"Eh???"
Stella's eyes began to tremble. Faced with the dark golden light flaring before her, she instinctively covered her belly.
It was a mother's most primal reaction.
"Watch out!!!"
That laser should not have been able to hit King Luffy completely, since he had Observation Haki. At most, it would have grazed him.
But he saw Stella in the tower behind him and immediately inflated himself into a rubber balloon in midair.
A rubber balloon coated in Armament Haki.
The beam grazed King Luffy's body, shifting slightly as it headed toward a spot above the tower.
"Boom—!!!"
A violent explosion erupted at the top of the tower. Flames filled the sky, and the entire tower began to sway precariously.
The fire instantly swept through several floors. Although it had not struck the floor where Stella was, the collapsing tower and raging flames still trapped the poor pregnant woman where she stood.
"Damn it..."
Even though the devastating beam had only grazed him, one side of King Luffy's body was still a bloody mess.
Unable to hold on any longer, he fell toward the ground.
Tesoro saw the entire scene.
"Stella!!!!!"
He shouted, his eyes wide as he immediately tried to control the gold and save Stella.
But the flames spreading upward were faster than his power.
He was too far away. Even if he could control the gold, he could not stop that terrifying heat.
Stella watched the golden giant through the flames.
The two looked at each other from afar.
Still wearing that golden necklace, Stella gave Tesoro a faint smile amid the light.
Just like when they had been young—one inside a cage, one outside it—when two young lives had warmed each other's hearts.
"Tesoro, I love you~"
[Gild Tesoro] 98-yuan Wealth Profound Meaning Illustration
"Stella!!!"
As the