Chapter 300: The Butterfly Effect! The Island of Lightning and Mist and the Forbidden Punk Hazard
Violent winds raged, and giant waves surged.
The Thousand Sunny struggled forward through the waters of the New World, which seemed like the end of the world.
In the sky, purple lightning struck down continuously like wild dancing dragons, followed by a deluge of scalding fire rain.
The unreasonable and unpredictable tyrannical weather of the New World left most of the people on board trembling with fear, terrified of being swallowed by the merciless sea in a moment of carelessness.
However, Nami, standing under the orange trees, displayed an extraordinary talent for navigation.
With a steady gaze, she calmly and loudly directed everyone to adjust the sails and the direction of the helm.
She managed to guide the thousand sunny skillfully through the deadly storm zone without any mishaps.
Victor stood alone at the bow.
Looking at the hellish and terrifying sights around him, his brow furrowed slightly, and his deep eyes were lost in thought.
In his memory, the Punk Hazard from the original work should have been a strange "Ice and Fire Island," half freezing glaciers and half molten lava.
The reason for that peculiar landscape was the battle between Admirals Akainu and Aokiji for the position of Fleet Admiral.
They fought a life-and-death struggle on that island for ten days and nights, causing the island's climate to be completely and permanently altered.
However, in this world, the situation had shifted.
Because after the Marineford War, a more chaotic and uncontrollable state of turmoil erupted on the seas compared to the original story.
In order to forcefully suppress the vicious pirates popping up everywhere like bamboo shoots after a rain,
the World Government and Sengoku, after weighing the options, did not hold a duel, but instead directly made an exception and appointed the toughest-minded "Akainu" Sakazuki as the new Fleet Admiral of the Marines.
"Since those two didn't have that world-shattering battle for the position of Fleet Admiral, the climate of this island naturally didn't turn into a world of ice and fire..."
Victor murmured to himself, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"This must be the so-called butterfly effect."
As the thousand sunny gradually approached the destination pointed out by the Log Pose under Nami's command, the scene of the surrounding sea suddenly underwent a bizarre change.
All the violent winds, giant waves, and fire rain seemed to be cut off by an invisible Wall of Sighs.
Replacing them was a layer of thick, impenetrable purple-green toxic mist, like a giant overturned bowl completely shrouding the entire sea ahead.
Deafening thunder claps continued to explode deep within the thick layer of mist.
Thick bolts of purple lightning darted through the mist like swimming dragons, emitting an aura of destruction.
By the flickering light of the lightning, the group standing on the deck could vaguely see the silhouette of a massive island hidden in the deepest part of the thick mist.
The thousand sunny lowered its sails and slowly drifted closer on its momentum.
At the entrance of the island, a massive, dilapidated iron gate stood prominently.
On this iron gate was a sign severely corroded by relentless time and some violent chemical substance—"PH (Punk Hazard)."
As well as the shocking cross totems of the World Government and the Marines.
Luffy lay on the sunflower lion head at the bow, looking at the eerie and terrifying Island of Lightning and Mist before him, which was covered in "No Trespassing" warnings.
He trembled with excitement, as if he had been injected with adrenaline, clamoring to go ashore immediately for a grand adventure.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Nami refused decisively, strictly forbidding everyone from venturing out rashly while the situation was unclear.
But seeing the Captain's pleading look, she finally gave in helplessly and decided to select a small advance landing party through a drawing of lots.
After a frantic drawing of lots, the final list for the exploration team was officially released: Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, and Victor.
Seeing the wooden stick in his hand that indicated he had been chosen, Usopp broke down instantly. Tears and snot streaming down his face, he lunged forward and clung tightly to Franky's thick legs, crying and trying to refuse to go on the island:
"I'm not going! There's definitely an 'instant death upon landing' infectious disease up there!
"Franky, go in my place, I beg you!"
Seeing Usopp's comical, terrified state, Luffy grinned and pressed down on his Straw Hat, waving his hand quite reasonably to let him stay and watch the ship.
After getting ready, the group prepared to disembark.
Before stepping onto the small boat, Victor deliberately slowed his pace and approached Sanji, who was smoking.
He lowered his voice and whispered a hint to the sharp-witted cook:
"Sanji, the mist permeating this sea has a very pungent chemical smell; it's definitely not a product of natural weather."
Victor's eyes narrowed slightly as he patted Sanji on the shoulder:
"Be careful while staying on this ship."
Sanji exhaled a puff of blue smoke, looked at Victor's serious expression, and nodded in understanding, indicating he would look after everyone staying behind.
The exploration team took the waver and officially set foot on the barren land of Punk Hazard.
Surrounding them was a thick toxic mist where one couldn't even see their own hand, and the air was filled with a choking smell.
Deafening purple lightning struck from the sky from time to time, making it difficult to move even a step.
By the momentary flash of the lightning, everyone was shocked to find that the ground beneath their feet was covered with enormous skeletons!
Those skeletons still wore tattered, oversized prison uniforms and lay scattered across the wilderness; the whole scene was like the legendary living hell, making one's hair stand on end.
Walking in such thick mist with extremely low visibility was undoubtedly very dangerous.
Victor and Robin walked at the front of the group, their fingers tightly interlaced.
Purple ripples flowed slightly in Victor's eyes as he directly activated his Ocular Technique.
Those eyes that saw through everything served perfectly as the team's human radar here.
Under his guidance, the group twisted and turned, safely avoiding lethal toxic swamps that bubbled with poisonous gas.
Suddenly, Victor, who had been striding ahead, stopped in his tracks.
He suddenly looked up, his heterochromatic eyes staring fixedly at the high sky obscured by the thick mist:
"Something big... is coming from the sky!"
As soon as he spoke, Zoro's gaze sharpened, and he instantly gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, ready for battle at any moment.
In the silent mist, there first came a very heavy sound of massive wings flapping, like a hurricane passing through.
The sound drew closer and closer, bringing a suffocating sense of pressure.
Then, there was a loud "Boom!"
In the sky, an incredibly thick bolt of purple lightning tore through the heavy layer of mist and struck down fiercely!
Under the glare of that blinding lightning, a terrifying silhouette that blotted out the sky suddenly appeared above the thick mist.
