"Huh?"
Jessie's eyes widened. Luka's body started spasming.
"Did we hit him too hard?!"
Caria started panicking. Luka's limbs started flailing around. Mercury flowed down his cheeks like tears.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Oh, looks like El Verdugo removed the limiter."
El Nino laughed as it evaded a kick from Hancock. It ran behind La Parca who blocked attacks from Luffy and Hancock.
"What do you mean by limiter?!"
Luffy shouted before firing a Red Hawk at La Parca. La Parca blocked it but was forced back. Hancock leaped over it and aimed a kick at El Nino. Her kick missed but she chased El Nino like a hound.
"Luka had lost his mind a long time ago. It was us who fixed it enough for him to function in society."
El Nino was kicked in the stomach before hitting Hancock with a punch to the chest.
"What do you mean, fixed?"
Hancock tanked the punch and fired pink arrows at El Nino. It accelerated and ran towards La Parca who was clashing with Luffy.
"We used hypnotism to lock away his memories as Silver Death and placed a limiter on him."
El Nino reached La Parca but was hit by a stomp from Luffy. La Parca popped up behind Luffy and slammed his head into the ground. Hancock flew at La Parca with a barrage of kicks. La Parca blocked them while backpedaling.
"If we hadn't done that, he would eventually find out the things he's done and crumbled. He would then turn into a mindless beast that attacks indiscriminately."
El Nino rushed at Hancock and kicked her in the back. La Parca took this chance to step in for the attack. A foot hit La Parca in the face before it could attack. Luffy jumped and hit La Parca with a headbutt. Hancock spun around and fired a heart bullet from her finger. El Nino was hit and started turning into stone.
"What we did just now was remove the limiter on his mind."
El Nino spoke until it was turned into stone.
"This is different from earlier when we hypnotized him to let Silver Death resurface."
Another child appeared as a replacement. El Nino showed a grin unbefitting of its face.
"Now all of his sins are replaying in his head. All the innocents he killed in his rampages. All the loved ones he destroyed and blamed their demise on pirates. All of the friends who cursed him in their final breath."
El Nino spread its arms and shouted.
"All of these sins will crush his mind and body and deliver divine punishment!"
Tears of mercury changed into tears of blood.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Luka let out a heartbreaking scream.
"Lu-"
An arm made of mercury sprouted from Luka's chest and swatted Jessie away. Dozens of arms grew from his chest, wiggling like snakes. Legs sprouted from his back and lifted him off the ground. His body spasmed harder as these limbs appeared. The tears of blood flowed like a river and stained his face. And then-
"........."
He stopped. Luka came to a complete halt.
"Luka...?"
Caria carefully called out to him. The extra limbs retracted into his body. Luka slouched over before straightening his body again. He turned his head towards Caria.
"Caria..."
"Luka!"
Caria's face brightened up as she made her way to Luka. However, the bloodstream didn't stop flowing from Luka's eyes. He opened his mouth and spoke.
"Kill me."
"Huh?"
Caria froze.
"Please, kill me."
"What do you-"
"I don't deserve to live!"
Luka shouted. He held his face in his hands.
"I remember everything. All those people..."
His body trembled along with his voice.
"I'm no better than the ones destroying the island..."
"Oh? This is an unexpected outcome."
El Nino mumbled as Luffy was firing a punch at it. La Parca blocked the attack with its body.
"Look, La Parca! He somehow retained his sanity!"
El Nino pointed at Luka with child-like excitement.
"I can see that. Focus on the fight."
"Nah, I'm interested in this soap opera."
El Nino evaded a punch from Luffy before vanishing.
"That little brat."
La Parca faced Hancock and Luffy. Both of them gritted their teeth as they glared at him.
"Focusing all of the anger on me..."
La Parca sighed and lifted its fists.
"1000 Lives Return."
Meanwhile, Luka's words gripped the hearts of the Supreme Five.
"C-Calm down, Luka. Everything's alright."
Caria spoke with a trembling voice.
"You idiot, you're nothing like them!"
Jessie spoke with more authority.
"You don't understand...None of you understand!"
Luka stomped the ground and the earth shook.
"If you won't kill me because I asked, then I'll have to make you realize how much of a monster I truly am!"
Luka's body expanded and he transformed into a multi-head dragon-like monster.
"RAAAAAHHHH!"
It let out a deafening roar and shook the area.
"Luka!"
Caria cried out and the monster fired boiling mercury at her. She leaped back to avoid it, but a tail swung at her.
"5000 Brick Fist!"
Astrid jumped between them and slammed his fist against the tail. He stopped the tail but his arm was grabbed by several mercury arms that sprouted from the tail.
"Monarch Cut!"
The hands were severed by Caria's blades. She and Astrid leaped back to create some distance.
"Are you two okay?"
Jessie approached them. They nodded and looked at the monster.
"Luka..."
The monster eyed them down with its multiple heads.
"How did it come to this?"
Jessie mumbled. The monster turned its head and opened its mouths.
"Wait, it's facing the town!"
"Luka, don't!"
The monster ignored them and fired mercury from its mouth. The boiling mercury rained down on the town and sounds of destruction reached their ears.
"Luka...!"
Jessie gritted his teeth.
"Are you really trying to force my hand?"
