Chapter 137: I Will Surely Appear in the Final Act
Hunting Ground, inside the snow-covered forest.
"Roar!"
Low growls of beasts came from all directions.
"Farr... Hans... I... I can't go on."
A Marine from the Detention Unit collapsed, gritting his teeth.
His right leg had a massive gash, blood flowing freely.
His face was extremely pale, his breathing weak.
"It's all up to you guys now."
He said through gritted teeth. "Give it to me."
Hearing this...
"Karen..." (x2)
Beside him, Hans and Farr, also heavily injured, fell silent.
Because at this moment, the Marine named 'Karen' was the last comrade beside them.
But they didn't hesitate. They cooperated skillfully—Hans blocked the view slightly, while Farr quietly passed something to Karen.
Then...
"It's okay... Lord Hans can still hold on!"
Hans grinned.
"Rest well, don't pass out—brother."
Farr said softly. "Or else when that guy comes, Hans and I alone can't handle it."
Hearing this, Karen smiled. "Don't worry..."
"I won't miss the final act."
As his words fell.
Farr reached out and grabbed gently.
Karen's entire body was stored directly into his abdomen.
If Roy were here, he would undoubtedly be surprised.
[Fresh-Fresh Fruit LV4 - Can store non-hostile living beings inside the body.]
Yes—although he hadn't had the fruit for long.
Farr's development of the fruit had clearly reached a considerable level.
"Just the two of us left, as expected."
He smiled at Hans.
"Can't be helped. We are the Boss's two top generals after all."
Hans shook his arms, whispering inaudibly. "But... are you sure that guy will come?"
"He will."
Farr said decisively. "I observed when we floated up. There are many pirates preparing for a banquet... likely subordinates 'Golden Lion' gathered after escaping Impel Down."
"The Den Den Mushi is broadcasting us live. Those pirates must be watching. After years of dormancy, Shiki needs to stabilize his prestige..."
Before he could finish, Hans waved his hand. "Alright, shut up, annoying to listen to... Anyway, I trust your brain."
He looked into the distance.
BOOM!
BOOM!
A giant crocodile was slowly walking towards them, crushing trees.
"Hey... do you have stock left?"
Hans asked in a low voice.
"Barely a little—I should ask you? Can your body hold up?"
Farr took out two cans of cola from his body and handed them to Hans.
"Nonsense."
Hans opened one can and gulped it down.
The Munch-Munch Fruit's effect activated. His injuries began to heal, muscles expanding.
But clearly, it wasn't enough.
His injuries were too severe for one bottle of cola—blood continued to seep from his wounds.
But...
"I am Lord Hans!"
Hans grinned, teeth clacking.
Then, he leaped.
BOOM!
His expanded right leg kicked the giant crocodile's head, raining crocodile and Marine blood.
"Of course I can hold on!"
Speaking, Hans threw the other cola can onto the crocodile's back, then made a grimace at the distant giant snail, shouting, "Bullshit Golden Lion, just a crippled old dog! Dare not fight Lord Hans for three hundred rounds? What kind of legend are you?"
As he spoke.
The next moment...
RUMBLE!
He and Farr saw from afar—from the Golden Lion's palace high above.
As if responding to his words.
The gate opened abruptly.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of blades hitting the ground rang out. Shiki, biting a cigar, floated out of the palace slowly.
Then...
VMMM!
Hans and Farr couldn't even see his movement.
"Lion's Majesty · Snow Mane!"
The next moment, the snowstorm reversed abruptly.
Snowflakes danced, frost turning into lion's manes, binding Hans and Farr's necks and lifting them up.
"Ugh..." (x2)
The immense pain made them groan instinctively.
And now...
"Said enough? Marines."
Shiki appeared in front of them instantly, crossing the vast distance with extreme speed.
His hair fluttered in the snowstorm—making him look truly like an enraged lion.
He stared at Hans and Farr. "Three hundred rounds? Maybe if Sengoku or Garp said that."
"I don't know what plan you have, but now... what can you do?"
He looked at the completely bound Hans and Farr.
