Luffy did not speak as he climbed the stairs.
He grabbed Nezumi by the hair and dragged him upward step by step, the Marine captain's body slamming against stone with every pull. Nezumi screamed, clawing uselessly at the ground, his fingernails scraping against the steps until they bled.
The door at the top burst open.
Luffy kicked it off its hinges.
The two Marines guarding the exit barely had time to react before lightning cracked overhead, forcing them to dive away in terror.
Luffy walked past them.
Nezumi in tow.
The cloud followed.
Outside—
Chaos ruled.
Lightning scars burned across the ground like divine handwriting. Marines sprinted in every direction, shouting orders, firing rifles at shadows, trying—and failing—to recapture escaping prisoners.
Smoke rose from shattered watchtowers.
The base was collapsing under its own corruption.
Near the pier, Zoro and Sanji stood calmly beside stacked crates of gunpowder, ammunition, and cannons.
Lightning flashed behind Luffy as he approached.
Neither of them flinched.
Zoro noticed first.
"…You're not wearing your coat."
Sanji's eyes followed Zoro's gaze.
Behind Luffy, riding atop a small cloud, was a girl wrapped tightly in the captain's coat. She stared at the ground, trembling, clearly afraid to look at the base behind them.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance.
No questions.
Not now.
Any Marine that tried to approach was struck down by lightning before taking three steps.
"What's wrong, captain?" Zoro asked quietly.
Sanji elbowed him hard.
Zoro snapped back—then followed Sanji's gaze.
The girl.
Zoro immediately shut his mouth.
"Enough," Luffy said.
He raised his hand.
A massive thundercloud descended, swallowing the crates of ammunition and lining up behind the cloud already heavy with stolen gold.
Luffy dragged Nezumi onto the Marine ship.
Zoro and Sanji followed.
The anchor lifted.
The sails caught wind.
The ship pulled away as lightning continued to ravage the island behind them.
Once they reached a safe distance—
"Stop here," Luffy ordered.
Zoro adjusted the sails.
Sanji dropped anchor.
Luffy untied Nezumi.
Then kicked him in the stomach.
Nezumi collapsed, coughing blood.
"P-Please—don't kill me!" he sobbed.
Luffy stared at him.
Cold.
Empty.
"Give me one good reason," Luffy said quietly, "why I should let scum like you live."
Nezumi shook violently.
"…I won't kill you," Luffy continued.
Nezumi froze.
"If I kill you, who tells Marine Headquarters what happened here?"
Luffy turned away, staring at the island.
"But your men?" Luffy said calmly. "They don't get mercy."
Thunderclouds gathered.
Not just above the island—
But the sea around it.
Wind screamed.
The pressure dropped so suddenly Sanji and Zoro staggered back, struggling to breathe.
Electric-blue sparks crawled across Luffy's body.
His eyes glowed.
He raised his hand.
Then brought it down.
"Raijin's Sacred Judgment."
The sky split.
A pillar of lightning—larger than the one that erased Arlong Park—descended and swallowed the entire island.
White light blinded them.
The thunder that followed shook the East Blue itself.
When vision returned—
The island was gone.
Nothing remained but a churning hole in the ocean, rapidly filling with seawater.
Sanji stared.
"…Wow."
Zoro could only nod.
Luffy turned away from the destruction and walked toward the girl.
"Hey," he said gently. "What's your name?"
"…Diane," she whispered.
"Nice to meet you," Luffy said. "We're heading to Cocoyasi Village. You're coming with us."
She broke down, hugging him tightly.
Luffy returned the embrace.
"Time to go," he said.
Zoro destroyed the rudder.
Sanji cut the anchor.
Luffy lifted Diane onto the cloud and joined her.
They rose into the sky.
Nezumi screamed as Luffy fired one last shot—lightning obliterated the ship's mainmast, leaving him adrift.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Nezumi screamed.
Luffy didn't look back.
"Hold on," he said.
Electricity wrapped around everyone like a safety harness.
The clouds surged forward—
Toward Cocoyasi Village.