The air above Enies Lobby trembled.
Stone lay shattered in every direction, great slabs torn from the ground like discarded paper. Steam coiled thick and heavy, hissing across the ruined plaza, wrapping around a single figure standing at its center—chest rising and falling in ragged, defiant breaths.
Luffy wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and grinned through the pain.
"I'm still standing."
Across from him, Rob Lucci straightened slowly.
His leopard form rippled with restrained fury, muscles tightening beneath spotted fur as his spine cracked back into place. Blood ran down his jaw, dripping onto the stone, but his eyes—cold, calculating—never left Luffy.
"…You should not be," Lucci replied evenly. "You've exceeded your limits."
Luffy cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp against the roar of distant waterfalls. "Then I'll go past them."
Luffy sucked in a breath.
Too deep.
The air rushed violently into his lungs, his chest expanding unnaturally. His veins bulged, skin tightening as pressure built within him. Then—his arm began to swell.
Bones creaked.
Muscle expanded grotesquely, ballooning outward as his forearm grew thicker, heavier, larger than his entire body. The skin stretched tight, steam pouring from the surface as the limb grew and grew, casting a massive shadow over the battlefield.
Lucci's eyes widened—
Just for a fraction of a second.
"…What is this?"
"Gear—" Luffy shouted, biting down hard on his thumb, blood spraying.
"THIRD!"
The massive arm rose into the sky, blotting out the sun itself. The shadow swallowed Lucci whole as the fist loomed overhead like a falling mountain.
"GOMU GOMU NO—"
Lucci vanished in a burst of speed, Soru carrying him across the plaza in an instant.
Too late.
"—GIANT PISTOL!"
The fist came down.
Not like a punch—
Like an execution.
The impact obliterated the plaza. Stone exploded outward in all directions, shockwaves tearing through Enies Lobby's foundations. Windows shattered across distant towers. The bridge groaned violently as cracks spread like veins through the stone.
Lucci was driven straight down, smashing through layer after layer of reinforced rock, vanishing into the depths below.
For a moment—
Silence.
Steam hissed loudly from Luffy's arm as it began to deflate, shrinking rapidly back to normal size. His body followed, strength draining away all at once as his knees buckled.
"…Ah—!" Luffy staggered, barely catching himself.
His breathing became erratic. Heavy. Weak.
Then—
BOOM.
Stone erupted beneath him.
Lucci burst back out of the rubble, coughing blood, fur torn and stained crimson—yet still standing.
"…Crude," Lucci growled, wiping his mouth. "But effective."
His eyes sharpened. "And reckless."
He vanished again.
Luffy barely raised his arms in time as claws slammed into him, tearing him across the plaza. Stone shattered beneath his back as Lucci pressed the assault mercilessly—slashes, kicks, strikes landing faster than Luffy could track.
"That move drains you," Lucci said calmly, his voice steady even as he struck.
"You gamble everything on one blow."
Luffy blocked desperately, arms screaming in protest, bones rattling with every impact.
"You can't maintain this pace."
Lucci's knee slammed into Luffy's stomach.
Luffy coughed, skidding backward, steam trailing from his body as he gasped for air. His legs trembled. His vision blurred.
"…Maybe," Luffy muttered, planting a foot to stop himself.
Then—
Something changed.
His fists clenched tightly.
And his arms darkened.
Not shadow.
Not dirt.
Black.
Like ink spilling beneath his skin, spreading from his knuckles up his forearms in jagged patterns. The steam around him shifted, hissing louder as if reacting to the change.
Luffy froze.
He stared down at his arms.
"…Huh?"
Lucci stopped mid-step.
His pupils contracted.
"…Your arms."
Luffy flexed his fingers, watching the strange black coating ripple faintly with his movement.
"They're… black?"
Lucci's gaze sharpened, calculating rapidly. His body tensed—not in fear, but alertness.
"…What is that?"
"I don't know!" Luffy snapped back, teeth clenched. "But if it works—"
He lunged.
Their fists collided.
And the air exploded.
A violent shockwave ripped outward, flattening what little remained of the plaza. Lucci was hurled backward, boots carving deep trenches into the stone as he struggled to keep his footing.
He skidded to a stop, staring now—not with disdain—
But with recognition.
"…So you don't even understand it," Lucci murmured. "Instinctive power… born from will."
Luffy rolled his shoulders, ignoring the pain screaming through his body.
