The rock pillar earlier had only been meant to knock him into the sky. He had barely put any strength into it, and he had no taste for beating corpses.
Yet it had jolted Straw Hat awake?
That couldn't be right.
Even if rubber could take a beating and negate a great deal of physical damage-no, suppose Straw Hat had completely withstood his Conqueror's Haki-infused blow.
But he had coated it in flames!
The charred, molten furrow stretching a thousand meters across the ground before him showed just how scorching those flames had been.
And it had been a double strike at point-blank range.
Normally, Straw Hat couldn't possibly have regained consciousness so quickly.
Good's expression chilled.
"Boy, how do you still have any strength left?"
"Because... because..."
Straw Hat Luffy panted heavily, then shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Because I've got guts!!!"
"..."
Good looked stunned.
Guts?
This... you're not even pretending anymore, are you?!
Fine, fine, fine!
Good extended his hand. A greatsword appeared out of thin air above him and dropped into his grasp, its edge reflecting a cold, chilling gleam.
"Straw Hat Boy, now I really want to know whether your guts can piece you back together after I cut you into chunks!"
"Then give it a try."
Luffy slowly clenched his fists, tiny streaks of black lightning appearing across their surfaces.
Though his entire body hurt at that moment, he felt something strange. His body felt clearer than ever before, and his Haki flowed with unparalleled ease.
Luffy broke into a smile. "After that beating you gave me, I realized it. You can coat yourself in Conqueror's Haki too, can't you?"
"..."
Good wore an odd expression.
Withstanding the flames was one thing-he could put that down to genuine guts. But now, after