"LUFFY!! WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE?!" Nami's scream could probably be heard all the way back in Skypeia as the Going Merry plummeted toward the ocean like a drunken seagull. The ship spun wildly, its mast doing full rotations as plates, cutlery, and Usopp's dignity went flying overboard.
It had started innocently enough - Luffy had been bored and, in a stroke of genius only he could muster, decided that the octopus would make an excellent trampoline. The resulting struggle had sent the entire ship careening out of the sky path.
"NYAHAHAHAHA! THIS IS THE BEST, ZO-CHAN!" Yachiru cheered, arms spread wide as she rode the ship's figurehead like it was a rollercoaster. Zoro, meanwhile, had turned an interesting shade of green, his death grip on the railings bending the metal. "I hate... everything..." he groaned.
At the center of the chaos, Luffy whooped with joy, his rubbery limbs flapping in the wind like a derailed train's signal flags. "WOOOHOO! THIS IS EVEN BETTER THAN THAT GIANT SLIDE IN SKYPIEA!"
Robin and Nolan observed the pandemonium from their floating nimbus cloud, sipping tea with the serenity of people watching a particularly entertaining stage play. Robin delicately caught a flying sandwich that had escaped from the galley. "They do have a certain... energy, don't they?"
Nolan nodded, watching as Chopper transformed into Heavy Point just to have more limbs to cling to the ship with, his fur standing on end like an electrocuted cotton ball. With a long-suffering sigh, Nolan expanded his nimbus. "Get... in," he called out, though most of the crew was already mid-air, having decided to abandon ship.
Sanji jumped and landed gracefully, only to be crushed by Usopp's flailing body. "Hey!!" he shouted.
Zoro somehow managed to miss the cloud entirely and had to be fished out by Robin's sprouted arms. Luffy bounced off three times before Nolan caught him by the ankle.
"TOO... HEAVY..." Nolan muttered as the nimbus groaned under their combined weight, sagging noticeably.
"Nami," Nolan said, eyeing their overloaded transport. "Kamui."
Nami's Sharingan eyes swirled to life. "Right! Everyone hold onto something that's not the ship!" With a dramatic gesture, the entire Going Merry vanished into her dimensional space, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air.
The sudden absence of their plummeting vessel made everyone blink. "Huh," Usopp said intelligently, still dangling upside down from Sanji's grip.
Nolan guided the now much lighter nimbus down in a gentle spiral. As they neared the ocean surface, Nami released Merry as the crew finally jumped towards it.
The crew tumbled onto the deck in a groaning heap, their hair sticking up at odd angles from the static electricity. Zoro was the first to speak, peeling his face off the deck, "I'm going to kill that idiot."
Luffy, completely unharmed and already rummaging through the pantry: "Hey! The food is missing!"
Just as the Straw Hats were catching their breath, Nolan suddenly raised his gun and started firing into empty air. The crew blinked in confusion - until the first cannonball appeared out of nowhere, only to vanish in a puff of smoke from Nolan's shot.
"Wha-?" Usopp's question died in his throat as the sky suddenly filled with black dots. Dozens of cannonballs rained down toward the Merry like deadly hail.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Chopper screamed, diving behind a barrel.
Nolan stood calmly at the bow, his gun moving in lazy arcs as he erased each incoming projectile. The cannonballs disappeared the instant they came within range - some vanished halfway out of their cannons' barrels. It looked like an invisible shield surrounded the ship.
On the marine battleship, Onigumo's cigar nearly fell from his mouth. "What kind of devilry is this?" he growled, watching through binoculars as every single cannonball mysteriously disappeared before reaching its target. His arms twitched with frustration.
"Sir... it's like they know exactly where and when we'll fire," a lieutenant stammered.
Onigumo crushed his binoculars in one hand. He hadn't survived countless battles by backing down from weird powers. "Full barrage! All cannons! And get this ship moving. I want us right on top of them!"
The ship's engines roared to life as every cannon along its sides fired at once. The sea trembled from the sheer firepower. Cannonballs flew so thick they nearly blocked out the sun.
Back on the Merry, even Nolan's lazy expression tightened slightly at the onslaught. His finger never stopped pulling the trigger, but the crew could see sweat forming on his brow, well definitely not from exhaustion but rather from annoyance.
"Uh, guys?" Usopp squeaked, watching Nolan's gun continuously destroying the cannonballs. "What's Plan B?"
Luffy cracked his knuckles. "I've got an idea-"
"NO!" everyone shouted before he could finish.
The bombardment continued relentlessly, the marines refusing to let up. Wave after wave of cannon fire kept coming, each shot perfectly erased but bringing Nolan to exhaustion.
Nami threw her hands up in frustration. "Ah, whatever! Let's just fight them already!" The moment she gave the okay, the crew burst into action like kids released for recess.
