Chapter 49: 49. God's Clan, The Uncle Wearing A Helmet

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari ---------- Just as Alex had expected, Hogback's greed made him an easy recruit. Once Laffitte brought him aboard, Alex demonstrated his Devil Fruit powers by turning a single golden bean into a larger nugget of gold. Hogback, eyes gleaming with excitement, immediately pledged his allegiance, eager to contribute his medical skills to Alex's crew. With Hogback now on board, Alex's journey through West Blue had come to a satisfying close. He had assembled a diverse crew, each member offering a unique strength: Hogback, with his exceptional medical expertise; Robin, a skilled strategist; Laffitte, gifted with both finesse and loyalty; and Perona, a master of battlefield control. Together, they formed a formidable team, each one invaluable to Alex's plans and ambitions. Although Alex had yet to encounter every named figure of West Blue—such as Capone Bege, the West Blue Mafia leader, or the Happo Navy of the Land of Flowers—he was content. Capone Bege, still rising in the gangster world, would be someone to keep an eye on, though Alex felt there was no rush to pursue him. As for the Happo Navy, it held little interest for him at the moment. Having secured Hogback, Alex set his course for East Blue. Their ship sailed steadily, and after more than a month at sea, the towering Red Line loomed into view, its cliffs stretching into the clouds. As they approached the colossal barrier dividing the world, Perona floated beside Alex, gazing up in awe. "It's so big! So this is the Red Line?" Alex nodded, smiling. "Yes." In front of them, the vast blue of the sea gave way to an endless expanse of clouds, white and misty, filling the sky like an ocean above the world. It was a hauntingly beautiful sight, but the landscape had a strange, barren quality to it. "Legend has it that life once existed on the Red Line," Robin remarked, also taking in the view. "Really?! But we're so high up—I don't even see any birds," Yamato observed, scanning the skies. "There were stories," Robin explained, "that gods once lived here, bringing flames down to the sea." Perona giggled, floating playfully around. "Horohoro... Robin, are you turning fairy tales into history books now?" Robin gave her a flat look. "I don't confuse them. Even fairy tales sometimes come from real events." Though Robin's face remained calm, she secretly thought of how she might've punished Perona if not for her Negative hollow—an ability that Perona had refined thanks to Alex's training. After a period of time together, Robin had grown close to the other girls, sharing meals, stories, and laughter. Turning serious, Robin continued, "This legend actually has some basis. There was once a race known as the Lunarians who lived on the Red Line. They had the power to generate flames from their bodies, and it's said they were the ones who first brought fire to the seas." "Though they're almost extinct now." "The reason the Lunarians are almost extinct—not fully gone—is because I've encountered some of them myself," Alex said, glancing at Yamato. "And, Yamato, you've actually met one as well. You're familiar with them." "I have?" Yamato replied, pointing to himself with a puzzled look. He started thinking hard, trying to piece together the hint. A familiar person with flames on their body... "It can't be... Uncle King?!" The realization hit him, and when Alex nodded in confirmation, Yamato clutched his head in shock. "That uncle, the one who wears that helmet all the time—he's actually one of those gods?!" "Uncle King? Is he from Wanokuni?" Perona and Robin asked, intrigued. Since joining the crew, they'd only heard stories about Wanokuni from Yamato and Maria, and this was the first time they were hearing of this "Uncle King." Yamato shook his head. "No, Uncle King is one of my father's subordinates." "Father?" Perona and Robin immediately latched onto this new information. They had assumed Yamato's background was similar to theirs—no mention of a father or family. But it seemed Yamato's father was not only alive but a significant figure. "Oh, right! I guess I haven't mentioned it," Yamato admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "Yamato's father is none other than the infamous Kaido of the Beasts," Maria explained, patting Yamato on the head. Perona blinked in confusion, still processing, but Robin's expression shifted, realizing the gravity of this revelation. "The pirate with a 1.4 billion Belli bounty?!" (T/N: I am imagining the scene of Luffy telling who is father is) "One... one-point-four billion?!" Perona gasped, her eyes almost popping out of her head in shock. At that moment, Laffitte emerged from the training room, having overheard the conversation. "Did I just hear something... monumental?" he asked, intrigued. Meanwhile, Hogback remained in his room, engrossed in his medical studies, oblivious to the excitement outside. "That's more than three times Master Alex's bounty!" Perona stammered, still reeling from the revelation. "Yamato, your father is that terrifying?!" Maria chuckled. "While Kaido's bounty is higher, Lord Alex is no less formidable. Wanokuni was freed from Kaido's grasp thanks to him." She reached into her coat and pulled out a video Den Den Mushi. "I managed to acquire this from a reliable source. It holds a recording of Lord Alex's battle with Kaido." The others, except for Alex, immediately crowded around Maria, their eyes wide with anticipation. Alex raised an eyebrow, surprised. He hadn't realized Maria had kept such a valuable record—one that showcased his power so dramatically. Back in Wanokuni, he'd heard about this recording being sold at outrageous prices, but he didn't expect Maria to have one herself. As they watched the battle unfold on the Den Den Mushi, the crew was enthralled by the fierce, breathtaking duel. "I had no idea battles like this even existed," Robin murmured, her admiration deepening. "The strength of people at the top is beyond anything I could have imagined." "Master Alex is incredible! So fearless, so strong!" Perona exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. The intense fight, the clash of Haki, and the sheer power displayed left them all awestruck. For some, like Robin, witnessing such a battle expanded her understanding of what true combat power meant. Her respect and awe for Alex grew, realizing the strength and resilience required to face a foe like Kaido head-on.