It was a Western Dragon covered in hard scales and possessing massive wings!
Facing this invincible pressure that descended suddenly like a mythical creature, Robin's expression turned solemn, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on Victor's hand.
However, Luffy, standing to the side, looked at the terrifying dragon circling in mid-air with its bloody maw wide open, and his eyes instantly turned into the shape of two pieces of meat on the bone!
A long trail of drool escaped the corner of his mouth; not only was there no fear, but he was so excited he started dancing, pointing at the sky and shouting:
"Waaaah! Look! It's a dragon that can fly in the lightning!
"It looks absolutely delicious!! I want to eat roasted dragon meat!!!"
Hearing the Captain's irrational foodie statement, Zoro didn't object but instead grinned, revealing a bloodthirsty and excited smile, his long sword already unsheathed and glinting coldly.
Victor looked at his companions, whose heads were filled only with fighting and eating meat, and shrugged helplessly.
He let go of Robin's hand, and purple lightning flickered playfully at his fingertips.
Facing a legendary creature, a battle to slay the dragon was about to break out at any momentChapter 301: Lightning-Immune Rubber! Slaying the Dragon and the thousand sunny's Counterattack
Facing Luffy's provocation, his eyes gleaming and drooling.
The massive Western dragon circling in mid-air was thoroughly enraged.
It suddenly opened its maw, wide enough to swallow a small warship, and a blinding, dazzling thunderous light erupted from deep within its throat.
The next second, accompanied by a deafening roar, a violent, high-voltage lightning breath, like a divine spear piercing heaven and earth, struck directly at the unavoidable Luffy in mid-air.
Robin, standing below, had a slight change in expression. She immediately crossed her arms in front of her chest, ready to use her Hana Hana no Mi ability to create a net for rescue.
However, when that blinding and destructive lightning faded, Luffy's carefree, crisp laughter came from the sky.
He was seen hovering in mid-air, completely unharmed, without a single trace of burns on his body.
He even grinned, revealing his signature bright laugh: "It's useless! I'm a Rubber Man!"
The most terrifying weapon on the Lightning Island became a completely ineffective attack with no deterrent power in front of Luffy, who is a rubber insulator.
Taking advantage of the moment the dragon was stunned by the ineffective attack.
Luffy didn't hesitate to bite his thumb and quickly blew a large amount of air into his bones.
Accompanied by the popping sound of expanding muscles and bones, his right arm instantly inflated into a giant fist as large as an ancient giant's.
Immediately after, Armament Haki, emitting a metallic luster, quickly wrapped around it like flowing water, completely hardening the entire giant hand.
"Gum-Gum — Elephant Gun!"
The huge black fist, accompanied by the shrill sound of tearing air, smashed hard against the dragon's hard head.
The terrifying power erupted instantly, directly blasting the behemoth out of mid-air.
With a deafening "Boom," the dragon's massive body slammed heavily onto the ground, triggering a violent earthquake that shattered the surrounding fog and the earth.
However, although the dragon was heavily damaged by Luffy, the genius scientist Vegapunk had endowed it with exceptionally strong physical defense when cultivating it.
Although this blow left it dizzy, it didn't kill it immediately.
It shook its dizzy head wildly in the deep pit it had created, let out a low roar, and was about to struggle to stand up with its massive body to launch a fatal counterattack.
Just then.
In the eyes of Victor, who was standing on the side, his red and purple pupils shone brightly.
Vast and majestic purple Chakra rose from his body like a storm, dispelling the surrounding poisonous fog.
"Susanoo!"
A huge purple half-body skeletal martial god instantly condensed in the void.
Victor controlled Susanoo to descend from the sky, domineeringly pressing directly onto the dragon's massive body.
Susanoo's huge purple Chakra bone hand suddenly reached down, pinning the dragon's head that was about to rise and roar.
With a muffled "Bang," it was pressed deep into the soil, and no matter how hard the dragon struggled, it couldn't move an inch!
Watching the huge prey perfectly controlled in place by the Captain and Vice Captain, Zoro's mouth curled into a fanatical sneer.
He lowered his body slightly, set up a stance to draw his sword, his eyes sharp as blades: "Well done, Captain, Vice Captain."
Before the words fell, Zoro turned into a black lightning bolt.
He shattered the ground under his feet and rushed toward the dragon's head that was pinned to the ground and roaring wildly.
The moment the blade was unsheathed, the crisp sound of the sword seemed to be mixed with the roar of a lion.
"One Sword Style: Dead Lion Song!"
A cold, bone-chilling pitch-black sword light flashed through the thick fog.
The next second, that huge dragon head separated directly from its torso and soared into the sky.
Scalding dragon blood, like a fountain, sprinkled all over this barren land.
The crisis was resolved, and Luffy jumped joyfully to the side of the huge headless dragon corpse.
His eyes gleamed, and he excitedly circled the dragon meat, which was like a mountain of meat, shouting "Barbecue, barbecue," already imagining the ultimate delicacy.
Just as everyone was preparing to step forward to examine the dragon's corpse, Luffy suddenly let out an exclamation.
He keenly discovered that stuck between the sharp teeth of the severed dragon head was a pair of "human legs" that only consisted of the lower body!
What was even more creepy was that the legs were wearing the hem of a traditional kimono, and the severed part not only didn't bleed a drop of blood, but was also struggling and kicking violently in mid-air, and let out a loud, angry shout:
"Damn evil dragon! Let me go! I still have to go save my son! I absolutely cannot be eaten!"
Robin rested her chin on one hand, watching this scene that completely defied biological common sense with great interest.
Luffy's eyes lit up, as if he had seen some incredibly novel toy.
He reached out both hands and forcibly pulled the legs out from the dragon's teeth.
He held the legs that were still kicking around, and asked loudly with an excited and curious face: "So interesting! Are you a magical creature grown from legs?"
Meanwhile, the scene cuts back to the thousand sunny anchored at the entrance of Punk Hazard.
Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Franky, and Brook, who stayed on the ship, were waiting for news from the exploration team.
Suddenly, the breeze blowing on the sea surface stopped.
The thick poisonous fog that was already dense around became even heavier, as if artificially controlled, and surged toward the thousand sunny like a tide.
