Detonation

"Finger Pistol!"

Just as Chen Qiang felt a wave of dizziness, the CP leader seized the opportunity, flashed before him once more, and unleashed a barrage of fingers that struck Chen Qiang's body in rapid succession.

Blood splattered instantly; Chen Qiang's body became like a sponge, riddled with holes from the piercing fingers as blood gushed out from the wounds.

Fortunately, the sharp pain snapped Chen Qiang's muddled head back to clarity. As the opponent thrust his fingers forward again, Chen Qiang lifted his feet off the ground, allowing the force of the blow to send him flying backward, which effectively helped him dodge the rest of the combo.

"You really are strong!"

After escaping the assault, Chen Qiang wiped the blood from his body and remarked with a hint of emotion.

Do not be fooled by his previous combat prowess; that had relied entirely on the strength of his own cheat. While his combat experience was extensive, it depended on who he was fighting. Against this leader, who possessed superior technique and experience, Chen Qiang had been suppressed immediately.

Even though the opponent's physical stats were not much higher than his own, Chen Qiang was essentially being dominated in the fight. Even if he tried a trade-damage strategy, he would likely be the one to suffer in the end because he could not break through the opponent's defense.

Realizing this, Chen Qiang did not hesitate. He turned and sprinted back toward the city. Even though he was extremely cautious during this retreat, the leader still managed to seize an opening, piercing a few more holes into his body.

"Heh! I wonder how long you'll last once you're buried underground?"

After fleeing all the way to the center of the city—the location of Toby's playground—Chen Qiang stopped. He looked at the leader who had caught up to him, a smile playing on his lips as he spoke.

Hearing this, the leader, who had been preparing to strike again, halted his attack. He scanned the surrounding environment and immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The plaza was filled with corpses, and among the piles of bodies were traces of gunpowder. Furthermore, Chen Qiang had installed numerous red gems along the ceiling of the cavern.

Seeing this, the leader immediately recalled the incident at the harbor. Realizing the danger, he wanted to leave, warn his subordinates to evacuate, and make his own escape.

Chen Qiang was a madman; he intended to collapse the entire cavern and destroy the whole city.

"Heh! Figured it out? Too bad it's too late!"

"Blood Tribute!"

Just as the leader realized what was happening and prepared to flee, Chen Qiang began his move, waving his hand while standing in the plaza.

In the city, which was already filled with the glow of fire, pillars of blood-red light shot up toward the ceiling of the cavern. The red gems installed there were triggered by these beams, setting off violent explosions that ignited the gunpowder hidden among the corpses, triggering a chain reaction of even more blasts.

"BOOM!"

The deafening roar of explosions echoed throughout the city. Because of the blasts, massive boulders were torn from the cavern ceiling and crashed down into the city below.

Simultaneously, the explosions on the ground rapidly destroyed the surrounding buildings, especially at the harbor—the only exit—where Chen Qiang had planted the most explosives.

As the explosions began, that area collapsed, turning the entire city into a tomb.

"Hahahaha! All of you, be buried along with this city of sin!"

Explosions continued to rock the city, and only Chen Qiang's manic laughter could be heard amidst the chaos. The CP agents, the slave traders hiding in various corners, and the slaves too terrified to resist could only flee in vain.

Alas, as the explosions progressed, their attempts to hide were futile; they were either blown apart by the blasts or crushed by the boulders falling from the cavern roof.

For a time, the city was filled with the sounds of explosions and screams.

It did not take long for the explosions to cease, and the entire city was thoroughly buried beneath the Red Line. The intensity of the blasts even caused that section of the Red Line to sink, leaving a massive crater in the center.

No one knew how much time had passed before thin trickles of blood began to seep out from the soil of the completely buried harbor. Once these trickles emerged, they flew into the air and shot off in a single direction.

Just as Chen Qiang detonated the city, the Revolutionary Army members, who had departed earlier, arrived at a small island used for temporary docking after several hours of sailing.

After a brief stop, they would transport the rescued people to islands already liberated by the Revolutionary Army, but that was a matter for another time.

Upon arrival, Sabo ordered everyone to rest and replenish the food and fresh water cached there. He walked off to the side alone, pulled out a Den Den Mushi, and made a call.

"Moshi! Moshi!" The line connected.

"Leader!"

"Is that you, Sabo? How did the operation go?"

Soon, the voice of a middle-aged man came from the other side of the Den Den Mushi—the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Luffy's father, Monkey D. Dragon.

"The operation went smoothly, but I encountered Chen Qiang during the mission!"

"The Undying Chen Qiang? Why would he be there? Didn't Kuma tell me he was dropped off near an island controlled by the Revolutionary Army?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but it seems the drop-off point was off, and he was captured by a slave ship and brought here!"

"I see! Then I assume you rescued him along the way? If he's willing, you can take him to one of our nearby bases."

"Leader, I'm not calling to report on the mission, but because of something else—something regarding Chen Qiang!"

"What is it?"

"After we met Chen Qiang, he had already broken free from the slave ship on his own and stormed into the city, where he fought Toby."

Sabo quickly recounted everything that had happened in the city to Dragon, then repeated Chen Qiang's words verbatim, as well as the actions Chen Qiang intended to take afterward.

"He really said that?"

After a moment of silence, Dragon spoke from the other side of the Den Den Mushi to confirm.