Chapter 528: An Encounter with Aokiji
The moment Nagasawa swung Ryujin Jakka, wrapped in black and crimson energy, terrifying power erupted.
Boom—!!!
Accompanied by an earth-shaking roar, the entire island split into two halves. Even the clouds in the sky were carved open by a massive gash, as if a gigantic blade had sliced through them.
The overwhelming aura that suddenly erupted caused all the wild beasts on the island to lower their heads and lie motionless on the ground.
Although Nagasawa hadn’t actually struck Luffy, the aftershock of the tremendous power still made him suffer greatly. He was knocked out of Gear Fourth instantly, collapsed onto the ground, gasping heavily, his face filled with lingering fear.
Nagasawa’s slash had been far too fast. Luffy only felt that the instant Nagasawa drew his sword, the world-destroying slash had already descended. The deafening explosion rang in his ears, and the tremendous shockwave nearly knocked him unconscious.
Luffy gritted his teeth and staggered to his feet, only to immediately collapse back onto the ground.
At this moment, Rayleigh shook his head and walked toward Nagasawa.
Seeing this, Luffy thought Rayleigh was about to fight Nagasawa and shouted, "Uncle Rayleigh, be careful! That guy is really strong!"
Rayleigh smiled bitterly as he walked over to Nagasawa.
"You really hit him too hard. You even used Conqueror’s Haki Infusion. It’ll take him at least two weeks to recover."
Rayleigh had actually been ready to block the attack for Luffy just now. However, seeing that Nagasawa had intentionally swung off target, and considering how incredibly fast the slash was, he ultimately didn’t intervene.
"It’s fine. I can heal him. He’ll be full of energy again very soon," Nagasawa said with a laugh. His medical ninjutsu wasn’t weak at all.
"You can heal people too?" Rayleigh looked at Nagasawa in surprise. He felt that Nagasawa knew far too many things. He didn’t even look that old, yet he had mastered so much and was proficient at all of it.
"A wide range of skills never hurts. The more you know, the better," Nagasawa said with a smile.
Watching the two casually chatting, Luffy was completely dumbfounded.
What was going on? Wasn’t this Marine here to capture him? Why did he look so familiar with Uncle Rayleigh?
"Uncle Rayleigh, what’s going on?" Luffy couldn’t figure it out, so he chose to ask directly.
"He’s a Marine, but not one who’s here to arrest you. In short, just think of him as a good person who won’t harm you," Rayleigh thought for a moment before replying.
Although Luffy was Dragon’s son, Rayleigh was afraid Luffy might accidentally reveal Nagasawa’s secret someday, so he didn’t tell him about Nagasawa’s relationship with the Revolutionary Army.
"He won’t harm me?" Luffy looked puzzled. Were all these injuries on his body fake? Just now, he had genuinely thought that Marine was going to cut him in half with a single slash.
"I’m not going to arrest you. Grandpa Garp talks about you quite often, so I wanted to see what your strength was like," Nagasawa said with a smile as he walked up to Luffy.
A green glow instantly appeared in his palm as he began treating Luffy.
Then something happened that made both Rayleigh and Luffy widen their eyes.
Luffy’s injuries recovered at a speed visible to the naked eye. His bleeding wounds quickly stopped bleeding before healing completely. In the end, not even a scar remained.
"My body feels so comfortable. It doesn’t hurt anymore!" After the treatment ended, Luffy touched the places where he had been injured with amazement. They had all completely healed, as though he had never been hurt.
Rayleigh also looked at Nagasawa in astonishment. He hadn’t expected Nagasawa’s healing ability to be so powerful. He even suspected it was the power of some kind of Devil Fruit.
After finishing the treatment, Nagasawa was in an excellent mood after successfully obtaining Luffy’s Devil Fruit ability.
He also took the opportunity to give Luffy some guidance, telling him that what he had used earlier was Conqueror’s Haki Infusion, an advanced application of Conqueror’s Haki. He also explained the future development paths of Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
While eating, Rayleigh asked Nagasawa why he had come to the Calm Belt, since the Marines rarely ventured there.
"It isn’t because of Marine business. It’s something else. But what I needed to do is already finished, so I’ll be leaving soon. Before I go, I stopped by to see Luffy," Nagasawa replied with a smile.
Rayleigh immediately understood. If it wasn’t Marine business, then it had to be Revolutionary Army business. Therefore, he didn’t ask any further questions.
"Rayleigh, would you like to join our cause? I think you have great potential for it," Nagasawa invited.
As the Pirate King’s right-hand man, Rayleigh’s courage and strength were beyond question.
"I’m already an old man. I’m not as energetic as you youngsters anymore," Rayleigh politely declined.
