Chapter 125: Captain's Duel - Not One LessThe Straw Hat crew members were all grave, their expressions looking particularly grim.Usopp clutched his head, his voice filled with despair: "This is bad! Robin has been picked away too!"Nami anxiously looked at their pillar of strength: "Luffy, what should we do?""Don't worry!" Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat, his tone resolute and decisive, "We just need to hold another Delay Match! We'll win them all back!""A Delay Match?"Foxy's signature bizarre laughter immediately rang out, "No way! Hey, Straw Hat, do you know why our Foxy Pirates are called the'Strongest Crew'?""Hah!" Zoro held his sword and sneered, "To dare call yourself the strongest crew, how shameless."Foxy completely ignored Zoro's mockery and boasted on his own: "Before competing with you today, we already held five full rounds of 'Three Coin' matches with the 'Tooth Frog Pirates'!"He proudly pointed to his officers behind him, who were all more or less injured, "Look! They are already exhausted and covered in wounds! Continuing to compete would only be asking for trouble!"He looked at Luffy sinisterly, "Therefore, no matter how you request a Delay Match, I will not agree! Fe-fe-fe! Matches are all about quitting while you're ahead, which is why we are the strongest pirate crew! Fe-fe-fe!""Ah~~~~" The Straw Hat crew collectively let out a long, speechless sigh."You... why aren't you saying anything!..." Foxy was left feeling somewhat awkward by this reaction."How boring," Zoro's tone was filled with disdain, "To make a statement like a stray dog. Are you an idiot?""I'm sick of hearing about the'Strongest Crew', isn't it just despicable tactics?" Sanji lit a cigarette and added coldly.Usopp was still rational and quickly pulled the topic back on track: "Now is not the time to be criticizing others! The problem is that there is only one match left, and the issue is how we choose between Markand Robin!""I'm going to win them both back!" Luffy didn't hesitate; the option of abandoning a crewmate never existed in his dictionary."But the point is how we can actually win them back!" Sanji blew out a smoke ring, his brows furrowed tightly."Since it's such a hassle," Zoro's hand pressed onto his sword hilt, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, "Then let's just finish it all! Besides, if we lose later, that guy Mark would probably wipe them all out anyway, so we might as well be direct.""Ah! That's not necessary! It's just a game, just a game!" Usopp waved his hands frantically in fear, "And 500 people is way too many!"Just then, Nami said nothing; her gaze turned toward Foxy, who was devastated by being collectively ignored and was kneeling on the ground drawing circles.A sly smile appeared on her face as she walked over slowly."Hey, Split-Head Boss," Nami's voice carried a strange allure, "How about we raise the stakes for the next match? Let's bet—7 people!""Hey! Nami! Don't make decisions on your own!" Usopp shouted from behind in a panic."No, Usopp," Sanji raised a hand to stop him, his eyes looking sharply at Nami's back, "Leave it to Miss Nami to handle.""What did you say?" Foxy suddenly looked up, his smirk almost impossible to contain.Nami put her hands on her hips and said with clear logic: "Isn't this 'Davy Back Fight' a competition to snatch excellent crew members? Then, if we don't snatch both Mark and Robin back, there's no point to it.""So," she paused, speaking with emphasis, "If we win the next match, you return both of them! If we lose, all 7 of us will join your ranks! How about it? You can't lose on this deal, right?"Foxy's small eyes darted around rapidly, calculating in his heart: The seven people opposite are all top-tier! Although that long-nosed guy hasn't shown much strength, he is a big shot with a bounty of 200 million... No matter how you look at it, it's a sure win!"Fe-fe-fe, I understand!" Foxy jumped up and said, feigning generosity, "I accept this bet! But I, Lord Foxy, won't take advantage of you! I'll bet all 500 people on my ship!"The host, Etomimis, exclaimed at the right moment: "What?! The boss is actually betting all 500 people! How generous! Will Straw Hat Luffy accept?""We don't even need that many people..." Luffyscratched his head, but before he could finish, Sanjiand Usopp lunged at him and covered his mouth."Idiot!" Sanji growled in his ear, "Who cares how many people! Our main goal is just to win back Markand Robin!""Oh! That's right!" Luffy suddenly realized."How about it? Do you accept or not? Straw Hat!" Foxy crossed his arms, looking haughty."Alright! We accept!" Luffy replied loudly, his eyes unshakeable.However, the host's next words made the atmosphere freeze again: "By the way, if you lose, and since you don't have 500 people, you'll need to make up for it with your descendants. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren... for generations to come, they will serve the Foxy Pirates! Understand?""De... descendants?!" Sanji had the biggest reaction; in his mind, a cute little girl with golden curly hair instantly appeared, sweetly calling him "Daddy"."Hi~ Daddy's here!" Sanji's eyes turned into hearts, completely lost in fantasy, squatting on the ground and clapping at the air."It seems like an incredible condition has been added!" Usopp was sweating profusely."There's no other way at this point." Zoro was quite open-minded about it.Nami took a deep breath and said to Luffy: "Anyway, don't lose, okay, Luffy!""Oh!" Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat tightly, revealing his signature bright smile, "I won't lose in a fight!""Idiot!" Foxy walked over to a device that looked like a cannon, "Matches and fights are two different things! You'd better prepare to be recruited under my banner! Straw Hat!"The host announced loudly: "Shoo-shoo! The final battle has officially begun! Now, will the two Captains please turn this 'Cannon of Destiny'! The landing spot of the cannonball fired from the direction the muzzle points will determine the match venue!"Luffy and Foxy stepped forward and forcefully turned the strangely shaped cannon.However, this cannon seemed to have a mind of its own, actually spinning backward, and finally stopped at an extremely tricky angle."Hey! This thing stopped in a completely abnormal way, didn't it?!" Usopp pointed at the cannon and roared.But the only response he got was a "bang" from the cannon, and the host's excited voice: "Although it's somewhat coincidental, the match venue has been decided! The cannonball landed on—the Foxy Pirates' ship!""What do you mean'somewhat coincidental'! Are you an idiot?!" Usopp was so angry he pulled out his slingshot, ready to shoot the host down."Forget it, forget it!" Sanji quickly stopped him, "Otherwise, if we really take out the host, the match might be ruled as our loss immediately!""Now, let me state the rules of the match!" the host continued, "The landing spot of the iron ball is the center, and the surrounding 50 meters is the match area! All weapons in the area can be used! Except for the match participants, no one else is allowed to enter! If you are knocked into the sea, or hit out of the area! You lose!""Before the match begins, we can first enjoy a wonderful performance by the Foxy team cheerleaders! Also, there are best-selling limited-edition battle commemorative badges and figures on the lawn!""Who would buy that kind of thing! Hurry up and start the match!" Nami roared at the host.However, as soon as she finished speaking—"Boss, give me two!" Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Merryhad already surrounded the souvenir stall like a gust of wind, scrambling to purchase items."Don't spend money on these things! You idiots!" Nami's roar echoed through the sky.Meanwhile, on Foxy's pirate ship, the two who were "picked away"..."Boss, here is the popcorn and cola you wanted." A henchman respectfully handed them to Mark and Robin."Hmm, well done." Mark was lazily half-reclining, enjoying grapes, watching the henchmen bustling about; he felt these guys were quite sensible."Hmm... it's better if Luffy wins the match..." he thought silently to himself."Luffy... he will win, right?" Chopper looked at the distant Foxy pirate ship, head lowered, his hooves nervously tapping the ground."Don't worry, Chopper!" Usopp patted his hat, although he had no confidence himself, he still tried hard to put on a confident look, "We will continue to travel freely, just like before!"After saying that, he trotted to catch up with Luffy. As Luffy's "boxer manager" for this match, he was allowed to go to the competition ship together.Led by the staff, the two arrived at a room on the ship."Wow! Calling this a lounge, in my opinion, it's an equipment room! Or a clothing store?" Usopp looked in surprise at the room full of strange clothes and equipment."Wow! There are all kinds of styles, Usopp!" Luffyexcitedly picked up a long black wig and put it on his head, then he crossed his arms, raised his head, and tried hard to strike a pose as lazy and slightly arrogant as Mark usually does."Usopp! When will you be as excellent as me?""Hahaha! It's so alike!" Usopp pointed at Luffy, lie on the ground laughing and pounding the deck.But as he laughed, his voice lowered, his tone becoming worried: "Luffy... will win, right?""Ah!" Luffy put away his goofy expression, looking at Usopp with incredibly serious eyes, "I will definitely win back Mark and