The Chase Begins

The air around the Thousand Sunny was thick with tension as the crew continued their preparations. Each Straw Hat member knew that the peace they had found after defeating Akainu and Fujitora was fleeting. The world would not allow them to simply sail away unchallenged, not after they had upended the balance of power. Luffy, standing at the front of the ship, felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him like never before.

Nami stood beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon. "The storm is coming faster than expected," she muttered. "If we don't move soon, we'll be caught right in the middle of it."

Ace, his arms crossed, watched the brewing clouds with a calm intensity. "We'll be fighting no matter what happens. The question is who gets to us first—Marines or the storm."

Luffy turned to look at his brother and then back to Sabo, who was leaning against the railing. "We'll take them all down," Luffy said with a grin, though his eyes were serious. "No one's stopping us."

Just as the words left his mouth, a blinding flash of light streaked across the sky. Before anyone could react, Admiral Kizaru appeared, his figure materializing in a burst of light as he stood lazily on the mast of the Sunny.

"Well, well... Straw Hat Luffy, Portgas D. Ace, and Sabo, the Revolutionary," Kizaru's voice echoed across the ship, sounding almost bored. "You've caused quite the stir."

Luffy, Ace, and Sabo immediately shifted into fighting stances. Kizaru's relaxed demeanor didn't fool them—they knew just how dangerous the light-speed Admiral was.

"Kizaru!" Luffy shouted, his voice filled with anger. "You're not getting in our way!"

Kizaru tilted his head slightly, his usual smirk playing across his lips. "Oh? That's what Akainu thought too, but look what happened to him..." He raised his finger, and in a flash, beams of light shot toward the brothers. They barely had time to dodge, the searing heat from the attacks cutting through the air around them.

Sabo slammed his Dragon Claw into the deck, launching himself into the air toward Kizaru. His hand glowed with Haki, and he swung hard, aiming directly for the Admiral's head. Kizaru dodged effortlessly, his body turning into pure light and reappearing behind Sabo in an instant.

"Too slow..." Kizaru muttered as he kicked Sabo with a light-infused strike. The force sent Sabo crashing into the ship's railing, but he quickly rebounded, wiping blood from his mouth with a grin. "I'm just getting started."

Luffy activated Gear 4: Boundman, his body inflating as he charged toward Kizaru. "You're not faster than me in this form!" he roared, unleashing a barrage of punches infused with Haki. The air crackled with energy as his attacks smashed into Kizaru, but each blow passed through the light Admiral as his body shifted and refracted.

Ace, his body igniting with flames, joined the fray. "I'm not letting you hurt my brother!" he shouted, firing a massive Hiken directly at Kizaru, the firestorm blazing across the deck of the Sunny. The light from the flames mingled with the Admiral's own glow, creating a dazzling display of power.

Kizaru remained unfazed, his body moving like liquid light as he dodged every attack. "You're all so fast... but light is always faster," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance.

As the three brothers fought Kizaru, the Straw Hat Pirates struggled to keep the ship moving. Nami's eyes flickered from the sky to the sea, calculating their escape route. "If we can just get into that storm, we can use it to disappear," she said through gritted teeth, her knuckles white as she gripped the wheel.

"Easier said than done," Sanji muttered, his leg glowing with flames as he kicked away a Marine officer who had tried to board the ship. "These guys won't give us a break."

Zoro, already engaged in a fierce battle with several Marine soldiers, shouted, "Luffy, we're getting surrounded!" His swords clashed with his enemies' blades, the sound of steel ringing out across the ship.

In the midst of the chaos, Robin noticed something alarming. "We're not alone," she said calmly, her eyes narrowing as several masked figures leaped aboard the Sunny. Their black suits and emotionless masks were unmistakable—CP-0 had arrived.

"They're here to kill Luffy, Ace, and Sabo!" Robin shouted, quickly sprouting extra arms to block one of the assassins from reaching Luffy. The masked agents moved silently, their attacks precise and deadly. CP-0, the World Government's strongest secret force, had no intention of letting the brothers leave alive.

Franky's eyes widened as he saw the masked figures weaving through the chaos. "Oi, Usopp, Chopper! Get ready! We've got more than just Marines to deal with!"

"W-wait, CP-0 is here?!" Usopp's voice cracked with fear as he fumbled for his slingshot. "Why does it have to be them?"

Chopper transformed into Heavy Point, standing between Usopp and the assassins. "We have to protect the others! Luffy can't focus on them while fighting Kizaru!"

Luffy, still locked in battle with Kizaru, saw the CP-0 agents out of the corner of his eye. His heart sank, realizing that their strategy was more dangerous than he had thought. "I can't deal with them and Kizaru at the same time!" he shouted, frustration evident in his voice.

Ace, his eyes burning with fury, turned his attention from Kizaru for a moment, launching himself toward the nearest CP-0 agent. "I'll handle these guys! You keep Kizaru busy, Luffy!" His flames erupted around him as he collided with the masked assassin, the sheer heat of his attack forcing the agent back.

Sabo, regaining his footing after his earlier clash with Kizaru, nodded at Ace. "You're not getting to Luffy!" He charged another CP-0 agent, using his Dragon Claw technique to tear through the assassin's defenses.

As the brothers fought on two fronts, Kizaru continued to mock them from above, his body flickering in and out of light. "It's so troublesome when you don't know your place..."

Suddenly, the weather changed. The storm that Nami had predicted rolled in faster than expected. Dark clouds swirled, and the wind howled around the Thousand Sunny. Nami's plan to use the storm as cover seemed to be their only chance.

"We're almost in the eye of the storm!" Nami yelled, struggling to steer the ship through the violent winds. "Everyone, hold on!"

Franky slammed his fists into the ship's controls, activating the Sunny's coup de burst system. "Hang on tight, everyone! We're blasting our way out of here!"

As the storm intensified, Kizaru's figure began to flicker, his light dimming in the swirling darkness. "Looks like it's time for me to take my leave..." he muttered. In a flash, his body disappeared into the storm, leaving the battlefield behind.

The masked agents of CP-0, sensing the shift in the battle, also began to retreat. But not before one of them whispered, "This isn't over. We'll find you again."

With their enemies temporarily retreating, the crew of the Thousand Sunny managed to sail deeper into the storm. The winds and waves became their shield as they disappeared from sight, leaving the Marines and assassins behind—at least for now.

Luffy, breathing heavily from the exertion of battle, stood at the front of the ship, looking out into the stormy horizon. "We're not done yet. They're going to keep coming after us."

Ace placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, his flames flickering gently. "Let them come. We'll keep fighting."

Sabo, leaning against the railing, smiled. "We'll fight them together, no matter what."

The Thousand Sunny continued to sail into the storm, the crew battered but united, ready for whatever the New World would throw at them next.