Chapter 166: [166] : Mythical Zoan: Nue!
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LaBeouf's words hung in the air.
Prolden—the massive brute who'd just been yelling—Dunlap the bearded brute, and Birdpence, the morose, silver-haired man, all turned, their gazes fixed on Arthur, who sat calmly on the rocks.
But their eyes were anything but calm. They gleamed with a dangerous light, a flicker of killing intent.
Thunder God Seabury D. Arthur, one of the Four Emperors alongside Kaido and Big Mom?? A legend in the making?
"He's here on Raijin Island? This is my chance!"
"If I kill him… I'll be famous! My name will echo through the Grand Line!"
Their breathing quickened, their hearts pounded.
They were rookies in the New World, their ambition far outweighing their experience. They hadn't faced a true powerhouse yet; they didn't understand the sheer disparity in power, the chasm that separated them from the New World's elite.
But they craved fame, fortune, power—a potent, intoxicating cocktail that drove men to do foolish things.
The air on the beach grew thick with tension, the storm clouds above mirroring the storm brewing below.
These three rookies—untested, their mettle yet to be forged in the fires of the New World—they were planning to challenge Arthur, to take his head and claim his glory for themselves.
Arthur had become a target, a stepping stone for those with ambition.
"You three goddamn idiots! If you want to die, go ahead! But don't drag me into your suicide pact!" LaBeouf's voice was laced with a desperate urgency, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, his thick black hair plastered to his skin.
He'd witnessed Kaido's monstrous power firsthand.
Arthur, a man who was considered his equal?? He wasn't about to challenge someone on that level, not for anything. These rookies, they were still playing at being pirates.
He had to get out of here. But his feet felt like they were rooted to the ground. He couldn't move.
Kaido was unpredictable; one minute laughing, the next crying; his moods as volatile as the New World's weather. He was known for his suicidal tendencies and his penchant for killing his own crew.
Big Mom was irrational, her actions driven by her insatiable appetite for sweets.
And Arthur?? Arrogant, reckless, his only desire the pursuit of thrills—a fearless man.
——
"What the hell am I doing here? This is his territory! Raijin Island—Thunder God Island…" LaBeouf's usual gruff demeanor faltered. He felt a sudden urge to cry—just like Kaido.
"You want my head? You want to make a name for yourselves?" Arthur, jolted from his thoughts by their intense stares, his eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed.
Birdpence, Prolden, and Dunlap—their killing intent, raw and untamed—was palpable.
But Arthur understood.
Every rookie pirate in the New World faced the same dilemma.
The established territories were ruled by the Emperors. Survival meant either carving out your own niche, retreating to Paradise, or challenging one of the Emperors and taking their place.
"Let's do this! Dunlap! Prolden! If we take down the Thunder God here, we'll be legends!" Birdpence's face twisted into a grotesque grin, his body trembling with a mixture of excitement and fear.
Kaido had his army.
Big Mom had her massive crew. But Arthur was alone... no territory, no crew. He was the perfect target.
Every rookie pirate in the New World was gunning for him.
"He's alone. There are three of us. We have a chance." Dunlap licked his dry lips.
"What do you say, LaBeouf? Want to join us?" Prolden, abandoning his earlier standoff with LaBeouf, turned to the hulking pirate, his eyes gleaming.
"No! I'm not playing your stupid games!" LaBeouf roared, his body transforming into a massive black bear. He turned and fled towards his ship.
Rumble!
Crack!
His roar seemed to trigger a chain reaction, the storm clouds above erupting in a fury of lightning, a massive purple bolt striking LaBeouf.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
LaBeouf screamed, his fur igniting, his massive body engulfed in flames. In seconds, he was reduced to a smoldering, charred husk.
Arthur, however, wasn't watching LaBeouf. His gaze was fixed on the storm clouds above.
The lightning—it had resonated with him, a flicker of understanding sparking in his mind.
That last bolt—at least 500 million volts…
That's it! If I can't create it, I'll…channel it!
Use the higher-quality lightning from the storm clouds to trigger a qualitative change in my own…Hahahaha!
After three months of frustration, he'd finally found a path forward. A grin spread across his face.
"HAHAHAHA! LaBeouf—you lucky son of a bitch!" He laughed until tears streamed down his face, looking at the charred, barely-breathing bear on the ground.
He had to get back to the mountain peak—to begin his final transformation.
He turned to leave, ignoring the three stunned pirates.
"Running away, Thunder God? Afraid you'll lose your reputation if you lose to us?" Birdpence taunted, his voice laced with a cruel amusement.
Arthur paused, his smile vanishing. "I'm in a good mood. So I'll give you a choice. Get lost—or die. Your call."
"Are you saying you won't even accept our challenge? Seems your reputation is a bit…inflated." Birdpence's skin began to shift, strange markings appearing as a strange aura enveloped him. He had a rare Devil Fruit ability.
Dunlap and Prolden also prepared for battle.
Arthur sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Hahahaha! Fine. If you insist on dying, who am I to argue? Come and get it." He'd been on the verge of an advancement, and these idiots were standing in his way...
"ROAR!!!"
Birdpence roared, his head transforming into that of a monkey, his body a raccoon's, his limbs tiger-like claws, a massive snake's head for a tail, his entire form enveloped in a dark cloud as he soared into the sky.
"Mythical Zoan…Nue?" Arthur's eyes widened in recognition.
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