One Piece Chapter 99: Luffy Dies

Dark, swirling clouds gather in the sky with a low rumble. Narration boxes read, "A STORY THAT BEGAN LONG, LONG AGO...", "A LEGEND PASSED DOWN INTO THE FAR, FAR FUTURE...". Below, Buggy the Clown laughs maniacally, his face taking up the panel as he declares, "FOR THE CRIME OF ANGERING ME, I SENTENCE YOU, MONKEY D. LUFFY, TO A FLASHY EXECUTION!" At the bottom, the Buggy Pirates cheer wildly in the town square, raising their weapons. Buggy stands atop the towering execution platform with Luffy trapped in the pillory. His crew shouts, "LET'S CAUSE A FLASHY RUCKUS, BOYS!" and "YAHOO!". Buggy commands the crowd, "JUST STAND RIGHT THERE AND WATCH!"

Trapped in the wooden pillory on the execution platform, Luffy looks up at Buggy with a mild expression and says, "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN AN EXECUTION." Buggy angrily yells back, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S BEING EXECUTED HERE!" Luffy's eyes widen in shock as he exclaims, "WHAT!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Buggy retorts, "NO, YOU STOP KIDDING AROUND!" A wide shot shows the massive execution platform situated in front of a grand building in the town square, surrounded by a huge crowd of onlookers. Buggy raises his sword high and announces to the masses, "YOUR FLASHY EXECUTION, SHALL NOW BE CARRIED OUT FOR THE WHOLE PUBLIC TO SEE!" Someone in the crowd cries out, "NOOO!"

Nami and Usopp run frantically through the town streets. Usopp, trailing behind, asks, "WHY'RE YOU IN SUCH A RUSH FOR!?", "SHOULDN'T WE BE TRYING TO SAVE LUFFY BACK THERE!?" Nami replies without stopping, "WHAT USE WOULD WE BE BACK THERE!?", "WE COULD BACK THEM UP! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I TOOK DOWN A FISHMAN OFFICER ALL BY MYSELF!", "WELL, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT TO WORRY ABOUT." Usopp is confused: "MORE IMPORTANT?" Nami turns her head, looking serious, and says, "A STORM IS HEADED FOR THIS ISLAND." Usopp exclaims, "WHAT!?" Nami explains her reasoning: "THE AIR PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE'S BEEN DROPPING FOR THE PAST WHILE NOW.", "NOT ONLY THAT, I SAW CUMULUS CLOUDS HEADING FROM THE EAST.", "THAT'S A SURE SIGN OF A STORM!" She adds, "WITH THAT RUCKUS GOING ON IN THE TOWN SQUARE, THE MARINES ARE SURE TO COME OUT.", "WHAT WOULD WE DO IF OUR SHIP HAPPENED TO WASH AWAY WHEN WE NEEDED TO RUN AWAY!?" Realizing the danger, Usopp panics and sprints after her, yelling, "HOLY CRAP, YOU'RE RIGHT! THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT!", "H-HEY! WAIT FOR ME!"

At the harbor, Mohji rides his giant pet lion, Richie, towards the Going Merry. Mohji sings, "RIDING ON MY RICHIE BIKE~", "WHO'S THAT, YOU SAY?", "IT'S ME!" He looks at the ship and notes, "SO THIS IS THAT RUBBER BRAT'S SHIP.", "IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN THE ONE HE HAD LAST TIME.", "HE SHOULD BE GETTING HIS FLASHY EXECUTION FROM CAPTAIN BUGGY RIGHT ABOUT NOW." Mohji smirks confidently and says, "BUT IN THE ONE IN A MILLION CHANCE THAT HE ESCAPES," His expression turns sinister as he declares, "HIS SHIP WILL BE BURNED DOWN!" Richie growls menacingly as Mohji finishes his song, "BY US, THAT IS!"

From an alleyway overlooking the town square, Smoker, Tashigi, and other Marines observe the commotion. A Marine reports, "I SEE, A QUARREL AMONG THE PIRATES.", "S-SHALL WE GIVE THE ORDER TO FIRE?" Smoker, smoking two cigars, replies calmly, "NO NEED TO RUSH THINGS..." The Marine protests, "BUT IF WE DON'T HURRY, THEY'LL...!" A close-up shows Smoker's intense gaze as he asks, "HAVE I EVER LET PIRATES ESCAPE FROM THIS TOWN, EVEN ONCE?" He instructs his subordinates, "LET THE PIRATES KILL EACH OTHER.", "THEN JUST BE QUIET.", "IT'LL JUST MEAN LESS WORK FOR US." The Marine nervously agrees, "N-NO, SIR!" Smoker concludes, "ONLY AFTER STRAW HAT'S HEAD IS SENT FLYING, WILL WE ROUND UP BUGGY, ALVIDA, AND THEIR PIRATE CREWS."

