Luffy and Kiri plummeted from the sky, crashing into the forest. Branches snapped under their weight. Sensing danger, they grabbed nearby limbs, slowing their descent. By the time the ground neared, the threat had passed.
Their athletic instincts kicked in, and they landed safely in a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and thick undergrowth.
No injuries. Scanning their surroundings, they spoke warily.
"Damn bird," Luffy growled. "Where are we?"
"We got thrown pretty far," Kiri said. "Where's Chopper?"
"Let's find him!" Luffy urged.
"Hold on. Those attacks came from below, but there was nothing in the sky. They're probably from this forest. This won't be easy."
Luffy, anxious for Chopper, wanted to charge ahead, but Kiri stopped him. A strange gaze prickled their senses. Falling silent, they listened, sensing a presence lurking in the woods.
"What's that?" Luffy muttered.
"No idea. Doesn't feel human," Kiri replied.
"Are you humans?" a voice called from above.
They looked up. Perched on a thick branch was a large parrot, the size of a child, its green feathers covering a plump body. It looked old, its crown bald.
A talking animal wasn't new—Chopper and that giant bird came to mind—so their surprise faded quickly. They eyed the bald parrot calmly.
"Who're you? Know where Chopper is?" Luffy demanded.
"This island is forbidden to humans. Leave now," the parrot squawked.
"No way. Our friend got taken," Luffy shot back.
"A big bird snatched a reindeer. Seen it?" Kiri added.
"A reindeer… So, the 'Selector Bird' took an animal," the parrot muttered, as if realizing something.
Luffy's voice sharpened. "You know something? Tell me! Where's Chopper?!"
"Go back. Leave the island."
"Listen to me!" Luffy snapped.
"We'll leave once we get our friend. Just tell us where he is," Kiri said.
"I've nothing to tell you."
The parrot's tone was final, its rejection absolute. Luffy and Kiri grimaced but couldn't stay silent. Driven to save Chopper, their voices grew stern.
"Fine. We'll find him ourselves," Luffy said.
"Wait! Humans aren't allowed here!" the parrot cried.
"Then tell us. If you don't, we'll search anyway," Kiri said.
"That's not an option!"
"Let's go, Luffy."
"Yeah."
"Stop! Enter this forest, and the Guardians' judgment will fall!"
The parrot's furious shout made them pause, glancing back.
"Guardians' judgment? Sounds familiar," Luffy said.
"Pretty standard threat," Kiri scoffed.
"You think I'm lying? I'm warning you for your own good. Go deeper, and you'll die," the parrot insisted.
"No way. I'm saving Chopper," Luffy said.
"Then you'll die by the Guardians' judgment," the parrot warned.
"Guardians, huh…" Kiri muttered, uninterested.
Luffy marched toward the forest's depths, ignoring the parrot. Kiri followed, unfazed. The parrot, shocked by their defiance, flapped its wings frantically, its warnings unrelenting.
"Hey! Are you insane?! You really want to die?!" it squawked.
"Shut up. We're not dying, and we're not abandoning Chopper," Luffy shot back.
"Stop us if you can. Got a plan, right?" Kiri taunted.
"Fine! Don't blame me for what happens!" the parrot snapped.
Ignoring it, they pressed through the trees. Suddenly, a threat loomed. Instinctively, they leaped aside as a sharp whoosh cut through the air. Something roared past, crashing into the ground with a loud thud, flattening grass and gouging earth. A small splash of liquid scattered.
They spun around, eyes darting to the trees.
On a thin branch sat a long-armed monkey, slouching casually, chewing a ripe apple. It had hurled it at them. Shattered apple fragments littered the ground, confirming it was the same attack from the sky.
"What's with that monkey?" Luffy said.
"Threw an apple. The Guardian, maybe?" Kiri replied.
"Hey, jerk! We're in a hurry. Stay outta our way!" Luffy shouted.
The long-armed monkey smirked, taking a bite before flinging the apple. It rocketed forward at bullet-like speed, its force amplified by the monkey's unnatural strength or arm length.
It aimed for Luffy. He sidestepped, clenching his fist and glaring up. "Don't mess with me! Gum-Gum Pistol!"
His arm stretched, fist speeding toward the monkey. It leaped to another branch, dodging effortlessly with its long arms. Mocking them, it cackled, "Kyah-kyah-kyah!"
"Stop laughing!" Luffy roared.
"It's fast. Want me to stop it?" Kiri offered.
"No! This one's mine!" Luffy insisted.
"Simple as ever," Kiri sighed.
