I guarded Impel Down for a hundred years in the pirate world.

Kai'Sa, with her hands in her pockets, followed the group with a cool demeanor.

Just as the five were getting closer to the merchant guild's headquarters, suddenly, the perceptive Zoro sensed a familiar presence and said, "Hey, that woman over there looks like..."

"Who?" The group looked over.

The silhouette of a barbarian girl, over five meters tall with curly hair and abundant body hair, came into view. Luffy was slightly taken aback, his face showing fear.

"Run! It's Naika!"

"Luffy..." Ace grabbed Luffy by the back of the neck and said helplessly, "Why are you running?"

"...Yeah, why are we running?"

Luffy chuckled: "I'm used to it."

After a brief commotion, Naika, who was shopping in the distance, noticed the five people and walked over with a smile.

"Luffy, Ace, Zoro, Kuina, it's you guys. What a coincidence to run into you here. It's been more than three years since we last saw each other."

"Yeah, ever since we saw you stop catching us, old man." Ace and Luffy thought to themselves. Kuina laughed and said, "Naka-nee, we hear your name all the time, Behemoth Naika's name."

Now, Naika has fully inherited Ato's power of light, and even surpassed it, earning a certain reputation in the war against the demons. And now, when this matter is mentioned, she no longer feels as downcast as before; she can feel Ato's constant presence.

“You guys are even better. I just heard a couple of days ago that you took down Vivi Emilio. I ran into that guy once, but I didn’t dare fight them to the end, and even calling for reinforcements didn’t stop him,” Naika said.

"hey-hey……"

"If Lord Figo were to order us to capture you now, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to," Naika said with a sly smile, looking at the smug Luffy.

Luffy's smile froze instantly, and his eyes darted left and right somewhat unnaturally.

The shadows left from his early years are not so easily erased by the improvement of his strength. He would dare to challenge his grandfather Garp, but his relationship with Naika is neither good nor bad, and Naika is very close to Grandpa Figo, so he would be hesitant.

He wasn't afraid of being beaten, he was only afraid of losing his freedom.

"Um... Sister Naika, some random guy sneaked aboard our ship earlier and helped us repair it. We need to hurry up and collect the bounty to get back, so we'll be going now?"

You weren't in a hurry when you bought food before.

It's true that everyone has their match. It's rare to see Luffy, who is usually fearless, like this. Ace also mischievously said, "It's okay, Owen is here. I haven't introduced you to Naika yet. This is our newest member, Kaisa, and another new member, Owen, is on the ship guarding it."

Naika had noticed Kaisa long ago. After all, it would be hard for anyone not to notice a pretty half-demon girl standing coolly to the side and giving him a rather impolite look for a while.

"Hello, I am Naika, a barbarian."

She assumed Kasha was a barbarian and hadn't seen much of the world, and out of curiosity about her appearance, she reached out her hand.

"Kasha." Kasha shook hands with her, her expression still cold, her eyes not meeting Naika's, as if she were thinking about something.

"That's just Kaisa's personality. She's a chatterbox with people she knows well, but she rarely talks when she's not familiar with them. She'll be fine once she gets to know them better," Ace said, trying to smooth things over. Kaisa immediately gave him a sidelong glance, showing her little fangs.

“I’m not… Sister Naika, do you know Yana?” Kasha asked.

Naika was taken aback: "Her? You mean Yana, the demon in Grandpa Figo's merchant guild?"

“Yes, it’s her. It really is you. I knew your name sounded familiar,” Kasha said.

Come to think of it, Naika almost became my stepmother's... niece?

"You know her? Are you a half-demon, or a half-demon who knows about my relationship with her? Could it be..." Naika looked surprised and suspicious.

"Uh, it was just a coincidence..." Kaisa's big eyes glanced upwards.

Ace, Zoro, and Kuina found it somewhat amusing; she could only fool Luffy, the three of them already knew her father was the Holy Demon King.

They didn't care about their companions' identities.

Seeing that Kaisa was about to be exposed in Naika, Kuina kindly helped to smooth things over.

Feeling awkward, Luffy and Kasa chatted with Naika for a while longer before finally saying goodbye.

"Oh, right," Naika added as they parted, "Luffy said someone sneaked aboard to help you repair the ship? If that's true, congratulations, you're about to have a new crewmate."

As expected... The group was shocked.

Luffy was confused: "What? This guy who snuck up here? I don't want to just make him my new crewmate!"

Naika smiled, didn't respond, waved goodbye to the group, and stopped wandering around. She returned to the dock and found her ship.

"Is everyone back?"

"Meto?"

"Naka, you're back so early." A voice responded, and someone came out to greet Naika.

"I was afraid you'd be lonely."

Naika smiled as she spoke to the faceless ship spirit that was drifting towards her.

Chapter 389 Marking

As the war progressed, the crew members shared life and death time and time again, their bonds deepened, and the merchant guild became more disciplined and law-abiding. After six hundred years, the number of ship spirits began to increase again.

Meto is a newborn ship spirit that was born just over two months ago. Ship spirits are genderless, and because she spends a lot of time with Naika, she behaves more like a girl.

Because it was newly born and its body was not yet stable or strong enough, it could not leave the ship. So Naika held its hand and told it about what it had seen and heard on the island, as well as Luffy and his crew.

“On their ship, a life just like yours was born, secretly repairing their ship, too shy to face them, just like Meto two months ago.”

Meto's will fluctuated slightly, conveying a mix of happiness, longing, and disappointment.

Because of her childhood experiences, Naika was very observant and keenly noticed this: "In two more months, when your condition stabilizes, Meto, we will take you to meet more new friends, as well as your ancestors and descendants."

