You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
Across the endless sea, the ocean wind swept over the waves, stirring layer upon layer of ripples. Amid the rolling seawater, a pirate ship flying a black skull flag cut through the wind and waves, speeding forward.
The Logan was getting closer and closer to Reverse Mountain, and as they approached this area, the number of pirates had clearly increased.
It had already been a month since they left Barut Kingdom. During that month, The Logan had docked several times for supplies, but aside from that, there had been no further delays.
"The Logan will stop here… at Tesloki Island." Rojen pointed at a spot near Reverse Mountain on the sea chart and spoke softly.
"Are you going to wait for them there?" Lordling asked excitedly.
"That's right. Our companions are already on the way. Once everyone has gathered, we can set off." Rojen nodded.
"Big Brother Rojen, how do you know they'll come?" Robin asked curiously.
"Because they are my crew." Rojen smiled.
The trust between companions had already been carved into their bones and blood four years ago. This kind of faith in each other was almost like an instinctive reflex. It was a kind of conviction, a mutual understanding of hearts. No matter what happened, even if they were ten million li apart, they could still clearly sense one another.
As The Logan sailed onward, more and more pirate ships gradually came into view.
"Pirates!" Robin cried out.
"Deva Path will handle everything," Rojen said with a smile.
At this moment, Lordling had already transformed into human form, wearing a white shirt and a sexy short skirt that revealed her slender, long legs. She playfully curled her toes a few times, making Rojen unable to resist glancing at her a few extra times. He had to admit that as the girl grew older, her figure had become increasingly fuller and more mature.
Lordling didn't pay much attention to anything outside the ship. At the moment, she was reading a book.
"Based on your description, I'd guess the Zoan Fruit you ate should be a Nine-Tailed Fox. It isn't a Cat-Cat Fruit, but something closer to a fox-feline hybrid." Animal Path sat cross-legged beside Lordling, chatting with her.
"A Nine-Tailed Fox?" Lordling blinked and temporarily closed her book.
"Then how should I develop it? I want to become stronger, not just be your burden."
"Actually, you're no longer a burden." Animal Path replied with a serious expression. "After observing you during this period, I believe the development of your fruit is related to the number of tails behind you. And the initial awakening is the hardest part. The growth of each tail will grant you different abilities, as well as stronger physical qualities."
"In a sense, the Devil Fruit you ate is more mature than most other types. While it doesn't possess the elementalization and large-scale destructive power of Logia fruits, it is more complete and refined. As long as time passes, it will naturally grow stronger on its own."
Lordling shrank her body slightly, and two tails appeared behind her. Beside those two tails, there was also a newly born third tail.
"Once this third tail fully matures, you'll be able to control a third ability within your body."
Animal Path said in a deep voice.
"The legendary Nine-Tailed Fox belongs to the mythical class of beasts, a divine beast. Each of its tails possesses a different elemental attribute: wind, rain, thunder, lightning, fire, and so on."
The conversation between the two gave Lordling a deeper understanding of her abilities, and her eyes gradually lit up with excitement.
In fact, ever since her fruit ability awakened, she had already sensed that she was different. Her physical abilities were becoming stronger and stronger. It could be said that she was growing stronger every single day.
While everyone on The Logan was chatting, the pirates out on the sea also noticed this approaching pirate ship for the first time.
"A pirate ship! Let me see which crew it is. These days, there aren't many people bold enough to head for the Grand Line!"
Someone aboard one of the pirate ships raised a telescope and looked toward The Logan.
When he saw how few people were on board, he chuckled.
"A pirate crew with fewer than ten members? Pretty gutsy."
The telescope shifted toward the flag flying from the mast.
"A skull? Just a skull? What kind of pirate crew is this?"
His voice was full of confusion.
What he failed to notice, however, was the reaction of the people standing beside him, as well as the movement of the other pirate ships drifting nearby.
The pirate crews that had originally been gathering together, arguing, mocking, and sneering at one another, froze the instant they clearly saw The Logan approaching from afar. Then, with expressions of terror, they quickly changed course and moved to either side, as though instinctively making way for the incoming ship, almost like paying tribute.
"Nether Soul!! It's the Nether Soul Pirates!"
At that moment, a shocked shout echoed across the sea.
The man, who had been trying to recall the meaning of that pirate flag, was instantly stunned. His telescope fell onto the deck with a clatter, while fear and reverence rapidly spread across his face.
"It's Gol D. Rojen! The legendary great pirate who once came to the West Blue!"
The pirates erupted into chaos, shouting as they hurriedly maneuvered their ships aside to clear a path.
"It's really them! They've already arrived here!"
"Quick, move! Those monsters aren't people we can afford to provoke!"
Nervous voices rang out across the ships. Soon, the man felt his own ship suddenly spring into motion, accelerating to its maximum speed in an instant.
In less than three minutes, the dozen or so pirate crews blocking The Logan's path had all retreated to both sides. Their sudden actions made it look as though they were lining up to welcome the ship.
This sort of fear and respect could only be described as submission.
Their temporary lowering of their heads represented the pirates' fear of Nether Soul.
Gradually, The Logan drew closer.
The flames burning within the black skull's eye sockets swayed fiercely with the sea breeze, radiating an invisible aura of majesty that compelled others to lower their heads.
The Logan sailed into the passageway the pirates had cleared. At that moment, the pirates standing aboard their ships were drenched in sweat, all lowering their heads in extreme tension.
They didn't even dare to look up.
"The man worth 880 million…"
Someone's hands trembled as he tried to gather the courage to see what kind of man this truly was, but in the end, he clenched his fists and gave up.
They simply didn't dare.
In front of such a man, the pressure was greater than an entire mountain.
Time itself seemed to slow down. Sweat trickled down the pirates' backs, soaking through their clothes.
The silent, tense atmosphere caused the sea to fall into an eerie stillness, with only the faint sounds of breathing audible between them.
On The Logan, little Robin stared in astonishment at the pirates on both sides, all bowing their heads and bending their waists. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.
She had seen how terrifying pirates could be before. These people committed every evil imaginable, fearing nothing, always acting lawlessly. Compared to ordinary civilians, pirates were the truly frightening ones.
But at this moment,
They were as obedient as well-behaved children, actually paying tribute to them!
It was simply unimaginable.
And vaguely, Robin seemed to understand.
All of this was because of that man sitting cross-legged at the bow of the ship.
(End Of This Chapter)