Some time earlier.
The front end of the smuggling factory.
Boom!
Gin's fist ignited with heat as he punched a pirate charging at him, a fiery stream burst through the pirate's abdomen like sparks or an explosion, causing the burly pirate to roll back his eyes, clutch his stomach, and fall.
Around him, many others like that lay fallen.
Gin surveyed the pirates who dared not approach, his brow furrowed, then suddenly flipped his body down, pressing both hands onto the ground as his legs swiftly spun in a circle like an afterimage.
"Rankyaku!"
Whoosh!
A circle of slashing waves spread out, knocking down all the wary pirates, and Gin just lightly flicked the ground with his fingers, straightened his body to stand upright.
Looking at the defeated pirates, Gin's brow knitted tighter, a fiery red glow emanating from his arms.
"What's going on..."
This place is underground, connected to the factory that produces toys. Doflamingo's goods flow out from here, managed by his pirate crew and those toy people handling movement of the goods.
Their goods also pass through here.
But it's unlikely there's no entrance to a place like this, as others need a way out, not just being trapped into a garbage pit and then extracted.
Gin was guarding the entry point, things were fine, but in the blink of an eye, the toys turned into humans!
Pirates, Navy, formally dressed government officials wearing hats, all sorts of people began attacking Doflamingo's men.
The attack on them doesn't concern Gin, but their goods are here!
"A power? Using a power to become toys?"
Gin kept a stern face, pondering, "Does Celestial Yaksha have such a person? But if they revert, doesn't that mean something went wrong?"
He doesn't care about elsewhere, but nothing can go wrong here!
Kuma!
As he thought this, a massive flame appeared from nowhere, in a pillar formation, engulfing him.
"Ohdo..."
A young man with yellow curly hair and a burn scar on his left eye formed within the flame, he adjusted his goggles on his top hat, glanced forward, and stepped forward, "This is the smuggling factory? It wasn't hard to find..."
Ignoring the burning flames, he passed through.
At that moment, a hand suddenly extended from the flames, aiming directly to hit him.
Sabo was taken aback, instinctively drawing the pipe on his back, covering it with Haki to block.
Bam!
The flames burst open, revealing a fire-red glowing arm and the unscathed Gin.
Whirr!
The pipe just blocked the fist, surrounding wind noises emerged, Gin pulled a mace from his waist, swiftly growing red-hot, and after spinning quickly several times, aimed viciously at Sabo's head.
"Dragon Claw Fist!"
Sabo's other hand opened, his index and middle fingers together, ring and pinky fingers, forming a beast claw shape, fiercely grabbing at the incoming mace.
Snap!
Haki-filled fingers touched the red-hot mace, which suddenly melted into high-temperature molten iron.
"My attack isn't easily evaded! Water Strike·Scatter Shot!"
Gin's hand suddenly elongated a bit, his palm submerged in the molten iron, swinging forcefully out with inertia.
The molten iron split open, like numerous lead shots, all bombarding Sabo's skull, exploding his head.
Kuma!
Flames swept from Sabo's head, his body together with the pipe turned to fire, furiously rushing at Gin.
Gin did not dodge, letting the flames scorch around him, turning his brown skin fiery red, without burning his clothes.
He stepped out from the flames, looking at the fire taking human form, asked: "Flame-Flame Fruit? I see, you're the champion this time, I thought Doflamingo wouldn't really hand this fruit to someone."
"I grabbed it."
Sabo formed into human shape, adjusted his hat, "Still not quite skilled, forgot I'm an Ability User... 'Oni' Gin, didn't expect you'd not fear flame."
"My temperature and body doesn't fear your flame."
Gin walked two steps forward, his foot pressing on the ground, the molten iron on the ground seemed alive, converging at his feet, merging into his legs, like a snake climbing up, extending to hand, reforming into red-hot mace.
"Don't think eating Logia-type makes you invincible, kid!"
"Never thought so."
Sabo stretched his finger, rubbing his nose bridge, said with a smile: "You don't look like one of Doflamingo's crew, but definitely not a good person, trying to block my entrance?"
Whirr, whirr, whirr...
Gin took out another mace from his waist, began spinning like a fan.
No need for answers, actions spoke for themselves.
"Fire Fist!"
Sabo's fist burned with flame, when swinging, the flame turned into a pillar, not just burning flame, but a massive impact combined with flame.
Earlier, he used this strike to destroy the Bullfighting Arena!
"I said, flame doesn't affect me!"
Gin's body stood firm, fiery stream coursing all over, "Tekkai Molten Steel!"
Boom!
Column-like flame struck Gin's body, like a fountain scattering around, the flowing flames splashing everywhere, engulfing the surrounding space.