Mangaka in the StrawHats

"For my life...?" Luffy asked, scratching his head with a puzzled expression. "Why should I exchange my life for something like that?"

As if suddenly understanding, Luffy's face lit up with realization. "Oh! I get it now! This Poneglyph must be super important to you, right? Well, how about this—we won't borrow it, we'll just make a copy!"

He added, as if struck by brilliance, "By the way, we can pay you!"

The entire hall fell into an eerie silence. Every eye widened in disbelief, and it took a moment for the shock to set in.

Logan, trying his best to keep a straight face, nearly burst out laughing. Luffy's innocence and bluntness were legendary, but even for him, this was next-level absurdity.

"Pay... pay?" Big Mom's face twisted in fury, her mouth twitching with rage. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so infuriated. Her whole body trembled with anger.

Next to her, Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District, was barely able to stifle a laugh as she bit into her apple pie. "Little brother, this isn't about payment. Do you even know what the Poneglyph is?"

"I don't know!" Luffy answered honestly, as always. "But I do know that if I want to be the Pirate King, I need to find them first!"

Stussy chuckled softly, clearly entertained by the exchange. "You're quite interesting. You're not wrong—if you want to become the Pirate King, you'll need those special Poneglyphs."

With a sly smile, she leaned in closer. "But let me ask you this: knowing how valuable they are, why would Big Mom ever share that information with you?"

Luffy looked genuinely stumped, his face scrunching up in thought as if pondering the deepest philosophical question. "Heh? Good point..." he muttered, clearly lost.

Logan couldn't take it anymore. He walked up to Luffy, placing a hand on his captain's shoulder. "Come on, Luffy, don't let her confuse you. We're pirates! And believe me, we've been way too polite for pirates already."

Logan turned to Stussy, his expression serious. "He's right—Luffy is going to be the Pirate King. And if that means going to war with the Four Emperors to get those Poneglyphs, then so be it."

The surrounding pirates all looked at him in disbelief, whispering among themselves.

"Does this guy think they can take on Big Mom...?"

"He must be out of his mind."

Before anyone could speak, Big Mom's booming voice filled the room. "ENOUGH!!!"

Her Soul-Soul Fruit's power rippled through the air, the invisible energy of her soul-stealing ability flooding the hall. Her eyes were wide with anger as she locked onto Logan. "Are you ready to DIE?!"

Big Mom's plan was simple: target Logan. If the soul-attack worked on him, then surely Luffy would crumble once he saw his comrade's life force being drained.

The atmosphere in the room became suffocating. Pirates held their breath, feeling the weight of Big Mom's power as it settled over Logan. The hall seemed to vibrate with tension.

"She's using that technique again!" one pirate whispered.

"It didn't work on Straw Hat, but this guy won't be able to resist. He's finished!"

Everyone watched with bated breath, expecting Logan to crumble under the weight of Big Mom's power.

But instead, Logan smirked, completely unfazed. He waved dismissively at Big Mom, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Come on, Big Mom. You're using this soul trick to scare kids? Is that the best you've got? You're underestimating us."

Gasps echoed throughout the hall. Pirates looked at each other, incredulous. A trick to scare children...? Many of them were trembling with fear, and this man was mocking it?

"You... you..." Big Mom stammered, momentarily at a loss for words. She couldn't believe it. Her Soul-Soul attack, one of her most feared abilities, had failed—again!

Grabbing a nearby pirate, she activated her soul-stealing ability to confirm that her powers were working. The terrified pirate's soul was instantly sucked out, floating toward Big Mom, leaving his body lifeless.

No problem, Big Mom thought. My powers are still intact. That meant the problem wasn't with her—it was with these two brats standing before her.

"You two... are you not afraid of me at all?" Big Mom asked, her voice low and dangerous.

Luffy blinked innocently. "Why would we be afraid?"

Logan couldn't resist chiming in. "Big Mom, I'm a member of the future Pirate King's crew. A mere Four Emperors doesn't scare me."

The room erupted in shocked whispers. The audacity! Pirates gawked at Logan's bold declaration, their disbelief growing by the second.

Big Mom's eyes flared with fury. "What a big mouth!!!" she roared. "I'll make your death slow and painful!"

Her enormous sword, Napoleon, appeared in her hand, and with a fierce swing, she unleashed her most devastating attack. "IKOKU SOVEREIGNTY!!"

The force of the attack tore through the air like a storm, the energy wave so powerful that the ground shook beneath their feet. Big Mom's laughter echoed through the hall as the attack hurtled toward Logan.

Logan raised his hand, summoning the Clow Card shield. The invisible barrier formed instantly, intercepting the blade just before it could reach him.

BOOM!

The force of the collision sent shockwaves through the hall. Dust and debris filled the air, and for a moment, it seemed like the entire room would collapse.

But as the dust settled, everyone saw the impossible: Logan stood there, completely unscathed. Big Mom's mighty sword was still hovering just inches from his face, unable to break through the barrier.

Big Mom stared in disbelief. "What... what is this?"

Logan yawned, clearly unimpressed. "That's it? How boring."

Without warning, he clenched his fist, Armament Haki surging over his arm. With a single motion, he threw a punch.

"Serious Punch!!" Logan's fist shot forward, shrouded in dark Haki. The air itself seemed to warp under the immense force.

=========================

[More Chapter Available at [email protected]/goldengaruda]

=========================