"The helmet exploded! Not even your candle walls can stop it!" Gladius yelled with confidence as his headpiece swelled to a massive size. It looked ready to burst at any second.
Mr. 3 sighed and shook his head. "You really shouldn't use your Devil Fruit like that," he said. "Blowing up your own head all the time is going to make you even more stupid than you already are". Despite his calm words, he didn't take any chances. He waved his hands, creating ten thick layers of wax walls in the blink of an eye. While the explosion built up, Mr. 3 pulled out a teacup and a bottle of hot water he had brought along. He sat behind his defenses and quietly sipped a cup of Darjeeling tea.
A violent boom shook the ground. The wax walls vibrated and cracked, but they held firm. When the smoke cleared, Mr. 3 stepped out and saw the area was completely destroyed. Sharp iron fragments from the helmet were stuck in everything nearby. The power was impressive, but it hadn't touched him.
Gladius stood there with his hair standing straight up in blue spikes. He looked like a powerful warrior, but Mr. 3 just looked at him with concern. "Brother, are you sure you didn't blow your brain out? Do you even know what one plus one equals?".
Insulted and furious, Gladius charged. He swelled his forearms into spheres to grab his opponent. Mr. 3 responded by creating four wax figures of Kaido to surround the officer. Every time Gladius blew one up, Mr. 3 simply made a new one. It turned into a game of endurance to see who would run out of energy first.
On the other side of the courtyard, Jango was having an easier time. Machvise's attacks were heavy and dangerous, but they were easy to predict. Jango didn't try to block the ten-ton slams. Instead, he used Soru to dodge and then launched hypnotic attacks with his discs. When Machvise closed his eyes to avoid the hypnosis, Jango hit him with a powerful Rankyaku kick. Machvise was soon covered in small cuts and bruises, unable to keep up with Jango's speed.
"Hey, Mr. 3! Do you need some help?" Jango called out while dodging a heavy slam.
"I don't need help from you!" Mr. 3 replied with a smile. "My opponent is much stronger than yours, but I have everything under control".
Jango laughed. "Don't lie! My opponent is the tough one. Since I'm winning so easily, it proves I'm higher in the crew's rankings than you! I'm definitely in the top six of the Straw Hats".
"In your dreams!" Mr. 3 countered. "I'm fighting for a spot in the top five. Of course, I'm not counting Marianne since she's like a sister to me and doesn't care about ranks". Their casual chatting while fighting made Machvise and Gladius boil with rage.
High above in the palace, the other officers like Dellinger, Lao G, and Monet watched the battle. Dellinger wanted to jump down and help, but Monet stopped him. She was confident that the Doflamingo Family would never lose to a few pirates. However, Lao G and the others were worried. They remembered how strong the Straw Hats were from their encounter at Water 7. They knew that Jango and Mr. 3 were actually some of the weaker members of the crew. If the terrifying combination of Marianne and Richie the Lion showed up—the duo that once fought a Marine Admiral candidate—none of them would stand a chance. Plus, the three of them were still worried about their hearts being held by the enemy.
Meanwhile, Nami and Usopp finally met up with Marianne and Richie. Feeling safe with the Lion King by their side, they headed toward the factory. They reached the gate and found a strange man in baby clothes surrounded by women in swimsuits. It was Senor Pink, a Senior Officer of the family.
Usopp grew serious. "He's a Devil Fruit user. We can't be careless".
Suddenly, a massive laser beam shot from the side. "General Franky Laser!". Senor Pink pushed the women aside and dove into the ground like it was water to escape the blast. The laser blew the factory gates wide open.
Franky and Chopper appeared, striking a "Super" pose alongside a toy soldier and a pink-haired boy. Nami and Usopp were thrilled to see their friends. With the crew gathering, they felt ready to storm the factory. Usopp felt his confidence growing. He knew he had a big job—defeating the girl named Sugar—but with his friends backing him up, he knew he could do it.
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