Previously,
"If it were someone's testing ground, what would they be testing?"
"Light."
"Eh... I'm a bit tired... I can go search for her later... she's here anyway."
"I forgot I even had this... this old thing still works~? Ahh... what memories... I don't think it'll take too long..."
-----------
Now,
The moment the rusted metal doors collapsed inward, a gust of stale, metallic air rushed out, thick with the scent of corroded wiring and damp insulation. The interior was a cavernous space, swallowed by shadows, the only light coming from the dim glow of the occasional flicker of dying electrical sparks from exposed wiring.
Luffy stepped in first, his sandals crunching over broken glass and brittle metal fragments. The floor groaned underfoot, rusted panels threatening to give way beneath them.
"Whoa…" Chopper whispered, his hooves clicking against the grated walkway as he peered at the towering machinery lining the walls. Massive generators, their casings split open like gutted beasts, sat dormant. Wires hung like vines, their rubber insulation cracked and peeling.
Nami ran a finger along a control panel, the dust caking her fingertip. "This place is definitely old… but some of this tech looks way ahead of its time." She squinted at the faded labels. "Nothing seems to say or scream marine though..."
Robin's eyes traced the walls, her fingers brushing over engraved markings—equations, diagrams, and warnings.
Usopp gulped, clutching his slingshot tighter. "This doesn't feel safe, guys..."
Sanji kicked aside a fallen support beam, revealing a half-buried console. "Whatever this was, they didn't want anyone finding it." He pointed to the scorch marks along the walls—deliberate, methodical. "They tried hard to erase this place..."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "Then why leave the huge rod? They clearly didn't finish the job."
A sharp crackle of static made them all jump as the floor itself shook a bit. One of the shattered glass orbs lining the ceiling flickered weakly, casting eerie blue light across the room before fizzling out again.
Luffy, meanwhile, had wandered deeper inside, his curiosity leading him toward a massive, cylindrical chamber at the centre of the facility. The door was sealed—not with chains, but with a heavy, mechanical lock, its surface etched with a single word:
"VEGAPUNK."
"Hey, guys!" Luffy called, tapping the metal. "There's something in here!"
Robin's eyes narrowed.
Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his lips. "Vegapunk…? As in the Dr. Vegapunk? The World Government's head scientist?"
Nami's eyes widened. "Why would his work be hidden on an island that's supposed to be destroyed?"
Robin stepped forward, her eyes tracing the name. "Because… this wasn't just any research facility." Her voice was low, almost reverent. "This was one of his early projects. Before he worked for the Marines... with..." She glanced at the old, unkept books lining some panels. "Ohara researchers..."
-----------
The Straw Hats fanned out through the ruined facility, the dim light provided by the facility cutting through the darkness like bladed streaks of white. The deeper they ventured, the stranger the remnants of the past became—half-melted terminals, towering capacitors crusted with rust, and rows of empty glass tanks that hummed with residual static.
Zoro kicked open a dented door, sending a gust of dust into the stagnant air. "More junk." He grunted, peering into a room filled with skeletal frames of dismantled machines. "Just looks like scrap now."
Sanji crouched near some rubble, brushing debris aside to reveal a faded blueprint. "Power distribution schematics… modified for weather manipulation?" He frowned. "Tch. Reminds me of Crocodile..."
Nami tapped a cracked gauge, watching the needle twitch. "These readings… The lab is still conducting and using energy. That lightning rod out there isn't just sitting idle."
Usopp, meanwhile, had found a stack of decaying logs inside a rusted locker. The pages crumbled at his touch. "Uh… guys? These notes mention 'Artificial Lightning Capture' and something about 'Kiza'—"
BOOM.
A distant tremor shook the floor, sending loose screws bouncing like marbles. Chopper yelped, clinging to Zoro's leg."W-Was that thunder?! Inside?!"
Ussop trembled as what he was holding fell, "EEP! This place is definitely haunted!"
"It's just the lightning hitting the rod outside again. Calm down." Nami sighed.
"Isn't that all the more reason for us not to stay inside the base of the thing that's being hit with lightning!?" Ussop yelled.
On the other side, Robin stood silent by a broken chalkboard, her fingers tracing equations long since wiped away—only fragments remaining. 'Ohara's researchers… Did they work here before the Buster Call?' Her mind roamed.
She shook her head gently.
"Nami," she called abruptly. "Do you still have today's newspaper?"
