The Unyielding Will of an Aging Luffy

"Roman, how about we use 'that move'?"

The Red Earl is too strong!

The former the Red Earl was capable of single-handedly defeating the previous Fleet Admiral, Kong, known as "Steel Bone," and then fought a fierce battle with Garp who arrived on the scene, before reluctantly retiring to Impel Down retire. Otherwise, given his speed, even Garp might not have been able to catch up. Therefore:

"I'll go get the 'Sunny Merry' over first and get the preliminary preparations done..."

The "that move" Nami was referring to was certainly not the previous "Combination Technique," but rather a technique specifically designed to deal with highly mobile enemies:

Infinite Lightning Abyss!

Yes, that's the move that almost single-handedly defeated Doflamingo. That move was specifically developed to counter highly mobile opponents with strong Observation Haki. Once marked, no matter how strong your Observation Haki is, or even if you can 'Future Sight'; the speed is so fast that even a master can't react.

You can't possibly be faster than Inazuma, can you?

Once a mark of repeatedly superimposed positive and negative charges is formed, it will be destroyed by ever-increasing lightning strikes...

"Wait a minute,"

The Red Earl isn't Doflamingo. Infinite Lightning Abyss is a skill that builds up gradually. Even disregarding how to apply the first charge mark to the Red Earl, who can 'read minds,' simply having the Red Earl react and withstand the initial waves of lightning to kill Nami is a solution. Therefore:

Do we really have to rely on Luffy...? No!

Roman shook his head, deciding he should trust Luffy as much as Luffy trusted him.

"Roger, Newgate..."

Despite being surrounded and attacked by the entire Straw Hat crew, the Red Earl was still able to speak leisurely while fighting.

"It is because of them that I gave up my ambition and decided to Impel Down."

Conquering the seas was never the Red Earl 'The Red Earl interest. Watching his old friends wreak havoc on the ocean was far more interesting to him. And Impel Down feared by countless people, was the perfect place to 'retire'. However:

"Newgate grew old and frail, and died a miserable death at Marine Headquarters..."

"Therefore, I want to carry on their dreams!"

I'm not reconciled!

Roger, Newgate, is this how it ends for you?

"I will use this ageless body to become the 'true king' of this great sea!!"

Once the abilities are developed to their fullest potential, the Holy Land Mary Geoise—

This place that has made so many old friends hesitate, I will be the one to shatter it...

"You don't understand anything!"

However, Luffy's roar interrupted the Red Earl's reverie.

"The Whitebeard uncle is very strong! I personally witnessed his heroic figure on the battlefield at Marineford!"

"You're the one who understands nothing—"

The elegant the Red Earl becomes furious at the mere mention of her friend.

"Whitebeard in his prime was far more than that! You young people who don't know what 'aging' means shouldn't spout nonsense!"

"When you get old, your body will betray you."

The Red Earl clenched his fist excitedly. "Beauties and generals alike have never been allowed to grow old in this world!"

The navy is in a slightly better position, after all, it has the resources to mobilize the entire world, various cutting-edge medical technologies, and capabilities in various treatments... Although the effect on masters of Haki is less than satisfactory, it can at least maintain a certain level of combat power.

For example, the old navy men of the same era, such as Sora, Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru, are all full of energy and vitality.

On the pirate side: Roger, who was diagnosed with an incurable disease early on; Golden Lion, who suffers from dementia and migraines in old age; Whitebeard, who is always on an IV drip... It can be said that these Great Pirates who are getting old are all riddled with hidden injuries and diseases!

In terms of logistics, the navy completely outclasses the pirates.

"You'll find yourself powerless! Your once invincible fists will become weak, your once unparalleled reflexes will become sluggish..."

"If that's the case, then tell me!"

Faced with the Red Earl who had stopped attacking, Luffy strode forward alone, causing Zoro to instinctively take a step forward as well.

"Hey, Luffy...!!"

Tell me what 'aging' means!

When faced with Luffy standing alone before him without any fear, the Red Earl's expression turned serious.

"Alright then, I'll let you experience it for yourself!"

Snap!

"Roman..."

"Don't panic, I've already sent 'Merry' and 'Sonny' over. If things get bad, use that trick! I'll hold him off..."

Roman respects Luffy's decision and is willing to trust Luffy's judgment. However, the necessary preparations still need to be made, even if they are ultimately unnecessary. After being enhanced by Soul-Soul Fruit ability, Merry and Sunny are now able to pilot the Sunny Merry independently.

With their combined abilities and the ship's enhanced weaponry, they might not be without a fighting chance!

But before that:

"This is 'aging'!"

Grabbing Luffy by the neck with one hand, the Red Earl activated his power, absorbing Luffy's 'The Red Earl'! Luffy's black hair rapidly turned white, and his limbs deflated and shrunk like punctured balloons—

"You can feel it, can't you? Your power is draining away!"

"After all your strength, physique... have been taken away, can you still talk about dreams?"

Bang!

"Luffy!?"

"This can't be real..."

"Damn it, turn Luffy back!"

"Don't come any closer!"

Luffy, who had just gotten up from the ground, reached out to stop the Straw Hat crew from rushing towards him. His back was to them; he had silver hair, withered limbs, and a hunched back, but:

"Even when I get old... I'm still made of rubber..."

Stop lying!

Thud!

Faced with Luffy's trembling raised fist, the Red Earl simply waved his hand and knocked Luffy to the ground again.

"Damn it!! I'm going to kill them—"

An arm blocked Sanji's path.

"Don't get agitated. Besides, it's not your place to kill someone, you're just a cook."

?!

Just as Sanji was about to say something, he noticed Roman's tightly pursed lips and the blue veins on his neck, signs that the other man was suppressing his emotions to the extreme.

Yes, Roman was the first person to meet Luffy. As his initial crewmate, there's no reason he wouldn't feel angry. And unlike the others, Roman doesn't have any aversion to 'killing'.

"I won't lose to someone like you..."

When Luffy stood up again, the Red Earl shook his head.

"Don't push yourself anymore. Your body is no longer under your control. You can't do the things you used to be able to do!"

Thud!

With just a casual step forward and a wave of his hand, Luffy, who had just stood up, was sent flying again.

"Can aging be used as an excuse for failure?"

Luffy struggled to his feet once again to retort, only to be met with another impatient slap.

Thud!

"After all that talk, look at yourself now! You can't even fight properly anymore, can you?"

Thud!

"No matter what kind of dream you have, your aging body will betray you and shatter it!"

Thud!

He got up again and again, only to be easily knocked down again and again!

········

Hehehe!!

Amidst the sounds of clenched teeth, Nami, Carrot, and Brulee instinctively covered their mouths, tears welling up in their eyes.

"Luffy, don't stand up..."

"Captain Luffy, there's no way to win this kind of battle—"

"Luffy!!"

Roman's voice drowned out their worries, his resolute words echoing across the battlefield.

"Stand up!!!"

"Take down that enemy, just like always! We still have to get to Laugh Tale, we can't afford to fall in such a small place!"

"Mr. Roman! Luffy is in that state—"

Roman simply stared calmly ahead at Chopper, who had been rescued and was now lying on the ground crying.

"This is Luffy's battle, and I respect his choice."

"But--"

"If Luffy loses, it'll be my turn!"

······

"Accept it, eventually everyone will grow old, give up their dreams one by one, and then face death!"

Bang!

This time, it was Luffy's fist that landed on the Red Earl's stomach.

"I think I've already said it, this has nothing to do with age...!!"

Bang!

Luffy's second punch landed on the Red Earl's well-defined abdominal muscles once again, but there wasn't even the slightest tremor.

"What has the Whitebeard uncle given up this time?!"

"No matter how many times his body was pierced... he kept fighting, whether it was to save Ace or the lives of his comrades! He never gave up!!!"

Snap,

The Red Earl, who never retreated a step in battle, actually did! It wasn't just Luffy's indomitable spirit, but also his presumptuous act of feeling sorry for Whitebeard...

"Kid, that's enough!!"

Enraged, the Red Earl threw a powerful punch at Luffy! This time, it wasn't a joke; he truly intended to 'defeat' or even 'kill' him! This caused the Straw Hat crew watching from behind to collectively lean forward abruptly—

Snap!

However, the young the Red Earl, whose domineering fist possessed the power to split mountains, was caught by an old hand.

?!

"Grandpa too, Uncle Rayleigh too..."

"None of them used 'aging' as an excuse like you do!"

"You, who so easily give up on important things..."

The little tanuki next to Chopper lowered its head.

"How could he possibly be compared to those middle-aged men!?"

Swing—

With a single palm strike, Luffy flung the Red Earl's fist aside, his silver- Luffy eyes remaining unwavering.

"I will never abandon my comrades!"

"So you have absolutely no chance of beating me!!"

They've gone mad...

The Red Earl, who had instinctively taken another step back, twitched his face, then clenched his fist tightly, and then:

A fist, stained with crimson blood, slammed towards Luffy;

"You think this bullshit reason will work?!"

At the same time, an old fist fearlessly met the attack.

"Who cares about the reasons?!"

Click—

A ring of countless tiny black Inazuma radiated endlessly outwards along the vertical plane between the two fists, which were a dozen centimeters apart. Wherever it struck, the earth shattered and churned, and the air was torn apart as if boiling! It was as if an endless wall, shattering and destroying everything, including matter and energy, had completely cleaved the world in two insurmountable halves, centered on the point where the two men clashed.

This is?

In an instant, Roman, who was fully focused on preparing to meet Luffy, opened his eyes wide.

Conqueror's Haki Entwine?!

"I will never give up... even if I become a white-haired old man... even if my body can't move, even until death..."

BOOM!

In the next instant, Luffy's fist, imbued with Conqueror's Haki, forcefully pushed aside the Red Earl's fist and slammed it into the opponent's face.

"I will never give up on my dream!!!"