddenly, there was a deafening noise overhead, and large flakes of snow poured down like a flood. It was an avalanche!
“Quick! Find cover!” Leo yelled and quickly determined the path of the avalanche.
Chopper showed the sharpness of a reindeer at the critical moment. He sniffed the air and rushed towards an inconspicuous rock depression.
Everyone followed closely behind and hid inside just before the snow dragon devoured everything.
After the avalanche, the ground was in a mess and the original path was completely buried.
To make matters worse, the ice beneath our feet began to crack.
“Be careful! It’s an ice crack trap!” Ning Qing exclaimed.
Before he could finish his words, a huge crack in the ice quickly spread out in front of them like an open mouth.
Chopper motioned for him to change direction again.
Li Xiaofei trusted Chopper’s judgment and immediately led the team to bypass the area that seemed flat but was actually full of dangers.
There were dangers everywhere along the way, but thanks to Chopper’s warning, they finally escaped without any danger.
When they passed the last snow ridge, Leo suddenly squatted down and carefully observed the traces on the snow: “There are signs of human activity here, and it’s very recent.”
Li Xiaofei’s heart trembled. Could it be that someone else was also eyeing this forbidden valley?
Sure enough, not long after they walked, they found a cave almost completely sealed by thick ice and snow in a closed valley surrounded by steep mountain walls on three sides, like a natural barrier.
On the huge stone door at the entrance of the cave, there was a hideous and ancient totem engraved – Li Xiaofei recognized the style and pattern at a glance. It was a totem from the Rocks era!
“The Rocks era… Could this place be related to that legendary pirate group?” Ning Qing exclaimed in a low voice.
Li Xiaofei’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated. The Rocks era was a period even older and more mysterious than the Roger era, full of unknowns and taboos.
It seems that the secret of this place is much deeper than he imagined.
Chapter 52: The Man in the Cave (Old Version)
The cave was deep, dark and freezing cold, as if it could swallow up even the light.
Leo lit a torch, and the dim light barely dispelled some of the darkness, illuminating the blurry murals on the cave wall, which seemed to depict ancient sacrificial scenes.
The deeper you go, the more oppressive the air becomes.
Li Xiaofei felt the system in his body vibrating more violently, as if something was responding to it from a distance.
Finally, they reached the deepest part of the cave.
A huge but skinny figure, sitting cross-legged on a protruding rock in the center of the cave, slowly emerged at the edge of the flickering firelight.
He was a man with hair as dry as grass and a face like wind-dried leather clinging to his bones. His eyes were the only thing that was sharp like a lone wolf on an ice field, flashing a heart-pounding cold light.
In his hand, he held a pitch-black fruit that exuded an ominous aura.
“Outsiders… After so many years… Is there finally someone who dares to set foot here?” The man’s voice was hoarse and dry, like two pieces of sand and stones rubbing against each other.
Li Xiaofei stepped forward and asked in a deep voice: “Who are you? Why are you here?”
The man opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of broken and yellowed teeth. His smile was strange: “Me? I am Kurt… one of the earliest residents of Magnetic Drum Island. Haha, also an abandoned person.”
There was a trace of pain and resentment in his eyes: “It’s because I ate this damn ghost fruit by mistake!” “It gave me the ability to devour everything, but it also turned me into a monster! The villagers feared me, expelled me, and banished me to this eternal frozen land, leaving me to fend for myself!”
Kurt stood up suddenly. Although he was thin, he carried a suffocating sense of oppression.
He stared at Li Xiaofei: “You shouldn’t have come here, and you shouldn’t have disturbed my sleep!”
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly opened his mouth and a terrifying suction force burst out!
It was not just wind, but a dark vortex that seemed to be able to draw out the soul. The rubble, ice cones, and even the light of the torches in the cave were twisted and sucked into his mouth!
“Be careful!” Li Xiaofei shouted, slammed his feet into the ground, and burst out with all his strength, barely resisting the terrifying suction.
Ning Qing and Chopper had already been blown to the ground, and Leo had to insert the barrel of his heavy artillery deep into the ice to barely stabilize his body.
“A mere mortal wants to resist the devouring power?” A trace of disdain flashed in Kurt’s eyes, and the suction force suddenly increased!
Li Xiaofei felt that all the bones in his body were creaking, and the blood in his body seemed to be forcibly drawn out.
He knew that he couldn’t continue to be so passive!
“Flame-Flame Fruit!” Li Xiaofei roared.
Raging flames burst out from his body, forming a blazing flame barrier, the high temperature instantly distorting the air and temporarily disrupting Kurt’s perception and suction.
“Flame?” A hint of surprise flashed in Kurt’s eyes, and then he became even crazier, “That’s right, I’ll swallow your flame too!”
He opened his mouth wide, and the black hole-like vortex expanded again, and even Li Xiaofei’s flames began to be peeled off and swallowed up bit by bit!
The confrontation between the two sides instantly became intense.
Kurt’s power was beyond imagination. He not only devoured the flames, but even began to devour the rock walls of the cave and the pervasive cold air. With every bit he devoured, his aura became stronger.
