33 33. Shifting Gears · Fifth Gear

Sabaody Island.

Zoro approached Rayleigh, his body smeared with blood, and gave him a nod.

On one side, Sentomaru avoided looking directly at him due to his intense energy.

"Hey, Luffy, you've got about thirty minutes tops," Rayleigh shouted out to Luffy in the distance after checking the time.

Despite Sentomaru's intervention, the Marines should have already alerted Headquarters about the battle here by now, considering their knowledge of Sengoku. They'd likely send Admiral-level reinforcements soon.

It wouldn't take more than an hour for them to reach Sabaody Archipelago from Headquarters. Taking into account the time needed to slip away from Sabaody to avoid drawing too much attention, Luffy only had around half an hour left to fight.

Rayleigh wasn't pressuring Luffy to leave immediately, though. This remaining time was still precious. The chance to face off against an Admiral one-on-one was exceptionally rare.

Suddenly, a loud boom echoed through the sky, and a spherical shockwave erupted. Kizaru Mitsuko materialized on the grass, sporting several fist marks on his body, and his yellow-and-white striped suit appeared a bit crumpled. There was a noticeable scratch on his face.

Such injuries were uncommon for Kizaru. Now, his commitment to the Marines seemed to be waning.

I'm beginning to regret my decision to take on a task that seemed simple but turned out to be as tough as hell.

I mean, he's supposed to be here to chill out, you know? But instead, he ends up facing two formidable opponents at the level of Admirals.

Of course, compared to Kizaru, Luffy looks way worse off. His body is covered in scratches, his shirt is torn to shreds, and there's blood at the corner of his mouth.

But strangely, his aura hasn't weakened one bit. In fact, it's getting stronger and stronger. And that grin on his face? It's like he's loving every minute of this fight.

"Hey, only half an hour left? That's not much time," Luffy exclaimed in surprise.

"I know, but we've got to stick to it. This is Sabaody Island, too close to Naval Headquarters. Whether the battle's over or not, we'll have to leave in half an hour. Otherwise, things could get messy," Rayleigh explained calmly, like a wise mentor.

"Alright," Luffy sighed with regret.

This whole situation left Kizaru, on the other hand, feeling a bit speechless. He's known for conserving his energy, you know? He's used to getting maximum results with minimal effort. But today, he's exhausted a lot of energy, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't take down that straw hat kid. Instead, the rookie just seemed to get more and more pumped up with each blow, like some kind of battle-crazy maniac.

Kizaru couldn't help but feel like he just didn't mesh well with this kind of fighting lunatic.

Actually, when Kizaru first spotted Rayleigh, he was already contemplating sneaking away. But he never anticipated that the straw hat kid would be so formidable. Not only did he hold his ground against Kizaru, but he even engaged him head-on, leaving Rayleigh, who's on the same level, free to observe from the sidelines. It relegated Kizaru to nothing more than a practice partner.

"However, the remaining half an hour should suffice. I find myself in quite an interesting state and I'd like to test it out," Luffy remarked.

"Oh, a new state?" Rayleigh responded, slightly surprised.

Luffy's growth and strength have surpassed all expectations, yet there's still a new form left unexplored, which is incredibly exciting. Even Kizaru, on the opposite side, couldn't help but become serious.

"In fact, it's my current strongest state and also the most intriguing," Luffy declared, pressing down on his straw hat with excitement. "I call it Gear Fifth."

"Gear Fifth?" Rayleigh and Kizaru's expressions instantly shifted, one filled with anticipation and the other with solemnity.

"Let's have a good fight," Luffy grinned, preparing to activate his new form. "Switching to Gear Fifth!"

With those words, Luffy's entire body seemed to liquefy, emitting a soft white glow. The light, though not blinding, exuded a strange, optimistic, and highly spirited energy capable of uplifting those around him.

Boom, boom.

Simultaneously, from within the rubbery mass, heartbeats reverberated like war drums, passionate and brimming with power.

Meanwhile, in the New World, in the Mokomo Dukedom:

"Moo."

A thunderous cry echoed across the sea, sending shockwaves through the area.

The slumbering Cat Viper jolted awake, leaping out of his resting place and swiftly scaling the tallest tree in the giant whale forest. Duke Inuarashi soon joined him.

"Is that Zou's cry?" Cat Viper inquired, his tone serious, setting aside past grievances with Inuarashi in the face of this urgent matter.

"Perhaps," Inuarashi responded, feeling the ground tremble beneath them, indicating something significant was underway.

Duke Inuarashi's expression mirrored the seriousness of the situation. It was the first time they'd ever heard Zou roar since their birth, and it was nothing short of terrifying. The giant elephant's roar reverberated throughout the Mokomo Dukedom, causing the entire sea to tremble.

There was an inexplicable emotion embedded within the roar—was it sentimentality? Relief? After a while, Zou ceased its roaring and resumed its journey through the sea, as it had done countless times before.

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi exchanged meaningful glances. They both understood that this matter required a thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, on the sea surrounding the Sabaody Archipelago, the Sunny sailed swiftly as if being chased by unseen pursuers.

"Ah, what an exhilarating battle! Facing Admirals, no less! Haha!" Luffy exclaimed, seated on the deck, laughing heartily.

Opposite him, Chopper busily tended to Luffy's wounds, wrapping a thick bandage around his chest. A large wound on Luffy's left chest still seeped blood.

"It's a ridiculous power but undeniably formidable," Rayleigh commented from his seat on Sunny's mainmast, his eyes still reflecting the shock of the recent battle. Even though an hour had passed, his thoughts remained entrenched in the fierce clash.

"Is this the power that will reshape the world and herald a new era? Is this the person you've been waiting for, Roger?" Rayleigh directed his gaze at Luffy, pondering the significance of the events unfolding before them, particularly recalling the words spoken by the straw hat and the red-haired man earlier.

Now, Rayleigh had fully endorsed the young man before him. This endorsement wasn't just about recognizing Luffy's character and determination; it carried a deeper significance. These factors led Rayleigh to make a profound decision for himself.

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