Trebol looked at the disheveled Sugar, not angry, but instead grinned.
"I'm not dying, you brat. But right now, there's something more important..."
With that, he turned his head and stared intently at Leo, who was stuck in the slime, as well as the group of pink hornets and the Tontatta Tribe controlling them.
"Tell me honestly! You definitely have other accomplices, what are their names?"
Leo snorted and turned his head away haughtily: "I'll die before I tell you!"
Usopp, hiding behind the ruins, was so nervous his palms were sweating, and his fists were clenched tightly.
He was burning with anxiety, frantically rummaging through his backpack, racking his brain to figure out how to control Trebol, even if only for a moment, so that she could find a way to attack Sugar.
Trebol paused, deliberately drawing out his words.
"Ano ne... actually... he and I are friends... I remember his name is..."
Hearing this, Leo's eyes instantly lit up, and he loudly interjected: "Usohlandor!!"
Usopp stumbled, almost falling, utterly speechless internally, and couldn't help but roar in a low voice: "Hey!!!"...Attack what attack!! He should just run.
Seeing this, Robin couldn't bear to watch, helplessly looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, muttering to herself: "Hero Usohlandor, you can do it!"
"Idiot! He's not my friend." Trebol, having gotten his answer, instantly changed his expression, looking smug, "I tricked you!"
At this moment, Sugar slowly walked over.
"Hey, your companion is a one-legged Toy Soldier, right! Even if you don't say it, I know."
"Is that so... Since you know, there's nothing we can do. He is indeed our companion." Leo responded helplessly.
"Hmm? So it is." A malicious smile appeared on Sugar's face.
"Oh no!" Leo reacted then, realizing he had been tricked again.
Trebol thought of something and grinned.
"I see... I understand what's going on."
After all, Sugar's ability is controllable... the Executive Officers of the family haven't lost their memories and still know the truth from back then.
Leo's gaze was firm, looking directly at the two without fear, and he loudly declared: "So what if you know! You are destined to fail! Today is the day of the decisive battle, and we will surely succeed in completing our operational plan!
And, I must rescue my companions!"
Upon hearing this, Sugar instantly became like a lit powder keg.
Her eyes bulged almost out of their sockets, bloodshot, her facial muscles twitched wildly from extreme jealousy, and her features were almost twisted into a knot.
She frantically tore at her hair with both hands, stomped her feet like crazy, and let out a piercing scream:
"Rescue??? You dare to say rescue???!!! Do you, you idiot, know what kind of life those little dwarves live!!!"
"They eat well and drink well every day, like masters! They even have fixed rest times, and that's not all, they actually have game time! Why! Why can they be like this!"
If Orochimaru had exploited everyone equally, Sugar wouldn't have been so resentful, but that guy was biased!! Why was he so kind to the Tontatta Tribe... Yes! She knew... it was exploitation, but she just didn't like it.
Sugar's chest heaved violently, as if she wanted to vent all the resentment of these past years in one breath.
"Do you know how I've endured these past two years?! I'm exploited day and night by that snake, working like a dog!
While I was struggling desperately under exploitation, they were enjoying themselves!
You still want to rescue them! I'm telling you, no way!
Those ungrateful Tontatta Tribe little people have already betrayed us!! They now belong to that..."
Trebol's face changed dramatically, his eyes widened instantly, and he quickly lunged forward, covering Sugar's mouth tightly with both hands, lowering his voice, and shouting urgently and frantically:
"Sugar... calm down!! Some things can't be said!!"
Hearing Sugar's frenzied accusation, Usopp and Robin instantly understood, and the two exchanged glances secretly, their mouths twitching uncontrollably.
Usopp frantically chanted in his heart: "We didn't hear anything... right... it has nothing to do with Orochimaru, absolutely nothing!"
Robin, on the other hand, feigned composure, her gaze wandering, as if by not looking or thinking, she could truly erase this information from her mind.
Calmed down, Sugar's face instantly returned to expressionless, she suddenly turned around, her gaze coldly sweeping over Robin, and uttered: "Let's go... stay far away, it's dangerous."
Robin froze for a moment, then reacted, and quickly followed obediently behind Sugar.
Although filled with doubts about what would happen next, she knew in her heart that now was not a good time to expose herself.
Of course, if Usopp could solve it alone, it would be even better if she didn't expose herself; she still wanted to sign... so she responded submissively: "Yes... Lady Sugar."
Trebol had a strange smile on his face as he slowly pulled out a lighter.
He tilted his head, his gaze fixed on Leo, who was firmly stuck in the slime, and said word by word:
"Ne... ne... do you know, this slime of mine... is flammable."
As soon as his words fell, Usopp, who was originally hiding behind the ruins and rummaging through things, suddenly shuddered. He looked up in shock, his pupils instantly constricted, and he watched as the lighter slipped from Trebol's hand and fell towards Leo.
"Boom!" With a loud bang, the explosion's flames shot up into the sky, and rolling heat waves mixed with smoke and dust swept over.
Usopp reflexively covered his ears and curled up tightly in the ruins.
When the smoke and dust finally slowly dispersed, Usopp frantically searched through the messy ruins, his heart burning with anxiety.
Finally, he found Leo, who was pinned under a rock, barely clinging to life.
Usopp quickly and gently cradled Leo in his hands, his voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Leo! Leo! Wake up, pull yourself together! You can't be so reckless... The operation is over, no... hurry and escape! You've already done your best... You're no match for Trebol."
Leo struggled to sit up slightly, his eyes filled with determination, although every word was accompanied by painful gasps:
"No... we must complete the SOP operation quickly, that way... the Captain will definitely defeat Doflamingo. The Captain must be waiting for us!"
Usopp looked at Leo, who was struggling to get up, feeling a sense of shock... and the surrounding Tontatta Tribe were all trying to get up.
"Captain... as long as the Captain is safe..."
Looking at these simple Tontatta Tribe... Usopp gritted his teeth.
"Captain! What Captain! He's just a one-legged Toy Soldier!!!"
What Usopp actually wanted to say was... even if that soldier was strong, and had turned into a human!
He couldn't take down Doflamingo!
And no one would take down Doflamingo.
Even Luffy would at most just beat him up... Usopp knew this very well in his heart.
So they hadn't taken this matter seriously from the beginning, merely going along with Franky for the fun of it.
What rescue... what did it have to do with them?
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