Chapter 268 – I Really Want to Beat Up the Sun God nika! (Please Subscribe!)
One year later.
sea circle calendar, Year 1522.
The New World.
On a certain island.
In the streets.
Eustass sat beside a street stall, munching on cumin-spiced barbecue, a transponder snail on the table chattering away.
Next to him lay a flyer emblazoned with a photo of the island, brazenly labeled 'Final Island' as a gimmick.
The Final Island was fake; the trap was real.
The flyer read:
"Dear Navigators:"
"Friend or foe, drink your fill—there's joy in that too."
"All are welcome; none are chased. The World's greatest feast."
"The Pirate Expo invites you all!"
Captain of the Festa Pirates, Buena Festa, respectfully yours!"
Eustass glanced at the flyer and smiled; a permanent log pose pinned it down.
He had only the vaguest memory of this Buena Festa.
After all, so many years had passed; a background character wasn't worth remembering.
But a few years earlier—
when they'd warred against the World Government—
the prisoners of Impel Down had been deliberately released.
Imu's thinking was simple: if she were to die, everyone else would suffer too.
Afterwards, Eustass ordered Admiral Fujitora and the others to hunt down the escaped convicts.
Eustass had handed the tech he'd brought from the Marvel Universe to the Resistance; after the Empire was founded, its scientists combined Marvel tech with Dr.Vegapunk to develop Rockets.
This granted them vastly superior surveillance.
In recent years, Imperial Intelligence had secretly tracked four clandestine meetings between Douglas Bullet, Buena Festa, Gild Tesoro, and Moura.
Thus, the titles of two One Piece films came back to him.
"One Piece Film: Gold" and "One Piece: Stampede."
'Tesoro teaming up with Bullet? Interesting.'
Eustass mused.
He wouldn't have bothered if it were only Tesoro or Bullet alone.
But the two of them together piqued his interest.
"Aww, I wanna go too! Staying home is sooo boring, Eustass-oniisan!"
The transponder snail now sported pink hair and big, sparkling eyes, gazing cutely at him.
transponder snails mimic the caller's appearance for a more immersive chat.
Rather fun.
"Next time, next time I'll definitely bring you out, Little Shirahoshi~"
Eustass said with a chuckle.
Earlier, some Mary Geoise remnants and Green Bull had plotted to kidnap Shirahoshi.
But how could they possibly snatch her?
Shirahoshi was Poseidon; even if her personal combat strength was lacking, Eustass always stationed plenty of powerhouses around her.
That sneak-attack-only Green Bull didn't have the guts to touch her.
"How many times have I told you not to call him 'oniisan'?"
Otohime's voice came through the receiver.
"Itai-itai!"
Shirahoshi yelped as her Mother pinched her. "B-But Eustass-oniisan said we could address each other however we like…"
"Alright, Little Otohime, stop bullying Little Shirahoshi. I'll bring gifts when I'm back; that's it."
Eustass ended the call.
"Ehh~ How can you do this? Now Otohime's in a tough spot, oniisan."
The normally majestic Ryugu Kingdom queen sounded utterly wronged.
She'd called him oniisan since childhood, and now her daughter did the same… Eustass smiled and cut the line.
He then glanced at the list in his hand.
Monkey D. Luffy, Tony Tony Chopper, Franky, Brook, Becky Moira.
This was the post-plot-change Straw Hat Pirates; they too would attend the Pirate Expo.
Next came Douglas Bullet, Buggy, Trafalgar Law, Cavendish, Eustass Kid, Killer, X Drake, Galdino, Jewelry Bonney, Dracule Mihawk, Scratchmen Apoo, Sir Crocodile, Foxy, Portgas D. Ace, Silvers Rayleigh, Bartolomeo… and dozens more canon characters. Of course, there was also his little daughter who disliked staying home.
Even a few CP Agents—remnants of the World Government—were mixed in.
"Truly a gathering of stars."
Eustass sighed.
Honestly, as the strongest in the Pirate World, he had no need to come here and spar with these fledglings.
But as a One Piece fan, such a star-studded storyline was irresistible.
He wanted to see whether, under the alliance of Tesoroand Bullet, the Straw Hats and the rest could defeat them again.
Besides, Luffy's cheats were no less outrageous than his own.
Whenever a fight went south, Luffy would level-up on the spot and clobber the enemy.
Early on he'd lose, then suddenly whip out some new move Oda had just dreamed up, patch it in, and—bam—beat the foe at the emotional climax.
Later, especially against Kaido, he started the "sit-up" spam.
The protagonist crew could power-up mid-battle.
So Eustass wanted to see whether, with the plot changed and a dual-boss scenario, Luffy could grow even faster.
After all, he really, really wanted to punch nika… "Haah—"
Eustass yawned, took a swig of ale to shake off drowsiness, and waved to the side.
Beside him,
Major General Hina—clad in a rose suit, wide-brimmed Sun-hat, and lavender shades—quickly set down her glass and turned to Lord Eustass.
Ever since the World Government fell and the Empirewas founded,
many vetted Marines had joined the Imperial forces.
Hina was one of them.
Years ago she'd been plucked from the ranks to become Eustass's personal secretary.
Eustass wandered everywhere; she followed, handling the minutiae.
"How did Tesoro end up with Bullet?"
Eustass asked.
"One moment, My Lord."
Hina nodded, pulled out a transponder snail, and contacted Intelligence.
Shortly,
she set the receiver back on the snail.
The Empire had long since developed better comms; Signal Towers were already built.
But in a place like this, they wouldn't use them.
After all, everyone knows the tech used by top brass and the military is decades ahead of civilian gear.
"Here's what happened…"
Chapter 269 – 269. Gold City × Stampede × Red-Haired Diva: Dream Crossover! (Please subscribe!)
For a tycoon, when wealth peaks…
…and he starts dabbling in other fields without the corresponding influence or power,
that's the beginning of his downfall.
And that's exactly what happened to Tesoro.
Originally, Tesoro was just a penniless kid from the slums who loved to sing.
At sixteen, he lost everything in a casino.
The friends he'd bought with money vanished; while fleeing for his life he stumbled onto the human-auction block and met a girl named Stella.
She loved his voice; they clicked instantly.
Tesoro vowed to buy her freedom and never sin again. From dawn to dusk he worked like a man possessed.
He'd fallen for her; he would ransom her with cash.
Just as the last coin dropped into the pile, a Celestial Dragon dragged Stella away.
She was gone—Tesoro's fall into darkness began.
At twenty-nine he stormed an auction, snatched the Gold-Gold Fruit, devoured it, and spent years quietly building the strength to protect himself.
Bit by bit he built an Empire. If Tesoro claimed to be the second-richest man alive, no one dared call himself first.
After all, right now Tesoro controls twenty percent of all the Berries in the World!
Before the war he could bribe the Marines and even the World Government with his riches,
wielding World Government power to a limited extent.
His creed: "A man without money achieves nothing—he exists only to be ruled."
So, once the Empire was founded, he behaved for a few years.
But it wasn't long before Tesoro itched to act.
He flung cash everywhere, scheming to buy hearts—those of the Empire's upper crust and of its Militaryofficers.
Yet the Empire was still in its draconian infancy.
Who'd risk his neck for a pocketful of dirty money?
The Empire's might rested on brute force; crooked cash was meaningless.
So no matter how fat Tesoro's envelopes grew, no one dared take them.
Tesoro refused to accept it—he wanted dominion over others' lives.
He'd suffered; he'd make sure everyone else did too. He would enslave them!
Some who've been rained on offer umbrellas; others insist everyone else get soaked.
Clearly, Tesoro was the second sort of lunatic.
So Tesoro switched to Plan B.
He kept inviting Imperial officers and elites aboard the Gran Tesoro for "fun."
He'd gift them chips—clever ways of handing over cash.
Or he'd send beauties to their doors… and soon held compromising dirt on a few small fish.
"That's the whole story."
When Hina finished, Eustass nodded.
Tesoro dared stick his hand into the Empire; the Empire's spies were no slouches.
Lately the Empire had begun preparing to eliminate Tesoro and replace him.
Twenty percent of the World's economy—if Tesorobehaved, he'd still die sooner or later.
A liability's a liability.
Tesoro wanted to be the Pirate World's top financier; Eustass wouldn't allow it.
Tesoro wasn't stupid—he could feel the cross-hairs.
So he sought out Douglas Bullet, bankrolling the man's schemes.
Bullet, still drunk on his own power, refused an alliance—for now. Tesoro knew once Bullet tasted defeat he'd come around.
"Hoo—looks like we've got a good show coming."
Eustass chuckled and rose.
Hina quickly paid the bill and followed right behind him.
"One Piece: Gold" × "One Piece: Stampede"—those two films crossing over? Not bad at all.
