Chapter 44 : Four Millennium Dragons Vs Marine Fleet

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After hearing about the Dragon's plight, Luffy decided, "Let's take him and find his real home!"

Ikki, however, knew the truth. Warship Island wasn't just any place—it was the Thousand-Year Dragon's homeland. It was where they returned to nest and where new Millennium Dragons hatched. Unfortunately, Ryu, being over a thousand years old and weakened by time, had forgotten this fact. Yet, his instincts still guided him to remain on the island, as it was the place where he would eventually return to rest in peace.

Ikki was about to explain this when Usopp burst into the cave, panting and wide-eyed.

"Luffy… Ikki… Nami… it's bad!" he wheezed, leaning on his knees to catch his breath. "The Marines—they've surrounded Warship Island!"

As Usopp finally looked up, his gaze landed on Master Long. His eyes bulged, and his voice cracked. "Wha—WHAT is that?!"

Ignoring Usopp's shock, Ikki's face darkened. "Looks like we've got serious trouble."

Despite revealing himself as a subordinate of Vice Admiral Garp, Ikki realized his words hadn't been enough to dissuade the Marines. But upon reflection, he couldn't blame them. The lure of immortality was far too strong. And worse, this wasn't just about Nelson.

If the Celestial Dragons caught wind of the Thousand-Year Dragon, they'd stop at nothing to get their hands on the so-called Elixir of Life. A prize like that could secure Nelson a promotion—and untold wealth.

Nami broke the tense silence. "Ikki, what do we do?" she asked, worry etched across her face. As pirates working under private Marine contracts, outright fighting the Marines would put their unique status at risk.

Ikki furrowed his brow, deep in thought. His gaze shifted to Ryu, and an idea struck him.

"Luffy," Ikki said, "go find Zoro and Sanji. Bring them back here. I have a plan."

Without hesitation, Luffy sprinted out of the cave, confident in Ikki's judgment and eager to rally the crew.

Ten Minutes Later

The Straw Hat Pirates gathered inside the cave. Ikki explained Master Long's true situation and declared, "We're not handing him over. No matter what."

Zoro grinned, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "So, we're fighting after all?"

Ikki nodded. "We are—but not as pirates or private Marines. We'll fight as… the Thousand-Year Dragon!"

The crew exchanged puzzled looks, but they trusted Ikki's plan.

Elsewhere on Warship Island

Nelson's fleet completely surrounded the island, their ships cutting off any escape. Several villagers had been captured and brought before Nelson, trembling under his scrutiny.

"Hahaha! That girl actually came back to Warship Island? Perfect!" Nelson bellowed, his folding fan waving lazily as his small eyes gleamed with greed.

One of his subordinates stepped forward hesitantly. "Commodore Nelson, what about the Straw Hats? They're bound to interfere."

Nelson sneered. "What else? If they get in our way, we kill them. A thirty-million-Berry bounty means nothing to me."

His expression turned even darker as he glanced toward the captured villagers. "And if these commoners dare to protect the dragon or that girl, I'll kill them too."

The major flinched at Nelson's words, clearly unnerved by his ruthlessness. Whispers of unease spread among the crew—Nelson's ambition and cruelty had taken on a dangerous edge.

"By the way," Nelson said suddenly, "where's Eric?"

The major straightened. "He went ahead to the island, sir."

As the words left his mouth, a deep, guttural roar echoed from the heart of Warship Island. The sound reverberated through the air, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The Marines turned toward the source of the noise, eyes widening in alarm.

From the depths of the island, four massive, otherworldly creatures soared into the sky. Their silhouettes against the setting sun sent waves of panic through the Marine ranks.

The creatures soaring through the skies had dragon-like heads and bird-like feathers covering their bodies. Despite their avian appearance, Nelson recognized them immediately. These were the very Thousand-Year Dragons he had been hunting.

"There they are! Thousand-Year Dragons!" Nelson roared, his excitement barely contained. "Quickly—shoot them down with the cannons!"

The Marines scrambled into action, aiming their cannons at the dragons and firing.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Cannonballs tore through the air, but the agile dragons easily dodged the onslaught, weaving through the barrage with grace.

Suddenly, one of the dragons swooped low, its massive claws raking through the deck of a warship. With a single kick, the ship was torn apart, the splintered hull collapsing into the sea. The warship's destruction had a domino effect: the iron chains binding the fleet caused the neighboring ships to be dragged down as well, capsizing into the ocean's depths.

The other dragons quickly joined the fray.

One extended its claws unnaturally long, slashing through three ships in a single sweeping motion. Another dragon clutched a massive tree trunk in its beak, spinning in the air to unleash a whirlwind slash that obliterated three more ships in one strike. The final dragon dropped a massive boulder onto a warship, smashing it to smithereens.

Within minutes, Nelson's once-mighty fleet had been decimated. The shattered remains of warships floated on the waves, and the sound of panicked Marines filled the air.

"Commodore! Our losses are too great—we have to retreat!" one officer pleaded.

"Yes! If we stay here, we'll be completely wiped out! These dragons are monsters—we can't fight them!" another shouted.

Nelson gritted his teeth, his dream of immortality slipping through his grasp. The temptation of the Thousand-Year Dragon's elixir was too much to abandon easily. Yet, his fleet was in ruins, and his men's morale was crumbling.

In the Air

The dragons circled above, their mighty roars echoing across the island. Unbeknownst to the Marines, these were no ordinary dragons—they were the transformed members of the Straw Hat crew, thanks to Ikki's ingenious plan.

Luffy, now a Thousand-Year Dragon, flapped his massive wings excitedly. "I turned into a dragon! This is so fun!"

Zoro, observing the chaos below, grumbled. "I didn't expect Ikki to pull off something like this. Guess it's not bad."

Sanji nodded. "It's actually a clever idea. But why haven't they retreated yet?"

Usopp, also in dragon form, let out a booming laugh. "Let's hit them with Captain Usopp's legendary stone attack again!"

Zoro's eyes narrowed. "If they're still not backing down, we'll have to destroy their flagship."

Luffy's dragon eyes sparkled. "I'll do it! I'll take care of it!"

On the Main Ship

Nelson stood frozen as he watched one of the dragons break away from the pack and dive directly toward his flagship.

"Quick! Fire the main cannon! Take it down!" he barked.

The Marines scrambled to adjust the massive cannon's aim, but before they could fire, the dragon landed with a resounding thud on the deck. Its sheer size dwarfed the ship, the massive body of the dragon towering over the trembling Marines.

Nelson broke into a sweat as he stared up at the imposing creature. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "W-Wait! This is all a misunderstanding! I'll withdraw the troops immediately, I swear!"

Luffy, in his dragon form, wasn't listening. His mind was occupied, deciding which move to use to destroy the ship. After a moment of thought, he grinned.

Stretching his neck to an impossible length, the Thousand-Year Dragon form amplified Luffy's elasticity to a ridiculous degree. His elongated neck reached skyward, coiling in preparation.

Then, with tremendous force, his neck snapped back, slamming his head into the deck of the ship.

BOOM!

The flagship shattered instantly, breaking apart under the impact. Splinters of wood and twisted metal scattered across the water as Nelson and his crew were thrown into the sea.