Author here: From now on this Story will feature smaller chapters, I hope this is still as enjoyable as it was until now. Enjoy the start of Zou.
The sea breeze rippled across the massive flank of Zou, the enormous elephant that carried the Mink civilization on its back. The sky was a deepening indigo, heralding a storm, or perhaps something far worse. The air was thick with tension as the Straw Hats prepared for battle. Below them, Jack's fleet had surrounded the colossal legs of the elephant, the creaking of their warships echoing eerily across the waters.
Luffy stood at the bow of the Sunny, his gaze shifting between Jack's approaching ships and his own gathered fleet. This was a different kind of battle—an alliance, a convergence of strength that demanded more than his typical carefree approach. His trust in these allied pirates had limits, but it was time to see how they'd fare under his command.
"Listen up," Luffy's voice, much deeper and resonant now, carried over the gathered ships. His eyes narrowed with fierce determination. "You all want to follow me, right? Then show me you're worth it. Prove that you can stand against the worst of the New World."
A roar of agreement came from the allied fleet, and Luffy sighed, still skeptical. He adjusted his straw hat, looking to the towering figure of Jack, the Drought. The hulking Beast Pirate was already stepping off his ship, a mammoth man clad in armored hide, his eyes gleaming with predatory intent.
"Captain Jack!" one of the enemy shouted. "We'll make these upstarts regret crossing the path of Kaido!"
Zoro, meanwhile, cracked his neck, eyes focused and sharp as he looked over the approaching enemy forces. The loss to Fujitora still sat heavy in his chest—not truly a defeat, but an inability to finish what he started. The thought of it rankled him, made his blood boil. Today, he would release that pent-up frustration. He wanted an opportunity to cross swords with an opponent worth killing—and Jack's pirates were about to provide him that opportunity.
He looked over at the enemy ship that was closest, and grinned—a wolfish, predatory grin that promised death. "Oi, Luffy," he called, resting a hand on the hilt of Shusui. "Mind if I start cutting loose?"
Luffy looked over his shoulder at Zoro and simply nodded. "Go for it. Just don't forget, we're here to win."
Robin stood off to the side, her eyes closed as she flexed her newfound power. The rupture fruit—a terrifying gift she had taken for herself, in hopes of bringing Ohara's vengeance to the very ones who destroyed her home. She created a limb—a giant replica of her hand, blooming like a flower from the deck of the Sunny, surrounded by petals. Her fingers closed, and the air itself seemed to crack, splitting in a jagged line before her. She was growing used to the strange combination of her two powers, and today would be the perfect test.
"Luffy," she said, opening her eyes, "I'll take the ones who try to run." She looked towards the enemy ships with a cold smile. "They won't get far."
Luffy smiled. "Leave it to you, Robin."
The battle commenced with a terrifying clash of powers. Jack roared, his voice echoing across the back of Zunesha, as his men launched forward, each one of them a Devil Fruit user. They transformed—massive animals, bizarre humanoid-beast hybrids, or twisted monstrous forms that made the newer pirates in Luffy's fleet hesitate for a moment.
But there was no time for hesitation. Zoro leaped forward, his three swords glinting in the light. He didn't hold back. Each strike he made was swift, brutal, and absolute. One Beast Pirate—a gorilla-type Zoan—lunged at him, swinging a fist the size of a boulder. Zoro sidestepped, his eyes sharp and focused, and slashed downward with Enma. The blade cleaved through the pirate's arm like butter, and with a twist, Zoro sent a horizontal strike that decapitated the beast-man in one fluid motion.
His eyes glowed with an almost feral intensity. There was no room for mercy today. Today, he would make up for what he had failed to do against Fujitora. Another enemy came at him—this one a serpent Zoan, fangs bared. Zoro dodged and sliced, his swords moving with a lethal rhythm, each cut more vicious than the last.
Robin was similarly ruthless. She spread her arms, creating a giant replica of herself over the enemy ship. "Ruinous Blossoms," she murmured, and her giant hands erupted into existence, covered in dark cracks that gleamed with energy. She brought them down upon the ship, the rupture power shattering wood, metal, and bone alike. The air split as she closed her fingers, and the enemy screamed, their forms twisting as they were torn apart by the sheer force.
Jack's forces fought back valiantly, their experience as warriors showing. They worked in teams, their Zoan forms powerful and well-coordinated, each one backing up the other. But Luffy's allied pirates were no longer the inexperienced crewmen they had been. Under Luffy's guidance, they fell into formation—following his orders, they attacked with precision. Luffy himself remained central, watching the flow of the battle.
"Grand Fleet!" Luffy roared, his voice echoing. "Break them apart! Don't let them regroup!"
