Chapter 94

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"One more time!"

"Okay!"

Leo G swept his leg, toppling her over, then lunged forward like a hungry tiger, seizing her other leg.

Simultaneously, Abel immediately released the severely deformed arm of his opponent, and as he fell, he grasped her other hand.

"Turn!"

Two crisp sounds later, and two twisted limbs were added to the ground.

In a blink of an eye, 'Old Six', who only knew how to launch surprise attacks, had all four limbs broken and passed out from the pain.

"Huff... huff..."

"I can't... My back... My back hurts so much!"

Leo G lay on his back on the ground, his hand clutching his waist in agony. Not everyone could be like that freak, Garp, whose physical condition wouldn't gradually deteriorate with time and who could always maintain peak combat power.

Mostly, it was an inevitable surrender to age!

He could no longer participate in the upcoming battle.

Abel, on the other hand, was spitting blood while preparing to do sit-ups at any time.

But it seemed like it wasn't necessary anymore.

"Half-Moon Funeral!"

A powerful wave of sword energy easily split the ground into two, as if cutting tofu.

The blonde, purple-clothed female marine ultimately couldn't resist Diamante's move and was defeated.

However, Diamante was not unscathed either. Not only was his steel cloak reduced to a short piece, but he also had several wounds on his body that were bleeding.

Fortunately, it didn't seem severe, and he still retained some fighting power.

By this point, the Marines' offensive was not as ferocious as before.

Anyone with eyes could see that even if the fight continued, the Donquixote family could no longer be harmed.

But if they chose to give up now, wouldn't the sacrifice of those who died be in vain?

Just as the remaining Marines were caught in a dilemma, a figure whizzed down from the sky.

It was none other than Doflamingo who had returned from disengaging the 'Birdcage'!

The moment Doflamingo made his appearance, the morale of the Marines plummeted to rock bottom.

But Abel noticed that Doflamingo didn't seem to be in a good mood. His body was injured in many places, he looked extremely ragged, and just from his appearance and expression, it didn't look like he had won.

After landing, Doflamingo didn't say a word, just swiftly scanned the entire battlefield.

Machvise, Senor Pink, and Baby-5 had all fallen, Abel was seriously wounded, and his body was covered in blood!

Leo G and Gladius were barely hanging on, and only Diamante and Pica seemed to have any fighting strength left.

His expression became even more grave.

"Take everyone, and let's go! Trebol and Jora have already come to our aid."

"Corazon will bring Law and Buffalo to rendezvous with us."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Marines started attacking each other in disarray.

Without Tsuru's interference, Doflamingo's Parasite String was unbeatable when used against these ordinary Marines!

Amidst the chaos, Gladius picked up Senor Pink, and Pica, who had separated from the stone giant, lifted Machvise.

The remaining Leo G insisted he could walk on his own and didn't need assistance.

Reluctantly, Diamante, with a stern face, picked up Baby-5 and Abel, one in each hand.

Although he was still slightly displeased, Abel's performance today genuinely impressed him, particularly his actions in saving Pica and Leo G despite the danger to himself.

"Hmph, I suppose I can grudgingly accept this kid."

Seemingly noticing that Doflamingo and his crew were trying to leave, a portion of the Marines unwillingly let them go, yelling and rushing forward.

Doflamingo didn't even glance at these people, simply signaling Gladius at his side.

Gladius immediately stopped in his tracks, first set down Pica, then took a few steps back, squatting down with both hands on the ground.

"Explosion: Rock Festival!"

The stones left behind by Pica suddenly began to expand dramatically.

Then a BOOM resounded!

With a fierce flash of light erupting into the sky, all the Marines rushing forward were blown to pieces.

The family's residence, built entirely of rocks, not only provided powerful support for Pica but could also be used to set multiple detonating traps, acting as a final super bomb, sending all enemies to heaven!

It hadn't been used before because it would explode on their own people.

Now, using it to halt the Marines' pursuit was perfectly appropriate.

Presumably, the remaining Marines would not dare to pursue them any further.

After completing all this, Gladius picked up Pica again and quickly caught up with Doflamingo and the others.

The war had become unbearably brutal, up until this point.

In truth, there were no real winners.

Both sides were equally battered!

It was uncertain whether Tsuru would regret planning this operation.

"What happened to Buffalo?"

'He was injured by accident and passed out.'

After rendezvousing with Corazon, Doflamingo didn't delve into the issue any further and immediately got everyone aboard the ship.

Trebol had to take a detour, seizing the opportunity, and exploiting a time difference to dock urgently, with the pursuing military ship about to enter firing range.

During this, Abel noticed Law's expression, indicating that the situation wasn't as simple as it seemed.

It was likely that even Corazon hadn't expected the Marines' operation to fail this time.

Not only had they failed to capture Doflamingo, but they had also allowed the rescue of the other executives.

As for the losses of manpower and wealth in the family, they were by no means crippling!

