Chapter 268: The Straw Hat Boy! Setting Sail!

West Blue, the border of the Grand Kingdom of Granbell, Village of Burefu.

This is a peaceful and quiet little village, bordering the sea. Cattle and sheep are fat, grass and trees are lush, and the people live in harmony.

On this day, all the villagers gathered at the village pier, talking in a lively manner.

A short, plump man wearing a gray cap muttered softly.

"It's really terrible that a pirate has appeared in our village. It's a disgrace..."

Hearing this, the plump lady in a pink dress next to him grabbed the man's ear.

"So that's why you gave this little brat your old fishing boat?"

"Thank you, Uncle Cardo, for the fishing boat!" A boy with a straw hat on his head and short hair spread his arms and thanked the man with a bright smile.

However, in the next moment, the boy's smile suddenly became forced, and he made a ghostly face, saying in a low voice, "Or should I say, thank you very much, Lord Cardo!"

The villagers around them burst into laughter at this.

Cardo was a well-known figure in the village. Although the villagers admired his bravery, as a short and fat man, he even dared to challenge a wild boar alone. But they also found it amusing when he occasionally came up with absurd ideas.

Cardo's most famous deed was that he once declared in front of everyone while drunk that he was a nobleman of the Granbell Kingdom. Of course, he would never admit to this funny incident.

"You little brat!" Cardo's face turned red, and he shouted loudly, ignoring his wife's grip on his ear, "Give me back my fishing boat!"

The boy with the straw hat laughed and joked in response, "Too late, Lord Cardo! I'm now going to take this precious ship as a pirate!"

The other villagers laughed again.

After being teased twice, Cardo finally stopped talking and retreated to the back of the crowd with a red face.

"Everyone, I'm setting off now!" The boy with the straw hat waved goodbye to the villagers and slowly sailed the fishing boat away from the peaceful and quiet Burefu Village.

Under the blue sky, white seagulls circled and cried, and the boat drifted towards an unknown destination. The sea was calm and peaceful, and the warm sunlight gave a comfortable and lazy feeling.

"Today is a great day to set sail!" the boy with the straw hat said.

"So many strange things happened in the West Blue a while ago, it's not a good sign to think about!"

"Rumors say that Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Sengoku were sent for him. What a dangerous rookie pirate!"

Although it was only the first day of his official sailing, the straw hat boy's tone was like an old sailor who had been messing around at sea for many years.

He lay lazily on his back on the deck, legs crossed, the brim of his straw hat blocking the sunlight overhead and covering his hair and eyes, letting the sea breeze send the fishing boat towards an unknown direction.

Just then.

The originally calm and smooth sea surface suddenly rippled with waves.

A splash of water slowly rose from the sea surface. When the seawater fell, the true face of the "splash" was revealed.

Just the part exposed above the sea surface is like a giant sea snake magnified dozens of times.

Rough, gray-brown skin, crisscrossing sharp fangs, coupled with those crimson eyes that choose their prey, emanating a primal and savage beastly aura.

"A Sea King?"

The straw hat kid rolled up from the deck in a tumble, adjusting his hat atop his head and looked fervently at the small sea king appearing before him.

In his surprised tone, there was a hint of excitement.

Roar—

The massive sea king, upon seeing this straw-hat brat before it, showed no fear of its intimidation. It abruptly opened its bloodthirsty mouth, letting out a loud roar toward this prey.

The saliva splashed out, mixed with a fishy smell, spreading across the surrounding sea.

"This is a new outfit Miss Maggie specially tailored for me. If it gets dirty on the first day, it will be a doing bad to her kindness!"

The straw hat kid swiftly drew his waist sword, slicing through the air with several air slashes, intercepting all the saliva sprayed by the sea king.

The remaining force of the air slashes continued to fly forward, instantly leaving several bloody wounds deep enough to see bone on the Sea King.

Hiss—

The intense sense of pain caused the sea king to emit a series of painful hisses. Its already crimson eyes now seemed even thicker, as if they could devour the straw hat kid in the next second.

"Let's use you as a sign for formally setting sail!"

The straw hat kid lightly tapped his toes, soaring into the sky. With excitement in his eyes, he raised the sword in his hand and slashed down with tremendous force toward the sea king below.

"Divine Departure!"

This extremely ferocious flying slash cut directly between the sea king's neck.

Like a hot knife through butter, the flying slash passed through the tough skin, solid muscles, and rigid bones without any hindrance.

With one slash, this ferocious and cruel sea king was instantly decapitated!

The huge headless beast's body crashed into the sea, creating a towering wave, and splattering droplets of seawater like raindrops.

The remaining half of the body, seemingly unaware of the loss of its head, continued to thrash and roll in the sea.

The straw hat kid landed back on the small fishing boat, which was being tossed about by the waves, with a brilliant smile on his lips.

"What a way to celebrate my first day!"

"Buggy! Look! I'm setting sail too!"

"I will definitely find powerful and trustworthy comrades like you!"

"I will become the Pirate King—"

The straw hat kid raised his arms high, about to proclaim his life's oath to the empty sea.

"Kid, what kind of king did you say you want to become?"

Adrian descended slowly from the sky, his eyes fixed on the small boat.

At this moment, all his attention was focused on the straw hat kid on the fishing boat!

Yellow straw hat, bright red hair, wearing a white and green striped round-necked short-sleeved shirt, with a brown seven-pointed pants with patterns, and feet in flip-flops.

This was unmistakably...

The Straw Hat Kid, the Second Generation!

The Future Emperor of the Great Line!!!

Red-Haired Shanks!!!

"Who are you?"

Looking at the stranger who suddenly appeared in front of him, Shanks' pupils slightly contracted. He awkwardly withdrew his hands, while casually reaching for the sword at his waist.

"Who I am doesn't matter."

Adrian's expression remained unchanged, his tone indifferent.

"What matters is, if you dare to draw your sword, you will die."