I planted a sacred tree in Tokyo.

Chapter 332 The Battle of the Mist
"That's it,"

"Well, I see."

Putting down her phone, Yu picked up a piece of bread from the table, meeting the curious gazes of Qiong Mei and the others who were having breakfast.

“Last night, two people encountered the ‘God of Fortune’.”

"An athlete who has been paralyzed for more than ten years is reborn, and an old man from a tycoon family is transformed into a young 'sculpture'."

As a 'god of fortune,' even if he doesn't kill, he can still make people wish they were dead—that tycoon old man is an example. A dignified deity can bestow blessings upon whomever he wants, naturally according to his own whims. You think you can just give them to someone who comes to you for help? Dream on!
Of course, since he was disguised as a 'God of Fortune', Yu didn't go too far.

The old man did regain his youth, but he lost his mobility: this was a subtle adjustment Yu made in his experiment to see how long the 'Yin Seal' could be maintained.

If someone is willing to take good care of him, the old man will regain his mobility in just one year and will have a youthful body, able to spend the rest of his life in youthful form.

but--

According to Director Zhu Ya, as the old man fell into a state of silence, immobility, and even loss of blinking, his relatives, after a chaotic argument in the middle of the night, have now split into several factions and are fighting fiercely over the inheritance.

That old guy's existence is questionable, let alone a year; he might not even last a month.

On the one hand, it's thanks to the 'elite education' of wealthy families; on the other hand, this old man has been punished by the 'God of Fortune,' so who would be willing to take him on?
"The blessings of the gods are not so easily obtained."

Yu took a bite of bread and shook her head slightly.

"Even so, this technique is so difficult~~"

"if not?"

"This is the secret to eternal youth!"

You rolled her eyes at Xiaoying's sentiments.

"Don't rush, you have plenty of time. Take your time, learn slowly, and you'll master it eventually."

If he really couldn't control it, Yu would manually "cheat" and directly ask the "God of Fortune" to bless them: after all, he was the strongest in the modern world, so what if he had connections with the gods?
Ebisu: I have no objection.

"Let's go to school."

After breakfast, everyone went out as usual.

However, Yu is now the principal, while Qiong and the others are students.

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.

Non-professional waters,
Basilhan Island, Gardens by the Bay.

Hundreds of thousands of workers are active on this island, and various buildings and factories are springing up at a visible speed.

As the base of the 'Teach Pirates', this place is home to hundreds of thousands of people, with a transient population reaching millions; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a burgeoning 'port city'. In fact, if that 'Shichibukai' Marshall Teach were to nod his head, most countries in the world would recognize it as an independent sovereign nation!

However, the pirate captain didn't seem to care about the name of 'country' and still referred to himself as 'pirate port'.

Such unorthodox behavior would have been eradicated by the navies of major powers long ago.

However, the title of "Seven Warlords of the Sea" is not just for show. On the high seas, even the fleets of major powers may not be able to do anything to them.

Therefore, all countries have adopted a policy of ignoring the existence of this 'pirate port': whether it's pirates or nations, as long as it brings benefits, they can trade and cooperate. As for the protests and condemnations from the French government, who cares?

"Medical team!"

Where are the cleaners?

"Unload! Unload!"

A dilapidated warship sailed into the dock and moored in an empty space.

On the deck, the captain, dressed in tattered clothes, stuck his head out, wiped the blood from his face, and shouted down in a hoarse voice.

"coming!"

"Men, it's time to get to work! Get moving!"

Urged on by a leader, a group of people on the shore wearing simple protective suits quickly stepped onto the elevator attached to the warship and came to the deck.

"Wow, you guys pulled off a big heist."

The leader, who had also stepped onto the deck, looked around and couldn't help but marvel.

The deck was truly a scene of 'corpses strewn everywhere', with the mangled corpses of fully armed human soldiers mixed among the numerous limbs and broken wings of the demons; twisted power armor was entangled with chimeras; high-frequency oscillating cutting blades were pierced into the vitals of the chimeras, while the chimeras' claws and teeth were deeply embedded in the armor.

The towering cannon barrel was riddled with holes, the broken machine gun dangled, and the long ammunition belt hung beside it, mixed with blood and bits of flesh.

Red, white, and amber-colored bodily fluids flowed everywhere, much of which had dried and solidified, while some were still fresh.

The scene on the deck speaks volumes about the intensity and brutality of the battle.

"Don't even mention it, I almost didn't make it back."

The captain, dressed in tattered clothes, came forward and spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm; a half-meter-long wound on his ribs almost severed him at the waist.

It was only thanks to the medical bandages that the horrifying scene of internal organs falling out was avoided.

