...
The battle on the light screen came to an end. Bullet was defeated, and the treasure chest containing the "ONE PIECE permanent pointer" ultimately fell into the hands of the heavily wounded but resolute Luffy.
In God Valley, countless gazes locked onto Luffy's next move—curiosity and greed almost tangible.
Would he follow the pointer's guidance straight to the final island Laugh Tale and ascend in one leap?
Or use it as a bargaining chip to exchange for unimaginable wealth or power?
Almost everyone instinctively leaned toward the former—after all, becoming the "Pirate King" was the ultimate dream of every pirate, and Luffy wore those words on his sleeve.
The Five Elders' hearts were in their throats.
They were both curious about the choice this member of the D clan—the Nika fruit user—would make, and utterly terrified.
If Luffy truly set out for Laugh Tale right now—with the strength he had shown and that peculiar "ability to rally others"—
They had no power to stop him!
Once the secrets of Laugh Tale—especially anything concerning Joy Boy—were revealed, the consequences would be unthinkable!
On the light screen, Boa Hancock held back her heartache over Luffy's injuries and explained to him in as calm a tone as possible: "Luffy… what you're holding is the permanent pointer leading to the final island 'Laugh Tale.'
As long as you follow it, you can find the 'ONE PIECE' left behind by Pirate King Roger… and become the new Pirate King."
Smoker, Law, and Sabo—who had just shaken off his pursuers and arrived—along with some eavesdropping pirates in the distance, all held their breath.
The shortcut to becoming Pirate King was right before their eyes!
Yet before Luffy could even process the information, two figures brimming with hostility and greed rushed toward him!
It was Crocodile and—having somehow slipped free from Sanji and Zoro's entanglement—Rob Lucci.
"Straw Hat brat! Hand over the pointer!"
Crocodile's gaze was sinister; a sand blade coalesced in his hand.
Lucci said nothing, but every muscle in his body tensed—he was clearly determined to take it.
To them, the value of this pointer was incalculable.
Facing the two incoming threats and the countless gazes around him—some expectant, some tense, some greedy!
Luffy—who had just survived a life-or-death battle and could barely stand—did something that left everyone, including the viewers beyond the light screen, utterly dumbfounded…
He lowered his head to look at the antique pointer in his hand, seemingly imbued with endless secrets. There was no hesitation, no struggle on his face—not even a moment of visible thought.
Then his fingers clenched with sudden force!
"Crack!"
A crisp snapping sound rang out, piercingly loud in the suddenly silent battlefield!
The Laugh Tale permanent pointer—something that could spark a world war and drive countless people mad—was crushed in Luffy's palm… reduced to fragments and powder!
"Wh… what?!"
"What did he just do?!!!"
"Is he insane?! That's… that's the Pirate King's treasure!!!"
Crocodile, Lucci, Hancock, Law, Smoker, Sabo… everyone who witnessed the scene froze in place—except Sabo—faces filled with incredulous shock and bewilderment!
They had imagined Luffy might refuse to hand it over, might use it to negotiate, might even set out immediately…
But no one had imagined he would destroy it so decisively, so wastefully!
Especially since Luffy always talked about being "Pirate King," everyone had assumed he harbored an immense desire for Laugh Tale and ONE PIECE.
But now…
"You brat… what the hell have you done?!"
Crocodile was the first to react; his face darkened to the point water could drip from it, his voice trembling slightly from extreme anger and incomprehension.
He had invested so much effort, only for it all to come to nothing! The sense of defeat nearly drove him mad.
Luffy casually scattered the debris from his hand onto the ground and dusted off his palms as if he had merely thrown away some worthless trash.
He raised his head. Though covered in blood and breathing weakly, his eyes were clear and resolute as he looked straight at Crocodile and Lucci: "I don't need that kind of thing."
His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable finality.
"The path to becoming Pirate King should be forged by me and my crew—with our own ship, our own navigator, our own adventures! Not by some… shortcut!"
With those words, Luffy struck a fighting stance. Though his body swayed unsteadily, his fighting spirit still burned bright: "I heard from Jinbe that you saved me during the Summit War… but right now, you're my enemy!"
"This damn hot-blooded idiot!!! Does he even know what he just destroyed?!!"
"The shortcut to Pirate King—gone just like that?! I'm so pissed!"
"As expected of a country bumpkin! He has no idea what 'ONE PIECE' is worth!"
In the pirate camp of God Valley, an overwhelming wave of curses, regrets, and incredulous roars erupted instantly.
Many pirates pounded their chests and stamped their feet, wishing they could leap into the light screen, pick up the pointer fragments, and glue them back together.
To them, Luffy's actions were utterly incomprehensible foolishness.
Yet amid the uproar and cursing, some true powerhouses—Roger, Whitebeard, Rayleigh, Gaban, and even Garp—showed thoughtful expressions, even carrying a trace of admiration.
"Heh…"
Roger sat cross-legged on the ground, watching Luffy's matter-of-fact expression on the light screen. An involuntary, hearty smile spread across his face—one he himself didn't fully understand the reason for, yet came straight from the heart: "This kid… he's got something."
Rayleigh nodded with a smile: "What he pursues may not be the title of 'Pirate King' itself, but the journey of becoming Pirate King—the adventures and growth shared with his crew along the way.
To him, a shortcut like that would be a desecration."
Gaban added: "Outsiders watch the spectacle; insiders see the technique. This kid shouts 'Pirate King' all day, but deep down he's a pure adventurer who yearns for freedom and the unknown.
He naturally scorns anything gained by cutting corners."
Garp stood in the distance with arms crossed. He had dropped his earlier joking demeanor; though he said nothing, a faint, imperceptible pride flickered in his eyes.
His grandson was stubborn in the most endearing way—and so pure it left one speechless.
On the light screen, Law watched Luffy destroy the pointer. Though stunned for a split second, he quickly regained composure—and even seemed faintly relieved.
"What a reckless guy, Straw Hat Captain…" he muttered under his breath, then wasted no more time. "ROOM!"
The pale-blue space rapidly expanded, instantly relocating the gravely injured Luffy and the others from the chaotic center to an area relatively close to the harbor.
Law himself had no obsession with Laugh Tale; at this moment, he only wanted to get this troublesome group out of this den of trouble as quickly as possible.
On the other side, Sabo had successfully captured the escaping mastermind Buena Festa.
Holding the shell-shocked festival organizer, he explained to the arriving Revolutionary Army: "This guy isn't some festival planner at all.
He's one of the world's worst warmongers—operating from the shadows, inciting wars, reveling in chaos and death.
This entire 'expo'—from start to finish—was his scheme to satisfy his own madness and ambition."
With Bullet defeated, the combination ability sustaining the massive cage around the island began to fail and dissipate.
Driven by survival instinct, the remaining pirates surged like a flood breaking through a dam—frantically rushing toward the only direction that seemed to offer an escape:
The Navy fleet's blockade line!
Though cannon muzzles awaited them there, it was still better than being trapped on the island waiting for death.
Interestingly, the Supernovas—Kid, Hawkins, Drake, Apoo, Bonney, and others—who had "disappeared" at the critical moment of the battle against Bullet,
now reappeared from who-knows-where, blending into the pirate tide and charging toward the Navy defensive line.
Clearly, they had either been conserving strength or searching for another way out earlier.
Now that an opportunity presented itself, they immediately jumped in.
...