The colossal entity roared, its massive form looming over the crew. Its glowing eyes blazed with an intense, otherworldly light, and its spectral body rippled with power, as though it were the embodiment of the ship's ancient fury.
Luffy wiped the dust from his face and stood tall. "Alright, big guy, let's see what you've got!" His grin returned, fierce and determined. "We've taken down giants before—this is no different!"
"Luffy, wait!" Robin warned, stepping forward. "We need to be smart about this. There's something more to this creature. It's tied to the crystal and the ship. It might not be just an enemy—it could be a guardian."
"Guardian or not, it's trying to kill us!" Zoro snapped, tightening his grip on his swords. "We'll figure it out after it's down."
Sanji exhaled smoke from his cigarette, his eyes narrowing. "You've got a point, but let's not destroy the ship in the process. We might need it to figure out what's going on here."
Nami's eyes darted between the crystal and the entity. "If we just keep fighting blindly, we'll get nowhere. There has to be a weakness!"
As if hearing her, the giant entity surged forward, its massive hand sweeping across the room. The crew scattered, narrowly avoiding the attack. The force of the blow shattered part of the stone walls, sending debris flying.
"Stay on your toes!" Chopper shouted, transforming into his Monster Point to shield Usopp and Nami. "It's not holding back!"
Robin's eyes lit up with sudden realization. "It's reacting to the crystal's energy. If we can disrupt that connection, maybe we can weaken it!"
"Then we focus on the crystal!" Luffy declared, launching himself back into the fray. "Zoro, Sanji, keep this thing busy! Usopp, Nami, Chopper, back them up! Robin, you and I are going for the crystal!"
"Got it!" Zoro and Sanji both answered, though with a begrudging glance at each other.
Usopp loaded his slingshot with a special round. "I'll cover you from here. Let's take this thing down!"
As Zoro and Sanji engaged the massive entity, slashing and kicking with precision, Luffy and Robin made their way toward the glowing crystal at the room's center. The air around it was thick with energy, pulsating in rhythm with the creature's movements.
"Robin, grab it when I hit it!" Luffy shouted.
Robin nodded, her arms sprouting from the ground in a defensive formation. "Be careful, Luffy. If this crystal reacts, we'll need to move fast."
Luffy pulled back his arm, his fist crackling with power. "Gomu Gomu no Red Hawk!" His flaming punch collided with the crystal, sending a shockwave through the room.
The crystal flickered, its light dimming momentarily. The entity let out a deafening roar, its form wavering as if it were losing cohesion. Robin acted quickly, her arms wrapping around the crystal with precision.
"I've got it!" she said. "But it's resisting!"
The entity turned its attention to them, its glowing eyes narrowing in rage. It raised its massive hand, preparing to crush them both. Luffy leaped in front of Robin, his arms stretched wide.
"Not today!" he shouted. "Gomu Gomu no Giant Pistol!"
His enormous fist collided with the entity's hand, the impact shaking the entire ship. The entity recoiled, but its power was still immense.
Robin tightened her grip on the crystal. "Luffy, we need to destroy its connection! It's still feeding off this energy!"
With a determined glare, Luffy nodded. "Let's end this together!" He reared back, charging his next attack. "Gomu Gomu no Elephant Gun!"
As his attack surged forward, Robin activated her powers, amplifying the force by entwining her arms around the crystal, preparing to sever the connection once and for all.
The fate of the crew—and the ship—hung in the balance.
To be continued...
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