541-545

Chapter 541: Fighting for Their Lives  

Boom! Zoro was sent flying back with a brutal force. 

But he wasn’t done. He charged again, his blades spinning like a windmill, the black aura of Haki growing sharper and more ferocious. 

“Nine mountains and eight seas form a single world. A thousand worlds make a small cosmos. Multiply that by three, and there’s nothing I can’t cut…” 

His eyes blazed with intensity. In that moment… 

He was like a living blade, so sharp it felt hopeless to face him. 

“But that’s still not enough!!” 

Nous roared, charging forward. 

Wings of wind and thunder flared behind him, his longsword swinging like it could blot out the sky. With a heavy, earth-shaking strike, he sent Zoro flying again, carving a fresh wound across his chest. 

Boom! 

The shockwave from their clash exploded across the sea! 

A massive rift tore through the ocean’s surface, kicking up roaring waves that crashed into the surrounding warships. In an instant, four or five ships were swallowed by the sea, and the mangled remains of a Sea King were swept up in the current. 

It was terrifying! 

The Sunny was smashed hard, nearly splintering into three pieces. 

Nami, Usopp, and the others went pale with fear. 

“Wahaha! Man, Boss Nous is a beast!”  

Basas laughed wildly… 

This was the Lightning Pirates’ number two, a monster who could shake the heavens and earth when he got serious. 

“You bastard…”  

Luffy, seeing the damage, let out a furious roar. “You dare hurt the Sunny?!” 

He lunged, ready to throw a punch at Nous. 

But with a whoosh, Basas blocked his path, landing a fist square on Luffy’s face. “You’re fighting me and still getting distracted? That’s kinda pathetic, kid.” 

“Gah!”  

Luffy and Zoro both coughed up blood… 

Zoro staggered to his feet, panting, his body trembling. 

He glared at Nous, gritting his teeth. “This… isn’t over…” 

“Demon Aura: Nine Sword Style…” 

A savage energy erupted from him as he charged at Nous again, his presence growing even more intense and terrifying. 

“Interesting!”  

Nous watched Zoro rush toward him like a hunting leopard and met him head-on. 

He had to admit—Zoro’s strength was enough to threaten him now. 

“Two-Sword Style: Secret Technique: Six Paths of the Crossroads!”  

Zoro’s eyes gleamed like stars, radiating a fearsome brilliance. 

His aura felt like it could pierce the heavens, warping the very space around him with the force of his strike. 

“One-Sword Style: Thunder Slash!”  

For the first time, Nous unleashed a sword technique! 

It was a simple move taught by Yoru, but combined with Nous’s terrifying physique and lightning-charged power, it became a devastating sword strike that collided with Zoro’s attack. 

Bang! 

The world went silent. Everything around them blurred as shockwaves surged outward, tearing through the surroundings. 

Foz F. and Toriki, watching from the sidelines, paled and backed away. 

Black lightning crackled around Zoro and Nous’s clash. 

If you looked closely, their blades weren’t even touching. 

Nous’s sword radiated an ancient, transparent ripple, holding back Zoro’s blade, which pulsed with dark energy. 

Buzz! 

Rumble! 

BOOM! 

After a massive explosion, Zoro and Nous were both thrown back. Shockingly, a wound had appeared on Nous’s chest. 

“Heh, now that’s interesting!”  

Nous grinned, and in a flash of lightning, he vanished. 

Zoro’s pupils shrank. Without thinking, he dodged backward, but… 

When it came to speed, not even Yoru could match Nous in the entire Lightning Pirates crew. 

Chapter 542: A Sword in the Back is a Swordsman’s Shame  

Boom! 

A heavy kick slammed into Zoro’s waist, laced with crackling lightning, sinking deep into his flesh. 

The sound of bones snapping echoed. 

Yet Zoro, unyielding, halted his stumble, coughing up blood as he roared, “Demon Aura Nine Sword Style: Three-Sword Dragon: One Hundred Three Sentiments: Flying Dragon Extreme!” 

He spun, striking with an unavoidable slash. 

Slash! 

This blade… 

Nous never saw it coming. His body tensed, hairs standing on end. 

Even as he dodged and shielded himself with his wind-thunder wings, the attack tore a gruesome gash across his chest, splitting his wings in two. 

“Cough, cough…” 

Nous touched the wound on his chest. “Impressive…” 

He looked up, only to find no one in front of him. Alarm surged as a deadly shadow lunged. 

