The World Government's Hidden Pawn

Seeing that her flame attack was ineffective, Stella hesitated no longer. Her body suddenly swelled.

With a burst of pink smoke, the small, adorable white fox vanished instantly, replaced by a colossal demon fox with satin-like fur and nine fluffy tails dancing behind her like clouds at sunset. The oppressive presence of her enormous body seemed to make even the surrounding Kong air stagnate.

Having transformed into her largest form, Stella let out a low fox cry, raised a forepaw, and viciously swiped it down at Boom.

She was confident that with her current strength, even a sturdy stone house would be reduced to rubble in an instant by this strike.

Facing the giant claw descending like Mount Tai itself, a fierce glint flashed through Boom's eyes. Instead of dodging, he took a deep breath, and his shriveled muscles abruptly swelled as though inflated.

"[Iron Body]!"

"Clang—!!!"

The giant claw slammed into Boom's body, producing a booming sound like a heavy hammer striking a massive bell. Violent shockwaves spread outward in a ring from the point of impact, even tearing up the turf.

The ground beneath Boom's feet cracked inch by inch. The immense force shoved him backward for more than ten meters, his feet plowing two deep trenches into the earth.

But he had blocked it!

Relying on his battle-hardened Iron Body, he had forcibly endured Stella's terrifyingly powerful strike.

"Hmph!"

Boom grunted as he dispersed the impact, murderous light blazing in his eyes. He used Soru again, vanishing from where he stood like a ghost. In the next instant, he had appeared before the giant demon fox's chest and abdomen.

"[Finger Pistol: Exploding Core]!"

He held his fingers together like a sword and thrust a fierce Finger Pistol straight at Stella's abdomen. Yet just as his fingertips were about to touch her snow-white fur, the Kong air before them seemed to ignite under an invisible force, suddenly exploding violently.

"Boom!"

Stella had never expected such an attack. Her huge body had no time to evade, and she took the explosive Finger Pistol head-on.

The violent shockwave detonated across her chest and abdomen. Her white fur was instantly scorched black over a large area, and her massive body was blasted backward, rolling across the ground as she let out a pained whimper.

"That's enough. Let me handle this."

Seeing Stella struggling to rise and fight again, Dawn immediately stopped her.

Stella gave an unwilling low growl, but she still obediently retreated to the side. Light flickered across her body as she returned to her little white fox form, though her aura was somewhat weak and the blackened scorch mark on her chest and abdomen was particularly glaring.

Dawn stepped forward and faced Boom from afar. His eyes were as cold as polar Ice as they locked tightly onto his opponent.

"I never expected it... The one controlling the West Blue's largest gunpowder production site was actually an undercover agent planted in the Underworld by the World Government."

Life Return, the Six Powers... These were not things an ordinary underworld faction leader should possess. If he was a member of the World Government, then everything made sense.

That also explained why the other major figures of the Underworld, despite coveting the profits here, had never made a move against Boom.

Dawn's thoughts became increasingly clear. Boom was indeed powerful, but if those true underworld giants were willing to pay any price and employ unconventional methods, such as the biochemical weapons developed by Caesar, they might not be unable to deal with him.

In the original story, Capone Bege had once planned to assassinate Big Mom with poison gas weapons. Moral boundaries?

That was never something people of the Underworld would consider. The only explanation for why they had not acted was that the cost of touching Boom was more than they could bear—for instance, directly facing the World Government's wrath.

When Boom heard Dawn expose his identity, a trace of surprise flashed across his face. But he quickly regained his composure and even admitted it openly.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to see through me. You have good eyes. Still, although this is no longer a secret among those true big shots, I would still ask you... to keep it secret for me."

Dawn raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

"Keep it secret? What makes you think I'd keep this secret for you?"

A cruel glint flashed through Boom's clouded eyes as he spoke as though it were only natural.

"Because... dead men cannot leak secrets. As your senior, let me give you some advice, young man... Don't talk too much with your enemies!"

"Boom!"

Without warning, the ground beneath Stella's feet swelled violently. Dirt and shattered stones exploded like a bomb.

She had no time to react. Her small body was blasted high into the air, scattering a few drops of crimson blood through Kong before crashing heavily to the ground, unable to move for the moment.

Almost at the same time.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The ground beneath Dawn's feet exploded in rapid succession, and the chain of blasts instantly swallowed his tall figure whole! Scorching shockwaves and thick smoke filled the area.

"Got him!"

A cruel, triumphant smile curled across Boom's lips. His true killing move was this awakened Devil Fruit ability, capable of remotely detonating everything around him, even Kong itself.

The earlier close-quarters fight had merely been meant to numb his opponents' senses while he secretly laid his trap.

His gaze then turned toward Robin, the only one still standing in the field. His eyes were cold as Ice and filled with killing intent.

"'Devil Child' Nico Robin... Ohara's remnant. I never expected to encounter you here. If I can kill you, the government will surely treat my son even better..."

He had pretended not to notice Robin earlier precisely to lower her guard and prepare for this surprise attack.

Boom suddenly took a deep breath, his shriveled belly swelling high like a toad's. He aimed at Robin and exhaled sharply.

"[Jet Blast]!"

A compressed Kong-air arrow, solid enough to seem tangible, shot forth with a piercing shriek.

The instant Boom's gaze fell upon her, Robin sensed the deadly danger. She immediately crossed her arms before her chest and cried out.

"[Cien Fleurs: Round Fan]!"

In an instant, dozens of fair arms appeared in layers before her, linking together to form a huge round shield made of arms.

"Boom!"

The Kong-air arrow slammed into the arm shield, causing a violent explosion. The flower-petal arms shattered and dispersed amid the blast. The enormous impact sent Robin staggering back seven or eight steps, and a sweet taste rose in her throat as a streak of fresh blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Though the arm shield had blocked the direct explosive damage, the powerful shockwave had still inflicted internal injuries on her.

To be continued