Chapter 66: Itachi and Law's Stand — Luffy's Roar of Resolve
"The Admiral's not dead!"
Usopp's scream cut through the chaos.
"He's getting up AGAIN!"
Everyone's eyes snapped skyward. Above the island, the yellow flash had reformed, rising like a vengeful sun.
Seven warships surrounded the Thousand Sunny. Franky's lasers and cannons pounded them, but more kept coming.
Itachi's mind raced. Amaterasu didn't kill him. That light fruit—he must have reconstituted his body.
Law moved beside him.
"Master Itachi. We need to implement the plan."
Itachi nodded.
Law had explained it during the chaos: while resisting Kizaru, Law would exhaust himself to maintain an enormous Room, transferring everyone to the Sunny. Then—split into two groups.
Law, plus one fighter capable of facing an Admiral, would buy time for the Sunny's escape.
The Sunny would destroy the encircling warships, clearing an escape route.
Once the Sunny was safe, Law would use his remaining strength to teleport himself and his partner to safety.
"I'll do it!" Luffy stepped forward immediately. "Tra-guy! Send me back! I'll hold him!"
"No. Me." Zoro's eye blazed with killing intent.
Law shook his head.
"Itachi and I have already decided."
He faced the Straw Hats.
"Itachi and I will complete this mission. You clear the warships."
"HEY!" Usopp's voice cracked. "THAT'S—"
Itachi cut him off.
"Don't worry. I won't die."
Law's Room expanded.
Kizaru blazed toward them.
"TRA-GUY! NO!" Luffy's arms shot out—Law was already moving.
Itachi stood before him.
For the first time, Luffy saw something unsteady in those dark eyes. Not fear. Something deeper.
"Luffy. If you want me to live—destroy those warships."
"Itachi!"
"I once believed a man could bear everything alone. Carry all burdens. Solve all problems."
His hand touched Luffy's shoulder briefly.
"I learned that's wrong. Strength is always limited. Only with companions can we achieve more."
"KATON: KARASU BUBUN!"
Black Fire Crow erupted beneath him.
Law grabbed hold. "Master Itachi! Using this again will drain you!"
"It's fine."
"ROOM—SHAMBLES!"
The Sunny vanished from the warship encirclement, reappearing at the harbor exit.
Itachi drove the Black Fire Crow toward land—Kizaru's light splitting the sky behind them.
"Trafalgar... troublesome brat."
Kizaru's hands spread.
"YATA NO KAGAMI—AMA NO MURAKUMO!"
Photon rain poured toward the Sunny.
Itachi turned.
He flew toward the barrage.
"ITACHI-SAN?!" Law screamed.
"SUSANO'O!"
The skeletal warrior wrapped them.
"TSUKUYOMI!"
The world went red.
Kizaru froze—one second, two—and in that frozen moment, Itachi's Haki-coated blade descended.
SLASH.
The blade bit into Kizaru's waist—but didn't sever. Itachi felt resistance, wrongness—then Kizaru was falling.
Itachi dove after him.
On the warships below, Marines screamed.
"ADMIRAL BORSALINO!"
"FULL SPEED! CATCH HIM!"
"HE CAN'T FALL INTO THE SEA!"
Warships surged forward, catching their Admiral's limp form.
Itachi's right eye bled. Amaterasu gathered—
A laser erupted from Kizaru's palm.
BOOM.
It pierced Itachi's chest.
"ITACHI-SAN!"
Kizaru reformed—cracked sunglasses, burning rage—already behind them on the Black Fire Crow.
"YOU TORMENTED THIS OLD MAN QUITE A BIT."
His leg blazed.
FLASH KICK—MAXIMUM.
BOOM.
The impact launched them—Itachi and Law—hundreds of meters. They crashed into ruins. Exploded.
At the harbor exit, Luffy stood frozen.
Kin'emon clutched unconscious Momonosuke. The Straw Hats watched their captain.
Zoro tied his bandanna. "Captain. Your order."
Sanji lit a cigarette.
"Luffy. Whatever you decide—we follow."
Robin raised a hand. "We cannot abandon comrades. But we must trust them."
"That's right." Nami assembled her Clima-Tact. "Robin's right."
Franky's thumb rose.
Kin'emon wept openly.
"Is THIS pirate friendship?! I hate pirates—but I don't hate YOU!"
"Luffy!" Usopp—trembling, terrified—still stepped forward. "If we go back NOW—we can still save them!"
Chopper gripped a Rumble Ball. "Luffy! We can—"
"Chopper."
Luffy's voice stopped him cold.
He looked at his crew. At the distant island. At the warships blocking their path.
"Trust Itachi and Tra-guy."
His mouth twitched—almost a smile.
Then his eyes hardened.
"WE CLEAR THEIR PATH. DESTROY EVERY WARSHIP."
"AYE, CAPTAIN!"
The roar was unanimous.
Chopper hurled Zoro skyward toward the nearest warship.
"SANTORYU — SANDAL SEKAI!"
The blade came down. A warship split in two.
Luffy leaped.
"GOMU GOMU NO — ELEPHANT GUN!"
His fist caved in another ship.
Sanji skywalked to a third.
"HELL'S MEMORIES!"
Kicks rained like hellfire.
"GIGANTISCO MANO!"
Robin's giant limbs crushed a fourth.
"ARMORED HORN POINT — KOKUJO!"
Chopper slammed into a fifth.
"CLIMA-TACT — THUNDER CLOUD TEMPO!"
Nami's lightning wrecked a sixth.
"FRANKY — RADICAL BEAM!"
The seventh exploded.
Luffy landed on the Sunny's figurehead, Gear Second steaming.
"WE CLEAR THE PATH!"
His scream echoed across the burning sea.
"THAT'S AN ORDER!"
(End of Chapter)
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