The Cero engulfed him instantly. Vice Admiral Momo was blasted backward a hundred meters, his body covered in wounds, blood flowing nonstop.
"Sou...ls..."
Doflamingo spoke, his voice fragmented and hoarse.
Then, he leaped forward, pouncing like a ravenous beast, and began to slaughter everyone in his path.
"This is bad!" Vice Admiral Momo's face turned pale as he gasped for breath.
"The situation has changed! Contact Fleet Admiral Sengoku at once!"
...
Inside District 1, the cloaked figure was fleeing frantically.
He moved low to the ground, crawling on all fours with surprising speed and agility.
Behind him, a massive cloud of yellow sand rolled relentlessly forward. Wherever it passed, it left nothing but dry, desolate land, as if a sandstorm had swept through.
Damn it! Why is he so persistent?! I've used my Chameleon power to blend in several times, yet he keeps finding me!
The man's face was grim—though in truth, his skin was naturally green, so it was less a pale look and more a look of sheer panic.
"Stop running. You can't escape. Sand Soldiers!"
Azir's voice echoed from within the swirling sandstorm behind him.
In the next moment, the ground ahead shifted, and quicksand rose up, from which emerged over a hundred soldiers made of golden sand.
Clad in golden armor and wielding golden halberds, they completely surrounded the cloaked man, their raised weapons forming a wall of steel.
"...Azir, Emperor of the Sands!"
Seeing his path blocked, the man was forced to halt. He stood upright and glared at Azir emerging from the sandstorm.
"Speak. Which missing captive were you sent to rescue? Who ordered you, and which faction do you belong to?"
Azir did not attack immediately; instead, he questioned him calmly.
"Hmph. Do you really think I'd tell you?" The man's expression darkened. After a moment's silence, he answered.
"I'm Gasol. I possess the Lizard-Lizard Fruit, Chameleon Form. I have no intention of making enemies of Phantom. I simply came to rescue the captain of the Treasure Hoard Pirates."
"The Treasure Hoard Pirates... I see."
Azir nodded, then tapped the ground with his staff. "Sand Soldiers, seize him."
At his command, the hundred soldiers stepped forward in unison, thrusting their halberds and tightening the circle around him.
"Wait!" Gasol shouted hurriedly. "I acted under the orders of Count Red! There's no need for you to make an enemy over a mere pirate captain..."
Before he could finish, Azir cut him off. "Count Red?"
Red the Aloof, also known as Red Count, real name Patrick Redfield.
He belonged to the same era as Whitebeard, Roger, Sengoku, and Garp. He was a survivor from Roger's time, one of the old legends who refused to fade away.
If Azir remembered correctly, he should have been locked deep within Impel Down.
Could it be... when the Lich King attacked the prison last time, he also took the chance to escape?
Azir thought calmly. I suppose it makes sense. Aside from him, there must be many others who got out as well.
Ledfield... Count Red. His strength was legendary. He was powerful enough to stand equal to Whitebeard by himself.
It was even said that relying solely on his physical combat skills, he defeated the former Fleet Admiral, Kong.
A master at the Four Emperor level!
"And so what?"
Azir scoffed softly. "We have no idea why you want to rescue that captain. If Count Red wants someone freed so badly, tell him to come here and beg in person! Sand Soldiers, attack!"
...
"If he wants to save someone, tell Count Red to come crawling here himself! Sand Soldiers, strike!"
As Azir's command rang out, the hundred golden soldiers moved as one.
They closed the distance, raised their halberds, and thrust simultaneously toward Gasol.
Gasol's expression shifted. He snapped in frustration, "Does the Count's name carry no weight at all?! Damned Phantom!"
With that thought, his figure began to fade, blending into his surroundings and vanishing completely just before the weapons could strike.
"It's useless. You've merely merged with your environment. You cannot escape the Golden Disk's detection."
Azir tapped his staff again. Instantly, the ground erupted into a wave of sand, sweeping forward like a giant hand.
At the same time, the hundred sand soldiers all turned and charged toward the empty space where Gasol was hiding.
"Golden Disk?"
Gasol was forced to reappear. He leaped aside, narrowly avoiding the massive hand of sand trying to grab him.
He glanced upward. Floating high above the auction venue was a massive golden disk, rotating slowly.
It was like an all-seeing eye in the sky, perceiving everything.
"I see... That's why, even with my Observation Haki concealment and my Devil Fruit power, I couldn't escape detection."
Realization dawned on him. Without further hesitation, he sprinted straight toward the giant Yarukimang tree at the heart of District 1.
The Golden Disk must have a limit to its scanning range. If he could climb higher or put enough distance between them, he could shake off his pursuers.
It was undeniably a correct assessment.
However, Azir made no move to chase him, choosing instead to let him flee.
"Too bad... I realized too late."
Gasol moved swiftly. As a Lizard-type Zoan user, his climbing ability was exceptional.
In less than a minute, he had already scaled to the very top of the massive redwood tree.
Crouching among the thick branches, his body once again merged perfectly with the environment, disappearing entirely from view.
"Hmph! This time, I'd like to see how you track me!"
____________________
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