Chapter 241
"What did you call me, jagged-head?!"
"Who are you calling jagged-head, Straw Hat?!"
Luffy and Kid leaned forward until their foreheads nearly collided, neither willing to back down.
Before their argument could become any louder, several heavy footsteps echoed from the street.
The remaining Pacifistas had begun moving.
Their eyes scanned the entrance of the Human Auctioning House before locking onto the pirates gathered inside.
Light gathered within their open mouths.
Nami's expression immediately changed.
She understood why Shiki had deliberately left the machines standing.
"So that's what you meant…"
Flowers and fresh greenery bloomed around Vivi as she stepped forward with an elegant smile.
"Please watch me, Shiki-san," she said softly. "I want to show you that I'm not someone who needs to be protected anymore."
Robin crossed her arms beneath her chest as well.
"Ara~ If that is what our captain expects, we should avoid disappointing him."
Luffy and Kid stopped arguing at the same time.
They watched the three women walk past them and head toward the Pacifistas outside.
A single thought entered both their minds.
Shiki was different.
After experiencing his strength firsthand, neither of them wanted to admit it, but there was no denying the truth—he was stronger than they were.
Even so, after witnessing the full force of his Haki, neither of them felt discouraged.
They still believed that, one day, they could reach his level.
One day, they would surpass him—or at least stand on equal footing with him however being outdone by his crew right now was another matter entirely.
Luffy slowly turned his head.
Kid moved almost at the exact same moment.
Their eyes met. Neither of them said a word, but they both understood what the other was thinking.
An instant later, both captains lunged from entrance.
"Get out of my way!"
"You get out of my way!"
Their shoulders slammed into each other as they both tried to pass through at the same time, despite there being more than enough space around them.
"Why are you copying me?!"
"I moved first!"
"You liar!"
"You idiot!"
They shoved against each other with increasingly distorted expressions while the people behind them stared in silence.
Law lowered his hat over his eyes.
"I refuse to believe those two are considered my rivals."
Killer let out a weary sigh, already far too used to his captain's behavior.
"Kid never learns."
Zoro rested one hand on the hilt of his sword. For a moment, he felt as though he had found someone who understood exactly what he had to put up with.
"Neither does Luffy."
A beam of light erupted from the Pacifista's mouth travelling at insane speed that tore across the street and struck Nami directly.
A violent explosion swallowed the field of vision making it hard to see the actual situation.
"AAAAAH! SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S DEFINITELY DEAD!"
Usopp's face turned ghostly pale.
"Luffy, forget it! We have to run! You can't fight something like that—you'll get killed too!"
Before he could rush forward to grab Luffy, lightning flashed through the smoke.
Nami emerged from the flames without a single injury.
Her body had transformed completely into white-blue electricity. The blast had passed straight through her elemental form, leaving only sparks dancing across the street behind her.
She reformed several meters above the ground.
"Trying to take me out with a sneak attack? You've got some nerve!"
Nami raised both hands.
Dark clouds gathered above Grove 1.
The enormous mangrove branches trembled as thunder rolled across Sabaody.
The Pacifista lifted its head and aimed at her again.
Before it could fire, Vivi closed her hand.
"Do you really think I'll stand by and let you attack Nami?"
The ground exploded beneath the machine.
Hundreds of thick roots burst from the street and wrapped around its legs, waist, arms, and neck.
The Pacifista attempted to move, but the roots tightened around its metal body.
Even then the machine's mouth opened again as light began gathering inside it.
Robin's eyes narrowed. Although she was no longer one of the crew's strongest fighters, especially now that the gap between ordinary Devil Fruits and Logia abilities had become so clear, she was far from useless.
"Seis Fleur."
Six arms sprouted across the Pacifista's face and neck, covering its eyes while gripping its jaw from both sides.
The final two twisted its head sharply toward an empty section of the street.
The laser fired.
The beam missed Nami and tore through the side of an abandoned building instead.
Boom!
"Now, Nami!"
"I know!"
Nami's body vanished.
A bolt of lightning descended from the clouds at the same moment.
The entire grove was illuminated by a blinding white-blue flash.
Nami appeared directly above the Pacifista with one leg raised. Lightning gathered around her foot, forming a roaring mass of electricity.
