I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 305 The Golden Sea (Not Really)
"Hey? Where's that guy?!"

After leaving Suzuka Mountain, the superhuman with a shrimp claw in one hand looked around and couldn't help but scratch his head.

"Don't bother looking, they've already left."

The person next to him rolled his eyes at him. Although his words were impolite, he was actually also looking for the extraordinary person who had obtained the 'Kusanagi Sword'.

It wasn't that he had any designs on that extraordinary weapon, but rather that he wanted to join their ranks!
In this world, connections and influence matter.

A low-level superhuman acting alone can easily disappear without a trace, becoming the subject of someone else's blood experiments. Forget about any dreams of a comeback; these low-level superhumans will have their cerebral cortex destroyed immediately, while retaining the functions of the diencephalon and brainstem.
Simply put, it's a vegetative state!
Therefore, even extraordinary individuals need to band together.

For example, the 'Teach Pirates' that left before was a group of dozens of superhumans. They could kill people in the street without anyone daring to interfere, let alone kidnap their members.

And that 'Luffy Adventurers' group, don't be fooled by the fact that they're just a bunch of teenagers, they're all incredibly strong and ruthless!

If these "free agents" are unlucky, the extraordinary abilities they draw will be quite ordinary;
The best solution is to find a strong person to protect you.

"Pity,"

The man with the shrimp claws sighed.
That fair-skinned brother was incredibly strong; he could even repel a tiger-level 'Black Flame'.

Now, having received the 'Kusanagi Sword' as a gift from the young master, he's sure to soar to great heights in the future; if he can get on his good side sooner, he too can become a powerful figure in the future.
"Instead of wasting time, you might as well kill a few more demons."

The superhuman next to him reached out his hand.

"Want to team up?"

".OK,"

The man with the shrimp claws also extended his claws.

"Luffy, hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Standing on an 'Atakebune' made of seawater, the girl holding a bunch of sake bottles kept urging them on.

They needed to first take these airships to the northern seas to retrieve their own ship before returning to their hometown in the south; it was understandable that the girl was terrified carrying so many treasures, just like her long-nosed companion beside her, who was holding a rifle as if facing a formidable enemy.

"What are you worried about? There aren't many who can take our territory."

Zorro, with two sticks tucked into his belt, calmly walked over.

"That's right, we're not weak."

Luffy, clutching the fish tank, chuckled in agreement. His strength was among the top tier of Wolf-level fighters; although he could only open three gates of the Eight Gates, he could certainly break through to the fourth if he really went all out. Pure power and speed, the destructive force they unleashed, were no less than any supernatural ability.

"Besides, Luffy also possesses the Sea Kingdom's 'token',"

The blond man in the suit, who was lighting a cigarette, added,

"This is the territory of the Sea Kingdom, and in the future, this sea area will be led by the Sea Kingdom: Who dares to cause trouble here?"

Even without the Sea Kingdom taking action, countless forces will be able to subdue it!
"That's true, but let's hurry back."

With a pile of treasures in hand, the young woman steering the boat felt uneasy: that superhuman over there had a shifty look on his face and was definitely up to no good; those few people who kept turning back after just passing by must also have ulterior motives.
In short, he sees no one with good intentions.

"Let's go home!"

As Luffy jumped onto the ship, the 'Atakebune' made of seawater began to move and flew out of thin air.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Limasava Island
"That's...they're back!"

On the watchtower in the center of the island, the lookout with binoculars spotted a white dot on the distant horizon and immediately picked up the walkie-talkie on his chest.

"Captain, captain!"

"Vice-Captain Luffy is back!"

"understood,"

A steady voice came through the walkie-talkie, along with:
"Be alert."

"Yes!"

The island has a small radar, but it is ultimately just a 'civilian' product.

Besides, in this extraordinary era, many things that fly in the sky and swim in the water cannot be detected by radar; with lookouts using binoculars for reconnaissance, they can't be completely unaware when someone comes to their doorstep.

"I heard that young master Luffy has returned?"

"You should call him the vice-captain!"

"Let's go to the pier!"

"Hey, hey, hey, you little rascals—"

Soon, a large number of people gathered at the dock. Especially the children: their worldview was not yet fully formed, so the existence of supernatural beings? Man-eating monsters? were accepted without question; on the contrary, many adults were still dejected and felt hopeless about the future.

"I'm coming!"

Amid the children's cheers and jubilation,

The ground effect vehicle, which had been flying close to the sea surface in the distance, lowered its altitude and landed on the sea.

Splash,

Trailing a long white spray, with a perfect drift, this technologically advanced vehicle gracefully docked at the shore.

