The Fearless Fist, Self-Directed and Self-Performed

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~, Straw Hat Luffy!"

"So, you managed to track me all the way here. Looks like you took down Monet too."

After his initial panic, Caesar regained his composure. Because—

"See these Image Den Den Mushi? Everything here is transmitted to the powerful in the New World through them, which means:"

Caesar stepped forward triumphantly.

"Do you know how big of a mess you've made, Straw Hat Kid!"

"Your Straw Hat crew has allied with Law, right? But do you know Law's purpose? — He wants to destroy the 'SAD' production factory here. Only I, the genius, can make that stuff, so he also wants to kidnap me!"

"And the 'SAD' I produced was transformed into Artificial Zoan Devil Fruit called 'SMILE' in the factory of Donquixote Doflamingo, the most dangerous man in the Shichibukai."

These are all open secrets in the Underworld, and also Caesar's 'protective charm'. However, the Straw Hat Kid in front of him clearly doesn't know this information, so Caesar must make this 'hothead' understand the consequences of provoking him!

"These Artificial Devil Fruit are crucial resources for trading with the bigwigs of the New World. — One of the Four Emperors has already used these to build a hundred-strong army of Devil Fruit users!!"

"Now do you understand? Straw Hat Kid, you dare to cause trouble here, and you don't know how many big shots in the New World you've angered."

The more Caesar spoke, the more 'confident' and arrogant he became, as he opened his arms wide!

Luffy had already calmly closed his eyes.

"You want to kidnap this genius? Go ahead and try! This genius is right here!"

"This genius has someone protecting him. Doflamingo, the Four Emperors, you dare touch me—"

BOOM!!!

A fist covered in Armament Haki slammed into Caesar's face! In an instant, it shattered his 'Gas Armor' and dented Caesar's face! Blood spurted out, along with flying teeth.

"I'm going to beat up people like you!!!"

Boom boom boom—

In an instant, Caesar, sent flying backward, repeatedly used his gas powers to cushion his fall, but he still managed to create hole after hole in the steel walls! After smashing through countless rooms and buildings:

"You~ idiot!!"

The drafty words came from the dark hole; it was Caesar's furious roar.

"Do you even know what you're doing?! You're going to be hunted down by Doflamingo and even the Four Emperors... Oh, right, Doflamingo sent a monster here, and that's Vergo!"

In the midst of the crisis, Caesar disregarded the fact that his 'live broadcast' would expose Doflamingo's spy planted in the Navy, and instead used bluster to intimidate Luffy.

"His Armament Haki is unmatched! Neither Smoker nor Law are a match for him, and neither are your companions—"

"Excuse me, is this where the base owner is located?"

A man dressed in a naval officer's coat walked in, followed by two six-legged 'coffins,' and inside the coffins bound were:

A serious-looking man with Inazuma- shaped sideburns on both sides of his face; and a beautiful woman with long, wavy green hair.

"Vergo!? Monet— "

"White dove..."

In an instant, the black hole pierced by Caesar fell silent.

This is candidate Admiral. His own backing might intimidate others, but it won't intimidate the Navy! — In fact, by colluding with the Shichibukai and the Four Emperors, the Navy has even more reason to kill him, right?

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~"

However, a few seconds later, a chilling laugh echoed from the hole Caesar had created. Because:

Puff!!

Puff!!

Puff!!

Puff!!

Purple poison gas suddenly shot out from the ventilation ducts in the four corners of the hall. It was the mixed poison gas known as the 'Death Country' that was raging throughout Punk Hazard.

"What... what is this?!"

"Master, poison gas has entered—"

"Who did this? Who opened the ventilation ducts!"

"Don't panic,"

With his face covered in blood, missing teeth and a broken nose, Caesar flew back through the large hole in the wall, his expression both comical and ferocious.

"I did it."

"I opened the ventilation ducts and let the toxic gas flow back into here."

"Master... Master?!"

"Then what... what should we do...?"

The guards had already seen the lethality of the poison gas on their monitors—even though many of those affected outside were their colleagues.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~ Who cares about you guys!"

Now that things have come to this, Caesar is no longer going to hide it.

"Who cares if hundreds of you guinea pigs die? This genius can easily find a whole bunch of replacements!"

What? Could it be...?

Tea Beard, is this what you wanted to say?

We'd all been fooled. The so-called kind scientist 'master' was just...

"What kind of look is that?"

With a wave of his hand, Caesar absorbed the toxic gas that was seeping in from the ventilation duct into his body! In an instant, Caesar, who was only three meters tall, transformed into a seven- or eight-meter-tall 'little giant'!

His body was composed of purple poison, the words "Dead Kingdom" engraved on his chest signifying the power of the poison, and the solidified "crown" on his head representing Caesar's ambition.

Brush,

With a mere wave of his hand, the guards in the hall were swept across by Caesar's enormous poisonous hand, instantly turning into a group of despairing statues! Only the blood and tears streaming from their eyes represented their resentment.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~ This is my true power, I am invincible!"

This super-toxic substance, along with the hundreds of layers of 'poisonous armor' that came with its massive body... all made Caesar feel incredibly powerful!

Faced with Caesar's outburst of madness, Roman, who was watching the show, merely raised his eyelids.

Again, assassins, a second transformation, an invincible declaration... Can't you villainous bosses come up with something new? Are you all in such a rush to your deaths?

Brush,

Luffy silently turned and ran towards the passage opposite.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh, pirates are pirates! Go deal with that Straw Hat later, but you—"

Feeling smug about his success, Caesar turned to Roman, who was wearing a naval officer's coat, and pondered how to use this heavyweight naval figure to curry favor with one of the Four Emperors...

