Sanji's heel blazed through the air like a comet.
The impact hit with a hollow, devastating crack as his foot slammed into Mr. 4's jaw. The sheer force twisted the hulking agent's head sideways and lifted his body clean off the ground. Dust spiraled upward in a thunderous burst, masking the plaza in a cloud of shattered stone and wind.
Mr. 4 tumbled backward, crashing through a fractured pillar and sending debris in every direction. His iron bat flew from his hands and landed with a dead metallic thud.
Zoro lowered his swords slightly, sweat trailing down his jawline.
"Tch," he muttered with a smirk. "Nice finish."
But it wasn't over yet.
From the cloud, a low groan escaped. Mr. 4's arms twitched. His fingers dug into the cracked ground as he slowly, painfully pushed himself up.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. His knees trembled. But his body still moved.
Usopp's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?!"
He fumbled with his slingshot as Lassoo, despite smoke trailing from his muzzle, let out a ragged bark.
Steam hissed. Then—BOOM.
Another cannonball fired.
Lassoo's body recoiled violently, launching the shot with a shrill whoop of energy.
Usopp didn't flinch.
He focused.
His hands moved with purpose, locking a dial-infused ammo ball into his slingshot.
"Time to shut you up."
He pulled, aimed, and fired.
The round struck Lassoo's cannon just as the barrel flared. A bright blue burst of sticky adhesive splattered across the muzzle and instantly hardened.
The next bark turned into a gargled wheeze. Lassoo's eyes bulged as pressure built in the blocked barrel.
BLOOP–BOOM!
The cannon misfired. A cloud of smoke burst from Lassoo's back and he spun in a dizzy spiral, landing muzzle-down in the sand, groaning in defeat.
Below ground, Miss Merry Christmas clawed through her tunnel in a frantic attempt to retreat. She was losing control of the fight—and she knew it.
But just ahead, a faint rustling stopped her in her tracks.
Vivi stood, blades drawn, her breathing heavy but her hands steady.
"You won't escape."
She lunged.
In the narrow tunnel, metal clanged as she struck with pinpoint precision. Miss Merry Christmas screamed, retreating upward in a panic.
She burst through the surface in a wild spray of sand and feathers, parasol twisted from previous impacts. She flailed, gasping for air.
Usopp stood nearby, arms spread wide. "Over here, tunnel rat!"
He was shaking—but he didn't back down.
Miss Merry screeched and lunged for him.
From below, Vivi shouted, "Sanji—NOW!"
Luffy, already standing behind Sanji, pressed his palm to the cook's back.
A black ripple of energy surged from his hand—quiet, focused, and immediate.
Shadow Surge Activated.
Sanji's pupils narrowed as power flowed through him. His boots cracked the tile beneath him as he leapt.
He vanished—then reappeared midair, twisting with a trailing arc of shadow and flame.
His heel collided with Miss Merry Christmas before she could reach Usopp.
The impact sent her flying across the plaza, skidding into Lassoo's unconscious form with a final screech. Her parasol clattered beside her.
Mr. 4 growled, lifting his head one last time. His hand reached for the bat.
His arms trembled.
He stood, swaying.
The bat rose above his shoulder.
But Luffy was already behind him.
No words.
Just a final surge of shadow from his palm, transferred directly into Sanji's back.
Sanji dashed forward—faster than before.
He struck.
This time, his foot landed square in the center of Mr. 4's chest with the force of a cannon.
The ground cracked beneath them as the man flew backward, crashing into a crater at the edge of the plaza.
Silence.
The dust floated gently in the golden air.
Vivi stepped out from the tunnel, hair tousled, face streaked with sand.
Usopp collapsed to the ground, arms wide, gasping.
Sanji landed and lit a cigarette with shaky fingers.
"That's how you bury a mole."
The wind shifted.
A dry breeze rolled through the plaza.
Vivi's brow furrowed. "The air… changed."
Nami's voice called out sharply from the far side of the ruins. "Guys!"
They turned.
She stood near the edge of the rubble, pointing toward the horizon.
From the rising sand, a dark figure approached.
Tall.
Cloaked.
A long shadow trailing behind her.
The sunlight glinted off a wide-brimmed hat.
Her dark hair fluttered slightly beneath it.
She stopped just at the edge of vision.
Watching.
[End of Chapter 127]
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