481-485

Chapter 481: Thirty Thousand Wood Style Clones Unleashed 

With a trembling voice, the navy admiral pointed at Kazama and yelled, "You listen here, you filthy pirate! I’m an official navy admiral! If you dare to lay a hand on me, I swear I’ll report this to our Navy Headquarters Commander. They’ll deal with you pirates properly! So you’d better back off if you know what’s good for you!" 

Kazama chuckled darkly. "Heh… but what if I just rip you to pieces right now? How are you going to report anything then?" 

“H-Huh?” 

The admiral’s face paled the moment he heard Kazama's cold words. He hadn’t expected Kazama to be this ruthless—so swift and decisive in his killing intent. The realization struck him hard, and fear spread through his heart. 

But even though he was panicking inside, it didn’t change the reality—he was no match for Kazama. 

Thinking fast, the admiral rolled his eyes and suddenly decided to play the sympathy card. 

“Hey now, young man... Look, we navy folks and you pirates run into each other all the time, right? Since you’re clearly the stronger one here, I admit defeat, alright?” 

“How about this: Let me go, I won’t lay a finger on this True Dragon anymore. And, since we seem to be getting along so well, I’ll even give you all the gold and treasure on my ship. What do you say?” 

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! 

Before the admiral could finish, Luffy and Zoro stepped in and knocked him out cold with a quick barrage of punches and kicks. 

“Don’t listen to this scumbag’s nonsense, Kazama-aniki!” Luffy warned. “This guy’s notorious all across the seas. He's worse than most pirates! We can’t let him off that easily.” 

“Of course I know,” Kazama replied calmly. “You think I’m some naïve rookie just starting out on the seas?” 

As he spoke, Kazama turned to glare at the group of navy soldiers surrounding them. 

“Listen up! If it weren’t for my mercy, you lot would already be dead. So if you know what’s good for you, get lost—far away from this warship island. And don’t even think about coming back to search for the Elixir of Immortality!” 

“Yes sir! We’ll do exactly as you say!” 

The navy grunts, terrified by Kazama’s overwhelming strength, broke into cold sweats. Within moments, they were scrambling away, fleeing in all directions like scared mice. 

Once the area was cleared, Kazama returned to the side of the massive True Dragon and turned to Abisu. 

“Do you know exactly where this True Dragon’s Lost Island is located beneath the sea?” 

“Um… honestly, I don’t.” 

Abisu scratched her head awkwardly. 

“The True Dragon mentioned it before, but I didn’t catch the exact location. And now that it’s unconscious, there’s no way we can get more info about where this ‘Island of Forgotten Time’ is. Kazama-aniki… what should we do?” 

Kazama looked down at the unconscious dragon, concern in his eyes. 

“If we wait too long, the True Dragon might disappear before it ever reaches its origin…” 

Seeing how anxious Abisu looked, Kazama gently reassured her. 

“Don’t worry. Since the True Dragon brought us here, that must mean the real location of the Lost Island is nearby. Let’s start by searching this sea area.” 

Hearing his suggestion, Abisu couldn’t help but let out an awkward little laugh. 

Chapter 482: The True Dragon's Resurrection 

"I mean, come on, Kazama-aniki, I know that method you're suggesting. I’ve thought about it too. But you’ve gotta understand—this sea is so deep you can't even see the bottom. Even if we do manage to dive in, we wouldn’t be able to see a thing. How the heck are we supposed to find the real Lost Island like that?" 

"And besides, this whole sea area is massive. Finding that Lost Island might be a bit easier than finding a needle in a haystack, but only a bit. It's still nearly impossible!" 

Just as Abisu was criticizing Kazama’s plan as useless... 

In the blink of an eye, Kazama created thousands of Mokuton (Wood Style) clones. 

Then he turned to Abisu again and said with a smirk, "Well? Now that I have thousands of Wood Style clones, it doesn't matter how wide the search area is. We'll find it in no time!" 

Abisu hadn’t expected that Kazama could use the Shadow Clone Technique—let alone Wood Style clones! She was absolutely stunned. 

Then, overjoyed, she quickly nodded at him. 

"Kazama-aniki, now that you’ve got this many clones, finding the homeland of the True Dragon will be easy!" 

"Alright then," Kazama said, "Let’s get started right away!" 

As he spoke, he commanded all his clones to dive into the ocean depths. 

But then Abisu raised another concern. "Kazama-aniki, your clones are many, yes, but these waters are extremely murky. Even your clones might not be able to pinpoint the exact location if their vision is blocked, right?" 

"Heh—you really underestimate Kazama-aniki!" 

Hearing her worry, Luffy laughed and chimed in with confidence. "Our Kazama-aniki's eyes are way sharper than normal people's. Isn’t that right, aniki?" 

"Of course!" Kazama replied proudly. 

He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, his eyes gleaming with power. 

"With my Mangekyō Sharingan, I can see clearly even in the murkiest waters. These eyes are the ultimate divine sight, capable of seeing through the Three Realms!" 

As Kazama spoke, he used his Mangekyō Sharingan to scan the sea depths. Within just a few moments, he discovered the long-lost island beneath the waves. 

