Chapter 126 - Drum Kingdom 02.

[Chapter Size: 2144 Words.]

Third Person POV

Drum Island, First Half of Grandline.

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The bustling square of the Drum Kingdom fell abruptly silent as Kureha, the mysterious elderly doctor, entered the center stage. Her steps were gentle, yet each carried unquestionable authority. The murmurs of the crowd ceased as everyone turned to face the newcomer.

Kureha, with her peculiar attire almost immune to the cold and stern expression, cast a piercing gaze across the square, her eyes fixing on Luffy. She raised her wrinkled hand and silenced the crowd before even opening her mouth.

"What is all this?" Her voice, still strong with a touch of hostility, echoed through the area. The atmosphere, previously charged with expectation, became tense with the imposing presence of the elderly woman.

Luffy, on the improvised stage, looked at Kureha with a neutral expression, but his instinct indicated that this would not be a peaceful visit. Kureha, with her commanding presence, crossed her arms while staring at Luffy. The square remained silent, only broken by the chilly wind whispering through the snow-covered buildings.

"Who are you, insolent pirate, who dares to enter our kingdom and claim rights to what does not belong to you?" Kureha questioned, her rough voice cutting through the air.

Unfazed, Luffy, maintaining his calm expression, responded with his typical confidence. "I am Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hats. I am taking this kingdom as my right of conquest, but I am not petty enough not to take care of my territory with positive changes. I am not here to be the king of this place, Granny. I just want to ensure that this kingdom prospers, and it will have many allies."

The old woman let out an ironic laugh. "Positive changes? You, who topples kings and claims territories, speak of positivity? Don't make me laugh, boy."

"I'm not here to be the king of this place, Granny. I just want to ensure that this kingdom prospers, and it will have many allies," Luffy replied, his gaze unwavering.

Kureha, maintaining a piercing look, directed her words at Luffy. "So, you're another ambitious pirate seeking to expand your empire at the expense of others. Doesn't surprise me."

Unperturbed, Luffy smiled confidently. "I don't hide my intentions, Granny. I want to strengthen this kingdom, not to become a king, but to create a strong alliance that can withstand the challenges we will face in the future."

The elderly woman frowned. "A strong alliance? Do you think we can trust a pirate to lead something like that?"

"Trust is something that is earned, I know that. Let's prove it with actions, not with empty words," Luffy asserted, his determination evident.

Still skeptical, Kureha crossed her arms. "You will have to prove much more than that, young pirate. I'm not easily convinced. Show me what you're capable of, then."

The tension in the air heightened, and the frozen square seemed to be the stage for an imminent confrontation between a symbol of its kingdom that rarely left the mountain and a notable pirate who had just entered this sea.

"Luffy..." Reiju commented, but Luffy stopped her from speaking.

"Don't get involved, this is between me and this woman. If she wants to see if I have the strength to protect this country, so be it," Luffy said firmly.

Kureha advanced towards Luffy with surprising agility for someone of her age. Her frail body seemed forgotten as she emanated an intense presence. Armament Haki enveloped her hands, indicating that she was not just an ordinary elderly woman.

Instinctively, Luffy adopted a defensive posture, aware that Kureha was a formidable opponent after seeing her hand coated with Armament Haki. The first exchanges of blows were swift, each movement calculated, each attack executed with precision as they clashed right there.

"You're strong, Granny!" Luffy commented, dodging a precise strike from Kureha.

The elderly woman did not respond with words but with a fierce attack. Her fist wrapped in Armament Haki collided with Luffy's defense, sending shockwaves through the surrounding area.

"You think you can control this kingdom, but you'll have to go through me first, pirate!" Kureha declared, her determined gaze reflecting the resistance of the Drum Kingdom.

The clash between Luffy and Kureha reached a new level as they ascended into the air, defying gravity. The cold mist of the island surrounded them as their figures stood out against the sky. Luffy, with his superhuman strength, and Kureha, skilled in the use of Armament Haki, were about to engage in an impressive aerial battle.

Each of Luffy's punches generated shockwaves that reverberated through the environment, creating a sound spectacle that echoed in the mountains. Kureha, even at over 100 years old, glided through the air with grace and agility with geppo, skillfully evading Luffy's powerful onslaughts.

"Granny, you're fast too!" Luffy exclaimed, surprised by Kureha's agility. The elderly woman, in turn, threw a haki-enveloped fist aimed at Luffy's face. He blocked it with his own fists, the impact generating a visible burst of energy. The exchange of blows continued, each movement accompanied by the impressive sound of cosmic collisions.

Even without using the Moa Moa no Mi, Luffy demonstrated extraordinary strength. His punches were quick and powerful, while Kureha responded with refined skill in the use of haki. The square in the city of Drum watched the sky, both amazed and apprehensive at the intensity of the battle.

"This is strange, with your strength, why did someone like you let Wapol, a tyrant, have this country in his hands? You could easily have dealt with him..." Luffy asked, questioning why this woman didn't showcase this strength in the original work.

"Wapol was a troublesome youth, but I can't say we didn't have opportunities to straighten him out. His father, the former king, believed we could change him. I promised him that I wouldn't get involved in royal succession."

"So, you watched Wapol grow but chose not to intervene?"

"Exactly. In a way, I feared that my influence could distort the process. But it seems that, by not intervening, I allowed things to reach this point, and when I realized it, the kingdom was burning," she said.

