The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

He wants to protect a "friend" he personally promised to take away (at least Luffy currently sees Vegapunk as someone he made a promise to protect).

Moreover, the stubbornness within me, the unwillingness to back down easily, was also ignited.

"besides……"

Luffy's voice continued to rise.

Accompanied by the joyful and uplifting heartbeat of the liberation drum, it resounded once again from his body!

Although it is not as deafening as it was at its peak, it still carries an indomitable will!

In an instant, her hair and eyebrows turned snow-white again!

A thin but cheerful white steam rose from his body!

The skin has a rubbery sheen!

Fifth Gear - Nika Mode!

Despite his stamina not being fully recovered and his body still protesting with exhaustion, Luffy still forced himself to enter this extremely demanding form once again!

Then, he took a step forward and stood directly in front of Gern.

"I don't think... I'm no match for you!"

This is not arrogance, but a declaration of challenge under extreme conditions!

He was telling Guern through his actions: if you want to take Vegapunk away, you have to get past my fist!

Looking at this person who was clearly weak and exhausted, yet stubbornly entered fifth gear again...

When Luffy stood in front of him, Gern's lips curled into a slight smile.

"is it?"

Gern chuckled softly.

He did not use his signature Heaven-Shatter Fruit ability to cause celestial anomalies, nor did he draw the black sword "Eight Desolations" from his waist.

He simply raised his right fist slowly.

The movements were simple and unpretentious.

However, just as he raised his fist...

Dark purple Conqueror's Haki surged wildly, enveloping his slowly rising fist!

On the fist, dark red lightning leaped and hissed as if it were a tangible substance!

The surrounding air distorted and trembled because of this pure and terrifying domineering will!

Pure Conqueror's Haki enveloping you!

Without the aid of Devil Fruit abilities, without any changes in physical techniques, it was simply a direct collision of the highest levels of Haki!

Faced with this pure and overwhelming aura, Luffy was not afraid at all!

He also raised his right fist, and dark red Conqueror's Haki wrapped around it as well!

The two men remained silent and simultaneously threw punches.

Two fists, both imbued with top-tier Conqueror's Haki, collided solidly between the two!

But they didn't make full contact!

Instead, it was the clash of two wills that produced a terrifying muffled sound!

At the center of the impact, the air was compressed to an extreme and then exploded!

It forms a visible circular shock wave, spreading wildly in all directions like a tsunami!

The ground cracked and sank inch by inch around the two people!

The rubble and dust were whipped up by the violent shockwave and swept all around!

"Sizzle!!!"

Conqueror's Haki lightning burst forth, intertwined, and tore at the point where the two fists met, locked in a fierce struggle!

The blinding electric light cast flickering light on and off their faces!

Even though Robin, Franky, and Brook had already retreated a certain distance...

Still, they were forced to retreat repeatedly by the impact of this terrifying and domineering aura and the shockwave.

I had to raise my arm at the same time to cover my eyes!

The shockwave and flashes of electricity lasted for several seconds before gradually subsiding.

When Robin and the other two lowered their arms, they hurriedly looked towards the center of the battlefield.

Luffy had already exited Gear 5, his hair and eyebrows had returned to black, and the steam around him had dissipated.

He stood there, his chest rising and falling slightly, panting heavily, his face even paler than before, clearly indicating that the exchange of punches had taken a heavy toll.

And Gern...

They have disappeared without a trace.

Only Luffy remained, along with the deep dent from where the two had clashed and the cracked ground around them.

"Luffy!" Robin rushed forward, supporting him again, and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

Franky and Brooke immediately gathered around, scanning the surroundings to confirm whether Gurn had really left.

Luffy didn't answer Robin immediately, but slowly lowered his head to look at his right fist that had just collided with Gunn.

A tingling sensation still lingered on his fist, along with... the lingering, chilling aura of the opponent's pure domineering presence.

"Strange old man..." Luffy muttered to himself.

"So strong..."

"Stronger than me... stronger than Blackbeard..."

“We’re with him…”

Luffy raised his head and looked in the direction where Gurn had disappeared, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Not even in the same league..."

This is not discouragement, but a clear-headed understanding of facing reality.

Luffy truly felt the impact of that seemingly simple punch clash.

The so-called...gap!

The opponent didn't even use their Devil Fruit power, nor did they employ any special techniques.

The sheer force of their clashes was enough to make him feel the insurmountable gap between them.

