Dorry and Brogy, now free, couldn't help but laugh, giving a thumbs-up to Moonlight. They had been fighting for over a hundred years, but today, they had discovered that there was an even stronger existence in this world. In front of Moonlight, they were just frogs in a well.
"You despicable bastards, you actually attacked us," they then growled, their eyes falling on Mr. 3. To be ambushed and nearly killed... anyone would be furious. Not just them, but Zoro, Nami, and Luffy also sneered, their own anger now directed at the Baroque Works agents.
"Damn it... I didn't expect to run into this kind of thing," Mr. 3 said, his eyes cold as he looked at the now-freed crew. "But do you really think it's over? I am Mr. 3!" His body began to ooze wax, and with a slam of his hand on the ground, he shouted, "Giant Service... Candle Feast!"
A massive river of wax, ten meters wide, shot out from him, and in an instant, with the exception of Moonlight, Luffy and the others were once again trapped. A ten-meter-tall candle tower, shaped like a fancy cake, rose from the ground, restraining them all. On top of the tower, seven wax statues of the crew stood, and above their heads, a large, pumpkin-shaped wax ball slowly rotated, dripping a waxy mist onto them, causing the wax on their bodies to harden even faster.
"What kind of trick is this?"
"It's a shame to be caught again!"
"We weren't on guard before, but this time, he got us in a frontal attack. Is this person really that strong?" Luffy and the others were shocked, their bodies once again encased in wax. Dorry and Brogy's faces fell. To be caught in a sneak attack was one thing, but to be caught again in a direct confrontation... the strength of this man was not to be underestimated.
"Is this the true power of Mr. 3?" Vivi's heart sank, and a new wave of despair washed over her. She had been a part of Baroque Works; she knew that the lower the number, the more terrifying the agent's strength.
"In our organization, strength is determined by our code number," Mr. 5 gasped. "I am Mr. 5, and he is Mr. 3. It goes without saying who is stronger. You were no match for us in a sneak attack, and you're no match for us in a head-on fight."
"That's right," Miss Valentine agreed. The lower the number of a Baroque Works senior agent, the more terrifying their power.
"Mr. 3, be careful! That swordsman is still free!" Miss Goldenweek quickly reminded him, seeing Moonlight standing unharmed.
"I know," Mr. 3 said, his eyes fixed on Moonlight. "This swordsman's slashes are too fierce; my wax can't hold him. If that's the case, then I'll just have to defeat him head-on with my own strength." He was not going to be careless. "Candle Champion's Armor!"
The wax on his body began to flow, wrapping around him until it formed a massive suit of wax armor. He was now over three meters tall, his strength and speed greatly enhanced.
"Colors Trap!" Miss Goldenweek picked up her drawing board and painted a red, bull-like pattern on Mr. 3's armor. "Red of the Bullfight!" Mr. 3's attack power was suddenly amplified.
"Let me use this technique to end you!" he shouted, rushing towards Moonlight, his strength and speed now truly terrifying.
But...
WHOOSH!
A crescent-shaped wave of sword energy shot out, fierce and unparalleled, and Mr. 3's wax armor was shattered to pieces. The sword energy raged on, and Mr. 3's body was sent flying, blood spraying from his wounds as he collapsed to the ground.
Mr. 5, Miss Valentine, and Miss Goldenweek were speechless. Luffy and the others were equally stunned. Mr. 3, at his full power, amplified by Miss Goldenweek's color palette, had been defeated so easily? What kind of terrifying power did this man possess?
WHOOSH!
At that moment, Moonlight swung his sword again. A fan-shaped slash shot out, and the giant wax tower was shattered to pieces. The wax on everyone's bodies was broken, and the large wax ball above their heads was also destroyed. With a single sword slash, the candle tower was gone, and everyone was free once more.
"Is this the gap in our power?" Zoro said, his hand tightening on his sword. It was one thing to see Moonlight's sword skills in practice, but to see them against a real enemy... the difference was deeply and painfully clear.
"We're saved! Moonlight, you're really the best!" Usopp rejoiced, overjoyed to be alive.
"Moonlight!" Nami said, giving him a thumbs-up.
"I knew that man was strong, but I never had a specific concept of just how strong he was," Vivi said, taking a deep breath. "Now that even Mr. 3 has been so easily defeated... maybe he even has the power to fight Mr. 0." A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes.
