Meanwhile, after Chopper and Nami carefully settled the unconscious Robin within the relative safety of a crumbling ruin, Usopp came sprinting over, panting heavily, sweat beading on his forehead. "How is she? Is Robin okay?"
"She's just completely exhausted," Chopper reported, his tiny hoof gently checking Robin's pulse. "Her body has shut down to recover. She should wake up after some rest."
Nami bit her lip, her worried gaze darting toward the central plaza where the battle raged. "But the situation out there..." Her eyes swept over the ice-glazed battlefield and Kizaru, lounging ominously in the sky, her fingers nervously twisting the fabric of her shirt.
Usopp wiped a sheen of cold sweat from his brow, forcing a measure of calm into his voice. "D-Don't worry!"
He shot a surreptitious glance at Ron, who stood with an unshakable, mountain-like composure. "Look, the Captain isn't even slightly worried. He must have a plan!"
Indeed, at the heart of the chaotic battlefield, Ron remained a pillar of tranquility. He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes calmly analyzing the ebb and flow of the combat, a faint, knowing smile even gracing his lips. His utterly composed demeanor made the life-and-death struggle before him seem like a meticulously staged play.
Seeing their captain like this, the knot of anxiety in Usopp's chest loosened considerably. He knew Ron too well; that particular expression was a sure sign that everything was proceeding exactly as he anticipated.
"Hey! Usopp!" Luffy came bouncing over, his rubbery arms still smudged with dirt and traces of blood. "Is Robin okay?!"
"She's fine for now," Usopp quickly assured him, then leaned in conspiratorially. "Luffy, does the Captain have a plan? He doesn't look nervous at all..."
Luffy grinned, his signature wide smile flashing. "Shishishi! Of course Big Brother Ron has a plan! We just gotta keep protecting Robin!"
Just then, the air grew tense as Smoker approached, leading Tashigi and a squad of Marine elites, his lower body dissipating into swirling white smoke.
His voice was gravelly and stern. "Straw Hat, while your intentions might not be entirely malicious..." His sharp eyes fell upon the unconscious Robin. "...you never should have let that woman on your ship. Her name is 'Devil Child' Nico Robin!"
Luffy stepped forward, his posture defensive, his eyes shadowed by his straw hat but burning with intensity. "I don't care about any 'Devil Child'! All I know is that she's a nakama Big Brother Ron welcomed aboard!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Luffy's arm shot forward.
"Gum-Gum Rocket!"
Smoker instantly transformed into smoke, his body scattering and reforming to avoid the attack. "Stubborn fool!" he growled, his jitte now sheathed in the black gloss of Busoshoku Haki as he closed in to engage Luffy.
Seeing their commander move, Tashigi drew her sword, the named blade Shigure glinting in the light. "In the name of Justice!" she declared, her gaze locking onto the closest available target—Usopp.
"W-Wait a minute! Why me?!" Usopp yelped, frantically raising his Kabuto slingshot. Despite his protests, his movements were instinctive and swift. "Fire Bird Star!"
Tashigi nimbly sidestepped the small explosion, her sword weaving a net of gleaming slashes. Usopp tumbled and rolled in a clumsy-looking but effective evasion, his face pale with a fear he couldn't quite shake. Even with his growing strength, the heart of a coward still beat fiercely in his chest.
"H-Hey! I'm a sniper! This isn't a fair fight! No close quarters!"
Yet, after a few more exchanges, a realization dawned on him. His reflexes were sharper, his movements faster than his opponent's.
"Huh? I... I forgot I'm actually pretty strong now... Hahaha! Come on then, face the mighty God Usopp in a dignified duel!"
Meanwhile, the clash between Luffy and Smoker escalated. Each swing of Smoker's Haki-imbued jitte cut through the air with a vicious whistle, while Luffy's own Haki-clad fists met them with increasing precision and power.
"You have no idea the danger she represents!" Smoker roared, his body morphing into a massive python of white smoke that coiled to ensnare Luffy.
Luffy backflipped away, his resolve unwavering. "I don't care about her past!" he shouted back, the black armor on his fist intensifying. "Right now, Robin is our nakama!"
Fist and jitte collided once more in a concussive blast. The shockwave sent nearby Marines stumbling back, and even forced Tashigi and Usopp to momentarily break apart.
Nami watched the escalating chaos, a hand over her heart. "They're all so powerful..."
Chopper, clinging to her leg, whispered, "It's terrifying..."
Just as the battle seemed to reach a fever pitch, Kizaru, who had been a passive observer, let out a languid sigh and slowly rose from his platform of light.
"Ooooh my~ I suppose my rest is over now~"
He adjusted his sunglasses, his gaze lazily sweeping across the battlefield as if choosing a piece of fruit. "Now, which lucky individual should I pick to bring this little farce to an end~"
As Kizaru's form began to glimmer with golden light, a new voice cut in.
Ace stepped forward, placing himself squarely in the Admiral's path. "Hey. Admiral Kizaru."
He tipped his hat up slightly, a confident, battle-ready grin spreading across his face. "I've never crossed fists with an Admiral before. How about you give me the honor?"
Kizaru's eyebrows rose in theatrical surprise. "Fire Fist Ace? The 2nd Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates...~ Capturing you would certainly count as a significant day's work~"
In the moment before they clashed, Ron leaned over and whispered a few quick words into Ace's ear.
Ace's eyes widened in surprise. "That... would actually work?"
Ron simply gave him a reassuring nod. Ace's grin returned, wider and more mischievous this time. "Uh... alright then. Let's give it a shot."
The next instant, Ace's body erupted in searing white flames, and he shot toward Kizaru like a human comet.
"Fire Fist!"
Kizaru responded with practiced ease, raising a hand. "Yata no Kagami."
A hail of luminous projectiles rained down. Instead of evading, Ace met them head-on, his flames coalescing into a massive, roaring shield. The light bullets detonated harmlessly against the wall of fire, filling the air with a brilliant, explosive display.
It was then that Chopper began to tremble violently. His usual wide, innocent eyes were screwed shut, and his damp nose twitched erratically.
"Ughhh... I feel... so strange..." he mumbled, his hooves scratching compulsively at his furry blue hide. The uncomfortable sensation wasn't subsiding; it was intensifying, washing over him in relentless, prickling waves.
"Hey, Chopper, what's wrong?" Nami asked, immediately noticing his distress and kneeling beside him.
"I-It's nothing!" Chopper insisted, trying to shake his head, but his body writhed uncontrollably, his antlers rattling. "I just... I think I need to step away for a minute!"
With that, he shrank into his smaller, Walk Point form and scurried on his tiny hooves over to Ron, using the distraction of the Poneglyph and the Admiral's battle as cover.
"C-Captain..." Chopper whispered, his voice tight as he nervously tugged on the hem of Ron's pants. "I... I don't feel so good..."
Ron looked down, startled to see the usually vibrant little reindeer looking so pale and uneasy. He reached down and placed a hand on Chopper's forehead. "No fever... Your temperature is normal. Where does it hurt?"
"It's not that kind of hurt..."
Chopper shook his head, his expression one of profound confusion and distress.
"Ever since that... that sparkly Admiral Kizaru showed up, my whole body has felt... wrong. It's like... like there are a thousand tiny needles pricking me all over, or a million ants crawling under my fur!"
....
The journey continues right now for our Jade Dragons! 🐉
For just $6/month, you can step into the advanced chapters and never face a cliffhanger again. Gain instant access to 50+ chapters immediately, support the story you love, and help decide its course.
🔗 Become a Jade Dragon:
https://patreon.com/J_Dragon