Chapter 86 A Century-Old Duel! The Despicable Candle Man!
"BOOM!!!"
Without warning, the active volcano in the center of Little Garden Island let out a deafening roar.
Thick smoke billowed into the sky, and the scorching lava turned half the sky red.
For the two kings on this ancient island, this was not a harbinger of disaster, but a signal of a sacred ritual that had lasted for a full century.
"Hahahaha!!"
Beside the enormous pile of bones, Aoki Tori put down the huge piece of roasted meat in his hand, casually wiped the grease from his mouth, and stood up laughing.
Its mountain-like body cast a huge shadow.
He grabbed the nicked greatsword and shield, and said to Luffy at his feet:
"Guest! I must go to battle! This is the summons of the God of Elbaf!"
Luffy looked up at the giant's imposing back, his eyes sparkling like stars.
This kind of manly spirit—disregarding everything and fighting only for glory—deeply moved him.
"Oh! Go, uncle! You have to win!"
Domley laughed and casually picked up the huge barrel at his feet—it was the wine Luffy had brought him earlier, and he was going to take a sip of the wine to start his journey.
However, no one noticed.
Deep in the shadows of the jungle, a sleazy-looking man with a "3" hairstyle was sinisterly pushing up his glasses.
Mr.3 (Candle Man).
He had been lying in wait for a long time, using the power of the Candle Fruit to create tiny, almost imperceptible wax shavings, which he then mixed into the barrel.
Those seemingly ordinary wax shavings are actually highly concentrated explosives.
"Hmph...drink up, you stupid giant. One sip and your insides will be blown to smithereens."
Mr. 3's lips curled into a cruel smile as he quietly awaited that "splendid" moment.
Just as Dongli tilted his head back, about to pour the "spiked" wine into his mouth at the critical moment...
"brush--!!"
A black afterimage suddenly plummeted down from the towering tree above.
Before Dorry could react, Victor's figure had already drawn a sharp arc in mid-air.
"ha!!"
Victor kicked the bottom of the huge barrel hard.
"Bang!"
The barrel flew out of his hand and soared straight into the sky.
The next second.
"BOOM!!!!!"
A huge explosion echoed through the jungle.
The seemingly harmless barrel exploded violently in mid-air, turning into a huge orange-red fireball.
The terrifying shockwave even snapped the branches of several large trees nearby, and burning wood chips fell like raindrops.
Dongli froze, still holding his glass, staring blankly at the sparks in the air.
If that kick had been half a second slower, the fireball would have exploded inside his stomach.
"clatter."
Victor landed lightly on the ground, dusted himself off, looked up at the bewildered giant, and said with a smile:
"Hey big guy, drinking without reading the signs... can kill you."
"ah?!!"
Luffy finally realized what was happening, and upon seeing the flames in the sky, he flew into a rage, completely enraged.
"A bomb?! There was a bomb in that barrel?!"
"Victor!! Who did this?! I'm going to beat him to a pulp!!"
"Despicable scoundrel…" Dongli's face darkened as he gripped his greatsword tightly.
However, the distant volcano was still erupting, which meant the signal for the duel was still ongoing.
Even though he had just escaped death, and even though he knew someone was lurking in the shadows wanting to kill him, Dongli's eyes regained their resolve.
"No matter which despicable person it is..."
Dongli strode towards the dueling arena, his voice as resolute as thunder:
"The volcano has erupted! This is a sacred duel for warriors! There is no reason to stop me from keeping my promise!"
"Hey! Uncle! Are you hurt? You were hit by the blast!" Luffy shouted.
"So what? Glory is more important than life! Hahahaha!" Donli laughed and left without looking back.
Viktor frowned, about to chase after him and stop him.
A hand suddenly reached out and pressed down hard on Viktor's shoulder.
Luffy lowered his head, his straw hat obscuring his eyes, but the hand that was pressing down on Viktor was trembling slightly.
"Let him go...Victor."
Luffy's voice was deep, yet carried an undeniable authority:
"This is... a duel for warriors."
Viktor looked at Luffy and remained silent for a few seconds.
"...Alright then."
Victor sighed, but the red light in his eyes grew even sharper: "You're the captain, you're in charge."
"but..."
Viktor turned around, looking at the seemingly peaceful shadows deep in the jungle, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips:
"Although we can't interfere in the duel, we can't ignore those little rats who are causing trouble behind the scenes."
...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
On the other side of the jungle, a deafening collision sound rang out.
"Ha!! Again! Brogy!!"
"Jijiajiajia! Dongli! Today I'm going to make you admit defeat!!"
Each clash of weapons between the two giants unleashed a shockwave capable of destroying mountains, causing the entire small garden to tremble under its force.
at the same time.
"Hehehe...Found them, the Straw Hat Pirates."
Two familiar figures reappeared in the bushes of the jungle.
Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, who had been taught a lesson by Viktor earlier, were now staring at the battlefield of the Titans and the Straw Hat Pirates with resentment on their faces.
Summoned by Mr. 3 for backup, their eyes gleamed with a thirst for revenge.
"While the giants are fighting, let's wipe them all out!"
Deeper inside, in a secluded hut built entirely of ash.
Mr. 3 was leisurely sipping his tea, confident that everything was foolproof: "That red-eyed brat is sharp, but in my 'candle house,' all my senses are blocked, so he can't find me."
"Once the giants are both severely weakened, I can reap the benefits and turn them all into wax figures! Hehehe!"
However.
"rustle..."
The sound of leaves rustling was extremely faint overhead.
Victor moved incessantly among the treetops, his black figure almost blending into the shadows of the trees.
Suddenly, he stopped on the trunk of a towering tree.
Viktor lowered his head, and his activated Sharingan instantly locked onto the seemingly empty patch of grass below.
To the average person, there is nothing there.
But in the eyes of the Uchiha, that nauseating candle energy was as conspicuous as a torch in the dark, impossible to hide from.
"Oh..."
Viktor let out a disdainful sneer:
"I've finally found you, you mouse hiding in a tortoise shell."
He stood on a tree branch, his hands forming hand seals like butterflies flitting among flowers.
"The game of hide-and-seek is over."
Viktor took a deep breath, his chakra rushing to his throat.
[Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique!]
Puff! Puff! Puff!
With Victor's breath, several scorching fireballs, resembling balsam fruits, roared down from the treetop.
These fireballs didn't attack in a straight line; instead, under Viktor's chakra control, they seemed to have eyes.
It drew a strange arc in the air, bypassed the trees that provided cover, and accurately struck a point in the clearing deep in the jungle!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Flames exploded.
The once empty grass instantly twisted, revealing a white candle wall.
Immediately afterwards, the candle melted rapidly under the high temperature.
"Aaaaaah!! It's so hot!! It's burning hot!!!"
Accompanied by a piercing scream, a man with a burning "3" hairstyle on his head, his buttocks on fire, rolled out of his disguise in a disheveled state.
"Who?! Who burned my artwork?!" Mr. 3 roared, his face covered in soot.
The only response he received was a black figure descending from the sky, and a pair of eyes that gleamed with an eerie red light amidst the fireworks.Chapter 87 The Artist's Nightmare! A Ruthless Decapitation Strike!
In a clearing deep in the jungle, the flames and thick smoke had not yet dissipated.
"Whoosh!"
Without a word, Viktor vanished in an instant.
When he reappeared, he had already covered several meters, and the longsword in his hand, carrying a sharp wind pressure, slashed fiercely at Mr. 3, who had just rolled out of his disguise.
"Damn! So fast!"
Mr. 3 was terrified and narrowly escaped the fatal blow by rolling backward.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!!"
Viktor gave him no chance to catch his breath. In mid-air, his chest bulged, and a huge orange-red fireball roared toward Mr. 3's face.
Faced with the terrifying heatwave that was hitting him head-on, Mr. 3 knew he couldn't escape it.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he roared:
"Candle Shackles - Extra Large Service!!"
Splash!
Large amounts of white wax gushed out of his body, instantly enveloping his entire body.
boom!
The fireball exploded, engulfing the white object.
However, when the flames subsided, a huge, somewhat comical but extremely heavy white humanoid mech stood prominently in the spot.
"Candle Champions Cup!!"
Mr. 3 is hiding inside this tank-like mech.
Although the outer candles were melted and dripping from the fireball, they did not harm his main body.
"Hehehe! It's useless!"
Mr. 3's smug, cold laugh echoed from inside the mech:
"This is my strongest defensive form! Although it's a candle, it has the hardness of steel! Your sword and ordinary flames can't hurt me!"
"Oh? As hard as steel?"
Victor landed, looked at the huge white monster, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Zzzzz—!!"
Suddenly, dazzling blue-white arcs of electricity crackled on the longsword in his hand.
"Then let's see if your tortoise shell is harder, or my sword is sharper."
brush!
Viktor moved with lightning speed, closing in on him in an instant.
The longsword, crackling with lightning, sliced through the candle-shaped mech, which was said to be as hard as steel, as easily as cutting butter.
"What?!" Mr. 3 exclaimed.
However, although the blade cut in, the viscous wax seemed to be alive, clinging tightly to the blade.
Immediately afterwards, Mr.3 secreted a large amount of wax, instantly filling the incision.
The mecha is in perfect condition.
"Hehehe! This is my art! As long as I have the stamina, I can repair it indefinitely!"
Mr. 3, controlling the giant mech's fist, slammed it down on Viktor:
"Is this all you've got?! Red-eyed brat!"
Victor drew his longsword, leaped backward, and avoided the heavy blow.
He looked at the ever-regenerating white tortoise shell, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.
"That's interesting, like a turtle hiding in its shell."
Viktor sheathed his sword and began rapidly forming hand seals, as an even more violent surge of chakra gathered within his body.
"Since you enjoy playing with candles so much, then let's burn you to ashes, shell and all!"
"Try this!!"
Yin-Chou-Shen-Mao-Zi-Hai-You-Chou-Wu-Xu-Yin-Xu-Yin-Si-Chou-Shen-Mao!
[Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!!!]
boom----!!!
At this moment, what Victor spat out was no longer a spherical flame, but a terrifying blaze that condensed like a laser and then instantly spread into a sea of fire!
Its temperature was so high that it even distorted the surrounding air.
"What kind of fire is this?!"
Mr.3 peered through the gaps in his mech at the wall of fire that seemed capable of swallowing everything rushing toward him, and his mouth dropped open in terror.
A flame of that size could absolutely incinerate him instantly!
"Candle-shaped wall!! Super thick version!!"
At the critical moment of life and death, Mr. 3 unleashed his full potential.
He frantically created a wall of candles, several meters thick like a city wall, and placed it in front of him.
"Zzzzzzz—!!!"
Flames collided with the wax wall.
The outer layer of candles instantly vaporized, billowing white smoke.
But Mr.3 kept replenishing wax from the inside as if he were crazy.
Despite being disheveled and nearly dehydrated from the heat, he miraculously managed to block the attack.
When the flames died down, all that remained was a wall of candles, riddled with holes from the fire, yet still standing tall.
"Huff... huff..."
Mr. 3, hiding behind the wall, was covered in sweat, but let out a wild laugh of relief:
"See that?! As long as there are enough candles, your flames won't be able to burn through my defenses!!"
"This is my art of creation! I am invincible!!"
After this prolonged struggle, Mr.3 realized that he couldn't hit the agile Viktor.
But Viktor didn't seem to want to waste too much chakra to burn through the ridiculously thick turtle shell anytime soon.
Therefore, he felt that he had leverage in negotiations.
Click.
Mr.3 suddenly removed the armor from the head of the mecha, revealing his sinister and lewd face.
He pointed towards the distant jungle—where a huge rotating candlestick could be vaguely seen, on which Zoro, Nami, Vivi, and others were trapped.
"Stop!!! Try moving again!!"
Mr. 3 roared, his eyes filled with threat:
"See that? The extra-large service candlestick over there is almost finished!!"
"That mechanism is connected to my life force! Or rather, only I can unlock that special lock!"
He looked at Viktor, a sinister smile spreading across his face:
"If you kill me, your companions—that swordsman, that navigator, and that traitorous princess—will be completely covered in wax mist, turning into living wax figures!! Never to recover!!"
"If you don't want them to die, obediently lay down your weapons and let me leave!! Otherwise, we'll all fight to the death!!"
After shouting those words, Mr. 3 stared intently at Viktor, waiting for the other to show an expression of anger, hesitation, or compromise.
Generally speaking, this kind of guy cares most about his companions.
This trick has never failed.
However.
What he saw, however, was a pair of unwavering eyes.
Those crimson Sharingan eyes, adorned with three tomoe, radiated a cold light in the shadows.
Viktor stood still, without even putting down his sword.
He showed no anger or anxiety, but simply stared coldly into Mr. 3's eyes.
That look in his eyes made Mr. 3 feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"Look me in the eyes."
Um?
Mr. 3 looked at him suspiciously. "What eyes? You..."
Buzz—
The Sharingan spun wildly.
[Illusion Technique: The Technique of Seeing the Abyss.]
"Small..."
Just as Mr. 3 was about to speak, the scene before him suddenly changed.
In his horrified vision, the boy in black suddenly vanished.
Instead, countless evil spirits engulfed in black flames crawled toward him from all directions.
"Aaaaaah! What is that?!"
Immediately afterwards, his prized candle mech suddenly began to spontaneously combust uncontrollably.
The flames instantly penetrated his skin, and the extreme pain of being burned alive and his skin melting away bit by bit was clearly felt throughout every nerve.
"Aaaaaah!! It's so hot!! Help!! I'm melting!!"
"Don't come any closer!! You demon!!!"
In his hallucinations, Mr. 3 experiences the most terrifying torture in the world.
In reality...
Mr. 3's pupils dilated instantly, and he froze on the spot.
His mouth was wide open, but no sound came out; only a gurgling sound came from his throat.
Even the Candle Mech, which was still being repaired, completely stopped operating due to the loss of consciousness and control.
For someone with weak mental strength, the Sharingan's genjutsu is like a dimensional attack.
Victor looked at the enemy who had fallen into a daze and didn't waste any words.
brush--
The Instantaneous Movement Technique is activated.
Only a black afterimage remained in the air.
A flash of cold light.
There were no obstacles, and no defenses.
"Pfft."
Mr.3's head, with its strange "3" hairstyle, shot high into the sky.
Even after his head hit the ground and rolled several times, the face still bore an expression of extreme terror and distortion, as if he were still experiencing hellish torment.
The headless corpse swayed, then collapsed to the ground with a thud, its blood instantly staining the white candle shards red.
Baroque Works Senior Agent Mr. 3 has been confirmed dead.
[bite!]
[Congratulations, host, for defeating Aballoc Agency Senior Agent Mr. 3]
[Battle Rating: S.]
[Reward: 800 Ninja Points]
Viktor expressionlessly wiped the blood off his blade and slowly sheathed his sword.
