The long white hair of Kumadori lashed wildly through the air like a nest of enraged serpents.
Each strike—
Empowered by Life Return—
Could cleave steel.
Yet when they landed on Tony Tony Chopper—
They only kicked up dust.
"Why… why is your body as immovable as a mountain?!"
Kumadori shrieked, staff spinning in desperation.
Chopper didn't even bother blocking.
Blow after blow struck his chest and shoulders—
Producing dull, bell-like echoes.
"Feels good."
Chopper's voice was calm.
"Like scratching an itch."
"But if that's all you've got…"
His eyes lifted.
"My turn."
Kumadori's mind cracked.
His attacks—
Worthless.
Completely worthless.
He glanced around—
Jabra defeated.
Fukuro collapsed.
Sanji and Usopp watching casually.
A sense of doom swallowed him whole.
"Geppo!"
He shot into the sky.
Hovering high above—
"Tempest Kick: Lotus!"
A storm of slashes erupted.
Hundreds—
Thousands—
Blue vacuum blades bloomed like a massive lotus flower in the sky.
Then—
They fell.
Covering everything.
The plaza shattered under the barrage.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Every slash struck Chopper—
And bounced.
"Got you."
Chopper's eyes locked upward.
He jumped.
The ground cracked beneath him—
And he launched like a cannonball.
Before Kumadori could react—
A massive palm descended.
BOOM!
He was slammed straight into a wall.
Coughing blood—
Barely conscious—
Kumadori forced himself up.
One last attack.
"Lion Blaze!!"
His staff ignited.
Flames roared.
He became a blazing comet—
Charging straight at Chopper's heart.
Chopper didn't dodge.
Didn't retreat.
He stepped forward—
Took the heat head-on—
And punched.
BOOM!!!
The impact erased everything within ten meters.
Kumadori's face twisted—
Then vanished into the ruins behind.
Silence.
He didn't even scream.
—
Meanwhile—
The Tower of Justice.
A black stone labyrinth above the abyss.
Cold.
Oppressive.
Dim gaslights flickered along the walls.
Spandam stumbled forward, clutching his sword—
Funkfreed.
Behind him—
Two figures closed in.
Suddenly—
The air split open.
A rectangular door appeared.
From it stepped—
Blueno.
Silent.
Immovable.
A wall of iron.
"Blueno! Perfect timing!"
Spandam shrieked in relief.
"Stop them! That man has the Pluton blueprints! That woman can read ancient texts!"
"If we capture them—I'll become a hero of the World Government!"
Blueno said nothing.
Only acted.
"Iron Body: Smash!"
He stomped—
The ground exploded beneath him.
His body compressed to the extreme.
All force—
Condensed into one punch.
He shot forward like a black cannonball.
BOOM!
The air burst.
The tower shook.
But—
Nico Robin and Franky had already split apart.
The punch struck empty ground—
Reducing stone to dust.
"This guy's strong!"
Franky grinned—
But didn't retreat.
"Take this! Strong Right!"
His mechanical arm launched—
Connected by a chain—
A missile of pure force.
It slammed into Blueno's chest.
CLANG!!!
Sparks exploded.
Blueno didn't move.
Not an inch.
"See that?! That's justice!"
Spandam screamed excitedly.
"He's invincible! You trash should kneel!"
"…Invincible?"
Robin stepped forward.
Her voice calm.
Cold.
Her training—
Iron Body.
Lightning tempering.
Had transformed her.
Her strength—
Now matched Usopp's second stage.
"Sixfold Bloom… Clutch."
Petals burst into the air.
Six arms—
Appeared instantly around Blueno's joints.
Precision.
Control.
Deadly intent.
Blueno's eyes sharpened.
He felt it.
Danger.
Real danger.
"Iron Body: Steel!"
His muscles locked—
Harder than ever.
The clash—
Was about to begin.
To Read60+ AHEAD advanced Chapters, head over to P@treon
patreon.com/DarkVerse146