The allied pirates responded, their morale lifted by Luffy's presence. They surged forward, dividing Jack's forces and slowly putting them on the back foot. Jack roared again, his massive form standing like an immovable wall. He activated his Sulong form—a transformation meant to end the battle quickly. His body swelled, his power increasing, fur sprouting from his skin as his eyes turned blood red.
The sight of Jack in Sulong sent a ripple of fear through the allied forces. But Zoro only smirked, wiping blood from his blade. "This is getting interesting."
Jack lunged, and Zoro met him head-on, Enma glowing with dark, purple Haki. Their clash sent shockwaves through the battlefield, the very ground of Zou trembling beneath their feet.
From the corner of his eye, Luffy noticed Jack's men turning their cannons, aiming them not at the Straw Hats, but at Zunesha itself. His eyes widened in surprise—were they mad enough to attack the giant elephant? The cannons fired, and the blasts hit Zunesha's legs, causing the massive beast to roar in pain. The ground lurched, and Luffy saw his crew struggling to stay on their feet.
"What the hell are they thinking?" Luffy muttered. He looked towards the sea, his mind calculating. If Zunesha fell, the entire Mink Tribe, the Straw Hats, and their ships would be lost. But Luffy had a plan. Even with his Devil Fruits, he was a proficient swimmer, and his crew could be saved using his enhanced Geppo.
But before he could act on that plan, the air was split by a thunderous roar. The Minks arrived, their Sulong forms glowing white and electric in the dimming light. They were a blur of motion, their strength amplified tenfold by the power of the full moon. They tore through Jack's forces like a storm, their claws and teeth ripping apart the pirates who had dared to attack their home.
Leading them was Inuarashi, the Duke of the Mink Tribe. His eyes blazed with fury, his body covered in lightning as he charged Jack, intercepting the hulking pirate before he could strike Zoro. The two clashed, the impact sending another shockwave through the battlefield.
"We will not allow you to harm our home!" Inuarashi roared. His Sulong form was magnificent, his white fur shimmering with the power of the moon. He landed a powerful blow on Jack, who staggered back, surprised by the force of the attack.
Luffy watched, impressed by the Minks' arrival. He had heard of their Sulong transformation, but seeing it in person was another thing altogether. He smiled, his eyes sharp. "Guess we've got some good allies here after all."
But Jack was not one to be taken down so easily. He roared, his Sulong form matching the power of the Minks. He struck back, his fists colliding with Inuarashi's claws in a clash that echoed across the battlefield.
Luffy jumped into the fray just as Jack gained the upper hand, his massive fist aimed at Inuarashi's chest. "Oi, that's enough," Luffy said, his voice calm but filled with power. He intercepted Jack's fist with his own, the impact of their Haki clashing creating a burst of wind that knocked back the surrounding pirates.
Jack glared at him, his eyes filled with fury. "You think you can stand against me, brat?" he growled.
Luffy grinned, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and anger. "I don't just think it. I know it." He let his power loose, lightning crackling around his body, his muscles bulging with strength. The air around him seemed to ripple, the sheer force of his power causing the ground beneath him to crack.
Luffy unleashed his thunderous power, and a deafening rumble echoed as bolts of lightning cascaded across the battlefield, striking down several of Jack's men who dared to approach. His eyes flashed with a godly intensity that made even the most battle-hardened of Jack's warriors hesitate. He didn't have time for mercy today; anyone who stood against his crew and allies would fall. Luffy's confidence radiated through the field, inspiring his allies and striking fear into his enemies.
Jack shook his head, glaring at Luffy. He was no ordinary opponent, and Luffy could see the hatred in his eyes. Jack lunged forward, his massive fist charged with Haki aimed directly at Luffy's head. But Luffy, unperturbed, sidestepped the blow, his Observation Haki making Jack's movements look almost sluggish. With a swift motion, Luffy grabbed Jack's extended arm, amplifying his strength with the powers of the More-More Fruit.
"More-More Strength x10!" Luffy roared, lifting Jack off his feet before smashing him into the ground, creating a crater beneath them. The earth shook as Jack's immense body impacted the ground, the sheer power of Luffy's amplified strength sending shockwaves that knocked over nearby enemies.
Luffy wasn't finished. He placed a foot on Jack's chest, pressing down with incredible force. Lightning crackled along Luffy's arms, and he looked down at the defeated Beast Pirate, his voice filled with authority. "You should've known better than to mess with us."