Then, with precision, he directed his many clones to search the island and eventually uncover the True Dragon's essence. 

Once the True Dragon devoured its essence, it was fully reborn. 

The once withered and skinny body transformed into a strong, powerful figure, glowing with radiant golden light. 

Its body stretched over a hundred jō (roughly over 300 meters), a majestic and terrifying sight to behold. 

Seeing the True Dragon reborn, Abisu was overjoyed. 

But what she didn’t expect was that, right after its resurrection, the True Dragon didn’t show gratitude toward her or Kazama. 

Instead, the moment it awoke—it launched a deadly attack on them. 

"What?! That’s impossible!" 

Kazama was shocked as the dragon charged at them without warning. 

Reacting quickly, Kazama used Amenotejikara to swap places with Abisu. 

Then, extending a single hand, he grabbed hold of the massive dragon’s claw. 

Even though this resurrected True Dragon was at the peak of its power, with terrifying strength—Kazama stood his ground. 

Chapter 483: Beating Down the True Dragon 

Even at its peak, the mighty True Dragon was nothing more than a weakling in front of Kazama. 

At that moment, Kazama unleashed his incredible superhuman strength. 

In just a few exchanges, he grabbed the True Dragon midair and slammed it down into the depths of the sea. Without wasting a second, Kazama pummeled the dragon, leaving its face battered and bruised. 

Just as Kazama was about to ask why this dragon had suddenly attacked the very people who had saved it... 

He noticed something strange—it was as if the dragon was being controlled by someone. 

Kazama's heart skipped a beat. 

Right then, Kamaitachi Kurikku appeared again, smirking as he stepped forward in front of everyone. 

“Heh… Not bad, you little bastard. I didn’t expect your perception to be this sharp. One glance, and you already noticed something was off with the dragon.” 

“So it was you who’s controlling the True Dragon, huh?” 

Seeing Kurikku acting all smug again, Kazama’s anger flared instantly. 

“That’s right,” Kurikku sneered. “Let me tell you something, brat. This dragon-controlling technique has been passed down for generations in the Erikku family. With the True Dragon under my command, I’ll not only obtain its dragon bones, but I’ll also crush you all into dust!” 

As he spoke, Kurikku began chanting another incantation. 

Immediately, the bruised and bloodied True Dragon went into a frenzy, roaring and charging at Kazama and the others again. 

But what Kurikku didn’t realize… was that Kazama held the power to slay dragons. 

While Kurikku was still smugly watching the dragon attack, he laughed coldly, “Kazama, you might be strong—sure, I’ll give you that. But your strength only means something against ordinary humans. Against a True Dragon? You're nothing.” 

“Huh?! No way—what the hell?!” 

Before he could finish mocking Kazama, Kurikku’s smile froze. 

Because in just a few moments, Kazama had seized the True Dragon mid-attack again. 

Then, using his ultimate illusion technique—Hitsutenjin (逼天神), Kazama severed the control Erikku’s curse had over the dragon. 

Kurikku’s face twisted in rage as he realized his scheme had once again been shattered by Kazama. 

“No! That’s impossible! The dragon control technique passed down by my ancestors—you broke it?! That’s not possible!!” 

Panicked, Kurikku turned and fled, shouting back at Kazama. 

But the newly freed True Dragon, now completely under Kazama’s control, moved at lightning speed. 

In just a blink, it caught up with Kurikku and annihilated him. 

With its consciousness restored, the True Dragon then approached Abisu. 

The two began speaking in a language only they could understand. 

Abisu turned to Kazama and the others, eyes wide with emotion. 

“The True Dragon says he’s deeply grateful for being saved… and he’s willing to offer up his dragon bones as nourishment so that you all can achieve immortality.” 

“Absolutely not!” 

Kazama waved his hand firmly, rejecting the offer without hesitation. 

Zoro, Luffy, Sanji, Nami, Usopp—all of them shook their heads fiercely in agreement. 

“Abisu, tell the True Dragon not to underestimate us,” Luffy said, his tone firm. “We didn’t save him to gain something in return. We helped because we couldn’t stand seeing him being used like that. That’s all.” 

Chapter 484: Arrival at the Grand Line 

"That’s right. Life may be short, but if we can do something great within that fleeting time, isn’t that what makes it beautiful? Instead of living forever, wouldn’t it be better to use this brief time to create something truly legendary?" 

"Well said!" 

Hearing Luffy’s words, Kazama immediately gave him a thumbs-up. 

Kazama had originally just thought of Luffy as a hot-blooded young guy. But seeing his firm and noble view on life filled Kazama’s heart with joy. 

After saying farewell to Abisu, Kazama and the others continued their journey toward the legendary Grand Line. 

According to Nami’s calculations, they were now less than half a day away from entering the Grand Line. 

Nami then turned to Kazama and the group and said, "Kazama-aniki, it's true we’re very close to reaching the Grand Line now. But there’s a natural barrier up ahead called the Red Line." 