Robin fair and square. Those two, not one less!"A moment later, the host's voice spread across the venue through the loudspeaker transponder snail: "Sorry to keep everyone waiting! The ring is set up! The match starts right away!"Bang! Bang! Bang! The Foxy Pirates fired three special cannonballs into the sky.The cannonballs exploded in the air, releasing dense black smoke; within moments, the entire competition area was shrouded in artificial "dark clouds".This was Foxy's off-field trick—to use spotlights and create a stage effect!Under the spotlight, the central deck of the Foxypirate ship began to make a "creaking" mechanical deformation sound.The circular competition area in the middle remained stationary, while the surrounding deck slowly rose to form a natural spectator stand.Two huge bounty posters appeared on the background board in the center of the competition venue, and two strong spotlight beams hit them exactly—they were the bounty posters for Straw Hat Luffy at 230 million Berries and Silver Fox Foxyat 24 million Berries!The bounty gap was huge! This seemed like a one-sided duel.But the host also "kindly" reminded everyone: "This isn't a fight, this is a match! The venue, equipment, and rules are all very unfavorable for Straw Hat Luffy! After all, Boss Foxy once set a terrifying record of 920 consecutive wins in similar boxing matches!""Now!" the host's voice was high-pitched, "Please focus your eyes on the left side of the competition venue! Please welcome our undefeated legend—the 920-consecutive-win champion! Silver Fox—Fox—xy!"Under the spotlight, Foxy took off his shirt, revealing a Chuunibyou tattoo on his shoulder that said "Fox love".He wore a pair of professional cyan boxing gloves, waving his arms, looking full of confidence."Next! It's the challenger!" The lights turned to the right passage, "Straw Hat—Lu—ffy!"Luffy wore a white cape, looking at the competition venue ahead with firm eyes, walking step by step.Usopp was wearing a green work suit, following behind like a real manager, his mouth still constantly urging: "Hey! Listen up, Luffy! You are no longer the you from before! This hairstyle will awaken the deepest wildness in a man's heart! It is said: I don't know if the afro created the boxing champion, or the boxing champion created the afro! This problem cannot even be proven by modern science! Luffy, once you put on this afro, the power of your fists will increase tenfold!""Hehe," Luffy gave a cool smile, "Let's go, old man!""Oh yeah!" Usopp nodded vigorously, and the two seemed to have reached some kind of sacred consensus.These two guys, full of Chuunibyou vibes, stepped onto the ring amidst the crowd's mixed gaze of anticipation, speechlessness, and curiosity.Luffy stood still, raised his arm, and threw away his white cape coolly, revealing his entire outfit—on his chest was a slightly crookedly drawn skull, on his head was an extremely exaggerated black afro wig, and on his hands were a pair of eye-catching red boxing gloves."So cool! Luffy!" Chopper's eyes shone from the spectator seats."This guy's outfit... has something to it." Sanji raised an eyebrow."Who is this guy?" Zoro looked disgusted, as if he didn't recognize the person on the stage."Holy crap! It's cool!" Even Mark on the opposite ship couldn't help but take out his camera and snap a picture, recording this historic moment.The host seemed to be stunned by this look as well, pausing for a few seconds before continuing the process: "So... the rules are clear, the contestants are in position! The final battle—the interlocking death match—now... begins!"
Chapter 126: Fox's Tricky Shadows and Rubber FurySunlight pierced through the artificial dark clouds, illuminating the ring perfectly, as if casting a natural spotlight on this duel."Your style is so wild, I can't help but fall for you as an opponent, Straw Hat!"Foxy stared at Luffy's afro, his tone exaggerated yet tinged with a hint of seriousness."Butt-face, is it really okay to be this relaxed?"As the assistant, Usopp immediately fulfilled his duty, spouting trash talk, "Watch out, or our champion Luffy will beat you to a pulp!"The host, Etomimis, suddenly popped out, interrupting the standoff, "The assistant is too much of a nuisance, please leave the stage immediately!""That's way too fast! Is the assistant's job done just like that?" Usopp protested, waving his fists."Assistant off! Assistant off! Start the fight!" The audience began to chant in unison, incited by Etomimis.Under pressure, the host stopped wasting words, "Brothers, talk is cheap! Begin! Begin!""Feh feh feh! Straw Hat, let's have some fun!" Foxyspread his arms, showing off proudly, "The whole ship is the ring, you can mess it up however you want! Don't worry about breaking the ship, because I have plenty of excellent shipwrights!""W-what's so great about that!" Luffy pouted, acting tough, but his eyes couldn't hide his envy, "Sooner or later, I'll have shipwrights too, one worth ten of yours—no, a hundred!""Take him down, Luffy! Beat him to a pulp!" Sanjiroared from the stands."Watch out for the beam! Watch out for the beam, Luffy!" Nami reminded him nervously, over and over.The host shouted passionately, "The excitement is peaking both inside and outside the ring! Will they take their opponent's crewmates, or lose their own? The final round of the 'Davy Back Fight,' with the fate of 500 men on the line—starts now!"Ding! The crisp sound of the boxing bell echoed throughout the arena.Foxy stepped with light footwork, his fists guarding his chest, throwing a few quick, standard jabs, looking extremely professional.Luffy adjusted his striking afro and loosened up his shoulders."Gum-Gum…" "Noroma Beam!" Both of them moved almost simultaneously!Relying on his excellent prediction, Luffy landed a solid punch right on Foxy's face, distorting it completely.But Foxy was very cunning; the beam's range was extremely wide, and combined with the reflection off the ship's metal surfaces, Luffy's fist was ultimately grazed by the beam."Eh~" The slowed fist, pulled by the arm that was still extending behind it, traced a bizarre, wavy trajectory.Foxy wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his glove, "Feh feh feh… A bounty of over 200 million is no joke. But this place is my home turf!""Noroma…" Luffy immediately became alert and leaped upward!"Fooled you! Idiot!" This was exactly the effect Foxywanted.Dragged by his slowed arm and with no leverage in the air, Luffy became a perfect living target.He pinched three fingers together and aimed at Luffy in the air, "Noroma Beam!""Th… is… is… bad…" Luffy was hit instantly, his movements and speech both slowed down.In the stands, Sanji exclaimed, "He even slowed down his falling speed!""Even his thinking and reaction speed have slowed down. This fruit ability is too insane!" Zoro said, clutching his sword, his expression grave."I told him… to be careful! And he still got hit!" Namiwas so angry that lightning flashed in her eyes, "By the way, if a bolt of lightning accidentally strikes during the match and splits that split-head in half, that would be reasonable, right?""Miss Nami, please calm down!" Sanji hurriedly tried to dissuade her, "Luffy doesn't like others interfering in his fights."On the ring, Foxy slowly moved next to the suspended Luffy, "Straw Hat, you didn't think it would be over this quickly, did you? Feh feh feh!""Wh… at…" Luffy slowly spat out the two words.Foxy suddenly jumped onto Luffy's body, using the suspended Luffy as a platform, and unleashed a flurry of punches at a speed invisible to the naked eye!"Nine-Tail Rush!"A rain of punches landed on Luffy's face, but the slowed Luffy had no reaction.After finishing the combo, Foxy jumped down nimbly. Only then did Luffy's face begin to slowly deform and twist."That was just a greeting. Anyway, punches are useless against a rubber man." Foxy said, walking away without looking back."D… amn…" Luffy said slowly.Foxy didn't turn back, merely adding indifferently, "Just about… 30 seconds are up."As soon as he finished speaking, the suspension effect wore off! Luffy's face, like a crumpled ball of modeling clay, instantly absorbed all the impact!He slammed heavily onto the deck, his face still violently deforming, the impact even transmitting to the deck, creating a dull thud.Mark watched this scene, muttering to himself, "This is the troublesome part of conceptual-type fruits… If this split-head wasn't only obsessed with these kinds of games, he would have been targeted by the Marine long ago.""Oh no, Luffy is going to fall into the sea!" Robin's voice interrupted his thoughts."Luffy!" The crew's hearts were in their throats.At the critical moment, Luffy extended his rubber arm, firmly grabbing the fox ears of the "sexy fox," swung himself, and returned to the bow in a sorry state.He straightened his afro, feeling lingering fear, "Damn… the Noroma Beam is even trickier than I imagined!"He looked around, searching for Foxy, "It seems I can't just extend my arms recklessly anymore."Unable to vent his anger, he kicked the giant fox ear, sending it flying."I won't get hit again! Split-head, get out here!"The host couldn't help but complain, "Don't destroy the fox ears just because you're throwing a tantrum!"Luffy jumped down from the bow and was immediately targeted by dozens of arrows.Possessing Observation Haki, he moved through the arrows with ease, dodging them all.Just then, Foxy's figure