The marine ship loomed closer, revealing a terrifying figure at the helm. Vice Admiral Onigumo, his spider-like arms twitching behind him like living weapons. His cold stare sent shivers down even Usopp's spine.
"I'll take care of him!" Luffy shouted, already stretching his arms back. Before anyone could stop him, he launched himself like a rubber cannonball straight onto the enemy deck, landing smack in the middle of two dozen shocked marines.
"You idiot!" Usopp screamed from the Merry, watching his captain grin fearlessly at the surrounding guns.
Onigumo didn't even blink. "Fire."
Bullets filled the air instantly. Luffy weaved and bobbed like a drunk monkey, dodging most - until one seastone-tipped bullet grazed his arm. His body went stiff mid-dodge, that awful weakness flooding his limbs. "Ah crap! The sea thing again!"
That split-second stumble was all Onigumo needed. One moment he stood at the helm - the next he was right in front of Luffy, all eight swords flashing silver.
SLASH!
Blood sprayed across the deck as Luffy went skidding backward, four fresh cuts across his chest. "Captain!" Zoro and Sanji moved as one, leaping onto the marine ship with weapons drawn.
"Pirates deserve no mercy!" Onigumo growled, his arms whirling like a deadly windmill. Zoro barely got his swords up in time to block, the impact vibrating through his arms like he'd been hit by a train. His knees buckled slightly from the force.
Sanji tried to flank the Vice Admiral, only for a marine commander to intercept him mid-air. "Not so fast, pirate!" The marine's boots nearly took Sanji's head off.
"Tch. More freaks?" Sanji flipped backward, landing in a fighting stance.
Meanwhile, Yachiru bounced excitedly on the Merry's railing. "Zo-chan~! Kick his butt!" she cheered, completely unconcerned.
Back on the marine ship, Luffy shook off the dizziness and cracked his neck. "Okay, that actually hurt!" He grinned despite the blood. "Round two!"
Nolan watched from the sidelines, mildly impressed. The Straw Hats were holding their own against one of Akainu's top enforcers - messy, uncoordinated, but holding their ground. He took a lazy bite of an apple. This was turning out to be quite interesting.
"My turn"
The battle raged on as Nolan stepped forward, his usual lazy demeanor replaced with quiet focus. He gave Robin a brief nod before leaping onto the marine ship with surprising grace. The nimbus cloud remained behind under her watchful care as she continued restraining marines with her blooming limbs.
Onigumo's swords were mid-swing when his Observation Haki flared—danger approaching from his blind spot. He pivoted smoothly, blades flashing to intercept the new threat, only to freeze when he saw who stood before him.
The Vice Admiral's breath caught in his throat. That face—those eyes—it couldn't be. His combat instincts warred with something deeper, something primal that screamed not to harm this man. With tremendous effort, he forced himself to focus.
"You..." Onigumo's voice came out rougher than intended. He swallowed hard. "You'll be taken alive." The words were more for himself than his opponent.
Nolan showed no reaction. He simply settled into a loose stance, fingers flexing. When he moved, it was with deceptive speed—a straight punch aimed at Onigumo's center mass.
The Vice Admiral barely blocked in time, crossing two of his arms to absorb the impact. The force still sent him skidding back several feet, boots scraping against the deck. His eyes widened. This wasn't just some pretty face—the strength behind that punch was real.
Around them, the battle seemed to pause as both marines and pirates turned to watch the clash. Luffy wiped blood from his mouth, Zoro adjusted his grip on his swords, all eyes locked on the two combatants.
Onigumo shook off his hesitation and attacked in earnest, blades becoming a whirlwind of steel. Yet against all logic, he found himself holding back—pulling strikes that should have been lethal, angling cuts to minimize damage. It was madness, but his body refused to obey his will when facing those piercing pink eyes.
Nolan weaved through the storm of blades with eerie calm, every movement efficient. He didn't waste energy on flashy techniques—just precise strikes aimed at weak points. A fist to the elbow joint here, a knifehand to the wrist there, each impact making Onigumo's spider arms twitch and falter.
The Vice Admiral gritted his teeth. This wasn't a fight—it was a struggle against his own instincts. With a roar, he channeled Armament Haki into all eight blades and unleashed his signature technique: "Spider's Web!"
The air itself seemed to split as countless slashes converged on Nolan from every angle—an inescapable net of cutting force. Yet at the last possible moment, Nolan's form blurred. Not with speed, but something more fundamental—as if reality itself bent around him for a heartbeat. The attacks passed through empty air.
Before Onigumo could process what happened, a palm strike connected with his sternum. The impact didn't send him flying—it was worse. The force traveled inward, bypassing armor and muscle to resonate through his very bones. He coughed blood, stumbling back several steps.
For the first time in years, Vice Admiral Onigumo felt genuine fear. This man wasn't just strong—he was dangerous in ways that defied understanding.
[Ding...!]
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Thanks for the constant support everyone!!