"Haha, what a surprise. Grady, your family has something to prove. Now, by order of the Saint, you must go to Island One and face that lowborn directly. If you fail, your family will be charged with the murder of the clan leader and usurpation. And then… the gallows will be your only fate. Oh, and make sure to tell that lowborn who really runs this place."
"Good, good, Grady! Accept the challenge like a man!" The nobles cheered, urging Grady to duel Charles.
CP agents "escorted" Grady to Island One. Fortunately, they did not stop the Star Island guards from following their lord.
Grady approached Charles with a blank expression. "I should have killed you long ago. You're as foolish as your father."
Charles remained calm, as if the raging young man from before had vanished. Yet his eyes on Grady were cold and lifeless, as though staring at a corpse.
After the CP agents left, Island One became their battlefield. Suddenly, Charles surged forward, leaping into the air and striking with a kick, his leg transforming into a spear aimed straight at Grady's head.
Ding! Grady raised his arm, and a shield materialized, blocking the fierce attack.
"Don't forget, boy, the Ross family inherited the Shield Fruit as well. You can't hurt me," Grady sneered.
Charles was lightning-fast, his kicks precise. Combined with the power of the Ice Fruit, each strike seemed capable of piercing any opponent. Grady could only defend, gradually being pressed back.
"Damn it, how is he so strong?! Are your guns just for show? Shoot him!" Grady's composure vanished, panic overtaking him as he cowered behind his shield, facing imminent death by Charles' spear. Desperate, he ordered his guards to fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang! A hail of bullets flew toward Charles, who dodged with agile movements, temporarily abandoning his assault on Grady.
"Charles, die! Only if you die can I continue as a noble. I aim to rise higher. I'll hand Star Island over to the Celestial Dragons and secure a position in the World Government, wiping out this barren, insignificant place."
Charles gritted his teeth and pressed the attack. He tried to take out the guards who had fired first, but Grady blocked him. After several exchanges, Charles was hit multiple times, his white chef's uniform soaked in blood.
"Will, deal with those guards." Leo could not stand by and watch Charles die, so he immediately sent Will to assist.
Water strikes, waves, shoulder throws, and spinning kicks—how could someone with short legs like Will execute a spinning kick? With Will's help, Charles could continue to pressure Grady.
The rising sea gradually submerged Island One, shrinking the land to a tiny circle. Since both were Devil Fruit users, they had no choice but to move the battlefield to higher ground. As the distance closed, Charles' speed advantage began to wane.
"Heh, just wait, Charles. Once we force you into the sea, you're done." Grady had made up his mind. If he held the high ground, Charles would fall into the water first. Protected by his guards, even if he fell, they could swim to the Lord Island.
Will engaged the guards in combat. The water reached their knees, enhancing the power of his Fish-Man Karate and giving him the chance to support Charles. After kicking one guard aside, he hurled a water projectile at Grady.
Grady raised his other hand—another shield appeared, blocking Will's water attack. "Huh! A dual shield? Surprised? The Shield Fruit heirs normally can only use one. After my grandfather's death, I vowed never to trust anyone with my back again, so I trained to wield two shields. This is my Absolute Defense! Hahaha."
Grady laughed, then turned his gaze to Will. "You damn fishman, once I finish Charles, I'll hand you over to the Celestial Dragons."
Grady's words enraged Will. The small, stout fishman exploded with power, knocking the guards aside and charging at Grady. His massive body crashed into the shields, bending Grady's arm. The so-called Absolute Defense was pierced with ease.
In fact, the Shield Fruit was not invincible. It could block frontal attacks but lacked the full coverage of a Barrier Fruit. And the force of an attack could still affect the user. Although Will's body alone did not break the shield, the impact still staggered Grady.
Not letting the opportunity slip, Will leaped into the water, gathering force and striking the waves. Lacking proficiency in Fish-Man Karate, he couldn't fully focus the water, but his slap landed directly on Grady's face, sending him spinning through the air before collapsing to his knees.
Grady clutched his face, turning toward Will, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "You dare strike me? You lowly fishman, how dare you?"
"Marshal, soldier, it's my fault. I wasn't mature enough," Will said with a teasing tone, apologizing to Grady.
Grady angrily stood, about to speak, when darkness suddenly fell before him. His legs gave way, nearly toppling him again. Though Will had not used a water fist technique, remember: a mermaid's strength is ten times that of a human, and Will was among the strongest. Grady was already dizzy from the slap.
Unaware, Charles appeared beside Grady, delivering a spinning spear kick, sending him into the sea.
Charles' attack was cunning; even a sneak attack from behind struck when Grady was off guard. Just as his grandfather was betrayed by a trusted ally, Charles executed his revenge in the same way, finally ending the age-old feud.
Leo approached the kitchen counter, the rising sea parting automatically to give him a path. He took a bite of Charles' dish, savoring the fried sea snake. He gave a thumbs up. "Delicious! Charles, I declare you the winner of this competition!"
Charles blinked, then removed his chef's hat with a smile. "Sorry for the poor service!"
"Enough, stay calm. We need to escape. You don't want to die right after revenge, do you?"
Leo had just spoken when gunfire rang out, followed by Will's pained cry. Surprised, Leo turned to see a CP agent rushing at Will with a slave collar.
Carmel Saint shouted at the big screen: "Catch that fishman! He's my slave!"
Seeing Will shot, Leo's eyes turned red. "Damn you!" The CP agents' actions enraged him. Will was his brother, and now these people dared to attack him; they would all die with him.
Will roared: "Marlock, never be a slave!" [gunfire barrage]
The CP agents were caught off guard by Will's counterattack. Some were hit directly in the head by water projectiles.
Carmel Saint, furious that his prey resisted, ordered the guards to open fire on Island One. Boom! Boom! The dense explosions engulfed the island.
Leo felt the same surge of fury as before. "No one will take my friends from me. Anyone who tries to harm them will die without a trace!" He roared, his aura rising as if something within was about to break free.
Though Leo had not fully transformed, his anger influenced his Devil Fruit powers. The tsunami around Island One surged, sweeping across the entire Lord Island.
The sudden change left the survivors on Island One stunned and confused. Everyone knew what had happened, but Charles, closest to Leo, widened his eyes and trembled as he asked, "Who… are you?"
"I am Leo. From today onward, I am your captain," Leo said confidently, extending his hand to Charles.
"Ha! Silly boy."
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