slowly emerged from a strange space near the main mast. He was actually standing on a floating cannonball, surrounded by dozens of identical cannonballs."Welcome to my ship. Don't be in a rush, Straw Hat, I'll entertain you slowly." Foxy laughed sinisterly."Are those all slowed cannonballs?" Luffy waved his arm, "Since you can stand on them, I can too!"He sprinted a few steps and jumped onto one of the cannonballs. However, as soon as he touched it, the cannonball flew off at high speed! Luffy scrambled to grab another one above his head."That one won't work either!" Foxy shouted.Sure enough, that cannonball also suddenly accelerated, carrying Luffy with it as it crashed into the ship's rail, exploding with a boom!Foxy jumped down, and all the floating cannonballs, as if hearing a command, fired one after another toward Luffy's location! Boom! Boom! Boom!A series of explosions erupted, with flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke billowing."Hey, hey, hey! Does he not care about his own ship at all?" Sanji watched, dumbfounded."That idiot," Nami said, hitting the nail on the head, "To him, the ship is nothing more than a wager."In the thick smoke, Luffy crawled out of the ruins, coughing, "Idiot split-head, actually wrecking his own ship like this!""You'd better worry about yourself! Mask bombs!"Foxy held a cannon barrel shaped like a fox's face, and countless comical masks of his face were fired out with a soft sound, making only "beep beep" noises.This bizarre sight made Luffy's eyes bulge and his mouth hang open in shock. Immediately, he calmed down, even feeling a bit curious, "These masks are much bigger than the ones I buy.""Of course! These are the special edition!""Ah! The mask talked!" Luffy jumped up in surprise.However, it wasn't the mask talking, but Foxyhimself hidden among them, launching a sneak attack as he passed by Luffy!The spikes popping out of his gloves glinted coldly, but fortunately, Luffy dodged them in the nick of time."You dodge pretty fast, Straw Hat! But, 30 seconds are up!"Before Foxy finished speaking, all the surrounding masks suddenly accelerated, flying toward Luffy and exploding violently around him!
Chapter 127: The Escape King, Foxy"Cough, cough, cough! Th-this, what an astonishing explosion!"The announcer, Etomimis, rode his news bird, emerging in a disheveled state from the billowing smoke. He waved his hand to clear the smoke before his eyes, while loudly narrating in his trademark exaggerated tone."On this ship, the sexy fox, which our Foxy Piratestake great pride in, and which has accidentally become a fierce battlefield!""How despicable! Clearly, he intentionally chose his own ship as the battlefield!"Nami, in the spectator stands, immediately saw through the opponent's trick and stomped her feet in anger."This kind of home-field advantage is just too unfair!"The announcer completely ignored Nami's protest and continued to stoke the atmosphere with an inflammatory tone."Our wise and mighty boss is skillfully utilizing the home-field advantage! Look, he has launched a fierce attack using the ship's cannons! Straw Hat Luffy was hit dead on, creating this earth-shattering explosion!""Stop lying!"Chopper stood on his seat, his little hooves clenched tightly, and shouted with all his might."Luffy wouldn't be afraid of a bomb like this!"The announcer flew low on his bird, circling the billowing, disastrous-looking hull, deliberately drawing out his tone to build suspense."Is it—all—over? In this terrifying explosion, we cannot see even a trace of the contestant Straw Hat—""That was really close..."Just as everyone was holding their breath, a familiar and energetic voice came down from the top of the main mast."Birdman, you're so noisy! If you keep blabbering on, I'll grab your bird and roast it!"Luffy was seen crouching steadily on the mast crossbeam. His trademark afro was scorched even blacker, looking like a bird's nest that had been struck by lightning, yet he was miraculously unharmed from head to toe.He bared his teeth with a fierce expression, scaring the announcer out of his wits, who nearly took a nosedive off the bird's back."T-too terrifying! He's actually still alive!"The announcer hurriedly moved away from Luffy, maintaining a safe distance from the mast, his voice cracking.The spectator stands erupted instantly, with gasps and exclamations rising one after another."For real? He's fine after that?""Is this the strength of a pirate worth two hundred million Berries? That was a direct hit from a cannon!"Usopp immediately jumped up, puffed out his chest proudly, and waved his arms."Of course! Who do you think you're talking to? He is the man wearing the legendary afro that can awaken wild instincts and increase the power of his punches tenfold!""Finish him off in one go, Luffy!"Sanji's cheering voice pierced through the din of the entire arena.Luffy stood at the high point, his sharp gaze scanning the entire arena like a hawk, quickly locking onto his target.He bent his legs slightly, then leaped, diving down from the top of the mast like a hunting cheetah.Meanwhile, Foxy, in the thick smoke, thought he was hiding perfectly and was covering his mouth, giggling secretly."Feh-feh-feh, ah, feh-feh-feh—now you know how good I am—"The announcer immediately captured this "declaration of victory" and chimed in passionately."Did you hear that? The laughter of our handsome and powerful boss, Foxy, is coming from the smoke! This means his next round of attacks is about to—"The word "come" was still stuck in his throat when a sea breeze happened to blow by, and the thick smoke was quickly dispersed.The scene before them made everyone's jaws drop—Foxy was holding up his boxing gloves, which were now as tattered as rags. Nosebleeds were flowing like a stream, and his signature afro—which he took great pride in—was more than half scorched, leaving only a few pitiful tufts of hair stubbornly standing up. Wisps of smoke were still persistently rising from the top of his head, and he looked like he had just escaped from a fire."So it turns out you were the one who got blown up!"Luffy leaned against the ship's railing, his body tilted forward, mercilessly mocking him, his face filled with an expression that screamed, "Are you an idiot?""Wh-who got blown up! Idiot! This was a tactical smoke screen!"Foxy forced himself to stand straight, trying to maintain his dignity as Captain, but unfortunately, the constant flow of nosebleed made him completely unconvincing."You totally were! You idiot afro-head! Butt-face!" Luffy made an exaggerated funny face."Y-you actually said that to me!"Foxy instantly became depressed, his background seemingly turning gray, but the next second he perked up as if he'd been injected with adrenaline."You bastard, don't think you're leaving this ship alive, Straw Hat!""Come on! Afro-head! Let's fight head-on!""Noroma Beam!"Foxy suddenly attacked without warning, aiming three fingers at Luffy.Luffy, having been prepared, dodged with a swift sideways move the moment Foxy raised his hand, instantly getting behind him."Too slow! Gum-Gum Kidney Punch!"A red afterimage streaked through the air like lightning, precisely hitting Foxy in the lower back.Foxy's eyes widened instantly like copper bells. His lower back visibly caved in deeply, and his entire body was bent into a bizarre reverse-arch shape by the immense impact. He let out a shrill scream and flew into the nearby smoke that had not yet dispersed, like a human cannonball."This is the high-speed punch I specially trained for so I wouldn't get hit by your beam!"Luffy triumphantly retracted his arm, struck his classic battle pose, and shouted toward the direction of the smoke.Under the cover of the thick smoke, Foxy endured the waves of sharp pain and, using both hands and feet, quietly set up dozens of crude wooden dummies around him.Luffy punched in the direction of the scream he had just heard, but only heard a crisp "crack" as an innocent wooden board shattered."It was a fake! How annoying!"Luffy, annoyed, kicked away another dummy beside his foot; the wooden dummy spun as it flew off."Feh-feh-feh, useless Straw Hat!"Foxy's voice echoed through the smoke via some device, making it impossible to distinguish his specific location."Which one is actually me? And where will the deadly Noroma Beam shoot from? Be afraid!"Luffy looked around at the dense crowd of dummies. Far from being nervous, he grinned, revealing a bright smile. He took a deep breath and shouted with all his might."I don't care which one is real! Anyway, you're all—idiot afro-heads!""Ah—! Idiot afro-head!"One of the dummies suddenly knelt to the ground as if its tail had been stepped on, emitting Foxy's own voice."Found you! Idiot!"Luffy's heavy punch, like a cannonball leaving the barrel, instantly tore through the dense smoke and slammed solidly into Foxy's fox face, lifting him off his feet. He flew backward, his back slamming heavily against the thick main mast with a dull thud, before slowly sliding down.Foxy shook his dazed head, which felt like stars were circling it, and struggled to crawl up."St-stinking Straw Hat... I didn't expect you to have this trick up your sleeve... Wait! Look up! A shooting star!"He suddenly pointed at the sky above Luffy's head, his expression full of terror.When Luffy instinctively looked up, a sinister smile of a successful scheme flashed in Foxy's eyes, and he yanked a lever hidden beside