“Demon Aura Nine Sword Style: Asura: Drawn Blade: Dance of the Dead!” 

A flash like light streaked past. Nous’s wings, brimming with razor-sharp energy, clashed with a thunderous impact. 

Slash! 

His wings were torn apart again, their sharpness shattered, and a bloody gash ripped open under his ribs. 

The surrounding sea split, waves surging violently. 

Zoro stood with his back to Nous, the dark aura around him suddenly vanishing. 

The next moment, he collapsed to his knees, coughing blood relentlessly. 

His strength faded rapidly. 

“Out of steam?”  

Nous touched the wound at his side, a nostalgic look in his eyes. “Aside from the Captain, it’s been ages since anyone’s injured me this badly.” 

“Worthy of a man aiming to be the world’s greatest swordsman. Truly impressive.” 

Despite his words, his hand showed no mercy. As he raised his sword to strike, Zoro’s voice stopped him… 

“Wait…” 

Propping himself up with his blade, Zoro turned. 

In Nous’s confusion, showing no fear of death, Zoro spread his arms. “A sword in the back is a swordsman’s shame…” 

“What a pity, Luffy. I won’t be able to join you in conquering the seas.” 

With that… 

He closed his eyes, awaiting death. 

His words… 

Made Nous burst into laughter, loud and unstoppable. 

“It’s been a long time since I met someone as interesting as you. Alright…” 

He swung his sword, carving a gash across Zoro’s chest as wild lightning engulfed him. 

“Zoro!!!” 

Luffy, witnessing the scene, roared with rage and grief, his eyes bloodshot. 

“No way…” 

Nami covered her mouth, eyes wide as bells, collapsing in disbelief. 

“Marimo!!!” 

Sanji’s shocked yell rang out, his pupils trembling. 

When the lightning faded… 

Zoro lay on the deck, charred like a corpse. 

“A guy as interesting as you? It’s too early for you to die.” 

“Keep your life and keep sailing. I hope you’ll bring me even more interesting news.” 

With that… 

Nous kicked Zoro toward Franky, sheathed his sword, and turned. “Captain, you won’t mind me letting the tiger loose, will you?” 

The crew froze, turning in horror. 

There, on the Lightning Pirates’ ship, stood Yoru, unnoticed until now. 

The Straw Hats… 

Braced for battle, Momonosuke and the others felt like they’d fallen into an icy abyss. 

“Lightning Killer, you bastard!!!” 

Luffy’s furious roar cut through as he rocketed toward Yoru like a jet fighter, unleashing a devastating punch. 

But Yoru dodged effortlessly, sending Luffy flying back with a single kick. 

The gap in their strength was staggering. 

Chapter 543: The Feast  

“I made a deal with them not to join the fight, Straw Hat Luffy. Don’t make me break my word to my ‘admirals’!” 

Yoru perched on the mast, his gaze settling on a quivering Momonosuke with a sly smile. “Dreaming of reclaiming your country?” 

“You think you can pull that off under my watch?” 

Momonosuke was too terrified to speak. 

Kinemon and Raiju swiftly stepped in front, their voices sharp. “Lightning Killer, what… what the hell do you want?!” 

“Why are you… standing in the way of… of our restoration?!” 

There was a hint of grievance in their tone. 

Yoru raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious?” 

“Wano’s my turf. You think I’d let someone stir up trouble on my land?” 

Then he turned to his Lightning Pirate Crew, flashing a dazzling grin. “Have a blast, everyone!” 

“OHHH!!!” 

His words set off a roar from the Lightning Pirates, their excitement electric. 

“By my count, those loyalist armies of Wano should be showing up right about now.” 

As he spoke… 

Behind the Lightning Pirates’ fleet, a wave of ships—distinctly Wano in style—rolled in. 

At a glance, there were at least two or three thousand of them. 

“Handle it, folks,” Yoru said with a chuckle, catching the stunned looks from Fozzie, Ulti, and the others. 

“Oh, and don’t forget those two!” 

He nodded toward the Straw Hats’ rear, where a fleet of massive Mink Tribe ships loomed. Two fierce warriors—a cat and a dog—stood at the bow, eyes blazing with urgency. 

“This is the stage I’ve worked so hard to set. Everyone, dig in!” 

Yoru’s voice dripped with the fervor of a war-crazed maestro, utterly captivating. 

