While Pearl was pounding on the Shield, Nami took out her Weather Staff, and Usopp pulled out his Slingshot, aiming it at Pearl.
But honestly, neither of them really wanted to fight.
Clearly, they're just weaklings, why should they participate in battle?
Even though they've made up their minds...
Nami leaned towards Usopp and whispered, "Think of something, Usopp. That shield is so big, how could we possibly beat it."
Usopp glanced at Renedia, who was watching the show on the roof, and said, "That annoying pink-haired kid is watching us. If we want to escape, we need to find a good opportunity. Before that, we have to resolve Pearl through combat, at least create some chaos..."
"So..." Nami looked at Usopp's eyes and understood something.
"Exactly!"
Usopp's lips curled into a slight smile as he looked forward, "In this situation, the best thing to do, of course, is..."
The two stood up straight, bowed towards Chopper ahead, and said, "We're counting on you, Chopper!"
"Huh?!"
Chopper turned around in shock, "Is it me?!"
"I have an illness where I die if I fight..." Usopp said.
Nami feigned weakness, "I'm just a beautiful weak lady, though I have a first-class figure and face, I'm not suitable for combat."
Renedia on the roof glanced at Nami and secretly pouted.
So what if she's grown up and pretty!
I'll have it in the future too!
"I won't! Why only me fighting? Aren't we partners? If we're fighting, we fight together!" Chopper shouted.
Who likes fighting for no reason!
Besides, it's just a reindeer!
"Special Attack - Smoke Star!"
Just as Chopper was shouting, Usopp seized the opportunity, fully drew the slingshot, and fired a Smoke Bomb at Pearl, filling the area in front of him with smoke.
"Now, Chopper!" Usopp shouted out.
"Oh!"
Almost instinctively, Chopper transformed into his reindeer form, galloping quickly towards the smoke, then transforming into his humanoid form and throwing a fierce punch at the outline within the smoke.
Bang!
The sound resonated like a bell, and Chopper stared at the human-shaped silhouette in the smoke, looking bewildered.
The smoke scattered, revealing Pearl's unmoved body. Chopper's punch landed on the iron shield covering his front, having no effect at all.
"Monster!"
Surprisingly, Pearl himself was shocked, eyes wide and cried out.
"Don't call me a monster!"
Chopper's temple veins popped out as he punched again at Pearl's face.
But the punch hit nothing, as Pearl's head had by then retracted inside the shield.
"Ability User?"
Renedia above hesitated a moment, "Zoan-type? But what is this supposed to be? Even after transforming, he still has his fur... Human-Beast Form?"
She thought of Chopper's transformation into a reindeer just now, and blinked, "No, this should be human form, the reindeer is beast form, so that small tanuki must be Human-Beast Form? It's really strange."
As a Paramecia-Type Ability User, she had heard her mentor mention Logia-type and Zoan-type before. Though there wasn't much introduction about Logia-type, it was known as a powerful presence akin to natural disasters. But for Zoan-type, she knew that Human-Beast Form was the most suitable combat state.
What family Zoan-type's Human-Beast Form looks this unthreatening...
"Hehe..."
From inside the shield, Pearl laughed, "It's useless, Dr. Chopper. My defense can resist cannons. Ordinary punches are completely ineffective... Oh!!"
Chopper punched Pearl's shoulder, which wasn't surrounded by the shield, forcing him to poke his head out like a turtle...
"Just hit your gaps!" Chopper punched fiercely at Pearl's face.
Bam!
In his human form, Chopper's strength wasn't low, but this punch was blocked by Pearl's arms crossed with small iron shields.
Roar!
The Firefly Stone at the center of the iron shield emitted light, igniting flames that scorched across the fur on Chopper's hand.
Chopper hastily retreated, but as soon as he stepped back, he saw Pearl's small round shields rubbing together to create sparks as he landed a punch on Chopper's body, causing him to fall to the ground and igniting his chest.
"Fire!!"
Chopper transformed into his usual short form, rolling on the ground.
"Indeed, I'm both Iron Wall Pearl and Flame Pearl, invincible and handsome."
Pearl grinned, his teeth shining, "How about it, I'm quite skilled, right?"
"Chopper!"
Usopp desperately wanted to rush over.
"Fire, let me see, let me see!"
Nami, anxious, grabbed the Weather Staff's manual. This thing was made by Usopp, but during their journey to Alabasta, she noticed Usopp didn't seem to understand the specific functions of the Weather Staff either.
"Got it, got it!"
Nami connected the Weather Staff together and ran over to aim it at Chopper, "Rain Weather!"
A small stream of water actually spurted from the tip of the staff, pouring... Pouring over Chopper, putting out the flames that had ignited.
"Nami, thank you..."
Chopper lay sprawled on the ground, showing a relieved expression.