him.With a "click," the deck under Luffy's feet flipped open without warning. He let out a short cry of surprise, instantly lost his footing, and fell straight down."Feh-feh-feh! Idiot! Who told you to look up!"Foxy lay over the opening, laughing triumphantly at the scene below."Wasn't it you who told me to look?! You butt-face!""I advise you to look at your feet instead!" Foxy had just finished saying.Luffy, having fallen into the lower cabin, hadn't even managed to steady himself when he discovered that the floor beneath his feet was actually a moving conveyor belt, which was rapidly transporting him toward an opening on the side of the hull that was about to open. It looked like he was about to be tossed into the sea like trash."Ahhh! What is this!"He hurriedly stretched out his rubber arm, which quickly coiled around the huge fox ear on the bow like a flexible tentacle.With a stylish swing, he landed steadily back on the deck.The spectator stands erupted in gasps and discussions."Not bad! This guy is the opponent who has lasted the longest on the boss's ship ever!""Boss! Come on, finish him off!"Just as two Foxy crew members were shouting the loudest, the air above their heads rippled. Two fair, elegant arms grew out of thin air like blooming flowers, steadily holding two full cups of cola, and then, without hesitation, flipped their wrists—splash! The cold cola was poured over their heads, giving both of them a chilling drenching."What is going on? Why are there traps everywhere on this broken ship!"Luffy stood on the ship's railing, looking around angrily at this ship that had caused him to suffer repeated losses, feeling that every corner might hide a trap.Just then, a strange and continuous "beep-beep-beep" sound came from a door not far away.The announcer immediately became as excited as a shark smelling blood."Did you hear that? It's the strange sound emitted by Foxy's special Foxy brooch! It is cleverly luring the contestant Straw Hat!""Is it over there?"Luffy saw the yellow Foxy mask embedded on that door, and without a second thought, he rushed toward it like an arrow released from a bow."Luffy, don't go in! That's definitely a trap!"Nami's warning was clearly treated as wind passing by Luffy's ears.Leaving behind the words, "I'm definitely going to beat him up!" Luffy's figure had already disappeared behind that door without hesitation.Nami despairingly held her forehead with one hand, feeling her blood pressure skyrocketing, and sighed weakly."Mark... please come back... I can't handle this on my own..."Inside the door was not the direct room he had imagined, but a warehouse piled with all kinds of ammunition and cannons.Luffy looked around curiously, watching those round cannonballs and barrels of gunpowder, and actually had the mind to comment."Wow! If Usopp saw this much ammunition, he'd probably faint from happiness!"At this moment, Foxy was holding his breath, hiding in a dark corner behind the door, covering his mouth and chuckling secretly, calculating in his heart."Once this idiot Straw Hat rushes a few more steps forward, he'll step on my specially made floor covered with sharp knives! The match will end right there! Feh-feh-feh—"Before his inner laughter had even ended, a deafening "boom" rang out, and the wooden wall where he was hiding was instantly blasted open into a large hole by a tremendous force!A massive solid iron ball, nearly two meters in diameter, came crashing toward him with the momentum to destroy everything!Foxy didn't even have time to react; he only managed to let out a short scream before being hit solidly by the iron ball, pinned tightly against the wall like a sheet of paper, becoming a two-dimensional character.At the critical moment, Foxy used the last of his strength, trembling as he extended three fingers, and fired a weak beam at the iron ball that was right in front of him."No... ro... ma... Beam..."The impact of the iron ball was instantly frozen. Only then did he crawl out, shaken, from the gap between the iron ball and the wall, collapsing limply onto the surface of the suspended iron ball, gasping for air, feeling like he had just returned from the gates of hell."So you really were here! You sneaky, stinking fox!"Luffy stood next to a cannon that was still emitting wisps of smoke, looking through the large hole he had blasted in the wall, and flashed a triumphant, grinning smile at Foxy inside.The furious Foxy once again displayed his "Escape Champion" skills, greased his feet, and vanished in a flash.This time, he panicked and hid in the medical room, scrambling to put on a white lab coat and wearing an afro wig that was a size too small and looked quite ridiculous.When Luffy pushed the door open with a "bang," what he saw was a "female nurse" figure wearing a white lab coat with her back to him. The "female nurse" was wearing a pair of inappropriate red high heels, but looking from behind, the hair on those legs was even thicker and darker than the wig."What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"Foxy, disguised as a nurse, pinched his voice and asked in a creepy, fake tone, while deliberately wiggling his body.Luffy poked his head in, looking left and right, his face full of confusion."Huh? Strange, I clearly saw that afro-head run in. Did no one come in?""I didn't see anything at all~"Foxy continued to act coy with that terrifying voice."Is that so... Then I might have been mistaken. Sorry to bother you."Luffy rubbed his nose, and actually politely backed out, even gently closing the door behind him.He stood in the corridor, arms crossed, fist pressed against his chin, brow furrowed, thinking seriously."How strange... I saw him sneak in with my own eyes..."Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, as if he had figured out something key. He slammed the door open again, pointed at the figure inside, and asked loudly."Are you... are you the afro-head's sister?"Foxy's wig was so shocked it almost fell off. He turned around abruptly and blurted out."What?!""Are you an idiot?... Take this, Foxy Super Counterattack!"Realizing he was exposed, Foxy, in a fit of rage, pulled out a huge metal dog-head clip and threw it at Luffy. Taking advantage of the moment Luffydodged, he once again displayed his specialty, slipping past Luffy like an eel and diving into the next room.When Luffy, in hot pursuit, kicked open the next door, he discovered that this was actually a kitchen.A big-headed chef was standing with his back to him, leisurely chopping vegetables, humming an off-key song."Hey! Did you see a stinking fox with a part in the middle of his hair and a face that looks like a butt run in here?"Luffy asked, hands on his hips, aggressively.The next second, the big-headed chef's chopping motion stopped abruptly. His shoulders slumped, his head drooped, and he said in a tearful, grievance-filled voice."No matter what... that description of yours is... is just too much...""Ah! So it was you!"Luffy realized in an instant and pointed at him, shouting."So what if it's me!"Foxy ripped off the chef's hat and the wig underneath, roaring furiously."That beautiful nurse from just now was me too! Feh-feh-feh! Didn't expect that, did you!""What?! That was you too? How could you disguise yourself so well?!"Luffy opened his mouth wide in shock, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.Just in that moment of distraction, the "Noroma Beam" hit him precisely once again.Foxy triumphantly circled behind the immobile Luffy, flexing his wrists while showing off his intelligence."Why do you think I lured you to this kitchen? Did you think it was to cook for you? Too naive!"As he spoke, he pressed a button hidden on the kitchen wall.A section of the wall slid open silently to the side, revealing a bottomless, pitch-black square opening behind it, from which an eerie, ominous aura emanated."Straw Hat Luffy! See for yourself what's inside! But you can rest assured, there are definitely no 'living creatures' inside! So it doesn't count as a foul! Feh-feh-feh-feh!"The thirty seconds of the slow-motion effect ended, and the accumulated punching impact exploded. Luffy's body was uncontrollably pushed forward, stumbling into the darkness that swallowed everything."Bang!"The heavy wall closed rapidly behind him, cutting off the last ray of light.
