What on earth happened?
Colon stared intently at his old father.
But he couldn't discern anything.
Apart from his eyes, everything else—his demeanor, tone, actions, and micro-expressions—was identical to his original father.
A chilling sensation suddenly shot up from his tailbone, raising the hairs on his back and making his scalp tingle.
This was because Colon knew that while many people referred to their leader as "Boss," only one group was the most famous and widely known for it.
But how was this possible!
How could such a thing happen?
"Boss is naturally the Boss,"
Gaban said, his expression completely earnest. "Honestly, Colon, I don't recall raising such a foolish child!"
"There's only one person in the world that your old man would call Boss!"
In Gaban's eyes, with their reversed black and white colors, there was a profound reverence and fervor. "That would naturally be the man who commands Calamity, the great Lord Roa!"
"..."
Colon felt his heart nearly stop beating. A surge of panic and fear churned from the deepest part of his soul, forming a gigantic wave that engulfed him entirely.
"Dad..."
Hot tears rolled uncontrollably from the young man's eyes, his voice cracking almost beyond recognition. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"Speaking nonsense again,"
Gaban looked disappointed. "Your old man isn't old enough to have senile dementia. Truly, after going out, you seem to have become a little disrespectful to your old man!"
"Dad! What's wrong with you?!!"
Colon instantly exploded, his voice sharp, almost a shriek. He stepped forward, grabbed his old father's shoulders, and shook him forcefully.
"Snap out of it! That's Roa! One of the biggest threats in this world you told me about since I was a child! He might very well be our final enemy! What are you even saying right now!"
"Wow, this kid really thinks he's hot stuff now, completely ignoring his old man when he talks, Anna,"
Gaban, however, complained to his wife nearby. "Have we been too lenient with him? Or is he going through a rebellious phase?"
"..."
The dignified mistress of this family of three was speechless. Her shoulders trembled, and tears streamed down her face.
"Hey! Colon! Look!"
Gaban broke free from his son's grip, walking over with a pained expression to hug his wife, gently patting her back. "Your mother is crying because of you. Hurry up and apologize!"
"Apologize to your mother, apologize to your old man, and of course, most importantly, apologize to Boss!"
"Even though you're my favorite clumsy son, verbally slandering Boss is absolutely forbidden."
"..."
Colon's face was pale as he staggered back a few steps.
In that instant, he felt his limbs turn icy cold, and his body felt weak.
"Mom..."
The young man looked at his mother, nearly terrified. "What on earth is going on? What happened to Dad?"
"...Don't blame him, Colon,"
The mermaid Anna leaned in her husband's embrace, her face etched with sorrow. "Don't blame your father. He's just... been controlled..."
That day, the day Calamity struck this island, she noticed something was wrong when Gaban returned.
Her husband was still her husband, but something deep within him was completely different.
It wasn't until Queen Otohime arrived and told her everything.
That day, the woman nearly collapsed.
"Controlled?"
Colon froze, then abruptly looked at Gaban. "Dad..."
Was he controlled by Roa?
"Honestly, don't listen to Queen Otohime and the others. I told you, I'm still me, Anna,"
Gaban hugged his wife tighter, feeling a bit distressed. "I'm still your handsome and dashing husband!"
Anna closed her eyes in despair.
This shameless appearance was indeed just like the first time she met him years ago.
She truly was starting to have difficulty distinguishing.
"So, that bastard Roa did all of this, right!!"
Colon finally understood everything.
His father was controlled by that monster, and his mother was heartbroken because of it!
Now, he finally understood completely!
Everything was that bastard Roa's fault!
"I won't let him get away with this! Absolutely not!!"
The young man ground his teeth.
"Hey! Colon! How many times do I have to tell you!"
Gaban's eyes narrowed slightly. "You are not allowed to slander Boss again! Otherwise, your old man will truly get angry!"
"Dad—"
Colon clenched his jaw, looking at the familiar yet strange father before him.
"You idiot! To be turned into this! Spouting 'Boss' like a fool!"
"But, as long as that guy Roa is dealt with, you can return to normal, you can become the old Dad again, right!"
No matter what ability Roa used, according to common sense, if the ability user himself is defeated, their ability should be dispelled, right?
