The Leviathan's cannon pulsed with violent energy. The orb at its core swelled, glowing deep crimson, casting a baleful light across the sea. Shadow tendrils swirled around it, distorting the air with their pressure. The entire Baratie creaked under the force, its hull straining to stay afloat.
Luffy stood frozen, breath shallow, the shadow armor flickering around his body. He stared at the weapon with wide eyes as warning symbols flashed inside his system vision.
Danger Level: Catastrophic. Unable to defend at current synchronization level.
Sanji stood at the edge of the deck, one leg ablaze, preparing to launch into the air if it meant intercepting the cannon shot. Zoro moved beside him, swords raised, sweat dripping from his brow. Even he looked uncertain.
"If that thing fires..." Nami whispered from behind the ruined counter, her voice barely audible. She was crouched over an injured Baratie waiter, shielding him instinctively.
"...we're finished," Usopp finished, fumbling to load another round into his slingshot with shaking hands.
The orb at the Leviathan's core surged.
But then—
The cloaked figure, still standing calmly on the edge of the broken deck, raised one gloved hand.
Everything stopped.
The swirling orb of death slowly lost its glow, shrinking until it dissipated completely. The Leviathan let out a low mechanical groan and began to retreat back into the fog, vanishing like a phantom into the sea.
Silence fell.
The tension that had built to a breaking point shattered like glass. Every crewmember and chef held their breath as the immediate threat faded.
"What... just happened?" Sanji muttered.
The cloaked figure turned away from the battlefield, his scythe dissolving into wisps of black mist.
"This was only a test," he said, his voice deep and emotionless, carrying clearly through the ruined air.
Luffy, still half-covered in dissipating shadow armor, called out hoarsely, "Then why come at all? Why try to kill us?"
The figure paused, his back still facing them. "Because your power is awakening. Those above me want to know how far you've come."
Those words hit Luffy like a cold wave. Above him? There's more?
The cloaked man tilted his head slightly, just enough to show a faint red glow under the edge of his hood. "Next time, Straw Hat... I won't hold back."
And with that, he stepped backward into the fog. His form melted into the mist and shadows until he was gone—no sound, no flash, only emptiness where he had stood.
The air slowly cleared. The sea settled. The darkness faded.
It was over.
The Baratie was in shambles. Half of the outer deck had been obliterated, with scorch marks and gaping cracks running across the flooring. Sails had been shredded, smoke still drifted from the kitchen, and wounded crewmen were scattered everywhere.
Luffy dropped to one knee, gasping. The last remnants of the shadow merge armor crumbled off his body like ash. He looked down at his trembling hands.
"He wasn't even serious... and we barely survived."
Sanji crouched beside a collapsed chef, checking for injuries. Zoro sheathed his swords, scanning the sea in case the fog returned. Nami held the unconscious waiter close, her fingers shaking.
Usopp slumped against a beam, eyes wide, hands limp.
"What the hell was that guy?"
For a moment, no one answered. The only sounds were crackling wood and the soft crash of waves.
Finally, Zeff limped out from the destroyed kitchen, bloodied but alive. He looked around the devastation and then at Luffy.
"Straw Hat... you've got enemies bigger than the sea itself. If you're gonna survive, you'd better grow faster than they expect."
Luffy nodded weakly.
But his eyes were focused—not on the ruin—but on the horizon.
A single thought echoed in his mind:
We're not ready yet. But we will be.
—To be continued.
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