Chapter 189: Unexpected Confrontation
Using the Castle Ring proved remarkably simple.
By consuming stamina, Rhodes could place any object near the ring. The object would shrink dramatically before being absorbed into the ring's internal space.
As for the capacity limitations—
In the original timeline, when Capone Bege and Sanji entered his castle body to negotiate, there appeared to be only a single room with perhaps a dozen people inside. Yet dozens of armed subordinates could emerge when needed, suggesting the internal space was far more expansive than initially visible.
How many rooms could a castle contain? Difficult to say precisely, but the space likely expanded with progressive development of the ability.
Rhodes's ring currently contained approximately five distinct rooms—quite spacious, easily sufficient for storing common items and supplies.
Unfortunately, since this was an artificially created Devil Fruit object rather than a naturally consumed power, the ability was fixed at its current level and wouldn't improve through training.
Still, Rhodes expressed complete satisfaction. He carefully placed the Rainbow Wine bottles and his "acquired" treasures—definitely not stolen, merely tactically relocated—inside the dimensional storage.
After tidying up his hotel room, Rhodes felt genuinely exhausted from the day's activities. He settled onto the bed and immediately fell into deep sleep.
He slept straight through until the following afternoon.
Waking refreshed, Rhodes felt his energy completely restored and his body brimming with vitality.
"What should I do today? The Paramount War shouldn't begin for at least a few more days. Why hasn't Sengoku contacted me yet? Ah well, food first."
Rhodes felt his stomach growling insistently, so he left the hotel and headed toward a nearby food district known for its restaurants.
But before he could even enter the main street—
A furious roar erupted from behind him:
"DRAGON SLAYER RHODES! TODAY IS THE DAY YOU DIE!"
Hearing that strangely familiar voice, Rhodes paused mid-step, then turned around slowly.
A man with shoulder-length blond curly hair stood glaring at him with absolute hatred blazing in his eyes.
Rhodes found the figure vaguely familiar, but couldn't immediately place him.
The man bore a horrific scar across his face—stretching from forehead to chin. His nose was nearly flattened, his features twisted and distorted beyond recognition. He looked even more grotesque than Wet-Haired Caribou had.
"Who are you? It's not your fault you're ugly, but it is your fault for being out in public. You might traumatize children looking like that."
Rhodes spoke with casual indifference.
"DAMN YOU!"
The mention of "ugly" seemed to completely ignite the blond man's rage. He roared with barely controlled fury:
"I'M CAVENDISH! You bastard—the White Horse Cavendish!"
"Cavendish?"
Rhodes's eyes narrowed in genuine recognition, finally placing the once-aristocratic young man—a fellow Supernova from last year's generation. A wave of surprise washed over him.
This formerly handsome youth—whose looks had been only marginally inferior to Rhodes's own—had fallen to such a tragic state.
Was this a decline of morals, or a distortion of human nature?
Meanwhile, Cavendish glared at Rhodes with absolute murderous intent burning in his eyes.
Rhodes's sword strike over a year ago had nearly shattered his entire life. Facing this disfigured state, his profoundly vain heart simply couldn't endure it. He'd even contemplated suicide multiple times.
But he'd persevered through sheer hatred, driven by his burning desire for revenge. That all-consuming need for vengeance had carried Cavendish through countless life-or-death battles. His unwavering determination had even enabled him to control his second personality, Hakuba, dramatically enhancing his swordsmanship.
He'd undergone profound transformation. He no longer feared the so-called Dragon Slayer. He possessed strength now—real strength—and hungered for retribution.
"God himself has delivered you to me!"
SHING!
Cavendish drew Durandal with a metallic ring and charged toward Rhodes.
His speed was tremendous—surrounding civilians couldn't even perceive his movements, seeing only a series of afterimages and feeling the rush of displaced air.
A fierce wind blasted toward him, but Rhodes's expression remained utterly calm.
He casually drew Spectre and delivered a single, effortless slash.
WHOOSH!