"Doesn't matter."
Lucci vanished.
Reappeared.
They clashed again—fist against claw, blackened knuckles smashing through Tekkai with a sickening crunch. Lucci's eyes widened as the impact bypassed his hardened defense, pain flashing across his face.
"…Interesting."
Lucci retaliated with Rokuogan.
The shockwave slammed point-blank into Luffy's chest.
Bones cracked.
Blood sprayed from Luffy's mouth as he was launched backward, crashing through a wall. He slid to the ground, unmoving.
For a second—
Nothing.
Then Luffy coughed.
He pushed himself up, shaking violently, blood dripping from his chin. "…I'm not… done…"
Lucci stared. "…You should be unconscious."
Luffy staggered forward, arms trembling but still darkened, steam pouring from his body.
"You hurt my crew," he growled. "You hurt Robin."
His voice rose. "And you think I'm gonna stay down?!"
Lucci's expression hardened. "Then so be it."
——————-
At the massive bridge leading away from Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats gathered one by one.
They came not as victors, but as survivors.
Zoro was the first to arrive, boots scraping against cracked stone. He leaned heavily on his swords, one hand gripping Wado Ichimonji's sheath so tightly his knuckles had gone white.
Blood streaked down his arm, dripping silently onto the bridge below, yet his eye remained sharp, fixed on the horizon like a beast that refused to rest.
Sanji followed, a cigarette trembling between his fingers as he struggled to light it. His leg shook when he finally leaned against the railing, smoke curling up to hide the bruises darkening his face.
He exhaled slowly, letting the nicotine steady him. "…Tch. What a mess."
Nami stumbled in next, clutching her Clima-Tact like a lifeline. Her hands were still slick with sweat, her breathing uneven, but her eyes darted everywhere—counting exits, distances, wind direction. Even now, her instincts refused to shut off.
Chopper nearly collapsed as he reached them, his small body trembling violently.
Franky caught him before he hit the ground, lifting him easily and setting him down against the wall.
"Easy there, little guy," Franky said with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You did great."
Chopper tried to protest, but his voice came out small. "…I—I'm so tired…"
Franky stood tall beside them, bruised and battered, metal shoulders dented and smoking slightly—but grinning all the same.
His sunglasses were cracked, his shirt torn, yet he crossed his arms proudly as if daring the world to say they hadn't earned this moment.
For a brief second—
They all just stood there.
The wind roared between the towers. The endless waterfall thundered below, swallowing every other sound. Smoke drifted across the bridge, carrying the scent of ash and burning stone.
Then—
High above them—
Usopp fired.
The shot cut through the air with a shrill whistle, traveling an impossible distance. It struck true, smashing into the chains near Robin's wrists with explosive force.
Metal snapped.
The sound echoed across Enies Lobby like a gunshot.
"NOW!" Usopp yelled, his voice cracking as he leaned over the tower's edge. "FRANKY—NOW!"
Franky bolted forward instantly. "Hold still, Nico Robin!"
He skidded across the stone, pulling out the massive key ring he had ripped from Spandam earlier. His hands moved fast despite the tremor in his arms, fumbling through the keys as the marines around them scrambled in confusion.
Click.
The cuffs fell away.
Robin gasped sharply as the weight vanished from her wrists. Sensation flooded back all at once—painful, overwhelming—as she staggered forward.
"…I'm… free?"
She raised her hands slowly, flexing her fingers as if afraid they might vanish again. The sea wind brushed against her skin, no longer restrained, no longer owned.
She looked at them.
At Zoro, standing guard without question.
At Nami, watching her with fierce concern.
At Sanji, eyes soft despite everything.
At Chopper, trembling but smiling.
At Franky, grinning like he'd just stolen the world itself.
Her throat tightened.
"…Thank you," she whispered.
For a moment, it felt like it might be over.
But then—
Robin's expression changed.
Her shoulders stiffened. Her eyes darkened as they drifted toward the horizon.
"…Listen to me," she said quietly.
The shift in her voice made everyone tense.
"The situation is worse than you think."
Zoro straightened slightly.
Nami's grip tightened on her staff.
Sanji flicked his cigarette away.
"What do you mean?" Nami asked.
Robin swallowed.
"Spandam," she said slowly, "has already activated a Buster Call."
The words hit like a blade.
Silence.
The roar of the waterfall seemed distant now.
"…A what?" Usopp's voice echoed faintly from above, thin with dread.
