Beneath the watchful gaze of the central volcano, Luffy and Dorry clashed with unrelenting ferocity. No matter how many times he was knocked back, Luffy leaped forward, meeting Dorry eye to eye, striking head-on. Dorry, perhaps taking a liking to Luffy's tenacity, absorbed direct hits without retreating, trading blows as if reveling in the fight.
"Raaagh!" Luffy roared.
"Ngh!" Dorry grunted.
Dorry's sword swung, its flat side eclipsing Luffy's form, leaving no escape. Undeterred, Luffy kicked the blade head-on. The impact did nothing to slow the sword's momentum, sending Luffy hurtling through the air, crashing headfirst into the ground with a bone-rattling boom. He bounced across the earth, rolling to a stop.
Sensing danger, Usopp readied his slingshot, aiming for Dorry's face. "Hang on, Luffy! Special Attack: Pepper Star!" he shouted.
"Guh—mph! Achoo!" Dorry sneezed, the pepper-filled pellet bursting against his nose, tickling his senses. The sneeze was as mighty as the giant himself, a thunderous blast that stunned onlookers with its sheer force.
Even giants shared human weaknesses. Kiri's earlier advice proved true, and Usopp sighed in relief as the tactic worked, momentarily halting Dorry.
Rushing to Luffy's side on Karoo, Usopp found him already standing. As a rubber man, Luffy endured crashes into trees and ground, but the scrapes and bruises across his body told of the toll. His breathing was heavy, the strain of facing a stronger, larger opponent far beyond his usual fights. Yet his resolve didn't waver, nor did he change his approach.
How many times had he been slammed into the earth? Luffy's fighting spirit burned brighter, his will to face Dorry unshaken.
Usopp couldn't help but worry. Why was Luffy so stubborn? The plan was clear: wait for the crew, fight together. There was no need for a solo duel. Approaching Luffy, Usopp peered into his face, his gaze fixed on Dorry, brimming with unyielding intent.
"Calm down, Luffy," Usopp urged. "No need to rush. Once everyone's here, we'll fight together. Just stall—maybe dodge a bit!"
"I'm good," Luffy replied. "This is fine."
"But you're banged up! Push too hard, and you're in trouble!"
"I'm dueling this giant. This is how I want it."
Usopp's words bounced off Luffy's iron will. As Dorry recovered, rubbing his nose and shifting his stance, the fight resumed. Usopp signaled Karoo to retreat, knowing he needed distance to provide support. Before they left, he tried again. "We're going, Luffy! Don't overdo it. Kiri said this is a team fight. You don't have to do it alone!"
"I know," Luffy said.
"We've got your back!" Usopp called. "Call for help if it gets dicey!"
Karoo sped off, vanishing into the distance. Luffy stood firm, locking eyes with Dorry, his expression resolute and silent.
"Damn, my nose still itches," Dorry muttered. "Pepper as a weapon? That's a tricky one."
Luffy didn't respond, his gaze unwavering. Dorry, noting the intensity, voiced a sudden curiosity. "I don't get it. Why fixate on us, strangers? You're battered, yet you won't back down. Why stand against me?"
"Kiri decided it," Luffy said. "And as captain, I agreed."
"Hm. To make us join you? Or for the duel itself?"
"Don't know the details," Luffy admitted. "I leave that stuff to her."
"You're the captain, and you say that?" Dorry said, stroking his beard, intrigued.
Something had changed since their earlier talks. Luffy's presence carried a sharper edge, a palpable intensity. Something had shifted in the hours they'd been apart, and Dorry nodded, sensing it. "What drove you to sea?" he asked.
"To be the Pirate King," Luffy replied.
"Right… I've heard of him," Dorry said, recalling a friend's tale. "The one pirate who shaped this era."
A single man, Gold Roger, had reached the fabled Raftel, claiming the legendary One Piece. A story unheard of in Dorry's time, a feat unmatched. The path was grueling, and Dorry, newly intrigued, pressed further. "It's a brutal road. You really think you can do it?"
"Obviously," Luffy said.
Dorry chuckled. "Bold words."
As he lowered his hand, Luffy clenched his fist tighter. "But I can't do it like this," he said.
