Chapter 12: Holy Land in Chaos
Hearing Rayleigh's assessment, Luo Lin scratched his head sheepishly.
"Hehe, I guess I'm kind of a special case!"
"Yeah, monsters like you don't grow on trees. Mastering all three types of Haki at your age? In a drawn-out fight, I'd probably lose.
Of course—if we went all-out from the start in a deathmatch, you'd be the one dying!"
"Yep!"
Luo Lin knew that too. In a real life-or-death battle right now, he still wasn't on the level of old monsters like Rayleigh.
"Your combat power is already on par with an Admiral. You might not win, but you can definitely escape. The only thing you're lacking is Conqueror's Haki entanglement. Master that, and you won't need to run from Admirals anymore!"
In one sentence: youth is a hell of a drug.
"Got it! Thanks, Uncle Rayleigh!"
"Don't forget my booze!"
"Of course not! Let's go right now!"
Luo Lin was genuinely thrilled. Having his strength acknowledged—especially by a legend like Rayleigh—was incredibly satisfying.
…
For the next month or so, Luo Lin dragged Rayleigh out for sparring sessions whenever he could.
The trash system had finally done something useful—it issued a quest: spar with Rayleigh ten times → reward: Great Swordsman-level swordsmanship!
Luo Lin was over the moon. For the first time in over a decade, he actually praised the system. The poor thing almost cried from joy.
Finding a sparring partner of Rayleigh's caliber wasn't easy. Sure, the fandom jokingly called him the "misleading mentor," but the man was a walking cheat code.
And the price? Just a few rounds of drinks. Luo Lin had money to burn—no car, no house, just living expenses. When he ran low, he'd hunt a few pirates for bounty or loot. Pride? What's that? Can you eat it?
A few days later, in the middle of the night.
Luo Lin was sleeping soundly in his inn when he was jolted awake by chaos outside.
He stumbled to the window, bleary-eyed.
Far above Sabaody, atop the Red Line, the Holy Land Mary Geoise was ablaze. Flames lit up the sky.
With his Observation Haki, he could hear screams—and the panic had already spilled down to the archipelago.
Marines were rushing up the cliffs in droves.
Instantly wide awake.
Fisher Tiger had made his move!
Luo Lin grabbed Shinrai from beside the bed and bolted out.
He'd been waiting for this exact moment.
But he didn't head straight for Mary Geoise—he'd misremembered one key detail.
Originally, he planned to swoop in and save Tiger when he was on the brink of death, then help him escape and earn his gratitude.
Then he remembered: Tiger didn't die here. He escaped. The Sun Pirates were founded after this.
So the plan changed slightly—but the core goal remained the same: befriend Tiger.
His ultimate objective: find Arlong later and warn him to go easy on Cocoyasi Village. Don't kill Bell-mere. That's all.
He could just wait three years and kill Arlong himself when he showed up, but that would butterfly away everything—Nami might never become a thief, never meet Luffy, and the Straw Hats could end up with a completely different navigator.
The Great Pirate Era starting was inevitable, but everything else? He could nudge it.
He'd already changed Robin's fate. He didn't want a Straw Hat crew full of strangers.
His old stance—"not a Marine, not a pirate"—had softened a bit.
He didn't want to form his own crew or become Pirate King. He had no grand ambitions.
But the Straw Hats? They didn't pillage or murder—they just adventured and helped people.
And if Robin wanted to read the Poneglyphs, the Straw Hats were perfect: plenty of free time between chaos.
He just wasn't ready to give up his peaceful life with Robin yet. Still thinking.
…
Luo Lin arrived at Xia Qi's Rip-off Bar.
Rayleigh and Xia Qi were already outside watching the fire.
"Yo! Luo Lin, you're here too!"
"Yep. What's going on? Why'd it suddenly kick off?"
He played dumb.
Rayleigh glanced at him.
"Your Observation Haki's already seen it. Riot in Mary Geoise. Someone climbed the Red Line and started freeing slaves."
"Whoa—whose subordinate is that brave?!"
Luo Lin gasped dramatically. (Seasoned actor.)
"Don't know yet. But since someone finally stood up, I've gotta go see the fun! Coming, kid?"
Hell yes. This is why I'm here.
"Obviously! The World Government and Marines have been after me for years even though I've never killed a single one!"
He put on an indignant face and declared he was going with Rayleigh.
"Then let's move!"
Rayleigh shot forward toward the top of the Red Line. Luo Lin followed.
"Be careful, you two!"
Xia Qi called after them.
It only took half an hour at full speed to reach the summit.
Slaves were fleeing downward in droves. Marines and CP agents chased them.
No one paid much attention to two people running upward—there were civilians in the outer rings, and slaves were easy to spot.
The "Hoof of the Soaring Dragon" brand was always in a visible place—often left uncovered, sometimes on completely naked bodies.
