Though Gillian kept insisting it was all a misunderstanding, the Golden Dice showed no sign of slowing its preparations. The anchor continued rising, and even the hull began to tremble slightly as the ship prepared to pull away from the dock.
"Misunderstanding my ass!"
Gade roared, knowing the time for empty pleasantries had come to an end.
A fierce glint flashed through his eyes as he bent down, grabbed a heavy wooden crate at his feet, and hurled it with all his strength at the Golden Dice's hull.
"Buck! Burst their coating! Don't let them get away!"
"Got it!"
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Buck let out a furious roar and charged straight toward the transparent coating bubble surrounding the ship.
"You bastards!"
Gillian's expression changed dramatically.
He had never expected them to attack without so much as a warning.
Shing—!
A crisp metallic ring echoed through the harbor.
The ornate cane in Gillian's hand, which appeared to be nothing more than a decorative accessory, suddenly extended into a slender, razor-sharp blade.
With a flick of his wrist, two fierce sword slashes shot through the air.
One sliced the flying crate cleanly in half.
The other cut directly across Buck's path, forcing him to retreat.
"Oh?"
Gade looked at the sword-wielding Gillian with visible interest.
"So you've got skills like that."
"You two ungrateful little bastards!"
Gillian's voice overflowed with barely restrained fury.
"The ones I fear are your captain and the Ryugu Kingdom guards—not insignificant trash like the two of you!"
"If you're so eager to die..."
"I'll gladly grant your wish!"
Pointing his blade toward the two men on the dock, he barked an order to the subordinates already itching for a fight.
"Men! Get them!"
"Take them alive, tie them up, and throw them into the sea for the fish to feast on!"
"Yes, Boss!"
More than a dozen thugs armed with blades leaped over the railing and rushed toward Gade and Buck like a pack of wolves.
Facing the oncoming enemies, the unarmed Gade and Buck stood back-to-back without the slightest trace of fear in their eyes.
"Buck. The left side is yours."
"Got it!"
The first two burly men reached Gade, swinging their sabers from opposite sides.
Gade didn't even bother dodging.
His right arm swept sideways like an iron pillar, sending both men—and their weapons—flying through the air.
"You're too slow."
On the other side, Buck sidestepped a slash, seized his opponent's wrist, and squeezed hard.
With a pained cry, the man's grip loosened.
Buck snatched the saber away and immediately launched a fierce barrage of slashes.
Within only a few breaths, the thugs who had jumped off the ship were sprawled across the ground in every direction, groaning in pain and clearly incapable of fighting any longer.
"Worthless! A bunch of complete trash!"
Standing at the bow, Gillian's eye twitched violently.
He had never imagined that two seemingly insignificant members under Sammy would prove to be such troublesome opponents.
Determined to silence them before the situation escalated any further, Gillian decided to act personally.
He leaped down from the bow and landed before the pair.
"I never thought..."
"...that after all these years, I'd actually have to fight with my own hands again."
His gaze slowly swept over the two men waiting for him.
"And I certainly never imagined..."
"...that the ones forcing me to do so..."
"...would be Bludgeon Buck, with a bounty of 5.6 million, and Doorboard Gade, with a bounty of 2.3 million."
Shaking his head, he sneered.
"How embarrassing."
(Gade's bounty had not yet been updated after eating the Zoan-type Rhinoceros Fruit on Sky Island.)
Crossing his arms, Gade let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph."
"So you're saying you're strong?"
"Eleven years ago..."
Gillian slowly slid the slender sword back into its cane sheath.
"...before my wanted poster was revoked..."
"...I was the captain of the Money Pirates."
"Greedy Gillian."
"My bounty was 33 million Berries."
Both Gade and Buck's expressions shifted slightly.
Thirty-three million...
Eleven years ago.
That figure meant the man before them had once been a notorious pirate who dominated his own stretch of sea.
Gade stretched out an arm, stopping Buck from rushing forward.
"Buck."
"Stand back."
"This guy..."
"...is strong."
Buck clenched his teeth before nodding and retreating.
Completely misunderstanding the situation, Gillian laughed in fury.
"Hmph... Hahaha!"
"So you've actually sent the man with the lowest bounty to fight me?"
"Just how littl—"
Before he could finish speaking, he moved.
"—Just how little do you think of me?!"
"Drawing Slash—Golden Flash!"
The slender blade shot from the cane once more, streaking forward like lightning toward Gade's heart.
Just as the sword tip was about to strike—
Gade's muscles suddenly swelled.
His skin took on a deep gray sheen, and a thick, sturdy horn protruded from his forehead.
Zoan-Type: Rhinoceros Fruit. Hybrid Form!
Clang—!
Using both hands now covered in thick, armor-like hide, Gade caught the thrusting blade firmly between his palms.
"What...?!"
Gillian's pupils contracted violently.
His face filled with disbelief.
"You're a Devil Fruit user?!"
"That's right."
"I'm Gade, one of the Jellyfish Pirates' newest officers."
"The Rhinoceros Man."
"The user of the Zoan-type Rhinoceros Fruit."
His eyes, hard as steel, locked onto Gillian's astonished gaze.
"Gillian."
"The moment you made that phone call for the Marines..."
"...trying to lure us into their trap..."
"...you had already earned yourself a death sentence."
"Heh..."
"As expected."
Gillian let out a cold chuckle, twisting his wrist in an attempt to pull his sword free.
The blade didn't budge an inch.
"So you figured it out long ago."
"What?!"
"So something like that happened too?!"
Buck froze for a moment before his face was rapidly consumed by rage.
Though he didn't know the full story, the words colluding with the Marines to betray his companions were more than enough to ignite his fury.
"I don't really understand everything..."
"...but that means I don't have to hold back anymore, right?!"
The confidence Gillian had felt only moments ago immediately disappeared.
A Zoan user capable of stopping his full-powered thrust barehanded...
...was definitely not someone who could be defeated easily.
This was a bone far tougher than he had expected.
He couldn't afford to underestimate them any longer.
Without hesitation, he raised his head and roared toward the ship.
"What are you all standing around for?!"
"Everyone off the ship!"
"Kill these two fools once and for all!"
"Yes, Boss!!"
The next instant, figures poured over the ship's rails like dumplings dropping into boiling water.
Armed thugs and sailors carrying every kind of weapon flooded onto the dock.
There were well over a hundred of them.
In an instant, the entire harbor was surrounded so tightly that not even water could seep through.
"Excellent!"
Faced with the overwhelming tide of enemies, Buck showed not the slightest fear.
Instead, the fighting spirit in his eyes blazed even brighter.
Gripping the stolen saber in reverse, he bared his teeth in a savage grin.
"Perfect."
"I've been itching to cut loose."
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