Right then—
A small gray-cloaked figure brushed past; Eustassglanced over in curiosity.
A breeze lifted the cloak.
Red-and-white hair flashed, and a sweet, delicate face peeked out—then vanished as the girl tugged her hood back down.
She slipped away into the crowd.
'Uta?'
Eustass stared after her, stunned.
Even Uta's here?
Ridiculous!
Another film protagonist walking around.
Uta, lead of "One Piece Film: Red," foster daughter of Red-Haired Shanks—the yandere who almost locked all real humans inside her Song-Song World.
Eustass scanned the area, then let Observation Hakiflood the entire island.
No sign of Shanks.
"Tell Military Command to reposition satellites and monitor the surrounding seas."
Eustass ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
Hina ducked into an alley and relayed the order.
Minutes later Military Command reported back: Red Force was en route—still distant, but closing.
Hina hurried back with the news.
"I see."
Eustass nodded. Uta had probably come on a whim; Shanks, eager to see his foster daughter, followed. Perfect timing.
But accidents happen—who knows, Uta might get swept up and trigger the entire Red plot right here.
"Gold City" × "Stampede" × "Red"—three films colliding by sheer dumb luck.
Spicy stuff.
If it were only the Straw Hats handling this, even with protagonist plot-armor they might still wipe.
What looked like a trial for the Straw Hats suddenly felt like a "gift pack" reserved for him.
In his senses Uta found an inn and checked in to rest.
Her constitution was never that strong.
And inside her luggage he detected the unmistakable scent of the Sleepless Mushroom.
"Naïve as ever."
Eustass sighed.
Uta's plot is frankly clichéd.
It's basically the Infinite Tsukuyomi from next door.
Protagonist grows tired of a World soaked in war and tragedy, wants to drag everyone into the dream-like Song-Song World and build a peaceful utopia.
But Uta has never lived among the common folk, never understood real-World problems—she's hopelessly out of touch.
Harsh as reality is, people still treasure the here and now.
She blindly stuffs everyone into an illusion without asking if they even want her help.
Life is tough, but under the Empire the hated celestial tribute is gone; things are looking up.
Who wants her fake World!
Chapter 270 – Smoker: Let's wipe out every last pirate! (Subscribe please!)
"Pirate King's treasure hunt! Pirate King's treasure hunt! Pirate King's treasure hunt!"
Eustass strolled along, sunglasses on, a wide-brimmed hat shading his face.
Suddenly, three perfectly synchronized shouts rang out from up ahead.
Everyone on the street turned to stare at the trio whose energy was off the charts.
Three starry-eyed kids chanted the words over and over, practically bouncing.
They yelled while ogling the snacks and odd knick-knacks on every stall.
They were:
Straw-hat Luffy, grinning ear-to-ear, pearly whites taking up half his face.
Franky striking a pose with his steel arms, and Chopperperched on his broad shoulder, cute little hat tilted as he played up the charm.
All three stared at the mouth-watering street food, eyes sparkling and drool dripping.
"Mina, wait for me~!"
Brook dashed over, blue-and-white striped shirt flapping, rainbow cotton-candy in hand, afro bouncing like a pompom.
A closer look revealed a red lump—nearly bigger than his skull—nestled inside that cotton-candy hair.
"Brook, how does a skeleton grow a bump?"
Franky stared, completely lost.
Brook had died once; the Revive-Revive Fruit let his soul drift back into his body and rise again.
Trouble was, he took too long getting home.
By then the corpse had been reduced to bones.
Ever since, Brook had walked the World as a skeleton.
Franky was stumped.
How does a pile of bones sprout a swelling?!
Not far away,
Eustass glanced at the lump on Brook's head, equally puzzled.
Yeah, as a die-hard fan he'd wondered the same thing in his past life.
Back then, every inexplicable mystery of the Straw-hat crew had haunted him for years.
A skeleton getting bumps—and still able to eat—made zero sense.
"It's my fault; I slipped up again and said something rude in front of Miss Becky. I'll be more careful next time."
Brook apologized, embarrassed.
Franky's face screamed, Yeah right—Brook knew no girl would ever agree to that request.
Yet the skeleton never gave up.
Time, place, target—none of it mattered; his opening line was always… May I see your **?
"Answer the question, damn it!"
Franky groaned.
Right then,
Franky, Luffy and Chopper froze, eyes bulging in horror—at Brook.
More precisely, at what loomed behind him.
Crack-crack…
The sound of knuckles being squeezed white.
Brook swallowed—though where the spit came from he couldn't say—and felt killing intent rolling down his spine.
(Brook: 'Eh, where'd I get saliva? Yohohoho~')
Clack-clack…
Brook's skeletal frame slowly rotated; he peeked behind.
Eustass stood there, fists crackling, wearing a "gentle" smile aimed straight at the skeleton.
"Hey there, swordsman from the West Blue."
Eustass greeted him coldly. "Let's duel."
Brook bit off a chunk of cotton-candy. Who was this guy?
Eustass was a head shorter than Brook and wore a wide hat; the skeleton couldn't see his face at all.
Luffy, shorter still, had a clear view.
Franky, about the same height, could see fine too.
Only Brook missed the face.
"…"
Eustass stayed silent.
He grabbed Brook's shoulder and pressed down.
Brook, still munching, resisted—uselessly. Eustass's strength felt like a mountain; the skeleton couldn't move.
Forced to bend his knees, Brook finally saw who it was.
Pfft—!
Startled, Brook turned into a human fountain.
Eustass sidestepped; the half-chewed candy and saliva splattered across a passing pirate's face.
"Senior Luffy, Senior Brook…"
Bartolomeo wiped his cheek, looking wronged—thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
…A little later,
Eustass dusted off his hands, said goodbye to Luffy and the rest, told Luffy to look after his little girl, and left.
Brook—gourd-sized lump on his skull—returned to the ship with the others, Bartolomeo in tow.
Becky was studying a sea chart; she doubled as navigator and main fighter.
Hearing footsteps, she didn't even look up: "Mina, lunch is ready—go fuel up. Adventure needs stamina."
She also served as cook—multitalented and loaded.
"Um, Becky, your dad just taught Brook a lesson; don't you want to see him?"
Franky asked, concerned.
He'd never met Eustass before—never imagined Becky's father was the strongest man alive… brutal.
"My father? No need. Clinging to your parents all day means you're still a kid."
Becky shook her head.
Then she lifted her gaze,
glanced at the lump on Brook's forehead,
looked down,
"Huh?"
She snapped her eyes up again—those bumps were no joke.
"Nine-layer Demon Tower! It's the tower dousan always told me about!"
Becky laughed, pointing at the nine lumps on Brook's crown.
Brook: "…"
Luffy's eyes sparkled; where could they find this place? It sounded awesome!
…Up on the bustling street,
beneath a huge parasol,
Tashigi—pink hat with a rose, indigo capris—hid behind a newspaper at a table.
Beside her,
Smoker, black coat and cigar clamped between teeth, sat equally "incognito," discussing the situation.
"The Pirate Expo's drawn in this many pirates?"
Tashigi shifted the paper, cold sweat beading as she watched hundreds of pirates fill the street.
And that was only one block.
Tesoro had poured money into creating entire districts on the island.
Everywhere you looked pirates swarmed like ants.
"Arrest them all—let's bag the whole lot!"
Smoker sighed, set the paper down, now two cigars in his mouth. "Wish I could say that."
"Our target's the host."
Tashigi raised the Expo pamphlet.
Once a Marine, Tashigi passed inspection years ago and joined the Imperial Army.
She now holds the rank of Colonel.
Smoker, Marine Academy graduate and Hina's classmate,
had likewise transferred after inspection.
He's currently a Brigadier General—
his insubordination plus dwindling wars and a surplus of Imperial talent slowed his promotion.
So he never climbed as fast as in the original story.
"You call this undercover work?"
a voice cut in.
They looked up.
Chapter 271 – Roger's Answer! Straw Hats: Charge for the Summit! (Subscribe, please!)
"Eh!?"
Tashigi stared at the person sitting opposite her, hardly believing her eyes.
Smoker glanced at the man across the table, his face lighting up with wild joy.
"Eustass..."
Tashigi was about to say "My Lord" when Eustassclapped a hand over her mouth.
He'd only come to watch the fun; he didn't need to be treated like some celeb on a shopping trip.
People all around turned to look.
In an instant, White Thread wove itself into a nondescript face over Eustass's own.
"Ahaha, little Tash, you joker—that random passer-by couldn't possibly be Eustass Kid, no way."
Slipping an arm around Tashigi's shoulders, Eustasslaughed.
"Tch, just Kid—thought it was Lord Eustass."
"Tch, waste of time!"
The nearby crowd waved them off in disappointment.
Eustass Mola and Eustass Kid were two people with nothing in common.
