Chereads / One Piece: The Deadly / Chapter 104 - The Fight For The Truth

Chapter 104 - The Fight For The Truth

The battlefield roared with the sounds of clashing weapons, explosive blasts, and shouts of determination. Kikidori ducked under a slash from an enemy pirate, countering with a precise strike from *Ophiophagus Hannah.* Blood sprayed across the cracked ground, but he hardly noticed. Something was gnawing at his mind, a thought he couldn't shake.

"What if the One Piece… is nothing?" he mumbled, panting as he stepped back to catch his breath.

The chaos around him seemed to falter for a moment. Pirates, Marines, and allies alike stopped mid-swing, their ears catching Kikidori's unexpected words.

"A bottle of sake or something?" Kikidori added, glancing around with an almost comical expression.

Everyone froze, their minds processing the idea. Even Luffy, still feverish and pale, blinked as if the question had knocked him out of his battle trance. For a brief, surreal moment, the war paused as every soul on the battlefield considered the possibility.

Then, as if snapping back to reality, the fighting resumed with even greater intensity, as if everyone was trying to deny the doubt Kikidori had planted.

Perona floated high above the chaos, her pink ghosts swirling around her. She pointed at a cluster of enemy pirates. "Negative Ghost Parade!"

The ghosts shot forward, phasing through their targets, leaving the pirates paralyzed with overwhelming despair. One pirate sobbed uncontrollably, wailing, "I'm worthless! I'll never find the One Piece!" as Perona giggled wickedly.

But then, a moment of horror unfolded. Luffy, standing a distance away, saw his brother Sabo fall. The Revolutionary had been fighting valiantly, flames from his *Mera Mera no Mi* engulfing multiple enemies, but the combined forces of Marines and pirates overwhelmed him.

"SABO!!!" Luffy's scream pierced through the battlefield, a sound of unrelenting anguish.

The Straw Hats turned toward their captain as he stood motionless, his fists trembling. Luffy's eyes burned with tears and fury, his body radiating pure rage. His Gear Fifth transformation activated, his body glowing with white-hot energy. He leapt into the air, higher than anyone had ever seen, his voice booming like thunder.

"Gomu Gomu no… Island Destroyer!"

A massive fist, larger than the remaining portion of Laugh Tale, formed in the sky, crackling with raw power. The air vibrated as Luffy prepared to unleash his devastating attack.

"LUFFY, STOP!" Nami screamed, tears streaming down her face.

At the last moment, Luffy redirected his attack, slamming it into the edge of the island instead of its center. Half of Laugh Tale crumbled into the ocean, the shockwave throwing pirates and Marines into the air like ragdolls. The destruction was staggering, but the core of the battlefield remained intact.

Meanwhile, Chamaro and Tauro, the twin swordsmen of the Rase Pirates, found themselves overwhelmed. Chamaro's left arm was slashed deeply, blood staining her sword, while Tauro collapsed from a crushing blow to his ribs. The twins fought valiantly, protecting each other, but they were pushed to the brink.

Kikidori's eyes caught a horrifying sight: a pirate charging toward Ere'ana and Luffy Jr., blade raised to strike. His heart stopped.

"No… NO!"

Kikidori unsheathed *Ophiophagus Hannah,* gripping the hilt tightly. His mind went blank as instinct took over.

"One Sword Style: Snake Haven!"

He slashed downward with all his might, the force of his attack splitting the earth itself. A massive crack opened beneath the attacking pirate, swallowing him whole. Ere'ana clutched Luffy Jr. tightly, trembling but unharmed.

Kikidori turned to her, his voice strained but resolute. "I'll protect you both. Always."

The battlefield chaos surged again, but a new figure emerged: Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress. Her beauty was unmatched, her presence commanding, and she wasted no time in turning her enemies to stone with her *Mero Mero no Mi* powers.

One by one, those who dared hurt Luffy were petrified, their stone forms crumbling under her heel. "No one touches my Luffy!" she declared, her voice filled with adoration.

Kikidori, despite his illness, couldn't help but roll his eyes. "He doesn't like you, Boa," he muttered loud enough for her to hear.

Her gaze snapped toward him, a vein pulsing on her forehead. "What did you say, Kikidori?"

Before he could respond, Boa turned him to stone with a flick of her powers. A moment later, she released him, and Kikidori stumbled, coughing. "Yeah, okay. I deserved that."

But then, something unexpected happened. Kikidori accidentally activated his Devil Fruit, his body transforming into his female form. As he turned back into a girl, his shirt and pants fell, leaving him scrambling to cover himself.

The entire battlefield paused, mouths agape as they stared at the now-female Kikidori. Even Marines and pirates who had been mid-swing stopped to process what they were seeing.

"…She's more beautiful than Boa Hancock…" a pirate whispered, his voice filled with awe.

Boa, standing right next to Kikidori, heard the comment. Her face darkened, and without hesitation, she turned the pirate to stone and shattered him with a kick.

Kikidori, now red-faced, quickly dressed and reverted to his male form. He muttered, "Can we please get back to the fight now?"

And just like that, the battle resumed, more chaotic than ever. As swords clashed and powers collided, Kikidori gritted his teeth, his determination stronger than ever. For his crew, for his captain, and for the dream of the One Piece, he refused to fall.

End of Chapter 104