Free Pirates Surrounded on All Sides

"Moshi moshi, I am Kizaru,"

"Moses, Moses..."

Wearing sunglasses, with a stubble on his face, a tall and thin figure in a yellow and white striped suit, he slowly dialed the black Den Den Mushi on his wrist while glancing up at the tattered scraps of paper slowly falling around him.

—And Island 27, which was blasted into ruins by his wide-range beam of light.

"Oh... that's so strange..."

Why can't I get through?

"Oh... never mind... I'll just ask around."

Brush,

In an instant, the lewd-looking middle-aged man vanished from his spot! When he reappeared, he was already standing in front of Basil Hawkins, one of the Supernovas of the island next door.

"Admiral Kizaru?!"

"Captain Hawkins, run!"

Basil Hawkins remained calm in the face of his panicked subordinates.

"Don't be nervous... Today isn't my death day..."

"Uncle Rayleigh, I have a question."

After Luffy and Rayleigh finished their conversation, Robin couldn't help but stand up.

"Do you... know about the so-called 'Will of D'? And what happened during the blank 'hundred years'...?"

?!

In an instant, Roman withdrew his attention from watching the Supernovas get beaten up. Although he had a vague guess, it was still no match for Rayleigh had actually reached Laugh Tale.

"Yes, I know all of history."

Rayleigh affirmed without hesitation, "But don't panic,"

"You shall sail on, step by step, and find the truth for yourselves along the way—even if I tell you now, it will be of no use to you. If you still wish to know..."

"Never mind," Robin shook his head, "I choose to continue sailing."

Ah... I'm actually quite curious to know the truth.

Roman knew, of course, that with the Straw Hat crew's current strength, even knowing the truth of history wouldn't change anything, but if they prepared in advance...

"Uncle Rayleigh, I also have a question!"

Seeing how amicable the other person was, Usopp raised his hand to ask a question. "Greatest Treasure the One Piece really the last one—"

"Usopp!!"

Bang!

Luffy, with one foot on the table, stopped Usopp from asking questions.

"I don't want to ask where the treasure is!"

"I don't even want to know if the treasure exists!"

"Even though they knew nothing, they still set sail without hesitation..."

Luffy shouted angrily:

"If you tell us everything, I'd rather not be a pirate!"

"I don't want boring adventures!"

"That idiot Usopp, "Roman calmly took a sip of his juice.

What Luffy wants is the adventure itself, the journey he and his crew share, not the treasure at the end! Otherwise, he could have simply asked himself that Luffy back at the entrance to the Red Line long ago...

"I'm... I'm sorry, I understand," Usopp quickly apologized to the furious Luffy. "I just had a slip of the tongue. Actually, I have a disease that says 'knowing about the Greatest Treasure will kill me'..."

"Go drink, you—"

A glass of wine was pushed in front of Usopp by Roman, easing the serious atmosphere. Usopp asked the question not for himself, but for Luffy 'King of the Pirates' —he was just too impatient.

"Heh, can you do it?"

Rayleigh asked cheerfully, "

The latter half of the Grand Line is far more perilous than you can imagine. Can you control this sea?

Luffy grinned at Rayleigh's question.

"I don't want to be dominated, the freest person in this sea—"

"That's the King of the Pirates!"

·······

"Hehe, okay then."

Rayleigh stood up. "Your ship is on Island 41, right? I'll come over now to get it wrapped. It'll take three days. What means of communication do you have—"

"Uncle Rayleigh, let's use this to contact each other!"

Rayleigh nodded as Luffy raised the paper Luffy on his wrist.

"Okay, I'll go to work now. Be careful."

With Rayleigh gone, the Straw Hat crew also prepared to find a place to 'hide,' while Roman had been silent all along, was speechless.

Another veteran actor!

Rayleigh's Observation Haki allows him to easily identify all the animals on the entire island, and even distinguish which animals are stronger than Luffy. —Wouldn't he notice Kizaru dominating the Supernovas next door? Roman would be the first to disbelieve that!

The reason he deliberately left was simply to let the Straw Hat crew see the strength of Marine Admiral, so that he could have a clear understanding of his own position.

As for Kizaru on the other side, needless to say, in Roman's dove eyes, he was constantly saying "how terrifying", and with each "light speed kick", he instantly killed the Supernovas, letting loose like crazy!

Even X. Drake, while suffering from a 'work injury,' diligently served as the battlefield commentator, creating a truly spectacular scene. However, Roman, who knew the truth, could only roll his eyes.

Are only the Straw Hat crew kept in the dark about their feelings?

Oh well, never mind. I have no right to judge others...

"Roman, what kind of wicked scheme are you plotting now?"

In response to Nami's question, Roman calmly shook his head.

"I, Roman, have lived an upright and honest life. How could I possibly have any crooked thoughts? You must be looking at me with prejudice."

???

You call yourself upright and honorable? Then am I a born saint?

Nami really wanted to retort, but after noticing Roman's seemingly relaxed but actually furrowed brows, she gave up on asking any further questions.

Whenever Roman shows this expression, it means the Straw Hat crew is facing a major crisis—which makes sense when you think about it. Maybe Marine Admiral has already landed on these islands. Given Roman's temperament, it would be strange if he wasn't worried.

"Roman, we've become stronger—?!"

