The card monster Smoker charged towards Robin's field. As he transformed his arms into smoke, intending to wipe out both of her monsters, a sudden mist began to swirl around the table.
"Activate Counter Trap Card."
Robin smiled calmly and flipped her face-down card.
"Mist Zone."
A soft mist engulfed the entire field, obscuring all monsters.
"While Mist Zone is active, neither side can attack. The mist automatically disperses after one turn."
Shirogai read the effect aloud with a casual smile, then glanced over at Luffy with mock regret.
"If your attack's been nullified this turn... then, Luffy, your turn continues."
The card monster Smoker was forced back to Luffy's side, unable to finish his strike.
"That's so unfair! I can't even attack!"
Luffy groaned and sank back into his chair, pouting.
"My turn ends!"
Usopp leaned toward him and whispered, trying to cheer him up.
"Don't worry! Once the mist clears next turn, Robin's monsters are toast for sure!"
Chopper, however, stared anxiously at the mist.
"Ahhh, is Chopper going to die next turn?"
Shirogai took the Trap Card "Mist Zone" from Robin's side and said plainly:
"Robin's turn begins. The mist disperses."
The fog faded, revealing the monsters on both sides once more.
Robin smiled as she drew her next card and placed it on the table without hesitation.
"I offer my two two-star monsters, 'Feigning Death Usopp' and 'Chestnut Ball Chopper', as tributes—"
Chopper gasped.
"Eh!?"
"—to summon the six-star monster, 'Three-Sword Style: Black Blade Roronoa Zoro.'"
Three-Sword Style: Black Blade Roronoa Zoro
ATK: 4000 / DEF: 2000
As the card shimmered with a golden-black light, Usopp's jaw dropped.
"That card! Oh no!"
"Damn it... it's Zoro," Luffy muttered, slumping in defeat.
A dense fog swirled in front of Robin before being cleaved apart by three flashing blades of darkness. Zoro's imposing card form emerged, standing tall and fierce, wielding three jet-black swords, his cold gaze locked on Luffy.
Robin looked across the field at her opponent and spoke with playful smugness:
"According to Zoro's card effect, when he's summoned this turn, he can ignore opposing monsters and strike directly."
Card-Zoro launched into the air, spun, and slashed at Luffy with a flurry of dark strikes.
"Ow!"
Luffy shouted, flipping backward off the table.
His life points plummeted to zero.
Shirogai grinned as he declared:
"Robin wins."
Robin rose gracefully, brushing imaginary dust off her lap. She smirked at Luffy, who was groaning on the floor.
"Looks like I'm the King of Games."
"Not fair! I'm not giving up!"
Luffy wailed, flailing his arms like a kid throwing a tantrum.
"Shirogai! I demand a rematch! Robin just got lucky!"
"Yeah! One more game!" Usopp chimed in.
Shirogai watched them with a soft chuckle—until something flashed in his mind.
A vision. One minute into the future.
A ship.
Danger was coming fast.
"Luffy, sorry, but I can't give you a rematch."
He turned his gaze skyward, eyes narrowing at a black speck that hadn't yet become visible.
"Because it's about to rain."
"Rain?"
Usopp looked at the blazing sun overhead.
"But it's totally sunny... how can it rain?"
"This rain's a bit special."
Shirogai's voice echoed over the sea as he gave a warning grin.
"It's ship rain! Everyone, brace yourselves!"
"What's going on?"
Zoro and Sanji paused their sparring in the water and hurriedly climbed back aboard the Going Merry.
"Ship rain? What's that?"
Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper all squinted at the sky.
"Holy crap! It really is ship rain!"
Their eyes widened in disbelief as a massive pirate ship, more than ten times the size of the Going Merry, descended upside down from the sky.
BOOM!!!
The monstrous vessel slammed into the sea, sending a tidal wave hurtling across the water. The Going Merry was tossed aside by the waves, her course thrown into chaos.
Crash!
Wreckage fell like rain—broken beams, shattered hulls, even pieces of mast. Several chunks slammed into the deck of the Going Merry, cracking the boards.
Usopp trembled, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"This has to be a dream. Definitely a dream. I need to wake up."
Chopper, convinced by the nonsense, relaxed his muscles and closed his eyes.
"Ahhh... so it's a dream. I'll go back to sleep."
Usopp smiled.
"A peaceful morning..."
Then he opened his eyes—only to find a skeleton hanging from the mast, staring him dead in the eyes.
Skeleton: Hey, good morning!
Usopp shrieked, foam forming at his mouth.
"Aaaaaah! A dead guy!"
Chopper yelped and covered his eyes.
"Usopp, Chopper, calm down!"
Shirogai swooped in, grabbing both by the collars and tossing them to a safer section of the ship.
"Hold on to something! The second wave's coming!"
The Going Merry rose and fell violently. The crew was tossed into the air.
"Grab the ship!"
Nami yelled as she clutched the mast.
"Farewell!"
Usopp, whose grip slipped, soared beautifully into the sky, resigned to his watery grave.
"Don't say farewell, idiot!"
Shirogai and Luffy both extended their hands, catching Usopp mid-air and hauling him back.
After several violent tosses, the waves finally settled.
The Going Merry bobbed on the surface, water dripping from every inch. Her carved sheep head was soaked, looking as if it too had experienced sheer terror.
"It's over… finally."
The crew slowly got to their feet, dazed.
Nami squeezed water out of her hair and let out a heavy sigh.
"That was insane. A ship... fell from the sky. Was it a sea tornado? No, the humidity hasn't changed..."
"Whoa! That was awesome!"
Luffy ran to the bow, bouncing with excitement.
"A ship from the sky! Do you think we can go up there?"
Nami tossed a crab at his face.
"Idiot! You wanna end up like that wreck?"
Shirogai lightly tapped her shoulder and pointed to her wrist.
"Nami, check your record pointer."
"Huh?"
She lifted her arm, and her eyes widened in terror.
"Why is it... pointing straight up!?"
"Did it break during the crash?"
Usopp leaned in.
"No... not broken," Robin murmured.
"Perhaps it's reacting to a stronger magnetic field."
Nami frowned, shaking her head.
"That's impossible! There can't be an island in the sky!"
Robin turned her gaze skyward.
"It's possible."
Shirogai flicked the record pointer, watching it vibrate slightly but remain pointed skyward.
"Our next destination is clear."
He grinned.
"The legendary Sky Island has chosen us."
"Sky Island!?"
Everyone froze.
That was supposed to be a fairytale.
But here they were—living it.
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