The last demon in the One Piece world

Chapter 153: Punk Hazard

The Thousand Sunny was suddenly rocked violently as a massive tidal wave, towering and relentless, crashed over the ship with overwhelming force. The crew struggled to keep their footing as the ship was lifted into the air, tossed like a toy in the roaring surge of water and wind. At the same moment, an eruption erupted from a nearby volcano, spewing ash and molten rock into the sky, adding to the chaos and fiery spectacle that surrounded them.

Amidst the tumult, the crew gazed out toward the horizon, where an unfamiliar island loomed in the distance. Its silhouette was jagged and ominous, shrouded in a haze of smoke and ash from the volcanic eruption. Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy all squinted, trying to make sense of it.

Nami, standing at the helm, quickly grabbed her navigator's tools and studied her compass and charts. Her face twisted into a look of confusion and concern. "Strange... none of the compass needles are pointing toward that island," she said, furrowing her brow. "Even for the New World, that's weird. Usually, the needles are at least slightly influenced by magnetic anomalies or currents, but this... this is different."

Luffy, bouncing on his heels with his usual carefree grin, waved dismissively. "I don't care about all that fancy stuff. I wanna go to that island!" he exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement. "It looks cool, and I bet there's something awesome there!"

Nami shook her head firmly, her brow furrowed. "There's no way we can get any closer," she said, pointing toward the fiery sea that separated them from the island. "That whole area is blocked by a massive sea of fire. We'd risk burning up just trying to get through. It's impossible to reach it right now."

Just then, Luffy's gaze drifted downward as he noticed something unusual—an odd, rhythmic crying and ringing sound emanating from the ship's Den Den Mushi, the tiny snail-shaped communication device. His eyes widened with curiosity. "Hey, look! The Den Den Mushi is crying and ringing... that's weird."

He crouched and reached out to pick up the receiver, his hand hovering over the device. Robin, who had been observing quietly, quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, Luffy," she warned softly, her eyes sharp. "That could be a trap. Marine ships often use a tactic where they tape a Den Den Mushi to ships or objects to track their location. It's a common trap—they set it up, then wait for pirates or enemies to call, and they find out exactly where you are."

Luffy hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and grasped the receiver firmly. "Well, I'll find out who it is. No big deal." With a determined voice, he pressed it to his ear.

On the other end of the line, a rough, strained voice spoke, distorted slightly by static. "Our crew keeps getting killed—one after another—by the samurai," the man said urgently, desperation bleeding into his voice. "I don't care who comes. I just want help. Please... anyone... we're in deep trouble."

He paused for a moment, then added, "We're calling from an island called Punk Hazard."

Before Luffy could respond or ask further questions, a sudden, horrifying sound sliced through the transmission—a sharp, slicing noise, followed by a scream of pain. The voice was abruptly cut off, replaced by static and the sound of frantic shuffling. The message ended with a chilling, muffled cry, indicating that the caller had been stabbed or attacked.

Robin's eyes narrowed as she looked at the dead line. "That could still be a trap," she warned again. "They might be luring us in. It's a common tactic—sending out a distress call to lure in those who want to help, then ambushing them."

Franky, leaning on his arms and frowning, crossed his arms. "Could that island behind the fire really be Punk Hazard? I mean, if that's where the call came from, it's gotta be within transmitting range, right?"