Several strong men jumped into the sea, swam quickly over, and fastened the locks in their hands to the wings of the aircraft: next, they would drag it to the dock and clean it up—so that Vice-Captain Luffy and the others could set sail again in perfect condition.

"Brother Luffy, Brother Luffy!"

"Take us out to sea next time, we can fight too!"

"Yeah, yeah~~"

As soon as he got off the boat, he was surrounded by a group of boys. The one-armed boy smiled and waved his hand.

"We'll talk about it after you pass the militia's assessment."

"Tch, just giving us a perfunctory answer again~~"

"I heard that on the next island, people over twelve can take guns and go out to sea!"

These teenagers started shouting, truly embodying the spirit of "newborn calves are not afraid of tigers," completely unconcerned about death.

"Have you all mastered the staff techniques I was told to practice?"

As things grew increasingly chaotic, Zorro spoke, his calm gaze sweeping over the crowd, and instantly silence fell.

Unlike the sunny and cheerful Luffy, this "Brother Zorro" trains people primarily with sticks and secondarily with education; he starts with fifty sets of strength training, and even the most agile person will obediently lie on the ground in his hands.

"Hurry up and go exercise!"

"Did you think our sea voyage was just child's play?"

At Zorro's reprimand, the group of boys immediately scattered like birds and beasts: everyone has the ambition to go to the battlefield, but how many can endure the hard training?

Although no matter how much an ordinary person trains, it is impossible to break through the limits of the human body; but this persistent mindset is enough to leave countless people behind.

Even after becoming an extraordinary being, one still needs constant training and combat to make breakthroughs!

On the island nation, apart from a certain mysterious and unpredictable family of Onmyoji,
Which of the experts from other extraordinary forces didn't fight their way out of blood and fire?
Moreover, even that 'strongest modern' Onmyoji frequently entered and exited the Koyasan battlefield in the early days.

"Do these little brats really think we're on vacation?"

Zorro sighed in annoyance.
Don't let their current status as 'big shots' welcomed by the entire village fool you; they've also faced countless battles in this sea area, being relentlessly hunted by hordes of chimeras.

"But isn't the very reason we go to sea to help them maintain this mindset?"

The blond chef in the suit, who was in the team, took the cigarette from his mouth and said:
"If children are afraid of the sea, then we are truly doomed."

"Alright, alright, stop spouting these high-sounding principles."

The navigator girl wearing headphones walked over.

"Come here, everyone. I have something to discuss with you all, and with Luffy's father." —

"We want to take, no, we want to return to Dapa Island in the north."

When Luffy's adventure team, along with the village's militia captain (Luffy's father) and several militia officers arrived at the conference room on the third floor, the navigator girl made a startling statement, declaring her intention to control a large island.

? !
"But there should still be many demons remaining on Dapa Island, right?"

A militia captain hesitated before speaking.
"That's right,"

The navigator girl did not deny it.
"We, and you, are responsible for cleaning up the demons on that island and in that city."

As she spoke, she placed the tablet on the table, and as she swiped her finger across it, the image began to zoom in: on an island called Dapa, there was a modern port city.

That's not the point. The point is:

"There is a 'tidal power plant' under construction next to this island; the main structure is basically completed."

Then came the arrival of the extraordinary, with the Nine-Tails unleashing its power.

It became a pile of scrap metal at sea.

"We can get enough electricity once we get it up and running."

"At the same time, I placed an order with Mr. KYG: two bullet production lines and one set of armor-piercing round production equipment."

With electricity, weapons, and the main force of the Nine-Tailed Fox having fled to the largest island in the south, now is the perfect opportunity to launch a counterattack on our homeland!
"And there's a complete 'supernatural potion extraction' device!"

After the girl finished speaking, her gaze swept over the crowd.

"If we're going to fight, let's see it through to the end."

"The firearms can be purchased directly, and there are enough weapons to arm everyone."

"When the demons come to kill, they won't care if you're old or young! — Even if you can't kill the enemy, at least you can make your own death easier."

Everyone remained silent in response to the girl's suggestion.

Everyone was deeply aware of the devastation suffered by the Outlaws at the hands of the Nine-Tails; now that the Nine-Tails had withdrawn from the north, they returned to the city to start up the power plant and various factories to produce weapons and ammunition, arming everyone.

It's not just about taking revenge on the Nine-Tails' forces, but also about guarding against other forces!
This sea area has absolutely nothing to do with 'safety'. Apart from the extraordinary monsters, there are also many conflicts and endless killings between various countries and forces.

Compared to the demons who would turn on you even in their dying moments, it's much easier to plunder resources from humans.

