Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 250: Encounter

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Boom!

A bolt of lightning struck, splitting the ship cleanly down the middle.

Aoki and Robin hovered in the air, watching as the vessel broke apart and its remains plummeted into the turbulent sea below.

"That was close," Robin sighed, her tone tinged with lingering fear.

If Aoki had been even a moment slower, the lightning would have hit them directly.

Aoki nodded in agreement. Captain Jack's notes had mentioned the Bipolar Sea's treacherous climate, but nothing had prepared them for the reality of its ferocity.

Without the boat's shelter, the relentless downpour soaked them instantly.

However, Aoki's clothing, created from his own abilities, remained unaffected. While Robin wore ordinary outer garments, beneath them was a specialized suit that kept her dry, preventing any risk of exposure.

"What now?" Robin asked, her gaze flickering to the raging storm around them.

Aoki was about to answer when his expression shifted slightly, and before he could respond, their figures vanished.

Snap!

A silver-white bolt of lightning struck the space they had just occupied, dispersing the surrounding darkness momentarily.

Aoki and Robin reappeared not far away.

Robin, initially confused, quickly pieced things together after noticing the falling lightning.

"What's going on? Is something targeting us? Why does the lightning keep striking where we are?"

Aoki hesitated briefly before answering, "I don't think it's deliberate. The lightning here is just incredibly dense, and we're flying too high, making us easy targets."

Robin frowned. "So, what's the plan?"

"Let's leave this area and find someone who can give us more information," Aoki said decisively.

Captain Jack's notes had detailed the location they needed to reach, but searching slowly would waste too much time.

Robin nodded in agreement. Without delay, the two quickly left the area.

As they distanced themselves from the Bipolar Sea's core, the storm began to subside. The raging winds softened, the torrential rain eased, and the towering waves diminished into smaller swells.

Eventually, the storm ceased entirely.

Aoki stopped flying and turned back to observe.

Behind them, the sky was clear, but ahead, it remained a foreboding gray. The dark clouds formed a massive, cylindrical vortex, connecting the turbulent sea to the heavens above.

Even without the storm, the currents below churned violently, a clear sign of their complexity. Navigating this region was no simple feat.

Robin glanced at the rough waters below. "They say no ship has ever crossed the Bipolar Sea safely."

"That rumor isn't entirely true," Aoki replied. "For instance, didn't Captain Jack make it through? He even left treasure at the center of these waters."

Robin raised an eyebrow but didn't argue.

The two wasted no time, moving forward again.

---

Two hours later, an island came into view. Signs of human habitation were immediately evident.

Not wanting to attract attention, Aoki teleported himself and Robin directly onto the island.

Unfortunately, what had been an empty spot just a second ago now had an occupant—a man with deep-set eyes.

Both parties froze, their gazes locking in awkward silence.

Realizing the situation, Aoki casually pulled Robin away as if nothing had happened.

It's just a coincidence, he thought. We're using fake identities anyway. Even if we're noticed, it doesn't matter.

But before they could move far, the man stepped forward to block their path. His gaze swept over both of them before settling on Aoki.

"You look unfamiliar. Are you new to Los Silos?" the man asked, his tone sharp and probing.

Aoki returned his gaze with calm indifference. "Yes, we just arrived. Is there a problem?"

The man smirked, licking his lips as if savoring the moment.

"Ha! You don't even know where you are, do you?" he sneered. "This is Los Silos—the most chaotic place in the New World. It's a paradise for criminals and a haven for pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million!"

"A pirate with a bounty of over 100 million?" Aoki's interest piqued, and he raised an eyebrow.

Now, this was a conversation worth his attention.

The man with deep-set eyes seemed pleased by Aoki's reaction and shook his head, clearly satisfied with the intrigue he had sparked.

"Newcomers like you, who just arrived in Los silos and don't know the rules, usually end up in miserable situations!

Fortunately, you've met me. For a small price, I can personally teach you how to survive here in Los silos."

"The price? Money? How much do you want?"

Aoki asked calmly.

He didn't care about money.

The treasures obtained from opening boxes were inexhaustible, and there was a large amount of gold lying untouched in another space.

The man with deep-set eyes lit up, his gaze fiery.

"I don't want money. Just stay with me for one night."

"What?" Aoki asked subconsciously, startled by the demand.

"If you stay with me for one night, I'll tell you everything I know about the survival rules of Los silos!"

Robin, standing nearby, was surprised at first but then smiled faintly.

Aoki rubbed his face and took a deep breath to calm himself.

A few minutes later.

The man with deep-set eyes huddled in a corner, his face bruised and swollen, trembling with fear.

"The captain of the Thunderbolt Pirates is a user of the Thunder Fruit?"

A look of surprise flashed across Aoki's face.

The man avoided Aoki's gaze, his voice quivering. "Y-Yes. Thunder is very famous, and his abilities are known to almost everyone in Los silos."

"That was a little unexpected," Aoki muttered to himself.

He guessed that Enel probably hadn't obtained the Thunder Fruit yet, but he hadn't expected there to already be a user with the Thunder Fruit's powers active at this time.

That Thunder should have died at some point in the next few years, and the fruit would then be reborn and eaten by Enel.

Because of his interference, the future might change again.

After some thought, Aoki asked, "Think carefully. Is there anything you haven't told me?"

"No more! Absolutely no more!" The man with deep-set eyes swallowed nervously and answered hastily.

"Get out!" Aoki waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you!"

The man fled in a hurry, almost tripping over himself.

Aoki and Robin stepped out of the shadows and into the bustling streets.

The roads were filled with people and traffic, and various shops lined both sides of the street.

According to the man earlier, most of the shop owners were pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million.

Just then, two people in front of them started arguing, and the argument quickly escalated.

Right there on the street, they drew their swords and began fighting. In the blink of an eye, one of them was struck down and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

The killer, injured but victorious, limped away.

The crowd's reaction was indifferent. Instead of panic, people casually stepped aside, more concerned about avoiding blood splatter than the fight itself.

A short while later, a man appeared and dragged the corpse away.

The street returned to its usual lively state, as if nothing had happened. Only the bloodstains on the ground remained, silently testifying to the deadly battle that had occurred moments before.

"This place is even more chaotic than the Sabaody Archipelago," Aoki remarked, his tone carrying a trace of disbelief.

The comment earlier about the New World being "the most chaotic" now seemed more justified.

The New World, ruled by the Pirate Emperors, at least had a semblance of order. Despite being pirates, the Emperors were essentially warlords who had established their own systems of governance.

But this place was a true lawless zone.

Still, Aoki had no intention of interfering.

According to the man with deep-set eyes, most of the people here were pirates. Killing everyone indiscriminately risked harming innocent people, while sparing some would inevitably allow criminals to escape.

The reason he didn't choose to annihilate everyone here was due to the possibility of innocent lives among them.

Otherwise, Aoki wouldn't have hesitated to unleash "Dragon Breath" to raze the area after obtaining the information he needed.