He looked down at the corpse, his eyes chillingly cold.
"Using my companions to threaten me?"
Victor stepped over the corpse, his voice carried away by the wind:
Be more careful in your next life.Chapter 88 Zoro's Cool Figurine! The Collapse of the Color Trap
In the open space of the small garden, the huge and eerie "oversized service candlestick" was slowly rotating.
White wax mist fell continuously like fine snow, covering the three trapped people.
In just a few minutes, the hardened wax layer had spread to their chests, threatening to seal them completely.
"I can't... I can't move my body..."
As Vivi watched her body gradually being covered in white, tears of despair welled up in her eyes: "We're going to die...we're really going to become wax figures..."
"No!! I absolutely don't want to die like this!!"
Nami let out a piercing scream, struggling desperately but unable to move:
"Someone save us!! Victor! Luffy! Help!!"
In this atmosphere filled with despair and fear, there is one person whose style is unique.
Zoro, trapped on the top floor, was sweating profusely.
But he wasn't struggling to escape; he was struggling to adjust his still-mobile left arm.
He was trying to hold up the Wado Ichimonji in front of him, striking a cool pose.
"Hey, Nami."
Zoro asked with a serious expression, "Can you take a look at this? How's this stance? Wouldn't it be better if the sword angle were a little higher?"
"ha?!!"
Nami instantly broke down, veins bulging on her forehead, and roared at Zoro:
"What are you doing at a time like this?! You're about to die and you're still posing?! Are you an idiot?!"
"Hmph, you don't understand."
Zoro gritted his teeth, insisting on holding the sword to a satisfactory angle, his eyes sharp:
"Since I'm destined to become a statue, I should strike a cool pose."
"If I were to strike an ugly pose and be made into a figurine and passed down through generations, that would be the greatest disgrace for a swordsman!"
"..."
Weiwei was speechless, and even forgot to cry.
"This guy... is hopeless."
Just then.
"quack!!"
A giant, fast-running duck burst out of the jungle, and on its back, Luffy was swinging his fist.
"Everyone!! I'm here to save you!!"
Luffy, riding Karoo, charged into the battlefield like a cannonball, smashing a corner of the candlestick's base with a powerful punch.
"We're saved!!" Nami's eyes lit up with hope.
However, just as Luffy was preparing to continue his destruction...
"No, I can't let you ruin my work."
Miss.Goldenweek, the little girl who had been sitting leisurely drinking tea and eating rice crackers, finally put down her teacup.
She picked up her paintbrush and deftly drew a strange black symbol on the floor beneath Luffy's feet.
"Color Trap - The Black of Betrayal".
Luffy stepped on the black paint.
The next second, Luffy, who had been full of fighting spirit, suddenly stopped moving.
He picked his nose, looked at Zoro and Nami, who were trapped, with a look of disgust, and turned away:
"Tch... Why should I save you?"
"This is so troublesome, I'm going home to sleep."
"Huh?!" Nami's eyes widened, unable to believe her ears:
"What nonsense are you spouting, Luffy! Help! We're about to turn into candles!"
"I don't want to save him." Luffy waved his hand, truly ready to ride away on his duck.
"Hahaha, this is really interesting." Miss.Goldenweek tilted her head and waved her paintbrush again, smearing a yellow paint directly onto Luffy's clothes.
"Color Trap - Hilarious Yellow".
"Pfft... Hahaha!!"
Luffy, who had just been looking indifferent, suddenly clutched his stomach, collapsed to the ground, and began rolling around and laughing wildly.
"Hahahaha! That's hilarious! The way you guys look... hahahaha! You look like... a white snowman!!"
"My stomach hurts so much! I can't take it anymore! Hahahaha!"
Seeing Luffy laughing hysterically but not offering any help, Zoro, sitting on the candlestick, had veins bulging on his forehead and his eyes were as terrifying as a demon's.
"Luffy... once I get out of here... I'm definitely going to cut you down!!!"
"It's over...it's really over now..." Weiwei watched this scene, her hopes completely shattered.
Weiwei moved her legs slightly, and a sticky feeling came over her.
She discovered that the candle beneath her was no longer hard, but had become somewhat sticky.
"Hmm? Nami-san..." Just as he was feeling a little confused...
call--
A wave of intense heat suddenly swept in from the nearby woods.
The temperature in the air skyrocketed instantly!
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!]
There were no complex hand seal sounds, only the crackling sound of flames burning the air.
A huge, orange-red fireball, like a roaring fire dragon, suddenly burst out from the shadows of the forest.
Instead of attacking the three trapped people directly, it precisely wrapped itself around the base of the candlestick and the mechanism that sprayed wax mist.
"boom!!"
The fire was raging.
If Mr. 3 were still alive, he might still be able to use his abilities to maintain the candle's hardness.
But now that the caster is dead, these remaining candles have already lost most of their activity.
When they encountered the intense heat and flames of the Uchiha clan, the hard, iron-like wax blocks melted instantly, as if they had met their nemesis.