Nami blinked. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Yesterday's too—why?"
"I forgot to read it in the morning, is all."
"Oh... yeah sure." She said as she took out a newspaper she kept in her back pocket.
As Robin read through it, her fingers subtly clutched the newspaper tighter. It went unnoticed.
Then, Luffy let out a loud yawn and slumped against a pile of rusted pipes. His arms flopped at his sides with none of their usual rubbery bounce. "Boooooring!"he whined, tipping his head back. "This place is just old junk and weird scribbles! Who cares about broken machines?"
Nami shot him a glare. "You mean aside from the fact that it may have been operated by the World Government's top scientist before he joined them. And being filled with all of this clearly revolutionary technology?"
"Yeah, exactly! Boring!" Luffy stuck his tongue out before abruptly hopping to his feet."I'm gonna go outside where stuff's actually happening!"
"W-Wait!" Usopp flailed. "We're in the middle of creepy abandoned science trash! You can't just—"
Too late. Luffy had already ducked through a busted vent, his sandals clanking against the grating.
Chopper squeaked. "L-Luffy! What if there are dangerous animals or traps out there?!"
A distant "Then I'll fight 'em!" echoed back before fading into the jungle outside.
Zoro watched as his captain faded into the distance. "...He's right, I'll go outsi-"
"No!" Nami slapped the back of his head. "You're staying inside!"
Sanji snickered.
"Stay close to..." Her eyes roamed the crew before settling, "Chopper." She demanded while Zoro mumbled something incoherent under his breath.
-----------
Luffy walked through the dense jungle undergrowth, his face neutral as branches slapped against his shoulders. The stale, metallic air of the lab was replaced by the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves. Birds shrieked and scattered as he barreled past, kicking up clouds of dust with each step.
"I feel weak." He mumbled as he vaulted over a rotting log.
A low growl rumbled through the foliage.
Luffy skidded to a halt, head tilting.
A massive, striped tiger—almost as large as the one in Foosha Village—slunk into view. Its golden eyes burned with hunger, saliva dripping from jagged fangs.
Luffy's face split into a feral grin. "Good timing."
He lunged on instinct—only to remember that his arms didn't stretch.— This made him get into a low grapple with the Tiger, forcing its upper body to the sky as it stood on its hind legs. The Tiger tried to swipe at him, its claws missing him, whooshing above his hair.
Using his leverage, he hurled the Tiger over him, throwing it toward the Trees.
He spat, adrenaline surging. No powers? Fine. He'd done this before.
Dodging another swipe, he grabbed a fallen branch and cracked it across the beast's snout. The tiger roared, swinging again—
WHAM!
Luffy's fist connected with its jaw.
—Then stretched.
His eyes bugged out. His arm—tight, coiled, then SNAPPED back into place like a rubber band.
Silence.
"…Huh?" He wiggled his fingers. Then, slowly, pulled his arm back again.
FWIP!
His fist launched forward, slamming into a tree twenty feet away.
"What?..." Luffy looked positively confused. "I'm... rubber again?"
The Tiger got to its feet, dazed but furious, snarled—
"GUM-GUM PISTOL!"
BAM!
The beast slammed through trees, KO'd in one hit.
"It feels like normal... but not. I can still... think? No wait... more like there are not as many things in my head as before. Just... It's still more than before this whole... debacle?" He rolled his arm a few times.
"I wonder if I can still see things slowly?"
Luffy pushed deeper into the jungle. His sandals crunched over broken glass and rusted metal half-buried in the dirt.
"This place sure is weird," he muttered, kicking aside a vine.
He decided to stop walking and glance back at the sky rod. "It's... odd." He rubbed the back of his head. "I don't think anyone but a devil fruit user would benefit from this place. That Earlobe guy would probably like this place... or I guess someone with light stuff..." He sighed.
"Just imagining someone with light makes it feel like I need to get stronger already." His cheeks puffed.
"Alright! Let's go train!" He yelled,
He moved to continue walking, taking a step—
CLICK.
A pressure plate underfoot.
Before he could react, a surge of electricity erupted from hidden nodes in the trees, arcing straight into his body.
ZZZZZT—CRACKLE!
Luffy blinked.
The trap was meant to paralyse—but the current just tingled, dancing harmlessly across his rubber skin.
Leaves and foliage rustled.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Hidden turrets whirred to life, firing a barrage of metal bullets straight at him.
