"That guy is Trafalgar Law!"
On the second-floor balcony of the main building, a figure stared intently at Rod and the others as they barged in. His gaze swept over everyone else before finally settling on Law.
"That spotted hat really hasn't changed at all!"
As if sensing the gaze on him, Law abruptly looked up at the second floor.
His dark blue coat, his ever-present mask, and that familiar aura.
"You're really keeping your cool, Gladius!"
Looking at the familiar face before him, Law wore a faint, slightly stiff smile.
The other man had once taught him, but he had also been one of the people who helped kill Mr. Corazon.
Rage at seeing another member of the Donquixote Family, the excitement of being on the verge of avenging Mr. Corazon, and a jumble of other emotions left Law unsure what expression to wear.
"You traitor! Instead of hiding in some dark hole and scraping by, you actually dare show your face in front of me—and you even destroyed the family's flag!"
Several veins bulged on Gladius's forehead, his voice thick with suppressed fury.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you. I'll just break every bone in your body, then take you back for Young Master to deal with!"
Gladius leaped straight down from the second floor, his eyes blazing with unmistakable fury.
Though he was seething, Gladius was a battle-hardened fighter and didn't lose his composure.
As he leaped, he turned the gears on his arm. Several specially made pellets shot out, appearing before Law in the blink of an eye.
"Explosive round!"
The black pellets swelled abruptly, expanding to their limit almost instantly. A moment later, a violent explosion swallowed Rod and the other two.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Amid a succession of gunshots, several bullets pierced the smoke and struck Gladius in the chest.
Too weak!
That was the thought that flashed through Gladius's mind.
Bullets that weren't coated in Armament Haki posed no threat to him. Just as he'd thought, they were nothing but ignorant brats.
Gladius merely leaned aside to dodge the bullets, then turned the gears on his arm again.
"ROOM—"
With a soft murmur, a blue sphere of light enveloped the area. Rod's body instantly switched places with one of the bullets Gladius had dodged, appearing behind him. Rod clenched his fist and swung with all his might.
BOOM!!
A violent explosion engulfed them both.
Whoosh—
The next moment, Rod appeared beside Law.
"That guy's quick to react!"
Looking toward the smoke-shrouded area, Rod's expression turned slightly grim.
Even an ordinary officer of the Donquixote Family had such excellent combat instincts. The difference in battle experience really was enormous.
"I take back what I said. You've got a little strength after all."
Gladius's voice came from within the smoke.
"But that won't change the fact that I'm going to take you down!"
As the smoke cleared, Gladius appeared before Rod and the others once more. This time, his helmet had swollen to its limit, with several cracks running across it.
"Explosive helmet!"
A terrifying explosion rang out again, sending countless sharp fragments hurtling through the air at high speed.
The steel fragments flew in every direction with terrifying force, punching through even the walls. Several underlings who had been waiting around the group, ready to rush in, were knocked down by the flying debris.
Rod snatched up a sword and swung it rapidly. A dense blur of blades blocked every fragment flying toward them.
"That's some power. It's like a high-explosive grenade, plus!"
Rod's gaze swept over the devastation around him, and his heart tightened.
After that attack, there was barely anything left intact in the entire courtyard.
"Hey, Rod. A couple of exchanges to get a feel for him is enough. Didn't we agree I'd handle this guy?"
Law spoke in a low voice, a hint of displeasure in his tone.
He wanted to be the one to start their first fight against the Donquixote Family.
"Sorry. It's been a long time since I ran into an opponent who put this much pressure on me."
Rod put away his sword and stepped aside, leaving Gladius in Law's path.
"You little brats! You're not taking Lord Gladius seriously at all!"
With his helmet blown off, Gladius's hair was revealed—a hairstyle fit for a tough guy, with every strand sticking straight up and demanding attention.
"None of you are getting away!"
Gladius's voice brimmed with barely restrained fury.
"Landmine bomb!"
At Gladius's low growl, the ground beneath Rod and the others suddenly swelled, reaching its limit in the blink of an eye.
"ROOM—"
A blue sphere of light appeared, and Rod and the others instantly reappeared in the distance. In their place, several unfortunate Donquixote Family cannon fodder took the explosion head-on.
"Scurrying around like rats."
Watching his own men get blown to pieces without a change in expression, Gladius turned his gaze toward the spot where Rod and the others had reappeared.
"But it's all pointless. This is my home turf!"
The ground swelled like a balloon. The instant Rod and the others appeared, a terrible explosion erupted, swallowing all three of them.
"From the moment you stepped into this courtyard, your fate was already sealed."
Gladius adjusted his goggles and spoke calmly.
He had marked every part of the courtyard with his ability.
That meant anything in the courtyard could become an explosive. It didn't matter where his enemies ran; they couldn't escape.
"He started it, so don't say I'm stealing your opponent, Law!"
Rod's booming voice came from within the smoke. A gust of wind swept through, dispersing the smoke and revealing all three of them.
Apart from their slightly rumpled clothes, they didn't have a scratch on them.
They had undergone grueling training since childhood. Bombs of this caliber couldn't faze them.
Rod grabbed a sword from somewhere and gave it a casual swing, quickly getting a feel for the weapon. A hint of fighting spirit flickered in his eyes.
As expected of an enemy from the New World. This guy ought to give him a good fight.
"I'll still be the one to start our first fight against the Donquixote Family."
Law stepped forward and stared straight at Gladius.
After testing him just now, he had a pretty good idea of what he was up against.
His opponent was strong—far stronger than anyone in the North Blue ought to be.
But he could be beaten!
Judging by the abilities his opponent had shown, he mainly relied on explosions and the projectiles they produced to inflict damage.
So long as Law kept the right distance and seized the gaps between his attacks, he could decide the battle in one move.
"ROOM—"
A pale blue circle once more enveloped the battlefield.
Thanks to book friend 20210406190233215 for the tip!
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