One Piece: Lightning's Heir

Chapter 162: [162] : A Troubled Sengoku!



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Ten days and ten nights…

The battle ended not in defeat—but in exhaustion.

Neither Arthur nor Big Mom could land a decisive blow, their attacks evenly matched.

In the end, they simply ran out of stamina...

"MAMA!"

Big Mom's children watched, concerned, as she sat on the small patch of chocolate earth, her massive chest heaving.

Her earlier defeat by Shiki, unprepared and consumed by rage—had been a blow to her pride.

Another loss now, on her own turf, would be devastating to her reputation.

"Enough… No more fighting… Thunder God… You've earned your place…in the New World." Big Mom, her voice weak, lay on the ground, her royal demeanor gone.

"My place???"

Arthur, his breath ragged, his chest rising and falling with each labored breath, his voice strained, retorted, "You think you have the right to decide that?"

He couldn't continue this pointless fight.

His Rumble-Rumble Fruit, its power capped at two hundred million volts, even combined with his enhanced physical strength, wasn't enough to defeat her.

Unless he broke through that limit—he'd never truly be able to defeat Big Mom.

'This can't continue! If I don't get stronger, I'll be crushed by the likes of Kaido, Big Mom, and the other rising stars of this new era.' He needed to get stronger—to break through his limitations.

But how??

Lightning—without a qualitative change, two hundred million volts was his limit. He needed time.

"We'll settle this… next time." Arthur, turning to leave, knew he couldn't linger. He was on the verge of collapse, his body screaming in protest.

The Underworld bosses, still watching from a distance, were a potential threat. Staying here, in this weakened state, was a death sentence.

"Wheat Island…It's mine now. If I find any of your crew on my territory… I'll be back. And this time—I'll sink all of Totto Land!" His voice was cold, his threat absolute.

He vanished in a flash of lightning.

As he disappeared over the horizon—a collective sigh of relief washed over the onlookers.

"Let's go. A storm is coming."

"I've got my headline…" Morgans, his eyes gleaming, could already see the next edition of his newspaper—a sellout.

——

Arthur, flying at high speed, his body suddenly faltering, his flight path becoming erratic.

"Damn… I'm at my limit." His face paled as he plummeted towards the sea, his stamina completely depleted.

As he fell—he used his last ounce of strength to open the portal to his storage bracelet.

He vanished from the sky, his bracelet falling into the sea with a soft plop, sinking into the depths.

The Castle-Castle Fruit—its true purpose finally revealed. Not just a storage device—but a sanctuary, a refuge, a perfect hiding place for a pirate on the brink of exhaustion.

——

Seagulls screeched overhead, the sky a brilliant blue, the sea calm.

Three warships sailed in formation.

Garp's dog-headed ship on the left, Kuzan's on the right, and Sengoku's in the center.

Sengoku, standing at the bow, his face grim, read the latest edition of the newspaper.

"Shocking: A Legend's End? A New Struggle for Dominance! The Terrifying Feats of 'Thunder God' Arthur!"

Morgans, as promised, had placed Arthur's story on the front page, his exploits broadcast to the world...

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The escape from Tsuru, Kizaru, and CP0 in the City of Wine...

Evading Garp's pursuit...

Defeating Vice Admiral Onigumo on his way to Sabaody...

The ambush on Sabaody by the Marines' strongest forces—and Admiral of the Army...

Admiral of the Army Basques Andre's death...

Arthur's escape from Impel Down—the first in its history...

His arrival in the New World...

His killing of Whitebeard's son, Squard...

His battle with Roger on Risky Red...

His clash with Big Mom on Whole Cake Island...

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Morgans had laid it all out.

He even speculated that with the fall of the old guard—Kaido, Big Mom, and Arthur would emerge as the new Emperors of the Sea.

"Bwahahaha! That kid…he's come a long way, hasn't he?"

Garp, also reading the newspaper, laughed, picking his nose.

The chaos in the New World didn't seem to faze him. He was one of the few Marines who truly enjoyed his life.

"His escape from Impel Down was the Marines' greatest failure. If we catch him again, we'll use Seastone nails—" Sengoku growled, his voice carrying across the waves.

Kuzan, lifting his eye mask, his expression languid, asked, "Should we inform Fleet Admiral Kong? Increase his bounty?"

"A bounty is meaningless now. After this news…what bounty hunter would be foolish enough to go after him?" Sengoku's voice was tight with frustration.

Whitebeard, Roger—their bounties were astronomical, yet no one dared to challenge them.

"Bwahahaha! Don't worry! The kid killed Whitebeard's son. Whitebeard will come for him. And when they fight—we'll take them both down. You'll be the next Fleet Admiral for sure!" Garp grinned, his usual carefree demeanor returning.

He'd always supported Sengoku, giving him all the credit for their joint operations, allowing him to climb the ranks.

"If you want freedom, you don't need a higher position," Garp had once said.

"I hope we can catch him before he becomes too powerful—" Sengoku sighed.

A pirate without territory was vulnerable.

Once they established a base—attacking them would be costly, a protracted war.

The New World was a pirate's domain. The Marines' presence here was tenuous, a fragile foothold established over centuries.

Their mission was clear: wait for the inevitable clash between Arthur and Whitebeard—and be ready to strike.

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