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

After saying that, Smoker gave Kai a deep look, as if trying to memorize his scent and features, before turning around and continuing his patrol, his signature cigar smoke trailing behind him.

Watching Smoker's departing figure, Kai slowly loosened his grip on the "Tranquility" cane sword.

Although the standoff ended without serious incident, it made him realize more clearly that his relationship with the navy would likely only become more strained.

Smoker's appearance also served as a signal, reminding him that as his strength and reputation grew, he would inevitably attract the attention of higher-ranking and more hardliners in the Navy.

The road ahead will only become more difficult and dangerous.

But he didn't back down at all.

He simply turned away silently and disappeared into the shadows of the black market, continuing his solitary yet resolute steps.

After her less-than-pleasant reunion with Smoker in Iron Harbor, Kai didn't linger and left.

He continued his work as a bounty hunter, taking on increasingly difficult missions, honing his skills, and accumulating wealth and intelligence.

However, during one mission, he encountered an event that caused him to experience profound inner turmoil.

His target this time is a pirate captain with a bounty of 90 million Berries, nicknamed "Bloody Hand," who is known for his cruelty and bloodlust, especially his fondness for torturing and killing those who resist.

According to intelligence, this guy recently fled to a relatively prosperous port city and seems to be colluding with some underground force in the city, using it as a temporary stronghold and a place to sell stolen goods.

After a thorough investigation and tracking, Kai finally located "Bloody Hand's" hideout in a densely populated old town—a gang stronghold disguised as an ordinary hotel.

Kai's original plan was to wait until late at night, sneak into the stronghold, and carry out an assassination or raid, while trying to avoid affecting the surrounding civilians.

However, just as he was about to take action, an accident occurred.

"Bloody Hands" appears to have clashed with the local gang over a dispute about the spoils! The two sides engaged in a fierce gunfight and hack-and-slashing battle inside the hotel and on the surrounding streets!

Gunshots, explosions, and screams instantly echoed throughout the entire block! Many civilians, unaware of the situation, were caught up in the chaos and fled in panic!

Kai immediately realized that the situation was getting out of control! He had to deal with "Bloody Hand" as soon as possible, otherwise, the shootout could cause a large number of innocent civilian casualties!

Without further hesitation, he charged into the chaotic battlefield like a ghost! He had only one target—the pirate captain "Bloody Hand," who was frantically hacking and slashing, covered in blood!

However, the battlefield was far too chaotic! Bullets flew everywhere, arrows streaked across the sky, and there were running crowds and collapsed obstacles everywhere! Even though Kai's Observation Haki could foresee danger, it was difficult to be completely safe in this environment!

Worse still, "Bloody Hand" is extremely cunning and cruel! Seeing Kai, a powerful figure clearly targeting him, appear, he actually... deliberately steered the fighting towards innocent civilians! He grabbed a terrified little girl and used her as a hostage! He threw bombs into densely populated areas, creating greater chaos to cover his tracks!

"Bastard!" Kai's eyes were bloodshot (although he couldn't see, he could clearly sense everything)! This behavior of using innocent people as shields and sacrifices had completely crossed the line in his heart!

An uncontrollable rage burned in his chest! Almost instinctively, he pushed his Armament Haki to its current limit, covering his arms and the "Tranquility" staff-sword in his hand, and then... he charged towards "Blood Hand" without regard for anything!

He has to get rid of this scum as soon as possible! Even if... it comes at a price!

The ensuing battle was fierce and chaotic.

Kai, like an enraged demon, wielded a staff-blade that transformed into streaks of cold light. With an almost frenzied attitude, he forcefully broke through the layers of obstacles created by "Blood Hand" using hostages and chaos!

With his arm covered in Armament Haki, he forcefully deflected the stray bullets aimed at the civilians!

With his ghostly movements, he rescued the little girl who was being held hostage from the clutches of "Bloody Hand" at the last second!

As a result, he inevitably suffered even more attacks! Several new gunshot and knife wounds appeared on his body!

Finally, after paying a certain price, Kai seized his opportunity! With a slash that contained all his anger and killing intent and was covered with the strongest Armament Haki, he directly severed the "Blood Hand" along with the weapon in his hand!

"Bloody Hand's" head, filled with astonishment and fear, rolled to the ground.

The battle is over.

However, as Kai stood on the devastated, blood-soaked street, leaning on his knife, listening to (and sensing) the terrified cries of the surviving civilians around him, and the fear, accusations, and even hatred that filled their eyes as they looked at him, his heart, which had been burning with anger and fighting, gradually cooled down, and he even felt a chill...

He won.

He killed the heinous pirate.

He even saved a little girl.

But... what's the price?

He looked around (perceived) his surroundings.

The streets were in ruins, and several houses had collapsed and were engulfed in flames during the battle.

There were many corpses lying on the ground, not only pirates and gangsters, but also... some innocent civilians who were unfortunately caught in the crossfire and died from stray bullets or explosions!

The surviving civilians looked at him, this "executioner" covered in blood and exuding a chilling murderous aura, with eyes filled with fear and repulsion.

In their eyes, he might not be any different from those pirates and gangsters; they were all "monsters" who brought death and disaster!

Kai felt as if something had stabbed him hard in the heart.

Is this... the "order" he sought? In order to eradicate one "evil," more "good" was affected? In order to uphold so-called "justice," he had to pay such a heavy price, harming the innocent?

Is it really worth it?

Fujitora-senpai's words about "benevolence and righteousness" echoed in his mind once again, like a resounding bell.

"Protecting the weak is not simply about defeating the bullies..."

