One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 55

The one-eyed giant continued his incitement: "Once we capture the palace, all the gold and silver treasures inside will be ours!"

"That's right, following the boss means you'll get what you deserve!"

"And there are also noble beauties!"

The bandits' cheers were deafening.

Dadan stared at the frenzied crowd, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She secretly touched a packet of sleeping pills hidden in her bosom; this was her last resort.

Under the cover of night, Ace and his five companions crept to the outskirts of the bandits' camp. Hiding behind the bushes, they could see campfires burning and figures moving about, with rough shouts carried on the wind.

“There are quite a few people.” Sabo lowered his voice, his brows furrowing slightly.

Luffy craned his neck, stretching his rubber neck out, and asked, "Where's Dadan? If I save her, will I get to treat everyone to a meal?"

"Don't rush," Kuina said, pressing down on his straw hat. "Let's find the person first."

Robin closed her eyes and concentrated, using her Flower-Flower Fruit ability to survey the situation. After a moment, she opened her eyes: "There's a high platform in the center of the camp. That one-eyed giant should be the leader. But... I've never seen Danda before, so I can't pinpoint her location."

Ace, however, saw Dadan and a group of familiar faces squeezed on the periphery of the crowd from afar, all looking tense and out of place with the frenzied atmosphere around them.

“I’ve found them, but it seems… Dadan and the others were forced into it.” Ace quickly concluded, his eyes sharpening. “I have to get them out.”

"What do we do?" Sabo looked at him. "Just charge in?"

Ace grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "What else?"

He took a deep breath, stopped hiding, and strode out from behind the bushes, heading straight for the center of the camp.

Sabo, Luffy, Kuina, and Robin exchanged glances, then reluctantly followed behind without showing any fear.

Those who have awakened Conqueror's Haki are indeed becoming more and more domineering!

Their appearance immediately caused a commotion.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" Several bandits guarding the perimeter surrounded them, brandishing knives.

Ace didn't even glance at them, his gaze fixed on the one-eyed leader on the distant high platform, his steps never faltering.

"You're asking for death!" A bandit swung his knife at him.

Ace didn't even make a move; he merely released a slight aura. The bandit, as if crashing into an invisible wall, groaned and flew backward.

This was like stirring up a hornet's nest, and even more bandits charged over, shouting.

"Rubber rubber--bazooka!"

Luffy suddenly stretched his arms back and then shot them out like cannonballs, sending five or six people flying.

Sabo drew his pipe and Kuina's sword simultaneously, precisely parrying the incoming weapon with clean and swift movements, and then immediately counterattacked to stun her.

Robin crossed his arms in front of his chest and whispered, "Floral Blossoms - Hook Claw!"

Suddenly, countless arms grew from the charging bandits, grabbing their joints and vital points, and instantly felling a whole group of them.

The five men drove themselves into the camp like wedges, causing chaos and defeat wherever they went, with no one able to stop their advance.

The one-eyed leader on the high platform finally noticed the commotion. He narrowed his single eye and boomed, "Where did this brat come from, daring to cause trouble on my territory?!"

Ace finally stopped, looked up and met the gaze of the one-eyed leader, his voice carrying clearly throughout the camp: "I've come to take Dadan's family away."

The camp fell silent instantly, and all the bandits' eyes were fixed on the black-haired boy.

The one-eyed leader seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and threw his head back and laughed wildly: "You? A brat who hasn't even grown his first hair?!"

He abruptly stopped laughing, his single eye flashing with a fierce light: "Take him down! Dead or alive!"

More bandits surged in like a tide, surrounding the five of them.

Ace looked at the densely packed enemies surging towards him and took a deep breath. He recalled the year of arduous training, and the feeling of awakening Conqueror's Haki—that majesty and power that surpassed all living beings.

He closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them!

An invisible wave of energy erupted from him! The shockwave, as tangible as a physical object, instantly swept across the entire camp!

"Om-!"

The closest bandits were struck as if by a heavy hammer; their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed in droves. Those a little further away also staggered, unable to stand steadily. Only a few of the stronger ones could barely stand, but they were also pale-faced and utterly terrified.

In just a moment, most of the hundreds of bandits fell! A large area in the center of the camp was empty, with only Ace and his five companions still standing firmly in place, their clothes fluttering without wind.

Conqueror's Haki, fully activated!

The one-eyed leader on the platform stumbled, grabbing the railing to keep from falling. He stared incredulously at the black-haired boy below, his voice trembling: "Conqueror's Haki?! How could someone from the East Blue, the weakest of the four seas, awaken Conqueror's Haki?!"

The surviving bandits who were still able to stand looked at Ace with fear in their eyes, and no one dared to take another step forward.

Ace surveyed the ravaged camp, his gaze returning to the high platform. His voice was calm yet carried an undeniable authority: "Now, may I leave with my men?"

The one-eyed leader's face was ashen, his lips trembling, yet he couldn't utter a single word. Faced with absolute power, all his ambition and arrogance seemed utterly laughable.

Just then, a familiar loud voice came from the southeast corner:

"Make way! Make way! Didn't you hear me? My nephew is here to pick us up!"

