"Gungnir's Spear!"
The Lightning Dragon transformed into a spear blazing with lightning. Blue runes lit up as it pierced through Niji and Ichiji's chests with lethal intent. From beginning to end, Yake had remained where he stood. Ichiji and Niji died without ever touching him.
"I heard they were your brothers. I killed three of your brothers. Don't you hate me for it?" Yake asked tentatively.
Reiju's expression did not change. She merely tore off the headphones she wore and threw them to the ground.
"From the day they were born, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji were already dead. The ones alive were nothing more than powerful monsters."
"I understand. Take me to see Judge." Yake understood Reiju's thoughts now. No wonder he had believed Germa should disappear after hearing Sanji's family's story in the anime. It seemed Reiju had held that thought for a long time.
"Follow me."
Reiju walked ahead, with Yake following behind as he observed the kingdom.
By the time they reached the main hall, Judge was already standing fully armed before the throne.
"Reiju, you betrayed me, but that no longer matters. What matters is you, God Yake. We seemed to have no grudge against each other, yet you killed three of my sons. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Judge said, suppressing his fury. The enemy before him was indeed beyond his ability to handle, especially now that his three powerful sons, who had served as his muscle, were dead.
"I came here today for Germa's cloning technology and research personnel. So submit, Vinsmoke Judge!" Yake slowly rose into the sky and looked down at Judge from above.
Judge knew his cloning technology was highly desirable. Even the Four Emperors who ruled the New World had expressed interest in it. Yet he had not expected someone coveting his technology to arrive so soon.
"Damn you, Yake! Do you think you've truly got me cornered? Reiju! Kill him!" Judge ordered Reiju behind Yake.
"I'm sorry, Lord Yake. I can't resist Father's orders. I..." Reiju said apologetically. From the moment she was born, Judge's will had been implanted into her Lineage Factor. Although she still possessed normal human emotions, she had no choice but to obey Judge's commands.
"I know. Get some sleep first." Yake waved his hand, showing that he did not mind. He unleashed a powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki, knocking Reiju unconscious.
"Now, it's just the two of us, Judge." As Yake spoke, a layer of Lightning Armor gradually covered his body. He intended to properly educate this scum who did not even know how to be a father.
"What useless trash. Looks like I have to do this myself," Judge cursed under his breath. Activating his battle suit, he fired bursts of air from the boots beneath his feet and closed in on Yake in the blink of an eye.
"Before lightning, you're still far too slow..." Yake punched Judge in the face, holding back quite a bit to avoid accidentally killing him.
Judge was sent flying back the way he had come from Yake's punch. Before he could crash into the wall, Yake flashed behind him and sent him flying again with a savage dragon-tail kick.
After Yake's one-sided beating, Judge lay on the ground, unable to get back up. His entire body was covered in bruises, his face had been beaten into a pig's head, and he kept twitching from the lightning paralyzing him.
However, because Yake had held back, he was still alive for the moment. His injuries merely looked severe.
Yake walked over to Judge, planted a foot on his chest, and gathered a ball of lightning in his right hand.
"Submit, or die!"
"I'm the king of a World Government member nation. You can't kill me..." Judge still clung to a sliver of hope.
"I killed Celestial Dragons."
"I submit... Don't kill me, Lord Yake!" Judge immediately caved. He had nearly forgotten that this guy had become famous for killing Celestial Dragons.
"Wouldn't it have been better if you'd done that from the start? Come on, get up." Yake helped Judge to his feet and even brushed the dust off him.
"This is my gift to you." A petite Lightning Serpent appeared in Yake's hand and burrowed into Judge's chest.
"You... What did you do to me?" Judge relaxed slightly after discovering no immediate abnormalities in his body.
Yake snapped his fingers. Lightning burst across Judge's body, making him twitch grotesquely before he began frantically scratching himself.
"Ah!! It's so itchy! What did you do? Undo it, quickly! I've submitted! I really submitted, ah!" Judge rubbed his body against the floor until he was bloody and mangled, as though that could ease the itch consuming him.
Yake snapped his fingers again, finally ending Judge's torment.
Judge lay on the ground, drenched in cold sweat. He never wanted to experience that again.
The Lightning Serpent Curse created an unbearable itching sensation by sending mild electric currents through the entire body.
"A tool to prevent betrayal." Yake smiled, but to Judge, it was undoubtedly a demon's smile.
Judge humbly knelt on the ground, all of his former arrogance gone.
"What can I do for you, Lord God Yake?"
Yake nodded in satisfaction. At least Judge knew what was good for him.
"First, Germa will belong to the Yake Pirates from this day onward;
Second, devote all efforts to advancing research into Pluton Weapons technology;
Third, remove Reiju's Lineage Factor restrictions. She will become a member of our pirate crew."
Yake scratched his head. He could not think of anything else for the moment. In any case, Judge would never dare make any more underhanded moves. He could simply notify him whenever something came up.
"That's all for now. First, remove Reiju's Lineage Factor control for me." Yake glanced at the still-unconscious Reiju.
"Well, about that, I..." Judge hesitated, as though he had something difficult to say.
"If you have something to say, say it." Yake spoke impatiently.
"Fine. Because of the Lineage Factor, Reiju must obey me unless all the blood in her body is replaced with yours. So I..." Judge said through gritted teeth. This involved the secret of the Lineage Factor.
"Hm? Is that so? What will happen after the replacement?" Yake frowned.
"She'll have to obey your commands. Whatever you order, she must carry it out!"
Yake fell silent. After a long while...
"Fine. Start the blood replacement. I'm warning you not to try anything." Yake raised a hand in the motion of preparing to snap his fingers, and Judge quickly shrank back.
Yake picked up the unconscious Reiju and followed Judge to the research laboratory.
The blood replacement apparatus had already been installed. Next, Yake's blood would be transfused into Reiju. There was no need to worry about Yake lacking blood; a strong person's blood-producing ability was no joke.
Yake sat quietly and waited for the blood replacement. Once it was complete, the Vinsmoke Family's restraints on Reiju would be completely removed.
"Is it finished?" Yake opened his eyes. Judge was directing the researchers to remove the apparatus.
"Yes, Lord Yake. Reiju now obeys only you completely." Judge smiled obsequiously.
"You didn't secretly keep any of my blood, did you, Judge?" Yake suddenly asked.
"No, no, absolutely not, Lord Yake, ah! Don't, ah~" Judge began scratching at his body again, letting out agonized cries.
Only after seeing that Judge's expression did not appear fake did Yake let him go. He did not want a scientist like Judge secretly researching his blood.
"Take the ship to Sagunto Island. I'm going to pick up my crew."
"Yes, yes, yes, Lord Yake," Judge agreed repeatedly.