" Gum-Gum-- "
Luffy launched himself forward, stretching out his arm to grab a steel beam of a distant building.
With a whoosh, he flew out and disappeared into the icy mist in the blink of an eye.
"That idiot!"
Nami stomped her feet in anger.
"It's always like this! They get separated within three minutes of logging in!"
"Forget it, he won't listen anyway."
Usopp sighed, picked up his new slingshot, and followed.
What they didn't know was that Luffy's flight directly led to a fateful encounter.
Deep within the icy fog, as Luffy fell from the sky, he landed squarely on a samurai frozen solid.
The samurai was dressed in the traditional clothing of Wano Country, his hair on top of his head was frozen stiff, and he was crawling forward with his lips slightly moving.
"Huh? What's that?" Luffy looked down. "Wow! A person! Frozen in place!"
He reached out and tapped the warrior on the head, the ice making a crisp clanging sound.
"Are you still alive? Hey--Are you still alive?"
The samurai's eyes darted around with difficulty, and his lips moved for a long time before he finally managed to utter a few words:
"Under... the..."
"He spoke!"
Luffy, and without a word, he pulled the samurai out of the ice, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and ran towards a warmer place.
"Don't worry! I'll take you to a warm place!"
This samurai, frozen solid, is none other than Foxfire Kin'emon of Wano Country.
He was transported to Punk Hazard Momonosuke with Momonosuke a few months ago by the Time-Time Fruit, but they got separated during the journey.
He had been searching for the young master's whereabouts on the island for days, but accidentally stumbled into the frozen zone left behind by Aokiji and was almost frozen into a permanent ice sculpture.
Luffy carried Kin'emon and ran wildly across the ice, he was completely unaware that he had embarked on a path that would lead to Wano Country and a war against Kaido.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, another group of people are also following the script of fate.
Before the guards could react, they were sliced into several pieces, their body parts scattered in different corners of the corridor, but they were all still alive.
His eyes darted around in terror, but he couldn't utter a sound.
Bepo followed behind Law, swatting away a guard who tried to sneak up from the side with a single paw; his furry bear face was full of seriousness.
Luo's goal was clear— Caesar Courant.
That second-rate scientist who worked under Vegapunk for a few years before defecting to Doflamingo is the core of the entire Punk Hazard experimental base.
Capturing him would be tantamount to cutting off the lifeline of the SMILE factory.
Doflamingo earns enough Beli from this factory each year to support the entire Donquixote Family.
If this source of income is cut off, that jerk will definitely be so angry he'll jump off his throne.
Roy watched as Ro swept through the base and nodded to himself.
Luo's growth over the past two years has been faster than he expected; the Awakening of his Op-Op Fruit has already reached the threshold.
In addition, the bloodline modification from Hachinosu, with three hearts beating alternately in his chest cavity, makes his physical strength and recovery ability a level above Law's in the original work.
More than enough to deal with Caesar.
Then the two groups bumped into each other at the corner of the corridor.
Luffy was carrying the half-dead Kin'emon and was looking around for a way out when he turned a corner and saw Law dragging a knocked-out guy towards him.
The two stopped simultaneously and stared at each other for about three seconds.
"Hmm? You are--"
Luffy tilted his head and thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
"Oh! That one from Sabaody Archipelago two years ago--"
Trafalgar Law.
Roy's tone remained indifferent, but Roy could tell from his micro-expressions that...
He wasn't as surprised by the encounter as he appeared on the surface.
Zoro stepped out from Luffy, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
Sanji took the cigarette out of his mouth and squinted as he looked at Law and the polar bear behind him.
Nami and Usopp both took a step back, Franky's mechanical arm made a clicking sound as it warmed up.
Brook's hand also rested on the hilt of the sword.
The Straw Hat Pirates's reaction speed is much faster than it was two years ago; they have clearly had a lot of real combat experience during their two years of training.
"Are you here to cause us trouble?"
Zoro's voice was calm, but his sword was already half an inch out.
"On the contrary."
Luo sheathed his long sword.
"I'm here to deal with Doflamingo."
Luffy blinked.
"Since you're here, you must have been targeted by Doflamingo."
Luo's tone was calm, but every word sounded like a prepared script.
"This scientist, Caesar, is right ahead; he is Doflamingo's most important partner."
I can handle him by myself, but then I'll have to face the entire Donquixote Family —I need help.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates before finally settling on Luffy:
" Straw Hat Owner, how about joining forces to pull Doflamingo off the throne?"
The corridor fell silent for a moment.
Luffy's expression slowly changed, from confusion to seriousness, and from seriousness to his signature wide grin.
"OK!"
He spoke so decisively that even Usopp couldn't stop him in time.
"Hey! Luffy! You agreed way too quickly!"
Usopp was so anxious he was jumping up and down.
"That's Shichibukai! What if it's a trap!"
"Yeah?"
Luffy turned to look at Usopp, his face full of innocence.
"It's not a trap."
Luo's voice carried a rare hint of solemnity.
"I'm serious about using Straw Hat as my primary possession."
Doflamingo is my enemy, and now you're all involved.
"If we join forces, our chances of winning are much greater."
Luffy looked at him and grinned. "Then let's beat him up together!"
Sanji sighed and stubbed out his cigarette on the wall.
"Forget it, there's no way to stop him anyway."
Zoro loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword, a slight smile playing on his lips.
" Doflamingo, huh? Interesting."
Roy stood atop the cooling tower, watching this scene, and almost burst out laughing.
The way this group formed an alliance was exactly the same as he remembered, but this decisive and efficient style was something he missed.
Just as the two sides reached a preliminary agreement, heavy footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
Vergo, the highest-ranking officer of the Donquixote Family, Marine Vice Admiral, and Doflamingo's mole within the World Government, was walking out from around the corner of the corridor.
He was extremely burly, with a piece of half-melted meat stuck to his face.
That thing flew out when Luffy knocked over the cafeteria shelf, and it landed right on his face.
But he himself seemed completely oblivious, or rather—he was so busy maintaining that serious expression that he didn't even notice what was on his face.
"Luo."
Vergo's voice was deep and cold.
"You traitor, how dare you show your face again?"