"Ha Ha Ha Ha! Wahhahah!"
The laughter continued, spreading all around the ship. Luffy clenched his fists, his face was filled with anger and frustration.
"Luffy, it's impossible to catch him. No one can, be it the Devil himself."
Robin said with a solemn expression, she was one of the people who first-hand experienced the disaster named the Devil.
And this Joker was someone directly under that Devil. So she knew that their pirate crew had no chance against Joker.
"So what do we do?"
Luffy asked with expectations but unfortunately, Robin only shook her head.
"You don't have any options, newbies! Hahaha! Follow me and I will help you in getting rid of the Devil!"
* * *
Devil's Home___
In Hell Realm, Erika crossed her arms over her chest and watched the huge monitor display the current progression of EX-7.
EX-7, the seventh strongest experimental subject to have successfully survived and was almost ready to launch.
The first seven subjects, or the Seven Deadly Sins, were specially asked to be prepared by Akuma.
EX-1, Deadly Sin of Lust.
EX-2, Deadly Sin of Gluttony.
EX-3, Deadly Sin of Greed.
EX-4, Deadly Sin of Sloth.
EX-5, Deadly Sin of Wrath.
EX-6, Deadly Sin of Envy.
EX-7, Deadly Sin of Pride.
Each of them were a bonus in the defense of the Devil's Home, not they came with shortcomings.
They were extremely hard to control, and many times had to be restrained.
"How long will it take to activate this creature?"
Asked Erika with an unhurried voice, Hamburg pondered then immediately answered with a smile.
"Few more minutes."
Nodding her head, Erika stayed silent. While the situation wasn't dire, they still wanted to complete everything quickly.
It was because Akuma was deep asleep and if an enemy attacks, there might be losses.
'There's also the important matter of Red Hair Pirates. I hope they bring back victory.'
Thought Erika. Few hours ago, more than half of the pirates were gathered and made to sail out to start a war against the Red Hair Pirates.
They consisted of Devil's Pirates main force: Sphinx, Rocky, Lancelot, Beauty, Brick, Mint and Jimmy.
Devil's Pirates second force, Air Strike: Karen, Chief-in-command; Angel Warriors and the huge floating warship, Motherboard.
Devil's Pirates allies: Hancock and her tribe, King and Queen.
With all of them, it should be only a matter of time before the Red Hair Pirates are wiped out.
'But I am feeling uneasy, why?'
Erika checked all the reports from the beginning and found that nothing was truly wrong.
It was then that a pirate came running in the laboratory and whispered something in Hamburg's ears.
"Oh, so he has come to get vengeance."
Hamburg muttered with a smile and changed the monitor screen with the cameras in the treasury.
The treasury was located in the basement of the King's Castle in the Earth Realm. It was guarded by EX-3.
"This, is that Joker?"
Erika questioned as she watched a figure walk in the hollow and dark passage in the underground basement of the King's Castle.
* * *
The walls were made of hard stones, covered with a thin layer of soil and moss.
The passage was dark and very silent. Joker could hear his footsteps echo and sound as if there was another presence other than him.
"I know you can see me! Come out! Here I am, come to me!"
Joker said with an eager tone, his eyes glowed in red light in the dark. His anticipation wasn't wasted as something moved quickly around him.
It was too fast for him to catch on with his bare eyes.
"J-Joker, w-why h-here?"
The words were stuttering but it wasn't because the individual was scared of Joker, it was actually because it was unable to speak fluently.
"I came to see you man! Here, I brought you some gifts!"
Joker pulled out a bag full of gold coins and threw it before his feets. As fast as it landed on the ground, the bag full of gold coins was hastily picked up.
Clink Clink!
The gold coins struck on each other due to the quick movement and produced metallic noise.
"G-Gift?"
The voice said with confusion, it didn't expect for Joker to suddenly show his face here in the basement and bring it gifts.
What could be the reason?
"W-What d-do y-you n-need?"
