69novels Chapter 229 When will the evening bell toll?
Chapter 229 When will the evening bell toll?
Chapter 229 When will the evening bell toll?
"Hurry! Speed things up!" Kera's voice came from the cave entrance; she was clearly also involved in the raid.
With the professional and efficient assistance of the revolutionary army, the fixing device was quickly dismantled.
With everyone working together, they quickly dragged the three heavy logs into the narrow opening.
Below the cave entrance is an old, damp but still relatively stable sewer.
"This way!" Kerla led the way, with revolutionary soldiers bringing up the rear.
They had just entered the sewers when a loud explosion came from behind them, and the navy's even more intense artillery fire covered the spot where they had just been, completely leveling it.
The group moved quickly through the sewers, with faint sounds of explosions and collapses behind them.
The light was dim, with only portable lamps carried by the revolutionary army providing illumination.
"Who are you—and why are you helping us?" Nami finally asked the question that had been bothering her.
Kella removed her disguised wig, revealing short orange hair, wiped the sweat and dirt from her face, and laughed.
"We are the Revolutionary Army! Chief of Staff Sabo sent us here, not just because of Luffy, but also to help you and to fight against the tyranny of the World Government and the Navy."
She paused, then added, "Actually, we noticed you the moment you entered the auction house. Sabo—he's very worried about you."
"Sabo?!" Luffy, Nami, and the others who knew the situation exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes!" Kella nodded.
"He's been keeping an eye on your news. This auction was a mixed bag, and we anticipated something big would happen, so we made multiple preparations in advance."
"This abandoned sewer system was one of the backup evacuation routes that we had scouted out a few days ago."
Soon, they emerged from a hidden cliff crevice and arrived at a small bay with high winds and rough seas on the other side of the island.
A waiting ship, which was not flying any flags and looked like an old cargo ship, was waiting there.
"Get on the ship quickly! The navy will be searching this area soon!" Kerla urged.
The group quickly boarded the ship, which immediately set sail, leaving the nightmare island behind.
In the distance, they could still see the flames and smoke rising into the sky from the direction of the main port, as well as Kizaru's signature flash in the sky, but they could no longer catch up with them.
On the ship, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Great! Finally!" Nami was almost exhausted.
"That Sabo guy—so he's been watching from the shadows all along." Luffy looked into the distance and grinned, but his smile was tinged with longing for his brother.
"We really owe you all this time," Sanji said earnestly to Koala.
"It was nothing," Kerla smiled, then said seriously.
"However, you must be careful. The Navy and the World Government have lost face so badly this time, they won't let it go easily. And that Lucci probably won't just disappear like that either."
Tescatlipoca sat on the ship's railing, watching the islands and naval warships recede into the distance, and chuckled softly.
"A helping hand in times of crisis, the bond of brotherhood—it seems that the flames of revolution are burning quite vigorously."
His gaze swept over Kerla, with a hint of inquiry.
Brooke sat quietly to one side, with King Hassan standing beside him like an unchanging rock.
Brook could sense that during the chaos and crisis just now, this Grand Assassin had not been without intention of taking action; he was simply assessing the necessity.
The emergence of the revolutionary army, in his view, was perhaps an inevitable consequence.
His gaze seemed to once again be cast toward the endless distance, where a faint aura of death was slowly spreading.
The revolutionary army's support ships cleverly used ocean currents and climate zones to avoid possible naval patrol routes and sailed towards Water City.
The atmosphere on the ship was complex, a mixture of exhaustion from escaping danger, joy at acquiring the precious tree Adam, and anxieties about the future.
Nami leaned against the ship's railing, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the railing, her brow furrowed.
"Twenty-five billion—those bastards at CP0 never intended to buy it; they were just forcing us to!"
"They'll force us to take action, then the Navy will have a reason to clean up our mess along with the chaos at the auction."
Sanji lit a cigarette, the smoke quickly dissipating in the sea breeze. "A ruthless, open scheme. If it weren't for—"
He glanced at Luffy, who was curiously fiddling with the emergency rations provided by the Revolutionary Army at the bow of the ship, and Zoro, who was resting with his eyes closed not far away, and swallowed back what he was about to say.
The real crisis was the desperate situation that nearly trapped them.
Koala walked over to Nami with a cup of hot tea and handed it to her, saying, "You've worked hard. This was really dangerous."
Nami took the teacup and sighed, "Thank you all, otherwise we might really have—"
"You're welcome." Kera smiled, but the smile quickly faded as she lowered her voice.
