"Did we… actually win?!"
Usopp stared at the fallen Pacifista, his voice trembling with excitement. "Did we beat it?!"
"Looks like it," someone replied.
"YES!!"
Cheers broke out among them. That bear-like monster had finally been taken down!
"…What the hell is that thing?"
Zoro frowned, staring at the wreck. "A modified human?"
"Something like that," Franky said. "A cyborg that looks exactly like Bartholomew Kuma."
He figured it was either Kuma's twin… or someone with an identical appearance.
After all… cloning technology shouldn't exist in this world.
"It has a serial number."
Jin appeared beside them in a flash, pointing at the body. "PX-4."
"…Which means there are probably more like it."
"Four?"
"So it's not a twin…" Franky muttered, frowning. "How did the World Government even find people who look alike?"
"…Cloning?" someone suggested.
"Impossible!" Franky snapped. "Cloning technology doesn't exist!"
He'd rather believe they found similar-looking individuals.
"Then who knows."
Jin shrugged.
"…So it wasn't the real Kuma," Luffy muttered, adjusting his hat. "Does that mean we beat the wrong guy?"
"Not really," Zoro said. "Even if it wasn't him, it was still an enemy."
After all… it came here to kill them.
"Yeah… fair enough."
"We should leave," Sanji said, scanning the surroundings. "That much noise will attract attention."
"Agreed," Jin nodded. "The Marines probably already know we're here."
If these Pacifistas could communicate…
Then their location had definitely been exposed.
"Then let's go, hurry!" Nami urged.
Just thinking about more of those things made her uneasy.
If they got surrounded…
And an Admiral showed up…
That would be the end.
"Let's move, head to—"
Jin suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
His gaze shot upward.
"…Tch. Of course it wouldn't be that easy."
"What is it?"
The others followed his line of sight—
Two massive figures stood atop a tree branch.
"…Damn it."
"They're here again…"
"No time to breathe, huh…"
The Straw Hats tensed instantly.
"Hmph. You noticed us," the man above said. "Not bad… Blood-Eyed Ninja."
He glanced at the destroyed unit below.
"You brats really did a number on it. PX-4… destroyed."
He leapt down alongside another Pacifista, landing beside the wreck.
"What a loss…" he muttered. "Each Pacifista costs as much as a warship."
"And you destroyed one already…"
His gaze sharpened.
"That thing… is called a Pacifista?" someone asked.
"So it's a mass-produced weapon?" Jin frowned.
If each one cost a warship…
Then as long as the World Government had money—
They could produce them endlessly.
"…That's bad."
"They didn't bring a whole army… right?" Chopper asked nervously.
"Not that I can see," Jin replied.
"…That's a relief."
"A whole army?" the man scoffed. "You think too highly of yourselves."
Then he smirked.
"With me here… and soon, my uncle will arrive."
"And that uncle… is Admiral Kizaru."
"Who are you?!" Usopp demanded.
"…Sentomaru."
"…Wait, you just said your name," Usopp blinked.
Sentomaru froze.
"…Tch."
"That was because I wanted to say it!"
Jin: …
"…This guy's an idiot too."
"…Maybe we can get more out of him."
"Sentomaru," Jin called.
"What?"
"What exactly are these Pacifistas?"
"I told you, I'm the tightest-lipped man in the world—I'd never tell you they're biological weapons developed by Vegapunk!"
"Oh… so it is Vegapunk," Robin said calmly.
"…Damn it."
Sentomaru's face darkened.
"PX-1, attack!"
"ACKNOWLEDGED."
The Pacifista raised its hand—
"BOOM!!"
Lasers tore through the area.
"AHH!!"
"My clothes!!" Chopper cried as his outfit got blasted.
"We don't have time for this!" Nami shouted.
"Jin, what do we do?!"
Jin paused—then said:
"Nami. Create storm clouds."
"…Got it."
She immediately pulled out her Clima-Tact and began.
Meanwhile, explosions continued to tear up the battlefield.
Sentomaru frowned as he looked at the forming clouds.
"…That looks like Egghead's climate system…"
"But she's doing it manually?"
Soon—
Dark storm clouds formed overhead.
"Luffy," Jin said, "take everyone and go."
"…What nonsense are you talking about?" Luffy snapped.
"I'm not leaving you behind!"
"YOU IDIOT!" Jin roared. "USE YOUR BRAIN!"
Luffy: ???
"…Oh!"
"I get it!"
"Shut up!" Usopp clamped his mouth and dragged him away.
"We'll leave it to you!"
The others followed.
Meanwhile—
The Pacifista tried to intercept them.
But—
"Not happening."
"BOOM!!"
Jin's kick sent it flying.
"…Haki," Sentomaru muttered, his face darkening.
"No wonder PX-4 lost."
"…You're strong."
"But it doesn't matter."
"There are two Admirals on this island."
"…Two?"
Jin's pupils shrank.
"…You weren't supposed to say that."
"…Who's the second?"
"I'm not telling you it's Akainu!"
"…So it's Akainu."
"…DAMN IT."
Sentomaru lunged.
"Palm Strike!"
"CLANG!"
The two clashed—
Jin used the force to retreat.
"…You have Haki too," Jin noted.
"Of course," Sentomaru replied coldly.
"…Then let's end this."
Jin raised his hand.
Lightning crackled.
Above—
The storm roared.
"RUMBLE—!!"
A monstrous shape formed within the clouds.
Sentomaru's hair stood on end.
"…Lightning Style…"
"Too late."
Jin smirked.
"Lightning Style… Kirin."
"ROAR—!!"
A colossal lightning beast descended from the heavens.
The sky itself was consumed by blinding light.
"…Damn it!!"
Sentomaru hardened his body with Haki.
Then—
At the last moment—
A golden flash appeared.
"WHOOSH—!"
A man kicked Sentomaru away—
Saving him from the direct hit.
Standing calmly before the descending lightning—
He murmured:
"…How scary."
"BOOM!!!"
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