98 Chapter 98 : Luffy’s will

At this moment, as the spectators witnessed the impact of Monkey D. Luffy's punch in the image, they were left in awe!

Nani!

This power... it's truly beyond expectation!

With a single punch, he brought down a significant portion of the entire Justice tower! What's more crucial is...

He directly sent Rob Lucci plummeting from the building to the deck! Fortunately, there's a ship.

If he falls into the sea, there would be no need for a further fight; victory would be declared instantly.

The Red-Haired Pirates!

Benn Beckman, Jesus Burgess, and others were also dumbfounded.

"How does Luffy's punch in Gear Third mode feel even more powerful than when he struck Moria?"

"Yes, this punch is downright more terrifying than the destructive power of the giants!"

Shanks blushed, raising his glass as he chuckled.

"It's Luffy. I thought he was about to lose..."

"I didn't expect him to keep surprising us. Hahaha, that's great!"

Despite the shock, all the members of the Red-Haired Pirate crew hoped for Luffy's victory.

Naturally, they wished for him to defeat Rob Lucci and turn the tables.

Though the hope was slim, Luffy was a guy capable of miracles.

The question lingered: could he create miracles once again, as in the previous two battles?

Revolutionary Army Headquarters!

"Is Luffy going to win?"

Sabo gazed excitedly at the sky.

Even though he hadn't fully recovered his lost memories, he still rooted for Luffy's victory.

On the other hand, Betty wore a serious expression.

"No, it's not that simple..."

Sabo looked puzzled, "Why?"

Betty explained, "This person, Rob Lucci, will never be defeated so easily. He's a truly formidable individual."

"Maybe you haven't heard about his deeds at the age of 12, but I have... Sabo, and the rest of the Revolutionary troops, listen carefully."

Without hesitation, Betty disclosed what she knew. Once, a kingdom under the World Government's jurisdiction was invaded by a large group of pirates.

During that time, all 500 Marine soldiers stationed in the kingdom were taken hostage, demanding the king and even the World Government exchange treasures for their release.

To resolve the crisis, the World Government sent someone — that person was Rob Lucci!

Moreover, he was just a teenager at that time, a teenage Rob Lucci!

Single-handedly, Lucci slaughtered all the pirates, including... those 500 Marine soldiers!

In his eyes, any Marine that could be captured by the enemy was an unfit Marine. According to him, their existence was a waste of military funds, so he decided to eliminate them all! This is Rob Lucci!

Known as the most powerful CP9 member of the World Government, the most flawless and powerful killing machine!

His ruthlessness and strength were apparent even during his youth!

Therefore, after more than a decade of growth, today's Rob Lucci can't possibly possess only a fraction of that strength!

Hearing Betty's account, Sabo, along with the others, was astonished.

They hadn't anticipated that Lucci... was so ruthless!

That being said, the battle wasn't over; it seemed it had only just begun.

[Rob Lucci, who had been sent crashing to the deck, reverted from his leopard form and slowly stood up.]

[At this moment, his face had never looked more ominous...]

[One can only imagine the intensity of the anger burning within him!]

[On the other side, Luffy, aware that the previous punch, while destructive, wasn't enough to defeat Lucci...]

[So, he propelled himself with both arms, soaring over the battleship, and then...]

["Rubber... Giant Tomahawk!"]

[A colossal foot descended from the sky, cleaving the entire battleship in half!]

[Instantly, seawater sprayed in all directions, and the battleship disintegrated...]

[This display of destructive power left countless Marine personnel on board in shock and panic.]

[Simultaneously...]

[Because Lucci had broken the underground passage earlier, seawater gushed in.]

[Zoro's group, fleeing desperately through the underground passage, found themselves engulfed by the incoming seawater!]

[The immense force made them lose control, and they were carried away by the sea.]

[As everyone was on the verge of losing breath, a mermaid emerged...]

[This sight thrilled Sanji at first, but upon seeing the figure before him, it turned into a lifelong nightmare!]

[The mermaid who came to their rescue was none other than Kokoro!]

[It's not just Sanji's nightmare; it's likely to haunt all those who were saved...]

