"Sparking Figure!"
Facing Ichiji's blazing charge, Drake did not dodge. Calmly, he extended the five fingers of his right hand, gathering a surge of white light in an instant.
As the energy enveloped his fist, Drake clenched it into a ball—
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted.
"Ahhh~~!"
Ichiji screamed as the impact hurled him backwards. He tried desperately to stabilize himself, stomping against the ground, but the massive white fist mark burned into his chest repelled him again and again.
He had no way to stop.
Boom… boom… boom…
Ichiji skidded uncontrollably across the training field, crashing toward Judge and the others.
The Vinsmokes froze, their faces twisted in shock.
"What's happening? Why can't Big Brother Ichiji stop?" Niji's voice trembled with disbelief.
"Don't panic, let's stop him first!" Yonji shouted, leaping behind Ichiji and pushing with both hands.
But he had underestimated Drake. The repulsive force embedded in that single punch was immense—far beyond what Yonji could resist.
The moment Ichiji's back touched his palms, Yonji was blasted away in less than a heartbeat.
"Damn it! Why is he so powerful?" Yonji cursed, his body spinning out of control, dragged helplessly along with his older brother.
Niji, startled, reacted quickly. He leapt behind them, raising his right leg and kicking Yonji hard in the back. The force steadied their momentum, finally halting the two brothers.
"Niji, can't you think of another way to stop us besides kicking?" Yonji muttered, exasperated.
Niji waved him off, his eyes narrowing at Drake. "Forget it. We need a plan. This guy is too strong—none of us can beat him one‑on‑one."
Ichiji nodded grimly. "Then we fight him together. Take turns if we must."
Judge's gaze sharpened as he studied Drake. "Young man… what is your ability?"
Reiju remained silent, her beautiful eyes locked on Drake, curiosity burning within her. That single blow… the force was terrifying. My intuition was right. He's truly strong.
Drake answered patiently, his tone calm. "I ate the Space Fruit. This is the skill I developed—the Space Fist. I gather repulsive force into my hand, and when I strike, it leaves a mark that repels any attempt to stabilize."
"Space Fruit?" Reiju frowned. She remembered the Devil Fruit encyclopedia. and the Space Fruit Wasnt Recorded, practically uknown until Now. Yet in Drake's hands, it had become devastating. How could such a man obtained so poweful devil fruit?
Niji's eyes turned vicious. "No matter what you are, Devil Fruit user—you'll die today. Let's use our strongest move and kill him directly."
Yonji nodded eagerly. "Enough wasting time. Let's finish this battle quickly."
"Then go!" Niji barked coldly.
Shhhhhh…
The three brothers charged at Drake, energy blazing in their hands—Ichiji's crimson, Niji's icy blue, Yonji's bright green.
Reiju glanced at her father, a faint smile on her lips. "Father… aren't you going to intervene?"
Judge's eyes narrowed, watching Drake with a mixture of caution and intrigue.
Judge's eyes hardened, his voice cold as steel. "If he cannot withstand the attacks of the three, then Drake is not qualified to cooperate with us. Let him die! This is the fate of anyone who dares mock the Vinsmokes!"
Reiju nodded faintly, a smile on her lips. "Father is right… it's only a test of his strength."
Yet inside, her heart whispered differently. She gazed at Drake, silently praying. Please… don't let anything happen to him. Unlike her brothers, Reiju's spirit was kind and generous. She did not want Drake harmed.
"Black Bug!"
The three brothers roared in unison, energy bursting from their hands—red, blue, and green. Thunderous power surged, fierce and blinding, illuminating the entire practice field.
But Drake remained calm. He slowly raised his right hand.
"Mirror Cloak."
Boom… boom… boom…
The combined strike collided with the shimmering barrier—and was instantly repelled.
"What?!"
The three brothers were hurled backwards in different directions, horror etched across their faces. They had never imagined their strongest combo attack could be deflected so effortlessly.
Then, with a hiss, Drake vanished. His figure reappeared behind Niji in an instant, his right leg cloaked in Armament Haki.
Bang!
The kick landed with brutal precision. Niji screamed as he was sent flying.
Before Yonji or Ichiji could react, Drake struck again—swift, merciless. Both were kicked away, their cries echoing across the training field.
Screams rang out one after another, the sound of defeat reverberating through Germa Castle.
The Vinsmokes, once so confident, now stared in disbelief at the man who had crushed their combined might with ease.