Not only that, the air even carried a strange, abnormally sweet smell.
As the ship's exclusive doctor, Chopper had the sharpest sense of smell.
He was the first to notice that something was wrong. He immediately twitched his blue nose and carefully sniffed the air. The next second, he shouted in horror:
"Not good! Everyone, cover your nose and mouth quickly! There is potent sleeping gas mixed into this fog!"
Hearing Chopper's warning, the others immediately reacted and raised their hands to cover their noses and mouths.
Sanji frowned slightly, and Victor's warning before disembarking immediately came to his mind.
His eyes instantly darkened. It seemed that on this seemingly desolate island, there were indeed hidden, unknown enemies.
Nami's eyes sharpened, staying calm in the face of danger.
She quickly took a special wind ball from her waist and stuffed it into the mouth of her exclusive thundercloud "Futo" without hesitation.
Having absorbed the special wind ball, Futo's size instantly inflated several times like an inflated balloon, with violent air currents swirling around it.
Subsequently, it opened its big mouth and violently spat out a massive, destructive gust of wind toward the foggy sea surface in front!
"Whoosh — Boom!" The gale passed, like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
This powerful storm not only blew away the spreading sleeping gas and poisonous fog without a trace but also completely exposed a group of mysterious people who had been hiding deep in the thick fog.
These people were all wearing fully sealed yellow gas masks and heavy protective suits, holding various firearms and heavy chains used for capture.
At this moment, they were blown about by the sudden gale, rolling on the ground in a sorry state.
Nami stood on the high point of the deck with her arms crossed.
She looked at these attackers exposed in her field of vision with cold, confident eyes and snorted coldly: "Hmph, using such low-class sneak attack methods, aren't you looking down on the Straw Hat Pirates a bit too much?"
"Nami is so cool!" Seeing the crisis instantly resolved, Usopp and Chopper excitedly hugged Lassoo and Clay, cheering loudly on the side.
Sanji took a deep puff of his cigarette and then slowly exhaled the smoke.
His eyes flashed with cold, sharp killing intent. He stepped toward the ship's rail, loosened his wrists and ankles, and said in a deep voice: "Nami-san, you step back and rest. Leave these eyesores to me to clean up."
The scene shifts to a hidden and massive research institute deep within Punk Hazard.
Accompanied by a weird and harsh "Shurorororo" laugh, the mad scientist with a bounty of 300 million Berries — Caesar Clown, made his official appearance.
He was wearing a large white lab coat, and his whole body was floating in mid-air.
At this moment, he was in a laboratory filled with various test tubes and instruments.
His subordinates were incoherently reporting the battle situation at the front line to him through the Visual Den Den Mushi on the screen: "Mas... Master! It's bad! The capture operation at the island entrance has failed!"
"Not only were those pirates not knocked out by the sleeping gas, but one of the women also released a gale that blew away our poison gas! Now, our troops are being unilaterally slaughtered by them; we can't hold them off at all!"
"Ah! My leg was kicked off! Help —!" Accompanied by a shrill scream and the sound of flesh being heavily struck coming from the other end of the Den Den Mushi, the communication signal was suddenly cut off.
After hearing this, Caesar's pale, weird face instantly twisted.
His body, which had turned into a gaseous state, twisted violently due to anger and shock: "These useless trash... they can't even take care of a few pirates!"
Caesar gritted his teeth, a crazy cold light flashing in his eyes. "Shurorororo, it looks like I'll have to prepare a big gift for them myselfChapter 302: The Rearguard's Big Moment! The Marines Arrive!
Although Sanji really wanted to light a cigarette and coolly declare that he would handle these reckless small fry alone...
However, the despicable poison gas sneak attack by this squad wearing hazmat suits and masks had completely infuriated the entire rearguard on the thousand sunny.
Facing these aggressive enemies, everyone stood their ground without the slightest hesitation, drawing their respective weapons.
Nami stood at the very front of the deck, her gaze focused and cold.
With a flick of her wrist, she nimbly brandished the Sorcery Clima-Tact in her hand.
As hot and cold air currents rapidly collided, a massive, ink-black thundercloud was instantly created in mid-air.
Then, Nami pointed forward sharply: "Futo!"
Having had a full meal, Futo let out an excited roar.
It took a deep breath and opened its mouth wide, spitting out a violent whirlwind.
The powerful whirlwind, laced with lightning and carrying the dark thundercloud, swept through the enemy ranks like an out-of-control thunder beast.
Countless bolts of lightning exploded within the crowd, instantly charring a large number of gas-masked soldiers and leaving them screaming in agony.
Usopp stood firmly on the ship's railing, drawing his massive slingshot and aiming at the densest part of the enemy crowd as he shouted:
"Taste the power of the Great Usopp!"
"Sure Kill: Green Star - Devil!"
The green seed landed precisely in the center of the enemy group, sprouting the moment it touched the ground and rapidly growing into massive, hideous man-eating plants.
These plants opened their toothy maws, vines lashing out wildly to bite down on any enemies trying to approach the thousand sunny, tossing them into the air.
Chopper unhesitatingly swallowed a Rumble Ball, his body instantly transforming into the rounded yet explosive "Kung Fu Point" form.
Letting out a crisp battle cry, he weaved through the enemy crowd with exceptional agility.
Like a martial arts master, his combos flowed seamlessly as he sent the surrounding enemies flying one by one as if they were children.
Franky laughed as he brought his steel arms together, aiming his palms at the rocky cover where distant enemies were hiding.
"Behold the power of science! Franky Fireball!"
A massive, powerful fireball whistled through the air, shattering the cover and blasting the remaining soldiers who were trying to snipe them, along with the debris, into the sky.
This battle, which the enemy had thought would be as easy as catching a turtle in a jar, ended in a matter of minutes with an overwhelming victory for the rearguard.
The gas mask unit was completely wiped out, leaving the ground covered in charred craters and bodies entangled in plants, with miserable wails echoing everywhere.
With a cold expression, Nami stepped forward with steady strides in her high heels.
Her long leg shot up, and she stomped her foot hard onto the chest of the squad leader, pinning him firmly to the ground.
