【One Piece】Dawn in the Darkness

"This research institute is really well-built." Franky sat in the suspended cage, looking boredly at the full view of the research institute behind him. They had been trapped in this cage for a while. Luffy was so bored that he started gnawing on the barbed wire, but the presence of sea stone was obviously affecting his performance.

"It seems like it can also move large pieces of equipment!" Robin commented.

"What time is it?! How can you guys still be so relaxed?!" Tashigi shouted incredulously at Franky and Robin.

"In short, the situation is terrible!" Luffy let go of the wire he was biting and slumped back in the iron cage. The damned sea stone left him with no strength at all.

"Luffy, are you so hungry you're starting to eat barbed wire?"

A mocking laugh suddenly rang out from inside the cage.

"Eh!?"

Everyone stared in disbelief at Lucci and Law, who had suddenly appeared in the center of the cage.

"Lucci!!" Luffy was the first to react, exclaiming in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to rescue you," Lucci said with a laugh. "How did you get caught again, kid?"

"Oh! I'm free!!" As soon as the sea stone chains came off, Luffy immediately raised his hands and shouted excitedly.

"Straw Hat crew, the battle plan remains unchanged, we absolutely cannot fail this time!" After removing Franky and Robin's chains, Law looked at Smoker and Tashigi with a grim face. "So what are you two going to do? You know too much."

"This time I'm going to beat Caesar to a pulp!" Luffy stood up, clenching his fists. "I've already figured out how to counter his 'can't breathe' technique!"

"Need any help?" Lucci asked with a smile, looking at the spirited Luffy.

"No, I'm going to beat Caesar to a pulp myself!" Luffy immediately said, then tore open the cage's wire mesh, glanced at his brother, and then excitedly pulled Lucci down from the cage, completely ignoring his brother's screams.

Lucci never expected Luffy to suddenly pull him down. He only had time to let out a shout before his body sank heavily into Luffy's swollen belly and bounced into the thick snow next to him.

Lucci angrily shook the snow out of his hair, looked up at Luffy who was laughing at him, and roared, "Luffy, why did you pull me down like that?!"

“This is more fun!” Luffy grinned, completely ignoring his brother’s complaints.

“Don’t do that again next time.” Lucci complained as he got up from the snow, brushing the snow off his clothes. Then he looked at the purple smoke drifting towards them with some confusion. “What’s that? Poison?”

"That's right! That's it, that's dangerous!" Luffy nodded seriously, then suddenly remembered something and shouted, "Ace and Zoro are still outside! But they'll be alright!"

"The only thing we're sure of is that they're running this way," Lucci said with a smile, watching the crowd rushing towards them. What were they riding? They looked faster than poison, so there was nothing to worry about.

"Lucci."

"Huh?" Lucci looked at Luffy, who had suddenly called him seriously, with a puzzled expression.

"Why didn't you tell me that Caesar took my heart?" Luffy tilted his head and looked at Lucci with a serious expression as he asked.

When Lucci saw Luffy's serious expression and his head tilted dangerously to one side, he knew something was wrong. Luffy was very concerned about his secrecy. Lucci was silent for a while, and finally explained helplessly, "Luffy, I don't want you to worry, and I can handle it."

“But I want to help you.” Luffy hugged Lucci’s waist, buried his face in Lucci’s chest, listened to Lucci’s heartbeat, and whispered, “I’m your captain now, Lucci.”

Looking at Luffy burying his head in his chest, Lucci suddenly chuckled and vigorously rubbed the back of his head. "Hmm, when did you learn to use your captain status to intimidate me?"

"You agreed, right!" Luffy looked up and grinned.

“How can I disobey the captain’s orders?” Lucci grinned and vigorously rubbed Luffy’s cheek. “But don’t worry, I’ve got my heart back.”

"I heard you." Luffy smiled slyly.

"Luffy!" Lucci reached out and tugged at Luffy's cheek, displeased. "You're a little too smart, aren't you?!"

“I’ve always been smart,” Luffy retorted in a muffled voice.

......

"Hey, wait a minute, don't close the door!"

Usopp screamed in terror as he watched the research institute doors about to close.

"We're doomed, we're going to be locked out!"

"Open the door! Let us in!"

"Just smash it open," Ace said calmly.

"Just cut it open," Zoro said calmly, then jumped onto the half-crocodile man's shoulder. "Samurai, can you cut through iron?"

“Of course!” Kin’emon nodded firmly.

"Looks like we don't need to lift a finger," Qi said with a smile, looking at the eager Zoro. They had encountered Zoro and Sanji on their way here, as they had captured the green dragon and escaped the poisonous fog. "Let's charge straight ahead, Teabeard!"

"Whoa, the iron gate has been cleaved open!!" The G5 marines shouted in shock as they stared at the suddenly breached iron gate, "The poisonous fog is coming!!"

"Oh, it's so noisy down there!" Luffy looked down at the railing in confusion.

"It's Ace and Zoro," Lucci said with a smile. "Looks like everyone has successfully escaped the poisonous fog."

"Everyone's here! It's time for us to cause a ruckus!!" Luffy grinned and cracked his knuckles.

"Look what you've done!" The G5 marines panicked as the poisonous fog drew ever closer. They quickly put the slashed iron gate back up and re-blocked the entrance, then pointed their guns at the Straw Hat crew rushing in.

"Fire Fist Ace is here too." Someone in the Navy muttered.

"Hand over the children!" The marines noticed the enormous children hiding behind the Straw Hat crew.

Chopper, Usopp, and Nami were completely unconcerned about the Navy's encirclement; Ace, Killer, and Zoro had already completely blocked their way.

"Stop it, all of you, G5!!" Tashigi noticed the chaos below and shouted, "This is not the time to fight! The research facility is no longer safe! The poisonous fog will soon invade the facility; we must leave here as soon as possible!"

Seeing the female marine's actions, Ace raised an eyebrow, understanding that these marines wouldn't attack them for the time being. So he ignored the strange group of marines, pulled down his cowboy hat, looked at Luffy who was squatting on the railing and Lucci standing next to him, and then used his strength to flip over and jump onto the railing next to Luffy.

“Ace!” Luffy’s face lit up with a bright smile.

Ace squatted on the railing and ruffled Luffy's hair, then looked at Lucci seriously and asked, "Is the matter resolved?"

“Of course, there’s nothing I can’t handle.” Lucci grinned, knowing what Ace was asking.

"I'm going to find Caesar! This time I'll never let you suffocate me again, I'm going to beat you to a pulp!!" Luffy suddenly raised his hand and jumped off the railing, shouting as he charged into the corridor full of fighting spirit, knocking away the enemies surging towards him.