"You despicable, dirty bastards! I'm gonna send you flying!" Luffy roared, looking at the four Baroque Works agents, who were struggling to stand up, trying to escape.
"Aaaah!" Four consecutive screams rang out.
"Human swordsman, thank you for showing us the wider world," Dorry and Brogy said, looking at each other with a new understanding. "In front of a man like you, our duel is a joke." After this ordeal, they had finally reconciled. They looked at Moonlight, their faces filled with a look of awe and anticipation. He had shown them that there were mountains even higher than they had ever imagined.
"Where's Sanji?" Moonlight asked, noticing that the cook was missing.
"He should be back on the ship," Zoro replied. "I made a bet with him to see who could catch the biggest prey, and then..." He trailed off, a look of frustration on his face.
"And then what happened?" Usopp asked, his curiosity piqued.
Zoro said nothing, but his expression betrayed him.
"You got lost, didn't you?" Nami said, a knowing look on her face. Zoro's silence was all the confirmation she needed. The others immediately burst into laughter.
"So, Sanji is already back at the ship," Moonlight said with a smile. "After what just happened, more and more enemies will be coming after us. We can't waste any more time here. We have to leave."
"Yes, Baroque Works is extremely powerful," Vivi agreed, her expression tight. "And Mr. 3 is already this strong, let alone Mr. 2 and the others. To prevent them from chasing us, we have to leave now."
"No, I've already led them away. No more pursuers will be sent," a voice said, and Sanji walked out of the forest, a look of relief on his face when he saw that everyone was safe.
"Sanji, you're alright!" the others cried, overjoyed. They had been worried about him, but now, he was fine.
"What do you mean, you led the pursuers away?" Nami asked, confused.
"I went back to the ship and saw that the moss head hadn't returned, and you and Moonlight were gone. I figured something was wrong, so I went looking for you. In a corner of the forest, I found a house made of wax. I went in and found a phone snail. It didn't take long for it to ring, and it was the one called Mr. 0," Sanji explained, lighting a cigarette.
"What?! Mr. 0!" everyone gasped. This was the true mastermind behind Baroque Works, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the same man as Hawkeye: Crocodile. This was the real big shot. And Sanji had received a call from him?
"What did he say?" Vivi asked, her voice trembling with a nervous anxiety.
"He asked me if the Straw Hats had been dealt with," Sanji replied, repeating the conversation verbatim. "Naturally, I didn't reveal my identity. I just told him it was taken care of. He told me to return as soon as possible, that everything on his end was ready, and he was prepared to make his move."
"He's ready to make his move?" Vivi's body trembled, and her face went pale. Nami had to catch her to keep her from falling.
"Mr. 3 is already this powerful... this Mr. 0 must be even more terrifying," Usopp shivered. An agent like Mr. 3 had nearly wiped them all out. If Mr. 0 himself were to appear, they would be crushed like ants.
"I don't care if he's Mr. 0 or Mr. 100!" Luffy shouted. "A despicable guy like that... I'm gonna send him flying! Everyone, let's get on the ship and get out of here!" He was ready to go and punch Crocodile right now.
"Alright," the others nodded, knowing that the situation was urgent.
"Wait," Nami said, looking at her Log Pose. "We might be staying on this island for a while."
"Why?" the others asked, confused.
"The Log Pose hasn't finished recording the island's magnetic field yet," she replied with a wry smile, pointing to the device on her wrist. "We can't leave here." She wanted to leave as much as they did, but in the Grand Line, without a Log Pose, they were lost.
"How much longer?" Luffy asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"At this rate... about a year," Nami replied, looking at Vivi with a pained expression.
"What? A year?" everyone was stunned. A year later, even if she did go back, what could she do? Her father and her country would have been long gone. Vivi collapsed to the ground, a look of pure despair on her face.
"I have an Eternal Pose to Alabasta," Sanji said, taking a compass-like device from his pocket. "This was sent by Mr. 0. It seems it will come in handy now."
"An Eternal Pose to Alabasta?" Nami's eyes lit up with joy.
"Sanji, you're really reliable!" Usopp praised.
"Mr. Sanji..." Vivi whispered, her despair turning to a new, endless hope.
