Chapter 96 – Loguetown 4.
[Chapter Size: 3215 Words.]
Third Person POV
Loguetown, East Blue.
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...
The Loguetown square was illuminated by the light of the purple flames beginning to envelop Luffy's body. The transformation of his Devil Fruit was in full force, giving him a imposing and terrifying appearance with strange scales and growing horns that stood out.
"Yamato, get out of here with the others and prepare the ship," ordered Luffy, his firm voice echoing through the square as his eyes remained fixed on Garp.
"Yes, Luffy! Let's go," replied Yamato, leading Shirahoshi, Megalo, Alvida, and a certain Lucy away from the impending battlefield.
Garp, in turn, didn't let Luffy's provocation go unnoticed. "Don't think you'll escape this time, Luffy! And Lucy, where do you think you're going?! You're a marine!" growled Garp with a serious expression, casting a challenging look towards Lucy.
"It's true! I have to arrest you since I'm a marine!" exclaimed Lucy, her determined and comical expression, despite the cautious look from Alvida by her side.
"Let's fight, Grandpa!" declared Luffy, and immediately his Devil Fruit entered the second phase. The transformation happened spectacularly: his skin acquired a purple hue, muscles increased, and scales like armor began to appear in various parts of his body. Two horns grew on his head, enveloped in purple flames that illuminated the square, leaving everyone present in awe.
"That darn Devil Fruit, I don't know how you got it, but I'm going to beat you with my fists, you brat!" growled Garp, watching his transformed grandson with a mix of surprise and determination, much like the first time he witnessed his grandson's strange powers. The square was enveloped in an aura of tension as the confrontation between grandfather and grandson intensified while Yamato was running to get away with the others, marking a crucial moment in Loguetown.
"Is this the power of Garp's grandson? A mythical Zoan?" murmured some marines, watching with admiration Luffy's transformation.
"So hot! I can feel the heat from here!" commented another marine, stepping back a bit due to the intensity of the flames.
"So cool!" exclaimed Lucy, her eyes shining like stars at the supernatural spectacle before her.
But even with the stunning scene, Yamato and the others couldn't divert their attention for long. The marines under Garp's command, led by two Commodores, 3 Captains, 1 Commander plus Captain Smoker from Loguetown, were quickly approaching to face Luffy's crew.
"Leave that for later, we have to deal with the pirates! Let the Vice Admiral take care of his grandson!" ordered the Commodore with the most authority here, and immediately, Smoker and his comrades advanced toward Yamato and the others to prevent them from escaping. A skilled and confident captain decided to use the Soru technique to position himself strategically in Yamato's path. However, the speed of Kaido's daughter was even more surprising. Yamato acted with agility, throwing her Kanabo in the exact direction where the marine appeared, catching him off guard. Before he could react, the captain was thrown away, temporarily interrupting the Marine's assault. The square was now divided between the colossal confrontation between Luffy and Garp and the fight of the other crew members against the marines.
"Observation Haki... Tell me, Luffy, where did you find a woman with Haki in this sea?" Garp didn't divert his gaze from the events but threw the question with a tone of curiosity and at the same time, reprimand.
The grandson, with his always carefree expression, responded with a wide smile, revealing a confident and determined side. "A long story, Grandpa. I haven't learned it yet because I want to start with the six styles, but I plan to get really powerful with them in the future!"
Garp muttered under his breath, a mix of frustration and admiration. "Damn Luffy, where are you learning the six styles..." His grandson possessed marine techniques, had acquired powerful allies like Yamato, and hid a series of secrets.
"Whatever, I'll beat you with my love fists so much that you'll spill everything to your grandpa!" Garp declared with a mix of authority and affection, preparing for the imminent battle. He unleashed a surprising attack, combining Soru and Haki, directing it to the center of Luffy's chest.
Luffy, caught off guard by the speed and strength of the attack, was thrown away, flying with impressive force. The crowd reacted with murmurs of amazement, some surprised cries echoing among the spectators.
Meanwhile, Buggy, recovering from the wreckage beneath the platform, rose with indignation. His expression of anger was visible as he sought answers. "Damn! Who hit me?! I'll kill that person! Hm?!"
*BOOM!*
A blast resonated, interrupting Buggy's furious speech. The sound echoed through the skies of Loguetown, creating a moment of tense suspense. Before Buggy could articulate any reaction, a swift projectile, courtesy of Luffy's explosive momentum, struck him squarely, causing the clown to collapse unconscious once again, his limbs contorting like those of a uncontrolled puppet.
The execution platform, already weakened by previous events, couldn't withstand the impact of Luffy's attack. The structure fragmented, collapsing amid a spectacle of debris scattering like petals in the wind. The dust of chaos floated in the air, adding a touch of dramatic tension to the scene.
In the face of this chaotic panorama, civilians, moved by survival instinct, began to hurriedly move away. Fear reflected in their frightened gazes and expressions of terror. Some whispered words of concern, while others let out nervous cries.
The space once occupied by a curious crowd now transformed into empty corridors as people sought safety, trying to escape the imminent chaos unfolding.
Luffy emerged from the rubble with an expression oscillating between pain and determination, blood dripping from his mouth. "Dang, that hurt!" he grumbled, injecting a touch of peculiar humor into the situation.
Luffy's eyes, serious and determined, fixed on his grandfather, about 30 meters away. A flaming aura began to envelop his fists, standing out against the chaotic backdrop of Loguetown. It was as if the air around Luffy was about to ignite.
"**Ifrit: Incendiary Explosion!**" Luffy's cry echoed through the square, his voice loaded with power and determination. His punch headed towards his grandfather, despite the distance, now infused with a large amount of purple fire, unleashed an impressive explosion across the entire space in front of him.
The destruction was instantaneous, growing from his punch, releasing it. In a radius of 40 meters in front of Luffy, the ground turned into a sea of flames and chaos. The purple fire, burning and voracious, rose like an awakened beast, cracking the ground with its destructive power. The sight was spectacular, a mix of fury and splendor in flamboyant hues.
Garp, even surrounded by flames, remained standing. His impassive figure cut through the chaos amidst the explosion. The fire covered him like an aura, but he seemed unfazed, defying the flames with an unshakeable expression as all the chaos erupted in front of him, seemingly unaffected as he was covered by the flames.
Seeing the path clear, Shirahoshi quickly followed to join the sisters, ready to escape the scene of confrontation.
As the group gathered, Yamato dealt a formidable blow to Garp's last Commodore with her club, causing them to fall to the ground. The officer, despite possessing all the Marine styles, was powerless against the girl's Haki, while Alvida helped with some lieutenants still fighting.
"Let's go!" Yamato declared firmly, with her and Alvida joining the group to head towards the ship.
"Who is she?" Nami asked about Alvida immediately.
"I'm Luffy's woman." Alvida had no shame in declaring that.
"Woman?!" Nami was stunned.
"Leave that for later, let's escape first." Yamato spoke.
"And Luffy?" Nojiko expressed her concern, her eyes seeking confirmation.
"He'll be fine, Luffy never disappoints. He'll catch up with us soon," Yamato replied with confidence, conveying unwavering faith in her captain.
"Yes." The rest of the group agreed unanimously, sharing confidence in the captain.
"Let's get out of here, guys. Follow me!" Nami, pragmatic and decisive as always, led the group towards the ship.
*BOOOM!*
*BOOOM!*
As they headed to the ship, two explosions resonated, echoing throughout the city. The thunderous sound made everyone in the group turn to watch the chaotic scene unfolding.
"Let's go, let Luffy deal with his grandfather!" Nojiko spoke, and they continued on their way.
Meanwhile, in the air, Smoker followed the group to try to stop them.
In the square, Luffy faced the wreckage, with Lucy behind him at a distance, trying to catch a glimpse of the epic battle between her grandfather and her brother.
"Luffy!" Garp emerged from the debris that Luffy had caused, flying out with geppo and initiating a new clash with Luffy.