"I want to see what the Navy will do if the so-called 'candidate Admiral' is captured..."

In response to Caesar's taunts, Roman simply stood there with his arms crossed.

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself."

?!

"Gear Third!!"

His resolute voice echoed from the Luffy had run into, and at the same time Luffy himself leaped out! Only his two arms remained in the tunnel—two enormous arms covered in Armament Haki!

!??

I never want to see your face again!

Using children for experiments, controlling them with poison, deceiving and manipulating subordinates, wantonly killing comrades... these are all things Luffy hates the most!

With Luffy's angry shout came two giant fists that suddenly snapped back, resembling tiger claws.

"Gomu Gomu no Grizzly Magnum!"

Boom!!

With a deafening roar, Caesar, who was about to say something, was struck head-on by a barrage of punches covered in Armament Haki. He lost control once again and crashed into the wall behind him.

The impact was unparalleled; the indescribable shock and roar instantly reverberated throughout the entire testing base! The walls and ceiling behind Caesar twisted, deformed, dented, bulged, cracked, and collapsed as if made of paper!

Huge fragments flew everywhere like cannonballs, and in an instant, the giant-like 'Dead Kingdom Caesar' vanished without a trace! The entire laboratory located in the mountain collapsed with a deafening roar.

Amidst the billowing dust, a beam of light pierced through the enormous void where Caesar had vanished. The force of that punch had penetrated the experimental base, which was hundreds of meters thick!

Building ruins and concrete and steel bars poured down like a waterfall, seemingly about to completely bury the entire hall, but suddenly stopped falling as if by some invisible force, and even dust and toxic gas could not penetrate in.

"Momo - Weightless World!"

As Roman raised his hand, the mountainside that Luffy had blasted through suddenly stopped! All the debris, steel bars, and cement were suspended in the air. At the same time, the spread of poison gas was suppressed.

This is the product of the fusion of the 'Float-Float Fruit ability' obtained from Golden Lion and the 'Heavy Ability' of Fujitora.

"Wow, Luo—"

Brush,

The instant Luffy, Roman glanced at the remaining Den Den Mushi in the hall, and they all instantly lost consciousness. After his Observation Haki combined with Armament Haki precisely severed the signal, Roman sighed.

"I told you not to call me that in front of outsiders... Never mind, I didn't expect you to keep any secrets anyway, Luffy."

"It really was you,"

Luo, carrying the 'Kikoku', walked in at some point.

"A dignified candidate Admiral, actually a pirate... Is there anything more outrageous in the world?! What exactly are you planning to 'infiltrate' the Straw Hat crew?"

Before Roman could even speak in response to Law's questioning, Luffy angrily stepped in front of him.

"Roman is my partner! He's not some undercover agent!"

"Boss Luffy, don't you have any thoughts about the fact that your advisor is a Marine Admiral?"

Faced with Law's words, Luffy stroked his chin and thought about it seriously.

"No, my grandfather was also in the navy."

... The Staff of Mad!

"Forget it, let's not talk about this."

Luo sighed and changed the subject.

"Where is Caesar?"

"Ah, I blasted him and the wall over there together."

What the heck is this?

"Hey! You little brat... what happened to the kidnapping?!"

Luffy wore a displeased expression as he faced the furious Law.

"I hate those bastards the most. What's the point of capturing them? They're not even worth mentioning!"

?!

My heart aches so much; it must be the injury from when Vergo choked me.

"I was so stupid! I shouldn't have trusted you! Hurry up and chase after them!"

Watching Law rush out through the giant hole in the wall, Roman shrugged. Let that guy worry about Luffy; Roman had 'important business' to attend to.

"Luffy!"

"You're all here~~"

"Roman? Weren't you going to disguise your identity...?"

Guided by the white dove, the others also gathered, including the White Knight, while Roman pointed to the giant hole Luffy had created.

"Perfect timing, Luffy has provided everyone with a 'shortcut'."

Because it is supported by Roman's 'Weightless World', this passage is safe.

"Everyone, leave this place. This lab will soon be overrun by the poison. As for me—"

After straightening his collar, Roman, who stood as straight as a javelin, cleared his throat.

"Ahem, candidate Admiral 'White Dove' is here,"

With a flick of his navy overcoat, Roman's stern gaze swept over everyone present. His upright and imposing presence befitted a naval admiral!

"Straw Hat crew Pirates, just surrender!"

Quiet--

Then:

"Ha ha ha ha!!"

"I can't take it anymore, my stomach hurts so much..."

"It actually looks quite convincing."

"Hehehe, can I borrow your coat for a bit?"

"What are you laughing at!"

Roman, his hair slick with black lines, gritted his teeth.

"Seriously, all of you! Can't you even act?! Believe me or not, I 'Nami cut off your allowances!"

"I understand, I understand!"

The silly kids immediately nodded obediently.

"Hahaha—buddies, the 'navy' is coming! Let's run!"

As Luffy led the group, laughing and joking, the Marines from the G-5 branch arrived, only to find:

"White candidate Admiral?!"

"The Straw Hat crew were driven away by 'White Dove' all by herself?"

"We're saved!"

That's such exaggerated acting. No, wait, isn't that how the Straw Hat crew always acts? Rolling his eyes, Roman Guotou to look at the naval commander leading the G-5 branch.

"Vice Admiral Smoker, gather the men and prisoners, let's evacuate as well."