Chapter 359: The Pirate King's Freedom! The Shining Admiral and the Farewell into the Sky
"Wh-what is going on? Are these enemies?"
Usopp's legs trembled in fear as he gripped his slingshot tightly.
Just as everyone was on guard, a path suddenly opened in the center of the crowd.
Bartolomeo, sporting that conspicuous green mohawk, rushed forward with tears streaming down his face.
Wiping away tears of excitement, he loudly explained to Luffy and Tatsuya.
Their gathering at the harbor was definitely not to block the Straw Hat's path; rather, they had spontaneously formed a massive alliance, coming specifically to follow them.
Led by Bartolomeo, the seven representatives—'White Horse' Cavendish, Sai of the Happo Navy, the Giant Race warrior Hajrudin, Leo, Destructive Cannon Ideo, and Admiral Orlumbus—who had forged deep bonds during the life-and-death battles in the coliseum, stepped out from the crowd in unison.
With a synchronized sound, these seven warriors, famous throughout the New World, knelt on one knee before Luffy, their expressions incredibly solemn.
Several underlings carefully brought out a massive sake cup adorned with ornate patterns, filled to the brim with clear, fine sake.
Bartolomeo held the cup with both hands, tilted his head back, and with all his might, shouted solemnly:
"Luffy-senpai! Tatsuya-senpai!"
"Please drink this 'Father-Son Sake' with us!"
"We seven, along with our five thousand six hundred brothers, wish to officially join under the Straw Hat Pirates."
"We will become your sharpest spear and your sturdiest shield, fighting for you in the New World!"
The deafening oath echoed over the coastline.
Faced with this massive force that would make any pirate in the New World green with envy—a terrifying combat power capable of toppling a nation in an instant—Luffy didn't even think about it, shouting out decisively and bluntly:
"I don't want to! It feels like such a hassle, and there are too many people, it's just too crowded!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence.
Immediately after, the seven representatives and the thousands of underlings behind them dropped their jaws in shock.
"Ehh—?!!!"
Thousands of people let out cries of disbelief.
How could anyone refuse the sincere allegiance of over five thousand powerful warriors?!
This was the most important step toward the throne of the "Four Emperors"!
Seeing the confusion, shock, and even grievance in everyone's eyes, Luffy reached up and firmly pressed the Straw Hat on his head, revealing his incredibly brilliant smile.
"Listen up, everyone!"
"When I set sail to become a pirate, I didn't want to be some big shot who rules over everything, nor did I want to be a boss who barks orders!"
Luffy took a deep breath, facing the rising sun, and loudly declared the purest belief in his heart:
"In my opinion, the person who is the most free on this great sea... is the Pirate King!"
"So! You guys go and pursue your own freedom too! Hehehe!"
Hearing this declaration of freedom from Luffy—which lacked any ambition yet was filled with dominance—the Straw Hat members looked at each other and smiled with pride, accustomed to his ways.
This was the Captain they were willing to follow, a man who would always value freedom more than power.
These words shook the seven representatives kneeling on the ground to their core.
They finally realized the true charm of the young man before them.
Luffy didn't need cold contracts or rigid hierarchies to bind others.
This wind-like, unconstrained soul only made the flame of their desire to follow him burn even brighter.
Not only did they not retreat after being rejected, but they were even more determined to answer the Straw Hat's call at any time in the future.
Just as the crowd at the harbor was still immersed in the shock of Luffy's words, with a soft "whoosh," Law used his spatial ability to suddenly flash into the center of the crowd.
He was sweating profusely and shouted anxiously:
"Straw Hat Captain! Crimson Lotus Captain!"
"Stop chatting, an Admiral has arrived! Let's go!"
The moment Law finished speaking, the sky above the harbor suddenly changed.
The originally azure sky was instantly filled with a blinding yellow light, so dazzling that it was almost impossible to keep one's eyes open.
In mid-air, a tall, thin figure wearing a coat of justice was already hovering there, though no one knew when he had arrived.
Admiral Kizaru stood with his arms crossed over his chest, light gathering at his fingertips.
Accompanied by his lazy and somewhat lecherous voice, it drifted down leisurely from the sky:
"My, my, how lively. That speech just now actually moved me~"
"Then, let me give you a magnificent farewell gift. Yasakani no Magatama."
In an instant, countless lethal yellow laser beams, like a dense meteor shower, carried destructive heat and piercing power as they poured down indiscriminately onto the dense crowd below.
Faced with the Admiral's area-of-effect killer move, the pirates below were all terrified.
At this critical moment, Tatsuya calmly stepped forward.
He slowly raised his right hand, palm facing the descending rain of light, and said calmly:
"Shinra Tensei!"
"Boom—!"
A violent wave of spatial repulsion erupted from Tatsuya as the center, like an invisible spherical barrier, surging violently into mid-air!
The dense, rain-like laser beams, the moment they touched this absolute repulsion, were all forcibly deflected, sent spiraling back into the high sky.
Countless light beams lost their balance in mid-air and detonated prematurely.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The deafening chain of explosions resounded through the sky.
