...…
The moment a figure emerged on the light screen, the breathing of those outside the light screen stopped for an instant.
It was too big. No—
So big that it blocked out the sky and sun, so big that it resembled a moving continent, so big that even Onigashima looked like a toy in a child's hands before it.
A long trunk floating in midair, each step of its four legs stirring up towering waves, its back carrying a complete island... Zou.
That was Zunesha.
That legendary giant elephant which, having committed a grave mistake, was punished to walk the seas.
It had actually come!
"Thump... Thump... Thump..."
The drumbeat on Luffy's body continued. That rhythm penetrated the clouds, penetrated the sea waves, penetrated all obstacles, and reached Zunesha's ears.
The hollow eyes, at this moment, showed clarity—a clarity that had never appeared before, no matter how many years had passed.
Zunesha's steps came to a halt.
It raised its head, its long trunk pointing toward Onigashima's direction, toward the youth lying in the ruins. Those eyes that had been turbid for a thousand years now faintly glowed.
"Momonosuke-kun."
An aged, deep voice echoed in Momonosuke's mind.
Momonosuke's entire body trembled.
At this moment, he was desperately pushing and pulling at the smoke clouds, trying to stabilize the crumbling Onigashima.
Zunesha 's voice had come too suddenly...
"Who?! Who is speaking?!"
"It is me."
Zunesha's voice was as calm as an ancient well of a thousand years, without a single ripple, yet unfathomably deep.
"I heard it." It paused, then continued with sincere tone: "It truly is nostalgic."
Momonosuke was stunned.
He subconsciously looked up, gazing at the increasingly clear outline of the giant elephant in the distance, then at the youth lying above Onigashima.
Then he heard that drumbeat.
That drumbeat coming from Luffy's body, growing clearer and clearer.
"Zunesha!"
Momonosuke's voice turned urgent: "Do you know something?! What exactly is this sound?!"
Zunesha fell silent for a moment, then explained the origin of this drumbeat.
"Drum of Liberation."
Four words that fell into Momonosuke's ears, and likewise into the ears of everyone outside the light screen.
"That is its name... It is the Drum of Liberation!"
Zunesha's voice continued, as though recounting an ancient legend long buried in dust.
"I no longer know how many years it has been since I last heard this sound..."
"But even if another lifetime were to pass, even if I were to die and my path vanish, I would never forget it."
Zunesha gazed into the distance, toward the direction from which the drumbeat originated.
"This sound is right there, and he is there as well!"
"Absolutely... no mistake."
Listening to Zunesha's words, Momonosuke's heartbeat began to accelerate for reasons unknown. Some indescribable emotion surged within his chest—that emotion was called... anticipation.
"Zunesha!"
Momonosuke's voice was nearly a shout. He wanted to know the truth, wanted to know exactly who that was! "Who exactly are you talking about?! Who is 'he'?! Who is the owner of that sound?!"
Zunesha's voice vanished for a moment, then spoke the name: "Joy Boy."
"He has returned!"
Outside the light screen, one of the Five Elders, Saint Saturn, upon hearing the Zunesha's words, could no longer contain the panic in his heart!
"Shut up!!!"
Saint Saturn roared. Immediately after, his body began to swell and twist, transforming into bull demon form!
Eight spider-like legs extended from his back. His ferocious face was filled with rage and fear.
This form was the true posture of the Five Elders.
Saint Saturn no longer cared about dignity, concealment, or the reserve of being a "world's highest authority."
The reason was simple—that name, the name that had been erased, the name that should never exist in anyone's mouth: Joy Boy.
"Cannot let him continue speaking!"
Saint Saturn charged toward the light screen. Countless poison stingers erupted from his body, raining down like a storm upon the scene reflecting the future.
"Swish swish swish!"
The poison stingers tore through the air, carrying venom potent enough to kill any living being...
Yet they were useless. The poison stingers penetrated the light screen and caused no substantial damage.
Just like before, the poison stingers passed through the illusory light screen and vanished on the other side.
The light screen remained bright. Zunesha's voice continued. That name continued to echo.
The next second, an invisible pressure descended from the heavens.
"Guah!"
Saint Saturn's body was struck as if by a giant hammer and smashed heavily to the ground.
The pressure was so immense that he could not move at all.
His eight spider legs twitched wildly. His ferocious face twisted even more severely. Yet no matter how he struggled, he could not break free from that force's suppression.
"Saturn!"
The other Five Elders shot to their feet, intending to act. However, Saturn's condition made them stop in their tracks. They saw Saint Saturn's state.
Their steps halted. No one dared to act rashly any longer.
God Valley fell into a deathly silence.
