The moon hung high in the night sky above the sea near Marine G-1 Branch, where ships from various factions were anchored in orderly formation. Crew members throughout the assembled fleets discussed with enthusiasm the epic showdown they had witnessed between Jerry and the possessed "Luffy."
On the training grounds of G-1 Branch, the unprecedented armistice agreement had brought together leaders and senior figures from opposing camps for this rare gathering.
Marines, NEO Marines, and various pirate crews sat in a rough circle within seemingly divided areas, leaving a large open plaza in the center of their formation.
Some participants conversed quietly from time to time, but most appeared absent-minded or lost in their own contemplations about the battle's implications.
Suddenly, a tremendous commotion attracted nearly everyone's attention.
A massive wave could be seen being split apart in the distance, with water splashing high to both sides as something approached at incredible speed.
Everyone strained to look toward the horizon, where they could vaguely make out a figure moving like lightning in front of the displaced water.
After several tense moments, the gradually clarifying silhouette caused every member of the Black Star Pirates to cheer with excited relief.
"He's alive! That's wonderful!"
Jerry could be seen wearing tattered clothing, his body covered with swelling and fresh scars from the prolonged battle. He leaped upward from hundreds of meters away from the branch, landing steadily in the center of the training ground in the blink of an eye.
Only then did observers notice that he was still gripping the mysteriously white-haired Straw Hat Luffy in his left hand.
"Everyone's here? Have you eaten yet?" Jerry looked around the assembled crowd, his gaze sweeping over the people who remained under supernatural control. He nodded acknowledgment to Whitebeard, Aokiji, and other leaders before turning toward Deuce and his crew.
Ace saw that the wounded "Luffy" in Jerry's grasp was still in his white-haired state and immediately rushed forward with obvious concern. "How is he? Is he going to be okay?"
Following Ace's lead, Sabo also hurried over quickly. He was one of the few high-ranking Revolutionary Army officers who hadn't fallen under Joy Boy's mind control.
"Hey, it's fine—just look at his eyes, they're so bright and alert!" Jerry raised his chin, signaling toward "Luffy," who remained restrained by the water dragon technique Jerry had used to paralyze him.
Ace and Sabo looked over when they heard Jerry's comment and immediately saw a blinding red light flash in "Luffy's" eyes.
Both brothers suddenly felt dizzy as their minds became clouded and confused.
It wasn't until they felt Jerry's large hand patting their shoulders that they snapped out of their hypnotic trance.
They were sweating profusely and looked at each other, both recognizing the shock reflected in the other's expression.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? You're still trying to control people's minds even in this situation?" Jerry curled his lips with disgust and glared at "Luffy," who was glaring back at him with equal intensity. "What kind of Sun God are you supposed to be? It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you an evil deity."
Jerry's Observation Haki had achieved a breakthrough during his time at Laugh Tale, and with the additional enhancement from his "Free Breakthrough" system, his ability to sense and interfere with other people's thoughts had been dramatically improved and transformed.
Therefore, he could fully understand Joy Boy's mental manipulation attempts and could interfere with and disrupt them when the ancient consciousness tried to launch such attacks.
After all, if he wanted to be completely serious about it, Jerry could accomplish similar mind control through his enhanced mental attributes and advanced Observation Haki abilities.
However, even with Jerry's current level of Haki mastery, he still couldn't break the "chronic condition" that had been controlling Shanks for who knows how many years.
"Well... Jerry, can Luffy still be saved?" Ace asked hesitantly while gently massaging his temples to clear the lingering mental fog.
Hearing this crucial question, Sabo also looked at Jerry with obvious concern and hope.
"Let's give it a try. I think there should still be hope for a complete recovery," Jerry replied, stopping his staring contest with the possessed Luffy before turning around and calling out:
"Brook! I'd like to ask for your help with what comes next."
"I'm happy to assist! Yohohoho!" Upon hearing the request, Brook immediately walked to Jerry's side under everyone's watchful gaze.
Jerry nodded reassuringly to Ace and Sabo, who could barely hide their nervousness, then looked directly at "Luffy" with grim determination.
He grabbed Luffy's throat with his left hand and lifted him completely off the ground before explaining to Brook: "I'm going to force his soul out of Luffy's body. After that, Brook, it's all up to you!"
"No problem whatsoever!" As the user of the Revive-Revive Fruit, Brook possessed extraordinary power in all areas related to souls and the afterlife.
