Inside the Franky House, laughter and the clatter of dishes filled the air as the gang indulged in their feast.
"Heh heh heh, loser buys the next round!"
"Buy more? There's still food everywhere! How can we eat all this?"
"Big Brother Franky even left us a hundred million Berries! We're living large tonight!"
The entire place echoed with drunken cheers and the smell of roasted meat. Nobody noticed the three dark silhouettes slowly approaching the building from outside.
Oblivious, the Franky Family continued celebrating, basking in their stolen fortune.
"Idiots! Didn't Big Brother say money is worthless if you hoard it? Spend it, and let it flow!"
"Hahaha, fine then! The leftovers go to those alley kids! Those brats need to grow big and strong!"
"Shut it! You lost, so you're the one buying!"
"Bastards! When I get back, I'm winning it all back!"
Click.
The front door creaked open.
"Huh?"
The tall, armor-clad bruiser who stepped outside froze at the sight of the three figures blocking the doorway. His eyes locked on one in particular — Shirogai Yamikuro — and widened in disbelief.
"You are—"
Bang!
Before the man could finish, Luffy had already rushed forward. Fueled by fury over Usopp's injuries, he slammed a fist straight into the man's gut, sending him flying through the doorway.
Boom!
The heavy wooden doors exploded inward, startling everyone inside.
"Enemies! We're under attack!"
"Grab your weapons!"
In seconds, the Franky Family leapt into formation, snatching up axes, pipes, and cannons.
"Who are you?! Speak up!"
Shirogai stepped forward, his expression calm yet sharp as a blade. "Revenge."
Behind him, Luffy clenched his fists, the sound of cracking knuckles echoing through the room. His tone was ice-cold.
"You beat up Usopp, didn't you?"
"Usopp? Who the hell's that?" one of the gang sneered.
"There's only three of them! Easy money!"
Another member suddenly recognized the trio, paling instantly. "That's Straw Hat Luffy! The navigator Nami! And… wait a sec—" His voice trembled as his eyes landed on Shirogai's face.
"That guy… I saw him in the underground paper this morning! They called him the 'Fifth Emperor'!"
"The Fifth Emperor?! From the Straw Hats? Pfft, the underground paper's a joke!" one scoffed, laughing.
The armored brute who had been sent flying—Pilichard—gritted his teeth, clutching his weapon. "You came to avenge that long-nosed weakling? Pathetic! There's a hundred of us and only three of you!"
Confident in his Franky-forged armor, Pilichard raised his massive axe high, charging forward with a roar.
"Hand over your Berries, pirates! We're the Franky Family!"
Luffy's eyes flashed with fury. "You hurt Usopp… and now you're boasting?!"
He slammed his fists together, steam rising as he took his stance.
"Gum-Gum Gatling!!!"
A flurry of rapid punches tore through the air like a storm. Pilichard's armored chest caved in under the assault as the final punch sent him rocketing upward, crashing through the ceiling before falling with a heavy thud.
The room fell silent.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the shattered armor — the same armor that could withstand warship cannonballs.
"Oh my god… that armor broke? What is that guy?!"
"Monster!"
"Run for it—"
Zambai, the Franky Family's squad leader, barked orders, pushing out a line of small cannons. "Don't panic! Fire!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Cannonballs screamed through the air toward the trio—
—but before Luffy could even react, ten Franky Family members suddenly sprinted forward and jumped in front of the blasts.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions ripped through the air. Smoke filled the room. The men were hurled backward, bloodied and broken.
"Wha—?! Why are you blocking your own cannonballs?!" Zambai roared, dumbfounded.
Everyone froze, including Luffy and Nami.
"Are they fighting each other now?" Nami muttered, gripping her Clima-Tact in confusion. "This makes no sense…"
"I don't get it either," Luffy said, blinking.
Then Nami noticed Shirogai beside her. He was smiling faintly, his ten fingers twitching in subtle, deliberate motions.
A chill ran down her spine.
The next second, the ten wounded men who had just been blown apart suddenly rose again, faces pale, eyes unfocused.
"I… can't… control my body…"
"It hurts! Somebody—help—"
Even as they screamed in agony, their limbs moved like puppets, raising swords and guns toward their own comrades.
Swish!
One slashed directly at Zambai. He barely ducked, the blade grazing his scalp.
"Yella! What the hell are you doing?!" Zambai yelled, clashing weapons with his comrade. "Have you lost it?!"
"I—I can't stop! My body… it's moving on its own!"
"Damn it!" Zambai cursed, forced to parry again. He didn't want to harm Yella, only defending himself with shallow strikes. But within moments, Yella—someone who had always been weaker than him—was overpowering him completely.
Panicking, Zambai broke away, sprinting for cover.
"Run, Big Brother Zambai!" Yella gasped through gritted teeth, his face twisted in agony. "I'm still chasing you—"
"Damn it all!" Zambai turned around to a horrifying sight—
The entire Franky Family was in chaos. Members fought one another, blades clashing, blood spraying across the floorboards.
"What the hell is going on here?!" he screamed. "Everyone's gone insane!"
Luffy and Nami stood stunned.
Shirogai's calm, almost bored expression didn't change as he flexed his fingers again, tightening invisible strings around the possessed men. His voice was quiet, almost detached.
"Your greed and cruelty make you easy to control. You call yourselves bounty hunters, yet you're nothing more than scavengers."
Zambai turned toward him, eyes wide.
_______
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