One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 562: Luffy's Decision!

Zoro looked at Hajrudin and the others blocking his way!

Slowly place your hand on the handle of the knife.

Press your thumb against Yama's. Then, exert a sudden upward force.

"click"

A sharp, metallic scraping sound suddenly rang out.

He's ready to act at any moment!

Zoro didn't look at Hajrudin ahead.

His gaze passed over the towering figures of Halding and the others, fixing on the end of the passage.

At the end of the passage lay thick darkness. Lurking within was a massive, dark figure tightly bound by heavy chains.

Then! He prepared to try to persuade Luffy again!

"Luffy".

Zoro spoke.

"You heard it too."

Zoro's gaze was fixed on the end of the darkness.

"That guy inside is a complete madman."

Luffy stood still. He didn't turn around. He continued to stare directly at Hajrudin.

Zoro took half a step forward.

"A guy of this caliber was locked up in a dark, sunless underground for a full ten years."

Zoro speaks extremely slowly, enunciating each word clearly.

"His resentment had long been building up to its limit. Once this madman is freed, he will definitely not obey orders."

He won't be grateful to you. He'll just keep going with his crazy plans.

Zoro laid bare the situation. He needed to make the headstrong captain see the abyss before him.

"Listen carefully to what's going on outside."

Zoro raised his left hand, pointing upwards at the rock formation.

"The whole of Elbaf has become a meat grinder."

"If you force the key into the lock right now..."

"We essentially released the man who killed their father in front of the entire Elbaf."

Zoro's eyes were extremely cold. An uncontrollable killing intent emanated from him.

"By then, the Straw Hat crew will have firmly established the Giants as their mortal enemy."

"Ahead lies Loki, completely out of control. Behind him are ruthless enemies. All around are giant warriors, hunted by their entire race."

"We will be completely annihilated by three forces. We will be attacked from both sides."

Zoro gave his final conclusion.

"Inserting this key will lead to a dead end."

Sanji was standing to Zoro's left and behind.

He pulled a solid gold lighter from his jacket pocket.

"bite"

The metal cap popped open. A thumb slid forcefully across the grinding wheel. Sparks flew instantly.

An orange flame flickered in the dark passage, illuminating half of his somber face.

He bent down and brought the cigarette closer to the flame.

He inhaled deeply. The tobacco burned rapidly. Red sparks flickered in the dim light.

Sanji was unusually silent.

He didn't mock Zoro as usual. He didn't call the green-haired guy a coward.

The swordsman's judgment was absolutely accurate at that moment.

The situation has reached this point. One wrong move, and the entire Straw Hat Pirates will become public enemy number one.

Sanji's right hand, holding a cigarette, hung down naturally.

He was silently calculating the distance, measuring the attack radius of the Halding warhammer.

If the giant's warhammer dares to strike even an inch downwards, it will kick that deadly scrap metal away at top speed.

He's ready to make his move at any moment!

Although reason told him he couldn't force his way in!

But no matter what decision Luffy makes!

He wouldn't support his own captain!

Nami stood at the very back of the group.

He gripped the weather stick tightly with both hands.

He stared intently at Luffy's retreating figure. Then he turned to look at Hajrudin.

The situation at this moment is beyond his control!

Usopp hid behind Franky's mechanical body. o（╥﹏╥）o

She covered her mouth tightly with both hands, not daring to even breathe.

Chopper clung tightly to Franky's mechanical leg. His small body trembled uncontrollably.

Everyone is waiting.

Waiting for Luffy's decision.

He is the captain. His will is the Straw Hat crew's ultimate course.

Luffy kept his head down.

The brim of the straw hat cast a deep shadow, completely obscuring the upper half of his face.

The only sound in the passageway was the heavy breathing of the group.

Luffy had long since dropped his previous carefree expression.

The innocent, carefree smile was completely stripped away, replaced by a suffocating seriousness.

Raise your right hand. Place your palm on the edge of your straw hat.

He suddenly pushed the straw hat back.

Their eyes were completely exposed to the dim firelight.