“Beat them, and we’ll march to the Final Island together!” 

The response was a thunderous battle cry! 

At that moment… 

The Straw Hats and Momonosuke’s group stared at Yoru in horror. 

One thought gripped them: Is this guy insane?! 

But now… 

They had no choice but to fight. 

Especially Momonosuke… 

With two armies—one behind, one ahead—rushing to their aid. 

If they didn’t act, wouldn’t they risk breaking the hearts of the samurai loyal to their cause? 

“That Lightning Killer…” 

On one of Wano’s samurai ships, Denjiro watched, gritting his teeth. “He lured us here on purpose!” 

It was clear as day—this was a trap. 

But now that they were here, backing down wasn’t an option. 

“Hahaha, I thought we’d run out of fights, but the Captain’s got it all planned out. This is too damn thrilling!” 

Fozzie, Ulti, and the crew buzzed with excitement. 

They’d figured the Straw Hats alone wouldn’t be enough to go around. 

But now, with Wano’s samurai and those two powerhouse Minks—Duke Inuarashi and Nekomamushi—it was clear… 

They could go all out! 

“Wahahaha, Captain, you’re really stirring the pot! This is pure madness!” 

Burgess, radiating chaotic energy, grinned ear to ear like a maniac. 

In front of him… 

Luffy, now in his Snake-Man form, panted heavily. 

His face was grim… 

He had to admit, even after taking down someone as tough as Katakuri, facing a Star Commander-level pirate who held nothing back and fought with unhinged ferocity, the pressure was crushing. 

For the first time, Luffy truly grasped just how terrifying the strength of a Star Commander could be! 

Chapter 544: He’s Really Strong  

Basas, standing right in front of him, admitted he was only the fourth strongest in the Lightning Pirates. 

And yet, even as their number four, Basas was pushing him to the edge, forcing Luffy to pull out nearly every trick he had. 

This guy was way too strong! 

In his Gear Second state, Luffy’s attacks barely seemed to faze him. 

If the fourth guy was this tough, just how insane were the three above him?! 

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

When two brawlers clash, there’s no room for fancy talk—just pure, fist-to-flesh combat, raw and electrifying. 

It was all a blur of rapid-fire punches and Luffy’s furious roars. 

“Is that… all you’ve got?!”  

Basas’s mouth was dripping with blood, his body covered in swollen, bruised wounds, but he acted like he didn’t even feel the pain. 

His fists were only getting stronger. 

He was getting more ferocious by the second! 

Luffy’s wild punches kept slamming into him, but it was like hitting dough—Basas just seemed to get tougher, more resilient. 

His power was becoming downright terrifying! 

“Hah! Hah! HAAH!!!” 

Luffy’s fists grew more devastating, faster with every strike, tearing apart everything around them. 

The air itself roared with each hit, and the world around them blurred into chaos. 

But… 

Basas was like an unkillable monster. Even covered in blood, he refused to go down, growing more terrifying by the second. 

“Gum-Gum Jet Python Cannon!”  

“Gum-Gum Black Mamba!”  

“Gum-Gum… King Cobra!!!” 

Explosions rocked the area, kicking up unimaginable waves and heavy shockwaves. 

No one dared get close to their battlefield anymore. 

Blood splattered everywhere… 

Basas’s bones were cracking audibly, but he still wouldn’t fall. His eyes burned with fiery determination. 

“Wave Fist!”  

“Explosive Wave Fist!”  

“Secret Technique: Shatter Wave!!!” 

Fist after fist, he kept clashing with Luffy, not even caring that he couldn’t fully block Luffy’s relentless, terrifying barrage. 

“This is the strength of the Fifth Emperor? It’s not enough! NOT ENOUGH!!”  

Basas surged forward, his right fist carrying the weight of the world itself. The shockwave churned the endless sea around them, like something apocalyptic, and smashed into Luffy’s face, forcing him out of Gear Fourth with a single blow. 

“With this kind of strength… how did you ever beat Katakuri?!!” 

Basas charged again, slamming a knee into Luffy, who had no time to defend. Luffy spat blood, sent flying backward. 

Right now, Luffy—without advanced Armament Haki or Conqueror’s Haki infusion—was no match for Basas. 

“Luffy!”  

The Straw Hats gasped in shock. They couldn’t believe that one of the Lightning Pirates’ top fighters had just crushed their captain. 

This was the same Luffy who took down Katakuri, Big Mom’s strongest commander! 