"Colon!!"
Anna's face instantly changed. "No!!"
"Colon!"
Gaban's expression finally became completely serious, like an old father seeing his mischievous son misbehave. "It seems your old man will have to teach you a lesson. If I allow you to continue offending Boss, then I would be truly unforgivable!"
"No! Don't, Gaban!"
Anna grabbed her husband's clothes, urgently pleading, "Colon is our child! Don't hurt him!"
"Precisely because he is our beloved child, we can't let him stray, Anna!"
Gaban first kissed his wife's forehead, then said earnestly, "He dares to speak ill of Boss now. If he's not disciplined, won't he truly dare to attack Boss in the future?"
"..."
Anna's body trembled.
Although he looked exactly the same as before, she knew better than anyone that her husband was no longer the man he used to be.
Recently, there have been many protests on Fish-Man Island against the rule of the Calamity Company.
After all, everyone now knew that the immense disaster was brought by Roa.
He also had the Sea Kings blockade the entire Fish-Man Island, and he was conscripting a large number of strong young merfolk and fish-men as soldiers.
Too many people were dissatisfied.
Then, after his gentle persuasion failed, Gaban revealed a ruthless side.
According to him, he had kindly advised them, but those people persisted, meaning they were no longer ordinary resisters and required a heavy hand.
He single-handedly slaughtered hundreds of protesters, turning almost the entire Fish-Man Island into a bloody mess.
Anna knew that ordinarily, her husband was still the gentle, yet somewhat unreliable, man he used to be.
But, when Roa's interests were involved, it was completely different.
Anna wrapped her arms tightly around Gaban, and at the same time, turned back to her somewhat stunned son, crying out loudly,
"Run! Colon! Leave Fish-Man Island! Run!"
"Mom..."
Colon's eyes widened.
Run?
How could he possibly run in this situation?
Leaving Dad aside, how could he leave Mom here!
"Anna..."
Gaban looked a little helpless. "I'm just going to teach this boy a lesson so he won't speak carelessly anymore. You shouldn't spoil him too much."
"Besides, Boss said no one is allowed to leave this island. If Colon really tries to run, then I truly must take action against him."
Anna's body trembled again.
She knew that Gaban was serious about taking action now.
Truly meaning to strike without hesitation, without mercy, and with the primary goal of killing Colon.
She dared not speak anymore, but—
"Bastard Dad!"
The young Colon leaped over in a rage. "Making Mom cry! What kind of 'Ambassador of Love' are you!!"
No matter what, he had to take his mother with him!
"I'm going to beat you to a pulp!!"
A heavy punch wrapped in Haki unhesitatingly flew towards Gaban's face.
But.
"Good job, kid, you actually dare to attack your old man!"
Gaban took an interested step back, easily dodging Colon's strike.
"Very good, let your old man see how much you've improved since you went out to sea!"
"If you don't satisfy me, the punishment will be heavier!"
With a light spring, he darted out of the doorway. "Don't mess up the house, or your mother will get angry again, and my life will be difficult, kid. Come outside."
Missing the strike, Colon clenched his teeth, grabbed the two axes on his back, and rushed out,
"Idiot Dad! Give me back Mom! I'm taking her away!"
If even his dad was controlled by Roa, then the entire Fish-Man Island was probably completely compromised.
Coupled with the Sea Kings lurking in the nearby deep sea, this island was too dangerous now!
"Leave?"
The smile on Gaban's face faded slightly. "Colon, if you say that again, Dad will truly get angry."
"No one is allowed to defy Boss's orders."
"Who cares what you say! Axe Heaven Music!"
The twin axes, wrapped in powerful Haki, cleaved directly towards Gaban.
Colon couldn't worry about anything else now. His only thought was to take his mother away.
Holding back?
He knew perfectly well how strong his bastard dad was!
To reclaim his mother from his grasp, he had to genuinely be prepared to kill him!
"Oh! Not bad!"
Gaban nodded approvingly as he looked at the twin axes his good son was bringing down with full force.
"You're much stronger than when you left Fish-Man Island."
He still hugged his wife and easily stepped back, once again avoiding Colon's two axes.
"Damn it!"
