Law watched as Carl intercepted Jack the Drought, instantly grasping the situation. It was clear that Kaido had spared no effort to support Doflamingo. Not only had the Emperor arrived in person, but he had also ordered Jack—a Lead Performer with a 1,000,000,000 Berry bounty—to join the fray. However, as far as Law was concerned, even Jack's weight was not enough to tip the scales.
Glancing at the high-altitude battle between Luffy and Doflamingo, Law felt a familiar surge of frustration at his own perceived powerlessness. He knew that if he tried to intervene in a battle of that caliber with his current strength, he would only become a burden to the Straw Hat captain. Instead of forcing a fight he wasn't ready for, he decided to seek out an enemy officer he could actually defeat.
At that moment, Law spotted Zoro and the rest of the crew. He rushed to catch up, but before he could reach them, the ground beneath their feet began to roll like a violent wave.
"Be careful, everyone!" Law shouted. "It's Pica! He ate the Stone-Stone Fruit!"
Law instantly expanded his "ROOM" and used Shambles to teleport Zoro and the others to safety by his side.
"Tora-o! You're back!" the group cheered, though they quickly looked around in confusion when they didn't see Carl or Robin.
Law quickly explained the situation: Carl was busy holding off Jack the Drought, and Robin was with Bepo and the others. "But right now," Law said, turning his gaze to the shifting earth, "our priority is defeating this officer!"
As the ground continued to creep and heave, many of the citizens and former toys who had been rushing the palace for revenge were thrown back in terror. For ordinary people, the sight was paralyzing. Then, a massive stone giant suddenly rose from the terrain. It stood hundreds of meters high, with fingers as large as houses. To the common eye, it was an invincible monster.
For the Straw Hat crew, however, it was just another day at the office. Having faced titans like Little Oars Jr. during the Summit War, they knew that being bigger didn't necessarily mean being stronger; it was simply a product of a Devil Fruit ability.
"This Pica is a swordsman," Zoro said, his fighting spirit flaring. "Leave him to me."
Sanji squinted at him, blowing a puff of smoke. "Moss-head, you already fought Shiryu earlier. You can barely stand still. Leave this officer to me!"
"In that case, let me handle it," Tashigi added, gripping her sword. "I'm a swordsman too!"
"Yohohoho! I'd like to join in as well!" Brook chimed in, eager to test his blade.
Law watched them with mounting helplessness. To anyone else, this was a life-or-death crisis, but the Straw Hats were treating it like a playground argument. "Ahem," Law interrupted. "Please stop arguing. How do you actually plan to deal with a stone giant of this size?"
The group went silent. The answer seemed obvious to them: find Pica and beat him.
"Give Pica to me," Law insisted. "My Op-Op Fruit can cut through the golem easily. Pica is hiding inside the stone, and I'm the only one who can flush him out."
Zoro let out a sharp "Heh." "Tora-o, you're just making excuses because you want to fight. You aren't the only one who can cut stone. My slashes can do the same!"
"And my Observation Haki can find him," Sanji countered.
Tashigi and Brook eventually stepped back, realizing they lacked the raw destructive power to match the others' claims. But Zoro, Sanji, and Law continued to bicker, none of them willing to yield the kill. Their shouting was so loud that it eventually drew the attention of the giant itself.
"Straw Hat Crew!" a voice boomed from the colossus. "How dare you cause such a mess in Dressrosa! I will kill you all!"
The group fell silent for exactly one second. Then, they exploded into fits of laughter. Even Luffy, high above in his battle with Doflamingo, nearly lost his footing because he was laughing so hard.
Pica's voice was incredibly high-pitched and shrill, creating a hilarious contrast with his massive stone form.
"Don't laugh at my family!" Doflamingo screamed from the sky, his face darkening with embarrassment.
"Hahahaha! Sorry!" Luffy managed to wheeze between laughs. "I didn't mean to, but it's just so funny! His voice is so tiny!"
Zoro and Sanji were doubled over, tears streaming down their faces. Enraged by the ridicule, Pica swung a massive stone fist down toward the group.
"Whoa! That's a big one!" the crew exclaimed.
"ROOM!" Law shouted, resuming his role as the tactical anchor. With a flick of his sword, Kikoku, he sliced the massive fist into several smaller chunks mid-air. With another gesture, he commanded the falling debris to smash back into the stone giant's head.
The head shattered, but within seconds, the stone shifted and reformed as if nothing had happened.
"He's controlling it from the inside," Zoro noted, his expression turning serious. "As long as Pica is conscious, the giant will never die. I'm handling this."
Finally, a compromise was reached: Law would be responsible for cutting the giant apart, while Zoro would deliver the final blow to Pica. However, Law had no intention of being "honest" about the deal; if he found Pica first, he fully intended to finish it himself.
"Yohohoho! Then the three of us will head to the palace to support the others!" Brook said.
Sanji, Tashigi, and Brook took off toward the palace, jumping over the heaving ground with ease.
"Damn Straw Hats! You're not going anywhere!" Pica's shrill voice shrieked as he aimed another punch at the retreating trio.
Zoro and Law didn't miss the opportunity. As the fist descended, they leaped forward, successfully landing on the giant's arm and beginning their ascent toward the main body.
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