"Damn it! I don't know what your problem is, but barging in front of me like this—so arrogant… I hope you're ready to die!"
Roldy's heightened senses felt assaulted. Instinctively, he loathed the man before him. He didn't know why—but from the moment Domiton stood in his path, Roldy had already marked him for death.
The tyrannical wild boar and the frenzied wolverine collided head-on.
In pure strength, the two were shockingly even—
But only for a moment.
The instant Roldy became serious, the power of the Mo-Mo no Mi surged within him. His strength rose in a sheer, vertical spike.
Domiton was blasted backward.
The brute force he once prided himself on became meaningless. His armor-like hide tore as though it were paper. His massive body crashed into the ground, and the earth within a hundred-meter radius caved in instantly.
He bounced once like a rubber ball—
But the blood pouring from his mouth was a horrifying sight.
"How… is this possible…"
Domiton's pupils began to roll back. If not for sheer willpower keeping him conscious, that single punch would have knocked him out cold.
As King of Zou, he had never faced such overwhelming power.
His strength had already reached Admiral-tier—among the Mink Tribe, he was a rare top powerhouse. Having lived his entire life atop Zunesha, he had only heard rumors of Devil Fruits.
He never imagined—
That was what he was facing.
"Your Majesty!"
The elite Mink warriors stared in disbelief. His closest subordinates roared in anguish.
They never imagined their king would fall so miserably.
The clash hadn't even lasted ten exchanges.
At this moment, Roldy displayed none of the visible traits of the Mink Tribe. In their eyes, he was not a challenger to the throne—
He was an invading enemy.
And so, regardless of the doubts surrounding Domiton's legitimacy, the Mink elites charged forward without hesitation.
The proud Mink Tribe would never bow to power.
"Move, move! Let's go!"
While chaos erupted, Roger immediately grabbed his crew and chose retreat.
Tangling with Roldy was clearly unwise. And if the Minks suddenly realized Roldy carried their blood and turned on them instead—
That would be disastrous.
No hesitation. No shame.
At their captain's order, the Roger Pirates retreated with expert coordination.
After all, during their first encounter, it had been Roger's overwhelming strength that secured a peaceful exchange.
They understood well—
Survival came first.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Roldy tore up a massive slab of earth—half the size of a football field—and hurled it toward Roger's group.
"Why are you always chasing us, Roldy?" Gaban muttered, smashing it apart with a swing of his axe.
His expression appeared helpless—
But to Roldy, it was pure provocation.
Yet what infuriated him most—
The Minks.
They charged like madmen, clashing with his subordinates.
And Domiton—
That stubborn fool forced himself back to his feet and stood in Roldy's way once more.
That unwavering gaze said everything.
"I'll give you one good piece of advice."
Roldy's voice was icy.
"Get out of my way."
Domiton did not move.
His bloodshot eyes locked onto Roldy.
"Fitt… Heh. You came back. That cursed surname… decades of humiliation. Today, it ends."
Roldy didn't know—
His father had long ago become an insurmountable shadow in Domiton's heart.
A humiliation he could never overcome.
"Then die!!!"
Roldy's fury exploded skyward.
Why?
Why was it that every time he cornered the Roger Pirates, they escaped through some miracle?
Last time, nature itself intervened.
Now, another suicidal fool blocked his path.
Catching Roger—
Seemed impossible.
It was as if some unseen voice whispered that the Roger Pirates were too important to die.
That all his efforts were meaningless.
But why the hell should that be?!
Roldy was powerful—
But not yet strong enough to instantly kill an Admiral-tier opponent.
Cold killing intent radiated from him.
The man before him had to die.
No one could save him.
Not while Roldy stood here.
Fortunately—
He had made the right decision earlier.
He had crippled the Oro Jackson.
If he moved fast enough—
Perhaps Roger's escape could still be cut off.
"Armament Haki!"
"Mo-Mo: Sixty-Sixfold Amplification!"
"Iron Fist — Fist Bone!"
Roldy's massive body burst forward with terrifying speed.
Power amplified to its peak—
Armament Haki coating his fist—
His eyes locked onto Domiton's heart.
The punch looked simple.
But it struck like a falling meteor.
Domiton's warrior instincts saved his life.
He crossed his arms defensively. High-level Armament Haki coated them densely.
He still underestimated Roldy.
CRACK.
The sound of bones shattering echoed sickeningly.
Pain exploded through him.
An ordinary Admiral-tier fighter, completely outclassed in every physical aspect—
Taking Roldy's full-force blow head-on—
His left arm snapped completely.
Bone fragments tore through flesh, protruding grotesquely into the open air.
"That power…"
Domiton could not remember the last time he had felt such despair.
Then it came back to him.
The last time—
Had been when he faced Roldy's father.
The young man before him—distorted by fury—
Resembled that man seven parts out of ten.
Unacceptable.
To be defeated a second time in his life—
And by that man's son.
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