If you pulled the camera up at this moment, you'd see something peculiar — the entire Prehistoric Island had shifted dozens of meters in another direction.
Leo stood at the edge of a cliff, observing the battlefield below. After confirming that all the members of the Baroque Works Society had been thoroughly wiped out, he nodded in satisfaction.
As expected from someone like him—an elegant and mysterious magician—it was best to keep his distance from the chaos and rely on his mastery of spells.
As for the one locked in close combat with Mihawk? He wasn't particularly familiar with that person.
Having finished his task, Leo's figure vanished instantly from the spot.
A new fight was brewing on Luffy's side, and Leo wanted to catch the action. Just moments earlier, when the meteor struck, he had heard the distinct rumble of explosions echoing from Luffy's direction.
He suspected that, much like in the original version of events, the giant Dorry had unknowingly consumed dynamite planted by that repulsive snot-nosed man.
Leo moved calmly through the jungle toward where Luffy was.
On the way, he encountered Zoro, completely lost, sprinting around with a bizarre-looking rhino in front of him, pinned at sword-point. It appeared that the recent explosion and quake had thrown him off course. Zoro now looked desperate to return to the ship.
Farther ahead, Leo spotted Usopp, flailing as he was being chased by two ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rexes.
Could Usopp handle them?
Maybe. He had grown stronger lately. Perhaps he was just toying with the dinosaurs.
Leo gave a small nod of approval and looked at Usopp with a satisfied expression. Then, without a word, he vanished again, leaving a stunned Usopp behind.
Usopp had lit up upon seeing Leo—his supposed savior—but that hopeful expression froze mid-smile, his eyes still pleading silently for help.
---
"Uncle Giant!!"
"Dr. Dorry!!"
Luffy and Vivi gasped and screamed in panic as they watched the towering giant, Dorry, collapse onto the ground.
"What happened? Why did the wine explode?"
Luffy stood on Dorry's massive chest, glancing at Vivi with a confused and anxious expression. "Wasn't this the wine from our ship?!"
Vivi had rushed to where Dorry's head lay resting. Her brows furrowed as confusion swept over her.
"It exploded… inside his stomach. That's horrible!"
She instinctively suspected something sinister. Could it be the other giant—the one Dorry had been dueling?
Just then, Leo silently appeared near the group.
Without drawing attention, he casually tore a chunk of meat off the barbecue that had been roasting over a fire and sat on a wooden stool that grew instantly beneath him, summoned by his magic.
With a quiet gesture, he released a weak wave of presence-suppressing energy. In an instant, everyone present subconsciously ignored his existence.
Vivi's earlier suspicion seemed to agitate Luffy.
He grabbed Vivi by the collar and yelled at her furiously:
"What do you take them for?! They've been fighting each other for a hundred years. They'd never stoop to something that low!"
His outburst made Vivi bite her lip. She realized she had made a mistake.
Still, the fact remained—the explosives had been hidden in the wine. That alone cast a shadow of doubt.
Though Vivi hadn't formally joined the Straw Hat crew, she already felt like part of the family. Her loyalty to them was unwavering.
"Who on earth would do this...?"
Before she could think more, Dorry, who had moments ago collapsed, pushed himself off the ground.
"Cough… No, Brogy wouldn't do this. We are warriors of Elbaf. We hold honor above all else."
He looked directly at Luffy. Being brought down by such treachery deeply wounded his pride.
"Who else can I suspect, if not you?"
Luffy opened his mouth to respond but no words came out. He knew his crew wouldn't do such a thing, but proving it was a different matter.
Vivi was right about one thing—no one from their ship would ever resort to something so shameful.
So, there was only one thing left to do.
Luffy handed his beloved straw hat to Vivi and gently pushed her aside, ignoring her protests.
Vivi intended to stop him and explain everything to Dorry, but before she could take another step—
A hand reached out from thin air and pulled her back, pinning her gently to a tree that had just grown into a bench.
"Huh? Where's Vivi?" Luffy turned around, puzzled, just in time to dodge Dorry's colossal sword.
Now wasn't the time for distractions. Luffy refocused on the giant, determined to end the fight quickly and find Vivi afterward.
---
"Leo! Why is it you?!"
Vivi panicked when she was suddenly pulled away, thinking Baroque Works had returned.
But upon seeing Leo's familiar face, her fear shifted into anxious urgency.
She didn't have time to scold him for abandoning her earlier.
"Go stop them! Mr. Dorry's body can't take another serious fight!" she cried, pointing at the battling giant.
"Relax. Just watch the show," Leo said calmly.
When he had arrived moments ago, he had quietly cast a healing spell on Dorry. He was only pretending to be injured. Leo just wanted to observe how far Luffy had come.
"But shouldn't we stop them?" Vivi questioned, glancing at Leo, who was munching away on barbecued meat like he didn't have a care in the world. "Also, what about those vibrations earlier? Isn't it dangerous?"
"Don't worry," Leo replied casually, stealing another piece of dinosaur meat. He handed one to her as well.
To his credit, dinosaur meat really was delicious.
Vivi stared at the meat in her hands, unsure whether to cry or laugh.
---
"Ahem… You actually… dared use such disgraceful tactics!"
Dorry roared, swinging his massive sword at Luffy with incredible force.
Although the sword had already cracked, the sheer strength behind the swing made it whistle violently through the air.
Even though Dorry didn't understand why he suddenly felt famished after the explosion, his desire for vengeance was burning stronger than ever.
With a thunderous crash, the blade struck the earth, splitting it open in a jagged line.
But Luffy was already gone.
In a flash, he appeared in the sky, having launched himself with the strength of his legs. A moment later, his rubbery fist rocketed toward Dorry's face with surprising precision and power.
It was a simple move—just a basic rubber pistol—but the strength behind it sent Dorry crashing to the ground.
The training Luffy had endured wasn't for nothing.
He was no longer the boy who struggled to take down a low-level soldier.
He was the future King of the Pirates.
---
"Cough… You're a Devil Fruit user, huh? I underestimated you…"
Dorry held his head, groaning in pain.
He wasn't sure why, but the punch to the face hurt far more than the pain in his stomach.
Luffy landed back on the ground, puzzled. He glanced at his clenched fist, then at Dorry. Something had felt… different.
His eyes wandered over to Leo, who sat casually near the fire.
Why didn't Dorry look like someone who had just suffered internal injuries from an explosion?
And what was that weird surge of power inside his body just now?
It had flared up briefly… and vanished just as quickly.
Leo smiled as he finished washing his hands in a conjured stream of water, then lifted the concealment spell with a casual flick.
"Luffy, you've become stronger."
Hearing Leo and seeing him emerge, Luffy's eyes lit up.
So, his instinct had been right. Dorry had already been healed—he was just starving, not injured.
"Hehehe, Leo! I knew it was you!" Luffy beamed, grinning from ear to ear.
Leo smiled in return.
He had gotten exactly what he wanted—a glimpse of how much Luffy had grown.
And now… the real journey could continue.
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