And now he was beaten this badly? 

They couldn’t wrap their heads around it! 

Cough, cough, cough… 

Suddenly, Basas dropped to one knee, coughing up a pool of blood. “Tch, is this… all I’ve got? That’s so lame!” 

He shot a glance at Nous, his look saying, I’m done. It’s up to you now. 

His body slowly reverted to its human form, drenched in blood—a brutal sight. 

“Crippling the Fifth Emperor at the cost of heavy injuries? That’s one hell of a fight.”  

Yoru spoke up, praising him. “If that Straw Hat Luffy ever masters the higher levels of Haki, even I’d have a headache dealing with him.” 

“To pull this off, only Katakuri, Marco, or Nous could’ve done better than you.”  

Yoru glanced at Luffy, who was struggling to his feet amidst the rubble, panting heavily but still defiant. “That guy… he’s actually really strong.” 

Chapter 545: That’s It?  

“Is this the strength of the Fifth Emperor? It’s not enough! Nowhere near enough!!” 

Basas charged forward, his right fist carrying the weight of the heavens. A terrifying shockwave churned the endless waves around them, like the end of the world. His punch smashed into Straw Hat Luffy’s face, shattering his Gear Fourth form and forcing him back. 

“With this kind of strength… how did you beat Katakuri?!?” 

Basas pressed the attack, driving his knee into Luffy, who had no time to defend. The blow sent Luffy flying, coughing up blood. 

Right now, without advanced Armament Haki or Conqueror’s Haki infusion, Straw Hat Luffy was no match for Basas. 

“Luffy!” 

Seeing this… 

The rest of the Straw Hats were stunned. They couldn’t believe that one of the Lightning Pirates’ top fighters had just crushed their captain. 

This was the same Straw Hat Luffy who defeated Katakuri, Big Mom’s strongest commander! 

And he was taken down like this? 

They couldn’t wrap their heads around it! 

“Cough, cough, cough…” 

Suddenly, Basas dropped to one knee, spitting out blood. He muttered, “Tch, is this… all I’ve got? What a letdown!” 

He shot a glance at Nous, his look saying, I’m done. It’s up to you now. 

His body slowly reverted from his transformed state, covered in blood and looking absolutely wrecked. 

“Crippling the Fifth Emperor at the cost of your own injuries? That’s one hell of a feat.” 

Yoru spoke up, giving praise. “If that Straw Hat Luffy had mastered the higher levels of Haki, even I’d have a headache dealing with him.” 

“To pull this off, only Katakuri, Marco, or Nous could’ve done better than you.” 

Yoru glanced at Luffy, who was struggling to his feet amidst the rubble, panting heavily but still defiant. “He’s actually really strong, you know!” 

Hearing this… 

Everyone was shocked, turning to look at Luffy. They hadn’t expected him to be that strong. 

“By the way, do you guys have time to be distracted?” 

Caribou stuck out his tongue, his sinister gaze sweeping over Usopp, Nami, and the others. A swamp erupted from the ground beneath them, threatening to swallow them whole. 

There was no time to react. 

And he didn’t care one bit about being called a sneak! 

“Oh no!” 

Nami and the others shouted in panic as they realized the danger. 

Nico Robin reacted quickly, using her ability to yank everyone out of the swamp’s grasp, dodging the attack. 

But… 

“It’s not over yet, folks!” 

Doggs suddenly appeared in front of Nico Robin with a flash, his cold grin flashing as he slashed with a claw. 

Robin’s face paled… 

“Fur Enhancement!” 

At the critical moment, Chopper transformed, swelling up and blocking the attack to protect Robin. 

Doggs gave Chopper a surprised look. “Well, I underestimated you, little pet.” 

Meanwhile, on the other side… 

“What’s wrong, Blackfoot Sanji? Already down for the count? I was so excited to see that Germa tech suit of yours, and you’re just lying there? That’s no good!” 

Luli hefted her massive axe, looking down at Sanji, who was sprawled in a pool of his own blood, clearly unhappy. 

“Cough, cough, cough…” 

Sanji could barely stand, looking even worse than Basas. He coughed a few times. “Damn it… am I really this weak against a true powerhouse?” 

Luli smirked again. “So, you gonna use that tech suit or what?” 

“Our captain said you’re the finest product of Germa’s tech. I’m dying to see what your body can do. Why don’t you show me?” 

“In exchange… I won’t kill you.”