Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Follow Me or Die
The man known by the codename "Mr. 1," Daz Bonez, was undoubtedly the strongest force in Baroque Works—second only to Crocodile himself!
"Spiral Slash!"
As he charged forward, Daz Bonez transformed his fingers into blades and took on a claw-like stance, aiming to engage Rikuya Kazama in close-quarters combat.
"Close-quarters with me? Keep dreaming!
Boil Release: Skilled Mist Jutsu!"
Seeing Daz Bonez rushing straight at him, Rikuya wasn't afraid in the slightest. In fact, he looked even more excited.
Clearly, nothing thrilled him more than reckless enemies charging straight into his range.
The next moment, Rikuya opened his mouth and released a wave of mist—but this wasn't just any mist. It was boiling hot vapor, capable of melting nearly anything, and its acidity could be freely adjusted!
This highly corrosive vapor could gradually evaporate matter—its intensity even greater than Lava Release. In its acidic mist form, it could melt anything in its path.
Seeing the deadly vapor pouring forth, Daz Bonez flinched in shock.
He was forced to halt and growled, "Iron Cutter!"
Immediately, he assumed a defensive stance, hardening his body to a steel-like state.
Daz Bonez had the powers of the Paramecia-type Dice Dice Fruit, which allowed him to transform his entire body into hardened steel blades—giving him immense cutting power and an incredibly high defense. Normal attacks couldn't even scratch him.
Even attacks from the world's top swordsman, "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk, could be blocked. And anything he touched could be cut apart.
But unfortunately for him, his opponent this time was Rikuya Kazama.
And against Rikuya's attacks, no matter how hard your body was—it was meaningless.
The instant the boiling mist reached him, Daz Bonez let out a blood-curdling scream.
The searing vapor invaded even his iron-like skin, and the extreme heat left him unable to speak.
Within just two seconds, Daz Bonez collapsed onto the sand, his entire body glowing red like a man dropped into scalding hot water.
Ding! Congratulations, Host, on defeating the enemy. You've earned 15,000 Reputation Points.
As the system notification chimed, Rikuya knew this guy was down for good.
And this single attack shocked everyone nearby—especially those who were still secretly thinking they could take advantage of the chaos to sneak-attack Rikuya.
Even Crocodile, standing just meters away, finally began to sweat.
"So many things coming out of his mouth… This guy's terrifying," Douglas Bullet muttered, visibly shaken.
He knew how tough Daz Bonez's defense was.
Even with his Armament Haki fully activated, Bullet figured he'd have a hard time blocking that kind of attack from Rikuya.
"Looks like your little sidekick couldn't take it. What now? That guy was your top agent in Baroque Works, wasn't he?" Rikuya turned toward the now-standing Crocodile and spoke slowly.
But Crocodile merely glanced coldly at the fallen Daz Bonez and sneered, "If he's been defeated, then he's just trash to me. I don't care whether he lives or dies."
He sounded indifferent—but deep inside, he was boiling with rage and the desire to tear Rikuya apart.
"What? That guy was your chief operative—he's been loyal to you this entire time. I thought he was the one you trusted most?
Besides… no matter how well you try to hide it, the heart never lies," Rikuya countered calmly.
At those words, Crocodile's expression finally changed—his face now twisted with shock and disbelief.
This time, Rikuya had really shaken him to his core.
Up until now, Crocodile hadn't been too shaken by Rikuya's claims. Even if Rikuya knew the secrets of Baroque Works, or even Daz Bonez's identity, it could be explained—perhaps a spy had leaked information.
After all, with so many agents in Baroque Works, having a few spies wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
But Rikuya knowing that Daz Bonez was the one Crocodile trusted the most—that was something he had never told anyone.
From the beginning, Crocodile had never acted like he trusted anyone. In fact, he always flaunted his self-reliance and openly declared that he didn't need underlings—he could handle everything alone.
So for Rikuya to see straight through to the truth buried deep in his heart…
That shook him.
Who the hell was this unknown man? How did he know everything?
"Rikuya Kazama, what the hell do you want from me?!"
At this point, Crocodile could no longer hold back his fury and roared at Rikuya.
But unlike their earlier exchanges, his tone this time was noticeably different.
It sounded intimidating, but in truth—it was empty.
"Come with me—or die right here.
Your choice." Rikuya spoke softly, as if casually offering him a drink.
But in that moment, Crocodile's life was entirely in Rikuya's hands.
By now, no one dared think Rikuya was bluffing. The scales of victory had already tipped in his favor.
Even if Crocodile somehow managed to defeat Rikuya—which seemed increasingly unlikely—he'd be in no shape to face Douglas Bullet, who had yet to even lift a finger.
"You know I've never been one to serve under others," Crocodile said coldly.
Even now, he was still trying to resist Rikuya's control. After all, he was a former Warlord of the Sea—how could he just surrender to someone else?
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