Robin closed her eyes for a brief second.
"It's the World Government's ultimate military order," she explained.
"Ten warships. Thousands of elite marines."
Her voice trembled despite her effort to remain calm. "Entire islands erased without exception."
Chopper's ears drooped. "…Erased?"
"They don't care who dies," Robin continued. "Civilians. Allies. Enemies."
She opened her eyes and looked out toward the sea. "They will destroy Enies Lobby completely."
As if summoned by her words—
A low rumble rolled across the water.
Cannons appeared on the horizon.
Black silhouettes cut through the mist.
One.
Two.
Three—
Ten warships advanced in formation, sails dark against the sky, their cannons already turning toward the island.
The Buster Call had arrived.
Nami felt her stomach drop.
"…That's… that's impossible," Usopp whispered.
Franky clenched his fists. "…So that's their answer, huh?"
Zoro exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on his swords. "…Figures."
Robin's gaze flicked back toward the ruined plaza behind them. "…We have to leave. Now."
Nami turned sharply. "What about Luffy?"
Robin hesitated.
"He's still fighting, we need to hold until he finishes," she said quietly.
No one spoke.
They all looked back toward the heart of Enies Lobby—toward the smoke, the ruins, the place where their captain stood alone against the World Government's strongest assassin.
The warships continued to close in.
The countdown had begun.
And everything now depended on one man still standing in the ruins.
———————
They charged.
No words left.
No restraint.
Lucci moved first.
His body vanished in a burst of Soru, reappearing directly in front of Luffy with killing intent sharpened to its purest form.
"Sai Dai Rin…"
His arms crossed, muscles swelling grotesquely as air compressed between his palms.
"ROKUGAN!!"
The impact detonated.
A shockwave erupted outward, pulverizing the stone beneath Luffy's feet and blasting debris high into the air. The force ripped through Luffy's chest like an explosion from the inside.
"GAAH—!"
Luffy was hurled backward, skidding across the ruined plaza, coughing blood as his body smashed through broken pillars and came to a stop at the edge of a collapsed wall.
Lucci exhaled sharply, steam rising from his body.
"That attack destroys organs," he said coldly. "No matter how stubborn you are—this ends now."
Luffy twitched.
Then—
He pushed himself up.
His arms trembled violently.
Blood ran down his chin.
"…I'm not… done," he rasped.
Lucci's eyes widened—just slightly.
Luffy clenched his fists.
Steam roared back to life around him.
"GEAR SECOND!"
The air screamed as he vanished, reappearing in front of Lucci faster than sight.
His arms turned black again—deeper, darker than before.
Lucci's pupils shrank. "…That power—"
"GOMU GOMU NO—"
Luffy's fists became a storm.
"JET GATLING!!!"
The plaza exploded into motion.
Fists rained down like cannon fire—each strike coated in that strange black armor, every impact cracking Lucci's defenses harder than the last.
Lucci crossed his arms.
"TEKKAI!!"
Iron Body activated at full strength.
The ground beneath him shattered as he endured the barrage, teeth clenched, veins bulging. Each punch slammed into him like a hammer against steel—yet he stood.
But cracks were forming.
His footing slipped.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Still—he roared and countered.
A claw slashed across Luffy's chest.
A knee slammed into his gut
They traded blows at point-blank range, neither giving ground, neither backing down.
No technique.
No finesse.
Just raw force.
Will against will.
Lucci struck Luffy's ribs.
Luffy answered with a punch to Lucci's jaw.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each hit echoed across Enies Lobby like thunder.
Both slowed.
Both bleeding.
Both refusing to fall
Lucci's breathing finally hitched.
His Iron Body faltered—just for an instant.
His stance broke.
Luffy saw it.
"For Robin!!" he roared
He pulled his arm back.
The black coating deepened, hardening completely.
The world seemed to stop.
The waterfall's roar faded.
The cannons in the distance fell silent.
The punch landed.
It wasn't loud
It was final.
Lucci's body slammed straight into the ground, the impact splitting the stone beneath him into a spiderweb of cracks that raced outward in every direction. The plaza collapsed inward, dust and rubble blasting skyward.
Lucci didn't move.
His leopard form flickered—then vanished.
Silence followed.
Steam hissed away from Luffy's body.
The black coating on his arms receded slowly, peeling back like ink washed away by rain.
Luffy stood there, swaying. "…Did I… win…?"