Only Saint Saturn's groans and Zunesha's voice continuing from within the light screen remained.
The pirates, witnessing this scene, all took a uniform step backward—so neat it was almost comical.
But no one cared about whether it was comical. They instinctively wanted to put some distance between themselves and that light screen.
Even the Five Elders had been suppressed to the point of immobility. They had no desire to get close and suffer collateral damage...
"Gu..." Someone swallowed hard.
Roger did not retreat.
He simply watched Saint Saturn struggling on the ground, the corner of his mouth slightly raised in a meaningful smile.
Rocks also did not retreat. He likewise watched Saint Saturn and smiled as well.
That smile carried playfulness, mockery, and a certain schadenfreude of "you have this day too."
But they only glanced once before returning their gazes to the light screen.
Because of that name. Because of that existence which was awakening.
That Joy Boy drew their attention!
Within the light screen, Luffy woke up.
He simply sat up, as naturally as waking from a long sleep.
No struggling, no pain, none of the drama that should accompany "returning from death."
He simply sat up.
He looked around blankly—at the ruins, the moonlight, the smoke, and that enormous figure which had disappeared into the distance at some unknown moment.
"Hm?"
Luffy tilted his head, staring at himself with a confused expression. "Did I die?"
He muttered to himself and casually touched his chest.
"Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!"
His heartbeat had become very interesting—very lively, even lively to a strangely excessive degree.
"I don't seem to be dead. So strange! Strange..."
Luffy scratched his head. "If I were dead, I probably wouldn't feel this comfortable, right?"
He truly felt very comfortable. His heart was so refreshed and free that it could not be more so.
That feeling was like... like the stuffy breath that had been held in for so long had finally been exhaled.
Like the massive stone pressing on his chest had finally been moved away. Like... like... he could not clearly describe what it was like.
It was simply comfortable—so comfortable that he wanted to laugh.
Thinking and thinking, Luffy laughed.
"Ahahahaha!"
That laughter was very light, so light that only Luffy himself could hear it.
But Luffy's laughter was truly very happy—like a child who had finally found treasure. What he did not know was that, as he laughed, that drumbeat was also stirring with eagerness!
That heartbeat sound which the Zunesha had called the "Drum of Liberation" was transmitting from his chest cavity, penetrating the ruins, penetrating the smoke, penetrating all obstacles, and falling into the ears of the Zunesha and Momonosuke.
Falling into the ears of everyone on Onigashima. Falling into the ears of the countless spectators outside the light screen.
Luffy stood up.
He wanted to stand, then go find Kaido, then continue fighting!
But when he stood up, he discovered that the ground felt wrong.
Too soft.
Soft like... like rubber.
No—like a trampoline!
Luffy tried stepping on it. The ground truly bounced upward.
He stepped again, and it bounced upward again.
"Hm? Hmm??" Luffy's eyes lit up.
He jumped with force. "Bang!" His entire body was launched high into the air. He flipped once in midair, then fell back down and was bounced up again.
He jumped again and was bounced up again.
Jump again, bounce again.
"Hehehehe! Feels like things have become interesting! Hahaha!"
Luffy bounced around on the ruins like a child who had entered an amusement park for the first time.
He bounced higher and higher, higher and higher, until his whole body flew into midair, then fell back down and was bounced up again.
Moonlight poured down upon him.
That straw hat had, at some unknown moment, already been placed back on his head. He simply bounced like that under the moonlight, laughing and playing.
Like a child.
In the banquet hall ruins, Kid suddenly raised his head. He had sensed something.
That aura... that aura he had thought had already disappeared... that aura which had once made him curse "that idiot"...
"That bastard..." His voice was hoarse, yet carried a smile.
"Still alive." Law also raised his head.
Zoro leaned against the ruins, covered in blood, barely able to stand.
But the corner of his mouth curved upward in an extremely subtle arc.
Nami and Tama also sensed Luffy's aura. They hugged each other and burst into loud tears. Sanji also suddenly woke up, staring at the sky with a blank expression!
At this time, Luffy was still adapting to his new body. At this moment,
his appearance prominently entered everyone's field of vision. This form was entirely white—his hair, and even his clothes, had turned white!
This posture was exactly the same as the form Luffy had appeared in during the final decisive battle against the "Red-Haired Songstress" back then. That back view was completely identical.
While laughing loudly, Luffy felt this power. He felt that whatever he wanted to do could be realized. This was his peak!
Luffy's body once again assumed a stance. He launched himself upward, his figure leaping into midair. His entire person appeared gorgeous and sacred.
After the sounds of laughter and joy, Luffy officially named this form as his fifth form, abbreviated: Fifth Gear!
...