Chapter 84: Strange Request
"I picked it up with my own skill—why should I put it down?"
His words rang out, and the entire plaza fell silent.
Everyone stared at Rhodes in disbelief.
This young man had just emerged from nowhere, yet he dared to confront Tyrone, a representative of the Donquixote Family?
Even Soros was at a loss.
While Rhodes' devastating blow against that Sea King had left him stunned, and his mysterious background had made him eager to curry favor, Donquixote—or rather, Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—was a truly terrifying figure.
In the world of piracy, the Donquixote Family was second only to the Four Emperors. Due to the privileged status of their leader, Doflamingo, they even had connections within the World Government, their influence reaching across the globe—especially in a chaotic place like Sabaody.
Even complete strangers were terrified and didn't dare get involved, a testament to their power.
Tyrone raised his eyebrows at this, his eyes gleaming with icy coldness.
The Gates incident was merely a robbery—a perfectly ordinary operation for them. Pirate robbery was standard procedure.
But Rhodes' words were a true slap in the face.
And not just to Tyrone, but to the Donquixote Family as well!
"Oss, Odin—both of you attack together and capture this clueless brat."
He had barely finished speaking when two men, both rugged and burly, clad in animal pelts, leaped out from behind him.
One wielded a broadsword, the other a massive cleaver—clearly fighters who relied on brute strength.
"I can handle a little brat like that alone. Boss, why send us both?" one complained.
"He's broken a taboo. Whoever catches him first gets a generous bonus," Tyrone said flatly.
Oss and Odin exchanged glances, then looked at Rhodes with malicious intent, grinning wickedly.
"What a pretty little boy! Much better looking than the ones back home. This time, we brothers can have some fun..."
But he never finished his sentence.
With a crackling sound,
a flash of azure lightning streaked before their eyes. Its brilliance was so dazzling, yet so fleeting, that many people thought it was an illusion.
Just as they were wondering what they'd seen, Oss and Odin suddenly staggered.
Crimson lines spread rapidly across their necks as streams of blood began spurting out.
Terrified, they instinctively reached up to clutch their throats.
However, as their hands moved, their heads toppled from their shoulders,
spilling blood across the ground.
A stunned silence fell over the entire crowd.
Everyone stared in amazement at the young man in white, who stood there with his sword drawn, seemingly motionless. He said with a hint of satisfaction,
"As expected of a Great Grade blade! Lightning-fast and razor-sharp."
He held the sword horizontally before him, examining every detail, even the smallest markings.
The more he looked, the more impressed he became.
Naminokiri seemed naturally attuned to the power of lightning, its conduction of that energy far superior to his previous fine blade.
The swiftness of that strike was certainly due to his immense strength, but the sword itself had enhanced it considerably.
He flicked the blade with his finger, and a resonant, clear, shimmering tone rang from the azure steel, a delightful hum that seemed to sing with electric energy.
His obvious delight sent chills down the spines of Tyrone and the others.
Tyrone in particular felt his scalp prickle and his back grow cold.
Oss and Odin had barely taken two steps before they suddenly died.
Their severed heads had rolled toward him, eyes wide open, as if silently accusing him of leading them to their deaths—a horrifying sight that made Tyrone's knees weak.
He swallowed hard, about to invoke the Donquixote name to intimidate Rhodes, but Rhodes seemed to completely ignore him. Sensing the danger, he quickly shut his mouth.
He was experienced in these matters, and this entire territory was Donquixote domain. He knew that what was happening here would have been reported to the executives long ago.
When the main force arrives, this arrogant brat Rhodes will be crushed. Then he'll definitely get his revenge!
Tyrone recovered from his shock and waited with grim anticipation.
The scene suddenly fell quiet.
Rhodes was busy familiarizing himself with Naminokiri, looking relaxed and at ease.
Tyrone lowered his head, hiding the resentment in his eyes, and waited for reinforcements to arrive.
Time passed minute by minute.
However, things didn't go as Tyrone expected. Before Diamante arrived, Rhodes sheathed his sword with a sharp click, called out to Soros, and began walking through the crowd as if to leave.
Tyrone frowned. He estimated the timing and felt that Diamante-sama should arrive soon. Suddenly growing more confident, he positioned himself dozens of meters in front of Rhodes and called out from that safe distance:
"You messed with our Donquixote Family and think you can just walk away?!"
He tried to look intimidating and spoke in an arrogant tone, but his words weren't very convincing when shouted from such a distance. Even bystanders couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
"What did you say?"
Tyrone was halfway through his bluster when his vision suddenly blurred. The distant figure gradually faded, and then, without warning, a crimson blade appeared at his throat.
The razor-sharp edge, even without actually touching him, sent ice through his veins, as if he were about to join Oss and Odin in death.
"..."
Tyrone's throat constricted and his mouth opened, wanting to say something, but seeing Rhodes' half-smile, the words died in his throat.
He sensed that the young man before him was truly a fearless madman. If he dared say anything wrong, he would be dead the next moment.
Just as he was sweating profusely, feeling his end approaching, a cold, commanding voice suddenly rang out from the distance.
"Kid, if you've got the guts, make that strike. Let me see how much nerve you really have."
Tyrone's expression instantly brightened at the familiar voice, and he became arrogant again.
"That's right! I'm standing right here—if you've got the guts, strike..."
Slash!
A head flew through the air.
Blood scattered across the ground.
Rhodes stepped back gracefully to avoid the splattered blood. He shook his head lightly and said,
"I've never heard such a strange request."
"Isn't that right, Diamante?"
After saying that, he looked toward the man with a sword and red cape who had just arrived.
This man was a top executive of the Donquixote Family—Diamante, user of the Hira Hira no Mi!
He could turn any object he touched—stone, steel, even his own body—into flexible fabric that fluttered like cloth.
The outfit this man wore was made from specially reinforced steel. Though it appeared to be cloth, it was incredibly tough and provided exceptional defense.
(End of Chapter)
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