Night fell.
That night, G-17 felt unusually quiet.
Nelson didn't come to disturb them again—perhaps he was busy moving troops and setting up tomorrow's killing field, with no time left for fake smiles.
Inside the Velvet Suite, the lights were dim.
There was no unnecessary conversation.
Gion sat by the window. In the moonlight, she slowly drew her famed blade, Konpira. Its bright steel gleamed coldly, reflecting a face with no trace of hesitation left.
Rain reclined in a lounge chair with his eyes closed, resting.
His Observation Haki spread like an invisible net over all of Golden Crown Island.
He could sense heavy cannons being quietly rolled onto emplacements under cover of darkness, squads of fully armed soldiers slipping into preset firing positions.
It was a massive trap—an execution ground that had opened its jaws.
Yet Rain showed no fear.
With his current build, even he didn't know where his ceiling truly was.
This so-called "Crystal-Diamond Duke"—an "original character" who came from nowhere—what was there to worry about?
…
The next morning.
When the first ray of sunlight cut through the sea mist, the entire G-17 base was roused by a low, heavy ship horn.
Rain opened his eyes.
He walked to the window and looked toward the harbor.
At the far edge of the sea, an enormous vessel was slowly approaching.
Its hull was made of some special crystalline material; under the morning sun it refracted dazzling, hypnotic light, like a moving crystal palace casting a vast shadow over the water.
Morning light streamed into the Velvet Suite through the window.
…
Knock, knock, knock.
Urgent, slightly panicked knocking shattered the room's quiet.
Rain flicked Smoker a look. Smoker, two cigars in his mouth, walked over and yanked the door open.
Outside stood Nelson, all smiles.
"Ahaha! Sorry, sorry to disturb you!"
Nelson wiped nervous sweat and edged past Smoker's broad frame, fawning toward Gion.
"Rear Admiral Gion! There's an unexpected development! An important noble from an allied kingdom—his ship arrived early this morning! He wasn't due until next week. I didn't notify you in advance because you might've already left by then…"
Gion, seated and wiping down Konpira, paused and looked up slowly.
"Now?"
"Yes, yes! I only just received the notice!" Nelson rubbed his hands, voice hurried.
"That honored guest heard the famous Rear Admiral Gion of Headquarters is inspecting here, and specifically instructed me to invite you for a meeting."
He stole glances at her expression and piled on more.
"After all, he represents the face of a World Government allied nation. If you meet him, it not only gives him honor—it also showcases Marineford's authority!"
It was an open scheme.
He was slapping the labels of "diplomatic etiquette" and "Headquarters prestige" onto her until she couldn't refuse.
Rain stood by the window, watching Nelson's clumsy acting, and sneered inwardly.
To lure them out, the man really was trying hard.
"Since it's an allied nation noble, we shouldn't be rude," Gion said, sheathing her blade and straightening her Justice coat as she rose.
"Then I'll trouble Rear Admiral Nelson to lead the way."
"An honor! An honor! The car is waiting downstairs!" Nelson beamed, quickly stepping aside.
The vehicle drove away from the bustling main harbor; the scenery became barren fast.
"This way, Rear Admiral Gion."
After they got out, Nelson led them around the back of the base.
"The guest's ship is… special. The draft is too deep, and his status is too high. To avoid unnecessary collisions, we arranged it at the dedicated berth in D-sector."
"D-sector?"
Smoker followed behind, eyes scanning warily.
The path grew more and more remote. Steep rock walls rose on both sides, leaving only a narrow passage forward. Abandoned warehouses and cargo containers surrounded them—dead silent.
The terrain was closed in: mountains on three sides, the only exit facing the sea—like a natural execution ground.
Gion and Rain exchanged a glance.
Unspoken understanding: this is the trap.
But neither of them slowed down. If anything, they walked faster, step by step into the encirclement.
Past the final checkpoint, the view opened suddenly.
A vast deepwater harbor spread before them.
And at its center sat a ship so magnificent it was almost unreal.
Its hull was coated in a clear, glittering substance; under the direct noon sun, the entire vessel shone like a massive diamond, throwing off dazzling rainbow light.
The gangway was already lowered.
A strip of expensive crimson velvet carpet ran down the steps and across the pier.
A tall figure stepped out slowly.
He was slender and upright, wearing a meticulously tailored white suit. Over broad shoulders hung a white coat soft as velvet, its hem snapping in the sea wind.
His skin was a sickly pale, almost translucent in sunlight.
A gold-rimmed monocle covered his left eye; behind it, pale golden pupils shone with cold luster.
In his hand was a cane made entirely of transparent crystal, topped by a deep-blue diamond the size of a fist.