"Hm?" Dorry tilted his head.
"The sea's vast, and there are guys stronger than me," Luffy said. "If I don't get stronger, my crew's in trouble. I swore to protect them."
"I see," Dorry said. "That's a captain's resolve."
It wasn't experience, but instinct told Dorry he was right. Sensing Luffy's determination, he raised his sword high. Luffy, shedding all tension, gripped his fist, his conviction shaking the air.
"Kiri's my crew," Luffy shouted. "To make sure she's safe here, I'm gonna crush Crocodile!"
Dorry swung his sword with both hands, a fluid, full-bodied strike cleaving toward Luffy's head. Luffy dodged by a hair, rolling forward, charging beneath Dorry. Pivoting on his right foot, he spun, evading the sword as it carved the earth, kicking up debris like a typhoon.
Rocks and dirt flew, the terrain reshaping under Dorry's onslaught. Luffy, undeterred, stretched his arm, grabbing Dorry's leg. Shrinking it back, he launched himself closer, slipping through Dorry's legs to grab his cape. Dorry spun, but Luffy, clinging to the cape, went unseen, taking his back.
Using the cape, Luffy stretched his arm, recoiling upward to Dorry's face level. Their eyes met as Luffy's fist shot forward, striking Dorry's jaw. "Pistol!" he shouted.
"Ngh!" Dorry grunted.
"Raaagh!" Luffy roared, retracting his right arm and swinging his left fist into Dorry's brow. The impact rocked Dorry's vision, a strange weightlessness hitting him. Luffy pressed on, grabbing Dorry's helmet, piling on attacks.
"Bell!" Luffy shouted, headbutting once, then again with a full-body slam. "Rocket!"
"Guh!" Dorry staggered, his stance faltering.
Twisting his right arm back, Luffy coiled for another strike. Dorry, reacting, raised his shield. "Rifle!" Luffy yelled, his spinning fist hitting Dorry's cheek as Dorry's shield slammed into him. Both attacks landed, sending Luffy crashing to the ground and Dorry toppling backward.
The earth shook, Usopp and Karoo freezing in shock. Luffy, toppling a giant through sheer force, and Dorry, countering impossibly fast—both defied comprehension. Usopp paled, wondering if support was even needed.
Luffy sprang up, charging Dorry again as the giant sat up. Usopp, seeing his chance, aimed his slingshot. Luffy wouldn't stop, so Usopp's role was to create openings, aiding without halting him. "Special Attack: Red Snake Star!" he shouted.
The signal flare, meant for rallying allies, streaked past Dorry's face, obscuring his vision. Not just a signal, it was a tactical blind. Dorry faltered, losing Luffy for a moment. Seizing the chance, Luffy stretched both arms back, slamming his palms into Dorry's stomach. "Bazooka!" he roared.
"Guh—gah!" Dorry gasped.
"Go, Luffy! Finish it!" Usopp yelled.
"Quack!" Karoo cheered.
Usopp's fervor and Karoo's encouragement fueled Luffy, his movements sharper, fearless. He leaped high, looking down at Dorry's massive form—a strange reversal. Dorry's arm twitched, but Luffy struck first, unleashing a barrage. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling!"
Dorry crossed his arms, absorbing the storm of punches. Each blow carried monstrous force, size irrelevant. Pain seared through Dorry, and the relentless assault toppled him again. Luffy landed, leaping for another attack, but Dorry, flat on his back, swung his sword's flat side, catching Luffy mid-air. Unable to dodge, Luffy blocked, but the impact sent him flying.
Pain shot through his arms. No time to brace, Luffy hurtled through the air, bracing for a crash. But something soft caught him—a sphere of paper, expertly cushioning his fall. Opening his eyes, he saw white paper and Kiri on her paper bird.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Captain," Kiri said.
"Hah, Kiri!" Luffy panted. "So—"
"The other one's down," Kiri said. "Just this guy left."
Hovering, their eyes met. Dorry rose, scanning the field. The Straw Hats regrouped, but Broggy was nowhere to be seen—a giant's absence unmistakable. Dorry stood alone, unease creeping in.
"What's this?" Dorry demanded. "Why are you all here?"
