Starting as the mastermind behind Naruto

Chapter 398 How could my perfect performance be seen through?

Aokiji's eyes twitched slightly.

He wasn't mistaken; Uehara Naraku was definitely using an ice-freezing ability, not the lower-level Snow-Snow Fruit, but pure ice-freezing power.

but…

He, Marine Admiral Aokiji, is the true user of the Ice-Ice Fruit!

Uehara Naraku used his freezing ability on him, a Devil Fruit user. What exactly is his ability? Could it be the ability to copy Devil Fruit powers...?

"Don't you like it?"

Uehara Naraku's smile remained kind. He looked at the Marine Admiral before him and continued with a smile, "Because this place is too simple, I hope Mr. Kuzan will forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality..."

"No."

Aokiji shook his head and calmly said, "To fill in the entire island and create such a luxurious dueling arena to welcome me is simply too extravagant..."

"Ha ha ha ha…"

Uehara Naraku waved his hand with a smile before continuing earnestly, "Don't blame me, you're a Marine Admiral, this place is befitting your status!"

That statement is a bit unpleasant to hear.

Although Uehara Naraku was praising Aokiji's status, his tone sounded like that of a superior looking at a child.

After finishing his explanation, Uehara Naraku spread his hands and introduced the dueling arena: "This is a battlefield I painstakingly created yesterday. It will definitely allow Mr. Kuzan to unleash his full power here..."

"You really put a lot of effort into this..."

Aokiji slowly tilted his head, his gaze shifting to Nico Robin beside him: "It seems the intelligence was a little off. I thought Miss Robin was your superior, but it looks like she's joined another organization..."

"..."

A few beads of cold sweat trickled down Nicole Robin's forehead.

Because when Nico Robin was eight years old, the fear and shadow cast by Aokiji, the enemy who had once brought her to the brink of destruction, could not be erased in a short time.

Nico Robin's expression grew increasingly grim. She muttered under her breath, "Why did you come here... to kill me again?"

That's how it is.

Aokiji nodded slowly and continued softly, "After all, no matter what, being the last archaeologist of Ohara is still too dangerous for this world..."

After saying this, Aokiji's gaze slowly shifted from Robin to Uehara Naraku: "Now it seems you've joined an even more dangerous organization! In that case, we can't let you go any longer..."

"Don't say that."

Uehara Naraku picked up a glass of juice from the stone table, took a slow sip, and continued softly, "We are a peace organization dedicated to mediating wars around the world. No one desires world peace more than we do..."

Aokiji: "..."

A guy who just killed the Drum King is sitting here, planning to challenge a Navy Admiral, and telling me you're a peace organization?

Kisame Hoshigaki and Nico Robin also had some strange expressions.

Seeing their expressions, Uehara seemed to realize his mistake and quickly corrected himself, saying, "Sorry, I just said it offhand... Anyway, Mr. Kuzan, all you need to know is that we are all righteous and righteous at heart."

"You're nothing like that kind of person!"

Aokiji's eyelids twitched. He reached for the glass of ice water and swallowed it in one gulp. "You look more like schemers... I see absolutely no justice in your eyes!"

"That's because we're pretending to be bad guys."

Uehara Naraku casually explained, "We're now agents for a company called Baroque Works. Baroque Works is a criminal organization, and its boss is no good, so we have to learn from him!"

Nicole Robin: "..."

Is this how it begins?

Can Uehara Naraku have any humanity at all?

If the crocodile knew what was happening, it would definitely fight you to the death!

"What do you mean?"

Aokiji frowned slightly, looking at Uehara Naraku with a strange expression: "Could you please speak a little slower? I don't quite understand what you mean... So, who is the owner of this Baroque Works?"

"Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

After Uehara Naraku casually revealed Crocodile's identity to Aokiji, he noticed that the Marine Admiral in front of him did not change his expression at all when he heard Crocodile's name.

Clearly, this admiral did not take the Seven Warlords of the Sea seriously.

Uehara Naraku's face immediately furrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "Hey, why are you making that face? Be serious for a second!"

As Uehara Naraku spoke, his emotions grew increasingly agitated: "That's Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, with a bounty of 8100 million! He was a great pirate who, in his youth, was only defeated by Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, in a single blow!"

Uehara Naraku clenched his fists tightly, his emotions growing increasingly agitated: "If anyone in this world can reach Laugh Tale and become the second Pirate King, it must be Crocodile!"

That's exactly how a loyal lackey of Crocodile would speak; even Crocodile himself probably wouldn't find fault with it.

At that moment, Uehara felt like he was possessed by an Oscar-winning actor.

Unfortunately, his courage and ability don't quite match his acting skills.

A man who wants to challenge a Marine Admiral is here claiming to be a subordinate of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?

This guy's acting is so fake!

Aokiji watched Uehara Naraku's performance with a blank expression.

If Aokiji hadn't met Crocodile a few times and witnessed Uehara Naraku's grandeur firsthand, he might have actually tried to convince himself to be a little lazy and simply believe Uehara Naraku's lies.