"Of course," Sanji said, shooting a smug look at Zoro. "Much better than a certain moss-headed swordsman who's always getting lost."
"You bastard! I'll cut you down!" Zoro roared, furious.
"Alright, we have the Eternal Pose, and we have our food. Let's go!" Luffy shouted, raising his arms in the air.
"Alright," the others nodded, and they all boarded the ship, preparing to leave.
"Are you leaving?" Dorry and Brogy asked, a look of sadness on their faces. They had hoped to spend more time with them, but it seemed it was not to be.
"Two uncles, we have important things to do," Luffy said with a smile, waving goodbye. "When we have time, we'll come back and have a drink with you."
"Alright," the two giants laughed, waving back.
"By the way," Dorry said, suddenly remembering something. "Should we tell them about the giant, island-eating monster in front of this island?"
"No," Brogy replied, shaking his head, his eyes fixed on Moonlight. "In front of that man, even the Island-Eater is nothing."
"Yes, for a man like that, the Island-Eater is nothing," Dorry agreed, a look of admiration on his face. This was a man who had easily blocked both of their attacks. They had never seen such a powerful man. And to so easily defeat a strong opponent like Mr. 3... what was the Island-Eater to him?
On the Going Merry, Usopp waved goodbye to the two giants. "Strange," he said, "what are those two muttering about over there?"
"Perhaps after fighting for over a hundred years, they've finally figured things out," Zoro chuckled.
"That's very possible. They are both respectable warriors," Nami added, a look of admiration on her face.
"Huh? Be careful!" Moonlight suddenly shouted, a look of alarm on his face.
"What?" the others asked, surprised. The sea ahead suddenly began to churn violently, the waves turbulent and wild, as if a massive monster from the deep was stirring. A goldfish, even larger than Laboon, rose from the sea, its mouth a black hole as it lunged towards them.
"What a big goldfish!" Nami was stunned.
"Is that a goldfish?" Usopp's eyes were practically bulging out of his head.
"So big," even Luffy, who was usually fearless, had a bead of cold sweat on his face. This behemoth was no small thing.
Zoro and Sanji said nothing, but their expressions were grim, and they were ready to fight. Vivi and Karoo were frozen in fear.
WHOOSH!
At that moment, Moonlight suddenly moved. A massive, crescent-shaped wave of sword energy shot out from him. "Sword Draw!" he roared. The huge body of the island-eating fish was instantly cut in two, and the sea itself was sliced open by the force of the attack. The power of his level 5 Sword Draw was on a completely new level.
Hiss! everyone gasped, a collective shiver running down their spines.
"I knew Moonlight was powerful, but I never imagined he was this powerful," Usopp said, his mouth agape in awe. "That thing was bigger than Laboon!"
"He's stronger than he was before," Zoro's pupils shrank. He understood Moonlight's power better than anyone, and he could see that it had grown.
"Moonlight... I always had a feeling that your strength and ours weren't on the same level at all," Sanji murmured, the cigarette in his mouth falling to the deck, unnoticed. "Now it seems my feeling was right."
"It's not just that it's not on the same level," Vivi whispered, completely stunned. "It's not even in the same dimension. Even Crocodile... I'm afraid he doesn't have this kind of strength."
"Don't be too happy. It's not over yet," Moonlight said, his expression growing grim as he looked at the sea. The sheer power of his attack had disturbed the calm water, and ripples were now spreading out in all directions. The massive body of the island-eating fish, now cut in two, was like a small island sinking into the sea, and the surrounding water was boiling and churning. A massive whirlpool, the size of an island, was beginning to form.
"This is... not good," Nami's eyes widened in horror. "Moonlight, you cut it in the wrong direction! The sea is completely stirred up now! A super-vortex is about to form! We're going to be trapped!"
"Once we're caught in that whirlpool, our ship will be destroyed, and we'll all die!" Vivi cried, her face pale.
"We just escaped being swallowed by the Island-Eater, and now we're going to be trapped by the sea?" Sanji murmured, lighting another cigarette.
"What do we do? Even if you slash it again, it's too late!" Zoro said, looking at Moonlight.
"It is indeed too late," Moonlight replied calmly. "But we are not in a desperate situation. The two giant masters have already made their move." He was using his Observation Haki to perceive the flow of the sea, waiting for an opportunity to strike again, but he had just felt two unusual power fluctuations in the distance. Dorry and Brogy, one on each side of the island, were holding their massive weapons, a giant sword and a giant axe, and gathering their strength.