Who is this?

As Luffy asked his question, the entire Straw Hat crew's expressions changed drastically! Cold sweat streamed down their faces uncontrollably, because two tall figures were slowly approaching from in front of and behind them.

They were two men as tall as bears! Both wore hats with bear paw patterns and ears, black shirts with white circles, and trousers with bear paw patterns. They looked like twins... no, they were exactly alike!

Pacifista,

But... why are there two?

Roman thought for a moment. Maybe, it seems, probably, it appears the Straw Hat crew did encounter two clones of this Kuma, but shouldn't they have been one after the other...? Never mind, let's fight! This thing doesn't know what holding back means...

Splash splash~~

As Roman entered White Knight mode, Zoro, who had drawn three swords, quickly introduced them to Roman and Luffy.

"This guy is Kuma of the Shichibukai!"

"We were once with the devil..."

"Always a very strong opponent!"

Seeing his companions fully armed and ready to attack, Luffy, though unfamiliar with them, immediately activated Second Gear. The Straw Hat crew is already quite strong, but dealing with two 'Pacifista' simultaneously would still be a bit difficult, so:

"I'll lure one away... you guys focus your fire on and take out the other one!"

Speeding—

Roman, at full Wind-Driven Lightning, charged towards a Pacifista at breakneck speed. In a swift maneuver, his longsword left a gash on the opponent's body, tearing through its outer garment and revealing what lay beneath:

Metallic body.

Wow, that's really hard!

Seeing that his sword, imbued with Haki, had only left a half-finger-deep mark, Roman, beneath the White Knight's helmet, curled his lip. However—

Whoosh—Boom!

As the clone robot, identical to the Kuma, turned its head and opened its mouth, shooting out a beam of light at lightning speed, Roman, who knew its opponent's capabilities, had already dodged it! The building behind it instantly suffered, blasted into a crater the size of a basketball court amidst the intense light and heat. After a few probing attacks, Roman discovered:

This thing is just so-so.

Kuma's cloned body, combined with mechanical modifications, is indeed 'very tough,' and Kizaru's beam attacks are also quite formidable, but:

A machine is a machine. It's certainly effective against people who don't have Haki, but against someone with Observation Haki, even if the attack isn't strong enough, it will be easily manipulated! — Just like Roman right now.

"Very well, Roman has taken one away, so we'll finish off the remaining one quickly!"

Luffy in battle mode is incredibly reliable! He immediately organized everyone to begin attacking another 'Pacifista'... or rather, what they saw as the Shichibukai 'Kuma'. Unlike Roman, who could easily hold off his opponent with just speed and reflexes, they were going all out with a direct, hard-hitting attack!

"Three-Sword Style: Hundred and Eight Calamity Phoenix!"

"Gomu Gomu no Jet Rocket!"

"Lamb SHOT!"

Blade energy crisscrossed, fist winds tore through, and kicks thundered! Add to that Franky's heavy punches, Chopper's transformation, Usopp's explosives, Brook's piercing attacks, Robin's joint manipulation, and:

"Everyone, make way!"

As everyone dodged away after unleashing a barrage of attacks, Nami's long-charged lightning bolt crashed down.

"30 million volts, thunder!"

A bolt of Lightning Flash as thick as a bucket struck the 'Kuma,' who had just taken a powerful attack. A deafening thunderclap erupted, and scorching white Electric Light engulfed the 'Kuma.' The Lightning Flash leaping across his body danced wildly like thousands of silver snakes, simultaneously burrowing into his wounds—

Crackle!

Sparks bursting and flying from his body dimmed 'Kuma's' eyes, and his tall figure collapsed heavily to the ground.

Lightning attacks are the natural enemy of these cyborgs made of metal!

"You won?"

Luffy looked around. "Is this guy also Shichibukai?"

That's it? That's too weak!

They haven't even revealed their trump card yet—

"Tsk, what the hell? PX-4, taken out so easily?"

A large man, with a muscular build like a wrestler, a girlish face and hairstyle, and a stitched scar on his left cheek, appeared silently on the battlefield.

He was wearing a red bellyband with three tomoe and a symbol of heaven in the center, and he was barefoot. He was carrying a large axe. —But what shocked the Straw Hat crew the most was that behind him was yet another 'Kuma'!

"Waaaaah, another Shichibukai!!"

Chopper was so startled that his hat and antlers flew off.

"Could this be the real one?!"

Usopp, who was holding his head in disbelief, was completely dumbfounded, as was Roman, who was standing next to him.

Are you kidding me?

How did three 'Pacifista' ships appear?! Does your navy have such a large budget? Why waste it here instead of saving it for Marineford War?

"Perhaps it's the same clone ability as Roman's 'White Knight'..."

"PX-1, go help PX-2."

Just as the Straw Hat crew was on high alert, the man in the bellyband gave an order, and the tall "Kuma" behind him immediately turned around and strode towards Roman, forming a pincer attack with another man.

"Roman, watch out!"

"Don't panic,"

Roman remained calm despite Luffy and the others' exclamations. He wasn't a reckless fool; knowing their strengths and weaknesses, holding off two mindless robots was no problem for him.

"You should be careful, that man—"

Roman glanced at the man named 'Sentomaru', his eyes filled with seriousness.

"Very strong!"