Nagasawa didn’t mind. Rayleigh really wasn’t young anymore. He was almost eighty years old. Forcing someone his age into a revolution would indeed be rather inconsiderate.
After eating and drinking their fill, Nagasawa returned to Amazon Lily and departed for the New World with Tina.
"Are we finally heading back to the Marine base?" Tina asked unwillingly.
After leaving Amazon Lily, Nagasawa had taken her to many islands, punishing evil, helping the good, and liberating the oppressed along the way. Tina felt that Nagasawa should have had enough by now.
Although punishing evil and helping the good was a wonderful thing, couldn’t they accomplish even more by serving as Marines?
"No. Our destination is Punk Hazard," Nagasawa’s answer completely extinguished Tina’s remaining hope.
"What are we going to Punk Hazard for?" Tina recalled what she knew about the island before asking.
Punk Hazard had once been an island under Marine control. It contained three Marine research facilities and also imprisoned certain World Government criminals.
However, after a major experimental accident, the Marines abandoned the island. It was now nothing more than a deserted, uninhabited island.
"Isn’t it said that after Akainu and Aokiji fought there, the island became half frozen wasteland and half blazing inferno? An interesting island like that is naturally worth seeing," Nagasawa explained.
"Admiral Nagasawa, you’re really treating this as a sightseeing vacation." Tina sighed. Nagasawa truly looked as though he were enjoying an extended holiday.
"Of course," Nagasawa replied with a grin.
Naturally, he was lying to Tina.
An island of ice and fire did sound somewhat interesting, but it certainly wasn’t worth wasting time traveling there.
The real reason was that Punk Hazard contained Doflamingo’s forces. Caesar was conducting research there involving poisonous gas, artificial Devil Fruits, and human gigantification.
By going there, Nagasawa could obtain at least two Logia Devil Fruits: Caesar’s Gas-Gas Fruit and Monet’s Snow-Snow Fruit.
If he happened to run into Law on the island, he could also obtain the Op-Op Fruit.
Monet and Caesar were both far too weak, but Nagasawa felt their Devil Fruits were actually quite good.
After obtaining everything from Punk Hazard, he could simply follow the trail to Doflamingo, then have the Revolutionary Army liberate the nation under Doflamingo’s control while they were at it.
Nagasawa had never intended to preserve the original storyline.
Wait for Luffy to finish training?
He didn’t have that kind of patience.
After so many years of development, the Revolutionary Army had already accumulated considerable strength. Their only real shortcoming was their top-tier combat power. In every other aspect, they had developed extremely well.
Once they united with other like-minded people, peacefully overthrowing the World Government would no longer be a dream.
Perhaps by the time Luffy finished his training and set sail again, the Great Age of Pirates would already be over. Instead of becoming the Pirate King, he would only be able to become the King of Adventurers.
However, after Nagasawa and Tina entered the New World, they encountered an unexpected surprise.
A gigantic penguin swimming while standing upright entered Nagasawa’s field of vision. Sitting atop the penguin was a tall, slender man wearing a dark green coat.
With such a distinctive appearance, Nagasawa naturally recognized him immediately.
It was none other than the former Marine Admiral, Aokiji, who had already left the Marines.
Aokiji, who had been deep in thought, sensed something and opened his eyes. He noticed a small boat nearby carrying a man and a woman dressed as Marines.
At first, Aokiji found it strange that two Marines were wandering around the New World in such a tiny boat. But after taking a closer look at Nagasawa’s face, he remembered that this was the newly appointed White Horse Admiral.
Nagasawa steered his boat toward Aokiji’s penguin.
Such a perfect opportunity couldn’t be missed.
He absolutely had to obtain Aokiji’s Devil Fruit.
Tina greeted Aokiji. She hadn’t expected to meet the former Marine Admiral here. Back then, she had actually thought it was a pity. She had preferred Aokiji becoming Fleet Admiral rather than Akainu.
"It’s Tina. What are you two doing out here?" Aokiji couldn’t figure out what the pair were up to.
"We’re thoroughly enjoying our vacation," Nagasawa answered immediately.
Tina, on the other hand, was much more honest. She directly explained the truth—that Nagasawa had argued with Akainu and refused to return to Marine Headquarters.
Aokiji hadn’t expected such a dramatic reason and couldn’t help laughing.
"Meeting each other is fate. We happen to be heading to Punk Hazard. Want to come with us?"
"Punk Hazard..." Hearing that name, memories surfaced in Aokiji’s mind. He shook his head, intending to refuse.
"Don’t be so quick to reject us," Nagasawa interrupted first.
"According to my information, someone on that island is conducting numerous experiments, including human experimentation on children. Several major factions are involved, including Seven Warlord Doflamingo, as well as the Four Emperors Kaido and Big Mom."