It asked with a hesitant tone. Joker grinned and shifted his eyes from one angle to another.
He still couldn't see anything because there was almost no light in the passage.
"I am in need of that weapon which can kill the Devil!"
* * *
"What! That bastard!"
Erika gritted her teeth in anger, her eyes were bloodshot. Hamburg distanced himself from her.
"Get this thing started! I want all the Seven Deadly Sins on Joker, now!"
Erika shouted angrily, her dreadful aura burst out of her and spread around the laboratory.
All the researchers, scientists, pirates and captives felt their body go numb.
"Okay everyone, activate the Seven Sins Program! Let's see what they can do!"
Hamburg exclaimed with a shine in his eyes. His mind played multiple situations in a flash.
[Activating Seven Sins Program!]
The monitor went blank, then a line appeared on it indicating the start of the Seven Sins Program.
EX-7, which was lying on the metal bed, suddenly jolted and its eyes opened.
"Ehhaaahhh!"
It roared with its red eyes, its huge body stood up from the metal bed and looked towards the battle axe which was glowing in red magma.
It lifted the axe and dashed out of the laboratory smashing everything in the path. Even Erika was impressed by its power.
The monitor now displayed seven split screens, each playing from the eyes of the Seven Deadly Sins.
One of which was, EX-3, it was looking at Joker from behind the wall pillars of the passage.
Due to the program activation, it felt something overwriting its entire nervous system.
The feathers on its arms extended and also were sharpened. It took on a posture then launched itself towards Joker from the back.
Boom!
It hit on the hard walls, and the entire King's Castle shook violently.
"A-Ah! J-Joker! Die Joker!"
It was beyond itself that its stuttering also stopped and the words were clear now.
"Hehe! I obviously expected something like this to happen but to get the Seven Sins Program activated, I am truly honored."
Joker's voice resonated in the passage but his figure wasn't present. EX-3 widened its own eyes and glared around the passage.
Then it suddenly sprinted and clawed behind the space of a pillar.
Splash!
Warm blood dyed on the walls, EX-3 brought its claw near its mouth and licked it.
"You are injured, Joker."
EX-3 could identify the blood easily. Joker hid behind the pillars, shifting his body continuously.
'Damn it! EX-3, if only you had no special eyes!'
Cursed Joker, he held his left shoulder which had three long and deep cut wounds from EX-4's claws.
Every EX was strong, each one had a special trait about itself. EX-4 had special eyes, which could see any movement.
Even if it's invisible. It could also see the future, and much longer than anyone in the entire world.
'I don't have much time, the other Deadly Sins should be on their way to me. Quick, rookies!'
While Joker distracted all the attention towards himself, the Straw Hat Pirates were also tasked to do various things.
Particularly Luffy, Zoro and Sanji. They were tasked to steal the weapon that could kill Akuma.
The weapon, it was a longsword found by a pirate years ago in the depth of the sea treach.
After finding the sword, it was taken and brought to Akuma for inspection.
While Akuma checked the sword's sharpness, he was surprised to find it dangerous. Yes, Akuma was threatened by the longsword.
It could cut him as if he was a thin piece of paper.
Maba, before he got out of the hypnosis, wanted to destroy it but Akuma ordered for the sword to be locked in the treasury.
Only the important people knew about this. Joker had never entered the treasury so he couldn't use his devil fruit ability.
But if he gets his hands on the longsword, he could easily kill Akuma with just a simple swing of his hand.
Boom!
A portion of the King's Castle was blown away, Joker leaped on a piece of rock in the air and narrowed his eyes.
He saw a shadow flash towards him. Joker shifted himself with a pebble on the ground not far from the King's Castle.
Thud!
EX-3, landed on the ground before Joker. Its weird, humanoid body with feathers on the body showed itself under the bright sun.
Boom!
Then, Joker heard and felt multiple sounds around him. Six more creatures came and surrounded him together with EX-3.
Seven Deadly Sins!