Sailing: I was falsely accused of watching Nami bathe, but I'm blind.

Sanji! He's still as...exuding hormones as ever, but the power and speed in his kicks seem to have reached a new level! And...he seems to have learned...Moonwalk?!

Chopper! Franky! Brook! ...

One by one!

As if by prior arrangement, the Straw Hat crew members arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago from all over the world! And... they began searching for and reuniting with each other!

Kai could clearly sense that the strength of each of them had undergone a...drastic change! Compared to two years ago, it was practically...a complete transformation! Each and every one of them had become stronger! More reserved! And also more...dangerous!

And finally...

When that aura, like a small sun, brimming with boundless vitality and free will, and containing even more terrifying power and domineering will, finally set foot on the land of the Sabaody Archipelago...

Kai knows...

Captain, you're back!

Monkey D. Luffy!

He's back! And... he's become... even stronger! So strong that... even Kai felt a... extremely faint... pressure?!

No! Impossible! Kai immediately rejected the feeling! He would never lose to this guy again! Never!

He forcefully suppressed the slight ripple in his heart caused by sensing Luffy's return, and his eyes (in his heart) became even colder and...sharper!

The prey has all entered the hunting grounds!

Well then... let the hunt begin!

However, the navy's meticulously planned encirclement operation was fraught with unexpected events and chaos from the very beginning.

First of all, there's that damned "fake Straw Hat crew"! This group of weak but extremely arrogant imposters is swaggering around the island, attracting a lot of the Navy's attention and firepower! Even some of Kai's troops were misled by these fake targets, wasting precious time in the pursuit!

Next up are the...Pacifistas! To ensure that 4.4 goes smoothly, the Marine Headquarters has also deployed several of the latest and improved Pacifistas! It was thought that these powerful killing machines would easily subdue the Straw Hat crew (especially the relatively weaker members).

But the result... surprised everyone!

Kai sensed it clearly! Just as a Pacifista appeared menacingly before Luffy, preparing to unleash a laser attack…

Luffy! He didn't even activate Gear Second! He didn't even fully utilize Armament Haki (Kai could sense that Luffy had mastered it too!)!

It was just... a seemingly casual punch!

boom! ! !

A loud bang!

That Pacifista, forged from a special alloy and boasting incredible defensive capabilities—enough to give even the Supernovas two years ago a headache—was actually... as fragile as paper! It was utterly... destroyed by Luffy's punch! Parts scattered everywhere! Completely wrecked!

One punch?! Just one punch?!

Kai's heart skipped a beat again!

This guy… what kind of training has he undergone in the past two years?! His strength… has actually reached the point where he can instantly kill a pacifist?!

This result not only shocked Kai, but also filled all the marines present, including the vice admirals in command, with a deep sense of... horror and... fear!

Straw Hat Luffy's strength has far exceeded their previous assessment!

Just as the Navy was thrown into chaos and shock by the pacifists' instant defeat, Rayleigh, the ghost-like "Dark King," seemed to be making his move in the shadows once again!

Although Kai didn't directly sense Rayleigh's actions, he could clearly feel that certain encirclements set up by the Navy always seemed to have some... inexplicable "loopholes" at the most crucial moments? Or perhaps some of the naval commanders in charge would suddenly "misjudge" and issue incorrect orders?

Chapter 108 Arrival in the New World! Unleashing a Massacre on Pirates!!!

Behind all of this, it seems, lies the invisible hand of Rayleigh manipulating things in secret! He continues to "protect" the "seed of the new era" that he has his eye on, in his own way!

In addition, the Straw Hat crew members have greatly improved their own strength! Zoro's swordsmanship is like that of a demon god, Sanji's aerial kicks are as fast as lightning, Franky's modified weapons are even more terrifying... They are no longer the "rookies" who needed to rely on luck and willpower to barely defeat strong enemies two years ago! Each of them now possesses the strength to stand alone and even gain a foothold in the New World!

The interference of the fake Straw Hat crew... the Pacifistas' utter weakness... Rayleigh's covert assistance... and the Straw Hat crew's own explosive growth in strength...

All these factors combined to cause the Navy's seemingly impenetrable encirclement plan to ultimately... completely fail!

After creating a massive chaos, the Straw Hat crew, incredibly... once again slipped through the Navy's encirclement like eels! And... successfully reunited with their companions, boarding the now-coated Thousand Sunny! Ready... to set sail! To Fish-Man Island! To enter the New World!

Kai was aware of everything throughout, his face so dark it looked like it could drip water!

He wasn't without a chance to appear.

In fact, amidst the chaos, he had at least two opportunities to directly clash with one of the Straw Hat crew members!

He had even... slightly drawn the "Tranquility" staff-sword!

But in the end... he still chose... to give up.

why?

Was it because the timing was wrong? Or was it because... the complex emotions deep within him, which had not yet been completely extinguished, were holding him back?

