Chapter 96: Take My Embrace of Death!

Shinsō was originally a powerful weapon, but Claudius had turned it into something even more devious—a tool for surprise attacks. Golden Lion Shiki had fallen for it, twice, resulting in a deep cut across his face. Claudius had exploited that moment to incapacitate Shiki, turning him into a permanent resident of the infirmary at Marineford.

And now, Patrick Redfield was facing the same predicament. He'd never encountered a weapon like Shinsō, a sword that could extend and retract at will. The unexpected sting in his shoulder threw him off balance, just enough to hinder his dodge. Unlike Kong, who had managed to avoid Claudius's Winter's Fury, Redfield wasn't as lucky.

The cold slash caught his left foot, instantly freezing his shoe and reducing it to ice shards. His flesh wasn't spared either; frost spread across his foot, seizing up his muscles and restricting his movement. Though he managed to shake off some of the damaged tissue, his mobility was now compromised.

As he shifted back, Redfield's mind was reeling. "What kind of abilities does this guy have?" he thought. One moment, Claudius was wielding frost power, and the next, he was invisible. Then, there was that bizarre sword technique, changing length as if it had a mind of its own. On their own, each power was strange, but together, they were almost incomprehensible.

Meanwhile, Kong had stepped back to avoid Claudius's Winter's Fury, and that gave Redfield a brief reprieve. Claudius, however, wasn't one to waste an opportunity. As soon as Shinsō retracted, Claudius pointed a finger at Redfield.

"Finger Pistol!" Claudius whispered.

With his injured foot slowing him down, Redfield had no time to dodge. He crossed his arms over his chest, coating them in Armament Haki to block the blow. A sharp sting shot through his arms as Claudius's Finger Pistol technique hit home.

Realizing he couldn't afford to let Claudius keep pressuring him from a distance, Redfield decided to close the gap. With a savage expression, he ignored the pain in his foot and charged forward, prepared to endure whatever Kong threw at him if it meant silencing Claudius for good.

But just as he took his first steps, something pulled him back—thin, nearly invisible threads wrapped around his limbs, restraining his movement. Redfield's eyes darted around, and he spotted the source: Doflamingo standing off in the distance, his fingers twitching as he manipulated the threads.

"So, there's another one?" Redfield muttered, his instincts kicking in just as a whip-like thread lashed out, smashing through a frost-covered tree nearby.

"Fufufufu… sharp reflexes," Doflamingo sneered, stepping out of the shadows.

Redfield's eyes narrowed. He felt like he'd seen this man before, but he couldn't place where. His immediate assumption was that Doflamingo was another government operative. Little did he know that his captor was a pirate who'd once crossed into the New World.

In that moment, Kong made his move. Using Soru, he appeared beside Redfield, throwing a powerful punch toward his head. Redfield, wrapped in Doflamingo's threads, was a split second too slow, and though he managed to meet Kong's punch, he couldn't evade it entirely. The two exchanged brutal blows, both staggering back from the force.

Kong was knocked to the ground, while Redfield took a powerful hit to his injured chest, coughing up blood and even fragments of his organs. Enraged, Redfield grabbed the threads binding him and yanked, pulling Doflamingo off balance.

Doflamingo, whether from surprise or arrogance, held onto the threads, and he was pulled toward Redfield with shocking speed.

"Die!" Redfield roared, his hand transforming into a claw, Armament Haki coating his fingers as he aimed for Doflamingo's heart.

But as Redfield's claw closed in, Doflamingo twisted, wrapping himself around Redfield's body like an octopus. His face twisted into a wicked grin. "Cousin, now!" he shouted.

"Clone String…" Claudius realized. In an instant, he used Soru to appear behind Redfield. Without hesitation, he drove his demon sword Shindō straight through both Redfield and Doflamingo.

Redfield spat out blood as the blade pierced him, and he tried to retaliate. But Doflamingo's body began to unravel into countless white strings, binding Redfield tightly and restricting his movement. It wasn't Doflamingo at all—just his string clone, an elaborate ruse.

For the real Doflamingo was a safe distance away, manipulating the strings with a grin on his face.

Realizing he only had a few seconds, Claudius tightened his grip on Redfield from behind, his muscles bulging with strain. "Embrace of Death!" Claudius growled, his arms flexing as he pinned Redfield in place.

Redfield's struggles grew weaker as an invisible force began to emanate from Claudius's body, his nitrogen powers sapping the air around them, creating a localized vacuum. It was as if all the oxygen had been drained, leaving Redfield gasping, yet unable to draw a single breath.

"What… what is this…?" Redfield choked, his voice barely audible. Panic and disbelief filled his eyes as he felt the life draining out of him.

Claudius's face was set in grim determination. He could feel Redfield's strength waning, his movements growing sluggish. They had almost won. Just a bit longer.

In mere moments, from the time Kong had been knocked back, the tide had shifted dramatically. Kong staggered to his feet, steadying himself, and quickly closed the distance to where Claudius had Redfield pinned. Together, he and Claudius exerted their combined strength, ensuring that Redfield's last reserves were crushed.

With Redfield's resistance fading, Claudius finally released his hold, stepping back to catch his breath. Blood was still dripping from his chest, but he managed a smile as he looked at Kong.

"Redfield has been captured, Fleet Admiral Kong. I'd say that's a job well done."

Kong grabbed Redfield by the neck, ensuring he was fully subdued. He looked over at Claudius, a weary but grateful smile crossing his face. "If it weren't for you and CP-X, this old man might've been outmatched. Thank you, Claudius."

"What are you talking about? This was a joint mission between CP-X and Naval Headquarters. I just wanted to make sure you didn't take down Redfield so fast that I'd have no chance to show off," Claudius joked, his tone light but respectful, acknowledging Kong's role without taking too much credit.

Kong chuckled, appreciating the gesture. "Either way, I owe you one, Your Highness. You saved me from a serious embarrassment."