Sky Island?
Both Law and Moria were surprised.
"If the last island were on the sea, with the power of the World Government, they would have found it a long time ago." Rayleigh smiled faintly.
Law pondered for a moment and said, "Makes sense."
What's a sacrifice to the World Government?
They can have as many slaves as they want.
"This Sky Island has no magnetic pull, right? So, there's no Eternal Pose pointing to it?" Luffy asked unexpectedly.
Rayleigh didn't answer that question but instead smiled and said:
"That island drifts through the sky, so I can't tell you exactly where it is."
Luffy thought for a moment. It didn't seem strange that a Sky Island could move.
At that moment, Zoro couldn't help but speak:
"Another Sky Island, and it can move again… and we still have to find those Road Poneglyphs. No wonder only Gol D. Roger managed to find it."
"Indeed, a very complicated method was created to keep an 'enemy' from finding the treasure."
Luffy nodded in agreement.
He could already imagine who the enemy was.
"I've already told you how to get there. Luffy, what will you do now?" Rayleigh swirled the drink in his glass, speaking in a calm tone. "I can also tell you the exact coordinates recorded in the text of the four Road Poneglyphs. Do you want to know them?"
"No need. The archaeologist on my ship is very interested in history, and sooner or later, we'll find those stones."
Luffy shook his head, but when it came to the coordinates, another doubt arose:
"If the island can move, how can the four coordinates confirm its position?"
"You'll understand when you find the four Poneglyphs." Rayleigh laughed and said, "We were too early. That great secret treasure exists only to wait for someone. Luffy, you've asked me plenty of questions… Now I have one for you."
"Go ahead."
"Are you… Joy Boy?"
(I wasn't even the original Luffy, so how could I be Joy Boy?) Luffy thought to himself.
He was about to answer when suddenly he frowned.
"Hm?"
His Observation Haki foresaw the future just seconds ahead.
A golden light fell, and the entire bar was destroyed in the explosion.
"Kizaru!"
Luffy stood up immediately. "The enemy's here, fall back!"
A Marine Admiral?! So fast!
Everyone was shocked.
Then they saw Luffy step outside.
At the same time—
In the sky outside the bar, a golden beam of light flashed instantly.
Kizaru appeared midair.
"This is the place?"
Without hesitation, he had been ordered to do whatever it took.
No civilians would be considered.
Immediately, he pointed his right index finger, and the golden light condensed at the tip, turning into a laser beam that shot straight toward the bar.
At that moment, Luffy appeared on the bar's roof.
"He's almost here."
As he spoke, he extended his hand to block the laser.
Armament Haki formed an invisible shield in his palm.
With a sharp crack, Kizaru's laser was abruptly crushed!
"How scary~ Straw Hat Luffy!"
Kizaru twisted his lips as his figure dropped from the air, landing on the open ground in front of the bar.
"Back at Marineford, you caused plenty of trouble already, and now that you've killed three Celestial Dragons, they sent me to deal with you."
"You really think you can stop me?"
Luffy smirked with disdain, locked his gaze, and immediately shifted into his Nika form.
In the next moment, the roof beneath his feet turned rubbery, launching him toward Kizaru in an instant.
Clenching his fist, he threw a ruthless punch at Kizaru's face.
Kizaru's pupils contracted, and at the same time, his body began to emit golden light.
(So fast!)
He only had time to utter two words before turning into photons and scattering, causing Luffy's punch to hit empty air.
In a golden flash, Kizaru appeared behind him, swinging his right leg toward Luffy's head.
"Ever been kicked at the speed of light~?"
Luffy didn't dodge or avoid the attack.
At the same moment Kizaru kicked him, a figure rushed out of the bar.
Rayleigh dashed forward like lightning and swung his sword—the blade forcing Kizaru's body back into a beam of light that shot up to the bar's roof in a blink.
He looked surprised.
"Silvers Rayleigh…! After Roger disbanded the pirate crew, the government's been looking for you, so you've been hiding here all along?"
"Luffy, you go on ahead. I'll hold him off for you."
Rayleigh pointed at Kizaru and smiled. "Sorry, Kizaru, but I can't let you put on your show here."
As he spoke, he swung his sword and charged toward Kizaru.
"Thanks for that—let's go!"
Luffy laughed and immediately leapt from the rooftop, dragging his three crewmates along.
Seeing this, Kizaru clapped his fists together and drew a light saber in his right hand.
The two weapons clashed with a thunderous boom.
Kizaru said lazily, "You're old now, Rayleigh. It's useless for you to try and stop me."
"Is that so?"
"But hey, if I capture you, I'll get a raise."
Kizaru didn't care whether he caught Luffy or not—so long as he could profit from it.
---
Elsewhere—
The four of them headed toward the docks where their ships were moored.
When they reached the wooden bridge connecting Area 13 to Area 12, three Pacifistas appeared on the opposite side.
In front of one Pacifista stood a short, fat man carrying a huge axe on his shoulder.
"That old man's really an idiot. He couldn't even stop Straw Hat Luffy? And now he expects me to take down a pirate like that alone?"
His face darkened, and he immediately gave the order: "Stop them!"
The three Pacifistas instantly extended their right palms.
Instead of pads, their palms emitted laser light.
"I'll take this one!"
Zoro grinned, gripping the hilts of his katanas.
"Nitoryu Iai…"
A flash of sword light—and the arms of the middle Pacifista were severed instantly.
"Rashomon!!"
With a deafening boom, the Pacifista exploded.
"Kishishishi! These robots are just like Kuma!"
Moria waved his hands, and immediately the shadows behind him transformed into black bats, swarming across the sky.
The bats quickly converged under a Pacifista's feet, forming a massive dark box in an instant.
The next moment—boom!
The laser inside couldn't pierce the black box, and the explosion was contained within.
"Room!"
Law extended his hand, creating a transparent hemispherical space, and drew his sword.
The last Pacifista was sliced clean in half.
The laser originally aimed at Luffy and the others hit the river instead, hissing as steam and spray shot into the air before falling back down.
"No need to bother with the little guy, let's go."
Luffy didn't even glance at them and was about to step forward when suddenly his eyes lit up.
His Observation Haki foresaw a powerful aura approaching from the sky.
"Dai Funka!!"
Akainu's right fist transformed into a massive magma punch that came crashing down from above.
Luffy met it head-on with a punch coated in Armament Haki.
Boom!!
In an instant, the magma fist was pierced through, erupting into a rain of fire.
"Here to die, Akainu?" Luffy said with a faint smile.
---
(End of Chapter)
Guys, sorry for the absence these past few days. I ended up dealing with a serious issue in my neck and, to make things worse, I also caught a really annoying flu. Because of that, I wasn't in any condition to write or edit anything new. Unfortunately, I'm still not feeling well, so I'll keep this fic's updates at just one chapter per day for the next 3 or 4 days, otherwise it could end up making my neck worse.I was only able to keep posting MLS because I already had chapters prepared in advance for Patreon, so its schedule wasn't affected.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding! 🙏
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."