That is, the physique of an extraordinary person, who can also have a strong voice.

"Fake!"

"Three chimeras, a full three!"

With the firepower of this warship, dealing with hundreds of demons would not be a problem; however, it was unlucky to encounter three chimeras in one go.

After a life-or-death battle, even the captain himself found it incredible that he was able to return alive.

Knock knock knock,

While cursing, the captain knocked on the cabin door.

Several boys who looked like 'trainee sailors' opened the hatch and carried out one by one the lucky ones who were covered in blood and looked more like corpses than living people.

"You sons of bitches, hold on!"

"We've arrived at 'Basihan Island,' don't die here!"

After roaring at these 'lucky ones,' the blood-covered captain turned to look at his leader.

"My brothers, I'm entrusting this to you."

"Please rest assured,"

"We have the most professional medical team here."

The leader of the 'Teach Pirates' waved his hand, and a group of people wearing hazmat suits immediately rushed forward to take care of the wounded.

First, they injected them with excessive doses of hormones to keep them alive.

They were then quickly transported to the port hospital via elevator for emergency treatment.

The remaining 'hazmat suit workers' began cleaning up the battlefield:
They are 'cleaners' who handle the supernatural corpses.

Yes, that's the work Kafka Lu once did.

"Hero brand cigarettes,"

"Have one?"

Considering the deck full of 'spoils' the other party had, the leader took out a cigarette made with diluted 'Hero's Water' and handed it over.

"it is good!"

The captain, covered in blood, suddenly brightened up, took the cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

"Cool--"

The smoke entered his lungs, and the nicotine and spiritual energy circulated, relieving his mental stress and depleting spiritual energy.

"Good stuff."

This world has, after all, developed technology over thousands of years. After obtaining the 'Hero's Water' and the 'Devil Fruit', various forces did not simply use them as medicine and food, but instead tried to use them as raw materials to cultivate new 'extraordinary plants'.

I don’t know if it’s because of the global resurgence of spiritual energy, but quite a few results have been achieved.

This 'Hero' brand cigarette is one of them.

"Shit! I really envy you guys, getting such good stuff."

The captain's envious expression seemed genuine. Why do humans establish all sorts of organizations and nations? Isn't it all for mutual support and protection?

The Teach Pirates possessed their own docks, factories, production lines, and even recruited numerous skilled technologists; they had developed into a formidable force in this region, more akin to a 'nation' than a pirate crew. Moreover, a nation brimming with martial spirit and adept at naval warfare!

"Haha, sell the 'spoils' on your deck, and you can buy a case and smoke as much as you want when you get back."

The leader also lit a "Hero" brand cigarette, and pointed at the corpses all over the deck as he exhaled smoke.

Most of the demon corpses had lost their value, but a small number were still warm, and together with the corpses of the three-headed chimeras—even with the continuous spread of the supernatural today, it was still a big deal!

"That won't do. The brothers' pensions, the repairs of the warships, the replenishment of supplies... sigh..."

Being a leader isn't easy.

Times are changing too fast!
The former 'Teach Pirates' accepted all comers and only cared about expanding their territory.

Now that they have occupied a place and have their own city, they have become 'picky'.

The recruits were all selected from their own territory; and many of them were "good people" with relatives working on the island, whose loyalty and fighting spirit were incomparable to those of the past.

Under Teach's deliberate cultivation, these newly formed fleets quickly developed into a new force, confronting the pirates, murderers, and rebels of the past and causing countless people to secretly worry.

You're clearly a 'big, burly' pirate captain, yet you're playing the game of imperial balance. What do you mean by that?
In short, the current 'Teach Pirates' have quite the air of a 'new dynasty'.

Add to that Teach's own strength, and that 'guest'.

This forced many ambitious individuals who secretly wanted to overthrow him and reap the benefits, as well as the powerful nations behind him, to helplessly back down.

It can only be said that Teach's typical pirate appearance often makes people forget that he was once a history professor, a true 'learned scholar'.

"Who told you not to pledge allegiance to Governor Teach sooner? Now it's too late, hahahaha~~"

The leader chuckled and joked with the captain.

Today, Teach owns hundreds of warships of all sizes and is no longer just a 'captain,' but the 'governor' of the fleet.

The chieftain considered it the wisest decision of his life to have joined Governor Teach early on.

He used to be just an unemployed lifeguard; now, he's a 'big shot' at the docks, watching various groups head south every day to fight to the death against the Nine-Tailed Fox forces. He smokes his 'Hero' cigarettes, directing his subordinates; he feasts on meat and fish during the day and hones his skills at night—living the high life!

Anyway, he had no ambition and didn't want to take the extraordinary path any further.

