"Ahem... cough!"
In the heap of rubble, Luffy coughed violently, blood spilling constantly from the corners of his mouth as he tried to push himself up with both hands.
But the agony coursing through his body and the numbness seeping deep into his bones made even that simple movement almost impossible.
Worse still, somewhere in his subconscious, he knew he had a stronger form called Gear Fourth.
But with his stamina severely depleted and his injuries so grave, he simply could not muster another burst of power.
In other words.
Even if he wanted to activate his get-back-up cheat now, it could not take effect immediately.
Enel's merciless barrage, backed by peak General-Class combat power, had inflicted devastating injuries on him.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Crisp footsteps rang out as Enel strolled up to the ruins with the Golden Staff resting on his shoulder.
He looked down at Luffy struggling in the rubble. Not a trace of mockery remained in his eyes, only the indifference of a "god" toward a "mortal."
The end of the Golden Staff rested lightly against Luffy's forehead. Its cold touch and the tiny arcs of lightning dancing along its length made Luffy stiffen involuntarily.
"I told you two years ago." Enel's voice was calm.
"Challenging a 'god'..." Enel said evenly, "is folly."
Luffy clenched his teeth. He did not care about gods or any of that. Right now, only one thought spun frantically through his mind.
Sabo...
He had already lost one brother, watching helplessly as Ace died before his eyes.
I can't lose Sabo too!
That obsession kept him from losing consciousness completely, but it also made his suffering worse.
"Enel."
Just then, a calm voice rang out, interrupting Enel's execution.
It was Gern.
At some point, he had reached the edge of the ruins,