On the execution platform, Buggy holds his sword to Luffy's neck. Luffy smiles nervously and says, "I'M SORRY, PLEASE LET ME LIVE." Buggy laughs mockingly, "AS IF I'D JUST LET YOU GO, YOU IDIOT!" In the crowd below, Alvida watches with a smile, thinking, "HAS THE MAN I SO ADMIRED FINALLY MET HIS END...?" Nearby, her followers say, "HMPH... THIS IS ONLY NATURAL FOR ALL THOSE WHO DARE DEFY US." Buggy addresses the massive crowd, "MIGHT AS WELL MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THIS LARGE CROWD.", "ANY LAST WORDS?" He then looks down at Luffy and says, "WELL, WHATEVER. WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY LAST WORDS OR NOT, IT AIN'T LIKE ANYBODY WILL CARE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE TO S..."

A massive splash page shows Luffy trapped in the pillory on the execution platform, looking out over the enormous crowd gathered in the town square. With a wide, determined expression, he shouts at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing across the plaza: "I'M THE MAN...! WHO'LL BECOME THE PIRATE KING!" The crowd stares up at him in stunned silence.

The crowd reacts in shock to Luffy's declaration. People murmur, "WHA...!?", "THE PIRATE KING...?", "SAYING THAT IN THIS TOWN OUT OF ALL PLACES...", "HOW OUTRAGEOUS..." Buggy looks annoyed and asks, "IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY... YOU RUBBER BRAT!?" Luffy struggles against the wooden pillory, grunting, "NGHHHHH!" As Buggy raises his sword high, preparing to strike, a voice from the crowd shouts, "WAIT!" Suddenly, Luffy looks down and his face lights up with a huge smile. He shouts, "SANJI! ZORO!", "HELP ME OUT HERE!" Buggy swings his sword downward, noticing the approaching pirates, and says, "SO YOU'VE COME, ZORO?", "BUT IT SEEMS YOU'RE TOO LATE...!"

Smoker and his Marine squad notice the commotion in the crowd. Smoker asks, "WHAT IS IT?" A Marine points and yells, "IT'S RORONOA ZORO!" Smoker is shocked, his cigar almost slipping from his mouth. "RORONOA ZORO'S IN THIS TOWN!?", "WHAT'S THAT BOUNTY HUNTER DOING HERE NOW OF ALL TIMES!?" Tashigi also looks surprised. A Marine reports, "WELL, THAT'S...", "WE'VE RECEIVED REPORTS, THAT HE'S A MEMBER OF THE STRAW HAT PIRATES!" Smoker exclaims, "WHAT!?" Below, Zoro and Sanji are sprinting through the dense crowd towards the execution platform. Zoro says, "IN ANY CASE, WE'VE GOT TO BRING THAT EXECUTION STAND DOWN!" Sanji agrees, "I KNOW!" Tashigi watches them through her binoculars and gasps, "IT'S HIM...!"

Alvida commands the Buggy Pirates, pointing forward: "TAKE CARE OF THEM, BOYS!" The pirates charge, yelling, "AS YOU COMMAND, LADY ALVIDA!" Zoro and Sanji clash with the pirate mob. Zoro slashes with his swords while Sanji delivers powerful kicks, shouting, "MOVE IT!" as pirates grunt in pain. On the platform, Buggy laughs maniacally, "GYAHAHAHAHA! JUST WATCH CAREFULLY FROM THERE!", "WITNESS THE LAST MOMENTS OF YOUR CAPTAIN!" Luffy looks up at the descending blade, his eyes wide with panic.

Sanji kicks a pirate away, yelling, "BASTARD!", "IF I CAN JUST KICK DOWN THAT EXECUTION STAND...!" Zoro cuts through the crowd, shouting, "COME DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME, COWARD!" Both of them struggle to push through the overwhelming numbers. "IF I COULD JUST CUT DOWN THAT EXECUTION STAND...!" Observing the chaos, Smoker orders his men, "HAVE ALL UNITS PREPARE FOR BATTLE." A Marine salutes, "YESSIR!" Zoro and Sanji realize they are too far away. Sanji yells, "ZORO!" and Zoro yells back, "SANJI!" From the platform, Luffy calls out to his crew, "USOPP!", "NAMI!", "HURRY UP!" Zoro and Sanji are blocked by the mob, realizing, "BUT THIS IS TOO HEAVY!"