"And now you want to try to redeem that mistake by trying to stop a pirate from taking the country?" Luffy smiled, trying to understand her reasons. This woman is fiercer than he initially imagined.

She didn't respond, and the fight continued.

As they fought, an aura of respect began to emerge between the two adversaries. Luffy realized that Kureha wasn't just defending the kingdom, its mistakes, and its ideas; she was protecting the heritage and tradition of this place and seemed to fear that Luffy's actions could bring the World Government to her doorstep. Kureha, in turn, witnessed the tenacity of the young pirate, who, even without knowing the political nuances of this country, brought with him a vision of change and possible new prosperity.

In a moment of temporary truce, Luffy and Kureha floated in the air, exchanging intense looks. Mutual respect was there, despite the differences. Luffy, with his characteristic smile, spoke:

"Granny, I don't want to destroy what's important to you. I just want to make this place amazing for everyone."

Surprisingly, Kureha nodded. "You're more than you seem, pirate. But I still won't hand over Drum easily."

While the punches thundered and shockwaves shook the air, Luffy and Kureha found themselves in a brief moment of pause, floating in the frozen air.

"You're powerful, young pirate. But you don't understand the tradition of this place," said Kureha, her eyes expressing the wisdom of many years.

"I understand that you want to protect it. But Drum needs changes, and I can bring that without erasing its history. Do you think this peace will last forever? Even without the country under my flag?" Luffy replied, showing genuine respect.

Kureha laughed, a laugh that echoed in the starry sky. "You're naive, Monkey D. Luffy. Do you think you can bring about changes without disturbing the balance? Do you think the government will allow a country to be under the possession of a pirate?"

"I don't know about balance, but I know when something is wrong. I can't just ignore it. I'm willing to finance and protect this country, but I want something in return, which is fair," Luffy retorted, his expression serious.

The old doctor frowned, pondering the words of the young captain. "Your determination is remarkable, but sometimes the path of change is more complex than it seems."

As they discussed, the fight resumed with renewed vigor. Luffy and Kureha exchanged words and blows, each seeking to understand the other's point of view.

"You're a peculiar pirate, Monkey D. Luffy. Maybe there's something in you worth considering," said Kureha, launching an agile strike.

"I will still be the man who will dominate all the seas, and I will show everyone that I can make all my territories prosper and be amazing! In the future, there will be a war, a war that will involve the whole world, and Drum won't be able to escape it. It will have to take a side; I just want this country to prosper until that moment, to survive what is to come," Luffy affirmed seriously, blocking the strike with determination.

"And you want Drum to fight for you..." She acknowledged.

"As I said, Drum will choose a side, whether you like it or not," Luffy asserted again.

"Your words are absurd; it seems this will be a war related to you. How do you plan to overcome the challenges that will come, as it appears you will fight against the world?" Kureha spoke, but her tone wasn't mocking or as if she had heard something absurd. It was as if she acknowledged Luffy's words, as if this war was already much predestined.

"With the Straw Hats by my side. Each of us has our own strength and abilities, and together we are unstoppable. And this won't be just with my main crew, my fleet, my territories, and allies. I believe in empowering people so they can build their own destiny." Luffy maintained his serious gaze.

Kureha didn't say anything; she just let the fight continue. The aerial dance continued, but now it was accompanied by an exchange of ideas between two individuals who, in different ways, sought a better future for the Kingdom of Drum.

Feeling the intensity of the battle increase, Luffy decided to use his entire arsenal to end the confrontation. With a determined smile, he activated the powers of his Mythical Zoan, assuming his hybrid form.

His body increased in strength, gaining an imposing appearance. The blows he unleashed now were even more powerful, and the sound of shockwaves resonated through the sky with his flames. Despite her experience and Armament Haki, Kureha began to retreat under the overwhelming impact.

Luffy advanced with a series of blows, each punch carrying the concentrated force of the Devil Fruit. The snow spiraled around them, creating a surreal scene as the captain of the Straw Hats dominated the old doctor.

"You're resilient, but I can't let you hinder progress," said Luffy, his voice filled with determination.

Despite her admirable resistance, Kureha began to show signs of fatigue. Each punch from Luffy seemed to weaken her even more. The crowd watched in silence, surprised by the sudden turn in the fight.

Finally, with a powerful punch that sent a shockwave through the frozen landscape, Luffy defeated Kureha. She fell to the ground like a rocket, raising a snow explosion from the ground in the middle of the city. When the dust and snow cleared, Kureha lay fallen, injured, and knocked out.

Luffy returned to his normal form, looking at the elderly woman on the ground. "I don't want to cause more trouble for this place. Let's work together to build a better future."

The initially tense population began to shrink under Luffy's display of power. The captain of the Straw Hats once again proved that he was willing to fight for his ideals, even if it meant facing respected figures.

Luffy picked up the unconscious Kureha by the shoulder and turned his attention to the stunned Dalton in a corner of the square.

"Where is Kureha's castle?"

Dalton, still somewhat surprised by what had happened, replied quickly, "It's located on the Sky Mountain, at the northern end of the island."

"I'm going there; you can accompany me or stay here. I'll handle a specific matter with this lady in that place." Luffy informed his crew, who had also arrived at the scene.

Without wasting time, Luffy created dark wings on his back using the primary phase and flew into the sky with a majestic movement towards the Sky Mountain. The crowd watched, now in silence, as the Straw Hat Captain headed in that direction, wondering what was happening.

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