The Power of the Luck-Luck Fruit (Part 2)

Bang!

A bullet grazed past Lucci's ear and shattered the glass window behind him. Mr. Tanaka, who had somehow slipped beneath the floorboards, had fired it.

Having missed his shot, Mr. Tanaka immediately sank down again without hesitation, preparing to flee.

"Soru."

A cold voice sounded almost against the back of his neck.

Lucci appeared behind him as if he had teleported. His fingers were coated in Armament Haki, their tips sharp as blades as they pressed steadily against Mr. Tanaka's carotid artery.

"Don't move."

The icy touch and the tangible killing intent made Mr. Tanaka's entire body stiffen. He did not dare make another move.

On the other side, Bartolomeo tried to seize control of the situation with the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.

With a sweep of his hands, transparent barriers rose around Baccarat, about to close into a sealed sphere and trap her inside.

However, at the very instant before the barriers fully closed, Bartolomeo's shoelaces snapped at the same time.

Focused entirely on maintaining his ability, he suddenly tripped and stumbled forward. His hand position broke, and the nearly formed barrier sphere flickered before collapsing and vanishing.

"Project Armament Haki."

Lucci held Mr. Tanaka in check, his eyes never leaving Baccarat as he calmly issued the order.

He remembered that person's teachings: Devil Fruit abilities came in endless strange varieties, but Haki was the foundation for countering most bizarre abilities.

In theory, sufficiently powerful Haki could interfere with or even temporarily negate an ability's effects.

Having just escaped the piranha pool, Burgess leaped back through the hole in the floor with a roar. Soaked from head to toe, several dead fish hanging off him and blood streaming from numerous wounds, he searched for Baccarat with bloodshot eyes.

Van Augur also quickly steadied himself. Half-kneeling on the ground, he raised