"The Navy is here?"
Luffy and the others were all startled. They hadn't expected the Navy to chase them so relentlessly, and to arrive so quickly!
"Not good, Moonlight is still on the ship!" Usopp shouted in alarm.
"That's right, if the Navy has surrounded the ship, Moonlight might be in danger. We have to hurry back and help him," Nami added, her voice filled with concern.
"There's no need for that. With his strength, no matter how many Navy soldiers show up, they'll just be easy prey for him," Zoro said with a calm smirk. He knew Moonlight's strength too well. Unless Commodore Nelson himself brought the full might of the Navy, it wouldn't matter how many soldiers they sent—none of them would stand a chance against Moonlight.
"Exactly. I'm not entirely sure how powerful Moonlight is, but based on the intensity of what we felt earlier, there's no need to worry," Sanji agreed, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a smoke ring. If there was anyone on the ship he could trust to handle the situation, it was Moonlight.
Meanwhile, Luffy, who seemed unaware of the Navy's presence, asked, "So, Abis, you're saying Dragon Grandpa wants to go back to his homeland? Once he returns, he won't be in danger anymore, right?"
The others couldn't help but stare in disbelief at their captain. How could he be so carefree at a time like this?
Abis was speechless too. She wondered if Luffy even heard what she'd been saying. Didn't he realize that his crewmates and ship were likely surrounded by the Navy right now? Shouldn't he be worried?
But despite her thoughts, she nodded in response to Luffy's question. "Yes, Dragon Grandpa just got separated from his companions. If he returns to his homeland and reunites with them, he won't be afraid of anyone. He'll also regain his memories and go back to his normal life."
"A homeland for dragons, huh? That must mean there are other thousand-year-old dragons there too, right?" Usopp asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
"That sounds amazing. I never thought dragons actually existed. I always thought they were just myths!" Nami chimed in, clearly excited at the prospect.
"I agree. Seeing a dragon's homeland would be incredible! I wonder what it looks like," Sanji added, clearly intrigued.
"Is it in the sky?" Usopp speculated, his imagination running wild.
Hearing this, everyone was filled with excitement. Dragons were mythical creatures, and the idea of visiting a land full of them was thrilling. Few people in the world had ever seen a dragon, let alone visit their homeland.
"Alright, I've decided! We're going to help Dragon Grandpa return to his homeland!" Luffy declared with determination.
The rest of the crew nodded in agreement. Before heading to the Grand Line, having the chance to witness something so legendary was too good to pass up.
"Thank you, everyone! Really, thank you so much. But Dragon Grandpa is so big, we need to figure out a way to get him down from here," Abis said gratefully, overwhelmed by their kindness.
"No need to thank us. We're friends!" Luffy responded with his trademark sunny grin.
"I think we can use that slope over there," Usopp suggested, pointing to the incline outside the cave.
"That's a great idea!" Nami and the others' eyes lit up at the suggestion.
Meanwhile, back near the Merry, Eric had already launched his attack. His speed was astonishing as he kicked through the air, shouting, "Air Slice!"
A blade of air, sharp as a scythe, sliced through the atmosphere at an incredible speed, heading straight for Moonlight.
"Clang!"
Without hesitation, Moonlight drew his sword and slashed, cutting through the air itself. The force of his slash left deep scars in the air, as if the very fabric of space had been sliced apart. Even the surrounding seawater appeared as though it had been cleaved in two by an invisible sword.
"You've got some skill, blocking my Air Slice head-on," Eric remarked, his brow furrowing slightly. He hadn't expected Moonlight to counter his attack so easily. As a scythe-Scythe Fruit user, his attacks were razor-sharp, capable of cutting through anything. Most swordsmen couldn't even defend against him. The fact that Moonlight had blocked his strike spoke volumes about his strength.
"But this ends now. I'll finish you with this next move," Eric sneered, twisting his body mid-air before swinging downward with a vicious strike. He transformed into a massive scythe, descending from the sky with the force of a mountain, intent on cleaving Moonlight in two.
The air split apart in the wake of his attack, the force so intense that there was no room to dodge. Eric smirked, confident that no one could survive such a blow at such close range.
"Your sword may be strong, but your body is still made of flesh and blood. If I can't cut through your sword, I'll just cut through you," Eric taunted, fully expecting to end the fight with this final blow.
"Watch out! Move!" the villagers on the island shouted in panic, watching the terrifying attack unfold.
"His attack is so powerful it even splits the air!" one of the villagers gasped.
However, just as Eric's scythe was about to land, something shocking happened. Instead of dodging, Moonlight raised his hand and caught the blade with his bare palm. The scythe-like strike, which could have cleaved through almost anything, was stopped dead in its tracks.
"Clang!"
A heavy metallic sound echoed as Eric's attack was halted. His eyes widened in disbelief. Moonlight's hand, covered in a dark, shimmering aura, had caught his scythe with ease. It wasn't just physical strength—Moonlight had infused his hand with Armament Haki, turning it into an impenetrable shield.
"This… this is impossible! How could he stop my attack with his bare hand?!" Eric stammered, his mind reeling.
"He stopped that powerful attack… with his hand?" the Navy soldiers on the ship were equally stunned. They had never seen anything like it.
"Too strong… just how tough is this guy's body?"
With Eric's blade trapped in Moonlight's hand, the battle seemed all but decided.