Meanwhile, amid the ruins.
Luffy's entire body was shriveled and wrinkled. He did not even have the strength to lift a finger.
He slumped limply against the rust-covered chest of the Ancient Giant Robot.
His eyes turned toward Gern's distant battle.
"Damn it... I'm so hungry..."
Luffy's voice came out barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, his stomach already growling with hunger.
Pushing Gear Fifth to its absolute limit had left him utterly weakened, inside and out.
He was not quite as completely drained as he had been after fighting Blackbeard alone, but he still felt awful.
"That weird old guy... can he win... all by himself...?"
Luffy muttered to himself, as though asking himself the question-or cheering on Gern in the distance.
That old guy always wore a stern expression and hit hard, but... he had treated Luffy to a meal, and... he was ridiculously strong!
Then, with effort, his gaze shifted to the mutated Fengxi (Imu), which radiated an ominous aura and had a spiked head growing from its back.
"And... that pointy-headed, pitch-black guy... who is that? That voice... sounds so awful..."
Just as Luffy's consciousness grew hazy and his thoughts wandered...
[Joy Boy...]
[Joy Boy... I'm sorry...]
[I'm sorry...]
[Joy Boy...]
At first, Luffy thought he was hallucinating, that the ringing in his ears came from exhausting his strength.
But he struggled to focus and "listen" carefully, only to discover that the voice did not come from outside.
Nor did it come from inside his own body. It seemed more like... it was coming straight from within the cold, hard metal of the robot's chest pressed against him?!
So Luffy leaned a little closer to the armor on the robot's chest, covered in rust and strange patterns.
"Is it... you... talking?"
Luffy asked with all his