Blinding firelight and thick smoke intertwined in the air, turning into a grand and magnificent daylight fireworks display, completely neutralizing Kizaru's attack.
Taking advantage of the precious gap while Tatsuya blocked the Admiral's attack, Luffy pressed his Straw Hat with one hand and laughed excitedly:
"Yosh! Take this chance, everyone, run!"
Having said that, Luffy didn't give his companions any time to react or prepare.
He suddenly stretched his elastic Gum-Gum arms, like two long lassos, wrapping them wildly through the crowd.
He tightly bundled all the Straw Hat members, along with Law, together.
"Hold on tight!"
Luffy pulled his legs back sharply, turning his body into a giant slingshot charged to its limit.
Then, he kicked off with his legs.
"Whoosh—!"
Accompanied by a sharp sound of breaking through the air, Luffy, carrying the bundled group, flew like a giant cannonball fired from a chamber, whistling towards the "thousand sunny" docked in the coastal waters.
Terrified screams from the Straw Hat members instantly rang out in mid-air.
Nami and Usopp, their hair messy in the strong wind and faces covered in black lines, shouted:
"Damn you, Luffy! Why is it always like this every time we retreat—!"
With a dull "thud," everyone landed in a very disheveled state, sprawling across the deck of the thousand sunny, which was piled high with various supplies.
"Ouch, that hurts! Can't you choose a gentler way to land, you guy!" Zoro complained, rubbing his head.
Just as everyone had climbed to their feet, several massive Marine warships had surrounded them on the offshore sea.
The pitch-black muzzles of heavy artillery were all aimed at the helpless thousand sunny.
"Straw Hat spotted! All ships, prepare to fire!" the Marine commander shouted, issuing the order.
Faced with the black cannonballs flying across the sky, Luffy stood at the ship's rail, laughing as he turned back toward the artillery fire and shouted to the stern:
"Franky!"
"Leave it to me!"
Franky understood instantly.
He had already been standing at the control console, hands joined, striking that iconic pose at the stern, with the star patterns on his arms aligned.
"SUPER! Energy charge complete! Everyone hold on tight, Coup de Burst!"
"Boom—!!!"
A huge roar that shook the sea surface rang out, and the massive Skypiea shell propulsion device at the stern of the thousand sunny instantly activated, spewing out a visible, violent stream of air.
Under the reaction of this powerful thrust, the entire thousand sunny instantly broke free from the constraints of the sea.
Amidst the towering water columns from the cannonballs exploding in the water, it flew rapidly into the high sky.
Luffy ran to the railing at the stern, laughing loudly at the land and the crowd below that were getting smaller and smaller.
He waved his hands vigorously, expressing the joy in his heart to the fullest:
"Goodbye! Everyone!"
"Goodbye! Marines!"
"Goodbye! That blind old man!"
The seven representatives and thousands of underlings left on the harbor beach looked up, watching the thousand sunny fly directly into the clouds, jumping around in anxiety.
They waved their arms frantically, shouting at the sky:
"Wait for us! Captain Luffy!"
"We haven't finished the sake of brotherhood! We haven't officially completed the ceremony yet!"
Upon learning the news that the Straw Hat had left, King Riku, who had rushed to the edge of the highland, and the residents of Dressrosa who had walked onto the streets along the way, all stopped what they were doing.
They looked up, watching the pirate ship gradually fading into the distance in the sky, their eyes filled with gratitude, and waved goodbye with tears in their eyes.
Rebecca stood on the high stone tower, cupping her hands around her mouth, and shouted loudly toward the sky:
"Have a safe journey, Luffy—!"
"Thank you all!"
On a towering cliff on the east coast of Dressrosa, waves crashed against the steep rock walls below.
The blind Admiral Fujitora stood alone, facing the vast ocean.
He leaned on his shikomizue, quietly feeling the laughter drifting in the sea breeze.
His Observation Haki sensed the clash that had just occurred in the sky, and a trace of doubt couldn't help but arise in his heart.
Given the speed of Borsalino's Glint-Glint Fruit, which was unparalleled in the world... even if he had been blocked by that Crimson Lotus Tatsuya just now, it was impossible for him to give up so easily.
If Kizaru wanted to, he should have been able to catch up to that wooden ship very easily.
Why did Kizaru deliberately "go easy," stopping after just putting on a show?
But then, Fujitora shook his head slightly, not dwelling on the thoughts of this unpredictable colleague.
After all, at this special moment, letting this group of heroes who saved the country leave might also be a tacit understanding.
On Fujitora's weathered face, a trace of an exceptionally gentle smile gradually appeared at the corners of his mouth.
"What an incredible, magical power..."
"To be able to make so many people willingly follow without relying on force."
Fujitora faced the slightly salty sea breeze, murmuring silently in his heart.
"What kind of person is he... what kind of smile is it that makes everyone submit to him."
He gripped the shikomizue in his hand, a feeling of regret he had never felt before surging in his heart, yet it was also filled with immense gratification.
"That smile must be as dazzling and warm as the sun."
"These eyes of mine, which I closed with my own hands so as not to see the filth of the world..."
"At this moment, I actually want to see your face... Straw Hat Luffy."
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