Colon secretly gritted his teeth, pursued again, and swung the two battle axes like a storm.
While attacking Gaban, he also had to be careful to avoid his mother.
However.
"Don't worry too much, kid. Come at me with everything you've got."
Gaban was like a gust of wind, unhittable and untouchable. No matter how hard Colon cleaved, the axes couldn't touch him at all.
"Your old man isn't so old that I don't have the strength to protect your mother even from your hands."
"Don't talk to me in that tone!"
Colon was furious, greatly enraged, utterly livid.
Clearly turned into a dog by Roa, yet still acting like the kind old father he used to be!
Colon felt the rage was about to blow the top off his head!
His twin axes became even more frantic. Just the spreading shockwaves carved huge cracks into the surrounding coral forest.
However, the more his anger surged, the easier Gaban dodged. With just a spin, he got behind Colon, then kicked his good son in the backside, sending Colon tumbling head over heels.
"Calm down, Colon,"
Gaban smiled. "The more emotional you are, the harder it is for your Observation Haki to work."
"Bastard!!"
Colon flipped to his feet, his face flushed with anger, and his twin axes came down heavily again.
"Full of openings."
Gaban shook his head helplessly, then delivered another heavy kick directly through the gap between the twin axes, landing on Colon's chest.
"Ugh!"
The young man groaned, feeling the air in his lungs completely kicked out. He flew backward, curving his body like a shrimp in pain, and tumbled quite a distance on the ground.
"Stop fighting! Gaban! Stop!"
Anna, teary-eyed, hugged her husband. "Don't hurt our child anymore!"
"Alright, alright,"
His wife's tears instantly melted Gaban's heart. While gently comforting and patting his wife's back, he looked up at his good son, who was clutching his chest and lying on the ground.
"Colon, for your mother's sake, I won't lecture you more. But remember, you must always show Boss the utmost respect!"
"Bah!"
Colon stood up, enduring the pain in his chest. "I will never forgive that guy! One day, I'm going to kill him!"
Gaban's expression suddenly darkened.
In the next instant.
"Ugh!"
Colon only felt a dark shadow flash before his eyes. A hard hand, forged like steel, grabbed his neck, lifting him entirely off the ground.
His neck felt like it was about to be snapped, and his throat and windpipe were completely squeezed shut. Colon couldn't even let out a scream.
How could he be so fast?
Bastard Dad, how could he seem even stronger than before!
"Colon!"
Gaban's eyes were filled with sorrow and disappointment. "How could you turn out like this!"
"Even your old man can't tolerate you forever. If you continue to be so stubborn—"
Gaban's shoulder trembled, and his eyes were full of anguish. "Your old man... will truly have no choice but to—"
"No! Gaban!"
Anna rushed over, grabbing the hand Gaban used to lift Colon, shaking it desperately.
But her strength was too weak to move Gaban at all.
The woman could only scream with all her might, "Let him go, Gaban! Colon is our child!"
"Precisely because he is our child, I cannot just stand by and watch him stray, Anna!"
Gaban turned his head away in reluctance, even closing his eyes in pain.
He truly looked like an old father choosing to dispense justice against his own son for an unforgivable crime.
"Gaban!!"
Seeing her son's face turning pale from lack of oxygen, Anna finally broke down and cried out, "If you don't let Colon go, I'll die in front of you!"
Gaban's body trembled violently. When he turned back to look at his wife, his face was equally frantic, and his voice was shaking.
"Anna, don't force me like this! I don't want to either!"
"But Colon made a mistake. Boss must not be disrespected in any way! As his father, how can I ignore this!"
Gaban was incredibly pained but spoke with absolute firmness. "If Colon cannot abandon his intention to oppose Boss, I can never forgive him."
"..."
Anna looked at her son in distress.
She saw the same look of intense suffering in her son's eyes.
Roa!
Roa!!
What kind of monster are you!
"Colon!!"
She cried out painfully, "Obey your father... I beg you, Mom is begging you!"
Colon's body trembled abruptly.
His mother's look of utter despair exploded in his heart like a bomb.
He couldn't die!
His bastard dad had become like this, and Mom only had him left.
He absolutely couldn't die here.
Roa!!!!
Then.
The young man nodded with difficulty.
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