Sabaody Grand Stage (3)

"Rubber... rocket launcher!"

Luffy's speed increased, accompanied by his signature shout.

His arms suddenly rebounded from behind, striking Oboro, who was 'nearby,' with terrifying speed and force.

Boom! However, before the palm could even touch the target, or even reach Oboro and Dom, it was already out of reach.

An invisible cloud of energy instantly blasted Luffy.

At that moment, Luffy off the ground, looked up, his pupils shrank, and blood spurted from his mouth.

It was as if the whole world had fallen silent at that moment.

Zoro and Sanji, who were still sprinting, were dumbfounded. Before they could stop, Luffy had already transformed into a streak of lightning and shot backward down the hillside, flying between the two of them.

"Luffy!!!"

The Straw Hat Pirates members were visibly shocked.

Meanwhile, Oboro remained calm and composed, standing atop the hill with his hands in his pockets.

It didn't move an inch from beginning to end.

With just this one blow, Luffy, who had been gaining momentum recently Luffy to retreat and injured.

Bang! Luffy crashed to the ground at the foot of the mountain, raising a cloud of dust.

"Green algae head!"

At that moment, Sanji's hair stood on end, and he suddenly shouted at Zoro.

Everyone's attention was drawn to Luffy, but he alone noticed the 'flow of air' around him, and that 'something' was coming towards him.

Da da da.

Sanji immediately stopped, twisted his waist, and frantically launched a sweeping kick towards the direction he sensed.

Even though it was just air, his leather shoes felt as if they had hit a steel plate. Not only did they fail to disperse the solidified airflow, but they also caused his toes under the shoes to ache terribly.

Zoro, standing to the side, did the same, frantically slashing his blades around him. The blades struck the air and made a scraping sound like 'hard matter'.

"Qi... has a shape."

From a distance, Long said something in a low voice.

The next second, Zoro and Sanji's world, just like Luffy's just now, became quiet and still.

Without any warning, a tiny, almost imperceptible gust of air pierced through their waists and abdomens, leaving a bleeding hole in their bodies.

The severe injuries also caused stiffness in their limbs.

The reactions and movements were slightly 'distorted'.

Just as they were catching their breath, a surge of air exploded across the mountains, violently blasting away the Straw Hat Pirates's two main fighters.

Sanji tumbled uncontrollably in mid-air, the cigarette in his mouth gone... his mind was blank.

It's important to understand that compared to their time in Alabasta, he and Luffy have already "experienced hardships" and grown once again... at least he believes their fighting style, power usage, and experience are much more mature than Alubarna. If defeating Crocodile was the result of Luffy's efforts alone... then clearing up the misunderstanding with the Shandia Tribe, defeating CP9, and defeating another Shichibukai, Gecko Morley, was a collective achievement.

In particular, he and Zoro came into contact with Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, while Luffy was unconscious.

They are no longer the group of 'youngsters' who just emerged from the East Blue.

They had witnessed the top combat power on this sea.

Having fought against the Seven Warlords of the Sea gave them the confidence to challenge the God Slayer ... Before coming, they knew Luffy would definitely seek out Oboro, and given Luffy's personality, there was no way to dissuade him. Therefore, he and Zoro wouldn't back down... They believed that although the God Slayer was extremely famous and his strength was mysterious, his terrifying power shouldn't exceed that of the Seven Warlords of the Sea by much. They weren't without a chance of victory... Besides, Luffy had almost killed Enel of Skypiea.

This is bound to be a tough battle.

Everyone was prepared to fight to the death... He and Zoro were also prepared to die.

They believed their team's strength was enough to replicate the 'miracle' they had performed in Alabasta they had taught Enel a lesson.

But... in this very second.

Sanji realized... they were too naive.

That man... didn't even show any sign of 'making a move'.

He, the green-haired guy, Luffy were already seriously injured.

"The Yonko?"

A thought flashed through Sanji's mind.

There are rumors that the God Slayer's strength is no weaker than that of the Yonko... The main reason is that he killed Golden Lion Shiki, who was once famous throughout the seas, but what exactly happened in that battle is unknown to outsiders, and the facts are questionable.

Looking at it now... the opponent is not on the same level as the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

As for Gecko Morley, whom they encountered, he was not the same kind of person.

"Enel is just one of my crew members, while I... am the captain. Don't compare him to me..."

Oboro seemed to understand the Straw Hat Pirates's thoughts and smiled.

"For someone like him to willingly bow down... Have you not carefully considered the reasons behind this? Well, that's in line with your style..."

Long murmured another sentence.

Then, with a quick glance, he saw that Chopper had already swallowed the pill and transformed, Usopp had also raised his slingshot and aimed it at him.

Long's heart stirred.

Hundreds of meters away, the remaining Straw Hat Pirates members, who were scattered in formation, were suddenly overwhelmed by an 'aura' that enveloped their heads, rendering them unable to move.

Usopp's cheeks were pressed tightly against the grass, his face aching from the friction. He felt as if he were carrying a boulder weighing hundreds of pounds, which was about to crush his internal organs.

Chopper, Nami, and Franky are the same.

At that moment, in a daze, a cluster of 'petals' splashed up from Oboro's body.

Then, countless white arms materialized and bound his neck and head.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard the arms tried, Long's head remained completely still.

He only released a little bit of his Haki, and Robin's Devil Fruit ability was immediately neutralized.

Taking advantage of the presence of some One Piece who had not yet left, Robin, who was hiding in a secluded corner, turned pale upon seeing this scene.

Among the Straw Hat Pirates, Robin is undoubtedly the wisest, at least she knows how to think.

Conflict with the Hell Pirates would be absolutely unacceptable to her... However, now that she has found crewmates and has a group of people she can trust, and with Luffy defeating Crocodile and saving her, she has no choice but to continue believing in Luffy unconditionally.

