Joy Boy placed his hand on Pedro's shoulder. As the sound of the Drums of Liberation echoed so close, the pain in Pedro's abdomen noticeably eased, and color slowly returned to his pale face. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Joy Boy, I…"
"Live, Pedro. I want you to witness the new world that's about to arrive—with me."
The corner of Joy Boy's straw hat lifted in the night wind. He continued,
"I told you—this battlefield isn't where you belong. Go, help your people."
With that, Joy Boy set Pedro down and turned toward the five Admirals in the distance. A surge of black and red Conqueror's Haki swept across the frozen plain like a tsunami.
Pedro looked at Joy Boy with reverence in his eyes. He nodded solemnly.
"Those five are strong, Joy Boy… you must be careful..."
Joy Boy gave a slight smile and raised his hand.
"Don't worry. This time, I won't fail."
Pedro said no more. He clenched his fists tightly and turned back toward the battlefield behind him.
...
Aokiji glanced down at the cracks spreading along his ice blade under the pressure of the Conqueror's Haki and clicked his tongue.
"Ah la la… Looks like things are getting serious now."
Before his words had even settled, the two Plutons on the battlefield finished charging. Twin beams of dark green light sliced through the night sky and collided in a deafening blast!
The damaged first-generation Pluton shuddered violently, while the second-generation remained unshaken. And by then, Joy Boy had already vanished from sight.
A glint flashed across Borsalino's amber lenses. In a rare serious tone, he said,
"Up above."
He shot into the sky as golden light, brandishing the Ame no Murakumo sword. A sharp metallic clash echoed overhead, followed by countless golden sparks raining down onto the ice field, exploding into charred craters.
Joy Boy blocked the sword with his Haki-clad hand, grinning.
"Fast reaction. No wonder you're the Glint-Glint Fruit user."
Borsalino chuckled as well.
"With someone like you, there's no room for slow reflexes."
As he spoke, Borsalino extended a finger from his sword hand. A cross-shaped light formed at the tip, aimed squarely at Joy Boy's face.
In the next instant, a golden laser beam blasted out, striking Joy Boy directly and erupting in an explosion across his face.
But Joy Boy only shook his head and flung away the rising black smoke. With an exaggerated expression, he shouted,
"My eyes! My eyes!!"
...
Behind him, Kuma appeared without a sound. Joy Boy was still howling theatrically when Kuma raised his paw and slapped down right onto Joy Boy's straw hat.
With a cute pop, Joy Boy vanished instantly.
Kuma's ability seemed to have worked—but his expression remained grim. Everyone knew there was no way Joy Boy could be dealt with that easily by the Paw-Paw Fruit.
Down below, Akainu, Aokiji, and Aramaki simultaneously turned toward the center of the battlefield—where Joy Boy now stood, laughing heartily in a paw-shaped crater.
"Ahahaha! That was fun! This ability is hilarious!"
...
In the next moment, magma, ice, and a forest of vines surged toward Joy Boy from three directions.
Covering his face with one hand, Joy Boy crouched slightly—then rocketed into the sky, evading the elemental onslaught.
He landed right in front of Kuma and playfully swung a punch. Kuma met it with a paw, only to feel a staggering rebound of force from Joy Boy's Nika Fruit.
The Paw-Paw Fruit's repelling power clashed against Joy Boy's elastic energy, generating rippling shockwaves through the air. Kuma's paw trembled, sweat beading on his forehead.
By contrast, Joy Boy looked completely relaxed. He even flicked Kuma's paw with his pinky and let out a teasing laugh.
Even someone as mild as Kuma found the clownish mockery grating. He lowered his head and pressed another charged bubble against Joy Boy's stomach.
A rapid series of explosions burst out, and Kuma followed with a paw slap to Joy Boy's face, sending him flying.
...
High above, Borsalino appeared in a flash and delivered a light-speed kick that launched Joy Boy like a golden laser beam down into the ice.
Akainu immediately pressed his palms against the frozen ground, magma surging beneath the surface. It erupted from the hole Joy Boy had made, forming a volcanic fountain of fire and fury.
Even a Yonko would be severely wounded by such an onslaught.
But this was Joy Boy.
...
With a strange squeaking sound, Joy Boy emerged from the magma—wearing a pair of safety goggles he'd somehow produced from nowhere.
He landed on a chunk of floating ice, feigning imbalance as he stumbled, then opened his mouth and let out a loud burp that expelled a paw-shaped cloud of white mist.
Patting his belly and swaying like a drunkard, he muttered,
"Whew! That was close—I almost burst like a balloon."
Aokiji narrowed his eyes at Joy Boy's antics.
"Is that guy even human anymore?"
If it had been him taking Kuma's pressure bomb to the stomach, he'd be out cold. And Kuma's attacks weren't just powered by his fruit—they were laced with Haki, too.
Joy Boy's performance had clearly moved beyond the realm of ordinary humans.
...
Aramaki snorted dismissively.
"He's just a clown. I've had enough of his show."
Crack crack crack!
Countless vines burst from Aramaki's body and intertwined, forming a towering tree giant over a hundred meters tall. Even the Giants on the battlefield looked like children beside it.
Forbidden Grove!
The massive treant roared, its bellow shaking the tree-covered earth as it charged toward Joy Boy.
Joy Boy had just turned his head when Aramaki arrived, slamming a gigantic fist down onto Joy Boy and the ice beneath him, sending both crashing into the sea.
...
Moments later, Joy Boy resurfaced, flattened like a meat pie. Then his body suddenly puffed up like a balloon and floated up in front of Aramaki.
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+160 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg