https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-580-Governments-Are-Not-All-the-Same/13538640/
Chapter 581: Where's Old Mantreasury?
Chapter 581: Where’s Old Mantreasury?
"What, you think only pirates can fly, so the Navy can't?" Kuro lowered his gaze at them coldly.
"Haha, I never said that!" Roger laughed heartily. "But flying sure is convenient!"
"Old Man isn't just capable of flight", Kuro said, slowly raising his hand and biting his cigar. "He can also give you a little pleasantly surprised!"
Confirmed.
He couldn't beat this guy.
Not just "couldn't" - he was genuinely outmatched.
This Roger existed in a time before completing his voyage.
After finishing his journey, Roger had turned himself in, and his pirate crew had disbanded. Since they were all still here, that meant they hadn't reached Laugh Tale or accomplished the feat the world called 'One Piece'.
Back then, Roger had already been on death's door. As for this timeline? Kuro didn't know if he was sick yet.
But this guy was strong - absurdly strong. Kuro could feel it.
He himself still had some distance to go before reaching the pinnacle, let alone facing someone who'd surpassed that ceiling.
And Roger wasn't the only opponent here. If they all attacked together, he'd be finished.
Especially now, when no one in the Navy even knew who he was. Did he really expect rescue?
But the Float-Float Fruit was a tricky ability.
"If I can't beat you, I'll just make sure you can't touch me either!"
Kuro raised his hand toward the sky, his expression turning gruesome. "Perfect. I'll finish all of you here!"
This archipelago was currently deserted. The only presences he could sense were these people. The land's size couldn't possibly exceed his Heavenly Treasure Vault!
The wind began howling.
The air grew oppressively heavy.
Roger gripped his blade, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh! Something's coming! How exciting!"
"Excited? How about Old Man gives you Aokiji's Ice Age instead!"
Kuro snarled, "Go get excited at the bottom of the sea!"
He began clenching his five fingers into a fist.
But halfway through the motion, he suddenly froze, instinctively looking up at the clear, cloudless sky. Silence fell.
The atmosphere turned instantly...
Tense.
After a long pause, Jaba beside him said, "Hey, Navy Brother, what's wrong? Aren't you ready yet?"
Kuro twitched his lips. Autumn Water slashed out directly, releasing two crescent-shaped slashes. "Shut up!"
Jaba's eyes widened. Twin axes swept upward, releasing Haki to cut through the Flying Slash.
"Hmm? This attack style feels oddly familiar", Jaba muttered, analyzing the slash.
Roger smiled at Kuro. "Brother, not ready yet?"
Kuro's lips twitched. He wanted to be ready, but the problem was...
His Heavenly Treasure Vault wasn't in this timeline!
Feld the Hidden had transported him here, but his ability's manifestation still damn well remained in the original timeline's sky!
One of his ultimate trump cards was now gone.
Old Mantreasury was gone!!
...
In the sky, Feld the Hidden used Moonstep to slide forward at high speed. Glancing back, he sighed, "Must you chase me this relentlessly?"
Behind him, Lida and Klah flanked left and right, matching his pursuit with their own Moonsteps.
"Wolf Dash Cannon!"
Klah transformed into a five-meter-tall beastman form. His chest inflated as he unleashed a shockwave of black energy.
Feld the Hidden stomped mid-air, dodging sideways. Before his body fully stabilized, he kicked off again, propelling himself higher.
A wisp of black energy had just shot from his previous position.
Lida clenched his hands together, roaring, "Give Kuro back!"
"I already said, Officer, it's impossible unless I die. My ability can't be undone otherwise. I don't have the power to send people back to this timeline. For people from the past, returning here is equivalent to time-traveling to the future."
Feld the Hidden continued, "Can't you wait a bit? I don't have long to live. Before then, let me experience what Captain always called 'interest-driven' actions. He did them so often - I've always wanted to try myself."
"In their final moments, indulging in a bit of recklessness like Captain did sounds nice."
"Come to think of it, our Captain was always so headstrong. I used to wonder what kind of family raised him to be so recklessly bold. But now I see... it's impossible to understand. Yet Captain could still be so recklessly audacious - truly admirable."
Feld the Hidden grew nostalgic. "As for me, I could never do such things. Even if I didn't follow my father's path, I'd still live within his rules. Captain had incredible courage."
"I don't want to hear your nonsense!" Lida screamed. "If you have to die for Kuro to return, then hurry up and die! Your current speed can't save this island anymore! You lost that chance the moment you took Kuro away!"
Feld the Hidden smiled. "Though I'm old, dodging you lot now is still possible."
"Lida misspoke", Klah interjected, his forehead sweating. "Even if we don't stop you, you're already too late."
"Don't underestimate me! At least I'm..."
Feld the Hidden's words cut off as he suddenly sensed something. Looking up at the sky, his pupils contracted to pinpricks.
Drip. Drop.
Rain began falling.
The weather had been clear, yet bewilderingly, rain poured down. Not just over the island - the rain curtain stretched endlessly, covering the entire archipelago and distant sea areas beyond visual range.
Darkness swallowed the sky.
The sun vanished behind a colossal shadow.
Beneath the cloud layer, it was as if the sea area had flipped upside down. An irregularly shaped landmass descended from the clouds, its edges revealing faint traces of earth beneath the falling seawater.
Feld the Hidden's forehead beaded with sweat. "Could it be..."
"You guessed right", Klah's wolf mouth bared fangs. "You took Kuro away, but not his collected treasures. When that falls, this archipelago will vanish without needing your 'earthquake'."
Earthquake?
Who needed earthquakes?
The moment Kuro's ability failed, whether from death or even just severe injury causing unconsciousness, the area he occupied would certainly be destroyed.
Most critically - they were still here.
Even if they wanted to retreat, they couldn't escape the range of the Heavenly Treasure Vault.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
