chapter 19

"Honestly, as the captain, I can't even find a decent opponent," Rhodes said, scanning the battlefield with disinterest.

Luo, filled with fighting spirit, was locked in a battle against the Don Quixote family—his personal demons. Rhodes didn't want to steal his spotlight, so he let Luo handle his own enemies.

Rhodes could tell from earlier fights that while Gladius wasn't weak, he could probably defeat him if he really wanted to. But why bother? Nia was locked in a fierce fight with the dachshund user. Those with Zoan-type Devil Fruits had remarkable endurance, and while Nia had the upper hand, her opponent was managing to hang on—though probably not for long.

Elsewhere, thanks to the efforts of Pekin, Xia Qi, and Bebo, most of the other Don Quixote family members had already been taken down. Gladius's reckless explosions even took out some of his own men.

"Hey, Gray, why are you lying on the ground?" Rhodes asked, noticing the scientist sprawled on the floor. "You're not even hurt."

"Haha..." Gray let out a sarcastic laugh. "I'm pretending to be out of the fight, hoping no one notices me."

"You're surprisingly honest."

"What can I say? I'm just a powerless scientist!" Gray jumped up, gesturing toward the ongoing battles. "I made a mistake. I should've never gone to Mignon Island. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have boarded your ship... and I wouldn't be here now!"

Seeing that he wasn't needed on the battlefield, Nairu sheathed his weapon and addressed Gray. "Let's go check out the Don Quixote family's treasury. Based on our intel, they're the largest weapons supplier in the North Sea. We might find something interesting."

"Sure!" Gray perked up, eagerly following Nairu as they headed toward the manor's rear.

"Those guys! They're ignoring me!" Gladius, still locked in battle, noticed Nairu and Gray walking off. His veins bulged with rage. "Full-body explosion!"

Gladius began to inflate like a balloon, preparing to unleash a devastating explosion that would send millions of toxic, paralyzing hairs flying in all directions. It was his ultimate move.

Just as his body reached its breaking point, Luo activated his ability. "ROOM—baton!" In an instant, he teleported Gladius to the farthest edge of his ability's range. With a quick swing of his sword, Ghost Cry, Luo sliced apart the main building and sent the debris flying toward Gladius, creating a barrier between him and everyone else.

"It's not enough!" Gladius roared as his body reached its limit. With a thunderous explosion, a shockwave tore through the town, leveling over 90% of the buildings. Toxic hairs shot out in all directions, felling anyone caught in their path.

Nia sighed in relief, patting her chest. "That was close. If it weren't for you, 'thin dog'..." She glanced at Manudo, who she had used as a shield to block the poisonous hairs. "Well, you did a good job for once."

Manudo, now riddled with wounds from the hairs, groaned in pain. But Nia was unbothered. She was more focused on the fact that her battle wasn't quite over.

"Gray! You're fine, but you look like you're about to cry," Rhodes teased, noticing the scientist's stiff expression.

"I was hiding in the back!" Gray muttered, still paralyzed from the poison. "Why am I the only one who got hit?"

"Relax, it's not lethal," Nairu said, analyzing Gray's condition. "The poison will wear off after a while... probably."

"Can you handle this, Luo, or do you need help?" Rhodes called out.

Luo, visibly annoyed, replied, "I can handle it in under a minute!"

But the truth was, Gladius's relentless attacks were proving difficult to deal with. The explosion had been dangerous enough, and if Gladius pulled off another attack like that, it would be bad news for Bebo and the others—especially Gray, who was practically helpless.

Luo narrowed his eyes, deciding it was time to finish things once and for all. "ROOM—"

The blue sphere of Luo's ability spread out once more, enveloping the battlefield. Gladius, sensing the danger, prepared to attack. He knew Luo's ability drained his stamina, and if he could hold out a little longer, victory might be his. After all, Luo's attacks weren't particularly strong, especially in close combat.

Now! Gladius thought as Luo's body flickered into view, seemingly setting up for a head-on strike. Too predictable!

Gladius's arms swelled to their limit, preparing to launch his Black Feather Arm Cannon, a devastating move where his arms would explode, sending armor-piercing fragments flying in all directions.

But before he could unleash it, Luo threw away his sword and pressed his thumbs against Gladius's chest. "Heart shock!"

A surge of electricity shot through Gladius's body, his eyes turning white as he lost consciousness. His bloated arms quickly deflated, and his body collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Just as Luo had promised, the battle was over in under a minute.

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