"This isn't working—we need to retreat! Let's split up and regroup at the Sunny in three days!" Luffy declared. After the intense battle, everyone was already exhausted. Zoro, still recovering from his injuries sustained at Thriller Bark, had pushed himself to the limit.
"Finally! I've been wanting to suggest that for ages! Zoro, I'm counting on you!" Usopp was the first to raise his hand in agreement before quickly sticking close to Zoro.
"Nami-san~! Don't worry, I will protect you with my life!" Sanji immediately rushed to Nami's side, ensuring she was safe as they began their retreat.
Franky followed closely behind, though Sanji seemed irritated by his presence. In his mind, as long as he was there, Nami didn't need any extra protection.
With their escape plan set, the Straw Hat Pirates split into three teams: Luffy took Chopper and Robin, Zoro led Usopp and Brook, and Sanji escorted Nami and Franky.
"PX-1, stop them! Don't let them escape Dock 12—if they do, we'll have a real problem!" Sentomaru commanded as he ordered the Pacifista to intercept Sanji's group. Meanwhile, he personally stepped in front of Luffy.
"Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" Luffy launched a flurry of punches, determined to break through.
"I have nothing against pirates, but my defense is the strongest in the world!" Sentomaru declared, effortlessly deflecting Luffy's attack before striking him back with a powerful palm thrust.
"Ouch! What kind of move was that?!" Luffy rubbed his head as he got back on his feet, his expression turning serious as he stared down Sentomaru.
"Ultimate Move: Super Smoke Star!" Usopp shouted, launching a series of smoke bombs to obscure their escape route. However, the Pacifista remained unfazed, blasting apart the bridge that connected the areas.
"Zoro!!"
Usopp's sudden cry made Luffy turn instinctively. His eyes widened as he saw Zoro lying on the ground, gravely injured and unable to move.
"Oh no! Zoro got hit by the laser blast! Who's there?! Stay away from him!" Usopp aimed his massive slingshot at a humanoid figure emerging from the smoke.
"Finally caught up, huh? Welcome, Admiral Kizaru!" Sentomaru said casually, his posture relaxed.
Robin's heart sank at the name. Her eyes darted toward Usopp, and sure enough, stepping out of the haze was a man in a yellow-striped suit, draped in a Justice cloak.
"Be careful! That man is Admiral Kizaru!" Robin warned urgently.
Kizaru glanced down at Zoro, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter... A 120-million-berry bounty, and yet, with just a little effort, you're already down? Looks like you're in pretty bad shape."
Slowly, Kizaru raised his leg, light gathering around it.
"Zoro! Move! At this distance, if he hits you, it's over!" Luffy shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
However, just as Kizaru lifted his foot above Zoro, he suddenly froze. His body refused to move, as if locked in place.
"Damn it! Why can't I hit him?!"
"Get your filthy foot away from Zoro!"
Brook and Usopp launched their attacks at Kizaru, but to their horror, their strikes simply passed through his body without effect.
"I'm the man who ate the Glint-Glint Fruit—a Logia user. Your attacks won't work on me," Kizaru said nonchalantly, his voice dripping with amusement as he kept his foot hovering over Zoro.
"No… that idiot is at his limit!" Sanji growled in frustration, sprinting toward them. But the distance was too great—he wouldn't make it in time!
"Blooming Flowers!" Robin acted swiftly, summoning countless arms around Zoro, pushing him out of Kizaru's range just in time.
"Hehe… You really think you can escape? Don't waste your energy," Kizaru sneered, watching Zoro struggle to move. He prepared to strike again, his expression calm and detached.
Hiding in the trees nearby, Jack narrowed his eyes. 'So, is this guy really undercover?' He mused, watching as Kizaru lifted his foot once more but still didn't bring it down.
Jack had deliberately let Law and Kidd go so he could check on Luffy. He knew that if something went wrong and the Straw Hats suffered casualties, it would turn into a major incident. That was why he had rushed here as fast as he could.
"ZORO!" Luffy roared, his voice filled with rage as he saw Kizaru's foot about to descend.
But Jack had already sensed another presence rapidly approaching. Rayleigh is almost here...
With a deafening BOOM, the battlefield shook.
Kizaru's flashing kick was abruptly stopped—Rayleigh had intervened.
"Oh my… It's really you, Dark King Rayleigh," Kizaru remarked in his usual languid tone, his expression unchanged despite the unexpected interference.
"Don't be so harsh on these younglings. Their time is only just beginning," Rayleigh responded with a calm smile, standing protectively in front of the battered Straw Hats.
"Ossan!" Luffy's voice cracked with emotion, his eyes wide as he saw Rayleigh standing before them, having saved Zoro from certain doom.
"I heard rumors that you were on this island, but seeing you in person still comes as a surprise," Kizaru admitted, his demeanor shifting slightly as he regarded the legendary pirate more seriously.
Rayleigh chuckled. "Ah~ If you could arrange to have my bounty erased, I wouldn't mind living a peaceful life in seclusion here."
