Trial of Balls

The cover page for chapter 247, titled "TRIAL OF BALLS". The cover story is "WAPOL'S SNACK BANZAI Vol. 10 'I, THE GREAT KING, AM SELLING MATCHES'". The illustration shows Wapol in a snowy town, wearing a ragged, patched-up hooded coat and holding a basket of matches. He holds one lit match up with a desperate, wide-toothed grin. A small dog, Hakowan, sits next to him. In the background, Sanji and Nami are walking by in winter clothing, looking back at Wapol with expressions of mild surprise or confusion. Snow is falling heavily around them.

The story resumes in the dense, cloud-filled forest of Skypiea. Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp are standing on thick, twisting tree roots or vines. Sanji looks back over his shoulder, while Luffy stares ahead with a serious expression. Usopp is slightly behind them, looking nervous. A voice calls out from off-panel, "COME, COME! IF YOU DON'T MOVE QUICKLY, THE BOAT WILL BE GONE!!" The sound "SA SA SA" indicates rapid movement. In the next large panel, the perspective shifts behind Luffy as he looks out over a massive, winding root structure surrounded by floating spherical clouds. A round figure, Satori, is seen bouncing nimbly among the floating orbs, laughing "HUHUH!!". Sanji yells, "HEY, IF WE DON'T GET THE BOAT BACK...!!" as they watch Satori's erratic movements.

Usopp panics, his eyes bugging out and teeth bared as he yells, "WAIT USOPP!! IF WE DON'T STICK TOGETHER, THE RESULT WILL BE THE SAME!!!" He adds, "IF IT'S REALLY GONE IN THIS HUGE FOREST, IT'LL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE IT!!" Sanji, looking stressed, shouts to Luffy, "GO STOP THE BOAT!!" Luffy, cracking his knuckles with a confident grin, replies, "I'LL GO TAKE DOWN THAT ORB GUY!!" Sanji asks, "AND YOU!?" as Luffy prepares to fight. In the bottom panel, Satori is shown from behind, balancing on a large floating orb. He laughs, "HUHUH!! I DON'T THINK SO!! I HAVE LUCK AND HONOR ON MY SIDE!!" He continues to chuckle, "HUHUHHUH~~~~!!!" as he bounces away.

Sanji, looking tense with a cigarette in his mouth, says, "...!! WE NEED TO DISTRACT HIM...!!" He adds, "EITHER WAY, WE NEED SOMEONE TO STOP THAT DARUMA. DON'T BE RECKLESS!!" A note explains that Daruma means tumbling doll. Luffy, already winding up his arm, stretches it far back, twisting it around itself with a "GURUN GURUN" sound. He yells, "I'LL BE BACK AFTER I STOP THE BOAT!! HE HAS SOME STRANGE POWERS!!" Satori, standing on an orb, notices the attack and says, "OH!!!" Luffy launches his stretched fist forward with immense speed, shouting, "GOMU GOMU...!! PISTOL!!!" The fist rockets toward Satori.

Luffy's fist shoots forward with a loud "GYUN!!!" but Satori effortlessly leaps off his orb, dodging the attack with a nimble "HIRARI" motion. Satori hums a tune, "HUHUHUH," as he floats in the air. He continues humming "HUHUHU" while gracefully spinning and dancing around Luffy's extended arm. Luffy looks shocked, exclaiming "WHOA!?" as his arm recoils with a "GAKUN!!". Satori then swiftly grabs Luffy's wrist with a "GA SHI!!" and a sinister "HUHUHU HUH....". In a large dynamic panel, Satori violently yanks Luffy's arm, pulling Luffy off balance. Luffy yells "YIK... PUH!!" as he is thrown forward by the force, the impact emphasized by a loud "GOKOON!!!" and "BAFOOOM" sound effects.

Luffy crashes face-first into the massive trunk of a giant tree, sliding down it with a "...PUH...!!" and a "BATA BATA" sound. Satori, sitting comfortably on a floating orb, laughs "HUHUHUH!!" and advises, "DON'T PANIC. TAKE IT NICE AND SLOW!" Satori then looks around, adjusting his round glasses, and says, "NOW... WHERE ARE THE OTHER TWO...? I WON'T LET ANYONE ESCAPE!" Meanwhile, Usopp, hiding behind a large root, spots something in the distance. He points excitedly and yells, "FOUND THEM! FOUND THEM!" Sanji, standing nearby, shouts, "HEY!! DO YOU SEE IT, USOPP!?"

Sanji, standing next to Usopp, points urgently and shouts, "YEAH!! FOUND IT!! POINT ME THERE!!" Usopp, pulling back the band of his slingshot, aims upwards and instructs Sanji, "RIGHT ABOVE YOU!! FIRST YOU HAVE TO GET UP THE TREE IN FRONT OF YOU!!! THEN JUMP DOWN FROM A BRANCH TO REACH THE SHIP!!" Sanji acknowledges, "I GOT IT!!" Usopp releases his slingshot with a "BAM!!" and yells, "HUAH!! GO, *SURPRISE CLOUD SNIPING ATTACK!!* THIS TREE!!" He fires a projectile towards the massive tree structure above them.

