536-540

Chapter 536: Warming Up  

Yoru gave a wry smile, looking at Luli. “Because I don’t belong to this world!” 

“My true home is somewhere else. For me, there’s a real place waiting out there.” 

Those words were harsh! 

But they had to be faced. 

Meanwhile, near Night Island, in the land of Wano… 

“The Straw Hats have been spotted!!!” 

The patrolling pirates immediately reported the news to the higher-ups on Night Island. 

In no time… 

The message was relayed through a Den Den Mushi to the top brass of Night Island. 

In Wano… 

Undercurrents began to stir. The forces loyal to Kurozumi Orochi and the hidden followers of Kozuki Oden started to make their moves. 

A massive battle was about to erupt! 

“They’re here, huh?” 

Yoru received the news two minutes later. 

He sat calmly in his high seat, gazing at the trusted warriors gathered in the hall… 

“Alright, everyone, let’s stick to the plan we discussed and get moving!” 

Yoru raised his wine glass, looking completely unfazed, as if he didn’t care in the slightest. “Let’s test the strength of this so-called fifth Emperor. Have some fun with it!” 

“Moving forward, we’re gonna face some earth-shaking battles. This little skirmish? Just consider it a warm-up.” 

His words brought roars of laughter from the room. “Just a warm-up? Man, you’re giving them way too much credit!” 

Basas, grinning ear to ear, was already itching to go. “Captain, you’re not jumping in, right?” 

He had a confident, almost predatory look. “If you get involved, it’s gonna be way too boring. The power balance would be totally off!” 

Nous and Luli nodded in agreement, clearly not taking the Straw Hats seriously at all. 

Peggy Wan and Ulti were the same, completely dismissing the approaching Straw Hats. 

“Everyone…” 

Seeing their attitude, Yoru shook his head. “I know you’re all strong, but don’t underestimate your opponents. These are the guys who escaped Big Mom’s crew and took down Katakuri.” 

“The Straw Hats are no pushovers. Basas, even you would have a tough time beating their captain!” 

He scanned the room. “That pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro, is Hawkeye’s disciple, and his skills are no joke. Blackfoot Sanji got a big power boost from the Vinsmoke family’s tech. He’s come a long way too…” 

“Underestimate them, and you’ll regret it!” 

Nous paused, thinking it over. “Maybe we should also keep Kozuki Oden’s retainers in mind?” 

He looked at Yoru. “You said before that the Nine Red Scabbards are pretty formidable. They’re tough enemies!” 

Yoru nodded. “Exactly. Don’t get cocky, everyone!” 

He stood up, his gaze seeming to pierce through to the distant sea. “Alright, I want you all to come back safe and sound so we can head to the final destination together.” 

He raised his glass. “Have a blast, everyone!” 

The others raised their glasses in unison. “Oh, we’ll have a blast, Captain!” 

They were beyond excited… 

Their Lightning Pirates had over 30,000 members. Taking on the Straw Hats? Piece of cake. 

They didn’t think the Straw Hats could cause any real trouble! 

… 

Not long after… 

Near Night Island, a fleet of towering ships with fluttering banners surged forward like tigers charging out of the mountains, cutting through the waves toward the horizon. 

The formation was absolutely massive! 

And soon… 

They appeared right in front of the Straw Hats. 

Chapter 537: The Battle Begins  

“No way!!” 

When the fleet appeared before them, everyone on the Sunny felt a shiver run through their souls. 

The enemy was faster—way faster. They hadn’t even reached land yet, and already they were surrounded, boxed in by the enemy’s ships. 

Momonosuke and his crew, in particular, were gripped by a bone-chilling fear, like they’d been plunged into an icy abyss. 

This was one of the Four Emperors they were facing—not some small-time pirates. 

Being spotted and surrounded by them? What chance did they have of surviving? 

Their dream of taking down Kurozumi Orochi and reclaiming Wano Country—how could they possibly pull that off now? 

The thought alone… 

Momonosuke was beyond terrified, and even Kin’emon was starting to lose his cool. 

This was too sudden! 

They’d planned to sneak in quietly, but now what were they supposed to do? 

They were completely out of ideas. 

The Lightning Pirates had them surrounded. 

