CHAPTER 77

BOOOOM!!!

Scorching heatwaves surged through the entire hall like a hurricane.

Sanji and Luffy's fiery combined strike—cloaked in explosive flames and roaring momentum—landed squarely on Luo Yu's body.

And yet…

Everyone's pupils shrank.

Through the dancing embers and dissipating fire, the figure at the center stood utterly unmoved.

Not a single step back. Not even a stagger.

There he stood—Luo Yu—unshaken.

Behind him, a gentle-eyed, golden Thousand-Hand Guanyin had silently blossomed into existence.

Translucent golden light wrapped around his body like divine armor, emanating a pressure that felt indestructible.

Luffy's fist and Sanji's burning leg hovered just an inch from his body—frozen in place.

In that instant, both of them felt it.

As if they had collided headfirst into solid steel.

So this… is an Admiral.

Their minds flashed back to that day, just three days ago, when they had stormed Enies Lobby and rescued Nico Robin. The passion, the glory, the triumph—they were all vivid in memory.

They had thought… maybe they'd grown strong enough to stand against the monsters of the world.

But now, reality crushed that hope underfoot.

"Is that all you've got?"

Luo Yu pushed up his glasses, his voice calm as still water.

"These so-called Supernovas… how disappointing."

"Luffy! Sanji! Fall back! I'll restrain him!"

Robin's voice rang out, urgent and strained.

"Fleur—Treinta Fleurs: Clutch!"

Dozens of giant arms bloomed across Luo Yu's body like a cascade of flower petals, wrapping tightly around him.

"Backbreaker!"

Robin roared as she triggered the hold, every nerve straining to slam the towering Admiral backward.

But—

Luo Yu stood there like a monolith.

Unyielding.

Unshaken.

Robin's greatest hold felt like it was being applied to a statue of iron.

Nothing.

"Damn it…" Nami paled. Her hands moved furiously, manipulating her Climatact. Storm clouds gathered above in ominous density.

"I refuse to believe nothing can hurt you… let's see how you handle nature's fury!"

"Weather Forecast—Thunder God Mode!"

BOOM!

A jagged bolt of lightning split the sky, crashing down toward Luo Yu.

"Now, Luffy! He's restrained—Robin's got him locked down! If we can just break his defense, we can wound him!"

Sanji shouted, charging in again.

Luffy didn't hesitate. Boosted by Gear Second's speed, he surged ahead—reaching Luo Yu before Sanji could.

In a blink, the four of them had formed a complete encirclement, launching a synchronized assault.

And Luo Yu?

He looked up, face calm.

"…Boring."

Two simple words, but they echoed like a thunderclap.

From beneath the radiant glow of the golden Guanyin, Luo Yu's eyes lifted—and then, everything shattered.

"GET OUT OF THERE!!"Coby and Helmeppo screamed in unison, faces ashen.

BOOOOM!!!

The dormant Conqueror's Haki within Luo Yu erupted like a tidal wave.

A world-shattering shockwave tore outward from him, collapsing the very air in every direction.

The lightning bolt above shattered on contact.

Luffy and Sanji, only inches away, felt it first—a crushing wave of invisible pressure slamming into them like a mountain falling from the sky.

BANG!!!

The massive, dilapidated building exploded, reduced to splinters by the sheer force of the shockwave.

The wave rolled outward like a tsunami, pulverizing everything in its path.

Everyone—Luffy, Sanji, Robin, Nami—were launched hundreds of meters through the air, coughing blood mid-flight.

Even Coby and Helmeppo weren't spared.

They were flung across the rubble-strewn landscape, crashing to the ground like ragdolls.

Only Iceburg and Kokoro, who had taken cover far in advance, avoided the onslaught.

But even they stood pale-faced as the devastation unfolded before them.

A moment ago, they were admiring the Straw Hats for their feat at Enies Lobby, convinced the era of Supernovas had truly begun.

Now…

One man. One step.Luo Yu had stood there—and annihilated the entire Straw Hat crew.

This… was the power of an Admiral.

And the most terrifying part?

Aside from the first air-splitting slash…

Luo Yu hadn't even truly moved.

He had stood still—and flattened them all.

Unbelievable. Unimaginable.

"Coby… do you think we got too involved?" Helmeppo groaned from the rubble, spitting out dirt.

"We tried to stop a pirate attack… and got blown away with them."

Coby's face was grim as he stared at the distant wreckage.

His hands clenched—but his feet stayed frozen.

If what happened just now was a warning shot—

If he stepped in again...

Luo Yu might cut him down without hesitation.

Right now, the best they could do…

Was pray Luffy and the others would stay down and play dead.

The longer they lay still, the longer they might survive.

But then—

"Giant Pistol!!"

BOOM!

The ruins exploded as Luffy launched himself back into the fray.

His right arm inflated like a balloon, forming a massive hammering fist that shot straight toward Luo Yu.

Coby and Helmeppo's faces turned white.

They had just started hoping for survival—and now Luffy was charging back in?

"Uncle Kizaru can kick a Supernova per second… looks like I can take out small fry with just one slash."

Luo Yu took another swig of his liquor—

—and vanished.

BAM!!

Luffy's Giant Pistol crashed into the ground, demolishing the stone floor beneath in a rain of shattered debris.

And then—

A wave of pure dread swept over him.

He turned his head—

And saw Luo Yu, standing beside him, once again slashing through empty air.

Luffy's pupils dilated.

Then—agony.

A searing pain tore down from his shoulder to his abdomen.

Blood exploded from the massive gash.

"LUFFY!!"Sanji cried out in horror.

But in that same instant, Luo Yu appeared before him.

Another air-slash, calm and effortless.

The Oboken pointed to the ground—

—and blood burst from Sanji's chest like a crimson firework.

The pain robbed him of breath.

His body tensed, then collapsed forward—motionless.