[Meanwhile, Luffy executed two more moves, launching three consecutive attacks, inflicting unimaginable damage on Lucci.]

[Due to side effects, Lucci was thrown back into the ruins of the Justice Tower.]

[His body shrank, ultimately transforming into a mini version of Luffy...]

Windmill Village!

Even though Luffy had already set sail, Dadan, Makino, and the others remained at the pier, gathering to witness the live broadcast.

Upon witnessing Luffy's punch, which nearly toppled Justice Tower, and then stepping onto a battleship with a single foot, everyone was instantly stunned!

Their eyes widened, mouths agape, expressions exaggerated and shocked. Except for Makino, who remained composed, the others were left in awe, akin to orangutans. 

They never expected the future Luffy to be so formidable. Despite witnessing Luffy's terrifying strength in the first two live broadcasts, the display before them still sent shockwaves.

Considering the battleground was Enies Lobby, facing off against the Marine and CP9, the realization hit them hard.

"Amazing, Luffy has truly become unbelievably strong!"

"Look at that destructive power; I'm glad he didn't tear down my door when he used to visit. Luckily, he spared my house!"

"How did he become this powerful? It feels like he's catching up with old man Garp's destructive capabilities."

"This is only the eighth rank battle. What if he goes further? How frightening would that be?"

Fishman Island!

Even beneath the deep seabed, the fish could still witness the live broadcast on a screen formed by water curtains.

In a palace sat a huge yet remarkably beautiful mermaid with fan-like hair, the princess of the Dragon Palace, Shirahoshi - the Star Princess!

From the beginning of the live broadcast, she felt an unexplainable fondness for Luffy. Perhaps it was his loyalty to his companions, his humorous personality, or something else. She couldn't pinpoint the reason, but she couldn't help but pay special attention to Luffy.

Her heart tightened when Luffy faced danger, and she shared in his joy when he defeated enemies. Now, seeing Luffy shrink into a mini-version due to using the third gear, Princess Shirahoshi was surprised, then smiled.

"This human named Luffy is so cute!"

"I really want to meet him, but I wonder if he'll come to Fishman Island during his future adventures?"

[Luffy, now miniaturized, knew he couldn't contend with Lucci in this state.]

[He rushed into the ruins to avoid the time limit for side effects and regroup...]

[But Lucci, furious, easily found him.]

[Facing a defenseless Luffy, Lucci rained down countless heavy blows!]

[Luffy, beaten and bloodied, couldn't escape Lucci's leopard claws.]

[He was caught, unable to break free.]

[Perhaps tired of playing, Lucci reached the wall and pressed Luffy against it heavily.]

[Luffy's limbs embedded in the wall, leaving only his head and body visible.]

"You'll die in such a ridiculous pose."

[Lucci used all his strength, launching the finger pistol!]

[If this move hit Luffy without defense, it would be fatal!]

[Luffy tried to escape, but firmly fixed, he could only watch Lucci's sharp fingers drawing near...]

This scene shocked viewers, making many close their eyes, fearing Luffy's demise.

At the Marine headquarters, Garp, witnessing this, was almost overcome with shock.

If something happened to Luffy...

CP9's Lucci wouldn't be spared! The screen continued...

[Just as Lucci was about to strike Luffy...]

[A miracle happened!]

[The side effects of the third gear ended!]

[Luffy returned to his normal size, breaking free from the wall.]

[With a backhand kick, he sent Lucci flying before the finger pistol hit.]

"Gear Second!"

[Luffy activated the Gear Second once more.]

[White steam enveloped him, and his skin turned red.]

[He stared at Lucci intensely, saying with utmost seriousness:]

"This time, I won't deactivate the Gear Second until I defeat you!"

Lucci, indifferent, remarked, "You can't sustain this mode for long. Do you want to die?"

Luffy raised his head, maintaining his serious expression.

"Who knows?"

"But I've decided that even if it means death, I will defeat you!"

At that moment, Luffy's resolve startled Lucci.

His cold heart froze, and for the first time, fear crept in.

The man before him, in will and strength, surpassed his imagination.

**********

Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.

patreon.com/PirateKing24

avataravatar
Next chapter