The enemies’ faces were a mix of excitement and menace. Kin’emon felt a chill down his spine. 

Even the Straw Hats were on high alert, like they were staring down a tidal wave. 

“How… how did we get exposed so fast?!”  

“How could they mobilize like this? It’s like they were waiting for us!”  

Zoro and Sanji muttered grimly, sweat beading on their foreheads. 

This was too sudden. 

It caught them completely off guard. 

They couldn’t even process it! 

It was all happening too fast! 

In their minds, even if they got spotted, it shouldn’t have led to being surrounded this quickly. 

Their plan was to storm the Island of Night and wage guerrilla warfare. 

Even if they got pinned down on the island, they could use the terrain to their advantage and keep moving. 

But now… 

Trapped at sea, surrounded on all sides, their hearts sank. 

They had just one ship—the Sunny. But the enemy? A whole fleet, too many ships to count. 

And worse!  

Those ships were armed to the teeth with massive cannons, built from solid metal, and loomed with an overwhelming sense of dread. 

The three leading ships were the biggest of all! 

In front of them, the Sunny looked like a toy boat.  

One ship had a figurehead shaped like a thunderbird, wings spread wide, crackling with lightning and painted in shimmering white and sky blue.  

Another was pitch black, sleek like a dart… 

The last one was rugged and brutal, with a figurehead of a masked black bear, its hull a deep brown. 

“We’ve been waiting for you. Glad you finally showed up!”  

From the sky-blue ship, a man named Nous, dressed in a sharp suit, tipped his hat and greeted them with a gentleman’s charm. 

“Heh heh, took you long enough! The captain told us to be careful, so let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to make us take you seriously!”  

Ruri stood on the black ship, hefting a double-headed black iron axe. Her outfit was wild, her figure curvy yet radiating raw power. 

“Wahaha! I can’t wait to get this started! Nous, Ruri, if you two aren’t jumping in, I’m going first!”  

Basas, standing on the bear-shaped ship, was practically vibrating with excitement, his eyes gleaming. His body was already starting to take on beastly traits. 

“Go for it!” Ruri shrugged, not caring if Basas took the first swing. 

“If you’re that eager, go test them out. But don’t underestimate them!”  

Nous put his hat back on, casually wiping the white blade at his side. 

Their cocky attitudes were starting to tick off the Straw Hats.  

Who did they think they were looking down on?!  

“Wahaha! Then I won’t hold back!”  

In the next instant…  

Basas’s body swelled, transforming into something massive, like a feral beast breaking free from its cage. With a boom, he vanished from the ship. 

Chapter 538: You’ve Successfully Piqued My Interest  

“Watch out!!!” 

Straw Hat Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji shouted in unison, their faces tense with alarm. 

Their Observation Haki picked up a massive, razor-sharp threat hurtling toward them at breakneck speed. 

Whoosh! 

Burgess’s hulking figure loomed before Luffy. 

He’d transformed into his rhino form, his fist cloaked in Armament Haki, swinging with brutal force. 

The air exploded with a boom, soundwaves erupting in its wake. 

This punch was terrifying! 

Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji’s expressions shifted… 

Zoro and Sanji sprang into action. Zoro unleashed a furious three-sword slash, while Sanji’s leg ignited, aiming a fiery kick at Burgess. 

Luffy, snapping into Gear Second, wrapped his fist in Haki and launched a ferocious strike at Burgess’s head. 

Clang! 

Zoro’s blades clashed fiercely with Burgess’s fist. Luffy’s punch and Sanji’s blazing Devil’s Wind Foot slammed into Burgess’s head and waist. 

But… 

“Heh…” 

Burgess stood unfazed, as if their attacks were nothing, smirking mockingly. “This is the strength of the Fifth Emperor’s crew? Pathetic.” 

His fist surged with even greater force, bending Zoro’s arms back. “Too weak!” 

With one punch, he sent Zoro staggering back. 

Luffy and Sanji’s eyes widened in shock. 

This guy was absurdly strong. 

But there was no time to react… 

Burgess charged like a savage beast, swinging his fist with devastating power, overwhelming and relentless. 

Luffy and Sanji barely had time to shield their heads before they were sent flying like kites with cut strings. 

“Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!” 

