Buzz!
Just like years ago, Luffy was blasted away again by Shinra Tensei. The overwhelming repulsive force flattened him against the ground in an instant.
With one hand gripping the dazed Ace, Chiga strode calmly toward Sabo.
Sabo swallowed nervously. "King… why are you here?"
Chiga set Ace down with deliberate ease. "Someone called me, so I came. Honestly, though, I didn't expect that the two of you together still couldn't bring down Luffy."
A few minutes earlier, Nojiko and the others had noticed Ace and the brothers hadn't returned for some time. Without hesitation, they used the Flying Thunder God Kunai to summon Chiga.
When he appeared, the atmosphere of the street nearly burst apart. Nojiko, seeing him again after so many years, lost all composure and threw her arms around his, pressing herself tightly against him.
Nami was even bolder—she clung to him, calling "Chiga-san" again and again. He thought danger had struck, but instead, it was this chaotic reunion.
Finally, Hina gathered her courage and stepped forward. She didn't even smoke, her usual calmness gone, and with reverence she reported what had happened.
Understanding the situation, Chiga gently freed himself from Nojiko and Nami's embrace and rushed to the battlefield.
When he arrived, he found Luffy clashing with Sabo. What caught his attention was Luffy's form. He hadn't expected him to tap into Nika's power—not fully awakened yet, but close.
Hearing Chiga's mocking tone, Ace lowered his head, shame written across his face, while Sabo's expression twisted with embarrassment.
"King," Sabo said with a stiff bow, "I'm truly sorry. Luffy's Devil Fruit is strange after awakening. Ace and I couldn't suppress him. We've troubled you!"
Chiga only smiled. Coming from a noble background, Sabo's words carried polish and grace.
He held no real blame. After all, the Nika Fruit was unlike any other—its cheating power made it natural for Ace and Sabo to lose the upper hand.
Turning, Chiga extended his hand toward the battlefield.
"Almighty Pull."
Whoosh!
From a distance, Luffy's body shot toward him, dragged by the invisible force. Chiga's fingers tightened around his throat, cutting off his breath.
Luffy's face turned purple. He tried to stretch Chiga's arm with his rubber body, but his ability failed. Chiga stood unmoved.
His eyes narrowed. He attempted to strip Luffy's Devil Fruit power, but for the first time, it resisted. The fruit's will fought back.
Curious, Chiga released him.
Luffy crashed to the ground, then scrambled backward with panicked haste, desperately putting distance between them. Rubber tendrils sprouted from beneath him, anchoring his legs in place to prevent Chiga's pull from dragging him in again.
Even with his newfound strength, Luffy's fear of Chiga was overwhelming. He regretted everything—regretted staying too long, regretted not sailing away when he had the chance. Encountering the final boss before even leaving the starting village was madness.
Calmly, Chiga gazed down at him. "This makes twice I've had to educate you, hasn't it? Still dreaming about becoming Pirate King?"
The moment the words "Pirate King" reached him, Luffy's spirit reignited. He puffed out his chest, shouting, "That's right! The Pirate King, I—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, Chiga vanished and reappeared before him, driving his fist squarely into Luffy's face.
The blow caved Luffy's head in, a grotesque imprint of a fist stretching from the back.
He flailed wildly. "What's happening!? Why can't I see!?"
Chiga clenched his hand, and invisible force compressed Luffy into a ball. With one kick, he sent him rocketing skyward.
Time passed before Luffy came crashing back down like a meteor, flames trailing his descent, shaking the ground apart.
Ace and Sabo stood frozen.
"…He's not dead, is he?" Ace whispered.
Sabo's face was pale. "No… If King wanted him dead, he would be already."
Hovering above, Chiga looked down at Luffy sprawled in the crater. His gaze sharpened as Luffy's body began to change—hair bleaching white, some parts melting into dark liquid.
"Fully awakened?" Chiga murmured. "Looks like I just saved Kaido the trouble."
A thunderous heartbeat boomed, shaking the air.
Luffy's vest turned white, his injuries vanishing. The Nika form—his true beastlike awakening—was complete. Laughing maniacally, he looked skyward.
"Hahahahaha!"
Before he could finish, a crushing fist slammed down from above.
"What the hell are you laughing at?"
Boom!
Luffy's head snapped into his chest cavity, horrifying to behold. Yet the Nika Fruit's resilience brought it back with a pop.
The terror in his eyes was clear—his brief confidence gone.
Chiga's fist glowed with a pale halo. He punched forward from a distance.
Crack!
Green fractures spread across reality itself. The very space around Luffy shattered, nearly tearing his body apart.
When the force subsided, Luffy lay on the ground like broken mud, trembling beneath the shadow of the King.
_____
Enjoying the fanfiction?
Support my work on Patreon to gain early access to multiple upcoming chapters and exclusive content across all my stories!
👉 Patreon.com/Zphyr