After the officer scrambled back to the palace to report, the entire Wapol Island sprang into action like a war machine with its alarms triggered. Piercing air raid sirens blared throughout the city, all non-essential personnel were forced to return to their homes, and the streets were quickly cleared, leaving only patrolling soldiers and the beginning of the assembly of weapons.
The Straw Hat Pirates had just finished their incredibly meaningful bowl of ramen and hadn't even had a chance to properly digest it when they felt a heavy tremor coming from the ground.
"Boom--!"
With the roar of engines and the thunderous sound of metal tracks crushing the road, a chilling scene appeared at both ends of the alleyway—two entire squads of heavy combat robots, each four or five meters tall, covered in thick armor, and equipped with multi-barreled energy cannons and mechanical pincers! Their cold electronic eyes locked onto the people in the alley, and dangerous glints began to gather at the muzzles of their cannons. At the same time, a buzzing sound came from the sky, and several menacing-looking, steel hummingbird-like armed drones circled in, forming a three-dimensional firepower network.
"Wow! It's an army of robots!" Usopp exclaimed, his tongue practically tied in knots.
"This has really gotten out of hand." Zoro licked his lips, gripped his sword tightly, and instead of being afraid, his fighting spirit soared.
"Super big guys! Let me have a go at them!" Franky struck a pose excitedly.
Sanji shielded Old Hunter behind him. "Grandpa, let's get inside!"
Luffy adjusted his straw Straw Hat, a wide, excited smile on his face, "The big guys have arrived! Perfect timing to stretch my muscles!"
"Illegal armed group! Resistance immediately! Repeat, Resistance immediately! Otherwise, the highest level 'purification' procedure will be executed!" the robot issued a synthetic, emotionless warning.
"Purification?" Robin frowned slightly. "That word is unsettling."
Allen's senses swept over the war machines in an instant, his eyes turning slightly cold. "They're equipped with high-explosive munitions and some kind of... special frequency sonic weapon targeting living organisms. It seems they intend to leave no survivors."
"Then there's nothing more to say!" Ace's fists blazed with flames. "Melt them all into molten iron!"
The battle erupted instantly!
" Gum-Gum Giant Elephant Gun!" Luffy launched the first attack, his huge black fist slamming into a robot like a battering ram, denting its thick chest armor and sending sparks flying!
" Three-Sword Style: Black Rope Dragon Twister!" Zoro's sword aura storm swept out, engulfing the robot at the other end, and the sharp slashes left deep marks on its armor!
" Diable Jambe - BBQ Set!" Sanji transformed into a blue whirlwind, his fiery kick precisely striking the robot's joints and energy core, triggering a series of explosions!
" Franky - General Cannon!" Franky summoned General Franky, the shoulder-mounted cannon roaring, its powerful firepower instantly suppressing several robots!
" Fish-Man Karate - Buraikan - Martial Arts!" Jinbe's shockwave pierced through the armor, directly destroying the robot's intricate components!
Brook's Soul Departure interfered with the drone system, while Usopp's special ammunition and Chopper's superhuman strength proved highly effective in close-quarters combat. Nami's thundercloud and Robin's abilities were responsible for controlling the battlefield and eliminating any stragglers.
Ace's flames, like blooming red lotuses, devoured and melted the drones in the sky and the robots on the ground!
The Straw Hat Pirates's fighting strength far exceeded Wapol's army's expectations. These expensive heavy robots were quickly dismantled and destroyed like toys in the face of true powerhouses! Explosions continued, metal fragments flew everywhere, and the entire alley and surrounding streets were soon reduced to steel ruins.
However, just when everyone thought the battle was about to end--
From the direction of the royal palace, a thick, dark purple beam of energy shot into the sky! A chilling pressure instantly enveloped the entire city! The clouds in the sky were tinged with an ominous purple, and even the roar of machinery seemed to be suppressed by this power.
"What is that?" Nami felt a chill run down her spine.
"What... what a terrifying aura..." Chopper trembled.
Allen looked up, his gaze piercing through the layers of buildings to the top of the palace. There, King Wapol hovered in mid-air, his ordinary body completely covered by a grotesque exoskeleton armor flowing with dark purple energy! The armor seemed to pulsate with life, continuously drawing energy from the entire palace below, and even parts of the city!
"Foolish ants! You have no idea what true 'power' and 'order' are!" The king's voice boomed through the megaphone, metallic and chillingly cold. "Feel it! This power, driven by countless gears and energy cores— 'Absolute Purification '!"
He raised his armored arm, and dark purple energy condensed intensely in his palm, forming a constantly spinning energy sphere that seemed capable of devouring all light! The destructive energy contained within it sent a chill down Ace's spine!
"He's attacking! His target is... this entire area!" Allen instantly realized the enemy's intention. Once that energy ball landed, not only them, but all the buildings in this block and any residents who might be hiding there would be annihilated!
"Don't even think about it!" Luffy roared, instantly activating Gear Fourth!
Zoro, Sanji, Ace, and the others also mustered all their strength, preparing to withstand this devastating blow!
At this critical moment, Allen moved. Instead of blocking the energy sphere, he took a step forward, his figure blurring instantly, as if merging into the surrounding space. The next moment, he appeared like a ghost directly in front of King Wapol, only inches away from the destructive energy sphere!
"What?!" The king exclaimed in surprise; he hadn't even seen how the other person had appeared!
Allen calmly looked at him, at the dark purple energy sphere, and slowly raised his right hand. His palm held no dazzling light, no violent energy, only an absolute darkness that seemed capable of returning everything to its origin.
That was not darkness, but a realm where "existence" was temporarily "denied".
The dark purple sphere of destructive energy, carrying the force to crush everything, crashed into that " Absolute Darkness."
There was no explosion, no impact, not even a sound.
Just like a drop of water merging into the ocean, that terrifying energy, powerful enough to destroy several city blocks, vanished silently the moment it came into contact with that "darkness."
It's as if they never existed.
King Wapol froze in mid-air, his eyes wide with disbelief and horror beneath his armor.
Allen withdrew his hand, and the " Absolute Darkness " dissipated. He looked at the king and spoke calmly:
Is your 'purification' all there is?