Their very surname and given name were reversed; they didn't share a family name at all.
And their strength was Worlds apart.
With Lord Eustass's arm around her, Tashigi blushed and lowered her head.
Smoker opposite them had no mind for anything else; he gazed at Lord Eustass in excitement.
Everyone knew the Empire's reigning Empress's father was a gadabout street-loafer.
But he'd never expected the man to wander here.
Smoker recalled what he'd shouted earlier.
"Arrest them all at once—round them up!"
With Lord Eustass here, call in a few more squads—Lord Eustass could do the cutting while they cleaned up.
Perfect!
Rounding them up didn't seem so hard now!
Eustass let go of Tashigi, ordered a drink and sipped it.
"My Lord, your snacks..."
Hina jogged over, hurriedly sat beside him, and set the snacks on the table.
Smoker glanced at Hina, startled.
They hadn't been in touch for years since he'd left Imperial service.
He never imagined Hina had sunk to running errands as someone's secretary.
"Long time no see."
Hina gave Smoker a smile and a nod.
"Ah—long time no see."
Smoker sighed.
"You're not with the New Marines anymore?"
he asked, puzzled.
The Empire's sea force had simply tacked on the word "New"... "Well, I suppose I still am?"
Hina looked questioningly at Eustass.
"Still in."
Eustass nodded. "Looks like you're about to be promoted."
Hina nodded.
Smoker was stunned.
An old friend had become a secretary.
Yet she was still inside the New Marine system, had the World's most powerful superior, and was almost a Vice Admiral.
He chased pirates everywhere till he dropped, carried a stack of cross-ocean disciplinary records, and remained only a rear Admiral.
How could the gap between people be so huge?
He desperately wanted to ask Hina how she'd climbed so fast.
Seeing the envy on Smoker's face, Hina smiled kindly and said no more.
Her promotion method wasn't something Smoker could copy.
"They only sent you two?"
Eustass asked.
"Ah, there are other 'brothers' coming. Word is the guests this time are a mixed bag—rumour has it even remnants of the former Marine SWORD Unit will show."
Smoker replied.
"Then give it everything you've got. Your mission may get tougher later, but don't give up—it'll be crucial training for you."
Eustass said.
Nothing more needed to be said.
Smoker, Tashigi and the rest could fight freely.
If the final bosses proved too much, Eustass would catch them when they fell.
"You're not going to act, My Lord?"
Smoker asked urgently.
He longed to trail behind the big-shot Eustass and scoop up free kills... With Eustass in action, Smoker figured not a single pirate here could escape!
"Do your best."
Eustass smiled and patted Smoker's shoulder.
Smoker was dumbstruck.
If he couldn't read that signal, he'd be a real idiot.
Eustass had no intention of joining the fight.
He'd only step in if their lives were on the line.
"Yes—we'll do our best!"
Tashigi quickly raised a fist and nodded hard.
"I've got my eye on you. You're the next New Marinefemale general, a future Admiral candidate."
Eustass praised with a grin.
Tashigi flushed and lowered her head.
A casual compliment from the World's strongest could make anyone take it as gospel.
Vice Admiral Momousagi had joined the New Marines years earlier.
She was the female Marine Vice Admiral who'd become an Admiral candidate as a swordswoman.
Right then—
At the island's center where sea met land, a thunderous boom rolled out.
The whole island quaked.
Eustass looked over.
In the mid-island sea, the water began to whirl faster and faster.
'So it begins—Douglas Bullet's scheme.'
"Within darkness both deep and high..."
At that moment—
On the Pirate Expo stage,
the male host spoke into the mic, eyeing the central vortex.
"...our answer lies buried!"
the female host quickly added.
Their voices, amplified by transponder snail mics, swept across whole districts.
The vortex vanished; a colossal bulge of seawater swelled like a balloon ready to burst, growing larger and higher until it overtopped the island's peaks.
"BOOM—!"
The next instant—
a tremendous roar rang out as a fearsome upward jet of seawater shot sky-high.
The jet kept climbing, and thousands of pirates on the island cheered wildly.
"I get it! From the deep-sea darkness to the lofty sky—a rising jet that climbs from below!"
the male host shouted excitedly.
"BOOM—!"
Another blast; the jet burst in the middle, and countless dreamlike rainbow bubbles drifted down.
An enormous spherical shadow burst from the jet and soared toward the heavens.
It shot out of the column and into the sky,
a bubble-wrapped island lifted into the air and caught upon the up-current, the reverse flow barely keeping it aloft.
"Whoa, what's that?"
"An island—an island inside a giant bubble!"
"It can't be..."
"That must be the answer Roger hid!"
The hosts finished, and thousands of pirates roared while countless pirate ships in the canals surged toward the central waters, all racing for Roger's treasure.
Eustass sat at a stall, sipping his drink and nibbling snacks.
He really didn't want to spoil these fools' fun... This was only the organizer and Bullet's ploy; there was no Great Secret Treasure here... Inside a certain building,
the flamboyantly dressed Tesoro stood by a window, smirking at the idiots:
"Tch, how pathetic—peanuts is all it takes to lead you around by the nose."
...In a dark underground space,
the explosively muscled Bullet sat before a bank of monitors, transponder snails projecting the feed onto a screen.
"How very... amusing."
Clenching his fists, he itched to smash these rookie punks... Edge of the central sea, shore.
Uta stood beneath a pink parasol, disgust on her face as she watched the treasure-mad pirates.
"The new age is here; life's getting better—scum like you should just die..."
...On the swift canal,
"Yo, Mina—charge for the treasure, quack!"
Luffy stood on deck, roast meat in one hand, arms slung around his crew, laughing loudly.
"Yeah—!"
Chapter 272 – Bullet: I'll Fight You All Alone! (Subscribe Please!)
The Straw Hat Pirates, the other ships of the Worst Generation, and countless more pirate crews all rushed toward the Rising Current.
Ship after ship soared skyward on the surging jet of water.
Some pirate vessels were blasted apart by enemies and shredded by the violent flow.
Others collided mid-air; crews leapt aboard each other's ships, fought to the death, and went down together.
Eustass sat at a street-side stall, eating snacks and sipping a drink while he watched these rookies peck at one another.
Frankly, at this stage he had zero interest in getting involved.
He'd wait a while longer.
Smoker set off for the high tower of the host to investigate, intent on seizing the mastermind.
"My Lord, what about me?"
Tashigi turned quickly to Eustass.
Her hand brushed the sword at her waist; she itched to do something.
"No rush—grab a bite and rest first."
Eustass said with a smile, "Sometimes choosing the right direction matters just as much."
Smoker chasing the host… was a total waste of effort.
That host had also been the organizer, hired through a third party; he had no idea what Tesoro and Bullet were planning.
He didn't even know where the two of them were.
After all, not everyone possesses Observation Haki that can blanket an entire island.
"Huh? But we can't just sit here doing nothing."
Tashigi pressed.
Eustass was the father of the Empress; he could afford to stay unhurried.
She, however, was only a low-ranking Marine under his command.
If she lounged around like this, how would she ever get promoted?
"Why so impatient? Let's enjoy a good show first."
Eustass chuckled.
Honestly, in the original plot, Crocodile, Law, Sabo, Smoker and the rest had searched everywhere—utterly futile.
In a few moments, after the rookies had only just started fighting, Bullet jumped right out.
And Tesoro, star of the Gold Movie, was a flashy peacock.
The guy simply couldn't keep hidden.
Even now, as the richest man in the World, Tesoro still performed concerts every day with professional dedication.
Unbelievable—an absolute show-off.
In a bit he'd probably show up piloting a golden Gundam in all its glittering glory.
Most pirate bosses seemed to follow the same pattern: before anyone could expose them, they leapt out themselves.
Then they'd declare:
"I am God!"
And, following the script, be punched flying by the protagonist crew—so dedicated!
Not long after.
While Smoker, Sabo, Crocodile, Law and the rest were still struggling to investigate Douglas Bullet.
High in the sky.
The island suspended above the Rising Current suddenly erupted in a string of blasts.
Explosions chained one after another.
A gigantic fireball flared, and the entire floating island was blown to pieces.
Flames blossomed outward in every direction.
A huge column of smoke slowly rose into the air.
Countless chunks of island began plummeting downward, along with wrecked pirate ships and dead pirates.
Luffy and the others screamed as they fell.
He looked around—good, every crewmate was still alive.
On the island below.
At a street-side spot.
Eustass sensed it all.
He smiled.
Bullet's move was simply to kill off the trash and screen out the punching bags who were at least somewhat qualified.
"Mina!"
Becky's body tumbled downward. Glancing at everyone, her arms turned into mochi and stretched out, wrapping them all up.
She kicked off a falling boulder.
Landing squarely on a large rock that floated on the water's surface.