Dadan, hands on her hips, shoved aside the people blocking her way and swaggered out with her group. There was no trace of her earlier nervousness on her face; she was practically bursting with smugness.

She walked over to Ace, patted him hard on the back, and then loudly announced to the entire audience:

"Look closely! This is my nephew Ace! My own son! And these few too..."

She then pointed to Sabo, Luffy, Kuina, and Robin, suddenly feeling overwhelmed: "That's right... they're all my nieces and nephews! Keep your eyes open from now on!"

She turned to the one-eyed leader on the platform, who looked ashen-faced, and snorted, "As for you, you still want to be the bandit king? What a joke! With my nephew here, who gave you the right to be king? If anyone should be king, it should be my nephew Ace!"

The surviving bandits looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, someone started to stir, and the crowd began to commotion.

"Boss Ace!"

"Boss Ace!"

"The new bandit king!"

“That’s right. Since Ace is one of Danda’s band of mountain bandits, he’s obviously one of our own. So he’s our bandit king!”

"Mountain Bandit King Ace!"

The shouts were initially chaotic, but gradually coalesced into a unified wave that resounded throughout the mountains and forests.

Dadan was stunned. Her original intention was simply to use Ace's imposing presence to escape, but she hadn't expected things to turn out this way. She glanced at the expressionless Ace beside her, then at the frenzied crowd around her, scratched her messy hair, and suddenly thought... this might not be so bad?

"Yes, that's right, from now on Ace will be everyone's bandit king... Hahahaha!"

Ace sighed helplessly, glanced at the smug Dadan beside him, and then looked at the bandits around him who worshipped him like a god.

He seems to have inexplicably become the nominal "king" of this group of mountain bandits?

Sabo suppressed a laugh and whispered to Kuina and Robin, "This is getting interesting."

Luffy, completely bewildered, tugged at Ace's sleeve and asked, "Ace, are you the Mountain Bandit King now? Can you still be the Pirate King?"

Ace: "..."

A few days later, in the early morning, an atmosphere of farewell filled the air in front of the cabin on Mount Colbo.

Liu Jiu, carrying a simple bag, nodded to Lu Jiu: "It's time to go."

Kuina and Robin had already packed their things and were standing behind him.

"Are you leaving already?" Rouge asked, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Ace stood beside his mother, his expression complex. He had just inexplicably become the bandit king, and now he had to face the departure of his comrades.

"All good things must come to an end," Liu Jiu said calmly. "Those two have been out for so long; it's time for them to go back."

Luffy tugged at Kuina's sleeve: "Can't we stay a few more days?"

Kuina gently ruffled his straw hat, a rare occurrence for her. "We'll meet again when you go out to sea."

Sabo opened his mouth, feeling reluctant, but knowing they would meet again in the future, he chose to remain silent.

The group saw them off all the way to the seaside.

As the sun rises, it turns the sea golden.

Liu Jiu boarded the small boat first, followed closely by Kuina and Robin.

Liu Jiu said one last thing to Lu Jiu before setting sail.

The small boat gradually drifted away and eventually disappeared into the morning light.

Ace stared at the vast sea and clenched his fists. He had just become the bandit king, but he felt as if he had lost something important.

Rouge gently patted his shoulder: "Everyone has their own path to walk."

Luffy suddenly shouted, "I will definitely become the Pirate King! Then we'll meet again on the high seas!"

The sea breeze carries the sorrow of parting, but also the anticipation of the future.

The days the small boat spent sailing in the East China Sea were uneventful.

The occasional appearance of pirate ships always caught Kuina's eye, but she couldn't hide her disappointment after each encounter.

These so-called pirates don't even have the right to make her take them seriously; they usually crumble in just a few exchanges.

She began to understand why the East China Sea was called the weakest sea.

Robin buried herself in books all day, occasionally glancing up at the horizon. She had little interest in battle, but she meticulously recorded the ocean currents and island features along the way.

Liu Jiu remained seated at the bow of the boat, like a silent statue. His gaze was always fixed on the distance, as if waiting for something.

The sea breeze blew continuously, carrying a salty smell. The sail rigging rhythmically beat against the mast, blending with the sound of the waves, becoming the most frequent sound during this voyage.

Kuina wiped her sword, the blade reflecting her slightly bored expression. This tranquil voyage was a far cry from the adventure she had initially envisioned when she set sail.

At that moment, another black dot appeared in the distance, which looked like a merchant ship.

Guina glanced at it but lost interest; she never fought women, children, or the elderly.

The seemingly ordinary merchant ship suddenly dropped its camouflage when it got close enough.

A black pirate flag fluttered in the wind, its surface adorned with a strange black cat design.

"It's the Black Cat Pirates!" Robin looked up from her book, her tone wary. "The captain's name is Kuro, infamous for his cruelty and cunning. To this day, no one knows what he looks like."

"Really? Since he's a famous pirate, he must be quite strong!"

Kuina finally became interested when she noticed a tall, thin man wearing glasses standing at the bow of the other ship.