Luffy froze as the ground trembled beneath his feet. The massive shadow that had risen from the depths of the chamber slowly took shape—a gigantic, ancient stone creature, its eyes glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light. Its body seemed to pulse with energy, and every step it took sent the chamber vibrating.
"Is that… a giant golem?" Usopp whispered, his voice shaky. "It's massive!"
The cloaked figure, who had been standing silently until now, spoke with a calm yet grave tone. "The Guardian of the Isle. It was created to protect the island's power. Only those worthy of the treasure can pass."
Luffy, undeterred by the looming creature, grinned widely. "That's awesome! I'm gonna beat it!"
Zoro quickly stepped forward, his hand on his swords. "Luffy, wait. We don't know what this thing can do."
But Luffy, as usual, wasn't listening. He stretched his arms, preparing to fight. "If it's guarding treasure, then it's gotta be strong, right? Let's see what it's got!"
Before anyone could stop him, Luffy charged at the golem, his fists flying. The stone beast's eyes flared up as it raised its massive arms, swinging them toward Luffy. With a swift motion, Luffy dodged, using his Gum-Gum powers to zip around the golem's stone limbs.
As Luffy landed a punch, the golem's stone exterior cracked, but the creature barely seemed fazed. It let out a deep, guttural roar, and the ground trembled again, causing pieces of stone to fall from the ceiling.
"This thing's tough!" Luffy shouted, but his grin never faltered. "But I'm tougher!"
Meanwhile, Robin, her eyes scanning the golem's movements, spoke to the others. "We need to find its weak point. This thing isn't just mindless—it's connected to the island's power. The more we fight it, the more dangerous it becomes."
Zoro, looking for an opening, nodded. "Then we'll do this together."
The team gathered, ready for their next move. The golem's heavy footsteps echoed in the chamber, but they knew they had no choice but to face it head-on if they wanted to uncover the island's secrets.
To be continued...