Raphael: <>
System: []
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"Luffy! Come here quickly!" Uta's urgent voice cut through the quiet, jolting Luffy from his drowsy state. He had been lounging in his cabin, his eyelids heavy as he scrolled through his phone, savoring a rare, peaceful moment on the small boat with four people on it.
It had been two weeks since the crew left Orange Town, a stopover that had proven as dull as it was unproductive. To pass the time since then, Luffy had pushed his crew through rigorous training, insisting that every downtime was an opportunity to master the new skills. When he wasn't leading drills, he'd catch up on One Piece, a soft smile playing on his lips as he saw the storyline finally reach Elbaph.
But today, with Syrup Village on the horizon, he had decided to take it easy, slouched in his cabin, letting his mind drift, until Uta's call broke through.
He rushed outside, squinting against the morning light. "What's wrong, Uta? Why are you yelling like that?" he asked.
"Look... over there," Uta murmured, her brows furrowed as she pointed to the sky.
Luffy's eyes followed her finger. A dense column of smoke was rising over Syrup Village, black and ominous against the clear sky. His eyes widened in shock as he realized the entire village was engulfed in flames.
"What the hell..." he muttered, his mind racing to assess the situation. By now, Zoro and Kuina had joined them, their gazes fixed on the blazing village, waiting for Luffy's command.
Without hesitation, he turned to his crew, a plan already forming. "Alright, keep the ship heading straight to the village. When you get there, help as many people as you can."
Kuina's eyes narrowed as she sensed his intention. "And you? What are you planning to do?"
Luffy grinned, a spark of determination lighting up his face. "Me?" He strode over to the edge of the ship. "I'm going ahead," he replied, his voice laced with a thrilling confidence. Then, without another word, he leaped overboard.
Uta, Zoro, and Kuina rushed to the side of the boat, breathless as they watched what happened next. Luffy had conjured a sparkling, crystalline platform beneath his feet, hovering just above the ocean's surface. With a steady stance, he tilted forward, riding the platform like a surfboard as he sped toward the distant flames, a trail of veridian glistening crystals formed behind him.
******
The wind lashed against Luffy's face as he surfed across the ocean, his intense gaze locked on the inferno engulfing Syrup Village, and thick columns of smoke spiraled into the sky with every second.
As he got closer, his frown deepened even further as he noticed that almost all the buildings in the village were consumed in blinding orange and red. His heart hammered at the sight, and he forced himself to focus as he leaned forward, urging his crystalline platform to go faster, knowing any delay could mean the difference between life and death for the villagers trapped in the chaos.
The shoreline finally came into view, and Luffy didn't slow down as he neared the edge. He launched himself from his platform, landing with a skidding halt on the burning streets, his feet barely making contact with the scorched earth before he sprang into action. Summoning a crystal platform beneath him, he gained a bird's-eye view of the devastation, his ears filling with the desperate cries of villagers. Families clutched each other in fear, huddled together as they shielded their children from falling embers and crumbling structures, eyes darting in frantic desperation toward the distant beach.
Luffy clenched his fists, feeling adrenaline rush through his body as his crystalline ability activated. He extended his hands and conjured a wide, sturdy barrier of crystal in front of a group of villagers cornered by the flames. With a powerful thrust, he sent the shield forward, parting the flames just enough to create a clear escape route toward the beach.
"Move through there!" Luffy shouted over his shoulder. "Keep your heads down and stay together!"
The villagers looked at Luffy with wide eyes, their faces streaked with soot and fear. But soon, the heat and distant cries brought their minds to the present as they got up on their feet and shielded their young as they scrambled through the temporary safe passage Luffy had carved for them.
Once he saw them clear of the flames, Luffy turned his attention back to the blaze, eyes darting across the village as he searched for his next target. A rush of heat drew his gaze to a row of homes to his right, their frames trembling under the onslaught of the flames, moments from collapse. With a swift motion, Luffy summoned a pillar of crystal that shot up to brace against the weakening structures. The crystal snaked its way around the houses, reinforcing the wooden frames as the support beams groaned under the pressure.
"Everyone inside, get out now!" he shouted urgently.
The doors swung open, and villagers poured out in a rush. Among them was a teenage girl gripping the hand of an elderly woman. The girl clung tightly to her as she hurried past Luffy, pausing only long enough to look up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, breathless but grateful.
