Souta Kiryuu's words made Reiju's pupils contract sharply.
He actually intended to kill the supreme commander of the Germa Army—the king of an allied nation!
"Gulp…"
"No way!"
Reiju swallowed hard, forcing the words out. The man's presence and his blazing gaze pressed down on her like a mountain.
Those golden, laser-like eyes made her skin prickle with pain.
"What a pity," Souta said coldly. "Then tell me… if I asked Judge to hand you over in exchange for sparing his life, do you think he would agree?"
He stepped forward, pinched Reiju's chin between his fingers, and smirked playfully at the pink-haired warrior woman.
"I don't know… I'll follow any order he gives me."
Reiju clenched her fists, turned her face away, and forced herself to speak in a flat, emotionless tone.
"I know where Sanji is," Souta continued, squeezing her cheek with a mocking smile. "Why don't you come with me? I can help you break free of Judge's control."
With that, he released her and turned toward the edge of the massive Snail Ship, where Judge was dragging the wounded Yonji up onto shore.
"Boom!"
A colossal impact split the air. One of the ship's great buildings crumbled into ruins beneath the crushing force of a gigantic paw strike.
Ichiji, his crimson sparks flashing, was swatted into the ground by Bartholomew Kuma.
The earth itself cracked under the imprint of Kuma's paw, pinning Ichiji deep beneath the rubble.
Blood streamed from his head, his glasses shattered, yet his eyes still burned with defiance. But against Kuma's overwhelming strength and rebound force, Ichiji's right arm was already twisted beyond recognition—half his fighting ability destroyed in an instant.
Meanwhile, Capone Bege, the "Castle Man," braced himself against Niji's electrified onslaught. Trafalgar Law and Lafitte circled from the sides, carving wounds into Niji's body and forcing cracks into his combat suit of memory alloy.
"I don't believe this can't be cut!"
"ROOM: Sever!"
Law's cursed blade, Kikoku, shimmered with power as he seized the moment Niji kicked Bege back and slashed down at his leg.
Clang!
In a flash of steel, a lower leg spun through the air. Niji's eyes widened in disbelief.
"No way! Impossible!"
"Electro Punch!"
Electricity surged wildly from his body as Niji roared, his fists blasting Law away in a storm of sparks.
Unsteady on one leg, his movements faltered. Lafitte's black wings swept his severed limb even farther from reach.
"I'll kill you!"
"Electro Flying Kick!"
Niji, blinded by rage, hurled himself at Law like a thunderbolt.
Bege and Lafitte's lips curled into vicious smiles. The chance had come.
"Law!"
Both lunged at Niji's back.
"I know!"
"ROOM: Switch!""ROOM: Sever!"
Law instantly swapped places with Bege, forcing the Castle Man to take Niji's raging strike head-on. In the same instant, Law's blade sliced clean through Niji's right arm.
Another switch—this time with Lafitte—and Kikoku severed his left arm.
By the time Niji blasted Bege away, he had been reduced to a broken shell of himself: a raging beast with only a single leg left.
"Now… you're nothing but our plaything."
Bege wiped the blood from his lip with a sneer. Niji's power had been monstrous—even his fortress body had barely held.
But from here on, the three would toy with him like a sandbag.
Watching the battle turn, Souta Kiryuu and Kuma exchanged a faint nod. These three still had some bite, enough to take down at least one modified soldier.
On the other side of the battlefield, Judge's face darkened as clone soldiers collapsed in droves.
"Conqueror's Haki!"
He clenched his teeth. His troops were designed to resist ordinary Conqueror's Haki. Years ago, they had even endured Doflamingo's pressure without falling.
So why were they now dropping like flies before Souta Kiryuu's aura?
Could his Conqueror's Haki be far stronger than Doflamingo's?
If so, then Judge's numbers-based tactics were meaningless.
"Why are you attacking us?!"
He hefted his electromagnetic spear, tossing aside the bloodied Yonji, and glared at Souta. He didn't dare invoke his status as a king of a World Government affiliate. Not against this man—the one who had openly declared war on the Celestial Dragons.
"I need some experimental equipment," Souta replied flatly. "But since I figured you wouldn't cooperate, I thought I'd first show you what kind of strength you're up against."
At that moment, under the protection of Leo and Bepo, Dr. Vegapunk boarded the Saint-Germain.
"You!" Judge's eyes widened. "Vegapunk! You actually escaped the World Government's grasp?!"
He could hardly believe it. No wonder the Government's recent movements had seemed so strange, so desperate to crush Souta. The truth was that Vegapunk himself had broken free.
"Old friend," Vegapunk said with a wry smile, glancing at Souta before turning back. "I'm just here to borrow some cloning equipment and materials. Surely you won't refuse."
He chuckled. "Back in the day, our MADS team robbed banks for research funds. Let's not pretend I was always a saint."
"You want equipment—so why attack us?!" Judge snarled, his fury boiling over. His three sons were maimed, his clone army broken, several Snail Ships in ruins. The financial losses alone were staggering.
"This isn't about trust," Vegapunk admitted awkwardly, scratching his neck. "I don't really get to choose anymore. I'm working under Souta now."
"You'll have to trade me his technology in exchange!" Judge snapped, his eyes gleaming with greed as they darted toward Souta. The man was too tempting a prize. If Judge could create even a few experimental soldiers as strong as Souta Kiryuu, the Germa Army would rival an Emperor's crew.
Then the Vinsmoke family could dominate the North Blue, finally achieving their dream of unification.
"Do you really think you're in any position to negotiate?"
Souta Kiryuu's voice cut through the air as he strode forward and seized Judge by the throat.
"Vegapunk, take the science division. Whatever you need—take it. Everything."
He tossed Judge aside like a rag doll.
"And Judge… if you're not afraid of the World Government, I'll give you an opportunity. Work with us in secret. Gather resources for me, and I'll supply you with limitless funds, advanced technology, and even help you forge a stronger Germa Army."
Judge's face turned ashen. Souta's words rang like thunder. Reiju, caught between loyalty and fear, obeyed when Souta beckoned her. With her father and brothers beaten, she silently stepped behind Souta, massaging his shoulders as if she were nothing more than his servant.
"You've mastered artificial Devil Fruit technology… and bloodline fusion…" Judge muttered, conflicted. His heart raced as he weighed the scales—between siding with the World Government, or throwing his lot in with Souta Kiryuu.
If it was only about secretly supplying resources… that deal might be possible. Outwardly, he could maintain Germa's allied status while covertly profiting from the shadows.