One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 50 The most successful duel invitation ever!

Hancock's sudden blush made the surrounding air seem much more awkward.

Marco's signature pineapple head seemed to stiffen slightly. He subconsciously looked at Chenye beside him and asked in a low voice.

Chenye!

What's going on?

I've heard it from others!

The legendary pirate empress who was so arrogant that she regarded men as dust, why did she become like this today as soon as she heard Ace's brother's name?

Chen Ye was also somewhat taken aback, but he reacted faster, simply giving Marco a helpless shrug to indicate that he was just as confused.

This silent exchange between the two made the other Nine-Headed Serpent Warriors, who were also petrified, feel slightly embarrassed.

The female warrior in the lead hurriedly approached Hancock and anxiously reminded her in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Lord Snake Princess!

Mind your appearance!

Calm down!

There are...there are outsiders here!

This reminder was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing Hancock's feverish mind.

Her body jolted violently, as if she had been electrocuted, and she snapped back to her senses.

Realizing how outrageous she had appeared in front of strangers, especially two men, a strong sense of shame instantly overwhelmed her reason.

"Cough! Cough cough!"

Hancock used a violent, fake cough to cover her burning cheeks, forcibly suppressing the girlish shyness in her heart, and put on the cold and arrogant empress mask again.

Although her reddened ears still betrayed her.

"How dare you! Who gave you permission to call that man by his name!"

She gave a stern but weak rebuke, then immediately changed her tune, speaking in a deliberately indifferent tone.

"He...he is indeed on the island."

"Come with me."

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly turned around, took long strides, and walked into the depths of the jungle without looking back. Her slightly hurried figure seemed to be fleeing something.

Marco and Chenye exchanged a glance and immediately followed.

After traversing the dense rainforest and bypassing several hidden outposts, Hancock led the two to a secluded clearing dominated by massive tree roots.

Before they even got close, a series of dull thuds and heavy breathing could be heard.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

A boy wearing a straw hat, shirtless, was using all his strength to punch repeatedly at a huge tree trunk as hard as rock.

His fists were a bloody mess, and sweat mixed with blood streamed down his arms.

But he seemed oblivious to the pain, mechanically repeating the action, his eyes vacant, his face filled with agony, regret, and deep self-reproach.

"hateful!"

"Too weak!"

"I... am too weak!"

He pounded on the wound while growling in a hoarse voice.

"If I were just a little stronger... then everyone would..."

It was none other than the Straw Hat Boy, Monkey D. Luffy.

The despair of seeing his companions instantly swatted away by Bartholomew Kuma and being utterly powerless against a Marine Admiral haunted him day and night like a nightmare.

Hancock stopped and looked at Luffy's appearance, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes.

Marco was about to go over and say hello.

Chen Ye, however, went straight over first.

"I heard you're Ace's younger brother, Monkey D. Luffy?"

An unfamiliar voice interrupted Luffy's grueling training.

Luffy paused, slowly turned his head, and looked at Chen Ye, who was walking towards him, with a puzzled look in his eyes filled with self-reproach.

Chen Ye stopped three meters in front of Luffy and got straight to the point.

"My name is Chen Ye, and I'm Ace's comrade."

"Ace's...comrade?"

A flicker of emotion crossed Luffy's eyes.

Chen Ye nodded, a playful smile curving his lips, and posed a startling question.

"Hey kid, wanna fight?"

"Want to fight you?"

Luffy was stunned, completely unable to follow the other's train of thought.

Why?

Chen Ye's smile faded, and his tone became sharp.

"To make you realize one thing."

He paused, each word like a needle, precisely piercing Luffy's most vulnerable spot.

Don't you think you're very weak right now?

Luffy's body stiffened abruptly.

Chen Ye gave him no chance to catch his breath and continued speaking.

"Think about it carefully. In the Sabaody Archipelago, you all had a hard time fighting a pacifist naval force together."

"Moreover, there's also a naval admiral."

"You must have experienced Kizaru's strength firsthand, right? That kind of despair where you can't even move a single finger."

Chen Ye's words struck Luffy's heart like a heavy hammer.

The excruciating pain of being pierced by a laser, and the helpless image of watching his companion disappear, flashed vividly before his eyes once again.

Luffy's head slowly lowered, his clenched fists trembling violently from excessive force.

Yes.

I am... too weak.

So weak that they couldn't even protect one of their own companions!

Seeing Luffy fall into a deep abyss of self-doubt, Chen Ye knew that the time was right.

He changed the subject and relit the fuse.

"but!"

Luffy suddenly raised his head.

"Since you're Ace's comrade..."

In that instant, all the confusion and self-blame in his eyes were completely replaced by another emotion!

That's fire!

It is a raging fire, a flame called the will to fight!

Luffy grinned, revealing his signature smile, full of challenge and excitement.

"good!"

"Let's have a fight!"

"I also want to know, just how strong am I right now!"

Without the slightest hesitation, without the slightest delay.

This crisp and decisive answer left Marco, who had prepared countless explanations, and Hancock, who was filled with worry, both stunned.

So... he agreed?

【Ding! 】

The moment Luffy agreed, a system panel that only Chen Ye could see suddenly popped up in front of him.

[Detection indicates that the host has reached a battle agreement with the key figure "Monkey D. Luffy"!]

[Special illustration "SSSR: Future Nikka Luffy" is now unlocking...]

[Resolution: 1%...5%...10%...]

Chen Ye smiled as he watched the rapidly changing percentage numbers.

He looked at the boy in front of him, who was temporarily weak, but Chen Ye knew him better than anyone else!

This boy will one day awaken the power of the sun god Nika!

This is the man who sounded the drum of liberation!

Once your resolution reaches 100%, you can also gain some of the Sun God's abilities!

Imagine how much my strength will have increased by then!

Just thinking about it gets my blood pumping!