The clima-tact, flickering with dangerous sparks of electricity, was pressed directly against his throat as Nami interrogated him coldly:
"Humph, speak. Who sent you trash here?"
"What exactly was the purpose of your sneak attack?"
Under the Navigator's intimidation, combined with the menacing glares of Sanji, Franky, and the transformed Chopper, the squad leader was utterly terrified.
Facing the threat of death, he no longer cared about secrecy and spilled everything:
"It's... it's Master's orders! We were just following orders!"
"He... he told us to capture you pirates and bring you back as perfect subjects for the Gigantification Experiments and new poison gas tests..."
"Gigantification Experiments?"
Nami keenly caught the term, her brow furrowing as she asked sharply.
"What is that?"
The leader's eyes darted around, and he stammered, afraid to continue.
But as Nami increased the pressure of her foot and the numbing sensation of electricity from the clima-tact grew stronger, he finally broke and spoke tremblingly:
"The Gigantification Experiments... are... they involve kidnapping innocent children from all over the world."
"Then, by continuously injecting them with drugs, their bodies are forcibly enlarged..."
As soon as he finished, a chilling, cold murderous intent flashed in Nami's eyes.
Without any hesitation, she thrust her wrist forward, and the sharp tip of the clima-tact, crackling with electricity, brutally pierced the leader's throat.
Blood instantly stained the ground, and the leader's body convulsed a few times before going completely silent.
"A bunch of heartless beasts!"
Sanji's face was as dark as water as he forcefully crushed his cigarette butt under his foot.
Hearing about such inhumane things as "human experimentation on children," Chopper's principles as a doctor were thoroughly violated.
His eyes were red, and he trembled with rage, tears welling up in his eyes:
"Unforgivable... I can never forgive bastards who trample on life like this!"
Meanwhile, Nami slowly retracted her clima-tact and looked at the corpse on the ground.
Recalling her dark memories from the East Blue, the feeling of helplessness and being unable to protect herself welled up in her heart.
She would never allow any more children to suffer such inhumane torture.
At that moment, the entire rearguard squad reached a firm consensus:
There was no need to waste any more time waiting for Luffy and the others; they would charge straight into that mysterious research institute right now to rescue the suffering children!
...
Meanwhile, the exploration team was presenting a completely different picture.
Those samurai legs—only a lower half—that had been pulled from between the giant dragon's teeth, bolted as soon as they hit the ground, moving with incredible speed.
Since this strange body had no mouth, it actually controlled its lower sphincter to emit a series of "farting" sounds with distinct rhythms, using them to communicate with Luffy across a language barrier.
This bizarre method of communication, which defied biological common sense, made Luffy feel that this was the most interesting creature in the world.
His eyes shone with excitement like a child seeing a new toy, and he gave chase relentlessly through the wilderness where thunderstorms and thick fog intertwined.
Zoro, Victor, and Robin followed behind their scatterbrained Captain with dark lines on their faces and a sense of helplessness.
While chasing these "talking legs," Luffy and the others stumbled right into a large patrol squad.
This squad was led by Brownbeard, and its members were all Centaur-like cyborgs with animal lower bodies and human upper bodies.
Facing these intruding pirates, the Centaurs raised their heavy weapons loaded with poison gas shells, preparing to execute them on the spot.
However, in the face of these aggressive enemies, Zoro didn't even bother to draw his swords.
His gaze turned cold, and gripping his scabbard with one hand, he moved like a phantom, using the hard scabbard to violently swat away the Centaurs in the front row, sending them crashing into the rocks.
Seeing this, Brownbeard was about to erupt in rage and give orders, but Victor stepped forward slowly.
In the pitch-black mist, Victor's eerie red and purple pupils suddenly lit up.
A tangible, cold killing intent swept through the area like a tidal wave.
The Centaurs, who had been brandishing their weapons, felt as if the Grim Reaper had them by the throat.
Their legs instantly went weak, and they fell to their knees one after another with a series of thuds, losing even the strength to hold their guns.
Seeing this, Luffy didn't take the opportunity to kill them; instead, he unceremoniously leaped onto Brownbeard's broad back.
He excitedly patted Brownbeard's back and announced loudly:
"Great!"
"The fog here is way too thick, and walking is exhausting. You guys can be our mounts for this adventure!"
"Full speed ahead!"
...
Deep within Punk Hazard, inside a research institute hidden beneath solid ice and a steel fortress.
Trafalgar Law, the current Seven Warlords of the Sea known as the "Surgeon of Death," stood with his arms crossed in a dimly lit monitoring room.
His gaze was fixed on the screens on the wall that monitored every corner of the island.
Law pulled down his spotted hat, his deep eyes reflecting a faint irritation.
The thousand sunny's rearguard had not only cleanly defeated the poison gas unit sent by Caesar but was now charging straight toward the research institute with murderous intent.
On another screen, Luffy and his group had not only instantly killed the flying dragon that even he found troublesome.
But now they were even using Brownbeard's Centaur patrol as mounts, rampaging across the island without a care.
The Straw Hat crew's style of bringing chaos wherever they went had completely shattered Law's meticulously planned infiltration.
"These unreasonable lunatics..."
Law gritted his teeth. "If they're allowed to keep causing trouble aimlessly like this, it'll definitely trigger Caesar's intense suspicion."
"If anything goes wrong, Kaido's Artificial Devil Fruit factory here will be exposed prematurely."
Just as Law was feeling a massive headache and thinking about how to clean up this mess.
His peripheral vision suddenly caught another monitoring screen in the corner, connected to the abandoned port on the outskirts of the island.
On the screen, amidst the dark storm, two massive warships flying the seagull flag were forcefully docking, braving the constant lightning and the raging winds on the sea.
Recognizing the insignia on the warships, Law's pupils constricted sharply, and his brow furrowed deeply:
"The Marines?!"
...
At the dilapidated port at the island's entrance.
The storm raged over the sea, and cold rain poured down.
Vice Admiral Smoker, wearing a broad Justice coat and biting down on two thick cigars, and Captain Tashigi, wearing glasses and clutching a famous sword, stepped off the warship with grim expressions.
Smoker stopped and looked up at the massive iron gate lying on the ground at the island's entrance.
