Chapter 90: Don’t Be Afraid, How About a Fight?

In the Chat Group

Lucas casually asked Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama for medical ninjutsu techniques.

Senju Hashirama blinked in confusion.

Senju Hashirama: "Isn't that unnecessary? You could easily handle the remnants of the Blackbeard Pirates yourself. Why let Crocodile get his hands dirty?"

Lucas scoffed. "If I do everything myself, what's the point of having subordinates? Besides, Crocodile just joined me. He needs to prove his loyalty."

Ding!

A notification popped up.

Senju Tobirama had sent an exclusive red envelope: (Medical Ninjutsu) to Lucas.

Senju Tobirama: "Stop arguing, big brother. You're embarrassing yourself again."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Second Hokage is overthinking it. We all know Hashirama isn't exactly the brightest in the bunch."

Senju Hashirama: "…"

Back in the real world, Lucas raised his palm, vibrant green energy swirling in his hand. The soothing light flowed into Crocodile, repairing the damage in his body.

Curious, Lucas asked in the chat group,

Lucas: "Second Hokage, did you invent medical ninjutsu?"

Senju Tobirama: "No, it was developed by our Senju ancestors. The Senju clan pioneered medical ninjutsu."

Lucas: "Ah, I see."

It made sense. The Senju clan inherited the Sage Body, giving them incredibly tenacious vitality. With medical ninjutsu as support, their battlefield survival rate was unparalleled. This combination was key to the Senju becoming one of the most famous clans in the ninja world.

Back in the Real World

"Alright, you're all healed up. Now go teach them a lesson."

Lucas finished healing Crocodile and gestured toward the remnants of the Blackbeard Pirates standing nearby.

Crocodile flexed his hands, feeling the newfound strength surging through him. His eyes were filled with shock as he glanced at Lucas.

"This ability… How many powers do you have?" Crocodile asked, genuinely intrigued.

Lucas smirked, his gaze unreadable. "How many? Hard to say. Too many to count."

Crocodile snorted, saying no more. His body turned into quicksand as he rushed toward Burgess and the others, sneering. "Let's see what the so-called senior officers of the Blackbeard Pirates are made of!"

Despite Blackbeard Teach obtaining the Tremor Tremor Fruit and becoming a legitimate Four Emperors powerhouse, the confidants he'd recruited from the start were pathetically weak. Even with their combined efforts, they couldn't gain an advantage over Crocodile.

In the Chat Group

Golden Lion Shiki laughed disdainfully.

Golden Lion Shiki: "What a bunch of weaklings! Is this the level of Blackbeard's subordinates? Looks like his crew had a lot of dead weight!"

Lucas: "Not surprising. While these guys were trusted by Blackbeard, they weren't the real fighting force of his crew. The ones he broke out of Impel Down—like Shiryu of the Rain and Avalo Pizarro—were the true high-level combatants."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Hey, Whitebeard! Ever notice how obsessed Blackbeard was with you? If you think about it, aren't there a lot of similarities between the Blackbeard Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates?"

Whitebeard growled. "Aren't you more obsessed with Roger?"

Gold Thief Woonan: "It does seem like during those years he spent lurking on your ship, Blackbeard learned about your organization and structure."

Lucas: "Shiki's onto something. The Blackbeard Pirates do mirror the Whitebeard Pirates in some ways. But there's a huge gap in strength between their captains."

Senju Hashirama: "They seem pretty evenly matched right now. How long will this drag on?"

Lucas: "Good question. I think it's time I gave Crocodile a little boost so we can end this quickly."

Back in the Real World

Purple lightning crackled around Lucas's body as his Conqueror's Haki surged outward, creating a pressure field that expanded from his position at the center.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The spirits of Burgess and the others felt as if they'd been struck by a giant hammer. Their movements froze for a split second—just long enough for Crocodile to strike.

"Desert Spada!" Crocodile's sand blade, capable of draining moisture, swept out with deadly precision.

The bodies of Burgess and his comrades withered instantly, the moisture sucked from their flesh by the desert blades that tore through them.

"Bye-bye!"

"Sandstorm!"

Crocodile sneered as he unleashed his signature move. A tornado with devastating tearing force enveloped Burgess and the others, lifting them off the ground and hurling them into the sea.

Lucas watched calmly, his gaze unwavering. Just to be sure, he sent out a dazzling sword light, slicing through the sandstorm to guarantee none of them survived.

Crocodile lit a cigar, his posture as arrogant as ever. "Satisfied?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of defiance.

Lucas chuckled, amused by Crocodile's unruly attitude.

"I just love how arrogant you are. It's a bit of a hassle, but keep it up."

Crocodile was the kind of subordinate who was hard to tame. Unlike people like Caesar and Monet, who could be kept loyal with a little care and manipulation, Crocodile's pride and ambition made him a different challenge.