"Splash..."
The hardened candle turned into scalding liquid wax, which flowed down like a waterfall, covering the ground.
"Ah! I can move! I can move!" Nami exclaimed with delight as she discovered that the restraints had been removed.
The wax blocks on Zoro's body also cracked and fell off.
He shook off the debris from his body, his murderous aura mixed with his previous rage making him look like a demon who had crawled back from hell.
Zoro slowly turned his head, his single eye fixed on Miss.Goldenweek, who was holding a paintbrush.
"It's a bit of a shame that I couldn't strike a pose..."
Zoro's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his tone sinister and terrifying:
"But you little rascal... you seem to be having a lot of fun?"
"Alas!!"
Miss.Goldenweek turned pale with fright when she saw Zoro exuding a palpable killing intent, and the paintbrush in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".
She was just a little girl after all, and faced with this level of fear, she turned around and wanted to run away.
As the candlestick was destroyed, the colored trap paint on the surrounding ground was also burned to ashes by the aftershocks of Victor's flames.
"Uh...cough cough!"
Luffy finally snapped out of his bizarre, maniacal laughter.
He got up from the ground, scratching his head with a blank expression:
"Huh? What just happened? Why am I laughing?"
But he soon saw the little girl who was about to run away. Although his mind was not clear, his intuition told him that this guy was behind it.
"Whatever! You little brat who plays with paint!!"
Luffy roared and suddenly stretched his arm backward:
"Rubber, rubber—bullet!!!"
boom!
A powerful, heavy rubber fist was thrown out from a distance.
"Aaaaaah!!"
Miss Goldenweek, along with her easel and paint bucket, was sent flying like a shooting star into the clouds on the horizon, turning into a tiny, glittering dot.
The battle is over.
Only then did Viktor slowly emerge from the shadows of the woods.
His longsword was already sheathed, and looking at the group of people covered in white wax and looking rather disheveled, he still had that same smiling expression on his face:
"Looks like... I arrived at just the right time?"
Viktor glanced at Zoro, who was wiping his sword sheath, and teased him:
"Zoro, that pose you just struck was pretty good, very artistic. You could get an artist to draw it next time."
"Tch! Mind your own business!"
Zoro blushed, angrily sheathed his sword, and turned his head away, refusing to look at him.
Upon hearing Victor's suggestion, Luffy suddenly realized something and pressed down on his straw hat.
"Ah! Viktor is right! Besides musicians, I also want a painter! I'm so conflicted!"
"You actually thought about it?! You idiot!" Zoro roared at Luffy, his face full of black lines.
Vivi's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but hug her Karu. "Are these guys really reliable, Karu?"
"quack!"
"Victor!!"
Accompanied by a cry that was choked with sobs.
Nami, ignoring the wax residue on her body, rushed over and hugged Viktor's arm, tearfully accusing him:
"Waaaaah, I almost died!"
"Ugh! What are you laughing at, you bastard! You're making me so angry!!"Chapter 89 Mr. Prince? Art is... being trampled on!!
Deep in the woods of the small garden, sunlight filters through the dense canopy, dappling the ruins of the collapsed candle house.
"Tsk..."
Sanji, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, hands in his pockets, kicked aside a tree branch blocking his path with a disgruntled expression.
"Damn it, where did that green algae-headed guy go?! There's a limit to getting lost!"
He wandered around the jungle for half a day, but didn't catch many prey. Instead, he confused himself and Zoro.
Unwittingly, Sanji walked through a thicket of bushes and arrived at the temporary base that Mr. 3 had previously set up.
"Huh? Where is this place?"
Sanji walked into the ruins and immediately saw the headless corpse lying on the ground, already cold.
The corpse was wearing a strange bodysuit with the number "3" printed on it, and the cut at its neck was smooth and neat.
"Wow? Such a clean cut..."
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, crouched down, and took a look:
"Looks like it was Viktor who did it. That red-eyed bastard really doesn't hold back."
"Poruporuporuporu...Poruporuporu..."
Just then, a rapid ringing of a Den Den Mushi (a type of electric scoop) suddenly broke the silence of the ruins.
Sanji looked in the direction of the sound and saw a snail-shaped Den Den Mushi (snail phone) frantically calling out next to the corpse.
"A phone call? To this corpse?"
Out of curiosity, Sanji walked over and grabbed the microphone.
"Click".
The moment the call connected, a hoarse, deep male voice came from the other end—Mr. 0 (Crocodile).
"Is this Mr. 3? Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?"
"How's the mission going? Have the Straw Hat crew and that Princess Vivi... been dealt with?"
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Sanji's eyes, which were hidden by his bangs.
'Mr. 3...Princess Vivi...So that's how it is, this is the mastermind behind it all?'
Sanji remained completely calm when questioned by his boss.
He took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled:
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I just finished dealing with the body, and my hands are a little dirty with blood on them, so I was late."
Crocodile on the other end of the phone didn't detect anything amiss, and simply asked coldly:
"Who are you? Let Mr. 3 answer the phone."
"This isn't Mr. 3..."