After a brief silence, Luffy shook his head vigorously, suppressing the shock in his heart.

"Never mind that! First, find Sanji, Jinbe, and Chopper! Then get Uncle Apple out of here!"

"This island is becoming increasingly dangerous! We must regroup and leave as soon as possible!"

Chapter 675 This is not a choice!

Meanwhile, the most central area of ​​Egghead Island

The original storage area of ​​the Vegapunk brain (database).

This place should have been the culmination of the island's technology and wisdom, surrounded by countless precision instruments, with data flowing and flashing.

But at this moment, what comes into view is a scene of devastation and emptiness.

The huge central cylindrical container is now empty.

Vegapunk's brain, which was originally immersed in a special solution, has disappeared.

Only a few broken data transmission lines and energy delivery cables remained, hanging limply.

Most of the instrument screens around were completely black, and the few that were still lit were covered with static and error codes.

At the heart of this technological wreckage, two figures stood silently, one in front of the other.

Ahead stood Marshall D. Teach, a black-bearded man with a wounded appearance, wearing a fur coat and with a gloomy expression.

Behind him stood Jaigolusia Satan, a scientific defense god dressed in a dark suit, holding a peculiar cane, his face shrouded in shadow.

Both of their gazes were fixed on the empty container.

"Vegapunk's data core... has been moved." Satan spoke slowly, his tone unreadable.

"You've been on the island for a while now, Blackbeard." He tilted his head slightly as he spoke.

"Could it be... that no trace of Vegapunk has been found?"

"Or perhaps..." Satan's voice held a hint of sarcasm, "that you were too busy going to 'catch up' with that straw-hat kid."

Or... perhaps they're so focused on his 'Nika' fruit that they've forgotten about the important matter?

Upon hearing this, Blackbeard's lips twitched violently, and the muscles on his face contorted, revealing obvious displeasure and anger.

He was already upset because he hadn't managed to gain much advantage over Luffy.

He was also frustrated and embarrassed by the opponent's strange abilities.

Being "questioned" like this by Satan Saint only fueled his anger.

However, the other party is, after all, one of the Five Elders, the highest-ranking figures in the World Government on the surface.

Furthermore, they are the objects of my current "cooperation" and "transactions".

They may even hold the key to taking their own path further (obtaining an immortality pact).

Turning against each other now would be unwise.

So Blackbeard forcibly suppressed his anger, forced out a cold laugh, and replied in a sarcastic tone:

“Vegapunk… that guy is known as the ‘world’s smartest man’!”

If he wanted to hide or run away, how could he be found so easily?

Isn't it normal that I can't find it? Even you, 'Lord Five Elders,' personally went to the island, and you didn't find it immediately either."

Blackbeard remained defiant, refuting Satan Saint's claim.

Unfortunately, Satan Saint was clearly prepared, or rather...

One of the purposes of his trip was to give this increasingly restless and ambitious "pawn" a warning.

"Not being able to find Vegapunk might be understandable." Satan's staff tapped lightly.

"So... attacking Huang Mu, attacking the CP0 agents I sent, even causing them to be seriously injured and go missing..."

Are these things also 'normal', Blackbeard!

Blackbeard felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that the other party was indeed going to bring this up.

His mind raced, and he immediately adopted an expression of "helplessness" and "forced counterattack":

"Tsk, Lord Satan, I had my reasons!" Blackbeard spread his hands, trying to appear innocent.

"That guy, Aramaki, attacked my people (referring to Shiryu) as soon as we met!"

CP0 has even gotten involved with the Straw Hat crew and tried to attack my officers!

If I don't fight back, am I supposed to just wait to be killed by them?

"Besides... you know that your World Government is keeping ghosts in its own house."

That CP0's Stussy, we saw him with our own eyes.

"You teamed up with the Straw Hat crew to fight my Seraph! How do you explain that?"

He wanted to use the "fact" that "CP0 is cooperating with pirates" to divert attention and even turn the tables on them.

“Is that so?” Saint Satan scoffed at his “accusations” and defenses. “Then, let’s set aside these ‘facts’…”

Satan took a step forward and slowly pressed down on Blackbeard.

"If I hadn't intervened at the last minute, using 'Fierce Eye' to distract Straw Hat Luffy..." Satan's gaze was sharp as a knife.

"You, Marshall D. Teach, have probably already been dragged to your death by that 'Nika' who's entered Gear 5, haven't you?!"