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After landing a precise strike to Franky's chest, Ulti deftly snatched the Pluton blueprints from his grasp. Franky collapsed to the ground, his expression one of disbelief. Shaking the blueprint in her hand triumphantly, Ulti turned and strolled back to her group with a pleased smirk.
"Hey... Franky?... You b*****d!!" Luffy's voice roared, filled with anger and defiance.
Whoosh!
A sudden rush of air sliced through the tension as a stretched rubber fist hurtled toward Ulti from behind. Reacting instantly with Observation Haki, Ulti dodged to the side, avoiding the rapidly approaching attack with ease.
"This pervert has nothing to do with you, right?!" Ulti barked, her irritation flaring as she glared at Luffy. "Or are you saying... you want to fight?!"
"Of course he has something to do with me! He's my friend, you b*****d! I'll never let you get away with this!" Luffy shot back, his voice unwavering, his fury written all over his face.
Though Franky had bullied Usopp earlier, Luffy had come to understand Franky better after hearing his story and seeing his passion for his craft. To Luffy, that was enough to consider him a friend—and potential crewmate.
Luffy's usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by his fierce resolve: anyone who hurt his friends or made them cry would face his wrath.
"Chopper!" Luffy shouted sharply.
"Eh?!" Chopper jumped in response before quickly running to Franky's side. Kneeling next to the fallen shipwright, Chopper examined him closely. "He's a cyborg!" Chopper exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic. "How am I supposed to treat that?! But... it looks like aside from his mechanical parts, his injuries aren't life-threatening."
Hearing this, Luffy let out a quiet sigh of relief. Still, his clenched fist didn't loosen even a fraction. His anger remained, simmering beneath the surface.
Sensing his captain's tension, Usopp stepped in front of Luffy, raising his hands in caution. "Don't rush in, Luffy! These guys... they're part of the Four Emperors' crew!"
Usopp's voice carried a weight of seriousness that made the others pause. His gaze lingered on the distinctive markings visible on some of Ulti's group. While the rest of the Straw Hats might have missed their significance, Usopp, well-read on current events, recognized them immediately.
The symbols belonged to one of the New World's most powerful forces—a kingdom that soared the skies, blending dreams and raw strength. The crew standing before them belonged to the forces of a Four Emperor.
Page One, standing nearby and wearing his own mask, chuckled dryly. "Well, at least one of you isn't completely clueless. I suppose there's some hope for this team after all."
"Four Emperors?!" Luffy repeated, his gaze locking onto Ulti with renewed determination. "If that's true, then there's no way I'm backing down now. I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King!"
Luffy remembered the stories Ace had shared when they were young, explaining the Four Emperors: the strongest pirate crews ruling the New World. To achieve his dream of becoming the Pirate King, Luffy knew he would have to face and surpass all of them.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
Luffy clenched his fist, stretching his arm back to its limit before launching it forward with tremendous force. The speed of his attack was like a bullet, aimed straight at Ulti.
But with the foresight granted by Observation Haki, Ulti easily dodged the strike, tilting her head just enough to avoid it. Her hand shot up, grabbing Luffy's extended arm as it whipped past her.
With strength that defied belief, she pulled, using the momentum to send Luffy hurtling toward her like a rubber yo-yo snapping back.
"No matter what king you claim to be, the only one worthy of ruling the seas is Lord Alex!" Ulti shouted, her voice sharp and filled with conviction. "You're just a scrappy little brat playing pirate!"
Channeling advanced Armament Haki with destructive precision, Ulti's head struck downward in a brutal headbutt aimed directly at Luffy's skull.
BOOM!
The ground cracked violently as Ulti's head created a massive crater over ten meters wide. The surrounding structures of Franky's house crumbled and were blown apart by the sheer force of her attack.
Smoke and dust filled the air, gravel scattered in every direction, and the scene was one of utter devastation.
With a contemptuous scoff, Ulti shook her hand to brush off the dust. Retracting her fist, she glanced down at Luffy, whose eyes had turned white as he lay unconscious in the rubble.
"At this level, and he dares to claim he'll be some kind of king," she sneered.
What made the situation even more insulting was that she hadn't even used her full strength—her Devil Fruit abilities had remained completely dormant. The freezing power of her fruit could have ended the fight instantly, but Ulti had opted for brute force alone, eager to knock him out with her fists.
Despite her disdain, Ulti didn't deal a fatal blow. She was aware that the Straw Hat boy had a connection to "the plan," and for that reason, she'd held back, ensuring he was only unconscious rather than seriously harmed.
The battle had ended faster than anyone could have anticipated.
"Luffy!" Enel yelled, his voice full of anger. In a flash, he darted forward, swinging his staff-like weapon at Ulti with a ferocious speed.
Clang!
The attack was effortlessly blocked by Page One, who stepped in front of his sister.
"What?! Impossible!" Enel gasped, his pupils narrowing in disbelief. His strike was powerful enough to bend steel, yet Page One had raised his hand and deflected it as if it were nothing.
"Ah?! You dare to hit my brother?!" Ulti growled, her temper flaring once again. Without hesitation, she unleashed another attack, this time targeting Enel's abdomen with a strike infused with Armament Haki.
Her speed was overwhelming, so fast that even Enel, with his Observation Haki, couldn't evade in time.
Boom!
A low, reverberating shockwave echoed as the blow landed with crushing force. Rather than sending him flying, the impact shattered Enel's composure completely. His staff slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground, and his body crumpled as he lost consciousness.
As the dust settled, Ulti, who moments ago had been a rampaging force of nature, turned back into her usual cheerful self. She ran over to Page One, throwing her arms around him with a bright smile. "Pay-tan! I knew you wouldn't let me down. That's why I love you so much!"
Watching the scene, Kuina spoke up. "We've got what we came for. There's no need for any more unnecessary fighting."
She turned her gaze toward the remaining conscious members of the Straw Hats—Chopper, Usopp, and Sanji. "I trust you all agree."
Chopper and Usopp frantically nodded their heads, desperate to avoid further confrontation. Sanji, however, remained silent, his expression serious as he stared at Kuina.
It was clear to everyone present that if it came down to a fight, any member of Ulti's team—except perhaps Lami—could have easily taken out the remaining Straw Hats. Yet the group's varied personalities had influenced the outcome: Nami and the others had avoided fighting to preserve the lighthearted mood of their shopping trip, while Yamato and Zoro hadn't been interested in engaging with such weak opponents.
Only if a skilled swordsman had been present might Zoro have bothered stepping in.
The team from the sky kingdom left without another word, their presence a lingering shadow over the Straw Hats.
Once they were out of sight, Chopper and Usopp exhaled deeply, the pressure they'd been holding onto finally lifting. Both collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
"Sanji, are you okay?" Usopp asked, glancing at his silent companion, who was still staring in the direction the others had gone.
"I'm fine," Sanji replied, taking a long drag from his cigarette. A wistful look crossed his face. "It's just... one of those women looked a lot like that Marine adjutant who chased us through Alabasta. Couldn't help but admire her for a bit."
"You b*****d!" Chopper yelled in frustration, biting down hard on Sanji's leg. Sanji yelped in pain but didn't retaliate, instead calmly exhaling a plume of smoke.
Chopper then quickly moved to check on the fallen. He began tending to Luffy and Enel's injuries, as well as the still-unconscious Franky, who had been out cold since the beginning of the fight.