Sanji looked at the headless corpse on the ground, a playful smile playing on his lips, and introduced himself:
"This is... 'Mr. Prince'."
"Mr. Prince?" Crocodile was puzzled for a moment, but didn't delve into it. "Never mind who you are. Report the situation."
"Yes, BOSS."
Sanji looked at the corpse on the ground and, without batting an eye, calmly began to lie:
"The entire Straw Hat crew has been wiped out. Both the rubber man and the swordsman have had their heads chopped off."
"As for Princess Vivi... she has also been confirmed dead. Her body has been disposed of properly."
"Mission accomplished, BOSS."
Crocodile on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, then burst into a pleasant laugh:
"Hahaha! Very good! It seems that although Mr. 3 is a good-for-nothing, he is still somewhat useful when it comes to killing."
In high spirits, Crocodile continued:
"In that case, you stay where you are. I will immediately send the 'Unlucky Duo' to deliver the permanent pointer to Alabasta."
"Once you have the pointer, you can return to headquarters to report."
"Okay, boss, I'll be waiting for you here." Sanji elegantly hung up the phone.
...
Not long after.
A fluttering sound came from the sky.
A sea otter wearing sunglasses and with a bizarre appearance, and a vulture with fierce eyes, carrying an exquisitely package, landed in the ruins.
The messengers of Baroque Works—the ominous duo.
As soon as they landed, before they even had a chance to put down their packages, they discovered that the person standing there with the microphone was not the familiar Mr. 3, but a blond man in a suit.
"Squeak?!"
The sea otter and the vulture exchanged a glance and immediately sensed that something was wrong.
The sea otter swiftly pulled two machine guns from its shell, while the vulture brandished its sharp talons, ready to kill and silence the witnesses.
"Oh?"
Sanji looked at the two menacing animals, sneered, and stomped out the half-finished cigarette butt on the ground.
"I was going to thank you for the delivery... but you actually tried to hit me?"
"What an impolite beast, he needs to be properly disciplined."
Before he finished speaking, Sanji had already disappeared from the spot.
"First Meat Kick!!"
Bang!!
Just one kick.
The two unfortunate messengers, who hadn't even had a chance to pull the trigger, were kicked by a tremendous force, leaving them seeing stars.
They collided like two balls, instantly lost consciousness, and were neatly packed together.
"Done."
Sanji dusted off his pants, walked over, picked up the package that had fallen to the ground, and opened it.
Inside lies the permanent compass that records the route to Alabasta.
"Alabasta's permanent pointer..."
Sanji tossed the pointer in his hand, a smile playing on his lips.
"Bingo! Now Vivi-san and Nami-san will definitely look at me in a new light!"
"Mr. Prince... This name is really nice, I'm almost falling in love with myself."
...
at the same time.
An open area on the shore of the small garden.
"Hahahaha!!"
"Ji Jia Jia Jia Jia!!"
Blue Oni Dorry and Red Oni Brogy, two arch-enemies with a century-long friendship, are engaged in their 714,396th sacred duel.
The massive longsword and the heavy battle axe clashed fiercely in mid-air.
Each collision between the two caused the earth to tremble violently, and the air waves to surge, as if two active volcanoes were colliding.
"Give up, Dorry! The wind is blowing in my favor today!!" Brogy roared, bringing down his giant axe.
"You're the one who should admit defeat! Brogy! Your axe is dull!!" Dorry raised his shield to block, then swung his sword in a backhand strike.
Just as the two giants were locked in a fierce battle.
Two furtive little figures peeked out from behind a huge rock at the edge of the battlefield.
It was Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine who hadn't found the Straw Hat crew in the forest before.
"Tch, those pirates have disappeared somewhere, we can't find them at all." Mr. 5 pushed up his sunglasses, looking annoyed.
"Since we haven't found Straw Hat Boy..."
Miss Valentine glanced at the two enormous creatures locked in fierce combat ahead, a glint of greed in her eyes:
"Then we'll take the heads of these two big guys."
"Although they were pirates from a hundred years ago, their bounties combined are still a huge sum of money."
The two exchanged a glance and let out a sinister laugh:
"If we can take them down, it will be a huge bounty."
"One for each of you! Let's do it!"
Miss Valentine's turn:
Then, Miss Valentine, holding a lemon umbrella, used the power of the Float-Float Fruit to silently float directly above the Blue Demon Dorry, who was locked in a struggle.
"Hmph, with a target this big, there's no need to aim."
She let out a soft laugh in mid-air, then abruptly relinquished her lightness, instantly increasing her weight to its maximum:
"Ten thousand kilograms of pressure—!!"
"Die! You foolish giant!!"
She landed heavily on Donley's hard Viking helmet like a falling meteorite, accompanied by a whistling sound.
Dorry, who was fully focused on his strength against Brogy, felt a slight weight on the top of his head.
The feeling was like a pebble falling on my head.
Dongli frowned, not stopping his sword strike, but muttering a question in confusion:
"Huh? Where did this mosquito come from?"
He casually raised one of his free hands and waved it casually above his head, as if shooing away a fly.