Usopp watches his shot fly and suddenly panics, yelling, "AH!! THAT BASTARD!!" Usopp then shouts, "WATCH OUT SANJI!! THE ORB IS FLYING TOWARD YOU!!" Usopp questions, "WHAT!? THEN WHAT IS LUFFY DOING?" One of the floating spherical clouds is propelled directly at Sanji with a "BUO..." sound. Sanji notices it with an "OH?" as it bounces towards him with a "PO-N!! PO-N!!". He grunts "KUH...." and dives out of the way just in time. The large orb crashes into the ground where Sanji was standing, creating a massive explosion of force. Sanji, tumbling through the air, realizes, "AH!! HE WAS AFTER ME!!!"

The orb that missed Sanji bounces away with a "PON!!" and hits a large tree root. Sanji, still mid-air, looks back in horror and yells, "AH!! IT'S GOING TO BLOW..." The orb detonates with a massive, fiery explosion. Sanji is caught in the shockwave, screaming "GYAAH, SHOULDN'T HAVE RUN!!" as he is blasted backward. Satori, watching the destruction, smiles widely and says, "WRONG GUESS! OOOH~~~~" Satori then laughs maniacally, "HUHPUH GYABA!!!" as the explosion rips through the forest, sending debris and smoke everywhere with a deafening "DOBOOOOM" sound. Sanji is sent flying upside down, cursing, "IDIOT!!"

Satori notices something above him with an "OH?". Luffy, looking furious and slightly battered, leaps down from above, yelling, "YOU BASTARD~~~~!!!" He lands on a thick branch with a heavy "ZUDODODO" impact. Luffy immediately launches into a rapid-fire barrage of punches, shouting, "GOMU GOMU...!! GATLING GUN!!!" His fists blur into a flurry of strikes, accompanied by "HYU!!" sounds. Satori, caught off guard, exclaims, "HUHUH UH!!!" as he tries to evade the overwhelming number of punches raining down on him.

Luffy's Gatling Gun attack misses Satori, who easily dodges while humming "HUHUHU HUH~~~~". Instead, Luffy's rapid punches strike the numerous floating orbs surrounding them. The orbs are sent flying in all directions with rapid "PON PON PON" sounds. Sanji, recovering from the previous blast, sees this and screams in panic, "LUFFY, STOP!! DON'T HIT THOSE ORBS!!!" Luffy, still punching, pauses and says, "......EH?" as he realizes what he's done. The displaced orbs begin bouncing chaotically off the trees and each other. Sanji yells, "THEY'RE GONNA COME AT YOU FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!!" Luffy, eyes wide with shock, shouts, "WHAT!!?" Sanji adds, "OH NO. IT'S TOO LATE!!" Satori laughs gleefully, "HUHUHUHUH!! YOU PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTING!" Luffy looks around frantically, repeating, "WHAT? WHAT??"

The chaotic bouncing orbs begin to trigger their hidden traps. Sanji looks up in alarm, shouting, "OH!! FOUR AT ONCE!!" One orb bursts open, releasing a flock of strange, aggressive birds that squawk "YAH YAH YAH" and peck at Sanji, who yells "WAH!!" and "A BIRD!?". Another orb explodes, showering the area with sharp arrows and crabs, causing someone to scream "ARROWS AND CRABS!!?". A third orb bursts, unleashing a torrent of scalding water. Luffy is caught in the deluge, screaming "HOT!! HOT!! WATER WATER!! RIVER!!!" as he thrashes around in the boiling liquid. The entire area becomes a chaotic hazard zone of explosions, animals, and dangerous elements.

Sanji, struggling amidst the chaos, yells to Luffy, "...!! LUFFY!! DON'T FALL INTO THAT RIVER!! IT MAY BE BOTTOMLESS!!" Luffy, flailing in the air, replies, "AH, I FELL THROUGH!!" as he plunges toward a swirling river of cloud below. He manages to grab onto a thick vine just in time, grunting "KU!!!" and hanging on desperately. He sighs in relief, "AH... SO DANGEROUS. AH." Suddenly, Usopp swings into view on a rope, yelling, "LET GO OF IT! YOU IDIOT!!" Luffy looks up, confused, "EH!!?" Usopp, looking determined, announces, "AH!! I REMEMBER! I STILL HAVE THAT TRICK! TIME FOR ME TO USE THAT! NEW WEAPON, *USOPP AH~~~YAH YAH~~~!!!*" He swings dramatically through the air, letting out a Tarzan-like yell, "AH~~~~~~~ YAH YAH~~~~~~ HIYAHOOO AHAHAHAHAHA".