Chapter 128: Jet's Roar and the Order to Disband 500 People!Bang!A heavy thud echoed in the darkness. Luffy rubbed his bruised backside and sat up, dazed.It was pitch black all around, with only a few faint glimmers of light seeping through the cracks in the wooden planks, barely outlining the contours of this huge space."Where exactly am I?""Feh feh feh!" The familiar strange laughter sounded particularly harsh in the enclosed space."Where is that guy?" Luffy looked around vigilantly."Feh feh feh, are you looking for me? Over here!"Suddenly, two large, lightbulb-like eyes lit up in the darkness. With a clicking sound of mechanical gears turning, a spotlight clicked on, illuminating the scene before him clearly.Foxy was sitting on a machine with an extremely bizarre design—it had a square, tank-like chassis, and instead of cannon barrels, it was mounted with dozens of soft-looking boxing gloves."What kind of design is this?"Luffy tilted his head, looking at this comical combination with a puzzled expression."Show some respect!" Foxy was so angry that his face turned blue. "This is my pride and joy, the ultimate weapon—the Mechanical Foxy: King Kong Boxer No. 13!"He proudly patted the machine. "After modification after modification, this is now the perfect boxing robot with absolutely no flaws!"Luffy completely ignored the machine's existence and stared at Foxy, asking seriously, "A gorilla? Where is there a gorilla?""Where is there a gorilla..." "Where is there a gorilla..." This sentence echoed repeatedly in Foxy's mind, and he instantly petrified, his background seemingly turning grayscale."That really is a sharp-witted retort..." He muttered weakly, then flew into a rage. "Mind your own business! Go, King Kong Boxer No. 13!"After saying this, Foxy pedaled frantically. The robot's treads started to move with a "creak, creak" sound, and the dozens of boxing gloves above began to wave around wildly."What makes this thing move?" Luffy looked at this bizarre sight, even more confused."That's a secret!" Foxy's face flushed red, and he pedaled even harder."Oh—" Luffy drew out his tone, revealing an expression of sudden realization. "So it's powered by human effort! How boring.""Stop looking down on me!" Foxy roared. "You must think you can dodge these fists, right?! Noroma Beam!"He suddenly leaned out from the machine, pointing three fingers at Luffy. Luffy easily dodged to the side. "Where are you aiming? Your accuracy is terrible!""Feh feh feh, look behind you?"Luffy turned back to look and saw that, at some point, several huge mirrors had lit up in the darkness. The beam he had just dodged reflected continuously between the mirror surfaces, instantly weaving into a light net that blocked all his retreat paths!"Ah! Mirrors!""That's right!" Foxy said triumphantly. "By using mirrors to reflect the beam, you can't dodge it now, can you?!"Just as Luffy was being forced into a panic by the beams, Foxy controlled the robot to throw a heavy punch.Luffy sensed the attack and threw a punch to meet it in time, but the moment the fists connected, the red glove on his hand suddenly burst into flames with a "boom"!"Ah... that burns!" Luffy screamed, shaking his right hand and trying to extinguish the flames."Hot? Is it hot?" Foxy danced on the machine. "I forgot to tell you, these aren't ordinary fists—these are Flame Fists that can burn!""Is that so..." Luffy finally extinguished the flames, his eyes becoming serious. "Then I just won't touch the fists!"Before he finished speaking, his figure flashed, and he appeared in front of a mirror.His arm whipped out like a lash, instantly smashing the mirror to pieces."Idiot Beam, you don't dare use it now, do you!" Luffy proudly adjusted his Afro, which had been scorched even blacker. "As long as there's no annoying beam, how many of my punches can you take?""Don't get cocky!" Foxy roared as he pressed the control lever. "King Kong Burst Kill!"The robot's dozens of fists spewed flames simultaneously, attacking Luffy from all directions like a storm.In this enclosed space, Luffy had almost no room to dodge and was forced into an absolute dead end."Sigh..." Facing a desperate situation, Luffy suddenly sighed. He straightened his Afro, his eyes becoming as sharp as a hawk's. "I originally wanted to play a bit longer... looks like I have to show some real skills!"The next second, a sudden change occurred! Luffy's arm swung violently to the side, his skin instantly flushing an unnatural red. A scorching airflow visibly pulsed within his rubber arm, and white steam erupted from his entire body with a "hiss"!"Gear Second!"His figure instantly vanished from where he stood, leaving only a streak of red afterimage in the air.By the time Foxy reacted, Luffy had already appeared before him, his steam-shrouded fist heading straight for his face with a terrifying sound of breaking air!"Gum-Gum—Jet Bullet!""Bang—!" This punch landed solidly on Foxy's face. His entire face instantly caved in, and the entire robot slid backward several meters, plowing deep grooves into the deck."It's not over yet!" Luffy's figure disappeared again, appearing at the side of the robot. "Gum-Gum—Jet Whip!"A sharp high kick, accompanied by a sonic boom, slammed heavily into the robot's waist. Accompanied by a teeth-grinding sound of metal tearing, the so-called "King Kong Boxer No. 13" snapped in half, parts and debris flying everywhere, completely turning into a pile of scrap metal."Final blow!" Luffy's figure flashed like a ghost to the side of Foxy, who had fallen out of the machine wreckage. He pulled his fists back, steam erupting to the limit: "Jet Rhino Bazooka—!!!"Both fists struck out together, hitting the target dead center! Foxy didn't even have time to scream before he was sent flying backward like a human cannonball, crashing through three layers of cabin walls, finally turning into a black dot as he flew toward the sky through a hole in the ship's hull!Outside the arena, everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.The announcer, Etomimis, stared intently at the flying black shadow, his voice trembling: "The, the battle seems to be over! A figure has flown out! Wh, who could it be? Is it our boss Foxy or Straw Hat Luffy?"In the audience, Mark stretched lazily and yawned: "So fast? I wanted to enjoy it a little longer."Robin smiled and withdrew the ability she was using to play pranks in the audience: "It seems so. But, if we win 500 people, the going merry won't be able to fit them, right?"On the other side of the audience! Zoro held his swords, looking matter-of-fact: "Too slow. Cook, make some appetizers tonight; my drinking buddy is back."Sanji immediately bristled: "Why should a Marimobe bossing me around? The food that guy Mark likes is either so numbing it makes your lips fight, or so spicy it makes you drool! The key is that even Nami-san has had her taste buds pushed toward heavier flavors by him lately!"He turned to Nami, eyes teary, "Nami-san, love will disappear, right?"Nami punched Sanji on the head: "Are you an idiot?! Is this the time to be thinking about that?!"Just then, the smoke slowly dissipated. Luffy, with steam still not fully dispersed from his body, stood at the bow of the sexy fox, wearing his conspicuous Afro, holding up his red gloves, and flashing a brilliant smile."Great!" Chopper jumped up in excitement."As expected of someone who received my guidance." Usopp stood with his hands on his hips, looking smug."That has absolutely nothing to do with you!" Sanjiimmediately debunked him."The Afro, I was the one who chose it..." Usopp tried to argue."Uh...! Fine! Forget it, you have good taste!" Sanjilooked at Luffy's high-impact appearance and gave rare approval.Splash! Foxy fell into the sea, and it was clearly outside the arena boundaries.A moment later, the announcer Etomimis used all his strength, his voice trembling as he announced: "It's out of bounds!! Unbelievable! Boss Foxy's 920-match winning streak has been completely ended! The, the, the winner is—Straw Hat Luffy!!! The Straw Hat Pirates win the final victory!!!"Foxy's underlings scrambled to save their boss who had fallen into the water, resulting in them all rushing to one end of the stands, causing a support pillar to snap, and they all fell into the water with a "splash, splash" like dumplings!Mark summoned Ink Meteor, pulled Robin up to sit on it gracefully, and floated into the air, flying toward the going merry on the shore.On the shore, Chopper was treating some minor burns for Luffy.A huge roasted lamb leg suddenly appeared in front of Luffy.Chopper turned around, saw the two returning, and tears welled up instantly: "Wow! Robin! Mark! I was so worried about you!"He sobbed and threw himself at them.Merry also happily jumped onto Mark's shoulder and sat down."Here for you." Robin gently took out a marshmallow and handed it to Chopper."Wow... meat!" Luffy bit off half the lamb leg in one go and said indistinctly, "So delicious! Mark, this bit of meat is not enough at all!"He seemed to have completely returned to his daily state."Can't help it, the rest of the meat fell into the sea to feed the fish when the hull exploded!" Markshrugged helplessly."Can you take off your eye patches now? It looks weird." Nami pointed at the Foxy Pirates eye patches still worn on their faces and said."Although it's a game, we still have to follow the rules of the game."Mark leaned back on Ink Meteor leisurely, "Right now, Robin and I are nominally still members of the Foxy Pirates.""Mark is right. But, what about that split-head guy?" Luffy asked while devouring food.Zoro pointed to the peculiar rainbow fountain on the sea in the distance—that was the water column squeezed out from Foxy's stomach when his ship doctor was performing first aid on the drowning Foxy."Look over there, such a familiar rainbow." Zoro said."What a spectacular sight!" Usopp also exclaimed from the side.Not long after, Foxy's annoying voice came over."Hey! Straw Hat! You really have a lot of nerve, daring to stain my life of perfect winning streaks!""Boss!" His crew members gathered around.Foxy changed his tone, squeezed out a twisted smile, and reached out a hand: "But I have to say, well done! Brother!"Luffy, wearing the Straw Hat handed to him by Usopp, reached out his hand.Foxy immediately changed his face, grabbed Luffy's hand tightly with both hands, and used his signature move: "Humiliation-Enduring Loss-of-Reason Back-Throw!"As a result, he forgot that Luffy was a rubber man; with a hard pull, other than stretching Luffy's arm like a rubber band, it