RUMBLE————!!!
Without warning, the active volcano at the center of Little Garden let out a world-shaking roar. Billowing thick smoke pierced the clouds, and glowing magma painted half the sky crimson.
For the two kings of this primordial island, this was no disaster warning; it was the signal for a sacred ritual that had persisted for a century.
"Gah-hah-hah-hah!!"
Beside the massive pile of bones, Blue Ogre Dorry set down his gargantuan piece of roasted meat, wiped the grease from his mouth with a broad hand, and stood up laughing. His mountain-like frame cast a colossal shadow over the clearing.
He grabbed his notched giant sword and shield, looking down at Luffy. "Guest! I must go to battle! This is the summons of the gods of Elbaf!"
Luffy looked up at the giant's heroic silhouette, his eyes sparkling. This brand of manliness—ignoring everything else to fight purely for honor—shook him to his core. "Oh! Go for it, Old Man! You have to win!"
Dorry laughed boisterously, reaching for the massive wine barrel by his feet—the gift Luffy had brought him earlier. He intended to take a victory swig before departing.
However, no one noticed. Deep in the shadows of the jungle, a sleazy man with a "3"-shaped hairstyle was pushing up his glasses with a sinister glint.
Mr. 3 (The Candle Man).
He had been lurking for a long time, using his Wax-Wax Fruit powers to create microscopic, undetectable wax flakes mixed into the barrel. Those seemingly ordinary flakes were, in reality, high-concentration volatile explosives.
"Hehehe... drink up, you stupid giant. With just one gulp, your internal organs will be blown to smithereens." Mr. 3's lips curled into a cruel arc as he waited for that "splendid" moment.
Just as Dorry tilted his head back, about to pour the "spiced" wine into his maw—
Swish—!!
A black afterimage plummeted from the canopy above. Before Dorry could react, Viktor's silhouette sliced a sharp arc through the air.
"HA!!"
Viktor delivered a heavy, concentrated kick to the bottom of the massive barrel.
BAM!
The barrel flew out of the giant's hand, soaring high into the sky. A split second later—
BOOOOOOM!!!!!
A massive explosion rocked the jungle. The seemingly harmless wine barrel erupted violently in mid-air, transforming into a gargantuan orange fireball. The terrifying shockwave snapped the branches of nearby trees, and burning wood splinters rained down like hail.
Dorry froze, his hand still held in a drinking pose, staring blankly at the fireworks in the sky. Had that kick been half a second slower, that fireball would have erupted inside his stomach.
Tap.
Viktor landed gracefully on the ground, dusting off his clothes. He looked up at the bewildered giant and said with a smirk, "Big guy, if you don't check the labels on your drinks... they can be quite lethal."
"WH—?!!" Luffy finally processed what happened. Looking at the flames in the sky, his temper exploded. "A bomb?! There was a bomb in the wine?!"
"VIKTOR!! Who did it?! I'm gonna kick their ass!!"
"Despicable coward..." Dorry's face darkened as he gripped his giant sword.
Yet, the volcano in the distance continued to erupt—the signal for the duel was still active. Even after a brush with death, even knowing someone was targeting his life from the shadows, Dorry's gaze turned resolute once more.
"No matter which despicable coward it was..." Dorry began to march toward the dueling grounds, his voice steady as thunder.
"The volcano has erupted! This is the sacred duel of warriors! No reason can stop me from keeping my appointment!"
"Hey! Old Man! You're hurt! The explosion caught you!" Luffy shouted.
"What of it? Honor is more important than life! Gah-hah-hah!" Dorry laughed, walking away without looking back.
Viktor frowned, about to chase after him to intervene. Suddenly, a hand reached out and clamped firmly onto Viktor's shoulder. Luffy stood with his head lowered, his straw hat shadowing his eyes, but his hand was trembling slightly.
"Let him go... Viktor." Luffy's voice was low, carrying an unquestionable authority. "This is... a warrior's duel."
Viktor looked at Luffy, remaining silent for a few seconds.
"...Fine." Viktor sighed, but the red light in his eyes grew sharper. "You're the Captain. You call the shots."
"However..." Viktor turned toward the seemingly calm shadows of the deep jungle, a cold smile touching his lips. "While we can't interfere in the duel, those little mice causing trouble behind the scenes... we can't just ignore them."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
At the other end of the jungle, the earth-shaking collisions had already begun.
"Ha!! Again, Brogy!!" "Geg-gya-gya! Dorry! I'm making you concede today!!"
Every clash of the giants' weapons sent out shockwaves that could level peaks. All of Little Garden shuddered under the force.
Meanwhile.
"Hehehe... found you, Straw Hat crew."
From the bushes, two familiar figures emerged. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, who had been taught a lesson by Viktor previously, were staring at the battlefield and the Straw Hats with venomous eyes. Called in by Mr. 3 for support, their eyes shimmered with the light of revenge.
"While the giants are fighting, we'll take them all out at once!"
But deeper still, inside a hidden cabin constructed entirely of white wax—
Mr. 3 was leisurely sipping tea, convinced his plan was foolproof. "That red-eyed brat is sharp, but inside my 'Candle House,' all scents and presence are sealed. He can't find me."
"When the giants are both injured, I'll reap the rewards and turn them all into wax statues! Hehehe!"
However.
Rustle...
The sound of leaves rubbing together was extremely faint above his head. Viktor was darting through the canopy, his dark silhouette almost melding with the shadows of the trees. Suddenly, he stopped on the trunk of a massive tree.
Viktor looked down, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan instantly locking onto the patch of "empty" grass below. To an ordinary person, there was nothing there.
But to the eyes of the Uchiha, that nauseating wax energy was as conspicuous as a torch in the night. It had nowhere to hide.
"Heh..." Viktor let out a disdainful smirk. "Finally found you, mouse hiding in your shell."
He stood on the branch, his hands weaving signs like butterflies fluttering through flowers. "Hide and seek is over."
Viktor took a deep breath, chakra surging to his throat.
[Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!]
Puff! Puff! Puff!
As Viktor exhaled, several globes of blistering fire whistled down from the canopy. These fireballs didn't travel in a straight line; under Viktor's chakra control, they seemed to have eyes of their own.
They curved through the air in eerie arcs, bypassing obstructing trees and accurately slamming into a specific point in the clearing!
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!
Flames erupted. The "empty" grass distorted instantly, revealing white wax walls. Immediately, the wax began to melt under the high heat.
"WAAGH!! HOT!! HOT-HOT-HOT!!"
With a shrill scream, a man with a burning "3" hairstyle rolled out of the camouflage, his backside on fire and covered in soot.
"Who?! Who burned my masterpiece?!" Mr. 3 roared, his face blackened.
The only answer he received was a black silhouette descending from the sky, and a pair of eyes shimmering with an eerie red light amidst the smoke.
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