What’s even more horrifying is that when Li Xiaofei’s flaming fist hit him, he actually swallowed up the blood and flesh from his own injuries. The wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his strength increased instead of decreased!
He could clearly feel that the power Kurt swallowed was not just material, but seemed to be absorbing some kind of original energy.
The system in his body also became extremely unstable under this devouring force, as if it might be reversely eroded and devoured by the opponent’s strange ability at any time!
This is a real life-and-death duel!
If they cannot defeat Kurt, not only will they die, but the system he has obtained with great difficulty will probably become nourishment for the opponent!
Can’t lose!
In a flash, an extremely bold, even crazy idea formed in Li Xiaofei’s mind!
Since we can’t break in from the outside, let’s break in from the inside!
There was a flash of determination in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth and took the initiative to remove part of his fire defense, allowing Kurt’s terrifying suction to pull him closer!
“Brother Xiaofei!” Ning Qing exclaimed in surprise.
“Looking for death!” Kurt grinned, thinking that Li Xiaofei was exhausted.
Just when he was about to be completely swallowed, Li Xiaofei made an astonishing decision – he stretched out his left arm and allowed Kurt’s terrifying suction to tear off a piece of skin on his arm!
Although there was severe pain, Li Xiaofei’s eyes were unusually bright.
He wanted to use this opportunity to inject the energy in his body system, along with flesh and blood, into the other person’s body!
This is a big gamble!
Kurt only felt a stream of pure flesh and blood energy entering his mouth. He was overjoyed and was about to swallow Li Xiaofei whole, but suddenly his face changed drastically!
He felt that along with the piece of flesh being devoured, a strange, overbearing energy, even with a hint of familiar resonance, surged violently in his body!
“What…what is this?!” Kurt was horrified.
“Do you think you are the only one who can swallow it?” Li Xiaofei endured the severe pain, but a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth.
It turned out that just when the stone slabs resonated, his system had unlocked a hidden mechanism – “reverse devouring”!
As long as certain conditions are met, he can turn passivity into activity and devour the opponent’s original power!
And the voluntary sacrifice of a small piece of flesh and blood containing system energy just now was the key to triggering this mechanism!
The system energy that penetrated into Kurt’s body through the wound was like a maggot on the tarsal bone or a spark that set the prairie on fire. It instantly produced a fierce conflict and fusion with the origin of the Swallowing Fruit in his body!
“No! Impossible! My power… my fruit…” Kurt roared in shock and anger. He could clearly feel that his connection with the ghost fruit was being forcibly stripped away. The energy in his body was being lost at an unprecedented rate and flowing back into Li Xiaofei’s body!
He tried to resist, but the devouring power coming from deep within Li Xiaofei’s system was more overbearing and more primitive than his own ghost fruit!
Kurt’s body began to become unstable, like ice and snow scorched by the scorching sun, gradually melting and becoming ethereal from the edges.
“Ahhhh——!” He roared unwillingly, but was unable to stop his body from collapsing.
Finally, just before his figure was about to completely disappear, his sharp eyes stared at Li Xiaofei, and he murmured with his last bit of strength: “You…you will eventually face…the real…”
Before he finished his words, Kurt’s body completely turned into particles of light and disappeared.
“Hu…Hu…” Li Xiaofei knelt on one knee, gasping for breath. The wound on his left arm healed quickly with the nourishment of the system’s energy.
At this moment, two rays of light suddenly shot out from his eyes!
In my mind, the cold system prompt sounded clearly:
“Ding! New ability combination detected!”
“Target: Kurt, an early resident of Drum Island and the user of the Ghost Fruit.”
“Swallowing is complete! The essence of its devil fruit and part of its life essence have been successfully stripped off and absorbed!”
“Warning! The Flame-Flame Fruit already exists in the host’s body. The energies of the two devil fruits are in conflict!”
“System emergency plan activated: High fusion potential detected between the [Flame-Flame Fruit] and the [Ghost Fruit]!”
“Are you sure you want to merge and generate new abilities?”
Li Xiaofei did not hesitate and silently said in his heart: “Confirm fusion!”
In an instant, an indescribable amount of energy exploded in his body!
The scorching flames of the Flame-Flame Fruit and the all-embracing nature of the Ghost Fruit that had just been absorbed began to intertwine, collide, and merge wildly!
Li Xiaofei only felt that his body seemed to have turned into a furnace. Under the guidance of his will and the system, two completely different forces miraculously began to condense.
The color of the originally raging flames on his body gradually deepened, from bright orange to deep red, and finally, turned into a boiling molten stream that seemed to be able to melt everything!
A sense of power far exceeding the previous Flame-Flame Fruit filled his whole body. Li Xiaofei suddenly looked up to the sky and let out a long roar. Red lava-like energy overflowed from his body, instantly evaporating the surrounding ice and snow!
The system prompt sounded again:
“Fusion successful! Congratulations to the host, a new devil fruit ability – the “Melta-Melta Fruit” is born!”
Molten Fruit!
It is a combination of the extreme scorching heat of flame and the inclusive nature of devouring. It possesses the terrifying high temperature and destructive power of magma, and has the potential to devour and fuse some of its characteristics!