"Hey, what if we hide in an amusement park instead?" Luffy grinned toothily as he ran alongside Meiser. "We've got three days to kill anyway."
"You idiot! Were you even listening to Meiser?!" Nami roared with shark-like fury. "A Marine Admiral is already here!"
With such a terrifying presence targeting their Straw Hat Pirates... how could this fool still be thinking about playing games at a time like this? What kind of brain did this guy even have?
Luffy pouted and turned his head away in protest.
At that moment, a massive figure descended from the sky, landing directly in their path with a thunderous crash.
"Boom!!"
"That guy is..." Zoro's pupils constricted as he recognized their opponent. "One of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
Wasn't this the same Warlord they'd encountered in the Devil's Triangle? Kuma, the Paw-Paw Fruit user!
"Why is he here?!" Usopp screamed in panic. If they got trapped here by this guy, the Marine Admiral might catch up to them!
"This is... really bad," Sanji muttered, his expression grim at the unexpected appearance of a Warlord.
"Hmph, typical of the Warlords," Meiser sneered.
It hadn't been long since they'd taken down a Celestial Dragon, and now a Warlord was here to block their path. How... dutiful of him.
"Prepare for battle," Franky said gravely.
"A Warlord?" Luffy looked around at his crew in confusion. "Why does everyone know him? Who is he?"
"That's Kuma—the one who tried to recruit Meiser into the Warlords!" Nami explained as she drew her weapon, her eyes locked warily on the Pacifista.
Though they didn't know why he'd appeared here, one thing was certain—they'd have to defeat him if they wanted to escape.
"What?!" Luffy's anger flared instantly. "That's the big bear guy?!"
His furious gaze burned into the Pacifista. How dare this bastard try to steal his crewmate? He wouldn't let this slide!
Without hesitation, Luffy activated Second Gear.
The Pacifista coldly scanned the Straw Hat Pirates. "Targets confirmed."
"Executing... elimination."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he raised his arm, aiming the emitter directly at Luffy. A golden glow began gathering at its tip.
"Get out of the way!" Sanji shouted urgently. "It's a Shockwave!"
Back in the Devil's Triangle, that same Paw-Paw Fruit power had nearly knocked them all unconscious in one hit. If not for Meiser...
"Shockwave?" Luffy blinked. What was that?
"Doesn't look like it..." Meiser muttered, eyeing the intensifying glow with suspicion.
He could've sworn Kuma's attacks worked differently.
To launch a Shockwave... at the very least, one would need to compress the air first. But the opponent didn't do that—instead, they calmly raised their hand toward them.
Wait, this doesn't seem like a Shockwave!
Meiser suddenly realized that the glowing object in the opponent's hand looked eerily similar to Kizaru's Laser!
Combined with the fact that the opponent was a Cyborg... it was highly likely they possessed laser-based attacks!
Realizing this, Meiser shouted, "Dodge! It's a laser attack!"
Without hesitation, Meiser grabbed Merry and Chopper, leaping far away. The others, alerted by Meiser's warning, also scattered immediately.
The next moment...
"Whoosh—"
A terrifying laser shot through the spot where they had just been standing, flying toward the empty ground behind them.
"BOOM!!"
"That's terrifying power..."
Sanji broke into a cold sweat as he glanced at the crater left behind. Getting hit by that would mean certain death!
"What's going on? I remember Kuma couldn't fire lasers the last time we fought him," Chopper muttered in confusion. As he spoke, he jumped out of Meiser's grip, his body rapidly swelling into his muscular form. Clearly, he was ready to fight.
"Probably underwent further modifications," Nico Robin speculated. If he could be modified once, he could be modified again—it wasn't that strange.
"His laser attacks are almost identical to Kizaru's," Meiser said quickly after setting Merry down. "Whatever you do, don't get hit."
"Easier said than done... that thing's speed is insane," Usopp groaned. Dodging something that fast wouldn't be easy.
"Instead of worrying about that, focus on how to take him down!" Franky raised his arm, aiming at the Pacifista. "Coup de Burst!"
"BAM!!"
A devastating air cannon slammed into the Pacifista, sending it flying backward until it crashed into a massive tree.
"BOOM!!"
"Did it work?"
"Doesn't look like it..." Franky grimaced. "Tougher than I expected."
No surprise—being a Cyborg surpassing his own modifications, its defenses were terrifying.
"Why isn't he using his Repel ability?" Brook wondered aloud. If he had, Franky's air cannon would've been deflected back at them.
"How should I know? Maybe he doesn't think he needs it yet?"
"Who cares!" Luffy charged at the Pacifista, yelling, "Kuma, you better be ready for this!"
"Jet Bazooka!"
"BOOM!!"
The devastating blow sent the Pacifista flying again, but it quickly stood back up—and before Luffy could follow up, it fired another laser!
"Whoosh—"
"BOOM!!"
"That was close!!"
