More than just honing his skills in the brutal clash, Ross cared about something else entirely.
"Did those ideas I mentioned pan out?" he asked Gion.
Earlier, he'd floated a theory: since the Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire extended life through blood, maybe absorbing it from stronger foes could boost power too.
He'd tested it by letting Gion sip his own blood, but the gains were zilch—barely a blip. Even draining him dry wouldn't push her past A-rank.
Giants, though? Their massive bodies meant oceans of blood. Prime material.
"It's why I felt my strength surge," Gion said with a grin. She'd siphoned plenty from Dorry during their fight. Without that later trickle sustaining her, she'd have bled him out completely mid-battle.
While Ross had traded earth-shaking blows on his end, Gion's duel played out smoother. No way she could've matched Dorry head-on with raw power alone. But in her vampire form, his sluggish strikes couldn't touch her. He'd swing wide to compensate, but his enormous frame couldn't coat every inch in Armament Haki.
Gion just needed a gap. One slash from her blade—now an extension of her Devil Fruit—drew blood she could absorb on the spot, refilling her reserves.
She is never tired. Dorry, meanwhile, withered drop by drop. Her defense was paper-thin, sure, but her strikes hit as hard as his. It was a perfect counter. Even without Ross's backup, she could've ground him down solo—and she had, with spare moments to experiment on his blood's effects.
"Shame it fizzled out," she added, a hint of regret in her voice. "His blood must be too thin. After a point, it stopped building my physique."
Ross nodded. "Makes sense. Can't expect every sip to turn you into a monster."
If random blood supercharged her indefinitely, Gion would be unstoppable. Her body had always been the weak link—overall A-rank, but physique scraping A- at best. Sucking down Dorry's essence patched that hole nicely.
Even so, A+ was still miles from S-rank. To hit that—or even S-—you needed freakish physical stats across the board. Specialize too hard in one spot, and you'd top out as Admiral material, nothing more.
"Saint Ross," Gion said, straightening her rumpled clothes and leaning into the lingering warmth of his jacket. She nodded lazily toward Dorry's sprawled form. "You handle that big lug."
She had no clue why Ross radiated such killing intent, but she knew his style: strong foes got the mercy stroke. That's why she'd left Dorry breathing—barely. Otherwise, she'd have finished the job while Ross wrapped up with Brogy.
Ross needed Brogy's corpse for Armament Haki practice. Dorry? Just a blood bank to her.
"Give me a sec," Ross replied with an easy smile, heading over.
An A-rank giant fetched one million points. No way he'd let that slip. Gion got her buffs from the drinking; kills were his department. Fair split.
"You... finally here," Dorry rasped, each breath a rattle. "Brogy's gone, eh? Hah! Told ya... I outlasted him."
He was done for, win or lose. Without Ross's blade, he'd just bleed out slowly.
"Nah, I respect Brogy more," Ross said lightly. "Guy held out ten days and nights. You folded way sooner."
Dorry barked a weak laugh, unbowed. "Fair point! But I ain't... buyin' it."
No fear in his eyes—just a warrior's pride, ready to meet the end on his feet. For giants like him, dying in the dirt of battle was the ultimate honor.
"Enough talk. Time to send you off properly." Ross drew Poseidon's Trident—still slick with Brogy's blood. A nod to a worthy rival.
"Remember me: Dorry, captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates!"
Dorry's grin split wide, defiant to the last.
"Got it. Giant Warrior Pirates: Dorry and Brogy."
Ross swung clean and true.
Whoosh!
An azure arc sliced the air. Dorry went still.
[A-rank kill confirmed!]
[Power +500,000]
[Bonus: Hakoku Sovereignty]
Hakoku Sovereignty combo move Dorry and Brogy pulled off to stonewall Admirals. Paired with their other tricks, it screamed perfect synergy. But these two? Eternal rivals. They'd die before teaming up for real.
Ross felt no pity. He admired their fire, sure, but he wasn't one to force a script. If they ever synced up, he'd relish the challenge. Until then? Their call. He'd honor it.
"Corpses?" Gion asked as he approached, arms crossed. "Burn 'em or what?"
"Have Sora snag fresh samples while they're warm. Leave the bodies here—might shake up the island's wildlife, spawn something fun."
Ross chuckled, pulling out a Den Den Mushi to call the ship. Sora confirmed they'd dock soon.
He and Gion headed back without a backward glance. Ten days of nonstop brawling? Nothing, a hot bath—and some quality time—couldn't fix.
Gion's mind synced perfectly. Her upgraded body hummed with energy, craving to test it out with him.
...
Ross's ship slipped away from Little Garden's shores just as the Red the Aloof arrived, his crimson coat a slash against the snow-dusted peaks of Drum Island.
He rounded up a few quaking doctors, squeezed them for intel: Ross had come and gone. No trail.
Even the Red the Aloof hit a wall. Chasing pirates on the Grand Line? A fool's errand.
Why did so many crews thrive out here? The World Government turned a blind eye half the time—the seas were just too vast, too wild. No tech to track a ship that vanished over the horizon. Strong ones didn't even need ports; they speared Sea Kings for grub and kept sailing.
That's why the WG preferred New World bosses hunkering down as tyrants over loose cannons stirring chaos. Easier to contain.
Now the Red the Aloof faced it head-on. He needed Gion dead, her fruit reborn in fresh hands—his ticket back to power. But she and Ross? Ghosts. No clue on their heading.
All he could do was wait, ears open for the next whisper of their name.
…
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