He took a deep drag from his cigars and slowly exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke:
"So you really are here... You can't escape my grasp, even in the New World."
"Prepare to die, Straw Hat!"Chapter 303: Space Overlord! Black Leg's Rescue and the Sliced Samurai
On the icy ground of Punk Hazard, strong winds carried poisonous mist everywhere.
Smoker led the Marines of the G-5 Branch, following the obvious tracks left by the Straw Hat crew, as they strode toward the massive research institute deep within the island.
However, the aggressive group of Marines hadn't gone far when they reached the main entrance of the research institute and were blocked by a figure ahead.
One of the current Seven Warlords of the Sea, Trafalgar Law.
He casually carried his long nodachi, 'kikoku', on his shoulder, watching the uninvited guests with cold eyes.
Smoker stopped in his tracks and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
He tightened his grip on his Jitte and sternly questioned Law why he, as a member of the Shichibukai, was appearing without permission on this poisonous gas island that had long been cordoned off by the World Government.
Facing the questioning of the Marine Vice Admiral, Law remained unfazed:
"This is my private vacation villa. I'm enjoying some peace and quiet here. Do I really need to report that to the Marine?"
Smoker's brow furrowed, clearly not believing him.
Law continued to add calmly:
"As for Straw Hat Captain, I haven't seen him since the Marineford War.
"There is no one else on this island but me."
While Law was trying to brush off the Marine with calm rhetoric, the interior of the research institute was a different story.
Sanji, Usopp, Nami, Chopper, Franky, and the others, after defeating the gas mask troops, went deeper and successfully found a huge room called the 'Biscuits Room'.
When they pushed open the door, the scene inside shocked everyone.
In this spacious room, there were actually children who were massive in size, just like the Giant Race!
These children were experimental subjects who had been secretly abducted from all over the world.
Seeing outsiders break in, the children were stunned at first, but then they felt the kindness from Nami and the others and immediately gathered toward them as if they had been granted a general amnesty.
The children's eyes were red as they surrounded Nami, crying loudly that they wanted to go home and see their Papa and Mama.
Nami's maternal instincts flared, and she gently comforted them.
But not long after this heartwarming scene began, a sudden change occurred.
Several children suddenly clutched their heads and rolled on the ground in pain.
Then, as if it were contagious, all the children's faces turned pale, and their features twisted together in extreme agony.
They cried and roared loudly, constantly shouting that they wanted to eat 'candy'.
"Chopper, what's happening to them?!" Nami shouted anxiously.
Chopper immediately rushed forward, opening his medical bag to quickly draw blood and examine the children who were having an episode.
A few minutes later, as the color of the reagent changed, Chopper's face instantly turned pale:
"These children..."
"Their bodies contain potent stimulants and prohibited drugs that cause human gigantification!"
"They are suffering from withdrawal symptoms right now!"
Hearing this cruel conclusion, Nami trembled all over and suddenly covered her mouth, hot tears streaming directly from her eyes.
Back on Sky Island, she had full of expectations when she proposed to Victor that she wanted to bear the fruit of their love.
Looking at these children who were cruelly treated as lab rats, an unprecedented fury and sorrow welled up in Nami's heart.
Franky was even more furious, gritting his teeth as he deployed the heavy artillery hidden in his iron arms, his roar echoing in the Biscuits Room:
"This kind of heartless scumbag laboratory, SUPER—has no reason to continue existing!
"Don't be afraid, kids, follow us and let's break out!"
...
Outside the main entrance of the research institute.
Law was relying on his privileges as a Shichibukai and his airtight lies, and it looked like he was about to dispel Smoker's doubts and brush off these troublesome Marines.
Suddenly, "BOOM—!!!"
An earth-shattering explosion came from behind Law.
That incredibly sturdy steel door of the research institute was blown to pieces by a powerful 'General Cannon' from Franky from the inside.
Heavy metal fragments flew everywhere like shrapnel from a grenade.
In a cloud of thick, pungent dust, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Franky, and Usopp, leading a large group of crying gigantified children, rushed out of the ruins noisily.
"Run! Everyone keep up!" Usopp shouted at the front, directing the way.
The moment they rushed out of the door, the two groups of people ran straight into each other.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The fully armed G-5 Marines were stunned, their mouths agape as they looked at the group of pirates and giant children that had suddenly appeared.
The Straw Hat crew also froze, staring blankly at the Marines waiting in formation outside.
And Law, who had just been confidently saying 'I'm the only one on the island', now had his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Smoker, with a cigar in his mouth, looked at this absurd scene and laughed out of sheer anger.
He gave a cold laugh, gripped his Sea Stone Jitte with both hands, and stared fixedly at Law:
"You just said... on this island, there's only you?!"
His lie ruthlessly exposed to his face, Law took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation in his heart.
To prevent his massive plan to destroy the SAD Factory and overthrow the Four Emperors Kaido from being reported to the World Government by the Marine.
Law had no choice but to decide to forcibly keep all the witnesses here.
"ROOM: Shambles!"
Law wasted no more words, slightly raising one hand and spreading his fingers.
A massive hemispherical space emitting a faint blue light instantly expanded, like an inverted giant transparent bowl, instantly enveloping everyone in front of the research institute—the Marines, the Straw Hat crew, and the children.
Within his own space, he was the absolute ruler.
Law's finger just lightly flicked upward, accompanied by an earth-shaking roar.
A massive Marine warship docked at the harbor was actually pulled up by its roots, defying the laws of gravity, and floated weightlessly in mid-air, casting a large shadow.
Then, Law's cold gaze locked onto the Straw Hat crew who were trying to escape with the children.
His fingertips moved slightly, preparing to activate his space displacement ability to forcibly intercept them.
At this critical moment.
Standing at the back of the crowd, Sanji keenly sensed a strange power of rules surging within that blue space.
Once locked by this power, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Without time for explanations, Sanji suddenly turned around and roared:
"Sorry, Nami-san! Everyone, hold on tight!"
Sanji's feet suddenly exerted force, his leather shoes kicking up a visible sonic boom wave on the ground.
His whole being turned into a black afterimage, his legs kicking out continuously like phantoms.
