In the Underworld, Loki, leaning on Iron Thunder, laughed heartily.
Laughter mingled with the sounds of explosions overhead, like some ancient and terrifying ritual, carrying an aura of destruction.
"Hahahaha--Burn! Burn! Burn even brighter!"
Hajrudin was knocked to the ground by the blow, looking up at the flames that were spreading up the tree trunk, feeling as if his soul had been drained away.
The Den Den Mushi in his arms suddenly started ringing like crazy.
He answered the phone with trembling hands. Saul's voice came through intermittently, against a backdrop of piercing screams and sounds of fighting.
"The Giants' School has been attacked! The children have been controlled by some kind of power!"
And there are monsters— Hajrudin, those monsters have jumped out of the painting!
We can't hold on much longer!
Support needed! Immediate support required!
Hajrudin's head buzzed.
He looked up and saw that the black smoke rising from the upper sky was even thicker than before, and the flames danced in the night sky, turning half the sky orange-red.
The fire on the Treasure Tree Adam has already reached the trunk below the canopy; at this rate, it won't be long before the entire tree becomes a giant Fire Pillar.
Hajrudin's hands were trembling.
He could hear his own heartbeat, so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of his chest.
Rivera!
He turned his head sharply and looked at a gray-haired giant behind him.
"Take two people to the school! Rescue the children! As fast as you can!"
Rivera hesitated for a moment. "Brother Hajrudin, what about here—"
"Go!" Hajrudin practically roared, "The children can't wait!"
Rivera gritted his teeth, then turned and ran towards the upper realm with his two members.
There were five giants left, but everyone knew that for these five to stop Loki, who was wielding the Iron Thunder, was tantamount to suicide.
Luffy looked up at the firelight above, reached out and pressed his Straw Hat down, his playful smile completely gone.
Zoro and Nami stood on either side of him, and the three of them looked in the direction of the firelight.
"Something big seems to have happened up there," Luffy's voice turned somber.
Loki's laughter subsided in the firelight. He looked down at Luffy, lightning flickering in his vertical pupils, and said:
"Kid, what are you waiting for?"
Luffy turned to look at him.
"The final chain."
Loki paused, Iron Thunder slammed his foot on the ground, his tone becoming low and serious.
"Unlock it, and I'll tell you everything about Shanks."
Now."
Luffy stared into his eyes.
Those golden vertical pupils shone exceptionally brightly in the firelight, making it impossible to tell if they were real or fake.
"You promise?" Luffy asked.
"I assure you," Loki said, " the Sun God never lies."
Hajrudin got up from the ground, covered in dust and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, but when he saw Luffy heading towards Loki's final chain, he rushed forward without hesitation.
Don't believe him!
His fist slammed into Loki's back, so fast it created a whooshing sound.
Loki did not turn around.
Iron Thunder swept across diagonally as if it had eyes, its hammerhead wrapped in lightning, striking Halding hard in Hajrudin abdomen.
"Puff--!"
Hajrudin's massive body flew backward, the blood spurting from his mouth arcing through the air before crashing into the rock wall.
It smashed through countless stone pillars before finally being buried in the rubble, with only its two legs sticking out.
The giants of the New Giant Warrior Pirates charged at Loki like madmen, but Loki didn't even glance at them.
Iron Thunder swept across, and dark red lightning surged out like a raging tide, blasting the five giants away simultaneously.
Some crashed into the cave wall and passed out, while others were blasted into the rock strata by the shockwave, leaving only muffled groans echoing in the air.
The entire Underworld fell silent once more, with only the crackling sound of the burning Treasure Tree Adam echoing from afar above.
Loki turned to look at Luffy, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"Now, no one can stop you."
Hajrudin was buried in the rubble, covered in blood, but he did not lose consciousness.
He struggled, his fingers digging into the broken rock slabs, slowly dragging his body out of the pile of stones.
Iron Thunder's blow nearly broke his ribs, and even breathing was excruciatingly painful.
But his eyes were still blazing, fixed on Loki's direction, like a wild beast driven to the brink of despair.
"Don't... don't believe him..."
His voice was hoarse, as if it were being squeezed out bit by bit from his throat.
Luffy turned his head and glanced at Hajrudin, but only for a moment.
He then looked away and turned his gaze back to Loki.
"Do you keep your word?" Luffy asked.
"Count."
Loki answered crisply and decisively, without the previous sarcastic tone.
Untie it, and I'll tell you.
It's that simple.
" Luffy!"
Nami was jumping up and down in a panic behind them.
"He just lied to us! How could you believe him so easily!"
"I didn't believe him," Luffy said.
Nami was taken aback.
"I just want news about Shanks."
If he tells you, then everything will be fine.
If he lies to me again, I'll beat him up.
Luffy's tone was calm and nonchalant, as if he were asking, "Are we going to eat meat tonight?"
He aimed the key at the last keyhole and glanced up at Loki.
"Have you thought it through?"
Loki laughed.
Luffy turns the key.
Click.
The last chain binding Loki's feet seemed to be unlocked.
At the same time, Loki seemed to be ignited from within by some force.
Centered on him, rubble flew in all directions, and even the distant rock walls were blasted open with a spiderweb-like crack.
His vertical pupils were astonishingly bright, his hair moved without wind, and his entire body exuded a suffocating aura.
The injuries inflicted on Loki by Gunko and Stanks began to heal rapidly after he broke free from the suppression of the Seastone, thanks to the regenerative abilities of the Mythical Zoan and the bloodline of the Ancient Giant Tribe.
Hissing white smoke billowed from the wound, and the massive penetrating wound in his chest quickly closed up.
That feeling... it was like he was a completely different person from before.
Hajrudin used his knife to prop himself up, and just then he saw this scene; his face instantly turned deathly pale.
His lips were trembling, not just from the pain, but also from the fear— Loki, who could take on the entire Elbaf single-handedly, had truly returned.
Luffy, however, seemed completely oblivious to the oppressive aura emanating from him, staring up at Loki with a frighteningly serious expression.
Where is Shanks?
Loki looked down at him.
Three seconds.
Then he grinned and stuck out his tongue.
Hahaha--Just kidding!
His laughter echoed in the Underworld, louder than thunder and more piercing than flames.
He laughed so hard he almost fell over, tears streaming down his face. He was a completely different person from when he was tied up; he was a total scoundrel.
You dare lie to me!
Luffy's voice deepened.
His pupils contracted in that instant, and black and red Inazuma surged out from his body like a tide, shooting straight into the sky.
The ground sank with a roar centered on him, and stone slabs within a radius of several meters shattered simultaneously, with wood chips being swept up by Inazuma and tumbling through the air.
Gear Fifth - Giant Pistol.