Luo turned around to face Vergo.
Their eyes met in the dimly lit corridor, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
" Vergo," Ro's voice was as cold as ice, "You've come at the perfect time."
The Operating Room is set up.
The light shield of ROOM enveloped the entire corridor, Vergo immediately sensed the danger, instantly covering his entire body with Armament Haki.
His Armament Haki was among the best in the entire Donquixote Family; black Tekkai covered his skin, gleaming with a metallic sheen under the light.
But Luo didn't care at all.
Within the Operating Room, Vergo's Haki was completely useless.
One cut.
Vergo's body was neatly cut in half from shoulder to waist, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror, without even a drop of blood.
His upper and lower body separated and fell to the ground. His eyes were still open and his mouth was still agape, but his body was no longer under his control.
"This--how is this possible--!!!"
For the first time, shock appeared in Vergo's voice.
Luo didn't even glance at him.
His gaze had turned to the depths of the laboratory, where a larger goal awaited him.
Caesar Courant.
The Gas-Gas Devil Fruit User was hiding behind a pile of experimental equipment, trembling as he dialed Doflamingo's number.
The call was connected.
"Hey! Doffy!"
" Punk Hazard is under attack, come quickly..."
Before Caesar could finish speaking, a transparent light barrier enveloped him.
The Den Den Mushi signal, which was still communicating, suddenly stopped.
ROOM Scan.
With a slight twitch of his fingers, Caesar's body was instantly locked in place within the Operating Room.
Before Caesar could even transform into his elemental form and escape, Law's sword had already slashed across his body.
Several invisible cutting lines sliced across his joints, his arms and legs were severed in an instant.
The Op-Op Fruit, without a drop of blood, but his limbs were no longer under his control.
"Aaaaaah--My body--!!!" Caesar's screams echoed in the laboratory.
Law hoisted the Kikoku onto his shoulder and turned to look at Luffy:
"With the Straw Hat in charge, the first step in our cooperation—I'll handle this guy."
Go and rescue those children.
Luffy nodded without hesitation and led Zoro and Sanji deeper into the laboratory.
What happened next was like a fast-forward.
The Straw Hat Pirates found dozens more children locked in iron cages deep inside the laboratory.
When Luffy saw this, the smile on his face disappeared.
"These children..."
His voice was low, but everyone could tell he was angry.
" Caesar."
Luffy turned his head and looked at the guy whose limbs had been severed by Law and who was lying on the ground screaming in agony.
What did you do to them?
Before Caesar could answer, Luffy's fist had already slammed into his face.
This punch wasn't delivered with Devil Fruit powers or Armament Haki; it was simply a punch fueled by suppressed rage.
Caesar's face was smashed to the side, several teeth flew out of his mouth, tumbled several times in the air before landing on the ground.
" Chopper —heal them!" Luffy shouted behind him.
Chopper had already rushed into the cage with his first-aid kit.
His eyes were bloodshot—as a doctor, seeing children being used as guinea pigs evoked a rage stronger than any other emotion.
The children were rescued, and the experimental base was completely destroyed.
Caesar was handcuffed with Seastone Handcuffs by Law and carried on Bepo's shoulder like a piece of luggage.
The rescued children were transferred to the Heart Pirates ' submarine, where Chopper is giving them emergency treatment.
Franky severed the gas pipelines at the SMILE factory with his laser cannon, and the entire factory was engulfed in flames amidst the deafening explosion.
Luffy stood in front of the burning factory, watching the towering flames, and suddenly turned to Law and said:
"Hey, Torao —this fight isn't over yet, is it?"
Luo glanced at him:
"Certainly.
Punk Hazard was just an appetizer.
The real adversary is in Doflamingo's stronghold.
"Then let's go and smash his lair too."
When Luffy said this, his tone was unusually serious.
Luo was silent for a moment, then a very faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Good."
Roy stood atop the cooling tower and watched the entire spectacle unfold.
His Telekinesis: Barrier was never removed, and no one discovered his presence.
Battles, alliances, rescues, factory bombings—everything unfolded exactly as scripted, down to the last detail.
When Roy landed from the cooling tower, Punk Hazard's central experimental area was already engulfed in flames.
The gas pipeline at the SMILE factory twisted and broke during the explosion, and thick yellow-green smoke hissed out of the cracks, dispersing into a thin mist when blown by the sea breeze.
Luffy and his crew were boarding their ship towards the port, and Law's submarine had already begun its descent; the whirlpool on the surface disappeared after a few swirls.
He didn't disturb them.
We've seen the excitement, now it's time for more important business.
"Hehehehe-- Roy! Why are you thinking of me again, you little brat?"
Kaido's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, filled with an excited, alcohol-laden tone.
There was also the sound of drums playing in the background, making it sound like a banquet was being held.
"Are you drinking?"
Roy leaned against the crumbling wall of the cooling tower, speaking casually as if chatting with an old friend.
You guessed it!
From Kaido's side came the sound of him gulping down wine, then slamming his gourd onto the table with a bang.
"That kid Jack has gathered up a few jars of good wine, saying it was brewed by the Mink Tribe on Zunesha's back, and it tastes pretty good."
Would you like to come and try some?
"Some other time."
Roy said,
I have something important to discuss with you today.
The drumming on Kaido's side stopped.
He could hear the seriousness in Roy's tone.
This kid usually speaks in a leisurely, unhurried tone.
But whenever he says the words "serious business," his tone lowers slightly, as if he is explaining some important details.
"Explain."
" Straw Hat Luffy has entered the New World."
Kaido was silent for two seconds, then let out a disdainful sneer:
"That brat? I saw his bounty poster during Paramount War. What kind of trouble can a little brat cause?"
"The waves he stirred up are bigger than you can imagine."
Roy's tone remained unchanged.
" Kaido, I have something to tell you— Straw Hat Boy's Gum-Gum Fruit isn't your average Paramecia."
The Den Den Mushi went silent.
"His fruit's true Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika, Zoan - Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Sun God Nika."
"That is, the Sun God ' Joy Boy ' who has been passed down through the ages."
Roy pronounced the name word by word, then paused for a few seconds to give Kaido time to process the information.
Kaido's breathing became heavy after he finished processing the information.
He wasn't the type to be easily alarmed by intelligence, but the name " Sun God Nika " was familiar to anyone who had spent enough time in the New World.
Those were the legendary liberation fighters who once opposed the World Government.
It is an existence whose name has been deliberately erased by the World Government for eight hundred years.
Are you sure?