With precise force, he kicked them 'one by one', directly sending Nami, Chopper, Usopp, Franky, and those massive children flying like soccer balls, instantly kicking them out of the flickering blue boundary of the 'ROOM'!
"Ouch!"
"Ow ow ow!"
Everyone flew out of the light barrier like cannonballs, and although they landed on their backsides on the ground.
Because Sanji's force was controlled perfectly, everyone escaped Law's spatial control completely unharmed.
Having done all this, Sanji stood alone at the edge of the blue space, lit a cigarette, and took a deep breath.
Then, with his hands in his pockets, he stared coldly at Law ahead:
"Long time no see, Marine.
"And... Trafalgar Law."
Seeing such a lightning-fast reaction at the critical moment.
A flash of obvious shock crossed Law's eyes as he looked at the blonde cook who could safely send all his companions out of the space before his ability even activated.
The strength of the Straw Hat crew seemed to have made a qualitative leap compared to two years ago at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Smoker emitted a thick white smoke from his entire body, his Jitte pointing straight at Sanji:
"Black Leg Sanji... where is your Captain, Straw Hat boy?"
...
On the other side of Punk Hazard.
Luffy, Zoro, Victor, and Robin were leisurely riding on the back of the centaur Brownbeard.
They passed through areas of mist where thunderstorms raged and arrived at a desolate ruin behind the research institute.
Here, after some searching, they finally found the upper half of the body that the 'lower half' belonged to.
With Luffy's enthusiastic help and a flurry of hurried piecing together, the upper and lower halves of the body were finally seamlessly joined together.
The samurai suddenly opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and moved his complete body.
He cupped his hands and gave everyone a deep bow of gratitude, identifying himself as a samurai from the isolated Wano Country in the latter half of the Grand Line—'Foxfire Kin'emon'.
Although Kin'emon's body was complete and he was successfully rescued, he still looked shaken, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He suddenly drew the katana at his waist, warily scanning the thick poisonous mist around them like a startled bird, and warned Luffy and the others with a grave expression:
"My benefactors, you must be extremely careful!"
"Hidden on this island full of poisonous gas is a terrifying Seven Warlord of the Sea!"
"My body was just sliced apart in an instant by his eerie, magic-like spatial swordsmanship without any chance to fight back!"
Hearing Kin'emon's vivid and terrifying description, Luffy didn't show the slightest hint of fear or retreat.
Instead, he pressed down on the Straw Hat on his head, his eyes shining as he grinned with an incredibly excited and bright smile:
"Magic? A spatial swordsmanship that can cut people without killing them?"
"Hahahaha, how interesting!
"I really want to see it for myself!"Chapter 304: The Heart Stealer! Black Leg's Exit and the Shichibukai's Fierce Battle
In front of the cold laboratory gates.
Law held the long nodachi "kikoku" in one hand, his deep gaze fixed on Sanji standing at the edge of the light dome.
He raised his hand slightly, blue light swirling around his fingertips, just about to test the true strength of this member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Whoosh—!"
The sharp sound of something piercing the air suddenly arrived, interrupting Law's movement.
A heavy Jitte embedded with Sea Stone, carrying powerful and sharp Armament Haki, smashed mercilessly toward Law's back.
Law reacted with god-like speed, swinging "kikoku" behind him to parry.
Accompanied by the roar of clashing metal, Smoker transformed into rolling billows of thick smoke, forcefully intervening between the two and landing steadily on the ground.
Smoker bit down on the burning cigar in his mouth, exhaling a thick cloud of fog, his hawk-like, fierce eyes staring fixedly at Law.
"Your opponent is me, Trafalgar!"
"Even though as a Marine, I'd love to capture Straw Hat and his cronies right now."
"But currently, I'm more curious about what kind of unspeakable secrets you bastard are hiding on this blockaded island!"
Facing the tense standoff between two powerhouses, Sanji stood at the edge of the dome and calmly took a deep drag of his cigarette.
He knew well that it was quite unwise to fight head-on within a spatial ability completely controlled by someone else.
Moreover, his primary mission now was to protect Nami and that group of giant children of unknown origin.
Afterward, he needed to regroup as soon as possible with his single-minded Captain who was running around everywhere.
Sanji slowly exhaled blue smoke rings, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"It seems there are irreconcilable internal conflicts to be resolved between you Marines and the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"In that case, I won't stay here to disturb your fun."
With that, Sanji's feet suddenly exerted force, directly performing his ultimate technique, "Sea Walk."
He kicked out a series of deafening sonic booms in the air, as if stepping on transparent stairs, instantly taking off and neatly rushing out of the blue dome of "ROOM," making his getaway.
Law only watched Sanji leave with a cold gaze, making no move to stop him.
He now had to focus all his energy on dealing with the extremely troublesome Marine Vice Admiral before him.
...
On the other side, Sanji sped through the mist and soon successfully regrouped with the retreating Nami and the others.
They led the group of weeping, giant-sized children, trekking with difficulty through the harsh environment of lightning storms and toxic mist.
After some searching, the group finally found a partially buried, abandoned research facility branch amidst the desolate ruins to use as a temporary shelter.
However, just as everyone settled into the ruins, an abnormality suddenly occurred.
Several giant children suddenly clutched their heads, their bodies beginning to convulse violently again.
And this time, the symptoms were even more severe than in the Biscuit Room.
Their eyes rolled back, their faces severely distorted by pain, and they began smashing the hard walls frantically like maddened beasts.
They cried out loudly for "candy," their massive fists swinging everywhere, nearly crushing Usopp to a pulp as he tried to soothe them.
Seeing this horrifying scene, Chopper immediately rushed forward, risking being smashed away to once again draw blood from the symptomatic children for testing.
Looking at the turbid reaction in the test tube, Chopper reached a bone-chilling conclusion.
"What these children are eating isn't candy at all!"
"It contains a potent stimulant drug called 'NHC10'! And banned drugs that cause the body to giantize against all logic!"
"Once they stop the medication, they will go mad with a pain worse than death, and..."
"Long-term consumption of this poison will cause their lifespans to be drastically shortened; they won't live past adulthood!"
Watching those children being tortured by the drugs, rolling on the ground in agony, Chopper's bottom line was completely shattered.
