One Piece: The World's Strongest in Roger's Era

Chapter 178 Douglas Barrett!!!

A country of endless war, as the name suggests.

It is a kingdom with constant civil war and artillery fire. Rebellions are rising up everywhere, the royal family is exploiting the lower classes, and the lower classes are rising up in resistance. Such dramas are constantly being played out, ended, and played out again in this kingdom.

Barrett, an orphan since birth, was taken in by General Douglas and became a child soldier under his command. He started going to the battlefield and stepping on landmines at the age of 8.

Because of his outstanding military achievements and extraordinary talent, he was adopted as a son by General Douglas and named "Douglas Barrett". He became a national hero at the age of 13.

Barrett stood still and stopped attacking:

"Then why did you send Yas and the others to the front? They are just a group of teenagers. There are so many adult soldiers, why did you send them?!"

Barrett asked angrily, and he didn't know when he was surrounded by soldiers holding flintlock rifles.

The general dusted himself off and replied:

"It is a general's duty to make reasonable and correct choices when necessary. Barrett, if you were not in the Expo and had other important matters to attend to, I would definitely send you to the front line. If you were there, they would not have died in the battle."

Barrett was speechless, with a complicated expression.

At this moment, he was standing at an important crossroads in his life.

He has two choices.

Trust Lex, kill the general, and take Xiao Fei away from here.

Believe in the general and continue to be his hero in a country with endless wars, but those former brothers will have died in vain.

Barrett didn't know what to do. Such a heavy choice was too difficult for the 13-year-old him.

In a different space——

Lex watched the scene expressionlessly. He did not interfere at all and just watched quietly.

Xiao Fei stood behind Barrett, her head lowered, her golden bangs covering her eyes, making it impossible to see her expression.

She walked closer to Barrett, put her hand on his arm, and spoke softly:

"...Brother Barrett, what did the general do? Why did this happen?"

Barrett looked at the general in front of him who remained calm. The general looked straight at Barrett with a firm gaze, and there was no sign of betrayal on his part.

The soldiers were pointing fingers at Barrett, seeming to be extremely disgusted by his offensive and bad behavior.

There are still clouds in the sky, the summer wind is hot, and the ends of my hair are slightly sweaty.

Barrett felt a little sad when he heard Xiao Fei's words. He turned around slowly and whispered:

"General, actually——…………!!!~"

For a moment, Barrett's face was filled with pain. He looked at the blonde girl who was much shorter than him in disbelief, but the girl's graceful figure remained the same.

But her behavior made Barrett extremely painful.

His pupils moved downwards, staring at the girl's fair wrist, and the dagger held in her wrist!!!

Barrett looked at Xiaofei's eyes in confusion. He didn't understand why the girl who had followed him since childhood wanted to stab him.

Xiao Fei had no expression on her face:

"This dagger is coated with Akaras poison, you know there is no antidote."

The general clapped his hands triumphantly:

"Barrett, how does it feel? How does it feel to be betrayed by your last companion?"

The general's repeated questions, Xiao Fei's cold presence on both sides, the mocking voices of the surrounding soldiers, the summer breeze blowing past his ears, and the heat of the sun in the sky formed a strange world in front of Barrett.

His mind went blank and his brain froze. He had no time to think about Xiaofei's betrayal and the general's conspiracy.

He felt powerless, not because of the poison on the dagger, nor because of the blood plasma gushing out.

To this sick world.

Xiao Fei spoke softly:

"I'm sorry, Brother Barrett. Everyone was killed by the general. I must find a better backer. A weak woman is not qualified to live in a country with endless wars—"

Before Xiao Fei finished speaking, Barrett suddenly spoke. His voice was not very loud, but it seemed very weak and empty:

"Then why can't you follow me?"

Xiao Fei looked sad:

"You know, as a woman, everything I have belongs to the general. When I learned about the general's plan, I had no choice, you know? Brother Barrett, I am very grateful for your care over the past few years, but, but...if you want to blame someone, blame the world. It gave us life, but did not give us the power to choose our own destiny..."

Barrett felt the blood flowing. Xiaofei did not leave his side. She believed that Barrett would not kill her in the last moments of her life.

She is also a poor person who is teased by fate.

The general took the gun handed to him by the soldier beside him, pointed the shiny black muzzle at Barrett, and said in a cold voice:

"Barrett, you are the only one in this kingdom who is still intoxicated with the beautiful dream of the uprising war. The so-called uprising war has already deteriorated! It is nothing more than a dispute over the interests of the rulers of both sides. I want to end this dispute and restore peace to this kingdom. So, I'm sorry, my adopted son, I can only ask you to die."

Barrett remained silent, fate mocking the 13-year-old 'kingdom hero'.

After a while, he spoke weakly:

"…So, I am the only one who is the biggest obstacle to your restoration of peace?"

The general nodded proudly:

"Yes, of course, and your boy soldiers. To be honest, if it weren't for you boy soldiers, I really wouldn't be able to get to where I am today. Unfortunately,... peace is more important than anything else."

Barrett was even more silent:

"…I am a hindrance to this kingdom?"

He seemed to be asking himself, and also seemed to be asking the people around him.

At this moment, the general stopped explaining. He was ready to shoot and completely eliminate the poisoned Barrett.

Xiaofei was also silent, with a few tears in the corners of her eyes.

The surrounding soldiers were silent. In fact, they admired Barrett very much.

None of them answered Barrett's question.

Except for Lex in the different space.

[…When you questioned the world, weren’t you already shaken? Young man…]

Lex's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Barrett remained expressionless and continued to ask:

"Questioning the world? No, I just want to ask, is there really anyone who is always worthy of trust?"

The general, Xiao Fei, and the soldiers all looked strange. They didn't know who Barrett was talking to, they just thought he was completely stupid.

The general's eyes turned fierce and he pulled the trigger!

boom! ! ~

Bullets are coming towards Barrett!!!

Barrett didn't dodge or evade, and didn't care at all.

The moment the bullet approached Barrett, it slowly disappeared into the void.

The general was surprised and fired several more shots, but without exception, all the bullets disappeared into the void.

Lex's voice resounded in Barrett's mind again:

[Young man... you must lose something before you can gain enlightenment...]

Barrett was silent and stopped talking. He looked around and finally glanced at Xiaofei.

Then he closed his eyes and said slowly:

"...Mr. Lex, I agree to all your requests..."