One Piece Chapter 123: Luffy vs. Mr. 3

In a jungle clearing, Luffy and Usopp arrive at the scene. Usopp is riding on Karoo's back. Usopp confidently declares, "ROGER THAT! GET READY TO SEE A WHOLE DIFFERENT USOPP TODAY!" Karoo quacks loudly in agreement. Luffy, cracking his knuckles with a serious and determined expression, says, "I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE WHAT THAT THING IS, BUT I'LL DESTROY IT!" They look up to see a massive, spinning wax structure resembling a giant cake with a flaming pumpkin on top. Zoro, Nami, and Vivi are trapped on the lower tiers of the structure, slowly being covered in wax dust falling from above. One of the trapped crew members calls down, "JUST HURRY IT UP OR WE'LL HARDEN UP INTO WAX!"

Nami, sweating and partially covered in wax, angrily yells at Zoro, "INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT POSES, COULD YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BLEEDING LEGS? IT'S PAINFUL JUST LOOKING AT IT." Zoro, striking a pose with his swords despite his bleeding legs, calmly replies, "THEN DON'T LOOK AT IT. IF I'M GOING TO HARDEN UP INTO A WAX FIGURE, I'D LIKE TO GO WITH THIS POSE." Nami asks, "WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" while Vivi adds, "WHAT... NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR SUCH JOKES...!" Nearby, Miss Goldenweek calmly eats a rice cracker and says, "MR. 3, THOSE PEOPLE ARE AWFULLY RELAXED." Mr. 3 replies, "I DARE SAY THE SAME APPLIES TO YOU, DOESN'T IT, MISS GOLDENWEEK?" Zoro clarifies, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. I WAS GOING TO FIGHT AFTER CUTTING OFF MY FEET." Nami retorts, "IN THE FIRST PLACE, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WERE STUPID ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY THINK THAT YOU COULD CUT OFF YOUR FEET AND RUN AWAY." Zoro snaps back, "THAT'S EVEN MORE IDIOTIC," to which Nami yells, "SHUT UP." Mr. 3 looks annoyed, stating, "THIS IS MOST UNPLEASANT." Vivi looks concerned, noting, "IT SEEMS WE'RE NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY, DOESN'T IT NOW...? THESE TWO ACT AS IF THEY CAN'T FEEL EVEN AN OUNCE OF THE DANGER WE'RE IN...!! EVEN THOUGH WE'RE STILL FAR FROM ESCAPING FROM OUR CURRENT DILEMMA..."

Luffy cracks his knuckles, glaring intensely at the Baroque Works agents. An off-screen voice notes, "THAT BOY DOESN'T LOOK DEPENDABLE AT ALL." Luffy says, "IF YOU ASK ME, ALRIGHT!" Mr. 5 steps forward, offering, "MR. 3! PLEASE LET US TAKE CARE OF H-" Mr. 3 interrupts him, "TAKE CARE OF HIM? I WON'T TOLERATE FURTHER SUCH NONSENSE, YOU KNOW? JUST LOOK! IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE YOUR ATTACKS DIDN'T PHASE HIM THE LEAST BIT, THAT HE'S NOW BACK HERE FOR MORE. AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT MAN IS TOO MUCH FOR THE LIKES OF YOU TO HANDLE." Miss Valentine is visible standing behind Mr. 5. Mr. 3 then gets into a combat stance, wax forming on his hands. "JUST CLEAN UP THE TWO OTHER PIECES OF TRASH INSTEAD. I'LL ADD STRAWHAT LUFFY TO MY WAX-FIGURE COLLECTION."

Karoo quacks in terror, his eyes bulging out of his head. Usopp, sweating profusely and looking terrified, yells, "ENOUGH TALKING, YOU MOUTHY BASTARDS... YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR, PREPARE TO DIE!" However, in the very next moment, Usopp is seen running away in a panic, shouting back over his shoulder, "ALRIGHT, LUFFY! WE'VE GOT YOU BACKED UP!" Luffy looks back, confused, "HM? YOU SAY SOMETHING?" Zoro smiles from his trapped position on the wax structure, saying, "YEAH, IT'S TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE STRUGGLING..." Karoo is also seen sprinting away from the danger as fast as he can. Nami watches them flee, despairing, "IS THIS THE END... OF OUR STRUGGLE, LITTLE ONE...?"

