CANDLE CHAMPION

Sanji stands with a cigarette, hand on his chin, sweat drop visible. Large onomatopoeia “どん” dominates the panel. He thinks, “I’VE BEEN WAITING HERE FOREVER, BUT NOBODY’S COME BACK YET…” and “SOMETHING’S DEFINITELY STRANGE. REALLY DAMN STRANGE.” The scene shifts to the Going Merry docked at a jungle riverbank with palm trees and a waterfall. Sanji’s voice continues, “IF THAT’S THE CASE, THEN NOW’S NOT THE TIME FOR ME TO PREPARE COOKING THIS LIZARD. DON’T TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPENED TO NAMI AND VIVI…!I” Small panels show jungle foliage with Japanese sound effects “ギャギャ” “ゴゴゴゴ” and “ボンっ！”. Sanji walks forward saying, “ALRIGHT, I’LL GO LOOK FOR THEM.”

In the jungle, Vivi shouts “VIVIIIIIII! ♡” and Nami shouts “NAMIIIIIII! ♡” from off-panel while a large dinosaur-like creature with tusks growls “GRR-RR…”. Onomatopoeia “オオオオ” and “RUSTLE” appear. Sanji reacts with “HMI” then hears “I LOVE YOU!” as the creature looms over him with “ドドドド”. He yells “HEEEEY! SAY SOMETHING BACK IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!” while clinging to the beast’s head amid “ドドド” and “たったか”. The dinosaur roars “ROAR!”. Sanji stands before a strange wax-covered structure asking “WHAT’S THISI” with a question mark above his head as more onomatopoeia “ドドド” and “くっ!!” appear.

Luffy stands in a jungle clearing before a massive ruined structure, shouting “SO!I THEY’RE STILL ALIVE!” with a sweat drop. Nearby lies a small figure on the ground. Usopp stands to the right holding a slingshot, saying “IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW PISSED OFF YOU ARE BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, YOUR FRIENDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REDUCED TO WAX-FIGURES.” Wax statues of several figures stand on a raised platform. A close-up shows a grinning face with “YOU’RE FAR TOO LATE… SO WALLOW IN DESPAIR!” and sound effects “ゴゴゴゴ”. Usopp adds “HE’S EXACTLY RIGHT, YOU KNOW…!” and “YOU’RE TOO LATE, STRAWHAT.” Three panels reveal wax-covered faces of Sanji, Zoro, and Nami with onomatopoeia “オオオ” and “ハハハ”. Usopp laughs “HAHA… OH, I WONDER ABOUT THAT… ONCE MISS GOLDEN WEEK PAINTS THEM,” while wax drips and Luffy glares.

A massive wax construct shaped like a spiked candle champion with a prominent 3 on its body erupts in the jungle, accompanied by huge Japanese SFX and the English label "ATTACK!". A starburst declares "CANDLE CHAMPION!". Below, three panels show reactions: a wide-eyed girl in a cap and goggles exclaims, "IT'S MR. 3'S GREATEST WORK OF ART!"; a man with sunglasses and a scar on his face states, "THIS IS... THE THING THAT WAS ONCE USED TO TAKE DOWN A CRIMINAL WHOSE BOUNTY WAS WORTH 42 MILLION BELI."; Luffy stands covered head-to-toe in hardening wax, arms slightly raised, while Usopp and another figure lie sprawled in the background. Someone shouts, "WHAT'S THATI" and a pained cry rings out, "AGHHHHH!" as the wax fully encases Luffy.

Luffy, still half-coated in wax, turns away from the towering wax machine as it continues spraying. A voice from the machine declares, "AND THEN I'LL EASILY CRUSH THAT ARROGANT STRAWHAT, WON'T I!I" while another line from the same source says, "NOW THEN, MISS GOLDEN WEEK! PLEASE APPLY A COAT OF PAINT ON THIS! AND DO IT ARTISTICALLY AS POSSIBLE!" Luffy asks, "CAN I TAKE A REST AFTER THAT THENI" The machine's operator, Mr. 3, appears in close-up with a fierce grin, boasting, "MY DORU DORU WAX THAT'S AS HARD AS IRON IS WRAPPED AROUND ME COMPLETELY TO FORM THIS ARMOUR WITH NOT EVEN A SINGLE WEAK POINT! IN FACT, I ASK YOU TO REFRAIN FROM DOING ANYTHING MORE! WITH THIS, I AM INVINCIBLE!" and a reply confirms, "YES, AND I WON'T CARE!" Usopp and the others yell, "DON'T JUST STAND THERE ADMIRING IT! FIGHT!" while Luffy simply reacts with sparkling eyes, "SO COOL!" Large SFX like "ドドドドン" and "バキバキ" punctuate the wax hardening and movement.

Luffy's eyes widen as he notices "MIST OF WAX...I" The wax machine fires multiple cannon-like barrels while Luffy stretches his arms back, declaring, "GOT IT...! GOMU GOMU..." and prepares a counterattack. The machine announces, "NOW THEN... PAINTING COMPLETE." and unleashes a blast labeled "PISTOL!". Luffy is struck and sent flying with a pained "AGH-". Mr. 3 glares intensely from within the armored wax construct as it advances. Page number 154 appears at the bottom.

The wax champion machine smashes forward in a massive impact, labeled "CHAMP FIGHT!" with huge SFX "ドドドドドド" and "ザザザザ". A technique name appears: "ORAGA HATAKE! (Plowing Fields!)". Luffy is hurled through the air with a scream, "AGHHHHH!". Close-ups show Mr. 3's sweating, intense face and Luffy's determined glare. Luffy mutters, "GOMU GOMU..." as he is sent flying backward. The machine looms over the scene with the number 3 visible on its armor.