"At least I'm rubber again—" Luffy grinned.
Then, they stopped.
Mid-air.
Luffy's grin faltered.
The bullets hovered for a split second, then clattered to the ground like dead weights.
"...?"
He poked one with his foot. It didn't move.
Then he noticed—his arms were sparking.
Tiny blue streaks flickered between his fingers, fading as quickly as they appeared.
"…Did I do that?"
He flexed his hand. Nothing.
Then, on instinct, he pushed—
CRACK!
A weak bolt of lightning shot from his palm, fizzling out before it hit a tree.
Luffy's eyes widened.
"NO WAY."
He punched the air—his fist stretched, but this time, a faint blue current rippled along his skin.
"I'm—I'M ELECTRIC TOO?!"
His laughter echoed through the jungle.
"SHISHISHI! THIS IS AWESOME!"
-----------
Back inside the building, Nami and Robin stepped through a narrow hallway lined with shattered glass monitors. Their boots crunched over debris as they examined the rusted remains of what might've once been an observation deck.
Then Robin knelt down.
"R-Robin? What happened? Did you find something?" Nami asked behind her.
Robin didn't answer immediately—instead, her fingers brushed against a faded leather journal half-buried under a collapsed shelf. She tugged it free, sending a cascade of dust motes swirling into the dim light.
Nami peered over her shoulder. "What is it?"
"Notes," Robin murmured, flipping open the brittle pages. "On electricity… Ah. Not just electricity—rejection."
Usopp, who had been nervously eyeing the flickering overhead lights, inched closer. "Uh…what does that mean?"
Robin traced a weathered diagram—a crude sketch of a man shaped like coiled wire, surrounded by arrows labelled "Flow & Push."
"'When power moves against metal, the metal pushes back,'"she read aloud.'Even without touch. Like magnets, but unseen. Useful for defence—if you can control the flow.'"
Chopper's eyes sparkled. "So like… an invisible shield?! But how?!"
Below the notes was a scribbled addendum:
"Test Object K-9 showed promise. Bullets froze mid-air when the current surged. But unstable, kept shocking the tester. Need a better ionising agent. Will refine when—"
The rest was scorched away.
Nami frowned. "So... they tried building something that does what the note describes… but couldn't control it?"
Robin's thumb lingered over the burn marks. "…Or they gave up and moved to other prospects."
Sanji ran a hand through his hair. "Sounds like trouble if they ever got around to completing it... so would that mean anything metal would stop?"
Zoro clutched his swords. "I doubt that."
"Yeah, I bet that'd make you upset, wouldn't it?" Sanji's grin was downright insulting.
Zoro's brow twitched.
"Enough! Honestly, the fact that you two are this problematic with one another, like a bunch of children, is getting on my nerves..." Nami sighed as she pinched her nose bridge.
The Strawhats decided to focus on what else they found. The air in the lab grew heavy with tension as the crew debated the implications of the notes.
Thud.
A single footstep echoed through the ruined facility.
The Straw Hats froze.
Zoro immediately went to grab the hilt of his swords. Sanji slightly raised his leg.
A cold mist seeped into the room, creeping along the floor like a living thing. The temperature dropped so suddenly that their breath became visible in the air.
And then, standing in the doorway, a tall figure emerged from the shadows—his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed, but his presence suffocating.
"Hmm. So this is where you've been hiding, Nico Robin."
Robin's breath hitched. Her fingers curled into fists, her entire body tensing as if struck by an invisible force. She was hyperventilating as she fell back on the ground.
Nami's eyes widened. "W-Who—?"
Zoro's muscles coiled. Sanji threw away the cigarettes in his mouth
Kuzan—Admiral Aokiji—tilted his head slightly, his lazy gaze sweeping over them."You've been busy, haven't you? Digging up things that should stay buried."
Robin's voice was barely above a whisper. "Aokiji."
"H-Hey Robin... who is this guy?" Ussop asked, nervously clutching his slingshot.
"He's one of the three admirals... Admiral Aokiji."
The title sent a ripple of shock through the crew.
"Admiral?!" Usopp shrieked, nearly falling backwards.
"Oi! You're telling me he's that high up?!" Zoro yelled before moving to draw his swords.
Aokiji sighed, scratching the back of his head."Yeah, yeah. Relax, I'm not here for a fight. Just… checking in." His eyes locked onto Robin. "You've got a habit of surviving, don't you?"
