THE CAUSE

Luffy, wearing a horned helmet, grins wildly with intense eyes as he delivers a powerful kick. His foot connects with a massive impact against a horned warrior's face, sending the warrior flying backward with a shocked expression. The warrior's crown-like helmet is visible as he yells in pain. Large onomatopoeia "ドカン!!" explodes across the bottom of the page. Text in the panel declares "LUFFY SOCKS IMU!!" as the warrior is launched through the air over a forested landscape.

Small black flame creatures with grinning faces fly through the air with "FWOOSH" effects. Luffy, still in his horned helmet, is struck and sent flying amid a massive explosion that tears through the forest, with "ドカン" and impact lines filling the panel. In the next sequence, Luffy lands and confronts the horned warrior, who is breathing heavily. Dialogue unfolds: Luffy shouts "RELAX?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKING TO?!" and "WHOA!!" while the warrior responds "YOU SEEM REAL BEAT UP! RELAX FOR A BIT!" and "BUT THAT'S ONLY THANKS TO ALL THE DAMAGE I ALREADY DEALT HIM. HUFF... HUFF... YOU MAY HAVE GOT A GOOD ONE IN..." The warrior adds "WEEZ... WEEZ..." and "BASTARD..." as Luffy retorts with surprise.

The horned warrior is hurled through the air by a powerful strike, with "ドカン" effects and motion lines. Luffy's face appears in close-up with wide eyes as he declares "STIGMA!" with a note that Kanji is "RESENTFUL DEMON SWORD". Black flame creatures swarm around the warrior. The warrior, now with a black flame on his face, reacts with "IT'S NOT REALLY HOT? IT DOESN'T EVEN HURT THAT MUCH, WHAT WITH THIS BLACK FIRE?!" and "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!! HUH?" while thinking "HUH... HUH...". He observes "WOW... THIS GUY'S EVEN MORE SCARY UP CLOSE!!" as Luffy is sent flying again. The warrior yells "DAMN IT!! WHAT IS THIS STUFF? IT'S SPREADING...!!" and the flames declare "WE'RE TO AIM ABOVE THE BELLY..." and "WHERE THE SWORD PIERCED HIM A MOMENT AGO... GO!! GO!!".

A massive spiked hammer slams down with explosive force, shattering the ground and sending shockwaves through the air. "GYAAH!!" and "KYAAH!!" ring out as figures are hurled backward amid clouds of dust and debris. In the chaos, a horned warrior grips the weapon while others react in panic. "IT JUST WON'T BREAK!!" "WHAT'S WITH THIS THING?!" "WHETHER IT'S ICE OR NOT, WOULDN'T SHE HAVE ALREADY SUFFOCATED BY NOW...?" "OH?!" "IT'S MORE LIKE DIAMOND OR SOMETHING..." "THIS CAN'T REALLY BE MADE OF ICE, CAN IT?!" "WEEZ... WEEZ... NOTHING'S WORKING!" A curly-haired girl covers her mouth in shock. "ENOUGH!! YOU'RE RIGHT... WHEN I TOUCH IT... I'M NOT REALLY SURE..." "IT'S DEFINITELY COLD!!" "HEY, YOU'RE RIGHT..." "OR ACTUALLY, I'M NOT REALLY SURE, BUT..." "DUMMY!" "OUCH!" Loki appears in the fray as the hammer swings wildly. "WATCH OUT!! THE HAMMER!!" "HUH?!" "LOKI!!"

The hammer flies through the air after a powerful strike. "WHOA!!" "SQUEAK!! SQUEAK!!" A small creature squeaks in alarm. "GUSH" "KOFF!!" Blood spatters as the horned figure is struck in the chest. "WAS HE BEATEN?!" "NO WAY?!" "HE'S BEEN STABBED IN THE CHEST!!" The ice begins to crack and melt. "THE ICE HAS STARTED TO MELT!!" "HEY, LOOK!!" "WHOA!!" Princess Shuri reacts with wide eyes. "PRINCESS SHURI...!!"

A small winged figure soars through the air. "FWOOSH" "WHOA!!" Luffy appears in close-up, eyes wide as a dark creature clings to him. "RING" A mysterious ring sound echoes. Luffy's expression shifts to determination. A massive dark form leaps forward with "LEAP!" as the horned warrior and others react amid the rocky terrain. "ばっ" The action intensifies with motion lines and impact effects.