Becky set everyone down on the stone.
Spotting Luffy nearby, she fished him out of the sea.
"Hey, hey, is the vice-Captain the only one doing any rescuing?"
Becky knocked on Luffy's head, then froze.
She looked back.
Chopper sat at the edge of the rock, staring in horror at something inside a small wooden box.
Within the smoke, a towering, tank-like shadow loomed, reaching for the tiny Chopper.
"Chopper!"
Becky and Luffy yelled together.
One fist became a giant mochi fist, the other inflated to enormous size.
Both cloaked in Conqueror's Haki, they charged at the menacing shadow—the Captain and vice-Captain striking side by side.
Becky's Conqueror infusion came from Eustass; Luffy had learned it from his vice-Captain in turn.
"Back off!"
"Don't you dare hurt our crewmate!"
The male-and-female Captain pair roared, their twin fists descending.
"This sea is the battlefield—die!"
A cold, heavy voice rang out.
That figure's fists were wrapped in Conqueror's Haki as they blasted toward the two.
Douglas Bullet had long since broken out of Impel Down.
He'd studied this new era and its rising powerhouses.
With the goal of defeating the World's strongest, he had mastered Conqueror infusion and grown even stronger.
Right now he was even mightier than in the original Stampede storyline.
"Boom—!!"
The three fists collided violently; the sea surface was flung aside by the shockwave, and the rock beneath them shattered.
Their Conqueror's Haki clashed and swept outward, black lightning crackling in all directions as three huge storm clouds slammed together overhead.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Their movements were so fast the eye couldn't track them.
Only the constant sonic booms in the air showed they were exchanging rapid punches high above the water.
Each blow was a fierce clash of Conqueror's Haki.
The members of the Worst Generation stared in shock.
Because of Becky, the Straw Hats had been introduced to Haki early.
And with her father's strength as an example, she had taught Luffy many stronger fighting methods.
Thus Luffy was far more powerful at this point than in the original plot.
The only difference: nika had yet to awaken… The pirates of the Worst Generation watched, cursing—weren't they all supposed to be equals? Yet the Straw Hats were already charging toward Emperor Level.
Damn it!
On shore, weaker pirates were knocked unconscious by the mere aftershocks of the trio's Conqueror clash.
Only those worthy of being Bullet's punching bags remained standing.
Inside a certain building.
"Interesting—what a pleasant surprise."
Tesoro slipped an arm around Baccarat's slender waist, watching the battlefield with delight.
"Tesoro-sama, that girl seems to be…"
Baccarat said, staring in astonishment.
"Yes, I know—don't say it out loud."
Tesoro muttered gloomily; for now he dared not provoke Eustass's offspring… "Still too weak."
Eustass strolled to the shore, sat down, and leisurely snacked while he gazed into the distance.
""My Lord, aren't you going to act?"
Tina asked, puzzled.
Becky and Luffy were already impressive—why did he say they were still too weak?
The next instant.
Bullet punched out twice.
Becky and Luffy became blurs, slammed into the boulder with twin booms.
Tina was stunned.
That was top-tier Observation Haki seeing the future.
"Aren't you going to help them?"
Tina pressed, looking at the little princess lying defiantly on the ground.
Beside her, Tashigi turned to listen.
"They need the trial—how else will they learn to stand on their own?"
Eustass replied.
Chapter 273 – Bullet Teams Up with Tesoro! (Subscribe, please!)
Time and again, Luffy and his crew—along with every other pirate—were brutally beaten by Bullet.
Sent flying again and again.
Eustass sat on the shore, watching the spectacle.
Then Bullet fused his ship with himself using the Merge-Merge Fruit, transforming into a colossal robot.
Bullet announced to everyone present that the chest in his hand contained a Permanent Log Pose to Raftel.
Everyone on the scene joined the fight; even the CP Agents hiding in the ruins and the remaining World Government forces jumped out to seize it.
Yet, despite their combined assault on Bullet, they kept losing.
Unsatisfied with the robot alone, the awakened Bulletassimilated the entire island. Vast amounts of earth and stone surged up, forming a titanic monster that wrapped around both Bullet and the robot.
"A cocoon of your own making."
Eustass gazed at the monster—half the size of the island itself.
Bullet looked bigger and stronger, but truthfully, once his Haki was stretched over the behemoth, its density dropped.
Bullet himself wasn't weak; his Haki was simply spread too thin across the monster, drastically lowering its potency.
Besides, the monster was only a heap of dirt and rock—something any top-tier pirate could shatter with a single punch.
All show, no substance.
Under Law's ability, Luffy, Becky, Law, Crocodile, Sabo, Smoker, and many others instantly appeared in the sky.
They unleashed a barrage of attacks, blasting chunks off the monster until Luffy's final punch obliterated its last arm.
Bullet tumbled out of the crumbling giant and robot, and an ultra-intense aerial slugfest began—back and forth, punch after punch.
Eustass watched as Bullet and Luffy whizzed through the air, fists colliding nonstop.
"No way!"
"No one can survive alone on the Grand Line!"
Luffy's roar echoed across the island.
Bullet's face froze; memories of Captain Roger's words flooded back. Luffy's insight rattled him, and in a high-level duel, a wavering heart is fatal.
So Luffy's howling barrage of fists sent him crashing to the ground.
"I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King!"
Luffy bellowed.
Eustass relaxed at the sight.
"Gold Industry Blaze!"
In the next instant…
The ground split apart and a dazzling golden titan clawed its way out. Pink circuit lines ran across its body as Hakiraced toward its eyes.
The giant's golden irises bulged as energy converged within them.
Powered and super-heated by internal machinery, Tesoro—now revealed—fired a terrifying laser from the giant's eyes straight at the exhausted Luffy.
BOOM—!
"Damn it!"
Luffy, unwilling to quit, shouted, "I can still fight—!"—but his stamina was gone. "Aaaargh, I can keep going!"
With that yell his body honestly deflated and he went flying.
Whoosh!
A figure streaked across the sky.
Becky kicked off the air with Moonwalk, caught Luffy, dodged the laser, and sped away.
Boom-boom-boom—!
Tesoro swept the laser across the ground, triggering massive explosions and pillars of fire.
"Impossible!"
On the ground…
A gravely wounded Law and the others stared in frustration.
They'd thought it was over—until another giant showed up.
"Cough…"
On the ground…
Tesoro coughed blood and glared at Bullet in annoyance.
"Here to laugh at me?"
"Idiot!"
Tesoro cursed; the stubborn fool had been enlightened by Luffy—couldn't he see why Tesoro was here?
"The Empire is rising; our situation will only get worse.
I've got the money, you've got the fists!
Only by joining forces can we seize a future and a place in this World!"
Tesoro urged.
"I see…"
Bullet nodded; the two reluctantly accepted each other as temporary allies.
Whoosh!
Bullet leapt up; an opening appeared in the golden giant and he slipped inside.
"Now—let the whole World tremble before our combined might!"
Bullet drove his arms into the giant's gold, flooding it with Haki.
"Hmph! The weak exist only to be ruled!"
Tesoro roared, channeling his own Haki into the giant.
The giant's defenses skyrocketed; their combined Hakioffset the weakening effect its enormous size had on Hakidensity.
"Luffy, get your stamina back—I'll handle them!"
With that, Becky vanished. Sticky Mochi wrapped her arms, forming two huge Haki-clad fists that slammed at the golden giant.
CLANG!
The metallic ring left Becky stunned—the titan was an unbreakable fortress.
"Fool. You're nothing compared to your old man."
Tesoro scoffed and swung a golden fist.
Becky crossed her arms to block.
BOOM!
The impact blasted her into the ground, carving a deep crater.
"Damn it!"
She clambered out, glaring up at the golden giant in fury.
She glanced nearby…
and blinked.
Eustass sat on the shore, smiling at her.
"What are you waiting for? Turn that rage into power and smash him. Everyone's taken beatings while growing stronger."
He grinned.
Becky nodded fiercely, her fighting spirit reignited by her father's words.
"But don't let anger cloud your judgment."
"Mm!"
She stamped the ground, cracking it, and shot skyward.
Her giant Mochi Arms merged with Haki as she pulled back and smashed at the giant's head.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
From the giant's back, massive Golden Whips sprouted—Bullet, wielding the Merge-Merge Fruit, could control the titan too!
Thud-thud-thud—!
Becky's fists clashed with the whips, was blasted away, roared, and charged again.
Far off…
Luffy glanced at the Permanent Log Pose to Raftel in his hand; pirates and World Government remnants had lost interest in Tesoro and Bullet.
They all wanted what he was holding.
Crunch!
Luffy crushed the Log Pose; shards rained down. "I don't need something like this!"
He spun toward his battered yet ever-resilient friends in the distance.
"I'm coming!"
