Chapter Fifty-Five: The Four Emperors Established

At this moment, the sunlight felt blindingly harsh, and there seemed to be a trace of murderous intent hidden in Camus’s words.

Hancock, sitting to the side and listening, couldn’t help but shiver. She had always known that Brother Camus possessed immense strength, but the faint pressure that seeped through the end of his words just now was like a mountain pressing down upon her. Meanwhile, Sister Robin and Sister Ice Phoenix showed no sign of being affected at all; clearly, she still had a long way to go and needed to work hard to catch up.

“Hancock, you’re coming with me this time,” Camus’s voice suddenly came from nearby, startling her.

“Ah! What? Brother Camus, could you say that again? I didn’t catch it,” Hancock replied sheepishly.

Camus’s expression turned odd. Hancock should have heard him just now—what was the girl thinking about? “Mm, this time when we go out, Brother Camus has decided to take you with him. Do you want to come?” Camus felt a chill; this almost felt like he was luring a little girl away...

“Ah! I’ll go! But what about Sister Robin and Sister Ice Phoenix? And what about Amazon Lily?” Hancock’s eyes lit up with delight, but then she suddenly remembered Robin and Ice Phoenix. What would happen to them? What about Amazon Lily?

“Amazon Lily? Your Sister Robin and Sister Ice Phoenix are both very strong. Do you think they can’t protect a little island? Don’t worry!” Camus was a bit surprised—he hadn’t expected the girl to be so considerate, not at all like she would be in a decade or so.

Hancock glanced at Robin and Ice Phoenix. The two women nodded gently, giving her the answer she needed.

“All right, I’ll go. It’s not like you’ll eat me or anything. But Sister Robin and Sister Ice Phoenix, you must protect the island!” Hancock tried to sound imposing as she waved her little fist, agreeing to go.

...

The boundless ocean stretched in all directions. A piercing sonic boom split the sky as two figures streaked across the void like shooting stars—Camus and Hancock.

Camus relished the sensation of the girl’s soft body in his arms, her twin peaks pressed against his chest. It was a rather pleasant feeling. Hancock gazed around with her head tilted; thanks to the conical barrier of true energy ahead of them, neither she nor Camus felt any resistance from the air, allowing them to enjoy the scenery even while flying at incredible speed.

Below, pirates occasionally looked up at the sound of the sonic boom overhead, but all they could see was a flash of light streaking across the sky, vanishing beyond their sight. They could only shake their heads, dismissing it as an illusion or a trick of the ears.

Hancock was filled with excitement. To be alone with Brother Camus—she had never dreamed of such a thing. Nestled in his broad embrace, she felt utterly safe. She looked up at the man holding her; he had saved her and treated her so well. She had nothing she could offer in return. As these thoughts passed through her mind, a blush crept across her beautiful face.

...

Soon, after several stops and starts, three days went by without incident. Though they spent more time in the sky than on land, being able to stay in Brother Camus’s arms made Hancock very happy.

“We’re here,” Camus’s gentle voice sounded.

Hancock looked down. Below was a massive island, several times the size of Amazon Lily, covered in dense forests with a snow-capped peak rising at its center.

Dozens of large ships were anchored along the shore, including the red one. Camus smiled faintly and descended with Hancock.

...

“You three—can we have this meeting without all the noise?” Whitebeard gripped his massive cleaver in one hand, slamming it onto the deck. The faint release of his overwhelming aura instantly silenced the surroundings. Ever since Camus had helped Whitebeard improve his physique, after a few months of adjustment, Whitebeard was brimming with energy, not at all like a man in his sixties.

The three emperor-class pirates below broke into cold sweats. The four were in disagreement over how to divide the New World; each wanted a larger territory. Whitebeard had already made it clear before the division that the area closest to the final island would be his, which was unchanged and even expanded a bit. But the division of the remaining areas among the other three had led to fierce disputes.

The three were awed by Whitebeard’s silent authority. No pirate dared challenge him—except, of course, for that monster Camus.

“Well, well! Whitebeard, what’s got you so angry?” Suddenly, Camus’s languid voice sounded from out of nowhere.

