DXD: The Awakening Of Phenex

"Is that so?" Riser responded with a smirk. "Then why don't you show me?"

---

Mr. 5 stuck a finger in his nose, a smug grin spreading across his face. "You asked for this," he said, pulling out a small portion of explosive booger. "I hope you're ready to turn to dust."

Before he could complete the motion, Riser spun his body in a fluid movement, his Jitte leaving his hand like an arrow.

WHOOSH!

The air sliced with a sharp sound, followed by a dry impact.

THUD!

The Jitte struck Mr. 5's chest with force, interrupting his action. His eyes widened, his hand frozen in the air, and a ragged gasp escaped his throat as he fell to his knees.

CRASH!

His body collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"That's disgusting," Riser said, looking at the corpse with disdain. "Did you really think your miserable and filthy power was enough to intimidate me?"

Alvida, watching the scene with a satisfied smile, rested her club on her shoulder. "Serves him right. Anyone who uses boogers as a weapon deserves a fate like that."

Miss Valentine instinctively stepped back, her eyes wide with shock and fear. "Mr. 5... dead? But... he was high-ranking... how?"

Vivi, leaning against the wall, trembled as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. *He killed him... like it was nothing. This is impossible.*

Igarappoi, kneeling, leaned even further forward, his trembling hands pressed against the ground. "Please!" he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "Help the princess reach Alabasta. Only you can protect her!"

Riser turned slowly, his eyes glowing with a calm yet terrifying intensity. "That's not something you should ask of me." He pointed toward the house where the others were. "Talk to the captain of this ship. If he decides, I won't oppose it."

"Alvida," Riser continued, his voice firm. "Watch these two. Don't let them try anything stupid."

Alvida nodded, twirling her club menacingly as she looked at Vivi and Igarappoi.

"With pleasure."

Riser turned his gaze to Miss Valentine, who remained frozen in place. He took a step forward, the aura of his presence overwhelming.

"Come with me," he said, his voice calm but filled with authority.

Miss Valentine hesitated, her eyes darting between Mr. 5's body and Riser. For a moment, she seemed about to flee, but something in his posture made her change her mind. In silence, she started following him.

Riser walked through the ruined street, ignoring the bodies and debris around him. His objective was clear. He stopped in front of Mr. 5's corpse, knelt, and grabbed the handle of the Jitte lodged in the dead man's chest.

SCHLICK!

The sound of metal being pulled from flesh was followed by a light dripping of blood on the ground. Riser stood up, spinning the Jitte in his hands to clean it before storing it back in his inventory.

Miss Valentine watched in silence, her hesitant steps following Riser. Her mind was conflicted, trying to understand who this man was and how he had defeated Mr. 5 so easily.

Riser kept walking, not looking back. His posture was relaxed, yet every movement carried a confidence that made Miss Valentine feel small and insignificant.

"What do you want with me?" she finally asked, her voice low and trembling.

Riser stopped, slightly tilting his head to look at her. His enigmatic smile returned, but he didn't answer immediately.

"You'll find out," he said, resuming his walk.

Miss Valentine had no choice but to follow him, her heart pounding as the night in Whiskey Peak grew even darker.

____

Inside the house, the silence was broken by Luffy's deep snoring. The sound reverberated through the walls, echoing like muffled thunder. Sanji crossed his arms, leaning against the table, while Zoro and Usopp watched their captain with different expressions. Nami, on the other hand, seemed on the verge of losing her patience.

"That idiot ate so much he looks like a balloon," Nami muttered, watching Luffy's swollen belly rise and fall with the rhythm of his snores. "We need to wake him up soon, or he'll miss all the action."

Zoro stepped closer, crouching beside Luffy. He raised his hand, palm open, and delivered a firm slap to the captain's face.

SMACK!

The sound echoed through the room, but Luffy kept sleeping, mumbling something incomprehensible while a strand of drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Sanji raised an eyebrow, clearly considering another approach. He walked over to Luffy, adjusted his stance, and with a swift movement, delivered a precise kick to the captain's side.

THUD!

Luffy rolled a few inches on the floor, but his snoring only grew louder.

