Chapter 430: Luffy’s Trial: The Clash in the Arena

“I see him! Luffy’s at the fourth stage!” Chopper shouted at the top of his lungs as soon as he spotted Luffy.

“What? Someone actually made it to the fourth stage?”

“Where? Where is he?”

Gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd. No one had expected to witness someone reach the fourth stage—it was truly a historic moment for everyone present.

The last person to clear the fourth stage was over a decade ago.

A few mysterious figures hidden within the crowd quickly caught wind of this. As soon as they saw the one called Luffy break through to the fourth stage, they relayed the news immediately.

“Quick—over there, the guy selling telescopes!”

“I’ll take one! Give me one too!”

As soon as the crowd affirmed what was happening, the telescope sellers sold out in an instant. The vendors made a small fortune in no time.

For someone to reach the fourth stage—what a sensational, if not earth-shattering, piece of news.

Some folks had failed countless times themselves. They were desperate to see someone break through, to shatter the curse hanging over their heads.

“Huh? Who are you?”

“Is this the third stage?”

When Luffy felt a strange energy pulling him upward, he didn’t resist. Maybe he just thought this was the path to the next challenge.

“Opera. My name’s Opera. I’m the guardian of this stage.”

“The rules are simple. Defeat me.” Opera, who stood well over six meters tall, crossed his arms and stared Luffy down from ten meters away.

After all, since they weren’t true blood descendants of Karl or Charlotte Linlin, even with the gene serum, most of them only reached a height of about six meters.

“Alright, here I come!” Luffy could tell right away—the opponent before him was far stronger than any he’d faced until now. He didn’t dare slack off, throwing his right fist forward with all he had, his punch blurring through the air like lightning toward Opera.

“Whoosh!”

The sheer speed of the punch made Opera tense. His body shot sideways in an instant.

Luffy’s fist missed where Opera had stood just a moment ago, barreling straight through the clouds behind and leaving a gaping hole as it passed into the misty sky beyond.

“Impressive. I admit I underestimated you. But that’s not enough to win here.”

Opera had spent weeks observing Luffy, ever since orders came in. Each new day brought clear progress in Luffy’s strength, especially with the long journey from Alabasta to Skypiea.

He’d expected some improvement, sure, but to be nearly touching top-tier power—now, that was shocking.

How could some kid from East Blue grow this strong in so little time?

“Huh? You dodged it?” Luffy snapped his right hand back with a satisfying smack, tilting his head in surprise.

This had been Luffy’s first all-out punch in the match, but his opponent dodged with ease.

Opera gripped a golden spear, his eyes alight with excitement. After guarding this stage for over a decade, he’d never faced a real challenge. He’d been itching for a fight like this.

“Phoenix Nod!”

With a flourish, Opera launched into a classic move from his arsenal, the Six Forms of the Great Spear. He soared into the air, his right arm holding the spear aimed straight for Luffy’s right eye.

“Gum-Gum Rocket!” Feeling the deadly weight of that spear’s aura, Luffy shouted, coating his right fist in Armament Haki and firing it at the spear rushing toward him.

“Bang!”

Their clash sent a dull boom through the arena, shockwaves shattering nearby cloud platforms. Mist swirled, forming a foggy barrier around them both.

“You’re strong, no doubt about it.” With the force of the blow dissipated, Opera held his spear steady, eyes never leaving Luffy. “But with just that, you’re not getting past me.”

“Why not go play your little pirate games somewhere else?”

The first two taunts didn’t ruffle Luffy, but that last one set his blood boiling. Without meaning to, he slid into Gear Second. He’d never imagined someone would dare say pirates were just playing make-believe.

“Pirates! We’re not just playing house out here!”

“I’m gonna be the freest Pirate King this sea has ever seen!”

“Kong Gun!”

Fueled by rage, Luffy slipped straight into Gear Fourth: Bouncing Man. His red-black fist crackled with energy, streaking toward Opera like a blood-tinged meteor.

“Turning Spear!”

The power behind that punch finally made Opera understand how Luffy always beat his opponents. Every time, he just got stronger and stronger—unless an enemy shut him down instantly, not even a Heavenly King could keep him down.

The black spear in Opera’s grasp began to spark with purple lightning, slowly wrapping the weapon in a suit of thunderous armor.

With a lunge, Opera thrust his spear forward. A black-violet streak split the clouds, silent and swift, aiming right for Luffy’s right fist.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

The instant his spear pierced Luffy’s fist, Opera sensed danger. Looking up, he saw a massive iron fist with a ten-meter diameter coming down.

“Clang!”

The clang of metal on metal rang out. Sparks flew, blood sprayed. The two clashed and shot past one another in a blur.

Opera’s giant frame bent slightly, his left arm twisted. Blood trickled down his forehead.

“Not bad, kid. Willing to take a hit to land a hit.” He hadn’t expected this move from Luffy—according to all his research, Luffy never seemed like a strategist. Who knew he’d use a tactic like that?

Bang!

While Opera was still stunned, Luffy delivered a point-blank kick straight to his chest. Opera, unprepared, went flying.

An intense pain shot through Opera’s left chest, the force of the blow overwhelming. He even lost his grip on his spear.

His body slammed into the ground behind him, a web of cracks spreading out all around.

This was the arena for the fourth stage. Without the cover of mist, it would be a sprawling stone battleground—the stone itself imported from the Giant Kingdom, tough as iron.

“Looks like I’ve gotten a little rusty without any real fights for so long.”

“Honestly, maybe I should thank you, Luffy.” Opera slowly got back to his feet, wiping the blood from his face.

“Huh? What are you saying? I don’t get it.”

Gritting his teeth, Luffy yanked the spear from his body, tossed it aside and stalked toward Opera.

“Hey, I already knocked you down, so doesn’t that mean you lost?”

Luffy picked his nose, standing close, and asked.

“Let me correct you. Defeating me isn’t the same as knocking me down.”

“Now, I’m going all out. Don’t blame me if you die.”

“Lord of Thunder!”

Opera raised his right hand to the sky, summoning a deluge of lightning. Storm clouds churned as he cloaked himself in a mantle of thunder, magnetic fields swirling everywhere.

Anyone too weak wouldn’t even get close—they’d be fried to a crisp.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but all I have to do is stop you, right?”

“Gum-Gum King Kong Gun!” Luffy’s massive fist slammed down, hoping to interrupt Opera’s move.

Truth be told, Luffy’s attack worked. To avoid the brunt of it, Opera had to halt his summoning of the lightning—at least for now.