As soon as Joy Boy finished speaking, a deafening roar echoed from high above. Suddenly, a rift tore through the all-encompassing darkness, and a dazzling white light burst forth, shooting diagonally toward Joy Boy, engulfing him in its brilliance.
Carl narrowed his eyes slightly and waved his hand. Spiraling darkness surged from all directions like massive black waves, crashing against the pillar of light.
Within the beam, Joy Boy silently gazed at the torn hole in his hat, his eyes flashing with a fierce glint.
Carl had no intention of giving Joy Boy a chance to breathe. His eyes had already turned pitch-black, emitting wisps of dark energy. His Marine cloak billowed violently in the black aura, and the word "Justice" emblazoned upon it created a striking contrast.
He twisted his body, once again merging into the darkness.
The next moment, the darkness within the entire space began to tremble violently. Black vortexes swirled into existence, forming countless eye-like patterns.
Down below, some Marines witnessing this scene were reminded of the battle against Roger years ago. Back then, the sky had also been filled with the same ominous phenomenon. And after that spectacle, the Pirate King, Roger, was utterly defeated.
However, Joy Boy's impression of this technique was far deeper than anyone else's—because he had personally experienced its power.
That's right. Back then, Joy Boy's consciousness had already awakened inside Roger's body. But at the time, he was too weak, and Roger's willpower was far stronger than Luffy's. Joy Boy had no way of seizing control of Roger's body and could only lend him a fraction of his strength.
Crack… crack…
The space could no longer withstand the twisting force of the darkness. It began to crack apart, with countless gray fissures spreading like a web, all converging near the light pillar where Joy Boy stood.
Joy Boy's expression was solemn as he muttered under his breath,
"I've waited 800 years… This time, I will not fail again…"
The pillar of light surrounding him suddenly condensed into countless particles of white radiance, converging on his body. In the next instant, Joy Boy's entire form ignited with white flames.
Under the intense burning of the white flames, his body began to shrink until it transformed into a sphere the size of a Devil Fruit.
To an uninformed observer, it might seem as though Joy Boy had been incinerated into an artifact.
Carl, hidden within the darkness, fixed his gaze on the white sphere left behind by Joy Boy. His voice echoed from all directions.
"Great Dark Sky."
As soon as the words left his lips, all the gray fissures shattered simultaneously. Violent spatial turbulence erupted forth.
The light sphere, caught in the eye of the space storm, was tossed around like a leaf in a raging sea, its once smooth form now contorted and irregular.
Joy Boy's voice rang out from within the sphere,
"Answer my call!"
In the next second, the sphere of light shot upward like a blazing sun. The moment it reached the rift in the sky, it vanished completely.
After Joy Boy disappeared, the darkness within the space receded like a tide, converging into a single point. From it, Carl emerged, expressionless, gazing at the place where Joy Boy had vanished. Then, he folded his wings and descended to the ground below.
Even though their battle had taken place tens of thousands of meters above, the aftermath had devastated most of Goat Island.
Seeing Carl, Lucia immediately led a group of Marines forward. Carl turned to face them and gave a direct order for all troops to return to the warships.
Once all the warships had sailed away from Goat Island, the previously calm space became turbulent once more. Towering hundred-meter waves surged from the sea, swallowing the entire island.
After a single tsunami, Goat Island had completely vanished from its original location. Yet, the sea in that region remained restless, with continuous gales and tidal waves. Most terrifying of all, dark vortexes occasionally flickered in the sky, emanating destructive energy.
Aboard the distant warship, Carl sat with his arms crossed, deep in thought about what had just occurred.
Lucia stood beside him, silently watching his profile.
After a while, Carl tapped his finger lightly on the table and said,
"Joy Boy escaped again. But what exactly did he do at the end?"
Joy Boy's method of escape was bizarre—almost as if he had reverted to the form of a Devil Fruit.
Lucia spoke up,
"Young Master, Joy Boy shouldn't have been able to escape too far. Besides, his forces were nearly wiped out in this siege. There's no one left to aid him."
Carl slowly shook his head and replied,
"That's not certain. Joy Boy disappeared into thin air. He might not even be in the Four Seas anymore. And the Revolutionary Army—though not technically his forces—still exists."
He then recalled Joy Boy's final words: "Answer my call."
What exactly was he summoning…?
...
New World
A blinding white sphere of light suddenly appeared at the center of the sky, resembling a second sun.
The next moment, this "sun" plummeted rapidly, crashing into a dense forest below.
As it passed through the thick foliage, the trees twisted unnaturally, making way for the sphere to pass unimpeded.
The light sphere finally halted in a clearing, hovering less than a meter above the ground.
Moments later, its surface began to shift and wriggle, gradually extending into a humanoid form—its head taking on the shape of a straw hat.
With a soft pop, the radiance dissipated, revealing Joy Boy once more.
He collapsed onto the ground in a spread-eagle position, staring up at the sky.
At this moment, Joy Boy's eyes were no longer glowing spheres. A gentle breeze swept past him as he slowly sat up.
Pressing a hand to his hat, Joy Boy's expression flickered before returning to normal. He remained seated, muttering to himself,
"You've finally woken up, Luffy."
"You… took over my body again? Where are we?"
"On the back of an old friend."
"Back? What are you talking about? Friend…? Wait! Where are Nami and the others?! What about Uncle Lind?! Why didn't they come with me?! I was just fighting the Celestial Dragons, wasn't I?!"
Joy Boy did not respond. He remained silent.
And that silence spoke volumes to Luffy.
His voice trembled as he asked,
"Tell me… are they… still alive?"
Joy Boy did not answer his question. Instead, he spoke in a quiet, detached tone,
"We failed. We… failed again. And failure always comes with a price. But Luffy, do you know why we always fail?"
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+200 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg