Boom!
"Ah! Help, help!"
Shaking his head, after dispatching another pirate ship that had come to its doom, A Luo blew on the muzzle of his gun, coolly holstered it, and turned to lean against the ship's railing at the bow, looking at Kohta who was reading in a lounge chair.
"Kohta, don't these guys have brains? The difference in our strength is immense, why do they still rush in like moths to a flame, to their deaths!"
Putting down his book, Kohta looked up at A Luo and smiled faintly, "The world is vast and expansive, and the spread of information relies solely on newspapers and word of mouth. Therefore, many people live in their own perceived worlds."
"Add to that, whether it's the World Government or the news agencies in this world, their reports only mention that so-and-so is strong, but never explain where their strength lies."
"This leads to people in this world not understanding strength from newspapers, but from their own personal experiences."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "This results in most people's cognitive limits not being raised. They only realize the gap between themselves and the strong after experiencing it."
"This is also why many pirates are arrogant, because in their perception, they are the strongest."
"And pirates who can sail to this point, to these waters just a short voyage away from the New World, will even have the thought that they are the best in the world, because they are the ones who have survived the culling of countless pirates to reach here."
"Oh!"
A Luo nodded, "So that's how it is!"
"I was wondering why these guys all had such arrogant looks, as if they were the center of the universe and feared no one."
"Wait, that's not right."
Ah Hua suddenly thought of something and looked up at Kohta, "Aren't there bounties?"
"Bounties..."
Kohta picked up the juice from the nearby coffee table, took a sip, and then smiled, "Do you think these things can really stop those arrogant individuals?"
"Do you know what they go out to sea for?"
"Isn't it for fame and fortune?"
"And our heads are precisely that fame and fortune."
Putting down the juice, Kohta looked at A Luo, who was deep in thought, and smiled, "Understand?"
"Oh!"
Nodding, A Luo straightened up, his confusion gone from his eyes, "I understand."
*Slap—!*
At that moment, a large hand suddenly slapped heavily on A Luo's shoulder from beside him.
Ah Hua turned around, adjusted his glasses, and sneered at A Luo, "You still need to ask Kohta such a simple question? I figured it out long ago, you're really slow!"
"Want to fight?"
Pushing Ah Hua's hand away, A Luo slowly turned around, glaring at Ah Hua with burning eyes.
Ah Hua acted as if he couldn't feel A Luo's anger, and said contemptuously, "Come on! It's been a while since we fought. Watching you beat up pirates has made my hands itch."
As he spoke, his gaze met A Luo's, and instantly, the air around them seemed to freeze, as if a bolt of lightning had erupted between their eyes.
*Crackle！！*
"Uh..."
But this wasn't their lightning.
As if sensing something, they both simultaneously withdrew their auras, turned, and cautiously glanced at Kuina, who was sitting cross-legged on a cushion nearby, cultivating.
Seeing more blue arcs of electricity on her than before, they quickly averted their gazes, exchanged a look, and simultaneously turned their heads to the sides.
Kohta glanced at the two of them, shook his head, put down his cup, and picked up his book to continue reading.
After Robin joined the ship, he spent most of his time reading the books Robin brought.
He didn't like history books, even though they were books about understanding this world, they were of no use to him. So, he mostly read storybooks.
"Yohohoho~"
"Mr. Kohta, an island, I see an island."
From the crow's nest, Brook lowered his telescope, leaned on the railing, and shouted loudly down to the bow.
After joining the ship, Brook spent most of his time with the others on board. Perhaps he had been lonely for too long! He always wanted to help out.
However, he couldn't cook, and he often broke bowls even when washing dishes. So, Ah Hua usually didn't let him help. As for A Tao, there was generally nothing for him to do, so she didn't need him either. As for Indigo...
Forget it!
Although Indigo was quite interested in Brook's skeletal body, he didn't have any intentions of experimenting on a crewmate's body yet, so Brook couldn't help much.
As for Kohta, Kuina, and Robin, they were the most idle on the ship. Kohta spent his time eating, drinking, and reading. Robin read books, and Kuina cultivated. So, Brook couldn't help with anything.
Among them, only A Luo's work could be helped by him. So, when he was bored, he would always go to the crow's nest to take over A Luo's job.
On one hand, he genuinely wanted to do something for everyone, and on the other hand, he had stayed in the Devil's Triangle for too long, so he was filled with a sense of novelty for this world, especially the world under the sun, as if he couldn't get enough of it.
"Hmm! Got it."
Kohta put down his book, turned, and extended his hand, giving Brook in the crow's nest an "ok" gesture.
"Where's the island?"
Hearing Brook's voice, A Luo quickly turned his head and looked forward. After searching for a while, he finally saw it.
"It really is an island!"
Due to the great distance, only a black speck could be seen, and without a close look, this speck was barely visible.
Coupled with the undulation of the sea, the black speck appeared and disappeared.
Of course, Brook, standing at a higher vantage point with his telescope, should be able to see it clearly.
"Brook, is it the Sabaody Archipelago?"
Ah Hua turned and looked towards the crow's nest.
"I don't know, I've never been to the Sabaody Archipelago either, but judging by the size of the island, it should be."
"Oh..."
Hearing that it was the Sabaody Archipelago, everyone became excited.
Even Kuina, who was cultivating, withdrew the currents from her body, opened her eyes, a flash of electricity in her irises, and then stood up.
Amidst everyone's anticipation, the Freedom gradually moved forward.
The ships around them also began to increase, and like converging rivers, they all headed towards the island ahead.
Among these ships, they also saw other pirate crews. However, for some reason, these pirate crews were no longer like the ones they had encountered before, pouncing towards them like predatory beasts the moment they saw them.
Instead, they seemed to be afraid of them, and as soon as they saw their flag, they automatically turned away, keeping their distance.
This made Ah Hua, who had already gripped the handle of his gun, Meigou, and prepared to fire, wear a look of confusion.
"What's wrong with these guys?"
He retracted Meigou and turned to Kohta.
"What else could be wrong?"
"They're afraid of us!"
Before Kohta could reply, Ah Hua spoke.
He adjusted his glasses, looking profound, and then looked down at A Luo from a superior position, "We've killed so many pirates, and there are bound to be a few who miraculously survived. And those who know about us, if they still dare to rush in and seek death, they are truly idiots."
"And idiots cannot survive to sail to this point."
"Understand?"
A Luo frowned and stared at Ah Hua, "I don't need you to lecture me."
Although he understood in his heart that Ah Hua was right, his words came out as argumentative.
"Hahaha!!"
Ah Hua chuckled, feigning an air of magnanimity, then turned to look at the island that was gradually coming into focus ahead.
The last island of the Paradise, in the first half of the Grand Line. What awaits them there?
"I'm really looking forward to it."
"Caw caw!!"
And at this moment, a large number of seagulls began to appear in the sky, following the ship forward.
That island ahead must be their temporary resting place.