The pinnacle of pirates begins with deceiving fate!

Completely unaware of John's little scheme, Teach led the way with her short legs, heading towards the temporary house.

John followed Teach, took a Vivre Card out of his pocket, and discovered that the direction the Vivre Card was drawn to by its owner was not the same as the direction he was about to go.

Is your mother not home?

"No, I went to see a friend."

John nodded, spread out the "heart net," and followed the direction indicated by the life card.

Soon, Alice and a familiar figure were found in a large tree-shaped wooden house.

She wore a dark purple training uniform, had long light golden hair, and her face was wrinkled but full of energy.

Dr. Kureha!

"So you've come to stay with a friend."

John instantly understood Alice's purpose in coming to Drum Island.

She also understood why Kureha didn't react much when Teach came to destroy Drum Island in the future.

This kind-hearted person inexplicably tolerated Blackbeard's evil deeds and instead resented the king who abandoned his people and fled.

Everything has a reason.

"Who is that? Why is he walking with that ugly brat?"

"Was it some random man that Alice, that vixen, found somewhere?"

"That's great! Now that vixen has a man, our men won't be bewitched anymore."

"It's a pity that the snow, which had been falling for more than a month, finally stopped today. The men all went up the mountain to hunt and missed this heartbreaking scene."

As the "Mind Network" opened, voices that John didn't want to hear entered his mind.

John looked up and saw groups of women gathered around the sparse houses along the village road, whispering in his direction.

Chapter 32 Madam, you have some hair loss.

"How can flowers bloom in this kind of environment?"

John squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then withdrew his "Mind Network".

In life, one will always encounter various forms of malice, perhaps due to jealousy, vanity, conflict of interest, or even for no reason at all.

If he intends to live here, then he definitely needs to resolve this issue.

But he is only a passerby here, and as he accomplishes great things and becomes famous in the world with a new identity, the unwarranted malice will only increase.

He couldn't possibly eliminate all the malice around the world, all those thousands who insulted him.

As the old saying goes, "People fear becoming famous, just as pigs fear growing fat." If you want to become famous to satisfy your vanity, you have to accept the negative things that come with it.

Consider these idle rumors as a way to get used to them in advance.

"Godfather, are you speaking to me?"

Hearing the murmurs, Teach, who was walking ahead, stopped and turned to look at John with a puzzled expression.

No, you misheard.

John smiled slightly at Teach, strode past him, and continued walking forward.

However, they changed their direction and headed towards Dr. Kureha's house.

Before long, the two arrived at the wooden house built from hollowed-out thick trees. John stood at the door and gently knocked.

"Enter."

A slightly hoarse voice sounded, and John, having received permission, pushed open the door and went inside.

A warm current rushes towards you, accompanied by a faint herbal fragrance, making you feel refreshed and relaxed.

The room was cozy, and Alice and Kureha were sitting on the sofa by the fireplace, turning their heads to look at the two people who had entered the room.

"You are……"

The unfamiliar faces made Alice and Kureha wary.

Teach obediently closed the door, then stepped out from behind John and happily explained to Alice:

"Mom, this is my godfather. He looks different, but I recognize him!"

"John?"

Alice's furrowed brows quickly relaxed, and a look of joy at reuniting with an old friend appeared on her face.

"You're still alive! Didn't the newspaper say you were already..."

"Shh!"

John put his index finger to his lips, indicating to Alice that it was something that could only be understood intuitively.

As a shrewd former female pirate, Alice instantly realized what was happening and nodded emphatically.

"It's good that you're still alive."

As she spoke, Alice got up from the sofa and went to the wooden table to pour John a cup of hot tea.

Kureha, however, threw a bottle to John first.

"I smell my own kind. Kid, do you want to know my secret to eternal youth?"

“Of course!” John reached out and took the bottle, unhesitatingly uncorked it and tilted his head back to drink it.

Kureha was pleased with the "trust" John showed, but she gave a knowing smile.

"Don't tell you."

Can I pay the fee?

John downed most of the drink in one gulp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and stared intently at Kureha.

He came to find Alice and Teach with two purposes.

Besides Rocks' request, what's more important is finding out the secret behind Teach's ability to possess multiple Devil Fruits.

Upon meeting Kureha, he suddenly had another target.

Kureha should be over a hundred years old now. Not only is she still very active, but she will also live to see Chopper become famous as "Chopper Beard" forty years later.

One hundred and forty-one years old!

Although scientific theory suggests that the human brain can survive for a thousand years, the frail body confines lifespan to around a hundred years.

Therefore, it is truly incredible that Kureha was still full of energy and drinking heartily every day at the age of 141!

Compared to the giants' lifespan of over three hundred years, Kureha is definitely a miracle belonging to "humanity".

If he could know the secret, wouldn't John be able to live many more years?

"Paying fees, huh? What an interesting kid."

Kureha chuckled softly, then shook her head regretfully.

"I'll let you off the hook since we're both alcoholics. I don't know why I can stay young forever."

"If I had to give an explanation, I could attribute it to... bloodline."

Bloodline?!

Even though he was mentally prepared, John still clenched his fists when he heard this answer.

I'm filled with resentment!

In fact, not only in this world, but even in John's hometown, "fate" and "bloodline" are the dominant forces.

Even in a work with "ordinary people" as its theme, the protagonist is ultimately a great person reincarnated.

It's as if the idea of ​​ordinary people overcoming class barriers is denied from the very beginning.

Many ordinary people also deeply agree with this, and even fantasize that their ancestors had noble bloodlines, hoping that one day their bloodline will awaken and soar to great heights.

On one hand, they deny and belittle bloodline and destiny, while on the other hand, they yearn for and fantasize about bloodline and destiny.

It's absolutely ridiculous!

"Madam, may I purchase a vial of your blood? I'd like to study it."

John pulled a heavy gold brick from his coat pocket.

"If you're against having your blood drawn, then I can compromise and ask for a piece of your hair, is that alright?"

"Boy."

Kureha narrowed her eyes, her expression suddenly turning serious.

"You may be being polite, but your attitude is not one to be trifled with."

“John, Kureha is my friend, don’t do anything rash.”

Alice sensed something was wrong and quickly stepped between the two people's eyes.

The two completely ignored Alice, staring intently at each other, their gazes passing over her, locked in a fierce confrontation.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly oppressive, leaving Teach feeling helpless and on the verge of tears, John raised his hand to his forehead and chuckled softly.

“Ms. Kureha, you have some hair loss. I have some very good shampoo here. Would you like some?”

As the words were spoken, strands of pale golden hair floated up from every corner of the cabin, influenced by the magnetic field, and flew to John in front of him to Kureha's astonishment.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Kureha relaxed her tense body, picked up the bottle of wine on the low table, and drank it down in one gulp.

After drinking her fill, she exhaled a breath of alcohol and shook her head helplessly.

"What a despicable brat, do as you please. Anyway, there are plenty of strange things happening on the high seas, one more won't make a difference."

"Thank you."

John smiled slightly and put the gold bar, along with the strand of hair, into his pocket.

Those born with powerful bloodlines may be very capable, but that doesn't mean they're smart.

Since powerful bloodlines bring magical power, he uses his wisdom to seize these bloodlines and even create new ones!

Coincidentally, John also knows Barking Gnomestushi, who can create clones. With Shiki's "SIQ" and Vegapunk's "bloodline factor", they will definitely be able to create a brand new and powerful bloodline!