Gap.
That one word hung in Luffy's mind like two invisible mountains.
Although he still held his punching stance, his body trembled uncontrollably.
The intense load of Gear Second made his skin burn like hot iron, his muscle fibers letting out cries of strain.
But none of that compared to the cold and powerless feeling in his heart.
The speed he once prided himself on looked like slow motion in front of his opponent.
His full-powered punch had been effortlessly blocked by just two fingers.
He couldn't even resist the terrifying Conqueror's Haki from earlier.
This sense of helplessness was even worse than when he'd been kicked across Sabaody Archipelago by Kizaru, worse than watching helplessly as his crew was hunted by the Pacifistas.
Because this time—he didn't even have the right to touch his opponent.
"Khak."
A mouthful of blood spilled from the corner of Luffy's mouth, splashing onto the cracked earth.
The light in his eyes was rapidly fading.
"Giving up already?"
Lucian Thorn's voice rang out, calm and unshaken. But each word stabbed into Luffy's pride like a blade.
"If that's the extent of your resolve, then I'm truly disappointed, kid."
"How can you protect your crew like this?"
"Crew…"
That word exploded in Luffy's shattered mind like a bolt of lightning.
His pupils shrank sharply.
On his blood- and sweat-covered face, the fading light in his eyes burst back into flames.
'No.'
'I can't give up.'
'They're still waiting for me.'
'My crew is out there somewhere in the world—waiting for me!'
'If I fall here—if I can't even surpass this man—how can I talk about protecting my crew? About becoming Pirate King?!'
"RAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
A roar, more beast than human, erupted from Luffy's throat.
His trembling legs stomped down with sudden force, shattering the ground beneath his feet and holding him steady.
His fist, which had been locked in place, exploded with a surge of strength so fierce it tore free from Lucian's fingers.
"Yoi… this kid…"
Marco, watching from afar, couldn't help twitching.
'This kind of indomitable spirit… this way of burning life itself to fight… It's just like Pops when he was young!'
"Luffy!"
Hancock covered her mouth in worry, eyes full of pain and concern.
"I…"
Luffy raised his head. There was no more hesitation in his eyes—only blazing fury and pure fighting spirit, like a volcano ready to erupt.
"I'm not… giving up here!!!"
He slingshotted both arms behind his back, his body like a spring compressed to the absolute limit!
The steam erupting from his pores was no longer white—but a faint red, the sign of body temperature reaching the danger zone.
This was Gear Second pushed beyond its limits.
"Rubber Rubber…"
He channeled all his frustration, all his rage, all his will—into this one final blow.
This was the strike he staked everything on!
"JET… Final Gatling!!!"
BOOM!!!
The air itself detonated!
Luffy vanished—then, in the blink of an eye, his fists turned into a downpour of blazing red meteors, bombarding Lucian with a storm of overwhelming speed and power!
This time, there was no holding back.
No sparring.
This was Luffy's everything—his final, do-or-die attack!
But just as those storm-like fists were about to collide with Lucian's body—
Just as Marco and Hancock thought Lucian was about to be engulfed—
Lucian smiled.
For the first time, a truly satisfied smile bloomed on his face.
Ding!
Target's will has broken through its limits and unleashed power beyond its current bounds...
Analysis program initiated...
SSSR-Class Entry [Sun God Nika Luffy] Analysis +10%... 95%... 98%...
100%!
Congratulations, Host! Ultimate trump card [Future Nika Luffy] has been fully unlocked!
100% Analysis Complete—Special Reward Triggered!
Generating reward...
Congratulations! You've received the Transcendent-Class Devil Fruit: [Hito Hito no Mi, Mythical Zoan, Sun God Apollo Form]!
Host's physical vitality, cellular regeneration, and potential ceiling have been permanently boosted!
A barrage of system prompts flooded Lucian's mind like a tidal wave.
'It's done!'
A rush of joy surged through Lucian's heart.
The third and most mysterious trump card—his most potential-packed asset—was finally his!
But when he saw the name of the Devil Fruit, he blinked in surprise.
"'Apollo Form'?"
He quickly asked the system in his mind.
"Wasn't it supposed to be the Nika Form?"
Response: 'Nika Form' is the localized name used by this world's inhabitants after awakening. The system's reward has been optimized and refined—removing the limitations of the 'Rubber Fruit' and granting you direct access to the original authority of the 'Sun God', designated under the higher-ranked title 'Apollo'.
"'Higher-ranked?'"
Lucian's eyes lit up.
Rest assured, Host. System items are guaranteed to be premium. This fruit's potential far surpasses any other Devil Fruit in existence.
'I see!'
It all clicked for Lucian.
The system had essentially given him an ultimate-tier Devil Fruit, stripped of rubber limitations and upgraded to contain only the purest essence of Sun God power!
"Excellent."
He calmed himself.
"Store the fruit for now. I'll eat it later somewhere private."
Command received.
All of this mental exchange happened in a split second.
Back in reality, Luffy's flaming fist had already closed the distance.
Lucian, having accomplished everything he needed, no longer felt like "playing."
He looked calmly at the red-eyed, rage-fueled boy flying toward him, and slowly raised his own right fist.
No Gear Second.
No Armament Haki.
No explosive aura.
Just an ordinary punch, thrown forward with relaxed ease.
VMMM—!
A ripple of unseen force flickered briefly at the tip of his fist.
In the next instant—
His punch collided with Luffy's storm of fists.
BOOM!!!
A deep, heavy impact rang out, like an invisible hammer smashing directly into the hearts of all present.
Time seemed to freeze.
Luffy's furious assault stopped dead.
His face—twisted in rage—froze in an instant, replaced by pure shock and confusion.
He felt a force that defied understanding, impossible to resist, erupt from Lucian's fist.
It wasn't just brute strength.
It felt… alive.
It passed through his fists, into his arms, and then exploded inside his organs!
His entire skeleton groaned in protest—on the verge of collapse!
"GUHHHH—!!"
A jet of blood sprayed from Luffy's mouth like a fountain!
He was flung back like a ball struck by a speeding train, flying away faster than he had attacked.
BOOM!
His body arced through the air before slamming into the distant jungle.
The ground shook violently. Dust exploded skyward.
A massive, human-shaped crater appeared before everyone's eyes.
Inside it, Luffy lay bloodied, unconscious, eyes rolled back.
The fight—
Was over.
From the moment Lucian moved to the moment Luffy fell—
It hadn't even lasted one full second.
The crowd watching from the sidelines—
Fell into stunned, absolute silence.