"Thunder Kick!"
Her heel crashed into the top of the machine's head.
An enormous current surged through its metal body.
The Pacifista convulsed as electricity tore through its internal systems. Smoke poured from its ears, mouth, and damaged joints.
Vivi pulled both arms apart.
"Forest Burial!"
The street split open.
A gigantic trunk erupted from beneath the Pacifista, lifting the machine into the air before crushing it against the thick roots of the Yarukiman Mangrove.
Bang!
After the Pacifista crashed, the red light in its eyes flickered weakly before the lenses cracked and went completely dark.
Nami landed beside Vivi as the remaining sparks faded from her body.
Behind them, Robin uncrossed her arms and watched the disabled machine slide down the mangrove root before letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
The battle had lasted less than a minute.
Silence spread across the street.
Luffy and Kid had finally stopped shoving against each other, both breathing heavily from how hard they had fought to force the other aside, when they noticed what had happened behind them.
Both of them froze.
They looked at Nami, Vivi, and Robin.
Then they turned back toward the Pacifista lying motionless at the base of the mangrove root, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"They beat it already?!" Luffy blurted out, his voice so loud it was practically a shout.
Kid's face darkened.
"It doesn't count. They had a head start."
"Yeah! Because you got in my way!"
"You were the one blocking me, Straw Hat!"
Just then another Pacifista stepped onto the street at the far end of the grove, eyes locked onto Luffy.
Kid immediately took off toward it. Only after putting some distance between himself and Luffy did he glance back over his shoulder.
"This one's mine! You can buzz off!"
Luffy stretched both arms backward.
He was not the type to back down, and the fact that Kid had fought dirty only made him more determined not to give in.
"No way! I'm beating it first!"
"Room."
A blue sphere expanded across the street.
Law appeared between them, one hand resting on the hilt of Kikoku.
"You two are making enough noise to wake the dead."
Kid glared at him.
"Stay out of this, Trafalgar!"
"You don't get to decide that, Eustass-ya."
The Pacifista raised one hand ready to fire, a beam of light gathered in its palm.
This time, the crews of all three captains were ready to join the fight.
Killer drew his blades, while Zoro pulled two of his swords from their sheaths.
Sanji stepped forward at a slow, measured pace with one hand in his pocket. He eventually pulled it out, placed a cigarette between his lips, and lit it.
"Looks like everyone's joining now."
"Then we'll see who brings it down!" Luffy shouted.
The laser fired as if announcing the start of the competition.
The three captains scattered in different directions as the street erupted behind them.
Kid stretched out one arm.
Metal weapons, rifles, chains, and broken pieces of machinery flew in from every direction, tearing free from the area where dozens of unconscious Marines lay scattered across the ground.
"Repel!"
A massive clump of metal slammed into the Pacifista's chest.
The machine staggered beneath the force of the massive impact, but it still refused to fall.
Luffy grinned, bit down on his thumb, and blew air into it. His hand rapidly swelled to an enormous size.
"Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!"
His enormous fist struck the Pacifista's face and drove its feet several inches into the ground.
When their first attacks failed to bring the Pacifista down, neither Luffy nor Kid hesitated. Both of them launched the same attacks again, driving their massive fists forward at the exact same moment.
Before either blow could land, Law suddenly appeared beside the Pacifista.
"Shambles."
The machine suddenly vanished from between Luffy and Kid.
It reappeared several meters away, trading places with a fallen Marine.
Kid's mechanical arm and Luffy's fist crashed into each other.
"What are you doing?!" they shouted at Law simultaneously.
Law gave a faint smile, a hint of wicked amusement and mockery in his expression.
"Improving your teamwork."
"I'll kill you!"
The Pacifista opened its mouth. Rather than show any gratitude to Law for saving it, another laser immediately swept toward them.
The three captains dodged in different directions, but the blast sent Kid and Luffy tumbling through a wall.
Law barely escaped the explosion by switching places with a fallen marine nearby.
Nami placed both hands on her hips.
"They're terrible at this. Aren't they supposed to be the captains of their crews? How have they even survived this long when they're that reckless?"
Vivi gave an awkward smile, unsure how to describe them for a moment.
"They're strong individually, but..."
Robin covered her mouth with one hand.