For example, the Teach Pirates even dared to rob the French Navy!
Numerous nameless pirate groups with nothing, and even many regular armies of Western countries, have 'awakened their bloodline' and are willing to take on the role of pirates for a while.

"Then we'll use the extraordinary potion to get everything we need."

"And to protect these—"

We must have overwhelming force!

Faced with the uncharacteristically fierce navigator girl, everyone in the living room fell silent for a moment before raising their hands.

“I agree,”

“I agree,”

“I agree,”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Adachi Ward, Tokyo
The newly relocated Nogi Group headquarters stands tall among the buildings.

Beneath this newly built building lies a vast basement: containing not only living quarters and agricultural areas, but also dedicated training and combat areas.

In the brightly lit training room, two figures were darting and entangled; one of them was wearing a vest and trousers, with a well-proportioned figure, slightly curly black hair, and an aura of a martial arts master in every move.

The other person had bandages wrapped around his entire head and hands, making it impossible to discern his age or appearance. He was wielding a massive weapon the size of a door.

Such a conspicuous weapon is undoubtedly filial piety!
His opponent was none other than Toja Kiohama, the champion of the Kengan Association.

Compared to before when they couldn't even touch the hem of each other's clothes, now the two can fight back and forth.

but--

"Huff, huff, huff, Master."

Stopping wielding his 'decapitation sword,' Xiao, his body bandaged, breathed heavily with some frustration.

"The gap is too big; I still can't be the first to do it."

It seemed like a back-and-forth battle, but in reality, one side was giving it their all while the other was offering pointers and advice; one side was wielding an extraordinary sword while the other was empty-handed, making it clear who was stronger and who was weaker.

Of course, Takashi hasn't used the inherent abilities of the 'Executioner's Blade' yet; but Master Ma, the Ten-Headed Serpent Demon King, hasn't used his self-created skills either!

"Hehe, don't be discouraged."

The Ten-Snake Demon King Horse stopped without blushing or panting.

“You’re already learning very quickly, but you only feel that your progress isn’t obvious because you play against me every day.”

As for the technique of 'first before first'—

"The entire Kengan Association is controlled by only a handful of people."

"How about this, take a day off tomorrow and go to 'Thor's Sword Mark' to gain some enlightenment?"

The so-called 'Thunder God Sword Mark' is a 10,000-meter sword mark located in Bunkyo Ward, cutting through the heart of Tokyo: it is said that the representative of the samurai family, Mr. Yagyu, stood there for a day and a night, and suddenly comprehended the supreme swordsmanship, and was able to compete with the Demon level.

From then on, extraordinary individuals, using swords or even other weapons, flocked to the temple to pay their respects.

In an attempt to comprehend the supreme way of the sword!

Even the Kengan Association had many members who went there: it wasn't that they wanted to abandon martial arts and learn swordsmanship, but rather that they believed they could learn from others' experiences.

It would be good to learn from it.

"Ok."

Xiao readily agreed and nodded.

As the two emerged from the training room, they looked up and saw a large television on the wall broadcasting news from the southern seas.

"It is reported that the town where the massacre took place had a total of 1670 people living there."

The screen was covered in patches of pixelation, but the presenter's somber voice continued the broadcast.

"To date, no armed force has claimed responsibility for this incident. The Icelandic government-in-exile calls on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from indiscriminate killing for the sake of the extraordinary treasure."

"The situation over there is too chaotic."

Watching the news report on TV, Xiao, carrying the 'decapitation sword' on his back, sighed.

Yes, the Nine-Tailed Fox forces were driven to the southern islands by the Sea Kingdom, but the northern islands did not regain peace; instead, they became even more chaotic!

Various government armies, unidentified mercenaries, and squads of superhumans—countless forces—conquered that land, constantly capturing demons and attacking others. On the seas, merchant ships, warships, and pirate vessels roamed freely, all risking everything for wealth.

Extraordinary potions, hero's water, Devil Fruits, extraordinary pearls—things casually left out by the Sea Kingdom are secret treasures coveted by countless people.

Many experts call it the 'Golden Sea,' but for the ordinary people who remain—

But it is an unspeakable hell: it could be destroyed at any moment by some force.

"Can't we just coexist peacefully?"

"That's reality,"

Hearing Xiao's sad words, Toja Onima simply patted him on the shoulder.

Given the sheer number of extraordinary treasures in that sea area, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's flowing with gold.

Human beings are creatures of trade; where there is buying and selling, there is killing; where there is gold, there is bloodshed. This has been true of every country since ancient times.

(End of this chapter)