It burst forth with an unprecedentedly sharp light. An absolute will that pierced through everything.

The gaze of a future Pirate King.

Luffy straightened his back.

His chest bulged high.

"I am the captain."

Luffy spoke slowly and deliberately.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irresistible authority.

"I'll take full responsibility for all the consequences!"

The final announcement was made to all employees.

She didn't refute Zoro's analysis. The road ahead was a dead end. Taking this step would lead to an abyss.

We will never back down.

Luffy raised his right hand.

The heavy black key was held high above his head.

The dark metal gleamed with a cold luster in the firelight.

Luffy stared directly into Hajrudin's bloodshot eyes. His gaze was unwavering.

"I don't understand anything about Elder Aruru. I don't care about your rules either."

Luffy's voice was resolute.

"But I trust my gut feeling. I'm absolutely certain I'm not wrong about Loki."

"I must release Loki today!"

They're gambling with the lives of the entire Straw Hat crew, and their very future.

This was the most insane decision the captain had ever made.

Hajrudin stared intently at Luffy.

Staring at the black key held high.

Extreme anger swelled wildly in my chest. Hot blood rushed straight to my brain.

He was so angry that he laughed instead.

He opened his mouth wide and let out a deafening roar.

"Don't push me, Straw Hat Boy!"

The roar materialized into a sonic wave, raging wildly through the passageway.

Large areas of dust had crumbled from the ceiling of the passage. Large chunks of gravel fell down, landing at everyone's feet.

Haildin took a sudden step forward.

The earthquake trembled violently. The ground cracked and shattered under the immense pressure once more.

Three heavily wounded giant warriors stepped forward from behind.

His eyes were resolute.

Their enormous bodies formed an insurmountable wall of flesh.

Completely seal off all routes to Loki.

Halding gripped the giant warhammer tightly with both hands.

I know I'm no match for you!

but!

I must organize you!

"Even if it costs me my life to stop you today."

Haildin's voice was hoarse and resolute.

"I will absolutely not let you cross this line."

This is the dignity of the giants. An ironclad rule defended with blood. We would rather die than release a demon.

They were determined to defend against the giants to the death.

Luffy did not stop.

The black key was placed behind his back.

He clenched his right fist tightly.

"Since you won't move aside..."

Luffy lowered his voice.

"Then I'll just fight my way through."

The voice just fell.

A surge of dark Armament Haki instantly erupted from him.

A dense, domineering aura swiftly covered his right fist.

A black sheen flickered in the dimly lit passage, radiating an aura of destruction.

The air was compressed by a powerful force, emitting a piercing shriek.

Luffy's legs were slightly bent. His center of gravity shifted.

Silent cracks appeared on the ground beneath my feet. Tiny pebbles floated in mid-air.

A breakthrough achieved purely through brute force.

Zoro drew half of his sword. Its cold light illuminated the passage.

Sanji's right foot burst into flames. The temperature in the passage suddenly rose.

Hajrudin raised his warhammer high. Armament Haki enveloped the hammerhead. Black lightning danced wildly in the air.

Terrifying forces are about to clash.

The oxygen in the channel was instantly sucked out.

A suffocating feeling gripped everyone's throats.

Usopp closed his eyes in despair.

Chopper let out a terrified scream.

The fist is about to be thrown.

The warhammer is about to fall.

A hair's breadth. Life or death hangs in the balance.

A very low, cold laugh suddenly came from the shadows.

"Oh"

The laughter was not loud.

It has extremely strong penetrating power.

The cold, sharp knife forcefully severed the passage of raging airflow.

A chilling coldness. It pierced directly into everyone's eardrums.

Luffy's movements froze instantly.

Halding's warhammer hung suspended in mid-air, unable to fall.

Everyone was nailed to the spot.

The violent, domineering aura solidified. The burning flames stopped flickering.

Their gazes all turned to the heavy bronze gate.

The laughter continued.

Endless mockery. Ten years of suppressed madness.

The jinx behind the door.

It seems she's awake.