The monster eyed him down as if awaiting his answer. Jessie took a deep breath and calm himself.
"Supreme Five, engage the enemy."
Astrid and Caria looked at him with shock.
"Don't worry. The goal isn't to kill. It's to save our stupid brother."
Jessie pulled his guns and aimed them at Luka.
"Did you hear me, Luka?! We won't kill you no matter what! I am your leader but I am also your brother! So no matter what you do, I will never kill my brother!"
He leaped into the air. Luka fired mercury at him. He evaded them by kicking through the air. He fired at the heads before kicking it in the stomach. The monster stumbled back. Jessie landed on the ground.
"I won't kill you but I will beat you to an inch of your life if needed."
He grinned.
"After all, it's the Big Brother's job to bully the youngest."
Caria and Astrid grinned as well.
"Prepare yourself, Luka!"
"My punches will make you uglier than you are now!"
"RRAAAAHHH!!!!"
The monster roared in response, but they stood firm in defiance.
"Let's go!"
They charged at the monster at Jessie's signal.
"Oh, this is good stuff!"
El Nino watched everything from a distance. A thundering noise erupted which drew its attention. El Niño turned its head and saw La Parca standing over Luffy, who was forced into the earth. He had crossed his arms in front of him to block a punch from La Parca.
"Perfume Femur Magna!"
Hancock hit La Parca with a flying kick. The kick sent him fly into the rubble that was once the Orphanage. Luffy sprung to his feet in Gear Second. He vanished. La Parca flew out of the rubble. The two clashed and traded blows to the face. They started punching each other at lightning speed. Hancock accelerated towards them. La Parca punched Luffy away and blocked her kick. She ducked under his punch and moved into a handstand. She spun on her hands swinging her legs. La Parca hardened its arms to block the kicks.
"Hawk Rifle!"
Luffy slammed his fist in its back.
"My bad."
Luffy looked up and a heel slammed in his face. El Niño forced Luffy to the ground.
"These two were stronger than I gave them credit for."
Meanwhile, the silver monster clashed with the Supreme Five. It fired boiling mercury at them while bladed tentacles rushed at them. Jessie evaded the tentacles in his bird form. He hit the monster with high-speed hit-and-run attacks. He mainly targeted the heads. Whenever the monster tried to retaliate, Caria would cut the mercury and tentacles. Astrid targeted the body with heavy strikes that kept forcing it back. Like this, the three had gotten the upper hand.
"Should I really be sitting this out?"
Frantz mumbled. At one side, Luffy and Hancock were fighting the enemy. At the other side, his siblings were trying to save the youngest.
"Everything started with me...."
He clenched his fists.
"Should I really stand back and do nothing?"
The bandages wrapped around him were beginning to be stained with blood again.
"Everything started with me, so why shouldn't I try to fix it? Because I fear death?"
He clenched his fists until they trembled.
"No! I'll protect my people even if I die trying!"
"Well said, Frantz Zapata."
Frantz turned around after hearing a voice coming from behind him. His eyes tore open at the sight of Felix standing in front of him.
"F-Felix?!"
"Your desire to help your friends is admirable, Frantz Zapata."
Felix ignored his shock and spoke with a calm voice.
"In response to your resolve to risk your life, I'll give you a chance to end everything."
Felix pointed at the center of his forehead.
"One shot."
"Huh?"
"I'll allow you one shot. No haki, no tricks. I'll give you a chance to end everything with one bullet."
Frantz looked at Felix with bewilderment. Felix tapped his forehead as if urging him on. Frantz continued to look at Felix until he saw a look of disappointment in his eyes.
"How unfortunate."
Felix brought his hand down. The disappointment was apparent in his voice.
"Everything that's about to happen will indeed be your fault."
Felix placed his hand on Frantz's shoulder.
"?!"
An unbearable pressure fell on Frantz. It wasn't a physical pressure but a spiritually one. It felt as if the hand of god was crushing his very soul. Felix took his hand off him and walked past Frantz. Felix started approaching Jessie and others before stopping.
"Really?"
Behind him, Frantz was pointing a crystal rifle at him.
"You want to act now?"
Frantz didn't reply. He was breathing heavily and was covered in cold sweat.
"Just so you know, the offer was an one-time thing. If you attack me now, I will retaliate."
Frantz fired his gun without hesitation. Felix lifted a hand and crushed the bullet. His body flickered and so did Frantz's. The two appeared some distance away with Felix piercing Frantz's chest with a finger. Frantz aimed his rifle at Felix's chest and fired. Felix vanished and appeared to his left. He placed his hand on Frantz's side.
*BAM*
A powerful force struck Frantz's injured side. Blood started pouring out of his wound completely staining his bandages. Frantz's consciousness began to fade.
"Oh no, it's not time for that."
Frantz's consciousness was brought back by a slap to the face. He fell on his butt and looked up at Felix.
"You're gonna witness everything. Not because you've started this."
Felix stepped into his chest and forced him to the ground.
"I need you to bring back a message to Dragon."
He showed a small smile.
"Tell him he was right."
Felix took his feet off Frantz and turned towards the others.
"Now then, it's time for the Main Event."
He formed a pyramid with his two hands.
"2000 Lives Perish."
Devastating explosions rocked the island.