Yes—Shiki knew Hans and Farr's strange provocation wasn't normal.
He guessed they might have a plan.
But...
It didn't matter.
Whatever their plan was, Shiki didn't think it posed any threat to him.
"The wisdom of the weak is useless before true power."
He said coldly. "Just like now, I can kill you in various ways anytime, and you can do nothing."
"Survival of the fittest is the rule of this sea."
And he was a legend of the sea—whether as a member of Rocks Pirates or as 'Golden Lion'.
He stood at the top of the food chain, a roaring lion.
"Now—choose."
With his words, accompanied by massive roars.
The IQ Beasts in the forest gathered around.
Their red, drooling eyes looked at Farr and Hans.
As if proving Shiki's words.
"I will let these beasts eat you bit by bit, letting you feel the most painful death."
Shiki raised his hand, his voice loud, echoing across the island. "Or... beg me for mercy, Marines."
"In that case, I might let you live."
These words, transmitted to the palace, excited the pirates again.
"What aura! What ferocity!"
"As expected of Boss Shiki!"
"I knew the legendary 'Golden Lion' was such a vicious pirate!"
They shouted, their voices piercing through the open palace gate.
But the next moment...
"Heh..."
They heard Hans, tightly bound by snow, speak.
"Are you an idiot? You?"
He struggled to look up at Shiki.
Then, he smiled.
"!!!"
Shiki paused, then murderous rage flashed in his eyes.
"Seeking death!"
He spoke coldly, and the countless beasts approached them as if ordered.
"I agree..."
But just then, Farr spoke too.
Since his fruit ability wasn't combat-oriented, his condition was worse than Hans', almost fainting.
But he still answered his best friend.
"This guy is indeed... an idiot..."
Farr, who usually disliked harsh words, said rarely. "Beg for mercy?"
"Who do you think... we are?"
His voice faded, fainting completely.
But the moment he fainted...
VMMM! VMMM! VMMM!
Figures fell out of his body one by one.
They wore white Marine uniforms, soaked in blood from their wounds.
These were the Marines Farr stored earlier.
When the ability user dies or faints, the ability cancels—so they fell out naturally.
But they didn't seem surprised at all.
On the contrary...
"!!!"
Shiki saw clearly.
Every Marine held a button tightly in their hands.
Some hands were trembling.
But eventually, their eyes turned firm, looking up at Shiki.
In this moment...
"!!!"
Shiki's eyes widened.
Experienced in battle, he immediately looked at the surrounding beasts—inside the 'cola cans' Hans threw on them, he could faintly see the light of a signal lamp!
"They are bombs... these guys..."
Shiki understood everything instantly.
Yes.
From the start, Hans and Farr knew they couldn't win—the opponent was 'Golden Lion', a legendary pirate!
But so what?
Just because they couldn't win, they wouldn't fight?
"We swore to follow the Boss's footsteps."
"We swore not to disappoint him."
Everyone thought Farr's Fresh-Fresh Fruit stored food.
But in fact, from the start, the most stored item was the 'Miniature High-Energy Bomb' from the Marine SSG.
Everyone thought Hans's provocation was just empty talk before death.
But actually, every cola can he threw onto the beasts and into the forest was a preparation for this moment.
Everyone thought the Marines hid inside Farr for protection.
But actually, they were ready for this moment when they went in.
Everyone thought once captured, Farr and Hans's plan would fail.
But actually—even if Shiki killed them on the spot, the plan would proceed.
As mentioned before.
This was their planned 'Final Act'!
"Brothers!"
In this instant, Hans shouted with his last strength. "Tell this guy, who we are!?"
"Subordinates of 'Black Judge' Roy Amos, Detention Unit DT-31 Team!" (xN)
As the words fell.
They pressed the buttons without hesitation.
That was the resolve they had from the start.
"Did you hear—we are subordinates of the future Marine Legend..."
"How could we surrender to an old thing abandoned by the era like you, PIRATE!!!"
Next moment...
BOOM!
In the snowstorm, a deafening sound erupted.
☆☆☆
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