"Wait, wait, Drake!"
At this point, Barrels didn't care about being angry at his "wonderful" son. Desperately suppressing his panic, he quickly said, "I don't understand what you're talking about! I don't have anything that Lord Ian wants!"
Drake frowned deeply at his foolish father. "Don't make me repeat myself, father. Hand over the Ope Ope no Mi."
Barrels opened his mouth but couldn't speak.
He knows everything!
Fear gripped his heart like an invisible hand, freezing the blood in his veins. A wave of cold terror swept through him, but ironically, as the chill set in, sweat began to pour from his body. His back was soon drenched in cold sweat.
Clutching his chest tightly with his left hand, he hurriedly pleaded, "Wait, wait, Drake! Do you even know how much this Devil Fruit is worth?"
Stretching out his right hand with fingers spread wide, he frantically explained, "Five billion Berries! It's worth five billion Berries! With that kind of money, why would we continue being pirates? The two of us could retire to an island and live like kings! Isn't that far better than risking our lives for Ian?"
Drake withdrew his hand and sighed, looking at his father. "You'll never understand."
Over the past two years, Drake had seen it all clearly. The territories under the Beasts Pirates, governed by Ian, were thriving, especially with the rapid development of industry and the economy. The lands could only be described as flourishing.
Lord Ian was a man who sought to reshape the very order of this world.
"Since you're unwilling to give it to me, I'll just take it myself."
Drake spoke calmly.
Who would have known, the next moment, Barrels showed a fierce expression, "I don't need a disobedient son! Die, Drake!"
He immediately drew a handgun and without hesitation pulled the trigger at Drake.
The pirates around Barrels, belatedly realizing what was happening, also pulled out their guns and opened fire, a barrage of bullets instantly heading towards Drake.
But then…
Ding ding ding ding ding!
All the bullets were deflected the moment they touched Drake.
At this moment, Drake slowly spoke, "Iron block."
"Iron block?"
Barrels's face changed drastically.
Then, he heard a voice.
"Shave."
The scene before his eyes blurred, and a large hand grabbed his face. Barrels didn't even have time to react before he was lifted up and then slammed heavily onto the ground.
The solid floor was shattered into pieces.
Barrels's mind went blank, feeling as though his spine might snap from the impact.
Then, he heard another voice.
"Tempest Kick."
Drake, with an indifferent expression, swung his leg in a full circle, sending a mighty, sweeping circular slash that sent all the surrounding pirates flying.
Then, the slash kept going, directly slicing the entire castle in half.
The already crumbling castle couldn't withstand the impact and collapsed with a thunderous roar.
Smoke mixed with falling snow. Amid the collapsed ruins, only Drake stood firm, unaffected by the crumbling walls and ceiling above him.
He quietly gazed down at the blood-spitting Barrels before him.
"I told you, you wouldn't want to know the consequences of deceiving Lord Ian."
Drake bent down, removing the hand his father had still fiercely placed over his chest. He opened the small box inside, confirming that it contained the Ope-Ope no Mi. Carefully, Drake placed the box in his chest.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked away.
Goodbye, Father. And goodbye, my sense of justice.
In the snowstorm, Drake gradually disappeared into the distance.
Next, it was time to head back.
Landing was easy, but taking off from the snow-covered ground wasn't simple.
Fortunately, it wasn't too difficult either.
Drake repeatedly used his Tempest Kick, clearing the entire area in front of the aircraft.
With the ground now clear, taking off was no longer a problem.
Then, with a roar, the aircraft took off.
The altitude gradually increased as the scenery of Minion Island receded like the wind.
Just as he was about to leave the island...
Swoosh!!
A blinding light suddenly appeared on the horizon.
Drake instinctively changed direction.
The light was a slash—a long-range, exaggerated flying slash, almost like a laser, too difficult to dodge.
The front of the aircraft was directly cut off, and the propeller was sliced off and sent flying.
The plane, lacking the power to continue climbing, could no longer ascend. Drake calmly controlled the aircraft and began an emergency descent, heading toward the coastline from where he came.
Just before crashing into the sea, Drake opened the cockpit door and jumped out.
This aircraft, of course, wasn't equipped with an ejection seat, nor did it even have a parachute.
After all...
Bang, bang, bang.
Drake lightly landed on the snow-covered coastline, stepping through the air.
Moon Walk!
He calmly pulled out a green can marked with an "X" but didn't use it immediately.
"Bomber Drake! Don't even think about running!!"
From a nearby hill, a figure leaped out.
Drake raised an eyebrow.
He recognized this woman.
Wasn't she the Navy Rear Admiral Gion, who was captured by Lord Ian two years ago?
She sure got here fast.
It would have been great if the Navy had been just as quick when they were hunting pirates instead of when they were helping the Celestial Dragons steal things.
However, it seemed that it wasn't just the Navy.
Drake turned around.
On the other side of the mountain top, a man wrapped in a feathered cloak had appeared. His expression was serious as he muttered to himself, "Hey, no way, why would Drake show up here?"
Everyone knew that Drake was an officer aboard the Golden Dragon.
If he was here, that could only mean—
"Where is Ian?"
Gion didn't even glance at Doflamingo or the members of the Donquixote family behind him, instead looking down from her elevated position at Drake.
The humiliation from two years ago was something she could never forget.
Drake lifted his head and saw behind the mountain at Gion's feet, naval soldiers flooding out like a tide.
And now, the real heavyweight figures were making their entrance.
"Doffy... is that really—"
On the opposite mountain, Trebol exclaimed in shock, "Black Arm Zephyr!"
Wasn't the person stepping out from behind Gion none other than former Admiral Zephyr of the Navy?
Even more surprising, there was Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had once pursued them relentlessly, standing by his side!
Doflamingo's face turned as dark as a storm cloud.
Though he had already received word about the Navy's reinforcements from Vergo, it wasn't until now that he realized that Black Arm Zephyr had come specifically to deal with Ian!
Vergo's position was still too low for him to access the Navy's real secrets.
"Doflamingo, the naughty child should go home."
From the mountain, Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke calmly.
"Hehehehe!"
Doflamingo laughed loudly in response. "Leaving now would be such a shame, wouldn't it? It looks like something interesting is about to happen here."
The Navy?
He wasn't afraid.
Did they even understand the true value of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
The Navy? They were nothing but lapdogs, bound by the rules set by the Celestial Dragons.
Don't mention the former admiral or the Navy's chief staff officer; even if a Fleet admiral was here, he wouldn't be afraid.
"Good show? Is someone about to perform a play here?"
A soft laugh descended from the sky. The voice wasn't loud, but it overpowered the swirling snow and wind, causing everyone to unconsciously look up.
Drake let out a sigh of relief.
Finally, they've arrived.
"Finally here, huh?"
Zephyr adjusted his glasses.
He gazed upward at the figures descending from the sky.
The main act was finally about to begin.
"Ian the Skyfire!"
He stared at the boy.
The boy also stared back at him.
"Black Arm Zephyr."
How could this guy be here?
**********
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