Luffy flipped backward to evade, breaking into a cold sweat. The laser had grazed past him—a fraction slower, and he would've been hit!
"Although I don't know why this guy isn't using his Paw-Paw Fruit abilities, this... this actually works in our favor!"
Zoro, wielding three swords, rushed to the side of the Pacifista and swung without hesitation!
"Three-Sword Style: 1080 Pound Phoenix!"
"Whoosh~"
"Clang!!"
The sharp Flying Slash struck the Pacifista with brutal force, forcibly interrupting its subsequent laser attack.
"Something feels off about this."
Meiser frowned as he watched the Pacifista endure numerous attacks. "Under normal circumstances, he should've used his Paw-Paw Fruit power to repel himself away."
Even with its incredible defense, there was no reason for it to just tank Luffy and the others' attacks like this.
"I feel the same way."
Sanji also furrowed his brows, sensing that this Bartholomew Kuma they encountered was behaving strangely.
"Whatever, let's just test it out."
As he spoke, Meiser glanced at the distant seawater before dashing toward the shore.
"Though I'd love to use this guy to train my Haki... we don't have time for that right now."
A Marine Admiral could appear here at any moment, so... it was better to try and take this thing down quickly.
After all... this battlefield was advantageous for him!
Sanji blinked in surprise as Meiser left, then quickly understood his intention, grinning. "That's just like him. Nami, you guys get back!"
With that, Sanji charged at the Pacifista, intending to keep it occupied.
At the very least... he had to buy Meiser enough time to activate his Water Release Technique!
"We should fight too—"
"Merry, the best thing we can do is stay out of their way."
Nami scooped up Merry without hesitation and followed Nico Robin toward a distant hillside.
If anything, both she and Robin were long-range fighters—even if they wanted to support, there was no need to get close.
"But we—"
Before Usopp could finish, a laser shot from the Pacifista blasted toward them, sending him scrambling away in panic!
"Boom!!"
"Dammit, my cola's running low..." Franky muttered.
After the earlier battles and the high-powered Coup de Burst he'd just fired, his cola reserves were nearly depleted.
"Go find Merry. She has cola reserves."
"Oh, right!"
Franky remembered and immediately sprinted toward Merry's direction.
Without cola, his combat ability might even fall below Usopp's.
"Three-Sword Style · Demon Slash!"
"Clang!"
"Tch, this thing's way too tough."
Zoro landed nearby, glaring at the Pacifista, which only had its clothes torn. "I can't even cut through it—"
"Bzzzt~"
"Look out!"
Seeing the laser emerge from its mouth, Zoro's pupils shrank as he swiftly rolled aside.
"Boom!!"
"It's not over yet!"
"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"
A barrage of fists pounded relentlessly into the Pacifista, forcing it to stagger backward uncontrollably.
"Devil Wind Leg!"
Sanji's right leg turned crimson as he charged forward at top speed. The moment Luffy stopped his attack, Sanji delivered a powerful kick.
"Hell Memories!"
"BOOM!!"
The devastating kick, carrying scorching heat, slammed into the Pacifista with tremendous force, sending it flying straight into the buildings behind.
"BOOM!!"
"Did it work?" Brook asked as he ran over.
"Not sure..."
Before he could finish, a noise came from inside the building.
"Tch."
Sanji clicked his tongue. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy."
It seemed defeating one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea wouldn't be a simple task.
"Not surprising... after all, he is one of the Royal Seven Warlords," Zoro said, gripping his three swords tightly as he glared at the building. "Don't forget, he hasn't even used his Devil Fruit Ability yet!"
"Good point."
"Tch, we're really being underestimated here."
At that moment, a bright yellow glow suddenly flared from inside the building, growing more intense by the second.
"Look out!"
"WHOOSH—"
"BOOM!!"
A Laser shot out, narrowly missing Brook and nearly setting his Afro on fire.
"You bastard!!"
Brook seethed as the Pacifista emerged. "How dare you mess with my hair?!"
This was the only feature that could make Laboon recognize him. If it was destroyed, what if Laboon couldn't tell who he was?
The thought twisted Brook's skeletal face in fury.
"Humming Three-Verse Arrow-Tail Cut!!"
"SLASH!"
"Now you know my power!"
Brook glared coldly at the Pacifista, whose hair he had just sliced off. "Now you can experience—"
"Hey!"
"At least react a little!"
The Pacifista fired another Laser at him without hesitation, leaving Brook utterly dumbfounded.
This guy was like a robot—completely unresponsive!
"Hissatsu: Atlas Comet!!"
"WHOOSH—"
"BOOM!!"
Several explosive pellets struck the Pacifista, kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured its vision.
Brook used the chance to put some distance between them.
"This guy's way too tough!" Chopper exclaimed.
After all their attacks, there wasn't even a scratch... Was this thing a monster?
"If it weren't, we wouldn't have struggled so much back at Moria's place," Franky said, glancing at the Pacifista after retrieving three cola bottles from Merry. "This thing's durability... is beyond imagination."