Mr. 3 launches an attack, shooting a stream of liquid wax at Luffy. "LET'S GET THIS STARTED THEN, SHALL WE!? CANDLE LOCK!" The wax clamps onto Luffy's legs, hardening instantly with a "CLAMP!" sound. Luffy exclaims, "WHOA?" and falls over backward with an "OOF!" Usopp, watching from a distance, is shocked. "H-HE CAUGHT HIM!" Nami screams, "LUFFY!" Usopp cries, "W-WHAT!?" while Luffy notices the shape of the wax, "THE HECK? MY LEGS LOOK LIKE A HAMMER NOW...!" Luffy, lying on his back, looks at his wax-encased legs and smiles broadly, "OHH, ISN'T THIS PRETTY NICE?"

Mr. 3 prepares another attack. "THAT WAS TOO EASY... NEXT UP ARE YOUR HANDS! CANDLE LOCK!" He shoots another stream of wax, but Luffy dodges it, yelling, "WHOA, WHOA!" Mr. 3 looks surprised, "HM!?" Luffy leaps high into the air, shouting, "ORYAAA!" As he flies towards the giant wax structure, someone wonders, "WHERE IS HE AIMING..." Luffy stretches his arms out and latches onto the top of the giant wax pillar with a "LATCH!" sound. He says, "SORRY ABOUT THIS, MISTER GIANT."

Luffy twists his body tightly around the giant wax pillar, winding up for an attack. "GOMU GOMU..." he begins. Nami yells his name, "LUFFY!" Mr. 3 looks on in shock, "WHA?" Zoro yells, "THE HELL IS HE TRYING TO DO!?" Luffy then rapidly unwinds his body, spinning like a top and screaming, "ARGHHHHHH!"

Luffy uses the momentum of his spin to smash his wax-encased feet into the giant wax pillar. "HAMMER!" he shouts. The impact causes the top section of the pillar, including the flaming pumpkin, to crumble and break apart. Nami and Mr. 3 watch in shock. Nami cheers, "HE DID IT! THE CANDLE PILLAR IS DESTR.." Mr. 3 is left speechless, "WHA...!" The top of the structure falls to the ground in pieces.

Luffy lands on the ground, looking at his feet. "OH GOOD! I DESTROYED THE THING AROUND MY LEGS TOO!" he says, noticing the wax has shattered from the impact. He then looks up, "HM?" The scene shifts to Zoro, Nami, and Vivi, who are still trapped on the lower tier of the wax structure. The wax dust has stopped falling, and they look relieved. Zoro still has his swords raised in his pose.

Nami, Vivi, and Zoro realize their situation hasn't improved. Nami sighs, "OH THANK GOD..." Vivi says, "WE'RE ALIVE...!" Zoro points out, "BUT NOTHING'S CHANGED...!" Luffy looks at them, confused, "HUH?" A large text box emphasizes, "BECAUSE WE CAN'T MOVE!" Nami yells at Luffy, "THAT WAS DANGEROUS. WHY DON'CHA TRY TO RUN AWAY?" She then realizes, "W-WAIT... MY ENTIRE BODY IS... HARDENING UP...! I CAN'T... MOVE... AT ALL...!" Vivi adds, "WELL... NOT LIKE WE HAVE A CHOICE ANYMORE... MY ARMS HAVE ALREADY HARDENED UP." Zoro questions Nami, "ARE YOU SURE IT'S REALLY OKAY TO TRUST OUR LIVES TO HIM!?" Nami yells back, "WELL, MR. BUSHIDO!?" Luffy responds, "OH, REALLY? BUT DIDN'T YOU TELL ME TO DESTROY THE PILLAR?"

