CHAPTER 63

When Alastor withdrew his fist, it was clear that Chinjao's head had once again transformed into a cone, and the impact sent him crashing into the ground.

This unimaginable scene stunned the Babao Navy and the palace guards.

After a long silence, Sai swallowed hard and said, incredulously, "Did the old man's awl get knocked out again?"

Boo stepped up, replying, "It looks like it was knocked out, but if he's dead, it doesn't matter what shape his awl is in."

"Shut up! What nonsense are you saying? Hurry up and check on him!" Sai shouted.

The two hurried over to inspect Chinjao.

Lying motionless in the pit, face down, Chinjao was completely still.

"Master!" Sai and Boo rushed over, flipping him over. They were stunned to find that Chinjao was crying.

"What is going on here?" they exclaimed in unison.

Through his sobs, Chinjao managed to say, "Finally… finally, my cone head is back…"

He was crying with excitement, despite their defeat. "We lost the battle, but the old man's cone head is back!"

"Hurry, I can't move now," Chinjao urged, "Check if the awl head is the same size as it was before!"

Sai and Boo exchanged a look, clearly puzzled.

Sai yelled, "Grandfather, forget about your awl for now! You need to recover quickly! If we lose, the Kingdom of Flowers is finished!"

Chinjao scolded him, "What a disgraceful grandson! Do you really want me to die here? I've broken over a dozen bones! I can't move!"

Sai blushed and stammered, "Then I'll go!"

"No! You'll just get yourself killed! Don't be an idiot, you brat!" Chinjao shouted, unimpressed.

Before another argument could start, Boo stepped in quickly, trying to smooth things over. "Now's not the time to argue, Grandpa. Since none of us can defeat that man, what should we do next?"

"What should we do?" Chinjao said bluntly. "We surrender. The law of the jungle is the law of the sea. Don't you understand?"

"You can resist if you want, but nothing will change. Not only do we have to deal with him, but we also have Kaido to worry about."

"My life doesn't matter, but the Happo Navy must live on. We can't let it end here."

Chinjao's reasoning made sense, and surrender seemed to be their only option.

But Sai struggled to accept it. "Even if we surrender, they're vicious pirates! Who knows what'll happen to the Kingdom of Flowers?"

Chinjao's eyes gleamed with cunning. "You're wrong. The pirates under that man aren't like the others. While I was airborne, I noticed that the towns near the palace were untouched. People were even out in the streets watching."

"What does that mean?"

"It means they didn't rob or harass the towns at all. Otherwise, the people would be hiding in fear!"

Sai and Boo were taken aback.

Indeed, even regular pirates would scare the local populace into hiding, but these pirates—led by Alastor—had not caused any harm to the towns.

"But more importantly…" Chinjao continued, "With his determination to kill the king, if he really wanted us dead, we'd already be gone."

As soon as he finished, applause echoed around them.

"Ramen is old and useless, Chinjao. Looks like your cone head makes you a bit smarter than when you were flat," Alastor said, walking toward them with a smile.

Though Alastor was seriously injured, he seemed unconcerned about it.

Chinjao, supported by his grandsons, said, "I've been around for decades, but I'm still not a fool."

In fact, Chinjao had carefully considered his decision to surrender.

On one hand, Alastor's brutal attack had knocked out his awl head, leaving him somewhat grateful, but also making him realize the futility of resisting. On the other hand, with the King of the Kingdom of Flowers dead, the country would inevitably fall into turmoil. Civil war could break out, and enemy nations might seize the opportunity to attack.

As a former pirate, Chinjao understood the harsh reality of this world. The World Government and Navy were unreliable. But if they surrendered, and if Alastor was not a cruel villain, there might be hope for the Kingdom of Flowers.

At the very least, surrender would prevent civil strife, and with Kaido's backing, the Kingdom of Flowers would be safe from foreign invasions. As for potential interference from the World Government, it was unlikely. The naval forces in the West Blue were weak, and many countries—like Fishman Island—had ties to the Four Emperors, making it difficult for the government to escalate the situation.

Ultimately, Chinjao decided that surrendering to the Hundred Beasts Pirates was the best course of action. With this choice, even the Happo Navy, the strongest military force in the Kingdom of Flowers, laid down their weapons.

With no king and no leadership, the remaining forces had no choice but to surrender.

Alastor, now in control of the Kingdom of Flowers, could claim it as his own territory under the banner of the Hundred Beasts Pirates.

After everything settled, Alastor instructed Chinjao to take him to the treasure. Conquering the Kingdom of Flowers had been secondary—his real goal lay beneath the Ice Continent, where a massive treasure awaited.

Before retrieving the treasure, however, Alastor needed to recover from his injuries. He ordered the palace servants to bring him food.