"Just as you're thinking," Kiri said, smiling softly. "He's probably stuck right now."
Dorry's face shifted, disbelief warring with realization. As his eyes wavered, Kiri signaled the crew with a glance—an unspoken command to strike.
Her gaze locked onto Dorry, holding him transfixed. They'd found the giants' weakness. A century of dueling had honed them as solo warriors, but as a pirate crew, their synergy was lacking. Focused on individual foes, they faltered when one fell, shaken by the unexpected. Broggy's defeat rattled Dorry more than his own peril.
Provocation was the key. With Dorry's emotions in turmoil, a single word could tip the scales. "Not so impressive, are Elbaf's warriors," Kiri taunted.
"You dare insult my friend?!" Dorry roared, his calm shattering.
Blood rushed to his head, his vision narrowing, his grip on his weapon tightening unnecessarily. The bond with Broggy, once a strength, became a vulnerability. A century of isolation had fortified their resolve but exposed their flaws.
Dorry charged, heedless of his surroundings, fixated on Kiri. Unseen, the crew moved, exploiting his distraction. Usopp hurled oil pellets, their slick contents spreading across the ground. Dorry's reckless step hit the oil, his right foot slipping, throwing him off balance.
A comical stumble left him vulnerable. Sanji seized the moment, rushing the remaining leg. "Sanji!" Luffy called.
"Got it! Jigoro Shoot!" Sanji shouted, kicking Dorry's calf. The leg buckled, lifting off the ground, and Dorry crashed onto his rear, stunned.
Luffy, carried by Kiri, closed in, kicking Dorry's helmet. "Gomu Gomu no Stamp!" he roared. The blow sent Dorry reeling, forced flat onto his back.
"Go, everyone! Grab the ropes!" Usopp shouted, taking charge.
Riding Karoo, Usopp reached Dorry, looping ropes around his outstretched arms and passing them to the crew. No need for full restraints yet—just enough to keep him down. The crew gripped the ropes, pulling as Dorry struggled to rise, confusion clouding his face.
"Pull!" Usopp yelled.
"What—?" Dorry stammered.
Above, Luffy and Kiri ascended higher, diving without hesitation. Dorry, arms pinned, couldn't react. Panic deepened as he watched them descend, helpless.
"Gomu Gomu no—!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arms skyward, falling with maximum force. Kicking off the paper bird, he accelerated toward Dorry, the speed instilling fear.
At point-blank range, Luffy's palms slammed into Dorry's stomach. "Bazooka!" he roared. The impact shook the earth, lifting Dorry slightly, leaving him dazed.
Kiri unleashed all her paper, enveloping Dorry, binding his limbs. His breathing ragged, he struggled, but it was too late. Lying flat, pain coursing through him, Dorry stared at the sky, freedom stolen.
Was this defeat? The thought blurred in his mind. When had he last gazed at the sky like this? Not in a century. Their duels had always ended in draws, victory and defeat forgotten. Now, grounded, he felt an odd calm.
Luffy walked across Dorry's body, stopping near his face. Dorry met his gaze, a faint grin forming. "What now, old man?" Luffy said. "Can't move, can you?"
"Gegyagyagyagya… cough," Dorry rasped. "Yeah…"
Strangely, he felt no bitterness. Was it a good fight? Hard to say. But he refused to be a sore loser. It was a worthy battle, and for the first time in a century, he tasted defeat. Relaxing, he let the tension drain from his body.
"No point fighting it," Dorry said. "I lost… after so long."
He closed his eyes, his voice soft. "We fought a long time… Maybe it's time to stop. Elbaf's gods must've grown tired of our endless duel."
"Shishishi, maybe," Luffy laughed.
"So… it's our loss."
The Straw Hats erupted in cheers, their victory sealed. The century-long duel, though resolved unconventionally, had ended. The fight hadn't taken long, and as night fell, stars twinkled above Little Garden, casting a serene glow over the scene. Perhaps Dorry felt it too—a fitting end to a legendary struggle.
---------------------------------
✨ Want early access to the latest chapters and exclusive content? Support me on Patreon and unlock special perks!
👉 [patreon.com/Greyhounds]