"Nia, I'm coming to help!"
Seeing Nia give it everything she had but fail to land a single hit on her opponent, Bepo jumped out, ready to rush over and support her.
"No, no, there's no need!"
Pekoms grabbed Bepo and held him back.
"Why not? Nia isn't a match for him at all! You two should join in, too!"
Bepo grabbed Pekoms and Shakky, preparing to drag them over to help Nia.
"You idiot! Can't you tell?"
Pekoms shook off Bepo's paw and couldn't help scolding him.
"He's teaching her in the middle of a fight!"
"Huh? Is that what's happening?"
Bepo scratched his head and looked at the two fighting over there.
Although Nia was clearly at a disadvantage and couldn't hurt her opponent, he still wasn't fighting seriously.
"Of course! They're siblings!"
"Wait, they're siblings? This bear didn't notice."
"Didn't you notice how much they look alike? Anyone can tell they're family at a glance!"
"Sorry..."
Bepo lowered his head.
"Now's not the time to apologize!"
Pekoms slapped Bepo hard on the back.
"Let's leave this to them. Shakky and I will go check on Captain Rod and the others. Bepo, keep an eye on Luo."
"Luo looks like he's in trouble! The captain trained him too hard before, and he's covered in injuries!"
Seeing Luo in a precarious position under his opponent's assault, Bepo turned pale with alarm.
"I'm coming to help! Luo!"
"What the heck is 'Luo'..."
After one last quip, Pekoms glanced at both battlefields, then he and Shakky hurried toward the northern district of Tiger Shark Island.
"That might have been a bit much..."
Neo didn't pay attention to Pekoms and Shakky as they left. He glanced at his father, who was fighting Luo not far away, and muttered under his breath.
"Hope he didn't notice what's happening over here."
As he easily dodged Nia's attacks, Neo thought back to his childhood.
He had always admired his older sister.
In Neo's memory, his sister had been curious about everything and very bold. She would always take him wandering around, finding all kinds of fun things and tasty treats.
She had also been rebellious, never obeying their father's orders. She was always getting into one kind of trouble or another.
But their childhood had been so happy!
As they gradually grew up and began receiving the family's education, the smile on his sister's face became less frequent.
She had argued with their father more than once, until she finally left home in secret.
After that, he took her place, handling all kinds of family affairs. He also came to understand why his sister had always argued with their father.
But he didn't have the courage to leave the family without a second thought, like his sister had. He could only follow their father's arrangements and come into contact with the bottomless darkness.
Still, that was what had given him the strength to protect his sister.
If she really didn't want to return to the family, she had to at least get stronger. These seas were full of danger.
Just how much will you be able to learn, I wonder?
Neo silently thought to himself as he dodged another of Nia's attacks.
"Your ability is unusual!"
Gula clenched his fist as he watched Luo standing before him.
The Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Luo, user of the Op-Op Fruit!
As the former head of the Dawson Kingdom's intelligence service, he had naturally learned in advance about the Rod Pirates, the crew Nia was part of.
The Op-Op Fruit had stirred up a huge wave in the North Blue back in the day, drawing in many different forces.
However, after their brief exchange and his observations, he could tell that this kid hadn't yet mastered Haki.
So he was no threat!
No matter how unusual his ability was, without Haki to back it up, he was no threat.
"So, you've turned down my offer of goodwill, pirate brat!
"But the outcome won't change. Nia is coming home with me.
"And none of you will be sailing on. If you're lucky, maybe you'll have the chance to regret your choice in Impel Down!"
"You seem to have a strong prejudice against pirates," Luo replied, using the opportunity to push himself as hard as he could and squeeze out enough stamina to use his ability a few more times.
He just couldn't keep training at such high intensity after this. If something unexpected happened again, he might not be able to get into fighting shape right away.
"That's not prejudice. It's the truth!"
Gula didn't seem to be in any hurry, either. As far as he was concerned, once Vice Admiral Onigumo took care of the rest of the Rod Pirates on the island, these few remaining people wouldn't be a threat at all.
In fact, it would be better if he could avoid fighting until Vice Admiral Onigumo arrived.
If that kid just kept using his ability to evade him, it would be a nuisance.
He couldn't defeat him in a short time, either.
"Pirates are nothing but scum on the sea. Whether they set sail out of ambition or because they had no other choice, they're all a bunch of nobodies."
"Even the so-called Shichibukai are merely sheltered under the World Government."
"Our Ernest Family has served the World Government for generations. Within the World Government, we're held in even higher regard than the royal family of the Dawson Kingdom."
"Oh? Is that why you're so arrogant?"
Luo saw the arrogance on Gula's face and gave a faint sneer.
"But you so-called people in power always hold yourselves above everyone else, calling yourselves gods who look down on the world."
Luo thought of his hometown, White Town Flevance. It was the greed of the so-called nobles and royal family, and their disregard for the people's lives, that had led to the tragedy.
And the so-called World Government and Marines had turned a blind eye to it.
Who knew how many towns like Flevance there were in every corner of this world, or how many people like him?
Sooner or later, the countless people like him would gather together and unleash a force powerful enough to turn this world upside down!
And then there were people like Rod, too!
"Still, even gods flying high in the sky can be dragged down by people walking on the ground!"
Gula's expression shifted slightly at Luo's words, but he soon recovered and let out a cold laugh.
"You think you can?"
"Why don't you find out?"
A blue sphere of light instantly enveloped the area.
"ROOM! Conductor's Baton!"
The huge barbell they had been using to train on the deck rose into the air under Luo's power and hurtled toward Gula.
"A slow move like that will never hit me!"
"Shave!"
Gula's foot struck the ground, and he appeared in front of Luo in an instant. He raised his right leg high, ready to kick, while the flying barbell passed behind him.
Whoosh—
Just as Gula was about to attack, Luo vanished from in front of him, replaced by the barbell that had just flown past. Luo appeared behind him, his Kikoku aimed at Gula's back.
"Too slow!"
Gula let out a fierce shout. Rather than halt his attack, he sped up, kicking the barbell before him. The instant his foot made contact, he hooked the barbell with the top of his foot, then pivoted on his left leg and flipped his whole body around, hurling the barbell hard at Luo.
What kind of weird move was that?
Gula's counter left Luo a little frustrated. He immediately changed his planned move and swung his sword horizontally, slicing the barbell flying toward him apart.
But that gave Gula another chance to attack. He closed in on Luo again and slammed a heavy elbow at him, Haki coating his elbow.
"Ah-yah—!"
With a strange cry, Bepo dropped from the sky and landed a flying kick on Gula, sending him flying.
"Where'd this bear come from?"
Gula brushed the huge paw print from his clothes and looked at Bepo, who had suddenly barged into the fight.
"I'm a white bear!"
Bepo was furious, and once again assumed a fighting stance.
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