That's why he was assigned to this position.

"Hey, I can't help it."

"We can only earn a meager living by risking our lives."

The captain sighed and shook his head, sounding as if he had lost a fortune: but in reality, he had made a huge profit on this trip!

As the 'production process' became more and more proficient, the corpses of three synthetic beasts could be used to extract three extraordinary potions, a dozen or so secondary extraordinary potions, plus a considerable number of tertiary extraordinary potions. These potions were enough to raise the strength of his subordinates to a higher level.

As for personnel replenishment?
The captain, a cigarette dangling from his lips, walked to the ship's side.

"Sir, sir!"

"Please let me aboard your ship, I'll do anything!"

"You skinny monkey? Get out of my way, or I'll kill you right now—"

On the dock, a group of teenagers had gathered, pushing and shoving each other and cursing; their only goal was to show off their 'bravery' to the man on the ship's side.

Under the ravages of the Nine-Tailed Fox's forces, there was hardly a clean place left in the entire Outlaws. Tens of millions of people were displaced—even though surrounding countries absorbed a large number of laborers, twenty million people were still left idle.

Under these circumstances, a large number of 'gangs' have sprung up in inland areas.

They influence food production, construction progress, and even the transport of weapons; many of their leaders are superhumans who fight and expand their territories daily.

In the coastal areas, thanks to the presence of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the fleets of major powers, there are hardly any gangs—to be honest, the nation itself is the biggest gangster. *cough cough*

These unemployed teenagers, and even young adults, would wander around the docks every day.

They have nothing left but their worthless lives!
Board a ship, become an armed sailor, fight for your captain, and gamble on a future: perhaps to perish at sea, or perhaps to leap over the dragon gate.

Compared to island nations, although the intensity of extraordinary battles here is not as high, the level of bloodshed and cruelty is more than a hundred times greater!
Towing decks, hanging masts, or even excruciating torture.
These barbaric tortures, now lost to history, are commonplace in this sea area.

No one knows if they'll be alive tomorrow, and most people will unleash the demons within them, recklessly burning away their lives: others' lives and their own.

"How many do you want to pick?"

Amidst the teenagers below desperately trying to 'show off' themselves, the leader walked to the ship's side.

"Well, the losses this time were quite significant, so:"

"you--"

The captain stretched out his hand, which was holding a cigarette, and swung it downwards.

"Anyone can come aboard my ship."

"Oh oh oh~~"

"Great! Great!"

"Captain, we'll follow you from now on!"

Amid cheers from dozens of teenagers below, the captain put a cigarette in his mouth and took a deep drag.

These boys will become his new 'apprentice sailors'; upon their next return, they will be promoted to full sailors. But how many will be left when they come back next time?

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.

Ordinary people have their own lives.

Even 'big shots' have their own battlefields:

If anyone in this sea area can be considered a big shot, then Marshall Teach is definitely one.

Ilbin, the southern islands.

Da da da da,

boom! boom! boom! boom!
Familiar gunfire roared densely in the misty city below, with smoke rising continuously with each explosion.

The combat crews under his command, organized by 'ships,' are advancing steadily under the leadership of their respective 'captains,' 'first mates,' and 'combat captains.' Due to the fog, heavy artillery is ineffective, and only light infantry can advance.

However, these 'elite pirates' carrying anti-tank rocket launchers, six-barreled Gatling guns, and wearing exoskeleton armor are quite different from traditional light infantry.

"Fleet 51 has arrived at the designated location,"

"Flotilla 34 has entered the XXX block and is close to its target."

"Flotilla 47 has encountered multiple synthetic beasts and is in a fierce battle. Requesting reinforcements."

On the roof of the building where Teach was located, there were a large number of modern communication devices and various cables snaking all over the ground, making it a field command center.

In a human-on-human conflict, building a 'command post' on a rooftop would be suicidal; however, the commanders constantly communicating with the front lines showed no unease whatsoever, because:
Their captain stood at the very front, overseeing the battle!

His massive body, over three meters tall, and his past achievements give him unparalleled confidence.

"That,"

"Small--"

"Ah! Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"

?

"Flotilla 68, calling Flotilla 68!"

A series of signals disappeared from the screen, and the commander responsible for docking with Fleet 68 suddenly turned around.

"Captain, the crew of Flotilla 68 has lost signal and appears to have encountered..."

"Black Flame!"

"Okay, let's go—"

At Teach's command, two petite, mysterious figures in black robes with red cloud patterns leaped out with him.

Rumble!
The next second, the building shook;

A colossal serpent slithered through the building, rushing towards the area where the missing fleet was located!

(End of this chapter)