Starting as a Roger Pirates Apprentice

Chapter 579: Chapter 579: 【Giant Space · Black Gift Box】

"How could I possibly be defeated by you!!!"

"I will definitely save this country and everyone!!!"

Luffy grinned widely as he officially entered Nika mode. The unique flame clouds of a Zoan awakening floated around his body, turning everything nearby into rubber that could freely change shape.

And facing the rampaging Dante, Luffy did not show even the slightest hint of fear.

Instead, he used playful, almost joking methods—stretching his body into an S-shape like noodles—to narrowly dodge the attacks.

In the distant ruins, two enormous figures gradually regained a bit of consciousness.

They were Kaido and Linlin, though neither of them had the strength left to continue fighting.

"That posture..."

"Is it Joy Boy?"

Kaido looked at the Straw Hat brat he once dismissed, now entangled in battle with Dante. His pupils trembled slightly.

"Hey, Linlin... do you think that brat can win..."

Linlin weakly turned her gaze toward the battlefield before laughing.

"Do you even hear yourself, Kaido?"

"That’s the son of me and Orin! A monstrous genius even more terrifying than Rocks. How could he possibly lose!!!"

Kaido also noticed that Dante seemed to have entered some kind of berserk state. His pupils suddenly shrank.

"That is... food craving sickness!?"

"You’ve got to be kidding me???"

Seeing Dante in this condition gave him a faint sense of unease. And sure enough...

Just after Luffy used Nika’s unreasonable form to barely dodge the punch—

The [Galaxy Impact] enhanced with a hundredfold speed and a hundredfold power was unleashed.

It was almost like dropping a nuclear bomb. The immense force instantly slammed deep into the core of Onigashima like a giant nail.

The enormous kinetic energy instantly enveloped the entire island.

As Sanji, Nami, the samurai, and the Beast Pirates staggered in panic from the violent shaking—

The entire Onigashima began to crack apart!!!

"You’ve got to be kidding!!!"

"The battle at the top actually shattered Onigashima???!!!"

"We’re going to fall!!!"

Someone had just started crying out when they suddenly realized—

Kaido, who had been creating the flame clouds, had already been defeated.

So why hadn’t Onigashima fallen?

And for that question...

Space itself would provide the answer.

"Then... let me see."

"Which is superior—the [Theory of Bloodline] represented by the son of Azure Orin and Linlin... or the [Idealism] represented by Nika~"

A whisper echoed through the void.

The already crumbling Onigashima completely vanished into nothingness.

In its place appeared a massive black platform.

Everyone landed upon this giant platform, staring at one another in confusion.

"What... what is going on here?!!!"

Usopp looked around.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but endless blackness.

Only the clouds and the moon far overhead allowed them to recognize that they were still somewhere within the seas of Wano.

"Sanji!!! Why did you suddenly appear here!!!"

Beside Usopp and Nami, a bewildered Sanji suddenly appeared midair and dropped to the ground.

But even he had no idea what happened.

Just moments ago, he had been fighting CP0.

Then suddenly the surroundings began to collapse, and a wave of blackness swallowed everything.

The next moment, he appeared here.

"I... honestly have no idea either."

Behind Sanji, a gloomy young man carrying a sword and wearing a spotted hat stepped forward.

He looked toward the Straw Hat crew.

"We’re probably... completely trapped here."

"What do you mean!!!"

Chopper cried out in shock, his cute little face full of disbelief.

"It means exactly what it sounds like..."

Law slowly raised his hand in front of everyone.

A transparent semicircular glass-like barrier appeared in his palm—the signature ability of his "Room" space.

Everyone watched as Law tried to expand the Room.

But the moment it grew only to the size of his palm—

A streak of black-and-red lightning suddenly appeared in midair, instantly shattering the fragile Room space.

"Tch..."

Law’s expression turned grim, but he still explained to everyone.

"What just stopped my ability from activating was Conqueror’s Haki, along with another force belonging to space itself."

"In other words..."

"This place is a giant cage."

"A cage!!!"

Chopper burst into tears while screaming. Even though he couldn’t fully understand everything, he clearly understood the word "cage."

"Does that mean we really can’t get out?!!!"

"Yes. This space is sealed by both spatial power and Conqueror’s Haki. Unless someone’s Haki surpasses the one who created this space, escaping is impossible..."

Hearing that, Nami’s legs went weak and she collapsed onto the ground.

"How could this..."

Seeing Nami like that, Sanji immediately volunteered.

"Look! There’s an opening up there! This place isn’t fully enclosed~"

Sanji stepped on Geppo and began flying upward with rapid poof poof sounds.

He seemed to be getting closer and closer to the exit.

"Sanji!!!"

"That’s amazing!!!"

Only Law watched the scene coldly.

He had already guessed who created this, and he did not believe that Mr. Orin would leave such an obvious loophole.

And sure enough—

Just as Sanji was about to break through the black boundary and reach the clouds—

A ripple like the surface of a mirror appeared in midair.

Sanji plunged straight into it.

Then, as if by a miracle, he reappeared back on the ground.

"Huh???"

"That’s impossible! I was just about to escape!!!"

Sanji stared in disbelief at Nami and the others around him.

[Giant Space · Black Gift Box]

If someone could observe from the outside, they would clearly see—

The so-called endless black space inside was actually just an enormous black box with an open top.

And that opening was covered by a mirror-like layer connected to the bottom of the box.

Forming a perfectly sealed infinite loop.

Orin would never create a flaw like Doflamingo, where the user must remain inside to maintain control.

Unless Orin willingly allowed it, or someone inside possessed both Conqueror’s Haki and spatial understanding surpassing his limits—

They would remain trapped until death.

This was originally a mechanism technique Orin designed specifically to counter Imu.

Even if he couldn’t kill you, he could trap you to death.

He just hadn’t expected it would be used here first.

Not for any other reason—

But because when facing the duel between Dante and Nika, ordinary techniques simply wouldn’t work well.

Everyone continued exploring the interior of the enormous black box.

Until a small isolated space in the distance caught their attention.

That space floated in midair inside the black box, completely separated from them.

Inside it, a duel was unfolding.

On one side was the laughing white Nika.

On the other was Dante in a berserk state, with Conqueror’s Haki surging wildly.

Standing in midair, a purple-haired little girl timidly stepped forward.

She announced the final rule to everyone.

"Only when one of them surrenders or is defeated..."

"...will the rest of you be allowed to leave here alive!!!"