I. The Marine Pursuit
The Lonesome Ray sliced through the waves at an astonishing speed, propelled by Kaguya, who had manipulated the pirate ship's sails and rudimentary engine with her technology.
"Forecast: A fleet of five Cruiser-Class battleships is approaching from Sector 3. Their speed is constant. We will not outrun them," Kaguya reported, frowning as she held the helm.
"Let them come! It'll be a good warm-up!" said Goku, floating at the ship's bow, excited by the prospect of a naval fight.
Tatsumaki, sitting on a railing, crossed her arms. "If Haki blocks telekinesis, I'll have to use my power to crush the ships with the sheer force of gravity. It'll be a waste of energy."
Megumin, now recovered after a brief nap, stood next to her staff, looking at Tatsumaki. "A true mage only needs one spell, if it's the right one. The Explosion can destroy five ships at once."
"Your single spell leaves you like a useless vegetable, kid," Tatsumaki retorted.
"But I smell like vanilla afterward, not psychic grime!" Megumin countered, starting a fight that Erza had to stop with a warning glare.
"Focus. The goal is the Anchor, not personal honor," Erza said. Akiha, silent, sharpened her katana, ready to jump into combat.
II. The Tyrant's Blockade
The five Marine cruisers lined up, blocking the horizon.
"Stop, Jelly Pirates! Surrender! You have violated the Naval Explosive Waste Protocol!" the Vice Admiral shouted through a megaphone, still furious about the dessert smell.
"Fire at will!" he ordered.
The first cannon salvos streaked through the air. Goku prepared to deflect the cannonballs, but before he could act, a gigantic figure interposed itself between the Lonesome Ray and the fleet.
It was an enormous man, with the appearance of a bear, wearing a padded coat and holding a Bible. It was Bartholomew Kuma, the Warlord.
The Vice Admiral froze. "Warlord Kuma! Why are you intervening?!"
Kuma did not reply with words, but with a movement of his hand. He used the power of the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi (Paw-Paw Fruit). His hands, which looked like bear paws, repelled the cannonballs with incredible speed and force, sending them back toward the fleet.
"The World Government has ordered me to neutralize the unknown energy signatures that are disrupting the dimension. They will be processed," Kuma said in his deep, robotic voice, focusing his eyes on Goku and the rest of the team.
Goku smiled, feeling the immense strength of the Warlord. "He's so strong! Finally, someone fun!"
Goku launched himself toward Kuma, creating a burst of speed.
III. The Unexpected Arrival
Just as Goku and Kuma exchanged the first blow (a Ki wave against a repulsion paw swipe), a new ship appeared on the horizon, quickly gliding between the fleets with a lion figure on its bow.
It was the Thousand Sunny!
Onboard, Luffy was perched on the lion's head. He had sensed the great boom from the previous chapter and was heading toward the chaos.
"Hey! What a cool battle! And I smell meat!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arm like rubber. "Hey, bear! Don't eat that guy in the orange clothes! I want to see him fight!"
The appearance of the Straw Hat Pirates divided everyone's attention.
"It's Straw Hat!" yelled the Marine Vice Admiral, falling into a panic.
"A Gum-Gum Devil Fruit user! His body is a Class S biomechanical anomaly!" exclaimed Kaguya, as she adjusted the Lonesome Ray's course to dodge the new ship.
Megumin saw Luffy in the distance, and her mind only registered one thing: more chaos, more opportunities to shine.
"Tatsumaki, look at that rubber idiot! I bet he can't use magic! I have to demonstrate my Explosion power!"
"Shut up, pipsqueak! I can throw that clown and his ship into the sea without even looking! I'm just dealing with this cabinet!" Tatsumaki growled.
Erza, for her part, re-equipped her Heaven's Wheel Armor and fired a flurry of swords toward Kuma to cover Goku. "Kaguya, we have to go!"
IV. The Destruction Competition
Goku exchanged several blows with Kuma. The Warlord used his repulsion power with precision, but Goku was too fast and his Ki too volatile to be easily contained.
"You're very strong, bear friend! But you haven't seen all my power!" Goku prepared to charge a Kamehameha.
Meanwhile, on the Thousand Sunny, Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro jumped into action.
"Looks like trouble, Luffy!" said Zoro. "And it smells like vanilla! Who left a floating dessert?" asked Sanji, catching the scent Megumin had left in the air.
Megumin, seeing that her Explosion might be overshadowed by Kuma and Goku's fight, made an imprudent decision.
"Tatsumaki! If you don't launch that ship into orbit, I'll blow it up! But I'll need a bigger target!"
Megumin aimed her staff not at the Warlord, but at the nearby island that Kaguya had identified as the Dimensional Anchor.
"No, Megumin, wait!" shouted Kaguya, seeing the disaster ahead.
"The biggest Explosion in the New World! EXPLOSIOOOOON!"
The crimson energy shot toward the island. Goku stopped his Kamehameha mid-charge, seeing the column of energy. Kuma also turned his gigantic figure.
Luffy, however, got excited. "Awesome! A fireworks festival!"
The explosion impacted the island, but instead of destroying it, it released an immense column of pure, stable light: the Dimensional Anchor. The Devil Fruit user was there, and Megumin had accidentally activated it!
"Kaguya!" shouted Erza. "The Anchor is active!"
Kaguya, seeing the opportunity in the chaos, accelerated the Lonesome Ray to maximum speed. "Go! Before Kuma repels us to another galaxy!"
As they sped away, Luffy, swinging with his stretched arm, momentarily landed on the Lonesome Ray's deck.
"Hey, orange warrior! I like you! We'll fight later! And by the way!" Luffy pointed at Megumin, who lay passed out on the deck. "The one who makes the boom is really fun! Join my crew!"
Goku laughed heartily. "I'd love to, but I have a mission to complete! Goodbye, Straw Hat!"
Luffy returned to his ship as quickly as he came. Kuma, confused by the Anchor's activation and the appearance of the Straw Hat, couldn't react in time.
The Lonesome Ray sped toward the energy portal that now floated over the newly bombed island, leaving behind a confused Marine, a frustrated Warlord, and a very entertained group of pirates.