"It's over!"
"Damn you, Doflamingo—what horrifying enemy did you unleash?!"
Caesar trembled in terror, cursing his nominal master in his heart while awaiting the moment of his demise.
Suddenly, from one corridor, a burst of rapid footsteps echoed.
Caesar's heart leaped with hope—it was Vice Admiral Vergo, the Navy officer secretly assigned to ensure his safety!
Before Caesar could breathe, several powerful air currents shot through the corridor. They even deftly bypassed Jinbei and Law, targeting the vital points on Rōya's back. A flanking attack—a strategic distraction for Caesar.
Jinbei, momentarily stunned by the footfall, shifted his attention—but the swift air streams passed him.
He thought in alarm,
"That's Gatling-style 'Finger Gun' air blasts! A Navy man refined Six Powers to such a level?"
"This level of skill is nearly on par with Admiral Garp himself!"
The jets struck Roya's back. Caesar thought, Now that he's hurt, I can free myself!
But shockingly, the currents traced up Rōya's arm and plunged into his body—nearly dispersing Caesar's gas form in the process.
Even as these torrents of air discharged into him, Roya's palm grip on Caesar remained unbroken.
Faced with these paradoxical forces, Caesar realized in horror:
"Rōya's power is at least five times what I expected! A body like his… no mere mortal such as me can rival it."
"Thank goodness Vergo's here. I still have a chance to escape..."
With that, Caesar covertly activated his ultimate control ability: "Voidless World."
Silently, he siphoned the surrounding air, compressing it within himself.
Just then, Vergo arrived—wrapped in a purple-black shell of Armament Haki. His defense maximized; his Six Powers amplified.
Jinbei lunged forward to stop him, but Vergo's strength defied belief: using tremor-precise footwork, he stamped a bowl-sized crater into the metallic floor—while evading Jinbei's blow.
Another moment and he had passed by Law, even before Law could swing Ghost Blade.
A mid-level vice admiral in a remote Marine base… yet his matter-defying prowess rivaled the Fleet Admirals!
Jinbei stared at the insignia on Vergo's uniform, realization dawning:
"This man's power far eclipses the Admirals—if not for lacking a Devil Fruit... He would overshadow them entirely."
Vergo drew a bamboo flute from thin air, instantly encased it in Armament Haki, and began spinning it like a deadly sledgehammer—
Then slammed it toward Rōya's nape in a single, brutal strike.
THUD! The impact was solid. Vergo grinned, feeling the recoil, sure he had landed a critical blow.
Caesar exhaled with glee, certain the attack would draw Rōya's full attention—concealing Caesar's ultimate plan.
But the next moment, the flute shattered instantly, exploding into thousands of hair-thin splinters.
Vergo, caught mid-strike, roared and raised his arms to shield himself—then triggered the ultimate evasive Six Powers: Paper Art. In an instant, he phased through Rōya's flank.
And the bamboo splinter web stayed suspended—unseen, frozen in space.
Vergo's Haki dissipated entirely. His body shook violently, fine shock lines of blood appearing across his torso.
He lowered his head and glanced at his chest… then sighed heavily.
From Rōya's vantage, Caesar saw Vergo frozen like a statue—confused and immobile.
Caesar realized: "My Voidless World is almost at its limit. One more breath… and Observation Haki could detect the missing air."
But hesitation meant total failure.
Then, in an instant, it was decided.
Vergo's lower body shattered—bursting into innumerable microscopic cubes that fell to the ground. His upper form remained briefly, then collapsed into his own pool of blood.
Caesar, his will quivering, quietly released all the air he had stored.
Rōya cast a contemptuous glance his way:
"Go ahead—test it. See if I faint from lack of air."
Cold sweat rolled down Caesar's vaporous forehead.
On the floor, Vergo struggled forward—driven to avoid drowning in his own blood.
Despite his fate, a fanatical smile crept across his face. Spitting blood, he gasped:
"My Lord Doflamingo… I have not failed you. I held him off till you returned!"
Even as his head slumped, he passed with a look of serene satisfaction.