"They appear to be more focused on defeating each other than defeating the Pacifista."
The ruined wall exploded outward.
Luffy and Kid burst out of the dust cloud, both shouting at the same time as they blamed each other for what had happened. Before long, Law was dragged into their argument as well.
However, as the battle continued and their injuries began to pile up, the three captains finally decided to stop fooling around and take the Pacifista seriously.
Killer, Zoro, and Sanji joined from different directions.
The surrounding grove was gradually reduced to rubble.
Shiki watched them for a moment before losing interest.
Beside him, Rayleigh let out a quiet laugh.
"The next generation certainly has plenty of energy."
"That comes with being young," Shiki agreed.
The three of them might act like complete idiots at times, but each had strengths worth recognizing.
Well… perhaps Kid was the exception.
That brat never seemed to understand when he was outmatched and had a terrible habit of picking fights with people far beyond him.
Shiki felt that if Kid had simply learned to slow down and focus on building his strength instead of constantly rushing into battles he was not ready for, he might not have met the same fate he had in the anime.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses before looking toward the three women standing near the destroyed Pacifista.
"I have to admit, your crew is impressive. With Devil Fruits that rare, I can already tell they have an extraordinary future ahead of them."
"They still have a long way to go."
"That may be true, but most rookie crews would need every member working together to bring one of those machines down. Those three handled it without much trouble."
Shiki did not respond.
He knew Nami and Vivi possessed two of the most powerful Logia Devil Fruits in existence.
The Goro Goro no Mi gave Nami overwhelming speed, destructive power, and a natural ability to sense electrical signals across an enormous range.
The Mori Mori no Mi allowed Vivi to create and control forests, regenerate through plant life, and overwhelm entire battlefields with roots and vines.
Neither of them had come close to reaching the limits of their abilities.
Robin was different.
Her Hana Hana no Mi remained useful, especially when combined with her intelligence and ability to identify an opponent's weaknesses, but her current body could not endure the kind of battles Shiki intended to enter.
That would change soon.
Rayleigh's gaze moved toward the three Celestial Dragons lying near Shiki's feet.
Saint Charlos, Saint Shalria, and Saint Rosward remained bound by Vivi's vines.
None of them could speak, their mouths held tightly shut by the vines wrapped around them.
Rayleigh stroked his chin, a curious gleam in his eyes as he asked casually,
"So, what do you intend to do with those three?"
Shiki glanced down at them. Even now, their expressions remained defiant, and they stared at him as though he were already a dead man. He met their gazes with complete indifference.
"What do you think?"
"A ransom, perhaps."
"No."
"Using them to force a deal with the World Government?"
"No."
Rayleigh studied him for several seconds.
"Then revenge?"
"I've never met them before today."
"That leaves very few ordinary reasons for kidnapping three World Nobles."
"Who said my reason had to be ordinary?"
Rayleigh stared at him in surprise for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter, finally understanding what Shiki intended to do.
"You really are fearless, young man... It seems you truly intend to turn this entire world upside down."
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Rayleigh turned his gaze toward the distant shore and casually changed the subject.
"Your ship needs coating if you plan to reach Fish-Man Island. Bring it to my workshop at Grove 13. Once I inspect the hull, I can begin preparing the resin."
Just like that, Shiki and Rayleigh left the scene to begin coating the ship. Before departing, Shiki gave Nami, Vivi, and Robin a brief nod, acknowledging their efforts.
Nami immediately looked smug at the praise, while Vivi was clearly happy, though still not entirely satisfied. She wanted to prove that she could do even more.
Robin responded with a playful wink, but inwardly, she could not shake the strange sense of disappointment weighing on her.
She could not help feeling that Nami and Vivi would have handled the Pacifista just fine even without her. Robin told herself that it did not matter, and she was genuinely happy for them, yet somewhere deep inside, she still found herself wanting something more...
Meanwhile—Marine Headquarters, Marineford
Inside a temporary Marine command room, the atmosphere was already cooked.
Maps of Marineford and the surrounding seas covered a large table. Reports concerning the movements of the Whitebeard Pirates were being delivered without pause, while Marine officers hurried through the corridors carrying orders for the coming war.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood behind the table with his arms folded.
