BOOM!
A wave of searing heat swept through the hall like a hurricane.
The fire-wreathed, full-force strike crashed into Luoyu—and every eye widened in disbelief.
As the flames dispersed, one figure remained.
Unmoved.
Untouched.
Behind Luoyu, a golden, serene Thousand-Armed Kannon unfurled like a divine apparition.
A translucent golden aura coated his body, forming an armor that radiated invincibility.
Luffy and Sanji's blazing fists and feet stopped just an inch from his skin—blocked cold.
In that moment, both of them felt it:
They'd hit steel.
Was this… the power of an Admiral?
They thought back to Enies Lobby, to the triumph of rescuing Robin.
They'd felt unstoppable.
They'd believed they'd closed the gap with Aokiji.
But now?
The gap felt wider than ever.
"Is this all you've got?" Luoyu adjusted his glasses, voice calm.
"So this is what they call the Supernovas? Disappointing."
"Luffy, Sanji—fall back! I'll hold him!" Robin shouted.
"Fleur: Mil Fleurs!"
Dozens of arms bloomed across Luoyu's body like flowers.
"Clutch!"
Robin's voice rang out as she tried to slam him into the ground.
But Luoyu didn't budge.
He stood like a tower—unshaken, immovable.
Nami's face went pale.
She spun her Clima-Tact, summoning a storm.
"Let's see if nature can hurt you."
"Weather forecast: Thunder Lord!"
CRACK!
A blinding bolt of lightning shot down toward Luoyu.
"Now's our chance!" Sanji shouted. "He's pinned—if we break his defense, we can hurt him!"
Luffy surged forward in Gear Second, outpacing Sanji to strike first.
The four of them converged in a coordinated assault.
"Boring."
Luoyu's voice cut through the chaos.
He looked up.
"Run!" Koby and Helmeppo screamed.
BOOM!
Luoyu's Conqueror's Haki erupted like a tidal wave.
The lightning shattered midair.
Luffy and Sanji felt it—a crushing, invisible force slamming into them like a mountain.
CRASH!
The entire building exploded.
The shockwave blasted everyone back like ragdolls.
Blood sprayed as bodies slammed into walls, rubble, and earth—hundreds of meters away.
Even Koby and Helmeppo were sent flying, face-first into the dirt.
Only Iceburg and Kokoro, who had wisely retreated early, were spared.
They stared at the flattened ruins, faces pale.
Just moments ago, they'd believed the Straw Hats were unstoppable.
Now?
A single Admiral—their age—had wiped them out by standing still.
He didn't even move.
One swing at the air.
That was all.
"Koby… maybe we overstepped," Helmeppo groaned, spitting out dirt. "Maybe that's why he blasted us too."
Koby's face was ashen.
He looked at the wreckage, at the bleeding Straw Hats.
He didn't dare take another step.
If that was a warning…
The next one would be fatal.
All he could do now was pray they stayed down.
Play dead. Stay alive.
"Giant Pistol!"
BOOM!
Luffy burst from the rubble, arm ballooning into a massive fist.
He launched himself at Luoyu with explosive force.
Koby and Helmeppo turned ghost-white.
They'd hoped Luffy would stay down.
Instead, he was charging straight into death.
"Kizaru took down Supernovas with a kick," Luoyu muttered, sipping his drink. "I'll do it with a swing."
He vanished.
CRACK!
Luffy's punch shattered the floor—empty air.
Luoyu reappeared beside him.
He slashed the air.
Luffy's pupils dilated.
Pain bloomed across his chest.
A deep gash tore from shoulder to abdomen.
Blood sprayed.
"Luffy!"
Sanji cried out—but Luoyu was already in front of him.
Another casual swing.
Another cut through nothing.
SLASH.
Blood burst from Sanji's chest like fireworks.
He collapsed, body stiff with pain.