Chapter 86: Scars Are a Man’s Medal – The Pterosaur

Words : 1060 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

"Thanks for the hard work, brothers." Because the seastone had to be installed at the bottom of the ship, Namur and Aruwan came to help attach the pieces under the hull. Since they couldn't enter head-on, they'd have to navigate through the Calm Belt. The Calm Belt and the Grand Line had a clear boundary; once the wind suddenly stopped, it meant entering the Calm Belt. The external paddlewheel activated, and the ship cautiously sailed through the eerily still waters. Namur scouted ahead underwater, while Roy followed in a bubble. "Big bro." Namur, scouting ahead, suddenly tensed as a massive Sea King approached them. He quickly turned to look at Roy. The Sea King was enormous. Most Sea Kings were ferocious beasts, impossible to communicate with. This one was dozens of times bigger than the Moby Dick. Namur knew he couldn't possibly take it on alone. Roy looked at the Sea King, clearly aware it had noticed them and was charging straight for them. "Hmph." Roy unleashed a targeted burst of Conqueror's Haki, sending a pulse of black lightning straight into the Sea King's head. Receiving the Haki, the Sea King instantly saw Roy as an even more terrifying apex predator—a true king among Sea Kings. It twisted its body and turned away, showing its tail before diving deep into the ocean. "Still not foolproof." Even with Seastone coating the hull, the ship wasn't completely hidden in the Calm Belt. If a Sea King got too close, it would still detect them. The entire hull might need to be reinforced with seastone. "I'll have to visit Wano someday. Seastone is too expensive. As pirates, we should take what we need, especially from Kaido," Roy muttered, arms folded, sitting cross-legged in his bubble while Namur towed him forward. "Big bro, you're really just worried about Ace, aren't you?" Namur teased. "No, I'm worried about my son," Roy replied calmly. "Hahaha, true. Loxus has been making a name for himself under Ace now," Namur said. "Well, he is my flesh and blood. Let him do what he wants during his rebellious phase. He's luckier than we ever were," Roy sighed. "Yeah, way luckier. We grew up starving, with no parents, no time to be rebellious. Only kids raised with love get to act out like that," Namur said with a grin. Loxus was still young. Whether he was truly rebellious or not, Roy knew better than to interfere. He let his son make his own choices, his own mistakes. Only after getting battered and bruised would he finally grow up. For most kids, a mature worldview only forms after entering the real world. Until then, they believe the world revolves around them. Millions? Who cares? Richest guy in the world? Whatever. Ride a motorcycle, and the whole world is yours! But once that fire fades, reality hits, and they finally grow up. A spoiled child, fearless and reckless, would never learn the harshness of the world. Roy knew exactly what would happen now that Loxus had followed Ace to challenge Kaido. But that's how young people learn—by trying, failing, and getting back up. Scars are a man's medal of growth. "Honestly, Newgate spoiled him too much," Roy said. As the third generation of the Whitebeard Pirates, Loxus had been coddled. Whitebeard, as an old man and a grandpa, couldn't help but love and pamper the younger ones. Loxus's reckless nature was a result of that. "Pops didn't just love them, he loved all of us," Namur said happily. "Yeah," Roy smiled. As they chatted, they continued toward Tattadon Kingdom, even hunting a small Sea King along the way to replenish their food supplies. Two days later, they finally saw an island. One side was a stormy wasteland, the other lush and sunny. "We're here." Just as they approached, a buzzing sound filled the air, and a swarm of massive beetles flew out, prehistoric-looking creatures the size of dinosaurs. "Prehistoric bugs." The crew of the Whitebeard Pirates was well-traveled. One glance and they recognized these giant insects from prehistoric islands. The largest insects in the world were said to reside on Boin Archipelago, where the abundance of food allowed them to grow as large as small Sea Kings. These bugs were massive, heavily armored, and resistant to bullets and even cannon fire. "Spray the disinfectant, careful now!" Marco flew overhead, holding a sprayer. He sprayed everyone thoroughly with disinfectant. The most dangerous thing on a prehistoric island wasn't the animals; it was the viruses. One mistake could lead to a deadly infection. Even Roger died from a virus. Roy had been researching viruses for a long time. Visitors and locals alike might carry infectious agents, so disinfection was standard before landing. Much like the Native Americans who died from foreign diseases brought by colonizers, viruses could devastate entire populations. After disinfecting, they heard a voice. "Outsiders, leave this place at once!" A pterosaur flew out. Marco flinched. "A pterosaur? Wait, don't tell me..." "Marco, relax," Roy said. Marco, flames flickering, paused and looked back. "That's not King, just another ancient-zoan pterosaur." The pterosaur landed in front of them. Everyone looked down at it; it was no larger than a sparrow. "Nemicolopterus Pterosaur!" Roy was surprised. He'd read about them, only palm-sized, the smallest known pterosaur species in the world. Of the 120 known species, these were the tiniest. "Outsiders, you may not proceed further." The pterosaur transformed, turning into a small humanoid carrying a sword. "Greetings. I'm Roy, Vice Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. We're here to visit the king of the Tatadon Kingdom," Roy said. "Pirates? You're pirates?" "Yes, we're from the Whitebeard Pirates. And you are?" "I am Quentin, General of the Tatadon Kingdom's Air Force." "Nice to meet you, General Quentin. We're here for a trade, not to invade. May we speak with your king?" "No. Pirates are bad people. We can't allow you to enter. Say what you want here." "In that case, we won't go ashore. What we want is to purchase Miracle Apple Trees, preferably ones that are nearly three years old." ... If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead. [email protected]/DaoistJinzu

Chapter 86: Scars Are a Man’s Medal – The Pterosaur

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