For the first time, Franki felt a burning curiosity about its construction.
What kind of metal could possibly be this insanely durable?
"Who cares!"
Chopper immediately transformed into his reindeer form, ready to charge in for a heavy strike—but the moment he saw Meiser rushing back across the seawater, he turned and bolted back.
"Huh?"
Merry gave Chopper a puzzled look. Why was he retreating?
"Meiser's back."
"BOOOOM!!"
As Chopper's voice faded, Meiser charged forward, bringing with him a massive amount of seawater.
"Meiser!!"
"Get out of the way, quick!"
"Kuma, enjoy the taste of the sea!"
Standing atop the water's surface, Meiser clapped his hands together and shouted, "Water Release: Water Surge!"
"BOOM!!"
A torrent of seawater surged toward the Pacifista, forcefully engulfing it.
"Perfect!"
Sanji and Zoro's eyes lit up with excitement. Seawater, upon contact with the enemy's body, would render them powerless!
This way... they'd have a chance to take this guy down!
"Gurgle gurgle..."
"Huh?"
Hearing the strange gulping sound, the two instinctively turned their heads and immediately spotted a figure struggling in the water.
"Luffy!!"
Meiser: "..."
Realizing Luffy had also been submerged, Meiser was utterly dumbfounded.
Why hadn't this idiot used his Rubber ability to grab onto a high tree branch earlier?!
He'd specifically warned them, yet this moron still got hit by the seawater?
With a sigh, Meiser manipulated the water to fling Luffy out, along with Zoro and Sanji.
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
"Cough... cough..."
Luffy lay sprawled on the ground, spitting out seawater, tears welling in his eyes.
"I... I almost thought I was gonna die..."
But no one paid him any attention. The priority now was to take down Kuma!
"Meiser did it! Kuma's been hit by the seawater!" Usopp exclaimed excitedly.
But as soon as he spoke, Usopp noticed something odd. Why... why didn't the guy seem to be in pain?
A several-meter-high wave crashing onto a Devil Fruit user should've weakened them, right?
"This is weird."
Standing on the water's surface, Meiser frowned as he watched the Pacifista thrashing in the current, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
To deal with a Devil Fruit user, he'd specifically brought seawater and submerged the guy in it.
But now... why did he still seem full of energy?
Was it just his imagination?
Just as Meiser was puzzling over this, the Pacifista in the water suddenly moved.
It raised its hands and fired a Laser attack straight at Meiser on the water's surface.
"What?!"
Meiser's pupils contracted. It could still attack while submerged in seawater?
Was this guy really a Devil Fruit user?!
"Whoosh~"
"BOOM!!"
"BOOM!!"
Two Lasers shot out from Kuma's hands, but due to the water's interference, their accuracy was clearly off. They missed Meiser entirely, instead zigzagging wildly.
"Ahh!!"
Seeing the Laser nearly hit him, Chopper was so startled his hat flew off.
If it had been just a bit more off-target, his head would've been gone!
"What's going on? How can he still fire Lasers after being submerged in seawater?"
"Not just that—he didn't even use his Paw-Paw Fruit ability to repel the seawater earlier..."
The more they observed, the stranger it seemed. It was almost as if... the guy in front of them wasn't Bartholomew Kuma himself.
"Heh, I see. So it's a fake." Meiser sneered.
The fact that Devil Fruit Ability Users are weakened by seawater remains unchanged—it's an absolute rule!
The only possibility that the opponent isn't affected by seawater is that they aren't a Devil Fruit user!!
Watching the struggling Pacifista trying to stand up, Meiser muttered, "I wonder if you're Kuma's twin brother or a mechanical weapon created by the World Government..."
If it's the former, that's one thing. But if it's the latter... that would mean the World Government can mass-produce such weapons!
Let's hope it's not the latter. Otherwise, who knows how many more of these monstrosities are out there.
"Zzzzt—"
"Whoosh—"
The Laser from below interrupted Meiser's thoughts and solidified his resolve to eliminate this thing right now.
"Whatever the hell you are... just stay down!"
"Lightning Release: Earth Run!"
"Zzzzt—"
"BOOM!!"
A terrifying surge of lightning struck the Pacifista at an imperceptible speed, sending violent tremors through its body.
Black smoke spewed from its mouth as it shuddered and collapsed.
Clearly, for Cyborgs like them, Lightning Release was the most effective countermeasure.
Seeing the fallen Cyborg, Meiser dispelled the Water Release Technique beneath his feet, allowing the seawater to spread freely.
Then, with a Body Flicker Technique, he appeared above the Pacifista, his fist instantly coated in Armament Haki!
"Armament - Super Strength Fist!!"
"BOOM!!"
The devastating blow shattered the Pacifista's head with sheer force.
"Zzzzt—"
"Zzz—"
After trembling briefly, the Pacifista ceased functioning entirely.