"It's useless, Dr. Chopper. This kind of fire, I can produce it anytime, and with your whole body of fur, you can't possibly be my match!"
Pearl squeezed some Firefly Stones between his fingers, smiling confidently, getting ready to throw them at Chopper.
"Special Attack - Gunpowder Star!"
At that moment, a bullet flew towards Pearl's face. He raised his hand to block it, and a small puff of smoke burst on his round shield, too weak to do any harm.
Usopp ran as he pulled up his slingshot and aimed for Pearl's face just as he waved his hand, "Special Attack..."
Bam!
The same bullet hit Pearl's face. He smirked, "With power like that, I don't even need to block... Ah! So spicy!!"
Half of his face turned bright red instantly, as if it were on fire, the spiciness making his eyes bulge.
"It's the Iron Chili Star! Nami!"
"Got it!"
Nami combined two parts of her Weather Staff and flung it towards Pearl. Although it was a simple metal pipe, it unleashed a strong gust, extinguishing the flames on his small round shield.
"What a great invention."
Renedia's eyes lit up. As a mechanical expert, she loved fiddling with strange gadgets. The Weather Staff, capable of generating strong gusts, impressed her.
She could tell the three rods could be used independently or together. One could release hot bubbles, another cold bubbles, and the last one electric bubbles. Though weak individually, they could unleash powerful moves with the right application.
Like this gust move.
If it weren't for his two large iron shields, Pearl might have been blown away.
"You bastards!"
Pearl finally managed to ease the burning pain on his face and glared at Usopp, but in that brief moment, Usopp had already drawn his slingshot again.
"Special Attack: Smoke Star Double!"
The slingshot fired two bullets. One headed straight for Pearl, releasing dense smoke, while the other exploded against the wall beneath Renedia, also billowing smoke.
"Let's go!"
He shouted, darting through the smoke with Nami straight towards the Royal Palace.
Inside the smoke, Renedia gripped her Mechanical Hammer, activating an internal mechanism that unleashed a burst of wind from its head, dispersing the smoke around her.
She glanced at the pair sprinting past Pearl and clicked her tongue, "Boring."
"Burn!"
Within the smoke, Pearl roared, scattering countless Firefly Stones around, igniting a wall of flame ahead of Usopp and Nami.
Pearl spread his arms, hurling all the Firefly Stones to form a circular wall of flame centered on him, fully enclosing them.
Pearl sneered, "Such tricks are useless against me!"
Annoying as they were, they were still small tricks.
Nami and Usopp stood before the fire wall, turning back with a mysterious smile, "No, this is not a mere trick."
Only the two of them stood there.
And Chopper, who never moved.
"Rumble!"
As the sound of chewing rang out, Chopper appeared before Pearl, and by the time he turned around, the reindeer had leapt at him.
The flames were extinguished, the Firefly Stones that could ignite were scattered, and all that was left was to smash the shield!
Regular strength wasn't enough, so enhance it!
"Wrist Strength Enhancement!"
Chopper's arms suddenly swelled, muscles bulging with pronounced veins, as he brought his hooves together, charging at Pearl's Iron Shield.
"If it can withstand a cannon, then surpass cannon power! Horned Cross!"
Boom!!
The hard Iron Shield bore a cross-shaped hoofprint under his blow.
Around the hoofprint, large cracks quickly spread, shattering the entire Iron Shield, and the massive impact left Pearl sprawling, eyes rolling back instinctively.
Success!
Chopper's hooves sunk into the Iron Shield, poised to strike Pearl's body.
If this hit connects, they win!
"Tekkai!!"
Clang!
As the Iron Shield fell to the ground, Chopper's hoof landed on Pearl's chest, producing a sound like striking something solid.
Pearl stood unmoving.
"Dr. Chopper!"
Pearl stood firm, raising his head with a confident smirk, "Beneath the shield is my true defense!"
The Iron Shield was one layer, his body another, boasting dual-layered defense. Pearl was truly the...
Iron Wall!
...
Meanwhile, on another street leading to the Royal Palace.
A head of herb-colored hair wandered through alleys, though he was right at the street's entrance and could see the Royal Palace, he buzzed around like a headless fly, lost at every corner.
"Damn it, where's the Royal Palace? Is Albana really this big?"
Zoro gazed around, then towards the visible Royal Palace, "It's right in front of me, yet unreachable. Are the buildings here arranged like a maze?"
"Heading to the Royal Palace?" a cold voice called out.
"Yes, I'm going to the Royal Palace, do you know..."
Zoro instinctively turned around, eyes locking onto a figure. A woman in a princess dress and armor appeared before him.
Her hair, luminous and wavy golden under the sun, danced in the wind.
At her waist...
"Swordsman?" Zoro asked.
Lily rested her left hand on the ornate pearl-and-ivory sword hilt at her waist, standing at the street entrance, calmly saying, "The Royal Palace is off-limits."