At the moment when both sides clashed and separated, the entire Onigashima shook violently under the tremendous shockwave, as if it might collapse at any second.
Beneath Onigashima, the samurai and the Straw Hat Pirates' crew were still locked in fierce combat with the Beast Pirates.
Feeling the tremors and hearing the deafening explosions, everyone froze in shock, their gazes fixed on the summit of Onigashima.
The skull-shaped dome was already crumbling, as overwhelming force poured downward and spread outward.
The entire island shook even more violently, as if it would be completely destroyed in the next moment.
Yet, the flaming clouds surrounding Oni Island suddenly flared brighter, their glow more blinding and scorching than before.
The outer layers of the island, like massive fiery serpents, tightly anchored the landmass in place.
At the very top of the island, Zoro's voice was hoarse with desperation as he stared in the direction where Luffy had been blasted away, his face filled with despair.
Not just him—Kid and the others beside him also had their pupils constricted in shock.
"This... he is too strong!"
"There's no way we can win!"
Looking at Bob, who stood unharmed on the ground without even a scratch on his clothes, their faces twisted in utter hopelessness.
Even when Luffy awakened his devil fruit and unleashed his newfound power, it had only made Bob take things slightly more seriously—he was simply no match for Bob.
What they had thought was pushing Bob to his limits turned out to be nothing more than him toying with them.
"Luffy!" Zoro could no longer hold back.
Struggling to his feet, he only wanted to confirm Luffy's safety.
The next moment—
Zoro sheathed his swords and, relying on the little stamina he had recovered, dashed towards Luffy at full speed.
But in the next second—
A faster figure blurred past him, leaving only an afterimage in its wake.
"BOB!" Zoro shouted, his fury intensifying.
There was no doubt—Bob was going to kill their captain for good this time.
As he spoke, he drew his blades.
He knew he stood no chance against Bob, but he wouldn't just watch as Luffy died at his hands.
With ironclad resolve, Zoro's aura surged, and his speed increased slightly.
But against Bob's overwhelming speed, it still wasn't enough.
In an instant—
Bob reappeared in Zoro's vision, now carrying someone over his shoulder—Luffy.
"You bastard!"
"Bob, let Luffy go!"
Zoro raised his sword high, ready to strike, but before he could swing, Bob had already flashed past him.
Bob landed beside the other pirates and unceremoniously tossed Luffy towards Law.
Luffy now lay unconscious on the ground, a massive lump on his head, completely unable to return to his Nika form after Bob's single punch.
"Straw Hat!" Law took a deep breath as he examined the unconscious Luffy beside him, checking his condition.
"Good... he's just knocked out. No life-threatening injuries," Law exhaled heavily.
Hearing this, Kid and Killer visibly relaxed.
Meanwhile, Zoro, who was nearby, heard Law's words and quickly came to Luffy's side.
After checking on him, he finally relaxed.
"Don't worry!"
"He's just been knocked out!"
Bob looked at these rookie pirates and spoke calmly.
"Bob, what exactly is your goal?" Law gritted his teeth as he glared at Bob.
He truly couldn't understand why Bob was doing this.
Despite choosing to be their enemy, Bob had repeatedly held back during the fight.
He could have easily killed them all, yet he kept sparing their lives.
No matter how arrogant Law was, he could tell that with the strength Bob had displayed, Bob could have killed him in the first round of their battle.
The others nearby also wore puzzled expressions.
"I just don't like you! I wanted you to experience the harsh realities of this world!" Bob raised an eyebrow slightly, half-joking.
Hearing this, their expressions froze.
They hadn't expected such an answer from Bob.
For a moment, they were at a loss for words.
"ROOM!"
At that moment, Law's voice suddenly rang out.
Using the power of the Ope-Ope Fruit, he forcibly woke Luffy from his unconscious state.
Luffy, who had been in deep slumber, slowly began to open his eyes.
"Am I... not dead?" His weak voice trembled as he spoke.
The last thing he remembered before blacking out was being sent flying by Bob.
The final image burned into his mind was Bob charging towards him at terrifying speed.
He had thought he would never wake up again, yet here he was—alive once more.
"Even that... wasn't enough to win?"
Looking at Law in front of him and Bob standing nearby, Luffy murmured.
He knew there was no point in continuing the fight.
This monster, who had lived for over forty years without any sign of aging, was simply unbeatable.
Not to mention, he no longer had the strength to activate Fifth Gear.
"Bob... what do you really want?" Luffy asked weakly.
The question was identical to the one Law had asked earlier, but this time, Bob's answer was different.
"I sincerely invite you—all of you—to join my alliance!" Bob looked at Luffy, then at the others, his playful expression turning solemn.
Hearing this, their expressions shifted instantly, caught off guard.
If they were any other pirates, receiving an invitation from Bob—a man who stood at the pinnacle of the world—would have undoubtedly sent them into ecstatic celebration.
But they were different.
As the strongest and most promising rookies, each of them was proud and ambitious, believing they had what it took to reach the top.
Yet, after this battle with Bob, they had witnessed firsthand what true strength looked like—the insurmountable gap between man and legend.
Faced with Bob's offer, they hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"I'm the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!"
"I never planned on joining your Revolutionary Army!"
Luffy grinned and firmly rejected Bob's invitation.
"It's just an alliance with me—nothing to do with the Revolutionary Army or your dream of becoming Pirate King!"
"But it does have something to do with your wish to create a world where all your friends can eat their fill!"
"Who do you think has the ability to overthrow the current world order besides me?" Bob said slowly, looking at Luffy's slightly pale face.
"So this is the order of your alliance? Moving Onigashima to the Flower Capital and destroying this country?" Yamato, who was standing in the distance, overheard their conversation and shouted.
Hearing this, everyone's eyes sharpened as they stared at Bob.
"Hahaha!"
"Don't you realize that Onigashima is actually retreating in the opposite direction right now?"