Left with no choice, Corazon had to bring Law, who was unwilling to leave, back with him, continuing to stay undercover, awaiting the next opportunity to wipe out the Donquixote family.

There were things he couldn't let others know, so Corazon seized an opportunity and knocked Buffalo out.

After everyone successfully boarded, the Flamingo ship immediately set sail.

The two military ships behind them pursued relentlessly, firing their cannons.

Bursts of spray erupted on the sea surface around the Flamingo ship, and any cannonballs that happened to fly over the ship were promptly blasted by Diamante and others.

At this time, Tsuru arrived with the remaining Marines at the place they had just boarded.

Unfortunately, they were a step too late.

Having disengaged the 'Birdcage,' Doflamingo could travel faster through the air, and with the final massive explosion blocking the way, he had bought precious time to retreat.

Standing at the forefront, Tsuru watched the gradually retreating Flamingo ship and couldn't help sighing inwardly.

They had missed their chance this time, and perhaps there wouldn't be a next one.

Moreover, so many had been killed or injured that she didn't know how to write the report on this operation when she returned.

"Vice Admiral Tsuru, if we pursue them on the military ship now, we might still have a chance!"

Tsuru shook her head, "The operation has already failed, send a signal to have them come back. There are so many injured people on the island waiting for treatment."

"But."

"Convey my orders."

"Yes, Vice Admiral Tsuru!"

With the retreat signal detonating in the sky, the two military ships on the sea, though extremely reluctant, had no choice but to obey the order and change their course to return.

However, their barrage of cannon fire did not cease during this process.

As if in a venting rage, they fired all their remaining cannonballs, a display of helpless fury.

On the Flamingo ship, Doflamingo stood at the stern, looking in the direction they came from.

Tsuru was watching him, and he was also watching Tsuru!

For they both knew that this matter was far from over, and this grudge had been cemented.

"Tsuru, just wait and see. I won't forever be on the run from you."

"Someday, I will stand in front of you with ease and then enjoy the interesting expression on your face that says, 'I want to arrest him, but I can't!'"

Doflamingo murmured.

"Abel? How did you get so severely injured? Where's the first aid kit?"

Seeing Abel looking as if he was about to die from excessive blood loss, Law, who had been absent from the entire battlefield, finally joined the 'fight' in his capacity as a makeshift doctor.

Within a few minutes

Abel was swathed in bandages, much like a 'mummy.'

"We don't have the best conditions here, so we'll have to make do for now."

Pale-faced Abel nodded in understanding.

"Law, go help everyone dress their wounds. Pica got a harsh cut from the back while trying to rescue someone."

"I'm actually okay. I won't die for now, so don't worry about me."

These injuries, Abel had purposefully left for Doflamingo to see. Someone would naturally tell him what happened at the time.

It could be said that Abel played a significant role in ensuring that none of the family members were lost this time!

It was only a matter of when Doflamingo would finally acknowledge him as an executive.

Could he possibly gain some other benefits from this guy?

Unbeknownst to him, Abel drifted off to sleep on the deck.

It wasn't until Law finished treating the other executives that he noticed Abel was already asleep.

By this time, he had also heard some stories about Abel's exploits in this battle.

Among them was the fact that a dying Marine Colonel had inadvertently mentioned the truth that the Lead Poisoning was not contagious!

This was then publicly challenged by Abel, marking the first time anyone had spoken up for the people who had died in Flevance!

The esteemed navy, champions of justice, found themselves silenced under intense scrutiny, their faces ashen.

Even their claim to 'justice' was ruthlessly mocked!

Listening to all this, Law's blood boiled with fervor, cursing himself for not being present at the time!

"Damn it, Corazon! If it weren't for him, I would have been fighting alongside Abel at that moment, exacting our vengeance on the navy for those who fell in Flevance!"

For Law, the ones he despised the most were not the individuals who directly caused the destruction of Flevance. No, it was the World Government that hid the truth, and the navy that chose to stand by and watch!

They were the true culprits!

Although this perspective might seem a bit extreme, it did reflect some real issues.

Namely, the navy of this world was not the navy of the people, but rather the 'navy' of the World Government, or more precisely, the Celestial Dragons!

Once an order was issued from above, the navy was bound to execute it without hesitation.

Even if this command would result in countless innocent lives being lost, there was absolutely no room for refusal.

Thus, to many people, the navy's justice was an incredibly limited form of justice, a justice confined within a cage, a justice that lacked freedom!

"I just finished bandaging Abel's wounds. I should get some credit, too. So, rounding it off, Abel and I together chopped down three hundred men!"

What?

There weren't even three hundred men?

That's not the point!

What's crucial here is the phrase 'together we chopped.' Understand?

"All in all, I just hate the navy!"

After shooting a glare at Corazon, Law grumbled, carefully lifted Abel, and took him to rest in a room inside.