Robin's expression was unreadable as she was still on the ground, but her knuckles were white from her clenched fists. "W-What do you want?"
Aokiji exhaled, his breath frosting in the air. "To talk. But I doubt you'll like what I have to say."
The air was thick with unspoken history.
Aokiji's gaze never left Robin. "You always find interesting people to latch onto, don't you?" His voice was casual, but the weight behind it made the air feel heavier. "Countless pirate crews, criminal groups... Baroque Works. And now… this?" He gestured vaguely at the Straw Hats. "What's the play this time, Nico Robin?"
Sanji's cigarette snapped between his fingers. "Oi. Watch your damn mouth—"
Robin's hand twitched—almost imperceptibly—before she stilled it. Her voice was steady, but the undercurrent was glacial. "I don't owe you explanations." She slowly got up, standing on two legs.
Aokiji exhaled through his nose, fog curling in the space between them."You never do. But that's the thing about survival—it's not the same as living." He tilted his head, studying her like a specimen under glass."These kids don't know what you are. How many crews have you smiled at before you buried them?"
Zoro's fingers tightened around Wado Ichimonji's hilt.
Chopper spoke, "Lies! Robin would never do that!"
"That's what they all say." Aokiji's chuckle was devoid of warmth. "Right up until they breathe their final breath and they realise..."
Robin didn't flinch. But the way her shoulders drew inward, just slightly, spoke volumes.
Chopper, trembling, stepped forward. "S-Stop it! Robin's our friend!"
Aokiji's eyes flicked to the reindeer, then back to Robin. "Huh. Cute." He shifted his weight, and frost spiderwebbed across the floor where his foot had been. "Tell me, archaeologist—when this little adventure gets too dangerous, when the World Government finally corners you… Will you disappear into the night again? Leaving them high and dry to be easy pickings? Or if you get caught... Will you drag them down with you?"
The question hung in the air like a guillotine's blade.
Robin's lips parted—but before she could speak, Nami slammed her fist against the wall. "ENOUGH." Her voice was sharp enough to cut steel. "You don't know a damn thing about her. Or us."
Aoikiji merely sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if bored by the hostility.
"Calm down. I told you, relax," he said, his voice still lazy, though his gaze remained sharp. "I didn't come here to fight. Just… checking in."
Robin's eyes narrowed slightly, her posture still rigid. "Stop joking."
Aokiji exhaled, his breath frosting in the air. "No, really. I should go after you… But not today. Besides, that question I asked you has weight." He tilted his head, studying her. "I've got something you might want to hear."
He went to sit by some rubble.
"A pigeon feather," he said as if it were the most casual thing in the world.
Robin's breath hitched.
"Found it on my way here," Aokiji continued, watching her reaction."Pure white. You know the kind."
The air in the room turned even colder.
"I was right... CP9..." Robin whispered inaudibly to everyone but Aokiji.
"Right... you lot sure will have a wonderful few weeks." Aokiji rested his head on his hand.
Yet the unspoken threat hung in the air—they were being hunted.
The crew exchanged glances as they silently thought of what to do next.
"What is that supposed to mean?"Nami asked, her voice sharp.
Aokiji didn't answer. Instead, he leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"You'll find out soon enough," he said, his tone light as if discussing the weather."Your captain sure seems to be very… energetic."
"Luffy?" Usopp asked, eyes wide."What about him?"
Aokiji smirked."He's making a mess outside. I can feel it."
"Feel it?" Zoro repeated, frowning.
Aokiji chuckled, shaking his head."You'll understand one day. Or maybe you won't."
Robin remained silent, her expression unreadable, but her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
.
Aokiji's lazy demeanour suddenly sharpened. His eyes flicked toward the ceiling, his breath frosting in the air as the temperature dropped further.
"Hmm. That's… unexpected."
Robin's gaze snapped to him, sensing the shift. The crew tensed, the weight of his sudden intensity pressing down on them.
Aokiji exhaled, his breath curling in the cold. "Seems I'm not the only one paying a visit."
Nami's grip tightened on her Clima-Tact. "What are you talking about?"
Aokiji didn't answer. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the faintest shimmer of golden light flickered, like sunlight reflecting off the glass.
"Borsalino," he muttered, more to himself than to them. The crew was unable to hear it, but was worried regardless.