Luffy managed a reassuring grin, wiping sweat from his brow. "Head down the main road. My friends are there to help you from there!"
As the pair ran toward the beach, a sudden crackling sound rang out from above, too close for comfort. Luffy's head snapped up just in time to see a massive section of a burning roof breaking free, plummeting toward a mother and the child in her arms.
At that moment, before Luffy's mind could even register what was going on, his body moved on its own. With a quick motion, he shot a thick, domed shield of crystal over them, catching the falling debris before it could strike. The flames smoldered and hissed against the protective dome, but not a single ember reached the two huddled beneath.
The girl's expression morphed from terror to astonished relief as she looked up at the gleaming crystal shield protecting her. Luffy gave a quick wave, dissolving the dome as soon as they were clear. Once making sure that they were safe, he sprinted deeper, toward the heart of the village, where the flames only seemed to grow fiercer with each passing moment.
With every step, Luffy conjured a path of glittering green crystals underfoot, propelling him forward as he navigated the fiery landscape. Each turn seemed to reveal another building on the verge of collapse or another family desperately clinging to hope. At one point, a powerful wave of heat seared the air just inches from his face as a nearby house erupted into flames. Reacting swiftly, he sent a volley of crystal shards into the blaze, slicing through it and quelling the flames as the crystal absorbed their intensity, slowly extinguishing it.
A faint, muffled shout rose above the noise—a child's voice, barely audible over the crackling fire. Turning, Luffy spotted a small boy clinging to a window frame, his tiny form barely visible through the thick plumes of smoke surrounding him. Without hesitation, Luffy summoned a spiraling crystal column that extended up to the window's height. He leaped onto it, swiftly closing the distance between himself and the child.
Gently but urgently, he helped the boy onto his back and carefully descended the crystal structure, setting him safely on the ground. Dropping to one knee, he looked the boy in the eyes. "Where's your family?"
The boy coughed, tears streaking his soot-covered cheeks. "My mom... she's at the bakery. I tried to find her."
Luffy felt a pang of concern but kept his expression calm. "Don't worry. I'll get her. You head down the road, okay? My friends will make sure you're safe."
He ruffled the boy's hair before racing in the direction of the bakery. It didn't take him much time to find it, though, as even if half-burned, he could still make out the large sign on the outside of a small shop.
The bakery was a smoldering wreck by the time he arrived, half of its walls were blackened, flames licking their way up to the roof. Through the smoky haze, he could just make out a faint figure slumped by the doorway. Without hesitation, he willed a layer of crystal to coat his skin, bracing himself against the stifling heat as he charged into the burning building.
Inside, the heat was unbearable, the air thick with smoke and ash. Luffy pressed forward, reaching the unconscious woman and lifting her onto his shoulder. His path to the exit was obscured by flames, but with a swift motion, he created a crystalline pathway across the floor, extinguishing the fire with each step as he made his way back outside.
As they emerged into the open air, he gently set the woman down near a fountain, where the cool spray helped revive her. She stirred, opening her eyes with a weary but grateful expression.
"You...you saved me," she managed, her voice hoarse from the smoke as she coughed out the soot and ash.
Luffy nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. "Rest here. Help's on the way."
He glanced around, spotting a man leading a group of survivors toward the beach. Waving him over, Luffy passed the woman into his care and explained where she could find the rest of his crew. With one last look to ensure they were headed to safety, he took a steadying breath and pushed onward.
Just then on the horizon, where he could make out the silhouette of a grand structure which he deduced was the Kaya Mansion. Realizing this he quickened his pace and soon enough arrived there.
The once beautiful wooden mansion was engulfed like the rest of Syrup Village, even its lush gardens were now little more than smoldering patches of fire. Quickening his pace, Luffy arrived at the broken front gates, their charred remains lying across the pathway. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged forward, stepping through the mansion's entrance. Inside, he froze, taking in two alarming details.
First was the disheveled appearance of the living room with outlines of missing paintings imprinted on the walls and the drawers of cabinets were left open, their contents ransacked. Trinkets and valuables had been stolen, scattered remnants hinting at the haste of whoever had raided the mansion. But what gripped Luffy's attention most lay in the center of the room: a slender man with lamb-like curls sprawled lifelessly on the floor, his body surrounded by a thick pool of blood.
