[send power stones please]
That bizarre scene just now had terrified many of the pirates present.
A few of them chose to withdraw on the spot—after all, facing someone who couldn't be killed by bullets, while the shooters themselves died instead, was far too unsettling.
Still, while some pirate crews retreated, many others stayed behind.
Their thinking was simple: maybe they could profit from the chaos.
Sometimes, all it took was absurd luck. Others could fight to the death, only for some nobody to swoop in at the end and steal the prize.
One pirate scanned the area, then shouted in excitement when he realized something.
"He's alone! That guy doesn't have any companions!"
"He's by himself! Let's all charge him—I refuse to believe this many of us can't kill one man!"
"Yeah! What are you afraid of? Let's go!"
The pirates' confidence surged the moment they realized Chenos was alone.
Weapons were raised, and they rushed toward him in a wave.
Chenos looked at the pirates charging him from all directions, a trace of disdain curling at the corner of his lips.
"A bunch of trash. What good is numbers, no matter how many you have?"
His figure blurred.
In the next instant, he was already beside the Gold-Gold Fruit. He snapped the treasure chest shut and grabbed it in one hand.
By then, the pirates had already reached him.
More than a dozen blades swung down at once.
Chenos didn't even bother to block.
He simply stood there.
Yet no matter how hard they tried, those blades couldn't fall—each one froze in midair, suspended above his head.
"Hmph. You can't even break my defense," Chenos said coldly.
"Die."
"Tempest Kick — Ring Cutter!"
The damage he had absorbed surged into his legs, merging with Rankyaku.
A massive circular wind blade erupted outward, slicing through the air.
The first dozen pirates were cut cleanly in half at the waist.
And the ring-shaped blade didn't stop there—it continued expanding.
Some pirates barely managed to raise weapons to block, but many didn't even have time to react, their bodies split apart instantly. Only when the blade reached the very edge of the battlefield did its power finally weaken enough to be stopped.
Mad Bull Beck, watching the wind blade reach him, casually slashed it apart with his twin knives.
Seeing that no one dared to attack Chenos anymore, Beck stepped forward.
As the highest-bounty pirate currently active on Sabaody, Beck had absolute confidence in his own strength.
Chenos might look powerful—but Beck attributed that to Devil Fruit trickery.
A fruit like that might dominate weaklings, he thought, but against real fighters? Who knows if it's even useful.
Chenos glanced around, seeing that the pirates had lost the nerve to advance, and turned to leave with the chest.
That was when Beck spoke.
"Hey, friend. Interested in becoming one of my crew?"
"If you join me, I won't contest the fruit—it's yours to do with as you please."
"But if you refuse… I'll have no choice but to take it by force."
Chenos looked at Beck in mild surprise.
His Observation Haki told him everything—Beck wasn't strong.
Not only did he pose no threat, he couldn't even create pressure.
Someone this weak… actually thought he was qualified to recruit Chenos?
And even threatened to rob him?
Was this man delusional?
"Me? Your subordinate?" Chenos replied flatly.
"Sorry. You're not qualified."
He turned and continued walking.
"WILD BULL CHARGE!"
Beck exploded in rage. Steam burst from his nostrils as he raised both blades over his head, charging like a raging bull with knives instead of horns.
Chenos stared at the bizarre stance—two blades raised to the sides, leaving the top of Beck's head completely exposed—and felt speechless.
He raised his right hand, forming a knife-hand, calmly lining up the strike.
When Beck rushed within range—
Chop.
The strike landed squarely on Beck's skull.
Beck froze.
A massive swelling instantly rose on his head—and then he collapsed, unconscious.
Chenos looked down at him, once again speechless.
This guy has a 95-million bounty?
How is the Navy still solvent?
If Chenos weren't fundamentally opposed to working for an organization that served the Celestial Dragons, he might have seriously considered becoming a bounty hunter and emptying the Navy's coffers himself.
Seeing Beck was no threat at all, Chenos decided not to kill him. He simply turned and walked away with the chest.
But after only a few steps—
Whoosh!
A violent rush of air came from behind.
Chenos tilted his head slightly, dodging the blade, then grabbed Beck's arm and swung his entire body in a wide arc before smashing him into the ground.
Now fully transformed into a half-man, half-bull Zoan form—with massive horns—Beck lay helplessly with his horns embedded deep into the earth, unable to pull himself free.
Chenos shook his head.
Are Zoan users really this weak before awakening?
He turned back toward Tesoro.
Then—
A terrifying pressure descended.
Chenos's Observation Haki screamed in warning.
This newcomer…
could kill him.
"Fufufufufu…"
A low, oppressive laugh echoed.
"Friend holding the Gold-Gold Fruit," the voice said leisurely,
"that foolish Zoan user gave you two choices earlier. Now, I'll give you mine."
"One—join my family. Become one of my own."
"Or two…"
"…die."
"Which will you choose?"
Chenos's eyes narrowed.
The man before him was strong—strong enough that the sheer pressure made breathing difficult.
But not so strong that Chenos felt utterly helpless.
Which meant—
This fight was winnable.
Just extremely difficult.
Chenos turned around fully.
The moment he saw the man's face, his pupils shrank.
"…Doflamingo?"
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