The horizon around Drum Island had transformed into a nightmare of naval power that defied comprehension. Hundreds of ships of every conceivable size and design now dotted the surrounding waters, creating an impenetrable blockade that stretched as far as the eye could see. From massive galleons bristling with cannons to sleek pursuit craft designed for speed and maneuverability, the assembled fleet represented the full might of Baroque Works' criminal organization.
"This is impossible," Sanji breathed, his cigarette falling forgotten from his lips as he stared at the overwhelming display of force. Even during his years working at the Baratie—a floating restaurant that attracted all manner of dangerous customers—he had never witnessed such a concentration of hostile ships in one location.
The sheer scale of the operation spoke to resources and coordination that went far beyond what any typical pirate crew could muster. This wasn't a random encounter or opportunistic attack—it was a meticulously planned military operation designed to ensure absolute victory through overwhelming numerical superiority.
"How many people are out there?" Nami asked, her navigator's instincts automatically calculating distances and positions even as her mind reeled from the tactical impossibility of their situation.
"At least five thousand," Zoro replied grimly, his experienced eye assessing the threat level with professional detachment. "Maybe more. Every ship is fully armed, and they're positioned to prevent any escape route we might attempt."
The bounty hunters aboard those ships represented a cross-section of the Grand Line's most desperate and dangerous individuals. While few knew their ultimate employer's true identity as a Shichibukai, they understood the simple economics of their situation: successful completion of this mission would result in enormous financial rewards, while failure meant likely death at the hands of their employers.
Each ship flew identifying banners that indicated their place in the Baroque Works hierarchy—numbered agent crews, local affiliate groups, and independent contractors all united under a single command structure that had taken years to establish.
Aboard the Going Merry, the crew struggled to process the emotional whiplash of their situation. Moments earlier, they had been sharing a beautiful farewell ceremony filled with hope and new beginnings. Now they found themselves trapped in what appeared to be an inescapable death trap while mourning fallen friends.
Chopper's small hands trembled as he applied the final layers of bandages to Usopp's shoulder wound, his medical training warring with the emotional trauma of seeing his first real combat injury. The bullet had torn through muscle and grazed bone, creating damage that would require weeks of careful treatment to heal properly.
Meanwhile, Princess Vivi cradled Igaram's lifeless body with desperate tenderness, her royal composure completely shattered by the loss of her most loyal protector. The man's naturally curly hair was matted with blood, and his eyes stared sightlessly at the sky above.
"Igaram," she whispered, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face. "You promised you'd help me save Arabasta. You promised you'd be there when father stepped down and I took the throne. You can't leave me now—I don't know how to do this without you."
Her words carried the weight of someone confronting not just personal loss, but the crushing responsibility of an entire kingdom's fate resting on her shoulders. Igaram had been more than a retainer—he had been her mentor, her confidant, and the closest thing to family she had outside the royal bloodline.
"We were supposed to infiltrate Baroque Works together," she continued, her voice barely audible. "We were supposed to expose Crocodile's plans and save our people. How am I supposed to face them knowing that my mission got you killed?"
Nami approached carefully, recognizing the dangerous spiral of guilt and despair that was consuming the princess. "Vivi, look at me," she said firmly, placing steady hands on the other woman's shoulders. "Igaram died protecting you because that's what he chose to do. He believed in your mission and your ability to save Arabasta. Don't dishonor that sacrifice by giving up now."
The navigator's words carried pragmatic wisdom born from her own experiences with loss and responsibility. "Your father is still waiting for you. Your people are still counting on you. If you die here, then Igaram's sacrifice means nothing."
Slowly, painfully, Vivi began to regain some measure of composure. She gently closed Igaram's eyes with trembling fingers, then leaned down to place a final kiss on his forehead.
"I, Nefertari Vivi, princess of Arabasta, swear by the blood of my ancestors that your death will be avenged," she declared with growing strength. "The Shichibukai responsible for this atrocity will answer for his crimes. Rest now, old friend—your duty is complete, but mine is just beginning."
The crew's attention was suddenly drawn to an impossible sight unfolding on Drum Island's distant shore. Where Eren's body had fallen, golden electrical arcs were beginning to dance across the snow-covered ground like living lightning. The phenomenon started small—isolated sparks that could have been mistaken for reflections of sunlight—but rapidly intensified into a spectacular display of supernatural energy.