Zoro, the Pirate Hunter, seized the moment, rushing Burgess with a ferocious sword wave that roared through the air, splitting it with a piercing screech. 

“Wahaha, bring it on!” 

Burgess’s fist trembled violently, stirring the surrounding air as he smashed into the tiger-shaped sword wave. 

Boom! 

A deafening explosion unleashed a fierce gust, blowing Momonosuke, Nami, and the others away amid their startled cries. 

“Wahaha, you think you can challenge the Captain with that strength?” 

Burgess stood tall, arrogantly scanning the scene. 

Luffy and Sanji struggled to their feet. 

Luffy, deadly serious, adjusted his straw hat, bit his arm, and puffed up his cheeks, inflating his body with air. 

Sanji, calm as ever, lit a cigarette, his foot slowly glowing red with heat. 

Zoro, meanwhile, yanked the green bandana from his arm, tied it around his head, and grinned like a feral beast, his body taut like a leopard ready to pounce. 

“Heh, finally getting serious, huh?” 

Burgess’s grin widened. 

But then… 

His attention locked onto Zoro! 

And not just him—Ruri, Nous, Ulti, and Toki, watching from the ship without joining the fight, all turned to Zoro in shock. 

A dark, eerie aura radiated from him, oppressive as if it came straight from hell, making Zoro look like a wrathful demon. 

Burgess’s pupils narrowed, his face growing grim. “Conqueror’s… Haki!!” 

Yes… 

He felt it—the aura unique to kings, emanating from Zoro. 

“It’s more oppressive than the Captain’s Conqueror’s Haki, but not as strong. Still, it’s terrifying enough!” 

Nous smirked. “Two kings on one ship? Hmph, now that’s interesting!” 

He called out to Burgess, “Leave the Pirate Hunter to me. This is a duel for swordsmen!” 

Chapter 539: Gear Fourth Unleashed  

Bassas didn’t back down… 

But with Nous joining the fray, Zoro’s body tensed even more. 

Nous! 

The captain of the Lightning Pirates and the right-hand man of the Yonko, Lightning Assassin Yoru.  

His strength was second only to Yoru himself!  

This was an opponent beyond imagination. 

“Well then, I’ll take on this handsome blond guy. Let’s have some fun, shall we?”  

Ruli flashed a dangerously charming smile, twirling her axe in her hand. “How about a little cooking contest, huh?” 

Sanji, facing her, wore a grim expression.  

He let out a long breath, his body slowly tensing.  

“If it comes down to it, I’ll use that,” he told himself silently. 

What kind of boost that would give him, he wasn’t sure. 

But he knew one thing—it’d make him stronger. 

“Gear… Fourth!”  

Straw Hat Luffy transformed into a hulking, bouncy figure, radiating heavy pressure and looking downright terrifying.  

“Wahaha! I love fighting hand-to-hand guys like you—especially ones who can take a beating!”  

Bassas was practically buzzing with excitement as he charged at Luffy.  

Despite his massive size, his speed was shocking.  

His Devil Fruit gave him incredible power, and in the Lightning Pirates, he’d honed his physical skills and mastered an exceptional use of Haki.  

He was a different beast now compared to before!  

“Take this!”  

In the blink of an eye, Bassas threw a simple but devastating punch right at Luffy’s face.  

BOOM!  

Luffy met it with a punch of his own.  

In an instant…  

The Sunny shook violently, and a massive wave surged across the sea.  

“Hmph, not bad! That’s some serious power!”  

Bassas locked eyes with Luffy, who was gritting his teeth after their clash. “You beat Katakuri and Cracker, huh? Can’t underestimate you!”  

“So, why don’t you show me everything you’ve got? No holding back!”  

Bassas’s fist slowly started to overpower Luffy’s.  

“If this is all you’ve got, you’re not beating Katakuri!”  

He eyed the bulky, struggling Luffy. “Where’s that mode you used to take down Katakuri? Come on, bring it out!”  

“Show it to me, or you won’t stand a chance against my heavy fists!”  

Bassas wasn’t taking Luffy lightly.  

Right from the start, he went all-out in his beast-man form!  

In this state, his stats were massively boosted.  

He wouldn’t claim he could beat Katakuri, but Cracker? No contest.  

But…  

“I don’t need… Snake Man to deal with you!!”  

