Chapter 1345: The World, Take a Look!
Chapter 1345: The World, Take a Look!
Suddenly, a man in prison garb and sunglasses materialized in the sky, hovering mid-air with an eerie grin aimed at David: "Long time no see, David Pancha."
Blood erupted from Luffy's chest, splattering across the ground in a crimson spray.
"Luffy!!"
Luffy's Crew cried out in horror. Time seemed to freeze mid-air. A gaping wound now split Luffy's torso, no longer a diagonal slash but a crack radiating outward from the center like shattered glass.
Luffy's eyes rolled upward, his mouth agape. His body tried to collapse but remained bound by Wu Sheng Kong Sha's restraints.
Yet soon, Luffy's pupils refocused. Gritting his teeth, his arm swelled as if liquid surged within, attempting to flow toward his torso to heal. But the liquid only concentrated in his bicep, unable to advance even an inch. At the peak, Wu Sheng Kong Sha's blood-colored ribbon tightly encased his arm, blocking the healing force.
"Wanna use Restoration?"
Kuro's malevolent grin widened. "Old Man's strength isn't something you can breakthrough so easily! Want to defeat me in one strike? You'll need the qualifications for that!"
Whether it was liquid gel or something else, any strength would do. Wu Sheng Kong Sha itself was conceptualized strength, naturally capable of neutralizing and eroding others' abilities. His Float-Float Fruit had already evolved toward telekinesis, making it perfect for suppressing others' powers.
He could bind Marshall D. Teach's darkness, and Luffy's power was no different.
This guy concentrated all his strength into his fists—exactly what Kuro wanted. That meant no Restoration.
Want to use Life Release?
That required logic too!
As for that hardened body—
Blunt force might not work, but when had Kuro ever claimed to rely solely on blunt attacks?
The World's Greatest Swordsman wasn't just a title.
A single Slash would cut through.
Luffy strained his swollen arms, slowly pulling the ribbon taut. Even Kuro's body shook from the force.
"Don't move!"
Kuro's eyes flared. Gripping Autumn Water, he slashed downward again.
Bang!
But at that moment, a foot jammed into his wrists. Luffy's leg shot straight, slamming into Kuro's wrist to halt his strike. His other foot followed.
Smack!
The sole of Luffy's straw sandal struck Kuro's cheek, sending his head snapping back.
"You bastard!"
Kuro's free hand shot out, gripping Luffy's ankle in a death grip. His face darkened as he slowly pushed the foot away.
"Bastard!!"
Gritting his teeth, Kuro thrust Autumn Water forward, deflecting Luffy's other foot. The blade aimed straight for Luffy's neck.
Death!!
A wisp of Conqueror's Haki aura struck with pinpoint accuracy, freezing Kuro mid-motion. At that moment, Luffy roared and headbutted him, slamming his forehead into Kuro's face.
Kuro's entire body stiffened. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Red-Haired Shanks on the execution platform, his expression grim.
Shanks...
"Ooooooh!!"
Luffy swung his arms. In that brief pause, he hurled Kuro's body downward, nearly tearing free of the ribbon restraints binding his arm.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a gust of wind surged. The ribbon tightened around Luffy's arm again, halting his descent. Kuro transformed into a wisp-like afterimage, reappearing beside Luffy. One hand seized Luffy's head, propelling him forward. A Black Light flashed as he thrust his blade.
Hiss!!
Red-Haired Shanks on the execution platform took the strike. A Black Blade pierced his chest. He looked down, stunned, at Autumn Water's blade protruding from his torso.
Moments later, Kuro stood on the execution platform, gripping Luffy's head. He swiftly reclaimed Autumn Water, kicked Shanks off the platform, spun his body, and slammed his other hand downward, pinning Luffy to the platform.
Boom!!
The immense force sent Luffy's head crashing into the platform, creating a deep dent. Bound by the ribbons, Luffy knelt helplessly.
"You've still got tricks up your sleeve, huh?"
Kuro straightened, stomping his foot onto Luffy's head. He glanced down at Shanks, who lay motionless on the ground.
"Pierced through the collarbone, endured so much torment in Impel Down—I thought your strength had vanished. What a shame."
Kuro growled, "Just a little more and I could've cleanly broken free. This kid's combat talent is high. If he breaks free again, he won't fall for the same trick. Then it'd be another endless battle. But I won't give him the chance. Since my debut, I've never tasted defeat. No matter who my opponent is, when I decide to kill, I never fail!"
The ribbons binding Luffy's arms expanded, wrapping his entire body like massive chains. They constricted him, leaving only his head free to move.
"Cursed... Ha... Ha... Can't move!"
No matter how Luffy struggled, the ribbons wouldn't break. The absolute destructive force they contained eroded his body, matching his regeneration ability stroke for stroke.
The wound on his chest kept him panting with every movement. His consciousness began to blur—if he didn't break free soon...
"Hey, Buggy!"
Kuro suddenly shouted.
"Eh?"
Buggy, hovering near the battlefield's edge while pretending to fight but actually clutching a Transponder Snail, startled. He quickly hid the snail and pointed at the pirates, shouting, "Take this, pirates! Feel the power of Captain Buggy!"
"Point your Transponder Snail at me!" Kuro ordered.
He ignored Buggy's theatrics, clearly uninterested in playing games. He spoke bluntly.
"Electric, Transponder Snail!"
Buggy almost protested but noticed Kuro's tone and obeyed, aiming the snail at him.
That was a live-streaming Transponder Snail.
The ones surrounding the battlefield had already been destroyed during the fight with Marshall D. Teach. But it didn't matter—Kuro knew Buggy had at least one working.
Across the world, on every screen broadcasting the live feed, Kuro raised Autumn Water high and roared:
"Look, world!"
"Behold the fate of those who defy the Navy! To every pirate in the world, or those who dream of becoming one—whether you're a Four Emperor or the legendary One Piece, your only fate is this platform. You'll end up like this—broken, pitiful..."
"Beheaded by me!!"
...
On the Grand Line, a massive warship with a deck resembling a palace led a fleet across the sea.
This was Dressrosa's fleet.
On the flagship's deck, a giant screen displayed Kuro's declaration. David watched, clenching his fist tightly, his face flushed with emotion.
"Kshhhkshhkshh... Heh."
Suddenly, a strange laugh echoed nearby. The sound made David frown. He turned his head.
Floating in the sky behind him was a man in prison clothes, wearing sunglasses. He hovered mid-air, smiling eerily at David:
"Long time no see, David Pancha."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
