Chapter 38: A Dessert Clash

In the scorching desert of Alabasta, near a small town, stood a tavern where travellers stopped to buy water and drinks before continuing their journey through the merciless landscape.

Mr. 4 and his partner, a very short, elderly woman, exited the tavern and began walking.

"Who would've thought that the new Mr. 7 and Ms. Valentine would be dead after just the second attack? And that Mr. 5 and his partner were scheming with them all along. Luckily, we saw through it. Or lucky for them, the boss didn't handle it himself," the old woman remarked.

"Ah…" Mr. 4 grunted slowly.

He was a massive, sluggish man. A huge bazooka hung on his back, and in his hand, he carried a very heavy bat. People might feel pity for the large, blond man—until they discovered that the bat he wielded weighed 4 tons. To him, it was nothing more than a toy.

As his partner looked at him, Mr. 4 finally nodded in understanding. "He's annoying. But is he dead?"

"That's certain. Although Mr. 3 is weaker than you, he's much smarter. We need to prove ourselves."

Mr. 4, though stronger than Mr. 3, was slower to comprehend.

"Ah. What did you say?" he asked, puzzled by the length of the conversation.

"Don't worry, big boy. All you have to think about is fighting," Miss Merry Christmas, his partner, reassured him.

The two continued their walk, seemingly unbothered by the oppressive heat. As they reached the edge of the town, where fewer people were present, Merry Christmas caught a strange scent in the air.

"Someone's wearing perfume—cheap perfume. It doesn't smell good." She wrinkled her nose. As a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user with mole-like abilities, she had a heightened sense of smell. "Mr. 4, be ready for a fight."

"You're quite right. Kyahahaha…" A voice echoed from above.

Mikita, floating in the air, appeared overhead. It was a shock for Miss Merry Christmas to see an agent who was supposed to be dead standing before her.

Quickly, she turned to her partner and barked an order. "Mr. 4! Your bat, now!"

Without hesitation, Mr. 4 obeyed, relying on her judgement rather than his own. He gripped his massive bat, ready to strike.

As Mikita descended from the sky, increasing her weight, Mr. 4 swung his bat with impressive speed. But Mikita swiftly reduced her weight to a mere half-kilo, using the bat's momentum to push herself back before landing lightly on her feet.

"Ouch, that almost broke my heels," Mikita said, wiping her forehead. Her reduced weight had saved her from the full impact of the strike.

"Ms. Valentine, it's surprising to see you alive. How did you manage to escape?" Miss Merry Christmas asked, disbelief in her voice.

"Fuck you."

"What did you say?"

Mikita didn't hold back. "Why would a fat, ugly bitch whose men would rather die than approach her be surprised?"

"You little...", Furious, the older woman transformed into her mole-human hybrid form. Her red afro remained, but her skin darkened, and long, sharp claws extended from her hands.

Merry Christmas sank into the ground, tunnelling toward Mikita at incredible speed. As she emerged, claws raised, Mikita leaped into the air.

"Where are you going?" the mole-woman screeched, lunging at Mikita with deadly precision.

But Mikita was prepared. "Towards a trap meant for you. Don't you smell something fishy? Kyahahaha!"

She opened her umbrella mid-air and twisted her body, increasing her weight just as she kicked Merry Christmas square in the forehead. Just before the impact she smelled something like oil coming from the ground.

The blow, heavier than anything the mole-woman could handle, sent her reeling. But she wasn't done yet. Merry Christmas lashed out with her claws, aiming to slash Mikita. Suddenly, a small mucus bomb flew toward her, exploding on impact and sending her crashing to the ground.

Mikita, having lightened her weight again, floated safely above the blast.

"Mr. 4! Fight them!" Miss Merry Christmas screamed, her body engulfed in flames as she hit the sand. The burning sand ignited further, causing a large explosion that surrounded her.

From the flames, she spotted Mr. 5 and Ms. Liberty standing at a distance, watching.

Screaming in agony from the burns, Merry Christmas knew it was their trap. It was the perfect strategy to counter her abilities.

Desperate to survive, she summoned her last bit of strength and crawled out of the burning sand, collapsing unconscious.

"Josh is smart," Melissa commented, pushing her green hair aside as she turned to the massive figure of Mr. 4.

"But he overestimates his opponents," Mr. 5 said smugly, launching an explosive mucus attack toward Mr. 4.

The explosion hit, but Mr. 4 emerged unscathed, his massive frame completely unbothered. The 213 cm tall man glanced at his fallen partner, sadness in his eyes.

"You'll pay for hurting her." He gripped his bat and faced his enemies, rage bubbling within him. As he hefted the bat, the ground trembled beneath him.

Mr. 5 fired more explosive mucus bombs, but Mr. 4 swung his bat effortlessly, deflecting each one. With a roar, he slammed the bat into the ground, sending a shock-wave that made the earth shake beneath Melissa and Gem's feet.

Melissa exhaled deeply, releasing a mist of gasoline that drifted toward Mr. 4 like a perfume.

As Mr. 5 prepared to ignite the gasoline, Mr. 4 hurled his bat, spinning it through the air. The bat nearly decapitated Melissa and Gem before circling back into Mr. 4's hand, as if it weighed nothing.

"I thought he was slow!" Gem yelled, sweat dripping down his face as he stared at the enraged Mr. 4.

Mr. 4's face twisted into a grim smile. "If I showed my serious side, Mr. 0 wouldn't give me as many holidays like now you idiots... But since you hurt her, you'll pay. She's always been kind to me."

He bared his teeth in a malicious grin, his anger palpable.

Just as Mr. 4 prepared to finish the fight, a calm voice called out from a distance.

"I'm your opponent."

A young, brown-haired man appeared, sitting under the shade of a rock. He stood up, his eyes locking with Mr. 4's as he smirked.