Luffy's arms blazed with Haoshoku, his fists inflated. He stomped the ground and rocketed off, leaving a stunned Crocodile and the others in his dust.
"Smash him!"
"Knock him flying!"
Becky and Luffy locked eyes mid-air, united.
"Then let's shatter him!"
Aaaaargh—! ×2
Chapter 274 – Luffy, Zoro, and Eustass's Daughter Join Forces! (Please Subscribe!)
"Despair and submit!"
"The curtain falls on this act!"
Tesoro roared; the golden colossus's fists, wrapped in his and Bullet's Haki, smashed straight at Becky and Luffy.
"Rumble—!" ×2
Two thunderous blasts shook heaven and earth. Out-gunned, Luffy and Becky were sent flying.
They were already drained, while Tesoro—fresh and backed by Bullet—had only just begun.
In an instant the pair were forced onto the back foot.
"Boom! Boom!"
They crashed to the ground amid clouds of dust, sprang up enraged, fists clenched to knock Tesoro and Bulletaway.
"Captain…"
At that very moment…
a familiar voice rang out.
Luffy's face lit up as he spun toward the sound.
The wind billowed his cloak as Zoro—military uniform, twin blades tight in hand—stood beside his former Captain and gave him a look.
"Zoro!"
Overjoyed, Luffy threw his arms around him.
"What are you doing here?"
Luffy asked excitedly.
"Came with the unit. Huh? Where'd everyone go?"
Zoro's cool lasted five seconds; he scratched his head and glanced behind in bewilderment.
He'd marched in with the main force—so where the hell were they?
Zoro had joined the New Marines, but his talent for getting lost remained as epic as ever.
He'd wandered straight into the heart of the battlefield.
"Whatever—let's cut him down!"
With that, the three nodded and charged again, roaring.
"Nine mountains, nine seas form one World; a thousand Worlds make a Small Chiliocosm. Multiply that by three, and nothing exists I cannot cleave—Three-Sword Style Secret…"
Zoro Moon-walked through the air, blades whirling before him, Armament Haki wreathing the steel. Eyes murder-cold, he locked onto the golden giant.
"Thousand·Three Thousand·Great Thousand Worlds!"
"Blam—!" ×3
Luffy and Becky punched the colossus's huge fists while Zoro's titanic slash slammed into its chest, carving gold with a thunderous boom.
"Hmph—useless!"
Bullet roared, funnelling every ounce of his Haki into the cut, its density climbing higher and higher.
Once bitten, twice shy—he'd learned that spreading Hakitoo thin only weakened it.
"What!?"
The trio gasped as the giant's eyes snapped wide, horrific laser beams lancing down.
"Whoosh!"
A figure vanished from the ground.
Eustass shot skyward, triple flash-step on Moonwalk, snatching Zoro and Luffy and hurling them clear.
Next he scooped up his daughter and tossed her earthward.
White Thread erupted from his arms, Haki-laced, and blasted forward.
The laser was shredded; two white pillars stabbed clean through the golden titan.
Eustass sprinted across the air, racing at the colossus.
Tesoro and Bullet stared in shock at the incoming man.
Eustass Mola!
With a single kick he caved the giant's head, sending the cracked golden skull flying.
"Rumble—!"
The island buckled as the falling head cratered the land, shorelines lifting, waves racing outward.
Far away…
Exhausted, Luffy and Becky knelt panting, staring skyward at Eustass hovering on Moonwalk.
Zoro stood guard beside them.
"Dad!"
Becky cried.
"You've trained enough. Don't burn yourselves out—you've still got far to go."
Eustass glanced back and said,
the lesson for the rookies was over.
Far off…
inside the golden giant,
Tesoro and Bullet exchanged tense looks.
Keep fighting?
Both hesitated.
The heir to the "Demon" Bullet and the Gold King Tesorofelt fear—"Take him down!"
They steeled themselves for one last gamble.
Even if they fled today, the Empire would hunt them forever.
Sooner or later meant the same end—so why not go all-in!
"die!"
"We'll die on our feet!"
Together they roared; the colossus hurled both fists at Eustass's back.
Bullet seized control, summoning sixteen more golden arms from its back, all wreathed in Conqueror's and Armament Haki.
"Gold Bullet Divine Punishment!"
Tesoro and Bullet shouted in unison, the super-heated gold blazing with terrifying power as it shot at Eustass.
Eighteen glowing fists, temperature soaring, streaked like missiles.
Exactly like eighteen cruise-missiles screaming in!
The next instant…
White Thread burst from Eustass, forming seventeen huge white arms. Seventeen fists, Haki-clad, smashed into the giant.
Eustass spun, right hand snapping up to block one golden fist.
"Boom-boom-boom…"
Every golden fist shattered and blew apart.
"All flash, no substance!"
Coldly he spoke, White Thread surging, Haki-wrapped, and stabbed into the last intact golden arm.
The threads locked the limb tight.
With a heave Eustass flipped the entire colossus overhead.
"So strong—!"
Luffy's group gasped.
"Rumble-rumble—!"
Seizing the arm, Eustass slammed the giant again and again across the island.
The land shook like a cracking vase, the ground fracturing into chunks.
He hurled the titan skyward, then released the threads.
Both feet kicked off; he vanished, re-appearing above the falling giant.
A downward axe-kick.
"Boom—!"
The colossus crashed into the earth, embedded in a shattered crater.
The next moment…
Eustass grabbed the giant's arm once more, White Thread anchoring it, and flung it skyward.
"Hah!"
He vanished, rocketing up to meet it, fist cocked for a crushing punch.
"Rumble-rumble—!"
Internal Haki destruction tore the giant apart, blowing it to pieces.
Bullet and Tesoro tumbled from the sky.
Fists wreathed in Haki and resolve, they roared and dove at Eustass.
"If I can't be the strongest, I'll die on the battlefield of strength!"
Bullet howled, features savage, beast-like eyes blazing as he glared at Eustass.
The Demon Heir's roar echoed across sea and sky.
"Hmph!"
Tesoro sensed death in this fight.
With a wry smile he let memories of that girl flash through his mind.
"My life is mine alone—even in death! Aaaaargh!"
Condensing every shred of Haki into his right fist, Tesoroscreamed and swung at Eustass.
Golden powder drifted on the wind, scattering across the sea.
Night had fallen, yet under the moon it still sparkled brilliantly.
Grinning fiercely, Tesoro punched alongside Bullet.
Then let them make their final bow upon the World's highest sky, upon the most dazzling golden stage!
"Boom—!"
"Crack-crack-crack!"
"Spurt!"
Their three fists collided—Bullet's, Tesoro's, Eustass's.
Their Haki defenses shattered; bones snapped.
Blood sprayed as the two plummeted earthward.
Chapter 275: 275. Tesoro and Bullet Defeated! Uta's Plan! (Subscribe Please!)
'Stella…'
'I'm coming…'
Tesoro lay on the ground; Eustass had shattered more than just his arms.
Eustass's Haki could destroy from within—mere ripples of it had traveled through his body and ruined half his organs.
Beside him, the towering Bullet was in the same state.
Tesoro's life drained away until his eyes closed for good.
He had once tried to be a good man.
But the Celestial Dragons' torment twisted him step by step into a villain who lashed out at the innocent.
Nearby,
even as life ebbed and death loomed, Bullet paid no heed.
He forced himself to his feet, swaying.
"Come, then—promised to die in battle, didn't we? Can't expire lying down."
Bullet's huge mouth split in a grin as he glared at the alighting Eustass.
"Bring it—let me gift you the most glorious death."
Eustass stared at the death-seeking Bullet, paused, and drew ama-no-habakiri.
!"
Bullet stared in shock at the blade in Eustass's hand.
Far off, Zoro and the rest watched the scene in awe.
At some point ama-no-habakiri had turned into a black blade.
Everyone glanced at the Yubashiri hanging at Eustass's waist—could the other sword be one too!?
Eustass leveled ama-no-habakiri before him, pointing it at Bullet.
Bullet understood: this was respect.
Not for his strength, but for the fearless spirit that earned it.
Bullet was a proper soldier.
Yet betrayal after betrayal had scarred his life.
He could have been a fine warrior, but endless traitors had driven him mad.
"Kahahaha—ahahaha!"
Bullet thrilled, lifting his left arm and channeling every scrap of Haki into the still-whole fist.
His gravely wounded right side bled freely.
He ignored it, roared till the sky shook, glared down at Eustass, stamped the ground—shattering it—and shot forward, fist arcing to smash.
Like a shell fired in a straight line, he rushed to victory or death—living didn't matter; winning did, even at the cost of life!
A cold gleam flashed.
Eustass slashed once, stepped forward two paces, and flicked the blood from the blade.
Bullet's body rolled across the ground far away, lifeless.
