Plop. Plop. Plop.
In the heart of the room, the ten PH troops collapsed one by one—beheaded, dismembered, their bodies hitting the ground in a grim rhythm.
Smoker and the G-5 naval forces, along with the giant child in the rear, witnessed the gruesome sight as they stormed in close behind.
"Unexpectedly, the intruders turned out to be you!"
A calm, familiar voice echoed from another door at the end of the room. A figure stepped out, his presence heavy and calm like a blade sheathed in darkness.
"Vergo!"
Smoker's expression contorted as he shouted the name, voice laced with betrayal and fury.
Indeed, the man standing before them was none other than Vergo—a former Vice Admiral of G-5, now a traitor working under Doflamingo's command.
"Long time no see, Smoker."
Vergo's deep chuckle sounded, clearly amused by the emotions dancing across Smoker's face.
Then, his gaze shifted—landing coldly on Bai Yu, who had previously tasted bitter defeat at his hands.
"I'm curious… how did you even know I was here?"
Vergo's brows lifted slightly. To him, it still seemed like they had come for him.
Bai Yu didn't answer. Instead, his grip on the sword hilt tightened, the blade still sheathed at his side.
"Others—secure the children. Get them out of here."
Without turning around, Bai Yu gave the command to the G-5 soldiers.
"Yes, sir!"
The troops snapped to action without hesitation.
"Children, follow us!"
Guided by the soldiers—and the massive child who had joined them—dozens of frightened children, their eyes dull from experimental drug abuse, began shuffling out of the room.
Vergo merely watched. He didn't move to stop them.
He knew perfectly well: against Bai Yu and Smoker at once, he had no hope of halting the extraction.
Moments later, the biscuit room stood mostly empty—leaving only Bai Yu, Smoker, and Vergo inside.
"So that explains why I didn't get any reports. You snuck in with the G-5 unit."
Vergo's eyes narrowed as he broke the silence again.
"Trying to turn me in to win favor with Marine HQ? Is that it?"
He smirked, then took a sudden turn in tone.
"How about it? Quit the Marines. Join us. You'll gain far more than you're being offered now."
But Bai Yu finally spoke—cutting through the air like a blade.
"Caesar. He's here."
"…"
The name struck Vergo hard.
The smirk vanished. His body tensed.
"Don't play games with me. I came here to bring you in," Bai Yu said coolly, "But my real target is Caesar."
"I already know what you've been doing here on Punk Hazard."
He let the accusation hang in the air, a devilish smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Click.
Vergo's fist clenched audibly.
A murderous aura filled the air.
If Bai Yu was telling the truth, then the stakes were higher than ever.
"You're aiming for Doffy..."
Vergo muttered, finally realizing Bai Yu's real intent.
Caesar was vital to Doflamingo—his work on SMILE and SAD fueled not just the underworld, but Kaido of the Beasts himself.
Losing Caesar would collapse the entire operation.
If he fell into the hands of the Navy, Doflamingo's empire would be dealt a lethal blow.
"You're not stupid," Bai Yu admitted with a smile.
Vergo fell silent.
Then, he threw back his head and laughed.
"Hahaha…"
"No one can stand in the way of the King!"
"Caesar's already been moved. We were prepared!"
"For Doffy, I'd gladly give my life!"
"I don't need to defeat you… only hold you here for a few more minutes!"
The laugh faded, replaced by grim resolve.
He was right—Caesar had seen the intruders on surveillance from the central control room and immediately began evacuation with critical research equipment.
Vergo knew defeating Bai Yu wasn't realistic.
But stalling him?
That much he could do—even at the cost of his life.
"White Feather—leave Vergo to me. Go after Caesar!"
Smoker stepped forward, ready to intercept.
Bai Yu glanced at him, then at Vergo, before shaking his head.
"No. You're not ready for him."
Bai Yu's voice was calm but firm.
At this time, Smoker was still a Vice Admiral in title only—his grasp of Haki not yet complete.
In the original timeline, even after Smoker learned Haki, it took the intervention of Trafalgar Law to defeat Vergo.
Smoker's solo attempt now would be a suicide mission.
And if Vergo escaped, it would put the entire operation at risk.
"You can't beat him."
"I will."
"...I—"
Smoker was about to argue, but Bai Yu held up a single finger.
"One sword stroke."
Smoker blinked in confusion.
"It'll only take one strike to bring him down."
"...Hahaha!"
Vergo burst out laughing again.
While he acknowledged Bai Yu's strength, a single strike was nonsense.
"Try it then!"
Hum!
As his voice dropped, Vergo activated his armament Haki.
In an instant, his entire body was cloaked in hardened black armor—glossy, solid, unbreakable.
Two iron rods slipped into his hands and were immediately coated as well.
His silhouette gleamed darkly under the light, like a warrior of steel.
And yet, Vergo didn't charge forward.
His mission was to stall, not to win.
"Are you sure we shouldn't fight him together?"
Smoker asked again, unease creeping into his voice as he watched the full-body Haki coverage.
Even he could feel how dangerous Vergo was in this state.
Bai Yu just smiled and patted Smoker on the shoulder.
"Watch closely."
He stepped forward, drawing ahead.
His posture shifted—feet lowering into a stance, right leg stretched behind like a sprinter preparing to break loose.
The cherry wood blade at his waist remained sheathed.
Left hand on the scabbard. Right hand gripping the hilt.
He inhaled deeply.
Run Thunder.
Zzzzz!
Crackling bolts of electricity surged beneath Bai Yu's feet.
Blue arcs danced wildly, racing up his legs, seeping into muscle, into blood.
Every cell fired awake—pushed into overdrive.
Azure Dragon Sword Intent!
With a surge of will, Bai Yu unleashed it.
The cherry blade remained sheathed—but its spirit did not.
Sword aura in the shape of a mythical Qinglong coiled around him like a living storm, its presence suffocating.
Vergo's smirk vanished.
Even Smoker took a step back.
It was coming.
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