Chapter 57 That’s one hell of a storm

At this moment, Sanji took several deep drags from his cigarette, trying to suppress the shock surging within him. Zoro gripped his sword even tighter. The bombardment continued, and he swung his blade even faster, fighting with more intensity.

"Ha…haha! Moonlight, you're amazing!" Luffy shouted excitedly, watching as Moonlight dashed across the water. His voice boomed toward the sea, calling out to his crewmate.

"Moonlight, take them down!"

"Understood, Captain!" Moonlight's calm voice echoed back from the water. Without hesitation, he charged straight toward the Navy ships.

"Is he even human?" one of the three Navy captains muttered, peering through a telescope at the swiftly approaching figure. His face was filled with disbelief.

"What the…?"

All the sailors on the ships noticed Moonlight as he sprinted across the ocean. Their jaws dropped, weapons fell from their hands, and they stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what they were seeing. How could a human run on water like that?

Buzz!

By now, Moonlight had reached the first Navy vessel. He pushed his Dragon Rend Sky Cut technique to its peak, his speed near impossible to track. Without even boarding the ship, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki in full force.

Finally unrestricted, he could let loose.

A pale blue aura exploded outward from Moonlight, radiating in all directions. Within a 300-meter radius, every sailor collapsed—unconscious, foaming at the mouth, or completely incapacitated. Not a single one remained standing.

Moonlight continued to move, and in just moments, every Navy soldier surrounding the Going Merry had been defeated. The bombardment ceased, and only the three captains remained, struggling to stand but clearly outmatched.

"Ding! Conqueror's Haki has been upgraded to level 3!"

When Moonlight finally stopped, the system's voice echoed in his head. His Conqueror's Haki had advanced to level 3. At the same time, over 3,000 Navy soldiers had fallen, completely losing their ability to fight.

The once formidable fleet of more than forty Navy ships, which had formed an impenetrable blockade, now lay still on the calm sea. The only movement came from the swirling whirlpools near the Going Merry, created by the relentless cannon fire that had stirred up the waters.

The whirlpools grew larger, and above them, dark storm clouds were gathering, threatening a violent storm. Luffy and the others stood in stunned silence, unable to believe what had just happened.

Just like that, it was over?

That had been a fleet of at least 3,000 Navy soldiers!

It wasn't just Luffy and his crew—everyone onshore, witnessing the scene from afar, was equally stunned. No one could have imagined that such a powerful and determined Navy force could be taken down by a single man. If word of this got out, no one would believe it. It was too absurd.

Moonlight returned to the Going Merry, ignoring the wide-eyed stares of his crewmates. His attention was fixed on the sky, where the storm clouds continued to thicken. His brow furrowed in concern.

The Navy wasn't the problem anymore—it was the storm. Those gathering clouds signaled a violent storm ahead, and in the open sea, the greatest threat wasn't any enemy, but the ocean itself. The sea could wipe out anyone with ease.

"Nami, we need to get out of here! A storm is coming!" Moonlight called urgently, turning to Nami.

"Right, right!" Nami snapped out of her daze, quickly coming to her senses.

Yes, a storm was approaching. She had initially intended to use the wind and rain to avoid the Navy's cannon fire, but with that threat now gone, the real danger was the storm. A storm was far more terrifying than the Navy.

"Usopp, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, move fast! The whirlpools are forming, and the storm is nearly here. We're in a tight spot, and if we don't act quickly, we're done for!" Nami shouted.

"Got it!" Luffy and the others snapped out of their shock, casting one last glance at Moonlight before springing into action. On this ship, if anyone's word was to be trusted, it was Nami's.

Boom!

Suddenly, a thunderclap echoed through the sky as lightning flashed between the dark clouds above. A violent downpour followed, hammering the sea below. Already caught in swirling whirlpools, the Going Merry found itself in even greater peril.

"Damn!" Nami cursed, her heart sinking. The worst-case scenario had arrived. Even with her navigation skills, facing such a powerful storm at sea was beyond her ability.

Boom!

The wind howled, the rain lashed down, and more whirlpools began forming on the sea's surface. With the storm feeding them, they quickly grew into massive waterspouts, threatening to swallow the Going Merry whole.

"Watch out! A waterspout—it's huge!" Usopp yelled, his voice trembling with fear.

"Damn it! Are we too late?" Sanji exhaled a long puff of smoke, recognizing the danger they were in.

"Yeah!" Even Zoro was momentarily taken aback by the power of the storm. In the face of nature's fury, human strength seemed insignificant.

"Is abandoning the ship our only option?" Moonlight sighed, realizing that the situation had reached its worst possible outcome. With the storm bearing down and the waterspouts forming, it seemed their only choice was to abandon the Going Merry.

"Look! It's a waterspout!"

The people at Loguetown's port could see the chaos unfolding at sea. The storm was so fierce that it didn't take long for them to notice the towering waterspouts forming around the Going Merry. The ship looked tiny and fragile, as though it could capsize at any moment.

"That's one hell of a storm. The Straw Hat crew is doomed!" Buggy cackled with glee, relishing their misfortune.

"It's a shame. They managed to defeat the Navy blockade, but they're no match for a storm like this."

"Haha! In the end, the true ruler of the seas isn't any person or pirate—it's the ocean itself."

"Exactly. No matter how strong the Navy or a pirate is, in the face of the sea's wrath, they're all just ants!"

The onlookers shook their heads, sighing. It seemed the Straw Hat Pirates were about to meet their end.

"Are we really going to have to abandon ship?" Usopp asked, despair washing over him as the Going Merry pressed onward under Nami's direction. No matter how skilled she was, nature's fury was unstoppable.

"Damn it, are we at the end of the line?" Sanji muttered, his eyes flashing with desperation.

"We have no choice but to abandon ship," Zoro said decisively.

"Luffy…" Nami looked at their captain.

Luffy was the ship's owner—their leader. The final decision had to be his.

"There's no other way, huh? Merry, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to leave you behind," Luffy said, sitting at the bow of the ship. As the waves crashed around him, his face showed a mix of sorrow and resolve. They had been through so much with the Going Merry, weathering countless storms and battles together.

But now, they had no choice. As captain, Luffy knew what had to be done.