"Don't worry! We won't let the sea swallow our benefactors!"
"We will remember this kindness! Let us clear a path for you through these thorny waves!" the two of them shouted, their voices filled with a boisterous laughter. They had lived on the sea for over a hundred years and knew its every whim.
"Conqueror!" they roared in unison, and two massive waves of energy, one green and one red, shot out from their weapons, like roaring impact cannons.
BOOM!
The sea was forcibly split in two, and a straight, clear path was carved through the churning water. The whirlpool around the Going Merry was blasted away by the force of the attack, and the small ship was lifted into the air, far away from the danger.
"Amazing! That's the power of the great warriors of the sea!" Usopp cried, his eyes shining with an ecstatic excitement.
"They split the sea in two! They're so strong!" Nami and the others were equally amazed.
"Two uncles! I'll buy you a drink when I have time!" Luffy shouted, waving goodbye. He then turned to Sanji. "Sanji, I want to eat meat!"
The parting atmosphere was instantly shattered, and everyone just stared at Luffy, speechless. What kind of brain did this guy have? But Sanji, ever the competent cook, simply sighed and headed back to the galley. The others all breathed a sigh of relief. The experience of Little Garden had been thrilling, but they had almost been trapped there. Now, for the rest of their lives, they could enjoy the calm sea, the sunny weather, and Sanji's delicious food. What more could they ask for?
But one of them was not relaxing. On the observation deck, Moonlight was waving his longsword, continuing to practice.
"I say, Moonlight," Usopp called up to him. "After such a fierce battle, aren't you tired at all?"
"Not tired," Moonlight replied, his sword a blur of motion. He had to be stronger.
"No wonder he's so strong," Vivi sighed. When others admired Moonlight's strength, they didn't know the effort he put into it.
"A body stronger than a monster's, day and night of hard work, and super talent and understanding," Zoro said lazily, his eyes closed as he lay on the deck. "Those are the reasons Moonlight is so powerful. His body is no longer human."
"Hey, Zoro," Usopp grumbled. "You're both swordsmen. Moonlight is practicing, and you're just lazing around. Is that really appropriate?"
"It's not the same," Zoro replied. "Everyone has their own way of training. I can't learn his way, and he can't learn mine. You're not a swordsman; you wouldn't understand."
"You're just making excuses for your laziness," Nami said with a contemptuous smirk.
Zoro, Vivi, Karoo, and Luffy were all speechless.
"Alright, dinner's ready!" Sanji suddenly called out, and everyone's spirits lifted. After leaving Cactus Island, they had been eating irregularly, and their experience in Little Garden had been a near-death one. Now, with the sea calm and the sun shining, it was the perfect time to relax and enjoy a delicious meal. And with a world-class chef like Sanji, the food was sure to be amazing. Even Moonlight stopped his training and leaped down from the observation deck, running to the galley.
"Hey, Moonlight, you're in a hurry," Usopp said, dumbfounded. He had thought Moonlight was only interested in his sword.
"As expected of Sanji," Nami marveled. "He can actually make that sword fanatic put down his sword."
"No, I think you're mistaken," Vivi said, pointing to the empty spot where Luffy had been sitting. "The reason he's in such a hurry is because Mr. Luffy has already gone in."
"What? Luffy's already in there?"
"No! Luffy, you're not allowed to take my share!"
"Hurry up, or we'll be hungry again!" the others cried, a new wave of panic washing over them. This was Luffy they were talking about. One person eats, and the whole ship goes hungry. If he was already in there, and they didn't hurry, they would be eating dirt. They could never let Luffy start eating before them.
Sanji just smiled, a look of pure contentment on his face. For a chef, there was nothing more fulfilling than having his cooking so appreciated, especially by the companions he had come to cherish.
"Hey, Luffy, shut up!"
"That's mine!"
"Luffy..." Loud shouts echoed from the galley.
An hour later, everyone was full and lying on the deck, basking in the sun. "This is the life," Usopp said, stretching contentedly. The others were too lazy to even speak.