"This is unbelievable," Sanji remarked, adjusting his suit. "Not even my Coq au Vin would have such an effect as his sleep does."

"You guys are idiots," Nami said, shaking her head with an exasperated sigh. "Luffy won't wake up like that."

Zoro shrugged, leaning back against the wall. "Then what do you suggest, Nami? Singing a lullaby in reverse?"

"I have an idea," Usopp said, his eyes shining with confidence. He walked to a nearby table, grabbed a piece of meat, and carefully approached Luffy.

Reaching close, Usopp placed the meat directly under Luffy's nose, waving it slightly from side to side. The strong smell made the captain's nostrils twitch.

SNIIIIFF!

Luffy's eyes snapped open instantly. In a quick and clumsy motion, he chomped down—along with Usopp's hand.

CHOMP!

"AAAAAAAH! My hand! He ate my hand!" Usopp screamed, yanking his arm back as Luffy chewed absentmindedly.

"You're so dramatic, Usopp," Nami said, barely holding back laughter. "Your hand is still there, see?"

"It's not funny!" Usopp waved his hand in front of Luffy's face. "You almost mutilated me, you food-obsessed idiot!"

Luffy blinked, finally realizing what was happening. He chewed a few more times before swallowing the meat. His swollen belly began to shrink as he let out a loud burp.

BUUUURP!

The sound was so loud that the room vibrated slightly. When the dust settled, Luffy was standing again, thin and energetic, with a wide grin.

"That was amazing! What's going on?" Luffy rubbed his stomach, looking at his friends curiously. "Why is everyone staring at me like that?"

Sanji crossed his arms, pointing to the door. "Time to head back to the ship, Captain. Things are heating up outside."

"Let's go then!" Luffy shouted, already marching towards the exit, completely oblivious to the recent chaos.

"He never changes," Nami murmured, following him with a shake of her head and a smile.

Usopp rubbed his arm, still complaining about the bite as he trailed behind. "One day, I'm going to charge for this!"

Zoro smirked slightly, adjusting his swords as he followed the group. "Let's see what's waiting for us out there."

Luffy led the crew, excited and full of renewed energy, as the sound of the sea called the Straw Hats back into action.

____

The sound of waves gently crashing against the pier filled the air as the group walked down the narrow street. The bodies of the bounty hunters were still scattered across the ground, some burned, others simply unconscious, creating a grotesque scene. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the smoke, making the atmosphere even heavier.

Luffy jumped forward, completely ignoring the corpses and the looks from his companions. He ran up to Igarappoi, who was still kneeling and trembling, with Vivi beside him, trying to maintain her composure.

"Hey, thanks for the food and the party! You guys were amazing!"

Igarappoi lifted his gaze, still in shock, as Luffy grabbed his hand and shook it energetically. Vivi stared at him with a mix of disbelief and relief, while Alvida crossed her arms, watching the scene with an amused expression.

"Luffy, for God's sake, look around!" Usopp shouted, approaching with hesitant steps, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of the corpses.

"This is horrible! Why… why is there so much blood? Whose work is this?"

Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the bodies.

"I'm pretty sure this is Riser's doing. His style is unmistakable."

Zoro walked past them without even glancing at the bodies. He adjusted his swords and headed straight toward Luffy, his expression neutral.

Nami crossed her arms as she walked beside Zoro, glancing at the bodies before shifting her gaze to Riser, who stood further back, speaking with Miss Valentine.

"Of course, this is his doing. But honestly, we don't have time to dwell on this. Let's go."

"You guys are acting like this is normal!" Usopp complained, still looking around, unable to move. "Normal? This looks like a horror movie! Why isn't anyone freaking out?"

"Because we already expected this, Usopp." Nami gave him a tired look, shaking her head. "If you haven't gotten used to chaos by now, maybe you're in the wrong crew."

"Hey, Sanji! Got any more food?" Luffy shouted, turning to the group with a wide grin. "This place is amazing, but I think I'm still hungry."

"I can't believe he's still thinking about food!" Usopp yelled, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.

Nami patted Usopp's shoulder before walking toward the group. "Come on, Usopp. We don't have time for drama right now."

Alvida chuckled, shaking her head as she gripped her club.

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