"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
Boom!
With Linlin's slash, a terrifying pink shockwave tore forward like a raging dragon, charging straight at Ares.
Ares flicked his tail.
Like a peerless treasured blade, it released a dazzling, gorgeous flying slash of its own.
"No-Sword Style: Slash Wave!"
Ares didn't need a sword.
Any part of his body could become a weapon.
Even his dragon tail.
Under his control, it was no weaker than a famed blade.
Not to mention…
He had Armament Haki.
Boom!
The two slashes collided and detonated. The aftershock became a violent hurricane that spread outward and ravaged everything in its path.
The ground split.
Trees were ripped up by the roots and hurled into the air, dancing in the storm.
Ares was locked in battle with Linlin and Saint Glin.
In the distance…
Kuma raised an arm to shield his face from the savage airflow, then suddenly spoke.
"Kaido, Sladra… we're too weak. We can't help Brother Ares. I want…"
"I want to save the other slaves on this island. They have to be getting hunted down by the Celestial Dragons right now."
"My… my ability should be able to help them escape!"
Hearing Kuma, Kaido frowned, ready to jump back into the fight.
"Hey, Kuma, at a time like this, who has the time to care about those slaves on the island?"
"With just you, how many can you even save?"
Kaido was a pirate, raised on battlefields since he was young. He hated this kind of pointless "kindness" the most.
Those slaves had nothing to do with them.
And yet at a moment like this, Kuma wanted to go save them…
Kaido couldn't understand it.
Kuma's face turned pale. He bit his lip, instantly deflated.
At his side, Ivankov tugged lightly at Kuma's clothes and whispered, "Kuma, there are a hundred thousand slaves on this island. Even if a lot have already died, there are still tens of thousands left…"
"You might have gained a Devil Fruit ability, but with your strength alone, you can't save all of them!"
Kuma's expression darkened.
Then, suddenly
Ares's voice rang in everyone's ears.
"Kaido, Sladra, go help Kuma rescue the slaves. And remember, don't send them flying. Send them to the Navy warships we used to get here."
"Wait for me. I'll take them with me when we leave!"
The moment they heard that, Kaido and Sladra's expressions changed completely.
Kaido shouted in panic, worry all over his face. "Brother Ares, no! You're fighting two enemies by yourself… I'm staying to fight with you!"
"If someone has to help rescue slaves, let Sladra go with Kuma. I'm staying here to help you!"
"..."
Sladra went blank.
Why me?!
Why can't I be the one staying to help Brother Ares fight?!
Kuma was stunned too. He never expected Brother Ares to not only see through his thoughts, but to order Kaido and Sladra to help him rescue slaves even while taking on two enemies at once.
His chest tightened with emotion.
"Could it be… could Brother Ares be the Sun God of Liberation my father used to talk about?!"
Kuma's father had always used stories of the "Sun God of Liberation" to comfort him when he was little.
In the endless darkness of slavery, that was the "dawn" and "warmth" his father left him.
The only thing that kept him going until today.
"Kaido! Stop messing around!!!"
Even while fighting, Ares snapped, his voice splitting the air.
"This is important. I only trust you with it!"
"Complete the mission. No matter what!"
He wasn't doing it because he was "kind."
He'd already thought ahead.
To him, these slaves were a priceless resource.
He wasn't going to sell them.
He was thinking about returning to Wano later to build his power base.
He couldn't do that without people.
And the slaves on this island…
Weren't they the perfect "citizens" for the land he would rule in the future?
As his memories fused, Ares's ambition surged wildly.
He didn't just want to become Wano's Shogun.
He wanted to change Wano completely.
He wanted to turn it into a "superpower nation" with deep strength and massive manpower.
Only then…
Would he have enough soldiers to oppose the World Government.
To even overthrow it.
"Brother Ares…" Kaido froze, still worried. "But you alone against "
Before he could finish, Ares cut him off. He grinned arrogantly and laughed loudly.
"Kaido, do you really think they can defeat me?"
"Besides, once you've rescued the slaves, you can come back and help. I'm not going down that easily!"
Ares's arrogance, his utter refusal to take them seriously
It ignited Saint Glin and Linlin like gasoline.
Both of them looked like they wanted to swallow Ares alive.
Linlin clenched her teeth, fury boiling in her eyes.
"Damn you, Ares! You never put me in your eyes. This time, I'm going to beat you!"
The two launched a ferocious assault.
Ares met it head-on.
Flawless. No openings.
Since joining the Rocks Pirates, Ares had fought in battles too many to count.
With that "bug-like" memory ability, he'd learned countless techniques from powerful fighters.
Only, time was too short.
He still hadn't fully fused everything into one perfect whole.
Ares's firm command made Kaido hesitate. Then he looked at Kuma.
"Hey Kuma. Lead us to the slaves. We'll get them to the warships."
"O-oh!" Kuma snapped out of it, overjoyed. "Brother Ares is amazing!!"
Kaido snorted unhappily. "Hmph! If it weren't for Brother Ares, I wouldn't give a damn about saving those slaves!"
Just as they were about to leave, Ares's voice came again.
"Kaido, prepare a huge amount of food for me. I'll need to replenish my energy after this fight!"
"Got it!"
Kaido answered, then took the Kuma trio and Sladra away, rushing off to rescue the slaves.
Saving these slaves wasn't only about bringing them to Wano to become his citizens.
Ares also wanted a reputation.
In the future, it would be easier to recruit "like-minded men" across the sea.
With Kaido and the others gone, Saint Glin sneered.
"Ares… you're truly arrogant. One man, against the two of us?"
Slash!
A sharp flying slash shot in. Ares's arm bulged with surging veins, bones humming, and he shattered the attack with a single punch.
He laughed, wild and unrestrained.
"Hahaha! What?"
"You think teaming up means you can beat me?"
"This title 'Bloodhand'… it's honestly kind of annoying."
"My title should be even more domineering."
"I think…"
"War God sounds pretty good!"
"War God?!" Linlin's eyes trembled. She barked coldly, "Ares, you're really that arrogant. Talk about titles after you survive!"
"Zeus" spat lightning
And Ares didn't dodge at all. He let it crash straight into his body.
"Heh… Linlin, lightning at this level is basically giving me a massage!"
Ares curled his lip in disdain.
"And that Prometheus flame of yours… the temperature is way too low!"
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