"However, things might not end that simply. During our withdrawal, we intercepted a very blurry CP0 message."
Fragments of internal communications mentioned top-level commands and new weapons.
"A new weapon?" Nami became alert.
"Mm." Kella nodded, her voice even lower.
"It seems—it's not a conventional weapon, but rather something specifically designed to target powerful, inhuman beings. Those of you around you..."
Her gaze inadvertently swept over Tescatlipok, who was sitting on a pile of cables humming a strange song, and King Hassan, who stood like a statue behind Brooke.
"The world government has probably already listed you, especially them, as top priority targets for research and control."
At that moment, Tescatlipoca seemed to hear their conversation, turned his head, and grinned in an exaggerated arc.
"Oh? Weapons aimed at us? Mortals always try to measure the infinite with their limited wisdom, and to bind concepts with creation."
"I experienced their stupidity a long time ago, and it's actually quite amusing—"
His voice drew everyone's attention.
Brook stopped wiping his cane and sword, his empty eyes looking at Tescatlipoca.
"Yo ho~ Mr. Tescatlipoca, being targeted is not something to be happy about."
"Happy? Of course I'm happy!" Tescatlipoca stood up and opened his arms.
"A calm lake can only reflect the sky; only by throwing in a huge rock can it create a spectacular splash."
"Only in the face of destruction can life's most brilliant brilliance be revealed. Straw Hat Boy, you should understand that, right?"
Luffy lifted his head from the pile of dry rations, his mouth stuffed full, and mumbled, "Hmm? What stones? Is there any meat?"
Everyone: "————"
Zoro, holding his sword, snorted coldly, "Whatever weapon it is, I'll just cut it down."
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring: "That being said, intelligence is still very important. Miss Koala, do you have any more specific information about this new weapon?"
Kella shook her head regretfully: "Very few. All I know is that the authority to mobilize them is extremely high, and even the CPO seems to be just cooperating with the operation."
The flame in King Hassan's deep blue eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, a flicker of light emanating from the eyes that had been silent all along.
Brooke seemed to sense something, glanced back, and his knuckles rubbed together slightly, making a soft sound.
He didn't speak, but an invisible heaviness began to permeate the space between them.
Time flew by, and the Seagull slowly approached a secluded corner of the Water City No. 7 dock.
At the dock, Mayor Bing Shan, accompanied by several trusted boatmen, waited patiently, his expression far from relaxed.
As soon as the ship came to a stop, Ace swept across the gangplank like a flame, grabbed Luffy's shoulder, and looked him up and down.
"Are you alright, you silly little brother? The newspapers are full of exaggerated claims, even generals are being mentioned!"
"Hehe, it's alright, Ace! Look!" Luffy pointed to the precious tree Adam, which was being carefully carried off the ship, as if showing off a treasure.
"This wood is absolutely fantastic!"
Ace breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the wood and vigorously ruffled Luffy's hair: "Well done!"
Robin gracefully approached Iceberg and gave a slight bow: "Mr. Iceberg, thank you for your trouble."
Iceberg waved his hand, his expression grave: "It's good that they're back. However, Water City has been rather turbulent lately."
"The number of naval patrols and the intensity of inspections have increased several times over, and plainclothes CP agents have also multiplied like flies."
"Although they didn't make any overt moves, the way they were watching me was very uncomfortable." He glanced at the three conspicuous pieces of wood.
"This thing is too conspicuous; it must be moved to the Destroyer Island immediately."
"Understood." Robin nodded. "We'll set off immediately."
Just as everyone was preparing to move, a slightly hoarse voice rang out.
"Huh? It seems my heroic spirit has returned. Is this the legendary Treasure Tree Adam? It looks—truly extraordinary."
"
Everyone turned around and saw Crocodile leaning against the shadows of a warehouse not far away, smoking a cigar and staring at the wood with a scrutinizing look.
"Crocodile! What do you want to do?" Usopp immediately raised his slingshot.
Crocodile scoffed, "Don't worry, long nose. Stealing this now won't do me any good."
He exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Robin.
"I'm just here to remind you that the World Government's hyenas have changed their modus operandi recently."
"They are no longer as eager to achieve quick results as before; instead, they seem to be—laying a net, waiting for the perfect moment to catch you, along with any potential big fish, all at once."
Robin looked at him calmly: "What do you know?"
