Chapter 89: World-Wide Blast
Rhodes had no real intention of pursuing Gates's machinations, not to mention that Gates had initiated the feud.
The Donquixote Family already had a grudge against him, and given their domineering nature, even without Gates, conflict would have inevitably erupted; this time it simply came earlier.
Furthermore, he had picked up a famous blade—for free, a perfect match for him.
Rhodes was in high spirits.
Slashing with a sword was exhilarating, but cutting down villains was doubly satisfying.
"Are you heading back to the West Blue? Mind if I catch a ride?"
Gates was trembling with fear, but Rhodes approached and asked such a casual question.
He froze, as if turned to stone. He had expected such a young, powerful figure to be incredibly arrogant!
Gates, after all, was a government official, so he quickly recovered and said respectfully,
"Of course, sir! I'm truly honored to have you aboard my ship!"
Gates was overjoyed—how could he refuse? This demon had slain so many people, and even now, the bodies lay scattered around!
Rhodes nodded. He prided himself on being reasonable, using logic when it made sense, and using his blade when it didn't.
"Please, this way. I'll have a proper ship ready within three days,"
Gates said respectfully. He had originally planned to just grab a simple vessel and quickly return , but with Rhodes coming along, he couldn't afford to cut corners.
"Understood."
Rhodes nodded calmly, following Gates without even glancing back at Soros.
Some opportunities, once missed, are lost forever.
Soros's decision to back down in the face of Diamante was understandable, but it was also quite telling. After all, Rhodes had once saved his life, yet in the end, he remained silent when it mattered.
"..."
Behind him, Soros opened his mouth, but no words came out, ultimately letting out a dejected sigh.
Rhodes's attitude was crystal clear.
He was filled with regret.
"Whatever. It's nothing. Who knows if that kid can even survive the Donquixote Family's pursuit anyway,"
Soros muttered to himself, his eyes filled with regret.
Accustomed to investing in young and powerful individuals, how could he not see Rhodes's potential? At his age, to easily kill Diamante meant he could become a figure like Doflamingo himself.
Even reaching the pinnacle was possible.
The benefits of befriending such a figure were immense—any merchant in the world would flock to him—but he had been blinded by greed and let the opportunity slip away.
With the departure of Rhodes and the others, the battle finally concluded.
But the impact spread like a tsunami, first through the underworld where the Donquixote Family's influence was strongest, then across the entire Grand Line, and finally reaching even the distant Four Blues, where the smallest ripples were felt.
Major newspapers rushed to report on the event.
While ordinary people might not yet know of Rhodes, this rising young swordsman, those with any influence were already aware, informed, and astonished.
Before he was even twenty, Rhodes had achieved world fame!
New World, Marine Base G-5.
Momousagi, draped in her justice coat, stood tall and elegant before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the distant sea. Her beautiful face remained expressionless, revealing no emotion.
While commanding the G-5 branch might seem like a heavy responsibility, it was actually quite manageable.
The New World's naval bases were inherently militarized fortresses, without the burden of protecting civilian islands.
Normally, there wasn't much to handle, with several Vice Admirals taking care of minor matters.
Officers like Momousagi were essentially there for deterrence.
What's more, Momousagi had a capable and beautiful adjutant, so she spent her days simply watching the sea.
At that moment, footsteps echoed outside the door, and then Eleanor pushed it open and walked in.
"Something major has happened!"
"Oh?"
Momousagi's expression remained indifferent.
Eleanor gritted her teeth. Since her superior didn't handle things, the responsibility naturally fell to her.
She subconsciously touched her hair and felt her hairline had receded slightly. She couldn't help but say resentfully:
"It was that brat Rhodes who did it!"
"What?!"
Momousagi's lifeless eyes suddenly blazed, and it seemed as if a sword aura flashed through the air, cutting through the atmosphere with a sharp hiss.
She turned her head with burning intensity and stared at Eleanor.
That sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through her.
Eleanor instinctively stepped back.
Momousagi finally realized her reaction and withdrew her overwhelming presence, asking with interest: "What happened?"
Eleanor silently complained, feeling depressed. Momousagi hadn't been like this before. She always felt that Rhodes had stolen all her superior's attention...
She was like an abandoned kitten. She whispered, "That guy killed Diamante, one of the top officers of the Donquixote Family."
"..."
Momousagi fell silent after hearing this, then nodded slightly. "It seems his strength has improved considerably."
"..."
Eleanor was speechless. Was this really what Momousagi focused on first?
She looked at Momousagi's calm expression, but could clearly see pride and joy between her brows, and couldn't help but criticize:
"Diamante is practically the face of the Donquixote Family. Doflamingo isn't exactly known for his good temper. I'm afraid that guy is in serious trouble."
"Mm, that's true."
Momousagi's tone was unusually cheerful. She waved her hand and said:
"Come on, prepare the ship. We're going to patrol the waters near Dressrosa and capture some pirates."
"I haven't been out to sea in a while. My hands are itching for some action."
Eleanor: "..."
Dressrosa.
In a dimly lit room high within the palace, four elegant chairs were arranged, each engraved with spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds.
Each chair represented a top officer.
These four were considered the founding pillars of the Donquixote Family. Without their assistance, Doflamingo's rise to power would have been impossible.
Therefore, even with his unruly, brutal, and cold nature as a former Celestial Dragon, losing them was difficult to accept.
"Lao G was captured because of him, and Diamante was even killed..."
"Is he challenging me?"
Doflamingo's tone was remarkably calm, his expression betraying no emotion, yet he exuded a suffocating aura of danger, making the already gloomy room feel like the end was approaching.
Even though those present were all Donquixote Family executives, many of them formidable fighters, no one dared to speak. Each one was drenched in cold sweat, as if being stalked by a prehistoric beast, ready to strike at any moment.
The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive.
Just then, Trebol hurried in from outside, urgently saying,
"Doffy! A Marine warship of Admiral-class is patrolling near our coastline!"
"Looks like they're doing some heavy-handed 'fishing' for pirates!"
"From our observations, it's likely Admiral candidate Momousagi."
His words made the chill even more intense, the atmosphere suddenly stagnating like a natural disaster, then melting away as quickly as spring snow.
Doflamingo's face darkened.
(End of Chapter)
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