Kai didn't know.

He simply... after that brief, tense standoff (or rather, a clash of perceptions), chose... to quickly disengage.

Perhaps it was because he felt that without absolute certainty of being able to completely capture (or even kill) the other party, making a rash move would only expose his strength and intentions, which would be a loss.

Perhaps it's because his main purpose for this trip wasn't to have a final battle with the Straw Hat Pirates, but rather... to observe and assess?

Or perhaps... it's simply because... he's not fully ready? Not fully ready to face that... fateful duel that could completely change everything?

Whatever the reason, the result was... he missed (or rather, gave up) the opportunity to completely wipe out the Straw Hat crew in Sabaody.

He watched helplessly (with his own eyes) as the Thousand Sunny, carrying his former comrades (enemies) and endless troubles, dived into the deep sea like a bird breaking free from all its restraints, disappearing from his perception...

Kai's heart was filled with... an indescribable... coldness and... an even more determined killing intent!

Next time! Until we meet again! Whether on Fishman Island or in the New World!

I will never... hesitate again!

no way!!!

Watching (and sensing) the Thousand Sunny, like a fish freed from all restraints, successfully coat itself and dive into the deep sea, disappearing beyond his perception range, Kai stood on the shore of the Sabaody Archipelago, ravaged by battle and chaos, his face (if anyone could see it) so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

Failed!

Despite the Navy expending such enormous manpower and resources, even deploying admirals and human weapons, they still couldn't stop the Straw Hat crew! They... just swaggered off on their journey to the New World!

This is simply... an utter disgrace!

"Reporting, Your Excellency! The Straw Hat crew has successfully infiltrated the deep sea! Should we... order the deep-sea submarine force to pursue them?" A naval captain in charge of liaison cautiously approached Kai from behind and asked in a low voice.

Pursue? A cold smile curled at the corner of Kai's lips.

Pursuit? Easier said than done!

Ten thousand meters deep in the ocean! It's a completely different world! Filled with unimaginable water pressure, pitch-black darkness, and terrifying sea monsters lurking in the shadows! Even the navy's most advanced submarines face severe limitations and constant danger in that environment!

Moreover, the Thousand Sunny was built from the wood of the legendary precious tree "Adam" and was personally coated by Rayleigh, the god of the underworld! Its diving capabilities and adaptability to the deep-sea environment probably far surpass those of ordinary submarines in the navy!

Trying to track down and intercept them in the vast depths of the ocean? That's just wishful thinking!

Moreover... Kai projected his perception toward the distant sea surface.

Although Admiral Kizaru's aura had temporarily departed to deal with other Supernovas or return to headquarters to report, Rayleigh's unfathomable aura seemed to... still linger faintly near Sabaody Archipelago.

Clearly, this vice-captain of the Pirate King is secretly "protecting" his chosen junior.

If the navy really sends submarines to pursue them further, who can guarantee that... this legendary "Pluto" won't intervene again?

After weighing the pros and cons, Kai finally... shook his head slowly, extremely unwilling.

"No need.

His voice was cold and deep, devoid of any emotion. "Pass down the order to cease pursuit of the deep-sea area."

All forces were concentrated on clearing out the remaining pirates on the island and maintaining order.

"

"Yes, Lieutenant General!" Although the colonel was somewhat puzzled, he immediately accepted the order and left.

Kai stood alone in the sea breeze, silently gazing at the deep, dark waters that had swallowed the Thousand Sunny.

He knew that this time... he had indeed missed the best opportunity.

Once Luffy and his crew successfully reach Fishman Island and eventually enter the New World... that vaster, more chaotic, and more uncontrollable sea... capturing them again will become exponentially more difficult!

That guy... is like an unquenchable, chaotic, and unpredictable "jinx"! Wherever he goes, he stirs up huge storms! And now, this "jinx"... is about to invade that... New World, which even the Four Emperors and the Marine Headquarters find troublesome!

Kai could foresee that the future ocean would inevitably become more... magnificent, and also more... turbulent, because of this guy's existence!

And his own... fateful showdown with this guy... is probably only a matter of time.

"Luffy..." Kai silently murmured the name in his heart, a cold and complex light flickering in his empty eyes. "Next time... I will never let you... slip through my fingers again!"

He turned away, no longer looking at the sea.

His figure once again disappeared into the still chaotic shadows of the Sabaody Archipelago.

He still has a lot to do.

The responsibility for the failed encirclement and suppression, the doubts within the navy, and... to be better prepared for the upcoming, more brutal journey into the new world!

Although the Navy cannot directly pursue the Straw Hat crew in the deep sea, this does not mean that they have given up monitoring them.

Kai, in particular, absolutely refused to allow himself to be completely unaware of the movements of these "arch-enemies" once again.

He immediately activated the intelligence network he had secretly built over the past two years using naval resources and underground channels.