Crocodile flicked his cigarette ash: "I know they've taken over a lot of Vegapunk's legacy, plus their own shady research."
"The upgraded version of the pacifists is probably more than just a rumor."
He gave Luffy a meaningful look, then turned and disappeared into the shadows.
"You all should take care of yourselves."
These words made the atmosphere even more somber.
Shipwreck Island, Franky's House.
"SUPER—!!!!!" Franky was so excited when he saw Adam Tree that he burst into tears and struck his signature pose.
"Brothers! Ultimate materials in hand! The Thousand Sunny enters its final construction phase! Let the world see our might!"
"Oh!!!" The younger brothers of the Franky family were excitedly cheering.
After a brief celebration, the core members gathered again.
"That's how it is," Nami summarized her observations at the dock and the port.
"The Navy, CP0, possible new weapons, and Crocodile's warning."
Usopp clutched his head: "We're doomed! Does this mean we're surrounded? The day we go into the water is the day of the final assault?"
"Then let them try!" Luffy adjusted his straw hat, his face showing no fear, only excitement.
"That's right." Zoro's lips curled into a battle-ready smile. "Perfect for using them to consecrate the new ship."
Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette: "Before that, we need to make sure the construction process goes perfectly. Nami, Robin, and Chopper, your safety is the most important thing."
Just then, Roger's booming laughter rang out: "Gurararara! Kids, have some guts! The more enemies, the stronger they are, the more interesting it is!"
"When I ventured into the Final Sea, the crises I faced were no less severe than yours are now!"
He walked up to Luffy and patted him on the shoulder: "Kid, you're the captain! Decide what to do!"
'
Luffy nodded emphatically: "Okay! Let's build the ship first! Then, we'll blow them all away!"
"That's right!" Roger laughed.
Ace walked over to Karna and handed him a bottle of water: "Little Sun, you're probably going to have a tough time from now on."
Karna took the water but did not drink it. He simply said calmly, "It is my duty. The peace of this place must not be violated."
His gaze swept across the sea surrounding the abandoned ship island, his golden eyes seemingly able to pierce through the debris and see the approaching threat.
"I sense that an ominous creation is approaching, and its aura is unlike that of any living being in this world."
Ace clenched his fist, flames gathering and dissipating in his palm: "Whatever comes, my flames will burn it to ashes!"
Karna tilted his head slightly, looking at Zai's burning and pure fighting spirit, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Even the fiercest flames need to be concentrated. Excessive burning will consume itself." His words were like the reminder of an elder, calm yet full of concern.
Ace paused for a moment, looking into Zagara's calm yet deep, star-like eyes, and the restlessness in his heart seemed to be soothed by some force.
He grinned and said, "Got it! I'll control myself!"
On the other side, Brooke sat on a pile of wood, playing his violin, the melody ethereal yet carrying a hint of the chill of the underworld.
Wang Hassan stood silently behind him, seemingly blending into the shadows.
"Old man," Buhunk suddenly stopped playing, his eyes, filled with tears, looking at King Hassan.
"You felt it too, didn't you? That—malice directed at us."
Wang Hassan did not respond, but the deep blue flame in his eyes turned slightly toward Buhunk.
Buk's fingertips gently brushed across the strings: "Death should be an equal destiny, but someone seems to want to tarnish this tranquility, even—trying to control it. This is something we cannot stand idly by, can we?"
This time, Wang Hassan's fingers, covered by armor, twitched very slightly.
A chill spread out from him.
Franky, who was excitedly pointing and building not far away, subconsciously shivered and looked back in confusion.
Brooke stood by the window, gazing at the moon in the night sky. King Hassan remained behind him.
"Old man," Bourne said softly, "will you intervene when the bells toll?"
King Hassan remained silent, but Bhuk could sense that within that silence lay the resolve to sever the threads of fate.
Tescatlipoca sat atop the highest gantry crane, overlooking the bustling Yadi and the diverse expressions on the faces of the crowd.
He somehow acquired a bottle of wine, poured himself a drink, and toasted the moon.
"To the ultimate chaos that is about to arrive! Cheers!"
Dark clouds began to obscure the moonlight. The night in the Water City was as deep as ink.
Thousands of miles away, beyond the edge of the dark clouds, naval warships were sailing, and their telescopes were struggling to illuminate the outline of the island in the sky.
The ever-shining and dazzling lightning remained unchanged, and the long-dormant Eye of Thunder opened once more.