Luffy knelt down, checking the man's pulse, only to feel the cold, unmoving skin beneath his fingers. "Damn it…" he muttered, narrowing his eyes as a single name passed through his mind. Kuro. Gritting his teeth, he tore his gaze from the tragic sight, knowing he had to locate the mansion's owner. He concentrated, spreading his Observation Haki to scan for any sign of life, and soon detected a faint signature coming from the upper floor.
In an instant, he was up the stairs, moving with urgency as he spotted a pile of fallen debris blocking a doorway. Without missing a beat, he raised his hand, summoning his crystalline powers to clear the rubble, and burst into the room. Inside, he found a young, frail-looking girl lying unconscious on the floor, her pale blonde hair splayed around her. Recognizing her as Kaya, Luffy rushed to her side and gently shook her.
Her eyelids fluttered open, her gaze unfocused as she took in his unfamiliar face. "Who…?"
"No time for introductions!" Luffy interrupted, helping her to her feet. "This whole place is about to come down; we need to get out, now."
The urgency in his voice must have jolted her memory because her eyes widened in recognition and fear. She took a step back, studying him with apprehension. "Are you…with Kuro?" she whispered, recalling her caretaker's betrayal just before he'd knocked her out.
'This girl... why would I have told the truth even if I was with him,' Luffy sighed, resisting the urge to face-palm. "No, I'm not," he replied bluntly. "I'm here to help you, but we don't have time for small talk. Let's go!" He gripped her arm gently but firmly, guiding her as the sounds of creaking beams and collapsing wood grew louder around them.
As they hurried downstairs, Kaya's eyes fell on the body in the living room. Her face paled, and she took a trembling step toward him, reaching out for him but was stopped by Luffy.
"I'm sorry, but he's gone," Luffy informed her with a grave and solemn expression on his face.
Kaya's face crumpled, and she let out a quiet sob as tears streamed down her cheeks, her legs nearly giving way beneath her. Luffy quickly steadied her, lending his support as he guided her toward the exit.
Just as they reached the mansion's entrance, Kaya suddenly stopped, her expression filled with panic. "Wait! I have to go back!" Her voice was tinged with desperation.
Luffy whirled around, his brows furrowing. "Are you insane? This place is a death trap! Why would you go back?"
"My…parents' picture," Kaya stammered, her voice breaking. "It's the last thing I have left of them—I can't lose that too!"
"Kaya! This place could collapse any second! That picture isn't worth risking your life over!" Luffy clenched his fists, a hint of impatience flickering in his gaze. "If you go inside now, there's a high chance that you'll get crushed under that thing alive!"
"I don't care!" Kaya yelled at him meeting his gaze, her tear-filled eyes blazing with a determination he hadn't expected. "I need that picture!" she said fiercely, her usual gentle demeanor gone, replaced by an intensity that surprised him.
Luffy paused, then let out a long sigh. "Fine. Wait here," he said, exasperation mingling with understanding. "I'll get it for you."
"No!" Kaya denied, shaking her head. "I can't allow you to risk your-"
"Shut up!" Luffy said, coming off as unintentionally harsh, making Kaya flinch a little. "You can't even walk on your own, so stop being stupid and just tell me where it is?"
"I-In my study," Kaya explained. "It's the last room on the second floor."
"Understood," Luffy said, and before she could say anything else, he was already sprinting back inside the house.
Kaya watched with a mix of fear and anticipation, her heart pounding as she waited by the crumbling gate. Every passing second felt like an eternity, and then—CRASH! A deafening creak filled the air as the mansion began to collapse in on itself, the entire structure reduced to a heap of rubble. Kaya's eyes widened in horror, and she dropped to her knees, the reality of the loss crashing over her like a wave.
"No…" she whispered, her voice thick with grief. "First Merry…then my home, my village…and now…" Her voice broke, and sobs wracked her slender frame as she buried her face in her hands, guilt, and anguish weighing on her heavily.
But just then, the ground beneath her rumbled, and a massive crystalline arm burst forth from the earth, its sparkling green surface gleaming in the firelight. The crystalline fingers unfurled, and there, crouched on the palm, was Luffy, grinning despite his ragged breaths. In his hand, held carefully and untouched by flame, was the picture frame she had been willing to risk her life for.
[Congratulations! Petrosapien Ability Pack 50% Mastery achieved! Crystal Make unlocked!]
To be continued...
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