General of Stone.
Rubin.
Wielder of the Stone-Stone Fruit.
Supreme commander of the Ferguson Empire.
The nation's strongest warrior.
It could be said—defeating him meant bringing the entire country under control.
"Humph!"
Rubin folded his arms across his chest, glaring with disdain.
"Arthur Pendragon! Bounty: 550,000,000 Berries! A brat inflated by the Marines' bounty system, a child they want to crush under the weight of numbers. Has the mighty Rocks Pirates fallen so low, that they send you—a green boy—as a commander? Today, this old bones of mine will end your life."
Crack!
With a stomp, Rubin launched skyward. In the same instant, every stone tile beneath his feet surged upward, fusing into his arm.
"Lion of the Earth!"
A roaring stone lion's head materialized and came crashing down toward Arthur.
"Wind King's Shield!"
Arthur did not draw Excalibur. Instead, he raised a single hand. The gales swirled and condensed into a translucent green shield before him.
Indeed—Arthur had fused the Wind King's Barrier into his own body. With it, he could render himself visible or invisible at will, all depending on his intent.
Boom!
The stone lion slammed against the wind-forged shield. For a heartbeat, they held.
Rubin landed heavily, stamping the ground once more.
"Serpent of the Earth!"
Countless stone snakes erupted, writhing upward in a frenzy, their fangs poised to devour Arthur whole.
"Wind King's Scythe!"
Arthur clasped both hands, conjuring a scythe of wind, sweeping left and right. Each slash cleaved through the serpents with brutal accuracy.
And then—
"Wind King's Spear!"
Arthur raised his hand and hurled down a barrage of spears forged from gale-force winds. But even as he struck, his foothold in the air faltered. He dropped toward the ground—
—and immediately sensed the shift beneath his feet.
Swish!
The moment he touched earth, Arthur vanished.
"Wolf's Howl of the Earth!"
From the soil burst a massive stone wolf, its fangs coated in Armament Haki, its maw wide enough to crush anything in its jaws. A single bite from that beast would have meant disaster, even for a hardened warrior.
Arthur leapt back, eyes fixed sharply on Rubin. He knew: as long as Rubin remained underground, he was nearly impossible to bring down.
"…Troublesome."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. He would have to change his approach. Instead of defending, he launched himself directly at Rubin.
The general, however, remained composed. He understood Arthur's plan—only by pressing the attack could anyone hope to overcome the Stone-Stone Fruit. And it was true: defeating this fruit was exceedingly difficult. Its ability to vanish and strike from underground made its user nearly untouchable.
But—
Arthur closed his eyes, emptying his senses, and in the same breath hurled another spear of wind.
"Wind King's Spear."
Shff!
"Huh?"
Though Rubin had already merged into the earth, the spear pierced him. His eyes widened in disbelief as his arm was skewered. If not for his reflexes, that strike would have pierced his heart.
"This brat… could it be? Such terrifying Observation Haki?"
In truth, Rubin's arrogance had never dulled his vigilance. He had always known Arthur was strong—after all, in the Rocks Pirates, strength was the only law. For this boy to lead over a dozen division captains and a thousand men was proof enough of his power.
Rubin had been careful. Yet Arthur still sensed him.
Now wary, Rubin retreated deeper into the ground, his movements swift and untraceable. At the same time, he unleashed an endless assault—lions, serpents, wolves, krakens—each creature of stone battering Arthur from all sides.
Arthur dodged with fluid motion, reading every shift in the earth. Yet even he frowned.
"…No. His speed underground is too great. I can track his position—but killing him like this is nearly impossible."
Which left only one option.
Swish!
Arthur turned and sprinted toward the distance. If Rubin refused to come out, he would simply force him out. As Ferguson's general, Rubin had duties he could not abandon.
"You brat!"
"You fucking dare!"
Fury boiled in Rubin's voice. He gave chase, but Arthur was already headed straight for the royal palace. If Rubin would not surface, Arthur would tear the royal family apart and end the battle that way.
"Bastard!"
"Beastman of the Earth!"
Rubin roared, the ground quaking violently.
Rumble!
A monstrous stone giant erupted, its shape resembling a towering beast-man. Its massive arm came crashing down toward Arthur.
"Finally… you show yourself."
Arthur had already sensed it—Rubin's body hidden within the giant's form. Concealed though he was, Arthur could feel him.
"No need to rush."
Arthur did not slow, racing straight toward the palace. He wanted to see—how far Rubin would go to stop him.
Swish! Swish!
Arthur's speed was unrelenting. Rubin bellowed in rage.
"You brat! Stop right now—Dont you fucking do it!"
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