Meanwhile, Corazon was left perplexed, unsure of how he had managed to ruffle this youngster again.

Of course, he heard Law's grumbling loud and clear. It wasn't the first time he'd heard Law say such things.

There was nothing he could do about it but sigh deeply.

He didn't even dare admit his navy identity in front of Law, and had lied several times when Law had guessed and inquired about it.

He feared that if Law learned he was a navy officer, he would stop acknowledging him altogether.

In that case, he'd lose all hope of extracting Law from Doflamingo's influence.

"Ah, such a troublesome lad. What should I do?"

Lost in thought, Corazon shook his head, lit a match to light a cigarette, and accidentally set his coat on fire.

"Hot, hot, hot!"

Someone quickly doused him with a bucket of water, preventing him from burning alive.

Watching his foolish younger brother, Doflamingo facepalmed.

"Would it be too late to get rid of this idiot now?"

Doflamingo, a bandage plastered across his face, swaggered into the room. There was something uncanny, almost amusing, about his usual demeanor being masked behind a piece of gauze.

"I've heard about your performance in the battle at Spiderdermus," he said. "You did remarkably well. It proves I didn't misjudge you."

"Once we reach our new family residence, I have a surprise reward waiting for you. You can look forward to finding out what it is."

After the recent grand battle with the navy, it was evident that Doflamingo trusted Abel implicitly. Even his tone had warmed up slightly.

From his expression, it was clear that Doflamingo had emerged from the gloom of defeat and regained his confidence. Like any great strategist, setbacks that didn't bring him down only served to fuel his motivation and growth!

"Alright, now take some time to recuperate," he said.

Doflamingo was as swift in his departure as his arrival, briskly wrapping up his visit after saying his piece, seemingly accustomed to such a rhythm.

Abel, on the other hand, was quite pleased with the solitude. As for Doflamingo's promised 'surprise', he wasn't particularly bothered whether it materialized or not. His objectives were always clear, unwavering.

[System: Commence search for wish orders?]

[System: Current search count: 1 (free)]

.....

[System: Initiating search for wish orders. Search complete!]

[System: Received a basic wish order.]

[System: Order Description: My name is Denji. I've sold one of my eyes, a kidney, and a 'certain part' to repay my father's debts, but still, I live a life of poverty, surviving on a single slice of bread each day. Naturally, no woman would be attracted to someone like me.]

[System: Order Contents: Desire to lose virginity.]

[System: Base order reward: A Pochita plush toy x1, 100 trade points.]

[System: Remaining order time: 59 minutes 59 seconds.]

...

After reviewing the order, Abel fell into deep thought.

How on earth was he supposed to fulfill such a request?

Should he give the client a large sum of money to pay off his debts, then perhaps direct him towards the red-light district for the next part of the wish?

Or should he simply trade him a woman, wrapping up the order with a quick hand clap?

"Such a peculiar wish order, it's a first for me!" Abel murmured, clearly stumped and on the verge of laughing.

"Calm down, think this through," he told himself, patting his face lightly before starting his analysis anew.

"First off, I don't recall the name Denji. It's probably from a world unknown to me. After all, someone with such a miserable life should have left an impression if I'd encountered them before."

"Secondly, this guy has sold almost every spare part of his body to repay debts, yet he can only afford a single piece of bread each day. This either implies his father owed an astronomical sum, or he was tricked."

"If I traded him a fortune, it could be snatched away entirely, leaving no change in his situation. Worse, it might even lead to Denji's demise. After all, I can't control his actions."

"That would mean a complete failure of the wish order."

"Another approach... what if I simply traded him a woman?"

"No, that won't work. With only basic trading qualifications, I can't trade living entities, at most a female corpse. While not ideal, it's doable."

"Who am I kidding? That's a guaranteed fail!"

"Should I use the 'Four-star Review Card' here?"

Abel found himself hesitating, mainly uncertain about what rewards that world might offer.

After mulling it over, he decided against impulsively using the 'Four-star Review Card'. Instead, he rummaged through his system inventory, pulling out an item that had been gathering dust for some time.

[Soul Shard of the Demon Cat]

One-time consumable item

Description: It's rumored that a demon cat has nine lives. This shard is the remnant of one such life taken.

Effect: Can be materialized three times or used as some form of ingredient. (2/3)

PS: No lewd intentions allowed, Dammit.

...

This was a reward from a wish order where he had helped Maka from Soul Eater.

Abel had once used it out of curiosity.

Generally, it was a demon cat that could transform into a 'witch'.

But it had some restrictions

Regrettably, the ten-year-old body wasn't alluring, so after a quick look, he stored it away.

Could this long-forgotten item be of use now?

Abel wasn't sure, but he decided to submit it. He also opened the [Universal Capsule No. 1], extracting some treasures and adding them to the submission.

If the two-pronged approach still didn't work, then he'd simply accept defeat.

[System: Confirm order items. Commencing transfer.]