Lucas knew that trying to win Crocodile over by being too accommodating would only trigger his rebellious streak. Sometimes, a little tough love was the only way to keep a man like him in line.

In the Real World

Buru…Buru…Buru!

The shrill ring of the Den Den Mushi echoed, and as Lucas picked it up, Zephyr's gruff voice came through.

Zephyr: "I've led our forces into a fight with the Big Mom Pirates' fleet! But we're at a disadvantage here. You'd better figure out a way to support us—fast!"

Lucas chuckled, his voice relaxed. "Don't worry, I'll be there soon."

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Black Arm Zephyr was locked in a fierce clash against the Big Mom Pirates.

The sea churned violently under the thunder of cannons, the sky painted with trails of smoke and fire. Ships from both sides exchanged relentless artillery fire, neither willing to give an inch.

Suddenly, a Shadow Clone of Lucas descended from the sky, landing gracefully on the battlefield. It quickly left a Flying Thunder God mark on the ground before dissipating into a puff of smoke.

Moments later, the real Lucas arrived with Crocodile by his side.

Crocodile's eyes widened slightly as he took in the rapidly shifting scenery. "The ability to teleport… What a convenient power." His voice was tinged with genuine awe.

Ahead, Zephyr's fleet was locked in intense combat, desperately trying to keep the Big Mom Pirates from landing on the island. Letting them onto the island would allow Zephyr to leverage his full fighting power, but it would also result in massive destruction to the island itself.

The Big Mom Pirates, on the other hand, were quite content to stay offshore, bombarding the island from a safe distance using their heavily fortified ships and powerful cannons.

Onboard the Big Mom Pirates' Ship

On one of the Big Mom Pirates' ships, a burly man growled into a Den Den Mushi, his patience wearing thin.

"Brother Katakuri, are we just gonna keep playing this naval battle?!"

This man was none other than Charlotte Cracker, one of the Three Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates and a Paramecia Devil Fruit user with the Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit. His power allowed him to create and manipulate biscuit soldiers, making him a formidable force on land. However, his abilities were severely limited in a naval battle.

Frustrated, Cracker called Katakuri, the commander-in-chief of the operation, hoping to get the green light to land and fight on the island.

"I know about Zephyr," Cracker snarled. "We can defeat him easily. That guy couldn't even beat that idiot Whitebeard Jr. Facing my biscuit army is a death sentence!"

Cracker's confidence was sky-high. His biscuit soldiers were notoriously tough—so durable that even Straw Hat Luffy struggled to break them. He was certain that Zephyr, unaware of their weaknesses, would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

The thought of killing a former Marine Admiral had Cracker itching for battle.

On the Flagship of the Big Mom Fleet

Onboard the flagship, Katakuri sat calmly atop a wooden barrel, his arms crossed as he listened to Cracker's impassioned plea through the Den Den Mushi.

Katakuri pondered Cracker's suggestion for a moment, then shook his head. "Forget it."

Cracker's voice rose in frustration. "Why not? I'm sure I can beat Zephyr!"

Katakuri's tone was calm but firm. "Why do we need to defeat Black Arm Zephyr? Remember, we're here to pick up the spoils, not start a war. Beating Zephyr will only attract unnecessary attention from both Marine and Lucas. The risks far outweigh the benefits."

Katakuri's logic was sound. Zephyr played a critical role under Lucas, acting as a strategic deterrent. Defeating him would force Lucas's hand, and the revenge that followed wouldn't be worth it.

It was far better to let Lucas clash with Kaido of the Beasts and stay out of the crossfire.

Katakuri, often considered the think tank of the Big Mom Pirates, had a knack for strategic analysis. While Cracker was clearly unhappy with the decision, Katakuri's authority couldn't be challenged.

Cracker begrudgingly obeyed, even though his fists were itching for a fight.

Suddenly…

Katakuri's expression shifted. His advanced Observation Haki had just shown him a disturbing vision of the near future.

"No… this isn't good…"

Before Katakuri could react, a soft voice echoed beside him.

"Found you."

In an instant, Lucas appeared right next to Katakuri, a mischievous grin on his face and a pistol lazily aimed at Katakuri's head.

"Katakuri, don't move." Lucas's voice was light, almost playful, but the danger in his tone was unmistakable.

Katakuri's muscles tensed, but he quickly relaxed, letting out a soft sigh.

"You win," Katakuri muttered calmly. "So… what do you want?"

Facing someone like Lucas—a man capable of defeating Kaido of the Beasts—Katakuri had no illusions about his chances in a direct fight.

His advanced Observation Haki, which allowed him to glimpse into the future, made it clear: any aggressive move would end in disaster.

But Lucas wasn't satisfied.

"You're just gonna surrender?" Lucas sighed, shaking his head. "That's boring."

He leaned in, his grin widening. "Seeing the future is only seeing one possibility. Everyone has the power to change the future."

Lucas stepped back, his pistol still trained on Katakuri.

"So… how about a fight?"

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