On the deck of Pluton's warship,
Luffy's blazing sky flames continued to clash against the mysterious force within.
The air erupted intermittently with explosive BOOMs, echoing without end!
The blue sky had turned a deep crimson under the terrifying flames.
As time passed, the blasts grew louder and more violent,
Indirectly showing that the aftershocks of this power struggle were intensifying.
Gradually, Luffy began to feel that something was wrong.
It seemed his flames were having almost no effect on the force hidden deep within the ship!
"Luffy!"
Under the overwhelming pressure, Zoro and Sanji instantly came to his side, shouting in concern.
Sweat already dripping down his forehead, Luffy gritted his teeth and replied,
"Don't worry, I can still hold on!
How are Nami and the others!?"
"Nami has taken Koby and left!
Merry is with Usopp and Chopper, so no need to worry too much."
Robin, her arms spreading like an angel's wings, suddenly descended beside Luffy and answered his question.
Seeing the grim determination on Luffy's face, Robin felt a pang of worry.
But she also knew this was no time for sentimentality.
A swirl of purple flames erupted violently from Robin's weapon.
The flames spiraled along her arms and connected directly to Luffy's gauntlets.
The unique energy of the Pangore family will instantly surge out.
Luffy's sky flames received a powerful boost, slightly easing the strain on his spirit.
"Luffy-sama…"
Brook raised his sword in front of him.
From the eerie bone blade poured an endless flow of Yomi energy.
A stream of soul-chilling azure flames twisted around Luffy's steel fire and spread toward the ship's hatch.
The blue-green flames instantly froze the Pluton hatch solid.
"Step back!"
Luffy shouted suddenly, and the blazing flames in his hands vanished in an instant.
Everyone stepped back at his command.
Breathing in the hot air, Luffy raised his black gauntlets high, signaling caution.
"Ne… ne…"
The hoarse voice continued beyond the ice.
"Nefer… ta…"
"What is he saying!?"
Zoro, his eye glowing faintly, stared at the shadow behind the ice, his voice low and tense.
Luffy frowned, sensing something in the voice.
And inside the cabin, the words became clearer.
"Ne… ne…"
"Nefer… ta…"
"Nefertari!!"
"AH!!! Nefertari!!"
BOOM!
A massive hole suddenly broke through the ice wall.
A muscular arm shot out from the breach.
CRASH!!!
Another tremendous explosion followed.
A colossal force pressed against the ice wall Brook had formed.
In an instant, the ice shattered, scattering chunks everywhere.
The voice inside Pluton roared, furiously shouting the name of Vivi's family:
"Nefertari!!"
Thud… thud… thud…
Heavy footsteps echoed, as if treading on endless infernos, each strike pounding Luffy's heart.
"This… this can't be…!"
Through the broken ice, a figure slowly emerged, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
"Nefertari!!"
A young man with black, messy hair appeared, his face twisted in rage, continuously shouting Vivi's family name as if nursing an undying grudge.
His bare upper body displayed streamlined, perfect muscles.
He wore ancient burlap trousers, barefoot, stepping directly on the broken ice.
Crack… crack…
Robin's face changed drastically, and she instinctively stepped back, staring in disbelief at the emerging figure.
"W-what… what is this?!"
Sanji, ever the gourmet demon, gaped in shock.
Even composed Zoro felt his raised sword tremble unnaturally.
From inside the cabin, a figure with the same face as Luffy emerged, stepping heavily from the shadows.
The only difference: this mysterious double appeared slightly older.
"Luffy… is… this someone you know?"
Zoro asked.
Seeing someone who looks exactly like Luffy, the first thought would naturally be that he's a brother… unless it's some special power.
"No! I don't know him at all!"
Luffy replied firmly.
His hand suddenly went to his chest.
A strange pulse of blood slowly coursed through Luffy's body, following the intricate veins and arteries.
The eerie Luffy double lifted his head.
Everyone then saw clearly that his eyes were completely white, lifeless—yet those dead eyes radiated unbounded fury.
The double arched his neck, veins bulging, and shouted again:
"Nefertari!!"
The sheer rage in his voice was palpable, sending rippling shockwaves of force outward.
The explosive energy shattered clouds in the sky.
The mysterious doppelgänger immediately turned his gaze toward the direction Nami and the others had left—where Vivi now was.
A visible shockwave surged from beneath his feet.
With a sudden, powerful push off the deck, the Pluton shook violently.
BOOM!!!
The mysterious figure shot skyward like an arrow, heading straight for Nami and the others!
"Don't let him reach them!!!"
Luffy immediately launched himself after the flying figure, flames blazing and scorching the desert below into crystalline formations.
Petals swirled through the air as the massive form of Robin emerged from purple flames, assembling from the scattering petals.
A pale, elegant leg stepped forth.
A massive fist, imbued with jet-black Armament Haki, struck toward the mysterious figure.
BOOM!!!
The soft desert sand erupted into towering waves, rolling outward in all directions!
The terrifying force shook every corner of Yuba.
Rumble…
Countless grains of sand fell like a torrential downpour.
Luffy flew to Robin's side, controlling his sky flames, his eyes fixed on the figure beneath the black fist.
"Hey! Who are you!!?" he shouted.
No answer came.
Crack… hiss…
The sand trembled under Robin's punch.
Even the desert itself seemed to quake.
"Tch! Not talking, huh!"
White-hot flames emerged from Luffy's palms, twisting the air around him like solar plasma.
The ground shook violently.
Luffy unleashed his full Observation Haki.
A terrible premonition surged into his mind.
"Not good!"
He looked back sharply.
In the vast yellow sand, an eerie pathway surged forward.
BOOM!!!
Beneath Nami, the desert rose like a sea after a meteor strike, forming hundreds-of-meters-high sand waves.
A black streak flashed!
The Luffy-faced double, stepping atop successive bursts of sand, moved like lightning, charging toward Nami.
His blank eyes burned with boundless rage, focusing on Princess Vivi in Nami's grasp.
Overwhelmed by the pressure, Vivi fainted instantly.
"Nefertari!!"
The mysterious figure, seemingly driven purely by instinct, concentrated all his power into his right arm.
A colossal fist, brimming with terrifying energy, shot forward along his muscular arm!
BOOM!!!
The wind pressure scattered Nami's magical barriers.
Losing support, she plummeted toward the desert below.
But the figure relentlessly followed, swinging his massive fist at her!
Koby, protecting Nami and Vivi, got a clear view of the face identical to Luffy's—but twisted in savage fury.
The colossal fist, saturated with force, grew ever clearer in Koby's eyes.
"Nami!!!"
Just as the fist was about to strike Nami, Koby kicked forcefully, creating a series of unstable bursts in the air.
He halted suddenly, placing himself between Nami and the mysterious figure.
"Koby!"
Nami called desperately, trying to stabilize herself with Vivi and Crocodile.
But her cries had no effect.
BOOM!!!
The massive fist landed squarely on Koby's chest.
CRACK!
His spine shattered into powder.
His eyes widened, blood gushing from his mouth as his body flew across the horizon.
A deafening roar followed, and Koby's figure vanished entirely.
Only a mushroom cloud of yellow sand remained, a testament to the strike's horror.
Nami's eyes turned black-gray as she looked toward where Koby had been flung.
"Koby!!!"
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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