At The Peak of One Piece

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Metal-Metal Fruit



The voice was Victor's. He'd intervened just before the gavel fell. Auctioneer Ethan beamed. Barrow's face darkened, radiating murderous intent. 'Defiance? Unforgivable!' 

He turned, seeing Victor—the man who'd killed his subordinate—smiling back. Rage threatened to explode. Only his crew's restraining hands kept him from immediate violence. 

"90 million berries," Barrow stated, ice coating his words. Victor was already dead in his mind.

 

"90.1 million berries," Victor countered cheerfully. 

'Playing games? You're digging your grave, brat.' Barrow closed his eyes. "100 million." 

"150 million berries." Barrow's jaw clenched, teeth grinding. 

"Ah, forget it. Didn't bring enough cash today." Victor shrugged, utterly calm. 

The calmness was suffocating. Sensitive attendees had already fled; more scrambled for the exits. Ethan grinned ear-to-ear—the price far exceeded expectations. Ben, having failed to dissuade Victor, was long gone. 

Barrow had never known fury like this. 'How will I break him? Slowly.' 

Victor 'had' money, just not 150 million. He relinquished the Blue Gold, but his goal was achieved. 

Barrow claimed his prize, paid, and left. His parting glance promised a slow, painful death. Victor answered with a smile. 

The auction continued. Nothing else interested them. They stayed until the end, then strolled out. 

No one dared walk near them. Stares followed—who 'were' these fools? Taunting a tiger, slapping its face, then sauntering away? Madness. Lawlessness thrived on Sabaody, but most fools learned harsh lessons. Few escaped. 

Victor ignored the stares, leading Rebecca toward Grove 10. The bait was taken. Now, wait for the strike. His Observation Haki scanned ceaselessly. 

────── 

Fifteen minutes later, Barrow's aura pulsed in Victor's senses. Blocking the bridge ahead. Victor smiled, changing course toward him. 

They met at the bridgehead. Barrow's crew leered—sneering, bloodthirsty, amused. A crowd of rubberneckers gathered, buzzing with anticipation. Victor didn't care. Marine backing awaited. The underworld held no fear. 

"Took you long enough, brat," Barrow said, unnervingly calm. "Decided how you want to die?" 

Victor was already meat on his chopping board. Chad's defeat meant nothing; Chad couldn't scratch Barrow's skin even if allowed. 

Victor stopped five meters away, studying Rhodes' executive. The auction's gloom had hidden details. Barrow stood 2.5 meters(8.2f) tall, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and purple greatcoat. Slicked-back blonde hair, sharp features—he looked like a corporate titan, not a crime lord. 'Defies the stereotype,' Victor noted. 

"Barrow, was it?" Victor said flatly. "Brought my Kast Blue Gold back for me?" 

Laughter erupted from the crowd. Some doubled over, tears streaming. Barrow chuckled darkly. 'Amusing. Almost a shame to kill him.' 

"HAHAHAHA! I've never heard such a funny joke in my life!" 

"I can't—HAHAHA—I can't breathe!" 

"Someone stab me, or I'll actually die laughing!" 

The underlings were doubled over, clutching their stomachs. Even the spectators couldn't help but chuckle. Barrow himself wore a faint smirk. 

With a casual wave of his hand, one of his men stepped forward, carrying a wooden chest. Barrow flipped the lid open, revealing the shimmering Cast Blue Gold inside. He wanted to savor this moment—to toy with Victor a little longer. 

"Your precious metal is right here. But you can't have it… yet." Barrow's grin widened. "Let's have a little spar. Win, and it's yours. Lose, and you're mine to deal with. How's that sound?" 

"Fine by me. Save your men the trouble—sending them in won't make a difference," Victor replied, his voice calm. 

The lackeys burst into laughter again. This fool has no idea who he's dealing with! 

Barrow took two steps forward, gesturing for his men to clear the area. The crowd backed away, leaving an open space. 

"Rebecca, step back. Time to reclaim what's ours." Victor's lips curled slightly. Rebecca obeyed without hesitation—she had no doubt he'd win. 

"Enough talk. Let's begin. It's been a while since I've gotten my hands dirty," Barrow sneered, cracking his knuckles. 

Victor didn't respond. The moment Rebecca was clear— 

Whoosh. 

He vanished. 

In the next instant, he was right in front of Barrow, close enough to see the man's expression shift from irritation to shock. 

Too late. 

Victor's blade, Yubashiri, flashed. 

A crimson line split Barrow's chest open. Blood sprayed as he staggered back and collapsed. 

Silence. 

The onlookers' jaws hit the floor. Some rubbed their eyes, convinced they were hallucinating. 

"I… I must be exhausted. Seeing things…" 

"Did I just black out? Dreaming about Barrow getting cut down… Am I that desperate for a promotion?" 

"Is this guy using illusions? Some kind of Devil Fruit power?" 

Victor didn't press the attack. He stepped back, sensing through Observation Haki that Barrow's life force was still strong. Got careless. Underestimated me. 

Sure enough, Barrow slowly sat up, wincing as he touched the wound. 

"Hurts like hell, kid. Not bad." He chuckled, almost nostalgic. "Haven't been cut in years… Not since before I ate my Devil Fruit." 

His men snapped out of their daze, eyes gleaming with renewed excitement. Now the real fight begins. 

Barrow rose to his feet—and his body began to change. 

A metallic sheen spread across his skin, glistening like oil. Victor narrowed his eyes. A Devil Fruit ability. But what kind? 

Testing the waters, Victor flicked a shuriken at blinding speed—enhanced by the Speed-Speed Fruit, it was faster than a bullet. 

Ting! 

It struck Barrow's chest—and bounced off, leaving nothing but a white scratch. 

Victor's mind raced. A Paramecia-type. His body transforms into a metal-like substance. High defense. 

"HAHAHA! Useless!" Barrow roared, flexing his now-gleaming arms. "I ate the Metal-Metal Fruit! My body's harder than steel! Your little toys won't work on me!" 

Since gaining this power, no blade had ever pierced his skin. Swordsmen? They were nothing to him. 

In the first half of the Grand Line, this ability alone made him a formidable force. Offense aside, his defense was near-impenetrable. Even pre-training Monkey D. Luffy would've struggled to leave a dent. 

But Victor? 

He just smirked. 

Let's see how long that lasts.


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