"Gear Second!"
In an instant, Luffy burst out from a shroud of white mist, his body quickly turning red.
The entire momentum of his being underwent a drastic transformation.
Witnessing this scene, Arlong and the others were left awestruck.
To be honest, they had momentarily forgotten that Luffy possessed the reward from the live screen as well.
But ignorance breeds audacity!
In Arlong and his comrades' minds, Luffy's victory against Moria relied on his ability to absorb countless shadows and enlarge his body parts and enhance his strength.
As for the red, fog-emanating Gear Second before them, they had little knowledge of its true strength, thinking it was just another ordinary technique.
"Charge! Take them down!" Arlong commanded, brandishing his shark-toothed knife and leading the charge.
His companions followed suit, launching an assault on Luffy and Zoro.
"Hmph."
A faint smile curled on the corner of Luffy's lips.
Ever since he acquired the power of Gear Second, he sensed a significant boost in his strength.
Yet, there hadn't been a chance to truly test its might in battle—until now.
"Zoro, keep an eye out but don't intervene!" Luffy instructed.
Zoro nodded in agreement. "Certainly."
"Nami, from this day forward, you are free, and Orange Town will be rid of the Arlong Pirates once and for all!"
"Pay close attention!"
With these words, Luffy shot forward in a blur.
Nami felt a surreal sensation as she watched Luffy and Zoro before her. A rush of emotions she had bottled up for years threatened to burst forth, held back only by her sheer willpower.
The wait had been long, but finally, her patience paid off.
Luffy, in Gear Second, moved at an astonishing speed, almost teleporting in the eyes of onlookers.
In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between him and Arlong's crew.
"Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling!"
Luffy's fists hammered away relentlessly, the punches so rapid that they created a barrage of afterimages.
This incredible force and terrifying velocity pummeled Arlong's group like a furious tempest.
Boom!
They were sent flying, bloodied and unconscious, crashing through houses and walls.
As the dust settled, Arlong and his men lay motionless, eyes rolled back—clearly defeated.
Nami gazed at this spectacle in disbelief. Just how strong was her Captain?
Luffy, having settled the confrontation, approached Nami and extended a hand to her, kneeling on the ground.
"Though we're crewmates by the broadcast's standards, I want to ask formally: Nami, will you join us and become my crewmate?"
In the sunlight, a young man in a straw hat offered his hand.
Zoro, who stood behind him with a trio of swords at his side, wore a warm smile.
Overwhelmed by emotion, Nami's eyes welled up with tears as she nodded enthusiastically.
Though no words were spoken, her actions spoke volumes.
...
[With the defeat of the Trial of the Ball's priest, Enel showed a glimmer of interest.]
[Surveying the empty island, he understood that the Blue Sea people who had arrived this time were unlike any before.]
[Whether he had confidence in his own strength or simply wanted to alleviate his boredom, only he knew.]
[Enel refrained from immediately summoning thunderbolts to obliterate Luffy, the Straw Hat Pirates, and the Shandians.]
[Instead, he released the remaining three priests to act without restraint, tasked with eliminating all who defied the gods.]
[The three priests bowed to Enel before departing.]
[Cutting to another scene, the three priests returned to the forest.]
[Meanwhile, Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp arrived at the Sacrificial Altar.]
[There, they encountered the battered Merry and the bandaged Chopper.]
[During this time, Robin had deduced that their current location was real earth, most likely ejected by the power of the Knock Up Stream.]
[This place held not only secrets of lost history but also a vast treasure buried beneath the surface.]
[As Luffy and his crew continued on their journey, they crossed paths with the Shandians, initially mistaking each other for enemies.]
[Fortunately, they soon realized their mistake and parted ways.]
[With the Shandians heading toward the forest and Luffy's group resting for the night, their paths diverged for now.]
**********
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