"Heh, alright, I'll give you some credit—Zoro, you're pretty tough," Luffy chuckled, giving him a playful grin.
A vibrant green glow enveloped both of them, healing their wounds and restoring their gear to pristine condition. At the same time, two new soldiers materialized behind Uta.
"So this is… where Luffy gets all his combat experience," Kuina murmured, hand resting on her sword, her blood boiling with excitement. Even though she was a girl, she couldn't suppress her desire to jump into the fray herself, to convert her skills into raw, battle-ready strength.
If she had combat experience like this, Luffy wouldn't stand a chance!
She turned to Uta, "Uta, I want—"
But Uta cut her off, her face slightly flushed and muttering under her breath, "That guy's just trying to look cool. As if he could actually beat me… Kuina, watch this! I'll put Luffy in his place for you!"
Kuina noticed that Uta's breathing seemed a little unsteady, almost like she wasn't really mad.
With a flick of her wrist, Uta commanded ten note soldiers to take flight. They hovered like divine guardians, gazing coldly down at the earth below.
"Another wave?" Zoro glanced up at the airborne knights, noticing that their spears were pointed directly at Luffy. A flash of panic crossed his face—was he a target too?
"Wait a sec, Uta, maybe change the rules a bit…" Luffy gestured in a plea, knowing he'd need to go all out if he was facing ten of these soldiers at once.
But Uta didn't seem to hear him. One of the soldiers had already set its sights on him, spear at the ready for a dive attack.
With a resigned sigh, Luffy flicked his thumb against the hilt of his sword, catching the handle in his right hand as it slid free from its sheath.
Iron Body!
He was just about to use his tried-and-true technique when an ethereal melody echoed across the landscape. The notes seemed to float in the air:
Where does this breeze come from…
Luffy blinked in confusion, glancing at the girl who was now fully absorbed in her song.
Is Uta… getting serious?
In her dream world, Uta didn't need to sing aloud to activate her musical powers, but when she did, it meant she was cranking her Devil Fruit ability to the max. Every summoned creature would receive a boost from her song.
The piece she sang was "Where the Wind Goes," a melody she practiced often. It lasted precisely four minutes and thirty-two seconds.
And during that time…
The eyes of the note soldiers glowed red as their power surged. The first soldier, poised to attack, accelerated, becoming a blur of motion.
"Well, fine…" Luffy glanced at Zoro, who was staring up in awe and terror at the colossal soldiers descending upon them, shields raised and spears aimed to strike.
"Facing one of them is tough enough… how are we supposed to handle ten?"
Are Devil Fruit users really this terrifying?
"Stay back for now," Luffy instructed Zoro. "You're just getting past the tutorial level."
Zoro swallowed, watching Luffy stand firm with his blade ready.
"You… really crave power, don't you?"
Zoro nodded, too stunned to answer, his eyes fixed on the boy with the steady blade.
"Then, have you ever seen true strength?" Luffy's arm was enveloped in Haki, which surged down to the blade.
The first soldier closed in, diving like a shooting star.
Ten soldiers—was it better to block or evade?
Luffy didn't have much time to decide, but he'd already set the scene with Zoro. The atmosphere had reached a point where he couldn't afford to back down.
He tightened his grip on the blade, focusing intently on the descending hawk-like soldier.
Iron Body…
He adjusted his stance, lowering his blade while twisting his wrist upward.
His mind raced through the sword techniques he'd learned.
Can I pull it off? An attack while using Iron Body…
Exhaling, he held his breath in his lungs, every muscle taut.
Increase weight… increase…
His legs sank into the sand under the pressure.
It's coming!
Luffy summoned all his strength, sidestepping the spear's direct path and lifting his sword in a swift, upward arc.
Armed with Haki, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. In this state, his strength, reaction speed, and movement were amplified to another level, with the Haki absorbing all impact forces and counteracting any recoil.
He shifted left, dodging the spear's thrust, and brought his blade around in a sweeping arc.
Who would try to tank a 'Heaven and Earth Impact'? Only an idiot!
With Haki-infused power, his blade sliced through the soldier's massive body without resistance.
The enhanced offensive Haki was pure devastation.
The scene flashed dark, then cleared. Another soldier's spear was already thrusting toward him.
Luffy was ready for it.
With Uta's music bolstering her soldiers, their intelligence had climbed another notch. Now, they were willing to sacrifice their comrades to create openings for lethal attacks.
With his blade still in the air, he abandoned it, letting it spin upwards, as his clenched fist met the incoming spear.
Bang!
He deflected the spear and followed through, shattering the soldier's shield with a left hook.
Nothing could stop him now—a pure, exhilarating release of power.
Two quick punches, and the soldier's helmet, adorned with musical symbols, was crushed under his fists.
But there was a price to pay.
Another soldier's spear found its mark, striking Luffy's torso in a final counterattack.
They were monsters, tools forged by Uta's abilities, unyielding and relentless. Even in the face of defeat, they would strike without mercy.
In a hurry, Luffy angled his body, narrowly deflecting the spear with his knee. Still, the weapon tore across his chest, leaving a jagged line of torn fabric and a cut that stretched from hip to shoulder.
Two down, eight to go.
With a soft step, he pushed off the sand, leaping to catch his falling sword.
He twisted mid-air, bringing his sword down to clash with another soldier's spear. Sparks flew as the blades met.
With a tremendous burst of force, Luffy was thrown back, crashing into the sand with an explosive impact.
Boom!
A wave of sand erupted from the crash, obscuring him from view. Zoro shielded his eyes, squinting through the haze to keep his focus on Luffy's figure.
Such speed. Such reflexes.
Is this his real strength?
The gap between us… it's so vast.
Kuina gripped the hilt of her sword, captivated by the intensity of Luffy's combat. He seemed to belong to an entirely different realm.
Luffy staggered to his feet in the sand pit, his muscles aching.
Driving his body this hard in Iron Body mode was taking its toll.
Haki pulsed through him, flowing from his arms into his blade.
With a single swing, his overheated blade burst into red flames, fire spreading across its surface.
"That's… the Flaming Blade!" Zoro exclaimed, eyes wide with envy.
It's so cool!
How does he do it? I want to know too!
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