Nami yells at Luffy, "ISN'T THAT WHAT WE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING!? JUST DESTROY THIS ENTIRE CANDLE SET, LUFFY!" Luffy realizes, "WHAT!? YOU'RE TURNING INTO WAX-DOLLS!?" and agrees, "A-ALRIGHT!" Mr. 3 laughs maniacally, "FUHAHAHAHA! NOW THAT THE CANDLES ARE CLOSER TO YOU, THE HARDENING PROCESS HAS SPED UP EVEN MORE! IMBECILES! FUHAHAHA! HURRY UP AND TURN INTO MY BEAUTIFUL WAX-DOLLS!" He then attacks Luffy again, "DIDN'T I TELL YOU NOT TO INTERFERE!? DORU DORU ARTS! HARPOON!" Luffy dodges the sharp wax projectile with an "AHH!" Suddenly, Usopp fires a projectile from his slingshot, yelling, "GUNPOWDER STAR!"

Mr. 5 steps in front of Mr. 3 and intercepts Usopp's projectile, swallowing it whole with a "GULP!" Mr. 3 smirks, "HMPH..." An explosion goes off inside Mr. 5's stomach, causing a loud blast. Luffy looks surprised, "WHOA!" Mr. 5 simply burps out a cloud of smoke, looking completely unharmed. Usopp stares in shock and terror at the ineffective attack.

Usopp is horrified, "DAMN IT! HE ATE MY... GUNPOWDER STAR!?" Mr. 5 burps again and says, "TASTES PRETTY BAD... YOU MUST BE USING SUBPAR GUNPOWDER.." Nami desperately yells, "LUFFY! PLEASE HURRY UP!" Zoro calmly states, "GLAD I DECIDED ON MY POSE ALREADY." Nami screams at him, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Vivi adds urgently, "DAMN, THIS IS PRETTY BAD... WE'RE HARDENING UP REALLY FAST...!"

Luffy stretches his arms back, preparing another attack. "GOMU GOMU..." He says, "I JUST HAVE TO DESTROY THAT PUMPKIN, RIGHT!? GOT IT!" He launches his arms forward, shouting, "BAZOOKA!" Mr. 3 quickly creates a thick wall of wax in front of the structure. "CANDLE WALL! A FUTILE ENDEAVOUR.." Luffy's attack hits the wax wall with a loud thud, but it bounces off, unable to break through.

Mr. 3 taunts Luffy, "YOU SHOULD STOP INTERFERING IN MY EFFORTS TO CREATE ART! I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD BE SAYING, IS IT NOT...?" Luffy yells back, "HEY! STOP GETTIN' IN MY WAY!" Mr. 3 launches another attack, "CANDLE LOCK!" Luffy realizes, "AGAIN!? AH, THAT'S RIGHT!" The wax clamps onto Luffy's hands, hardening into a large block. Mr. 3 looks surprised as Luffy smiles broadly and says, "OH! THANKS FOR THE HAMMER! SHISHISHISHI!"

Luffy swings his newly formed wax hammer hands back, preparing to strike. "GOMU GOMU..." Mr. 3 quickly creates another wax wall, "CANDLE WALL! CURSES!" Luffy brings his heavy wax hands down with immense force, shouting, "HAMMER!" The impact strikes the wax wall, causing it to crack and shatter into pieces.

Luffy's attack completely obliterates the wax wall and continues forward, striking Mr. 3 directly in the face. The force of the blow sends Mr. 3 flying backward through the air. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine watch in shock. Mr. 5 yells, "MR. 3!" Miss Valentine exclaims, "IT CAN'T BE!" Luffy stands triumphantly, shouting, "YEAH!"

Nami smiles, relieved, "YOU DID IT, LUFFY! NOW HURRY UP AND DESTROY THIS CANDLE SET!" Luffy, however, stands still and simply says, "NAH." Nami yells, "NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR JOKES! HURRY!" Luffy repeats, "I DON'T WANNA." Nami is confused, "WHA..." Vivi pleads, "LUFFY! THIS ISN'T THE TIME FOR ONE OF YOUR IDIOTIC ANTICS! LUFFY, PLEASE!" Luffy replies, "MEH, JUST NOT IN THE MOOD TO SAVE YOU." In the foreground, Miss Goldenweek is seen painting a symbol on the ground. She says, "COLOURS... TRAP!" Nami looks on in shock, "WHAT...?"

No description for this page.