“Sanji, Luffy!” With the two strongest members of the crew down, Usopp’s legs trembled, and he could no longer muster the courage to shoot at Nagato.
“Arm Point, Cloven Roseo!” At that moment, it was Chopper who surprisingly launched a sneak attack from behind Nagato.
However, Nagato turned swiftly, evading Chopper’s attack while grabbing both of Chopper’s hooves with his right hand. “Doctor reindeer, you shouldn’t be fighting me.”
“Ah—so scary!” Chopper’s courage evaporated instantly, and he reverted to his tiny form, slipping out of Nagato’s grip and hiding behind a rock, too scared to poke his head out.
The battle ended swiftly, and its outcome plunged Nami, Usopp, and Chopper into deep fear. With Luffy and Sanji down, were they all going to die here today?
Even Robin couldn’t help but worry. Though Nagato seemed reasonable, his erratic behavior made even his logical arguments feel like mere sophistry. Concerned for her newfound comrades, Robin stepped forward. “Please stop, Mr. Nagato. I can tell you where the Golden Bell is.”
“Damn it!” While none of the Straw Hats could stop Nagato, the Shandians wouldn’t stand for it. The three young warriors, including the heavily injured Wyper, charged at Nagato, shouting angrily at Robin, “Shut up, woman! The Golden Bell is our ancestors’ relic. You have no right to speak!”
“Calm down, all of you.”
Nagato remained motionless, waiting for their attack. But as they closed in, they all froze a meter away, unable to move, then were sent flying back by an invisible force.
Nagato looked in Wyper’s direction and said, “I admire your spirit, but I’m afraid I must take the gold. So, before you act, please consider the gap in our abilities.”
He then turned to Robin. “Go ahead, tell me what you know.”
Robin pressed her right hand against her left arm, a sign of her nervousness, and began, “Earlier, when Enel struck the giant beanstalk with lightning, some stones similar to the Shandora ruins fell…”
“And judging by the direction of the beanstalk, it aligns with the Shandora ruins here. Based on our map of Shandora and Jaya Island, the only possibility is that the force from the beanstalk has pushed the Golden Bell to a higher elevation.”
“A reasonable deduction.” Nagato nodded, then immediately flew up, following the path of the giant beanstalk. In moments, he was a mere dot in the sky.
Whoosh!
With Nagato gone, everyone exhaled, releasing the tension and fear that had gripped them.
Crack, crack~
Behind them, buried stones shifted as Luffy, heavily injured by Nagato’s wind jutsu, climbed out of the rubble.
“Ah—!” Luffy roared, looking around wildly. “Circle Eyes, where are you!”
The Straw Hats remained silent. Freed from the immediate threat of Nagato, they found it hard to summon the courage to face him again. They feared Luffy might get himself killed by confronting Nagato again.
Their silence lasted only a moment, as Nagato soon returned from the cloud sea, bringing down the Golden Bell and its massive golden tower.
Seeing Nagato descend with the enormous structure, weighing possibly a hundred tons, floating behind him, Nami, Robin, Usopp, and Chopper all turned pale.
“Circle Eyes!”
Luffy saw Nagato too, gritting his teeth and charging at him with full speed, his arms stretching back, coiled with rubbery tension.
He roared, “I won’t let you take the Golden Bell!”
Barely able to move, Wyper and the other Shandian warriors, along with the elderly chief, all watched Luffy with wide eyes, praying for a miracle.
But actions and power shape reality, not wishes. And they had no idea Nagato’s resolve was stronger and more steadfast than Luffy’s or the Shandians’.
“Luffy, you think your conviction makes you strong, but it doesn’t.” As he descended, Nagato watched Luffy approach. “Because my conviction is stronger than yours!”
Nagato’s immense chakra, comparable to that of a tailed beast, surged around him like a terrifying storm, nearly knocking Luffy off balance.
“Gomu Gomu no…” Luffy, however, was unwavering, and determined in his resolve.
“Spiral Rocket!”
As Nagato was about to touch down, Luffy, fighting against the pressure, launched his most powerful attack.
“Shinra Tensei!”
A concentrated, intense force met Luffy’s punch head-on.
There was no stalemate. The invisible force crushed Luffy’s punch, the sound of breaking bones audible as Luffy screamed in pain. His rubbery arms were twisted and bleeding, bones protruding through the flesh.
“Luffy!” Nami wept uncontrollably while Usopp and Chopper rushed over to tend to him.
Undoubtedly, the Straw Hats were now Nagato’s enemies. If they survived today, they would seek revenge.
But they didn’t know this was Nagato holding back. His full chakra release was merely a warning. He wouldn’t kill Luffy; he didn’t see a reason to take lives casually, as that would lead to arrogance and eventual failure. Although he disagreed with Luffy’s ideals, he had no reason to kill him.
Ding, dong!
The clear, resonant sound of the Golden Bell echoed through Shandora, across Skypiea, to Angel Island, and down to the Blue Sea and Jaya Island, reaching Mont Blanc Cricket’s ears.
On the beach far below, a man with hair styled like a chestnut smiled, muttering, “So that’s the song of the bell, huh? Not bad.”
Back in Shandora, Nagato turned. “You haven’t committed a crime, so I won’t take your lives. But on your future journeys, open your eyes to this world. There are more important things to pursue than romantic dreams. With great power comes great responsibility. I hope to see your understanding of this one day.”
With that, he walked to the Golden Bell, lifted it, and flew away with it and the massive golden tower.
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