The admiral rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Sir... did you graduate with a degree in drama? No, you probably weren't even qualified to act in plays! I can't see a single trace of reverence for Crocodile in your eyes!"

Are you questioning my loyalty to Mr. Crocodile?

A flash of fury crossed Uehara Naraku's face, and his fists clenched tighter and tighter: "In this world, no one respects Mr. Crocodile more than I do!"

"Feed, feed..."

Aokiji found it almost unbearable to watch Uehara Naraku like this.

Aokiji couldn't help but rub his temples: "That's enough! The way you're behaving so lawlessly... does anyone really dare to be your boss?"

"..."

Everyone present fell silent.

Uehara Naraku's anger gradually subsided, and he regained his smile: "Heh, it seems the Admiral's IQ isn't as low as I thought... Really, he was able to see through my perfect performance!"

"It's because your acting is so terrible!"

Aokiji couldn't help but mutter a sarcastic remark, gesturing with his hand towards the dueling arena: "If we two had met by chance on the high seas, and you were on a small-time pirate's ship, perhaps I might have believed your nonsense a little..."

He's a Marine Admiral!

No matter which pirate in the world he is, they will never let their guard down when they see him, let alone in the first half of the Grand Line!

In the first half of the Grand Line, any pirate would fear the pursuit of an admiral. Yet, Uehara Naraku, who clearly knew his admiral status and strength, still set up a super luxurious arena here!

"Haven't you rambled on enough already..."

Aokiji slowly lowered his hand, a sinister look spreading across his face: "Now you can tell me your true identity, right? Otherwise, I can't guarantee your survival later..."

At this moment, Aokiji's aura suddenly changed!

A chill emanated from him, causing everyone present to involuntarily feel the temperature in the air drop instantly!

Aokiji's aura was so strong that it was almost suffocating. At this moment, he temporarily put aside his laziness and fully displayed the prestige of a Marine Admiral!

Kisame Hoshigaki's expression also changed!

Nicole Robin was so frightened that she almost collapsed!

"Ha... As expected of a Marine Admiral, he's truly terrifying!"

As Uehara Naraku spoke, the smile on his face did not diminish at all; he even slowly took another sip of juice.

Uehara Naraku's slightly sarcastic words and actions reminded Aokiji of another colleague of his who had a somewhat nasty personality.

"You're just as awful as Borsalino!"

Aokiji couldn't help but slap his forehead again, his expression growing even more serious: "I don't want to waste my time with a bunch of ambiguous guys like you..."

"Let's begin!"

Uehara Naraku, clutching his juice, leaned back lazily on the stone chair.

The next moment, Uehara Naraku's face suddenly turned somewhat crazed: "Please show me your strength to the fullest, and let me see just how strong the Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, who is known as the highest fighting force of the World Government, really is!"

"If you're not strong enough, you'll never have the right to stand before me again. I'll have your corpse turned into a work of art!"

After saying this, Uehara Naraku's expression suddenly changed, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a kind smile: "If your power can bring me even a little pleasure, I don't mind telling you our true identities..."

Uehara Naraku sat up straight again, clasped his hands together on the table, and smiled mysteriously: "That's as beautiful as sunrise, the dawn that brings hope to the world..."

Uehara Naraku's words were cryptic and unclear...

But Aokiji really felt that he was talking about something incredible!

Aokiji's expression gradually became more and more serious, and the chill emanating from him decreased, even causing a layer of frost to form on the chair!

"Go, Kisame!"

Uehara Naraku waved to the tall fish-man beside him and said loudly, "Let our admiral give you some pointers, and let me see the power you now possess..."

"Yes, Lord Uehara."

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, revealing his mouthful of shark teeth. He slowly drew the Samehada sword from his back, and Armament Haki quickly enveloped Samehada.

The Samehada sword quickly turned completely black!

This scene caused a slight look of surprise to appear in Aokiji's eyes.

Armament Haki is not uncommon on the high seas.

However, in the first half of the Grand Line, there are very few pirates who can use Armament Haki and directly release it to wrap around their weapons.

Many pirates in the first half of the Grand Line may never have even heard of Haki.

Such a person…

The reward is now only 15 million!

Even 150 million seems a bit insufficient!

What's even more ironic is that this person was just one of Uehara Naraku's subordinates, while Uehara Naraku's bounty was only eight million.

These guys…

They really hid it well!

"Please!"

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned and invited Kuzan to join him in the dueling arena. His smile gradually turned sinister: "As per Lord Uehara's wishes, in his dueling arena, the only rule is no rules!"

"Looks like I've really been underestimated!"

Aokiji couldn't help but scratch his head, following Kisame Hoshigaki towards the spacious dueling arena. He couldn't help but mutter, "Is it that you guys are too strong, or that you underestimate the power of others?"

"That's confidence beyond my expectations!"

Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't help but glance at Aokiji, his smile still somewhat fierce and menacing: "I don't underestimate anyone's power... but Lord Uehara is different... no matter how much he underestimates you, it's still a compliment!"

First update...

There are still four more updates...

I got up too late, still need to pay off my debts…

(End of this chapter)