Chapter 88: Madman
As one of the top officers and possessing strength comparable to a Marine Vice Admiral, Diamante was naturally extremely powerful.
While his swordsmanship wasn't quite on Rhodes' level, and his raw strength was even slightly inferior, his overall combat ability—enhanced by the formidable power of the Hira Hira no Mi (Ripple-Ripple Fruit)—was comparable to, and perhaps even slightly superior to, Rhodes' capabilities.
If it weren't for the fact that the steel ribbon mesh transformed from his cape was conductive and severely exploited by Rhodes' lightning abilities, this battle would have been far more grueling.
After all, while Rhodes' physical strength had greatly improved compared to before, he wasn't necessarily capable of outlasting a seasoned warrior like Diamante in a prolonged fight.
Furthermore, this was the Sabaody Archipelago, and with the Donquixote Family's years of influence here, there was no guarantee that reinforcements wouldn't arrive to aid Diamante.
Unfortunately, defeat was defeat.
Rhodes' relentless training, day after day, had paid rich dividends.
Whether it was his physical prowess, swordsmanship, or his signature lightning abilities, any one of these qualities alone was enough to elevate him to Supernova status.
All of these combined together created Rhodes' extraordinary talent.
At only seventeen years old, he had completely defeated Diamante, one of the top officers of the Donquixote Family!
At that moment, the only sound on the battlefield was the echo of Rhodes' footsteps.
No one dared to even breathe loudly.
From the Sabaody Archipelago's notorious criminals and lawless pirates to the wealthy nobles and dignitaries, even the remaining members of the Donquixote Family—no one dared to speak.
Doflamingo had rarely taken direct action since becoming a Shichibukai.
Of the four top officers, Vergo had infiltrated the Marines as a deep-cover agent.
Trebol served as advisor and bodyguard, stationed at the Dressrosa Royal Palace while also protecting the crucial asset, Sugar.
Pica remained in charge of Dressrosa's defenses.
In recent years, Diamante had been the only top officer actively traveling and conducting business operations.
People might not fully understand Doflamingo's true power, or the complete might of the Donquixote Family, but they would never forget Diamante's fearsome reputation.
But just moments ago, after a fierce battle, this renowned warrior now lay motionless on the ground, his fate uncertain.
Who would dare challenge the might of this young swordsman?
"I surrender!"
Diamante forced himself to raise his head, his eyes gleaming with endless resentment and shame. But he was past the age of reckless impulses and understood the importance of tactical flexibility.
He would endure the humiliation now to save his life. Given the Donquixote Family's extensive network in the underworld, they would naturally find various ways to eliminate Rhodes later.
"The underworld is filled with assassins and killers possessing bizarre abilities. When the time comes, I'll make you beg for death!"
Diamante lowered his eyelids, hiding the murderous intent in his gaze.
He believed that as long as he surrendered, his life would be spared.
After all, while the Donquixote Family and Heavenly Yaksha Doflamingo were formidable, his previous opponents—mindful of their reputations and the potential consequences—would usually accept victory and withdraw gracefully.
Moreover, a young man like Rhodes would surely become complacent under the submission of such a powerful figure.
"Diamante-sama!"
Many Donquixote Family members cried out in shock, their heads bowed in defeat. If even their top officer had to bow his head in surrender, what could they possibly do?
"If you surrender... then die."
Unexpectedly, Rhodes thrust his sword directly through Diamante's heart, a terrifying burst of lightning instantly obliterating the vital organ.
"How... how dare you kill me!"
Diamante's eyes widened in disbelief. Blood continued to flow from his lips as his voice trembled with shock.
He was a top officer of the Donquixote Family, one of the four most powerful subordinates of Doflamingo—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He held an incredibly high position in the underworld.
Even World Government officials and kings of allied nations would show him deference.
But Rhodes had killed him without hesitation, with cold decisiveness.
"You bastard!"
The Donquixote Family members' eyes turned bloodshot with rage. Diamante had already humiliated himself with surrender, yet Rhodes had brazenly executed him in front of everyone.
"What? Are you guys not convinced either?"
Rhodes drew out his sword. The azure blade remained pristine and spotless, without a trace of blood.
He stood with the weapon in hand, looking at the Donquixote Family members with a smile on his face.
Swoosh.
But this smile, in everyone's eyes, was nothing less than the grin of a demon.
The expressions of the Donquixote Family members suddenly changed, and they all took a step backward. After their brief surge of anger came a flood of fear and terror.
How could they possibly confront such a madman?!
This was someone who could casually kill even the top officers of the Donquixote Family.
In the crowd, a man wearing a white mask who had just arrived witnessed this scene, blinked once, retracted his advancing steps, and muttered:
"Well, this isn't my fault. Diamante was just too weak—he died the moment I got here."
"That's exactly what I'll write in my report."
The CP agent shook his head and slowly withdrew from the crowd.
As for the remaining low-ranking members of the Donquixote Family, the CP agent didn't bother with them. They weren't worth provoking the powerful Rhodes over.
Besides, they probably wouldn't survive much longer anyway...
The CP agent discretely slipped away.
"Dead... dead... Diamante is actually dead..."
Soros whispered with trembling voice, utterly shocked. He had never imagined that Rhodes would dare to kill Diamante in public.
Could it be that some powerful force backing him truly disregarded the Donquixote Family entirely?
Gates was equally stunned.
"What's the point of accumulating wealth and power? In the end, you can't compete with the truly strong,"
he muttered quietly, his expression filled with resignation.
His two bodyguards swallowed nervously and whispered, "Sir, you were involved in instigating this conflict. This young man may have powerful backing, but you don't."
"We must leave Sabaody immediately. The ocean is vast, and the Donquixote Family will have difficulty pursuing us. As long as we can return to Enies Lobby, we can naturally seek protection from our superiors."
Gates was startled by this realization and said, "You're absolutely right. I'll arrange for a ship to leave immediately."
By then, Rhodes had already dispatched the remaining seven or eight Donquixote Family members with just two sword strikes, bringing the incident to its conclusion.
Rhodes flicked his blade clean, sheathed it with a sharp clang, and pondered for a moment.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, he suddenly began walking toward Gates.
Gates, who had been about to sneak away, suddenly froze mid-step. After a tense pause, he slowly stepped backward.
"It's over... it's over! This guy is going to settle scores now."
Gates was sweating profusely, wanting to say something in his defense, but the words wouldn't come.
Although this conflict had been sparked by the Stormbreaker incident and ignited by the situation with Lao G, the root cause was still Gates's manipulative scheming.
If Rhodes really intended to take action, Gates would have no choice but to accept his fate.
(End of Chapter)
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