In the End,
"How did you find us…?"
Their consciousness faltering, brains rattled by the sudden mental shock, Locke and Scotch stared at each other in disbelief—then both collapsed to the ground, defeated.
Maya turned calmly to Bai Yu and reported, "Target neutralized."
"Good," Bai Yu replied with a nod of approval.
As previously mentioned, Maya's psychic assault technique had a particularly high success rate—unless she encountered someone overwhelmingly stronger in spirit.
Just now, Bai Yu had sensed that the two brothers were about to reposition or execute a counterattack, but Maya had rendered them helpless with a single mental burst. No further words were needed.
Bai Yu led the team forward, heading for the massive research facility ahead.
Boom!
With a flash, Sakuragi's cherrywood handle gleamed as she slashed forward.
In a single stroke, the enormous sealed metal doors of the lab were cleaved cleanly in two. As the doors clanged to the floor, the group marched inside.
They entered a vast entrance hall—empty, unguarded by the PH troops, and without any superfluous décor.
At the end of the hall were three passageways, each leading to a different wing of the facility.
Bai Yu had already memorized the layout from Jutong's prior briefing.
One corridor led to the Biscuit Room—used to imprison the children that Caesar had lured to the island. Many of them had already undergone partial gigantification. Some were still of normal size, untouched by experimentation. Naturally, guards were stationed here to prevent escape.
Another corridor led to the Holding Cells—where disobedient giant children or intruding outsiders were detained.
The third corridor went to the Freezer Room. Inside, suspended from the ceiling, were rows upon rows of frozen corpses—without exception, all prisoners who had died from failed experiments or worse.
At the very end of all three passages was Caesar Clown's central laboratory, where his core experiments took place. This included the SAD storage tanks and the equipment for producing the artificial Devil Fruit known as SMILE.
That final room was under Caesar's direct control and guarded with extreme vigilance.
Standing in the central hall, Bai Yu began issuing orders with precision.
"Helmeppo, you team up with Tashigi. Take a squad and head to the Freezer Room."
"Koby, you go with Maya. Lead another squad to the Holding Cells."
"Smoker and I will handle the Biscuit Room—along with this kid," Bai Yu added, gesturing to the giant child beside him.
"We rendezvous at Caesar's lab once the objectives are secured," he concluded sharply.
The battle groups were now clearly defined.
Bai Yu deliberately chose the Biscuit Room—the most dangerous area—as his destination, bringing only Smoker and a small number of G-5 soldiers.
"Understood!"
The others responded in unison.
They split immediately, forming three strike teams.
"Listen closely," Bai Yu reminded them before departure. "Aside from the children and confirmed hostages, everyone else in this facility is a criminal responsible for horrific atrocities."
"If you encounter resistance, don't hesitate to use lethal force."
"Prioritize your own safety."
"Roger that!"
"Move out!"
With Bai Yu's final command, the three groups rushed toward their respective objectives.
The scene shifted back to Bai Yu's side.
Boom!
Without delay, Bai Yu raised Sakuragi and smashed down the locked door blocking the Biscuit Room entrance.
But just as they prepared to enter—
Whoosh!
A thick cloud of noxious purple-black gas spewed violently from within.
"Hmph."
Smoker, ever vigilant, immediately reacted. Both his arms transformed into billowing clouds as he activated the powers of his Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
He conjured a solid wall of smoke to block the incoming poison gas.
Chiii... chiii... chiii...
However, the situation was far from normal.
Upon contact with the purple-black mist, Smoker's smoke began to fizzle and corrode—audibly melting from within.
It was clearly no ordinary gas. It was extremely toxic.
"Back up! That's Caesar's enhanced poisonous gas," Bai Yu warned.
The young giant and the dozen G-5 soldiers behind them immediately stepped away, obeying Bai Yu's signal.
Smoker frowned. He glanced toward the Biscuit Room, its interior now completely obscured by the thick gas.
Without knowing the precise location of the children inside, launching a counter-offensive was too risky.
He could only hold the toxic gas in place—for now.
Bai Yu, noticing Smoker's hesitation, looked up.
Fwoosh!
A second later, Bai Yu drew his blade again and sent a crescent-shaped slash screaming toward the ceiling above them.
Boom!
A huge breach tore through the roof.
Whoooosh!
Cold, wintry air from outside rushed into the facility through the opening. The poisonous gas and white smoke began to drift upwards and out.
"Smoker!"
Bai Yu shouted without turning.
Smoker looked over and saw Bai Yu gesturing at the new ceiling gap.
Immediately, Smoker understood.
"White Bind!"
He unleashed his smoke at full power.
Twin tendrils of white vapor twisted upward in spirals, sweeping up the remaining poison gas.
Fwoooosh!
The toxic fog was carried out by the wind, escaping through the hole in the ceiling.
Bai Yu wasted no time.
Before Caesar's men could trigger another gas release, he dashed past Smoker and charged into the Biscuit Room.
Inside, ten PH soldiers stood in formation, rifles raised—each gun equipped with a gas-launching canister.
Residual gas still floated in the air.
"Fire again!"
shouted the lead PH soldier.
All ten men placed fingers on their triggers simultaneously.
But Bai Yu was faster.
Fwoosh!
He gripped Sakuragi with both hands and swept the blade horizontally in a blur of motion.
A radiant, crescent-shaped slash burst forth, streaking toward the ten soldiers.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
The ten men didn't even get the chance to pull their triggers.
In a blink, all were sliced clean in half—guns, armor, and all.
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