Luffy, fuming, stopped Kiri from using his ability and chased the monkey. It grabbed another fruit, mimicking a baseball pitcher's form—raising the fruit, stepping forward, and hurling it with fluid precision. The motion was eerily human.
Another high-speed fruit shot toward Luffy. He jumped lightly, puffing out his chest and inhaling deeply. His rubber body ballooned.
"Gum-Gum Balloon!"
The fruit slammed into his inflated body. Its deadly spin would've crushed a normal person, but Luffy absorbed it harmlessly. The monkey grinned triumphantly, unaware its attack was futile.
The spinning fruit bounced back, faster than before, retracing its path. The monkey's smugness turned to shock as it hit its face with a sharp pop, juice bursting.
One hit. The force was too much. The monkey's eyes rolled back, and it fell from the tree, landing hard on its back, silent.
Luffy exhaled, deflating. "Too easy!" he cheered, fist raised.
Kiri glanced at the parrot, who gaped, speechless. "Forest Guardian done?"
"Don't get cocky! The fight's just begun!" the parrot squawked, wings flaring.
Shadows emerged from the trees, and Luffy and Kiri turned to face them.
"More?" Luffy groaned.
"This is getting annoying. We're in a hurry," Kiri said.
A massive white-furred gorilla, over two meters tall, pushed through the tall grass. Its stern face and lazy scratches suggested disinterest, but it was ready to fight.
They braced themselves.
"Big gorilla!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Let's finish this quick. Chopper might not be safe," Kiri said.
"Right!"
"They won't go down easily. They're Forest Guardians," the parrot boasted.
Ignoring it, they charged. Luffy rushed the gorilla head-on. Its size and strength outmatched a human's, but Luffy was unfazed. Kiri watched, confident in Luffy's victory.
"Gum-Gum Rifle!"
Luffy's arm stretched and twisted, launching a spinning punch. The gorilla stood still until the last moment, dodging with a nimble sidestep, its movements almost human. Luffy's fist smashed a tree behind it, toppling it.
Stunned, Luffy stared as the gorilla assumed a boxing stance, weaving with speed unnatural for its bulk. Its technique and raw power were a dangerous mix.
It crouched and lunged. Luffy, still retracting his arm, couldn't react. The gorilla's jabs landed rapidly, staggering him, followed by a straight punch to his cheek. The force was immense—Luffy's rubber body took no damage, but he skidded across the ground, unable to hold his ground.
"Ugh!" Luffy grunted.
"Uho! Uho!" the gorilla roared, hopping in triumph.
As it gloated, Kiri swung a massive paper hammer, larger than the gorilla's head. Too late to dodge, it took the full blow, toppling backward.
Luffy rose as the gorilla fell, the tide turning. Kiri leaped back, hammer on his shoulder, smirking coldly. "Gloating after knocking someone down? That's not strength. Try again."
"Uhooo!" the gorilla roared, rising, enraged.
"No more hits, jerk!" Luffy shouted, readying his fists.
The gorilla charged, provoked by Kiri's taunt. Its animal instincts made it predictable, and Kiri, spinning his hammer, saw victory. They could handle the Guardians now that Luffy had seen their moves.
As the gorilla moved, heavy footsteps echoed. More enemies.
"Luffy, new ones," Kiri warned.
"Again?!" Luffy groaned.
"I'll handle these," Kiri said.
"Got it!"
They split without hesitation, back-to-back. A black-and-yellow striped zebra charged through the grass, and Kiri met it as Luffy faced the gorilla.
The zebra locked onto Kiri, who swung his hammer, its edges fraying like a net. It enveloped the zebra's face, blinding it. Panicking, the zebra flailed, landing clumsily. Kiri bound its legs and torso with paper, kicking it down, immobilizing it.
The zebra was out in seconds. Kiri shrugged, turning to Luffy's fight.
Luffy and the gorilla faced off, motionless, ready for close combat. They threw punches simultaneously.
"Uhooo!"
"Raaagh!"
Luffy's fists were faster, more precise, hammering the gorilla's chest. Its thick hide absorbed some damage, but Luffy's relentless power warped its expression. The gorilla's punches landed occasionally, but Luffy dodged while attacking, overwhelming it.
Each hit pushed the gorilla back, its feet scraping the earth. Enraged, it swung a massive punch. Luffy ducked, countering with a jab to its jaw.
The gorilla's vision blurred. Luffy jumped, stretching his arm back for the final blow.
"Bullet!"
The punch sent the gorilla crashing through a tree, bouncing across the ground until it vanished into the undergrowth.
The parrot gaped, speechless. Luffy exhaled heavily. "Done?"
"Maybe. The one who knows is up there," Kiri said, nodding at the parrot.
