"An ordinary person can handle two or three shadows at most. Luffy-san, you might be able to handle twenty or thirty," Lola warned gravely.
"Let's try it," Luffy said.
Nearby, the Rolling Pirates brought over a shadow. Luffy reached out, grabbed one, and stuffed it into his body.
He felt nothing.
"He's... he's too much."
"Is he really stuffing shadows into himself?"
"It takes me forever to recover my senses when you guys force shadows into me."
The Rolling Pirates swallowed hard.
"These aren't enough. Give me all of them," Luffy said.
"Yes, sir!"
And so, before Nami and the others' astonished eyes, one hundred black shadows streamed into Luffy's body like rivers flowing into the sea!
"This power... it's strong."
Luffy let out a low growl. His muscles visibly bulged, veins twisted like coiling dragons across his frame, his skin turned an eerie blue-black, and the breath from his mouth came out as scorching white steam!
His gaze grew sharper. The aura radiating from him became like a tangible gale, kicking up dust and stones around him.
He felt like the power inside him was about to burst out!
His appearance had also changed dramatically—his body had swelled several times over.
"It worked! He really took in one hundred shadows!" The Rolling Pirates cheered.
"But this is just external power."
Luffy had a very clear understanding of this kind of strength.
External power wasn't true strength.
He could only trust in his own abilities.
Just then, Lola and her crew struggled to carry over a massive cleaver. It looked quite heavy.
Luffy took it casually, hefting it in his hand. It felt comfortable enough.
Among those one hundred shadows were quite a few skilled swordsmen. But what delighted Luffy most was that it felt like gaining experience.
His proficiency in various skills was skyrocketing.
Was this shadow thing essentially an experience gift pack?
[Acquired unknown memories. Your medical knowledge has increased. Proficiency +300.]
[Acquired unknown memories. Your medical knowledge has increased. Proficiency +300.]
[Acquired unknown memories. Your swordsmanship has improved. Proficiency +300.]
[Acquired unknown memories. Your navigation knowledge has increased. Proficiency +300.]
...
"Nami, Merry, stay somewhere safe with Lola and the others."
Luffy cracked his neck, the joints popping. Feeling the explosive power surging within him, he grinned a wild smile. "I'm going to go knock out Moria!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked off the ground!
The earth exploded into a crater. His figure transformed into a blue-black lightning bolt, shooting toward Oars and Moria at a speed too fast for the eye to track.
At the center of the battlefield.
Oars scratched his enormous head and said in a rumbling voice, "Why do I feel like something's off? I want a decent weapon in my hands."
"Oars, take whatever you want," Moria said from inside the cockpit.
"Thank you, boss."
Oars reached into the gaping hole he had punched in the castle and pulled out a massive stone pillar. The base of the pillar was still attached. He gripped it, and it became an enormous club.
It was perfectly smooth.
It was every guy's dream club.
Oars was very pleased with it.
"Kishishishi!"
Moria was in high spirits. "Alright, time for you to go. Crush these Bastards, Oars!"
Just then, Vivi, Robin, Usopp, Chopper, Zoro, and the others arrived in the vicinity.
When they saw Oars' rubber-like stretching arm, they were all shocked.
"Was Luffy's shadow stolen?" Vivi asked worriedly.
"Kishishishi! Take them out!" Moria spotted the Straw Hat crew and gave the order.
"Yes, boss!"
Oars raised the stone pillar and swung it down hard at Vivi and the others.
A massive shadow loomed over the group!
At that critical moment, a slash wreathed in black-red lightning arcs shot through the air. It sliced through the massive stone pillar in Oars' hands like tofu, shattering it into countless pieces!
As the dust settled, a figure stood before Vivi and the others.
Blue-black skin. Muscles bulging.
A giant cleaver in hand. Eyes wild.
"Luffy?"
Vivi and the others, seeing their captain's transformed appearance, weren't sure if it was really him.
"Heh heh. It's me."
Luffy looked back and grinned. "You guys handle the other zombies. I'll take care of this big guy."
"Straw Hat brat!"
Moria, seeing Luffy through Oars' vision, shot to his feet. "What have you done to my subordinates?!"
Then he sensed the shadows on Luffy—the ones he had collected and treasured. He shrieked in fury, "And why do you have my shadows on you?! That's my Shadow Assembly Ground technique! You unforgivable brat!"
That was his power!
"You're the one who did something wrong."
Luffy rested the giant cleaver on his shoulder, grinning. His teeth gleamed white against his blue-black skin. "And besides—give my crewmates' shadows back first!"
Moria roared, "If you're so capable, then defeat my ultimate zombie, Oars!"
"Your wish is my command."
Feeling the surging power inside him, Luffy said excitedly, "I want to see how strong I am now too."
As it turned out, this shadow power had indeed pushed him past some kind of threshold.
He felt better than ever!
This only added fuel to the fire. Moria was hopping mad, feeling like a cuckolded husband whose prized possession had been stolen and flaunted before him.
"Arrogant brat! A bunch of greenhorns who just set out to sea! You think a little youthful passion is enough to make a name for yourselves out there? You'll just crash and burn and end up with nothing!Today, I'll teach you self-righteous rookies just how cruel this sea really is!"
Moria laughed sinisterly and shouted, "Kill him, Oars!"
"OOOH!" Oars obediently swung his massive fist.
But Luffy's figure flickered like a ghost. In an instant, he appeared on Oars' enormous belly, and the giant cleaver in his hand easily sliced a gash through his tough hide.
"That hurts!" Oars yelped, pulling back his hand and looking at Luffy with fear.
"Idiot Oars! You're a zombie! You don't feel pain!"
Moria stomped his feet inside the cockpit, utterly exasperated with Oars' intelligence.
Had the shadow just been extracted and was still being influenced by its original owner?
How terrified of the Straw Hat brat was that calico cat?
Standing on Oars' body, Luffy found brawling with this giant boring. His target was Moria.
"Hey, Moria. I'm going to take down your giant in one shot. You'd better come out of that tin can now."
Before the words faded, white, cloud-like patterns suddenly emerged on Luffy's blue-black skin.
***
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