Aokiji's expression darkened. "He wasn't supposed to be here."
The crew exchanged uneasy glances.
"Why is who here?" Zoro asked, drawing out a sword. Jaw clenched.
Aokiji's voice was low, almost wary. "The why is what I'd like to know..."
.
A golden light flickered at the edge of the jungle.
Kizaru was coming.
And Aokiji didn't know why.
-----------
Light dissolved into shape just beyond the jungle's edge—first as scattered rays, then coalescing into the lanky, towering form of Admiral Kizaru. His yellow-striped suit was pristine, untouched by the humidity clinging to the ruined island. He adjusted his glasses with deliberate slowness, surveying the overgrown wreckage with a smirk.
"Ohhh… how nostalgic~"
His voice dripped with amusement as he stepped over a collapsed generator, its panels gnawed by rust. His polished dress shoes halted beside a shattered glass orb—one of many that had once lined this place like sentinels. A fingertip brushed its surface, static crackling briefly at his touch.
"Maa, Vegapunk's old toys really didn't last, did they?" He sighed, though his smirk didn't fade. "Shame… This was such a fun little playground."
The air hummed faintly—not from machinery, but from the residual energy of past experiments. Kizaru absently flicked his wrist, and a thin beam of light lanced through the trees, carving a molten line through the foliage.
"Hmm~ Dunno why they bothered hiding this place. We barely got any work done before Sengoku shut it down—"
CRASH.
A distant explosion rocked the jungle. Birds erupted from the canopy.
Kizaru's grin widened into something sharper.
"Ahhh… who's this~ Didn't expect to bump into someone here… so it wasn't an animal that triggered my beacon snail?~"
His form dissolved into streaks of gold, shooting toward the commotion without another word. Light sliced through the ruins like a blade.
.
Luffy stood in the middle of the jungle, fists clenched, punching the air with a frustrated grunt.
"Come on, come on!" he muttered, shaking his arms. "Where's the lightning?!"
He smacked a tree—nothing.
Kicked a rock—nothing.
Punched the ground—still nothing.
"Damn it!" He grunted, glaring at his hands. "Stupid electricity! Work already! You did it before!"
A lazy, drawn-out voice came from behind him.
"Ohhh? What's this~?"
Luffy spun around—and blinked.
A tall, lanky man in a yellow suit stood there, arms in his pockets, looking down at him with an amused smirk.
"You're not supposed to be here, boy~"
Luffy tilted his head. "Who are you?"
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses, the lenses glinting. "Me? Just a curious passerby~"
Luffy squinted. "You look weird."
Kizaru chuckled. "And you look like a troublemaker~"
Luffy grinned. "Yeah! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"
Kizaru's smirk didn't falter. "Ohhh? That's a bold claim~"
Luffy crossed his arms. "Got a problem with it? You a Marine?"
Kizaru hummed. "Something like that~"
Luffy's grin widened. "Cool! Wanna fight?"
Kizaru's smile turned sharp. "Tempting~"
Luffy's grin didn't fade, but his eyes sharpened—just a fraction. The air between them crackled, not just with tension, but with something else. A faint blue flicker danced across his knuckles before vanishing.
"You're strong, right?" Luffy said, rolling his shoulders. "I can tell."
Kizaru tilted his head, amused. "Ohhh? And what makes you say that~?"
Luffy cracked his neck. "Dunno. Just a feeling."
His fists clenched. The jungle around them seemed to hold its breath.
"I just got my powers back," Luffy admitted, flexing his fingers. "And I wanna see how strong I am now."
Kizaru chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Maa, maa~ Testing your luck against an Admiral? That's reckless even for a rookie~"
Luffy scoffed, "An Admiral? Is that supposed to mean something?"
FWIP!
His arm shot forward—Gum-Gum Pistol!
Kizaru didn't move.
The punch should have connected.
Instead, Luffy's fist passed right through him—golden light scattering like shattered glass before reforming.
Kizaru sighed. "So hasty~"
Luffy blinked. "Huh?"
BOOM!
A White shoe slammed into Luffy's ribs, sending him crashing through three trees before he skidded to a stop.
Kizaru stood where he'd been, leg still extended.
"Too slow~"
Luffy coughed, pushing himself up. His ribs ached, "Shishishi! That's right! You are strong!" He got to his feet, rolling his shoulders. "But, I'm plenty strong too!"