Buggy brings his sword down towards Luffy's neck. In that final moment, Luffy's panicked expression vanishes, replaced by a massive, carefree grin. He says simply, "SORRY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I'M DEAD." Sanji and Zoro look on in absolute horror. Sanji screams, "WHA...", "DON'T SAY THAT, YOU IDIOT!" Smoker watches in stunned disbelief, noting, "HE SMILED." Suddenly, a bright flash of lightning crackles in the sky above the platform.

A colossal, blinding bolt of lightning strikes down from the dark heavens, hitting the execution platform directly. The massive electrical discharge illuminates the entire town square, completely obliterating the wooden structure in a spectacular explosion of light and debris. The crowd is cast in silhouette against the overwhelming flash.

Rain begins to pour down heavily on the town square. Luffy's straw hat flutters through the air and lands softly on the wet ground. As the smoke clears, the execution platform is reduced to burning rubble. Buggy lies unconscious and charred on the ground. Standing amidst the wreckage, completely unharmed, Luffy picks up his hat and laughs cheerfully, "NAHAHAHAHA! LOOKS LIKE I DID SURVIVE!", "HOW LUCKY!" In the foreground, Sanji and Zoro stand frozen, their jaws dropped in utter disbelief at the miraculous turn of events.

Recovering from his shock, Sanji asks, "HEY... DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?" Zoro, sheathing his sword, replies, "ENOUGH TALKING AND LET'S LEAVE THIS TOWN ALREADY.", "WE'VE GOT MORE TROUBLE HEADING OUR WAY." Luffy stands between them and says, "THANK GOODNESS." The Marines begin to swarm the square, shouting, "SURROUND THE TOWN SQUARE! CORNER ALL THE PIRATES!", "THEY'RE HERE!" Luffy runs towards his crewmates, yelling, "RUN FOR IT!", "WHICH WAY!?" Nearby, a Marine asks Smoker, "WHY DID HE SMILE...? DID HE KNOW THAT HE WOULD BE SAVED!?" Smoker replies firmly, "NO!" He looks intense as he explains, "AT THAT INSTANT, HE REALIZED THAT HIS VERY LIFE WOULD COME TO AN END.", "HE CAME TO TERMS WITH HIS DEATH... AND SMILED!"

The Marine questions Smoker, "CAPTAIN! SHOULDN'T WE..." Smoker interrupts, "HEY... HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A PIRATE WHO SMILED AT HIS EXECUTION STAND?" The Marine stammers, "S.. SMILE!? I'M SURE EVEN THE MOST WICKED PIRATE WOULD TURN PALE AND COWER AT THE MOMENT OF HIS DEATH." Smoker recalls Luffy's grinning face and says, "BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THAT STRAW-HAT BOY DID! HE SMILED!" A close-up of Smoker's face overlaps with the shadowed, smiling face of Gol D. Roger. Smoker declares, "HE SMILED THE SAME WAY THAT THE PIRATE KING DID, 22 YEARS AGO IN THAT VERY SAME SPOT!"

In the pouring rain, a Marine reports to Smoker, "WHERE DID THEY RUN OFF TO?", "THEY'RE HEADED FOR THE WESTERN HARBOUR.", "ONE OF OUR SQUADS SHOULD BE THERE BY NOW." Another Marine adds, "WELL, THAT'S UMM... THE SUDDEN RAIN HAS RENDERED THEIR GUNPOWDER USELESS,", "SO THEY HEADED BACK TO THE STATION TO RESUPPLY..." Smoker is shocked, "SO THE HARBOUR IS COMPLETELY CLEAR!?" He looks up at the stormy sky, noting, "THE WINDS ARE BLOWING WEST... SO IF THEY WERE TO SET SAIL, THEY'D CATCH THE TAILWIND." Gritting his teeth, Smoker wonders, "IS ALL THIS PURELY A COINCIDENCE...!?", "IT'S AS IF THE HEAVENS THEMSELVES WANT THAT BOY TO SURVIVE!" As Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji are seen running away in the distance, Smoker draws his weapon and vows, "ON THE PRIDE OF A MARINE HEADQUARTERS CAPTAIN, I, SMOKER THE WHITE HUNTER, VOW TO NOT ALLOW THAT BOY TO ESCAPE THIS ISLAND!" Text at the bottom reads: "11 'WORST IN THE EAST' (END)".

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