Every division at Marine Headquarters had already been placed on alert.
The execution of Portgas D. Ace had been announced.
There was no longer any possibility of avoiding the coming battle.
Whitebeard would come.
The only uncertainty was where and with how much force.
The doors suddenly flew open.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Rear Admiral Sicily hurried into the room, gripping a report tightly in one hand.
Sengoku's expression immediately darkened.
"What happened?"
"We've received an emergency report from the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Sicily stopped before the table and raised the document.
"An incident has occurred inside the Human Auctioning House on Grove 1!"
Sengoku's eyes narrowed, already a bad feeling welling up inside him.
"An incident?"
"Three World Nobles were attacked!"
"Saint Rosward, Saint Charlos, and Saint Shalria were assaulted inside the auction house."
Sicily swallowed before continuing.
"They have also been taken hostage."
A vein bulged across Sengoku's forehead.
"What did you say? All three of them?!"
"Yes, sir."
"Who did it!?"
Sicily glanced down at the report.
"The pirate responsible has been identified as Golden Lion Shiki."
Sengoku's eyes widened slightly.
"Shiki…"
His fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
The name had already appeared in far too many intelligence reports.
After the disaster in the Taya Kingdom, Shiki had vanished.
Then, without warning, he had appeared in Water Seven, and continued sailing toward the New World.
Now he had resurfaced at Sabaody and had done something even more reckless.
"Damn him…"
Sengoku slammed his palm against the table.
"Why now?"
The maps jumped beneath the force.
"Why did he have to make his move now, when we're already preparing for war with Whitebeard?!"
Every unexpected incident could weaken the preparations for Marineford.
"What is the current situation on Sabaody?"
"The Marines stationed on the archipelago have surrounded Grove 1, but contact with several units has been lost."
"Lost?"
"Yes, sir. According to the final transmission, Shiki released an enormous burst of Haoshoku Haki."
Sicily's voice became more strained.
"Every Marine stationed across the archipelago appears to have been knocked unconscious!"
Sengoku's expression grew darker with every word and he pressed one hand against his forehead.
"This cannot possibly become any worse."
A slow voice came from the other side of the room.
"Ooh…"
Admiral Kizaru sat calmly upon a couch with one leg crossed over the other.
He had remained silent throughout the report, listening while holding a cup of tea.
"Golden Lion Shiki…"
He raised the cup to his lips.
"What a frightening young man."
Sengoku turned toward him, his voice stern and raised almost to a shout.
"This is not the time for jokes, Kizaru."
"I'll go."
Kizaru suddenly rose from his seat, setting his cup down with surprising care before slipping both hands into his pockets.
Sengoku stared at him, caught completely off guard. He knew better than anyone how lazy Kizaru could be, so hearing him volunteer was the last thing he had expected.
Before Sengoku could even respond, however, Kizaru had already strolled past him, leaving only a few final words behind.
"I'll handle Sabaody personally."
The casual tone in his voice did nothing to hide the meaning behind those words.
A Marine Admiral was going to war.
...
Back at Grove 1, the situation had grown even more chaotic since Shiki's departure. Another Pacifista had appeared, but the Golden Lion Pirates quickly moved to intercept it.
Meanwhile, the other Pacifista was struck from three different directions at once, the combined force of their attacks caving its chest inward.
A second later, it collapsed face-first into the street.
Luffy raised both arms.
"We won!"
"You came in second..." Nami said, pointing toward the destroyed Pacifista behind her. "I was starting to wonder how long it would take you to deal with that thing. Honestly, with all the time you wasted, I feel like I could've taken it down by myself."
She had been listening to that loudmouthed brat's challenge for a while now. At first, she had not intended to take it seriously...
Well, that was not entirely true.
She had taken it seriously, because this time it was not only her own pride at stake. Shiki's reputation was on the line as well.
So, of course, now that they had lost, she was going to make sure they heard about it.
Luffy froze, then slowly turned his head away and began whistling, pretending he had not heard a thing.
Kid's expression became murderous.
Law, who had been preparing to slip away quietly, nearly stumbled. He calmly sheathed Kikoku and acted as though he had never taken part in the competition at all.
Before anyone could start another argument, a golden light suddenly appeared high above Grove 1.
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