"Do you want to continue?"
Drake slipped his hands into his pockets, his voice calm and steady. "If you think it's not enough, then let's keep playing. But this time, I'll hit harder. If they die, they can only blame themselves for being too weak."
Judge clapped his hands, his once expressionless face breaking into a smile. "Excellent. I'm very impressed! You are truly strong. I believe your words—you will definitely become a Shichibukai. From this moment forward, we will formally cooperate."
Reiju remained silent, her eyes shimmering with excitement. This man did not disappoint me. He really is powerful.
The three brothers, proud and arrogant, refused to admit defeat. Their blood boiled with the desire to continue fighting. Yet Judge's declaration silenced them instantly. None dared to oppose their father's decision. They could only obey.
"If you need me for anything, contact me through the Den Den Mushi."
Drake pulled out a snail, tossed it to Judge, and turned to leave.
"Wait a moment…"
Judge's voice cut through the air. His gaze locked on Drake, his tone serious. "Although we have agreed to cooperate, to ensure nothing goes wrong, I must send someone to supervise you. Otherwise, we would have no way of knowing what happens on your side. This is absolute."
Send someone to supervise?
Reiju and Ichiji froze, stunned. The chosen one would surely be one of them.
"It doesn't matter." Drake shrugged, his tone light, unconcerned. "Bring whoever you want. I'm leaving."
He wasn't surprised by Judge's demand. Drake knew the man's nature well. Ruthless on the surface, but cowardly within. When danger struck, Judge would cry out for help. Cunning by instinct, he could never fully trust anyone.
"Reiju, from now on, you will follow Drake and be responsible for the cooperation between both parties."
Judge's voice was firm, his gaze unwavering as he looked at his daughter. "If something happens, report it immediately. Do not delay."
Everyone was stunned.
Not only Reiju, but even Drake himself.
He had never expected that the one to board his ship would be this beautiful, gentle woman.
Drake already held a good impression of Reiju. He had noticed her curiosity toward him, and how she worried for him when he fought her brothers. Unlike the rest of her family—bloodthirsty monsters who would not hesitate to massacre an entire country—Reiju was different. She was kind, compassionate, and cared for the welfare of others. Drake remembered how, in the original story, she had helped Sanji escape.
"I…"
Reiju wanted to protest, but when she saw Judge's cold expression, she swallowed her words. She knew all too well how ruthless her father was. No matter how much she begged, his decision would never change.
Resigned, she nodded. Stroking her pink hair, she forced a delicate smile onto her face. "Father, don't worry. I will complete the task."
Her voice was soft and sweet, but the smile carried a faint bitterness, unnatural and strained.
The three brothers exhaled in relief. If they had been chosen to watch Drake, he would have tortured them mercilessly. None of them wanted such an errand.
"Give me your hand."
Drake extended his large hand toward Reiju, his expression calm and steady.
"Hey, what are you trying to do? Are you flirting with our sister right in front of us?"
Yonji's face twisted with dissatisfaction as he glared at Drake.
Niji chuckled darkly. "How about we just keep fighting him?"
But Reiju didn't doubt Drake for a moment. She extended her hand to him without hesitation. The young man before her was not that kind of person at all.
Her gentle smile softened her delicate features as she asked curiously, "Drake, may I ask why you want to do this?"
Drake's calm reply carried no arrogance, only certainty. "Give me your hand, and you'll understand."
"Um~~"
Reiju nodded, embarrassed, and stopped questioning him. She placed her small hand in his.
"Teleportation."
A hiss split the air—and in an instant, the two vanished.
The four remaining Vinsmokes froze, stunned.
"What's going on? Why did they suddenly disappear?" Niji spun around, searching desperately, but found nothing.
"Too fast… far too fast." Yonji's eyes widened, his face pale as if he'd seen a ghost. "This guy has been hiding his strength. He didn't even use his full power against us!"
Niji frowned, his voice cold. "That explains how he appeared in the room earlier. No wonder we never noticed."
Judge, however, burst into wild laughter, his voice echoing through the hall like a madman. "Bahahahaha… Excellent! That's truly incredible!"
"The stronger Drake is, the better our chances become!"
His fists clenched tightly, his eyes burning with ambition. "One day, the Germa Kingdom will rise again to dominate the North Blue. The souls of our old kingdom will finally return to their homeland, hahaha…"