"Using violence alone can sometimes only bring deeper fear and destruction..."

"Benevolence and righteousness should be like spring rain, nourishing things silently..."

Kai's long-held belief in a more pragmatic, tougher, and even costly approach to maintaining order has been challenged and shaken like never before!

He began to wonder if he was... heading down the wrong path? Was he gradually losing his true self in the pursuit of power and revenge (to prove himself), becoming more and more like those beings he once despised and hated?

A strong sense of self-doubt and confusion surged into my heart like a tide.

Standing amidst the ruins filled with death and sorrow, he began to deeply doubt the path he had chosen for the first time.

He silently sheathed his knife, neither claiming "Bloody Hand's" bounty nor paying attention to the complicated gazes around him. He simply dragged his tired and heavy body, like a lost ghost, and disappeared into the shadows of the city.

He needs time, he needs quiet, to rethink, to redefine... that damned "justice," and where he himself should go from here.

That brutal battle in the port city, which affected innocent people, left an indelible shadow on Kai's heart, plunging him into deep self-doubt and confusion for a long time afterward.

He temporarily stopped accepting any bounty missions and simply drifted aimlessly between islands like an ordinary traveler, trying to sort out his thoughts.

He went to bustling commercial cities, feeling the surge of money and desire; he went to quiet rural towns, experiencing the simple and peaceful life there; he even went to some desolate, untouched natural islands, just like before, to converse with nature in solitude and silence, trying to find inner peace.

But no matter where he went or what he tried, the contradiction and struggle about "order and cost" and "benevolence and reality" always haunted his mind like a ghost, impossible to shake off.

Just when he felt he was about to be completely worn down by this internal strife, some information from his not-completely-cut-off intelligence network drew his attention back to reality and pointed him in a direction that was perhaps destined.

Multiple different clues, from different intelligence sources, have all pointed to the same place—the Sabaody Archipelago!

One clue came from the encrypted booklet from Baroque Works that he had previously commissioned to be decoded.

The decoding experts have finally made a breakthrough, discovering some secret instructions from higher levels of the World Government (possibly even involving the Five Elders), as well as a secret outpost hidden in the Sabaody Archipelago that seems to be closely related to the mermaid trade and the Celestial Dragons!

Another clue came from intelligence he obtained from the remaining subordinates or related forces of "Bloody Hand" while tracking him.

It seems that "Bloody Hand" originally planned to go to the Sabaody Archipelago to join a larger pirate group with considerable influence in the New World, and one of that group's important strongholds was in Sabaody!

Another clue came from his continuous monitoring of naval movements.

Intelligence indicates that the Navy Headquarters has recently significantly increased its troop deployments near the Sabaody Archipelago, seemingly in preparation for some major event.

Rumors suggest this is related to the recent influx of powerful new pirates into the Sabaody Archipelago!

Pirate newbies... Kai immediately thought of those guys known as "Supernovas"! According to intelligence, most of these young pirates with bounties of over 100 million who are making a name for themselves in the New World choose to resupply and reorganize in the Sabaody Archipelago and prepare for entering the New World (such as coating their ships).

This means that the Sabaody Archipelago must be a melting pot of all sorts of people and a gathering place for powerful individuals! Not only is it under the intense surveillance of the Navy, with undercurrents in the underworld, and the potential threat of the Celestial Dragons, the world's nobles, but also... a group of unruly and powerful "Supernovas"!

All the clues and all the information, like invisible pointers, pointed to the Sabaody Archipelago, a place full of fantasy and endless danger, located at the end of the first half of the Grand Line!

Kai realized that whether he wanted to continue pursuing secrets about the World Government, hunt down higher-value bounty targets (the Supernovas and their subordinates were undoubtedly the best choice), or find out the Navy's next move... the Sabaody Archipelago was the place he had to go to right now!

That place seemed to be the center of a vortex of fate, drawing in all sorts of forces, conspiracies, and conflicts.

Going there would undoubtedly be extremely dangerous.

But at the same time, it may also conceal...an unprecedented opportunity! Perhaps only in such an extremely chaotic and fiercely competitive environment can he truly see the path within his own heart? And find the opportunity to break through his own limitations?

Chapter 74 The Lawless Zone

Kai no longer hesitated.

The confusion and struggle in my heart seemed to be temporarily suppressed in the face of the clear goal of "going to Chambord".

He needs action and challenges, not to wallow in endless self-doubt.

He began making final preparations for his trip to the Sabaody Archipelago.

He knew how dangerous it was there.

It's not just pirates and the Navy, but also those... world nobles who treat human life like dirt and possess absolute privileges—the Celestial Dragons! In the Sabaody Archipelago, once you provoke a Celestial Dragon, no matter who you are, you may incur a devastating attack at the level of a Navy Admiral! This is an ironclad rule!

He must be fully prepared.

He inspected and maintained his "Mindfulness" cane knife again to ensure it was in optimal condition.

He replenished his supplies with a large quantity of medicine, bandages, and other survival necessities.

He carefully sorted through and analyzed all the intelligence he had on the Sabaody Archipelago, creating a "risk map" in his mind that was as detailed as possible.

He also prepared a set of more inconspicuous clothing and disguise props that would make it easier to conceal his identity.

Finally, he chose a relatively concealed route.

Instead of taking the large merchant or passenger ships that went directly to the Sabaody Archipelago and were easily spotted by the navy, he chose a smuggling ship that specialized in gray trade and frequently traveled to and from the islands near Sabaody.

Although the speed is slower and the environment on board is more complex, it at least minimizes the risk of being prematurely exposed to the navy before reaching the destination.