Luffy, determined to face his grandfather, formed wings using his abilities and flew towards him with soru, while Garp responded in kind, employing soru and haki in his attack.
The fists of the two collided, a fusion of intense flames and a force enhanced by the speed of Luffy's fruit, against the brute force and haki of Garp. The collision resonated in shockwaves, creating a sequence of explosions.
*BOOOM!*
*BOOOM!*
*BOOOM!*
*BOOOM!*
In addition to the echoing booms throughout the city, the ground under their feet began to explode, adding a visual element to the noisy chaos. The clash between grandfather and grandson unfolded, a spectacle of power and determination that transcended the limits of the square, engulfing the entire city in its intensity.
The confrontation between Luffy and his grandfather, Garp, reached a new level. The atmosphere was charged with electricity as the two stared at each other with determined eyes. Luffy, with his straw hat firmly on his head, and Garp, with a serious expression, were ready for another round of this epic battle.
Garp broke the silence with a challenging smile. "You've grown, Luffy. But have you grown enough?"
Luffy responded with a confident smile, his eyes shining with determination. "Let's find out, Gramps!"
In the blink of an eye, the two launched themselves at each other. Luffy, agile as ever, disappeared from everyone's sight, moving with the speed of Soru. Garp did not lag behind, responding with surprising speed for someone of his stature. The two met in the center of the square, exchanging powerful punches that generated shockwaves.
Spectators could barely keep up with the speed of the movements. Lucy watched with a tense look from a distance, recognizing the magnitude of the clash between the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the legendary Vice Admiral of the Marines.
Luffy's fists were enveloped in flames, a manifestation of the power of his Devil Fruit. Each punch was an explosion of energy, leaving trails of fire in the air. Garp, in turn, channeled his Haki and titanic strength into each blow, creating impact waves that reverberated through the ground.
The square became the stage for a dance of speed and power, with Luffy and Garp launching into a dizzying succession of punches, dodges, and counterattacks. Some spectators who were far away and a few conscious marines were now witnesses to a display of skill and strength, while the square vibrated with the intensity of the confrontation.
Suddenly, Luffy threw a punch charged with flames, seeking to break through Garp's defense. The Vice Admiral responded with a powerful block, but the flames began to encircle his resistance. A fire explosion illuminated the square as Luffy's punch collided with Garp's defense, creating a tense moment that seemed to freeze time.
The smoke slowly dissipated, revealing Luffy and Garp on opposite sides of the impact. Luffy was a little breathless, but his eyes reflected unwavering determination to continue the duel.
"Grandpa, you're so strong, I don't even stand a chance against you right now!" Luffy declared, wiping the blood from his forehead and mouth with the sleeve of his coat.
Garp, serious and imposing, retorted with a determined tone. "I'll detain you here, you rebellious brat!"
Luffy, keeping his cool, smiled casually. "But grandpa, I don't think that's going to happen..."
"What do you mean, brat?" Garp narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
"Dad just arrived; I doubt you can handle him and me here." Luffy replied, his confidence shining through his words.
Initially skeptical, Garp mocked the suggestion. "What are you talking about now, are you going to say he's after me too? Do you think your grandfather will fall for this again?"
However, before Garp could continue with his mockery, a striking voice resonated behind him, surprising even the experienced Vice Admiral.
"He's right."
Garp turned abruptly, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets as he faced the imposing figure of Monkey D. Dragon. The leader of the Revolutionary Army was there, observing the scene with an arrogant smile.
"D-Dragon?!" Garp exclaimed, surprise evident in his expression.
Dragon, with his imposing presence, remained unshaken. He stared at his father and sons amidst the destruction, revealing a smile laden with meanings. The atmosphere in the square instantly changed, charged with the imminent turn of events. The confrontation now was not just between grandfather and grandson, but also between generations of a family destined to shape the future of the world. The tense silence that followed seemed to foreshadow the storm that was about to unleash.
"Who is he? And why did Luffy call him Dad?" Lucy murmured to herself, her eyes fixed on the imposing figure of Dragon.
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