Two older men converse. "CAUSE HE'LL BE DEAD!!!" "OH? MAY I ASK WHY?" "ONE OF THE THREE DEMONS..." "A STRAW HAT!!" A map labels locations: "ZORO'S LOCATION...", "WEST VILLAGE", "SEA CLOUD PORT. WEST VILLAGE", "HARBOR", "BRANCH", "SCHOOL LIBRARY". "IS THAT SO? WHAT A COINCIDENCE. ONE OF MY ASSOCIATES IS ALSO SWINGING BY THE VILLAGE..." "MY ASSOCIATE SHOULD BE BRINGING THEM OVER FROM THE VILLAGE ANY MINUTE NOW!! THEN WE'LL BE OUT OF YOUR HAIR." "OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT!! WE'RE JUST HERE TO PICK UP TEN OR TWENTY KIDS AT MOST...!!" "YOU BASTARDS RUINED OUR REUNION FEAST WITH OUR OLD FRIENDS!" "WEREN'T YOU JUST AT THE VILLAGE?! WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE? LOOKIN' FOR A BEATING?!" A spiky-haired man grins. "...JUST HOW AWESOME WE ARE RIGHT NOW!!!" "GIHA HAHA, YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA..." "BUT I DON'T THINK YOUR GUY WILL BE THE ONE COMING BACK." A small figure stands near a monument as a cloaked man looms. "！！"

A massive figure in a wide hat looms amid swirling bubbles and debris as warriors clash below. "THAT'S ANOTHER PAIN TO DEAL WITH... THAT MONSTER IS A WOMAN AND I CAN'T KICK IT...!!" someone shouts. The giant woman cries, "BUT I CAN'T SAVE THE BRATS MYSELF BECAUSE OF PROBLEM TWO: I CAN'T STAND THE SIGHT OF IT..." Explosions and motion lines fill the scene. "AND THE WARRIORS WON'T STOP AT ANYTHING UNTIL THE KIDS ARE SAFE..." reads a caption. In smaller panels, children scream: "...IT'S OKAY IF I DON'T JOIN THE FIGHT... BECAUSE I KNOW..." "THEN THERE'S PROBLEM THREE... WHILE I CAN'T STAND TO SEE A WOMAN CRY..." "I'M SOWWY, I GOT CAWT AGAIN!! MOOOM-MMMY!!" "COLON!!" "RIPLEY!!" A warrior yells, "DAMN IT...!! LEAVE HIM ALONE!!" The giant woman continues, "THEIR MOTHERS ARE CRYING THEIR EYES OUT... THAT'S A PAIN TO DEAL WITH..."

A fierce battle erupts as a horned warrior strikes a small figure. "THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS IS REALLY YOU! EVEN IF THE GIANTS LOSE SIGHT OF YOU...!!" the attacker roars. Luffy, bloodied but grinning, retorts while dodging blows. "GOOD GRIEF, YOU REALLY ARE TOUGH." A massive impact sends debris flying. "YOU CAN'T OUTRUN ME!!" the warrior presses. Luffy leaps across rooftops: "THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN BEAT ME!! YOUR ASSESSMENT IS RIGHT THOUGH, IF I WAS OUT OF COMMISSION, MY ABILITY WOULD DISSIPATE!" The warrior counters, "I'M ENDING THIS HERE... YOU FOOL! THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOUGH AND IMMORTAL!"

Shanks glares with intensity. "I KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS!!" he declares. The giant woman swings her weapon: "ONWARD, RAIN GOD!! TAKE THOSE BRATS AWAY! SO GO AHEAD AND TRY! LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN TAKE OUT THE RAIN GOD!!" Luffy soars through the air on a cloud-like form. "HOW TERRIFYING!!" someone exclaims. Shanks narrows his eyes: "SO YOU'RE SAYING..." The giant woman laughs wildly, "HAHAHA!! OH HO?! HOW INTERESTING!!" Luffy charges with a burst of energy. "...YOU CAN USE CONQUEROR'S HAKI?!" Shanks is shocked. "GO AHEAD THEN!! KILL ME!!" the giant woman taunts as massive impacts shake the battlefield.

A dramatic color spread shows Luffy leaping toward a massive horned figure labeled "SHANKS VS MONKEY D. LUFFY". Text reads: "SO THOU HAST FINALLY REVEALED THYSELF, JOY BOY!! ...THE PIRATE KING!!!" Shanks and allies react in shock. "YOU SHOULD BE METICULOUS IF YOU INTEND TO HAVE HIS BACK!! YOUR CAPTAIN IS ONE OF THE FOUR EMPERORS..." Luffy shouts, "THE NAME'S LUFFY...!! DON'T GO CALLING ME WHATEVER YOU WANT! THE MAN WHO'S GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!!" Shanks replies, "DO I REALLY NOT HAVE CONQUEROR'S HAKI?! HEY, OLD MAN! WHAT ABOUT ME?! MY BAD... BUT SOMEHOW... REALLY?! YOU HAVE THE TRAITS OF ONE WHO MIGHT... A KING... YOU SEEM TO BE BURDENED WITH PAINFUL UNCERTAINTY. ...TO MAKE LUFFY... YOU MUST BE A KING YOURSELF IF YOU TRULY WISH..." The page ends with "CH.1187 /END".