His legs buckled.
He fell forward—face-first into the broken stone.
Unconscious.
But smiling.
Rob Lucci did not rise.
————————
At the bridge—
Everyone felt it.
The air changed.
The pressure vanished.
Then—
A voice echoed through Enies Lobby, carried by Den Den Mushi loudspeakers.
"—ATTENTION ALL UNITS!"
Static crackled.
"CP9 AGENT ROB LUCCI—"
A pause.
"—HAS BEEN DEFEATED."
The world froze.
Marines stared in disbelief.
"…Defeated?"
"That's impossible—!"
"By who?!"
The voice returned, strained.
"…By Straw Hat Luffy."
Silence.
Then—
The Straw Hats erupted.
Nami covered her mouth, tears spilling freely.
"…He did it."
Chopper sobbed openly. "L–Luffy…!"
Sanji laughed, shaking, cigarette falling from his fingers. "That idiot…"
Zoro smirked, resting his swords on his shoulders. "…I knew it."
Franky threw his fists into the air. "SUUUUUPER!!!"
Robin froze.
Her breath caught.
Then—
Through the Den Den Mushi—
Luffy's voice echoed faintly, weak but unmistakable. "ROBIN!!!"
She turned toward the ruins.
"LET'S GO HOME!!!"
Something broke inside her.
Tears streamed down her face as she smiled—truly smiled—for the first time in years.
"…Yes," she whispered. "Yes… let's go home."
Behind her, the Straw Hats cheered, battered and bleeding—but unbroken.
The marines panicked.
"The strongest CP9 agent—defeated?!"
"This isn't justice—this is madness!"
Above Enies Lobby—
The impossible had happened.
The World Government had lost.
And the sea would remember this day—
As the moment one pirate declared war…
And won.
————————-
Far beyond the thunder of cannons and the collapsing towers of Enies Lobby—
Where the sea should have been empty—
A single boat moved.
It did not flee from the horizon blackened by warships.
It did not slow as the sea churned violently beneath the weight of the Buster Call.
It cut straight through it.
The vessel was small—laughably so compared to the massive silhouettes of ten World Government battleships forming their encirclement. Waves slapped against its hull, but the boat never wavered, never turned aside.
At its bow stood one man.
He did not brace himself against the wind.
He did not flinch at the distant thunder of artillery.
He simply stood there—arms relaxed, posture loose, as if on a casual voyage.
But everything about him felt wrong.
Massive shoulders stretched the coat draped over his frame. His presence alone seemed to press down on the sea, as if the water itself gave him space out of instinct. The wind tore past him, but his stance never shifted.
His eyes were fixed on Enies Lobby.
On the burning towers.
On the smoke rising like a funeral pyre.
On the island that was supposed to be untouchable.
Destroyed.
"…Tch."
A low sound escaped him—not irritation.
Amusement.
"So," he muttered, voice deep and steady, carrying easily over the crashing waves,
"someone got here first, huh."
The Buster Call formation loomed closer now. Rows of cannons turned, crews shouting orders as they finally noticed the lone vessel sailing directly into their firing range.
"…What the hell is that?"
"A boat?!"
"Is that thing insane?!"
The man didn't look at them.
His gaze never left the island.
His lips curled slightly—not quite a smile.
"You probably didn't expect this," he said quietly.
A pause.
Then, with faint humor threading his words—
"Ada."
The name lingered in the air, heavy with implication.
The boat surged forward as the waves grew violent, passing between the massive warships like a blade slipping through ribs.
Cannons began to adjust.
Marines shouted.
Targeting scopes aligned.
Still—
The man did not hurry.
"…Hope this plan of yours works," he continued, tone calm, almost conversational.
"Because if it doesn't…"
His eyes hardened. "…this sea is going to break."
The first cannon fired.
The shell screamed through the air—
And vanished in a deafening impact far behind the boat, missing by meters.
The man didn't turn around.
The small vessel continued onward.
Straight toward Enies Lobby.
Straight into hell.
And somewhere, deep beneath the roar of war—
The sea itself seemed to hold its breath.
————————-
Author's Note
This one was intense to write, especially with everything happening at once, the end of Luffy vs. Lucci, the Buster Call, and that final scene.
So… who do you think the mystery character at the end is? 👀
His timing isn't a coincidence and neither is that name he mentioned.
Stay tuned for more, and as always, thank you for the continued support. It really means a lot!