"Uncle Gustave, enough talking! Let's go fight the Slave King already!" Luffy practically bounced with impatience, his fists clenched and ready for action.
"Luffy, you can't come with us this time," Gustave said firmly, though his expression showed genuine regret.
"What?! But we already agreed!" Luffy's voice cracked with indignation, his dreams of heroic battle crumbling before his eyes.
"Listen to me, Luffy. The Slave King is extremely dangerous, and there are dozens of prisoners who need rescuing. I can't simultaneously fight at full strength and keep you safe." Gustave's tone was serious but not unkind. "This isn't about your abilities - it's about tactical necessity."
"Damn it!" Luffy slammed his fist against the ship's railing, his frustration boiling over. If only he were stronger! If only he could grow up faster! Then he wouldn't be left behind every time they faced a truly dangerous enemy.
Turning to their unexpected ally, Gustave bowed slightly. "Mr. Jinbe, I have a favor to ask."
"Please, speak freely," Jinbe replied with characteristic dignity.
"Po and I are going to assault the Slave King's stronghold, but Luffy and Camie need protection. I was originally planning to have Tom watch over them, but since you're here..." Gustave let the implication hang in the air.
The request made perfect sense. While Tom's cartoon physics made him unpredictable in combat, Jinbe's strength was reliable and proven. More importantly, as a fish-man fighting near the ocean, Jinbe could exert power approaching Admiral level if necessary.
"Of course! Even without your request, I would never leave them unprotected," Jinbe declared without hesitation. The debt he owed Gustave for saving Camie was one he intended to repay fully.
"Thank you, Mr. Jinbe."
Just as Gustave turned to summon Po, Tom appeared beside them dressed in his elaborate swordsman outfit - complete with ornate blade and dramatic cape. His silent pantomime made it clear he intended to join the assault.
Gustave couldn't help but smile. Tom's enthusiasm was infectious, and his unique abilities might prove useful in the chaos to come. "Alright, Tom. Let's go cause some havoc."
Under the watchful eyes of Jinbe and the three children, Gustave, Po, and Tom set off toward the Slave King's hidden domain.
Since Gustave had already mapped the underground complex, he knew their primary opponents would be the Slave King himself and his two elite guards. The rest of the organization's muscle likely couldn't withstand Po's conqueror's haki if properly applied.
This time, stealth was unnecessary. Instead of sneaking in, the trio flew directly over the casino entrance, their powerful auras blazing like beacons in the night.
Deep beneath the surface, the Slave King was contemplating Tommy's intelligence about the "black and white mink" when two massive presences suddenly appeared directly overhead.
We've been discovered!
His realization was immediately followed by a thunderous explosion that shook the entire underground complex.
Gustave had announced their arrival with a devastating lightning strike from above, completely obliterating the casino and exposing the hidden entrance to the slave operation beneath.
"Po! Tom! Prisoners first!" Gustave called out as they descended into the revealed depths.
Racing through the underground corridors they'd scouted earlier, Gustave raised his hand and sent controlled lightning bolts through every lock mechanism in the prison section. Metal barriers crumbled like paper, and cell doors swung open throughout the complex.
The imprisoned slaves, initially cowering at the sounds of destruction, slowly emerged to find their captors nowhere in sight.
"I'm here to rescue you!" Gustave's voice echoed through the chambers. "The guards have been eliminated! Anyone who can move, get out now!"
The response was immediate and heartbreaking. Dozens of emaciated figures stumbled from their cells - everyone except the unconscious experimental subjects who were too far gone to move. The sight of their condition sent fresh waves of rage through Gustave's system.
Among the escapees, he spotted the three mermaids from the final cell and quickly approached them.
The three young women initially recoiled, thinking their nightmare was continuing, but Gustave's gentle expression reassured them.
"After you escape, head due south. There's a large ship waiting - Jinbe is aboard," he instructed quickly.
The mention of Jinbe's name brought immediate recognition and relief to their faces. Before they could offer thanks, however, Gustave had already vanished.
He could sense the Slave King and his guards rushing toward the prison complex at high speed. It was time to buy the escaping prisoners as much time as possible.
"Gustave, do you need assistance?" Po asked, reading his friend's intentions.
"Let me test the Slave King's capabilities first. I'll call for help if needed," Gustave replied, though something in his instincts suggested this confrontation would hold surprises.
Po nodded and joined Tom in guiding the freed slaves toward the surface and safety.
Gustave transformed into a crackling dragon of pure electrical energy and streaked toward the approaching enemies. Where his lightning form passed, ranks of subordinates collapsed unconscious - the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's area-of-effect capabilities proving devastatingly effective against large numbers of weaker opponents.
Seeing Gustave's aggressive approach, the Slave King held back while his two elite guards moved to intercept the attack.
One Devil Fruit user, one physical combat specialist, Gustave analyzed, observing a rhinoceros-form Zoan user and a fighter whose fists gleamed with advanced armament haki.
"Rumble-Rumble Fruit?" The Slave King's voice carried genuine surprise as he recognized the legendary power on display.
"You two - pursue the escaped slaves. Don't harm the three mermaids; they're the centerpieces of our next auction," he commanded his guards. "As for this Rumble-Rumble Fruit user... I'll handle him personally."
This division of forces was exactly what Gustave had hoped for. Fighting three opponents simultaneously would have been challenging even for him, but the Slave King's arrogance had just handed him a significant tactical advantage.
Noticing Gustave's lack of concern as the guards departed, the Slave King chuckled darkly.
"You seem quite confident in your companion's abilities."
When Gustave had initially attacked, the Slave King had sensed two distinct powerful auras - Gustave's overwhelming electrical signature and Po's more restrained presence. Since Gustave had been the obvious aggressor, Po's true strength hadn't fully registered.
The masked figure assumed that even if Po was hiding some capabilities, he couldn't possibly stand against two elite guards working in coordination. After all, Po's aura didn't match any of the legendary powerhouses the Slave King knew dominated the seas.
"Don't worry," Gustave replied with cold confidence, electricity beginning to dance around his form. "Your men will be defeated much faster than you will."
"Then show me the source of that confidence!" the Slave King snarled, drawing an ornate blade from his waist and launching himself forward.