Chapter 122: Forest Night Talk and the Hyena's End
Late night on Jaya Island, damp mist and the chirps of unknown insects filled the deep jungle.
To find the "South Bird" that points the way, the Straw Hat crew decided to draw lots and split into groups.
The result was predictably chaotic: Luffy and Chopper's group was less about catching birds and more about a forest adventure, as the two were running all over the mountain chasing a giant Beetle.
Zoro, unsurprisingly, had already started walking in the wrong direction before even beginning, disappearing into the bushes.
Sanji and Usopp were a team; while Nami was unlucky enough to be paired with Clay.
"Why do I have to be with a bird..."
"Coo-coo-ga-ga! Big Sis, if it's about finding a bird, Master Clay can handle it easily!"
Nami held Clay, looking at the two figures walking side-by-side not far away, her eyes full of resentment.
Those were Tatsuya and Robin.
In the dark jungle, the two walked one behind the other, moving with perfect synergy.
Tatsuya walked in front, casually swinging his longsword to cut through the poisonous insects and thorns blocking the way.
Robin used her Hana Hana no Mi ability to clear threats from the flanks.
"Tatsuya-san."
Robin broke the silence, looking at the boy's back in front of her, her eyes flashing with a searching light:
"You seem to believe deeply in the existence of 'Sky Island'. Why is that?
"And... you seem to know many things that even I don't know."
From the secrets of the Underground Tomb to the current Sky Island, this man was like a fog.
"Because this world is bigger than you think, Miss Robin."
Tatsuya didn't turn around, casually cutting a thick vine, his tone flat but meaningful:
"The sea is vast, but the sky is even broader."
He stopped, turned his head, his black eyes appearing exceptionally deep under the moonlight:
"Since you can't find the answers you want on the earth... have you ever thought that the poneglyph you're looking for might be in the sky?"
These words were like a sharp blade, accurately hitting Robin's weak point.
Robin's pupils contracted sharply, and her breath hitched for a moment.
She stopped and her voice became low and serious:
"Who... exactly are you?"
Tatsuya just smiled. Just as he was about to answer, a sudden noise came from the bushes ahead.
"Damn it! You strange bird! Don't run!!"
Zoro was seen chasing a funny-looking bird, dripping with sweat.
The South Bird flew while making mocking sounds, leading the directionally challenged swordsman in circles.
"Looks like we're in luck."
Tatsuya's fingers moved slightly, and several nearly invisible steel wires instantly laid a dragnet through the woods.
"Ninja Art: Manipulated Shuriken Technique."
"Gah?" The South Bird was about to mock Zoro when it found itself flying headfirst into an invisible net, tied up like a zongzi and falling to the ground.
"Done." Tatsuya held the bird, shaking it at the bewildered Zoro, "Follow us, Zoro. Don't get lost this time."
Zoro snorted coldly. "Lost? I'm just following my intuition."
...
Meanwhile, on the east coast of Jaya Island.
Taking advantage of the Straw Hat Pirates' main force being in the mountains to catch birds, Bellamy, who had suffered a great humiliation from Tatsuya earlier that day, brought his Bellamy Pirates to Cricket's hut under the cover of darkness.
"Since I can't beat that red-eyed monster... I'll take my anger out on you dream-chasing fools!"
Bellamy's face was covered in bandages, his eyes malicious.
A bottomless act of violence played out in the night.
To vent his rage, Bellamy brutally injured Mont Blanc Cricket and the two Shoujou brothers.
He also plundered all the gold pieces that Cricket had painstakingly collected over ten years of diving.
"This is the price of dreaming! Hahahaha!"
...
At dawn.
When the Straw Hat crew returned to the shore with the South Bird, high in spirits, they were greeted by a scene of devastation.
Broken planks, burning embers, and Uncle Cricket lying in a pool of blood, dying.
"Uncle!!"
Chopper rushed forward to provide emergency aid.
Seeing his friend's tragic state and the empty gold bag, Luffy lowered his hat, falling into a deathly silence.
"Why?"
Robin stood beside Tatsuya, watching the tragic scene, and couldn't help but ask softly:
"You're so powerful, why didn't you foresee this last night?
"With your caution, you should have expected that hyena would come for revenge, right?"
Tatsuya leaned against a broken wall, looking at Luffy's terrifyingly grim back, showing no surprise.
"Some fights... must be fought by the Captain himself."
Tatsuya pulled out a Kunai and spun it on his fingertip, a cold light flashing in his eyes:
"This is a war about 'dreams'. It only has meaning if Luffy personally crushes that guy's twisted logic."
"And..."
The corner of Tatsuya's mouth curled into a cruel arc:
"If that hyena died at my hands... that would be too easy on him."
Luffy took a sip of water without a word, stood up, and turned to walk toward Mock Town.
"Luffy! We have to catch the sea current!" Usopp shouted.
"I'll be right back."
Luffy's voice was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable Haki.
...
Mock Town, in the center of the street.
Bellamy was holding the stolen gold, laughing wildly in front of his subordinates, mocking the dreams he had trampled underfoot.
"Bellamy!!!"
A roar interrupted his revelry.
Luffy stood at the end of the street, expressionless.
"Oh? Isn't this the coward who didn't dare fight back?"
Seeing Luffy, Bellamy gave a sinister smile, "What? Come to get your gold back?"
"Spring Hopper!!"
Bellamy's legs turned into springs, bouncing frantically between the buildings on both sides of the street, getting faster and faster.
He turned into a blur that was hard to see with the naked eye, the wind he generated even shattering glass.
"Do you see? This is the power of reality! A dreamer like you can't even touch me!!"
Bellamy laughed maniacally, using his extreme speed and momentum to launch a lethal blow from high above towards Luffy:
"Die!! Spring Snipe!!!"
Facing the whistling attack.
Luffy stood his ground, not moving an inch.
He just slowly clenched his right fist.
In that moment, although there was no obvious black coating, a heavy will wrapped around his fist.
"If it's you... I think I can throw this punch."
Luffy punched out suddenly.
No fancy moves, just pure power and anger.
"BAM!!!!"
Luffy's fist accurately slammed into the face of the rapidly charging Bellamy.
Time seemed to stand still.
Bellamy's facial bones shattered instantly, and he, along with his "Theory of Realism," was slammed into the ground by this single punch!
"BOOM!!!"
The earth cracked, and dust rose everywhere.
When the dust cleared, everyone clutched their mouths in horror.
Bellamy's eyes rolled back, his body twitching, deeply embedded into the ground.
On his face and the ground beneath him, Luffy's angry fist print was clearly imprinted.
One punch.
Instant kill.
Luffy picked up the gold pieces that had fallen to the ground, didn't even glance at the loser at his feet, and turned to leave.
The man who once mocked the existence of Sky Island had now, along with his arrogance, become a complete joke.
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