Meanwhile, Zoro had become a whirlwind of death, his blades glinting with dark Haki, cutting through Jack's reinforcements. His frustration from his encounter with Fujitora fed his ferocity; each opponent that fell under his swords was a small release of that pent-up rage. His eyes locked onto a group of Beast Pirates trying to aim another round of cannon fire at Zunesha. He sprinted toward them, his form almost a blur.
"Onigiri!" Zoro roared, leaping into the air and unleashing a three-sword strike that cut through the cannons and the enemies manning them in one swift, brutal movement. The cannons exploded, and the pirates were thrown into the air, dismembered by Zoro's Haki-infused blades.
As Zoro landed, he turned to see more enemies approaching. His muscles tensed, ready for more, a smile playing on his lips. "Come on, then. I haven't had enough yet."
Robin continued her assault, her eyes calculating as she practiced her new power. She created a series of gigantic arms that erupted from the ground, each one coated in the energy of the Rupture Fruit. The hands grasped onto enemy ships, the power splitting the very air as they crushed the wood and metal beneath their grasp. Jack's reinforcements screamed as the forces tore them apart, and the ships cracked and sank beneath the waves.
Robin closed her eyes, focusing on her Devil Fruit powers. She could feel the raw potential of the Rupture Fruit, but it was wild, chaotic—a destructive force she had yet to fully control. She brought her arms together, creating a massive wall of limbs that blocked the path of a group of fleeing pirates. "No one escapes," she whispered, the hands splitting into countless smaller arms, each one striking with deadly precision.
The Mink Tribe, in their Sulong forms, continued to battle Jack's forces with ferocity unmatched. Carrot leaped from one enemy to another, her fur glowing white, electricity crackling around her as she moved. Each strike she made was lightning-quick, leaving trails of destruction in her wake.
The leader of the Minks, Nekomamushi, was a force of nature, his massive Sulong form taking on multiple Beast Pirates at once. His claws tore through Jack's reinforcements, his roars reverberating across the battlefield, instilling both fear and awe.
"Hold the line, Minks!" Nekomamushi bellowed, his claws slashing down an opponent, his eyes blazing with determination. "This is our home, and we will protect it with our lives!"
The battle seemed to be turning in favor of the Straw Hats and their allies, but Jack was far from finished. He rose, fury blazing in his eyes as he faced Luffy once again. His Sulong form was battered, but his rage seemed to fuel his strength. He swung his trunk-like arm, attempting to catch Luffy off guard, but Luffy jumped back, dodging the blow effortlessly.
"Is that all you've got?" Luffy taunted, his voice filled with confidence. He lunged forward, his fist crackling with both lightning and amplified strength. "Because I'm just getting started!"
Jack roared, charging at Luffy with all his might. The two clashed in a massive explosion of Haki and power, the force of their impact causing the ground beneath them to crumble. The sky seemed to darken, as if reflecting the intensity of their battle.
Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over them, and everyone looked up. Zunesha, the giant elephant carrying the island of Zou, had begun to move. Its massive trunk swung down, swatting away several of Jack's ships, its roar echoing across the battlefield. The Beast Pirates froze, terror in their eyes as they realized the true danger they were in.
Luffy looked up at Zunesha, a smile spreading across his face. "Guess even Zunesha's had enough of you guys."
With renewed determination, Luffy launched himself at Jack, his fists moving faster than the eye could see. Each blow was filled with the amplified power of the More-More Fruit, and Jack could do nothing but try to defend himself. The ground shattered beneath them, and Jack was forced back, his massive form collapsing under Luffy's relentless assault.
Finally, with one last, thunderous punch, Luffy sent Jack crashing into the ground, his body crumpling under the force. The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the Beast Pirates staring in shock as their commander lay defeated.
Luffy stood over Jack, his chest heaving with exertion. He looked out across the battlefield, his eyes meeting those of his allies. The Straw Hats, the Grand Fleet, the Minks—they all stood victorious, their enemies lying defeated at their feet.
"We did it," Luffy said, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "We protected Zou."
A cheer erupted from the allied forces, the Minks howling in celebration, the Grand Fleet raising their weapons in triumph. Zoro sheathed his swords, a satisfied grin on his face as he looked around at the fallen enemies.
Robin walked over to Luffy, her expression calm but her eyes filled with a fierce pride. "It seems we've won, Captain."
Luffy looked at her and grinned, his eyes filled with determination. "Yeah. But this is just the beginning. We've still got a long way to go."
Robin nodded, her gaze shifting to the horizon. The battle was over, but the war was far from won. They had taken a major step, but Kaido still loomed over them, a shadow they would have to face sooner or later.
For now, though, they had victory. And as the sun began to rise over Zou, casting its light over the battered battlefield, Luffy knew they had taken another step toward becoming the strongest crew in the world.