Kizaru spread his hands in mock exasperation. "Erasing a pirate's crimes? Especially a member of Roger's crew? That's wishful thinking." He sighed before adding, "You really came all this way just to help these rookies? Seems like the nature of pirates never changes."
Rayleigh laughed heartily. "Wahaha! They represent the future of piracy. So, what do you say, Kizaru? Could you look the other way and let them go?"
"Oh my, please don't put me in such a difficult position," Kizaru drawled, shaking his head. "If we don't capture these troublemakers, the Marine Headquarters will have a hard time maintaining its authority before the Celestial Dragons in Marijoa. But you… could you kindly not interfere?" His usual nonchalance was tinged with a hint of caution. "Even for someone like me, taking you down isn't an easy task."
Taking advantage of the moment, Luffy wasted no time. "Usopp! Brook! Get Zoro out of here! We can't fight them now—we need to run!" he shouted urgently, seizing the opportunity while Rayleigh held Kizaru at bay.
"Tsk~ You're quite decisive! But I must say, this really ticks me off," Kizaru muttered, clearly displeased as he watched the Straw Hat Pirates flee the moment Luffy gave the order.
"Uncle, thanks! We're heading out first!" Luffy called back to Rayleigh while dashing away with his crew.
"Go on, then. Best of luck!" Rayleigh replied with a relaxed wave, completely disregarding Kizaru's presence.
From a distance, Jack nearly burst out laughing. It was rare to see someone outright ignore Kizaru like that—it was almost comical.
As Rayleigh showed no interest in engaging further, Kizaru narrowed his eyes and decided against wasting time. His focus remained solely on the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Yata no Kagami!"
Kizaru's body began to morph into pure light, preparing to chase after the fleeing crew. But before he could fully transform, Rayleigh suddenly struck, his sword slicing cleanly through the light itself.
"Oh my, how terrifying~" Kizaru remarked in his usual lazy tone, feigning fear.
Jack smirked. No matter how many times he heard Kizaru say that, he couldn't help but find it particularly disingenuous—almost sleazy.
"Ama no Murakumo!"
Harnessing the power of his Devil Fruit, Kizaru materialized a blade of pure light in his hand, clashing swords with Rayleigh as their battle ignited.
"It really is Dark King Rayleigh... This is the first time I've seen the old man actually get stopped by someone!" Sentomaru muttered, watching the intense clash between Kizaru and Rayleigh. Then, his gaze shifted to the fallen swordsman. "But enough of that—PX-1, Roronoa Zoro is on the verge of death. Finish him first!"
At his command, the Pacifista locked onto Zoro, its targeting system engaging. However, Sanji immediately noticed the threat. Without hesitation, he ordered Franky to protect Nami before sprinting toward Usopp and the others.
"Hah~ What a headache!" Kizaru sighed mid-battle, clearly annoyed. "I thought this would be a simple task, but I didn't expect to run into you."
"Haha, Kizaru-kun, life is full of surprises," Rayleigh replied with a grin, unfazed by the admiral's complaints.
Meanwhile, as the Pacifista pursued its target, Brook abruptly stopped, choosing to hold the line and buy time for Usopp and Zoro to escape. Unfortunately, his valiant effort was cut short—he was taken down instantly.
Just as things seemed dire, Sanji arrived in the nick of time, intercepting the Pacifista. However, the ensuing chaos from the attack sent Usopp tumbling, and Zoro, still too weak to stand, was thrown harshly to the ground.
Luffy, locked in combat with Sentomaru, struggled to break free and assist his crew. Seeing no other choice, Sanji used his own body as a shield, taking the brunt of a laser blast to protect Zoro. The devastating impact left him incapacitated, unable to continue fighting.
Kizaru, observing the battlefield, smirked at Rayleigh. "It looks like my men aren't so useless after all," he remarked, clearly pleased with the overwhelming advantage his side had gained.
"No… everyone's been taken down. This is unforgivable!" Chopper, still on the run, turned back just in time to see Sanji, Zoro, and the others collapsing one after another, completely out of commission. Gritting his teeth, he made a desperate choice—swallowing three Rumble Balls at once; his body expanded as he transformed into a towering, uncontrollable monster.
"That idiot Chopper is losing control again!" Usopp groaned as he struggled to push himself up from the ground, his voice laced with both concern and frustration.
Robin, watching the transformation, pursed her lips. "So this is the same form you took when you saved me at Enies Lobby, Chopper?" she murmured. Seizing the opportunity as Sentomaru's attention shifted toward the monstrous reindeer, she quickly lifted the injured Luffy and made a break for it.
"Sanji! Brook! Get up—another laser blast is coming!" Usopp shouted urgently, clutching Zoro as he saw the Pacifista charging up another attack.
But neither Sanji nor Brook could respond. Their injuries were too severe; their bodies simply wouldn't move.
"Wait—PX-1, hold your fire!"
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