Half a Year in the Blink of an Eye, Luffy Masters Gear Fourth, the Brand-New Straw Hat Pirates

Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1533, April 11.

Ten thousand meters above the ground, Vermo Island.

Clear sunlight poured down without obstruction, dyeing the entire Sky Island a warm gold. The dense primeval forest was lush and verdant, with the roars of wild beasts occasionally echoing from within.

Luffy compressed the muscles in his air-inflated feet into his thighs, using the elastic force constantly released by his legs and feet to strike the air. Like a cannonball, he shot through the sky at high speed toward the blue ape.

Then, he retracted his fist into his body and used elasticity to double its striking power before throwing it out in one burst.

"King Kong Gun!"

A massive gust from his fist howled through the air. The blue gorilla was sent flying without suspense, smashing through nearly half the forest before its back slammed hard into the solid mountainside with a dull boom. It slid limply down the rock face and passed out.

"After training to this level, he should be able to defeat that ice guy, right?"

Outside the forest, Ace stood with his arms folded, watching the commotion within and speaking with pride in his voice. He had witnessed every bit of Luffy's progress over this period.

Not long after Luffy officially set sail, Ace had taken the initiative to find him. After learning the truth about Nika, he only wanted to give everything he had to keep his younger brother safe.

Of course, part of it was also his desire for Luffy to bring an end to the Great Pirate Era that man had begun.

"Not enough."

Kuro adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose and answered expressionlessly,

"According to that person, Gear Fourth merely gives him the qualifications to exchange blows with a Marine Admiral.