Luffy’s legs exploded with force, launching him into the air. His legs coiled into his body like springs, making a cringe-worthy creaking sound.  

“Rubber… Rhino Howitzer!!”  

The attack came out of nowhere, catching Bassas off guard. His pupils shrank, but he didn’t panic—instead, his grin widened with excitement.  

WHAM!  

He crossed his arms to guard his head, but the blow sent him skidding back.  

He quickly steadied himself, only to see a massive fist rocketing toward him, compressed and then unleashed. “Rubber… Giant Ape King Gun!!!”  

The enormous fist slammed into his chest, engulfing his head and sending him flying like a broken kite.  

He crashed through several ships, leaving a trail of destruction, before finally coming to a stop in the mangled wreckage of a steel warship. 

Chapter 540: I Got Serious, and You’re Already Done?  

Nous and Luli both shot a surprised glance at Straw Hat Luffy. “No wonder he beat Katakuri. The guy’s got some skills.” 

“But…”  

Luli’s eyes flicked to Basas, who was already charging in with Geppo. “If he wants to take down a brute like Basas, he’s gonna have to try harder!” 

Over on Nous’s side! 

“Not bad. That sword of yours is something else—it can even draw out your Conqueror’s Haki!” 

Nous easily blocked Zoro’s attack. 

Even while clashing, he shook his head. “Too bad you haven’t mastered coating your attacks with Conqueror’s Haki. If you could, you might actually awaken that blade’s will and deal some real damage to me!” 

“I’ve seen a sword like that in Wano, one that can tap into its wielder’s hidden strength.” 

“If I’m not mistaken, that black blade of yours is ‘Shusui,’ the sword of the legendary dragon-slaying swordsman Ryuma, right?” 

Zoro didn’t respond… 

But the deep furrow in his brow showed he wasn’t exactly in top shape. 

“What’s wrong? Not used to your sword pulling your power out like that?” 

Nous, reading Zoro’s state like an open book, couldn’t help but tease him. 

“You… talk too damn much!” 

Zoro’s voice growled like a beast as he leapt back, his body radiating a sharp, chilling aura. “Three-Sword Style: Bull Demon Courageous Claw!” 

Like a swarm of killer bees, his piercing strike shot toward Nous. But Nous didn’t even flinch, letting the attack hit him dead-on. 

Zzt! Zzt! Zzt! 

Nous took the hit with a calm smirk, and Zoro’s powerful strike didn’t even scratch his defenses. 

Zoro’s eyes widened, a chill running through him like he’d been dunked in ice. Without thinking, he moved to retreat. 

Slash! 

But a cold, gleaming edge, wrapped in an overwhelming, unfamiliar force, tore through his chest with ease. 

“Argh!!!” 

The pain wasn’t just from the gash—it was the lightning coursing through the blade. 

Heavy and wild, like a natural disaster, it ripped through every muscle in his body in an instant. 

Slash! 

Another strike… 

Nous, looming above, pierced Zoro’s shoulder and looked down at the unyielding beast before him. “Is this all you’ve got?” 

“I just got serious, and you’re already done?” 

This moment… 

It brought back memories of Zoro being pushed to the brink by Hawkeye. That same desperate feeling washed over him again. 

“Heh…” 

Zoro suddenly grinned, yanking himself free from the sword with no hesitation. “You want to see my real strength? Then you’d better be ready to die!” 

A cold, icy power surged from him, enveloping his blades. “Nine mountains, eight seas—there’s nothing I can’t cut…” 

His wounds didn’t seem to slow him down one bit. Like a leopard, he charged at Nous. “Three-Sword Style Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds!!” 

A razor-sharp aura that could slice the heavens roared toward Nous, who finally showed a spark of interest. 

He swung his sword down… 

In that instant, it was like space itself tore apart, unleashing endless arcs of lightning that clashed with the pirate hunter. 

Boom! 

The impact… 

It drew every eye. Everything around them shattered in a split second. 

Even the steel-plated warships nearby were left with deep gashes. 

“This is… the full strength you told me to brace myself for?” 

Looking at Zoro, who was gritting his teeth and pouring everything into the attack, Nous remained as calm as ever. His sword crackled with relentless lightning, like some untouchable sage. “It’s still not enough!”