"What... what do you think you're doing?!" "Luffy" roared through gritted teeth, but his body remained completely unable to move, leaving him helpless to resist their plan.
Jerry's mouth curved slightly upward as he spoke with calm finality: "Obviously, I'm going to send you to the underworld—to the place where you actually belong!"
After delivering this promise, his eyes suddenly became razor-sharp with focused intent.
"You little brat, couldn't you do this somewhere else?!" Whitebeard, who had been keeping a careful eye on their proceedings, cursed with grudging amusement.
Seeing Jerry's Conqueror's Haki beginning to build toward overwhelming levels, Marco seemed to realize what was about to happen and hurriedly shouted a warning: "Everyone get down!"
Almost simultaneously, people from all factions shouted similar alerts, causing everyone to immediately drop to the ground without hesitation.
Earth-shaking Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted with tremendous force, sending howling winds rushing in all directions across the training ground.
However, the unparalleled Haki didn't sweep outward as Marco and others had expected. Instead, it surrounded Jerry and "Luffy" in a tight spiral that rushed straight toward the sky above them.
In the area completely shrouded by the concentrated Haki, the originally solid stone floor suddenly became as brittle as foam, shattering into countless fragments that were lifted skyward by the supernatural winds.
Jerry compressed his breathtakingly powerful aura into a relatively small space, with countless bolts of black lightning crackling within the contained area as it pressed down on Luffy's helpless form.
A shrill scream erupted from Luffy's mouth at the first moment of contact, the sound waves surging outward and making those who remained under Joy Boy's control become increasingly restless.
If the affected individuals hadn't been knocked unconscious one by one and secured to the spot with seastone restraints and other solid materials, chaos would probably have erupted instantly across the entire gathering.
Soon, a dark shadow began slowly emerging above Luffy's head, and a demonic voice roared with hysterical fury: "Even if you manage to force me to leave his body, you cannot destroy me! I will return again someday!"
"Are you some kind of Team Rocket villain? Laugh Tale is gone forever—what exactly are you planning to come back with?" Jerry displayed obvious disdain on his face before speaking with calm authority: "Brook, give him a proper send-off."
As he spoke, Jerry clenched his right fist and shouted with deep conviction: "God-Slaying Technique: Sincerity!"
With Haki lightning crackling around his knuckles, Jerry's fist cut through the very fabric of space and struck Luffy directly in the abdomen. The impact caused the black shadow that had been emerging to completely separate from the physical body and float ominously in the air above them.
After hearing Jerry's instructions, Brook gripped his cane sword and whispered with solemn respect: "The underworld treats every wandering soul with equal justice, and you are no exception to that rule. Yohohoho!"
Before he finished speaking, cold light flashed through the air. The seemingly ordinary sword strike made everyone present feel an inexplicable chill that penetrated straight to their bones.
Brook's figure blurred for a single moment, and when it became clear again, he had somehow moved from in front of Luffy to a position behind him.
As he sheathed his blade and straightened up, the black shadow hovering above Luffy's head suddenly froze in place. Then enormous amounts of white smoke began pouring from its form before it finally dissipated into complete nothingness.
Seeing Luffy's hair and clothing return to their original colors, Jerry maintained his incredible Haki output and carefully sensed the area for any lingering spiritual presence.
"So it turns out that sincerity really is the ultimate weapon after all," he murmured with satisfaction.
"It's over. He should be perfectly fine now," Jerry announced as he gently tossed the unconscious Luffy toward Ace and Sabo. "As for whether his Devil Fruit abilities will be affected by this exorcism, we'll have to wait until he wakes up to find out for certain."
At the same moment, faint white smoke began rising from the bodies of Shanks and all the other people who had been under Joy Boy's supernatural control.
"Whew..." Jerry exhaled a long breath of relief and looked up at the Red Line behind G-1 Branch, which now stood only about a thousand meters high after their devastating battle. He turned around and smiled at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Admiral Aokiji, and Garp, who had somehow returned to the Marine ranks during the crisis.
"The World Government has fallen completely, but this world still needs someone to maintain order and coordinate proper management," Jerry said thoughtfully. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku... well, I suppose it's Fleet Admiral Kuzan now. If you're interested in taking on that responsibility, I believe you can handle it better than anyone."
He looked up at the star-filled night sky and chuckled with genuine warmth: "After all, you represent the side of justice, while we're just pirates when you get right down to it."