Douglas Bullet—dead in battle!
He knew he was no more than a firefly before Eustass's moon, powerless to resist.
But what soldier fears death!
Even certain of the end, a true warrior charges.
Douglas Bullet set off to follow the only Captain he could trust, to tread in Roger's footsteps.
Eustass glanced back at him in silent farewell, sighed, and walked away.
One more fearless powerhouse gone from the World.
Passing Luffy, Becky, and Zoro, Eustass gave them a look.
"Keep getting stronger. I'll wait for you at the World's summit."
He clapped each of them on the shoulder, then turned and left.
The three clenched their fists, taking him as their life's goal.
"Father, one day I'll catch up to you.
One day, when people look at me, they won't call me the little princess of the Mola family.
They'll say my name!"
Becky shouted, fired up.
She'd run away from home because everywhere she went she was 'the Eustass family's little princess' or 'the Empress's little sister'.
She wanted strength so the World would acknowledge her—not her titles.
"Go for it."
Eustass waved, chuckled, and walked off.
He and his wife had quite a few children over the years.
But only two truly mattered to him.
One was Carina, brimming with ambition to unify the Pirate World; the other was Becky, hungry for power and acting on it.
Neither had inherited all his gifts, yet their iron wills delighted the old man.
At least if he fell somewhere out in the multiverse, his descendants could face any foe in the Pirate World.
Hearing Luffy and Zoro vow to surpass him, Eustasssmiled and waved.
"Do your best. A World without rivals would be dreadfully dull."
He waved again, vanished into the night.
Hina appeared beside the little princess Becky and sighed:
"Princess, time to run. Empress Carina plans to use this chance to wipe out every pirate."
Getting stronger mattered, but Becky had chosen a different path—Carina would show no mercy.
She'd catch her and beat her for ten days and nights if she had to.
Becky paled, grabbed Luffy's hand, spun round, and bolted.
Boom-boom-boom—!
At the island's edge,
hundreds of steel warships loomed from the night fog, sealing the land tight.
Above, countless iron man armors tore through the clouds, diving fast.
Bzz-bzz-bzz—!
Five massive Pluton battleships emerged from the mist; ordinary warships looked tiny beside them.
Pluton's main cannons gathered beams, locking onto the island.
Boom-boom-boom—!
Flame jets roared as a dozen huge robots—copies of the Great Kingdom tech built by Vegapunk—flew in, Arc Reactor Cores blazing, thrusters howling.
"Run!"
"Aaaah, they're wiping us all out!"
Buggy was terrified, legs pumping, body floating as he sped forward.
"Senior Luffy!"
Bartolomeo sprinted toward the Straw Hat Pirates.
His barrier formed a clear sphere; the crew jumped inside, and they raced off, the ball streaking like a shadow toward the shore… On the beach,
a petite figure stood; she tossed back her cloak and smiled.
"What, no singing tonight?"
Eustass strolled up, glanced at Uta beside him.
"No need."
Uta smiled softly, watching the New Marine's terrifying force—today's tech alone could crush most pirates.
"Surprised?"
Eustass murmured.
"Honestly, if it were still the old World Government, I'd have happily dragged the whole World to ruin."
Uta tilted her head, looked up at Eustass, and gave a crooked, manic smile.
"So what's next?"
Eustass asked.
"I want to hold a concert—see everyone smile from the heart and enjoy my song."
Uta beamed.
Chapter 276: The Long-Awaited Decisive Battle (for real) – vs. the Sun God nika! (Subscribe, please!)
[host has defeated the Golden Emperor Tesoro!]
[Reward: Demon Slayer World Portal charge +1!]
[host has defeated the Demon's Heir, Bullet!]
[Reward: Demon Slayer World Portal charge +1!]
[Demon Slayer World charge: 2/30!]
Eustass took Uta and left the island.
He heard the reward notification and was speechless.
Oh, come on.
That Portal charge requirement keeps climbing!
Good thing he still has Sun God nika ahead; otherwise he'd never collect enough for the DC World abilities.
Thinking of nika's fighting style, Eustass couldn't hold back a laugh.
Pfft—
He simply had to laugh.
"Huh? What are you giggling at?"
Uta looked at Eustass, puzzled.
"Uta, for your next concert, how about I pick the venue?"
Eustass grinned at her, clearly scheming.
"Sure."
Uta nodded.
"Then…"—
…Several months later.
Wano Country.
Onigashima.
"Let's make it Wano!"
"Huhhh?!"
Beneath thick, black, crushing clouds.
Atop the skull dome of Onigashima.
On a massive boulder.
Eustass and Uta sat watching Luffy clash with Kaido in the distance.
Eustass turned to Uta with a smile.
Uta had only just arrived; she still looked bewildered.
She stared at Eustass in shock.
Hold a concert… here?
"Yep, right here—our total-wipeout ditty."
Eustass burst out laughing.
"Are you kidding me?!"
Totally lost, Uta glanced at Luffy lying motionless in the distance, his aura fading, and shouted, "Luffy, hang on! Senior Eustass is here!"
"Hahaha!"
Eustass threw his head back and laughed.
Far away,
Kaido sensed Eustass's arrival.
He eyed Eustass warily.
"That wipeout tune is for Kaido, who's about to be buried!"
Eustass called toward Kaido with a grin.
"Huhhh?!" ×N
Kaido looked horrified—was this man finally making his move?
Uta stared at Eustass in disbelief; could Luffy still turn it around and beat Kaido?
Overjoyed, she turned toward Luffy.
Below,
Pirates on the performance floor heard Eustass's shout.
Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid, Becky Mola, Killer, Brook, Yamato, Franky and the rest all looked up in shock.
"It's Senior Eustass!"
Law stared upward, stunned.
"If Dad says Luffy can still win, fantastic!"
Becky shouted in delight.
"Huh?"
Eustass Kid glanced at them.
"Idiot! Not you!"
Becky instantly appeared beside Kid and punched him to the ground.
"Go, Luffy—get up and knock him out!"
Franky roared. Ever since the end of the Stampede…
Law, Luffy, Kid and their crews had fled the previous island.
Most other pirates were rounded up by the New Marine.
Luffy's group trained and grew far stronger.
With many of the Worst Generation captured, they lost allies against Kaido.
Still, the now-mightier Luffy charged in, confident.
The Kozuki Clan of Wano had perished completely.
Unable to watch Kaido oppress the people, Luffy and Becky resolved to crush him.
Law and Kid sought to challenge Kaido's supremacy; the three sides allied.
Fearing Eustass's power, Kaido had trained relentlessly for years, never daring to slack off or drink like in the original tale.
Thus Kaido was even stronger now.
In the decisive fight a sneaky little beast ambushed Luffy;
Kaido seized the opening and smashed Luffy into critical condition.
Which led to the present scene…
Thump-thump—!
A powerful heartbeat rang out.
At first only faint,
audible only to Zunesha out at sea—and to Eustass, the World's supreme Observation Haki user.
Thump-thump… thump-thump… thump… THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!!!
In the next instant,
under the night sky,
atop the skull dome,
Luffy's body on the ground began to bounce; the earth itself turned elastic, jolting him with every beat.
The rhythm sped up like drums, filling the air with glee.
Faster and faster the drums pounded.
Perched on the boulder, Eustass chuckled.
The Drums of Liberation resounded, quicker and catchier, joyous… those drums were Luffy's heart!
The beats tightened, wilder by the second; white flames streamed from Luffy's body.
His black hair blanched, the white strands dancing in the wind.
Under the moon,
Luffy lay grinning, flashing bright teeth in pure delight.
Thump~ thump~ thump~
Thump~ thump~ thump~
The drums softened, playful, like a happy ball bouncing across the ground.
"That wipeout tune is for Kaido!"
Eustass called from the boulder, laughing.
After all this time, how could any true fan not wait eagerly for nika?
No matter how much you grumble, when nika arrives the hype is real.
Back in his past life he'd only seen Wano's end in the manga; by the time he transmigrated the anime hadn't even reached nika's debut.
Way too unsatisfying!
"Pfft—hahaha!"
With a laugh Eustass vanished.
Luffy kipped up, white hair blazing like white fire, white steam wreathing him; he stared at his body in surprise,
then looked toward Kaido.
In the next instant,
two colossal White Threads pierced Onigashima and stabbed into Wano, pinning the island in the sky.
Above Kaido,
Eustass appeared and punched down.
Terrifying Haoshoku shattered Kaido's bones.
The skull dome's roof exploded; Kaido was blasted through floor after floor until he crashed through the island's base toward Wano.
Rumble—!
Kaido slammed into Flower Capital's street, carving a huge crater.
Unconscious, grievously wounded, he lay on death's door.
Onigashima,
skull dome rooftop,
Eustass stood smiling up at Luffy.