Luffy is slammed hard into the ground by a massive stamp attack, the impact exploding outward with a huge "STAMP!!" SFX. Smoke and debris fly as his body is driven down. In close-up, Luffy grits his teeth with a strained "MN...". Below, Mr. 3 grins confidently with a "FUFU..." as his spiked wax weapon, a round bomb-like construct with protruding spikes, rolls forward through the dust.

Luffy stands facing the group as voices shout realizations: "NO MATTER HOW HARD HIS WAX IS, IT'S STILL WAX!", "LUFFY! THAT GUY'S CANDLEWAX CAN BE MELTED WITH FIRE!", "IF IT CAN TURN INTO MIST, THEN THAT MEANS IT CAN MELT!", and "THAT'S IT! WHY DIDN'T I REALIZE SOONER!I". Mr. 3, wearing his duck-bill mask and goggles, points excitedly with a big "QUACK!" and "はっ", declaring "AND THE SAME GOES FOR THEM TOO! MASTER BROGY TOO! IT HASN'T BEEN THAT LONG SINCE THEY HARDENED! WE CAN STILL SAVE THEM!". Luffy, shocked, yells "REALLY!I" while Mr. 3's vehicle warns "DON'T TELL THEM!" and another voice replies "YES, REALLY."

A tall woman with a braid points upward, warning "RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE PAINFULLY STRUGGLING INSIDE THEIR MINDS WITH THE LAST BIT OF CONSCIOUSNESS THEY HAVE, ALL THE WHILE EDGING CLOSER TO DEATH!" and "YOU ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE THEIR HEARTS COMPLETELY STOP BEATING!". Mr. 3 sneers "FUFU...! EVEN IF YOU KNOW, YOU STILL WON'T BE ABLE TO WIN NOR HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SAVE YOUR FRIENDS!". He then declares "I'LL SAVE YOU NOW! CERTAIN KILL FLAME S..." while drawing a weapon. In the next panel a suited man with an afro fires a gun, shouting "WE WON'T EVEN NEED 30 SECONDS!" as a massive explosion erupts with "BREEZE BREATH BOMB!" and huge impact SFX.

Usopp appears dramatically on a high perch, coughing "COUGH..." as Luffy shouts "USOPP!". Multiple "QUACK! QUACK!" sounds ring out. Mr. 3's vehicle is smashed aside with a huge impact, the masked man tumbling as laughter "KYAHA-HAHAHA!" echoes and a voice taunts "DIDN'T YOU HEAR HIM SAY THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO WIN EITHERI". Luffy, looking desperate, yells "DAMN IT! I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT!" while distant figures watch from the ruined plaza.

A massive spiked wax construct marked with a bold 3 hurtles forward amid explosive motion lines and impact bursts. Someone shouts, "STOP RIGHT THERE!" Below, a woman in a wide hat and short skirt confronts the scene, demanding, "WHAT ARE YOU SECRETLY SCHEMING OVER HEREI MIND LETTING ME IN ON THE SECRETI" A man with sunglasses and a stitched face replies with a cool "HMPH..." while a small armored duck quacks loudly. The man orders, "LISTEN UP. TAKE THIS ROPE AND..." as the duck hops away with a rope in its beak amid scattered "QUACK!" and "HOP!" sounds.

The duck named Carue soars through the air with a desperate "QUAAACK!" while someone yells, "I'M COUNTING ON YOU, CARUE!" Miss Valentine activates her power with a grin, declaring, "CRESCENDO STONE...! LET'S SEE JUST HOW MANY KILOGRAMS YOUR BODY CAN TAKE..." A click sounds as a gun is readied. Carue is slammed to the ground under rapidly increasing weight: "200KG...", "10KG...", "100KG..." The duck groans in agony, "U... UGH...!" as impact stars and pressure lines radiate outward.

Carue screams "QUACK!" as the weight intensifies to "500KG...!" Mr. 3 watches calmly and remarks, "WHAT A SMART LITTLE BIRD YOU ARE..." while urging, "KEEP RUNNING!" Explosions and dust clouds erupt around the struggling duck. In a dramatic close-up, the massive wax construct labeled 3 lunges forward. Mr. 3 laughs triumphantly, "FUHAHAHAHA! GIVE IT UP ALREADY! YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOW MY WORKS OF ART!" as the duck hops frantically with a rope.

Luffy lunges and grabs Mr. 3 by the head, shouting "GRAB!" and "TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU!" Mr. 3 yelps "AHH!I" Luffy winces, "OW OW OWWW! STOP PULLING MY HAIR!" while declaring, "I'LL USE THIS FIRE TO MELT IT!" and "IF FIRE CAN MELT YOUR WAX, THEN..." Below, Luffy sprints across the ground as a voice warns, "LUFFY! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SAVE THEM IN TIME WITH THAT TINY FLAME! LIGHT CARUE'S ROPE ON FIRE INSTEAD!" The narration notes, "THE BIRD'S ROPE!I" amid distant quacks and chaos.

A massive mechanical spiked device spins wildly as thick oil sprays everywhere. A figure is hurled through the air amid swirling motion lines while a huge onomatopoeia "ドォォォ!!!!I" erupts across the page. Someone screams in pain, "AGHH-HHHH!" On the right side, small panels show the chaos: a voice cries "HUHI" as another notes "IT'S A SPECIAL ROPE..." and "COVERED IN OIL...." A determined shout rings out, "TIME TO WAKE UP, YOU GUYS!" followed by "GOT IT!" Panic rises with "NO WAIT! STOP!" and reassurance "BUT HANG IN THERE!" A warning adds, "IT MIGHT GET A BIT HOT," before a close-up reveals a wide-eyed duck-like figure with glasses exclaiming "QUACK!" as it stammers "ST..."

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