"It's over!"
"What did I just do?"
"Why did I suddenly attack him?"
"Me too."
"It felt like a wave of murderous intent just surged up in my chest out of nowhere!"
...
At this moment, the prisoners who had just launched their attacks looked as though all their murderous intent and courage had been drained from them. As the ambush failed, they snapped out of the berserk state they'd just been in— each of them stunned, confused, and horrified by their own earlier actions.
Especially when their eyes fell upon the towering third form of Susanoo, standing like a small mountain—their hearts clenched with terror and unease.
"It's just as I thought."
"If there's a first form, then of course there's a second form—and if there's a second, then there must be a third."
"This... this is your real trump card, huh?"
"Rosen."
As the prisoners stood frozen in regret and dread, a twisted figure suddenly appeared before Rosen—grinning, tongue flicking, wild-eyed.
None other than Vasco Shot— the man who had been slammed into the ground by Susanoo and left for dead.
Strangely enough, despite being blasted by that terrifying blow, he wasn't dead. A brutal sword wound ran from his shoulder down to his right leg, yet even that injury was healing with alarming speed.
And more bizarrely—
The rank, blood-soaked air of Impel Down's sixth floor was gradually being overwhelmed by something intoxicating:
The rich aroma of wine.
Then, the rocky floor beneath their feet began to transform—its surface turning from stone to flowing wine, glistening and sloshing underfoot.
Vasco Shot stood in that crimson wine pool like a demon in his domain, his injuries recovering visibly faster—as if the pool itself were feeding him.
"Glug-Glug Fruit."
"Awakened."
"You sure hid this well, Vasco Shot."
Rosen looked at the man who, just moments ago, should've been lying dead. Yet here he was—doing a sit-up like Monkey D. Luffy coming back from the brink. For the first time, Rosen's expression showed a hint of genuine surprise.
He'd never expected Vasco Shot's Glug-Glug Fruit had already awakened.
After all—
Rosen wasn't Borsalino. His Observation Haki hadn't reached the level of Future vision.
The reason he had been able to react in time just now was mainly two reasons,
First, his body, strengthened by the Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth), gave him instantaneous physical responses.
And More importantly—one of the three Haki Seed Refined through the Haki Core— the Sensory Haki Seed (for observation and awareness)— had recently developed a new ability.
…
The Ability of the Sensory Haki Seed: God-Eye Observation
Just as its name implies—
This Haki Seed was now in a perpetual state of active Observation Haki.
Rosen no longer had to manually activate his Observation Haki.
No need to concentrate.
No need to stay calm or still.
The Sensory Haki Seed was constantly using Haki, 24/7, monitoring every threat and aura within its range.
If an attack entered its field of perception—
If a new presence or killing intent appeared—
If danger was imminent—
The Haki Seed would immediately warn Rosen, relaying that danger faster than lightning.
The result? As far as reaction speed went— it was as fast as if Rosen himself had observed it.
However, this was not the Future vision.
The Sensory Haki Seed couldn't predict the future.
But it could detect, interpret, and project movement trajectories, sense all current auras, and accurately judge what the enemy's next move might be.
So no— Rosen hadn't predicted that Vasco Shot would awaken his Devil Fruit.
But the Haki Seed did warn him that Vasco's presence had surged again— and that an attack was incoming.
…
"If I didn't hide it well... how would I kill you?"
"Wouldn't you agree—Rosen?"
Vasco Shot's tone was cold, his gaze chilling.
Twice.
He had nearly died at Rosen's hands twice.
Had it not been for a voice in his heart—warning him that Rosen never actually intended to kill him—he would've used his awakened ability yesterday.
But he held back.
He gambled on Rosen's mercy— once yesterday, and once today.
Each time, he teetered on the edge of death. Each time, the bet paid off.
But that suffocating oppression he endured—like lying on the executioner's block— was real.
And now—
That same voice told him:
This is your only chance.
He clenched his teeth and summoned his last reserve of strength.
…
"Drunken Dragon Fire— Ten Dragons!"
With the floor of the prison transformed into liquor by his awakened Glug-Glug Fruit, Vasco Shot stomped hard.
Boom!
Ten wine dragons burst out of the alcohol pool, swirling high into the air.
Then—
He opened his arms wide and made a grasping motion.
Snap—
Boom!!
The ten wine dragons suddenly ignited into blazing flames— transformed into fire dragons surging through the air, snarling as they tore toward Susanoo's armor with terrifying speed.
Whoosh—
Ten blazing dragons roared, their searing heat warping the very air as they struck like meteor fire.
The third-form Susanoo, armored in heavy plating, began to melt— slowly, but visibly.
The flames licked across its armor like molten lava over steel.
…
"So damn tough!"
"What's with his Armament Haki?!"
"Fire doesn't even faze it?!"
Despite seeing the melting process begin, Vasco Shot wasn't thrilled.
On the contrary— his expression turned grim.
Too slow.
Susanoo was melting... but at a snail's pace.
At this rate—
Borsalino would arrive long before it melted halfway.
Wait—
Vasco Shot's pupils shrank.
He suddenly realized—
Borsalino was already here.
At some point, the man had silently arrived at Rosen's side— hands in his pockets, golden light crackling faintly across his coat.
He didn't raise a hand.
He didn't say a word.
He just watched.
His sunglasses hid his eyes, but the faint glow beneath them... looked like he was watching some second-rate theater performance.
"Do you think Rosen can take on all of us alone?"
"Or do you think Borsalino's standing here to protect him?"
Vasco Shot muttered under his breath, trying to reassure himself— but his heart was anything but calm.
The arrow had already been lost.
And once loose—there's no pulling it back.
No matter how many unexpected variables appeared now—he had to keep going.
Because this... this was the one and only opportunity he could see— the only moment he could even imagine a chance of defeating Rosen.
If he missed this—
Rosen would only get stronger.
And stronger.
Until all of them— every prisoner— became nothing more than practice dummies to fuel his rise.
And when they were used up?
Rosen would not choose imprisonment.
The voice in his head had told him clearly—
Rosen would choose execution.
...
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