NOVEL NEXT Chapter 148: Chapter 148
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"Nine Snake Pirates?" Arthur read the newspaper while eating.
Thinking of the beautiful woman, he couldn't help but admire her. The figure and beauty of the Empress, Boa Hancock, were infinitely captivating, making her more alluring than Shirahoshi.
Seeing Hancock's news in the paper reminded Arthur of the uninhabited island in the northwest, near Hydra Island—Rusukaina, a place teeming with mighty beasts.
In the original story, after the Battle of Marineford, Luffy had trained on that very island.
The beasts there were at the level of elite major generals, and Rayleigh had estimated that over 500 of them were too strong for Luffy to defeat.
If someone could train on that island and survive, they could emerge as a powerhouse even stronger than a lieutenant general.
"It's decided! The next training ground will be that island! With its extreme seasonal changes every week, it's the perfect place for the legions!"
Arthur suddenly thought of this ideal location for rigorous training and prepared to check it out. But before he went, he made a quick trip to the moon.
A day later, flying through the air, Arthur spotted Amazon Lily, and just northwest of it was the destination he sought—Rusukaina.
With a gentle swoosh, Arthur descended from the sky and landed on the island.
At that moment, he witnessed the seasons changing rapidly, confirming his suspicions about the island's training potential.
"Indeed, this island is perfect for training; the brutal and extreme climate is just what I need," he noted, satisfied by the intensity of the seasonal shifts.
As he attuned himself to the island, even Arthur was taken aback. "It seems that in the original plot, Rayleigh didn't fully assess this island."
At the level of a relatively strong elite major general, there were nearly 800 beasts on the island that Luffy couldn't defeat.
"Among these beasts, there are 500 at the rank of lieutenant general and over 200 at the rank of major general. Nearly 100 are elite-level, and five have reached elite lieutenant general status! No wonder Luffy left here with quasi-Admiral strength," he realized, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
If he threw his remaining eight legions onto this island, their strength growth would rival that of the Flame and Kamui legions in the New World's G5 branch.
"Hmm… I don't need to rely on my Devil Fruit abilities; I'll test my strength myself!" After muttering this, Arthur vanished from the island.
Meanwhile, on Amazon Lily, in the palace of the Nine Snakes:
A graceful woman lounged lazily on a python, lost in thought.
"Master Hancock!" A warrior from Nine Snake Island entered, glancing at Hancock with a flushed face before whispering.
"Huh?" Hancock snapped back to reality, looking at the soldier. "What is it?"
Despite Hancock's arrogant demeanor, the soldier remained unfazed. "Lord Hancock, something unusual is happening on the island to the northwest."
"What kind of change?" Hancock asked, resting her chin on her hand.
"The monsters on that island have gone wild. It seems something has appeared there, possibly even a person," the warrior reported.
"What? Someone? This is the Calm Belt!" Hancock frowned.
"I don't know for sure, but it seems something is battling the beasts on that island. The whole island is in chaos. We didn't see anyone pass by the sea, and Sea Kings wouldn't venture deep into the island," the soldier explained, shaking her head.
Hancock pondered the situation. If no one had passed by, then it might have come from the sky. It was unlikely for Sea Kings to approach the island unless they were searching for food.
"Prepare the boat; I will go investigate. It's time for some looting," Hancock ordered, rising from her seat and heading back to her palace.
Half an hour later, amidst the farewells of the people of Nine Snake Island, Hancock boarded the boat, which was pulled away from the island by a giant snake.
At this moment, on the uninhabited island of Rusukaina...
Arthur faced the five strongest beasts on the island, which were all close to the elite lieutenant general level. Despite their formidable strength, he didn't rely on his abilities and easily defeated all 100 beasts, including the five strongest monsters.
The five monsters were incredibly powerful; their strength was no joke! Even if a professor had given them Armament Haki, it would take someone at the quasi-Admiral level to subdue them consistently. Even now, these beasts could hold their own against elite lieutenant generals.
"You five will be my subordinates from now on! Here, I will be the new king! Do you understand?" Arthur smiled, watching as the beasts nodded in fear and respect.
With this newfound strength, his army could begin to grow stronger again.
After assuring the five beasts of their new roles, Arthur took to the skies.
**Hum~**
Arthur unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, the strongest in the world, which enveloped the entire island.
In an instant, all the creatures on the island, still terrified by the chaos wrought by the powerful beasts, trembled as if they were quails. Those without the combat power of a major general were left stunned.
This was also why Arthur hadn't gone all out; if he did, anyone with insufficient willpower would be incapacitated, regardless of their strength. After all, Conqueror's Haki impacts willpower, not mere physical might.
"From today onward, I am the master of this island! No creatures are allowed near the ruins of my kingdom!"
Arthur knew that these creatures were intelligent. Although he didn't fully understand why, he figured it would be beneficial to issue a warning in advance to maintain control over the territory for training purposes later.
"Alright, you all go back! Remember, supervise the area for me. Without my permission, no creatures are allowed to approach this site." Arthur landed on the ground, commanded the beasts, and then disappeared from sight.
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He had noticed the ship of the Snake Ji Pirate Group in the air earlier, but he didn't know if they had seen him. Arthur perched atop a large tree, waiting for the Nine Snakes and Pirates, who were still a bit distant.
Not long after, a red ship, pulled by two giant snakes, glided toward the shore.
*Bang bang bang~*
The female warriors on the boat disembarked one after another, and soon after, Boa Hancock appeared on the bow.
Hancock frowned slightly, sensing the island's atmosphere. Even she wasn't sure she could navigate it safely; those monsters were incredibly powerful!
"Meet again, Hancock," Arthur's voice rang out.
Hancock's expression changed as she finally noticed him sitting on the big tree nearby.
"Sister! It's King Arthur!" Sandersonia exclaimed, her face paling at the sight of him. She looked at Arthur with trepidation, knowing he was one of the world's top powerhouses. What could he possibly want here?
Arthur's presence caused the female warriors of Nine Snake Island to nervously draw their snake bows, aiming arrows in his direction.
"Stand down!" Hancock commanded. She knew that such low-level tactics were useless against someone of Arthur's caliber; if he felt threatened, he might retaliate. Despite her aloof demeanor, she genuinely cared for her people and their safety.
"What are you doing here? This place is of no use to you, right?" Hancock frowned, keeping her distance.
"This island is very useful to me. I intend to let my legion train here! So from now on, it will be my territory! We will be neighbors," Arthur replied, grinning at Hancock, his gaze admiring her captivating beauty.
"What? No!" Hancock exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"It's not for you to decide." In an instant, Arthur teleported from the tree to stand next to Hancock.
"Sister! Be careful!" Sandersonia shouted, alarmed.
"Master Hancock, be careful!" The other female warriors watched nervously, none daring to attack Arthur, fully aware of his overwhelming strength.
Ignoring their anxious glances, Arthur leaned closer to Hancock, a playful smile on his face as he lifted her chin.
"Have you forgotten what I said at the beginning?"