Chapter 149: The World's Greatest Swordsman! (Patreon)

East Blue, Baratie.

Nami, Zoro, and Luffy had just reached the entrance when they saw a tall, middle-aged man in dark steel armor walking out, carrying a bag of food.

Seeing the three blocking his way, the man coldly ordered, "Move!"

Nami recognized him as Krieg, captain of the Krieg Pirates. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

If Ren were here, she wouldn't be afraid. But Ren wasn't here, and she wasn't sure whether Zoro and Luffy could handle Krieg.

Following the principle of not picking a fight she couldn't win, she stepped aside. "Let's move out of the way."

But when she reached the side, she saw that Zoro and Luffy hadn't budged.

Zoro's expression was annoyed. "There's plenty of room. It's not like there's no way around us. Why should we move?"

Luffy was equally annoyed. "Your tone pisses me off. I feel like punching you."

He clenched his fists.

The Baratie's door was open, so everyone inside could see what was happening.

One of the chefs, Carne, couldn't help saying, "Where did these brats come from?"

Another chef, Patty, shouted at Luffy and Zoro, "Hey! Move aside! That's Commodore Krieg!"

Krieg's anger subsided at the recognition. He looked down at Zoro and Luffy with contempt, expecting them to cower in fear at the mention of his name.

Luffy looked confused. He turned to Zoro. "Who's Krieg? Is he strong?"

Krieg's expression froze. He hadn't expected Luffy not to know who he was.

Zoro, as a bounty hunter, had basic knowledge of East Blue pirates. After a moment, he said, "I think his bounty is 17 million."

Krieg's expression softened slightly. They'll be scared now.

Not just Krieg, many inside the Baratie thought the same.

Only Nami thought differently. After spending the past few days with them, she understood Zoro and Luffy's personalities. She anticipated what would happen next and quietly stepped away.

Under everyone's watch, Luffy said with obvious disdain, "Only 17 million? That's nothing."

Many people staggered, caught off guard by Luffy's reaction.

Sanji, watching from inside, stared at Luffy in shock. He didn't know whether to call Luffy bold or clueless. Could you really say that to someone's face?

Krieg's face shifted through various shades of rage. It was the second most humiliating moment of his life.

He completely lost it.

He set down the bag of food, veins bulging on his forehead, and roared at Luffy, "Brat! I'll make you regret ever being born!"

His dark steel armor shifted, revealing multiple gun barrels aimed at Luffy.

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion suddenly rang out, followed by massive waves that rocked the sea.

The people inside the Baratie swayed with the motion, many falling to the floor. Because of their angle, most assumed the commotion was Krieg's doing.

But Krieg, who had barely kept his footing, knew he hadn't attacked.

Not just Krieg, Nami, Zoro, and Luffy, who were outside the Baratie, also turned toward the direction of the disturbance.

The moment they did, their pupils contracted.

They saw the Dreadnaught Blade, the Krieg Pirates' main ship, split into three pieces, slowly sinking into the sea.

The Dreadnaught Blade was enormous, larger than an ordinary house. A ship that big, cut into three pieces?

Who did it? Was it Ren?

But Ren shouldn't have that kind of power...

Krieg also saw it. As if realizing something, terror flashed across his face. He screamed, "He's here! He followed me here!!"

Luffy couldn't help asking, "Who is he?"

Krieg, seemingly in shock, answered instinctively, "I don't know, but that man has eyes as sharp as a hawk's."

Luffy and Nami didn't know who Krieg meant.

Only Zoro seemed to realize something. His eyes narrowed slightly.

As the sea gradually calmed, the people inside the Baratie sensed something was wrong and stepped outside.

Following the lingering disturbance, they saw a coffin-shaped boat slowly sailing through the wreckage.

Zeff, the Baratie's head chef, saw the man on the coffin-shaped boat and his expression shifted. He recognized him.

Not just him, Zoro also recognized him. His face showed a mix of tension and excitement. "It's him!"

Luffy saw the man and asked curiously, "Zoro, you know him?"

Zoro replied, "Yeah. He's the World's Greatest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk. He's the reason I set out to sea!"

Without hesitation, Zoro tied his green bandana, ready to challenge Mihawk.

But just then, a chant rang out:

"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"

A bolt of white lightning shot across the water toward Mihawk.

Zoro stopped mid-motion. He recognized Ren's attack.

Nami and Luffy also recognized it and turned to look.

Mihawk, however, showed a hint of interest. With blinding speed, he drew the Black Blade Yoru from his back and effortlessly split apart the white lightning.

The coffin-shaped boat came to a halt. Mihawk looked toward the source of the attack and saw a young man standing on the wreckage of the Dreadnaught Blade, looking directly at him.

Everyone else turned to look as well.

They saw Ren standing there, sword in hand.

Some recognized him and gasped, "He's... he's Ren! The one with the 50 million Berries bounty!"

Those words immediately caused an uproar.

A 50 million Berries bounty was unprecedented in the East Blue. Even Krieg, who had been in shock since Mihawk's appearance, was jolted awake.

He stared at the youthful Ren in disbelief. He couldn't accept that this kid had a bounty of 50 million Berries.

But the gasps and murmurs around him told him it was true.

Krieg felt his world collapse.

Ever since his trip to the Grand Line, everything had changed. His fleet was destroyed, and his title as the overlord of the East Blue had been taken away. The crushing disparity made him refuse to accept reality.

He told himself it was all a nightmare.

Yes, just a nightmare.

If he killed Ren and Mihawk, he would surely wake up from this nightmare.