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Before long—
As the Going Merry cautiously ventured deeper into the eerie waters, the Straw Hat crew looked around with curiosity, observing their ominous surroundings.
At the same time, they remained tense and on high alert.
"Namo Shakyamuni, the World Honored One…"
Without warning.
A solemn and authoritative voice echoed across the sea: "Greed unrestrained, evil thoughts unending, suffering inevitable… Why do the insatiably greedy always dare to trespass into Aips Consaud with blind arrogance?"
"What!?"
The sudden voice caught everyone off guard.
The Straw Hat Pirates and Dr. Henzou, who were aboard the Going Merry, turned pale with shock.
They instinctively looked toward the source of the voice, their expressions filled with horror.
Yet, the waters ahead were empty.
Aside from the scattered, decaying ghost ships and the wreckage of sunken vessels floating on the surface, there was nothing in sight.
The atmosphere was deathly still, eerie beyond words.
A chilling presence crept over them.
"No one's there?"
"Wait… does this mean ghosts are real?"
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp turned deathly pale.
Without hesitation, they cowered behind the others, trembling and crying in terror.
Meanwhile, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and the rest of the crew instinctively grew more vigilant.
"Buzzzz~~~ Buzzzz~~~"
Out of nowhere—
The sound of Buddhist chanting filled the air, accompanied by a dazzling golden light.
The Straw Hats' eyes widened in shock as they stared ahead.
"Woo-hoo-hoo…"
Mist swirled violently.
A massive golden Buddha emerged before them.
Sitting cross-legged on a cloud, the colossal figure spanned hundreds of meters, moving toward them from the distance.
Majestic, divine, awe-inspiring.
A sight beyond belief.
"Namo Pure Land, the divine chariot of the Western Paradise is here!"
The enormous Buddha—
Even larger than the Going Merry itself—
Pressed his palms together in a solemn gesture. His voice boomed like a thunderclap, echoing through the air with undeniable authority.
Seated high upon the clouds, he looked down upon the Straw Hat crew.
A presence so overwhelming that one could not help but feel the urge to bow in reverence.
"Ah… Ah…"
"A Buddha? A real Buddha!?"
"Hey, hey, this can't be real!"
"There's no way… Right?"
"Does this mean Buddhas actually exist!?"
Staring at the towering golden figure shrouded in mist, exuding boundless authority, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Robin, and the others were left utterly speechless.
Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, their bodies trembling instinctively under the immense pressure.
Faces frozen in disbelief.
"You sinful, greedy pirates, hiding behind words like 'freedom' and 'adventure,' have committed countless crimes…"
The radiant Buddha, glowing in golden splendor, sat with hands pressed together in prayer.
His gaze, cold and piercing, swept over the crew aboard the Going Merry.
A glance so oppressive that no one dared meet his eyes.
His voice carried an undeniable force: "Before the Buddha, repent at once! Acknowledge your sins, take your own lives, and cleanse yourselves for rebirth into the Pure Land!"
"Thud…"
Instantly—
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp collapsed to their knees.
Dr. Henzou, on the other hand, fell back, sitting on the deck in stunned silence, his gaze locked onto the golden giant's face.
A face eerily familiar, yet terrifyingly divine.
"Mercy, Buddha!"
"We may be pirates, but we've never done anything truly evil!"
"Y-Yeah! I'm a doctor! I save lives and help people!"
The cowardly trio sobbed uncontrollably, bowing repeatedly.
Begging for mercy.
"Nami, Chopper, Usopp…"
Seeing this—
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji widened their eyes in shock.
Even though they were sweating from the sheer pressure of the unknown entity before them, they hadn't expected Nami and the others to drop to their knees so quickly.
Robin, too, was visibly shaken, her expression uncertain.
This Buddha didn't seem fake at all.
"Usopp…"
"Huh?"
Usopp froze.
Even the entire Straw Hat crew looked on in disbelief.
No one expected the massive Buddha to call Usopp by name.
Was this being truly divine?
"You are lazy by nature, cowardly, deceitful, and constantly telling lies…"
The golden Buddha's expression remained unmoved.
Gazing down at the trembling, sweat-drenched Usopp, he spoke coldly: "Your punishment is ten years in the Tongue-Ripping Hell. Only then may you be reborn as a pig!"
"What!? T-Tongue-Ripping Hell!?"
Usopp's eyes widened in terror.
His face drained of color, his body trembling violently.
He nearly fainted on the spot.
Tears and snot streamed down his face as he wailed, "Nooo! I was wrong! I won't lie anymore! Please spare me! I don't want to go to hell! I don't want to be reborn as a pig!"
"There is no need for further words. Disembowel yourself at once!"
"Huh!?"
Usopp's face turned ghostly white.
His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Usopp!"
Luffy, Nami, Chopper, and the others shouted in panic.
"Cat Burglar Nami…"
The golden Buddha remained expressionless.
Ignoring Usopp, who had passed out, his gaze fell upon the Straw Hat crew's navigator—the young, beautiful, orange-haired Nami.
"Wha—Me!?"
Nami's face turned as pale as a sheet.
Her body trembled uncontrollably—she hadn't expected it to be her turn so soon.
"You are steeped in greed, a thief from a young age, always swindling and deceiving…"
The Buddha, exuding an unshakable sense of authority, continued: "Your body was given to you by your parents, yet you disrespect yourself, using your beauty to lure others and manipulate them for wealth. Rather than feeling shame, you take pride in your actions…"
"Your punishment is ten years in the Stone Mill Hell. Only then may you be reborn as a cat!"
"What!?"
Nami's face went deathly pale.
She desperately bowed her head, pleading, "No, please, Buddha!"
"Yes, I love money, but I've never harmed innocent people! The treasure I steal mostly comes from pirates who plunder and kill! Please reconsider!"
"My enlightened eyes see all. Do not waste your breath on excuses. Leave yourself a whole corpse—end your life now."
"Thud…"
Nami's body went limp.
Like Usopp, she collapsed.
Although, to be fair, her fainting seemed a bit exaggerated.
Usopp, on the other hand, had really nailed the act—it looked totally convincing.
"...."