Chapter 119: The Briggik Pirate Crew

Upon the boundless sea, a solitary warship sailed onward.

It had been five days since they left the Little Garden. According to Nami’s calculations, they would reach the Drum Kingdom in about three more days.

During this time, Johnny, the survivor from Saron Island aboard the ship, had been in good condition—perhaps due to a shift in his mindset.

The ship’s doctor said he was no longer in mortal danger, but to fully recover, he would still need treatment from the doctors of the Drum Kingdom.

Standing at the bow, Lolan listened to the system’s prompts, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

Five days ago, when the system recorded the Elbaf “威国” technique, he had resolved to raise its level. Otherwise, when the time came to use it, its power would be insufficient.

After five days of relentless effort, aided by double experience cards, Lolan had just succeeded in elevating the Elbaf 威国 to level 2.

After the incident with Tuchi, Lolan had come to understand something: some things need not be hidden away.

What mattered most was one’s own strength.

As long as he was powerful enough, what did it matter if others envied him?

Before absolute strength, any schemes and tricks were nothing but feeble insects, utterly powerless.

Therefore, during this period, every day after training, Lolan used double experience cards to boost his experience points, his goal to rapidly increase his power.

He never wanted to feel the helplessness of facing a stronger opponent again.

It was one thing if he couldn’t defeat them alone—but he now commanded over a thousand men and could not afford to bring them down with him.

Approaching the bow, Lolan drew out Nara, his gaze sharp as it fixed upon the vast sea ahead.

He wanted to see just how powerful the Elbaf 威国 he wielded now truly was.

“Elbaf—”

With a soft utterance, Lolan’s aura shifted abruptly.

A stream of energy materialized from thin air, slowly converging upon the blade of Nara.

The faintly blue aura was visible to the naked eye, flowing gently with his movements.

“威国!”

At the peak of his gathered momentum, Lolan gave a sharp cry and swung Nara.

Immediately, a mighty slash burst forth, cutting through the air as it streaked toward the horizon.

Though not as domineering as Broggy or Dorry’s strikes, it bore an unstoppable, awe-inspiring power.

Amid the howling tearing of the air, the slash carved a groove over a meter deep into the turbulent sea surface, continuously extending forward.

Though this furrow could not compare to the one Lolan had seen before, it lingered on the water for quite some time before gradually dissipating.

“Lolan, what was that just now?”

Feeling the intense disturbance at the bow, Zoro was instantly roused from sleep and approached Lolan.

When he saw the slash advancing across the sea, he was momentarily stunned in place.

Wasn’t this the technique those two giants at Little Garden used a few days ago? How had Lolan learned it?

Though its power was less than what he had witnessed then, Lolan had only learned it a few days ago.

Lolan nodded with satisfaction, patted Zoro’s shoulder, then returned to his lounge chair, reclining comfortably.

*Sigh,* he thought, *another powerful technique mastered. I am drawing ever closer to the summit of the world!*

Meanwhile, several hundred meters away from the warship, another pirate ship with a strange design sailed steadily across the sea.

“Jess, we’ve been away from the kingdom for so long—surely those pirates have left by now!”

On the bow of the Crown Hippo pirate ship, a large-bellied man draped in a fur cloak, his chin encased entirely in steel, shouted while chewing roasted meat.

“Lord Walpo, we’ve been at sea over a month now. Even if those pirates destroyed Drum Island, they should have left by now,” replied another large man with a peculiar appearance, carrying a bow on his back.

“In that case, let’s quickly find a Log Pose or an Eternal Pose. We’ll return to Drum Island and rebuild my kingdom. Surely my subjects must long for their king,” Walpo said eagerly, swallowing meat and knife whole.

“Lord Walpo! Lord Walpo! There’s an—”

Suddenly, another man wearing gloves hurried over, shouting anxiously.

Before he could finish, the pirate ship lurched violently.

“What’s happening, Cromalimon?” Walpo growled, glaring at the man once the shaking ceased.

“An unknown attack suddenly appeared from the sea. By the time I tried to report it, it was too late,” Cromalimon said nervously, pointing toward the distant sea.

“An unknown attack?”

Walpo frowned, bewildered. Was Cromalimon dazed by the sudden shaking? What did “unknown attack” mean?

A cannonball is a cannonball; a human attack is a human attack. Even an attack by a sea creature would leave some trace.

Following Cromalimon, Walpo led Jess to the site of the incident.

What they saw left Walpo even more confused.

What on earth was this?

The ship’s side appeared to have been cleaved open, as if sliced by some blade, with seawater pouring in steadily.

Inside the cabin, several uniformed men lay strewn about, as if struck down by swords, motionless.

“Isn’t this obviously a sword attack? Why would you say it’s an unknown attack?” Walpo scolded, staring at the large gash.

“But Lord Walpo, did you see any unfamiliar swordsmen here?” Cromalimon shrugged helplessly.

Walpo looked around, finding no stranger swordsmen besides his own men.

So what was going on?

“Where did the attack come from?”

After pondering, Walpo suddenly asked.

“There,” Cromalimon pointed toward the distant sea where a ship’s silhouette was slowly approaching.

“Jess, Cromalimon, order the crew to get the ship underway and hide it beneath the waves. I want those bastards to learn what happens when they attack me!”

Walpo bit down hard on the dagger skewered with roasted meat, fury blazing.

Anyone who would appear here and launch an attack must be pirates.

But how strong could a pirate crew be here? He was the king of the Drum Kingdom, commanding a formidable army. Surely he could handle a pirate crew.

Moreover, these pirates came at a perfect time—he was just in need of a Log Pose or Eternal Pose. Taking one from them would both exact revenge and help him find the way home.

Truly, a perfect win-win situation.