Luffy is someone who can create miracles.

However...

Reality is cruel!

With a glance from Oboro, Robin instantly collapsed to the ground with a thud, just like her other companions, her hair disheveled and covered in dust.

Brook, the only one who hadn't been spotted, circled around from the other side of the hillside, preparing to launch a sneak attack.

He drew his cane sword and unleashed the Hanauta Sancho: Yahazu Giri, a swift and devastating strike that would cause the target to fall silently. Sometimes, the target would even fall first before the wound regained sensation, transmitting pain and making them realize they had been cut.

In Brook's field of vision, Oboro and the other person always had their backs to him, as if they hadn't noticed him at all.

He still thought he would succeed.

However, just as his figure swept atop the hill, becoming the Straw Hat Pirates closest to the enemy, a sudden, Mount Tai Crushing the Top gust of air descended from the sky, firmly embedding his skeletal frame into the soil.

"Ah."

Lying on the ground, Brook, with his afro, moved his jaw, "Ah..."

"We've been discovered..."

"Mr. Luffy, I'm sorry... I failed."

All of this seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it all took less than a minute.

The Straw Hat Pirates took the initiative, seemingly wanting to catch Oboro off guard with an Inazuma and gain the upper hand.

But in the blink of an eye, they were already at a complete disadvantage... even becoming lambs to the slaughter.

"As expected... there was no suspense."

"That guy is too strong..."

Off the field, Killer exhaled a breath of stale air, deeply shocked.

Although he had anticipated this scene, he still harbored a tiny bit of expectation, thinking that the Straw Hat could threaten the God Slayer.

This means that as members of the Worst Generation, it is not an insurmountable task for them to defeat these so-called "giants" if they "try a little harder".

"They're gone."

"That idiot... let him die here."

Eustass Kid snorted coldly, as if he utterly despised the Straw Hat Pirates, beckoned to Killer, and turned to leave.

"Aaaaaaah!"

After falling to the ground, Luffy tried countless times to get up again and launch an attack.

However, the terrifying force pressing down on him made it difficult for him to even turn over.

But Luffy didn't understand what giving up meant at all, and he kept trying and roaring.

Sanji and Zoro are also constantly resisting...

They were unwilling to accept defeat... because if they fell, their comrades would be in danger.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Ahhh!"

As the field gradually emptied, Luffy's furious roar sounded deafening.

In this situation, Luffy, who was originally lying prostrate on the ground, truly became the embodiment of a miracle, gradually straightening his back and standing up.

However, the sheer force of the airflow took a toll on his body, causing blood to flow from his nostrils and ear canals.

Both eyes were bloodshot, looking like they were about to burst.

Long remained unmoved... He did not unleash his full power.

Even the intensity of the airflow distributed to each Straw Hat Pirates member varies depending on their physical condition.

If they went straight for the highest intensity, the entire Straw Hat Pirates would die instantly.

Was he being kind? No.

Because he knew that if he truly intended to kill, Rayleigh would take 'Luffy' away in an instant—that old man had that kind of power! Moreover, Rayleigh would turn against him to protect Luffy. Their relationship wasn't exactly that of friends; they were more like... acquaintances.

Fighting Rayleigh here would be far too dangerous...

This is an even more troublesome old relic than Shiki... Given that Kizaru and the others have already landed on the island, doing this is clearly unwise.

If he's tied down by Rayleigh, the rest of the Hell Pirates will be in trouble... Kizaru will definitely not let this opportunity pass! The reason the Marine Admirals don't dare to touch Dom and Enel is because of him.

Luffy... isn't so easy to kill.

In Alabasta, it was Ace and Crocodile acted as unpredictable factors, and now it's Rayleigh... Perhaps, there are others besides Rayleigh.

Thinking of this, Long glanced around subtly.

"Well."

Finally, Rayleigh, who had been 'standing by' all along, couldn't sit still any longer. The white-haired old man, carrying a wine bottle and wearing slippers, appeared in the 'surging aura' manifested by Oboro as if nothing had happened.

His white cloak was pressed straight up like a panel by the damp air.

But it didn't affect his movements at all.

"Stop it... Considering I helped you back then."

Rayleigh sighed and looked over.

"Sure."

Long chuckled softly, "However... protecting him won't be so easy. Even if I don't kill him, he'll still have a hard time escaping this calamity."

"He is one of the main targets that the Five Elders want to purge this time."

"But, since he is the person on whom you have placed high hopes... I believe he has the ability to leave alive."

After he finished speaking, the Straw Hat Pirates members, who had been under immense pressure, instantly felt a sense of relief, and their hands, feet, and bodies regained their freedom.

With Dom in tow, Oboro slowly ascended into the air, preparing to fly away.

"Stop right there! I'm going to beat you to a pulp!!"

"This isn't over between us!"

Luffy broke free of his restraints and was about to unleash his full power again... but Rayleigh swiftly grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. "Give up... he's not someone you can mess with! Courage is a good thing, but you have to know the situation..."

"You don't want your friends to die because of you, do you?"

"Rayleigh said."

These two sentences Luffy to swing his limbs less and less.

"You know very well that you are no match for him."

"To be honest, even I'm not sure if I can beat him... Fortunately, because of some things in the past, my old face still has some value. I can persuade him once, but I can't persuade him a second time. This person is extremely dangerous... If you shout again... I can't guarantee anything else, but at least the consequences will be something you can't bear."

"..."

After the old man finished speaking, Luffy finally calmed down.

His hands hung limply at his sides, and he remained motionless.

"Hehehe... Don't be too discouraged. Just because you can't win now doesn't mean you can't win in the future."

Seeing this, Rayleigh offered a word of comfort.