"What the hell is that?" Zoro demanded, his hand instinctively moving to his sword hilts as he stared at the growing electrical storm.
Luffy was the first to understand what they were witnessing. "Eren!" he shouted with explosive joy. "He's not dead! Look—his body is glowing!"
The golden arcs multiplied and intensified, wrapping around the apparently lifeless form like a cocoon of pure energy. The electrical discharges created patterns that seemed almost organic in their complexity, as if following some predetermined blueprint for reconstruction.
Then, without warning, a massive bolt of golden lightning descended from the clear sky above, striking the exact spot where Eren had fallen with earth-shaking force. The impact sent shockwaves across the island's surface while the brilliant flash temporarily blinded anyone looking directly at it.
When their vision cleared, an impossible sight greeted them.
A twenty-meter-tall humanoid figure was slowly rising from the crater left by the lightning strike. The Attack Titan's distinctive pointed ears and lean muscular frame were unmistakable, but the creature's emergence from apparent death defied every understanding of biology and physics that the crew possessed.
Streams of golden energy continued to flow around the titan's form, highlighting the rapid regeneration of flesh, bone, and nervous tissue from seemingly nothing. The process was simultaneously beautiful and terrifying—a demonstration of power that transcended normal Devil Fruit abilities.
The Attack Titan's green eyes opened with predatory intensity, scanning the surrounding waters with tactical awareness that immediately identified every threat within visual range. When the giant's gaze fell upon the assembled Baroque Works fleet, a low rumble emerged from deep within its chest—not quite a roar, but a sound that promised devastating violence for anyone foolish enough to provoke it further.
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Van Augur exclaimed from his position on the enemy flagship, his sniper's scope focused on the resurrected titan. "I put three rounds directly into his vital organs! No one survives injuries like that!"
Aboard Crocodile's command ship, the assembled criminal leadership watched Eren's resurrection with varying degrees of shock and fascination. The sight challenged their understanding of Devil Fruit capabilities and raised uncomfortable questions about their tactical assumptions.
"What manner of Zoan-type ability allows resurrection from fatal wounds?" Nico Robin mused, her archaeological knowledge providing no comparable examples from historical records. "This goes beyond simple zoan transformation."
Her curiosity warred with tactical concern as she watched the Attack Titan complete its emergence from the lightning-scarred crater. The creature's size alone made it a formidable opponent, but its apparent immunity to conventional weapons elevated the threat to an entirely different level.
"Could it be a Mythical Zoan?" she continued, thinking aloud. "The rarity would explain why we have no documented cases, but even Phoenix Marco's regeneration requires him to survive the initial damage. This appears to be true resurrection."
Blackbeard's laughter echoed across the water as he observed their target's dramatic return from the dead. "Zehahahaha! Even better! A Devil Fruit that powerful will serve my purposes perfectly. Imagine the possibilities if I could claim that ability for myself!"
His crew shared their captain's excitement, though for different reasons. The promise of facing such a unique opponent had their battle-hungry instincts reaching fever pitch.
"Boss Teach," Jesus Burgess called out while performing warm-up exercises that made the deck groan under his feet, "let me be the one to test that giant's strength! I want to see if he can take a real punch!"
"Patience," Blackbeard replied, though his own anticipation was clearly building. "We'll all get our chance to play with the monster. But remember—I want Straw Hat Luffy alive for my own purposes."
Crocodile had remained silent throughout this exchange, his analytical mind processing tactical implications while his subordinates prepared for combat. The resurrection ability complicated their mission significantly, but he had built his criminal empire by adapting to unexpected circumstances.
"All units, maintain formation," he commanded through his Den Den Mushi communication network. "The giant's size makes him an obvious target, but don't underestimate his mobility or regenerative capabilities. Focus fire and coordinate your attacks to overwhelm his defenses."
His voice carried the authority of someone who had commanded armies and toppled kingdoms through strategic thinking rather than brute force. "Remember the objective: eliminate all witnesses except the reindeer. No one leaves this island alive."