had no effect at all.He himself hit the ground headfirst because he used too much force, and a big bump swelled up on his head."Boss!" The crew members exclaimed."Is he an idiot? What is this guy?" Zoro said with a speechless expression."Isn't that obvious?" Usopp retorted."Alright! Straw Hat!" Foxy scrambled up and shouted angrily, "According to the rules, you have to choose 500 of my crew members! Hurry up and choose!"The host also announced at the right time: "The moment to finally choose crewmates has arrived! Straw Hat Luffy, please make your choice!""Then, I choose Mark and Robin." Luffy said without hesitation.Robin and Mark looked at each other and smiled, elegantly took off their masks, tossed them back to Foxy casually, and officially returned to the team.Host: "Then what about the other 498 people? How will the Straw Hat make their choice?"Luffy looked at Foxy and revealed a brilliant smile: "Then, give me your pirate flag!""What?! You want to take away our pride?" Foxysaid in shock."After all, if you lose the sails, you won't be able to sail, right!" Luffy said as a matter of course."How... how merciful!" Foxy was moved to tears."But Boss! Our emblem is also on the sails!" A member of the Foxy Pirates reminded."Oh! Is that so!" Luffy suddenly realized, "I just wanted your emblem. Then I'll draw one for you! That way you won't need to give me the sails!""Straw Hat... you really are..." Foxy was moved to tears again."That's better!"Luffy moved quickly, using paint he found from somewhere, and completed his "creation" on the Foxy Pirates' spare sail.When Foxy saw the pirate emblem Luffy had drawn—that crooked, kindergarten-child-doodle-like thing—the entire Foxy Pirates collectively became depressed, and the background turned gray."Too... too terrible!""Hehe, they seem to be thanking me!" Luffy said happily, carrying the original, intact Foxy Piratesflag."Thank you my foot—!!!" The Foxy Piratescollectively roared.Luffy was about to leave carrying the pirate flag, but was stopped by the host: "Please wait a moment! Straw Hat Luffy! You still have 497 crew member slots left to choose!""But, I don't need that many people anymore!" Luffyscratched his head."No way!" Foxy jumped out, "The rules are the rules! You must choose!""Is that so... this is tough..." Luffy crossed his arms and began to rack his brain."Luffy," Zoro said from the side, holding his sword, and reminded him indifferently, "Captain's orders need to be absolutely obeyed, right?""Oh! I see! I got it!" Luffy's eyes lit up, and he suddenly realized.He turned around, faced the massive Foxy Piratesmembers, and waved his arm: "Then from you,... to you... how many people in total!"The host hurriedly took the list and calculated: "I... let me count... excluding the Boss, Hamburg, Porche... exactly 497 people!""Then, it's settled!" Luffy waved his hand."Oh! The new Straw Hat Pirates are established!""But there's no room for that many people, the going merry will sink!" Usopp shouted in horror."Then we can just ride the sexy fox and follow behind!" The former Foxy Pirates members immediately proposed a solution."That's my ship! How could you do this!" Foxy was on the verge of tears."How are you three going to sail such a big ship?" The former Foxy crew member, Captain of the Fang Frog Pirates, said.As a result, the Straw Hat "generously" gave Foxy, Porche, and Hamburg a small wooden raft.The three of them sat on this shabby little boat and set off, swaying."Remember this! Straw Hat—!!!" Foxy's voice came from far away with the sea breeze.Luffy turned around, faced his newly recruited "498 crew members," jumped onto a reef, cleared his throat: "Now issuing the first and last Captain's order! Listen up, you little ones!""Oh—!!!" Everyone responded in unison, with great momentum.Luffy took a deep breath and announced loudly: "You—are dismissed!""Dis... dismissed?!" Everyone was stunned, and the whole scene went silent."Yeah!" Luffy revealed a brilliant smile and tipped his Straw Hat, "Whether you really disband or go back to find your Boss Foxy, it's all fine! I only need my crewmates, that's enough! Let's go! Back to the going merry!"Just the moment Luffy turned around, those 498 people looked at each other and then burst into great action.They quickly sailed the massive "sexy fox," trying hard to catch up with the small wooden raft Foxywas riding, and their shouts echoed over the sea: "Boss Foxy—!!! Wait for us—!!!""We still feel happier hanging out in the Foxy Pirates—!!!"Under the sunset, the entire Straw Hat gathered in front of the sheep head of the going merry, watching the funny scene of the big ship chasing the small boat into the distance, and all laughed."What an interesting game!" Luffy said with a laugh."Yeah," Mark pulled out a bunch of grapes from who knows where, "However, if you lose me next time, I really won't come back.""Hahaha, that won't happen!" Luffy laughed loudly, hugging his crewmates tightly, "Not a single one will be missing! Let's go! To the next island!"The going merry raised its sails, carrying the complete crew and laughter, and continued to sail toward that vast and free ocean.
Chapter 129: The Island of AmnesiaThe setting sun dyed the boundless sea into a magnificent, flowing gold, and the white hull of the going merry seemed to be plated with a layer of warm, fiery edges as it elegantly sliced through the calm sea.The lounge seemed to still hold the lingering joy of the feast, while on the deck, the little Klabautermann, Merry, and Chopper were riding on Ink Meteor's back, letting out laughter like silver bells."Wow, it's been so long since I've felt this relaxed."Nami leaned on the balcony railing on the second floor, smiling as she watched the scene of play on the deck, then turned her gaze toward the sparkling distance, her golden hair fluttering in the wind."Nami," Zoro's deep voice came. He was crossing his arms, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "Is the direction of the log pose really correct?""No problem at all!" Nami didn't even turn her head, full of confidence. "The log pose is pointing in this direction, not a single bit off.""Usopp, still nothing?" Zoro raised his voice, calling toward the crow's nest."Wait! Let me look carefully!" In the crow's nest, Usopp held his green binoculars, scanning left and right like a true warrior of the sea. Suddenly, his voice became excited: "There's an island! A new island discovered ahead!""A new island...! Where? Where? Let me see!" Luffy's voice instantly filled the entire deck. His rubber arm suddenly stretched out, grabbing the edge of the crow's nest, and he launched himself inside like a cannonball, snatching the binoculars from Usopp and quickly putting them to his eyes. "It's real! It's an island! Haha, the new adventure begins!" he shouted excitedly."No way!" Nami's stern voice immediately poured cold water on him. "There are coral reefs everywhere here; it's too dangerous to proceed rashly. We'll anchor on the sea tonight and go ashore first thing tomorrow morning!""Eh~~~~ why?" Luffy pouted in disappointment, his whole body slumping down like it was leaking air."What, do you dare to disobey the navigator?" Namiput her hands on her hips, eyes narrowing. "Sanji! Don't leave any food for Luffy tonight!" She turned to Sanji, who was cleaning the table, her tone instantly becoming sweet. Sanji: "Understood! Nami-san!""I'm sorry..." Luffy conceded at light speed, looking dejected.Night deepened, and the going merry quietly anchored in safe waters not far from the coast. It was Zoro's turn to keep watch tonight, and the other members returned to their rooms to sleep one after another.In the girls' room, Robin glanced at the sleeping Nami and Merry, who was curled up like a little angel. She smiled gently, dimmed the lamp slightly, and continued to immerse herself in the beloved book in her hands.On the deck, Zoro, who had been sitting with his sword, suddenly opened his eyes, scanning the pitch-black ocean with sharp, hawk-like eyes. However, the feeling of being watched flashed and vanished, and the sea remained calm. "An illusion...?" he muttered, scratching his distinctive green moss-like short hair, sat back down, and eventually fell into a deep sleep in the crow's nest while holding his sword.None of them knew that at the bottom of the going merry, a boy with white curly hair curled his lips into a mysterious smile and gently blew a strange-looking seahorse whistle.The strange sound waves penetrated the hull, lingering around the sleeping crew members.