The ghostly figures lunged forward, their eerie, hollow wails echoing through the ancient chamber. Their forms flickered like smoke, shifting in and out of solidity, making it difficult for the crew to land clean hits. Despite their strange nature, they radiated a malevolent energy that sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"Get ready!" Luffy yelled, charging into the fray. "We've fought tougher things than this!"
His fists stretched out in rapid succession. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling Gun!" His punches hit the spectral forms, causing them to ripple but not dissipate. The ghosts recoiled but quickly reformed, their glowing eyes narrowing with fury.
"These things don't go down easy!" Usopp shouted, firing off rounds from his slingshot. "What are they made of?"
"I don't think they're fully physical," Robin observed, dodging an attack while summoning giant hands to hold one of the figures back. "They're manifestations of something tied to this ship... possibly the crystal."
Sanji leapt into the air, spinning mid-flight. "Diable Jambe: Bien Cuit Grill Shot!" His flaming kick connected with one of the ghosts, causing it to shriek and dissipate momentarily, only for it to reappear seconds later.
"Tch," Zoro grunted, his swords flashing as he sliced through one of the figures. "They keep coming back. We need to take out whatever's anchoring them here."
Nami, clutching her Clima-Tact, nodded. "The crystal! It's the only thing that stands out here. Maybe it's their source of power!"
"You might be right!" Chopper yelled, in his Guard Point form, shielding Usopp from an oncoming attack. "If we destroy it, they might vanish!"
Luffy's eyes locked onto the glowing crystal on the pedestal. "Alright, I'll take care of it!" he shouted.
"Wait, Luffy!" Nami called out. "What if destroying it causes something worse? We need to think this through!"
"We don't have time!" Zoro countered, slicing through another ghost. "They're not gonna let up!"
Luffy didn't hesitate. He launched himself toward the crystal. "Gomu Gomu no—Jet Pistol!" His fist rocketed forward, aiming straight for the glowing artifact.
Just as his fist was about to connect, the crystal emitted a blinding light. The room was bathed in a radiant glow, and the ghostly figures froze in place, their forms flickering wildly.
The light grew brighter, and a deep, resonating voice echoed through the chamber. "You are not worthy... yet."
The force of the light threw Luffy back, sending him crashing into the wall. The others shielded their eyes as the brightness intensified, forcing them to retreat toward the door.
"Luffy!" Chopper rushed to his side, checking him over. "Are you okay?"
Luffy sat up, shaking his head. "Yeah... but that crystal's stronger than I thought."
The voice echoed again. "Leave this place... or be consumed." The light began to pulse, sending shockwaves through the room. The ghostly figures started to merge into one massive form, a towering entity with glowing eyes that burned with ancient fury.
"This just keeps getting worse!" Usopp cried, scrambling backward.
Robin's eyes narrowed. "If the crystal sees us as unworthy, perhaps we need to prove otherwise."
"How do we prove something to a glowing rock?!" Sanji shouted, dodging debris as the room shook violently.
Before Robin could answer, the massive entity let out a deafening roar and charged toward them, its enormous form filling the chamber with its overwhelming presence. The crew had no choice—they had to stand their ground.
"Get ready!" Luffy said, his eyes fierce with determination. "We're not leaving until we finish this!"
The Straw Hat Pirates braced themselves for the battle of their lives, knowing that their fate—and the secret of this mysterious ship—hinged on their next move.
To be continued...
........
"Don't miss the chance to get advanced chapters of my novel for FREE! Just copy the link now and start reading!"
https://shorturl.at/3DZhG