At the entrance of Research Institute No. 3.
"Otto..."
Enel landed before the gates, frowning at the severely warped metal barrier. It was riddled with cracks, bearing the distinct, protruding imprint of a massive humanoid figure.
His expression grew grim. He could sense Otto's presence behind the gate, but the man's voice was fading. It was clear he had sustained catastrophic injuries, so severe that he could no longer maintain his 'Berserk' or 'Beast-Human' forms.
Under normal circumstances, given Otto's regenerative capabilities while Berserk, he could recover in moments even if his heart were crushed or his arms torn off. The fact that his presence was steadily weakening suggested he had been rendered unconscious by a heavy blow while clashing with the enemy.
"ROAARR—!"
Suddenly, a hoarse, distant howl echoed through the air, followed by a sharp gust of wind.
"Hmm?" Enel raised an eyebrow and turned around. "What's that? I sensed a strange source of sound earlier... is this a joke? A snot monster?"
Several hundred meters from the institute, a colossal, violet-red creature surged across the snowy fields, inching toward the facility. Its form resembled a reptilian beast with six tentacles; Enel studied it for a long time but couldn't recognize what it was.
"ROAARR! ROAARR!"
The massive violet monster began to shriek uncontrollably, its body heaving as if in agonizing struggle. Large droplets of a semi-solid violet liquid dripped onto the snow.
"ROOAAARR—!"
With a violent shudder, the monster jerked its head up and let out a final, piercing cry.
"This feeling..." Enel's brow furrowed.
Before long, the creature collapsed, its hide turning a deep purple. Its massive frame disintegrated into a venomous, fluid-like substance, releasing a thick purple gas that quickly formed a dense fog. Within seconds, the miasma covered a hundred-meter radius and continued to spread rapidly.
"Poison gas?" Enel's face paled. "What the hell is this thing? Don't tell me this is one of Caesar's masterpieces."
Even Logia-type users, who are immune to physical strikes, aren't necessarily immune to inhaling toxic fumes. Seeing the scale of the encroaching fog, even Enel felt a spark of trepidation.
Suddenly, lightning erupted from Enel's body. He transformed into a bolt of electricity and surged right through the institute's massive metal gates.
As the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he could travel at the speed of lightning through any conductive medium. Since the gates were forged of steel, Enel passed through effortlessly without needing to destroy them.
"Otto!"
The moment he phased through, Enel found Otto embedded in the back of the metal gate. He was covered in blood, his eyes rolled back, completely unconscious. His body had already shrunk back to its original size.
"Tch, how pathetic! To be beaten into this state!" Enel grumbled, his face sour as he grabbed Otto's arm and hauled him down. He then narrowed his eyes, sensing the surroundings. "Found them. They're all gathered over there."
…
Somewhere inside the Institute.
"Where is this? I feel like I've passed this spot already!"
Zoro scratched his head, looking around with a dazed expression.
During the battle in Building B, the violent destruction caused by Luffy and Otto had caught Zoro and Cavendish in the crossfire. The hail of falling boulders had forced them to halt their duel and scramble for cover. In the chaos, Zoro had, predictably, lost his way, becoming stranded in some unknown sector of the facility.
…
Building B.
RUMBLE—!
Thunder shook the halls as brilliant flashes of lightning illuminated the wreckage. Enel dragged the unconscious Otto through the interior. Building B was a ruin; massive craters and cracks marred the floors, walls, and ceilings. Hardly an inch of the place remained intact.
"Zzz... snore... zzz..."
The faint sound of snoring drifted from nearby. Enel stopped and looked to his right in disbelief.
There, amidst a pile of rubble, Cavendish lay atop the largest boulder, fast asleep. His snoring was thunderous, and a snot bubble expanded and contracted from his nose with every breath.
"This guy..." Enel's teeth spent, his eyes twitching in irritation.
Crackle—!
Enel raised a hand. A stray spark of electricity danced on his fingertip before shooting through the air and striking Cavendish.
"AAAAAGH!"
Cavendish screamed as his body jerked and spasmed under the shock.
…
In front of the R-66 Gates.
"Law, do you realize what you're doing?" Jason asked, his eyes cold and dark. "You saw the Paramount War with your own eyes. You should know better than anyone how terrifying my Captain is. I didn't take you for a fool."
"Dr. Jason, this is an era running wild!" Law replied calmly, meeting Jason's gaze. "No one can stay perched on a high throne forever. This is a tidal wave that will leave even the greatest heroes helpless!"
"Tch. You're being naive, Law. You don't know the Captain's hidden cards. Unshackling the monsters of this world isn't as easy as you think!" Jason sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Law! How dare you... how dare you betray me!" Caesar shrieked. His bisected body lay on the ground, attempting to turn into gas to reform, but to no avail.
"By capturing Caesar, Doflamingo loses his ability to produce SMILEs. And by capturing you, Dr. Jason, I believe even Aeridar of the Golden Ring will be forced to hesitate," Law stated grimly. "Next, we provoke a clash between Kaido and Doflamingo. As an ally, Aeridar won't be able to stay out of it. It will escalate into a war between the Chris Pirates and the Beasts Pirates, and the status of the 'World Neutral Zone' will crumble."
"The Great Wave is upon us. No one can avoid it!" Law's face twisted into a fierce, almost fanatical grin.
"Law…" Jason's face was ashen. He glared at the man before him. He hadn't expected Law to target the Chris Pirates' "World Neutral Zone." It was an unforgivable provocation.
Nearby, Smoker puffed on his cigars, frowning as he watched Law. Everyone else present, Caesar, Monet, the guards, and the G-5 Marines, stood frozen in shock.
They couldn't believe their ears. To incite a war between the Donquixote Pirates, the Chris Pirates, and a Yonko like Kaido? The sheer audacity was staggering.
"Huh? What's wrong with everyone?"
Suddenly, Luffy appeared. He looked around with a confused expression, noticing that no one was fighting.
"Luffy!"
"Straw Hat!"
Cries of recognition rang out. If Straw Hat was here, did that mean Otto, the Zoan powerhouse of the Chris Pirates, had been defeated?
In that moment, despair took hold, not just for Caesar, but for Jason as well.
"Dammit! How could this happen!" Jason gritted his teeth, filled with regret. He should have slaughtered this lot when he had the chance; none of this would be happening. Regardless of whether Law's alliance succeeded, they had lost this round.
"Looks like everyone's here. Yahahaha—!"
A booming laugh echoed through the corridor, followed by a blinding light piercing the darkness.
BOOM!
A massive peal of thunder erupted. Before anyone could blink, a man wielding a golden staff appeared before the crowd.
"I say... do you need any help, Dr. Jason?"
"Yahahaha—!"