A constant reminder: you have no rights.
The escaping slaves hadn't had time to find clothes. Easy targets.
The higher they went, the worse the chaos.
Once past civilian areas, they cloaked themselves. Luo Lin threw on a hooded cape.
Eventually, they reached the residential zone of the Celestial Dragons.
Fires everywhere. Slaves still fleeing. Marines and agents frantically putting out fires and shouting orders.
Celestial Dragons in their bubble helmets screamed and barked commands.
Rayleigh and Luo Lin exchanged a glance, split up, and slipped in unnoticed.
Tiger had stopped setting fires. A massive tail of pursuers followed him as he continued freeing slaves—both to save them and to use them as living shields.
Most pursuers were CP agents and Marines—they couldn't just shoot slaves indiscriminately. Only Celestial Dragons had absolute authority over slave lives.
Kill the wrong favorite pet? You might take their place.
Luo Lin darted through mansions.
One bedroom alone was over 1,000 square meters—gold, jewels, a bed that could fit ten, a crystal chandelier, seastone furniture, a fully stocked bar, sex toys, rare plants on the balcony, even a swimming pool.
He left quickly. Nothing but decadence.
Other rooms were worse—naked women in collars, even furry Mink slaves.
"Damn… I really should've transmigrated as a Celestial Dragon. Capitalism is evil!"
Then he hit the jackpot: several Devil Fruits just lying on a table like candy.
No idea what kind, but definitely valuable.
He ripped down a curtain, wrapped them up, and slung the bundle on his back.
Suddenly—shouting outside.
A Celestial Dragon screamed, "KILL HIM!"
Gunfire.
Luo Lin peeked out.
A five-meter-tall, crimson-skinned Fish-Man.
Fisher Tiger.
Surrounded. CP agents with Haki closing in.
He was barely holding on with Fish-Man physiology.
Dead end.
Luo Lin held back—he wanted to see how Tiger originally escaped.
Just as a Haki-using agent used Soru to strike from behind—
A black-robed figure blitzed in faster and blocked the attack.
Heh. Rayleigh. Of course.
No way a future 200-million bounty Fish-Man escapes Mary Geoise alone without help.
Rayleigh released his Conqueror's Haki the moment he appeared.
Dozens of weak Marines and a few Celestial Dragons dropped unconscious.
"Who… who are you?! You dare attack Mary Geoise?! Kill him!"
The remaining Celestial Dragon shrieked.
Rayleigh didn't even glance at him.
"How could I miss a party this fun?"
"Sir, no matter who you are—we're on the same side now. Let's escape first. Once we reach the sea, we're safe!"
Tiger spoke up.
Luo Lin grinned—this was his cue.
He used Soru and charged straight at the screaming Celestial Dragon, planning a full-force slap.
But the bodyguard wasn't trash. He reacted instantly and slashed at Luo Lin.
"Another accomplice! Protect Lord Celestial Dragon!"
Luo Lin dodged and shot toward Rayleigh and Tiger.
"Yo! I'm out too. Shall we break through?"
"Ah—kid, you too? Let's go!"
"Fish-Man sir, you've already fought hard. We're still fresh—go ahead!"
Rayleigh said decisively, then he and Luo Lin turned to the encirclement.
"Thank you both!"
Tiger wasn't stupid. These two were monsters—and definitely not freed slaves. No one with that aura would ever wear a collar willingly.
No one lasted more than a few seconds against them.
Minutes later, the three reached the edge of the Red Line.
"Jump with me! The ocean is right below—if I'm there, we're safe in the water!"
Tiger shouted.
Luo Lin and Rayleigh were about to agree—
Both suddenly shoved Tiger hard to the ground.
WHOOSH!
A beam of yellow light shot past where Tiger's head had been and blasted into the Red Line, causing a massive explosion.
"What the—?!"
Tiger stared, stunned.
"Admirals!"
Luo Lin and Rayleigh said in unison.
From the distance came an infuriatingly lazy voice:
"How scaryyy Someone actually turned the Holy Land into this mess. Making me work overtime… you're not leaving todayyy"
Two figures approached.
One in a yellow striped suit, sunglasses at night, coat flapping—Admiral Kizaru.
Beside him: Aokiji.
"Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji! We're saved!"
"Two Admirals at once—the criminals are done for!"
The Marines and agents cheered. Victory was certain…
Rayleigh and Luo Lin exchanged a look and picked their opponents.
"Fish-Man sir, get to the sea and wait for us!"
"But that's two Admirals!"
"Trust us—we're strong. And if you don't get down there to cover our escape, are we supposed to fight forever?"
"…Got it!"
Tiger dashed for the cliff edge and leaped.
Kizaru and Aokiji flashed to intercept—
Only to be blocked dead by Rayleigh and Luo Lin.
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