He shed hot tears mixed with anger and sadness, his small body trembling violently.
*Smash!*
Chopper slammed the glass medicine bottle in his hand onto the ground, letting out a hysterical roar.
"Unforgivable... I am a doctor!"
"I will absolutely cure them, no matter what method it takes!"
"And I will definitely send that bastard who performs human experiments on innocent children flying with a punch!"
...
The exploration team moved forward through the thick fog.
On the broad backs of Brownbeard and the other centaurs, the samurai from Wano Country, Kin'emon, was fully dressed.
He knelt respectfully on the horse's back, solemnly thanking Luffy and the others for saving his life, and explained with a face full of worry his true purpose for risking death to step onto the forbidden Marine island.
"This humble one is here to find my son who wandered into this poison gas island—Momonosuke!"
"As long as I can find my son, this humble one is willing to give his all!"
Hearing that the other party had come to this dangerous island to find his son, Luffy grinned without hesitation, patted his chest hard, and readily agreed to help.
"Don't worry!"
"Since you just showed us such a funny performance, we'll help you look for your son while we're at it!"
Meanwhile, Victor, sitting on the back of another centaur, paused slightly when he heard the name "Momonosuke."
He looked at Robin, who was currently snuggling in his arms and riding with him, feeling her unique elegance and softness.
Victor's eyes slowly narrowed.
It was decided: Momonosuke must die!
No one can stop me!
...
Meanwhile, deep within Punk Hazard inside the heavily guarded control room.
Caesar Clown was staring fixedly at the surveillance screens on the wall.
When he saw his experimental subjects being taken away by the Straw Hat crew, his face distorted with rage, and he smashed the expensive red wine glass in his hand to pieces.
"Damn Marines! Damn Straw Hat crew!"
"They actually kidnapped all of my precious experimental subjects!"
Caesar's heart was filled with panic.
He knew well that if the secret of these giantization experiments was discovered and exposed by the Marines...
His financial backer—"Joker" Doflamingo—would definitely kill him to silence him without hesitation.
He had to kill them all to keep the secret before things were exposed.
Caesar's hands trembled as he picked up a special Video Den Den Mushi and dialed a secret underground channel.
As the call connected, his distorted face was full of killing intent as he issued the coldest command.
"Go, Yeti Cool Brothers!"
"Use your assassination techniques to kill all those pirates; leave not a single soul alive!"
"Bring those children back to me completely unharmed!"
Upon receiving the instructions, at the junction of the toxic mist and the snow-capped mountains that never dissipated on the island, two massive, looming mysterious snow monsters received the order.
Carrying specialized sniper rifles, they hid in the lightning and mist like ghosts, beginning their ruthless hunt.
...
Outside the main entrance of the laboratory, the battle between Law and Smoker had entered a white-hot stage of mortal combat.
The two fought fiercely from the collapsing ground all the way into the air.
Smoker pushed the power of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit to its limit, possessing extreme mobility as the white smoke filling the sky transformed into countless fists to constantly block Law's movements.
Meanwhile, Law's slashes within the space of "ROOM" were like a fish in water, almost impossible to defend against.
The surrounding Marine soldiers who hadn't had time to retreat and the massive warships docked at the shore had already been sliced into pieces by Law's eerie and unpredictable spatial swordsmanship, scattered in countless fragments across the ground.
After one of the most intense clashes of Armament Haki.
Law's cold eyes precisely captured the moment of vulnerability when Smoker reverted from his elemental form to a solid body.
Law's gaze suddenly turned cold; he lunged forward, his right hand's five fingers pressed together, his fingertips charged with high-frequency electromagnetic waves capable of piercing a heart, and thrust them violently toward Smoker's defenseless chest.
"Mes!"
Accompanied by a painful grunt from Smoker, an incredible scene occurred.
A block of light emitting a faint blue glow was forcefully jarred out of Smoker's chest by Law!
And in the center of that transparent block of light, a fresh, real heart was beating!
"Vice Admiral Smoker!"
Standing in the distance, Tashigi saw this scene and screamed in horror, drawing her famous blade to rush forward and fight for his life.
Having lost his heart, Smoker's eyes rolled back, and his tall body fell heavily onto the cold snow.
Just as Law let out a cold laugh and reached out to tightly grasp this still-beating heart, prepared to end this battle completely—
"Ah! It's so lively here!"
Accompanied by an unusually excited and familiar shout, the stalemate outside the laboratory gate was instantly broken.
Luffy, Victor, Zoro, Robin, and the others, riding tall centaurs, broke through the thick outer mist like gods descending from the heavens.Chapter 305: A Scheming Alliance Proposal! An Awkward Reunion and the Snow Mountain Killers
Luffy sat on the Centaur's broad back, his hands resting casually as he tilted his head.
His large, clear eyes darted around, surveying the messy, sword-scarred battlefield in front of him for a long time.
He completely ignored the suffocatingly tense atmosphere of the scene.
When his gaze swept over the two familiar figures, Luffy suddenly slapped his thigh and pointed forward, shouting as if he had just realized something:
"Ah! Isn't that the guy with the Spotted Hat we saw on Sabaody Archipelago?"
"And that Smoke Guy who's been chasing me across the sea?"
Watching the Straw Hat crew, who never played by the rules, suddenly barge onto the battlefield, a flash of helplessness crossed Law's habitually cold face.
He raised his hand and firmly pressed down on his Spotted Hat; the perfect rhythm he had completely under control was thoroughly disrupted at this moment by these uninvited guests.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Seeing the usually invincible Vice Admiral Smoker with his heart stolen, lying on the cold snow, his fate unknown...
Tashigi felt a sharp pain in her heart, her emotions a mix of grief and indignation.
Ignoring the vast disparity in their strength, tears welled up in her eyes.
She abruptly drew the famous blade 'Shigure' from her waist and charged recklessly at Law, shouting desperately:
"Give the Vice Admiral's heart back!"
"You despicable pirate, taking advantage of someone in trouble! I'll fight you to the end!"
Standing on the Centaur's back, Zoro had been observing the battlefield with some interest.
But when the corner of his eye inadvertently caught Tashigi charging...
The usually cool and fearless Marimo swordsman felt the corners of his mouth twitch uncontrollably.
