Chapter Twenty-One: The Fall of the Evil Dragon [First Update]

Shu Mingyuan's enormous hand crashed down with unstoppable force before the horrified eyes of all present. Compared to that colossal arm stretching across the sky, A-Long's body seemed insignificant! Shu Mingyuan’s palm collided fiercely with A-Long’s massive serrated blade, but the instant they touched, an irresistible power surged forth. The blade, which could cut through anything, shattered—not simply broken, but scattered into fragments!

Chunks of iron dropped from the splintered blade. Shu Mingyuan’s strike was so swift and overwhelming, it blocked every angle of escape for the evil dragon. Suspended in midair, he had no time to dodge. The devastating blow landed heavily upon A-Long, bones cracking in rapid succession; his body was torn apart, blood spraying wildly.

The hand pressed down, driving the evil dragon straight into the earth. The flag symbolizing the Evil Dragon Park was pulverized under the powerful wind pressure. The top floor of the Evil Dragon Building collapsed. The fifth floor gave way! The mighty force swept through, and before the eyes of the crowd, the entire Evil Dragon Building collapsed with a thunderous crash, reduced to ruins. When the dust settled, a massive handprint was stamped deep into the ground, over ten meters down.

A-Long lay in the center of the handprint, drenched in blood, his once formidable body nearly crushed into pulp. The pirate with the highest bounty in East Blue perished here today!

In just a few minutes, this man had single-handedly wiped out the entire Evil Dragon Pirate Crew. Such terrifying prowess made every witness gasp in awe. Was this truly the work of a human?

"This guy... in just a few days, he's become so strong. So powerful that I'm actually starting to feel afraid," someone whispered.

Even Zoro, notorious for his sleepiness, awakened from his slumber amid the chaos. He had watched the entire battle unfold, and facing Shu Mingyuan’s final blow, he knew he would have no chance; his own sword strikes would be destroyed before they could even approach.

"Green-haired... do you think that guy might become our enemy?" Sanji asked, his voice trembling as he took a deep drag of his cigarette, eyes fixed on the man more terrifying than a beast.

"He’s a pirate hunter, the enemy of all pirates. But we’re friends, so you can relax. That’s the man I mentioned before—the one who saved me from the Marines," Zoro replied.

Shu Mingyuan’s enlarged arm gradually returned to its normal size. He looked down at A-Long lying in the pit and finally breathed a long sigh, sweat beading on his forehead. So this was the pirate with the highest bounty in East Blue. He had thought three A-class ninja techniques would be enough to subdue him quickly, but he’d been forced to exert his full strength.

He formed seals with both hands. Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique!

A giant fireball engulfed the ruins of the Evil Dragon Building, wiping out the Evil Dragon Pirates who had plagued East Blue for eight long years. The flames burned fiercely, consuming all the blueprints and documents that once belonged to the building.

Shu Mingyuan walked toward the island’s residents. The crowd greeted him as a hero, rushing forward to surround him, lifting him joyfully into the air. Cheers rose wave after wave.

After a while, he could take no more, struggling free and walking softly to Nami. “The little house where you were imprisoned since childhood is gone, and the Evil Dragon Pirates—the nightmare you feared—are gone as well. Now you can boldly pursue your dream. The most detailed map in the world will be yours.”

“Mingyuan... arigato…” In that moment, Nami could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears poured from her eyes as she threw her arms around Shu Mingyuan. Others might not understand, but she had suffered under the evil dragon’s oppression for eight years. Eight years of humiliation, eight years of torment—the nightmare that had suffocated her finally vanished.

“Heh, if you truly want to thank me, offering yourself would be perfect. Go ahead, I won’t resist!” Shu Mingyuan whispered teasingly in her ear.

His shameless words made Nami’s cheeks flush. “Go die!” She pushed him away, giving him a sidelong glance filled with charm.

Shu Mingyuan grinned, rubbing his nose. He had stolen the spotlight from Luffy in a scene that originally belonged to him—and it felt damn good.

Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji also gathered around. Old friends now, they exchanged greetings.

“Wow, Mingyuan, you defeated A-Long so easily—amazing! Your arm got huge at the end; is it because you ate the Gum-Gum Fruit like me?” Luffy asked.

Shu Mingyuan was speechless.

Sanji, carrying him, couldn’t help delivering a swift smack to Luffy’s head. “You idiot! When have you ever heard of two identical Devil Fruits, and besides, you’re not dead—how would he have the Gum-Gum Fruit?”

Luffy protested, “But his arm definitely got bigger!” He stretched his own mouth long and pinched Shu Mingyuan’s skin, feeling it was like steel—completely unlike his own body.

“Oh wow! I can’t pull it!” Luffy exclaimed.

Sanji slapped his own face, mortified. “This idiot!”

Shu Mingyuan joked, “I’m not like you landlubbers. I’m not a Devil Fruit user, so I’m not afraid of seawater.”

To convince everyone, he wrapped his feet in chakra and walked step by step across the water’s surface, never sinking. On the sea, such an ability was nearly miraculous.

A pirate unafraid of water, with abilities stranger than the Devil Fruit? This man was a monster.

“Luffy, you can also use your Gum-Gum powers to enlarge your arm for greater strength. The fruit’s potential isn’t limited to basic rubber techniques. If you learn to change how you use the fruit, you’ll have enough power to protect your crew on the Grand Line.”

Shu Mingyuan gave just a hint. He didn’t realize that, thanks to his casual advice, Luffy would soon master his Third Gear ahead of schedule, sweeping through the Grand Line’s pirates without resistance.

“Hey, hey, are you done fighting? You’ve worked hard, and I got to see a spectacular battle. Who’d have thought the famous Evil Dragon Pirates would fall to a bunch of unknown small-time pirates? Thanks to you, all the treasures that belonged to A-Long now belong to me, Captain Mouse! Hahaha!”