"It's so comfortable," Vivi said, a look of envy on her face. After just one meal, she had a deeper understanding of the crew, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. To go to sea with a group of companions like this... what more could a person ask for? She wished she could join them, but... thinking of her own circumstances, a look of sadness crossed her face.
Thump!
At that moment, Nami, who had been observing the sea with a telescope, suddenly collapsed.
"Miss Nami!"
"What happened?"
"An enemy?" The shocking change startled everyone. The sea had been uncommonly calm, and they had all been relaxing. No one had expected something like this to happen.
Sanji was the first to rush to her side, but a flash of black light shot past him, and Moonlight suddenly appeared, catching the falling Nami.
"Moonlight!" Sanji breathed a sigh of relief. The others all gathered around, their faces filled with worry.
"She must be sick," Moonlight said, touching her forehead. It was burning hot, and her face was flushed, cold sweat beading on her brow. She looked to be in a great deal of pain.
Nami reluctantly opened her eyes and said with a weak smile, "I'm fine. It's just a small cold." She then turned to Usopp. "Usopp, hurry... change direction. The wind is wrong. Steer the ship to the left."
"The wind direction is wrong? But it looks normal," Usopp said, looking at the calm sea with a puzzled expression, but he immediately moved to follow her instructions. When it came to the ship's course, Nami's word was law.
"Miss Nami, don't worry about that," Sanji said, his voice filled with a gentle concern. "How are you feeling?"
"Her body temperature is very high," Vivi said, looking at the others. "She's definitely sick. Is there a doctor on board?"
Everyone fell silent, their eyes turning to Nami. She was the only one on the ship with any medical knowledge. And now, she was sick.
"This must be because of the sudden climate change," Vivi said with a frown. "She needs a doctor, or this could get very difficult."
Just as she finished speaking, the calm sea suddenly changed. The sky was covered by dark clouds, and the wind began to howl. A massive, twenty-meter-wide cyclone formed on the sea, a super-typhoon that raged and churned, turning the world into a stormy chaos.
"No, it's... a hurricane!"
"What's going on? The sky was clear just a moment ago! How could it change so suddenly?"
"This..." everyone was shocked, watching the huge hurricane bearing down on them. In front of it, the Going Merry was just an ant.
"No, Nami, it's too late!" Usopp shouted from the helm, his voice filled with a desperate panic. He had turned the ship as Nami had instructed, but it wasn't enough. The Going Merry was about to be hit by the side of the hurricane.
"Damn it... just a little bit off," Nami said, her eyes weakly fixed on the hurricane. "It's all because of this body... if I hadn't suddenly collapsed..."
"Don't worry," Moonlight said with a chuckle, squeezing her hand. "I'll take care of this for you." He walked to the bow of the ship.
"Moonlight, don't!" the others cried out, a look of shock on their faces. Was he going to try and cut the hurricane? Could a person really do something like that?
"If it were anyone else, it would be impossible," Zoro said, his eyes fixed on Moonlight, a look of absolute confidence on his face. "But with Moonlight, maybe it's possible."
"Usopp, hold the helm steady!" Moonlight shouted.
"Yes, sir!" Usopp replied.
"Armament Haki! Sky-Shattering Sword Draw!" Moonlight's face was as calm as water. He held his sword in a reverse grip, and his Armament Haki enveloped the blade, turning the Pheasant Sword a deep, menacing black. A crescent of sword energy began to condense on the blade, growing larger and more powerful as he continuously accumulated his power.
WHOOSH!
He swung the sword, and a massive, twenty-meter-long-and-wide wave of energy shot out, heading straight for the hurricane. The hurricane was violent, the sea was rushing, but wherever the sword energy passed, everything was cut in two. And then, under the shocked, disbelieving gaze of everyone present, the massive, twenty-meter-wide hurricane was sliced cleanly in two, from top to bottom. The two halves raged on, forming concentric circles on the sea, and the ocean currents suddenly changed.
Hiss! everyone gasped. He had actually cut the hurricane. The hurricane was shocking, but Moonlight was even more so.
"Look! The direction of the ocean current has changed!" Zoro shouted, his usual calm demeanor broken by the incredible sight.
"Now, Usopp! Go!" Moonlight commanded.
"Yes, sir!" Without another word, Usopp turned the rudder, and the Going Merry, catching the new current, shot away from the now-divided hurricane, leaving the storm far behind.