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When the thick smoke and dust settled, Straw Hat Luffy lay unconscious at the bottom of a deep crater, his eyes rolled back in his head.
The attack had blown him away entirely, robbing him of consciousness and leaving his breathing faint. This was a devastating strike, imbued with the power of Advanced Conqueror's Haki. Even a seasoned fighter with mastery of Armament Haki would struggle to endure such an assault, let alone a rookie like Luffy who had yet to fully grasp Haki.
Fortunately, the blow wasn't fatal, but it inflicted severe injuries.
Rayleigh's eyes flared with anger as he glanced at Yamato. His voice was sharp as he spoke: "For someone with a reputation in the New World, isn't this kind of cruelty against a rookie too much?"
"I held back," Yamato replied nonchalantly, lowering her mace and ignoring the rising tension in Rayleigh's aura.
Yamato's demeanor was indifferent. Because of the connection between Luffy and "Joy Boy," there was a measure of animosity from some who aligned with Alex's faction. Yamato was no exception. Besides, Luffy had previously been knocked out by Ulti, so Yamato figured a similar move wouldn't be out of line. She'd ensured it wasn't fatal, after all.
"Calling that 'holding back'?" Shakky retorted darkly, glaring at Yamato.
The rest of the Straw Hat crew looked on with a mix of fear and anger. Enel seemed ready to leap into action, but his resolve faltered in the face of Yamato's overwhelming strength.
"Relax," Yamato said casually, glancing at Law. "Isn't there a renowned doctor here?"
Shakky's expression tightened, her sharp gaze silently appraising the underlying dynamics of the scene. These moments could potentially serve Alex's interests.
Law, gripping Kikoku tightly, sighed in frustration. He hadn't come here expecting to get roped into another situation, but circumstances seemed to dictate otherwise. Looking down at the battered Luffy, he muttered, "This isn't ideal, but I'll handle it."
Without hesitation, Law pulled a test tube from his coat, popping the cork with his thumb. He poured its contents onto Luffy, and the liquid quickly seeped into his skin. The visible effects were immediate—Luffy's injuries began to heal at an astonishing rate.
"You brought that along?" Yamato asked, raising a brow. She then turned her gaze to Luffy and continued, "In that case, I'll handle waking him up."
Electricity began crackling around Yamato's index finger as she channeled the power of her Devil Fruit. Sparks climbed her arm, condensing at her fingertip. To amplify the effect, she added Armament Haki to the mix.
Zap!
A bolt of lightning shot forth and struck Luffy, sending a jolt through his unconscious body. The Straw Hats moved to intervene, but Shakky stopped them with a raised hand. "It's fine," she assured them. "That's Yamato's Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability—controlled and precise."
Luffy stirred for the first time, his body twitching from the residual electricity. Pain wracked his frame as consciousness returned, and he let out a loud yelp.
Yamato withdrew her hand, and the crackling stopped. "Looks like he's awake. Good." She turned, her tone casual. "I'm heading out. I need to check on Perona and the others." Without waiting for a response, she transformed into lightning and disappeared, leaving the crew to tend to their captain.
Of course, this was just an excuse. The real reason for Yamato's hasty departure was the interruption her heavy blow had caused. The duel between Zoro and Kuina, which had been in full swing, was abruptly halted. Seeing that their sparring session couldn't continue, Yamato left the battlefield with an awkward laugh, calling it quits.
Zoro and Kuina could only exchange resigned looks. Though a bit frustrated, they didn't hold it against her. Small grievances aside, it wasn't worth getting annoyed over.
Among the top-ranking figures of the New World, the so-called "trump cards" of the major factions, Yamato stood out for her camaraderie with the younger generation. While others like Mihawk and Lafitte maintained a more stoic and distant demeanor, and figures like Gion adopted a more formal mentorship role, Yamato was approachable. Even Boa Hancock, devoted as she was to Alex, rarely paid much attention to others.
Yamato, by contrast, had an easygoing nature that allowed her to interact with them without putting on airs. She was the one they could spar with, talk to, and even joke around without hesitation.
As the remaining onlookers dispersed, Luffy stirred. Slowly, he sat up, grimacing as he clutched his head. Though the worst of his injuries had been healed, the residual pain lingered. Gritting his teeth, he tried to force himself to his feet.
Before he could call out another challenge, Rayleigh's voice cut through the air, stopping him. "Don't push yourself. Charging ahead recklessly won't get you anywhere."
Rayleigh's gaze was sharp but not unkind. "You've experienced it now, haven't you? The sheer gap between you—and your crew—and the top forces of the New World. You're strong, Luffy, but you're not there yet."
Luffy fell silent, the weight of Rayleigh's words sinking in. Without responding, he slumped back down.
Chopper, snapping out of his shock, rushed to Luffy's side and began examining him. After a moment, the reindeer doctor exclaimed in surprise. "Strange! The external wounds are healed, but there's still something unusual…"
Shakky stepped forward, arms crossed as she explained, "The potion Law used earlier—it's a rare life essence from the Sky Kingdom. It's powerful, thanks to the work of someone with the Heal-Heal Fruit. The essence accelerates recovery at an incredible rate."
"That's incredible!" Chopper marveled, his fascination as a doctor evident. He could clearly sense the miraculous healing properties at work.
"But the Sky Kingdom…" Chopper's expression shifted. "They're always a pain."
"Couldn't agree more," Sanji chimed in, his usual irritation surfacing. "Those bastards not only caused trouble for us but had to go and team up with the Kuja and a bunch of mermaids. They turned the Sky Kingdom into every man's dreamland!"
Sanji shook his head, pushing away the lingering bitterness. "Seriously, I'll never get over that."
Despite his grumbling, Sanji refocused, his sharp eyes on Luffy, who remained uncharacteristically quiet. Concern crept into his voice. "Hey, Luffy. You're not actually taking this lying down, are you?"
Luffy didn't look up. Instead, his voice, low and steady, broke the silence. "Uncle Rayleigh is right… I'm too weak."