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"Captain Ikki, I now completely believe what you said before. You truly have the ability to quickly get me the power to fight the Donquixote Family." Viola clasped her hands together, looking at Ikki like a devout believer.
"So you didn't believe me before? How sad," Ikki said with a smile. He glanced at Kyros, who was resting in the corner of the Sword Enlightenment Room, supported by Rebecca, before turning his attention back to Viola. "Although you couldn't inherit Balmung, I have other ways to make you stronger quickly. Are you interested in trying, Viola?"
"There's another way? Captain Ikki, do you have another weapon like Balmung?" Viola exclaimed, catching the curious attention of Rebecca. Even at her young age, Rebecca longed for the kind of power Ikki had given her father.
"Excellent weapons like Balmung are not easy to come by. I'm talking about a different method," Ikki clarified. "By the way, you were with the Donquixote Family for so long. Did you ever see any famous swords, or anything of that quality, in their possession?" Diamante and Pica came to mind. Both used longswords, and it seemed unlikely that Doflamingo wouldn't have given a famous sword to a top executive like Diamante.
"A famous sword? I remember Diamante seemed to have one..."
Just as Viola was speaking, a loud crash interrupted her.
"What was that? Did someone attack us?" Nami asked, frowning.
"Could it be the Donquixote Family?" Vivi wondered, her hand on her sword. "Captain, let me go check it out."
"I'll go too. I want to see what those Donquixotes are like," Kalifa added calmly.
"Haha, let's all go and see," Ikki said, a smile on his face. The Observation Haki in his eyes faded. "I didn't expect Diamante to show up right after we mentioned him." Ikki's smile widened because his Observation Haki had not only detected one of the Donquixote Family's top executives but also sensed the value of the sword he carried.
It wasn't a Supreme Grade or a Great Grade sword, but it was an Skillful Grade blade, on par with the Sandai Kitetsu.
"Diamante!" Viola exclaimed, using her Devil Fruit ability to confirm his identity. Realizing her mistake, she immediately apologized to Ikki. "I'm so sorry, Captain Ikki. I promised to be the Explorer's eyes, yet I didn't even notice his arrival." She was worried this oversight would affect her value to Ikki and his resolve to deal with the Donquixote Family.
"Diamante is here?" Kyros jumped up, veins bulging with rage at the thought of the man who had killed his wife. "I'll kill that bastard with my own hands!"
"Viola, you don't need to worry. You were just surprised by my facilities here, that's why you didn't notice him," Ikki reassured her. "I have no doubt you'll do an excellent job as the Explorer's eyes in the future. Kyros, please calm down, I won't compete with you over this. Let's go meet him now."
Ikki led the way out of the room, a slight smile on his face. They really gave me a pillow when I was sleepy, he thought. I wonder what kind of reward his sword will get me. A Haki Awakening Potion, an Advanced Nutritional Potion, or a Zanpakuto? His eyes fell on Viola, who still needed a weapon.
On the shore, Diamante held his long sword on his shoulder, staring at Hina and Sadi with a childlike curiosity. "The pink-haired girl and the orange-haired one in the leather outfit... you two were turned into toys and then reverted to humans. I'm very curious how you escaped Sugar's power. Can you tell me your secret?"
"Tsk, do you really think we'd tell a bastard like you? Prepare yourself, bastard. Hina won't hold back," Hina growled, launching herself at Diamante. "Flame Breathing: First Form: Unknowing Fire!" Her blade, wreathed in flames, shot toward his face.
Clang!
Diamante parried her attack with his long sword. "A powerful slash, but I'm not going to-"
Whoosh!
Before he could finish his sentence, a strong wind came from the side. He turned to see Sadi-chan lunging at him. "Love Breathing: Second Form: Love Pangs!" She moved quickly, her sword bending and whipping toward him.
"Huh? The sword became soft?" Diamante exclaimed. He pushed Hina away and swung his own sword, which also moved like a whip.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two whip-like blades clashed, the sound echoing across the shore until both stopped.
"Incredible! Could you be a Paramecia user like me who ate the Flutter-Flutter Fruit? No, there's only one. What is going on with you?" Diamante tilted his head, his curiosity about Sadi-chan growing even more intense.