At last, the raging winds died down. The prison was a wreck—oil lamps extinguished, debris scattered everywhere. If not for the giant hole torn open by Aeridar and Elver letting in some light, the entire third basement level would have been plunged into pitch-black darkness.
A disbelieving, trembling voice broke the silence. Paradi clutched his chest and slowly crawled to his feet, his face twisted in horror.
Aeridar released his grip and staggered upright. Before him, the massive bear had reverted to human form, though barely recognizable as such. His body was grotesquely battered—bones shattered, flesh mangled, as if he'd been bludgeoned by a giant hammer. His upper body was crushed thin, no longer resembling anything human.
Taking a direct, point-blank Impact Wave from Aeridar without any defense... The fact that there was even a body left at all was a testament to Elver's monstrous physique. Even Doflamingo himself wouldn't dare take a full-force Impact Wave head-on with only his body and Haki.
"Tch. I kept telling you to lose weight, and now look—problem solved. We're all done for anyway."
Staring at Elver's corpse, Paradi stumbled over, not even sparing Aeridar a glance.
"Yeah... this is seriously messed up," Aeridar shrugged helplessly. A Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, worn out before him... Sure, Elver had burned through more stamina, but in general, Zoan users were supposed to have the best endurance among all Devil Fruit types. If the gap wasn't huge, they'd usually outlast their opponents. And yet here this guy was—exhausted, collapsing before Aeridar.
"Heh... To think we'd be destroyed by your hand."
Paradi laughed bitterly.
"Guess how the Navy's report will spin this tomorrow?"
"The Navy report will say: 'The Crimson Man-Eating Flower had a violent clash with the Chris Pirates near Alabasta's waters. After an intense battle, the Crimson Man-Eating Flower was annihilated. The leader, Fat Bear—Nisaro Elver—and Butler Agent—Paradi—were killed by the Golden Ring—Chris T. Aeridar.'"
Aeridar's voice was steady, but a mocking undertone lingered.
"And the World Government's papers? They'll probably claim the Navy wiped out the Crimson Man-Eating Flower. That the Navy killed Fat Bear Nisaro Elver and Butler Agent Paradi. You believe me?"
Paradi's voice dripped with contempt and sarcasm. He knew full well:
The Crimson Man-Eating Flower was infamous among slavers—its name reviled across the seas. News of their defeat would be a massive boost to anyone's reputation, be it pirate or Navy. But the World Government would never allow pirates to steal that glory. If even a slaver crew had to be taken down by rookie pirates, it would make the Navy look utterly incompetent.
No, they couldn't let that happen.
For the sake of their so-called "justice," for their carefully crafted image, the World Government and the Navy would twist the story without hesitation.
"This is just how the Navy and the World Government operate," Aeridar sneered. "Boosting the World Government's prestige... After all, the masses are ignorant. They'll always believe in the Navy—the symbol of justice—over the word of a pirate like me."
He knew exactly what Paradi meant.
For the World Government, cover-ups and propaganda were routine.
If something served their interests, no matter how dangerous, it would be hidden. Like the tragedy of Flevance—the White City, doomed by Amber Lead.
If something threatened their control, no matter how precious, it would be erased.
Like Ohara, obliterated by a Buster Call.
The island that held the world's greatest library—the Tree of Knowledge—and countless innocent scholars and civilians, wiped off the map without a second thought.
"Hahaha... Come on, finish it already!"
Paradi spread his arms wide, face twisted into a grimace.
"Take us out. After all, the people behind us will make sure you regret it."
Aeridar gave a toothy grin, his voice low and cold:
"If I'm strong enough, no idiot will dare take revenge on a great pirate. No—they'll be too terrified of my retaliation."
A sinister chuckle escaped his lips.
"Just a few days ago, I ran into Donquixote Doflamingo out at sea.
"Had a little fight with him.
"Wanna guess how it turned out?"
Paradi's face darkened instantly.
He sneered, trying to dismiss it:
"Impossible. A big shot like Doflamingo's busy managing his country. No way he'd be sailing around the first half of the Grand Line..."
Halfway through the sentence, he stopped dead. His face turned ashen.
Recently, Doflamingo had destroyed a kingdom in the West Blue. It was in the newspapers just yesterday. Meaning, Doflamingo had passed through the first half of the Grand Line after all...
"Couldn't guess, huh?"
Aeridar shrugged casually.
"He's strong. I couldn't beat him. But he couldn't finish me off either.
"So I proposed an alliance."
Paradi's expression soured into pure despair—like the bottom of a burnt pot.
He wasn't scaring this "rookie" pirate.
He was the one getting scared.
"He didn't accept. But he didn't reject me either.
"Told me to talk again once I reach the New World.
"What do you think that means?
"Man, it's been keeping me up at night."
Aeridar put on a mock-troubled face, completely ignoring Paradi's darkening expression.
Paradi nearly coughed up blood in rage.
Someone the likes of Doflamingo would even consider allying with...
It wasn't just strength.
Without a backing strong enough to move a Fleet Admiral—or at least noble connections among the Celestial Dragons—no one would dare touch him.
Even high nobles and tycoons would steer clear.
"Talked too much... time to end this."
In a flash, Aeridar's expression turned cold.
With a shave—Soru—he vanished from sight.
"Secret Technique—Divine Spiral!"
With a sharp roar, Aeridar reappeared beneath Paradi in a low crouch.
Both fists clenched, palms facing each other—one up, one down—and drove them viciously into Paradi's gut.
Before Paradi could even react, the air around them trembled violently.
At the point of impact, his abdomen caved inward grotesquely.
A burst of white steam exploded outward.
A terrifying, cylindrical Impact Wave tore through Paradi's back, piercing the floor above and leaving a smoking hole that went clean through the third floor, the lower decks, and even out to the open sea beyond.
A white streak like a laser beam marked the path of destruction.
Aeridar lifted his chin arrogantly, murmuring coolly:
"All of you are trash."
Behind him, Paradi collapsed with a heavy thud, defeated.
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