*One Piece: A Side Story – The Forgotten Isle (Part 38)*

The clash was inevitable. As the two ships drew closer, the tension became unbearable. The Straw Hat Pirates stood ready on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, their faces grim with determination. Sable and his crew were a formidable force, and they had made it clear that they were willing to do whatever it took to retrieve the artifact Robin held in her hands.

Luffy grinned, cracking his knuckles. "I hope they're ready for us. No one takes what's ours!"

Zoro unsheathed his swords, his posture calm but his eyes alert. "Let's get this over with, Captain."

Nami stood next to him, her hand tightly gripping her clima-tact. "We can't let them take the artifact. We don't know who else is after it."

Sanji lit a cigarette, his usual cocky grin appearing on his face. "Leave it to me to keep these guys off the ship. No one touches our treasure, especially not some scoundrel in a cloak."

As Sable's ship came alongside the Thousand Sunny, ropes were thrown, and his crew began to swing across, landing with graceful but deadly precision on the Straw Hat's deck. They were all armed, a mix of swords, guns, and other weapons, each looking just as dangerous as the last.

Sable was the first to step onto the Thousand Sunny's deck, his eyes locking onto Robin. He didn't flinch as the Straw Hat Pirates bristled around him. His cold, calculating gaze never left her, and his voice echoed through the tension-filled air.

"Hand over the artifact, and I'll make this quick. Refuse, and I promise you, none of you will walk away unscathed."

Robin tightened her grip on the artifact, her eyes flashing with cold resolve. "You can try, but you'll find we're not so easy to defeat."

Luffy stepped forward, ready to launch into action. "You want the artifact, you'll have to fight us for it! We're the Straw Hat Pirates, and we never back down!"

At his command, the crew leaped into action. Zoro was the first to strike, his swords flashing in the sunlight as he moved toward Sable's crew with blinding speed. With a single motion, he slashed through the ropes that held Sable's ship in place, sending them crashing to the ground.

"Don't just stand there, you guys!" Zoro called over his shoulder. "Get moving!"

Sanji leapt into action next, sending a powerful kick toward one of the approaching enemies. "How about I take care of these amateurs? They don't even know what they're up against!"

Chopper, in his reindeer form, charged forward with a fierce roar. "I'm not letting anyone hurt my friends!" He threw himself into the fray, knocking several of Sable's crew members out of the way with his powerful hooves.

Robin, still holding the artifact close to her chest, used her Devil Fruit powers to create several extra arms from the ship's railings, effortlessly knocking back attackers. "I won't let you get any closer."

Sable observed the chaos, unfazed by the crew's retaliation. He waved his hand, signaling his own crew to engage in full force. "Deal with them. I'll handle the artifact."

He moved swiftly, crossing the deck with unnatural grace, and reached for Robin. But before he could get close, Luffy stretched his arm out to block him.

"Gomu Gomu no… Pistol!" Luffy launched a massive punch straight at Sable, but Sable was quick, sidestepping the attack with ease and drawing a sleek blade from his side.

"You'll have to do better than that, Straw Hat," Sable taunted, his blade flashing as he slashed at Luffy's extended arm. "You're far from ready to stop me."

Luffy grinned, unbothered by the near-miss. "I don't need to stop you—I just need to make you regret messing with us!"

Sable's eyes narrowed. He had underestimated the Straw Hat Pirates, but now he could see that they were not going to be easy opponents. His gaze flicked to Robin, who was still trying to keep the artifact safe.

"You think you can protect that thing forever?" Sable said with a smirk. "You're too slow."

He lunged at Robin, but before he could reach her, Zoro intercepted him with a lightning-fast slash. "Stay away from her!" Zoro growled.

The force of the strike forced Sable to retreat, momentarily taken aback by Zoro's power. He adjusted his stance, his eyes flicking between Luffy and Zoro. "You're more troublesome than I thought."

Meanwhile, Sanji and Chopper were working together to knock out Sable's crew, each strike a precise combination of speed and strength. "We've got this, Captain!" Sanji yelled as he sent another enemy flying.

Nami stood at the ready, her eyes scanning for any weaknesses in the enemies' formations. She was prepared to use her clima-tact to create an opening. "We need to finish this quickly. We can't let them keep coming after Robin."

Sable, noticing that his men were starting to falter, gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to let this ragtag group of pirates get the best of him. With a swift motion, he raised his sword high, preparing to unleash a devastating blow.

But before he could strike, Robin's arms shot out from behind him, grabbing hold of the ship's mast and spinning him around. "You talk too much," she said coldly.

As Sable struggled to free himself, Luffy saw the opportunity. "Gomu Gomu no… King Kong Gun!" He threw his entire body forward, his fist expanding to an enormous size as it crashed into Sable, sending him flying across the deck and into the sea below.

The battle came to a sudden halt as Sable's crew hesitated. Without their leader, they began to retreat, knowing they were outmatched.

Luffy, breathing heavily but still grinning, turned to his crew. "That was awesome! Now we can finally rest, right?"

But Robin's expression was serious as she glanced at the artifact in her hands. "This won't be the last time we see them. Sable is only a small part of something much larger."

The crew gathered around, knowing that this victory was just another step on the long road to uncovering the mysteries of the world. As the Thousand Sunny sailed away, they all knew that their journey was far from over—and that the true dangers were only beginning.

To be continued…