"Smack!!"
A crisp, loud bang.
"Why?!"
Miss Valentine, who was just about to enjoy the thrill of crushing the giant, saw a massive, overwhelming hand sweeping towards her.
There was absolutely no room for resistance.
"ah----!!!"
Miss Valentine let out a piercing scream, and like a baseball being hit, she transformed into a shooting star and vanished instantly at the edge of the clouds.
"Annoying mosquitoes," Dorry muttered, continuing to swing his sword at Broki.
...
Mr. 5's turn:
Seeing his companions take action, Mr. 5 was not to be outdone.
Taking advantage of a lull in the two giants' struggle, he dashed like a flea to Broki's feet.
"The opportunity has arrived! Such a huge foot is the perfect setting for a demolition!"
Mr. 5 excitedly and frantically picked his nose, gathering a handful of black booger bombs in his hand:
"Try my art!!"
"Nose-based Imagination Cannon - Rapid Fire!!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
He threw a ton of booger bombs at Broki's massive instep.
"Art is an explosion!! Drink!!"
Boom boom boom boom!!
A series of explosions rang out beneath the giant's feet, sending sparks flying.
However.
Brogy was currently mocking Dorry on the other side:
"Hahaha! Dongli, if you want to admit defeat, don't make excuses! What mosquito can make you bow down? I think you're getting old and your eyes are getting blurry!"
Suddenly, Broki felt a tickle on the back of his foot.
"Um?"
He lowered his head, but because his belly was so big, he couldn't see his feet clearly. He just shifted his body in confusion:
"It looks like a mosquito is biting me? It's so itchy."
To relieve the itch, Broki subconsciously raised his blasted foot, preparing to stomp it and adjust his posture.
That foot was several meters wide, like a small mountain.
Mr. 5, standing at his feet, was about to admire his masterpiece.
Suddenly, a huge shadow fell over him.
He looked up at the massive sole of his foot that seemed to be pressing down on him like Mount Tai.
Mr. 5's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, cold sweat poured down his back, and his previous arrogance instantly turned into extreme fear.
"Wait...wait..."
"No!!!"
boom----!!!
There was no suspense whatsoever.
Brogina's foot, carrying tens of tons of weight, unintentionally stomped heavily on the ground, even grinding into the soil.
"Pfft."
Mr. 5 didn't even have time to scream before he was embedded deep in the soil like a crushed tomato, becoming a piece of... "art sticker" on the earth.
"Phew, that feels much better."
Broglie, satisfied, continued to raise his axe.
"Again! Dorry!!"
And beneath their feet, two arrogant Baroque high-ranking agents were thus rendered powerless in an utterly comical manner...
I left with regret.Chapter 90 The Giants' Feast! The Power Called "Overpowering Aura"!
At the edge of the jungle clearing in the small garden, the setting sun, like blood, dyed this ancient island a magnificent orange-red.
At the foot of the distant volcano, the battle between the two behemoths continued.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Each clash between the greatsword and the battle axe was accompanied by a deafening roar, and violent shockwaves swept around like a typhoon, causing the earth to tremble in agony.
The Straw Hat crew (except for Sanji, who was busy preparing food) and Vivi were sitting on a rock in the safe zone watching the battle.
"Gulp..."
Usopp held Clay the raven tightly in his arms, as if he were clutching his only lifeline.
Looking at the devastating attack ahead, he swallowed hard, then forced himself to puff out his chest and boasted:
"That's quite an exaggeration... But, this level of destructive power is only about 30% of my strength as a warrior, Usopp."
Clay, nestled in his arms, rolled his eyes dramatically, giving him a look as if he were an idiot.
"Gah...do you have any shame?"
Nami, standing to the side, sighed helplessly and retorted without holding back:
"You might be more persuasive if your legs don't shake like a sieve when you speak."
Finally, with a final, earth-shattering roar.
"BOOM—!!"
The weapons in the hands of the Blue Demon Tori and the Red Demon Broki were simultaneously deflected.
The two mountain-like figures, exhausted at the same time, fell backward and crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.
"714396... A draw!!"
The two lay on the ground, looking at the sky, and burst into hearty laughter:
"Hahaha! Another tie, Brogy!"
"Gigagagagaga! Looks like we won't be able to decide a winner today, Donli!"
Just as the two were laughing.
"Whoosh—!"
A red shadow suddenly stretched out, and Luffy used his rubber arm to launch himself like a slingshot, landing steadily on the shoulder of the sweat-drenched Dorry.
"Hey—! Big guy!!"
Luffy stood beside the giant's ear, cupped his hands into a megaphone, and shouted:
"The fight's over, you must be hungry!"
"Let's have a feast!! My chef made lots and lots of dinosaur meat!!"
Donald and Brogy exchanged a glance, their weariness instantly replaced by joy.
"Giggle! Giggles! What an interesting little guy!"
"Alright!! Let's have a banquet then!! For the glory of Elbaf!!"
...
Night falls, and the stars twinkle.
A huge bonfire rose in the open space, its flames licking the night sky.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of meat.