To hide his inner fluster, he silently turned his head to the side, forcing his gaze away from that direction.
As a result, as soon as he turned his head, he saw Victor and Robin huddled together behind him, whispering in a close posture.
Victor had his hands in his pockets, a mischievous glint in his eyes, as he whispered something to Robin.
Robin was listening very seriously, and when she heard something interesting, she reached out her slender hand to cover her crimson lips.
Her beautiful eyes, filled with unmistakable laughter, looked Zoro up and down as he turned his head.
Sensing the gaze of these two, Zoro's composure instantly shattered.
Veins popped on his forehead, and with a face full of black lines, he roared loudly at Victor:
"You red-eyed bastard! What kind of nonsense are you talking to Robin about behind my back?!"
"Believe it or not, I'll cut you!"
On the other side, facing Tashigi's desperate charge that was full of openings...
If Law wanted to, he could easily kill this eyesore of a Marine swordswoman in an instant without even moving a finger, or simply teleport her into the sea to feed the sharks.
But his cold gaze passed over Tashigi and looked at the noisy Straw Hat crew behind her.
Recalling Sanji's stunning reaction speed from earlier, as well as Luffy's unpredictable way of doing things, Law's heart couldn't help but stir slightly.
Ultimately, Law did not launch an attack on the charging Tashigi.
He just gave a light wave of his hand.
Accompanied by a faint spatial ripple...
The heart emitting a blue light, which he had been holding tightly, instantly crossed the spatial distance and was returned perfectly intact into the chest of the fallen Smoker.
Tashigi, who was prepared to fight to the death, saw this scene and came to a dead stop in her charge.
She stood frozen on the spot, crystalline tears still hanging from the corners of her eyes, completely stunned.
She looked at Law's empty hands, then at Smoker on the ground whose chest had resumed rising and falling, and a strong sense of bewilderment surged in her heart:
"Eh? I didn't expect..."
"Are my words actually that effective in front of a Shichibukai?"
Having done this, Law didn't even give the self-doubting Tashigi a glance.
He nimbly sheathed the long nodachi, 'kikoku', back into its scabbard.
Then, he turned around and took a deep look at Luffy on the Centaur's back, as well as Victor behind Luffy, who was looking at him with a half-smile:
"Straw Hat Captain, this sea of the New World is not a place for you to play pirate games."
"If you want to survive in this Shura's field full of monsters, there are only two paths before you:
"Either find a backer and obediently linger on under the umbrella of the Four Emperors.
"Or... bet your lives and constantly challenge them to pull them down from their pedestals."
Law paused, then continued:
"I have a perfect plan to pull 'that guy' down."
"Once you've handled the messy business on this island, we'll have a proper talk about an alliance."
"As for now..."
The corners of Law's mouth slowly curled into a scheming arc.
He extended a long finger and pointed at Smoker, who was struggling to get up, and the surrounding G-5 Branch Marines who were full of wariness:
"These annoying Marine fellows will be your meeting gift to deal with."
After saying that, he gave the Straw Hat crew no chance to react or refuse.
The blue spatial dome of 'ROOM' flashed suddenly, and Law used his spatial displacement ability to instantly vanish into the vast, thick fog.
Leaving only the Straw Hat crew and the newly restored Marines staring at each other on the spot.
As the howling cold wind blew past, the air at the scene suddenly became terrifyingly quiet.
On one side was Vice Admiral Smoker, who was clutching his chest and gasping for air after getting his heart back, along with his subordinates who were standing ready with their firearms.
On the other side was the Straw Hat crew, sitting on the Centaur with faces full of innocence and confusion.
The two sides stared at each other silently across a distance of a few meters in the surging thunderous mist.
However, this awkward atmosphere didn't exist at all for Luffy.
He looked at Smoker, who was staring at him with a grim face, and didn't consider the other man a mortal enemy at all.
He put on his signature wide grin, raised his hand quite familiarly, and waved vigorously in greeting:
"Yo! Smoke Guy! Long time no see!"
"Are you guys here to explore this island too?"
Hearing this foolish greeting that sounded like a reunion between old friends, Smoker, who had just caught his breath, felt a tightness in his chest and almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
He pressed down hard on his heart, gasping violently, feeling his blood pressure rising in a straight line.
And the G-5 Branch Marines behind him, who were originally full of murderous intent and ready to fire at any moment, were even more dumbfounded by this greeting, their weapons dropping to the ground.
...
Meanwhile, with the group staying behind on the other side of the island.
Inside a branch of an abandoned research institute half-buried by snow and ruins.
Chopper was wearing a mask, working busily at a temporary and very crude operating table, his forehead covered in sweat.
He was focused on manipulating various bottles and jars, using the limited equipment remaining in the lab to urgently extract sedatives that could suppress neural excitement.
He was trying to alleviate the heart-wrenching pain of the giant children in the hall outside, who were suffering from the withdrawal symptoms of that damn 'addiction'.
At the entrance of the ruins, Sanji had a burning cigarette in his mouth, his expression grim.
He and Franky stood on either side like two door gods, vigilantly guarding the entrance against any movement outside to protect their companions and the children behind them.
Suddenly, in this harsh environment of roaring thunderstorms and driving snow...
Accompanied by the sound of a suppressed gunshot, so faint it was almost undetectable beneath the thunder...
A specially made 'Hypnotic Poison Gas Bomb' cut through the thick fog, accurately flying toward the entrance of the ruins and abruptly exploding in front of Sanji and Franky!
*Bang!*
A pungent smoke of a strange purple color instantly filled the narrow entrance and rapidly spread inward.
"Not good! It's hypnotic gas! Everyone, hold your breath!"
Sanji's face paled with shock, and he immediately covered his nose and mouth as he retreated.
Immediately following that, two terrifying dark shadows covered in white fur appeared faintly within the rolling thunderous mist outside.
They took heavy steps, each footfall striking the hard ground with a heart-pounding thud, as if even the earth were trembling for them.
These two were the cold-blooded killers specifically sent to silence them by the mad scientist Caesar, who had issued a'sure-kill' order.
The Snow Mountain Killers with a bounty of twenty million Berries: the Yeti Cool Brothers