He shot his hands ahead of him, them stretching until they went on either side of the Admiral.
"What's this? I don't think you've learned~" Kizaru lazily said.
"Rocket!" Luffy went flying towards his torso, just to be met with nothing, slamming into a tree.
Kizaru's smirk was mocking.
Luffy's eyes narrowed as he picked himself up, dusting off his vest. His mind raced—this wasn't like fighting Crocodile or Enel. This guy wasn't sand or lightning. He wasn't dodging. He was just…there, then not there.
'He's not moving fast. He's not even moving at all. It's like I'm hitting air... light.'
Luffy's fists clenched. He'd fought tricky opponents before... but his instincts told him this was far worse than any he had fought previously.
"You're not dodging," Luffy said, tilting his head."You're just… letting me miss."
Kizaru's smirk widened."Ohhh? And what makes you say that~?"
Luffy's eyes flicked to the ground before they moved to where his fist had passed through the man's chest.
'He didn't step away. He didn't move. He just… wasn't there when I hit him.'
A slow grin spread across Luffy's face.
"I get it," he said, cracking his knuckles. "You're like smokey."
Kizaru chuckled. "Someone you know?~"
Luffy's eyes were laser-focused. "Doesn't matter to you. I'll beat you anyways."
Kizaru's amusement deepened. "And how will you do that~?"
Luffy lunged again, his fist flying toward Kizuru's face—only to pass through his head.
"Not fast at all~" Kizuru taunted, lazily stepping to the side as Luffy stumbled forward.
Luffy growled, spinning and throwing a rapid flurry of punches—left, right, a spinning kick—but each strike met nothing but air. Kizuru didn't even bother dodging properly, his body flickering in and out of solidity with a smirk.
"Is this all you've got?" Kizuru mused, tilting his head. "I recall some rookie with a Strawhat taking down a Warlord. Was that you? Can't be~"
Luffy gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. He wasn't used to being toyed with.
Then, in a flash, Kizuru's foot lashed out—POW!—sending Luffy skidding across the dirt.
Luffy shot out of the bushes he was sent to, just to meet another tree, passing through him once again.
"This is getting boring," Kizuru sighed, his voice losing some of its playful lilt.
He raised a hand, light gathering at his fingertips—
CRACK!
A spark of blue electricity suddenly flickered along Luffy's knuckles.
Kizuru's eyes flicked to it—just for a split second—but it was enough.
Luffy's fist slammed into his gut—solid, real, and crackling with electricity.
Kizuru's eyes widened as the shock made him take a step back, his form flickering.
For the first time, he looked surprised.
Luffy blinked at his own fist, then grinned.
"Huh. So that's how it works." Luffy's hands buzzed with sparks.
Kizaru stared him down, his eyes covered by the shade of his glasses. "Oh? Electricity?"
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses, the lenses glinting as his smirk sharpened into something more dangerous.
"Ohhh~? So you can touch me now?" His voice dripped with mocking amusement, but his posture had shifted—shoulders loose, weight balanced."Let's see how long that lasts~"
Luffy didn't wait. He pounced, fist crackling with unstable blue sparks—Kizaru vanished.
A golden streak blurred—
THUD!
Luffy's head snapped sideways as a kick sent him crashing through a tree trunk. He barely registered the impact before another flash of light—
WHAM!
A knee drove into his ribs, launching him skyward.
Kizaru materialised above him, leg raised. "Speed is weight, boy~"
BAM!
Luffy cratered into the ground, dust exploding around him. Gasping, he rolled onto his knees—just in time to see Kizaru lazily aiming a finger at his face. "Pew~"
ZAP!
A thin beam of light seared past Luffy's ear, causing a cut and scorching the earth behind him.
Luffy's fists trembled, electricity sputtering along his skin. He couldn't land a hit—not like this. Every time he tried, Kizaru was already gone, already striking from another angle.
Luffy's breath was fast as he tried to regain his bearings, his head ringing as he focused on the man in front of him.
"Speed is power." Kizaru vanished, reappearing behind him.
Luffy spun, swinging—
Kizaru leaned back, the fist grazing his glasses. "Ooo~ close~"
A shoe hooked under Luffy's chin—
CRACK!
—sending him flipping backwards.
Luffy hit the dirt hard on his back, vision swimming. His arms buzzed weakly with fading sparks. His head was bloodied with some cuts, as blood dripped to the ground.