"The Red Line is a massive landmass where the sea currents split into three dangerous paths. The waters there are extremely turbulent. With our current ship, I doubt we’ll make it through safely. Should we find a nearby town and reinforce the ship first?" 

"Hmm..." 

After hearing Nami’s concern, Kazama simply smiled and shook his head. 

"Don’t worry, Nami. If we can’t sail through the chaos below, then we’ll just fly over it." 

"What?! Fly?! That’s impossible!" 

Everyone immediately started shaking their heads in disbelief. 

"Heh... You guys still don’t give me enough credit," Kazama said with a sly grin. "I’m not one to make empty promises. If I say I can do it, then I will do it." 

As soon as he finished speaking, Kazama unleashed the Eight Destruction Inferno Flame.

But this time, instead of transforming the flames into his own wings, he molded them into wings for the ship itself. 

The sheer heat radiating from the flames was so intense it nearly evaporated the seawater below. 

With a powerful motion, Kazama spread the massive black wings of the Eight Destruction Flame—each over a hundred jō wide. 

In the blink of an eye, the ship carrying Luffy and the others lifted off into the sky. 

The entire crew was stunned—none of them had ever ridden a flying ship before. 

Before long, they soared high above the chaotic currents surrounding the Red Line. 

And then—they crossed into the Grand Line. 

"We made it! We’re finally on the Grand Line! HAHAHA!" Luffy shouted with excitement, bursting into laughter. 

But just then, something enormous appeared before them—a massive black wall that completely blocked their path. 

"What is that...?" 

Kazama quickly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan to analyze the object. 

And that’s when he realized—the “wall” was actually the head of an enormous whale! 

The creature was so massive that even Kazama’s divine-level Susanoo looked small in comparison. 

He was completely stunned. He had never seen a whale that huge before. 

"Heh! Don’t worry, everyone. I don’t care what kind of wall it is—nothing can stop me, Monkey D. Luffy, from reaching the Grand Line!" 

As soon as he said that, Luffy launched his Gomu Gomu no Gatling—his Rubber Machine Gun attack—intending to smash the wall. 

Kazama immediately tried to stop him, warning him not to act recklessly. 

But it was too late. 

Luffy's punch had already landed—right on the forehead of the massive whale. 

Chapter 485: A Whale Bigger Than Susanoo 

At that moment, Luffy’s Gum-Gum Gatling had already struck the giant whale squarely on the head. 

The whale immediately trembled all over, then let out a thunderous roar that pierced the skies. 

The sheer volume of it left Luffy and the others absolutely stunned. 

Zoro immediately turned and snapped at Luffy in frustration. 

“Oi, you idiot! Are you out of your damn mind?! Didn’t Kazama-aniki just say this thing was a massive whale? All we had to do was quietly pass by it! But no—you had to go and attack it! There’s a limit to stupidity, you know!” 

“Uh, well…” Luffy scratched his head awkwardly, flashing a sheepish grin in an attempt to defuse the tension. 

But this was no time for awkward laughs. 

The real issue now was that the whale had locked its eyes onto Kazama and the others. 

Even someone as powerful as Kazama felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing such a gargantuan creature. 

Without hesitation, Kazama made the call—they needed to get out of there, fast. 

But what he didn’t expect was that the whale would suddenly open its enormous mouth... 

...and in the blink of an eye, it sucked all of them inside. 

Kazama and the others immediately blacked out, losing consciousness as darkness swallowed them. 

When they awoke again, they were shocked to find themselves not inside the whale’s belly... but floating on a calm, sunlit sea. The sky was blue, a few seagulls flitted by overhead, and everything looked peaceful—almost too peaceful. 

Kazama’s heart skipped a beat. 

Not because he disliked tranquil scenes like this... 

But because he clearly remembered getting swallowed alive by that colossal whale. 

So how could they be here now, standing on this serene coastline? 

Suspicious, Kazama activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and glanced up at the sky. 

What he saw made him stagger back several steps, cold sweat beading on his forehead. 

This was Kazama—a man who wouldn't flinch even if a mountain collapsed before him. 

If he was this shaken... then what he saw must have been terrifying. 

It turned out, they were still inside the whale’s stomach. 

The “sea” below them was actually highly corrosive stomach acid. 

The “sky,” the “clouds,” even the flying seagulls—all of it was fake, artificially created to look like a paradise. 

“What kind of person would go through all this trouble to create an illusion of a utopia… inside a whale’s stomach?” Kazama muttered, still stunned. 

Just then, on a small island in the distance, an old man appeared out of nowhere. 

He gave Kazama and the others a long, scrutinizing look... 

Then, without a word, he lay back on his beach chair and started fishing. 

Naturally, Luffy wasn’t having it and walked right up to him. 

“Hey, old man! Where the heck are we right now?” 

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! 

Before Luffy could finish, the old man gave him three solid slaps, knocking him flat on the ground. 

“Oi, what the hell is wrong with you, old geezer?!” Luffy barked, furious. “I just asked a simple question—why the hell did you attack me?!” 

He hadn’t expected the old man to be this arrogant and hostile. 

All he did was ask where they were... and the guy slapped him senseless!