The battle raged on, but the crew's determination never wavered. Luffy, with his arms stretched wide, took down golem after golem, while Zoro and Sanji kept attacking from different angles. Robin's limbs were everywhere, holding the smaller stone guardians in place, leaving them vulnerable to precise strikes. Yet, the massive golem continued to regenerate, its stone body resisting their every blow.
"We need to end this!" Zoro shouted, slicing through one of the smaller golems with a swift motion. "Luffy, get to the core!"
Luffy, his muscles aching but his spirit unbroken, nodded. "Right! Let's finish this!" He launched himself into the air, dodging the smaller golems below and twisting his body like a spring to land a blow on the massive golem's chest. His fist slammed into the stone surface, but it cracked, and a barrier of stone erupted around the weak point.
"We can't let it regenerate!" Robin warned, as the golem's body started to repair itself at an alarming rate.
Sanji, his footwork flawless, shot forward, unleashing a barrage of powerful kicks aimed directly at the core. "Break the damn thing already!"
As Sanji's strikes landed, the stone began to crack further, and the glow from the core dimmed slightly. Luffy grinned, his eyes locked on the weak point. "Just a little more!"
Suddenly, the original golem roared, swinging its arms wide in a desperate attempt to crush them all. The smaller golems joined in, charging toward the crew, but just as the stone creature's fists came crashing down, a booming voice rang through the chamber.
"Enough!"
The cloaked figure, who had been silent until now, raised both hands, and the ground trembled again. This time, the massive golem's movements slowed, its body freezing in place. The voice echoed again, now more commanding. "You are not worthy to claim the power unless you prove your resolve."
With a final powerful punch, Luffy struck the cracked chest of the golem. The stone shattered, and the core finally exposed itself—a glowing orb of energy that pulsed with a strange, powerful force.
"Now!" Robin shouted. "Destroy the core!"
Luffy extended his arm, his fist charging with all his might. He launched forward with one final, mighty strike.
The orb shattered into a blinding light, and the golem fell motionless to the ground. The remaining stone guardians crumbled to dust, and the island's eerie silence returned.
The crew panted, exhausted but victorious. "We did it," Luffy said, his usual grin returning as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
But as the dust settled, Robin's eyes narrowed. "Something's not right. This wasn't just a guardian—it was a test. The island is still hiding something."
To be continued...