"Who are you people?!" it squawked.
"Pirates," Luffy said.
"Pirates? Mobambie hates them. You can't run wild here!"
The parrot flapped furiously as more rustling came from the grass. Another Guardian appeared—a rare liger with a black mane and white stripes, its sharp fangs and claws glinting. Its regal aura suggested it was tougher than the others.
The zebra lay bound, the long-armed monkey and gorilla rose, ready to attack together.
One-on-one, they were manageable, but their teamwork could be trouble. The liger seemed the most dangerous, exuding a leader's presence. Luffy and Kiri stood closer, wary.
"This 'Forest Judgment' isn't easy to escape," the parrot warned. "Leave now!"
"No way," Luffy said.
"We're not leaving without our friend," Kiri added.
"Fine. Attack!" the parrot commanded.
Kiri moved first, flinging paper sheets at the parrot. Likely the leader, it posed no threat itself but directed the others. Paper wrapped its beak and body, silencing it. It fell from the tree, bound.
"Stay quiet. Nothing to say, anyway," Kiri said coldly.
Disrupting their command was a success—the animals bristled with rage, losing focus.
The liger charged Kiri, roaring. He stepped back, scattering paper into the air. The sheets folded into countless origami cranes.
"Hundred-Style Armament: Thousand Cranes!"
"Cool!" Luffy said, dodging a fruit from the long-armed monkey. It burst on the ground, juice splattering. The monkey clicked its tongue as the gorilla rushed Luffy.
The liger targeted Kiri, who met its charge unflinchingly. As it landed, cranes slammed its legs, toppling it. Kiri kicked its jaw, forcing its mouth shut, then landed a roundhouse kick, sending it rolling.
Luffy faced the gorilla's punches and the monkey's fruit throws, their coordination tight. A punch hit his stomach, launching him into the air.
"Ugh! Damn it!" Luffy cursed, landing and charging the gorilla.
The monkey prepared another throw, but Kiri's cranes struck its head, knocking it from the tree. More cranes hit the gorilla's knees, buckling them. Luffy's kick followed.
"Stamp!"
"Uho?!" The gorilla reeled.
Luffy grabbed its shoulders, spinning his lower body.
"Gum-Gum Bowgun!"
He launched the gorilla, aiming at the recovering monkey. They collided, vanishing into the forest.
Luffy landed, glancing at Kiri, who dodged the liger's relentless attacks. Cranes harried it, controlling its movements. Kiri's technique ensured he held the advantage, whether against one or many.
Luffy joined, targeting the distracted liger. His kick slammed its side.
"Take that!"
"Grr!" The liger staggered but barely faltered, its toughness surprising.
"Man, this guy's heavy!" Luffy said, impressed.
"Don't gawk. Dodge!" Kiri warned.
"Grr!" The liger swiped, and Luffy leaped back.
Despite the hit, it moved unhindered. Kiri clicked his tongue—this would take time.
As Luffy landed, a shadow moved above.
"What—?!" he yelped.
A small animal snatched his straw hat, deftly avoiding the strap. An agile raccoon scampered up a tree, donning the hat.
"Hey! Give my hat back!" Luffy roared.
"Luffy?" Kiri called, dodging the liger.
Luffy, ignoring him, stretched his arm at the raccoon. It leaped to another branch, dodging easily. Furious, Luffy grabbed a branch with his arm, launching himself upward.
He crouched on the branch, glaring. The raccoon toyed with the hat, unperturbed. Luffy lunged like an animal. "That's my treasure! Give it back!"
"Wait, Luffy! Don't go off alone—" Kiri shouted.
The raccoon fled, Luffy in pursuit. Kiri's warning went unheard. Losing his hat—his treasure—was unthinkable, but splitting up was risky.
"No choice. I've gotta follow," Kiri muttered.
Dodging the liger, Kiri summoned all his paper, running before it fully gathered. He ignored the freed zebra and parrot—keeping Luffy from going solo was priority.
He chased, tracking Luffy's path as trees crashed from his pursuit of the raccoon. The liger followed, its powerful strides closing in.
Kiri glanced back as the liger roared, paper returning to him. He jumped, coating his arm in hardened paper and smashing the liger's head. It crashed to the ground, stunned but not out.
Kiri glared coldly. "Don't interfere. I'm done playing with you."
Fully collecting his paper, he formed a new paper bird and flew low, following the sounds of Luffy's rampage. The liger rose, joined by the zebra and parrot, all furious.
"The humans are heading deeper! With Kirinlion gone, we can't let them run wild! Chase them!" the parrot squawked.
The liger and zebra charged, the parrot flying after them, determined to stop the intruders.
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