Chapter 128: Jungle Skirmish! The Berserker Wyper
At the altar on Gods Island, the going merry sat quietly on the murky water.
"Staying here is boring."
Zoro rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, eyeing the gloomy, dense jungle around him, a smile playing on his lips:
"I'm going to have a look around, see if there's anything to cut, and maybe find something to eat."
Without waiting for anyone to stop him, the directionally challenged swordsman jumped off the ship and strode into the depths of the forest without looking back—
The direction he chose was clearly the opposite of the correct exit.
"What an energetic swordsman."
Robin closed the ancient book in her hands.
She stood up, elegantly straightened her clothes, and looked past the canopy, as if seeing something much further away:
"I'll go look around as well. Although this place is called Gods Island, these architectural styles... they are likely products from 800 years ago.
"As an archaeologist, I cannot just sit idly by."
With that, Robin walked with light steps, jumped off the ship, and left alone toward the ruins.
"Eh?! Is everyone leaving?!" Nami panicked.
At this moment, Tatsuya finished organizing his ninja tool pouch. He walked up to Nami and handed her a white seashell.
"Nami, keep this Tone Dial. I've recorded the whistle of that old man, Gan Fall, inside.
"If you encounter any danger, play it to call that old man over."
After saying this, Tatsuya turned to leave: "I have something I must confirm. I'll be back soon."
Watching the three main combatants vanish one by one, leaving only herself and Chopper—the "weak duo"—Nami finally broke down.
She hugged Chopper and wept at Tatsuya's retreating back:
"You irresponsible jerks!! You're just leaving us here as sitting ducks!!"
"Coo-gaga!!"
The Crow, Clay, standing on the railing, flapped its wings and called out arrogantly:
"Gaga! Don't be afraid, Boss! This is the territory of the Sky Sovereign! I'll look after you!"
Hearing the cries behind him, Tatsuya, who had already walked a few steps, stopped.
He turned around and quickly formed the "Ram" seal with his hands.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
"Poof!"
A puff of white smoke exploded on the deck.
When the smoke cleared, a "Tatsuya" with a slightly dull expression, standing motionless, appeared beside Nami.
The real Tatsuya waved his hand: "I'll leave a clone to act as your bodyguard. That should be enough, right?"
Nami looked at the clone, which didn't seem very bright, and crossed her arms with a huff:
"Hmph, at least you have some sense of responsibility."
...
Deep within the mysterious forest of Gods Island.
"Huff... huff..."
Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp had gone through great trouble to finally defeat the Priest of the Ordeal of Balls, Satori.
"That ball-man uncle was so annoying! But at least it's quiet now!" Luffy laughed as he continued deeper inside.
Just as the three were preparing to continue searching for gold:
"BOOM!!!!"
A violent, massive pillar of fire, several meters in diameter, suddenly erupted from the bushes ahead and slammed into the ground in front of them.
The shockwave from the explosion forced the three back several steps, and thick smoke billowed from the scorched earth.
As the smoke cleared, a figure exuding immense pressure blocked their path.
It was a man with dark skin, covered in intricate totem tattoos, with wings on his back.
He wore a mask covering half his face, a massive bazooka equipped on his right arm, and his eyes were filled with undisguised killing intent.
The leader of the Shandian guerrillas—"War Demon" Wyper.
"Blue Sea dwellers."
Wyper raised his still-smoking Burn Bazooka, his voice as cold as iron:
"Get off this island! Otherwise... die!"
"You guy!!"
Luffy hated guys who just started fighting without a word, especially since this one was blocking his path of adventure.
The two didn't say another word and started fighting instantly.
"Gomu Gomu—Gatling!!"
"Burn Bazooka!!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom!!
Luffy's countless fist shadows clashed with the continuous cannon fire from Wyper in the air, with explosions erupting one after another.
Surprisingly, the man named Wyper displayed an extremely high level of physical skill.
Even without the predictive ability of Mantra.
Relying on his tempered warrior's instincts and the high mobility provided by the Jet Ski under his feet, he was actually able to trade blows evenly with Luffy.
"It's not over yet!!"
A cold glint flashed in Wyper's eyes.
He slid forward to charge at Luffy, but instead of using the Burn Bazooka, he raised his left leg and kicked hard at Luffy.
Luffy instinctively used his arm to block.
"Sizzle—"
At the moment of contact, Luffy suddenly felt all his strength being drained away like a pump, and his body instantly became weak and limp.
"Whoa... no strength..."
Luffy's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.
"Sea Stone?!" Sanji, behind him, was shocked.
The soles and knee pads of this berserker's boots were actually inlaid with Sea Stone, the nemesis of Devil Fruit users!
"In the Skypiea, Logia users might be invincible, but for fruit users... I have plenty of ways to kill them."
Wyper snorted coldly and, taking advantage of Luffy's weakness, raised his Burn Bazooka to fire.
Just as the battle reached a stalemate:
"Rustle."
Leaves rustled.
Tatsuya's figure appeared silently on a high tree branch.
He didn't intervene immediately, but crossed his arms over his chest, observing the battle below from a high vantage point.
"So this is the leader of the Shandian guerrillas? He really is a tough character."
Tatsuya looked at the massive equipment on Wyper's right arm, his eyes narrowing slightly:
"The power of that Burn Bazooka... no, there's more than just a Flame Dial hidden inside."
"That dangerous fluctuation... is it an 'Impact Dial'?
"That is a double-edged sword that can shatter an enemy's internal organs while also backfiring on the user."
Below, Wyper, relying on his beast-like intuition, keenly sensed the gaze from above.
"Who?!"
He reacted extremely fast, raising his hand to fire a Burn Bazooka shot toward the treetop.
"BOOM!!"
The canopy was blasted apart.
But before the flames could consume the branch, Tatsuya had already activated the Body Flicker Technique, turning into a black shadow and landing steadily beside Luffy.
"Tsk... another rat has arrived." Wyper stepped back, staring vigilantly at the black-clad youth who had just appeared.
Tatsuya reached out to steady Luffy, who was still weak-legged, and patted the Captain on the shoulder:
"Are you alright, Captain?"
"Ah... I lost my strength as soon as that guy's shoes touched me." Luffy shook his arms.
"This guy is a stubborn warrior, carrying centuries of hatred. It's useless to reason with him."
Tatsuya looked at the murderous Wyper and slowly drew a Kunai from his waist, the corners of his mouth curling up:
"However... I have a way to make him 'calm down'."
...
At this moment.
At the very top of Gods Island, the Shrine of God.
The camera slowly zoomed out, passing through layers of clouds, arriving at an extremely luxurious palace.
A man with incredibly long earlobes, carrying thunder drums, and with his upper body bare, was lying lazily on a golden throne.
God Enel.
He held a bright red apple in his hand and took a bite; a crisp "crunch" echoed through the vast hall.
Although they were far apart, he seemed to know everything happening on the island.
That was the terrifying Observation Haki that covered the entire Gods Island—Mantra.
"Yahahahaha..."
Enel chewed the apple, a playful smile on his face as if he were watching trapped beasts in a cage:
"I hear them... those noisy sounds."
"The rats from the Blue Sea, and those reckless Shandian wild dogs... they've all gathered together."
He swallowed the apple, his eyes flashing with the arrogance and cruelty of a god:
"The game is becoming more and more interesting."
"Pass the order down, let the remaining Priests all mobilize."
Enel casually tossed the apple core off the clouds:
"The show called'Survival Game'... shall officially begin!"
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