On the distant shore, the Attack Titan had completed its assessment of the tactical situation and reached an obvious conclusion. With thousands of enemies positioned between his friends and open ocean, conventional escape was impossible. The only viable option was to remove them from the immediate danger zone while he engaged the hostile forces directly.
The titan bent down with fluid grace despite its massive size, extending both enormous hands toward the water where the Going Merry bobbed helplessly among the encroaching enemy ships. Its fingers, each the size of a full-grown human, slipped beneath the ship's hull with surprising delicacy.
"Everyone hold on!" Luffy shouted with characteristic enthusiasm, his rubber arms stretching to secure loose equipment while his crew scrambled for handholds.
The sensation of being lifted by a twenty-meter giant was unlike anything they had ever experienced. The Going Merry rose from the water with stately dignity, supported by hands that could have crushed it to splinters but instead cradled it with extraordinary care.
"This is incredible," Chopper breathed, his reindeer instincts simultaneously thrilled and terrified by the unprecedented experience. "I never imagined anything could be this powerful!"
The Attack Titan straightened to its full height, holding the ship against its chest like a precious treasure. From this elevated position, the crew could see the full scope of the enemy fleet—hundreds of ships arranged in concentric circles that stretched to the horizon in all directions.
Without further delay, the titan began moving toward shore with ground-eating strides that covered vast distances in seconds. Each footstep sent shockwaves through the island's surface, but the creature's gait remained smooth enough to prevent its passengers from being thrown around too violently.
The journey to shore took less than a minute, though the psychological impact felt far longer. When the Attack Titan finally set the Going Merry down in a sheltered cove several kilometers inland, the crew found themselves in an surreal landscape of snow and stone that felt like a different world entirely.
Steam began rising from the titan's nape as Eren emerged from his connection to the massive form. He slid down the creature's muscular arm with practiced ease, landing gracefully in the snow before his amazed friends.
The transformation back to human form revealed the true extent of what had transpired. Where fatal bullet wounds had torn through his body mere minutes earlier, unmarked skin now showed no trace of injury. His clothes had been completely restored, and even his energy levels appeared undiminished despite the massive expenditure required for resurrection and titan summoning.
"How?" Chopper asked, his medical mind struggling to process what he had witnessed. "Those bullets hit the vital organs. Even with the most advanced medical treatment, those injuries should have been instantly fatal."
Eren's eyes narrowed, his voice low but steady. "My power… it isn't something I can explain with rules or logic." He leaned forward, the weight of his conviction pressing through every word. "When I turn into a titan, I'm standing in a place that isn't fully alive, but not dead either. As long as I refuse to give up, no matter how many times this body is destroyed, I'll keep coming back. Death doesn't matter. My will is all that matters."
The explanation was deliberately vague, skirting around the complex metaphysics of his true nature while providing enough information to satisfy immediate curiosity.
"The important thing," he continued, "is that we're facing an enemy force that came prepared for a massacre. Thousands of bounty hunters, coordinated by some of the most dangerous criminals in the Grand Line. If we're going to survive this encounter, I'll need every advantage available."
His gaze shifted to Chopper's medical supplies, specifically focusing on the small bag containing the reindeer's experimental enhancement drugs. "I need to borrow some of your Rumble Balls. My titan abilities are powerful, but they may not be enough against these numbers. If I'm going to become the monster necessary to protect everyone on this island, I'll need to push beyond normal limitations."
Chopper's eyes widened with alarm as he processed the request. "Eren, you can't! Rumble Balls are specifically designed for Zoan-type Devil Fruit users, but they're incredibly dangerous even under controlled conditions. Taking more than one within a six-hour period can cause permanent physical damage!"
The little reindeer's medical training warred with his desire to help their defender. "If you take three or more, you could lose conscious control entirely and transform into something that can't distinguish between friend and enemy. The Monster Point I achieved during my testing nearly destroyed half of Dr. Kureha's laboratory!"
Eren accepted the bag of Rumble Balls with steady hands, his expression reflecting grim determination rather than reckless bravado. "I appreciate the warning, and I'll be careful. But look around us, Chopper—we're facing annihilation if I can't match their firepower. Sometimes the only way to protect what matters is to become something frightening enough to make your enemies reconsider their life choices."
His words carried the weight of someone who had made similar impossible decisions countless times before. "I've learned to control monsters before. I won't let this one control me."
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