[Notice: King, your memory was originally deprived by the power of rules; now initiating memory backup program.] [Correction: The power of rules has initiated the King's memory unlocking process—since the benefits of unlocking outweigh the deprivation, the termination of the deprivation operation is specially approved!] Such a notification sound rang in Mark's mind, but he, confused by the sound at this moment, was not awakened.Early in the morning, Robin closed the last page of the book, sighed with satisfaction, and neatly placed it back on the bookshelf. She turned around, only to see Nami already sitting up, looking around with a blank expression. The two made eye contact. Nami's first words were filled with vigilance and confusion: "Who are you?""Oh..." Robin widened her eyes, a rare reaction. She keenly sensed that Nami was not joking. At this moment, little Merry also sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Looking at Nami and Robin, her small, childish face was full of confusion: "What are you... doing in my house?"The boys' dormitory was in even more chaos. Chopper knocked things over in a panic, then cautiously hid behind the main mast—though his entire body was exposed—and nervously peeked through his hooves at the strange men in the room."Meat! I want to eat meat!" Luffy's loud dream talk scared Chopper so much that he let out a "Wah," scrambled on all fours, and shot up to the deck like a cannonball, knocking the hatch cover straight into the air."Bang!" The sound of the hatch cover falling woke everyone up.Sanji sat on the sofa, lit a cigarette, and frowned. Usopp was trembling all over, his hands on his knees, sitting straight, his eyes full of unease. Luffy, rubbing his eyes, immediately perked up upon seeing Mark and shamelessly climbed onto his shoulder: "Mark! Great, we're saved! Did the people on this ship save us?"Mark, on the other hand, had a cold and vigilant expression, trying hard to peel the rubber man off his body: "Let go! Who are you? Are we close?""Hey!" Sanji exhaled a smoke ring, his voice tinged with irritation. "Wha... what?" Usopp replied with a trembling voice. "Do you know anything?" Sanjilooked at Usopp. "I am Sanji, a chef at the Baratierestaurant. I remember going to sleep in my room as usual, and when I woke up, I was stuck in this godforsaken place with you weirdos. Do you know what's going on?"Usopp's face fell, cold sweat streaming down: "This... this..."Luffy interrupted with a serious face, still clinging to Mark: "What are you talking about! Didn't you save me and Mark? We fell into the sea after encountering a tornado! He is my partner, Mark!""Partner?" Mark violently shook off Luffy's hand, his eyes sharp as knives, scanning everyone with deep pain and hatred. "Don't try to get close to me! Where is this? The Celestial Dragons... those pigs..." His voice trembled with anger. The last scene in his memory was the towering flames and his mother's falling figure, followed by the revenge he unleashed that dyed everything red. "...Are they dead?"Before the words faded, Mark dashed up to the deck along the mast. He needed space; he needed to clear his thoughts.On the deck, the giant beast Ink Meteor was pacing leisurely. Its intact memory prevented it from feeling anything abnormal about the current situation. Seeing the panicked Chopper, it thought the little reindeer wanted to play, so it trotted toward Chopper with light steps and a playful air. Seeing this, Chopper scurried all over the deck in fear.But after running a few steps, Chopper's keen animal instinct made it feel the giant beast's emotions behind it—there was no malice, only a gentle, inviting air of play. The sense of closeness as fellow non-human creatures made it hesitate. When Mark appeared, Ink Meteor immediately abandoned the thought of playing and affectionately lay at its master's feet, wagging its tail.Mark was startled at first, then felt that this giant beast could be commanded at will, just like his own limbs. Complex emotions swirled in his eyes, and he finally walked silently to the ship's rail, gazing into the distance."Hey! Mark, what's wrong? Is it really because I ate all the meat?" Luffy, who had followed immediately, stood beside Mark, rubbing his chin in deep thought, then pointed at Ink Meteor and exclaimed: "What is this! A rare beast? How interesting!" Luffy wrapped his rubber arms around Ink Meteor and pressed his whole body against it. "It's so fluffy and comfortable!"At this moment, Sanji and Usopp also came to the deck. Sanji surveyed the area: "Anyway, let's cook first! We can't think of any good ideas on an empty stomach!""Creak—" The door to the girls' room was pushed open, and Robin walked out with a grave expression: "It's bad, everyone, Nami she..." Everyone's gaze was drawn over. Nami followed closely behind.Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and the others on the deck frowned in equal confusion: "Who are you?"Robin was not surprised by this. Her calm gaze swept over Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, and Mark, who was exuding an aura of "keep away." "It seems that it's not just Nami and Merry who have lost their memories."Sanji straightened his tie, as if his personality had switched instantly: "I finally understand! The feeling of falling in love and being unable to extricate myself! Humans really can't help but be drawn to things that shine!" He performed a smooth slide, appearing in front of Nami and Robin as if teleporting, and handed roses that appeared from nowhere to the two ladies: "My two beautiful angel sisters, what are your names? If you're free tonight, would you do me the honor of having a meal together?"Nami felt like ten thousand ants were crawling all over her body and backed away in disgust. "Hahaha, what's up with this guy? So funny!" Luffy pointed at Sanji, holding his stomach and laughing until he doubled over. "How... did that guy suddenly change his personality!" Usopp looked speechlessly at Sanji, who had fallen into a lovesick state.Nami tried to push away Sanji's face, which kept leaning in, but he stuck to her like glue. In her desperation, Nami's palm let out a "crackle," and dazzling blue sparks emerged! "Ah! Lightning? What is this!" Nami looked at her electrified hands, even more panicked than Sanji. Sanji, who had been shocked until he was charred and smoking, collapsed straight down, still wearing a happy smile on his face."Clang!" Chopper was also so scared by the lightning in Nami's hands that he shrank to the side of a wooden barrel in the corner of the deck. Everyone looked! "You're hiding on the wrong side... Doctor!" Robin, looking at Chopper, who still had most of his body exposed, reminded him subconsciously. Luffy looked at Chopper in surprise: "So interesting... what is it?" "It's a deer, right!" Usopp peeked from behind the mast. Chopperroared angrily: "Idiot! Not a deer, I'm a reindeer!" "It talked!..." Except for Robin and Mark, everyone pointed at Chopper in shock."Catch it quickly! It must be a rare beast!" Luffy's eyes shone. "Maybe not! It looks like a monster!" Although Usopp was afraid, his curiosity was also stirring. "That woman (referring to Nami), come help...!" Luffy shouted. "No way... don't come over here!" Nami looked at her hand, which was still occasionally sparking, and backed away in terror. "Ah... help!" Chopper, seeing Luffy and Usoppapproaching, was so scared that he ran again.Although the three troublemakers—Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper—had lost their memories, as long as they were together, they could immediately plunge the deck into chaos. Chased by these two "dangerous humans," Luffy and Usopp, Chopper ran frantically on the deck. It keenly sensed the calm aura emanating from Ink Meteor—that was the tacit understanding of fellow non-human creatures, a gentleness without malice. Survival instinct made it dash behind the black giant beast without hesitation, its little hooves clutching the thick fur tightly in search of shelter.Ink Meteor was familiar with this; it understood immediately. It remembered that when playing "Eagle Catches the Chick," it was always the protector. So it happily joined the game, its huge body standing steadily in front of Chopper, letting out a low growl at the pursuing Luffy and Usopp, its tail wagging happily. It just had a trace of human-like confusion in its golden beast eyes: the lineup for this game today was so strange—why were there two "eagles" but only one "chick"?Luffy and Usopp were forced to stop by the mighty Ink Meteor, and the deck fell into a brief standoff. Robin watched the chaotic scene, rested her chin in her hand, and sighed softly: "This! Where on earth should I even start explaining..."
Chapter 130: Fragmented Clues in MemoryJust as the deck was in chaos, Robin's clear and calm voice rang out, like a stabilizing stone thrown into the noise:"Everyone, stop for a moment and listen to me. We are in..."Her voice was not loud, but it strangely rose above all the clamor, clearly reaching everyone's ears.Usopp and Luffy stopped chasing Chopper, Markand Sanji subconsciously moved a few steps closer to her.Even Zoro, who had not yet appeared, silently pricked up his ears in the crow's nest."What did you say?" Usopp asked, panting."I said, we are currently on the Grand Line!" Robinsmiled slightly, "You haven't forgotten even this, have you?"The words "Grand Line" were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, instantly stirring up different ripples."Really? Ho ho ho!"Luffy excitedly catapulted himself onto the railing of the going merry and then grabbed the rope to climb up, his rubber body swaying with the sea breeze, looking into the distance, "This is awesome!""What are you getting so excited about!"Usopp screamed while holding his head, his voice cracking, "The Grand Line is where monsters run rampant, the legendary sea of demons! You'll lose your life here if you're not careful!""But, the sea here is no different from an ordinary sea!"Luffy looked at the blue sky and white clouds and the calm sea in front of him, then looked toward the island in the distance that exuded the scent of adventure, dancing with excitement.Robin turned her gaze to Nami, who was still studying her own hands."Navigator-san," she pointed to Nami's wrist, "Do you know what that