As he walked down—
Crack, crack…
With tiny, crisp crystallizing sounds, the red carpet beneath his feet instantly lost its softness, hardening and turning transparent at visible speed—becoming clear red crystal.
Behind him stood two tall figures in black suits, wearing strange masks—CP0 agents.
"D-Duke!"
The moment Nelson saw Victor, it was like seeing salvation. His earlier groveling vanished.
He sprinted forward, widening the distance from Gion and the others, then rolled and dove behind a prepared sandbag barricade.
"It's them!!"
Nelson pointed at Rain's group standing in the open, his face twisting with fear and excitement as he screamed:
"These three traitors! They attempted to assassinate an allied kingdom noble!"
The smear was practiced, effortless—he didn't care that there was no allied noble. The hat was slammed on and tightened in one breath.
Victor Hugo lazily lifted his eyelids. Through the monocle, his pale golden eyes swept over the three.
"So these are the 'prey' you mentioned on the call, Nelson?"
Victor's voice was elegant and magnetic.
"Now that I'm here, you can act without worry."
With backing secured, Nelson grinned viciously and chopped his hand down, not giving Gion any chance to speak.
"Execute the traitors!!"
"Open fire—!!"
Boom boom boom!
Heavy cannons and gunfire erupted—already primed. A storm of shells and bullets poured down like violent rain, sealing every possible line of evasion around Rain's group.
"Hahahaha! Die! Die!!"
Nelson howled from behind cover, eyes bloodshot with manic joy.
"This is what you get for crossing me!!"
And then—
His laughter cut off as if an invisible hand had grabbed his throat.
"Zzz—"
A teeth-grinding electric hiss sounded across the battlefield, instantly overpowering the cannon roar.
From within the smoke and dust, no screams came.
The shells and bullets—mid-flight—suddenly struck an invisible wall several meters from Rain's group and froze in midair.
The whole scene looked paused.
"T-this…" Nelson's pupils shook violently. His mouth hung open, but no sound came out.
At the front, Rain slowly raised his head.
Blue-white arcs of electricity coiled around him, like a god walking among mortals.
The suspended metal bullets and shell casings began to glow red, brightening at visible speed.
Under terrifying heat, the metal melted in an instant—turning into molten droplets that clattered down like golden rain, burning black pits into the ground.
This was the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power: not only lightning's destruction, but absolute control over electromagnetism and heat.
Rain didn't even look at the stunned Marines. He simply lifted his crackling right hand and—
Snap.
A crisp finger snap.
"Since you've finished shooting," he said lightly, "put the guns down."
"ZZZRT—!!!"
A visible blue electromagnetic pulse ring burst outward from Rain, sweeping across the entire D-sector pier!
"Aah!!"
"Hot—so hot!!"
"My gun!!"
Screams erupted from the hundreds of Marines behind cover.
They stared in horror as their rifles and the heavy cannons beside them turned red-hot in an instant. Internal structures melted; chambers ruptured.
They had to drop their weapons—now like branding irons—and collapsed clutching burned hands.
A single move.
He hadn't killed a single soldier—yet he'd instantly destroyed all their firepower.
The ambush ring collapsed on the spot.
Rain didn't bother with the now-disarmed grunts. He had no interest in slaughtering ordinary soldiers who were misled or simply obeying orders.
His gaze cut through the crowd, locking onto the dazzling Diamond Queen.
No words wasted.
Rain lifted a finger.
BOOOOM—!!
A thick blue lightning pillar—like divine punishment—dropped straight toward Victor and the crystal ship behind him, carrying the aura of annihilation.
He meant to erase man and ship together.
Facing that bolt—enough to vaporize a warship in an instant—
Victor elegantly raised his gloved left hand.
"Crystal Boundary."
Invisible dust and moisture in the air froze, assimilated, and restructured at once.
A huge transparent crystal prism formed from perfect geometric facets, growing into existence in front of the ship's bow, wedging itself between lightning and ship.
BOOOOM—!!
The violent lightning slammed into the crystal shield.
It didn't pierce.
At the moment of contact, the lightning was refracted and dispersed by countless facets.
The concentrated bolt broke into thousands upon thousands of smaller arcs, splashing wildly in all directions, finally striking the sea and blasting up endless water columns.
The smoke cleared.
The Diamond Queen was unharmed.
Victor still stood elegantly at the bow, looking at Rain through his monocle.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Victor applauded softly, the sound crisp in the dead harbor.
"Remarkable. Truly remarkable…"
His mouth curved into a refined, cruel smile.
"That kind of violent Logia power—if I'm not mistaken…"
"You're the 'Thunder God' who butchered Mock Town not long ago, aren't you?"
"…young Marine."
~~~
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