The artificial Zoan Devil Fruits Doflamingo supplied to Kaido all originated from Caesar, while Big Mom wanted Caesar to develop drugs capable of turning people into giants.
Aokiji frowned slightly and didn’t refuse immediately.
Tina’s eyes widened in shock.
Didn’t you say we were going there to admire the island of ice and fire?
How had this suddenly become such an enormous incident?
"Admiral Nagasawa, where did you get this information?" Tina asked suspiciously.
She had been with Nagasawa every day. How did he know so much more than she did?
"I had someone investigate it. The investigation wasn’t complete before, so I didn’t tell you," Nagasawa casually lied.
Tina nodded, temporarily accepting his explanation.
In the end, Aokiji still shook his head.
"I’m no longer a Marine. Besides, I believe the two of you can handle it."
Although the forces involved sounded frightening—one Seven Warlord and two Four Emperors—they weren’t actually going to fight the Emperors themselves.
Aokiji didn’t believe a Marine Admiral would be unable to deal with the subordinates of the Four Emperors.
Since Nagasawa and Tina could resolve the matter, Aokiji didn’t feel like getting involved. Otherwise, he might end up making major headlines again, something he didn’t want. He was still lying low.
After leaving the Marines, Aokiji’s perspective had broadened considerably.
He had thought deeply about many things and had done quite a lot as well.
He was now truly practicing the justice he believed in, rather than the justice of the World Government.
Although he no longer wore the white Justice coat bearing the word "Justice," what he did now was even more just than before.
Nagasawa suddenly struck Tina on the neck with a hand chop, knocking her unconscious.
Then he laid his cards on the table.
"If the Marines aren’t acceptable, then how about traveling with the Revolutionary Army?"
The expression on Aokiji’s face gradually turned into confusion.
The Revolutionary Army?
What was going on?
Could this new Admiral actually be an undercover Revolutionary?
Aokiji found the situation utterly absurd.
Just what was the Marine Headquarters doing? A Revolutionary Army member had actually climbed all the way to Admiral.
Nagasawa used the Transformation Technique and became Senju Tobirama.
Since the killing of a Celestial Dragon had been such major news, Aokiji naturally recognized the White Devil immediately.
"My current identity is Senju Tobirama, advisor to the Revolutionary Army," Nagasawa said after transforming.
"So you really are from the Revolutionary Army. No wonder," Aokiji said. Like everyone else, he assumed Nagasawa had killed the Celestial Dragon because he belonged to the Revolutionary Army.
"Kuzan, I think you’d be a perfect fit for the Revolutionary Army. How about joining us and overthrowing the World Government together?" Nagasawa asked with a smile.
"Kid, I used to be a Marine Admiral. Is it really a good idea to expose your identity and invite me just like that?" Aokiji said helplessly.
"What’s the problem? I’m still a current Marine Admiral, and I joined the Revolutionary Army too," Nagasawa replied indifferently.
"You mean you joined the Revolutionary Army after becoming a Marine Admiral?" Aokiji asked in confusion.
He had assumed Nagasawa had been an undercover Revolutionary who eventually rose to the rank of Admiral.
From what Nagasawa was saying, however, he had first become an Admiral and only then joined the Revolutionary Army.
Nagasawa recounted the story of how he had met Garp.
"Is the Revolutionary Army really worth that much?" Aokiji couldn’t quite understand why Nagasawa had chosen to join the Revolutionary Army after already becoming an Admiral.
"I only told you all this because I’d heard you were an Admiral who genuinely cared about ordinary people. I didn’t expect your resolve to still be lacking," Nagasawa said.
"In today’s world, only revolution can truly solve the problem and free people everywhere from oppression..."
Seizing the opportunity, Nagasawa launched into another lengthy explanation of Revolutionary Army ideology.
After that, he began painting a vision of the future—a beautiful world after the revolution, peaceful everywhere, the Great Age of Pirates brought to an end, no one suffering oppression from those above them, everyone with enough to eat and wear, and all races living as equals.
"It’s as beautiful as a fairy tale," Aokiji said, giving Nagasawa a deep look.
After everything Nagasawa had just said, even if Nagasawa denied being part of the Revolutionary Army, Aokiji wouldn’t believe him.
"Do you think it’s impossible?" Nagasawa asked.
"How do you plan to defeat the World Government?" Aokiji asked bluntly.
There were many obvious obstacles on the Revolutionary Army’s path.
But the greatest one, without question, was the World Government that had existed for eight hundred years.
"Even if you manage to defeat the World Government, how can you guarantee that you won’t become the next World Government and create the next generation of Celestial Dragons?"