The speed of the White Sage Beast ship, driven by Dicken's wind power, was far beyond anything Donquixote Doflamingo could comprehend.
While Doflamingo was still racing toward the location where his ship had sunk, using his Devil Fruit ability to move through the air, the White Sage Beast ship had already reached the port of Dressrosa.
From high within the royal palace, Violet clearly saw the vessel that destroyed Doflamingo's ship, along with the white lion figure docking at the pier. Yet she remained silent. Neither Trebol nor Doflamingo had asked, so there was no reason for her to report it immediately.
Her earlier report about the ship sinking had only been to avoid blame later.
"If they have the power to defeat Doflamingo, why not eliminate him completely?" Violet murmured, her gaze fixed on the harbor.
At the Dressrosa pier, after leaving Dai Li Jack behind to guard the ship, Sali and his group of four headed straight toward the royal palace.
"You must be White Lion Sali!"
A furious shout erupted from behind them.
The group turned to see a strange man wearing a steel helmet with circular lenses. A mask covered the lower half of his face, and stitches ran along both sides of his eyes. His deep blue coat was decorated with metallic gear-like ornaments, and his stance was tense and aggressive.
"Who is this supposed to be?" Daly Jason muttered, scratching his head.
"Let me check."
Dicken casually pulled out a stack of bounty posters, flipping through them before stopping.
"Found him. Gladius, an executive of the Donquixote Family. Bounty, 31 million Berries."
He tucked the posters away and pulled out a worn leather sheet filled with handwritten notes.
"Here it is. User of the Pop Pop Fruit. He's basically a walking bomb. Be careful, he can detonate himself."
"Only 31 million?" Jason lost interest immediately.
Jella nudged him with a grin. "What did you expect? He works under a Warlord."
Gladius had already recognized Sali. The last time they met, Sali had severely injured the Young Master. That alone was enough to ignite his fury. Now, being dismissed so casually pushed him over the edge.
His hair literally stood on end.
Veins bulged across his forehead as he lowered his head, aiming the steel helmet forward.
The helmet expanded rapidly, swelling like a balloon before bursting apart.
Boom!
Fragments shot outward at terrifying speed, driven by the force of the explosion. They sliced through the air like blades, heading straight for Sali and his group.
"Ah!"
"Run!"
"Watch out!"
Panic spread across the pier as civilians fled in all directions.
"What kind of insane attack is that?" the Daly brothers complained, already preparing to intercept the deadly fragments.
But Sali moved first.
He raised his hand, and a wave of freezing air spread outward. The flying fragments froze instantly upon contact, turning into chunks of ice that dropped harmlessly to the ground.
He had no choice. The others' abilities, wind, fire, water, poison, were too destructive to safely protect civilians. Precision was required here.
"This guy's ability is too dangerous," Sali said, frowning. "We can't let him keep attacking. There are too many people around."
"Leave it to me."
The moment Sali finished speaking, Dicken dashed forward, crouching low as he accelerated with wind-enhanced speed. In an instant, he appeared beside Gladius, his golden dagger aimed straight at the back of his neck.
The strike would have cleanly severed his head.
Gladius reacted instinctively.
His body began to swell, expanding rapidly into a round, balloon-like form.
Full Body Explosion.
In this state, any external force would trigger a massive detonation. The blast would obliterate everything nearby, while his toxin-laced hair would scatter as explosive strands, piercing and paralyzing anyone caught in the attack.
Dicken immediately withdrew his blade.
He understood the risk. Striking now would cause a devastating explosion, one that would wipe out everyone on the pier.
"Move!"
Jason's voice rang out.
Without hesitation, Dicken leapt aside.
A massive surge of seawater crashed down from above, drenching Gladius completely.
Splash!
As the water settled, Gladius collapsed onto the ground like a lifeless body. His Devil Fruit power was completely suppressed.
He struggled to lift his head, glaring weakly at Sali and the others.
"Damn it… where did that water…"
Before he could finish, a blade flashed.
Slash!
The golden dagger plunged into the ground, pinning him in place.
"You don't get to ask questions," Dicken said coldly as he pulled the blade free, wiping it clean.
With a swift kick, he sent Gladius's severed head rolling toward the Daly brothers.
"Burn it. Warlord subordinates don't carry bounties."
Jason rolled his eyes but raised his hand anyway. Flames surged forward, consuming the remains.
When the fire faded, only the strange circular frames from Gladius's glasses were left behind.
"Your flames still need work," Dicken remarked with a smirk, pointing at the remains.
Jason shot him an annoyed glare, ready to argue back, but a shrill voice suddenly echoed behind them.
"Eh! Gladius! What have you done to my comrade of the Spade Army!"
The brothers exchanged looks, clearly irritated.
"Do they take turns showing up?" one of them muttered.
Dicken turned to look behind them, but the moment he saw the newcomer, he puffed his cheeks and burst into laughter.
Unlike the others, Sali's patience was wearing thin. This was already the second interruption. He had no intention of letting things drag on any further.
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled sharply.
Turning around, he faced the towering figure behind them, a man nearly five meters tall, with a massive upper body, thin legs, and an oddly shrill voice.
Sali's eyes narrowed.
"What is wrong with you people? Why do you insist on shouting from behind others?"
Milestone
100 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Powerstones = 3 Bonus Chapters
Also,
If you want to read more, there are up to 100 chapters available on patreon.
Patreon.com/ _Zeph