Sanji used the giant dinosaur meat on the island to create an unprecedented super barbecue feast.
"cheers!!!"
The giants raised their barrel-sized cups and drank deeply, the liquid flowing down their beards.
In the firelight, Dorry and Brogy recounted the glory of Elbaf, the homeland of the giants.
It tells the story of the warriors' faith and how, for the past century, they have fought a sacred duel day after day for a reason they had long forgotten.
"Waaaaah... This is so touching..."
Usopp was moved to tears, and snot even got into his mouth:
"This is the romance of men! Elbaf... I'll go there someday!!"
Zoro, holding his sake bottle, looked at the two wounded yet still heroic warriors, his eyes filled with deep respect:
"Is this the pure spirit of a warrior...?"
After hearing the story, Luffy scratched his head with a regretful expression:
"What a pity... those two uncles are so interesting."
He looked at the giant and said earnestly, "I was originally planning to invite you aboard the ship to be my companions."
Upon hearing Luffy's words, the two giants exchanged a glance and burst into laughter in unison.
"Hahahaha!!"
"Jijiajiajia!! You're such a funny little guy!!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Sanji instantly sprang into action, each delivering a punch to Luffy's head in perfect unison, unleashing furious roars:
Why do I always want to write about things I can't do?
"Are you trying to kill someone?! The ship will sink!! You idiot!!!"
"Our Going Merry doesn't want to retire so soon!!"
...
On the other side of the campfire.
Vic sat on the ground with his legs crossed, having just finished eating a large, juicy dinosaur rib.
He glanced at his greasy hands, then at Clay, who was squatting on a rock next to him, eating his food.
Victor casually reached out and grabbed Klein's shiny black wing.
"Swish, swish."
He wiped his hands clean from the grease on Clay's smooth feathers.
"Huh?!"
Clay snapped awake, staring at his gleaming wings, and cried out in grief and indignation, "Sir?! How could you do this to me?!"
Victor ignored Clay's protests and casually stuffed a piece of meat bone into its mouth to shut it up.
Then, he raised his head, his black eyes flashing with a serious light in the firelight, and looked at the two giants.
"Two seniors."
"Although it may be presumptuous, I have a question I would like to ask you."
He pointed to the distant, severed mountain peaks and land:
"Your attacks just now, which could split the earth and even cut through the air... they contained 'Haki', right?"
"Domineering?"
Upon hearing this unfamiliar word, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji all stopped what they were doing and turned around with blank expressions.
"What is that? Is it tasty?" Luffy asked.
Victor didn't answer directly, but looked at his companions, his expression turning serious:
"Remember Smoker, the smoke guy from Loguetown?"
"In the Grand Line, there will be more and more people with strange abilities like them, and even 'logic' monsters whose bodies can become elemental and make physical attacks completely ineffective."
"Luffy's fists can't hit the smoke, and Zoro's swords can't cut through the fluid."
"Faced with such an enemy, if we do not possess special powers, we will only be able to run away."
"And the only way to fight them is to master 'dominance'."
"Haki…" Zoro touched the hilt of his sword, the feeling of powerlessness he had when facing Smoker in Loguetown flashing through his mind.
His eyes sharpened instantly. "So that's how it is... Is that the power that can sever the 'invisible'?"
"No wonder that guy with the smoke was so arrogant." Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled a smoke ring. "Looks like kicking skills alone aren't enough."
Luffy's eyes lit up instantly, and he jumped up, shouting at the giant:
"Domineering?! Is that something that can hit the Smoke Man?!"
"Teach us! Teach us! You two old men!! I want to beat that guy in the smoke!"
Donley and Brogy looked at Victor with some surprise.
"Oh? I didn't expect someone as short as you to know this."
Brogy put down his glass and laughed loudly, saying:
"Although we don't understand your complex theories or the classification of 'dominance,' in Elbaf, it's the innate spirit of a warrior!"
Dongli nodded, then solemnly added:
"That is the technique of transforming one's own 'will' into invisible 'armor' and 'weapons'."
"Only those with the strongest convictions can unleash this power to attack the enemy's physical body or even intimidate wild beasts."
The two giants looked into Luffy's eyes, which were filled with longing and determination, and smiled with approval.
"Since it was a friend's request, and you even saved our lives..."
"Alright! We'll pass on our century of combat experience to you!"
"How much you can understand depends on your own comprehension!"
At the end of the banquet.
The two giants raised their enormous wine bowls, facing the starry sky and the group of young pirates:
"For this delicious meal! And for your courage!"
"From this day forward, you are our eternal friends in Elbaf!!"
"Let's conquer the sea, Straw Hat Crew!!"
"oh!!!"
Everyone raised their glasses and erupted in a thunderous cheer: "Cheers!!!"
It's late at night.
Nami and Vivi were already fast asleep.
However, none of the Straw Hat crew's main members—Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Victor, and Usopp—slept.
Under the guidance of the giants, and by the light of the moon, they began their first training session since entering the Grand Line on this ancient island... a special training called "Haki".