"Now, let's have ourselves a proper fight!"
"All right!"
After a moment's surprise Luffy beamed back at Eustass.
Chapter 277: The Joy Boy Pirates' Great War Ends! Luffy: I Can't Wait for the New Journey! (Subscribe please!)
"Ahahaha, ahahaha—!"
"Hehehehe—!"
Luffy lay on the ground that had been assimilated by the nika Fruit, bouncing around like a trampoline.
Eustass stood opposite him, infected by the nika Fruit and laughing from the bottom of his heart.
"Zzzz!"
Their Haoshoku Haki exploded with their laughter, crimson-black and orange lightning bursting in every direction.
Terrifying shock-waves spread out, billowing non-stop.
The two overwhelming bursts of Haoshoku clashed, then shot skyward together.
Above, the black clouds were instantly shredded by the twin surges of Haki.
"Hehehehe!"
"Hey, senior, why am I so happy even though I lost? Hahaha!"
Luffy kept zig-zagging back and forth; the elastic ground bounced him about.
"Winning or losing was never the real point of a fight."
Eustass smiled at Luffy, flopped down beside him, and savored the nika-brand trampoline.
Even more fun than the island clouds of Sky Island~
Over the decades he'd been ten thousand metres under the sea to Fish-Man Island, ten thousand metres in the sky to Sky Island, every corner of the seas; he'd ridden an imperial Rocket to the moon and seen the ruins of the Moonites.
Now, seeing nika awaken, he felt this trip to the Pirate World left him with no regrets!
Of the myriad Worlds, the One Piece World was the one he'd looked forward to most.
Before transmigrating, the reason he'd fallen in love with One Piece was that in his most downcast, painful, helpless moments, with no friends or family to help…
…lying alone in a hospital bed in utter despair, he'd plunged into One Piece.
Early One Piece literally made him laugh till it hurt!
Later One Piece, apart from the Wano arc, just kept getting more epic!
The flame clouds around Luffy faded; he lay nearby, glancing at Senior Eustass in puzzlement.
"Senior, you've got something on your mind."
"Yeah—missing you guys. That's why I wanted to fight you once you reached the top."
"It's not just that, right?"
Luffy's EQ suddenly spiked as he looked at Eustass.
"Well… I might not be able to laugh anymore soon…"
Eustass stared gravely at the star-filled night sky.
In the future multiverse there might be countless enemies—even despair-indingly strong ones.
When he'd traversed the gaps between Worlds he'd glimpsed terrifying beings that left him with a faint sense of crisis.
What kind of horrors lay beyond the World? Eustass's expression turned solemn.
"Luffy."
"Mm."
"I've done everything I needed to. From here on—go wild to your heart's content!"
"Yo!"
Eustass kipped up in an instant; white flame clouds burst from Luffy again, and the two hurled fists at each other.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Their punches landed squarely on each other's faces.
The art style suddenly shifted to cartoonish; colors washed out, everything turned comedic… Eustassstaggered back two steps without a scratch.
Luffy flew dozens of metres, slammed his hands into the ground to stop himself.
By chance he skidded to a stop right over a hole that led to a house below.
His head popped through; his eyes bulged, tongue stretched like Jerry's as he blew raspberries at everyone.
"Aaaaah!" ×N
Law, Becky, Brook, Franky, Kid, O-Tama and the rest were startled.
Their faces turned ashen, eyes popping out Tom-and-Jerry style as nika's silliness infected them too.
But Luffy's head had grown too big; when he tried to pull it back it got stuck in the hole.
"Eeeeh~!"
Eyes squeezed shut, Luffy strained to squeeze his head back out while the Straw Hats, Law, Kid and the others raged, waving fists and gnashing teeth.
"Pfft-hahaha!" ×2
His head popped free; both he and Eustass doubled over laughing.
Imu's transformed form looked terrifying, like a devil crawling out of hell, filling onlookers with dread.
Luffy's awakened nika Fruit had the exact opposite effect.
It made people smile from the heart; unrelated to Haki, it simply filled you with joy.
The next instant—
Luffy clapped his palms together; the ground turned to rubber and rolled away like a wave.
Eustass rode the rubber wave, letting it carry him far off.
"Hehehe, this distance finally feels like a proper showdown!"
Luffy grinned.
The two exchanged smiles; Luffy's legs whirred like pinwheels as he dashed forward.
The nika Fruit—freedom, absolute freedom!
The art style had gone full gag, yet instead of annoying it was hilarious.
Eustass fought nika not for the trivial reward, but as a true fan who wanted a wild romp with the Sun God!
"Come on, let's go crazy!" ×2
Luffy beamed at Senior Eustass; he didn't know what terrifying foes the senior might face…
…but he hoped this draw-ish romp would infect him with optimism.
"Even if the road ahead is dark and thorny… even if the future is hazy and the enemies suffocatingly strong… even if we must part…"
Under the vast bright moon—
Eustass and Luffy hurled fists at each other.
"Senior, don't be gloomy—face it with optimism!"
With those words they both swung down.
"Boom—!"
Their Haoshoku collided; a violent shock-wave shook Onigashima to its core.
Both dropped to the ground, lying side by side.
Gasping, Luffy slipped out of Gear Five.
He stared in surprise at the senior, who only had a tiny scrape on his cheek.
'So strong!'
'Just who and where are the enemies that can pressure him?'
Luffy was inwardly stunned.
"Senior."
Luffy called.
Eustass lay on the ground, gazing at the bright moon. "What?"
"If you ever need us, just say the word!"
Luffy sat up, fists clenched, eyes shining with sincere resolve.
"Yeah—if it's possible, I will!"
Eustass nodded.
Once he cleared a World, the Portal could shuttle freely; the system told him he could also bring a few people along between conquered Worlds.
The system reward chimed.
Eustass's expression froze.
He'd done everything here; it was time to return to the Marvel Universe and see his family.
After that—onto the DC World.
"Senior, are you leaving?"
Luffy asked hurriedly; he'd sensed it.
Yeah, Luffy."
Eustass pointed at the sky.
Luffy lay back, looking up with him.
"Beyond this World lies a sea of stars, and beyond that sea are other Worlds.
Outside our understanding exist beings stronger than we can imagine.
This place is far from our final peak!"
At those words Luffy clenched a fist, burning with fighting spirit.
"If I can, I want to charge out there and explore!"
Luffy laughed.
"You will!"
Chapter 278 – Danger Beyond the World! Joy Boy's Blessing! (Please Subscribe!)
Under the night sky.
Onigashima was pinned to the heavens by two colossal White Thread pillars.
And on Onigashima,
every Beast Pirate was rounded up by the Imperial Soldiers who had entered Wano Country and executed beneath the walls of the Flower Capital.
Orochi was seized as well; the Imperial Soldiers shot him for ten straight minutes… The Red-Haired Diva Uta held a concert on Onigashima that lasted for hours.
Afterward, everyone dispersed.
The next day.
At dawn.
Eustass glanced at Uta, still asleep beside him.
He gently brushed a lock of her hair aside.
In the days that followed,
Eustass went home and spent quality time with his wife and children.
One month later,
Eustass chose to return to the Marvel Universe; after another few months there with his family, he finally set off for the DC World.
[About to traverse to the DC World. host will enter a dormant state for a period. Confirm?]
"Can I skip the sleep?"
Eustass wondered silently; he was curious about those things outside the "World".
[You can only delay the dormancy!]
"Fine."
Eustass nodded.
A Portal suddenly opened beneath his feet and swallowed him up.
Having done this before, he wasn't surprised… his mind grew groggy, sleep closing in.
He felt himself turn into a speck of light, streaking away from the Marvel Universe. The star-sea kept shrinking until, in his eyes, it became a tiny bubble enclosing a Small World.
Then Eustass kept moving farther from the Marvel bubble.
He passed another small bubble that looked familiar and carried a cheerful aura.
It was the Pirate World.
A hazy white light wrapped around Eustass, shielding him well.
The lower he dropped, the darker the space became, until it turned pitch-black.
In the distance, countless titanic monsters exuding thick, ominous auras stared at him, eyes full of greed.
One creature crouched upon a faintly glowing bubble, voraciously devouring something.
A thunderous boom rang out; that Small World's energy dwindled until it exploded, scattering motes of dim light in every direction.
In the darkness, hulking silhouettes rushed over and fought for those motes of light.
"Save… save me…"
Through his Observation Haki, Eustass caught a faint plea—then, as the monsters swallowed the last sparks, the voice vanished.
"That was a World—eaten?!"
Eustass paled. What were those things outside?
Devouring entire worlds—terrifying… A chill ran through him.
He considered himself strong, yet before these nameless horrors he felt pitifully small.
"So delicious~"
A ghostly voice drifted over. A gigantic jet-black beast with three cyan eyes shot toward him, jaws open.