is on your wrist?""Navigator? Are you calling me?"Nami raised her wrist in confusion and saw the strange-looking instrument, "Ah! What is this thing?""That is a log pose," Robin explained patiently, "It uses the magnetism between islands to guide the course; it is an essential tool for sailing on the Grand Line."Nami stared at the needle on her wrist that was steadily pointing toward the island, her brows furrowed, as if trying to extract a hint of familiarity from this strange object."Speaking of which, beautiful lady," Sanji stepped forward, his face full of distress, "I must return to the Baratie in the East Blue. Is there any way?""Chef-san, I advise you to give up that idea."Robin shook her head slightly, "We have already sailed a long distance on the Grand Line; returning alone is tantamount to suicide. We followed the guidance of the log pose and passed through several islands to arrive at this small island surrounded by coral reefs.""Even if you say that..."Nami crossed her arms, still finding it hard to accept, "It's hard for me to believe that I would happily sail for so long with this bunch of inexplicable guys.""Because of that."Robin raised her hand and pointed to the top of the main mast of the going merry.Everyone's gaze followed upward—a pirate flag fluttering in the wind came into view.Behind the white skull were two crossed bones, and the skull's iconic feature was that Straw Hat."That... that is a pirate flag!" Usopp muttered."What? This is a pirate ship?!" Luffy jumped onto the deck, his eyes full of excitement."Ahem!"Usopp immediately puffed out his chest, closed his eyes, and announced solemnly:"That's right! This is the pirate ship of the great Captain Usopp!""But, Captain Usopp," Sanji said with his hands in his pockets, mercilessly exposing him, "That skull is wearing a Straw Hat.""Uh, well..."Usopp looked up and took a closer look; it was indeed true.His eyes rolled, and he immediately had an idea.He quickly ran to Luffy's side and reached out to take the Straw Hat off his head, "Right! This Straw Hat is also mine!""What are you doing! Don't touch my Straw Hat!"Luffy reacted very quickly, snatched the Straw Hatback, and the huge force directly sent Usopp flying into the air, about to fall into the sea.Luffy's arm suddenly stretched out, fished the wailing Usopp back, and dragged him in front of himself.His expression was rarely serious, and he said word by word:"This Straw Hat is my most important treasure. If you touch it again, I'll beat you up!""You... aren't you suffering from amnesia?!" Usoppasked tremblingly."How could I forget this!" Luffy tightly protected the Straw Hat, "This was entrusted to me by Shanks! Moreover, in order to become the Pirate King, I have already found a powerful partner!"He turned his head and waved vigorously at Mark, who had been standing silently by the ship's rail, "Right, Mark!"At this moment, Mark was immersed in a silent dialogue with the system "Charles" in his mind, trying to sort out his chaotic memories and the current situation, and had no time to respond to Luffy's call."Always 'pirate', 'pirate', what a stupid era!"Nami put her hands on her hips, her face full of distrust, "I'll just say it, everything you said is a lie! I hate pirates the most, I only like money and tangerines, how could I have sailed with these guys for so long!""Tangerines?"Hearing this, Robin reached out and pointed to the lush little garden on the second deck of the going merry, "Are you talking about that?""Eh?!"Nami looked in the direction she pointed and was instantly stunned, "No way... That is... Belle-Mere's tangerine trees! I definitely won't recognize them wrong!"Robin moved her arm slightly, using the power of the Hana Hana no Mi, an arm appeared out of thin air on the tangerine tree, plucked a plump tangerine, and gently tossed it to Nami.Nami subconsciously caught it, then looked in shock at the direction where the arm had dissipated: "What was that just now? An arm?!""Hey! That was a paranormal phenomenon, right!" Usopp's voice trembled with fear."Is it a ghost tangerine?" Luffy tilted his head, looking curious."Who exactly are you?" Nami looked at Robin with suspicion."This," Robin elegantly raised her hand, her arm swaying with a slight afterimage, "I am a Devil Fruituser who ate the 'Hana Hana no Mi'."She then pointed to Nami: "And you, you ate the 'Rumble-Rumble Fruit' and are a Logia user. But don't worry, your fruit has been purified by Mark, who is also a Logia user, so it won't turn you into a hammer."She pointed to Luffy: "Luffy is also a user.""That's right!" Luffy proudly pulled his cheeks, his rubber skin instantly stretched long, "I am a rubber man who ate the 'gum-gum fruit'!"Finally, Robin's gaze fell on Ink Meteor and Chopper, who was peeking out from behind it."Ink Meteor is a weapon that ate the Zoan · Sheep-Sheep Fruit · Mythical Type · Taotie form. It is Mark's partner who shares a mutual understanding. And Chopper, he is a reindeer who ate the 'Human-Human Fruit' and is the ship's doctor whose medical skills are even more superb than humans.""Even if you say that... I won't be happy, you jerk!"Chopper's mouth was resistant, but his body honestly started to twist, and his little hooves tapped the deck happily."You're obviously very happy," Sanji smoked, complaining helplessly."Clang!"Just then, the door to the girls' room was slammed open, and little Merry rushed out angrily, protesting loudly:"Liar! What yours or mine, this is clearly my house!""That is indeed the case," Robin nodded affirmatively, "She is Merry, the Klabautermann of this ship.""Hey, hey, hey, a Klabautermann, that's just a legendary existence!"Usopp felt that his cognition had been repeatedly subverted today."In short, we, plus another person, have been sailing on this sea as pirates until now." Robin summarized."Another person?" Usopp was confused.Almost at the same time as Robin's voice fell, Mark, Luffy, and Sanji all looked up at the crow's nest as if they felt something.Zoro stood up from inside, with a hint of laziness from just waking up, stepped out, and his figure leaped neatly from the height, landing steadily in the center of the deck, making a slight sound."Making noise early in the morning, so annoying!" He stood up slowly, but his lazy voice carried an undeniable Haki."You... who exactly are you?!" Usopp was so scared by his sudden appearance and momentum that he backed away repeatedly."Before asking for someone else's name, you should introduce yourself first, right!" Zoro lifted his chin slightly."I am Luffy! Nice to meet you!" Luffy greeted enthusiastically behind him.Zoro turned his head and announced his name: "Roronoa Zoro.""Pirate Hunter?" Sanji's eyes sharpened."I've never called myself a Pirate Hunter," Zoroanswered nonchalantly, "I just cut off a few pirates' heads for booze money when I'm short on cash."His gaze met Sanji's in the air, and sparks faintly flew."However, you are on this ship, are you targeting this pirate ship?" Sanji said."Who knows," Zoro yawned, "I don't even know why I'm on this pirate ship myself. By the way, are you pirates who do bad things?""You... you... come on if you want to fight!"Usopp braced himself and stood out, trying to scare the opponent away with his usual lies, "I am the great pirate Captain Usopp with eight thousand subordinates!""Eight thousand subordinates?"Zoro was not only not scared but his eyes lit up, revealing an interested smile, "Then your head must be worth a lot! Just in time, I have no money to eat!""No, no, no... I didn't mean that!"Usopp retreated while subconsciously reaching behind him, surprisingly taking out a uniquely shaped slingshot skillfully.He was surprised by this strange yet handy weapon, but in a crisis, he couldn't think too much, quickly took out a special ammunition, pulled the rubber band, and aimed at Zoro and fired!Zoro relied on his beast-like danger perception and agilely rolled to the side the moment Usopp was about to make a move.Almost at the same time as he dodged, he drew his sword, and it looked like something big was about to happen!"Clang!"With a crisp sound, the black giant beast Ink Meteorhad blocked in front of Usopp like an iron wall, taking Zoro's blade with its body.At the same time, several arms appeared out of thin air and knocked the slingshot out of Usopp's hand."Long-nose-san, you shouldn't use what's in your hand on the ship casually." Robin reminded calmly."And, swordsman-san," she turned to Zoro, "Your opponent is a great pirate with a bounty of 200 million Berries...""200 million?!" Usopp was the first to be scared by this number, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted straight away.Zoro sheathed his sword, looking at the black giant beast in front of him that had blocked his attack with interest, and reached out to push its solid body."Tsk, this big guy, it's not bad... but is this a lion or a sheep?""I think it looks more like a cudgel."Mark, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally spoke and walked forward slowly.His hand lightly touched Ink Meteor's body.The next second, in the astonished eyes of everyone, Ink Meteor's huge body suddenly shrank and deformed, finally turning into a pitch-black heavy dragon-prison staff with a majestic lion head carved on the top, which was held steadily by Mark.He stood with the staff, his eyes swept over everyone, and finally landed on Zoro, and invisible tension permeated the air.