"UTA!"
Luffy's voice rips down the empty streets of the Sing Sing Dream World. His sandals slap the cold cobblestones—quick, frantic, broadcasting every stride to the palace looming ahead. Arms pumping, lungs burning, he screams her name again.
"UTA!"
Atlas, Lucky Roux, Bonk Punch, and Monster pound along in his wake. Lucky's chest heaves; sweat beads across his round face. "Luffy! Where are we—"
The question snags in his throat.
Sing Sing soldiers peel away from the shadows—dozens of them, translucent figures with hollow eyes and mouths locked open around a song no one can hear. They close in from every side.
Luffy doesn't break stride.
"GUM! GUM!"
His fists fire in a barrage, rubber arms stretching and snapping back, every punch landing with cannon-shot force. Soldiers crumple and burst apart into glittering fragments. The ranks at his back hold their ground.
Atlas curses. "Dammit! These things are annoying!"
He lunges in. His chuey maces—Stormclaw and Thunderfang—whirl in wide arcs, and every impact launches a soldier spinning skyward. Electro crackles along the hafts, blue lightning crawling up toward the heads.
Lucky Roux tucks himself into a tight ball and barrels across the ground, plowing a lane straight through the soldiers. They scatter like struck pins.
Bonk Punch hammers away without pause, each heavy blow bursting a soldier into smoke. Monster springs from his shoulder and hops from one translucent head to the next, using the soldiers as stepping stones, a small, furious storm of kicks and bites.
Together, they carve through the horde.
---
Atlas, Lucky Roux, Bonk Punch, and Monster stand catching their breath. The soldiers are gone, dissolved to nothing.
Luffy is still running. "UTA!"
Bonk Punch mutters, "Does he even know where he is going?"
Atlas hooks his chuey club back in place. His nub lashes once. "Does it matter?" He cuts a look at Bonk. "I am going to catch up with him and see if he has a plan."
Lucky falls in beside them. His stomach lets out a long, mournful growl, and he rubs his belly. "It looks like he is going to the castle."
Atlas grunts. "Yeah, but once he gets there, then what?"
Lucky, Bonk, and Monster shrug.
Atlas dips his chin and gives himself over to Sulong. His fur flares white, and electricity streams off him in crackling ribbons. "Okay. I will find out."
Wind shoves Luffy's hair back from his face. His heart pounds. The straw hat bounces against his back, its string biting into his throat. His gaze never leaves the palace.
"UTA!"
Atlas draws even with him in a hiss of static, lightning still trailing in his wake. "Straw Hat!"
Luffy glances over, pulled off course for a heartbeat. He blinks. Then his face splits into a grin. "SO COOL!"
Atlas's eyes slit. "Do you know where you are going? What is the plan here?"
Luffy's expression hardens, and his attention snaps back to the castle. "Save Uta!"
A muscle jumps in Atlas's jaw. "Yes, I know that part. But how are you planning on doing that?"
Luffy's brow furrows. "Beat Toast Moo-sizzle."
Atlas blinks. "You mean the demon king?"
Luffy thrusts his hand skyward. "I am the King of the Pirates."
He surges ahead, leaving Atlas behind. Atlas eases off and watches Luffy's back shrink toward the castle, utterly baffled.
Lucky, Bonk, and Monster catch up. By now, Atlas has shed Sulong and settled back into his Mink form.
Bonk asks, "Well?"
Atlas shakes his head. "I have no idea." He shrugs. "I guess we just keep up with him and see what happens."
Lucky chuckles. "Okay. Well, it looks like we need to keep going to the castle."
Atlas nods just as more Sing Sing Soldiers shimmer into view around them.
---
Ember skips through the deserted Sing Sing Dream World. Her pink space buns bob with every hop, two small moons above the soot-dark wisps of her hair. She hums a broken nursery rhyme.
"One for the runner, two for the dead,
Three for the shadow hiding in my head."
A Sing Sing Soldier blinks into existence in her path.
Her pupils blow wide, bright and wild.
She shoulders Helltide—her slingshot rifle—and the heavy latex bands groan as they stretch. She sights down the barrel. She pulls the trigger.
"BOOM! BOOM!"
The soldier tumbles out of the sky. Ember watches it drop. She smiles.
"You're dead!"
She squeals, twirls, and claps.
Shachi staggers up behind her, doubled over and gasping. "How are you so fast?"
Ember stops and beams at him. "This is so fun!"
Shachi squints up at her. "You are..."
His words die as Ember swings Helltide up again. She sings out, "BOOM! BOOM!"
A second soldier plummets from the sky. "Dead again!"
Shachi draws breath to say something, but Ember is already skipping off, humming her rhyme.
"Four for the target, five for the floor,
Click-clack, bang-bang, count a little more."
Shachi shakes his head and scurries after her.
Ember halts at a gaping tunnel mouth. She cocks her head. "Ew, what is this? A dirty trick or is it..."
She doesn't finish. Shachi grabs for her arm and closes his fingers on empty air. Ember squeals, "Surprises are so fun!"
She skips into the dark, picking up her rhyme where she left off.
"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,
Watch the little targets go.
If they scream or if they cry,
Close your eyes and say goodbye."
Shachi groans and plunges in after her. "We need to catch up with the others!"