The Four Emperors turned to look, eyes filled with wariness. Shanks, though good friends with Camus, was here for his own crew’s interests. He was shocked that Camus had shown up—did that bastard want a share of the pie too?

“Camus! You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for ages,” Whitebeard’s expression softened as he addressed him.

The three other emperors frowned slightly. Why was Whitebeard waiting for this guy? They all knew Camus’s reputation. Of the four emperors present, three had met Camus before—one only in passing, but even that was enough. They knew his strength: defeating the three admirals probably hadn’t required his full power. He was not someone to make an enemy of; that would be suicide.

“Who the hell are you, brat? Don’t think I’m afraid just because of your reputation. I, Lankar, don’t scare easily. Are you looking for trouble, huh?” Suddenly, the one emperor-class pirate who had never met Camus stood up and shouted at him.

At this, Kaido, Red, and Whitebeard all looked at him as if he were an idiot. Was this guy courting death?

Hancock gazed at the world’s most powerful figures with awe, especially Whitebeard, whom she had long admired. She hadn’t expected to see him in person. But then, an obnoxious voice rang out, making Hancock frown slightly. Did this man dare insult Brother Camus? Was he seeking death?

Lankar was a notorious pirate in the New World. This time, in the selection for the Four Emperors, he’d fought hard for a seat. However, he had one glaring flaw—he was a notorious womanizer. Having just finished cursing at Camus, he hadn’t noticed the young girl beside him until now. Her beauty was unparalleled. Clearly, fate was smiling on him. (After all, one must have a reason for murder, right? So, heh heh!)

“Hey, hand over that little girl beside you. If you do, I’ll spare your life. How about it?” Lankar said with a benevolent air, as if he’d performed a great deed.

But Kaido, Red, and Whitebeard were already looking at him as if he were a dead man. He truly had a death wish, and they could only mourn for him in silence.

“Uh, Camus, could you try not to mess up my ship?” Whitebeard suddenly said, glancing at Lankar with a mix of mockery and a trace of barely concealed fear. Indeed, Whitebeard couldn’t see through Camus at all. Every time he met him, if he didn’t look with his own eyes, he couldn’t even sense his presence. The gap in strength was simply vast, like heaven and earth.

Red shook his head in pity at Lankar’s stupidity. Was it easy to seize this position? Everyone had fought their way here, yet he was foolish enough to provoke that harbinger of doom—it was clear he was tired of living.

Kaido only spared a glance at Camus, who stood motionless a few meters away, and then looked away, treating it all as a show. As for Lankar’s idiocy, Kaido couldn’t be bothered to intervene. His death would be a benefit to everyone.

As Lankar finished speaking, Camus had already vanished from the ship’s rail, leaving Hancock standing there alone as if he’d disappeared into thin air.

Lankar, still somewhat smug, was suddenly interrupted by a sharp pain in his chest—he felt as if a tremendous force had smashed into him, sending him hurtling skyward at an angle. Camus’s figure reappeared right where Lankar had been.

The three others barely had time to react before they saw Lankar’s body shoot into the sky with such force that it seemed to pierce the atmosphere itself, disappearing from view.

On the surrounding ships, the pirates heard a thunderous crash and saw a flash streak across the heavens, vanishing beyond sight. All stood in stunned silence.

...

“I don’t care about the rest. I won’t take over his forces. Now that all four emperors are present, you have no objections, do you?”

“None,” the three replied in unison.

Camus nodded slightly. “You can split his forces among yourselves. I prefer to act alone—I have no interest in being a landlord, it’s too dull. By the way, from now on, Amazon Lily is off-limits to both pirates and the navy. If anyone lands there without my knowledge, they die, no exceptions.” His final words carried a chilling threat.

With that, Camus walked over to Hancock, pulled her into his arms, and vanished from the ship in a blink. If not for Lankar’s disappearance and the gaping hole in the ship’s rail, it would have been as if Camus had never been there at all.

“That Camus is forceful as ever. Heh, Lankar had quite a following. Shall we split them three ways?” Whitebeard chuckled. Camus’s assertiveness had exceeded his expectations. He’d thought Camus would become a fifth emperor, but Lankar had been too foolish—despite sharing the “Ka” sound in their names, the difference in strength was worlds apart.

...

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