Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

His consciousness gradually faded.

Is it too late...?

No, that's impossible! There must be another way!

Hiluluk rummaged through his backpack and suddenly found a packet of powder and a potion inside.

That was his "latest research finding," which he had been talking about a lot lately.

Hiluluk dedicated the rest of his life to allowing everyone in the world to see the "miraculous cherry blossoms" that healed him years ago.

This packet of powder and medicine represents the culmination of all his efforts at this stage.

However, this result has not yet been tested.

"Hopefully...it will work..."

Hiluluk knelt down on the ground, then sat down cross-legged.

He opened the powder and poured it into the medicine bottle.

After that, it's time to quietly wait for the reaction.

Hiluluk took out a bottle of liquor from his backpack and poured himself a full glass.

"I never dreamed that I would have the chance to visit Beihai when I was on the verge of death!"

Half of his face was completely covered by crystal.

"Hahahaha, this is hilarious!"

That's why I love my life!

click!

The potion bottle in front of him suddenly exploded, and then countless cherry blossom-colored streams of air rose with the wind.

This soaring airflow pierced through the thick clouds in the sky and condensed into a giant "cherry blossom tree".

This tree was tall, thick, and large—large enough to be seen from afar, and even throughout the entire plains of the Kingdom of Aden.

This naturally includes the dock camp where the Four Seas Alliance is located.

The wind and rain have subsided.

The location of the cherry blossom tree became the only calm place amidst the wind and rain.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Hiluluk laughed even more heartily.

Countless cherry blossom-colored "petals" fell from the sky.

Their texture resembles snow—the snow of Drum Island.

It was also the miraculous cherry blossom in Hiruluk's dream.

After finishing his drink, Hiluluk laughed as he gazed at the miracle in the sky.

"What a wonderful life!"

……

In the distance, the dock.

The gravel soldiers have subdued some of the rampaging crystal demons.

They are made of sand, so physical attacks from crystals cannot harm them.

At the same time, the members of the Four Seas Alliance looked up and saw a strange sight in the distance.

Those miraculous cherry blossoms, dispelling the raging wind and rain, stood tall on the earth.

A few seconds later.

Everyone around could feel it.

The gravel is moving.

[Chapter 94. The Crystal Ghost Virus]

The Kingdom of Aden.

At this moment, a huge cherry blossom tree appeared far away from the dock.

It emitted a soft glow, and countless cherry blossom-colored "petals" drifted down.

The tree trunk soared straight into the sky, breaking through the thick rain clouds and creating a peaceful and beautiful space amidst the wind and rain.

This miraculous sight appeared before the eyes of everyone currently in the Kingdom of Aden.

……

pier.

Kureha walked out of the room, looked up at the scene, clenched her fist tightly, and slammed it against the wall.

Her brows furrowed, and she gritted her teeth as she said:

"You incompetent quack doctor who overestimates his abilities..."

Suddenly, a tiny shadow floated past Kureha's eyes.

That's sand.

Following closely behind were countless golden pebbles.

They rushed into the heavy rain at incredible speed, weaving through the tiny gaps between the falling raindrops, and into the previously set-up isolation area for patients.

There, the bodies of some patients in the Kingdom of Aden have already begun to change.

Countless crystals emerged from the white patches on their bodies, disfiguring them and making them resemble evil spirits from the underworld clad in crystal armor.

Other patients with milder infections watched this scene and cried out in terror for help.

It makes sense. Just a few minutes ago they were familiar faces, and now they've turned into such terrifying monsters!

Will they... become like that too?

A younger brother witnessed firsthand how his older brother turned into a crystal demon.

He was so frightened that he couldn't move his body and could only watch helplessly as his brother walked towards him step by step.

The younger brother was not infected with the strange disease; he was just worried about his older brother and came with him to seek help.

Therefore, the primary target of the crystal demons in the entire quarantine zone was naturally that younger brother!

The younger brother watched as the crystal demon's claws rose high, but just when he thought he was doomed, a gravel-sick man suddenly grabbed his older brother from behind.

Not only that brother, but the sudden appearance of countless gravel diseases brought all those who had transformed into crystal demons under control.

……

After finishing all this, Luo Wen also looked up at the cherry blossoms in the distance, his gaze slightly somber.

Beside him, a gravel warrior clamped down on the old man who had transformed into a crystal demon.

Judging from the strength of the old man's struggle, these crystal demons are several times stronger than ordinary people, slightly weaker than fishmen, and have reached the standard of ordinary naval soldiers.

They were no match for gravel disease, so the patients in the dockside quarantine area were quickly brought under control.

Several Alabasta soldiers wanted to go and help, but were stopped by Kureha's shouts.

"Be careful, these crystals are highly infectious!"

Kureha was indeed a highly skilled doctor, and thus she quickly grasped the key weakness of this unknown disease.

Upon hearing this, Rowan instructed the gravel disease to continue controlling all patients, while keeping the soldiers on high alert. He then summoned all the key cadres of the Four Seas Alliance, along with Rosinandi.

……

Once everyone had arrived, Kureha got straight to the point.

"It can now be confirmed that what appeared within the territory of the Kingdom of Aden is not platinum lead disease at all!"

Kureha's face looked quite grim.

Upon seeing this, Dalton immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.

After all, in Dalton's mind, there was no disease that could trouble this doctor who was over a hundred years old!

Kureha continued:

"This is a highly contagious disease. The initial symptoms are similar to those of lead poisoning, with white spots appearing on various parts of the body."

"But unlike platinum lead disease, this disease does not cause great pain. Instead, a special kind of 'crystal' grows in the body."

"These crystals will gradually rob the patient of their ability to move, and when the disease fully manifests, a layer of crystals resembling armor will grow on the patient's skin."

"At the same time, these fully infected patients will also frantically attack uninfected people, and those who are slightly infected will no longer attract their attention."

After thinking for a moment, Kureha added, "Patients who experience a full-blown outbreak will have their physical abilities greatly enhanced, but at the same time, they will lose their sense of self."

After speaking, Kureha fell silent, flipping through the medical records she had compiled while giving everyone time to process the information.

The expressions on everyone's faces were either serious or furrowed.

But among them, only Luo Wen had a hint of doubt in his furrowed brows.

Because in terms of intelligence, Rowan does indeed have an overwhelming advantage over others.

So after hearing Kureha describe the characteristics of this unknown disease, Rowan recalled a name from his memory—

Ice Ghost Virus.

……

Many years later, in Wano Country, among the subordinates of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, there was a man nicknamed "Plague" named Queen.

During the great war in Wano Country, he released a special virus.

This virus is highly infectious; infection can occur with the slightest contact.

The infected person's brutality and muscle strength will suddenly increase, their skin will enter an abnormally cold state, and they will become like a demon covered in ice, attacking everyone around them indiscriminately.

At the same time, because this virus is extremely virulent, people infected with it usually do not survive more than an hour!

……