BOOM!
A scorching blast of heat swept through the hall like a hurricane.
Luffy and Sanji’s flame-wreathed attacks crashed into Lucas with overwhelming force—
Yet the sight before everyone’s eyes caused their pupils to contract.
As the flames dispersed, Lucas remained standing exactly where he had been.
He hadn’t moved an inch.
Golden light blossomed around him.
Behind Lucas appeared the translucent image of a benevolent Thousand-Armed Kannon.
The radiant figure wrapped around his body like an indestructible suit of armor.
Sanji’s blazing kick and Luffy’s flaming fist stopped less than an inch from Lucas’s body.
Neither attack could advance any farther.
To both of them, it felt as though they had struck solid steel.
So... this is the power of an Admiral...?
Only three days ago, they had stormed Enies Lobby and rescued Nico Robin.
That unforgettable battle was still vivid in their minds.
They had believed that victory had narrowed the immense gap between themselves and Aokiji.
Reality, however...
Was far crueler than they had imagined.
"So..."
Lucas adjusted his glasses and spoke calmly.
"Is this the extent of your strength?"
"The so-called Supernovas are rather disappointing."
"Luffy! Sanji! Get back! I’ll hold him down!"
Robin acted immediately.
"Cien Fleur!"
The power of the Flower-Flower Fruit activated instantly.
Dozens of giant arms bloomed from Lucas’s body like flowers.
Under Robin’s control, they wrapped tightly around him.
"Clutch!"
Robin shouted as she exerted all her strength.
She desperately tried to twist Lucas’s body and snap his spine.
Yet no matter how hard she struggled...
Lucas remained rooted to the spot like an immovable iron tower.
He didn’t budge in the slightest.
Seeing this, Nami’s face turned pale.
She rapidly spun the Clima-Tact, finally creating a massive thundercloud overhead.
"I refuse to believe nothing can hurt you!"
"Let’s see how you handle the power of nature!"
"Thunderstorm!"
CRACK!
A blinding bolt of lightning descended toward Lucas.
"Luffy! Now’s our chance!"
"Robin’s got him restrained! If we can break through his defense, we can hurt him!"
Sanji shouted before charging forward once more.
Luffy reacted immediately.
Using the explosive speed of Gear Second, he accelerated past Sanji and appeared before Lucas in an instant.
The attacks of all four Straw Hats converged simultaneously.
A perfect pincer assault.
"Boring."
Lucas uttered only a single word.
Standing beneath the golden Kannon, he slowly raised his head.
Koby and Helmeppo’s expressions changed drastically.
"Run!"
BOOM!!
The Conqueror’s Haki slumbering within Lucas erupted like a tidal wave.
The descending lightning shattered before it could even reach him.
At point-blank range, Luffy and Sanji felt an overwhelming pressure crash toward them.
Before either of them could react—
It was as though an invisible mountain had fallen from the heavens.
BANG!
The abandoned building exploded apart under the impact of the invisible Haki.
The devastating shockwave swept across the battlefield with overwhelming force.
Everyone present was blasted away.
Blood sprayed from their mouths as they were launched hundreds of meters through the air like cannonballs.
Even Koby and Helmeppo weren’t spared.
They slammed face-first into the ground.
Only Iceburg and Kokoro, who had sensed danger in advance and retreated over a hundred meters away, narrowly escaped serious injury.
Even so...
Looking at the building that had been completely flattened...
And the endless rain of rubble...
Both of them turned deathly pale.
Moments earlier, they had marveled at how the Straw Hat Pirates had successfully assaulted Enies Lobby.
They had believed these Supernovas could roam the seas without fear.
Yet now...
A newly appointed Marine Admiral who was roughly the same age as them had simply stood there—
And wiped out the entire Straw Hat crew.
This...
This is the power of an Admiral?
More importantly...
Throughout the entire battle—
Aside from slashing the air once...
Lucas hadn’t truly attacked at all.
He had defeated the entire Straw Hat Pirates simply by standing there.
Such a fighting style was completely unheard of.
And the most terrifying part...
When Lucas got serious...
He didn’t even spare his own comrades.
Against an enemy like this...
Could Luffy and the others really escape alive?
"Koby..."
Helmeppo crawled out of the rubble, spitting dirt from his mouth.
"Do you think we meddled too much? Maybe Admiral Lucas blasted us away because we got involved in pirates’ business too."
Koby’s face was just as pale.
Looking toward the distant ruins where Luffy and the others lay, anxiety filled his expression.
Yet he didn’t dare take another step forward.
He understood perfectly.
If Lucas’s earlier attack had merely been a warning...
Then interfering again might very well earn him a sword slash too.
The only thing he could do now...
Was pray that Luffy and the others would stay down and play dead for as long as possible.
The longer they remained unconscious—
The longer they would survive.
"Gigant Pistol!"
BOOM!
The rubble exploded apart.
Luffy burst out.
His right arm rapidly inflated like a balloon before transforming into a gigantic fist.
Using the elasticity of his rubber body, he launched it straight toward Lucas.
Koby and Helmeppo instantly turned pale.
Moments ago, they had been hoping Luffy would keep pretending to be unconscious.
Instead...
He had rushed to his own death.
"As expected..."
Lucas took another sip of liquor.
"Kizaru could knock down a Supernova with every kick."
"I can take down these small fries with a single slash too."
His figure vanished like a phantom.
BOOM!
Luffy’s Gigant Pistol smashed into the ground.
The stone floor shattered into pieces.
As debris filled the air—
A deadly chill engulfed Luffy.
Lucas had somehow appeared at his side.
Once again...
He casually slashed at empty air.
Luffy’s pupils shrank.
A searing pain suddenly erupted across his chest.
A gruesome wound tore open from his shoulder to his abdomen.
Blood sprayed into the air.
"Luffy!"
Sanji cried out.
But before he could react—
Lucas was already standing in front of him.
Another strange slash.
Another effortless swing through empty space.
The instant Monohoshizao lowered toward the ground—
A deep wound exploded across Sanji’s chest as well.
Blood blossomed like crimson fireworks.
The agonizing pain caused Sanji’s body to stiffen before he collapsed face-first onto the ground.
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