"Ahhhh!"
With a loud roar, Luffy's fist crashed down, smashing through a dilapidated house and reducing it to rubble.
"...What are you doing…" Nami started to ask, but Luffy cut her off before she could finish.
"Let's go. I can't hold back anymore."
After seeing Elmar's miserable state, Luffy's impression of the Warlord they were about to face plummeted. He had already been itching for a fight—but now, after watching Vivi cry, his anger had reached its peak.
The incident had cast a gloomy cloud over the group, making everyone more somber and tense as they headed toward Yuba.
A violent gale swept across the barren landscape, stirring up clouds of sand and gravel. Overhead, the merciless sun blazed down from a cloudless sky, turning the entire desert into a sweltering furnace.
It felt like walking through a giant oven. Their bodies were drenched in sweat one moment and parched the next, as all moisture seemed to be drawn from their skin by the relentless heat.
"Ah~"
"Ah~~"
"Ah~~~"
"Quit whining, Luffy!"
Nami stifled a laugh at Luffy's exaggerated groans, adjusted the gauze wrapped around his head, and teased, "You're only wasting more energy acting like that."
"It's soooo hot…"
"It's so hot, I don't even have sweat left to sweat out…"
Luffy trudged forward at the front of the group, leaning heavily on a stick he had picked up earlier. His tongue lolled out as he staggered onward like a zombie.
Strangely enough, the others didn't seem bothered at all. Even Chopper was darting around with curiosity, taking in the sights of the desert.
Everyone else looked calm and composed—almost too calm.
"Huh?" Luffy paused and glanced over his shoulder, confused.
Something wasn't right.
If he was suffering this much, why were the others so relaxed?
But the moment he turned to look, the whole group immediately dropped their acts. Chopper flopped dramatically to the ground, groaning as Zoro dragged him along in mock exhaustion.
Luffy grunted and turned around again. The moment his back was turned, everyone resumed their previous easygoing pace, quietly exchanging amused glances.
---
In truth, ever since they left Elmar, Leo had planned to enchant everyone with a constant-temperature spell to help them cope with the heat.
However, under unanimous pressure from the group, they forbade Leo from casting anything on Luffy.
Faced with overwhelming threats and persuasion from everyone else, Leo had no choice but to comply.
After all, he was just a soft-hearted magician—and no match for a gang of stubborn crewmates when they were all glaring at him together.
So, to avoid getting ganged up on, he agreed to their ridiculous demand and let Luffy suffer.
"Ahhh, I'm dying! Usopp is dying of thirst!" Usopp cried out as he stumbled dramatically next to Luffy.
Without warning, he grabbed the water bucket tied to Luffy's waist and gulped down several mouthfuls.
After slaking his thirst, he passed the bucket down the line. One by one, everyone took a sip.
Luffy watched in agony as the bucket slowly made its way back toward him—through Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, and even Vivi.
Finally, Chopper handed it back to him.
"Yoohooo!"
Luffy shouted with joy, tipping the bucket back eagerly—only to find a single drop of water fall onto his tongue.
"Ahhh! You thieves! Give me back my water!"
Enraged and desperate, Luffy lunged at the others. But in his dehydrated state, he was no match for the group, who effortlessly pinned him down and pounded him.
Feeling a twinge of sympathy, kind-hearted Leo secretly gave Luffy a small sip of water when no one was looking.
Unfortunately, he was immediately caught by the ever-watchful crew.
As punishment, poor Luffy was ordered to carry everyone's luggage.
Even so, the heat was taking its toll.
Despite having Luffy as their pack mule, everyone still began to feel the pressure of the desert.
"Isn't this going a bit far?" Chopper whispered to Nami. "Maybe we should let Luffy off the hook? He's clearly learned his lesson…"
"It's fine. Look." Nami pointed ahead. "There's a rock wall just over there. We can rest once we reach it."
Luffy perked up at the mention of shade. Confirming that there was indeed a rocky outcrop nearby, he suddenly surged with energy and charged forward, still dragging their bags behind him.
But then he let out another anguished shout.
"Nooo! My water! My luggage!!"
Nami and the others followed quickly—and were met with a surprising sight.
A group of odd-looking birds was running off into the distance, dragging their stolen luggage behind them, all while gulping down the group's remaining water.
Luffy chased after them in a frenzy.
"Oh no, it's the Trickster Birds!" Vivi cried out, face darkening.
"Trickster Birds?" Usopp echoed, puzzled.
"Yes. The desert isn't as peaceful as it looks. Besides the heat and dryness, it's home to countless dangerous creatures. Trickster Birds are among the worst."
"They often play dead to trick kind-hearted travelers. When people stop to help, the birds snatch their belongings and flee. They're fast—almost impossible to catch on foot."
Vivi's tone was grim, clearly blaming herself for allowing the prank on Luffy to backfire so badly.
"What?!" Nami, Usopp, and the others looked at each other with horror.
The desert was no joke. Without food or water, their fate could easily resemble Elmar's devastation.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
A violent rumble erupted from the direction Luffy had gone.
From the clouds of sand, a swarm of huge, fanged plants came racing after him in a dark wave.
"Oh no, it's Desert Man-Eating Grass!" Vivi exclaimed again. "These plants work with the Trickster Birds. The birds lure travelers into traps, and the plants ambush and devour them!"
"Damn it!" Zoro cursed, drawing his swords.
The monstrous plants lunged forward, but Zoro moved like lightning.
With swift, precise slashes, he chopped down one after another, leaving only mangled stalks behind.
Luffy collapsed beside him, gasping for breath.
"Whew… saved just in time."
But the reprieve was short-lived.
Just as Luffy and Zoro turned to rejoin the others, the ground began to quake violently.
From beneath the sand, a colossal shadow emerged—its size rivaling that of a Sea King.
It rose, jaws wide, and charged at the group with terrifying speed.
"A desert giant lizard!" Vivi screamed.
She was bewildered. These creatures were rare—so why were so many appearing all at once?
"Whoa! It's huge!" Chopper yelled and immediately hid behind Leo.
Peeking out from behind his legs, Chopper's eyes widened in awe and terror.
The gigantic lizard barreled toward them, and the group braced themselves for yet another life-or-death battle in the heart of the burning desert...
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