If Alex knew what Nami was thinking right now, even in the middle of his brutal fight with Luffy, he'd leap out without hesitation and scream at her, "You devil woman! Using that pure-hearted Luffy as your free muscle?! How am I supposed to live like this?!"

"Take this, Alex!"

Luffy was panting heavily. His body was bruised and bleeding from being repeatedly pounded by Alex's blood-soaked right fist laced with sharp stones. As he spoke, he stretched both arms far behind him—getting ready for a serious attack.

Alex saw this and knew Luffy was about to go all out. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his trembling, blood-dripping right hand—numb with pain—and charged forward at full speed despite his battered body.

"Bring it on, Monkey D. Luffy! No matter who the opponent is, no matter how strong they are—I won't take a single step back! And especially not when it's you!"

Both of them were covered in dust and injuries, beaten down to the ground multiple times, but their eyes gleamed with the same fierce resolve. Despite the pain, despite their condition, they faced each other with equal tenacity.

"It's because I know you're this kind of guy, Alex, that I have to knock some sense into you!"

With a roar, Luffy launched his arms forward with blinding speed: "Gum-Gum Rocket!"

"If that's your rocket... then this is my Bone-Crushing Smash!"

Alex planted his left foot forward, the impact so intense it cracked the floor beneath him. He braced himself, arms bulging with veins, pouring every ounce of strength into his clenched fists, and met Luffy's incoming fists head-on.

BOOM!

Their fists collided with thunderous force, kicking up a wave of air pressure that sent their clothes fluttering. They were locked in a dead heat for a moment—but then the shock was too much.

BANG! CRASH! BOOM! THUD!

Alex was hurled backward, crashing through three buildings, rolling across two streets before he finally collapsed. He lay on the ground, writhing in agony. The sharp stones he had embedded in his right fist finally fell out. His knuckles were torn open, with one gash between his middle and index finger deep enough to see the bone.

Luffy wasn't much better. After smashing through two buildings, he slammed hard into the wall of a third. His left hand had taken a direct hit from Alex's stone-lined fist, and the damage ran to the bone. For now, it was almost useless. He lay on the ground, too battered to move.

During that final strike, Alex had intentionally pushed the sharp stones further out between his fingers—maximizing the damage. But the more they stuck out, the more strain it put on his own hand.

The result: mutual destruction.

Though Luffy fared slightly better, both of them were in Shambles.

Alex tried to get up several times, but his body was done. His consciousness began to fade. Just before blacking out, he thought he heard Nami's voice—though he couldn't make out what she said.

—

He didn't know how long he was out. But suddenly something was licking his face. It tickled.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw a dirty white dog licking him.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

The dog barked excitedly the moment it saw Alex awake.

Groaning, Alex pushed himself into a sitting position—his body still screaming with pain. But before he could get his bearings, he noticed something in the sky.

A cannonball.

Headed straight for him.

With a big, red clown nose painted on it.

"Damn it, Buggy! You insane clown! Are you seriously shooting cannonballs at me again?!"

If it weren't for this dog, I wouldn't even know how I died!

With no time to spare, Alex scooped up the dog and sprinted away, pain be damned.

BOOM!

The cannonball exploded behind him, and the blast wave sent Alex flying forward, crashing face-first into the ground with the dog still in his arms.

He turned back to look at where he had been seconds earlier—and his heart dropped.

It was gone. Obliterated.

An entire row of buildings—flattened by Buggy's cannon strike.

"Jesus... Buggy really is a madman."

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