Chapter 71 - CHAPTER 71 - Storm at Sea

"350 million Berries." Nico Robin had already read the news. "Too low." While such a bounty was already astronomical for most pirates, considering the strength Morris had previously demonstrated, Rosen felt it was clearly underestimated. "It's already very high. Any pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million is usually well-known worldwide. 350 million is several times higher than your previous bounty, Boss." Robin rarely joked, indicating she was in a good mood today. "He hasn't been caught by the Marines, has he?" Rosen asked. Although Moris was still his enemy, it would be troublesome if he were captured. There might not be concrete evidence against Rosen, but if a Devil Fruit user with lie-detecting abilities was involved, things could get awkward. "No, but I heard that Admiral Kizaru had a brief confrontation with him," Robin said, her expression turning grim at the mention of an admiral. After all, admirals were the highest combat force of Marine Headquarters. Even Boss himself wouldn't be able to handle them at this point. "Seems like I really am his bad luck charm. Hahaha..." Rosen laughed without remorse. "Oh my, Boss is unexpectedly devious." Robin pretended to be surprised. "Next time you say that, add 'too' to the sentence." Rosen was in high spirits. Mastering Haki had put him firmly on the path to greatness. Robin blinked, then covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "A storm is coming! Strong winds ahead, take down the sails!" Migs, the ship's navigator, shouted as rolling storm clouds rapidly approached from the distance. The crew sprang into action. Robin folded up her small stool and table as the swirling clouds brought flashes of lightning. The once clear sky turned pitch black in an instant. It was as if the end of the world had arrived. The heavy, oppressive clouds burst open, unleashing a torrential downpour. Though it wasn't their first time encountering such sudden weather changes, Rosen was always reminded of how insignificant he was before the sheer force of nature. Even mighty figures like Rayleigh had experienced shipwrecks. Whether it was due to an actual storm or an enemy battle leading to disaster, it was hard to say. If it was the former, it only further proved how treacherous the Grand Line's weather was. No wonder it was called the "Graveyard of Ships." The crew scrambled, climbing the rope ladders on the masts and braving the wind and rain to take down the sails. If they remained up, the violent storm could tear them apart. Standing at the bow, Rosen suddenly frowned. He had a bad feeling—something was lurking around them. "There's something under the water!" A crew member on the rope ladder looked down and saw a massive shadow beneath the ship. It was growing larger, indicating it was rapidly rising toward the surface. "The ship is being lifted! What do we do?!" The entire ship was being pushed upward, but not by the storm. The waves surging beneath them were caused by a massive creature surfacing, its enormous body slowly emerging from below. Rosen frowned. In a storm like this, he was at a disadvantage as a Devil Fruit user. He couldn't fight underwater and had to wait for the creature to break the surface before making a move. "Bring me the cannonballs!" Mr. 5 shouted. Two crew members quickly hauled a crate of ammunition from the armory. "Explosive Grenade!" Mr. 5 grabbed two cannonballs, activated his Devil Fruit ability, and, using all his strength, hurled them into the sea. These were not ordinary cannonballs but special explosives packed with concentrated gunpowder. With the added effect of Mr. 5's Bomb-Bomb Fruit, a thunderous explosion erupted, sending a towering column of water into the sky. The massive creature beneath the waves seemed startled and shifted its position, causing the enormous wave it had generated to settle. Fortunately, this happened in time. If they had been lifted too high and then dropped back down, it would have been extremely dangerous—especially with so many Devil Fruit users on board. "Adjust the sail direction! Head to the 3 o'clock position! Follow the current and leave this area!" Migs had been closely analyzing the storm's wind patterns and ocean currents. He immediately issued a command. Boom! Not far away, an enormous figure shot out of the water, towering like a mountain. It was a massive Sea King. Though not as terrifying as the giant Sea Kings of the Calm Belt, it was still massive—at least the size of a dozen Dawn ships. Its crimson eyes locked onto the Dawn, clearly seeing it as prey. It had been the creature lurking beneath them. It resembled a giant sea urchin, its body covered in black spines. The two pairs of powerful limbs beneath its abdomen looked incredibly strong. A single swipe of its claws was large enough to cut the Dawn in half. "A Sea King! It's a Sea King!" someone shouted in fear. While most of these colossal creatures resided in the deadly Calm Belt, some roamed the Grand Line. Sea Kings were incredibly dangerous. If one attempted to enter the Grand Line through the Calm Belt instead of Reverse Mountain, it was nearly a death sentence. Only the Navy's most advanced warships could mask their presence from Sea Kings. Even then, if a Sea King visually spotted a ship, the risk remained. Since there was no wind in the Calm Belt, most ships couldn't even cross it. Some Sea Kings were so powerful that even high-ranking Marine officers couldn't defeat them. And the Calm Belt was their breeding ground, making it one of the deadliest regions on the sea. For any ship setting sail, encountering a Sea King was one of the worst possible scenarios. That was why the crew immediately panicked upon seeing one. Even a smaller Sea King like this one could destroy the Dawn if it decided to attack. And in the vast ocean, without a ship, survival was nearly impossible. Only someone as powerful as Rosen might stand a chance, but even he had to consider various factors—would his stamina last? Could he escape into the air using Moonwalk? And how long would he have to endure the storm? Sailing was never easy. Yet, Rosen found himself enjoying the adrenaline rush. Before he could act, the Kung Fu Dugong moved first. "Hee-yah!" The small yet fearless creature leaped from the ship, diving into the sea with a splash and swiftly swimming toward the Sea King, undeterred by the raging storm. "Secure the cargo! Hold on tight!" Migs shouted. In a storm like this, shouting was necessary just to be heard. "A massive wave is coming!" "Desert Fortress!" Rosen frowned. Although the rain prevented him from fully transforming into sand, his abilities still worked. The sand he manipulated was quickly soaked, but for defense, it was still effective. Everyone on board was already drenched, their ears filled with the deafening sounds of crashing waves and thunder. The wind howled louder and louder. "Here it comes again!" The ship adjusted course, riding the waves, but the tension remained high. A single mistake in these conditions could mean total disaster. "Rankyaku!" Rosen swung his leg in a sweeping motion, unleashing a powerful air blade that sliced through a towering wave, cutting most of it apart before it could crash onto the deck. Fortunately, the impact was minimal. "Activate the drainage system at full capacity!" Migs directed two crew members to keep the water from accumulating on the ship. "The Sea King is coming!" Mr. 5's face turned pale. Holding a cannonball in his hand, he prepared to throw it. He knew he couldn't kill the creature, but as long as they could scare it away, that would be enough. If they were caught between a raging storm and a hunting Sea King, they were doomed. Rosen also grew serious. Had the Kung Fu Dugong been taken out? Against a Sea King, that was entirely possible. (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).