In that very instant, Luffy, who had been laughing so hard he could not straighten his back, suddenly seemed to be infused with endless power.
His already tall, upright frame instantly straightened, standing as rigid and erect as an indestructible fortress cast from steel.
Then, laughing heartily, he gathered every ounce of strength in his body and leaped upward with an astonishing burst of power.
The speed and force of that leap were so great that he seemed about to pierce the heavens and break through the clouds, leaving anyone watching unable to help marveling.
"Liquid Rubber: Great Flame Snake!" As Luffy let out that deafening roar, an immensely powerful surge of energy erupted like a volcano.
At that moment, even the surrounding air seemed to ripple violently under that tremendous energy.
Then Luffy began displaying his breathtakingly practiced skills and exquisite control.
He deftly controlled the rubber that had grown exceptionally soft in the heat, making it rapidly coil around and tightly cover his entire body.
Since the surrounding rubber also had the searing flames clinging tightly to it, Luffy now looked as though he had transformed into an enormous flame snake, blazing with roaring fire from head to tail.
The giant flame snake coiled imposingly within the vast sea of flames, radiating an unparalleled aura of majesty.
In the next instant, Luffy seemed to become a dazzling lightning bolt tearing across the sky. With unrivaled might and unwavering determination, he fearlessly charged at the seamless encirclement formed by Flames of the Phoenix Palace and successfully broke out.
Although roaring flames tightly enveloped Luffy's entire body, seemingly about to devour him completely, incredibly, he felt no pain or discomfort whatsoever.
His expression remained relaxed and carefree, even carrying a faint smile.
Luffy casually gave his body a slight shake,