The servants obeyed without hesitation, fearful of angering him.

Even the slowest-witted among them understood that the true ruler of the Kingdom of Flowers was now the man who had defeated Chinjao.

Despite the forthcoming election of a new king, that figure would only serve as a puppet to Alastor.

As the servants brought up the food, Alastor, impatient with the pace, ordered them to transport it by cart.

While the food was being moved, Alastor ate quickly, leaving the onlookers in awe.

"Isn't this a bit too much?" Sai whispered to Chinjao. "Even if he's not cruel, if he keeps eating like this, the Kingdom of Flowers will be devoured!"

Chinjao was also shocked, but even more so when he noticed Alastor's injuries healing rapidly before his eyes.

In just a few minutes, Alastor had completely recovered. What kind of monster was he?

Chinjao, though astonished, couldn't help but feel relieved. Such a powerful man, still so young, meant that the Kingdom of Flowers had no hope of resisting. Surrender had indeed been the wisest choice.

And perhaps, under Alastor's rule, the Kingdom of Flowers could find a bright future.

Alastor, having eaten his fill, paid no mind to the astonished stares around him. "Let's go," he said to Chinjao.

Chinjao nodded, still shaken by Alastor's monstrous recovery, but realizing the inevitable. He was still too injured to walk and was carried by his grandsons on a stretcher.

After a few hours, they arrived at the so-called Ice Continent.

Originally, this area had been part of the sea, but severe cold weather had caused it to freeze into a thick layer of ice.

The ice was at least tens of meters thick.

Chinjao said, "The ice here can only be broken by the old man's awl head. Once I recover from my injuries, I'll break it for you, Master."

Alastor, however, took a step forward and unsheathed Sandai Kitetsu from his waist.

Chinjao, Sai, and Boo all stared in shock.

Did Alastor use a sword? They hadn't seen him use one in battle before—his previous fights had all been based on raw physical power.

Page One, standing nearby, smirked and said, "You guys don't know how powerful Brother Alastor is. That last fight? He was just playing around with you."

Chinjao's eyes widened, skeptical of Page One's claim.

Sai shouted back, unconvinced, "Impossible! There's no way such impressive physical skills could be considered a game!"

Page One didn't respond, simply shaking his head as everyone turned to Alastor.

Alastor's aura began to intensify. It felt like a sharp sword, standing tall and unyielding, and the mere presence of it made the others shudder.

The next moment, Alastor swung his sword.

A massive black-red sword light shot out, cutting across the ice with overwhelming force. Wherever it passed, the thick ice shattered, leaving deep, jagged rifts.

Crack!

The black and red light stretched across the ice, splitting the entire Ice Continent in two, sending massive chunks of ice tumbling away to either side.

Chinjao, Sai, Boo, and the soldiers from the Kingdom of Flowers all stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

Alastor's voice broke the silence, cold and commanding: "Go, bring up all the treasures below."

The group, still in awe, swallowed in unison and looked at Alastor with newfound respect.

They had thought Alastor's physical strength in his previous battle against Chinjao was unmatched, but now they realized he was just as skilled with a sword.

Chinjao himself was baffled. He had been defeated by Alastor's physical prowess, but the man's swordsmanship was on an entirely different level.

Realizing that Page One had been right all along, Chinjao understood that their previous battle had been like child's play to Alastor—he hadn't even used his full strength.

Chinjao gave a wry smile, but deep down, he felt a sense of calm.

It wasn't shameful to surrender to such a young powerhouse—someone who was destined to become one of the strongest figures on the seas.

As the treasures accumulated by the Happo Navy over hundreds of years were moved, Chinjao couldn't help but feel a pang of pain. But he knew it was necessary. To gain the true loyalty of the Happo Navy, their wealth had to be taken.

Alastor loaded most of the treasures onto the warships of the Hundred Beasts Pirates, leaving behind a small portion for Chinjao. He said, "This money should be used to improve the lives of the people of the Kingdom of Flowers."

The idea of a pirate—especially one from the brutal Hundred Beasts—caring about the common folk was somewhat revolting. But despite that, even Sai, who had been the most dissatisfied, showed a deep sense of gratitude.

Chinjao sighed deeply and, with sincerity, bowed his head. "Yes, Master Alastor."

Suddenly, Sai stood up excitedly. "Master Alastor, let me follow you!"

Alastor raised an eyebrow slightly.

While the world of One Piece is filled with political intrigue and backstabbing, there are also many who act with genuine emotion. Sai, after witnessing Alastor's strength and character, was ready to follow him without hesitation.

Alastor smiled. "In that case, follow me."

From that moment on, of the two warships Alastor had taken, one, commanded by Page One, returned to Wano Country with the vast treasures they had acquired.

The other warship continued its journey, heading for Sky Island.

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