"Um.."

“Before that, come with us to the headquarters of the Light and Fire Merchant Guild to see Grandpa Figo.” Naika’s face also showed longing: “It’s been almost two years since I last saw him.”

Over the past three years, the Lantern Merchant Guild has provided substantial financial assistance to the fishing lantern group, which consists of several former Qinghai Navy personnel. However, Figo generally remains behind the scenes, letting them venture out on their own—otherwise, the ship spirit would not have been born.

On one hand, they had saved up some money to buy some high-grade lamp wicks, and on the other hand, they naturally wanted to pay a visit to Figo.

……

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Lighthouse Merchant Guild.

Lucilia, who had been 'demoted' to the president's secretary, happened to find Figo.

"Lord Figo, the merchant guild just received a purchase request. The Fishing Lantern Guild has applied to buy a level four Demon Clan Bloodline Lantern, with a budget between 14 billion and 18 billion Lantern Coins."

After verifying their identities, I've confirmed that their captain and first mate are Gol D. Ace and Monkey D. Luffy, respectively. I think I should consult you; do you have any special arrangements in mind?

“Those two lads…” Figo smiled upon hearing this, “They must have saved up quite a bit of money. Give them the list of those demon bloodline lanterns that exceeded their budget as well… Hmm, before that, go find Nami and have her list the cost price of these lanterns so they won’t lose money. They’re our own kids, so we should give them a little extra care. There’s no need to give them away for free.”

"Yes, I understand."

"Let me know after they confirm their intention to buy and pay the deposit."

"Yes."

The Demon Clan Bloodline Lamp is an evolved version of a Devil Fruit. Just as using the Giant Bloodline Lamp extends lifespan but doesn't transform one into a giant, using the Demon Clan Bloodline Lamp will only awaken one's abilities, without transforming one into a demon.

As for the original Devil Fruit, the flame still exists, but because the fruit owner dies after lighting the flame, the power becomes the flame and the fruit cannot be reborn, so it is extremely rare.

"Are these two kids planning to become Devil Fruit users? The Flame-Flame Fruit is with Kriss, and the Gum-Gum Fruit is lying in the Marine warehouse... Never mind, no need to give it to Luffy, it's not a particularly powerful fruit. Oh right, and..."

After Lucilia left, Figo remembered something else. He had hidden Fauch's swordsmanship bloodline flame in a corner of the Hilo Sea three years ago, and it hadn't reappeared in the past three years. The six dukes of Capri... no, now five dukes and their subordinates were still searching for it in the original location with high hopes.

It's time to take it out.

For Zoro and Kuina?

They have enough talent.

However, Roger, Rayleigh, Rocks...

There's also the Level 6 lamp left behind by Rillentorff, though it hasn't been found yet.

Let me think about it again.

Figo continued his 'seclusion'. The seventh lamp had been lit, and he was devising a fighting style that would integrate with this new lamp. Right now, there was really no one to practice his moves with him, and Figo didn't want to use them in front of the spirit of the lamp.

All we can do is think about it.

……

Time flies, and another five days have passed.

Ace and Luffy seemed to be struggling with their decision, deciding to come and see the lights for themselves before making a decision. Meanwhile, the Lantern Merchant Guild was as bustling as ever.

With Figo personally overseeing things, this place is arguably the safest spot on the entire planet of Lantern Mars. Anduri Island has transformed from a remote island in the sea into a place that rivals the capital of Capri.

Most of the island's residents moved away with large sums of money, and now most of the island is the territory of the Light Merchant Guild headquarters, somewhat like Marineford, the naval headquarters. Apart from the headquarters, there is only the family quarters.

There have also been changes in the personnel configuration at headquarters.

Those who joined initially, as long as they had certain abilities, basically rose to the management level, or went out to establish a franchisee group and became the president of their own.

Ming is one of them.

He, who had originally aspired to be the vice president of the Lighthouse Merchant Guild, realized that his vision was still too narrow.

After Lucilia's demotion, the Skeleton Emperor took her place! The Skeleton Emperor personally assumed the position of Vice President of the Lantern Merchant Guild, while at the same time, Figo was officially granted the title of "Star King" by Capri!

This exchange completely stunned Doflamingo.

However, he did not give up and begged Figo to let him go and establish a franchise group, where he was determined to make it the number one franchise group.

He thought that someone like Figo would eventually get tired of trivial matters and travel around, and wouldn't he still have a chance then?

That's true. We've already waited for the golden cut; it's just a hundred years, not a long time.

Therefore, the Deputy Minister of Transport has been replaced.

The position of Minister of Security has also changed.

Minister Qiuba and Deputy Minister Yana switched places, which was at his own request—more than two years ago, Loulan gave birth to a lovely little mermaid princess, and he focused more of his energy on spending time with his daughter.

At this time, thanks to the ample supply of lamp wicks and wages, Yana had nearly the power to light the fifth lamp. As the Minister of Security, she was very conscientious and responsible. Even though Figo had told her that she didn't need to be too serious when she was on the island, she still had to complete some necessary checks every day.

The same steps apply today.

According to her, she used to fight for the Starry Sky Demon Clan and for her father. After arriving at the Starry Sky, she served as a guard for the Holy Demon King's harem for the sake of Ato's Light. She would occasionally feel tired, but she felt very good in her current position.

You can't just take the money and not do any work; what if something happens?

But she never expected that such a thing could actually happen, especially when Figo was on the island!

When the giant beast's tail suddenly rose from the distant sea and slammed heavily onto some large ships on the shore, cries of alarm erupted!