Usopp continues his swing, soaring high above the chaotic forest floor. He spots the Going Merry in the distance and thinks, "PERFECT! THE BOAT IS RIGHT OVER THERE!! I CAN GET THERE!! SETUP!!" He adjusts his grip on the rope, preparing for his landing. Satori, watching Usopp's aerial maneuver, looks up and wonders, "OH? WHAT IS HE TRYING TO...!?" Usopp, confident in his plan, calculates his trajectory: "OKAY!! I'LL GO IN A STRAIGHT PATH!! IF I MISS THIS CHANCE... THE SHIP WILL GET DEEPER INTO THE FOREST AND ALL WILL BE LOST!!" He swings with determination, his goggles firmly over his eyes, letting out another "HAH~~~~ HAH~~~~" yell.

Usopp swings majestically through the air, yelling, "AH~~~~ YAAH YAH~~~~ USOPP~~~~... I WON'T FAIL!! CALL ME THE KING OF THE FOREST!!" Sanji, watching from below, smiles and says, "HEH. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD!! WATCH FOR THE ORBS!!" Usopp approaches the ship, thinking, "NICE!! IT'S PERFECT. JUMP, AND STOP THE BOAT!!" He prepares to release the rope, but suddenly realizes a critical error. He looks down at his waist in horror, exclaiming, "OH...!?" He realizes, "OH YEAH!! I FORGOT!! THE ROPE IS FIXED ON THE BELT. I CAN'T JUMP DOWN!!" He is securely tied to the rope he is swinging on.

Unable to detach himself, Usopp reaches the apex of his swing right over the boat and then helplessly swings backward like a pendulum, screaming "AAAAAHHHHH AAAAAHHHHH" as he retreats from his goal. Sanji and Luffy watch in utter disbelief and disappointment. Sanji, dripping with sweat and looking exhausted, glares at Usopp. Luffy, also looking battered, stares blankly. Usopp, hanging upside down from the rope, cries out, "I'M REALLY SORRY!! YES!! SORRY!!" Sanji, his face shadowed with anger, says, "WE NEED TO TALK." He then commands, "I'LL FORGET WHAT JUST HAPPENED, BUT NOW YOU LISTEN TO MY ORDERS! ~~~~NOW THEN, FORGET ABOUT THE BOAT FOR NOW... LET'S ALL..."

Before Sanji can finish his sentence, Satori suddenly appears right behind him and Luffy, floating silently on an orb. Satori raises a hand, preparing to strike. Luffy notices and screams, "SANJI!!" Satori delivers a devastating, open-palm strike directly to Sanji's back. The impact is massive, accompanied by a blinding flash and a loud "BAM!!!" sound. Sanji coughs up blood, his eyes wide in agony, as he is thrust forward by the blow. Satori calmly states, "LIFE IS PAIN..." Satori then turns his attention to Luffy and Usopp, his glasses glinting menacingly, and says, "NOW THEN... TWO TO GO."

The scene shifts to a flashback on the Going Merry. Luffy and Usopp are standing with their arms raised high. Luffy asks, "WHO DISAGREES?" Nami, looking annoyed, yells, "WHAT!? I'M A FEEBLE LITTLE GIRL!? SO I SHOULD HAVE THE WHISTLE!!" Usopp argues back to Luffy, "LUFFY, YOU JUST WANT TO BLOW IT FOR FUN!! YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!!" Luffy retorts, "I WANT TO CALL FOR THAT MISTER!! RIGHT NOW!!" Chopper, waving his arms, cries, "LET ME KEEP IT! I'M THE WEAKEST!!" Usopp insists, "NO!! I'M THE WEAKEST GUY HERE!!" Chopper yells back, "NO, I AM THE WEAKEST!! DON'T TALK TRASH!!" Robin, observing the chaotic argument, calmly remarks, "YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE QUITE STRANGE..." Nami sighs, "~~~~AH. ALSO, YOU GUYS HAVE NO RIGHT TO BLOW IT!!" Sanji, standing nearby, threatens, "ANYONE WHO DOES, I'LL KICK YOU THE EDGE OF THE WORLD!!" Zoro, sitting with his arms crossed, suggests, "ANYONE WHO'S IN TROUBLE, TAKE IT AND BLOW IT! NOW THIS IS FAIR." Nami agrees, "FINE." Sanji adds, "I UNDERSTAND." Nami then concludes, holding the whistle, "...THEN... HOW'S THIS? WE'LL JUST HANG IT HERE ON THE MAIN MAST."

The flashback ends, returning to the present on the Going Merry. Chopper is alone on the deck, looking nervous. He looks at the whistle hanging on the main mast and thinks, "THIS WHISTLE......AL... ALRIGHT THEN!! GOOD THING I STILL HAVE THIS...!! IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, THE KNIGHT OF THE SKY WILL SAVE ME..." Suddenly, a shadow falls over him. He turns and gasps, "... OH? THAT'S..." A large, imposing figure with wings and a spear, Shura, descends onto the ship with a heavy "DON" sound. Shura looks down at Chopper and says, "WHAT? YOU'RE THE ONLY SACRIFICE TO KILL?" Chopper, terrified and crying, frantically grabs the whistle and blows into it with all his might, producing a loud, piercing "PIIIIIIIIIIIIIH~~~~~~!!!" sound that echoes across the sky.

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