Kizaru loomed over him. "So. Something stretchy and lightning? What a weird combination~ What fruit did you eat?"
"Shut up... I-" Luffy drawled as he propped himself up on his elbows. "I'll beat you and go back to my crew..."
Kizaru's voice dripped with amusement as he loomed over Luffy, his golden glasses glinting as if they were filled with cruel joy.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk~" Kizaru sighed, shaking his head. "Look at you, struggling to even stand. And you call yourself a captain?"
Luffy's arms trembled as he pushed himself up, his breath ragged. His body ached from the relentless assault, but his eyes never looked down.
Kizaru tilted his head, a smug smile playing on his lips. "You can't even protect yourself, much less your little crew. What a shame~"
Luffy balled his fists against the dirt, his knuckles bloody.
"I can still fight," he growled.
Kizaru chuckled, stepping closer, his shoes tapping the ground. "Oh? Can you, now? Then stand up. Show me."
Luffy tried to push himself to his feet—only for Kizaru to lazily press a single finger against his forehead, pushing him back down with almost no effort.
"Hmm. Nope~" Kizaru mused. "Still too weak."
Luffy's teeth gritted, his pride burning.
Kizaru leaned in, his voice a mocking whisper. "Tell me, little captain—what happens if I go kill your crew after you? What's the point of a man who can't even stand when his crew needs him?"
Luffy's vision blurred with frustration, but he refused to look away. Still trying to get up.
"That's what I thought." Kizaru stood up before looking up at the massive protruding rod. His voice lowered to a whisper as his face wasn't visible.
"You can't keep everyone safe..."
-----------
Back in the ruined lab, the situation didn't change much.
Aokiji sighed as he rubbed his hair. Regarding the Straw Hats, with a detached calm. "Your captain… he's in trouble."
Nami's grip on her Clima-Tact tightened. "W-What do you mean? What kind of trouble?"
Robin felt a shiver down her back. Her gut was screaming at her. She knew what was coming wouldn't be good for any of them.
Aokiji tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something distant. "My fellow Admiral is here."
Sanji's face paled. "You mean another one of YOU is out there?!"
Aokiji ignored him, his gaze flicking toward the direction of the jungle where faint tremors had been disturbing the stillness.
"Yeah. And unless your captain suddenly learned how to use..." He shrugged, shaking his head, "Doesn't matter... unless Borsalino is toying with him... He's probably dead by now. This was an old ground for him... might cause him to act differently..." He mused.
The words hit like a hammer—cold, unflinching, matter-of-fact.
Before they could ponder on the last part of that sentence-
Zoro turned, immediately searching for the exit.
Before anyone could react, a massive explosion erupted from the jungle—a shockwave strong enough to send vibrations through the rusted floor beneath them.
As the crew got their bearings and moved to head outside to help their captain. Aokiji got up.
"Wait."
The cold air felt downright freezing. Even Chopper had to shiver.
"I didn't come here for a fight, but... if you're going to be dying anyway... might as well do it myself."
As they turned back, they saw his tall figure casting its shadow on them. His lethargic demeanour was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous.
"I don't like unnecessary bloodshed," he said, his voice low. "But if you run out there now, you'll just die faster."
Zoro drew all three of his swords. "Stay out of this."
Aokiji didn't respond. Instead, he raised a single hand, palm up. Frost spiralled outward, crawling up the walls, the floor, the ceiling.
"I told you," Aokiji murmured. "Your captain is as good as dead."
Nami's fingers trembled around her Clima-Tact. "Y-You don't know Luffy."
Aokiji's eyes flicked to her. "And you don't know what an Admiral can do."
Robin glanced at the exit.
"Not yet anyway."
Robin instinctively inched toward it.
Aokiji's gaze locked onto hers. "Going to abandon them?"
-----------
Luffy stood up, his hands on his knees as he looked at Kizaru, who was still looking away. The fact that he was being played with irked him to no end.
But then he felt a familiar force. So, bringing an arm up, palm facing Kizaru, he felt himself follow what his body was telling him.
WHOOSH
A blue lightning bolt shot out at breakneck speeds, Kizaru narrowly avoiding it with a tilt of the head.
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses as he straightened his neck "Electricity again?" His tone was playful, but his stance shifted—just slightly—into something more alert.
Right when Kizaru turned around, he was met with a flash of blue.
-To Be Continued-