Boom!
The film-like white light split into a blazing pillar that pierced the monster.
"Roar! Roar!"
"It hurts—hurts so much!"
The creature writhed in agony, seemingly on the verge of death.
Yet just before Eustass, protected by the system, vanished from its senses, black mist gathered and healed the wound.
It glared at him with venomous hatred and gave chase.
[They feed on the negative emotions of every World's sentient beings. Any World discovered in the Abyssbecomes their prey; over millennia they nibble until it collapses. Each time the host connects a World, its defensive layer strengthens.]
Eustass listened, stunned—were these the Four Chaos Gods from Warhammer?!
His eyelid twitched; he'd already spotted seven or eight such horrors… despair crept in. The Abyss, then, was the outer shell of the multiverse.
Even the mightiest Marvel Universe he knew had a few of those prowlers nearby.
How could he fight them—become one himself and sit on a golden throne like the Emperor?!
Hell no.
Impossible.
Then it struck him: the system's exaggerated rewards—could they be gifts from all those doomed Worlds joining forces?
The more he thought, the likelier it seemed.
To humans, a million years is forever; to Worlds, it's the blink of an eye.
They didn't want to die, so they sought an outsider—a transmigrator like him.
Why they'd picked him, he had no idea… He tried to ask more, but something worse happened.
Black vapor began pouring off Eustass, drifting away.
Fear—he realized his fear was edible too.
Suddenly, the sound of the Drums of Liberation rang out.
The black mist was struck by the beat, turned white, and rushed back into him.
Infected by the rhythm, all dread vanished from his heart.
Overjoyed, Eustass remembered the reward he'd gained from Luffy.
[host defeated "Joy Boy" Luffy!]
[Reward obtained: Joy Boy's Blessing!]
[Joy Boy's Blessing: It won't give you earth-shattering power, but may you press on without fear, smile, and stay optimistic—cheers!]
Eustass felt touched; the darkness thickened until only a few meters around the white glow remained visible.
The next instant, his consciousness slipped into slumber.
The Drums of Liberation kept beating, accompanying the white cocoon as it sank deeper into the Abyss.
More monsters gathered, yet the cheerful rhythm sent them shrieking away like poison.
Suddenly the system silenced the drums; Eustass and his cocoon vanished, reappearing in a zone no monster had touched.
A Small World wrapped in hazy white light hovered there, shrouded by a thin black film that hid its glow.
The system tried to carry the sleeping Eustass inside, but was repelled.
After several attempts, the two-layered World belatedly opened a tiny passage and let them in.
A flicker of light glinted in the dark Abyss.
Then the gate closed and the space returned to dead blackness… DC World.
Themyscira.
Above the barrier,
thick fog swirled.
Steve Trevor was frantically piloting his plane when a Portal suddenly opened in the mist.
A figure tumbled out; by the time Steve saw it there was no room to dodge—the silhouette sheared his plane in two.
"Holy crap!"
Chapter 279 279. DC Themyscira! Wonder WomanDiana! (Please Subscribe!)
The plane was directly destroyed.
The sleeping Eustass rushed straight into the Barrier of Themyscira.
Steve Trevor kept falling downward, splashing into the sea with a thud.
Fortunately it was a World War I fighter jet, not flying very high.
Otherwise he would have ended up like a crash onto concrete.
But because Eustass had already smashed his plane, the aircraft didn't travel far and never entered the ThemysciraBarrier.
So… "Shit!"
Trevor stared into the mist at the silhouettes of those warships.
These were the enemy nation's men after him, so he hurriedly swam forward.
"He's over there!"
A soldier on a small boat shouted.
Trevor was startled and quickly dived… not long ago.
Themyscira.
Diana Prince sparred with General Antiope, unintentionally triggering the divine power within her, and Diana sent Antiope flying.
Seeing that Antiope wasn't seriously injured, she felt a bit relieved.
Diana's emotions were complex; she struggled to accept her sudden awakening of divine power, and after hurting Antiope she felt melancholy and walked to the cliff edge.
She stood among the flowers, preparing to calm her spirit.
Suddenly.
A deafening blast rang from outside the Barrier.
It was the sound of the sleeping Eustass crashing Trevor's plane.
Diana quickly lifted her head, curious.
A silhouette flew in from outside the Barrier, then with a splash fell into the sea.
Diana's face flashed with surprise; she leapt off the cliff into the water, swimming fast toward the tall figure.
Eustass kept sinking; under the sunlight, a slender figure swiftly swam between the dark deep sea and the azure water.
Eustass slowly woke, startled, noting the system's reward was indeed powerful.
But the way he crossed over was a bit too cruel… Luckily he has the Pirate World's physique, strong enough to hold his breath underwater for a long time.
Otherwise this would have killed him outright!
[Insufficient Energy, Entering Sleep!]
[Estimated Recovery Time: 60 Years!]
[System Reward Mechanism Transfer in Progress…]
[Transfer Target: DC World Will!]
[Transfer Complete!]
Eustass was speechless—was the system protecting him from attacks and counter‑attacking those monsters, draining too much energy?
Anyway, not a big problem. If it's currently Wonder Woman's timeline, the system will have time to reboot before other plots start.
Just as Eustass finished thinking, a figure embraced him.
Diana stared at the other, dazed, thinking he might be suffocating.
She hesitated, then quickly pecked at him.
Giving Eustass oxygen.
Eustass looked surprised.
Then Diana hurried upward.
Both broke the surface; Eustass turned back in astonishment.
Observation Haki sensed the surroundings.
He could only sense the situation on Themyscira; the Barrier blocked his perception of the outside World.
But the pilot who swam in from outside the Barrier felt both familiar and strange to him.
He noticed it while sensing the island's aura.
After all, in DC World, protected by a Barrier, the island is inhabited only by women, and he sensed a very powerful presence there.
This is Themyscira; these factors make it obvious.
A beautiful girl diving to save someone, and a crashed pilot.
Isn't that the scene where Wonder Woman saves Trevor?
Then why did Trevor swim in from outside?
Eustass's expression turned odd.
No way—did he just fall from the sky and pierce the plane… a bit embarrassed, but that embarrassment vanished instantly.
Trevor is short‑lived anyway; ruining his fate with Dianaisn't too bad.
Short‑lived Trevor, better not trouble Diana any more.
Eustass was led by Diana toward the shore.
Here in DC World, there's no Sea Stone that can suppress him.
So he can stay in the water without feeling weakened.
But the hero‑saving‑beauty trope still has to play out.
Diana rescued Eustass, giving him a reason to leave Themyscira with her, sail out and help her beat Ares.
That way, Eustass can fight Ares and also win a beautiful bride.
How nice.
'System?'
Eustass shouted in his mind, the system's performance shows these Worlds are all backed by his golden‑finger benefactor.
He doesn't know if the system's reward mechanism, now replaced by DC World's will, has changed anything.
He muttered for a long time with no response.
Alright, seems like a cold‑hearted benefactor.
Outside the Barrier.
The soldiers watched Trevor surface, take a breath, then swim a short distance before disappearing.
The soldiers hurriedly rowed forward in pursuit.
The boat seemed to cross two Worlds.
People at the front saw a bright sunny World, while those at the back remained in dark mist.
"Why did the sky change? This clear blue sky is so beautiful."
"What a joke, it's always been foggy!"
"Stop joking, hey? Where are you people!? Where's the other half of the boat!?"
Both sides said different things; the rear group terrifiedly realized the front half of the ship had vanished.
They hurriedly rowed forward; the whole vessel passed through the Barrier and emerged on a sunny sea near Themyscira.
"Great discovery, great discovery!"
A soldier shouted to those behind him.
"There's another World here!"
...Themyscira.
On the shore.
Eustass lay by the sea, Diana kneeling beside him, looking curiously down at him.
Eustass looked at her, sunlight shining on Diana.
To be fair, Diana is truly beautiful and elegant.
"Are you a man?"
Diana's question left Eustass speechless.
He isn't a man—could he be a girl?
But he quickly accepted it.
Diana has lived on this island all her life, never having seen a man.
It's normal for her to feel unfamiliar with men.
"That's right."
Eustass replied helplessly, "Otherwise what, could I be a beauty?"
"Pfft~"
Diana laughed at him.
"Where is this?"
"Themyscira."
"I am Eustass Mola."
"I am Diana Prince, where are you from?"
"From a very, very distant place."
Eustass said, gazing at the Barrier in the sky.
This World is truly interesting—there's a Barrier outside Themyscira and another outside this World, like a nesting doll… "Ahem!"
Trevor swam ashore, coughing nonstop; the waves had splashed seawater into his mouth, it was uncomfortable.
"Hey, I don't know who you are, but I really think you two should stop gazing lovingly—enemies are coming."
Trevor shouted urgently.