The moment his words fell, a massive, dragon-like tornado erupted from the sea, connecting the heavens and the earth.
Immediately following, a second, a third… countless water spouts formed an impassable barrier of death between the two fleets.
"Shiki! It seems even heaven isn't on your side!"
Roger laughed heartily, facing the gale.
Golden Lion's face was extremely grim; his proud grand fleet was as fragile as a pile of wooden toys in the face of such a world-destroying natural disaster.
Countless ships were torn to shreds by the giant waves and tornadoes, and the pirates' screams were swallowed by the storm's roar.
"Roger! You just wait!"
Golden Lion roared unwillingly as his flagship was also capsized by a massive wave.
In the chaos, a ship's rudder detached from the hull, was caught by the fierce wind, and struck him squarely on the head.
Moments later, the storm came and went quickly.
Only a chaotic mess remained on the sea surface; Golden Lion's grand fleet was almost completely annihilated.
In the distance, Golden Lion Shiki clutched the wound on his head where the rudder was embedded, glaring venomously at the unharmed Oro Jackson, ultimately only able to flee miserably with a few remaining ships.
The Battle of Edd War concluded in a way no one could have imagined.
On the Oro Jackson, the crew members, looking at the scene after surviving the disaster, erupted in earth-shattering cheers.
Luo An stood by the ship's rail, looking at the ravaged sea, his eyes showing not an ounce of joy, but rather a hint of imperceptible regret.
So many potential experience packs were just blown away by the wind.
What a waste.
Luo An sighed softly.
This sigh was clearly heard by Shanks and Buggy, who had just walked over.
Shanks scratched his head and asked in confusion, "Luo An, we won, so why are you still sighing?"
Buggy, however, seemed to have thought of something, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.
He looked at Luo An's regretful eyes, and then thought back to his previous actions; a terrifying thought surged into his mind.
This demon... He wasn't regretting that those pirates died; he was regretting... not having the chance to personally beat them all half to death, and then heal them one by one!
Thinking of this, Buggy's eyes rolled back, and he simply fainted.
"Eh? Buggy, what's wrong with you?"
Shanks fumbled to help him up.
Luo An glanced at him and said indifferently, "Nothing, it's a chronic problem of insufficient blood supply to the brain due to excessive tension; he'll be fine if he lies down for a while."
After speaking, Luo An turned around and met Roger and Rayleigh approaching.
At this moment, everyone on the ship looked at Luo An with completely changed eyes.
If it was awe and trust before, now, there was an added touch of genuine... fear.
This was a monster who combined the medical skills of an angel with the methods of a demon.
The sea surface after the storm was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the purified sky.
The crew members of the Oro Jackson were busy on deck clearing the traces left by the battle, but the atmosphere was completely different from usual.
Everyone would subconsciously lighten their steps when passing by Luo An, and their words carried an extra measure of cautious respect.
Occasionally, someone would cast a gaze mixed with curiosity, awe, and a hint of dread, as if confirming whether an ancient demon truly resided within this seemingly harmless boy.
Buggy slowly regained consciousness, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Luo An squatting in front of him, holding a silver needle that glinted coldly in the sunlight.
"Ah!"
Buggy, startled, jumped up with a carp-like flip and scrambled behind Shanks, pointing at Luo An, his lips trembling, unable to speak.
"I just wanted to see if you had a concussion."
Luo An retracted the silver needle, explaining in a calm tone.
"But seeing how lively you are now, it seems you're just a simple coward. By the way, when you jumped up just now, you aggravated an old injury in your third lumbar vertebra, so you'll have some soreness tonight when you sleep."
Buggy's face instantly collapsed; he touched his lower back, feeling a faint tingling sensation there.
This demon! He even knew that!
Shanks, on the other hand, excitedly leaned towards Luo An, his eyes sparkling with a light brighter than stars.
"Luo An! That move you just did was amazing! The one that went 'whoosh' and then 'crunch'! Can you teach me?"
"I can't teach you."
Luo An glanced at him: "Your coordination is too poor, and your strength control isn't precise enough. Learning this would only make you sprain your own fingers before you can poke an enemy."
"Huh?"
Shanks's face immediately turned into a bitter gourd.
The surrounding crew members let out a burst of good-natured laughter, easing much of the tense atmosphere.
They gradually realized that although Luo An's methods were frightening, as long as he wasn't provoked, he was still that taciturn, cold-faced young doctor.
Rayleigh leaned against the ship's rail, lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, and then walked in front of Luo An.
He didn't focus on Luo An's combat power like the others, but instead asked a deeper question.
"Luo An, what do you want?"
This question silenced the surrounding clamor.
Everyone looked at Luo An; they were also very curious about the true purpose of such a mysterious and powerful child boarding this ship.
Luo An raised his head, meeting Rayleigh's gaze, his dark eyes not flinching in the slightest.
"I need patients."
Luo An answered honestly and directly.
"Stronger patients, trickier illnesses. Qingju Island can no longer satisfy me."
This answer surprised everyone.
Not treasure, not fame, nor for adventure.
Luo An's purpose was so pure it felt a little eerie.
Rayleigh was silent for a moment; he understood the persistence in Luo An's eyes.
It wasn't a craving for battle, but rather like a top-tier craftsman seeking the most perfect materials to hone his craft.
"The people on this ship can't withstand you treating and then beating, and then beating and then treating, like you did on Qingju Island."
Rayleigh said slowly.
"I know."
Luo An nodded: "So, I need real patients."
His gaze subtly drifted towards Roger, who was laughing loudly not far away.
Just then, a crisp notification sound rang in Luo An's mind.
"Ding!"
"Detecting that the host completed battlefield survival and tactical command under extreme disadvantage, and successfully demonstrated comprehensive abilities exceeding the current level, special reward: Special Medical Skill Blind Box x1"
"Do you wish to open it?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Luo An's eyes.
This was the first time he had received a reward for combat.
"Open."
Luo An thought silently.
"Congratulations to the host, you have obtained Master-level Sub-skill: Life Essence Analysis."
"Life Essence Analysis: Can perform deep scans on a single life form, analyzing the composition of its life energy, its flow state, and fundamental damage."
"Note: This skill consumes a large amount of mental energy; please use with caution."