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Hancock's voice softened."I always believed you would survive and make it here."
She held out a key, pressing it into Luffy's hand."This… this is the key to your brother's shackles."
"Hancock!!" Luffy shouted, his eyes blazing.
Her face turned redder than a ripe apple."He called my name again!"
Without hesitation, Luffy seized her hand and snatched the key.
Her entire body froze, trembling, her face flushed as though she might melt."Luffy's hand… touched mine!"
"Hancock… you… thank you. I'll never forget this!" Luffy suddenly threw his arms around her.
The Empress's brain went blank. She stood stiffly, blushing so hard she could barely breathe, her hands hovering helplessly in the air.
"D… d-don't worry about it! Just go!" she stammered.
"Thanks again!" Luffy released her and bolted toward the execution platform.
Hancock collapsed to the ground, breathless, sweat beading across her flawless skin.
"He… he hugged me that hard…" Her voice trembled as she buried her burning face in her hands."Could this be… marriage?!"
But Smoker wasn't done. His body dispersed into smoke once more, surging after Luffy."You won't escape, Straw Hat!"
Hancock's eyes hardened."Perfume Femur!"
Her heel clashed against Smoker's weapon in a thunderous shockwave that rippled the air.
The collision shattered his jitte into stone fragments, crumbling into dust.
"I won't let you through," Hancock hissed.
Smoker broke into a cold sweat."To oppose the Navy… do you understand what that means?"
"No matter what I do, the world will forgive me—because I am too beautiful."
Behind her, countless Marines swooned with heart-shaped eyes, nodding in dreamy agreement.
Meanwhile, Luffy sprinted toward the scaffold, clutching the key."She really saved me again! Ace, just wait—I'm coming!!"
Amazon Lily
"Big sis, seriously? This is the type you like? He doesn't even look that special…"
The younger sisters exchanged doubtful glances but quickly corrected themselves."No way that's real. There isn't a single man alive worthy of our sister."
Straw Hat Pirates
"Luffy, when did you start cozying up to the Pirate Empress? How come we didn't know about this? As expected of our captain!"
Luffy just scratched his head, utterly baffled."Hancock? I… I don't really know. I don't think I've even met her before?"
Sanji collapsed to his knees in despair, hearts bursting in his eyes as he stared at Hancock on the screen."Luffy, how could you steal her from me already?!"
Zoro snorted, glancing at the display."Pathetic. I'll be training my swordsmanship."
On the screen, chaos raged.
"What do you mean Kuma's dead? He's standing right here! He's fine, don't talk nonsense!"
Luffy skidded up beside Ivankov."You know him, right, Iva?"
"A bit, but… he looks different…" Ivankov admitted.
Doflamingo's grin widened."He's not Kuma anymore. Call his name all you want, it's useless. After Dr. Vegapunk's final modifications just days ago, he's been reborn as a human weapon."
"The ultimate machine that obeys only the Navy's orders… Pacifista PX-0."
Kuma's maw opened, golden energy building into a devastating cannon blast that tore toward them, threatening to split the sky itself.
Luffy and Ivankov leapt aside at the last second as the explosion erupted behind them.
Ivankov's face twisted in rage."Damn you, Kuma! I don't know what they did to you, but if you turn your weapons on your friends… I'll never forgive you!"
"Galaxy Wink!!"
In a blur, Ivankov split into countless afterimages, firing a storm of dazzling pink beams from every direction.
The barrage smashed into Kuma, hurling him across the battlefield.
Elsewhere, Crocodile raised his arm and unleashed a miniature sandstorm dragon, hurling it into the fray. The raging tornado tore through waves of pirates, scattering them like dust.
Whitebeard scowled."Of all times, you had to stir up trouble now?"
Jozu, commander of the Third Division, charged forward, his body gleaming like diamond."I won't let you near Pops!"
"Brilliant Crash!!"
Jozu transformed fully into sparkling diamond, his charge shaking the battlefield as he slammed forward like a living gemstone comet.
He crashed straight into Crocodile, his body covered in sand, coughing up a mouthful of blood!
The impact sent him flying. He barely managed to steady himself, still spitting blood as he struggled to stay upright.
"That massive body, and you can still move that fast? Damn, I'm impressed!"
Jozu growled, "We can't let him go. He has to be taken out completely!"
His body turned to diamond, and he charged head-on at Crocodile.
He was fast—unbelievably fast. In a blink, he was about to land the strike… when suddenly, his body froze mid-movement.
A mocking voice drifted over."Well, well, look who managed to crawl back out. How's the temperature of that blood pool, you damn crocodile?"
"Doflamingo!!"
Doflamingo twitched his fingers, strings tightening as they restrained Jozu's body.
Crocodile's forehead was bleeding, his eyes dark with fury. "Stay out of this. You looking to die?"
Doflamingo smirked. "You sure love running your mouth. What do you say—wanna team up?"
…
Meanwhile, Luffy was sprinting toward the execution platform when a terrifying figure suddenly appeared in his path.
"Sorry, Red-Hair. I won't be holding back."
Luffy's eyes went wide. "That guy is—Hawkeye Mihawk?!"
There he stood, black blade Yoru in hand, blocking the way.
"So… this is fate.""The golden child of a new era.""Will your story end here? Or… will you survive against my blade?"
Luffy shouted, "Damn it, this isn't the time to fight someone like you! I'm here to save Ace!"
He kicked into Gear Second, launching himself forward.
Mihawk's sword radiated killing intent, a green arc of energy bursting from his swing, powerful enough to split the very sky.
…
In the world of One Piece
"Unbelievable. They turned a Warlord like Kuma into some kind of Navy weapon? That's insane!" Sanji gaped at the screen.
"Mihawk's after Luffy?!" Zoro's fists clenched tight, frustration written all over his face. "Why wasn't I there?"
On the Moby Dick, Marco chuckled. "Ace's little brother's pretty impressive. Managed to win over the Pirate Empress, too. Guess in that department, he's better than you."
Ace's face twisted with conflict. "Luffy… I wish you hadn't come. I don't want to drag you into this."
Whitebeard's deep voice rumbled, "Don't worry, Ace. As long as your old man's here, nobody will lay a finger on you."
…
In the Dragon Ball world
"Goku, that swordsman's aura… it's no joke," Krillin said, watching Mihawk's strike aimed at Luffy.
Goku nodded solemnly. "Yeah. His killing intent is razor-sharp. And that black sword of his… it's something else."
Frieza chuckled. "Pathetic country bumpkins. You're impressed by that? Just wait. Soon you'll witness my true power—and this time, I'll wipe out every last Saiyan."
"..."
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