A deep blue crescent of sword energy erupted forth, traversing the distance between them almost instantaneously and arriving directly before Cavendish.
The Cavendish of the past would have been killed instantly by this strike, unable to even react.
But Cavendish—tempered by countless battles and near-death experiences—had fully unleashed his natural talent for swordsmanship. His current strength was now comparable to that of an average Vice Admiral.
Gripping the holy sword Durandal tightly, his eyes widened in focus. Realizing evasion was impossible, he gathered all his strength and thrust his blade forward to intercept.
CLANG! BOOM!
When sword met sword energy, the impact sent Cavendish flying backward like a leaf in a hurricane. He coughed blood mid-flight, clearly injured by Rhodes's casual strike.
But Rhodes showed no mercy whatsoever.
"If you dare seek revenge, you must be prepared to die."
He vanished in a blur of motion, instantly appearing above the airborne Cavendish.
Cavendish let out a desperate roar, barely managing to raise Durandal horizontally to block—but Rhodes had already shifted position.
CRASH!
His kick—swift as a striking hawk—effortlessly bypassed Cavendish's guard and drove him into the ground with devastating force.
THOOM!
Like a meteor striking earth.
Cavendish slammed into the street, creating a small crater. His chest caved inward dramatically, as if struck directly by artillery fire. With such catastrophic injuries, survival seemed impossible.
However, Cavendish's exceptional vitality kept him clinging to consciousness for a few moments longer.
His lips moved weakly, attempting to say something—perhaps final words, perhaps a curse.
But Rhodes didn't bother listening. He simply drew Spectre and, with one clean stroke, severed Cavendish's head from his shoulders.
"Interesting. Stronger opponents definitely provide substantially more netherworld energy."
Rhodes, sensing Spectre's satisfaction through their connection, nodded approvingly, sheathed his blade, and simply walked away from the scene.
He'd slept all day and was already hungry before this interruption. Now, after even a brief battle, his appetite had intensified considerably.
As Rhodes continued toward the food district, the surrounding civilians remained visibly shaken by the sudden violence they'd witnessed.
Reflecting on Cavendish as he walked, Rhodes couldn't help but feel a trace of acknowledgment.
The man had genuinely possessed talent—becoming last year's Supernova proved that much. After being disfigured by Rhodes's attack, he'd devoted absolutely everything to training and self-improvement. His strength had indeed increased dramatically.
But unfortunately for him, Rhodes had improved far more.
Rhodes's swordsmanship alone was now sufficient to overwhelm Cavendish completely. In the very area where Cavendish took the most pride—his speed and sword technique—Rhodes had surpassed him by an insurmountable margin.
As Rhodes entered the food district and disappeared into a restaurant, several figures emerged from the shadows near the battle site.
"Whoa, whoa! Someone that strong was from the same generation as us Supernovas?"
A shaggy white-furred mink—a polar bear—exclaimed in shock upon seeing Cavendish's gruesome corpse.
"Bepo, that was the Dragon Slayer who defeated Don Chinjao—the youngest of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. His strength is no longer on our level."
Trafalgar Law spoke calmly, his distinctive spotted hat shadowing his eyes.
"He's absolutely terrifying..."
Bepo shuddered. "Captain, we should definitely stay away from him."
"For now, at least."
Law nodded slightly, though a calculating gleam flickered in his eyes beneath the brim of his hat.
He knew more than most about Rhodes.
After embarking on the Grand Line, Law had specifically sought intelligence from various sources and taken particular interest in the Dragon Slayer. Rhodes had a significant grudge against the Donquixote Family, and the billion-berry bounty on his head in the underworld still hadn't been rescinded.
If the opportunity arose, Law intended to potentially recruit the Dragon Slayer as an ally in his campaign against Doflamingo.
Someone capable of casually killing a Vice Admiral-level combatant would make an invaluable partner in taking down one of the Warlords.
"Let's go, Bepo. We have preparations to make."
"Aye aye, Captain!"
The Heart Pirates quietly departed, leaving Cavendish's remains for the authorities to handle.
(End of Chapter)
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