...
In no time at all, the group of fully armed baboons was completely subdued by force. Beaten black and blue with lumps all over their heads, they lay piled up together like a small mountain.
In the forest, Perona hid her body inside the bushes, leaving only her head with pink twin-tails exposed as she observed Allen's crew eating dinner.
"To think they could defeat those baboons in the forest, these guys are pretty tough."
Perona blinked, and then the corners of her mouth curled up smugly. "Too bad. In the face of my abilities, all strength is futile."
With a cute wave of her small hand, two ghosts floated out from behind her.
Beside a campfire, several figures sat gathered together.
The Nyaban Brothers were gorging themselves on meat, completely unaware that two ghosts had quietly drifted to their sides and were silently watching them.
It wasn't until Nami looked up and accidentally caught a glimpse of the two ghosts that her face immediately turned green. Trembling, she raised her hand.
"Bu... Buchi, Sham... behind you..."
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Nami's reaction, everyone was taken aback for a moment before slowly turning their heads to follow the direction of her finger.
The next second.
"Pfft—!!"
The moment they saw the two ghosts, Sanji and the others' eyes bugged out of their heads. Jaws dropping to the ground in shock, they screamed:
"It's ghosts!!"
The Nyaban Brothers turned green with fright. Their eyes rolled back, and they fainted on the spot, collapsing to the ground.
"Urgh..."
(Souls ascending to heaven)
After scaring the Nyaban Brothers into a dead faint, the two ghosts turned to look at the remaining people and swooped straight toward them.
"Watch out!"
Sanji shouted, and everyone quickly reacted. Although they didn't know what these things were or what they were trying to do, they instinctively leaped backward.
The two ghosts pursued them.
Seeing the entities closing in, Sanji gritted his teeth and unhesitatingly launched a kick.
However, an astonishing scene occurred.
Sanji's foot struck the target, but it felt as if he had kicked empty air. There was no physical contact whatsoever; his leg passed through the bodies of the two ghosts without any resistance!
*Thud.*
Sanji's feet landed back on the ground.
Under the astonished gazes of Nami and the others, he blankly dropped to his knees. Propping himself up with his hands, he let out a despondent sigh in a low, gloomy voice:
"If there is a next life, I'd rather be a kappa..."
"What's wrong with you, Sanji?!"
"What did those things just do?!"
Seeing the bizarre phenomenon unfold before them, Nami and the others cried out in panic.
"Damn it...!"
"I don't know what's going on, but they're definitely enemies."
Gin and Killer's eyes narrowed as they drew their weapons. Spinning their tonfas and scythes at high speeds, they each stepped forward and charged at a ghost.
"[Demon Tonfa: Chaotic...]!"
"[Sonic: Hunt...]!"
Their voices abruptly cut off as the bizarre scene played out once more. Their weapons passed through the ghosts without any obstruction, and then the ghosts phased right through their bodies.
*Thud.*
The two landed on the ground and blankly dropped to their knees. Propping themselves up with their hands, they lined up next to Sanji, their expressions utterly depressed and hollow.
"As a human being... how can I be such a failure..."
"I'm completely too ashamed to face anyone... I just want to hide my entire body in a suit of armor..."
"Gin! Killer! How could this happen?"
Nami was truly panicking now. She glanced back, only to realize that Allen had disappeared at some point.
"Those things don't seem to have physical bodies. Be careful not to let them touch you, Nami. Try a different attack."
Robin hurriedly warned, lowering her hands and interrupting the ability she had just been preparing to use.
Nami snapped back to reality. She quickly pulled three short rods from her collar and assembled them into her Clima-Tact. With a loud shout, she pointed one end of the Clima-Tact at the ghosts.
"In that case, let's try this!"
"[Miracle Weather: Lightning]!!"
*Boom!!*
Two bolts of lightning were instantly discharged, passing right through the ghosts and striking the trees, igniting a raging fire.
"No good? Then take this!"
Refusing to give up, Nami gritted her teeth and manipulated the Clima-Tact to unleash another ability.
"[Miracle Weather: Violent Tornado]!!"
*Boom!!*
A violent tornado erupted from the Clima-Tact, surging forward to instantly engulf the ghosts. Its momentum remained undiminished as it blasted into the forest, tearing down a large swath of trees with destructive force.
When the tornado gradually dissipated, Nami narrowed her eyes and looked over, only to see the two ghosts still floating in the air. They stuck out their long tongues and waved their hands up and down in a provocative manner.
"It's completely useless...!"
Now Nami was in a full-blown panic. Blunt strikes and slashes didn't work, and wind and lightning were ineffective. For a moment, she couldn't think of any other offensive methods to use.
Robin's expression was equally grave.
Judging from how Sanji and the others had reacted, once touched by the opponent, one would immediately fall into a negative state and lose their combat capability. This meant that her abilities couldn't be used on them either.
It was completely unsolvable...
"Horo horo horo... Don't waste your energy. No matter what methods you use, they are meaningless before my ghosts."
Accompanied by a light and cheerful laugh, a cute, gothic lolita figure drifted out from the forest, floating in the air while holding a burgundy umbrella.
After confirming that this group of pirates posed no threat to her, Perona finally revealed herself. She looked down at Nami and the others with a giggling, haughty expression and asked:
"I am now commandeering your ship. Which pirate crew are you, and where is your next destination?"
"Your ghosts? I see, so you're an ability user."
Nami realized what was going on and immediately demanded, "You created those ghosts with your ability, didn't you?"
"Horo horo horo... That's right. I ate the Hollow-Hollow Fruit and became a ghost human. I can create ghost clones to fight for me, just like this."
*Snap!*
Perona introduced herself smugly. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers, and several mini ghosts with round heads resembling octopuses emerged from her body, floating lightly toward Nami and Robin.
"[Kamikaze Ghost: Bomb]!!"
*Boom!! Boom!!*
With Perona's sharp cry, the ghosts violently detonated right in front of Nami and Robin, instantly engulfing them in fierce flames!
"Boss Nami! Sis Robin!"
"Damn woman, open fire and take her down!"
"Ignore the ghosts, attack her real body together!"
Seeing this, the pirates erupted in anger. Wielding swords and raising guns, they furiously charged forward while unleashing a frantic barrage of machine-gun fire and rockets.
However, a despair-inducing scene unfolded once again. Swords, spears, halberds, bullets, and artillery—no matter what kind of attack it was, it simply passed right through Perona's body.
In contrast, Perona merely waved her hand, sending dozens of ghosts darting rapidly across the battlefield. In just a few moments, a large number of pirates lost their will to fight.
Retreating from the explosion in a disheveled state, Nami looked gravely at Perona floating in the air.
Just as everyone felt utterly powerless against the situation before them, a voice suddenly rang out from the forest.
"Stop. Your attacks are useless against her. That's just an astral projection. Her real body is right here."
"Allen! Thank goodness, you're finally back."
Hearing the familiar voice, Nami looked over in pleasant surprise and saw Allen walking out of the forest, carrying a figure over his shoulder.
Looking closely, that person was dressed exactly the same as the Perona floating in the air!
Seeing this, the astral Perona's eyes instantly bugged out of her head. Her jaw dropped in shock as she screamed,
"Ehhh!!!"