Sword lights intersected as bone shadows and blade glints intensely clashed in the dense fog, the sounds of metal striking metal echoing endlessly.
But anyone with a discerning eye could see that Brook was completely on the defensive; every one of his attacks was perfectly countered, and every defense seemed incredibly difficult.
"Too slow! Too weak!" Ryuma mocked coldly, seizing a tiny opening in Brook's defense, and Shusui finally unsheathed with a fierce draw!
The dark blade light was like lightning tearing through the night!
"One-Sword Style: Ascent!"
Swish—!
Brook had no time to completely dodge, only managing to turn his body slightly, but the sharp blade still slashed fiercely across his ribs, erupting in a dazzling shower of sparks!
"Ugh!" Brook let out a muffled groan, his entire body sent flying backward as if struck by a giant hammer, crashing heavily onto the hillside. His skeleton even bounced a few times, and several of his ribs showed clear cracks!
"Brook!" Luffy cried out anxiously, his rubber arm about to stretch out and rush over.
Nami also gripped her Clima-Tact tightly, "No! At this rate, he'll be shattered!"
Zoro and Sanji also looked grim, ready to intervene at any moment.
"Don't come over!!!"
Brook supported his body with his cane-sword, struggling to stand up again. His voice was hoarse but exceptionally firm, stopping his companions who wanted to help him: "This is my battle! No one is allowed to interfere!"
His hollow eye sockets locked onto Ryuma, and his previously somewhat scattered skeleton straightened once more, a determined aura beginning to coalesce.
"Ryuma! The warm-up is over!" Brook's voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute, do-or-die determination, "Next... I'm getting serious!"
He seemed to be communicating with an invisible system, shouting to the sky with all his might:
"System! Use all the Fear Points I've accumulated—30,000 points! For summoning!!!"
Ding! 30000 Fear Points deducted! Current Fear Points: 0!
The cold system prompt seemed to echo in his mind!
In an instant, the space in front of Brook violently twisted and froze!
A Gate to the Underworld, larger, more majestic, and more terrifying than any before, burst open with a roar!
This gate was entirely composed of cold, eerie blue ice and twisted, wailing skeletons, exuding an extreme chill capable of freezing souls!
Countless tormented, struggling ghost faces were carved onto the gate, and a dense, almost tangible aura of death surged out like a tide, instantly engulfing the entire hillside!
Even the arrogant Ryuma's movements paused slightly, and for the first time, a hint of surprise and uncertainty appeared on his stiff face.
"What is this..."
Brook's ultimate trump card was revealed!
The majestic and terrifying Gate to the Underworld, summoned with 30,000 Fear Points, slowly opened. Behind the gate was not a deep vortex, but a hazy yet incredibly familiar scene.
It was the deck of a pirate ship sailing under the sun, with a group of blurred figures standing on it, exuding a joyful and heroic aura!
Immediately after,
those figures, as if summoned, leaped out of the gate one by one, landing lightly on the hillside beside Brook.
Their bodies were in a translucent, spiritual state, dressed in clothes from decades ago, with the smiles that Brook had longed for in his dreams!
It was the Rumbar Pirates!
All of Brook's companions from when he was alive!
The leader looked at Brook's skeletal appearance, and far from being afraid, he showed a look of immense relief and nostalgia. He shouted loudly:
"Hey! Brook! Long time no see! You old bone, how did you turn into this skeleton? But... it's really great to see you again!"
"We all know what happened to you, but you were too careless. Later, we'll punish you by making you play a song for us."
Another companion waved his fist, full of fighting spirit, and chimed in: "That's right! Brothers! Today is our last battle for Brook! Let this sea remember the name of our Rumbar Pirates once again!"
"Oh—!!!"
All the spiritual forms of the Rumbar Pirates members shouted in unison. Although their voices carried an ethereal echo, their fervent fighting spirit and camaraderie were incredibly real!
"Everyone... everyone..."
They're back, all of them are back!
Brook looked at these companions who had reappeared for him, and though he no longer had tears, the trembling of his soul was clearly revealed through his shaking skeleton!
That longing spanning decades and the hot blood of fighting side-by-side instantly broke through all barriers!
"Yohohoho... Yohohoho...!!!" Brook let out an unprecedented laugh, mixed with sobs and wild joy, "Thank you... Thank you, everyone!"
Surging fighting spirit and emotion erupted from the depths of his soul like a volcano!
The cane-sword in his hand seemed to be infused with new life, emitting a clear hum!
"Hanakauta Sanchō: Arrow-Notch Slash!"
This time,
his sword moves were as fast as lightning, and their trajectory was cunning and sharp. It was as if they resonated with the will of his living companions, and their power and intricacy suddenly increased by a level!
He even forced Ryuma, who possessed shadow-prediction abilities, to temporarily avoid his edge!
"Hmm?!" Ryuma's stiff face showed obvious shock for the first time. He had to truly take him seriously, "Resonance? Breakthrough in battle? Interesting!"
He no longer held back, and the famous sword 'Shusui' was fully unsheathed. Its dark blade, tempered by Armament Haki, had become a black blade, possessing Haki effects!
"But this is as far as it goes! Flying Dragon: Slash!"
The dark slash was like a roaring fiery dragon, instantly crushing Brook's improved sword technique with overwhelming force and sending him flying backward again!
The undiminished slash even swept past the spiritual forms of the Rumbar Pirates members!
"Ugh!" Brook fell heavily, more cracks appearing on his skeleton.
And the spiritual forms of his companions, after suffering the Haki-infused slash, became extremely unstable, flickering on and off like candles in the wind, threatening to dissipate at any moment!
"Everyone!" Brook cried out anxiously.
However, at this moment when victory and defeat were already decided, Ryuma did not pursue.
He stood still, looking at Brook struggling to get up, and then at the spiritual forms of his companions who, even on the verge of dissipating, still shielded Brook. On his cold, stiff face, a... relieved smile, with a hint of warmth, slowly appeared.
"Yohohoho... Yohohoho..." A laugh similar to Brook's, but hoarser and more desolate, came from Ryuma's mouth.
He slowly returned Shusui to its sheath.
"Brook... It is you, and your foolish yet enviable companions... who have made me, long dead, see the meaning of battle again... and feel the weight of bonds... long forgotten."
His body began to emit a soft glow, gradually becoming transparent.
"This battle... leaves no regrets. This awakening... is the true realm of a swordsman..."
"Your shadow... I'm giving it back to you."
Strongest Underworld Summoning System · Brook · Revive-Revive Fruit!